Disclaimer: I do not own any SON characters. All disclaimers go to Tom Lynch and The-N. I own the storyline, and my own characters.
Title: The Middle Mile
Rating: PG13-NC17

"Love is everything it's cracked up to be. That's why people are so cynical about it...It really is worth fighting for, risking everything for. And the trouble is, if you don't risk everything, you risk even more" – Erica Jong.

I watched onwards as the colours danced across the screen, each one crashing with another. It was like looking into a kaleidoscope, none of it made any sense but it was still pretty to the eyes. My mind was somewhere else. My eyes flickered to the clock, slowly the blurred lines began to form numbers and time began to re-emerge. Impatiently, my fingers drummed against one another, no rhythm to them. It was approaching 9pm on a Friday and I was ready to call it quits for the night. Rising off the couch with a small stretch of my legs, I dragged my futile body to the only place of comfort I have. My room.

No one enters my room. That was my rule. My room was my domain; it was the place where I could be left alone without any traces of another human being. It was cold and empty and quiet – it was my life. The double bed I begged my mother to get me was now another place to highlight the isolation I felt. It mocked me every time I so much as glanced at it, teasing me and making me hate it even more. Centring myself in the middle of the bed I curled under the duvet into a ball and began to slowly drift off into a deep, peaceful sleep.

A low humming noise roused me from my slumber. Squinting into the darkness I rolled over to find my phone vibrating rapidly on the bedside table. My voice was hoarse as I picked it up and answered, not bothering to check who it was first.

I managed to croak out a "Hello" whilst trying to untangle myself from the duvet sheets that had created a faux cocoon around me.

"Ashley! What took you so long to answer?" Aiden's voice was slightly drowned out by the loud music thumping in the background, threatening to burst through the phone at any moment. He must've been calling for a while by the implication of the question he had just asked.

"Uhh I was just taking a quick nap." I was feeling more awake as the seconds progressed on further.

"Sure you were." There was a brief pause, I assumed he was searching for the question he'd originally rung to ask about.

"Listen I'm at this party and I think you should come over." His voice was rising as he said it, making sure I could hear him over the music.

I wasn't entirely sure that a party would be the best thing for me. I was still slightly groggy from just waking up, and I didn't particularly want to endure the mass crowds of drunken teenagers hoping to get laid with the first person they lock eyes with.

Aiden must've noticed the lack of conversation because he was quick to talk again. "Don't worry I'm already on my way to pick you up." Whatever happened to making your own decisions? I let out a low mumble of appreciation. "Oh and Ashley, make sure you're dressed. I don't want another naked surprise when I walk into your room. Au revoir."

I could tell he was trying to stifle a laugh through the words he just said, but before I could even make a witty retort I realised he'd already hung up. I let out a small sigh and soon began to make myself look presentable for when Aiden would show up.

One of the perks of living in L.A was that there was always some kind of party to go to. And if there wasn't, well then you could always settle for one of the many clubs. It made being lonely that little bit more bearable when you had so many other people to share it with.