Hey, everyone! So I'm back and I'm excited to share this new story with you. It's based off a song that I came across by Tracy Prettyman called well "The Rebound" (hence the title).Take a listen to the song, makes the read that much more enjoyable. This was a bit of a challenge for me which I was excited about this is meant to just be a fun read, not too emotional, in fact as little emotion as possible, however being me there is still something to get attached to. It's cheesy to start, but my main objective with this is just to get you to smile! So you know...smile. Hope you enjoy the read, leave a review and let me know what you think.
Disclaimer: I own nothing but the original characters and general direction of this storyline.
Day 1
"Anyone need anything from the store before I leave?" Spencer shouts over her shoulder as she slips her wallet in her back pocket. Several items were shouted out from various rooms of the house. "I didn't catch any of that...just text it," she tells her two roommates as she grabs her keys and opens the door.
She breathes in the city air as she walks down her block. Most people hate the way the city smells. Especially when the garbage trucks arrive late. Not Spencer...to Spencer New York smells like opportunity. She moved to big apple from a small town in Ohio ten years ago for school for creative writing. She never went back. New York is a temptress and Spencer fell for her seductive ways.
The automatic doors slide open and she makes her way into her favorite health-food grocery franchise. Her eyes shoot towards the sample corner and she walks over with a determined bounce in her step. She reaches the small sample kitchen and wiggles her eyebrows at the employee.
"Gracie…" She sings out making the older woman giggle.
"You're back already. I swear you eat here more than your own house."
"I'm a starving artist." Spencer guffaws in faux anger. Her bright smile taking away from her performance. Gracie laughs heartily as she hands Spencer a small dixie cup informing the regular shopper of its content.
"Today we have turkey meatballs with a dash of organic cranberry sauce." She holds her index finger and thumb close together to display the estimated measurement.
Spencer's eyes widen in delight, her mouth waters in anticipation before she indulges in the sample. The blonde lightly tosses her head back as she pops the piece of meat and sauce into her mouth. She closes her eyes in delight as she lets the taste of each morsel dance on her tongue.
"Mmmm." She moans in euphoria. "That's awesome Gracie." She gives the employee of the local Trader Joe's a cheeky smile and the woman buckles under the writer's sweet persona, handing her another cup.
"You have a good day hon," Gracie says as Spencer takes the small cup and quickly eats it's contents. She mumbles out a 'you too' with a full mouth, covering it to make sure she's not entirely rude.
She turns around and a brunette catches her eye. She stands by the tangerines with almost ripe bananas in her hand. The blonde studies her for a moment. Her gray sweatpants hugging her hips. A black t-shirt that just meets the hem of the pants, a pair of black and white chucks to tie up her ensemble. Her hair was up in a messy bun with a few strands dangling in her face. Spencer smirks as she thinks to herself, 'that is the sexiest work of hot mess I've ever seen.
She finishes chewing and she debates walking over to the girl, but she seems entranced by the small oranges. Clearly her musings are allowing her to disregard the fact that she's been in the same spot for a while now.
She waits a couple of more minutes and as more people approach the tasty treats stand, Spencer is forced to move in order for the new customers to have a sample. She slowly walks over to the girl, being careful not to startle her. Spencer stares at the tangerines alongside the brunette.
"So what time does the show start?" Spencer asks not taking her eyes off the fruit.
"What?" Her voice is husky and laced with confusion.
Spencer takes a moment to look at the girl and smiles softly when their eyes meet. She would have smiled wider, but the green eyes she is staring into are puffy. Spencer's heart breaks a tiny bit as she guesstimates that the brunette had probably been crying.
"You've been staring at the tangerines like they're about to put on a show." Spencer breathes out a laugh as the girl looks away in embarrassment. The brunette sports a tiny smile as she thinks of a clever remark of her own.
"They were but the lead lost her cool and peeled out at the last minute."
Spencer erupts in laughter at the brunette's bad joke. The banana holder joins in with a small laugh of her own, too emotionally tired to join in completely.
"That's...that's a real shame." Spencer forces out through dying laughter. The brunette shrugs softly, her mouth curving into a crooked smile. Spencer holds out her hand and introduces herself.
"It's nice to meet you." The brunette answers genuinely taking the offered hand and shaking it gently. "I'm Ashley."
Spencer hears the brunette the first time but asks for her to repeat herself as she lets her eyes linger over Ashley's body. The girl is gorgeous and she really wants to get to know the brunette in a more intimate setting. If she can make the 'get out of bed' attire look this hot well then she can't wait to see what she'd look like if she tried. Or without clothes. She'd go for either.
"Nice to meet you too, Ashley...So I've never seen you around here do you come to this Trader Joe's often?" Spencer closes her eyes in defeat. She can't believe she just said that. She internally scolds herself and Ashley's giggle heals her slightly bruised ego.
"Uh no I just moved a few blocks from here and my fridge has been pretty bare for a few days. Do you come here often?" Ashley teases with a slight smirk. She pulls her lips into her mouth and the blues eyes squint at her playfully.
"As a matter of fact I do," Spencer states proudly. She turns around and points to the woman in the small kitchen. "That lady feeds me like she's my own mother."
Ashley's eyes dart towards the woman behind the cooking counter. "I think it's her job to feed people there, Spence." The brunette quips.
The shortened name falls off Ashley's lips so naturally and it peaks the blonde's interest even more.
"Yeah, but she gives me seconds." She counters nonchalantly, like a spoiled child making her acquaintance snicker.
"Maybe I should stick with you then?"
"Can't go wrong there." They hold each other's gaze allowing a moment to sum up one another. Spencer can see the hesitation in the brunette's eyes. She takes a step back and allows Ashley to decide whether she wants to follow or not.
A right foot steps back, a separate right foot falls forward as Ashley moves with her Trader Joe's tour guide.
"So Ashley are you from New York?" Spencer asks as they make their way down the aisles.
"Yeah, Queens originally. I moved out to Manhattan with my girlfriend…" Ashley stops for a moment and sighs heavily. "Ex-girlfriend" she corrects, "a few years ago."
Spencer processes this information quietly. Mulling over the thoughts in her mind. Now she understands the puffy eyes, the hesitation, and the quick correction proves that the break up is fairly recent.
"It's a great city isn't it?" Spencer asks and Ashley gives her a grateful smile for the change of topic.
"Yeah, it is. I couldn't bear to leave it even though I'm just a couple boroughs over."
"Well if I didn't love the city before I love it even more now." Ashley's head tilts to the side as she waits for Spencer to elaborate. The blonde chooses not to and lets Ashley allow the thought sink in. She points out a bag of whole wheat tortilla chips and the brunette's green eyes follow the enthusiastic shopper.
Spencer makes sure to give her interest the grand tour. She's in Trader Joe's at least twice a day. Most times to people watch and other times to actually shop. She felt the most interesting people shop at this particular store. She has an interesting neighborhood and they all shop at the grocery store two blocks away from her place. The neighborhood only got better with the induction of Ashley. Spencer never really settled into relationships. She does find people fascinating, everyone has their own story to tell, their own unique voice and she wants to meet them all. When she was in a relationship the other half tended to get a little insecure on how often Spencer liked to talk to strangers. Strangers of the female gender...pretty strangers of the female gender. Spencer never really had an agenda, she just likes to talk to people and having a ball and chain cramped her style. This time though...her agenda is set. It isn't her normal thing to simply go after a girl based off her looks but for Ashley she would make an exception.
Spencer isn't looking for anything serious and from the defeat in Ashley's voice mentioning her ex, neither was she. Doesn't mean Spencer wouldn't make herself available to help Ashley.
They stand in line once they reach the last aisle. Spencer allows her eyes to dance over Ashley's body. She quickly looks at her phone to cover up the fact that she's a perfect example of a creeper when the brunette turns around. She goes over the texts her roommate sent her to make sure she has everything. Spencer groans in frustration and Ashley turns in concern.
"Is everything alright?"
Spencer sighs shaking her head adding to the act. "I lost my number." The blonde states in total exasperation. She throws her hand up in the air, tightly holding her cell to make sure it doesn't fly out and drops it against her thigh.
Ashley's brows furrow and she tries to hide her confused smile. "What?"
"Yeah I lost my number...can I have yours?" Spencer asks holding back her laugh. She knows that this is as bad as it gets but it's making the brunette smile and if her father taught her anything when she came out, it's that there's nothing better than the ability to make a woman smile. When you make them smile they're interested. When you make them laugh...they're yours.
"Seriously?" Ashley asks through a fit of giggles.
"Yeah I need something to replace the emptiness in my contacts...it won't know what to do Ashley. It has abandonment issues and if I don't fill the void with your number there's no telling what'll happen." Spencer makes sure there is plenty alarm in her voice to really sell it and when she's done she smoothly whips the phone around and hands it to Ashley to put in her number.
Ashley shakes her head as she presses the screen putting the number into Spencer's cell phone. She can't believe she's actually doing this. Falling for Spencer's adorable antics. Obviously she's not going to get too serious with someone she met just a few weeks after her break up. The blonde did help her forget though. She's been teetering between pain and numbness for the last few weeks and the blonde is the first person to make her...feel.
She hands the phone back to Spencer and smirks as the blonde sighs in relief. She inwardly chuckles as the writer puts the phone, cooing gently.
"It's going to be okay just hold on a little longer." She presses the call button and Ashley feels her phone buzz in her pocket. She pulls it out and waves it in front of the blonde to give her a good look. Spencer places her hand over her heart and mumbles out a 'thank God.'
Spencer rests a hand on Ashley's shoulder. "You found it. I don't know how I can ever thank you." She removes her hand before it gets too awkward. "I think you should keep it ya know? Just in case I lose it again."
"I think I will," Ashley answers with a smile.
"Good," Spencer whispers, a small bit of pride swirling inside her. It wasn't the most suave of pick-ups but it's the most honest she's ever been. She stayed true to herself the entire time. She isn't entirely sure why but she's sure it's what Ashley may have needed.
"Feel free to use it for anything." Spencer annunciates 'anything' as she lets the word litter every meaning it could while they hold each other's gaze. Ashley tries to pick up every meaning Spencer is throwing at her and before she can answer a cashier calls out for the next customer. Ashley looks back at the free register and without saying anything to blonde she just points in the opposite direction. Spencer nods her head once signaling that she won't be offended in Ashley's departure. She blatantly checks the girl out while she checks out. Letting her eyes take in every inch of the brunette's body. Hoping that the girl will actually give her a call.
Another cashier calls out for the next customer and Spencer slowly makes her way over. Ashley's cashier finishes up her transaction and pays her total. Spencer places her items, incoherently saying hello to a cashier she's familiar with. Any other time she'd make light conversation but she wants to make sure gets a last look at the brunette. Ashley passes Spencer's register on the way out and stops in her tracks momentarily. The blonde gives her a coy smile and Ashley breathes out a soft laugh, tucking some of her hair behind her ear. She gives a small wave to her Trader Joe's tour guide and Spencer mirrors the action. After that Ashley disappears into the streets of New York.
"Did you find everything you were looking for today?"
Spencer smiles at her cashier she thinks about her shopping experience.
"And then some."
Spencer leans back against her chair and gently scratches her head as she stares at her computer screen. She sighs in frustration as she hits a wall. Her character isn't pleasing her in any way and she has half a mind just to kill her off altogether. Working at a publishing house, she recently received an opportunity and she didn't want to lose her chance. Being a twenty-eight-year-old writer reaching for your big break is hard enough, it's even worse when you're super close and you're barely holding onto it. She grunts as she spins her chair and gets up to grab a snack. The apartment dark with one roommate spinning at a club tonight and the other wiped from a hard day's at work as a bike messenger. Spencer's job isn't as exhilarating as her roommates and that's probably why she loves writing so much. She lives a life through her characters she doesn't in real life. She's a reader. She goes through manuscripts and points out the one to the agents that have the most potential. She made an offhand comment to one of the agents and inadvertently mentioned her own work. Since then a chance was given to her and she's been racking her brain to deliver her best work.
She opens up the freezer and grabs the mango ice-cream she purchased earlier that day and her mind wanders to Ashley. It's almost eleven and she's a little disappointed that the brunette hadn't given her a ring. She rummages through the drawer for a spoon, uncovering the frozen dessert she scoops a healthy amount onto the utensil, slowly licking sweet cream and savoring every taste. Seconds later she hears her phone go off. She dashes towards her room and smiles at the text she receives.
'It's your phone number here, just making sure you don't miss me too much.'
'I was actually just thinking how long it's been since we've been reconciled.'
'You could come over for a visit if you want…'
Spencer stares at the ellipses at the end. Everyone knows what an ellipsis means...it means shit's about to go down. The blonde licks her lips and tastes the hint of mango.
"My goodness, this ice-cream is delicious," she says to no-one in particular. The blonde reminds herself to have another spoonful before she leaves. She feverishly texts back making sure not to leave the brunette waiting too long.
'Are you sure Ashley won't mind that I come over so late?'
Spencer rushes to freshen up and she saves her miserable work making sure to put forth much more effort tomorrow. She's done in all of twenty minutes a new record for her and checks her phone.
'No she's fine with it...in fact I think she wants to see you more than I do.'
Spencer smiles at this little banter they've got going. She has to admit that Ashley is quite clever. Playing along with the earlier facade they had going. Personifying a simple number and using it as their icebreaker to delve into whatever is about to happen. Spencer makes sure to say that the feeling is mutual. She asks for the address and it's not long before one is texted to her. The blonde stops by the freezer and gets another spoonful of the mango ice-cream. This time, she uses a plastic utensil. She'll eat and walk, she doesn't want to keep Ashley waiting any longer.
Spencer knew the streets of New York like the back of her hand. It didn't take her long to find Ashley's apartment. She's passed it several times before whenever she craved a coffee from her favorite spot. She stares up at the brownstone and breathes in deep. She gathers her nerves as she gives herself a mini pep talk. Hopping up one stair to the next, she reaches the door and presses the buzzer.
"Hello?"
Spencer jerks her head in shock, this does not sound like the sexy husky voice she heard earlier.
"Hello? Who's there?" Spencer hears the intercom switching from talk to listen with a subtle blip.
The lady gets impatient and switches back to the talk button. She asks for an introduction for a third time but doesn't let go of the talk button as she screams out for her husband.
"Cecil, get the bucket...it's those damned neighborhood troglodytes again."
What the hell is a troglodyte? And why does she need a bucket for them? Spencer quickly finds her voice before Cecil can dump whatever concoction they've come up with to rid the streets of these hooligans.
"I'm sorry I'm looking for Ashley."
"Who?" The old woman shouts through the intercom. The streets are quiet and Spencer is positive this conversation is being carried down the block.
"Ashley!" The writer shouts not sure if that'll help get her to the girl any faster.
"Who the hell is Ashley? I don't know any Ashley. Cecil! Who's this Ashley that's ringing our damn buzzer in the middle of the night? Are you sleeping around again! You stay there Ashley I'm coming for ya, think you can steal my Cecil!"
Spencer's eyes widen in horror. What the hell is happening right now? She's a vicious troglodyte ruining a marriage when all she wanted to do was see Ashley. She doesn't even want Cecil. She wants Ashley. Ashley with her nice smooth skin, and taut body. Cecil probably has wrinkles for days.
The woman disappears and Spencer is scared to move. She looks at the list of the four apartments of the brownstone then at Ashley's text. She closes her in horror as she realizes she presses the wrong button. She shakes her head at herself as she double checks the number and slowly presses it. Her heart pounds as she waits for hopefully this time Ashley to respond. The intercom comes alive and it's music to Spencer's ears.
"Spence?" Ashley asks making sure it's the girl she invited over.
"Ugh thank God it's you. Ashley quick hurry. I think this old lady is about to come downstairs to beat my ass."
"What!" Ashley asks with a laugh switching over to the listen button.
"I don't have time to explain, she's gonna get me and have Cecil dump a bucket of something on me, just please let me in." Spencer is whining in a panic and the buzzer goes off. She rushes into the building and hurries up the stairs. She can hear the old woman making a fuss in the hallway.
"Damnit Marge I don't know any Ashley…" Spencer's eyes widen in horror as she runs past the floor with the bickering couple and up the last flight of stairs. She knocks on Ashley's door and looks over her shoulder. The clicking of moving locks causes her to jump momentarily.
She sees the brunette and she looks even better than she did this morning. Slightly out of breath Spencer waves to her host. Ashley steps aside to let the blonde in and locks the door behind her.
"Geez, are you okay?" Ashley asks placing a hand on the blonde's shoulder.
Spencer stands up and places two fingers on her neck, checking her pulse. "Man...that was close," Spencer states between breaths. "They almost got me." Spencer swallows some air trying to calm her breathing down. This is not how she expected the night to start...at all.
She looks at Ashley and the girl looks completely confused and slightly horrified.
"Spencer, what is happening?"
"I wouldn't tell anyone in your building your name for a while," Spencer advises as she takes a quick look around the brunette's apartment. There are still some boxes needed to be unpacked, but it looked and felt very warm.
"Why? What did you do?" Ashley's shoulders fell in defeat. She had only been living there for a short time. She's been busy getting herself together she hadn't had the time to introduce herself. Now it seems one late night invitation may make that an impossible occurrence.
"Just trust me okay?" Spencer stares at the brunette with wide eyes trying to the bore the message into Ashley's brain.
"Okay," Ashley says with a slight shrug.
"Hi…" Spencer greets with a gentle bite to her lip.
Ashley breathes out a laugh. "Hey."
They stood silent. The awkward situation Spencer ran out of no longer in her mind as she takes in the beauty of the girl in front of her. They both know why Spencer's there. Hell Spencer banked on it. She almost got beat up by an elderly woman for it. Now is no time for simple pleasantries. She takes a step toward the girl she met at Trader Joe's tugging lightly at the hem of her beater.
"You okay?" Spencer asks softly making sure she isn't crossing any lines. Making sure there are no reservations.
Ashley just nods and licks her lips. Spencer takes the action as an invitation and closes the gap between them. She kisses the brunette softly and fights back the smile that plays at her lips when Ashley releases a gentle moan. Spencer buries her fingers in brown tresses deepening the kiss and takes a tiny step forward as Ashley pulls her closer. She feels Ashley tighten her grip on her waist and she pulls back a little breathless. The marathon up the stairs was a nice warm up. Her lung capacity extended a little bit.
"Spencer...I don't really do this...often, or ever I suppose." Ashley explains trying to string together the right words.
Spencer traces her thumb over the brunette's cheek and gives her a gentle smile. "Me either."
Ashley smiles and closes the gap between them. She pulls back for a second and compliments the blonde. "You taste good."
"It's the mango ice-cream I bought earlier." She explains as she leans in for another kiss.
She's guided by Ashley's motion. The brunette tugs at her late night guest's shirt and Spencer pulls it over her head, haphazardly dropping it on the floor as they make their way to Ashley's bedroom. She takes a look at the blonde's body and her brows rise in surprise at her abs, and the tattoos that canvas her skin. She looks into warm blue eyes and gulps nervously.
"You're not anything like I expected." She confesses silently.
Spencer laughs softly. "You have no idea." She admits, she attempts to commence their activity but Ashley pulls back one last time. She needs to make something clear before the go any further.
"I'm not looking for anything serious…" before she can continue Spencer cuts her off.
"Don't worry Ashley...I don't mind being the rebound."
Alright, that's it for now. Let me know what you think. Your thoughts are kindly appreciated. Until next time. Thanks for reading.