My parents are gone on their trip. I'm at home, talking on the phone with Angel as I lay on my bed.

"So what time is Smiles supposed to be at your place?" Angel asks.

"We didn't set a time last night, actually," I laugh as I glance at the clock that reads 8:30pm. "So I have no idea."

"You think you can seduce him tonight?"

"You know the answer to that, Angie."

"The answer to what?" Alastor's voice startles me.

"Ah!" I shriek.

"What is it?" Angel asks.

"I'll talk to you later, Angie," I laugh. "Alastor says hi."

"Tell him to fuck you good."

"Good night, Angie!" I quickly hang up. "Angel says hi…" I look away.

I sit up on my bed as Alastor closes the glass balcony doors.

"So what's the plan, darlin'?" Alastor makes his way over to me.

"Hm. I honestly didn't think this through…" I rub the back of my neck.

I sit there for a moment in thought.

"May I propose something?" Alastor asks.

"Sure," I nod.

"Considering you're getting over your former lover, would you like to do so in a more physical sense?"

"How so?"

"Do you have any items that remind you of him?"

"Actually...now that you mention it… I do have some things…" I get up from my bed.

I make my way over to my closet, pulling out a box full of vinyl records, gifts, and other items from my ex.

"This is all I've got," I put the big box on the floor in the middle of my room.

"Excellent!" Alastor says. "Now we destroy it all."

"Hm?" I blink.

"It's forgetting about your former lover in a metaphorical sense. You're destroying any items that remind you of him."

"Oh, I get it! It's actually about time I got rid of all this," I glance down at the box. "Let's do it!" I gaze up at Alastor with a determined gaze.

"Atta girl!" He smiles.

"I've got the perfect song for this!"

I rush over to my speaker system across my bedroom and connect my phone via bluetooth.

I wake up every evening

With a big smile on my face

And it never feels out of place

And you're still probably working

At a nine to five pace

I wonder how bad that tastes

"This song is about a break up," I explain. "The person dedicates it to an ex."

I walk over to my closet, walking back out with two bats.

"Let's get started, shall we?" I say.

Alastor gives me a mischievous smile as I toss him a bat. I begin to take out vinyl records my ex gifted me and lay some on the floor. I smash them with the bat and so does Alastor.

"And truth be told I miss you," I sing along. "And truth be told I'm lying. When you see my face, Hope it gives you hell, Hope it gives you hell. When you walk my way, Hope it gives you hell, Hope it gives you hell."

Alastor and I continue to smash more vinyls and some glass figurines.

Now you'll never see

What you've done to me

You can take back your memories

They're no good to me

And here's all your lies

You can't look me in the eyes

With the sad, sad look

That you wear so well

I begin to dance on the pile of vinyl pieces, taking Alastor's hands to join me. We jump up and down, dancing to the song.

"When you hear this song," I sing with the song. "I hope that it will treat you well. You can sing along, I hope that it puts you through hell."

I smash one more porcelain figure onto the floor, catching my breath.

"How was that for you?" Alastor asks.

"It was great!" I beam with a smile. "It really was!"

"I'm glad to hear that," he nods.

"Only I wish we shoulda done this outside," I laugh at the mess.

"Not to worry," Alastor snaps his fingers.

He manifests some demons to swiftly sweep and clean up the mess, leaving it spotless.

"Now I see why you don't have any maids or butlers at your estate," I laugh.

Alastor chuckles with me.


It's about 10:15pm. I'm standing out on my balcony with Alastor. We're eating some caramel popcorn in a tin as we stare up at the night sky. We're enjoying the nice breeze and silence after playing some board games once we were done destroying the gifts from my ex. We lean on the balcony railing as we gaze out into the distance.

"It's such a nice night," I say. "Sometimes it can get a bit chilly but it's not too bad."

"It really is a nice night," Alastor agrees.

We continue to stare up at the sky.

"You have such a devotion to those closest to you," Alastor says. "Did your parents teach you those values?"

"Most," I smile. "But they always say that I was born with such a loving heart. I owe my parents so much… Not just them – Angel and even you… for being there for me."

Alastor always feels good to hear me say I value him as a friend.

"Do you mind if I sing a song?" I ask.

"Go right ahead," Alastor replies.

"This song just makes me think of my loved ones...and it's a good heartfelt one."

I manifest a kalimba and begin to play the melody to the song.

"Once I was seven years old my momma told me

Go make yourself some friends or you'll be lonely

Once I was seven years old

It was a big big world, but we thought we were bigger

Pushing each other to the limits, we were learning quicker

By eleven smoking herb and drinking burning liquor

Never rich so we were out to make that steady figure

Once I was eleven years old my daddy told me

Go get yourself a wife or you'll be lonely

Once I was eleven years old"

Alastor listens intently to the lyrics.

"I always had that dream like my daddy before me

So I started writing songs, I started writing stories

Something about that glory just always seemed to bore me

'Cause only those I really love will ever really know me

Once I was twenty years old, my story got told

Before the morning sun, when life was lonely

Once I was twenty years old

I only see my goals, I don't believe in failure

'Cause I know the smallest voices, they can make it major

I got my boys with me at least those in favor

And if we don't meet before I leave, I hope I'll see you later

Once I was twenty years old, my story got told

I was writing about everything, I saw before me

Once I was twenty years old

Soon we'll be thirty years old, our songs have been sold

We've traveled around the world and we're still roaming

Soon we'll be thirty years old

I'm still learning about life

My woman brought children for me

So I can sing them all my songs

And I can tell them stories

Most of my boys are with me

Some are still out seeking glory

And some I had to leave behind

My brother I'm still sorry

Soon I'll be sixty years old, my daddy got sixty-one

Remember life and then your life becomes a better one

I made a man so happy when I wrote a letter once

I hope my children come and visit, once or twice a month"

My singing becomes more passionate with the lyrics as I continue to play the melody on the kalimba.

"Soon I'll be sixty years old, will I think the world is cold

Or will I have a lot of children who can warm me

Soon I'll be sixty years old

Soon I'll be sixty years old, will I think the world is cold

Or will I have a lot of children who can warm me

Soon I'll be sixty years old"

My voice calms and lowers for the end of the song.

"Once I was seven years old, momma told me

Go make yourself some friends or you'll be lonely

Once I was seven years old

Once I was seven years old"

I breathe out a light sigh as I gaze out into the distance.

"That was beautiful," Alastor compliments.

"Thank you," I shyly smile.

Alastor stands there in thought for a moment, reflecting on the lyrics to the song.

"Do you ever see yourself marrying?" He asks. "Or having children?"

"Hm. That's an interesting question…" I smile to myself. "I don't have a clear answer to that at the moment. But I will give you an answer… In order to get married, I have to find a husband. A man who can love me unconditionally and be loyal, and I the same to him… And if children come along, then great… But again, I have to find the right man. A man can be a great husband, but not be a good father. And vice versa. That's where I'm afraid… I'm afraid of falling in love with and marrying the wrong man...which I was so close to doing."

I gaze down at my kalimba in thought.

"That's why I get so depressed about my relationship with my ex…" I continue. "I almost married him… The way that I see it, I nearly failed myself."

"But now you know better," Alastor comforts. "You learned from your past and are moving to a better future. Perhaps one day...you'll meet a man who can truly love you unconditionally and be loyal to you, as you deserve."

"I hope so…" I smile to myself. "What about you? I know you're not into relationships, but...do you ever think of the idea of having a family?"

"It never crossed my mind for reasons that only I know…but I don't see myself fit to be someone's husband or a father."

"Really? I find that hard to believe."

"Why do you say that?" Alastor is surprised.

"I would think that of you initially...but that changed once I got to know you… That's why I don't like to judge people entirely from what I see on the surface...because there can be so much more underneath."

Alastor is in awe at my words.

"And I apologize for judging you," I turn to him.

Alastor recalls his initial plan to use and betray me. A part of him wants to confess, to come clean about it. But he's afraid of how I'll react.

'It's best I don't…' he thinks to himself.

I notice Alastor's pensive state.

"You okay there?" I question.

"Hm," he smiles at me. "You're always so caring."

"Eh?" I'm surprised.

"How angelic of you," he pinches my cheek.

"Hey!" I pout.

I whimper as Alastor playfully continues to pinch my cheek.

"I should get going," Alastor let's go of my cheek. "I have some business to attend to bright and early."

"My parents will be here early in the morning too," I say. "Then I'll be joining my father with business dealings."

"Looks like we both have our day cut out for us tomorrow."

"We'll meet after tomorrow to discuss the next step for the venue. But for now, just get a break from my crazy ass," I laugh.

Alastor chuckles as he gazes out into the distance.

'I don't think I'd ever get tired of you…' he thinks to himself.


Alastor is now at his estate after leaving mine. He's sitting on his couch in the living area, inserting a CD into the radio I gave him. The radio sits on the coffee table, the disc whirring as it spins.

Have you got color in your cheeks?

Do you ever get that fear that you can't shift the type

That sticks around like summat in your teeth?

Are there some aces up your sleeve?

Have you no idea that you're in deep?

I've dreamt about you nearly every night this week

How many secrets can you keep?

'Cause there's this tune I found

That makes me think of you somehow and I play it on repeat

Until I fall asleep, spillin' drinks on my settee

If this feelin' flows both ways?

Alastor sees how this song can reflect his feelings for me well so far.

Do I wanna know?

Sad to see you go

Was sorta hopin' that you'd stay

Baby, we both know

That the nights were mainly made

For sayin' things that you can't say tomorrow day

Crawlin' back to you

Ever thought of callin' when

You've had a few?

'Cause I always do

Maybe I'm too

Busy bein' yours

To fall for somebody new

Now, I've thought it through

Crawlin' back to you

So have you got the guts?

Been wonderin' if your heart's still open

And if so, I wanna know what time it shuts

Simmer down an' pucker up, I'm sorry to interrupt

It's just I'm constantly on the cusp of tryin' to kiss you

I don't know if you feel the same as I do

But we could be together if you wanted to

Do I wanna know?

If this feelin' flows both ways?

Sad to see you go

Was sorta hopin' that you'd stay

Baby, we both know

That the nights were mainly made

For sayin' things that you can't say tomorrow day

Crawlin' back to you (crawlin' back to you)

Ever thought of callin' when

You've had a few? (had a few)

'Cause I always do ('cause I always do)

Maybe I'm too (maybe I'm too busy)

Busy bein' yours (bein' yours)

To fall for somebody new

Now, I've thought it through

Crawlin' back to you

If this feelin' flows both ways?

(Sad to see you go) Was sorta hopin' that you'd stay

(Baby, we both know) That the nights were mainly made

For sayin' things that you can't say tomorrow day

(Do I wanna know?) Too busy bein' yours to fall

(Sad to see you go) Ever thought of callin', darlin'?

(Do I wanna know?) Do you want me crawlin' back to you?

Alastor presses the pause button on the radio, keeping his hand on it. This song just now reflected his feelings for me so well, feelings he has on a regular basis. Because of this, he now likes the song very much.

"Perhaps I can create a CD with songs I want to dedicate to her…" Alastor thinks aloud. "It would help me express how I feel."

Alastor stares at the radio in thought. He takes the CD case and reads the title of the songs.

"Track 1: Do I Wanna Know by Arctic Monkeys…." Alastor reads the title of the first song he played. "It's an interesting song."

He presses play on the radio, continuing to listen to the rest of the tracks.


(Song Gives You Hell by The All-American Rejects)