Holy crap! Hey guys! Thanks for the comments! I didn't know so many people read my story!
Xxmaryjanexx – I know what you mean about the whole dragging out the angst stuff until its unbearably boring. And Never Fear! I'm-not-so-found-of-there-being-too-much-angst-either girl is here! And thanks for the review and I'm not planning on abandoning it anytime soon, it's the only thing I have to do other than sports and school…and video games. Don't judge me.
grangergirl22 – yeah I know its awkward but it had to be in there for the next chapter and the next chapter and the next chapter...basically just by putting that little kiss in there, not only did I save myself a TON of planning and figuring things out, but I saved the plot line as well. Go me!
Shantaclair – Glad you like it! I've got a few ideas about how Madison is going to run things when Spencer and Ashley get back to school…you'll probably hate the part of me that dreamt up this Madison but I'm protected by the interwebs…not really but you know.
...Voice – God is everyone on this site physic? What is this man! CONSPERACY THEORY! Kidding but You might want to take a few steps back from your computer screen. Just for the safety of your machine. Glad you like it!
Slushhy – Yeah I've been tempted to send Aiden off a cliff a couple times…or mauled by a bear or eaten by zombies. I think that making Aiden homophobic makes more sense because it causes more drama between Ashley, Spencer and him. Especially if he loses Ashley to her. Your mind can rest at ease my friend, there will be no hetero action in this story, even if there is it wont be described in great detail. Or any detail. Not hating on hetero peeps...you know i love you.
Sarah1124 – Yeah but don't worry. Spencer wont be so sad soon enough.
Oh! I also had some ideas that I'd like your guys' thoughts on. Seeing as I listen to music while writing and my mind sees what I write as a movie how would you guys like it if I had "Music Chapters"? Like I'd write one scene and add music lyrics between the actual story? Kind of like a music video I guess but in your head...anyway I'm rambling but just tell me what you think!
Anyway without further non-sense Chapter 7:
Ashley's POV:
After an hour of packing, Aiden and I were on the road. He'd gotten so excited about it when I'd told him he offered to drive. I willing gave it up. My mind was too crazy with thoughts to even focus on driving and who knows, maybe I'd run us off a cliff and save us both some pain. I know what you're thinking, "Ashley stop being so homicidally depressed and dramatic and have fun with your boyfriend blah blah blah nag nag nag" But you don't understand. I know that I'm hurting Spencer by pretending to be someone I'm not and my whole "Lets spontaneously kiss" trip probably just made everything worse. But then again IF and only IF I decide to leave Aiden it'll hurt him more than anything. I just don't know who or what I want anymore.
After 4 hours of driving we finally arrived at my mansion of a log cabin, it didn't have a lake or whatever in front of it but who needs one? Aiden suggested that we could watch a movie on the giant LCD TV in the living room but I just wanted to sleep. He obliged, whatever I wanted...as always. And as we laid there in the master bedroom on the king sized bed I quickly fell asleep and had possibly the most disorientating dream of my entire life. It was nothing like "oh I woke up on the moon" kind of thing more like "I woke up with someone who wasn't there when I went to sleep" and you're running but you can't get away kind of dreams.
I was still laying in the bed and I felt the bed shift next to me. I figured that it must be Aiden getting out but instead butterfly light finger tips brushed strands of hair from my face. Wait a second, Aiden? I opened my eyes and found myself to be completely wrong. I looked up at the beautiful girl who had taken the place of my boyfriend.
"Spencer?" I breathed and she just smiled, gently stroking my cheek with the back of her fingers. I instinctually leaned into her hand, wanting the silky smooth skin closer to me. She caught my face in her hands and gently lowered me back down to the bed and leaned towards me, her face only inches from mine. I prepared for the kiss, my heart hammering with excitement and my stomach filled with butterflies. But just before her lips touched mine she evaporated into thin air, taking her warm scent and caring touch with her. I looked around and jumped as the door to the bedroom swung open and hit the wall with a loud BANG.
There, in the shadow, stood Aiden. He just stood there as still as a statue, his muscles tensed and his jaw tight it looked like he had his eyes closed.
"Aiden?" I asked now really confused. His eyes snapped open and they were terrifying. They were a bright glowing red and he lunged for me, his fingers were hooked claws and his teeth had extended into what looked like a dog's. I screamed and rolled out of bed, dodging the monster by inches. Aiden got a mouth full of pillows as I ran out the back door and towards the dirt road. Madison appeared out of nowhere and stopped me
"I knew you and that little queer were lovers!" I ran around her hearing the window shatter as Aiden threw himself out of the bedroom and came after me again. I could see Spencer walking away from me, at a slow pace and she seemed to be crying
"SPENCER!" I screamed at the top of my lungs and ran faster. But no matter how fast I ran Spencer seemed to get farther and farther away. I glanced over my shoulder and noticed that both Madison and Aiden were directly behind me. Aiden's face twisted with a devilish smirk as he launched through the air, his claws and teeth gleaming in the lights. His hand came back over his head the razor claws prepared to strike and—
I shot up in the bed and inhaled a gasp of air, feeling my eyes stinging with unshed tears that had finally escaped and poured down my cheeks. I covered my mouth with one had and laid down again trying not to wake the sleeping form beside me with my broken sobs. I wanted Spencer there. I wanted her there to hold me and tell me it was going to be ok. I didn't want Aiden. I didn't want to be someone who I'm not. I needed to feel like I belong. And as I looked over at Aiden, sound asleep beside me, I knew that he wasn't the one who would make me feel that way. He wanted me to be like him. He wanted me to agree with what he said and do what he wanted.
Sure he said he loved me everyday but I never said it back to him. I've never said those three little words to anyone in my entire life. Not Aiden, not my mother or even my father. I sat up and pushed myself out of the bed, backing away from Aiden like he would turn into the monster from my nightmare. I went into the living room and picked up the phone…I don't know why. I just wanted so badly to call Spencer, I wanted to tell her…God I don't know. I just really wanted to talk to her. I just stared at the phone for a few moments before hitting the operator button. I told them all of Spencer's info and finally I heard the ringing of a phone on the other end of the line. I'd managed to get her Cell number.
"come on Spence." I said playing with the hem of my shirt and looking out the window at the trees as they danced in the wind. The phone rang and rang and rang.
"Hello?" a voice answered but it wasn't Spencer
"Clay? It's Ashley—"
"I know who it is." He growled, sounding supremely pissed off. I was caught off guard, When I'd met Clay he was really nice and very happy…but now he sounded like he'd rather kill me than talk.
"Oh um is Spencer there?"
"Yes." He said his tone was curt but not exactly rude. "She's here." I was quiet for a few moments. I knew what was coming and I felt incredibly awkward
"Can I….talk to her?"
"No." Click. Scratch that, I didn't know he'd hang up on me. I just looked at the phone before putting it back on the cradle. He actually hung up on me. I stared at the phone in wonder and couldn't help but wonder what Spencer was doing at that very moment.
Spencer's POV:
I took the phone back from Clay and looked at it for a second. Chelsea rubbed my arm comfortingly from where she sat feeding Theresa.
"thanks Clay" I murmured and looked at the shiny pink black berry in my hands.
"No problem Spence. It's what brothers are for right?"
"aw it'll be ok sweetie" Chelsea cooed as she tried to get Terry to eat her food, the toddler wasn't going to have any of that. She sat in her booster chair, arms crossed over her chest and an adorable pout plastered over her face.
"I don't think it will be" I muttered. After school I'd gone straight to Clay and Chelsea's place. I couldn't stand being alone but I didn't want to be around anyone who wasn't my family. I gently touched my lips, I could still feel the tingle from Ashley's kiss and it was wonderfully horrid. She'd kissed me, she gave me a sliver of hope for my chances with her, and I told her to leave. I could tell she was confused and torn between her status and me. I couldn't let her suffer by being with me while Madison blackmailed me.
"It will be Spencer" Chelsea insisted and my future sister-in law made me look at her "True love conquers all." I shook my head.
"Not when her boyfriends Jock-strap." Clay tensed as I mentioned Aiden
"If he touches you again Spencer I'll kill him." He said and pulled me into a hug. Clay had leaned out and bulked up over the past year and a bit. I could feel his hard muscled arms wrap around me and was amazed at how solid he seemed now. Add in the fact that he'd gotten his black belt in karate and he would be able to take down the entire basketball and football team if I asked him to.
"I don't think we'll have to worry about that anymore" I said as he let me go
Ashley's made her choice. I told myself that over and over again. But my heart wasn't listening and didn't give a crap what I was telling it. It continued to fill my head with thoughts of her and was breaking with the effort. The pain of having your heart cracking slowly, so very slowly, was worse than having all of your bones shattered at once. It was the mental pain that did it. Because no one can see how much pain you're in, and a band-aid can't make it go away.
Next time on The Secret House; next chapter is very short and it'll just be a "Music Chapter" just to give you guys a sample of what I mean.
P.S. I won't be able to update over the long weekend because my dad's taking us on Vacation and we'll have no interwebs. I'll try to update as much as I can until then though!
Thanks for all the reviews! Glad you guys like it!