A/N: Hello! Here's a new one-shot from Cherry! Hope you guys enjoy it. :)

Alone

Being alone used to be very uncommon for me.

My mother, who worked for a magazine, and my father, a skilled photographer, usually worked from home. I'd come back from school to find my mom typing an article for the magazine while my dad took pictures of the exterior of our house (or anything else that caught his eye, which rarely included me). They would smile and welcome me home, always asking how my day was and other various things. It was so normal to me that, when one day they weren't home, I was terrified.

I was only eight or nine, still so innocent and naive. I walked inside, screaming hello and jumping up and down frantically. I was so happy to be home, to see my mommy and daddy again.

There was no reply.

"Maybe they're busy and can't talk right now," I whispered quietly. But even then I couldn't believe myself.

As young as I was, it had occurred to me at some point that life wasn't always perfect. Even so, I sat there crying on the kitchen floor, waiting to here their voices again. They never showed up. I decided that I could take care of myself. I heated up leftovers for dinner and went to bed with tear-stained cheeks.

They were there when I woke up, acting as if nothing had happened. But night after night, they wouldn't come home.

At this point I was sick of being alone. I needed someone to comfort me. So I decided I was the one who wasn't coming home.

--

After school one afternoon, I walked right past my house, not even daring to look at it. I knew they weren't going to be home. Instead, I walked straight to Ikuto's house.

Ikuto and I had met when his parents came over for dinner when I was only five years old. He was four years older than me, so I felt uncomfortable around him. But we soon became friends. He was always protecting me, and I knew I could trust him.

I climbed up the fire escape to his room and slowly knocked on the balcony door. He opened it and looked at me in shock. "Amu? What are you doing here?" I walked past him and sat down on his bed, snuggling into the warm comforter. He gave me a weird look and sat down in his desk chair, sighing. "What's wrong?"

"Mom and dad," I started, "don't come home anymore."

And before I could even ask him, he replied, "It's okay. You can come here sometimes."

--

Sometimes turned into all the time. It was seven years later, and I still found myself climbing up those stairs to Ikuto's balcony. At first, Ikuto would just sit there in his desk chair, watching me as I started to fall asleep in his bed. But more recently, he would sit at the edge of the bed and rub my back silently. Sometimes he would even lay down with me. Then there were times when I didn't want to go home. So I stayed with him, and he kept me safe.

Going home every night was the last option. Eventually I figured out that my dad was an alcoholic, going to bars every night and not coming home until early in the morning.

My mom, on the other hand, told me that she was working late shifts for a job at a convenient store. Later I found out that this wasn't true. On one of the rare nights she did come home, it was with another man.

I always felt better with Ikuto. His mom was more than welcoming. She was more like a mother to me than anyone else had ever been, and I was very thankful for that. Sometimes she would let me stay overnight so I didn't have to be home alone. That became a regular thing, and anyway, half of my belongings were already there.

But good things always have to come to an end.

--

It was a normal day. School was fine, and I couldn't wait to go home (well, to Iktuo's house, but by now it was also my house). I grabbed my key out of the pocket and opened the front door, peering in to see if anyone was there yet. Even though I could pretty much guarantee that they would be back soon, it still worried me.

It turned out that they weren't home yet. So I went upstairs and laid in Ikuto's bed, waiting for him to come and keep me company.

He didn't come home.

I waited for him all night, not even daring to fall asleep. I was having deja vu of that first time when my parents didn't come home.

I cried myself to sleep. When I woke up, Ikuto was next to be, a small smile gracing his perfect face.

"Where the hell were you? Do you even know how worried I've been?!" He stared me straight in the eye as I felt the tears streaming down my face. I hadn't even realized that I was now standing a few feet from the bed.

He stood up, his eyes still locked on mine. He slowly walked over to me and pulled me into a tight embrace. He put his hand under my chin and kissed the tears away. "Amu, I will never leave you, you got that?" He pressed his lips to mine. And in that instant I forgave him.

He pulled away and smiled at me. "Good," I said.

Now I'll never be alone again.

A/N: So? So? Was it okay? I kinda liked it. :) I got the idea one day when I was sitting alone crying, wishing for someone to comfort me. And right now, it is after midnight, and I should be in bed, but I decided I had to get this up!

Now, for some more things. I don't know when I will be able to update Midnight Happenings. Please be patient, okay?

Please keep supporting me! - Cherry