I own no part of SON

Peace and love to all!

She's amazing. Just a smile from her can make my knees weak and my heart flutter. Don't even get me started on the way her eyes sparkle in the sun or the sound she makes when we are kissing and I nibble on her bottom lip.

Now as I sit in third period she's all that I can think about. This can't be healthy, the way she's invading my thoughts. Almost as if on cue my phone gives a tiny buzz from inside my jacket pocket.

Hey sexy.

I can almost hear her raspy voice through her text.

Hey Ash.

"Ms. Carlin, no phones during class. That'll be a detention."

My mouth drops open as my ancient math teacher drops a detention slip on my desk and ambles back to the front of the classroom. What an asshole!

As I walk to lunch I try to figure out how he saw me texting. Maybe the giant smile on my face gave me away.

"I never got a text back."

Ashley is giving me an amused smirk and I just narrow my eyes at her. I'm guessing word of the popular new girl getting a detention spread like wildfire.

"Well there were some complications during class that intervened with my ability to get back to you."

The look on her face tells me she's not really listening. Her eyes are kind of glazed over and distant as they stay fixed on my chest. Ashley has the sexiest eyes ever and thanks to my strategic v-neck top those sexy eyes are trained on me.

I give her about ten seconds of uninterrupted staring time before I punch her in the shoulder and gesture to the people around waiting for lunch.

"Right sorry, but really my staring isn't my fault. You're teasing me."

She frowns as if she just realized something and as we file through the lunch line I whisper gently near her ear.

"Ash, what's wrong?"

"It's not just me you're teasing."

Right as the words leave her mouth Aiden slips between us and kisses my cheek effectively knocking Ashley out of the picture. I see her roll her eyes then walk casually back to her sister.

"Aiden, that was rude. I was talking to her."

His gaze follows her and turns to one of disgust when she throws him the finger with a sarcastic smirk.

"Why? Do you hear what they've been saying about her?"

Now here is where a smart girl would say "who cares?" or "why should I care what 'they' always seem to think?" But I've never been one of those smart girls.

With a trembling voice I ask him.

"What, uh what exactly have they been saying?"

My gaze stays on Ashley where she throws her head back and laughs freely, her curls blowing slightly in the breeze.

"Apparently she's got a crush on you. Ha, it's not like you're a dyke like her."

His words freeze me and make my stomach turns on itself. I feel like I'm going to puke or pass out or maybe both. A violent chill runs through my blood and my mouth goes dry.

Without so much as a goodbye to Aiden I take off running for Glen's car. I have to go home. I need to be away from school.

When I reach his car there are tears streaming down my face and I can't seem to breathe, my breaths coming in short spurts coupled with heaving.

I claw at the door and almost scream when I remember Glen always locks his car. Before I can register what is happening there are two arms around me and her comforting smell is everywhere.

"Shh, its ok I've got you."

She's holding me so tight I can almost pretend nothing can get to me.

"What the hell happened?"

Glen sounds so worried and it only makes me sob harder. The reality of me wanting to be with Ashley meaning I'd have to lose everything, except him.

"Glen, give me your keys I'll take her to your house. Here are the keys to my Mustang just take Kyla home for me."

They must come to some agreement because when I focus again I'm on my couch at my house and Ashley's kneeling in front of me. Her eyes are searching my face and I reach out with tentative fingers to trace her jawline.

She doesn't say anything, like she knows I need the silence. Her hands rest on my thighs as my fingers drag over her face. Why is it so wrong for me to want this? To touch her instead of him?

My fingers linger over a small scar above her left eye and I wonder what it's from. The beautiful girl in front of me covers my hand with her own and kisses my palm before crawling onto the couch next to me.

"Do you wanna talk about it?"

She's wonderful not pushing me and just holding me so close I can feel her heart beating. One of my hands rests against her stomach and the other is tucked under my head.

"No."

She pulls me closer until my face is buried in her neck and her skin there smells so sweet.

"When you're ready I'm here baby."

Ashley starts to hum some song as my eyes droop and her warmth lulls me into a comfortable slumber.

X X X X X X X X X X

My aching back pulls me out of sleep. My stomach clenches, its that feeling like when you've been puking all day, the empty clench. The television is on and at a very low volume, the people on screen practically whispering.

There's an indentation on the couch from where Ashley was and I can still smell her on the cushions. A quick glance outside reveals her Mustang which means Ashley and Glen are both here somewhere.

The entire house is dark with soft creaks giving it a haunted feeling. My bare feet hit the floor and the soft carpet tickles my feet as I pad into the kitchen.

Looking outside in my backyard makes my heart swell. Glen stands at the grill cooking and laughing, his blue eyes twinkling while Ashley, Kyla, and my mother are sprawled across the lawn furniture.

She seems to be able to sense me because her dark eyes meet mine and she's by my side in a flash.

"Hey Spence."

I can't stop staring at my mother and I can't stop noticing that I haven't seen her smile like that since before my father died.

"Ashley…"

I wrap her in a tight hug and nuzzle her neck slightly. She doesn't have to be doing all this for me, but she is. She doesn't have to be amazing, but she is.

"Come on. We've all been waiting for you to get up."

She grabs my hand and the idea of spending the night with my mother makes me forget Aiden's words, my detention, and how terrified I am to go back to school.

My mother stands wordlessly and pulls me into a warm hug. She's skinnier then I remember but she still smells the same.

"I love you Spencer."
Tears must be the theme of today because at her words more roll down my face and then I starting sobbing when I feel two very manly arms hug us both.

It's an awkward hug with all three of us involved but it's the best one of my life.

The three of us breakup and Glen goes with my mom back to the grill as I stand with Ashley. She keeps wiping at her eyes and I can hear her sniffling slightly.

"Ash, are you crying?"

When she scoffs and tries to act tough it gets me to grin.

"What, um no I have allergies."

I laugh and kiss her cheek which gets her to give a surprising blush. We spend the evening talking and laughing, just enjoying each others company. I notice several things throughout the night. Glen and Kyla can't stop staring at each other and my mother has light back in her eyes.

Now her lips move gently against mine as we say goodnight by the front door. She breaks away to kiss my forehead and steps back, just a little, from me.

"Spence, I could kiss you all day so I gotta stop myself now."

Of course I don't listen to her just kiss her again smiling into the kiss when I hear her whimper into my mouth.

Her hands are warm on my face as she cups my face and her thumbs stroke my cheeks. After about ten more minutes of light kisses and Kyla's insistent honks of the horn we say our final goodnights.

I stand in our doorway and watch the taillights of her car disappear into the darkness.

"She's pretty awesome Spence."

Glen is leaning against the wall behind me and he has a lopsided smile on his face. I don't think he realizes how much he looks like Dad.

"I know she is, I'm still scared."

He nods and his eyes get that faraway look to them.

"Whatever you do I'll be right there to take care of you. You know that right?"

I give him a hug and a smile as my thanks. Now I really need to talk about something else.

"So what's with you and Kyla?"

His deep laugh echoes throughout the house as he grins at me.

"For now we're just friends."

The spark in his eye and the quirk of his eyebrow doesn't go unnoticed by me. He's been my best friend since we were born, I can tell when he's up to something.

"Yeah ok, keep telling yourself that."

His scowl is a friendly one as he ruffles my hair before jogging up the stair humming softly to himself.

Today was horrible and sickening but tonight was incredible. Seeing my mother really smile again made up for the crappy day and I think I have Ashley to thank for that.

My body is still humming from her touch but the undercurrents of different feelings scare me.

When it comes down to it can I pick her over everyone else? The real question is can I pick the life that will make me happy and stop lying to myself?

Thank you to everyone. You guys are amazing.