Common Girl

Ella stumbled over her feet running as best she could, it was dark and the abandoned bridge she was headed too only have one lamp post on it. Her vision was clouded by tears as she approached the bridge. She did the things she had done a million times. Steadying her hands to working standards. The coke burned and blurred her vision even more, the needle went somewhere in her arm. She hoped. And the bottle of pills was gone in seconds. The scrawny girl hoped up on the ledge letting her feet hang over the edge.

She held up a small cracked compact mirror to check her ghostly appearance. She was pale, too pale. Her eyes were dilated and bloodshot. Her thick lips were glossy but the bottom one was split from the beating she got the night before, her arms had cuts and bruises the shape of hand prints and rings. There was a nasty purple mark on her left cheek but was hidden by her hair. She smiled. She looked better then the last time she looked in a mirror.

She wanted to make this fast. But she couldn't look down because she would chicken out and dying would be so much more painful. She turned around ready to fall backwards into the dark abyss that waited beneath her. She saw a figure before her. He was familiar. Very familiar.

"You should have done it" He chuckled. She knew his voice. The voice of the man who saved her the last time she was here.

"Wh-what?" She croaked.

He just laughed and before she knew it he was leaning forward, pressing his lips softly to hers. She kissed back as tears streamed down her face. And then his face turned dark, an evil smile played his lips as she felt herself begin to fall backwards. She screamed for all it was worth but she knew it was over.

"Ronnie!" Ella gasped and shot up from the bed, her face stained with tears and her heart beat faster then she ever thought it had.

"Ella? Whats wrong?" She felt his arms around her.

She couldn't form words, confusion clouded her mind. It was just a dream of course but it was messed up "Just a dream" She mumbled.

"Wanna talk about it?" Ronnie asked bringing her closer to him.

She thought for a moment before shaking her head 'no' and attempting to fall back asleep. Ronnie kept her ever closer this time. It took about five minutes before she was fast asleep again.

Ronnie stayed awake for a while more in case she woke again and heard her mumble strange words in her sleep. He finally allowed himself to fall asleep again.

*

When she awoke again it was morning. Ella showed for a long time and thought about the events of last night and her dream.

Last night she didn't want to think anymore, so she drank. She hated the thoughts that flooded her mind last night and didn't know what else to do. She thought kissing that girl would drown out the other thoughts but only made it worse. So she drank ever more.

And then her dream. That didn't make much sense at all and she was trying desperately to figure it out. Maybe it was a sign... That Ronnie didn't really like her. Maybe she should have killed herself. Maybe she should have jumped as soon as she seen him.

No one else was up and she had finished getting ready, she tiptoed down to the kitchen and began making breakfast for the group. Nothing big because most likely they would be hung over as shit. She was actually happy about being so used to alcohol because she never had to deal with those stupid head aches and throwing up.

One by one the boys came down the stairs groaning at the light. She chuckled and handed each some pain killers and sat down at the table with them.

"You're too sweet to us" Derek smiled from across the table.

"Impossible, I owe you my life" She smiled back. A smile that could make you melt in you're seat, Ronnie always loved that smile.

"How are you such a ray of sunshine if you drank more then we did?" Ryan groaned rubbing his temples.

"It's a secret" She winked.

He whined but otherwise said nothing. Ronnie stared at her in a daze as she conversed with his band mates.

She was so pretty, so alive and happy.... Even if she was hurting her personality was brilliant. She was beautiful inside and out and it made Ronnie honestly wish she wasn't so damn young. He knew her 18th birthday was in two weeks though and he was planning on doing something really nice with them all together. He wasn't sure what though.

"Hey Ell" Ronnie asked her attention. "What do you want for you're birthday?" He smiled.

"Oh... I forgot that's coming up.... I wanna hang out with my best friends of course!" She giggled.

"Well yes! I'm going to plan you the best 18th birthday ever! But what do you want me to buy you!" Ronnie laughed.

"I'm pretty sure I only have one 18th birthday..." She teased.

"Smart ass" Ronnie muttered "But I'm buying you something special because you're going to be officially an adult!" He exclaimed.

"That means you guys can fuck each other legally now!" Ron exclaimed.

Ella choked on her orange juice before glaring at Ron evilly. Ronnie did the same making him slump down in his seat. They had really scary death glares.

"That was un called for Ron" Ella glared.

"He has a point, you could date any one now" Jacky hinted.

"I don't date" She stated blankly taking a sip of her juice.

"Does that mean you're a virgin?" Ron blurted out. Again she choked on her drink.

"Why does everyone ask that? Do I look like a virgin Guys?!" She exclaimed dramatically.

They looked at each other un sure if they should answer that "No..." Derek mumbled.

"Exactly" She smiled "Now lets clear up some things? Me and Ronnie have never and will never sleep together.... Ever." She said with determination.

Ronnie twitched at the mental image of them sleeping together.... Even just kissing her soft puffy lips... No BAD RONNIE Don't think that! He mentally scolded himself.

"We all know Ronnie was just thinking about it!" Ryan laughed.

Ronnie felt his face heat up and he hid behind his hair "Was not" He mumbled almost incoherently.

"Bet you're all thinking about it now" Ella smirked and stood up, swinging her hips as walked to the sink and rinsed her dishes.The room was silent and she could feel their eyes on her back as she set them in the dishwasher.

"I feel watched" she shuttered and everyone looked away, at there food or there hands in there lap "Oh my god, you guys are sick... I'm 17" She teased.

"You started it" Ronnie accused.

"Did not" She stuck out her tongue and left the room. Ronnie hit his forehead against the table repeatedly. He groaned loudly. Hating himself for his appropriate thoughts about such a young girl.

"The sexual tension between you two is rather amusing" Jacky smiled and walked to take his dishes away.

"There is no sexual tension between us Jacky!" Ronnie exclaimed rather rudely.

The guitarist stuck up his hands in defense. "Sorry dude" He chuckled and walked away.

"It's okay Ronnie" A female voice said from behind him. He could hear the smirk in her voice and he groaned. It's not okay, because it's not just because she is fucking hot, she is fucking beautiful in ever way possible He thought and he could feel the pain in his chest start to form. He felt her arms wrap around his shoulders in a strange hug. She quickly kissed his head and took his dished away before he got his hair in them.

"Get ready for the day you gotta drive me home" Ella said sweetly and kissed his cheek before attempting to pull out his chair. He was extremely heavy.

"Yes because you have to pack up her apartment and quite you're job" He grinned getting up.

"I can't quite my job!" She exclaimed. "How am I going to live here without a job smarty pants"

"It's called you're living with five extremely successful band members?" He chuckled "And you can get a job closer to you're new home and doesn't involve a dirty grungy bar."

She rolled her eyes and sighed "Fine, I'll quite tomorrow but I'm working today because I get paid"

Not long after Ronnie was ready to go. Ella said her good byes and they were off. As soon as they got in the car Ronnie demanded "Why you got so drunk or what you're dream was? You pick whats first" And started the car.

Ella sighed "Might as well it the worst over... I got drunk because I wasn't thinking straight from the beginning and everything felt wrong and I didn't know what to do. But I assure you I'm good now"

He sighed "It's in the past now... So continue"

"I dreamed that I was back on the bridge and I was about to push myself backwards.... And then there was someone there. He said 'You should have done it' I asked what he meant... But he just laughed a-and um... K-kissed me and then pushed me off th-the bridge and then I woke up" She said softly.

"Who was it?" He asked through curiosity and jealousy that was non-existing.

"I don't know" Lie She knew who it was. It was him.

"Liar" Ronnie accused looking over at her.

"Eyes on the road!" She scolded and turned on the radio.

Ronnie turned it back down and smirked "Ella's got a crush!" He said in a singsong voice. He was almost sad but couldn't show it.

Ella didn't have a crush, she was certain that these were temporary feelings that would pass in a few days and was nothing to get herself worked up over. She kept denying it the whole way to her house until Ronnie had finally left and she was alone in her could apartment.

She couldn't help feel lost and lonely now. He couldn't help feel the same. Shrugging it off she glanced around the room, she had to pack... Not that she had much. He had to focus on not driving off the road due to the distractions in his mind.

The day dragged on longer then ever, neither of them wanting to do anything. Ronnie's band mates tried to get him off his bed to do something fun but he couldn't find the motivation.

He sighed and cuddled into his pillow, he could smell Ella's shampoo and perfume and it made him happy and sad at the same time. Regardless he let himself fall back asleep breathing in her sent like a drug.

Ella wasn't lucky like that, she had to go to work and that was never fun. Her thoughts were sad and depressed. She couldn't shake these strange feelings that she felt for someone she shouldn't. She was only 17, well 18 in two weeks but did that really matter? It was still 9 years age difference and she was just a fan at one point. A little kid with broken dreams.

She needed some fucking sleep. That was it. Sleep. As soon as she got home she collapsed on her couch and curled into a tiny ball trying to keep warm and let herself fall into a dreamless sleep.

*

It was dark, the only light that was in the room was a small candle set on the floor. He looked around trying to find a way out, but there was non. The room was cold but he felt a warm body pree against his back.

"Ronnie" She whispered softly to his ear. It sent shivers down his spine.

"E-Ella?" He asked.

She giggled and the room was bright and full of light. She stood smiling that smile that made Ronnie's head spin. Everything was white and blank including the dress that she wore.

He gave her a rather confused look. She smiled and laughed again, as she laughed her dress started to have color, black of course. And he touched the fabric wondering how that happened. She smiled again and the tile floor became fresh green grass.

"What is going on?" He asked.

"Paint the picture" She said and kissed his forehead. He smiled this time and the walls turned into a open field with a bright blue sky.

They held hands in the field laying on their backs staring into the sky. He wasn't even sure she was speaking English but it sounded so beautiful. He closed his eyes and smiled.

"I love you" He whispered.

"Show me" She whispered back. When he opened his his big brown eyes her face was in front of his only inches apart. "Show me you love me Ronnie" Her voice even softer then before. His hand reached up and touched her cheek.

"I love you" He whispered again and pressed his lips to hers. His heart beat faster then it ever had. Her lips were soft sweet, she tasted surgery and everything else that was sweet.

"Mother fucking Jesus Christ!" He shot up from his bed "God damn it!" He fell back into his pillows "BAD RONNIE" He groaned covering his face with a pillow. He felt like he was in high school again. Stupid little crushes that go away in a few days. "Stupid dream" He muttered falling back to sleep.