Author's Note: Ugh, there is no way I am going to get through all of these one-shots at the rate that I'm going at.

Day Ten: Alone by Heart

Tick, tock, tick tock.

I sighed loudly, my breath condensing in the freezing air. Maybe it really was no use, and my roommate was right.

Another sigh.

I looked up at the large clock before me. I wondered how long I had been sitting there.

The ticking of the clock only seemed to get louder and louder. It was the only noise, sans the occasional car passing.

Finally, I heard heels clacking on the pavement. I stood up, anticipating a particular face.

Her chestnut curls framed her heart-shaped face perfectly. Her luminescent skin contrasted with her perfect ruby-red lips, which matched her flared red trench-coat.

Okay, maybe it was safe to say I had a crush.

But she was beautiful. And I was hoping that maybe…

No. I couldn't possibly do it.

I had been going to her bar for at least six weeks, maybe more. I wasn't totally sure, but I thought her name was Spencer. She still didn't know my name. At least, I didn't think she did.

"Hey there. Were you waiting for me?" she asked jokingly.

I nodded. "I was walking in town and—"

"You stopped to see me?" she inquired with a smile.

I gulped. "I was looking for a drink and maybe a bite to eat," I said softly.

She nodded, reaching in her pocket for her keys. "Well, I think I can help with that." She took a silver key and slid it into the doorknob, pushing open the door. After she turned on the lights, she let me in.

"I guess you really like this place," she commented absentmindedly.

I nodded. "I like talking to you," I confessed.

I didn't see her reaction, as her back was turned to me. She quickly went behind the bar after removing her coat.

"So what can I get you, Blue Eyes?" she asked playfully.

"Surprise me."

She looked at me for a moment before disappearing behind the bar for liquor. I wondered if she heard me. Maybe it was best if she didn't.

A minute or two later, after meaningless conversation, she slid a drink in front of me.

"Sit with me?"

She looked at me skeptically. "I don't think it would be appropri—"

"Come on. I'm the only one here," I insisted.

She bit her lip, but finally gave in.

She sighed as she sat next to me. "You got me where you want me. Now what?"

"How is your friend?" I asked, trying to make it as painless as possible.

"Late, as usual. She was supposed to open the bar tonight. I guess the hydrogen peroxide has started to seep into her brain."

I laughed. Her friend, Hanna, was definitely the ditzy-type blonde, but in a funny way.

"Speak of the devil," I said as Hanna appeared behind the front door. A stern look came across her face as she blonde walked in.

"Hey, Toby! Hi, Spencer," she greeted nonchalantly.

"Hanna!" Spencer exclaimed. "What the hell? You're an hour late!" she informed her.

"Calm down, Spencer. I just went to the bridal boutique to pick up your dress. Or did you forget that the wedding was next weekend?"

Wait, what? Wedding dress? Was she getting married?

Meanwhile, Spencer had on an expression of embarrassment, like a deer caught in headlights.

"You need me, Spencer," Hanna concluded before making her way towards the backroom of the bar.

"You're getting married?" I asked, breaking her out of her reverie.

She took a moment to formulate an answer. "Oh, God, no. Our best friend, Aria, is getting married. Thank God her fiancée keeps her sane, because Hanna and I would've torn out her hair by now," she admitted shamelessly. "I don't think I really want to get married. I wanted a lot of things when I was younger; a big white wedding was not one of them."

I nodded.

"It might also just be because…I haven't found that guy who makes me want to drop everything for him. Because once you get married…"

The end of her sentence was left unsaid. The words hung in the air as Hanna made a reappearance.

"I don't get what the big deal is, anyway. Toby is the only one here," Hanna protested loudly.

"It doesn't matter, Hanna! He was waiting outside!" She sighed as she rose. "I'm going to go take inventory," she announced, clearly done with the both of us.

Hanna and I both watched her leave. As soon as she door shut, Hanna let out a squeal.

"You are so cute! You waited for the bar to open up? You were waiting for her? That's adorable!" she exclaimed as she began to mix a Cosmopolitan, no doubt for herself. After all, it was pink.

"Did you finally ask her out?" she asked as she took a sip of her drink.

I sighed. "Hanna—"

"Oh, come on! You two would be perfect together!" she shouted. "You like her, she likes you—"

"No, she doesn't. She must think I'm a creep," I interrupted.

She gave me a scolding look. "She does not. You're amazing. You're so sweet and cute! She would be crazy not to go out with you." She took another swig. "I know I'd go out with you in a hot minute," she insisted, snapping her fingers for extra effect. "Just ask her, damnit. You'll never know if you never ask," she said.

I wished it was that simple.

"Wow. You're still here?" Spencer asked me as she wiped down the bar as the bar was closing. "Most guys would've left by now. I know Hanna was out of here as soon as her shift was over."

I shrugged. "I'm not like most guys," I said simply. "And I wanted to ask you something."

She looked up at me, ready to listen. As I opened my mouth to speak, I was cut off by the shrill tone of a telephone.

"I'm sorry, Toby. I really need to get that."

I nodded, watching her go back into the backroom. At least this would buy me more time.

You'll never know if you never ask.

Hanna's voice echoed in my head.

Spencer came out a minute later, looking a bit flustered.

"What's wrong?" I asked her.

"My friend can't pick me up right now and Hanna won't answer her phone. I don't really want to walk back hoe in this part of town at this hour of the night," she confessed.

"I could walk you home," I offered without hesitation.

She gave a small laugh, probably thinking I was joking. "Really?" she asked after thinking for a moment.

I nodded. "Would you rather go alone?"

"No! No. It's just…aren't you tired? My biological clock is used to being up this late. Wouldn't you much rather sleep than talk to me?"

I shook my head. "I'd feel a lot better knowing you're back home safe, not worrying."

She stared at me for a moment. It looked as though she was trying to decipher whether or not I was just pulling her arm.

"Let me get my things and we can go," she said finally.

I nodded and waited as she got her things.

"Wait. You dared your roommate to come to the bar, walk up to Hanna, and ask her out on a date, even though he's never met her?" Spencer asked, about twenty minutes into our walk.

"Do you think she's go for it?"

Spencer thought for a minute. "Maybe. It depends on how cute your friend is," she answered. "I swear, I did not have you pegged to be sweet and funny. Is there anything wrong with you?" she asked.

"Well, I'm not very good at cooking or making friends," I answered.

She raised her eyebrow in surprise. "Really? You could've fooled me," she said. "You're really sweet. How could you be bad at making friends?" she repeated.

"I was surprised to even find Caleb as a roommate," I confessed. "But I didn't want to have to stay in my step-mom and dad's house with my creepy step-sister."

"I didn't know you had a step-sister," she thought aloud.

"I don't like talking about her. We have a rocky past."

She frowned. "I'm sorry to hear that," she said.

"Don't be; I've gotten over it."

We exchanged a smile.

As we turned the corner, she sighed. I assumed that we were approaching her apartment building.

"Thank you so much for walking me home. I just get really nervous being alone in the city, especially in that part of town," she said, looking down at her feet.

"You don't have to keep thanking me. I was happy to do it."

She smiled. She turned to walk away. As she reached the door, she spun back around, facing me and stepping back over. "Wait a second. You wanted to ask me something. What was it?"

I kind of wished that she had forgotten. But now that she was asking me…I couldn't lie to her.

"I wanted to know if you would go out on a date for me."

Her expression remained the same.

"But, I totally understand if you—"

"I'm so glad you finally asked me."

I looked at her, kind of surprised. "What do you mean?"

She shrugged, even though I knew she found it pretty obvious. "I mean…you've been skirting around it for weeks. I was hoping that you would finally ask me, and…you did."

She walked up to me and kissed me on the cheek.

"You know where to find me," she said. She wasn't teasing. She just seemed really grateful.

I watched her enter the apartment building, the door closing definitively behind her. I touched the spot on my cheek where her angel lips kissed.

This night could not have gotten any better.

eveningshades1107: It's okay. And I love these kinds of stories. The only thing cuter? Domestic Spoby. I'm sorry, my feels are all just like alsknifoub3enorfnweo. I can't. They're too much.

AL3110: I'm happy to be back. And it's nice to see my Danish soul sister again :)

Guest17: Thank you xoxoxo :)

prettylittlespobette: Thank you, darling :)

Spobyforever259: Ugh, I just love her so damn much. I'm jealous of people who live in the UK, though. They can get all of her music. When I was in London, me and a few other people decided to troll in the Apple store and I was just looking on the iPhones at the iTunes store, looking up Marina and the Diamonds, and I got so jealous! They get all of those awesome bonus tracks like "The Family Jewels" and "Buy the Stars" that we don't get! And they get "Living Dead", which now that I've started thinking of, I can't get out of my head. Ugh. #SoDamnJealous. I even tried connecting my phone to the Wi-Fi in the store, hoping, by some glimmer of a chance, that because I was in the UK, my phone would sync to the UK Apple Store, but it didn't happen :( And okay, hello fellow New Yorker :) Do you live near me in New York City, or like Buffalo, or like somewhere in between (Albany, I guess). Don't worry, I won't hitch a train and go stalk you. I'm afraid of how that may turn out now :/

Okay, so the next one shot will probably be one of my favorites. It's Creep by Radiohead. I am a huge fan of rock music: Queen, Blondie, Red Hot Chili Peppers...I'm there. My family is full of rock people, my cousin and uncles in particular. They love Metallica, Alice in Chains, the Stones...they're all about that life. I'm a bit more alt, but hey, that's just me. You already know: I'm into Marina, ZZ Ward, Gin Wigmore, and recently, I've kind of started liking Lana Del Rey a bit more, but I'm not totally a fan yet.

So, leave me a review or don't, shoot me a PM, do whatever your little heart desires. Your little heart which I hold in your hand now. Mwahaha. -Kayson, the Heart Catcher (wink, wink)