Find Your Own Way

Carrying Arianna up the stairs to her room Brian sighed. If only she always looked so… calm. He hoped tomorrow would be okay.

Going back downstairs to his wife Brian smiled happily. He was so excited to be having another baby. He had wanted one a few years after Ari was born but their schedules hadn’t worked out and Michelle was happy with just having the one for the time.

“So what do you think, we give her phone back to her tomorrow?” Brian asked sitting beside her on the couch.

“Yeah, she deserves it, she didn’t complain too much the last few days up there,” Michelle said cuddling into his side. “How do you think she’ll take the news?”

“It’s hard to say, she never really asked for a brother or sister when she was younger,” Brian replied. Running his hand through her hair he wondered just how Ari would take it. They could only hope she wouldn’t get upset.

“Tomorrow we should have a barbeque, announce it then,” Michelle suggested.

“Alright,” Brian agreed. “So what do you want? A boy or another girl?”

“I think I’d like a little boy,” Michelle said rubbing her small stomach. “Yeah, I’d like a little boy.”

“Me too,” Brian said.

Letting the silence surround them the couple found their thoughts wondering all around. Brian couldn’t help but think about having a son, he’d teach him all things manly. And Michelle couldn’t help but think of how Arianna would react.



Finding all her possessions on her nightstand Arianna smiled happily. She couldn’t remember being brought up here and she sure didn’t hear anyone set these things in here.

Snatching up her phone she turned it back on and looked through her new text messages. No one had bothered trying to call.

“Got some new shit for you to try,” one of her friends said.

Replying to him that she’d see about being able to go out tonight. She also asked what he had. And then told him that she had some really dope weed.

Going to her next text she couldn’t help the laugh that escaped her. “We need to party! Beach night this Sunday!” Her friend Tiffany was crazy. Not in the “I’m going to be a mass murderer” sense but the “I’m willing to do this if it’ll make you laugh” way.

Responding that she’d be there Arianna heard her stomach growl and decided she better go down at find something to eat.

Seeing her mom and dad talking quietly amongst themselves outside she grinned. She could slip out the front door and no one would be the wiser. Well they would when they found she wasn’t in her room, but for a few hours she’d be free.

Grabbing an apple Arianna ran back up to her room to change.

Going upstairs and knocking lightly on her daughters door Michelle listened closely to hear her rustling around. “Can I come in?” she asked through the door.

“Uh, sure,” Arianna said pulling a shirt over her head. Crawling under her bed looking for one of her shoes she sighed. Not there. “What’s up?”

“We’re having a barbeque later, want to come to the store with me and pick some things up?” Michelle asked sitting on the bed.

“I was kind of hoping I could go hang out with some friends today,” she said quietly not putting her hopes up. Chances were they’d say no.

“Okay but I want you back for dinner,” Michelle said. “You want a ride?”

“No, I think I’m going to walk,” Arianna replied finally finding her shoe under a pile of clothes. “Thanks though.”

Running down the stairs she hit the solid wall of her father’s chest. Falling onto the floor Arianna groaned.

“Where you running off to?” Brian asked helping her up.

“Mom said I could go hang out with some friends,” she told him rubbing her butt.

“You’ll be back for dinner though right?”

“Of course,” Arianna said yawning. “Do you have anymore cigarettes?”

Sighing Brian bit his lip. “You know I only gave them to you so you’d calm down,” he said scratching the back of his neck.

Nodding Arianna looked at him with her best puppy dog eyes. “They take the edge off my cravings,” she told him. “Please Daddy.”

Sighing again Brian walked into the living room and grabbed his spare pack. He’d have to start buying more. “Don’t smoke them all today.”

“Thanks Daddy,” she shouted running towards the door. “I’ll be back for dinner!”



Barging into her friend’s house without knocking Arianna shouts for that she’s here.

“In the living room,” Jamie shouted to her. “You got dope weed huh?”

Sitting in the only empty chair Arianna nods. “I’m telling you, it’s the best I’ve ever had.”

“How do you feel about heroin?” Jamie asked eyeing her. All their other friends were so high they couldn’t even talk, they just kept nodding off.

“Always say I gotta try everything at least once,” she laughed. “Your room?”

“Yeah, these fucks won’t care,” Jamie laughed. He really liked Arianna. Maybe if he was lucky she’d sleep with him.

“So like, how do we do this?” she asked sitting on his bed with her back against the wall.

“We can smoke it or if you’re feeling really hardcore you can shoot up,” he explained pulling out a small baggy. “If you plan on going home later you’ll want to smoke though.”

“Alright,” she agreed. “I gotta be back for dinner anyways.”

Laughing Jamie got them all set up and instructed her on what to do. Breathing out Arianna laughed heavily. This was the greatest feeling known to man; one hundred percent pure bliss.

“You like that huh?” Jamie smiled. “How much weed you got?”

Throwing herself off the bed Arianna started dancing to non existent music. “I got, I got,” she paused and laughed. “Weed sucks compared to this!”

Laughing Jamie got up and starting dancing with her. They were both so high out of their minds they didn’t realize the hours that were passing them by.

Hearing her phone go off Arianna groaned. She was just getting started!

“Yeah,” she answered smiling happily at Jamie.

“It’s four thirty, dinner is in an hour, don’t forget,” Michelle stated. She had a feeling Arianna would.

“Oh yeah,” Ari laughed turning to Jamie. “I gotta go to dinner!”

“I’ll walk you if you want,” Jamie said tilting his head to the side. She was just so goddamn pretty.

“Sure,” she laughed. Lifting her hand she realized she hadn’t hung up. “Oh, I’ll be there soon!” Hanging up she turned to Jamie and threw herself into his arms. “If I give you all the weed I have can I take some of this deliciousness?”

“Keep your weed babe, I’ll give you some for free,” Jamie said handing her the small baggy. “You want to smoke a joint on the way?”

“Yeah,” she breathed handing him her bag of weed. It wasn’t a small amount either. If she got caught with it she could very easily get arrested; Intent to sell, possession, being under the influence.

Stumbling down the street the couple passed the joint back and forth laughing. After they finished it Jamie picked her up and held her over his shoulder.

“Holy fuck Jamie, let me down,” she squealed kicking her feet.

Laughing Jamie put her back on her feet facing him. “Now or never,” he whispered before kissing her. “Be my girlfriend Ari.”

“Okay,” she said kissing him again. Walking some more in silence they held each other’s hands until they got in front of her house. “This is me.”

“I know,” Jamie said pulling her to him. “Call me.” Giving her a last kiss he watched as she raced into the house closing the door.

Leaning up against it she looked over to see her mom and aunts all staring out the window at her new boyfriend. Turning their heads one by one to look at the young girl they smiled sheepishly.

“He’s cute,” Val commented. “What’s his name?”

Rolling her eyes Arianna ignored them and went up to her room. Collapsing on her bed she smiled happily. Today was perfect. She gained a boyfriend and she found her new favorite drug.

Walking into her room Michelle smiled seeing her daughter so happy. She was glad she had a boyfriend. The guys would want to question him endlessly but he looked like a respectable young gentleman from what she could see of him at least.

“You going to come down for dinner?” she asked sitting at the end of the bed.

“I’m not really hungry actually,” she spoke softly staring at her ceiling.

“Okay,” Michelle said a little put off. “Come down later though, your dad and I want to talk to you.”

“Alright,” she said watching her ceiling move into different shapes.

Figuring she just wanted to be alone to think about her new boyfriend Michelle walked back downstairs. “She’s not hungry.”

Nodding Brian turned back to the group of friends. “So Michelle and I have some news,” he said smiling. Pulling Michelle to his side he kissed her cheek and let her finish.

“We’re pregnant!” she exclaimed happily.

A round of congratulations went around followed by hugs and claps on the back. “How far along?” Gena asked eyeing her friends small belly.

“A month,” Michelle smiled.

More chatter filled the backyard; about the baby, about Arianna, and about Brian. Was he ready for another kid when his only daughter was on rocky grounds? He would be. He was a great father.



“Arianna, come down here for a bit,” Brian shouted up the stairs.

Grumbling could be heard followed by heavy footsteps coming down the stairs. “I was sleeping,” Arianna said plopping onto the couch. “What is it?”

“Your mother and I have something we want to tell you,” Brian said sitting down next to Michelle and holding her hand.

“How would you feel about a brother or sister?” Michelle asked softly watching her daughter.

Eyeing her parents Arianna shrugged. When she was little she never asked for a brother or sister content with being an only child. “It’s cool,” she said finally. “Can I go back to sleep yet?”

Nodding to their daughter they watched as she climbed back up the stairs. That went better than they had expected. Almost too well.