When Glyn walked into her apartment, closely followed by AJ, Marian was in the small excuse for a kitchen putting away groceries.
"Hi Glyn. That must be AJ."
"Yeah. That's AJ."
"Hey, look what was on sale!" Marian waved a box of cake mix at Glyn and AJ merrily.
"Ooh. German chocolate." Glyn smiled. "Good job, Mari!"
"Where should I put these?" AJ asked. He was carrying several art prints. Most of them were either John William Waterhouse or Monet.
"Uh… Anywhere. I'll hang them up in a sec." Glyn tiptoed up behind Marian, who guessed that she was there and whirled around to face her. "Someone's in love with you!!" she sang. Marian looked at her strangely.
"Have you been drinking, Glynnie? Something smells." She frowned.
"Yeah. It's probably from being in Brian's house." Glyn giggled. "He's exceedingly inebriated." Marian looked even more puzzled.
"That's nice. Um …Right. How is your unsightly friend?" She smiled kindly
"I'm okay." AJ glared at her. "Brian's really drunk. UI don't know what's up with Glyn. She was talking to Tyk(e) and she got really high or something. In the review you wrote you didn't say I was ugly."
"No. I said you were no doubt as squeaky-clean as each of the other Backstreet Boys but you had a strange desire to be seen as a druggie. And some other stuff."
"She's being offensive!" Glyn declared. "C'mon AJ. Let's go hang up some of the pictures."
"Pictures?" Marian echoed.
"Yeah. AJ bought some stuff for me. I'm going to pay you back!" Glyn said for the ninth time.
"I won't let you," AJ replied for the ninth time.
Later That Night
Marian stared around her bedroom. It was incredibly tiny with a carpet that might have been white once and a window. There was also a mattress, a lamp, a dresser, and a considerably sized pile of composition books and cheap pens. She tried not to look at a certain baby blue and silver CD that was lying rejected on the floor. 'I haven't been listening to that thing!' she thought indignantly. 'I had to write a review of it! I didn't want to hear it or anything.' She wondered what Glyn had been babbling about earlier that day. 'Someone's in love with me? And Brian's exceedingly inebriated. I think I'd like to have some clarification.'
"Glynnie!!" she said loudly enough to be heard anywhere in the small apartment.
"What?" Glyn replied. They didn't need to be in the same room to have a conversation.
"What were you talking about today when you came in with AJ?"
"What?" Glyn didn't recall having said anything more strange than usual.
"What's up with Brian?"
"Oh, nothing. He's just really really plastered is all."
"Why?"
"Because he was drinking, silly!" Glyn stated obstinately.
"You don't know why?" Marian was surprised to find herself mildly worried.
"AJ said it has something to do with Audrey and Brian was avoiding his questions."
"Oh. G'night, Glyndalyn." 'Poor Brian. He must be tired of seeing and talking to that rat-dog wannabe Audrey. She doesn't deserve him! Wait, Marian. You don't know either of them, so shut up about it.'
"'Night Marian." Glyn smiled to herself. She noticed that Marian had modestly avoided the statement about someone being in love with her.
A Few Days Later
"Who's there?" Nick asked as he picked up the phone.
"Nick, you idiot. You're supposed to say that when someone knocks on your door and you don't know who it is."
"Leave me alone, AJ! It's my phone and I can say what I want!"
"Aww, Nicky. Are you tired?" AJ looked at a clock. It was only 11:30. (pm)
"No! I'm awake!" Nick declared crossly.
"I think you sound tired."
"Why are you calling me?"
"I think you're too tired to go to Kevin's party."
"Kevin's having a party?"
"Yeah. He got a new house. Now he wants to have a bunch of people over and trash it."
"What the…" Nick was confused.
"Nevermind. I was supposed to call you about this yesterday. I forgot. Sorry. Are you going? I can give you a ride."
"Okay, fine." Nick pouted.
"I'll pick you up in ten minutes. Or … wait…" AJ wondered if he could get Glyn to come. He hadn't talked to her for about two days. "Maybe longer than ten minutes."
"Whatever!!!" Nick hung up. AJ called Glyn's phone number.
"Hell…" Glyn yawned. "I mean hello?"
"Hiya Glyn! Did I wake you up?"
"No, AJ. I was completely awake." She yawned again.
"Completely? Are you sure? Will you go with me to Kevin's party?"
"Umm, um… What? You lost me." Glyn sounded slightly tired.
"Kevin's having a party. Tonight. Now. Wanna come? I can pick you up."
"Ummm... Okay." Glyn smiled and started to feel more awake.
"Oh yeah. Marian can come if she wants to."
"MARIAN!" Glyn yelled, forgetting to hold the phone away from her face.
"What Glyn?" Marian replied.
"Wanna go to a party?"
"Umm…" Marian sounded doubtful.
"You have to! I'm making you go!" Glyn wasn't going without her.
"NO!" Marian got up off her mattress and started brushing her hair.
"We'll come. When can you pick us up?" Glyn asked brightly.
"Soon."
"Thanks AJ!" she chirped and hung up. Glyn happened to be wearing the jeans with an unpleasant bloodstain on one knee-the ones she'd been wearing the night she fell asleep under AJ's table. She changed into some cleaner ones and put on a sky blue tank top instead of the somewhat ragged t-shirt she was wearing. Marian was sitting by the door. She, too, was wearing some of her more presentable clothing: a forest green long-sleeved scoop neck top and cut-offs. There was a knock on the door.
"I know who that is," Glyn mused. "Come in AJ! Wait. Don't come in. We'll be out in two seconds." She hunted down two tennis shoes that didn't match and put them on then ran out into the hallway. Marian followed her pensively. She had intuitively guessed that there wouldn't be much for her to do at this party, as with most parties, and therefore was equipped with a cheap pen and a tiny notepad stuffed in one pocket.
"Glyndalyn!" AJ cried joyfully. He had to stop himself from hugging her and grinned instead.
"Don't call me Glyndalyn! That's hateful!" Glyn couldn't help smiling.
"Whatever Glyn. Hey Marian." Marian waved at him, looking tired. They followed AJ to his car in the parking lot. Tonight he'd decided to drive a different car that had more than two seats in it.
"Mari, you can't go to sleep!" Glyn dictated as Marian took a seat in the back.
"I shall not go to sleep," she assured her. Glyn decided she was telling the truth.
"Who else is coming?" she asked.
"Umm…" AJ didn't really know. "Well I know Nick's coming because we have to get him now-"
"Nick?!" Glyn sighed. "At least I don't have to sit by him," she said, relieved. Marian muttered something inaudible.
"Yeah, Nick. And Kevin might be there-"
"No, really!! Not KEVIN! It's only his house." Glyn giggled.
"Yeah. And I don't know who else. Oh, I know! Geoffrey might be there." AJ nodded.
"What's Geoffrey?" Glyn asked distrustfully.
"He's Audrey's twin bro, actually, and he's buddies with Kevin. That's why I think he might come" AJ explained. He parked in front of Nick's house and opened the window. "CARTER! Get your ass out here!"
"He'll appreciate that." Glyn snorted. Nick ran outside and acted as though he had expected sitting in the passenger seat in the front.
"AJ!" he whined. "Do I have to sit in the back?!"
"Yeah. I don't think you'll fit in the trunk," AJ said. Nick sat in the back seat and glared at Marian.
"Oh, look." He scowled. "It's Marian Arden."
"I don't want to sit by you, either," she informed him. He didn't say anything. Marian felt irritable. "I hate your voice." That got Nick to talk.
"Well I hate what you write!"
"I bet I'd hate anything you write too. Good thing you've never written a song. Wait… I don't know that. Have you?"
"No!!" It was obviously a lie. Marian laughed and looked out the window.
"Glyn, why am I doing this?" she asked.
"Because I made you come. Maybe you'll see Brian-"
"Brian's engaged," Marian said quickly. Listening, AJ wondered if in fact Brian was engaged. He hadn't spoken to Brian since he'd seen him at his house a few days ago, more drunk than he'd ever seen Brian, but he'd heard from Kevin who heard from Geoffrey that Audrey had been spending a lot of time with her mother. Which meant she wasn't spending a lot of time with Brian.
"Hmm…. Nick's not engaged," Glyn declared.
"Yeah, well Nick's in love with Barnaby," Marian retorted. "He's not my kind of guy."
"You're here because I made you come," Glyn answered. Marian shrugged unhappily. Nick looked homicidal so she inched closer to the window.
"AJ, I wanna go home! This sucks!" Nick declared.
"You'll have to walk, then." AJ parked his car in front of Kevin's new house.
"Get Barnaby to give you a ride," Glyn suggested.
"I dunno, Glynnie…" Marian looked at Nick disapprovingly. "He could use the exercise."
"Yeah. But he shouldn't be walking alone at night. He should call Barnaby and ask Barnaby to walk him home." Glyn smiled cruelly.
"Fuck you!!!" Nick screamed and ran inside.
"I'm cold!" Marian jumped up and down.
"Marian!!" Glyn pointed at her feet. "You're not wearing shoes!"
"Yes I am!"
"They don't count," Glyn insisted. Marian was wearing flip flops. They got out of the car and walked inside. AJ found Kevin quickly.
"Kevin, you remember these chicks, right?"
"Sure. Hey Glyn, Marian," Kevin said smoothly. He was not pleased to see them here!
"Hello Kevin." Glyn smiled.
"Hey," Marian said distractedly, staring around the room.
"This is Geoffrey." Kevin introduced a young man who had the same big brown eyes, chestnut brown hair, and insincere smile as his sister.
"Hello ladies. I'm Geoffrey Parkington. May I ask your names? I think Kev just said them but I didn't hear." He was revolting.
"My name's Glyn." Glyn frowned at him. "I'm here with AJ," she said, just to be safe. His tone of voice in introducing himself had been just a little too flirtatious. So what if she wasn't here as AJ's girlfriend? She didn't want freaks like Geoffrey bugging her.
"Marian Arden…" Marian murmured. "I'm here… umm…" 'Oh SHIT! Am I blushing?' She could see from Glyn's smirk that she was. "I'm here alone."
"Alone?" Geoffrey looked sympathetic. "So am I."
"I don't like you," Marian said, to make things perfectly clear. Kevin stared furiously at her. The situation seemed dangerous. Marian turned to Glyn and AJ. "I'll be around, 'kay?" They nodded understandingly and she walked away fast.
"Is something … wrong with her?" Kevin asked angrily.
"I have no excuse for her conduct," Glyn said in a parental tone. "All I can promise is that she's not under the influence of …anything." She tried not to laugh.
"Some people these days!" Geoffrey exclaimed in a conversational voice.
"What do you mean?" Kevin wondered politely. Geoffrey was so boring…
"Well… Not to spread rumours, but… You know that Audrey and Brian were engaged, right?" Kevin nodded. "Three days ago Brian called off the engagement for no reason! Without even talking to my father or his."
"Well, I never!" Glyn said, pretending to be shocked at Brian's rudeness instead of the irony of the fact that he seemed to be unattached now.
"I know!" Geoffrey thought he'd found a kindred soul in this Glyn character. "He didn't even consult his own father!" he repeated. Glyn gasped and covered her mouth. Kevin glared. Glyn was obviously making fun of Geoffrey. AJ was trying so hard not to laugh he had to make some excuse to leave for a few seconds. When he returned in five minutes with a glass of punch Glyn and Geoffrey were still conversing. He was reminded of Glyn's discussion with Tyk(e). Kevin was fuming. He stared at AJ as if to tell him to do something about his strange companion. AJ pretended not to notice.
"Oh, I didn't know there was punch. Excuse me, please." Geoffrey walked away. Kevin followed him with a disgusted glance at Glyn. Glyn and AJ started laughing.
"I'd kill myself before I'd have that thing as a brother-in-law," she said.
"Me too. He's gonna get so drunk…" AJ stared after Geoffrey.
"Geoffrey? You can't mean…"
"He always does. It's damn funny if you ask me."
Brian woke up for some reason, staring at a ceiling he didn't know. 'Where the hell am I? Oh, right. I'm in Kevin's new house. I was helping him unpack.' Brian had a really bad headache, probably somehow connected to whatever he'd been drinking earlier that day. He couldn't remember at the moment. 'Why is it so damn loud? I know. Kevin was going to have some people over. Well, I'm staying here. He can't make me be social. No one can!' Brian was in a bad mood. He estimated as to where the light switch on the wall would be and found it without breaking anything.
"Damnit!!" He turned it off again quickly but it was too late. The light made his head throb for five minutes even after he'd turned it off. Trying to sleep was useless. Brian wanted something to drink that wasn't alcoholic and he didn't feel like drinking tap water so he decided to venture downstairs and hope not too many people saw him. He crept down the hallway and down a staircase, very nearly blinded by the lights that weren't all that bright. He found his way to the kitchen and got a can of Sprite then went back upstairs quickly, eager to return to the darkness of the guest room he had been sleeping in. He swore quietly when he finally reached the door and it was locked from the inside. He listened: it was completely silent inside the room. His room, damnit! He pounded on the door.
"What?" a scared, female voice replied.
"What are you doing?!" he demanded accusingly. Who had stolen his room?
"Walking in circles," the voice answered. Brian looked under the door.
"It's dark in there," he pointed out.
"I know. It's fun walking in circles in the dark."
"You're a freak!" Brian snarled. "Let me in!! I was in there first. Then I went downstairs and got a soda. Now I'm back upstairs and-"
"No! I'm in here now!" the voice said, sounding very territorial. "It's very dangerous out there!"
"Well you should let me in! I was there FIRST! I'm dying!"
"You are not," the voice said suspiciously but with a hint of pity. "Finders keepers, losers-"
"You're killing me! I have a headache and the light makes it worse. Why don't you go downstairs like a normal person?!" Brian didn't want to hear some stupid freak chant that kindergarten rhyme. That was his room and that's all there was to it.
"Why don't YOU?!"
"Ow!! Not so damn loud! Let me in," Brian whined. There was a downhearted sigh and he heard the door click as it unlocked. He threw the door open and ran in, gladly shutting it behind him. Brian opened the can of Sprite, found his way to the bed in the dark and sat on somebody's feet. The person whined uneasily and kicked a few times, throwing Brian in his unhealthy state to the floor, then scrambled to the other side of the room. "SHIT!" he yelled, cringing immediately at the noise. There was soda in his eyes and in his hair.
"What's going on?" the voice asked worriedly.
"I'm having a bad day," Brian growled.
"A bad day?" someone echoed. Was that voice strangely familiar? Brian couldn't grasp it. His head hurt too much to think.
"Yes! Ever since I broke up with Audrey…"
"…Audrey?" the stranger croaked, horrified.
Glyn sighed. She was sitting under a table that didn't have too many people near it and was therefore fairly safe, but she was still bored. She was also rather troubled. AJ seemed to be having way too much fun with his martini the last time she'd seen him. And that was about twenty minutes ago. Where had Marian gone? Glyn had seen someone about Marian's height with hair like hers sneaking up a staircase not long ago but it might have been someone else. She heard a voice she knew somewhere nearby and crept further under the table.
"…so I said 'jesus Audrey! What's wrong?' and she started crying even harder. And then she said that Brian guy had broken off their engagement! I mean, completely for no apparent reason totally whatsoever." Glyn stifled a laugh. AJ had been right. Geoffrey was drunk. "I mean, I know Audrey's my sister but come on, she's hot as hell! And she's even kind of nice sometimes. I mean, what kind of fucking bastard-"
"Don't call Brian a fucking bastard!" Glyn sucked in her breath. AJ sounded pretty drunk too.
"BRIAN IS A FUCKING BASTARD!!! Ha ha HA!" Geoffrey retorted.
"Shut up!"
"You can't make meeeee! Brian is a fucking-" [thud] Glyn winced. 'No, no no!!' She dared to look out from under the table, guessing that both AJ and Geoffrey were too drunk to notice. Geoffrey was clutching his face and AJ was staring in disorientation at his bleeding knuckles.
"AJ!" Glyn intended to tell him to stop acting as stupid as Geoffrey but she saw that Geoffrey was about to hit him. "AJ, look out!" AJ didn't seem to hear her. Geoffrey punched him in the stomach. AJ didn't seem pained enough to use his common sense but at least he was out of his daze. Glyn watched, somewhat horrified, for a few minutes as AJ and Geoffrey bashed each other then decided she should do something. She grabbed at AJ's ankle. "AJ! Listen to me!" she said loudly. AJ looked down at her.
"Oh… Hi Glyn!" He looked cheerful, despite his bleeding nose.
"AJ, STOP IT! Right now!"
"Not now, Glyn. I'm kicking Geoffrey's ass." AJ turned back to Geoffrey. Glyn groaned.
"What can I do?!" she muttered to herself. She was definitely not going to let AJ kill Geoffrey or do other things he might regret later. Maybe if she could find Marian they could do something … Had she gone upstairs? Glyn decided that was a good place to look first.
"Yes. Audrey! Is there a problem?" Brian grumbled. The room was pitch dark but he was still recovering from being in more brightly lit areas.
"Maybe you have problems but I was just asking a question and if…." Marian wondered if she was talking to Brian. The voice did sound kind of like his. But he seemed rather hung over. 'Oh, just a little,' Marian thought sarcastically. As if he'd been drinking way too much for the past few days… Suddenly things fell into place.
"If what?!" he demanded.
"Brian," she said in a much kinder manner. Yes, it was definitely Brian. "Are you okay?"
"No I'm not fucking OKAY! My head hurts so much I can't even fucking think! And there's damn soda in my hair. And in my eyes. And all over my face. Who are you? Why did you come in here?!"
"Calm down!" she hissed. "You don't need to be so asinine. You probably won't even remember who I am if I tell you. Why should I?"
"If you don't tell me who you are I'll turn on a light!" Brian threatened, even though he knew he wouldn't.
"You will not. That's ridiculous."
"Yeah. I know," Brian sighed, deciding to try to guilt the person into telling him who she was. There was silence. It wasn't working. Suddenly he had an idea. "Say something." Silence. He decided to guess, even though his idea of who this person might be was frankly a stupid drunken wish. "Marian?" Footsteps pounded down the hallway and someone knocked on the door. Brian didn't say anything.
"Marian? Mari are you in there??" Glyn's voice sounded as though something was wrong. Marian decided to risk Brian's wrath and get the door.
"Glyn? What's wrong?" She opened the door a little and stepped out into the hallway.
"What are you doing in there, young lady?" Glyn asked jokingly.
"Hiding. I think someone else is hiding in there too." Glyn raised one eyebrow. Marian ignored her and continued. "What's up?"
"AJ's fighting with someone. Audrey's brother. I can't get him to stop it! Someone's going to get killed." So maybe that was an exaggeration…
"Why don't you just drag them apart? Didn't you do that with your brother and his friends a lot? AJ's older than you but so was Joe."
"Yeah. I did that when he was eleven. And AJ's drunk, anyway. Mari, help me!!!"
"Shut the damn DOOR!" Brian yelled, covering his face. The light was killing him. Glyn looked in the room, ignoring his request.
"Brian?! Marian, what is going on with you two?"
"It IS you! I knew it," Brian said triumphantly. Glyn looked horrified.
"We were talking," Marian assured her sincerely. "He's hung over so he doesn't like light. So it was dark. I think he's been in there for a while but he left to get something to drink. And while he was gone I hid in there. And he came back." Glyn decided she was telling the truth. After all, Marian's clothes and hair were in perfect array. Well maybe not perfect, but in any case she looked like she had when they'd gotten here.
"Okay, fine, I believe you. But what can we do about AJ?"
"Umm… get Kevin?"
"Kevin's mad at me. I was … rude. After you left."
"Get Nick?" Marian suggested doubtfully. Glyn snorted. "Get Barnaby?"
"Marian, please." Glyn looked into the dark room again and pointed at Brian. "Get him."
"Glynnie, no! Brian's hung over! He's in no condition to-"
"To what? Save his friend AJ?" Glyn interrupted. Brian looked on interestedly, unaware that they were talking about him. "Brian, come here."
"NO! Leave me alone," he pleaded. Marian glared at Glyn.
"I will NOT! You're going to save AJ." Glyn dragged Brian out of the room by his shirt.
"No I won't! Put me down! Put me down!" Brian struggled weakly. Glyn looked at him amusedly. He cowered on the floor of the hallway, shielding his eyes.
"Mari, what's all over his face?"
"Soda, I guess."
"And how did that happen?"
"He sat on my feet and I kind of threw him off the bed and he was holding an open can of soda. I don't know! It was dark in there."
"Sounds interesting. Come on Brian. You have to come downstairs. If you don't I'm going to force you to." Brian was rather disoriented but he was conscious enough to see that Marian felt sorry for him.
"Marian, don't make me-"
"That's enough!" Glyn took Brian's arm and started pulling him downstairs. Brian stood up.
"Why are we going downstairs?" he asked.
"AJ's in a fight and you're going to either make him stop fighting or knock out the other guy so he stops beating him."
"Oh. Okay." Brian was indifferent. They found AJ and Geoffrey both passed out a little ways away from the table Glyn had been hiding under.
"I guess we don't need you after all. Sorry, Brian." Glyn looked apologetic and shrugged.
"Just how much has AJ had to drink tonight?" Marian wondered.
"I have no earthly idea. I've been hiding." Glyn walked over to AJ and nudged him with her foot. "AJ wake up. Brian did you really break it off with Audrey?"
"What?!" Marian stared at Glyn. "You haven't been giving him ideas or-"
"Yeah, I did." Brian muttered.
"Congrats!" Glyn smiled and didn't look at Marian. "He's single now, Mari."
"Shut UP, Glynnie!" Marian blushed.
"Nuhhhgg..." AJ mumbled and moved a little.
"Are you awake?" Glyn peered at him and prodded his back with her foot. "AJ, how much did you have to drink tonight?"
"Not... that much..." AJ winced and sat up. "What happened to my face?"
"You and Geoffrey were fighting like the barbarians you are." Glyn frowned.
"Did I win?" AJ asked stupidly.
"Umm... I think it was a tie." Brian replied.
"Brian! Hi Brian. Are you still very drunk?" AJ grinned.
"Hi AJ. No, I'm not. I have a headache." Brian scowled. "You scared Tyk(e)." he glared at Glyn.
"So sorry." Glyn smiled.
"What the hell are you people talking about?" Marian asked.
"Oh, just the day we dropped in on Brian when he was highly inebriated." Glyn said nonchalantly.
"Ah. And you traumatized his dog?" Glyn had already informed Marian of her conversation with that 'hybrid.'
"What time is it?" Brian wondered.
"Um... about two, two fifty, actually." Marian looked at her watch. "We should go."
"AJ isn't driving. What happened to Nick? Oh well, he can leave with someone else. He probably already has." Glyn mused. "I could drive. We could drop AJ off with his car at his apartment then walk back to ours."
"You aren't driving my car!" AJ protested. "It's mine."
"You aren't driving your car either. You'd kill someone." Marian stated. "I'll drive. I'm good at driving."
"Marian! You go too slow! Please, can I drive? I haven't driven in ages! Since I graduated!" Glyn said unhappily.
"Exactly! That's why you can't drive." Marian frowned.
"Please? Pretty please? With chocolate sprinkles and-" Glyn pleaded.
"FINE. If you kill us all, though, um..."
"I'll die? Haha." Glyn grinned. "AJ come on! I'm driving."
"What does this button do?" Glyn was sitting in the driver's seat and looking at the dashboard interestedly.
"That's the radio, Glyn." AJ said patiently.
"Oh yeah. And what's this thing again?" She pointed at the steering wheel.
"GLYN!" Marian said from the back seat.
"I'm kidding! Jeez Mari!" Glyn smiled and turned the keys in the ignition. She giggled as the motor revved. Marian and AJ winced as she maneuvered the car onto the road. Both of them were quite nervous for the entire ride. Brian, however, wasn't entirely aware of what was going on around him, so he wasn't too anxious.
"Hey Brian. I have a question." Glyn looked at him in the rearview mirror. He didn't seem to hear her. "Brian?"
"What?" he muttered antisocially.
"I was talking to Tyk(e) the other day and we were discussing how much he looks like Audrey." Glyn smirked, waiting for Marian to tell her to stop it. She was surprised at her reaction. "Marian! Are you laughing? How exceedingly rude." Marian remembered herself and was silenced. "Anyway. Tyk(e) and I agreed that he does resemble Audrey. And I noticed that Tyk(e) doesn't seem to have any plastic body parts. If he did, that might explain why he looks like Miss Parkington so much. But it doesn't seem like it. If Tyk(e) does have plastic body parts, he must have had them … installed… by a reputable cosmetic surgeon. I was wondering if-"
"Wait… Glyn?" Brian looked at her confusedly, speaking slowly. "Tyk(e)'s not plastic. He's real."
"Glyn!!" AJ yelled.
"What?" Glyn looked at him questioningly.
"No! Look at the road, Glyn. The road! You just passed my-"
"Oh yeah. Sorry AJ." Glyn smiled and obliviously turned around and switched lanes. It was a miracle that they hadn't hit any other cars yet. "Driving is so much fun!" She parked the car and hopped out. "C'mon Mari! We get to walk home now."
"Glyn, have you been drinking?" Marian asked suspiciously.
"Not a drop!" Glyn responded truthfully.
"You can't walk home alone! That's dangerous!" AJ declared.
"You're not driving us," Marian said. "And I don't think Brian should either."
"And your car's staying here. Therefore I think we're walking," Glyn finished.
"You can't walk alone," AJ stated. "Me and Brian will walk you to your apartment then come back here."
"We will walk ourselves," Glyn informed him. "But thanks. I think someone needs to sleep." She looked at Brian, who was indeed getting tired again. "Thanks for taking us. I had fun." She looked pointedly at Marian.
"I did too!" she added quickly. "Thanks very much AJ. Um." She glanced at Brian, who was leaning against AJ's car with his eyes closed. "Brian!!" She tapped on his shoulder. He opened his eyes and looked at her. "Brian, I'm sorry about Audrey. And that I took your room. And sorry I threw you off the bed and that me and Glyn made you go downstairs even though-"
"Shut up Marian." Brian smiled and hugged her without thinking.
"Get some sleep," Marian ordered kindly and told herself that Brian was so hung over he wasn't going to remember any of Kevin's party. "Glyn? Should we go? I doubt these nice people want us in their expensive parking lot."
"Glyn, you'd better call me when you get home. I'm going to be worried sick about you," AJ informed her.
"Yes Mommy!" Glyn called and ran away down the sidewalk.
"GLYN! Wait!" Marian yelled at her. "AJ, take care of Brian!" She chased after Glyn, feeling giddy.
"Jee, aren't you happy. Aren't guys cute when they're hung over?" Glyn smiled mischievously and turned around to face Marian, walking backwards.
"Nah. Brian's just overwhelmed by the sudden prospect of singleness and I happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time."
"Or the right place at the wrong time."
"Shut up Glynnie!" Marian grinned and looked at the sky. How cute! Glyn thought, still walking backwards. She stepped on something and screamed, stumbling backwards.
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