I'm a writer.

My name is Augustine Anne Allen.

I know, too many As but that's my mom's favorite letter so obviously she wasn't going to give up a chance to use the letter to it's fullest potential. I'm a top selling novelist in my field which is the making everyone cry field as my editor says. I am as my overly dramatized bio says a writer who grips your heart rips it from your chest, sets it on a plate and makes you eat it by the handful. Gross but rather adequate.

In my latest bestseller that is titled Strangers, the leading woman Laura Wolf in her search for eternal love and everlasting happiness is raped, kidnapped and later killed. Poor Laura didn't even see it coming. I mean they had kept her alive long enough to have two babies both from her capture and both babies were killed solely to break Laura. Laura was later murdered, chopped up and scattered across town. The emotional side is what catches people and even with the terrible endings I manage to gather more followers. giving them hope that she would soon be rescued but never actually letting it happen. I'm cruel...I know that. But writing horrific stories is what I do, touchy romance sob stories just aren't me.

My social life is a little lacking...okay a lot lacking but I mean you can't expect a best selling novelist who doesn't even leave her house to go grocery shopping to have a life! I mean come on! If you can't even find a decent man in the grocery store why bother? I should also tell you I'm weary of men, I mean yes my stories are fiction and most of what I write doesn't reflect my past but I still have a problem with men and the "L" word. I feel like it's all a sham like the elusive thing called love is much like the elusive unicorn and just flat out doesn't exist.

Cynical view of the world, yes. But my heart will never be broken and scattered like poor Laura Wolf.

My editor, handler and close, well only friend Emilia Davis has forced me out into the open and into the sun which is now burning through my eyeballs causing me to feel very much like a vampire. "It burns Emi!" I tell her whining as I cake on the sunscreen. "Suck it up woman!" she tells me swiping my sunscreen. "Swiper no swiping!" I hiss. "You need a social life, you can't just sit around the house all day writing under a fake name! If you wanted to be such an introvert you should have use your real name and not a pen name!" she tells me basically pointing out why I chose the pen name and not my own, I wanted to be able to go out and be free without having to deal with the fans. I don't know if you've ever met them but fans both guys and girls can be terrifying!

Emi grabs my arm and drags me into the nearest coffee house.

"That was a bad idea." I tell her looking around and seeing actual people. "Suck it up and be social!" She tells me dragging me to a table of her college friends. "Hey guys this is my friend Augustine, August say hi." she tells me like I'm a child but the gritting of her teeth like she'll eat me if I don't speak to her friends causes a quick response. "Hi." I say pulling down on my long sleeves. it's blazing hot but I would rather not have the past that is written on my arms seen. To be honest I would rather be inside under the A/C and wrapped in my comforter while I binge watch whatever is on the BBC.

"Hi Augustine!" Everyone says as though I were at an AA meeting. Urg! more usage of the letter A! "I prefer August." I tell them actually making progress...if they had actually heard me. As they chatter away not acknowledging me like the rest of the world, that's when it hits me and all I want in the world is one of those triple chocolate cookies that are staring me down from the pastry case and filling my nostrils with a diet breaking smell. Am I really a unicorn? you ask. nonexistent? you ask. As I stand to head towards the chocolaty goodness, no one notices.

So the answer is yes, I am.

I get to the counter pull out my dollar eighty-five and buy the cookie of my dreams, then head for the door the cookie still warm and perfectly chewy yet crispy all at the same time. I was happy.

Emi didn't even notice I had left.

Yet.

I hurry down the street headed back to my fortress of solitude which is actually a lot like the one superman has in the fact that it's super cold, when I get hit in the shoulder dropping my dream cookie. "WHAT? REALLY?! You come back here and you apologize! That was my dream cookie you dream cookie killer!" I yell after the hurried business man. "Jerk!" I yell after him yet again. I hear a chuckle and turn to see a man who seems to be an assistant or a mom mostly because he looks like a pack mule, I mean in today's society it could go either way. "He can be a little abrupt but I'm sorry about your dream cookie." He tells me smiling as he takes my hand shaking it. The contact sets off a few alarms but then I notice his auburn hair and his bright green eyes that are hiding behind a pair of thick framed glasses. What was I talking about again?

 "Here's my number, call me and I'll buy you as many as you want." he says before rushing off after his boss his hand slowly slipping away from mine and to my surprise, causing me to miss the warmth... 

With his card in hand I'm standing idly in the middle of the side walk. I got a guys number...and he offered me dream cookies...I think I've died...if i'm in heaven it sucks, well I mean besides the gorgeous man who just gave me his number, but there is also a large piece of me yelling to rip up the card and run away.

"Samuel O'Keeffe..." I say reading his card.

"Augustine Anne Allen, what are you doing standing in the middle of the sidewalk and not sitting inside socializing?" Emi asks grabbing my arm and pulling me back towards the coffee shop. "No." I tell her putting my foot down turning into a real mule. "They don't like me, they don't even include me in a conversation. They are your friends and that's great but I need to find a few of my own." I tell her turning on my heel and practically running away. "You'll never get any friends if you go back to the cave of depressing frigidness!" she yells after me.

"IT'S THE FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE!!" I yell back.