Ariannas POV
I was at Mary's house, cleaning out her closet before we have to sell the house. Jasper, Henry, and Charlotte were with me, helping out with the cleaning and grabbing anything we wanted to keep.
I saw a box on the top shelf of the closet saying ARIANNAS MOTHERS STUFF (FOR ARIANNA WHEN SHES 16)
I carefully climbed onto the step ladder and grabbed it. I coughed as dust spilled all over me. I get down carefully and sit on Mary's old bed.
"Guys?" I called out, "you might want to see this."
Jasper entered with a full garbage bag, Charlotte came in with some clothes that said my moms name, and Henry came with the box of stuff that we're gonna keep.
"What is it babe?" Jasper asked, kissing my cheek and wrapping his arms around me.
"It's a box and my mothers stuff." I explained and opened the box.
There were some pictures of a dark haired boy with my mom pregnant with who I assume was my dad. There were some pics of him playing football and winning at a game.
"Who's this?" Henry wondered, pointing at a picture.
"It says Ryder Sanders." Charlotte informed, pointing at a label.
"Ryder Sanders? Who's that? Jasp, do you know who since your mom and my mom were best friends?" I asked my boyfriend.
"I don't even know Ari, and your family has been a second family so I'm basically apart of it." He told me.
"Wait, there's a note." Charlotte said, grabbing a note.
"What's it say?" I asked, moving close to her.
"When Arianna turns 16, give her this box and tell her the story of Ryder. If Aunt Mary is decreased, ask her father, who may have left us but he lives in the smaller areas of Swellview." Charlotte read and shared a look with me.
"M-my father? But he left me and my mom though." I said, "he probably doesn't even remember me or probably doesn't even love me." I panicked and started pacing.
"Wait, Ari, here's the address." Henry said.
"C-Can you guys come?" I asked, "I really wish my mom was still alive along with Aunt Mary."
"Of course baby." Jasper smiled, kissing me from behind.
Charlotte and Henry just smiled at me. We gathered up the things we wanted to keep and donate in Mary's old bedroom.
We walked towards my fathers house using my phones GPS.
At Ariannas Fathers house
"This is it." I sighed, "Jasp?"
Jasper smiled and walked up with me.
I was about to ring the doorbell when my heart raced. I was sweating and my breathing became rapid. My chest felt tight and i was shaking.
"I can't..." I said and ran off.
"Ari!" Jasper called but I ran into a small shed. It had a bunch of drawings and posters. My dad was an artist?
I tucked my knees to my chest and hid my head in it. I started crying really hard. I got flashbacks of my father abusing my mother when I was 7 years old and me not knowing what was happening. He did bruise me when I was 9 years old and he said words that made me feel bad about myself and less confident. But when I started getting closer with Jasper, Charlotte, and Henry in middle school, I felt more confident.
"Ari? You okay?" I heard a voice.
"Go away Jasper." I cried, "My father probably doesn't love me nor remember both of us and it's useless asking him."
"It's actually Jasper, Henry, and me also." Charlotte informed.
I unlocked the door and looked at the three of them with my teary eyes.
"Oh baby." Jasper sighed and i dropped to my knees, crying and sobbing.
I hugged his legs and sniffled.
"I'm scared Jasp, he bruised me, on both my upper thighs when I was 9 and he said words that made me feel bad about myself." I explained.
"How about the three of us go up with you?" Henry suggested, speaking softly.
"And he did that? Are you still bruised?" Charlotte asked concerned.
I stood up and took her into the shed. I closed the door then lifted up my shorts so she could see my upper thighs.
"Does it hurt when you move them to the side and stretch? I don't see bruises but I see marks." She explains.
I sat on a chair and stretched to the side. I winced in pain and started having flashbacks.
"Daddy, please don't hurt me!"
I remember when mom was "asleep" passed on the couch and daddy got mad when I didn't get him his beer. He stopped being an alcoholic when he was leaving us yet he was still abusive verbally.
"You didn't get my beer and you know what happens when you don't get my beer?"
"What?"
"This!" He yelled and punched my upper things
I screamed and cried so much. My mom woke up an hour later and found me crying on the floor.
"Arianna! What happened?!"
"Daddy, punched me."
My mom got angry at my dad and threatened to call the police but he said if that happened, he'd blame the abusing on her.
I started crying and buried my head in my hands.
"Hey, hey, it's okay." Charlotte whispered. She sat next to me and rubbed my back.
"Thank goodness it's not the same house we lived in." I said, taking a few deep breaths.
Charlotte and I left the shed and walked with Henry and Jasper.
I rang the doorbell and squeezed my boyfriends hand.
A man that looked like the one in the picture of the boy and my pregnant mom opened the door.
"Arianna?" He asked, "Hey sweetie! I wasn't expecting you to come by. Come give daddy a hug."
"I don't want a hug." I said, "We came here because I found this picture and since Aunt Mary isn't alive, It said to ask you about who Ryder sanders is."
My dad sighed and looked at Jasper and I.
"Come in kiddos." He said.
My dad seemed different than my childhood dad. He seemed more calmer and not so aggressive.
His house was very clean. Marble counters, dark wooden cabinets matching the table and chairs.
There were paintings of beautiful landscapes. The four of us sat on a leather couch and set the pictures on the glass coffee table.
"Ryder was your older brother." My dad explained, "but the thing is, he passed away before you were born. He was 15 when he was diagnosed with lung cancer and passed away at 16. Your mom was about 9 months pregnant with you. She got rid of the pictures of him so you wouldn't ask. But every time Swellview High school won football games it made me think of Ryder. I was angry and upset. The doctors didn't do enough to help him out. They couldn't do lung transplants and back then they didn't have the right treatment. We wanted you to find out about him at 16 since that's when he passed away. Your mom was pregnant with him at 17 and he would've been 32 maybe if he were still alive."
"Did he have a girlfriend?" Jasper asked and I whacked his arm, "what babe?"
"Why do you care if he had a girlfriend?" I questioned him.
"He had a few girlfriends. He had one at 16 and when he passed away January of the year he would've been 17, She killed herself since they made a promise to die together." My dad told.
"Dad, can I ask this?" I asked nervously.
"Sure Arianna."
"Why were you so abusive and alcoholic back then?"
"Ari, I was upset that the doctors couldn't help my son. I was angered and I drank my sorrows away. Then it became an addiction, and I started to get abusive with the effect of alcohol. But I regret leaving you and your mom." He told me.
"Wait, since mom died before I turned 16, then why did she want you to tell me about Ryder?" I wondered.
"She told me before I left you guys and she also was having health problems so she knew she wouldn't last long."
I felt tears come to my eyes and Jasper rubbed my back. I shook vigorously and laid my head against his warm chest.
"Shh, hey, hey, it's okay, I'm here and you're okay." Jasper whispered to me, "I'm not leaving your side and I'm going to keep you safe. Don't cry, just cuddle with me. I'll stroke your hair, rub your back, and give your forehead kisses. I love you princess and I don't want you to be sad."
"I miss my mother and I can't believe Ryder passed away, if he were still here he would've been there for me when Landon cheated on me and got another girl Pregnant. He could've beat him up and also told him that he should've never hurt me." I sobbed.
"Hey, Ari? Do you wanna go into the other room with your friends? I have a phone call from work and I may have to leave." My dad said.
Charlotte and Jasper helped me to my feet while Henry smiled sadly at me.
We entered the sunroom and sat down.
"Landon got that girl pregnant because he was drinking at that party. Remember? Where there was a lot of alcohol and people were drinking and some ended up having seggs." Charlotte explained, "but I think she had a miscarriage because she also got an infection."
"I told Landon I didn't want to go to the party because I was hanging with you guys and he said I would've been pregnant if I did go after he cheated." I explained.
"I'm glad you're not pregnant." Jasper chuckled, kissing my forehead.
"I don't want to until after marriage, otherwise Charlotte will kill you." I chuckled.
"It's true." Charlotte smirked.
"We're only 16 but when we're 17 we can have seggs but it'll have to be protected and you'll need your birth control." Jasper told me.
"Yeah, and I'm going to give you wipes, make you text me immediately after it, and send you pregnancy tests." Charlotte smiled.
"Hey! I mean it's always good to have a backup protection plan." Henry smiled.
"I bet you're never gonna have a girlfriend." I laughed at the blonde.
"I bet Jasper won't let you-"
"Okay, let's not go too far." Charlotte laughed, "Anyways, we should head home, we gotta finish cleaning up Mary's house."
We left the sunroom and about to leave the house when my dad stopped us.
"Wait! Arianna, take this." He said, handing me a small box.
"What is it?" I asked.
"It's the necklace your mother got from your grandmother." He said, "I never gave it to you and somehow I had it all these years."
I smiled and hugged him. Jasper put a hand on my shoulder and hugged the two of us.
We said goodbye to him and left.
Mary's house
I was finishing up packing stuff from Mary's house as Jaspers parents, Henrys parents, and Charlottes parents were carrying the furniture into a moving truck. Some of the furniture was going to be donated to stores. I got to keep some throw pillows and a small table for my room. Jasper and I used to share a room but his mom cleaned out this old guest room that would be mine.
I decorated it with red and white roses on the walls and added some artwork along with posters of big time rush.
I kept pictures of Ryder and talked to him even if I didn't really meet him.
I told him about how I was dating Jasper, how I was the person to inform Ray and Henry about emergencies when Charlotte wasn't on duty, usually she would be helping Schwoz.
I didn't really talk to my dad because I was still traumatized by the memories but I still tried my best to call him.
The necklace I got was a locket of my grandmother and a little note saying "pass this on to future generations."
Up next: Danger things 🎃 👱🏻♀️ 🍭
I can't wait to write this because I love stranger things! I will try to out some references from the show :) Arianna will be kidnapped and she will probably look like eleven although her hair won't be cut badly like Pipers. I could also have her sketch pictures of monsters like Will did.
But anyways, I hoped you liked this chapter and I'm excited that I'm updating this book now :)