A Recollection of Ideas: A Series of One Shots

“Alan, are you home?” I asked into the silent house. Closing the door quietly behind me, I turned to inspect the empty apartment that I shared with my best friend of ten years, Alan Ashby. The fiery ginger had met when we were on our last year of high school. We went to the same college, but he had dropped out to follow his passion of being a musician. Now he was the guitarist for one of the most popular metalcore bands, Of Mice and Men.

“Alan?” I asked again into the emptiness. He had gotten home from tour at least three days ago, but he wasn’t happy when he had come home. Alan was pretty disappointed with himself on how he did on tour.

“I screwed up!” Alan grumbled. I patted his shoulder soothingly, helping him unpack in his room.

“I’m sure you did just fine. Hey, you’re only human!” I laughed easily. Alan still had a frown etched on his face. I let the matter drop, suggesting we watch a movie for dinner. He declined, declaring that he had plans with Austin and Aaron to go out for a drink.

But that was all a few days ago. I had let my friend have his own personal space, but it felt like he was on tour. I met him only a couple times for breakfast in the kitchen. Ashby barely said two words before throwing his plate in the sink and going back upstairs to his room.

It was late at night, nearly ten o’clock. I had been in conference with Epitaph records all day. I was weary and just looking for sleep, but I wanted to talk to Alan, making sure he was alright.

I just cared about my friend.

The cream colored walls faded together as I walked into the small living room that we owned. I gasped as I looked around. The normally clean, tidy, and organized room had looked like a tornado hit it.

Beer bottles littered the floor, scattered all around the place. The table was overturned. Broken glass cascaded on the white carpets, making it nearly impossible to see. Flowers had been overturned from the pot that had been on the coffee table. I counted at least six beer bottles and one passed out ginger on the couch. Tears dotted my eyes.

Alan never acted like this. He rarely got drunk, and that was typically on his birthday, when I was there to help him calm down. But even then, Alan was never violently drunk, just kind of overly happy.

This…this wasn’t the Alan Ashby I knew.

The sickly smell of alcohol tinged the air, tickling my nose and making me wrinkle my nose in disgust. Alan’s arm twitched as I neared him.

“Alan? Come on, wake up!” I was pretty ticked off. I had worked a twelve hour shirt at the record label and I came home to Alan drunk, the coffee table collapsed, the room a mess, and now I had to take care of some drunk man.

“ALAN!” I roared, pissed off now. Alan rolled over, looking up. He glared as soon as he saw me.

“Oh, it’s you.” He spat the last word. I took a step back as he swung himself to sit up. Alan rolled his eyes.

“Me!? It’s YOU, that the problem! Come on, you made a mess of the living room and now I have to get you to bed.” I grumbled, just wanting to crawl into my own room down the hall.

“Oh, shut up, Kalista! Stop bugging me to do stuff. I just got off of tour. Let me chill.” He glared at me, the drunken haze still over his eyes. I clenched my hand to keep from crying.

“It’s been three days, Ashby! You’ve had plenty of time to rest and now you’re no longer a child. Please, just get to bed.” I growled. He stood up, looming a good few inches over me. I backed up to the wall.

“SHUT UP!” He roared. Before I could realize what was happening, I was sent crashing to the floor. My face hurt from where he had slapped me. Reaching up, I touched the back of my head. A spot of blood came back. I must’ve hit my head on the corner of the wall behind me. Alan looked shocked. I could barely see.

“Alan…” I whispered in surprise and fear. He leaned down, trying to help me up. I crawled back.

“Stop.” I begged. He took a step back, standing straight up. I groaned as I moved.

“Kalista…I’m so sorry…” He seemed to lose that drunken gaze, just for a minute, just a moment of my actual Alan back.

No, wait. My Alan would never hurt me.

“Just get out.” I mumbled and stood up, stumbling towards my room. I needed to get out myself; Get out of the house. I couldn’t stand living like this. He can text me when he’s ready to act like an adult, not a frat boy. For now, I’m leaving.

I took my backpack with a few changes of clothes, some money, and my phone. Hauling it over my back, I descended the stairs in shaky steps.

Looking over my shoulder, I saw that Alan had gotten out. He had made it to his bedroom and then passed out on his bed, sprawled out with his lips just barely parted. Shaking my head with tears streaming down my face, I walked out.

I had a friend that would help me. She would certainly give me a place to stay. Luckily, she’s only a few blocks away. I called her up, even though it was late in the night.

“Bells?” I asked after she picked up in a few rings.

“What is it, Kalista?” She yawned.

“C-can I stay with y-you for tonight?” I stuttered. She seemed to perk up at that.

“Yeah, what’s wrong?”

“I’ll explain it later.”

“I’ll be there in ten.” With that, she hung up. I sighed and waited on my front porch step.




Later the next day….

“Hey, is Austin coming to your place?” I asked my friend as she handed me a glass of water. Bells just shrugged. She was great friends with Austin, like I was, or had been, with Alan. I’ll go drop off my key card tomorrow. I don’t want to live with him anymore if that’s how he’s going to handle himself. I don’t want to be hurt again, physically or mentally.

“I think so. He said he wanted a movie night tonight. I’m sure he’ll just pick out a Star Wars movie.” She chuckled and sipped her cold water. I hopped down from her kitchen barstool as the doorbell rang.

“Who is it?” Bells asked as she rounded the corner. I shrugged and switched drink hands, opening the door with my right hand.

A very pouty ginger stood at the doorway, hands shoved in his pockets, eyes wide and pleading.

“Kalista I-“

“Nope.” I stated firmly and slammed the door in his face, immediately bolting the lock. I heard his voice rise in protest as I shook my head and walked away.

“That was Alan!” Bells said in shock. I nodded.

“And that was me, slamming the door in his face.” I noted and went to go sit back at the kitchen counter, on one of her comfy barstools. Bells sighed and I shot her a warning look as she opened the door.

“Hello, Alan.” She introduced.

“You’re horrible.” I grumbled. She winked at me, giving me that usual devilish smirk of hers. I shook my head and focused on my drink, as if it was the most interesting thing in the world.

“Can I talk to Kalista? Please?” Alan’s soft voice asked in the hallway.

“Oh of course.” Bells led him in. I shook my head at her and she shrugged, going back to the kitchen and rooting through the pantry for a snack. Probably cheez-its. Alan came and sat at the bar stool next to me.

“Kalista-“

“Don’t.” I stopped him. I was supposed to be relaxing and clearing my mind today, not talking to this abusing drunk.

Alan sat there, looking defeated.

“Chips?” She asked Alan. He politely declined. There was longer silence that stung as much as when he hit me. The spot behind my head still felt a little tender. Luckily, I washed the blood from my hair.

When I explained everything to Bells yesterday, I had purposefully left out that he had hit me.

“Kalista, please let me explain and apologize.” He begged. I moved over to the other chair, leaving a gap between us. He moved over into my old chair. I scowled at him and stood up, putting space between us. Setting down my glass, I shook my head, eyes burning into him.

“No.”

I moved as he came forward. We danced precariously around the island as Bells just shook her head. I turned to taunt her when Alan took my moment of distraction to grab my wrists.

“Hey! Please, just let me explain!” He begged, pleaded.

“Alan! Stop! Don’t touch me! You hit me last night!” I yelled at him.

WHAM!

Before I knew what happened, a flying Bells came out of nowhere, slapping Alan right across the face, standing defensively in front of me, hands on her hips. Alan was sent reeling, eventually falling down on the floor. Bells looked pissed.

“YOU HIT HER!?” She screeched. Alan looked down at the floor.

“Payback!” I hissed in happiness. Alan nodded sheepishly. Bells placed a well-aimed kick at his shinned, hitting the mark. Alan howled in pain right as Austin opened the door.

“Hey, I’m here-WHAT’S GOING ON!?” He asked loudly. I shook my head. Alan stood up, limping towards Austin. Bells gave a quick run through of what had happened. Austin shook his head at the ginger, who was just walking out the door. I heard his car start up, probably going back home.

“Austin, I’m going after him.” I sighed. I didn’t exactly want to talk to him, but you know…I had forgotten my hairbrush and my laptop, so I figured I should go get those. Maybe I could sneak in quietly.

“I’ll talk to him.” Austin suggested. I shook my head.

“I have to get some stuff anyways. You enjoy your movie with Bells. Let me guess…Star Wars?” I asked and he looked down. Bells stood on her tiptoes, kissing his nose.

“You’re adorable, Carlile. Now we should go watch.” She pulled him to the couch as I went out to my car.

I got back to my apartment fairly quickly. I was long past the tears and the sorrow. I just wanted to get my stuff and get out. Epitaph Records had another office in Florida. I could move from Cali to Florida, right? I just didn’t want to be here right now.

Opening the door, I sneakily peered around the living room, expecting to see the bottles and coffee table turned upside down. No, quite the opposite.

The table was cleaned off, righted, and the flowers were replanted. The dirt and glass had been vacuumed and cleared. The beer spills were washed away. The couch was cleaned, the bottles disposed, and the living room looked…normal again.

Alan’s door was closed, so I crept the opposite direction past the kitchen to my room. The door was slightly ajar, like I had left it when I walked out. Sneaking into it, I peered inside to hear someone sniffling.

Alan sat at the edge of my bed, the green bedspread crinkling under his weight. He had one hand grasping the picture of us two at graduation, and the other pressed to his face, covering his mouth, covering his deep, sad frown. It was obvious that he was crying. His chest heaved as he loudly sobbed. Tears streaked down his cheeks, running from his red eyes. My little kitten was sobbing.

With a silent sigh, I turned around, promising to get my stuff later. I barely made it three steps down the hall when a board squeaked under my foot. I cursed softly as footsteps followed.

“Kalista?” Alan asked, broken and confused to why I was here. He stood outside my room, hands limp at his sides. I turned and bit my lip.

“I just came back to get the rest of my stuff.” I said softly. He broke into louder sobs.

“Please, no, please come back. I’m sorry. I’m so, so sorry.” He choked out. I couldn’t help but look down. Seeing Alan so sad made me just as miserable.

“Alan…” I sighed. He took a step forward, holding out his open hands.

“If I could turn back time, I promise I wouldn’t have done it. I regret this more than anything else in the world.” He whispered. I smiled a little.

“You regret it even more than purchasing Tu-tu, that devil cat?” I asked. He closed his eyes, another tear dripping out.

“Even more that purchasing the spawn of Satan.” He affirmed. I stepped closer, wrapping my arms around his neck. He collapsed into me, hiccupping slightly. I leaned up and stroked his ginger hair softly. It was fluffy and smooth.

“You need to take a shower.” I commented. He buried his face into my shoulder.

“I missed you.” He whispered. I closed my eyes.

“Yeah, I missed you too.” I responded reluctantly. No matter how much I wanted to leave this troublemaker, I kind of liked having him around. Despite all the troubles, recent and old, we’ve been through, I kind of was attached to him.

“We should watch a movie. I’ll make the popcorn and get the sodas, all you have to do is sit on the couch.” He promised. I looked up into his amber eyes. He knew how much I loved the movies, especially The Hobbit, the ones that recently came out.

“I have to do nothing?” I asked him. He nodded in affirmation.

“Just look cute, like always.” He chuckled. I grinned.

“Go take a shower, princess.” I pushed him away from me. He ran off into his bedroom, going to take a shower. I heard the water start up and him singing softly. Grabbing some blankets and pillows, I threw them on the couch and curled up under them, nearly falling asleep to Alan’s distant singing.

When I opened my eyes, Alan’s door was opening and he came out with his wet ginger hair all messed up, wearing a tank that showed off his beautiful tattoos and strong arms, and black basketball shorts.

“Ready?” He asked, giving me a kind look as he passed by me curled with blankets on the couch. Ashby came back with popcorn and set it in front of us. He popped in the movie and started it up, closing all the blinds and turning the lights off. Pretty soon, it was completely dark inside our little cozy apartment.

“I love this movie.” I mumbled. I sat up and tossed Alan a pillow and blanket. He pulled me closer to him so that I leaned up on his shoulder. He draped an arm over my shoulders.

“It’s a good movie.” He murmured softly. Halfway into the film, we were curled up together on the couch. I buried my face into his shirt. He rubbed small circles into my back.

“Are you feeling better?” He asked, referring to last night. I nodded sleepily.

“Sure.”

“Really?”

“Yep. Let’s just fall asleep.” I suggested. He took that as an okay and held me tighter against his chest, softly singing to me until I passed out in his arms.

Notes

This is for my dear friend I_Ship_KalanXD! I hope you love it, dear!

Don't forget to continue requesting one shots! I'm anxious to get more requests!