A/N: A friend suggested I post this here, she's a super huge fan, so I decided to go ahead. I just want to thank everyone who takes the time to read this, it's a lot, but hopefully you won't find it too bad. It does deal with some pretty heavy issues- rape, drugs, sex, abuse- so don't read if you're not into that. Feedback is always appreciated, tell me how bad you feel for Ashley or tell me I fucking suck, positive/negative, I love it all. Thanks guys!

Chapter 1

15, 14, `13, 12, 11 – The pressure was on, the score tied 88 to 88. They were playing overtime. Sweat dripped down to her eye, she wiped it away and in that same second jumped to catch the rebounded ball. The crowd roared as she dribbled down the court knowing full well she was about to win the game for the team. "Phoenix! Phoenix! Phoenix!" The King supporters chanted for her, she tuned them out and zeroed in on the basket. Time was running out, adrenalin pumped through her veins, she pushed her tired legs hard, running as fast as she could. Approaching the goal, she jumped up releasing the ball from her grasp. Time slowed down, her eyes obsessively watched the orange ball go through the hoop. The buzzard sounded and she landed on the court. A mili second later she was bombarded by her teammates.

"Phoenix! Phoenix! Phoenix!" Everyone continued to shout as she was lifted onto a broad shoulder. She lifted her arms up in victory, her vibrant blue eyes scanning the crowd's faces. Everyone looked at her with admiration and joy. She was the star player on an all boys basketball team and they loved her.

"You guys will never witness King's defeat!" Spencer smiled at the crowd's loud applause, she loved getting them all rallied up. Being placed back down on the ground, she spent the next 20 minutes greeting people, taking pictures, and giving little kids her autograph. Team members also approached her, giving her a high five or a pat on the back.

"Phoenix!" Aiden Dennison playfully howled walking up beside her. "You were on fire tonight! We would have lost if it wasn't for you catching that rebound. You're a hero."

"We're all heroes." She replied nonchalantly, losing count of the King Games she had won for the team. It stopped being such a big deal after the first couple of years. Spencer had been playing basketball almost all of her life. Growing up with her twin brother Glen, it was their favorite activity to do together. It wasn't until 7th grade that she began playing on a team. Luckily her father Arthur was good friends with the coach. After watching her play one day after school with the guys, he decided to remove her from the girl's team and let her play with the big boys.

She impressed them all.

"Heroes that will party like Kings tonight!" He looked over at her. "You're coming to the party, right? I can't go without my girlfriend." In a much lower voice he added. "People might think something's up."

"You're paranoid." She stopped walking outside the girl's locker room near a water fountain. "And I'll go so nobody suspects anything." She lightly poked his chest. "Just don't try to have sex with me." She grinned at his eye roll.

"Trust me doll, you don't have the right parts." He chuckled and gave her a wink before walking away.

Spencer entered the girl's locker room with silence as her only company. She reached the small blue locker in the back, the one she normally used, and began undressing. She was never shy about her body but the rare privacy in the locker room was always appreciated. The quiet air after playing a long, loud, rowdy game of basketball was refreshing.

Her lean strong body was wrapped in only a towel. Flip flops covered her feet as she walked to the showers holding only a bag with shampoo and soap inside. Turning the two silver knobs, she removed the towel from her body and neatly set it aside on a nearby shelf. The blonde stepped into the shower stall, washing away the sweat and grime from the night's game. Her eyes closed as she savored the feel of hot water hitting her tired muscles. The soothing heat was nirvana to her body. She was under a spell of relaxation and bliss. She contemplated never leaving.

The perky voices of the cheerleaders floated into the stall, breaking the spell. Spencer opened her eyes and reached out for the bar of soap. Soaping her hands, they ran all over her flawless skin, wincing, she looked down and noticed a nasty bruise inches above her left breast. She disregarded it and continued washing her body expecting to find a couple more bruises. Bruises, scrapes, and aches were guaranteed when playing basketball with boys twice her size.

Spencer finished washing her hair and then turned the silver knobs, bringing the shower to an abrupt stop. She heard the brigade of girls before seeing them seconds later. With one towel wrapped around her torso and another wrapped around her hair, she smiled a greeting.

A good five minutes was spent making small talk with the group of cheerleaders. All of them knew her as Phoenix and Phoenix only. Even the teachers used the name to address her. The coach screamed it out during one of her games in 7th grade. Phoenix. It passed his lips as she won the game with a slam dunk. The name expressed her strength, speed, and excellence in the game. She was simply the best player on the team and everyone knew it.

"I'll see you guys later." She walked away from the girls and headed back to her locker. To her surprise, there was a young lady her age lying on the bench in front of it. "Are you awake?" She asked kneeling down to get a better look at her childhood friend. The dark haired brunette wore expensive coach sunglasses matching her designer jeans, expensive heels, and provocative black blouse. Spencer flashed her a lop sided grin as she turned her head, regarding her quietly.

"I am now." She finally mumbled sitting up.

The blonde stood up and faced her locker, opening it. She grabbed a clean bra and matching panties. Without hesitating, she removed the towel from her body and slipped the underwear on. Next was the bra. She brought it up to her chest and then paused when she felt Ashley's presence behind her. "Let me." Her voice was soft near her ear. Spencer held her breath, feeling a sudden rush of heat go through her. Gentle fingertips glided the soft material over her naked breasts. Her nipples hardened knowing who was touching her.

When the brunette finished, she felt both relieved and disappointed.

It didn't last long.

Warm arms wrapped around her naked waist from behind followed by a soft chin on her shoulder. Spencer felt Ashley's breasts press against her back. She bit back a moan. "I'm sorry I missed your game." The words were spoken against her neck, quiet and full of shame. Spencer almost missed them, focused on the lips pressed against her skin. They did terrible things to her half naked body.

The blonde placed her left hand over Ashley's and caressed the darker skin. "It's no big deal, Ash." Her right hand soon joined the left and was placed on top of Ashley's. Spencer looked down at her abdomen with a smile, feeling both sad and content. "You've seen me play a million times."

"I still feel like shit, Spence." She felt Ashley's thumb move up and down her abs, caressing the soft skin over taunt muscles. "I'm always letting you down."

Ashley Davies. She never knew who she was talking to anymore. The fun, adventurous, daring girl she grew up with was completely different now. Always high on something, she came down, and when she was down, she was sweet and full of sorrow. Spencer stopped trying to change her friend and sadly accepted her for who she was.

A junkie.

"You didn't let me down." When a soft snort was her reply, she turned around in tanned arms, vaguely aware of the hands still on her hips. Spencer reached out and cupped the left side of Ashley's soft face. Her heart hammering in her chest, she used the other one to remove the brunette's sunglasses. The brown eyes she rarely saw anymore were glazed over, confirming her suspicions. She was high. "You didn't let me down." She repeated softly, her voice quivering.

Her blue eyes held a floodgate of tears. She tried to stop them from falling but one or two escaped, slowly sliding down her face. "You're a terrible liar." Ashley gently pulled the blonde to her and with her lips caught the two tears, kissing them away forever. Spencer's arms instinctively wrapped themselves around her best friend. Her blue eyes fell shut as she savored their rare closeness. "How've you been, Spenny?"

"Lonely."

"You've got Aiden."

"Aiden's not you."

Ashley smiled and placed a kiss on her forehead. "There's nothing special about me." She looked back into her face. "I highly doubt I'm worthy of the great Phoenix's friendship."

"Don't call me that." Spencer pleaded never wanting to be anything more than Spencer to the brunette, not the star the school had made her out to be. "I love you and your more worthy than anyone else I know." The closeness was beginning to get to the blonde. Blue eyes stared deeply into the brunette's and for the first time in a long time she just saw Ashley. Love and desire pooled in her dark brown orbs, Ashley cupped the left side of her face. Her breathing sped up, her eyes dropped to Ashley's full lips. She moved forward, feeling Ashley's warm breath on her skin, she needed to kiss her.

It didn't happen.

"I hate cheerleaders." The brunette mumbled pulling away as their lips were about to touch. In the back of her foggy mind, Spencer heard the showers stop and knew it was only a matter of time before the cheerleaders came running out.

With a racing pulse, she slid the dark glasses back over brown eyes, hiding the evidence that always pained her. "Am I going to see you at the party?" Ashley asked tucking stray strands of blonde hair behind her ear.

Spencer nodded. "Yeah," She spoke as casually as she could, trying to ignore the pounding between her legs. "Aiden practically begged me to go."

The brunette's face stayed emotionless as she pulled her hand away. "You never were the partying type but I'm sure he doesn't want to go without his beautiful girlfriend." She forced a smile and nodded as if to agree with her. The truth was Aiden was gay and their whole relationship was a horse and pony show.

Completely fake.

Ashley's cell phone began ringing in her purse. She looked away from Spencer. "Glen's waiting for me in the car." Her hands dropped from Ashley's body, reminded they didn't belong there in the first place.

"I'll see you at the party."

With a nod, Ashley grabbed her purse and left the locker room. Spencer watched until she was gone. Something she found herself doing more and more often.