as dusk falls, interior night / let your father die energy drink, daniel lavery and cecilia corrigan / the hurting kind, ada limón / sophokles, elektra / aristotle and dante discover the secrets of the universe, benjamin alire sáenz
This is a Dale Holt x reader story. There's no (y/n) insert. I'm just avoiding the use of the reader's name, and it is female-based. There are hints of physical appearance but nothing in-depth.
This writing contains highly sensitive content like violence, drugs, the use of weapons, abuse, mental illness, hostage situations, talk of suicide, religious abuse, smut, and other mature themes. Reader discretion is advised. MUST BE 18+ TO INTERACT.
I do not allow anyone to copy, alter, or repost my work as their own.
2254-word count
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I anxiously sat on my bed, holding my knees to my chest, watching the second hand on my clock go tic’ tic’ tic.’ It was fifteen minutes until midnight, which meant it was fifteen minutes until I was supposed to sneak out of my house. I still can’t believe I told Dale Holt I would do this a few hours ago. Pins and needles were shooting through my body, and my legs were shaking uncontrollably. The only bad thing I’ve done is lie to my parents. Going against them like this created a knot in my stomach, and I was debating not going and just staying home. I know he would be disappointed, but surely he’ll understand. I got up from my bed and started pacing back and forth. Both my parents are sleeping, and their room is on the opposite side of the house from mine. The only person I worry about is my brother, whose room is next door, and he could hear me leave through my window.
I decided that I couldn’t risk being caught by my brother. He would make things worse for me than they already were, and I couldn’t bear any more of the treatment I’d been getting. I walked over to my desk chair and grabbed my pajamas, which were folded neatly on the seat. I had already dressed for the occasion: a plain black crew neck that was a bit oversized, light denim mom jeans, and a pair of white sneakers. I even had a bag I put together with snacks and a blanket. Now that I think about it, he probably would’ve laughed at me for bringing all these things when sneaking out. My cheeks heated up just thinking about the embarrassment. I was about to take the crew neck off when I heard a weird tapping behind me. It wasn’t loud, but enough to get my attention. I turned around to see a boy’s face peeking through my window. My heart stopped for a moment, and a scream caught in the back of my throat.
Dale Holt was standing outside my window.
I ran towards my window and quickly opened it. “Shhhh!” I whispered to him while motioning to my lips for him to be quiet. “W-what are you doing here?” I whispered.
“I was tired of waiting and knew you would chicken out, so I decided to come to you instead.” His signature smirk was plastered on his face.
“I wasn’t going to chicken out! I was just about to leave!” My voice broke through the whisper I was doing, and I slapped my hand against my mouth. I wanted to prove to him that I wasn’t a chicken. I started pushing on the edges of the screen for my window to try and pop it out as quietly as possible. Dale stood back and watched me with amusement as I struggled. How did I do this that one time I chased after my brother? Maybe it’s because Dale’s deep blue eyes are so focused on me that it’s making me nervous.
“Let me, Doll,” he said after having had enough enjoyment of watching me fail. He pulled something out of his pocket to pop the screen clean off. I stood there in awe and embarrassment that it was so easy for him. “Are you ready?” he said in a low, husky voice. All I could do was nod my head.
As I went to climb out of the window, I stared back at the bag I had prepared for tonight. I quickly grabbed it, slinging the strap around my neck, and with help from Dale, I was out of the house. He gripped my hand tightly and pulled me with him as he started to run, forcing me to run alongside him. The adrenaline coursing through my veins made it easy to keep up with him. It felt like we were running away together, and slowly, all the anxiety I was feeling only ten minutes ago left my body.
When we reached Dale’s truck, I bent over and tried to catch my breath. Dale leans against the side of his vehicle and folds his arms over his chest. I curse his good physique for not winding him as much as me. After a minute, I regained my breath, stood back up, and stared at the boy before me. The moon glistened off his pale skin, making him look almost angelic. I quickly averted my eyes from him and looked towards the ground.
“So, Doll, how does it feel to be out after curfew?” His teasing tone drips from his mouth, and I can’t help but scuff in response.
“Why don’t you ask me again once we’ve been out for a while?”
“You’re right,” he pauses and then asks, “How does it feel to be out after curfew?” He flashes me his annoying grin. I roll my eyes, but a stupid smile still finds its home on my face.
“Anyways,” I say, “Where does the ‘oh so famous’ Dale Holt plan to take me.”
“I don’t know,” He shrugs his shoulders.
“What?” That was all I could get out. Doesn’t he know where we’re going? I thought he had a place planned when he asked me to sneak out with him.
“I figured we could drive around until we feel like stopping and make a spot to camp out for the night.” He winks at me. Oh my god. What was that for? My whole body is suddenly sweating in the cold air. There’s no way we’re camping somewhere, and does he plan to do something with me? Sneaking out was so stupid of me. Why did I think this would be an average outing with a friend? But then Dale speaks up like he’s reading the thoughts in my mind. “Relax, Doll. I’ll bring you back before anyone notices, and I won’t do anything to you… Unless you want me to.”
Why did he have to add that last part? Thankfully, it’s dark out, or he might notice how my face turned into a steaming tomato.
“L-l-lets get going, then.” I rush to the passenger side door and fling myself into the truck before he can say anything else.
Dale gets into the driver’s seat and puts the key into the ignition, causing the truck to roar to life. Once we were out on the desert roads, the brunette male turned the nob to the radio and blasted the music through the speakers. His eyes focused on the road ahead, and mine focused on him. He was carefree, with one arm hanging out the window, wind kissing the tips of his fingers, and the other tapping to the beat of the music while he steered the truck. When the next song came on, Dale turned to me and said it was his favorite. He spun the volume nob in hopes the music would get louder, but it was already up as loud as it could. His other arm returned to the car to clutch the wheel, and Dale began to bang his head along with the beat. Once the lyrics started, he turned to look at me and belted each word at the top of his lungs.
All I could do was stare in awe as he rocked out. A weird feeling washed through my chest as I saw Dale having fun. I couldn’t help but slowly lose myself in the beat and started to bang my head along with his. I didn’t know the lyrics to this song, but that didn’t mean I couldn’t have fun. His smile seemed to grow as he watched me let loose. His voice was off-pitch from the singers’, but oddly, it was my favorite tune. I could listen to him scream-sing any day.
We’ve been on the road for about an hour now, and we’ve been blasting music and dancing/singing along to each song. I didn’t know much about what was playing on the station he had on, but I was starting to love the banging of drums, loud guitar, and gritty vocals. At some point, I rolled down my window and stuck my head out, feeling the wind whip at my cheeks. I’m not sure what came over me, but the overwhelming feeling of screaming into the void of darkness got the better of me. So, I gave in to my intrusive thoughts and screamed as loud as I could.
Dale looked at me questioningly, “What was that, Doll?”
“I couldn’t help myself,” I could feel the heat rising to my cheeks.
Not too long after, Dale turned off onto a dirt road, slowing the truck down once we pulled into a large open field. He threw the vehicle in park, flung the door open, and jumped out. Dale made his way onto the other side and opened the passenger door for me. His soft yet calloused hand grabbed mine, and he helped me hop out of the truck. I didn’t need help; the truck wasn’t tall, but I wouldn’t refuse him. We walked a few feet from the car, and I pulled the blanket out of my bag and laid it down on the ground. Dale plopped his body on the blanket and stared at the sky. I followed his moves and laid down next to the male, making sure to keep a few inches between the two of us. The sky was beautiful. So many stars were visible tonight, and I was trying my best to find all the constellations I could. I looked towards Dale, who was lying there with his eyes closed. His face was soft, and he looked so peaceful.
“Are you sleeping?” I ask the brunette male.
“Just resting my eyes,” Dale spoke quietly.
“Mmhm,” I playfully nudged his side.
Dale propped himself up to face me, causing him to hover slightly over my body. “Not sleeping, Doll.” And thankfully, he laid back down, or else he’d noticed the heat blooming on the apples of my cheeks. Stupid boy is always getting me flustered. I hear the sound of a flame and glance over to see a white stick perched between the male’s lip as he lifts the lighter to said stick, causing the end to glow red as he draws the smoke into his lungs. Dale blows the cloud of smoke into the air and then catches my eyes with his. “You want a drag?” He questioned me.
“Uh, no thanks, I’m good.” Cigarettes give me the ick, but watching the way he inhales and how his jaw and neck move is alarmingly attractive.
“Good answer, Doll, you don’t want to get addicted to these things like me,” Dale lets out another puff.
“It would technically be illegal for me to smoke it, anyways,” I cringe at myself for the ‘goodie-two-shoes’ reply I just gave. I’m supposed to be breaking the rules tonight.
Dale stops mid-drag and looks at me wide-eyed, “What do you mean by that? Aren’t you 18?”
“I’ll be 18 next week,” I said casually.
“Ah, fuck,” Dale runs his hand over his face, and his body tenses up, “I should probably take you home now.”
Why was he freaking out? I know he’s 19, but the fact that I’m not quite 18 shouldn’t bother him. It’s not like we’re doing things we shouldn’t. We’re just hanging out as friends do, but—there is his Juve sentence, so maybe he’s scared people will get the wrong idea if they notice us together?
“You don’t have to worry about people getting the wrong impression about you,” I state.
“You don’t understand,” his voice becomes stern. “People will always have the wrong impression of me.” Dale stands up and motions for me to do the same. A sigh escapes my lips, and I stand up, collecting the blanket and shaking it off before folding it back into my bag. I probably shouldn’t push the issue. He could probably get in trouble if he’s on probation.
“Look, I know you went to Juve,” I said, looking Dale into his deep blue eyes, “I’m not sure why you did what you did, but the Dale I’ve met and have gotten to know is a kind guy. People are stupid to make assumptions based on a mistake you made.”
“Oh, Doll, you don’t know anything about me,” Dale’s voice was low. I could barely catch the hint of sadness behind his tone, but it was there, and it made my chest hurt. He made his way back into the truck, and I just stood where I was, staring at the space where he was standing. I wanted to ask what he meant, and something profound inside me wants to figure it out. Slowly, I returned to the truck and sat on the passenger side. Unlike the ride out here, which was loud and full of laughter, the ride back was quiet and tense. Dale stopped his truck in the same spot where he had picked me up and refused to look at me.
“Well, thank you for this experience,” I said while exiting the vehicle.
I slowly walked back to my house and climbed through the window, placing the screen back where it goes, shutting it, and locking it before drawing the curtains. Once I changed into my pajamas, I got under the covers and snuggled deeply into my blankets. Falling asleep was complicated, with all the thoughts running through my mind. Dale. What is his story?
AN:
Sorry for the long wait. I wish I could promise this won't happen again, but I'm afraid it probably will 🤧. This outing didn't go quite as planned for the reader and Dale. They both wanted to have a good time, but as Dale found out, the reader wasn't precisely 18 yet, and it kind of freaked him out. The last thing he wants is for someone to make a claim that he likes underage girls (even though she'll be 18 soon and he's 19). His record isn't clear, but if someone were to say something like that, it would ruin his life forever. He's also not that kind of guy and would gladly beat anyone to a pulp if they were. He also knows darkness lurks within him, and he feels touched that the reader thinks he's kind. But if she were to uncover all his monsters, he's sure she would think the same about him as everyone else.
The thing that intrigues me so much about Tyler, that relates to me so much and that I love watching about him, is that he is the opposite of the golden boy, the one the parents love the least. He's the why him not me sibling, the one that is just different.
And listen, Tyler loves himself. He's not a lost hero brooding in the wilderness. But fuck if he's not exactly found either.
Like, throughout ADF he does some pretty horrible things - almpat all of them do - and he just goes on, without taking the time to obsorb it, because it's just so fast-paced and there's not even any time to. But in the time where Jay is on the run and he and Ma are on the run separately, there has been more time to sit down and think, at the very least right before bed.
I mean, what has he been telling himself? Damn, I shot Joyce...
Like it's not like he doesn't care, right. And he pf all people isn't gonna get all depressed over that. The thing about Tyler is that he must have been justifying to himself the stuff that he did. I was protecting Dale, I was protecting Ma, I was protecting Jay.
Even though Dale dies and Sharon leaves him, and he himself kicks Jay out, even though all of his family, the one he's been trying to protect his whole life rejects him symbolically (except maybe Dale and Pa), he'll do anything for every single one of them, and he'll justify it for them in his head.
And there's a certain mental journey that he needs to go through, to realise "you commit the crime, you do the time" (to realise that what he did was a legit crime and actually a terrible thing to do, not just on a legal standpoint). But also to realise that, fuck his pastlife and fuck his ghosts and demons, and fuck the voice at the back of his mind because none of athat even matters anymore! He needs to rose above who he was before and even the people around him before, and change that unhealthy mindset, that relationship he has with the idea of other people.
In his fugitive ending, I think that'll be harder, because he's actively avoiding the law, and then there's just the endless monochrome torture of jail would just be awaiting him. But I think that's interesting, because when I think of his jail ending, I think of thr unfair labour conditions, the monotony, and then just execution. And when I think of his fugitive ending, I think of the monochrome life where he's lost, doesn't know where he belongs what he should do with himself, and then what eventually comes for him? Death, of course.
The fugitive and jail endings aren't all that different. They both embody the same lost-soul sort of trope that ADF is just not going to bother helping Tyler with. And with the ending where he's just killed, honestly I don't even know why that exists. Maybe to show what happens when Tyler goes too far.
Anyway, as usual the answer seems to be something like therapy, just actually creating self-confidence, and then healthy relationships, thriving in the world eventually. Because Tyler's relationships in ADF were like... semi-toxic-ish. They weren't the best for either party. It might be possible for Tyler to eventually achieve this, it might not, but ADF left us off at a spot where that's the characters' destinies for all of eternity. (Untill they die.) Like, it legit seems like Tyler won't be able to initiate that getting help on his own, and he'll toil away forever and then just... die, and what for? Like he'll just live his life in relative agony, similar to the other characters' endings actually, other than Jay and Zoe.
It's really telling that Tyler's tombstone says "eldest son and brother", while Dale's has "beloved brother and son". It's like, Tyler's the eldest Holt - that's his whole tag, his whole life. Consider it: you forget his name and only his personality, and you think, "The eldest Holt - what was his name?" That's all he is and all he ever was. That's his job. And the fact that even his tombstone never shows his true self in and out of the role he was assigned, is just tragic! But you die the way you live, and if you were never truly acknowledged in life, it probably won't happen when you're dead - the facts are all true.
Tyler is the most unique character, that he's the only one whose character is just mostly implied. He was shown as a semi-belligerent person(and it was only mentioned that he isn't usually like that, but most people wouldn't remember that one line over everything they're shown about him), and only every now and then we see the love he has for his family; the dedication and care he exhibits in front of his Ma, but also the helplessness he has around her; and the cage that's been built all around him. Here and there, in bits and bobbles and pieces, you get an implication or a small, sidelined piece of proof that he's more than it seems. And the tombstone is one of those proofs of that.
It's really telling that there's a big difference there - replacing "beloved" with a synonym for variety seems normal, or something else that's simple enough - but "eldest"? At first it seems just considerably normal, but if you've caught those bits and pieces, it looks wrong. And that fact that it's the only change at all except for the wording?! What else is there to say - Tyler Holt is a tragic character, whose thread will always have a black sheen wrapped around it, who will never escape his invisible-but-existing cage of torture, not in any of his endings, nor in his death.
hi folks! sorry for the delay on adf august, and my apologies for not using the official @adfaugust blog! i lost my login and i haven't had the time to come up with a long list. hence, we'll be hosting an adf august week this summer! as always, feel free to tag your works as #adfaugust2024! please check below the cut for a plain text version of the prompts:
In light of the one-year anniversary of Interior Night's As Dusk Falls, here is the first-ever AS DUSK FALLS AUGUST! Throughout the month of August 2023, feel free to create fan content (fics, fanart, or anything else your heart desires) with these prompts as a guide. Please mention this blog in your works and tag your works as #adfaugust2023 if you'd like to be featured!
A text version of these prompts is under the cut.
Aug 1: motel
Aug 2: safe
Aug 3: secret
Aug 4: shotgun
Aug 5: sacrifice
Aug 6: cheat
Aug 7: instinct
Aug 8: crossroads
Aug 9: wound
Aug 10: decade
Aug 11: memory
Aug 12: cabin
Aug 13: watch
Aug 14: pool
Aug 15: nightfall
Aug 16: breath
Aug 17: blaze
Aug 18: trigger
Aug 19: family
Aug 20: cancer
Aug 21: forgive
Aug 22: tree
Aug 23: trailer
Aug 24: burial
Aug 25: escape
Aug 26: joke
Aug 27: bullet
Aug 28: betrayal
Aug 29: flight
Aug 30: fight
Aug 31: dream
I’ve had many thoughts lately most about Tyler, like I’ve said I can’t relate to him but there’s something in him that I find so very interesting. Like so obliviously the motel situation was stressful so it makes sense that Tyler might not be the nicest in the cabin scene, but Sharon said Jay obviously wasn’t his favorite which would seem to imply his statement wasn’t only born out of the stress of the moment and maybe instead it was slow and gradual and it just built up. What I mean is that there was a build up and he maybe wasn’t the nicest to Jay. Jay does say he would’ve been around more if Tyler was nicer to him but I feel like most of this statement is based on the moment, but I could be wrong. —Tyler is obviously upset at Jay and he says two things that are particularly interesting to me. That Jay spends too much time in the woods or in his own mind far away from his family, and that Bear liked Jay more. The Bear one is easy to understand and is a fact because it is pretty clearly shown in two instances, in the roof scene and in the car. Also you don’t take your least favorite child out to dig a grave. The other one is also pretty easy Jay does seem to enjoy the outdoors quite a lot and he said he used to know every bird call, of course I think that’s a bit of an exaggeration but still. The being in his own mind part is a bit harder to talk about in my opinion cause it’s kinda hard to see what Tyler means by that. Does Jay avoid his family to do whatever he wants or is he just detached from the present? It could easily be both but still something to think about. —Anyways I don’t think Tyler is a bad person what I do think is that the 29th of March was a stressful day adding to an already stressful life, he obviously didn’t have it easy. This was a lot I’m gonna try to sleep now.
This is a Dale Holt x reader story. There's no (y/n) insert. I'm just avoiding the use of the reader's name and it is female-based. There are hints of physical appearance, but nothing in-depth.
This writing contains highly sensitive content like violence, drugs, the use of weapons, abuse, mental illness, hostage situations, talk of suicide, religious abuse, smut, and other mature themes. Reader discretion is advised. MUST BE 18+ TO INTERACT.
I do not allow anyone to copy, alter, or repost my work as their own.
3767-word count
Growing up in Two Rock comes with a lot of nothing. The scenery is brown dirt, cactuses, and hills. The sun beats down directly on people, leaving them crisp with a bit of heat stroke. Some kids figured out how to make their childhood entertaining, but it wasn’t an option for me. My father is a well-respected pastor at the Two Rock Chapel, and my family and onlookers expected me to be well-behaved. I was, for the most part, until I met a boy. He changed my life forever, and I’ll never forget what happened.
“Jesus said, ‘I will come and heal him.’” My father’s deep and authoritative voice flooded the churchgoer’s ears as he paced the stage. I sat front and center. So my dad could keep an eye on me and for everyone to see how disciplined I was. My mother looked perfectly prim and proper to the right of me, and my older brother was to the left, wearing a suit with his hair gelled back nicely. I wore a pale blue dress that went up to my neck with a white collar and short sleeves that puffed out. The dress was cinched at my waist to show off my healthy physique (my mother says it’s good to show off without showing skin), and the dress’s bottom belled out past my knees. I wore sheer tights underneath with heels to match. My hair was pulled into a sleek pony, and I was accented with pearl earrings and a necklace. Only the lightest touch of makeup was applied to my face to accentuate my features, but not enough to be called a whore.
My bible was open and sitting in my lap. Like always, I followed the sermon my father was teaching. I had a notebook open and was writing down thoughts and questions that popped up. As a preacher’s daughter, I was meant to lead by example, but I wasn’t doing this for them or to be a good child for my parents. I was doing this for me. My faith has always been important to me, and damn it, I am a good kid. Sometimes, I wish I had a rebellious bone in me, like my brother, who secretly sneaks out of the house to do God knows what. One night, I followed him, but he caught me within 10 minutes and dragged me back to the house. He told me I shouldn’t ruin my innocence, that once I tasted the bad things in the world, I could never get it back.
“I ask that some of our worship members join me on the stage as I close us out this morning,” My father’s voice became soft, “You may bow your heads and close your eyes.” My back slumps over as I droop toward my lap, and my eyes flutter close. The sound of a piano starts to float around me, and a woman’s voice begins to sing quietly.
“Amazing love, how can it be? That you, my King, would die for me?”
My father spoke above the singing, asking if anyone in the crowd didn’t know God and wanted to get to know Him, to raise their hands, and that someone would join them to pray. People were slowly leaving their seats, going to the altar, and sitting on the ground to pray. My brother slowly slid out of his seat, sat at the end of the stage, leaning the top half of his body over it, and began praying. My mother tapped my knee as if to say I needed to join the others who were kneeling. I walked up to where my brother was and sat on the ground behind him, making sure my dress was tucked neatly under my legs and bowed my head into my lap.
When the service ended, I was greeted by people praising me for my well-behaved manners and asking what kind of things I’d done so far over the summer. I indulged in conversation and made small talk while waiting for everyone to filter out. The heat was rising in the building, and I could feel my dress sticking to my back. Once the last person left, my family was also free to leave. Usually, after church, we go out to eat for lunch and spend the day together until evening, when the second sermon of the day starts. Yes, you must think we’re crazy for having church twice on Sundays, but that’s how we do it here. But today, I didn’t feel like going out; it would be extra hot, and I wanted to go home and get out of this stuffy dress.
“Daddy, could you drop me off at the house? I promised Nelly I would return her book this afternoon.” I asked my dad as we all got into the car.
“Can’t you do that after we eat?” He looked back at me through the review mirror.
“I’m not very hungry,” I pause, “I was hoping I could stay at her place for a little so we could talk about the book together.” It wasn’t a lie; I said I could probably bring the book sometime today, but I don’t plan to stay long at her house. I just wanted time to be by myself for a while.
“Honey, it’s family day.” My mom states.
“I know, bu-”
“Oh, come on, it’s not like her to ask to hang out with friends often. Why don’t you just let her go.” My brother pipes up from beside me. I was shocked for him to come to my rescue; he protects me often but doesn’t usually go out of his way to help me with our parents.
“James is right. I think it’ll be okay, just this once, to miss a family day.” My dad speaks. A bright smile appears on my face, and I thank my father for letting me have this day. I glance at my brother with a silent thank you as well.
As we pulled up to our house in Big Oak Neighborhood, I promised my dad I’d be back in time for church tonight and wave goodbye as they set off to some restaurant. As I enter the house, my shoulders instantly relax as the cold air hits me. I unbutton the collar of my dress as I walk down the hallway toward my bedroom. Once in my room, I kick my heels into some random corner, rip the dress over my head, and toss it to the floor. I lay on my bed for a few minutes in my undergarments, letting the cold air kiss my sticky skin. When I finally get up from my bed, I pick out a pair of short overalls that hit just above my midthigh, the shortest thing I was allowed to wear, and a plain white tee to go underneath. I put on a pair of socks and sneakers and redid my hair into a slightly messy braid. I grabbed my tote bag and put Nelly’s book inside, along with my journal.
I entered the kitchen and grabbed the necessary things to make a sandwich: bread, mayo, meat, cheese, pickles, you know, the works. Once put together, I put the sandwich into a paper bag and then stuffed it into my tote bag. I grabbed a few more snacks from the pantry, filled my water bottle, and headed out the door. It was peak sunrise in Arizona, and the heat was hitting a hundred degrees. The sun hit the sidewalk’s concrete, bouncing up and blinding me. I squinted as I walked past the houses on my street and turned down Ranger Rd. The third house on the left belonged to Nelly. I approached the front door and knocked my knuckles against the wood. A few minutes passed, and I heard a few voices exchanged back and forth before the door swung open.
“Hey!” Nelly’s giant smile greeted me.
“Hi, sorry to intrude. I was just stopping by to drop your book off.” I reached into my bag and pulled the book out.
“You finished it already?” She looked shocked as she reached out to grab the book from my hands.
“Yeah, I just spent a whole day reading it, which wasn’t hard since it was a good book.”
“Did you want to come inside and talk about it for a while?” Nelly’s body slid to the side, revealing I was okay coming in.
“Oh, no, sorry, I have to get back home. It’s Sunday, so I have to be with my family. I was just allowed to stop by and drop the book off.”
“No worries! We can get together another time to discuss the book!” Nelly said as she closed the door.
I walked, about an hour, in the direction of a park, a place I’ve gone to a few times when needing space from others. Usually, I would tell my parents I was studying at the library, but with it being summer, I couldn’t use that excuse. I found a wooden bench seat in the shade and made myself comfortable. Inside my tote bag was my MP3 player, so I took my headphones out and placed them over my ears, letting my music drown out everything around me. I pulled out my journal and pen and began writing about everything I felt. This journal was my deepest and darkest thoughts, and if anyone got a hold of it, I would be in deep shit.
After a few hours, I had eaten all my food, and my water was almost gone. I decided it was time to leave. Collecting all my things and putting them back into my bag, I headed home.
“Watch out!” A voice behind me yelled out as I was about to cross the road. The next thing I knew, something slammed into my back, sending me flying to the ground, and a heavy weight landed on top of me.
“Ah, shit.” The gruff male voice said. Then, the heavy weight that was pinning me down lifted. I turned around to look up at what had hit me to see a figure towering over me. The sun was behind the guy who ran into me, making him look like a silhouette. “Are you okay?” He asked me.
“I-I’m fine.” I tried to push myself back on my feet, but once I put weight onto my left leg, I collapsed. I expected my body to meet the asphalt again, but instead, a pair of strong arms wrapped around my waist. When I looked at the guy this time, I could see his features. Short brown hair that was messed up from the crash, piercing blue eyes creased with worry, and a face shaped like God had carefully pieced him together. Suddenly, I forgot I was hurt and found myself staring at this guy with my mouth agape and speechless. He was a bit rugged-looking, but that made him more attractive in my eyes. A slight smirk appeared after what felt like forever of just looking at his face.
“You like what you see?” His statement ripped me out of my daze. A cough erupted from my throat, and the heat rose to my cheeks.
“N-no,” I stuttered, “Just confused about how you crashed into me.”
“I tried to stop, but the brakes on my bike weren’t working.”
“Could you help me stand?” He was holding me in a dip position, like we were dancing, from catching me. His face was only inches away from mine. It was the closest I’ve ever been with a male. I’d never been embraced by one before; having his arms around me was weird, but I also didn’t want him to let go of me. I felt strange for thinking this way. I mean, I didn’t even know who this guy was! He could be a murderer for all I know.
"Ah, fuck.” The brunette cussed, “Your leg is messed up pretty good.” His crystal eyes darted around the park, looking for something, like he was worried someone would see us. The smirk that once sat across his face turned into a hard line, and his eyebrows furrowed together. I looked down to see what he was looking at. There was a large gash from the center of my shin down to my ankle, and blood was dripping down, staining my shoelaces red.
“How far do you live?” He asked me.
“I live in Big Oak Neighborhood.”
“Why the fuck are you over here?”
“I like this park, it’s quiet.”
“You know this part of Two Rock is the trashy side, right?”
I rolled my eyes at the guy, “I think I’ll be fine to walk back.” I tried to pry his arms off from around me, but he was way too strong.
“Yeah, I don’t think you can walk that far.” His grip around me tightened, “My house is around the corner. I can patch you up and then drive you home.”
He helped me sit back on the warm ground as he picked the bike up. His blue eyes scanned the black metal and wheels. Once pleased with what he saw, he helped me situate myself on the bike. I rested my hands on the handles and set my feet on the pegs of the wheel in front of me. His muscular arms reached around my sides, and he placed his hands next to mine. Slowly, he started pushing me away from the park. It took us about ten minutes to reach a brown fence, and a small house with a porch was not too far away. It was the kind of home that seemed cozy. I always dreamed of living out in the country. My home back in Big Oak was your typical suburban house. It looked identical to the ones around; the grass was green, and we even had a white picket fence. I know I should be thankful for where I live; not many people have the life I do, but I still wish things were different for me.
Once we got to the porch, he stopped the bike and helped me off it. I felt terrible that he was going out of his way to do all this for me. Yes, he ran into me, and I wouldn’t be injured if it wasn’t for him, but he didn’t need to help me in the way he was doing. Slowly, we made our way up the steps of the porch. His strong arm wrapped around me, pulling me tight into his side as I hopped up each step on my good leg. We entered the house, down a small hallway, and entered a tiny bathroom. Without warning, I was lifted off the ground and placed on the sink counter. A yelp escaped my lips, and I gripped the male’s shoulders in front of me. He stared back at me with the same smirk from earlier.
“I’m tempted to make you yelp like that again.” His voice was low and husky as he spoke. I wasn’t fully aware of what he meant by that, but my body still reacted anyway. Goosebumps erupted on my skin, and my face burnt with embarrassment. He stood there with his arms beside me, his face inched closer to mine, stopping a breath away from my lips. I had just met this guy, and yet I wasn’t going to stop him. But he pushed away and started rummaging through the cupboards. I watched how his face looked as he focused on grabbing whatever supplies he needed. His face relaxed into its natural state, with soft eyes, his lips pursed only slightly, and his hair fell forward onto his forehead. When he got everything, he turned the faucet on and waited for the water to warm.
“I’m going to clean up the area around your wound. This won’t hurt too bad, but I will disinfect the wound immediately after, which stings a little.” I nodded my head and watched him as he knelt to get level with my leg. As he wiped away the blood that covered my leg, he was gentle, not to hurt me. With most of the blood gone, I could see what the gash looked like, and it seemed I would probably need some stitches. He then grabbed a bottle and took the lid off.
“Alright, this isn’t the fun part.” He said pouring the liquid right over my wound.
“Fuck!” I yelled and instinctively covered my mouth. It hurt a lot more than he was explaining.
“Sorry, Doll, it needs to be cleaned.” He waited awhile for the liquid to do its thing before pressing some soft gauze against my gash and wrapping it with medical tape. He stood back up and placed himself between my legs. “You’re all patched up now.”
“T-thank you.” I kept my gaze on the ground because I knew if I looked up at him, I would become even more of a stuttering mess.
“I guess it’s time I drive you home.” He gripped my hips and helped me slide off the counter. If my dad knew a male was touching me in the manner this guy is, he would lose his shit.
“What time is it anyway?”
“Around 5 o’clock.”
“What!? You have to get me home now!” I tried to hobble out of the bathroom, which only caused the male behind me to laugh.
“You look like a deer trying to walk for the first time.” He said as he watched me from the bathroom as I grabbed onto things around me to stay steady. “What’s the rush anyways? You have a curfew?”
“Yes! My parents are going to kill me. I should’ve been home an hour ago!”
“Woah, don’t get your panties in a twist. You’re a teenager. What else are they expecting? This shit is normal.”
“Not in my household, and not on a Sunday.” Confusedly, He looked at me, “My dad is the pastor at Two Rock Chapel. I’m expected to be perfect and well-behaved. I wasn’t even supposed to be out this way. I lied and said I was going to a friend. I’m going to be in deep shit.”
“Wait, you’re the preacher’s daughter?” His blue eyes opened wide at this information. “You’re like Two Rock’s most innocent princess.”
“Huh?” I grabbed the chair in front of me to balance myself, “People talk about me?”
“It’s Two Rock, Doll. Everyone talks about everyone.” He made his way over to me, “Here, let me help you.” One arm reached around my side to help support me once again.
“Oh yeah? Then who are you?” I asked, looking up at the handsome stranger.
“I’m Dale, Dale Holt.”
“Holt? Dale Holt?” The name sounded familiar, but I couldn’t place where I’d heard it before.
“You might’ve seen me in the papers. I’m pretty famous around here.”
“Oh really? I didn’t know I was in the presence of a celebrity.” A chuckle fell through his lips, and the feeling of warmness flooded through me.
“It’s probably for the best you don’t know who I am.” Again, his face turned serious. There was something dark and lonely hiding behind his eyes. I wanted to ask him why it was for the best that I didn’t know who he was, but I knew it wasn’t my place to pry, especially with someone I just met.
Once in the truck, I instructed Dale on how to get to my house. He slowly drove while looking at all the homes we passed. When something was interesting or cool, he would point it out and say they should add it to their farm. I could sense the want from him to be someone living behind these walls, to live the life that I have. That was the first time my heart stopped. Watching him stare out the window and play out what could be if he were a resident here. We didn’t discuss our similarities in wanting what the other had, but I could feel it from him. And in that moment, I had never felt more connected to someone else before. It was odd to connect without any interaction, but something within me stirred. He seemed to have felt the same feeling cause his head turned slowly to look at me, and we locked eyes for what felt like an eternity. We understood each other. Finally, a person, completely different from the other, felt what we felt.
He ripped his eyes from mine and said, “Do you want me to drop you down a few houses?”
“You can pull up to my house.”
“Are you sure? I don’t want anyone thinking bad about you for being with me.” His eyes drifted down to the floorboard.
“Why would anyone think badly about that?”
“I’m not the type of guy your church people approve of.”
“Well, it’s none of their business. You may have been the reason I got injured, but you helped me. So thank you.” I flashed him a small smile, “If it makes you feel better, my parents are probably already at the church since my dad has to set up for the sermon.” He did as I said and pulled into my driveway, and just like I suspected, the family car was gone.
“I’m sorry for your leg,” Dale spoke in a low tone.
“It’s okay. You helped me a lot today, and I really appreciate it. Thank you, seriously.” I went to open the door, but before I could get out, I felt his strong hand wrap around my arm again.
“Can you walk to the door?”
“I think I can manage this one.” He released my wrist, and I slowly lowered myself out of the truck. “Dale?”
“Yeah?”
“I’d like to see you again someday.”
“I would like that too, Doll.”
I closed the truck door and slowly limped to the door of my house. A stupid smile plastered on my face as I opened the door and walked inside. The sound of his truck driving away off in the distance.
Dale Holt. The guy that changed my life forever.
next
AN:
Hey guys! I hope you liked this first chapter! I'm not the best writer in the world, but I hope you enjoy reading this. I will try to get chapters out fairly frequently, but I work 2 jobs and can get pretty busy. So please be patient with me! Please let me know if you see any errors so I can fix them! I do use editing software, but only some things get caught. I want everyone to know that some experiences the reader has are things I've dealt with personally (and so have others), so please be kind in the comments when talking about any of the serious situations!
