Memoirs of a Lonely Writer: A Collection of One-Shots

“So you’re going to be at Dylan’s house tonight?” My friend asked me. His halo of ginger hair floated, still clinging to bits of static. Just ten minutes ago, Alan had found some balloons, so we returned to being five years old. Blowing up a couple plastic spheres, we had an all-out war trying to electrify each other using balloons.

Now we were here in my dad’s house with Alan sitting on a stool in front of my mirror while I attempted to brush out the long locks of hair. Alan Ashby, my personal ginger princess and part time diva, had been my best friend since four years ago in eighth grade. He was there when my mom died of Breast Cancer when I was fifteen and we’d basically been through heaven and hell together.

“Yeah, I’ll be there for a couple of hours.” I muttered miserably and forced Alan’s head to the side so I could rip at a snarl in his ginger hair. He winced and I murmured an apology. Thankfully, my dad wasn’t in the house most of the time. Normally, he was out getting drunk or wasting our last dollars gambling down in the city. Dylan’s house was where I was forced to spend most of my time when my dad was out of the house.

Dylan Route was my boyfriend of four months. As much as I stayed with him because he was the love of my life, it just wasn’t the case. Dylan wasn’t just the stereotypical abusive boyfriend, but loved to torment Alan as well. I told him to knock it off multiple times, but I was awarded with my heroic efforts with a long line of bruises down my hip and legs. At first, I tried to break up with him, but he threatened to beat up Alan. I didn’t take him seriously.

Alan wound up with a broken arm and a bloody face.

From then on, I didn’t try to break up with him. Dylan said that if I told anyone about this, he would kill me. I took him seriously on that threat, after seeing what had happened to Alan.

“Look, just call me if you need to escape, okay?” Alan told me worriedly. His golden eyes met mine in the mirror and I gave him a half smile. Although I was accustomed to the “rough housing” Dylan and I went through every time I was forced to be at his house, it always hurt.

I had a bad feeling about tonight.

The clock rung downstairs a merry melody to brighten up my dull mood. Alan stayed in the bathroom while I went to change into a nicer shirt and jeans. Coming back out, I stood in front of my mirror, playfully bumping the diva that pouted out of the mirror.

“Are you up for hanging out tomorrow?” Alan asked me. I nodded and took my own brush back, trying to untangle my messy brown hair. Alan saw my struggled and took the brush from me. I stood patiently as he carefully untangled any tangles from my hair. I closed my eyes in pleasure as his fingers brushed against the back of my neck. It made every nerve go into hyper drive. That’s one of the many things I loved about Alan; he was always so caring and like an overprotective mother that I had lost four years ago.

Once he was done brushing out all the tangles, he ran his long fingers through my hair. He knew that tickled!

“STAHP!” I complained with a long whine. He spun me around and I caught his wrists.

“Hehe, I know you like that.” Alan grumbled happily. I rolled my eyes and went downstairs. Taking my phone, I put the device into my pocket and started to head out the door. Alan lived a block away from me so he had walked, but I had to drive to Dylan’s.

“Kalista, you have to tell me if you need to get out of there.” Alan told me seriously as I climbed into the driver’s side.

“You know I will.” I forced a halfhearted smile on my face, lying right to my best friend. If I had called him as many times as I was in trouble, I could’ve spent a year asking for him to rescue me.

Before he could guilt me into feeling worse, I backed out of my driveway, waving goodbye to the kid who had been at my side for years. The fear and panic started to ebb away the guilt as I pulled through the streets, basked in the late afternoon sun. When I got to leave Dylan’s house again, I would hopefully be able to come home at evening and dinner time.

Pulling my large silver car up to his drive way, I threw my keys into my pocket and headed towards the door of doom. The house was nice and large, but it made me feel like everything was looming over me.

“Kalista!” Dylan’s fake cheer could be heard as I stepped up to the doorway and cringed. His arms engulfed me in a hug. The fingers used to rake scratches down my arm pressed into a bruise right on the small of my back and I winced.

Dylan glared at my small movement.

Of course, he was alone in the house-as usual. We stepped inside to the cool air conditioning. I instantly had a feeling like I wanted to run away, but that was the usual at the Route household.

For the next hour, we spent the time “cuddled up” watching the movie The Lovely Bones. He knew I hated these types of films, but I guess that’s why Dylan picked it.

At the half way mark through the movie, I felt his hand slide down my thigh. Muttering something about getting more popcorn, I stood up and started to head to the kitchen.

My phone buzzed in my pocket. It must’ve been Alan.

“Hey, where are you going?” Dylan asked angrily. The next thing I knew, I was lying face first on the carpet. I barely took two steps before it was my boyfriend that threw me.

The looming boy didn’t let me explain myself before a violent assault was started. His shoes kicked any breath I had out of my lungs as I curled up into a ball.

This wasn’t normal.

Typically he would slap me, or leave little scratches on my arm. No, he hadn’t been this physically violent in a while. It was seriously starting to scare me. I could handle the rest, but this was unbearable pain.

“YOU WAIT FOR MY PERMISSION, AND YOU DON’T JUST IGNORE ME!” Dylan screamed at the top of his lungs. I could feel each threat enunciated with a kick to the ribs or on my back. I started sobbing when he hit a bruise from last week.

“SHUT UP, KALISTA!” Dylan screamed. The phone in my pocket buzzed again. It must’ve been another text message from my ginger friend.

“Please, stop!” I begged through the tears. Where was the loving Alan, who I cared about dearly? If I was truthful with myself, the only reason I ever started dating Dylan was not because of the threats, but because I thought no one would love some with a horrible, messed up family. When Dylan asked, I figured I had one shot at this.

How I had been wrong! Why didn’t I stay away?!

I just wanted my alley cat.

The pain kept coming in endless torrents. Eventually the words faded into the background and all I could hear was dear agony screaming in my mind. When Dylan took a break to get in my face and yell, I sneakily slid one hand into my pocket, pulling out my phone. Barely glancing down, I opened my contacts and called one name I knew that I could trust.

I couldn’t hear the rings of the tone over Dylan’s screams at me being worthless and ugly, but when the faint buzz stopped, I knew that someone had picked up.

“SOMEONE HELP!” I sobbed out at the top of my lungs as soon as Dylan was done calling me many colorful names. I felt each word like the sting of an angry wasp. It must be true. I really must be ugly and worthless and more.

“Why can’t you do anything right?!” Dylan growled in my ear. With his last blow, I felt a sticky line form on my stomach. Something felt like it was being burned alive.

“GET OFF OF HER!” A voice raged. I could barely open my eyes, but the voice was recognizable in an instant. Fluttering my eyelashes for a brief view, I saw Dylan being shoved to the side by Alan.

Tears still streamed down my cheek as the boy I loved dearly cradled me in his arms. Dylan’s violent voice faded into the background. I think he was finally frustrated of these games.

All I heard was that he never wanted to see me again.

The feeling was very mutual.

“Kalista, Kalista, can you hear me?” Alan begged. I murmured a faint answer as he hoped into my car. The strong arms set me in the passenger’s seat as the car started up.

Five minutes later, we were back at a house. It wasn’t mine, but Alan Ashby’s. I tried to get out of the car, say I was fine, and go back home, but Alan wouldn’t listen.

“Seriously, alley cat, I’m fine.” I whispered, barely keeping my eyes open. The pain hadn’t ebbed out yet of my system yet. The ribs on my left side felt like they had been rolled over by a cement truck.

“No, I’m keeping you here for the night.” Alan told me firmly. There was no going against what Alan said. I at least trusted him to stay through the night. It wasn’t like he was going to flay my skin alive!

I struggled to take a step but collapsed on his cold cement drive way. The dusk sun’s rays started to fade over the far horizon. The flares of agony started up again.

“Here, let me help.” His soft voice whispered to me. I whimpered quietly as he picked me up, bridal style. We went into his house where he took me upstairs to his bedroom and bathroom.

“Thanks.” I stuttered out, trying to stay afloat in a sea of tiredness. His soft hands brushed a piece of hair out of my eyes. I wobbled over to the mirror, checking out the damage.

The shirt was blood stained and when I lifted up the corners, I saw black and brown bruises all over my ribs, stomach, and back. I nearly threw up at the disgusting sight.

Dylan was right, I was ugly.

Hot tears streamed down my face. They were part from the pain and terror, and part from the hideous sight. Alan rushed to my side as I sniffled.

He didn’t say a word, just wrapped me into his chest, careful of the wounds. I buried my face into his chest, letting out the sobs of the world crashing down on me.

Sometimes, I just hated my life.

I was grateful to have Alan by my side.

“Hey, it’ll all be okay.” His tender voice soothed my worry. I could feel his hands gently stroke the stray hairs into place as I finally stopped crying.

“Are you sure?” I asked him. Life was so uncertain, I couldn’t trust the word, ‘okay’.

“Positive.” He stroked my cheek, clearing the raw skin of any salty sadness. As I turned to look at the blood stained mark on my chest, Alan exited the room and came back with a much too large shirt of his. Well, my old shirt was ruined!

I switched out of the shirts and tossed the scarlet soaked on in the trash. My ginger friend led me into his bedroom to sit down. It seemed like everything had been crushing me under tons of weight, but Alan rescued me and came to take some of the pain off my shoulders.

“Alan, can I sleep over?” I asked with a yawn. He laughed quietly and nodded. Leaning into his shoulder, he rubbed my back silently.

“K-kallista, can I t-tell you something?” Alan took a deep breath and asked hesitantly. His shaking voice told me that my normally unafraid boy was terrified.

“Yes, ginger princess.” I smirked a bit at the name. Alan took my hand in his, rubbing circles on my wrist with his thumb.

“I’m really happy that Dylan and you finally broke up.” He said after a moment of pause. I sighed and smiled a little.

“Me to.”

“No, but I mean, like, I’m really happy, and GOSH DARN IT!” Alan sighed in frustration. I looked up to meet his tawny gold eyes, a silent question waiting to be answered.

No, Alan didn’t answer it with words. Instead, he pulled me up to meet his lips. Although my body first said panic at the suddenness of it, I eventually relaxed.

This was what I wanted, after all these months of abuse.

When Alan broke away from me, I let out an unexpected whimper.

“Triple A….” I teased and whined with his nickname. He scrunched up his face into a bright smile and pulled me down onto the bed. His arm pulled me into his chest where I snuggled up under his chin.

“You’re cute when you love me.” He chuckled.

“Hey, princess. Don’t push it.” I growled. He turned and pouted with wide eyes and a deep lip. I was locked into his stare and unable to escape.

“You do love me, don’t you?” He asked softly. My aching muscles complained to my system as I reached up and kissed him on the cheek to affirm it. After all these months of being with Dylan but figuring out that the boy I needed was always with me, I was happy that I finally got an excuse to kiss my sassy ginger.

“Of course.” I whispered. My day had turned from pain to pleasure in one hour. I felt my brain drift to sleep, but Alan kept on talking. I think it was more to himself than me, but I fell into dreams before I could ask him what he was muttering about.

I woke up in the middle of the night to someone shifting around. Alan had pulled me under the covers with him and tucked me into his chest.

“Are you awake?” I whispered. Alan groaned and kissed me on the neck since I didn’t turn to face him.

“Yes, Kalista.” He grumbled. In the silence of us both waking from invisible dreams, I felt his lips trail up my neck to my jaw. I squirmed under his touch.

“Alan! That tickles!” I giggled, but that did nothing to make him stop. I could feel him grin against my skin. His arms wrapped tighter around me as I wiggled in his embrace that rapped me.

“Ha, you can’t stop me. Ain’t nobody stopping me!” Alan joked.

“Hey sass master, I can stop you!” I argued quietly. It was midnight and I didn’t want to wake the neighborhood. As I tried to break away and stop him, he held me tighter, but was careful to avoid the bad bruises. The more I squirmed, the more he kissed me and made my nerves leap in joy.

Alan was just, overall, adorkable.

“Nope!” He countered and his lips drifted to the hollow behind my ear, where he enjoyed making me shiver in his arms. Eventually, I just buried my head into his chest and failed in the attempts to stop vibrating in his arms.

“You’re adorkable.” I groaned as he finally stopped.

“Mmhmm.” He whispered sleepily.

“Did you seriously wake up just to tease me like that?” I grumbled. Alan beamed, even in the darkness. I saw a ring of fiery red hair spread out on his pillow.

“I love you Alan Ashby, but I really just want to sleep.” I mumbled into his chest. So I did. I felt my brain drift off as I finally was able to feel comfortable with life. My father might have been a drunk, my ex was still a psycho, but I had Alan, who loved me more than anyone could.

Life seemed to be a little bit more bearable.

Notes

So here's the first One-Shot! This one is for I_Ship_KalanXD, who was the very first to request a chapter! I hope you like it :D

The chapters will typically be a little longer, just so everyone knows! I try to fit in as much as I can without making it too long!

Just remember to message me if you want your own one-shot!