Random imagines/one-shots/etc

One Day at a Time

Set in season 3

Ashley's pov

I wipe the tears from my eyes. If someone caught me crying, they'd ask me if I'm okay and I really don't want to talk to anyone right now. I hear a thick Cuban accent fill the laundry room so I kneel behind one of the dryers. She says goodbye to whoever she was on the phone with and sighs loudly.

She takes her time with her laundry. If I'm late my dad will kill me. I make a poorly thought-out escape plan and I stand up.

"Dios mio! How long..." She trails off and gasps. I suspect she saw my black eye so I run out. Tears fill my eyes and I can't see very well but that doesn't stop me. What does stop me is a tall man with black hair and a beard.

"Hey Pen! Alex said--" I cut him off by running into him. The Cuban woman isn't far behind. I'm guessing she followed me.

"Oh I'm so sorry about that I..." He trails off just like the lady did. He clearly sees my eye. I'm dizzy and scared I just want to leave.

"Are you okay? What's your name?" The woman asks me.

"Ashley." I manage to squeak out. My voice is soft and barely loud enough to hear.

"Are you alright Ashley?" She asks. I nod before thanking them and trying to get by the man.

"Who did that to you?" He asks as he moves in my way so I can't get by him.

"I fell it's alright." I reply with a small smile.

"How about we walk you to your apartment?" The lady offers. She knows about my father because she's knocked on our door multiple times to ask him to be quieter.

On our way to my apartment the two tell me their names and ask me simple questions like what school I attend and how my day went. As we near the door, we hear screams from my father. He's on the phone with my mom.

"Mr. Johnson is your father?" Schneider asks in disbelief. I don't answer.

"Can you wait here while we talk in private?" Penelope asks. My stomach drops. That's never good. Before they can move, the door slams open. The familiar smell of whiskey immediately fills the hallway. My father stands in the doorway, swaying slightly. He looks furious. I can't breath this is really bad I'm having a panic attack. I'm late for dinner and I have two strangers with me. He roughly grabs my arm and snarls at Penelope and Schneider.

"Hello Mr. Johnson. I was just wondering if--" He cuts Penelope off by slamming the door. He slams me against the wall, knocking the wind out of me. I slide down the wall and sit on the floor. He starts to yell about talking to strangers before there's a knock.

"Go away!" He yells drunkenly and locks the door. He takes a gulp of whiskey and sits on the couch.

A couple minutes later there's another knock on the door. This one followed by a police man asking to be let in. My dad sets the whiskey down and swishes mouthwash through his mouth for a few seconds before spitting it into an ashtray and whisper-yelling at me to go to my room.

I can only assume the policeman believed my father because ten minutes later, he stumbles into my room and starts yelling again. He throws the empty liquor bottle at me.

When he passes out a couple hours later, I think about the lady and how she seemed to want to help me. I bet she was the one who called the police. I sneak through the hallway and keep to the walls where it doesn't creak as much. I slide my socks against the hardwood floor, never actually picking them up from the ground.

My knuckles hit against the Alvarez's door. I don't even know what time it is or how I look right now. I'm shaking and dizzy and very afraid. After thirty seconds or so, the door opens to see a boy.