Okay, so, Spencer's thoughts are now just going to be in italics because...i'm just lazy and sick of saying. "Spencer thought..." Also, text messages are going to be in bold :] Thanks.
When Spencer woke up at 8 AM to her alarm blaring some god awful Ke$ha song the next morning, she was convinced it was monday. In order to pay for living expenses ( until her photography career became more secure), she had taken up a part time job at a little cafe she'd been a frequent customer of.
She eagerly hopped out of bed and started her work out with the realization that she actually was up to go on a picnic with Ashley, rather than serve coffee to impatient and groggy customers.
Thinking about their conversation the night before and the day ahead made her grin uncontrollably.
Ashley had insisted that she would provide all food and beverages for their picnic...well what she ACTUALLY said was more like, " Oh...and do NOT bring anything. I got all the food and such covered. You're job will be too bring that stereotypical red and white checkered blanket. That'll be your contribution. Oh! And I'll even bring a basket!"
Spencer tried her best not to interrupt Ashley from her rant because she found it highly entertaining, but her laughter could stay stifled for only so long. When Ashley finally stopped talking, Spencer was positive the brunette had forgotten what they were even talking about.
Ashley's obvious excitement amplified her own.
Showered, dressed, and nearly ready, Spencer momentarily considered whether or not it would be weird to call Ashley to confirm their plans. She shook her head and smiled at the possibility that this entire picnic escapade was just a ongoing joke.
The major con of texting Ashley instead : Not getting to hear that gravelly voice. However, the blonde opted to text the girl, secretly too nervous to call. "So, I'll see you at 11:30?"
Moments later as she folded up a big purple blanket, snickering at her purposeful disobedience of Ashley's orders- her phone buzzed.
"Yes :] I'm going to drive right by without stopping if I see you with anything, but a checkered blanket."
"Hm. Either settle for purple or find someone else that will picnic with you." Though that probably wouldn't be very hard. Ashley could walk up to any stranger and ask them and they would be too dazed to deny her.
"Okay, but you're skating on very thin ice, Carlin."
Sitting beside Spencer on the steps of her apartment, Mikal meowed adorably, seeking attention. She purred and rubbed her face against Spencer's arm until she finally relented and allowed the cat to curl up in her lap. The blonde cradled the slender black and white cat to her chest, pressing a kiss on the tip of her nose.
As voice startled them both, Spencer's head shot up to view the intruder. She watched the perfect being move towards them, lit up by the sunshine.
"You scared me so bad." Spencer accused scoldingly, but the huge smile she wore gave her away.
"Aren't you two a sight for sore eyes. Am I interrupting something?" At that, she raised her eyebrows suggestively and nodded towards Mikal.
"Sure were. Ashley, I'd like you to meet my feline soul mate: Mikal. Mikal, my human soul mate: Ashley."
...Okay the part about the human soul mate didn't really happen.
Ashley gave her the nose crinkling grin, expressing her amusement. Willing to humor her, she sat down beside the pair and began to pet Mikal.
"Nice to meet you. You guys look really cute together," Ashley said warmly. Spencer blushed like a teenager, having to look down to hide it.
"So, ready to head out?" she finally said, although perfectly content with just sitting on the steps with Ashley and Mikal for however long they'd stay with her.
"But nowww I'm sooo comfortabllle," Ashley whined, giving Spencer an impressive pout.
"Pretty much all you do on a picnic is sit and eat all day. Just come on," Spencer argued...or at least that's what she would have argued if she wasn't pleasantly destracted by that pout and the near golden eyes staring back at her.
Instead, what she said was more along the lines of, " Uhummm...yeah?"
She had to tear her eyes away from Ashley's, it was all too intense. She was overwhelmed by the knowledge that if Ashley kept looking at her like that, she would probably just combust. How embarrassing it would be to spontaneously burst into flame, she mused.
"You okay?" Ashley asked softly, leaning closer and successfully snapping Spencer out of her reverie.
"Oh..yeah, uhuh!" She jumped to her feet and offered her hand to the brunette, who gladly took it.
A mental scolding was required to maintain composure after Ashley's soft hand slid perfectly into Spencer's, and when her body was pulled up so close they nearly collided.
Pull yourself together. You are friends. You can handle having girl friends, right? Prove it. Yes, this girl happens to be freakishly beautiful and has a fantastic personality...and her mannerisms are just so adorable and those eyes...STOP!
She visibly shook her head, as if the movement could permanently knock the thoughts from her head.
No such luck.
"Do you have any siblings," Spencer asked curiously as they climbed inside Ashley's expensive looking car.
"Well, I have a half sister, Kyla. I think you'd like her"
"Cool, cool."
"Yeah. She stays at my apartment pretty often. You should meet her!"
"Sure," Spencer answered slowly, "this isn't a set up, right?"
Ashley laughed loudly and that alone made Spencer glad she asked.
"No, no, no. Of course not."
"Sorry. I've just been made paranoid by Aiden. He thinks because we both like girls that I want to be his wing-man when that is very nearly the last thing I want to do."
Ashley chuckled and nodded in understanding.
"That's cool that you're real close, though , you and Aiden."
"Yeah...we used to date," Spencer admitted in shame.
"What? Really," Ashley looked at her with a mixture of shock and amusement.
"It was a very big mistake. I wish I hadn't brought it up," Spencer wiped a fake tear from her eye before continuing. "No, but it was seriously a disaster. My best friend told me he loved me and I responded by breaking up with him. He got over me, though, and now we're good again."
"That's intense! How do you know he's actually over you?"
"God, because he's okay with being a total tool around me now. It was a while ago and he's dated many girls since then, " Spencer replied, smiling at the thought of Aiden's antics. She really did love that boy.
When they arrived at the park, the sun was shining even brighter- it was an unusually warm day and Spencer wondered if it was just being with Ashley that made the day seem perfect, or even worse, she wondered if the weather responded to Ashley's sunny disposition and give her its best.
While neither theory seemed possible, Spencer wouldn't put it past her- the girl had super powers.
Spencer accepted her role as the blanket spreader, lying it before them in a small clearing.
"Oooh. Nice choice," Ashley noted, mocking Spencer's meticulous placement choosing.
Spencer replied only with a glare, which Ashley received as if it were a compliment, grinning wildly.
Predictably, Spencer's glare was soon replaced by an equally goofy smile.
If this is how the whole day is going to go, this really isn't going to work out. My chronic smiling and blushing are without a doubt going to creep her out.
Ashley slowly revealed a wicker basket from behind her, excitedly placing it on the blanket and plopping herself down beside it. She then pulled Spencer down beside her. Spencer, in turn,
grinned like a fool and attempted to ignore the feeling that this was the most romantic non-date of all time.
After two hours of hilarious people watching (and let's be honest, people scrutinizing), teasing, and discussion on one another's lives, Ashley reminded Spencer of their "feast." -
It was then that Spencer became very frightened- she looked down at her watch and saw the time that had past, genuinely afraid of Ashley's innate ability to make her forget a basic instinctual like hunger. She hadn't eaten yet that day and it took until then to notice. This meant Ashley had the power, if she chose to to use it, to make Spencer laugh and forget life as long as it took her to starve to death.
It was a unsettling and, admittedly creepy thought that she reminded herself not to share with anyone.
In the meantime, Ashley was pulling out the food she had brought.
Spencer had been expecting sandwiches, fruit, and water.
What she saw was a huge pile of different types of candy bars, two sandwiches, and two one liter bottles of Birch Beer.
Laying out before her was the most appealing, adorable [somehow] meal she'd ever seen.
"Oh my god!" ...Was really all she could say.
"You're thinking it's stupid," Ashley said dejectedly, looking down.
Spencer giggled [that needed to stop]. "No. I'm thinking you're perfect," she corrected, before she could even stop herself.
Immediately she looked away from Ashley, trying to maintain a normal expression. She was going to act like what she had said wasn't a big deal if it was the last thing she did.
When she finally looked back, Ashley was giving her that nose crinkling smile. She had clearly taken what Spencer said in the non-serious way...or was just really used to being adored, which wouldn't be surprising.
Returning the smile, Spencer bit into a Milky Way, unable to stop resenting a man named Kyle.
The man who Ashley was going to marry.
"This is seriously the meal of my dreams," Spencer admitted shyly.
Ashley modestly dipped her head, handing the blonde her drink before answering even softer, "I had hoped so."
