Chapter 4
The sidewalk was lined with cars of all sorts. Spencer walked as casually as she could feeling anxious. Her vision was solely focused on one person, her eyes saw nothing else. The mystery man who had gone up stairs with Ashley and Glen stood inches away from her. His hands gripped tightly onto her upper arms, his voice low, but as Spencer neared them she could hear the anger in his tone. "Hey, Ash." Her voice was friendly as she addressed her friend. The brunette's head snapped to the left and she met frightened brown eyes.
Spencer didn't know the situation or the angry man, but that didn't stop her jaw from clenching. Her blue eyes turned to the man's and her own anger flared up inside, expressing in the scowl she greeted him with. "Is there a problem?" Her voice was cold, impatient.
She watched his hands fall from her friend's body as he took a step back. Without hesitating, she gently urged Ashley into her own. Her arms enveloped the smaller girl in a warm embrace, her eyes stayed on his as she felt Ashley's arms tighten around her. Discomfort masked his face, without another word he left. Blue eyes closed, she could feel Ashley's warm breath against her neck, her anger slowly started to fade.
The fear in Ashley's eyes brought back horrible memories. She looked like a frightened little girl, the same little girl that made her heart ache. The blonde wanted to ask questions, but she didn't. Ashley would talk if she wanted to, if not, it was none of her business. "Ashley?" The blonde whispered realizing the body in her arms had gone limp. The softness in her friend's breathing told her she had fallen asleep.
With some brief maneuvering, Spencer managed to support both her legs with one arm, and with the other, supported her upper back. The same way a husband would carry his new wife over a threshold. "Wrap your arms around my neck, Ash." She stared down at the brunette's face, for a moment, brown eyes opened and stared up at her. The brunette was light and easy to carry, which didn't surprise the strong athlete. She had lost some weight since freshman year. The disorientation in her eyes told her the reason. Of course, she knew the cause of her weight loss before tonight. "Wrap your arms around my neck." She repeated softly. The brunette did so and she spent the next ten minutes trying to find her dark gray Porsche.
To her relief, the car was unlocked and she had no trouble getting Ashley settled in the passenger seat. Her eyes scanned the brunette's outfit. She had changed clothes since going into the room with Glen and the other guy. She now wore a skimpy low cut black dress with big tears in the middle, showing off her flat stomach and the barest hint of a lace bra underneath. "Damn." She muttered knowing Glen must have the keys to the Porsche.
Spencer closed the car door and rushed back to the party. She pushed past people, apologizing with every other step, and frantically looked around for her twin brother. The idea of Ashley being alone, high out of her mind in the car made her nervous. There was no telling what she would do if she woke up. And then she thought of the mystery man. What if he were to find and take advantage of her again.
"Who are you looking for?" The blonde spun around and was greeted by Aiden's curious expression. "Have you seen Glen?" She asked near her tall friend's ear.
Spencer pulled back and watched him shake his head no. "What do you need him for?" He asked sipping a long white straw from the coke in his hand.
The blonde took Aiden's free hand and led him out the front door where it was quieter. He stood on the front porch watching her with a mixture of concern and amusement. "Long story short, Ashley's sitting passed out in her Porsche and Glen has the keys so I can't drive her home."
Aiden sighed deeply. He didn't approve of her friendship with Ashley and constantly preached how bad of an influence she was.
"Honey, that's one cracked out Barbie you need to let go of. She's going to end up dying of AIDS before graduating high school."
"I need to find Glen." She responded flatly, Aiden's words deaf to her ears. "Since Ashley was his ride can you do me a favor and give him a lift back to my place?"
Aiden couldn't deny her a thing. Despite his strong feelings toward the brunette, he agreed and then turned his head. "There's Glen."
Spencer followed his stare and sure enough saw her twin brother. "Tell him to find me when he's ready to leave." She nodded and briefly hugged her taller friend.
The blonde's twin stood near the backyard fence talking to a couple of guys his age. Glen Carlin was her brother and still lived at home but she didn't know more than the basics of his life. They had some of the same friends but hardly ever hung out. He was always too busy with Ashley. Not that she was complaining. He wasn't a fun person to be around.
Spencer casually strolled up to her brother, stopping directly at his side. He turned his head and regarded her with confusion. "Can I help you with something?" He finally asked in a tone that told her she was interrupting something important.
She briefly looked at her brother's company. They were both tall, blonde clean cut looking guys. She recognized them immediately. They were two of the school's best wrestlers. "I need Ashley's keys." She answered making eye contact.
"Is Ashley going somewhere?" One of the guys asked sounding nervous and confused. "That's cool, I mean I guess we can schedule something some other time-"
"Ashley's not going anywhere." Her brother cut him off.
"Ashley's sick and I'm taking her home." Spencer didn't understand the angry look Glen shot her. It didn't scare her. She didn't care what her brother had planned. Ashley needed to go home and sleep, not stay up and do more drugs with Glen and whoever else. "May I please have her keys?"
"Give Phoenix the keys." She looked at the other tall blonde. "Give the girl some rest and I'll holla at you tomorrow and see what's up."
"She'll feel better tomorrow." Glen reassured with a confident smile. "She just partied a little too hard. You know how that goes."
Both boys smiled and gave a slight nod. "We'll call around noon." They looked at her and complimented her game before walking away.
"Here." Glen pulled out a set of key from his left pocket and handed them over to her. "Are you picking me up after you drop her off? I don't feel like leaving right now."
A pang of anger shot through her as she gazed into her brother's face. He had been dating Ashley for over 4 years now and still showed little concern when it came to her health, both physical and mental. "Aiden's giving you a ride. Just text him when you're ready to leave." Glen opened his mouth, ready to say something else, but she didn't want to hear it. "I have to go. Ashley's passed out in the car."
The blonde walked away from her brother feeling aggravated and disgusted. Glen was terrible for Ashley and she never enjoyed seeing them together. It was harder when they first started dating. She wanted to ignore the brunette's existence, but loved her too much to ever go through with it.
Even now, when they hardly saw each other outside of school, the urge to hurry back to her was overwhelming. She feared for her safety more than anything, even her own emotions.
Slipping inside the car, she was relieved to see Ashley fast asleep in the passenger seat. She reached over for the brunette's seat belt and paused when her friend woke up, her eyes wide with fear, "Wha…who.." Spencer's face was inches away from hers in the dark car. "It's just me. Don't be scared." She buckled the brunette in and then settled back into her seat.
Ashley in her disoriented state began looking around the car. "I don't want to see her. I can't see her. Spenny, don't take me to her. Please, don't take me to her. Don't ever take me to her, Spenny. Please."
Spencer fought the urge to take the brunette in her arms once again. The fear in her glazed eyes, she knew where it came from, who caused it and she wanted more than anything to make it go away, something she wanted for years now. "We're going to my house." The blonde turned her head and started the car. "There's nothing to worry about." She reached out and held one of Ashley's hands.
Despite the high price of the car, Spencer found it easy to maneuver through the empty streets of L.A. It was her first time behind the wheel of the gray Porsche. The car originally belonged to Ashley's father and then became hers after he died. Ashley was never the same after his death, and then the events that followed only added onto her anguish. Sometimes the blonde didn't blame her for turning to drugs. On the other hand, she always hated not being enough for the brunette to turn to.
She was always there for Ashley growing up as little kids and the brunette had no problems confiding in her, and then her father died and she became distant. After her and Glen started dating Spencer didn't spend as much time with Ashley as she should have being her best friend. But was that really her fault? Ashley was the one doing drugs while she was busy studying or practicing for her next game. They started to completely drift apart in 8th grade, their lives going in opposite directions. Glen would often bring Ashley over to the house, but Spencer never wanted to see them together, she would think of any excuse to leave and go.
Despite everything, the blonde always considered Ashley her best friend. She could never throw her away like a lot of their other friends. The brunette would always have a part of her heart, even if it hurt at times.
The Porsche slowly pulled to a stop reaching the Carlin's driveway. Her parent's Buick Rendezvous was parked at a dock somewhere. Paula and Arthur were on a cruise celebrating their 18th year wedding anniversary. Spencer missed her parents but was happy they were taking some time alone together. Lately they'd been at each other's throat. The cruise would do them some good.
Spencer turned the Porsche off and melted back into the black leather. She turned her head. Ashley was fast asleep, her head resting against the window as her soft breaths filled the silence of the car. She couldn't remember the last time she watched her friend sleep. She knew it was sometime before her and Glen started dating. Too long, she reasoned and leaned over to unbuckle Ashley's seat belt.
The brunette's head jerked up, her eyes wide as they gazed into blue. "Spenny?" She murmured, her eye lids beginning to droop as a grin made its way onto her lips. "Spenny." Her arms loosely draped themselves around her neck. "I looooove you, Spenny." Her words came out slurred as her head lulled back, and then immediately jerked back up. Ashley began chuckling, her arms sliding off her body. "I'm so fucked." She groaned as her head fell back against the seat.
Watching brown eyes close, Spencer moved away from the brunette and climbed out of the car. She walked around the Porsche and stopped at Ashley's side. Opening the door, she caught the brunette before she could fall out of the car. "Up you go." She murmured tucking her arms under the brunette's body, she managed to safely get her out of the car. Carrying Ashley, she kicked the door closed and walked up to the house.
With some maneuvering, she managed to turn the front door knob without releasing Ashley from her arms. The Carlin's hardly ever locked the door knowing the big dog living inside would protect the house from any intruders.
"Hey, boy." She greeted the large white German shepherd lounging lazily on the couch. His head came up for a second and then dropped back down as she left the room, heading up the staircase.
Spencer entered the dark bedroom and placed Ashley down on the edge of the bed. She lowered her upper body onto the mattress, her legs dangling off the edge, Ashley's eyes twitched but stayed closed.
The blonde kneeled down and began unbuckling her expensive black heels, taking them off, she placed them aside and then stood back up. Blue eyes examined the girl sprawled across the bed sheets. The black dress was far too tight to sleep in. Spencer sat the brunette up and began unzipping the back of the black material.
Ashley's eyes opened, unfocused and wild, she started kicking and flailing in Spencer's arms, screaming 'No,' at the top of her lungs. Straddling Ashley's hips, the blonde grabbed both her wrists and pinned them above her head. "Calm down, Ash. It's just me. It's just me, Ashley. Calm down. It's just Spencer, Honey. It's just Spencer."
Brown eyes connected with blue and the brunette slowly started to relax, Spencer hovered over her, their noses a hair's breath away from contact, the blonde released her wrists and attempted to get off her friend but was stopped by the arms encircling her neck. "I'm sorry, Spenny." Gentle fingertips began stroking the soft skin behind her neck. "I thought you were someone else."
"You don't have to apologize." She reassured feeling the brunette's hands wander down the length of her body.
"You look good on top of me." Ashley smiled, her fingers running up and down her spine. "I've missed you, Spenny." She added in a low murmur. "We used to be so close…I miss us."
Sincerity pooled in the brown eyes staring up at her, Spencer refused to question the honesty in Ashley's words. She believed them, ignoring the fact her friend was high, she believed Ashley missed her just as much as she missed Ashley. "I miss us too." She replied in a voice soaked with emotion.
"Don't cry, Spenny.." The brunette smiled. "You'll have me crying just as hard." She added in a much softer voice.
She tried to muster up a smile but found it impossible. The party came to mind, their dance came to mind, she didn't want to feel like that again. She feared those feelings. "I'll put a smile on that face." She felt fingers move under her shirt, they began tickling her naked sides. Spencer immediately broke out in laughter and rolled off her friend, landing on her back, she laughed harder as Ashley straddled her hips and began an assault on her ribs.
The fingers finally came to halt after a minute of pleading. Spencer's breaths were ragged from laughter, her eyes slightly hooded as she stared up at her best friend. "You look better underneath me." Ashley smirked pulling her shirt down over her exposed abdomen.
The smile slowly started to disappear. Blue eyes watched, surprised, as the brunette moved off her body and hurried out of the bedroom. She could hear her in the bathroom emptying the contents of her stomach.
Spencer quickly got out of bed and entered the bathroom, kneeling down next to her friend. She kept wavy curls out of her face with one hand and used the other to soothingly rub her back as violent wracks assaulted her petite frame. "Fuck," Ashley groaned as she reached up to flush the toilet.
Spencer stood up and poured a bit of Listerine into the bottle's large black cap. She remembered Ashley telling her how her father used to take care of her when she was sick. He would make her rinse her mouth out with Listerine, drink a bit of water, and have a couple bites of toast.
The blonde kneeled down and offered the brunette the Listerine. She immediately poured it into her mouth. Spencer helped her stand up and they walked over to the sink. The brunette spit the Listerine out and cupped a handful of water.
"I'm sorry." Ashley softly said as they walked back to the bedroom. "You don't deserve my bullshit."
"Don't worry about it." Spencer moved behind her and unzipped the black dress. "I like taking care of you." She pulled the tight garment down her friend's body. She watched Ashley step out of the black dress and then walked her to the bed.
She sat on the edge wearing a lace bra and matching panties. "I'll give you some pajamas to throw over that." Digging in her dresser, she pulled out a plain white t shirt and black snoopy pajama pants. She handed them to Ashley and then grabbed her own sleeping attire.
"I'll be right back." She told the brunette before leaving the room and then headed to the bathroom. After changing into a faded pink tank top and gray Old navy pajama pants, the blonde headed downstairs to the kitchen. She filled two glasses with water and then brought them back up to her room.
Wearing the shirt and pajama pants, Ashley lied on her stomach in the middle of the bed. Her head was turned towards her, Spencer could tell she was having a hard time keeping her eyes open. "Will you hold me while I sleep?" Her voice was low, exhausted.
Spencer placed the glasses down on the dresser and approached the bed. She lowered herself onto the sheets next to Ashley. Lying on her back, the brunette snuggled up to her, her long curls sprawled over her chest as she rested her head above Spencer's left breast. Reaching down, the blonde pulled the covers up over their tired bodies. "How's that?" She asked running her fingers through flawless brown waves.
"Perfect." Ashley murmured as she began massaging her scalp, luring the brunette into a deep sleep.
"Sweet dreams, Ashley." The blonde whispered closing her blue eyes, a soft smile unconsciously shaping her lips as she felt tanned arms tighten around her.