Chances Fading Now. AU Spashley fiction.

Disclaimer: I do not own South of Nowhere, nor its characters.

Introduction

D y k e. The four lettered, bright orange, hate filled word defiles her locker. There's a hushed silence as the blonde unsuspectingly approaches it. The students, her classmates their eyes stare in her direction. When she is only mere inches away, someone's unkind and pitiless hands shove her forward, their snide comments taunting, antagonizing.

Tears form and sting Spencer's eyes before the word is completely legible, but there is no mistaking what is to be read. Voices, silent before now swirl around her. The embarrassment she feels is nauseating, almost paralyzing. She tries hard not to cry.

Its only been a few weeks since she's arrived. An unexpected move from a relatively small town in Ohio to one of seemingly similar proportions a few states away. Her mother told her to get used to it. Her father offered steady words of encouragement. Her brothers quickly adjusted. She on the other not so much. Whilst the town was small, friends for her were still hard to come by.

The sharp, rampant laughter of her peers violates Ashley's train of thought. A familiar body settles next to her, his shoulders pressing against hers. She pushes off the locker she's been balancing against with the sole of her shoe, and greets the dark haired boy with an expression that is anything but friendly.

Aiden smiles at her, despite the hostility that greets him in return. Ashley fiddles for the Ipod in her back pocket, wanting to tune out the increasing noise in the hallway, and him. The ear buds of her headphones are nearly when she hears it. "Dyke". The brunette winces slightly against the sound of the offensive expression as it echoes from the mouth of a nearby student. If it's directed at her, she doesn't turn around. She precedes to ignore everything around her until she sees her. The new girl, Spencer Carlin, teary eyed and seemingly humiliated flee past her and out of sight.

Ashley's heart rate speeds up at the sight of her, as it has been a lot lately regardless of having never shared more than a few words with the blonde. There's an elbow jab to her side. As if he sensed the change in her demeanor, her friend pins her with a look that seems too know to much.

First attempt at publishing any of my work. If you like what you have read let me know. Comments, questions and/or reviews are greatly appreciated. Thanks.

-JJ