"AVA!"
I was expecting the excitement, but her screech made me grimace all the same.
"Tone it down, please," I laughed.
I saw Gabe turn to look at me and smiled at him quickly before he turned his attention back to the road.
"How was your flight? How's Gabe?" she asked eagerly.
"It sucked, but no damage done. And...good," I said, trying not to let Gabe know I was talking about him. "How are Shay and Jason?"
"We're watching a Scrubs marathon," she said happily, "I miss you though."
"Why, because we both love the show and Shay and Jason hate it?"
"Exactly. It's like watching with two dead people who occasionally comment that Zach Braff is gay," she whined.
"He is not!" I defended.
"I know! He can't be or else we can't get married."
I laughed at her and waited until she said something else.
"Well I'll let you go to your lover," she said.
"Um-"
"No objections! Have a good time, call me tomorrow!"
I decided it wasn't worth arguing, so I rolled my eyes and said good-bye before hanging up.
"Sam?" Gabe ventured.
I nodded with a small laugh.
"I can't wait to meet her," he said with a smile.
"And she can't wait to meet you." And Will, I thought.
He smiled and turned down a block, the car moving silently until he slowed down gradually.
"Welcome to La Casa Beckett," Gabe said, pulling up into a driveway.
I nodded at his comment, looking at the house briefly before getting out of the car. I tried to move as quickly as I could because my face was already freezing from being outside for five seconds. I ran to the back of the car and opened the trunk to lift one of my suitcases out.
But someone beat me to it.
"I've got it, babe," Gabe said winking and grabbing both of my bags.
I frowned, shutting the trunk as I followed him to the house.
"Babe?" I asked.
"Yeah?"
I rolled my eyes.
"I don't like being called that," I told him, wrapping my arms around myself.
"What would you prefer? Sweetheart? Honeybuns? Sugar?" he asked, looking back at me as we neared the door.
"Um, none of the above," I said with a shudder.
He laughed and maneuvered to open the door.
"Babe it is," he said with a cocky smile.
"Okay Ebag," I said, smiling back.
He frowned and opened his mouth to protest, but I walked into the house before he could say anything.
Gabe went in after me, dropping my suitcases next to the door and smiling widely at me.
"Ready to meet my friends?"
I didn't get a chance to answer before a shrill voice rang out.
"The Saportas are here!"
I willed myself not to get red at the insinuation, but matters weren't helped along by Gabe's arm that now snaked over my shoulders. It wouldn't be so bad if I knew what the hell was going on with us, but the uncertainty just made it worse.
"Shut up, Novarro," Gabe said, pushing me lightly forward.
"Hey Nate," I greeted, happy that at least the first person I saw was a familiar (yet annoying) one.
"Ava Ava, why you buggin'?"
I laughed at his bad attempt of singing Run DMC, and Gabe hit him out of the way as we walked farther into the house and what I guessed was some sort of den. I wasn't nervous or anything, but I was kind of anxious to meet the group of people I was going to be surrounded with the whole day.
Everyone was sprawled out on the couch and various spots on the floor, watching TV and talking loudly, but our presence seemed to be immediately detected.
"Everyone shut the hell up and meet Ava."
"Hey Ava!" everyone chorused.
"That's Victoria, Becks, Siska, Ryland, and Suarez," Gabe introduced, "It's okay if you don't remember them all. They're not that important."
"Stop trying to act cool in front of your girl," Suarez called out in offense.
"Stop being jealous that I don't even have to act," Gabe retorted.
"Stop being mad and arguing the truth."
"Stop being wrong and I won't argue with you."
"Stop being idiots and let Ava sit down," Victoria cut in, moving over.
And like that, I felt like I was going to have a good time here.
