𝐉𝐄𝐀𝐋𝐎𝐔𝐒𝐘, 𝐉𝐄𝐀𝐋𝐎𝐔𝐒𝐘| Miguel Diaz [ONGOING FOR SEASON 6 PART 3]

𝒙𝒊𝒊. moon's party

chapter twelve:
❛ moon's party ❜

✸ ✸ ✸ ✸ ✸ ✸ ✸ ✸ ✸ ✸ ✸ ✸ ✸ ✸ ✸ ✸ ✸ ✸

Arizona descended the staircase, her hair straightened to perfection and wearing a striped shirt paired with ripped jeans. She was heading to a party at Moon's and had promised to pick up Miguel since he didn't have a car. As she reached the bottom step, she heard a familiar, dreaded sound—a huff. Turning, she saw her father, Alexander, slouched on the couch with a beer bottle clutched in his hand.

"Where do you think you're going?" Alexander slurred, his eyes glazed with intoxication. Arizona bit the inside of her cheek, suppressing a sigh. She had hoped he would be asleep by now.

She turned on her heel and faced him, masking her frustration with a composed expression. "I'm going over to Tory's. She needs me to help her take her mom to the doctor," she lied smoothly. It was a lie she had rehearsed, knowing she might need an excuse at any moment.

Alexander stared at her, his brow furrowed in confusion as he processed her words. After a moment, he grumbled something incoherent and waved her off. "Whatever," he mumbled, a hiccup punctuating his sentence.

Arizona exhaled sharply, relieved to escape without further confrontation. She stepped out the door, the cool evening air a welcome contrast to the stifling tension inside. The past few weeks had been incredibly tough for her. She had recently discovered her mom's hidden alcohol stash, a clear sign that she had started drinking again. Arizona knew her father's behavior was likely the catalyst for her mother's relapse.

Her dad's drinking had become a constant. Arizona never saw him go to work, despite his claims of trying to get his old job back at the local police station. She didn't believe him. Her mom, on the other hand, had a stable job, but Arizona knew that her drinking would jeopardize it soon enough.

Arizona had taken on extra shifts at the Roller Rink to help out financially. She was acutely aware that their situation was precarious. They lived in a big house in Encino Hills, but with only her mom working and her stepdad out of the picture, the financial strain was evident. The rich lifestyle her stepdad had provided was gone, and Arizona was doing everything she could to prevent their world from crashing down around them.

As she drove to pick up Miguel, her mind wandered to the party at Moon's. She needed a distraction from her chaotic home life, even if just for a few hours. Pulling up to Miguel's house, she saw him waiting outside, his face lighting up when he spotted her car. She forced a smile, hoping to mask the turmoil inside her. Tonight, she would focus on having fun with her friends and leave her troubles behind, if only for a little while.