"Where are you?"
"What do you mean where am I?"
"We're going to Grey's in a bit, why aren't you here yet?"
"I'm not going out tonight Ellie, I already told you this last night."
"Boo, you whore. First Spencer, now you. Ash if I didn't know you any better, I'd say you're crampin' my style."
I can't help but roll my eyes at this, "You never had style to begin with hun. Spencer isn't going out tonight?"
"No something about a headache."
"Oh alright. Well call me tomorrow or something, my mom is going to be home all day so I'll definitely need an escape route to avoid another awkward, forced, conversation with her."
"You got it. Later dude."
"Have fun."
Hanging up the phone, I sigh and sprawl out in bed wondering why Spencer isn't going out tonight.
Grabbing my phone again, I quickly dial her number. I can't help but smile at the ring-back tone, The Way You Make Me Feel by Michel Jackson… she would choose this.
"'Ello?"
"So what's this I here you're being a huge loser tonight and not going out?"
"Ash?"
I let out a small chuckle, "What are you doing?"
"Just dancing around my room, deciding what homework assignment to do first, you?"
"Homework on a Saturday? Spencer there's no need to be an over-achiever. Come hang out with me, I'm bored and have nothing better to do."
"Well gee; with that kind of invite I'll be right there."
I smile at this as I roll over onto my side, "Are you coming or what?"
"Yeah, just let me put some pants on and I'll be over."
"Spencer, why don't you have pants on?" My mind is now in the gutter.
"Because they're so constricting…" She says this as if it is the most obvious thing in the world. "I'll be there in five."
I hang up, and walk over to my piano, deciding to tinker around a bit with a song in progress until she gets here. I've been working on this song for a month now, and I just can't seem to make it right. It's as if for the first time in my life, I can't make the music describe what I'm feeling, and it's beyond frustrating.
Hearing the doorbell, I roll my eyes, not remembering the last time someone actually used it. By the time I get to the door, I'm mad that I had to walk all this way. "Seriously Spence, next time just walk in. My mother is never around long enough to care and I hate getting up when it's just unnecessary."
She rolls her eyes at this, but smiles anyways. "Ash, you certainly no how to make someone feel welcome." She walks through the door and takes her shoes off. "So what are we going to do?"
I eye her up and down, deciding that she definitely looks good in anything, seeing how she's only in sweats and t-shirt right now and still looks amazing.
Shaking these thoughts from my mind, I start walking toward the stairs, "Come on, let's watch a movie or something. I kind of just want to lie around all night and eat tons of junk food."
Spencer follows behind, "Sounds good to me."
As we start up the stairs, I pause remembering we need to grab snacks, since I don't plan on getting out of bed again. Spencer however doesn't seem to be paying attention because as I turn around to go back down she's crashing right into me. "Oomph, sorry!" she says as I quickly grab her and pull her towards me to prevent her from taking a tumble down the stairs.
"Are you ok?"
"Yeah I'm good, thanks for catching me… and sorry I wasn't paying attention."
"No worries."
We stand there for a few seconds just staring at each other until she smirks, "Hey Ash?"
"Yeah Spence?"
"I think it's safe to let go of me now."
I nod, swallowing the lump that formed in my throat, "Right, sorry." I quickly let my hands fall and move out of the way, trying to ignore the tingling feeling all over me, "come on, let's grab snacks."
--
Spencer's POV:
An hour into the movie I can feel Ashley starting to fidget. She let me choose the first movie, and I'm thinking now she's starting to regret it. Well ok, more like I know she's regretting it as she's stated three times already that she shouldn't have let me pick. I picked A Lot Like Love… I'm a sucker for a romantic comedy. I'm guessing Ashley is too seeing how she has every romantic comedy ever made. Tonight however, she's just not feeling it.
"Ugh! Spence, I've seen this movie too many times." She complains as she falls back from her sitting position, her head landing on my legs. "Amanda Peet is hot, but there are only so many times I can watch her and Ashton make out. Can we put something else in?" I glance over at her and she gives me a nose crinkling smile, "please?"
Seriously, who could say no to that?
"Fine, put something else in…"
"Yes!" she jumps out of bed and walks over to her collection, "it's time for something scary."
Excuse me? "What?! Oh my god, no! You know how I feel about those."
She turns and looks at me with an innocent smile, "Come on Spence, I promise nothing will happen to you. I won't put anything too gruesome in, I swear."
"I'll have nightmares though."
She bites her bottom lip. I can tell she's trying not to laugh. Turning back around she puts a movie in and walks over to me, taking a seat right next to me. "Don't worry Spence," she says as she pats my back softly, "I'll protect you if you get scared."
I eye her skeptically, not completely believing her. But when the creepy music begins to play in the background and I tense up, she crawls up to the top of the bed and pats the spot next her, "Come on." Now, as I crawl up next to her, my back against the head board, and she grabs my hand giving it a light squeeze before letting it go, I believe her.
We're only ten minutes into the movie and I'm already hiding behind a pillow, squishing the life out of it. For whatever reason, Ashley keeps eying it. I feel like a giant wuss right now, but this movie just isn't right.
As if she can't take it anymore, Ashley sighs loudly and grabs the pillow from, setting it to the side of her. "That's my favorite pillow and you were just squishing it, and I just… use my arm or the blanket or something if you get scared."
I can't help but smile at this as I nod; loving that she's this weird about a pillow.
By the time the movie has finished, I'm feeling pretty guilty. At first, I used the blanket to hide behind, but as the movie continued on it was easier to grab Ashley's arm… I'm pretty sure she's going to have a few bruises tomorrow.
Realizing I still have a death grip on her arm, I let go mumbling an apology.
"Don't worry about it. It's not like I need my arm for anything anyways," she says sarcastically.
Despite being slightly freaked out, I can't help but yawn. My mom decided it would be fun to clean out our garage this morning and woke me at 7a.m. to help. Getting out of the bed, I stand and stretch; feeling Ashley's eyes on my stomach as my shirt slightly rises. Feeling a flutter in my stomach, I pull my shirt down and look over at her, "Well I know it's only like 11 or so, but I'm kind of tired and should probably get going. Although thanks to that movie, I don't want to drive."
"Spence, Joy Ride really isn't that scary… I took it easy on you."
"Says the girl that doesn't have to get in her vehicle anytime soon."
She laughs slightly, getting out of bed and walks over to me, stopping when she's next to me. "You're just being ridiculous. First of all, when was the last time you say a semi in the suburbs?"
"It could happen." It really could. People get deliveries all the time.
She shakes her head, "Also, you don't even have a two-way radio thingy in your car like they did. So I think you're safe."
"You just never know."
She's biting her bottom lip now, clearly amused, "Then why don't you just stay here, there's plenty of room. That way you don't have to drive the four blocks until it's light out."
Hey! Four blocks is a long way when it's dark out. "Right 'cause that's what I want to do… sleep in some creepy, empty, guest bedroom when I'm completely freaked out." Ok, so maybe that was a little harsh, but have you seen those rooms? Talk about creepy.
She reaches out and tugs at one of my arms that I have crossed at my chest, "Hey no, I meant you could stay in here… with me." I look at her, not really believing she willingly just said that. "I mean… if you want to, that is…" she continues shyly, her gaze now on the floor.
Now I feel just horrible that I made think I don't want to hang out with her. It's not even like that… it's just… seeing how I haven't been able to get the image of her in a towel only out of my head, the idea of sleeping in the same bed with her is just going to take a lot of control… I mean, I don't want to intrude.
"Hey no, it's not that… it's just that last time you… you know what never mind, forget it. I'd love to stay."
She looks up at me and smiles, "Good. Now go put something funny in. It will take your mind off the last movie."
--
Ashley's POV:
She's lying pretty close to me right now and I'm finding it very hard to breathe. Deciding Finding Nemo was always the best bet, we lay here facing each other not really paying attention to the movie… but more like using it for background noise.
We've been talking for the past half hour about school and our friends.
"So tell me something because everyone is dying to know." She raises her brow at this, "Are you and Carter a couple yet or what?"
She snorts at this, and then looks slightly sad for a second before covering it with a smile. "Nah. Carter's great, but he's not exactly my type. We're just really good friends, I can talk to him, you know?"
I nod, trying to ignore the relief I'm feeling from this answer.
"Can I ask you something?" She looks nervous now; picking/playing with the comforter with her hand.
Reaching over, I grab her hand to stop her. "Sure."
She looks up at me, and then focuses her attention to her hand, which is still being covered by mine. "Which rumors, if any, are actually true? I mean… what happened?" As soon as she asks this she lets out a yawn she'd been trying to stifle.
"You should get some sleep Spence." Yes, let's save this question for a different time. Like when I know you aren't going to run like the rest of them.
"I know…"
Grabbing my remote, I stop the movie and turn off the T.V. causing the room to be completely dark. We both stay silent for a few seconds.
"Hey Ash?"
"Yeah Spence…"
"Will you just talk to me until I fall asleep?"
I smile at this, "Sure Spence."
"Good." She moves closer to me, with my hand still in hers. "Hey Ash?"
"Yeah Spence?"
"You smell really good." I can't help but smile at this, loving how out of it she is and how close she is to me.
"Thanks. So do you." And she truly does.
Once again she moves closer to me, and I can feel puffs of air on my neck. On instinct I wrap my arm around her, pulling her closer, "Hey Ash?"
"Yeah Spence?"
"Thanks for protecting me tonight."