Another story that Anna and I came up with on MSN the other night. I have the last chapter ready of Headlines and Lies done but it is on my laptop, so until I can get it back I can't put it up. But it should be in the next week, or so.
This is slightly AU, in a way, but not really, but it dosen't follow the story of South of Nowhere, per say. Plus, as usual, the characters are a little bit different to what they would be on the show.
This is multi-chaptered by the way and I have no idea on how long it will be. Depends on Anna, her ideas and what response we get.
Disclaimer: I own nothing that relates to South of Nowhere. Which is a pain, 'cause if I did; I wouldn't let fans wait so long. I'm in the UK; God knows when we get to see 3B lol.
Chapter 1: Differing opinions.
"I have something so, so, so important to tell you. You may not like it though." Ashley Davies cringed at the noise. Sure, she loved her best friend to death but right now she didn't need his little rants, especially since she had been told to write down how much money had been taken in for the day. It was a simple task, count the money, put it in a bag, write down the sum, throw it at the boss in the office and go home. It was simple, at least, until Aiden showed up, with his fancy white teeth and his muscles.
"If you're about to tell me you have some life-threatening illness and you have until the end of the week to live, can it wait?" She continued to count the cash keeping the small tune in her head that helped keep up with the flow of money. Fifty, fifty-five, sixty, sixty-five.
"Ashley." He narrowed his eyes at the concentrating brunette. "Seventy, ninety, twenty-three." It wasn't that he was mean, or that he didn't like Ashley, he just wanted some attention. Which he rarely got, being the sidekick of the only girl in LA who was able to get a drink in any club within five minutes.
"Aiden! Seriously, now I've lost count." Brown eyes snapped up at the guy who was now leaning over the counter, trying to take a drink from Ashley's glass. "Touch my drink and I'll break your hand." The dark haired boy sighed and sat back in his stool.
"Let me tell you this important piece of information and I'll help you cash up when I've finished." Ashley considered his offer for a moment. She had only been working in the coffee house for a few months and letting some stranger help keep check on money was a big no-no. Then again, she was only working here because she totaled her Porsche into the side of said coffee-house, knocking over a stuffed Santa and a tin of coffee beans. Community service sucked, especially if you had the money to pay people off. What where her lawyers doing anyway? Apart from each other.
"Fine." She stacked the money once more to be ready to be counted. She only had a few more weeks of this and then she could be a free woman again. "What is this big life-changing news that entails me having to listen to your voice?" She actually did love Aiden, with all her heart and they had dated for a few months before; until she decided she liked girls. Aiden didn't have the right body parts to fit into that criteria. She just loved being a bitch to him more than admitting she loved him, it was more fun.
"I have a girlfriend." Ashley rolled his eyes at his confession and a raised eyebrow was all she got in return. "What?"
"Aiden, you always have a girlfriend." It was true. He always had some girl on his arm. Aiden Dennison was the perfect boyfriend that any girl could take home to their mothers. He was handsome, star basketball player, romantic at heart and a total gentleman. He also knew he had all these qualities and he made sure he could get any girl he wanted.
"So do you." Obviously, she was Ashley Davies.
"Not the point. Anyway, who is it this time?" She saw the outline of her manager and quickly picked up a wet cloth and began wiping down the surfaces until she was sure he was back in his office.
"Spencer Carlin." He dodged the wet cloth that was thrown at his head and held up his hands in mock surrender. "I said you might not like it."
"Of all the girls in King High that are slipping on their own drool for you; you have to go and pick Spencer Carlin?" She watched as he moved across the floor and picked up the cloth for her, plopping it onto the side and giving her a sheepish grin.
"She's cute."
"She's a total bitch. I should know, I sit next to her in English and she is so annoying."
"You don't talk to one another."
"Exactly. How annoying is it when somebody ignores you?" Ashley raised a challenging eyebrow and folded her arms waiting for a reply.
Sure, she wasn't the most popular girl in school but she had her reputation and people respected her. Respect and fear were one of the same thing right? Afterall you don't challenge the person you both fear and respect, do you? She had no time for the cheerleaders, Spencer included, and she had no time to play nice with people she didn't like. She had her friends and that was all she needed, but now, oh, things had changed. Her best friend was dating a cheerleader, which meant every party that Aiden hosted she would be there.
"Whatever. Look, I need to ask you something."
"No. You can't use my house to sleep with her so your parents don't find out."
"Ashley -"
"Or my pool house."
"No, it's not -"
"Or any of the spare bedrooms, or the swimming pool and you certainly cannot bring her to our movie nights." Afterall, they had been having them since they were ten and she still found it amusing scaring Aiden with spooky films.
"Ashley, I want you to meet her."
This time he didn't dodge the wet cloth quick enough.
---
"Ashley."
"No."
"Please."
"No."
"Ashley, it would mean so much to me. I need you to get to know her; she's going to be around a while." Heels clicked on the floor whilst trainers tried to keep up.
"All your girlfriends last about three weeks, Aiden. What makes Carlin so different?" She stopped at her classroom door and turned to her friend. How she had ever come to know him she didn't want to remember. It was something to do with a park, some swings and a few tears. His or her tears she could never remember.
"She just is. Look, you can bring one of your girlfriends." That earned him a slap on the back of the head.
"Girlfriends? As in plural?"
"Well, whoever you're dating at the moment. Jessie?" Aiden wasn't the only one to be sought after; Ashley had her fair share of dropped jaws and leering eyes.
"She was, like, six months ago you moron." She rolled her eyes at the pathetic face he was pulling and put her hand on the door handle. Sure she was fifteen minutes late to the lesson but she had a forged note that she had used a few classes ago saying she had an eye appointment.
"I'll pay for the meal."
"Goodbye Aiden." She went to open the door, slowly, waiting for a better offer. Plus, she didn't like English all that much.
"And the drinks." She opened the door and saw Spencer sitting in her seat. The class, including her, snapped their heads up before quickly dropping them back. Ashley being late was never something new.
"I'll tell you're girlfriend you said hi." Aiden appeared in the doorway as she walked in and Ashley took her seat next to Spencer. Alphabetical order wasn't one of her favourite things, but she figured it was an English class and the alphabet was included in English.
"I'll buy your damn dessert." Ashley looked up, satisfied with the offer and nodded her head. "Triple chocolate fudge cake, or whatever the hell you want."
"It's a date Mr. Dennison." She turned to Spencer and shot her a smile. "See you on Saturday."
---
Ashley stood in front of her locker, glaring at it and willing it to burst open. The damn thing never opened when she wanted it to, opened when she didn't want it to and jammed when someone cute was standing near her. At the moment it was just refusing, point blank, to open. She sighed and tried again, yanking hard and finally opening it. She peered inside, books and many pieces of paper were there and she threw her schoolwork into it. Not really caring where it landed.
"Ashley, right?" Brown eyes narrowed. She knew that voice, at least she thought she did. Turning around she found herself staring into blue eyes, they rolled and the girl took a step back. "I'm Spencer, Aiden told me to come over." Whipping around, and causing her locker to close in the process, Ashley shot daggers at her best friend who was waving weakly at her.
"Why? Is he too afraid to tell me himself that he's gay?" Ashley pondered that thought for a moment before shuddering. Their relationship was only big enough for one gay person and she took that spot and planted her flag.
"No. He said I should come over and say hi; get to know you a little better."
"We have all Saturday night for that." Desperately looking around Ashley tried to find someone, anyone, she knew. There was no way she was sitting with Aiden for dinner today.
"He asked me to ask you to come and sit with us." Ashley turned slowly and pushed a lock of brown hair away from her eyes. She quickly scanned Spencer and found that she chewed gum on the right side of her mouth, the sun was in her eyes and she liked clothes to be form fitting.
"Sorry, I'm busy."
"He said you'd say that."
"He knows me well." They stood in silence for a few moments before Spencer opened her mouth.
"I thought you were busy."
"I am." She quickly looked around trying to find something to be busy with.
"Doing what exactly?" The girl never knew when to give up, did she? Ashley licked her lips. Why was this girl good looking? It would be so much easier to suppress the urge to flirt if she wasn't good looking.
"Waiting for my girlfriend." Or, at least, the one that went to King High School. Ashley didn't actually know if she was in school today, they hadn't talked since Friday night and it was Friday now. She was unsure, also, if they were actually dating. Sleeping together three times dosen't constitute as a life long relationship, right? She wondered if the lack of calls had been because she had done something wrong. Instead of pondering the brunette watched, amused, as Spencer's eyes widened.
"You're...gay?" Ashley nodded. The whole of the school basically knew she was which made it easier to find something interesting to do on her lunch breaks when the volleyball teams were taking some time to cool off. The amount of repressed homosexuality scared her as much as it made her smile.
"Pretty much. Didn't you know?" The blonde just shook her head. "Where have you been all year?" Madison had made sure the whole of LA had known she was a lesbian.
"School, I don't pay much attention to much though." Ashley couldn't resist it.
"Of course not. You cheerbitches only pay attention to yourselves." She had tried to make it sound light but the flash in Spencer's eyes told her different.
"You can't say that. You don't even know me."
"I thought that was what we were doing now? Getting to know each other." She leant against her locker. Finally she caught the girl she had been waiting for a shot her infamous smile. The girl blushed and smiled back. So she hadn't done anything wrong. Unless, that wasn't her girlfriend and then she was screwed.
"So did I until you assumed all cheerleaders are the same." Ashley shrugged.
"I thought you were. With your pom-poms and butt-shakes it's hard to tell one clone from another." Ashley tried to find the girl again but she was nowhere to be seen. She shrugged mentally.
"Whatever." Spencer huffed and started to walk past Ashley.
"Who knew that cheerleaders could be so articulate? Soon you'll be able to spell your own name and say something is with more syllables."
"God, you're insufferable. Are you like this with everyone?" The blonde turned around and stared down Ashley.
"No, just to cheerleaders." Except for that one she danced with at the club a month or so ago. Though, she wasn't a real cheerleader. She just wore the outfit for a party.
"You know what? I'm going; I don't need your stereotypical views, comments or anything else. I'll see you on Saturday."
"No wonder Aiden chose you, you're feisty." Ashley couldn't help herself, she really couldn't. She tried to play it off as the protective best friend but, honestly, she just loved winding people up and seeing how far they would jump.
"Fuck you."
"I do. Quite a lot actually." She pushed herself off of her locker and smiled at the blonde.
"What?"
"Fuck myself. I do it quite a lot." Yup, she had a problem. But little blonde cheerleaders were way to easy of an opportunity to pass up.
"God, whatever." The blonde stomped off, white sneakers slapping across the concrete towards Aiden who now seemed to be regretting his decision.
"See you Saturday!"
She always had to have the last word. Ashley, with a smile on her face, turned around and walked away from where she had managed to piss yet another person off for the day.