In the End

5~Octomom

It's two in the morning and I'm not sleeping.

Nope, I'm about to walk into a high school party in my pajamas. Hopefully everyone's too drunk to remember.

"Jo!" A slurred voice shouts and instantly, I worry.

Seth stumbles over to me, a dazed smile on his face. "You're here."

Who let the sophomore attend his first party and drink unsupervised? I'm seriously going to have words with Ryan.

"Yeah, kid do you have a ride home?"

His smile falls, "Yeah, Aspen." Looking at the keys in my hand, he giggles, "Or not."

Pinching the bridge of my nose, I try to plan this out. His dad is a pastor, if I bring this kid home I'll be condemned to hell and he'll be shipped to military school.

I actually enjoy spending time with him so that can't happen.

Throwing his arm around my shoulders, I hold his waist. "Let's go find the boys."

As I struggle to walk, he laughs. "You're so pretty, Jovie. And nice. No one else is nice to me but you and you stick up for me."

Yeah, I'm trying to remind myself why right now. He's heavy.

"And you have such a... pourn soul."

I choke on air, "Do you mean pure?"

God, I hope so. He just nods, all of his weight on me.

"Jojo!"

Oh, no. I don't even have time to prepare myself for the bone crushing hug Aspen wraps me up in. Drunk Aspen is my favorite, he's nice to a fault.

If only our parents could see him like this.

"Why are you," hiccup, "here?" Hiccup.

Oh no, he's already to the hiccups stage. There are five stages: competitive, dramatic, nice, hiccup, and emotional.

He doesn't cry but his conscious suddenly kicks in and makes him feel guilty.

"Where's my brother, Aspen?" I ask into his chest, Seth now a sack of potatoes on the ground.

"Hug me back." He squeezes tighter and reluctantly I wrap my arms around him. "See, you'll let me hug you."

I don't have time for this.

"Gen went upstairs maybe an hour and a half ago." He stops to count the time on his fingers, making it to six. "Yeah, and we both know he doesn't last that long."

Gaging, I look around. No sister should have the horror of doing that. Clearing my throat, I shout. "Is there another sober soul in this place?"

A lot of people holler and I'm about to give up when Alex Settelmire taps my shoulder. "I'm the only one left."

Prying Aspen's now heavy frame away from me, I sigh. "Will you please go get Gentry from one of the rooms?"

"Yeah, if you take AJ and Jays keys away. I locked them in two separate rooms down the hall. They're feisty and Jay won't shut up about his grandma."

"Sure."

Forcing Aspen into the ground next to Seth, I start for the doors Alex pointed to. Opening the first one, AJ jumps to his feet.

"Jov, here for some fun?" He wiggles his eyes, going to remove his shirt before realizing it's already gone.

Rolling my eyes, I hold a hand out. "No, you idiot, I'm here for your keys."