I own no part of SON

Peace and love to all!

She's gorgeous, like she's painfully good looking all blonde hair and blue eyes. And did I mention she's dating the leader of the jocks? This all adds to the hurt of not talking to her. My friends, her friends, they all hate us being around each other. I've tried talking to her but we get interrupted every time.

To make matters worse I can tell she's mad at me or at our situation. She does the same thing she used to do eight years ago, the cold shoulder with a constant frown.

"Ashley, stop staring at her."

Kyla jabs me in the ribs and pulls the headphones away from my ears. She's quick like a ninja.

"I wasn't staring."

We both know I'm lying through my teeth but I don't want to admit how pathetic my life has become. I want to know her again but damn all these high school boundaries. With a sigh I sink my teeth into the apple I brought for breakfast.

"Ash you gotta snap out of this funk. You're becoming boring."

A perfectly executed eye roll is thrown my sister's way. There are many things Ashley Davies is but boring is not one of them. Although I haven't felt like myself in days, really ever since the first time we talked, if you can even call it that.

I really hope Jill decides not to come today. Between her and Madison I'll never get to talk to Spencer. A minute before the bell rings and I haven't seen Jillian or Madison.

There is no way I'm this lucky. Her golden hair is pulled back in a messy pony tail and she's devoid of make up today, this just makes her every prettier.

As she takes off for her locker I toss my half eaten apple at Kyla's head and jog after her, feeling kind of like a dog chasing a car.

"Spencer! Hey, wait up!"

Her stride falters for a second and then she's back to practically sprinting away from me. Jesus this girl should run track. I catch her at her locker and bend over trying to catch my breath. I should really stop smoking.

"What Ashley? I can't really talk."

She's avoiding looking at me and quite frankly it pisses me off.

"Why can't you talk, besides the whole going to class thing?"

Spencer scrambles to shove books in her bag and is making more of a mess then anything else. If I wasn't so mad right now I might find this funny.

"Because I just can't, I want to but Ashley, I just can't…"

Slamming her locker shut she finally looks at me and her eyes have unshed tears shining in them. My hand shoots out and grabs her wrist as kids pass by us oblivious to our heavy conversation.

"Gimme fifteen minutes to just talk to you and then you can ignore me if you want but please don't base your decision on what other people are saying, please."

She licks her lips nervously and her eyes dart from me to the people around us. I know what she's thinking, that people are talking about her and the resident lesbian.

"Fine I'll meet you on the quad at four. I have practice until then, is that ok?"

Her voice gets soft and concerned at the end making me smile. My nod seals the deal and she takes off for class without another word. Well now I'm too jittery to go to class. I think I'll have a smoke on the quad; it is one of my favorite things to do.

It is four o' clock and I can see her walking towards me, a slight sheen of sweat coating her forehead. The quad is deserted and I can already tell she is more comfortable when people aren't around.

"Is there anywhere quiet we can go?"

What she's really asking is if there's anywhere we can go that there is no one around to see us together. She's ashamed of me and she doesn't even know me. The odds are definitely against me.

"Yeah come on."

I watch her try to lug her cheerleading bag over her shoulder but she tangles herself instead. My chuckle makes her frown so I sigh and grab the bag from her, swinging it easily over my shoulder.

Spencer gives a small smile in thanks and follows me to my car. Today is a bad day to have a black car and it's almost impossible to breathe as I strap myself in. The inside of my car smells like smoke and I inwardly curse myself for not cleaning it up before Spencer got in.

It takes only ten minutes for me to drive to my house with the air conditioning blaring and silence wedged between us. The large gate in front creaks open when I punch in the code. Spencer's face is priceless as she gawks at the house and surrounding area.

Ok I keep saying house but to most people it's a mansion. I personally hate this house; it gets so lonely even when someone else is there.

"Wow Ashley this house is incredible."

Her baby blues are wide as she stares at the vast foyer and dining room. I can't help but watch her stare.

"Uh you thirsty or hungry?"

I want us to get out of this house asap because Kyla is going to be here any minute and I don't want to explain her to Spencer. Things need to be kept light this first conversation.

"A water would be nice."

Her voice is quiet almost meek and she moves slowly through the room glancing at all the pictures. As I get her a glass of water I keep looking at her as she smiles at the pictures. I like her smile.

"Here's your water. Let's sit outside."

She takes the glass from my hand and follows me outside. It's hot as hell but we can put our legs in the pool to cool off. Ah shit Kyla's home and swimming in the pool, perfect.

"Ashley oh my God guess what hap…oh why hello?"

Kyla has a huge grin on her face and her eyes meet mine questioningly. Spencer fidgets uncomfortably as I search for something to say.

"Uh Ky this is Spencer, Spencer that's my half sister Kyla."

My sister's eyebrow quirks knowingly and Spencer's mouth falls open in shock. The three of us stand there awkwardly until Kyla lifts herself out of the pool.

"Well you two have fun. Ash, call me later, Spencer nice to finally meet you."

Spencer stares after my sister with this adorable confused head tilt and I just go sit down next to the pool. This is not going the way I imagined it happening at all.

My nerves are getting the best of me as I pull out a cigarette and slip my sunglasses on my face.

"I can't believe you smoke now."

She sits next to me and let's out a deep sigh when her legs hit the cool water of the pool. A soft smile plays on her face and she closes her eyes, this is the most relaxed I've seen her, ever.

"Ha out of all the things I'm sure you've heard, the fact that I smoke is the most surprising?"

She blushes at my teasing smile and ducks her head down.

"Well…no, I guess it's not."

A radio from somewhere in the house starts blaring Britney Spears and Kyla's voice can be heard screaming the lyrics. Dear God the girl is crazy.

"So, I'm guessing you have a lot of questions for me? Or do you just want to sit here and tell me what I'm feeling again?"

Spencer cringes and bites her lip keeping her eyes away from me. I don't mean to sound so mad but it definitely comes out that way, she's not the only one harboring negative emotions.

"Ashley, I am so sorry I was drunk and mad at my boyfriend so I guess I took it out on you, although I am mad at you, a little."

One, love the way she says my name. Two, hate the way she says 'my boyfriend'.

"Alright apology accepted. How about this, we'll play a little game get to know each other better. We take turns asking questions and you get three passes, if you don't wanna answer just say pass and you can't ask the same question twice. Whatcha think?"

She's giving me a small smile with a far away look on her face and I know she's in some distant memory of us. How do I know you ask? I go there all the time too.

"Ok sounds fair. I'll start then. What's with the half sister?"

I can't help but grin. I knew she'd ask about Ky, I mean who wouldn't?

"Right when my dad found out my mom was pregnant with me he freaked out and cheated, just once but that was all it took. So he ended up fathering two children within a few months of each other. Ky is about two months younger than me."

Spencer has that disbelieving look on her face and I can see her trying to process all of this. I scoot a little closer to her and am pleasantly surprised when I can smell her coconut shampoo.

"Wow that must have been hard on you."

A lazy shrug is my answer and I flick my cigarette out into the yard, Spencer giving a disgusted look at the cancer stick.

"Yeah, ok my turn."

My head is whirling with questions and it's hard to focus enough to just pick one. Plus her shampoo is distracting me from coherent thoughts.

"Ashley, hello? Anybody home?"

I should really learn how to focus. I can feel my cheeks burn and it's not from the sun beating down on us.

"Oops sorry. Ok let's see…ooo were you a cheerleader back in Ohio?"

Now we are sitting close enough that our arms brush and a trail of goosebumps breaks out across my skin. Spencer gives a musical laugh and flips the hair out of her face.

"Uh no. My mother though it would be a good way to make friends."

I can't help but scoff and pull out another cigarette.

"Yeah the wrong kind of friends."

Spencer rips the cigarette out of my hand and throws it in the pool.

"You know from what I've heard you're the kind of person I shouldn't be friends with! There's nothing wrong with who I'm friends with!"

She must be bi-polar because we were laughing and getting along one moment then the next she's screaming at me and storming out of my house. Now she's gone and I sit by the pool until the sun starts to set, my mind trying to figure out what just happened.

The sound of Kyla approaching gets my attention.

"Damn Ash, what did you do to her?"

That's a very good freaking question?

Thanks again! You are all amazing.

xoxo