Chapter 7

A/N:

Hey, everyone. Sorry for the slight delay. I've been sick for the last few days. I appreciate the patience. Anyways, so, Creeper? Let's just say things are about to get kind of crazy in the next few chapters. Creeper gets pretty evil, more so than he/she already is. Enjoy!

Ashley's POV:

"So…why?" I ask her, after about 2 minutes of deafening silence.

She gets a pained look on her face and sighs heavily. "I…don't even…I mean, I don't really…um…have an excuse. N-not one that would be…s-satisfactory, anyways. I had…all these emotions…running through me, and I just…freaked. I'd just…buried Clay…and I needed…I HAD to get out of here…I wanted to ask you…to um…to come with…but…I couldn't f-find you, Ashley. I…I looked for you for over an hour…and I couldn't find you." She says, shaking like a leaf.

"So, why didn't you freaking call me? In 3 years you didn't call me one god damned time, Spencer." I say, angrily.

She sighs and in a whisper says, "I thought that after leaving the way I did…that you would hang up on me…I probably picked up my phone a million and one times…w-with the intention of calling you…but I al-always got scared and hung up…I'm a pretty shitty best friend. I can't change anything. But, I can apologize. I can d-do things now…to make up for what I d-did."

"So many nights I laid there, crying in bed. And for what? Because you were a chicken shit? I…don't know if you CAN make up for it. But, look…there's some things I need to tell you. Things I should have told you years ago…things that probably would have stopped you from leaving…me." I say.

"I…I have something to tell you as well. But…please…you go first." She says, I can tell that she's on the verge of crying and just want to hold her…but this needs to be done.

I take a deep breath and finally begin to tell her how I feel about her, "I…um…I, fuck! I have…uh…been in…l-love. Fuck, I can't do this." I say, sighing. "Fuck it…just say it, Ash." I add as she looks at me expectantly. I look straight into her eyes and say, "I have been in love with you for so long…so long. I'm STILL in love with you, and I'll ALWAYS BE in love with you." I rush out, shaking like a leaf.

By now, her tears are rolling and it's taking everything in me not to make them stop. I don't want to be mad at her anymore. But, I'm still so angry. "Ash, I…oh, wow…I'm in love with you too. I always have been." She replies, meeting my eyes with hope since the first time she's been back.

"Oh, Spence." I say, taking her face in my hands and wiping her tears away. "Things are so fucked up right now. I'm still so mad at you. But a larger part of me just wants to grab you and kiss you. Hearing you say those words…" I say, sighing.

"So, yell and scream. Tell me that you hate me. If that's what you need to do to get passed what I did, then please, do it." She says with a sad smile.

"You don't get to tell me how to deal with this, Spencer." I say, getting angry.

"That's not what I…" She began saying before I cut her off. "Just shut up. Shut the fuck up, SPENCER. You know what? I do fucking hate you. I can't fucking believe you left me here like that…without saying one FUCKING word! Not one! Why? What did I do to deserve that? I thought I was your best friend. 3 fucking years! And then all the sudden you're back? Why now? Why here? Why? Just tell me fucking why?!" I yell, breaking down. I notice that she is crying heavily as well.

"I don't know, Ashley…if I could answer that I would. I ask myself the same fucking question every damned day!" she says, tears streaming down her face.

"Well, when you figure it out, let me know. Until then? STAY. THE. FUCK. AWAY. FROM. ME! Understood?" I practically scream, glaring at her. Her eyes go wide and all she can do is nod her head before she gets up off the couch and runs upstairs. I sigh and my heart feels very heavy. I think I was a little too mean. I hear her bedroom door slam and hang my head. This was supposed to make me feel better. It really freaking didn't.

Spencer's POV:

Holy fuck, that was brutal. I run upstairs and slam the door on accident. I am crying so hard that I can't catch my breath, so I decide to sit on the bed and take some deep breaths. That's when I remember that I had been charging my phone since last night. I pick it up and it reads 15 new messages. 10 of them are from the creeper, 3 are from my mom, and 2 are from Glenn. I decide to read Glenn's first.

Glenn:

Hey, baby sister. So, I heard you're back in La La Land. Call me, we need to get together.

Glenn:

Spencer? Come on, get back to me.

Me:

Hey, brother. Yes, I'm back. Okay. Text me with a time and place.

Then I read my Mom's.

Mom:

Spencer?

Mom:

Spencer? Answer me, young lady.

Mom:

Okay, seriously? Spencer? Answer me.

Me:

Hey, Mama. Sorry it took so long to get back to you. I've just been trying to get settled in before school starts. Everything is okay out here. I love you.

I decide to read the texts from the creeper.

Unknown:

Blondie?

Unknown:

Where are ya, Blondie? I know you haven't left the house.

Unknown:

You ignoring me?

Unknown:

You'll regret it if you are. Believe that.

Unknown:

Oh, Spencer. You are only making this worse on yourself.

Unknown:

If I were you, I'd answer me, you little bitch.

Unknown:

When I get my hands on you…

Unknown:

You think you're scared now? Just wait.

Unknown:

Answer me! You fucking cunt!

Unknown:

Okay, keep playing. Hahahaha. Keep playing.

As I read them, I get more and more terrified. With shaking hands I answer.

Me:

I'm here, okay? My phone was charging and I fell asleep downstairs.

Unknown:

Ah, good girl.

Me:

Yeah…please, tell me what you want from me? You're scaring the shit out of me.

Unknown:

I told you already, you'll find out soon enough. I'm scaring you? That's part of the plan, honey.

I can't take any more of this. I throw on my athletic wear and make my way downstairs. I go into the kitchen and see Ashley there, doing the dishes. "'Scuse me, just…grabbing a water…see ya." I say, grabbing a bottle of water. I hear her say, "Yeah, I hope not…" then she sighs and begins saying, "Spencer…wai…" but I'm already gone, so I don't hear the rest. I go out the front door and decide to jog to the top of Runyon Canyon.

After about an hour, I'm almost to the top. I decide to sit for a second to catch my breath. I check my phone. I have 2 new messages. 1 from creeper and 1 from Kyla. I read hers first.

Kyla:

Hey, where are you? Is everything okay? Ashley told me about 'the talk' and then told me that you ran upstairs, got dressed in running clothes, and have been gone ever since.

Me:

I'm okay, I guess. It was pretty harsh. But, she's not the only reason I took a run. I had 10 very threatening messages from Creeper. So, I just…needed to run.

Kyla:

Wait, you get 10 threatening messages and then go out alone? Spencer, that makes no sense. You're like a sitting duck!

Me:

It made sense at the time. I'll be home soon, okay?

I check creeper's message.

Unknown:

Out for a run, Blondie? Runyon Canyon may be heavy in traffic, but it won't stop me from what I've got planned.

Me:

Why don't you just do whatever it is you're planning already?

Unknown:

Hahaha, okay. If you insist.