Free Falling

"So Garrett can I go to that party too?"

"Alicia, this isn't a high school party, I don't really want to see you there, having Aryn go is bad enough."

"See how she ruins everything!" Alicia yelled. "I'm going to Phoenix today with some friends I won't be home until really late so don't worry about me." She grabbed her purse and walked out the front door.

"Alicia keeps getting nicer with age doesn't she?" Jared asked laughing.

"She's just having problems, before mom got sick she wasn't like this."

"I'm sorry man, it doesn't seem fair does it?" 

The boys ended up playing video games rather than practicing, mainly because Pat began to whine about how they already knew their music.

"Gary, Spencer has been in the bathroom a really really long time and she won't let me get my toothbrush?" Lilly pouted. 

"Lilly the water is running, can't you hear it? She's taking a shower be patient."

"Fine, I don't like Spencer getting girlier." The little girl sighed crawling into Jared's lap.

"Lilly ask Jared before you crawl into his lap."

"It's okay man I love Lilly."

"Yeah he loves me and I love him!" The boys laughed as Lilly kissed Jared's cheek.

"Jared, you better stay away from my little sister." Garrett laughed.

A high pitched scream from upstairs breaking through the laughter of the boys. Immediately knowing it was Spencer, Garrett quickly turned on big brother mode and ran up the staircase as fast as he could.

"Spence, is everything okay?" Garrett knocked on the door.

"Can you get Alicia for me?" She sniffled obviously crying. The boys came upstairs to see what was going on.

"I can't she left for Phoenix, what can I do for you?"

"Nothing!" 

"Spencer, what's wrong if you tell me, maybe I can help you."

"You can't help me!"

"If you don't tell me what's wrong you won't know if I can help you or not." He reasoned.

"Fine! I started my first period." Garrett and the boys made disgusted faces. And John groaned. "See I told you, you can't help me." Spencer sobbed.

"Don't you just shove it up there and it's good."

"I don't know, I don't know what I'm doing and I'm bleeding and I just want mommy or Alicia." The thirteen year old was now near a mental breakdown.

"Guys what do I do? I'm no girl, and Alicia is sure as hell not coming home from Phoenix for this."

"Why would we know? We're guys too. I don't even have sisters or anything." John said.

"What's a period Gary." Lilly asked.

"I'll take her downstairs while you figure this out." Jared said awkwardly carrying the girl back downstairs. The rest of the boys began to follow suit until Pat saw a picture of Gracie on the wall.

"Aryn!"

"What about her Pat?" Garrett asked obviously annoyed.

"She'll know what to do! She has a vagina and she's like ten minutes away tops. Spence, if Aryn came would that be good?"

"Yes, please get her."

"Fine, call her Pat." Pat began to pull out his phone.

"Hey Aryn, it's your favorite brother.... Can you come to Gar's house there's an emergency and we need you... It's Spencer, she needs you... Okay thanks so much, see you soon."

The boys sat downstairs awkwardly until Aryn came in. She walked into the kitchen filling herself a glass of water and chugging it down. She was sweaty and out of breath.

"So what's the emergency I had to run over here for, what's up with Spencer?" She panted.

"She's on her period!" Lilly shouted out excitedly.

"Her period?" She arched her eyebrows. "I ran over here in 100 degree weather because your sister is on her period." Exasperation seeped through her words.

"It's her first one, she doesn't know what to do and I don't know what to do and Alicia went to Phoenix today so you're the only one we knew who could help, please for Spencer." Garrett pleaded.

"Her first period and the entire Maine had to learn about it? Bless that poor girl, I'll handle this." Aryn ran up the stairs. A few minutes later she came back downstairs. 

"Is she okay? Where is she?" Garrett asked of his sister.

"She's fine, she's just embarrassed about the while incident. But that's just something you need a girl for. And Garrett, don't ever tell a girl to just shove it up there. It's not like telling a boy how to use his penis during sex, there's some rules to it. I'll see you guys at the party later, Piper wants to torture me by doing my hair." Aryn left the house and she almost thought she heard Garrett mumble a civil 'thank you'.

Once Aryn got back to her home she was jumped on. And not by the typical suspect, Cosmo, but by Piper.

"I want you to look so smoking for this party! It's your first Arizona college party."

"What's your obsession with giving me a makeover?"

"Because since the seventh grade you basically did no makeup or your hair and would never let anyone do it for you, but you promised me that for prom I would get to do it all for you, and sure I got to give you a makeover for John's prom but I still never got to do it for our prom and Pat's hair may be the same color but it is not the same as your beautiful, lustrous hair!"

"Fine whatever do with me what you will." Piper squealed in reply.

After about an hour of clothes and makeup and hair pulling, Piper felt satisfied with her work and dragged Aryn to her car to drive to the party. She could tell Aryn was nervous so Piper promised she'd be the designated driver so Aryn could spend all night drinking her worries away. That didn't make Aryn feel better. Despite going to parties quite often in New York, becoming a wild child and even in some cases a genuine slut, Aryn knew that mixing alcohol and Arizona was a bad idea.

Once the girls pulled up to the house Aryn realized how familiar this scene was. It made her stomach lurch. Piper pulled her along as they headed inside the house. Aryn felt as if all eyes landed on her. For a moment she felt the need to haul ass out of the house and possibly even the state. Then everyone began to talk, Aryn was almost sure they were talking about her, although at this point she was almost delusional about the whole situation.

"C'mon, let's get you a drink and find Halvo." Piper continued to pull her along.

"Well if it isn't Aryn Kirch, I'm surprised you even showed your face here. I mean I heard you were back in town and back to old habits. How's Eric in the sack anyways? how many of your borthers' friends are you up to now? Six or Seven?" The thin girl spat.

It was common knowledge that Avery Davis hated Aryn. Avery spent most of her energy in high school doing such. Aryn never knew why she hated her so much, but if there was an Olympic event for hating Aryn, Avery would surely win the gold. She'd even beat Garrett.

"Stop being such child Avery this isn't high school anymore you can grow up." Piper spat trying to walk away.

"You don't have to defend her Piper, Aryn's actions speak much louder than your words. And don't worry Aryn, Garrett has been in good company since you left, I take good care of him." Aryn turned to look at her smirking face. She swallowed the large lump in her throat before walking into the kitchen.

"Don't listen to her she was a rebound after Gar and Cass broke up, they were together twice tops, I don't even think they had sex, a blow job tops." Piper comforted, although it had little affect on Aryn in comparison to what the wonders of straight up whiskey could do.

As Aryn finished her third cup, she began to feel in the party mood. She also became very aware of the many looks she was receiving from the males at the party. She made her way to the dance floor and began to sway her hips, as many guys came up to grind up on her. Aryn didn't turn down any of the suitors, especially in her state of intoxication. Soon she began to loosen up even more, letting them get handsy; feeling her up and kissing her neck. Someone  suddenly  cut in grabbing her hips and turning her around. She was soon facing Eric who was giving her a very disapproving look before pulling her off the dance floor.

"I know you want to have fun and block out all the whispers and shit but you grinding on random guys is not helping you change your rep."

"People can think what they want, it's so juvenile and high school anyways." Her tipsiness beginning to fade.

"I'm glad you think that and all but that's not going to change the fact that you want to change Garret's opinion. He's by himself outside right now, why don't you go talk to him, he's looking pretty down as is so you can't make it any worse by the looks of it."

"Thanks for the vote of confidence Halvo. If I don't come back in an hour send the troops." 

As Aryn passed several drunken couples, beer pong games and slutty girls flashing mobs of boys, she couldn't help but feel she was actually blending in quite well. That is until she heard the wolf whistles.

"Ow ow! Ms. Kirch you look smoking." She turned to see Doug, Gracie's boyfriend back in high school standing with Kenny as they both eyed her.

Aryn wasn't wearing something unusual for a party, but for her the ensemble was out of character. She had on a pair of jean shorts that purposely showed off the bottoms of the pockets, a small razorback tank top that showed off a little too much cleavage especially now that she had some. She completed her outfit with her hair in cascading curls, something she never would do on her own and most surprising was the makeup adorning her face, although subtle, was something scarcely found on Aryn's face under any circumstance short of a wedding or funeral.

"Thanks guys, but I have someone to meet."

"No wonder I kept hearing guys talk about a new girl who was so hot, you don't look like Aryn from back in the day, makes me regret the breakup." Kenny laughed as Aryn crossed her arms becoming suddenly self conscious.

"Yeah... Um cool I really need to go before I chicken out of this." Aryn quickly scurried towards the screen door to the backyard. There were a few passed out bodies and cuddly couples  outside. She searched the yard until she saw Garrett nursing a beer and sitting in the small gazebo by himself. She walked over to him, standing in front of him until he looked up, the disgust that usually graced his face when in her presence seemed almost absent. "Is anyone sitting here?" She gestured to the seat beside him, he shrugged before she took the spot. Trying to think of something to say to break the silence.

"It's not fair you know?" Garrett suddenly ask. "I leave, my mom gets sick, and you take my place in my family. I mean I can't even take care of my own fucking sister and you just swoop in and save the day."

"It's just that one time Gar, you're a great brother, that was just something you never would be able to handle on your own."

"It's not just today though, the other day I made Lilly a PB & J sandwich and she complained because I couldn't make them like yours, or when I play video games with Spencer she said I couldn't play with her because I never let her win like you did. The only one still on my side is Alicia and even she doesn't like the fact that I'm stifling her popularity by not allowing her to go to these parties." He sighed. Aryn didn't know what to say, it was the most they'd said to each other in years.  "I don't even know if mom is going to be alive much longer, I don't know how much I can handle anymore." He buried his face in his hands. Aryn cautiously patted his back.

"Gary it's going to be fine, Lilly is young she complains about everything, Spenc just doesn't like to lose, and Alicia is just a little drama queen. They all still love you because you're their brother and you're one of the nicest sweetest people I know. And as for your mom, she can beat this. She's the strongest woman I know and also one of the most compassionate. Beside one family can't lose two people like your family, it just doesn't work that way, you can't lose this amazing person and then lose the foundation that's holding together what's left, I just know your mom's soul won't let that happen, she's stronger than anyone I know, and maybe even more stubborn than you." Aryn laughed.  " I've been hearing this a lot so I know it's true, the tides are going to turn for you, but for now you should go inside and live for Gracie and Mama Nickelsen." Aryn patted his shoulder once more before standing up and walking towards the house, happy that she made some ground with Garrett.

"Hey Aryn?" He called out.

"Yeah Gar?"

"I hope you realize this doesn't change anything between us."