Band One Shots

9. Alan Ashby

" Happy birthday to you...

Happy birthday to you...

Happy birthday dear Valley...

Happy birthday to you."

I sat on my window sill Indian style with a Black Forest cupcake with a silver dusted white almond frosting cupped carefully in my hands, a single sparkly blue candle sticking out of the top, the flame flicking side to side with the pressure changes my slightly cracked window was making.

I looked up from the symbol of the celebration of one more year on this planet and started to stare out the window of my apartment, seeing rain streaking down the glass in intricate lines and spastic patterns.

The darkened sky made my apartment more dark than it should be. It doesn't help that the power went out earlier today either.

And if you're wondering... Yes. It is my birthday.

And no, no one is here to celebrate it with me.

But that's for a few reasons... One is because I just moved from Hollywood to New York City. Away from everyone I've known and loved, to a city where the only person I know is the mailman who says hi, and 'have a nice day' in his thick Bronx accent everyday... Oh and George the hobo who sits outside the donut shop.

I sighed and looked down at my almost-fully melted candle, shutting my eyes and blew out what was left causing the only light producing element in my apartment to disappear within a second.

I set the cupcake on the table behind me as I continued to look out the window, wondering if my life would ever be a great as it was when I had Alan.

That was my one regret about moving. The regret of leaving behind the one person who understood me and honestly was the best friend anyone could ever ever ask for has been eating away at me for 3 months now. But he tore the ties between us anyways...

I didn't even tell anyone that I left, I just got up and disappeared.

Of course Noux knows though, only because she caught me walking out of my apartment with the last box I had to pack in the moving truck. I swore her to secrecy about it all and I just prayed to God she kept her word...

I had been friends with Alan since elementary school, the fire-headed boy who sat in the back of the class, making snide comments and making every lesson that was taught in those classes the funniest and most enjoyable they could ever possibly be.

The reason we became friends is because of Jessica Lane... A girl who was about 2 grades above me, pushed me into the sandbox, tearing the head off of one of my stuffed bears I brought to school that day for show and tell day. It had been my grandmothers bear when she was a little girl who in turn gave it to me when she had passed away.

-flashback-

I sighed and hugged my bear close to me and shut my eyes as I sat on the edge of the sandbox on the play ground, watching all the kids play with their friends, having fun... While I just stayed in my own little world.

No one ever talked to me anyways... I was known as 'that kid'.

"Look who brought a whittle bear to school."

I looked up to see Jessica Lane and her two best friends Mindy and Sarah, both with arms crossed and laughing down at me.

I shied away and looked up, "what do you want Jessica?" I asked, standing up so I didn't feel so small.