Rose Red

A nightmare

And also a nightmare.

He'll switch writing hands but he'll also stare you down until you are very intimidated. He won't let you touch a single door but he'll silently threaten to kill whoever tries to open a door for you. He's jump in front of a bullet for you but he's also the one who put you in that situation.

He would do anything for you but he would do anything for you and you won't know if that's a good thing or not.

August R. Evans is everything and more and almost way too much.

"I'm done." I slightly jump from his tone of voice. "You've been staring at me for a while now. Everything okay?" I nod my head with a slight smile. "I finished a while ago but you seemed deep in thought."

"I was just thinking about the man that you are." His head slightly tilts. "And?" I take in a deep breath. "You are...." He blinks once, twice, three times and I still can't find the words.

"You are...." My adjectives, they're leaving my head. His nightmare side is never directed at me. So is it really a nightmare if it's not mine? He's still my dream. Always has been and probably always will be.

He may jump in front of a bullet for you but he wouldn't for me. We wouldn't be near bullets. He wouldn't let me get that far. He won't stare me down. He won't threaten to kill me.

And I doubt very seriously he would actually kill someone. Specially with me standing there, so is he really a nightmare? Not to me.

I blink a couple times and see that he's still just looking at me. Waiting for me to finish. "You are a dream August Evans." The corner of his mouth twitches but before he can actually smile he says, "So why did you have me write this?"

I grab the notebook and bring it back towards me. "I just figured since you don't like talking about that time you most likely won't want to go back so we'll go somewhere we've both never been."

And for the first time ever I watch as his ears turn a light shade of red. Darker than pink but not quite rose red. I softly smile. Good to know I can make him feel the way he makes me feel.

"You," I slightly raise my brows. "You never cease to amaze me Arabella Quinn." I grin at him. "The simplest thing and yet you thought of it and I'm not sure what I'm feeling right now." My smile doesn't leave as he continues.

"If I'm a dream, you my love. You are something out of this world. Words haven't even been created to describe you." And there goes my heart. And my cheeks.

"Something so simple." I watch in wonder as he sort of slumps in his seat and my heart....breaks? Yes, breaks. Just a little. Something so simple. A simple little thought in the back of my head. He said it himself. Something so simple.

How....badly must he have been treated for this to have him trying to think of new words? How....neglected was he?

"Auggie," He looks up at me. "Where would you like to go?" He smiles at me. "Wherever you want to go. I know I'll be happy with the decision."

I try to smile at him but honestly my mind is already going. Already thinking of places for us to go, things for us to do. I quickly begin to write and by the time I'm done I'm sure an hour as passed but you can best believe that auggie never once got up. Never once moved even slightly. Never once stopped rubbing my leg.

"So far we have," A glance down at the notebook. "A couple places to go, along with things to do in each place. A ballpark of how much money we'll need and a few other things."

He goes to speak but the doorbell going off interrupts him. "Who's ruining my good mood?" I give him a look of amusement and slight disappointment but I also agree.

Who could possibly be here? There's only four people who know where we live and three of them are unwelcome. Though, if you ask auggie all of them are unwelcome.

I give him a look that says "shoo" while nodding to the steps and he grabs the notebook and pen before silently making his way upstairs.

He's like captain america. Silent footsteps unless he wants you to hear.

When I get to the door I quickly stand on my tiptoes to see who it is before rolling my eyes. I make sure the chain lock is done before slightly opening the door. "Why are you here?" My mom makes a face.

"You haven't spoken to me in over a month and-" I quickly cut her off. "You haven't spoken to me. The phone goes both ways mom." She nods her head.

"Yes. It does." Her eyes get slightly darker as her face goes straight. "However that does not give you the right to speak to me that way. I raised you as a polite girl and you will act as such."

I resist the urge to close the door because as much as I want to she's right. "Are you going to make your mother stand outside?" I nod my head and she scoffs.

"Mom, why are you here?" She glances up at me because yes, I may be short but she's shorter. "Originally to talk but I see now it's futile."

"Talk about what?" She takes a step forward and I almost take one back before remembering there's a whole door separating us. "You." My brows come together. "And Isabel. And how everyone thought you were the golden child but really you were just getting ready for this rebellious act."

I blink a couple times. Rebellious act? "I've never been "rebellious" mom. I've always done what you told me, I treat everyone with respect even when they don't deserve it, I put the needs of others above my own."

She cuts me off. "Until now. Now you've got yourself a boyfriend, a rude one at that! And you think you can just act any way you want." She's standing on a ledge right now and I don't want her to step over but she might.

"This disrespectful man has you acting like this and I won't stand for it." I take a deep breath. "You can say what you like about me, it won't really affect me for long because I know you're wrong but do not speak about august that way."

"One, he is not my boyfriend. Two, he is not rude or disrespectful. You want to talk about respectfulness and being rude go talk to your other daughter." Her face turns up. "She lied to you." She scoffs.

"She's been lying to you. For years and you let her get away with it as a child so now she's doing it as an adult. I never said I hated her or her child but she's said it multiple times to me. If I had a dollar for every time she told me she hated me i couldve bought the united states and sold it twice."

"I love you mom. I really really really do. So very much but I can not keep doing this with you. You take Isabel's side every chance you get. You called me to yell at me, didn't even ask me what happened. You've done it since we were kids." I take another deep breath because this is stressing me out and the tears streaming down my face are making it hard to breathe.

"Even though she treats me like garbage you picked up on the side of the highway I still love isabel. I don't hate cloud and would love to seen him again in public but right now I have to go make dinner. We can talk again soon." She let's out a short breath and nods her head.

"My sweet sweet angel. I love you too and I'm so sorry." I shake my head and say she doesn't have to apologize before saying my goodbyes and closing the door.

A parent never enjoys hearing about their parenting and I'm sure they like it even less when it comes from their other children. I can't imagine that way easy for her but I do hope that she reflects and actually listens to what I says.

I take in yet another deep breath before leaning against the door. "Is there anything I can do for you, darling?" I nod my head while still leaning.

"You would like me to slowly come over there, lift you up, take you to my room, and lay you down?" I nod my head. "Where you would like me to then grab a hoodie, give it to you, and walk away for a little while?" I nod again as a new wave of tears burns my nose.

"During which I will grab your phone, order food, and let you feel my warmth until it gets here?" Another nod, a soft, "Alright." and even softer footsteps.

I don't think I have to say what happens next.