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Ignoring wasn't really helping. Neither was trying to drown it out using the different array of music in her iPod. No matter what, it was always there…thumping away.

She couldn't deny it any longer. What else was there to do about it but just…confront it? Spencer had been lying in her room all day, after having faked a stomach ache and sore throat just to get out of going to school. And now here she was, lying on her back on her twin sized bed, staring up at the plain ceiling, one headphone in her ear as her thumb tickled the touch wheel, raising the volume every other second trying to drown it out.

There really was no reason to stay inside, it had been a week that she sought recluse from everyone, hardly answering her phone or really hanging out anywhere and it didn't help her really at all.

But finally, she just had to confront it. Walking down her stairs one at a time, she reached the door and opened to stop the constant knocking that she had been trying to ignore.

There stood the same brunette that had been running through her thoughts all this time.

"So…" Ashley let her hand linger in the air, her fist still in the rhythm of knocking, before she leaned on the door frame letting her eyes roam over Spencer's body until locking eyes. "I just have a question. Have you accepted Jesus as your lord and savior?"

She was working hard to hide her smirk at girl standing on her doorstep, instead opting to just roll her eyes. "What do you want, Ashley?"

Without waiting for an invite she stepped inside without passing the blonde. "You mean wanting to see your beautiful face isn't enough? I need more reasons to see you now?"

She tried to hide her smirk as she spoke but it was too hard to when she could see Spencer trying to hide the creeping blush on her cheeks by rolling her eyes. Spencer stepped over to the side a bit more to let the brunette walk in properly, making her way into the hallway towards the living room.

"Where are the 'rents?"

"Work. Clay and Glen are trying to share the car while at the mall."

"So basically we can finally play out that bear skin rug fantasy without any interruptions." She winked before walking into the living room, leaving a gasping Spencer still by the door. Luckily the brunette was out of sight, not to see her trying to regain some sense of a breath.

Finally getting comfortable, she closed the door and made her way into the room. "You still haven't said why you came over."

Without looking back, she sat down slowly down on the couch, making sure to take her time between sitting and laying slightly with her feet up on the small table in the middle of the room. She smoothed the cushions beside her, smirking to herself while keeping her eyes down on the ground or the table in front of her.

"Needed a change of scenery."

"Because the scenery around you is so boring?"

Finally raising her gaze to stare at Spencer, her eyes smirking along with her lips. "Exactly." She crossed her legs slowly with her eyes fixed on the blonde. "Now what have you been up to? You weren't in Hogan's class today. It feels like I haven't seen or talked to you in years."

Spencer, who had been having a really hard time trying to keep her eyes from roaming over the brunette's legs and relaxed body as she sat on the sofa across from the girl. She didn't put her feet up on the table but instead just crossed them and sat back against the cushion, silently challenging Ashley.

"Years, Ash? Really? You're so dramatic. You saw me yesterday-"

"Going into the bathroom."

"But you still saw me." She knew what was happening and she wasn't going to back down so easily either. "Besides, I've been in Mr. Hogan's class every day but toda-"

"Sleeping and late. And when I did get up, you're running out of class."

"I had to go to the bathroom."

"Exactly."

The could've kept going back and forth all day, one not willing to let the other win in their ongoing game of replies. Spencer kept quiet for a few seconds, knowing there was no way to win that particular game yet, opting to return to the topic she was still waiting an answer for.

"Why did you come today?"

Ashley didn't miss a beat but rolled her eyes lightly as she answered. "Are you really gonna waste our time together asking me questions you know the answer to?"

Spencer squared her shoulders, crossing her arms to match her legs as she smirked over at the brunette across from her. "If I knew the answer, I wouldn't ask."

Raising an eyebrow while spreading her arms to lay on either cushion beside her, "You'd still ask just to know if you were right… or wrong."

"So what am I right or wrong about?"

Ashley smiled widely before answering. "That yes, I did watch Grindhouse and no, I didn't like Planet Terror better."

Golden strands fell in front of her eyes as she dead panned on the smiling brunette. Her eyes were in that half open way that you knew said you're so stupid. "Ashley…"

The brunette's smile never faltered, but did widen. "What?! It had six…ok, maybe four or five, hot girls who had really short shorts and were kicking ass. So excuse me if that clouded my judgement."

She really tried. She really did but the eye roll that set upon her eyes was too much to ignore, especially with an answer like that. Even with all that though, she couldn't stop her lips from slipping into a comfortable smile.

"You're really such a guy."

"Mom did say the doctor said I was a boy in the sonogram."

"That explains why you have such a –"

"Careful, Spencer." One lonely finger rose to the air as Ashley warned Spencer, her smile still broadening on her face. They both sat there, looking like mischievous little girls waiting to do something as soon as mommy turned around.

"I was just gonna say you have such a guy's mentality."

She didn't have anything to reply with but a smile so instead; she nodded slowly, leaning back a bit more on the sofa.

***

About a half an hour later, both girls were still sitting in their same seats only this time the TV was on and their attention was, or supposedly was, on the episode of Made on MTV. Spencer's eyes kept roaming over the smooth skin of Ashley's leg, reaching from her feet all the way up until her skirt hid it from her sneaking azure eyes. She couldn't tell if Ashley was watching her as well since every time she peeked over, she was sure the brunette wasn't looking but there were at least three times she was sure she felt someone watching her just as intently as she had been.

A commercial break hit and still everything was silent between them until something came on that peaked the brunette's interest.

"Who's that girl?"

Surprised at hearing something coming from the girl across the table, Spencer looked from the TV to Ashley, confused for a second before looking back at the TV. A commercial for some movie was on. Something with cavemen and some huge CGI prehistoric animal. It was like Raja from Aladdin with mammoth fangs.

It took her a few seconds to recognize who Ashley was asking about.

"Camilla Belle?"

She nodded, still looking towards the screen. "Yeah, yeah! Where's she from?"

"You mean nationality?"

"No, like, what other movies?"

Taking a sec to remember what movies she remembered the actress in, "When A Stranger Calls?"

A biting scoff came from her glossed lips as she kept her eyes on the screen, studying the petite girl trying to remember where she was from. "Please. Would I ever be caught dead watching that shit?"

Her eyes rolled again, watching Ashley watch the TV intently. "Fine….that movie with Elisha Cuthbert? The Quiet?"

Ashley shook her head, still watching, her frustration growing. "No, I never saw that!"

There was a quick silence as Spencer thought through her list of movies in her head. A list that was pretty short. Suddenly the only other answer she had popped in her head and she was wary to ask because she was pretty sure it wasn't the right answer but it was the last movie she could think of.

"Rip girls?"

Finally turning to look at the blonde, Ashley's eyes widened, "That's it!"

She couldn't stop the giggles escaping her lips as she watched the excited girl across from her sigh in relief. Seriously, out of all movies, that's the one she remembered her from?

***

Another hour passed and they still sat in the same seats, with Ashley practically lying on the couch and Spencer watching the TV, her head tilted on the cushion behind her. She was really trying not to fall asleep but it was becoming too much for her eyes to just stay open. The only thing keeping her awake was her desire to find out exactly why the brunette was still at her house and why she came in the first place.

When she heard a familiar ringtone break their quiet, the sleep threatening her eyelids seemed to go away slowly. Ashley took a few moments to get to her phone, pulling it from her front pocket before opening it and pressing it to her ear.

"Hello?"

Spencer couldn't hear who was on the other end but that didn't stop her from trying her best to drone out everything else to try and hear the voice on the line.

"No, I'm just…I'm at Spencer's. Yeah…..nothing much." Ashley's bent her leg, waving her knee in the air, as she massaged her temple with her free hand. "No, yeah…yeah, whenever you get out…just call me. Alright, bye."

She was silently picking lint, that wasn't really there, off the cushion – trying to make it seem like she wasn't totally listening in on the conversation. Hearing Ashley's small sigh, she took it as a sign to ask.

"Who was it?"

It almost seemed like she had forgotten where she was and who she was with when she looked over towards Spencer. "Oh, that was Aiden. Just called to see where I was…if I wanted to get something to eat."

There was a change in the air…a definite change in the air.

Spencer tried to suppress the urge to roll her eyes but it was becoming harder and harder.

***

Another half an hour passed by without them speaking really. Ashley didn't seem to be worried about it but every single minute that passed that was spent in silence just frustrated Spencer more and more. Why shouldn't they be talking? Why were they being so quiet? Why the hell did Aiden have to call right at that time? Why did Aiden calling get to her so much? Oh, that's right, because he was her boyfriend…or friend with benefits or whatever the hell it was he was to her.

She got up without a word to walk over to the kitchen, thinking about what exactly she was going to get once she got over there. There was no rumbling in her stomach and her throat wasn't exactly parched. She just had to get far away from that couch, from that room. The room was leaving her body in need for refreshment, like a cold shower. Something to calm for her nerves.

"That's never gonna heal if you keep picking."

Startled, Spencer turned around to find Ashley leaning on the fridge, her arms crossed loosely in front of her.

"What?"

Shaking her head, russet curls cradling her face, "I dunno. I heard it in a movie once." That tiny ever present smirk slipped on her lips, this time very subtly. "So…gonna cook me something?"

Spencer turned her back once more on the brunette, resting her hands on the sink. She really couldn't look at her right now. "I'm not that hungry."

That quick pop that came from Ashley's fingers snapping filled the space between them. "Damn! That means I don't get to ask you to cook commando." Spencer could feel the brunette's suggestive wink and eyebrow raise burn her back.

Burn like a dragon breathing fire on her. Only making it harder on her to try and be normal with the girl.

"Ashley, stop…seriously, just-"

"What-"

"Ashley? What are you doing here?" Mr. Carlin walked into the kitchen, still taking off his light jacket before hanging it up on a hook on the wall. Doing that, he slightly resembled Mr. Rogers…which was a scary thought. "Come to check up on our Spence, hmm?"

His gracious eyes smiled down at the brunette as she was still caught in confusion as to what exactly was going on in the second before they were interrupted. Looking awkwardly from the taller man beside her to his daughter standing across from them, "Um…yeah. Something like that."

They hadn't said anything else for a little while longer. Spencer tried to occupy herself with the few dirty dishes she left in the sink, washing them as slowly as she could, while her father walked up to his room to change, no doubt. Ashley stood right outside the kitchen – not too sure what to do or say.

"Spencer?"

There was no answer.

"Spencer?" This time a little louder.

There was still no answer. Not even a flinch. She walked up behind the blonde, softly turning her around. "Spencer, what the hell is wrong with you?"

Her usually lively cobalt eyes didn't twinkle right now. They seemed a bit dull at the moment as she stared through the brunette. "Nothing's wrong with me."

They both knew it was a lie and it only angered Ashley more because she really was lost in a whirl of confusion. Her perfectly shaped chocolate eyebrows knit on her forehead, staring into Spencer's eyes, trying to get a response.

"That's bullshit and you know it. What the fu-"

"Hey honey, wanna help me start setting up for dinner? You're more than welcome to stay for some of my famous rigatoni." Either he had a supersonic ear or was just that good to know when was the best time to interrupt their conversation. His warm smile was one Ashley could never deny. No adult ever smiled like that at her so when he did it, she always found it extremely difficult not to oblige to anything he said.

Her eyes hadn't left the blonde, though, even as she spoke. "Sure, Mr. C. I'd love to."

"Excellent! That's what we like to hear." She tried to smile for his benefit but it wasn't coming. Something was completely off about his daughter at the moment and it was definitely something she couldn't just walk over and pretend it wasn't there.

Spencer turned towards her father as he came by her side, tying his apron behind him. She bypassed Ashley as she moved to get some things from the fridge to start dicing, trying to ignore the brunette's mystified stare.

Slowly but surely, more people started arriving. Clay and Glen came in ten minutes later, arguing about the car and whose turn it was to fill up the gas. No one was really paying attention. Just trying to ignore and keep going how they were.

"You know full well that the tank was half empty when I drove this morning. It was your turn to fill it up."

"Exactly! Dude, it was half empty when you drove it which means you should've filled it up before I drove it home. Besides, I filled it up last time!"

Clay watched his brother as they walked into the hallway. "Glen, that doesn't even make sense. It was at half when we left so when we came back, you should've filled it up. It's your turn."

"It makes perfect sense! Just man up, Clay. Fork over the $3.29, pronto."

Clay regarded Glen with a bored look, his hands still in his pockets. "You can count?"

"HAHA! Quit the wasteyface bull-"

"Glen."

Both boys turned to see their father watching them as he diced up some vegetables. They dropped the issue quickly, moving over to the living room to sit with the silent brunette. Neither one showing any surprise to seeing her there.

***

Coming back from the kitchen, Mr. Carlin set the phone down on the table as he sat down to enjoy his meal with his family. "Bad news, mom's held up in the hospital and it looks like she might not be home till late tonight. We'll have to just have dinner without her."

"Sweet! Let's dig in-"

"Glen." Never losing that warmth in his face, even if his tone was serious, he rose his eyebrow. "Say grace."

Grumbling a bit as he rushed through the prayer, they all said grace before beginning their meal. Spencer and Ashley sat across from each other, along with Glen and Clay with their father at the head of the table as always. If the battle lines weren't drawn before, they sure were now…with a referee and all.

It took a few minutes before some kind of conversation emerged but it did, between the men at the table. Something related to news and sports. Neither girl was particularly sure or really paying attention. Both were trying their best not to look at the other or be caught looking at the other.

Spencer could feel the aggravation between them but she was still not willing to let it go. Why did she have to date Aiden…of all people? Why him? Why couldn't it be anyone else, anyone. Why him? And why now? She'd been single for all this time and been completely fine and now she just had to be with someone?

Of course this was partially Spencer's fault but that wasn't what she was concerned with right now. She was concerned with her own anger. Anger over what was happening between them right now. Not just because of Aiden but between them. She didn't like being this way, being so distant. Feeling like there was always something missing or just off between them. It wasn't them.

For the second time in the night, a ringtone interrupted her thoughts and it came from the same phone. It didn't stop the heated discussion happening between the men of the house. It was only Spencer's ears that caught onto it. Just her who watched Ashley open her phone to read a text, no doubt from the same person who called her before. She watched as the brunette replied quickly, her thumb moving in light speed before she closed her phone and set it on the table again, raising her eyes to find Spencer watching her keenly.

They watched each other for a bit, the blonde telling her silently just how upset she was and why. Before it became verbal, she tossed her napkin on the table lightly before picking up her plate and heading into the kitchen.

The guys didn't even notice. They were caught up in Lebron James and his recent scandal.

She was so wrapped up in her own thoughts, she didn't even notice when Ashley followed her into the kitchen. Her arms open this time. "What's wrong with you, Spence? I mean one minute, we're all good and then the next, you're giving me the coldest shoulder known to man and running away from me at every turn."

Spencer pushed her unfinished food down the garbage disposal before placing her empty plate in the sink and turning around slowly.

"I told you, nothing's wrong."

"Stop lying!"

And right then, before Spencer could think to reply, the lights flickered off and everything that had been making some kind of noise because it was plugged in somewhere, stopped.

"Shit." Ashley completely lost all sense of where Spencer was in the darkness. Neither girl moved, waiting to see what would happen as they adjusted to the change. The sun had already set about an hour ago so the only light was coming from the street lights outside. Spencer was bracing herself against the sink, knowing that if she let go, she would probably not be accountable for what she might do.

"Spencer, Ashley, you girls alright?" Luckily they still had Arthur there to keep them safe through it. Both girls gave him an okay as they stood, rooted to their spot.

"Ok, well since we don't know how long this blackout will go on for, how about you two go upstairs and find the flashlights and we'll look for the rest down here."

Ashley, remembering she still had her phone, opened it giving them a small flashlight to help ease the darkness out of their eyes. Without touching, the blonde and brunette made their way up the stairs careful not to trip and walked into the first room at the top of the stairs which happened to be the bathroom.

Spencer hadn't realized but Ashley closed the door behind them and set her open phone down on the sink counter. Turning to find her watching, the blonde matched her stare shortly before continuing to look for a flashlight.

"Spencer…"

"Ashley, I just wanna find this thing so we can go back downstairs. Please, let's just find it and talk about this la-"

"No!" She really wasn't having it. Thankfully they were upstairs so they might've not been heard. "We'll talk about it now. I wanna know what the hell your deal is!"

The phone rang between them in that instant, setting Spencer off before she could stop herself.

"That! Him! That's my deal, Ashley! How could you do it?"

She silenced the phone without breaking eye contact, her eyebrows, once again, creasing on her forehead. "What? Do what?"

A sigh escaped Spencer's lips; she knew there was no going back now. "How could you get with Aiden? Of all people."

"Is that what this is all about? God, Spencer!" Her head leaned back a bit as her eyes closed momentarily. She could see now how the brunette was looking in every direction as she spoke. "You're acting like I'm committing some crime! Like I did something wrong. What, because I got into a relationship with someone? Is that what it is?"

She couldn't hold it in any longer. "No! Because you got in a relationship with Aiden…and you didn't even tell me."

"I didn't know I had to tell you! I didn't think you wanted to know, I mean you don't really act all that excited when I do talk about it."

"Because it's hard for me! Can't you at least see that?" There was no response. "And no, you don't have to tell me you have a boyfriend now but it would've been nice to know before witnessing you two eating each others faces off in the middle of the quad!"

Ashley's jaw dropped even farther as her hands smacked incredulously against her sides. "If I tell you, you act like you don't like it or don't care. If I don't tell you, then you're still pissed off about it. What do you want!"

She was on the verge of answering that one question, the answering dangling from the tip of her tongue. But it would stay there at least for a little while longer.

"Don't make me spell it out for you. Can you honestly tell me you don't get it?"

Her eyes kept searching for an answer in the blonde that she couldn't seem to find.

"No, Spencer! I dunno what it is I'm supposed to get. I'm really confused. I mean…..is it Aiden? Do you….do you like Aiden or something?"

Disgust wasn't even the word to describe the expression on her face. "Gosh no." She wanted to say it, but there was just that one thought that once she said it, there was no going back from it that was keeping her from just baring it all out there. "Why did you come here today, Ashley? Really, why?"

Their tone's seemed to have calmed down but the intensity was still all there.

"I asked you first."

They hadn't moved from the rooted spots on the tiled floor. Spencer watched the brunette soften as she waited for an answer. Another sigh escaped through her lips as she tried to focus on another point in the room besides Ashley.

"No, I don't like Aiden."

"We've established that already."

"Then answer my question."

There was a moment, a long pause between them that Spencer was sure her heart could be heard thumping against her ribcage. Now it was Ashley's turn to find another place to focus on as she spoke.

"I came…" She stopped shortly, taking a few seconds to cast her eyes down at her feet before looking back up at the blonde in front of her. The most vulnerable state she had ever seen her. "I came to see you. To see if you were ok."

There was a definite feeling of disappointment in the blonde's voice. "That's all?"

"Is there supposed to be more?"

It was Spencer's head that dropped this time, her eyes watching her feet as her hands dug themselves in her back pockets. "Guess not."

Ashley watched silently as things calmed between them. There was still something that was itching at her to scratch and she knew she wouldn't get an answer any other time but now.

"That still doesn't explain why you were being such a bitch to me today."

"What?" Her head rose up slightly, tilting to the side.

"You don't like Aiden but then why were you so off today? Why were you just avoiding me at every turn?"

"Jeez, I wasn't avoiding you, I was just-"

"Just what? Just ignoring me? Pushing me to the side? What?"

"I was trying to stop myself from telling you the truth, Ashley!" The words tumbled out of her mouth before she had a chance to stop them. She knew she was crossing that line she had been trying so desperately not to cross but here she was, practically straddling it.

Ashley looked at the blonde, her eyebrows creased, waiting for an explanation. "What truth?"

It was going to come out quickly, like ripping off a bandaid."That you're the one I like. You're the one I've been having feelings for all this time. I can't talk to you about Aiden because it kills me to watch you get close to him, see him do all the things I wish I could do with you….to you. You have no idea how long it took for me –"

The rest of her words were muffled as Ashley pressed her lips soundly against Spencer's. Her hands held onto the front of the blonde's shirt, gripping it tightly as she tilt her head slowly, feeling Spencer's lips on hers for the second time. Spencer's senses died for a few seconds, accustoming themselves to the reality of the situation, one she had been dreaming about for the better part of a year now. Her hands found their place on the brunette's sides, sliding up and around her back, pressing her closer.

They both felt the other relax into each other, deepening their kiss that much more as their hands found their way to the other's face and hair. Feeling what had been denied of them for so long.

Everything and everyone else was forgotten in this moment. Nothing else could be heard from them. It wasn't until then that they had reached a comfortable silence.

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