Chapter 3
One Week Later
Spencer awakes to the sound of birds chirping outside her bedroom window. She can't sleep in today, because thoughts of Emily's safety and Ben's court trial next month rattle her brain. As soon as Spencer's mother got home from work later tonight, Spencer would tell Veronica what the doctor told her, and beg her mom to help take the case and testify against Ben. The stubborn lawyer's daughter will do whatever it takes to make sure that the scumbag gets punished for hurting Emily. Spencer can't get any justice without a proper breakfast though, so she decides to stumble tiredly into the kitchen, in search of cereal. As she eats, Spencer thinks of Emily, who is still sound asleep in the guest bedroom across from her own. After Emily's mom left to visit her dad in Texas, arrangements were made for Emily to temporarily stay with the Hastings. She'd gotten all of her needed personal items into the spare room a day before her mom left. Mrs. Fields was probably already in Texas the day that the incident happened to her daughter.
Spencer couldn't help but think that this whole thing might be easier if Mrs. Fields was here. Emily has suffered a lot this past week, and her mother's presence might help her. Then again, the brunette thought, it might make things harder. Spencer was really starting to dread the day she would have to tell Mrs. Fields that she's in love with Emily. It was hard enough for Emily 'come out' to her mom as a lesbian last year .Mrs. Fields was on the verge of a breakdown. Spencer also remembers how much trouble the woman had excepting Maya, and how relieved she seemed when her daughter broke up with the girl. Would Spencer have to deal with the same scrutiny and tension from Emily's mom that Maya did? She hoped not. The over-achieving, super smart Hastings child can't deal with being hated. Spencer needs everyone to like her, that's just how she is.
Just as Spencer finished her cereal and dropped the bowl in the sink, a groggy Emily walked slowly down the steps and into the kitchen. Spencer smiled when she saw her. "Good Morning Em. Did you sleep alright, babe?" The brunette asked. "Yeah, pretty well. The nightmares are finally stopping." The tan girl answered, just before yawning. "That's great, love." Spencer answered, happily. It would be a long road till Emily fully recovered from the trauma, but less nightmares are a good sign. Just then, Emily leaned in to place a soft kiss on Spencer's lips. It surprised the other girl that Emily would be the one to initiate the contact, after all she's been through. Spencer figured Emily was just trying to find real love, however, and was more than happy to give it to her. After Spencer lightly returned the kiss and the two pulled away, time seemed to freeze. The two girls stood still, staring dreamily into each others' eyes. Emily was the one to break the trance when the beep of a car horn sounded outside.
"Oh, Um.. I guess I should go upstairs and make my bed." The tan girl suggested. As she turned to walk away, Spencer placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. "Wait Em, I'll take care of that." Spencer said, as she gestured toward the living room couch. "Come sit with me?" Emily obliged, smiling. Once they sat, Emily spoke. "So Spence…are we going to school today?" The brunette noticed nervousness in the other girl's tone as she asked. This morning would be everyone's first day back after spring break, and there would probably be a lot of crazy vacation stories. Spencer sighed. None of those other kids went through what my Emily did. They probably all had a care-free break. It's not fair. Spencer thought to herself. She moved a little closer to Emily at that moment, putting a loving arm behind her back. "We don't have to go… if you don't feel up to it." The brunette offered. "I don't think I can do it yet, babe.. I.. I'm not ready to face everyone... please, can we just stay home?" Emily pleaded. The brokenness in her tone threatened to bring Spencer to tears. The brunette leaned in to kiss Emily's cheek. "Oh, baby, of course we can." The tan girl rested her head on Spencer's chest. "Thank you. I love you." Emily answered, sounding relieved. Spencer smiled, enjoying the feeling of Emily curled up with her. "I love you too." The brunette cooed.
"Spence…?" Emily called, just as Spencer thought both of them were about to fall asleep. "Hmm..?" Spencer answered. "When did you first start loving me?" Emily asked. Spencer almost instantly came out of her sleepy state. She knew what her answer would be. "Well, do you remember that night, the summer of seventh grade? You kissed Ali when you thought the rest of us were asleep in the barn. I'd woken up just long enough to see you guys in the dark. I was so jealous." Spencer told her, trying to stifle a grin. "Really, you saw us?" Emily asked, slight embarrassment in her tone. "Yeah. I guess that was the night I admitted to myself that I was in love with you. I never thought you'd feel the same way." Spencer confessed. "Well, babe, I do feel the same way. Ali never loved me the way I thought I loved her. Thank you for giving me what she never could." Emily said, kissing Spencer softly on the lips once more.
When they pulled away, Spencer smiled. "If only you could see what I see, Em. Then you'd know that you deserve the world." Emily snuggled tighter into the brunette's body. "You're amazing , Spence." She said. The slightly shorter girl offered a somewhat sleepy reply. "Ah, but that's you, my love." And even though it was morning and the two girls had woken not long ago, they couldn't resist the urge to snuggle in each other's arms once again. It felt like the millionth time they'd found themselves this way, but neither of them minded at all.
Later That Day
Spencer found herself doing research on her laptop while Emily still slept on the couch. The brunette knew that the ordeal had taken a lot of emotional energy out of her girlfriend, and Spencer guessed that this was why Emily needed so much rest. Spencer, though, was now trying to find information on the security cameras that guarded the community center. If she could locate surveillance equipment, maybe there was a chance that Ben was caught walking into the building. Even though it was highly doubtful that Spencer would be able to catch the scumbag in the act-there were no cameras in the actual locker room—there may be something at the building's entrance itself. If her mom came home tonight, and didn't agree to help testify, at least Spencer would have surveillance tapes to take to court. Aha! The brunette cooed to herself as she found a contact number on the community center's website.
"Rosewood Community Center, may I help you?" A voice answered on the other end of the phone. "Yes, my friend was the victim of the recent rape that may have taken place in your building, I'm sure you've heard." Spencer said, as she walked up the stairs to her bedroom and closed the door. She didn't want Emily to be awakened again by the phone call. The tension of investigation was more than the dark-haired girl needed to be put through right now. "Oh, right. I'm so sorry. The suspect is in police custody right now, isn't he?" The male voice questioned again, showing a genuine concern in his tone. "Yes, he is. His innocence or guilt will be decided in court next month. I was calling to see if you might have any security record of the suspect on your premises?" Spencer inquired, hopefully. The man on the other end of the line seemed to consider something before speaking, because he sighed into the phone. "Well, we have tapes, but I'm afraid I can't let you see them unless you're a legal part of the investigation. What's your name?"
Spencer took a deep breath in, glancing over at a picture on her night stand. It was a picture of her sitting at her mother's law office when she was about nine-years-old, it had been take-your-child-to-work-day. She'd always enjoyed law. Turning her head away from the photo, the brunette spoke into the phone. Her voice was as disguised as she could make it. "My name is Veronica Hastings, Prosecuting Attorney in the investigation." Spencer lied, her voice almost perfectly matching her mother's. The man recognized the name right away. "Yes, come on down to the center, we'll show you the tapes." The man instructed her. Spencer agreed and hung up, not knowing what the meeting would bring. Walking back down stairs, she grabbed her keys and kissed her still sleeping girlfriend on the forehead, just before swiftly sprinting out the door.