Free Falling

Finding a place where people cared about Aryn was a difficult task when one was in the state of Arizona. It wasn't that all people hated Aryn, in fact many people loved Aryn. The problem was that it was hard to find a room where there wasn't a single person who hated her. That, and most of her high school friends were gone on road trips and vacations before they went to college. Aryn being gone so long was not helping her get invited along, that and most girls wouldn't want Aryn the "slut" to tag along.

You see, back in high school (when she went to Corona Del Sol) Aryn had a reputation for being with lots of guys. Although that was far from true; she had  had only two official boyfriends and Garrett. She had some other guys but they didn't get past a first date. The real reason that there was someone who hated in almost every place in Arizona was because the timing of her two boyfriends and who they were, John O'Callaghan and Kennedy Brock.

When Aryn was a freshman she was in high demand by the male gender, but she supplied very little due to the fact she had two brothers in school with her. John had been courting her practically the whole year ignoring her brothers' empty threats and finally took her to prom. Then they started dating. That is until Aryn and Grace got acquainted with the Saguro High soccer star Kennedy Brock. That's when things got blurry and rumors were spread. People started calling Aryn a slut because she spent a lot of time with Kenny. Most girls found it unfair that a freshman could not only have the hottest guy at their school but also another guy as well. The allegations weren't true and anyone with eyes not clouded by green could see that, but those rumors made Aryn realize how perfect Kenny was for her. 

While John was a senior about to graduate Kenny was a junior (making dating him not borderline statutory rape as well). Also Kenny loved soccer and obviously so did Aryn making them have that much more in common than she and John. So the more she thought the more she felt she was leading John on and Aryn dumped John and almost immediately started dating Kennedy. Despite John admitting that dating Aryn was starting to feel like dating his sister as well as dating his younger brothers' babysitter, the immediate exchange of boys forever labeled Aryn as a slut, tease, bitch, you name it, because as all the girls would say it was obviously her fault. But without Aryn dating Kenny for a good four months, the boys of the Maine would not have formally met their future guitarist. Jeopardizing so many of those name calling girls the opportunity to swoon and orgasm over the local superstars.

So it was safe to say she would always be the bad guy in the Tempe area and rather than risk the ridicule and lack of sympathy Aryn opted out of going to find people and instead searched for a place where no one would be. The obvious choice was somewhere outside in the one hundred degree weather. So Aryn found the park near her old soccer fields and laid down in the grass imagining a world where she scored the winning world cup goal and there was a boy happy to give a congratulatory kiss to her.

"There you are slut face! I heard you were home and I've been looking everywhere for you! Figures you'd be somewhere that no sane person would want to be." Aryn looked up to see the smirking face of Jess Bowen, a girl whom Aryn had played soccer with since the two were young.

"Ahhhh! oh my god I'm so glad to see a friendly nonjudgmental face!" She tackled the girl.

"I'm guessing the Garrett thing hasn't been the best welcome home. But have no fear the Summer Set is here, we're all  on your side, or at least we don't care because we love you unconditionally." Jess squeezed tighter.

"Please tell me why I came back."

"Because you love Arizona, and Mrs. Nickelsen being sick. Oh and you still love Garrett."

"Speaking of Mrs. N I need to visit her today." 

"Don't try and avoid the subject of you and Gar." 

"But I'll need to leave now to make it there on time, besides  I only have platonic feelings for Garrett, but he will never forgive me"

"Have you tried talking to him, I'm sure you could get back to the friend zone if not farther." Jess winked.

"I really need to go Jess you can continue to advise my life some other time."

"Fine leave me slut, but tomorrow night we can have a 'girly' slumber party with you, me and Josh and talk about these serious problems further."

"Okay sounds good you can come to my house." Aryn said hugging her once more before leaving the park.

Aryn walked back to her house to see Garrett leaving in a huff. He thankfully didn't see her and Aryn quickly snuck in, grabbed the car keys and went to the car. She began to drive towards Phoenix where Mrs. Nickelsen was. She walked into the hospital going straight towards her room.

Mrs. Nickelsen's face lit up when she saw the girl. Mrs. N was that mom everyone loved, everyone wanted to be at the Nickelsen house. She was one of the most loving people she had ever met. And after what happened to Grace in no way deserved to be diagnosed with serious ovarian cancer.  After all the soccer practices and sleepovers Mama Nickelsen endured for Aryn and Gracie, there was no way that Aryn could say no when she asked her to come and help take care of her daughters. Mrs. Nickelsen was her second mom.

"Deary, you look upset come here and let's talk about it." the woman patted a spot on the bed.

"You had chemo today I don't want to make you listen to me complain as well" Aryn sat on the bed near her.

"Anything you say is important because you matter to me, besides I haven't seen you in a while"

"Well it's Garrett, he just hates me so much he can't even be in the same house as me without being sulky. And I pretend like it's not killing me but all I do is cry because we used to be so close and I screwed it up!" she sobbed.

"Sweetie I know it looks bleak now but my boy will come around. He may act tough and strong but he experienced a lot of hurt all at once and he is just lashing out at you because you caused some of that hurt. I'm not going to pretend that I know all of things that happened, but I do know the two of you, and you both really care about each other."

"But if he won't even be civil with me-"

"Garrett is as stubborn as a mule but if it's just you and him and a good apology or talk or whatever he'll listen, I raised him well enough to listen to others, but now let's just get some dinner chemo really makes me hungry." She laughed

The two had dinner and Aryn almost laughed so hard that she peed herself. But once dinner ended Mrs. N began to feel a little low, a side effect of radiation. Followed by a phone call from Garrett which made Aryn feel very awkward standing in the room.

"Alright come up and see me soon sweetie, love you and tell the girls goodnight for me" The older woman said, slowly looking more and more her age than ever before.

"So Gary is coming to visit soon?" She said using the nickname that felt so foreign to her.

"Yes the first time since the new album came out" Even through the sickness her excitement shined bright.

"Good. But I should go, I don't want to be home too late." she leaned over to hug her second mom.

"Can you do me a favor dear?"

"Of course anything for you."

"Watch out for Alicia. I know she blames you for a lot of things, but she doesn't have an older woman to turn to anymore. And I know you can make sure she doesn't make any of those mistakes."

"Yeah of course I don't want to see her get hurt."

"And remember my son is a good kid. If you talk to him it will get better. I can promise you that." 

"I hope you're right, because I miss him."