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Where the lines overlap chapter Chapter 25
Ashley was stood at the side of the stage watching her support band closed their set which meant she only had about 15 minutes before she would be called to the stage. Her nerves were getting the better of her and she still hadn't spotted Spencer which made everything that little bit worse. Seeing Ally on the other side of the stage taping the performance for the DVD Ashley could only wish that it was Spencer instead. There were cameras set up around the stage so that the whole concert would be captured from nearly every possible angle. Ally had had to call in some help from some friends so that all the cameras were operated correctly. Ashley smiled to herself as she Holden wondering around back stage with his oversized headphones on and his VIP pass around his neck closely followed by Kyla.
"Hey Ky where's Aiden?" Ashley asked as she headed back to her room needing to use the small amount time she had to calm her nerves.
"I have no idea, I just tried calling him but there was no answer" Kyla replied picking up an over excited Holden.
"Daddy is very busy and I can't tell you why" Holden interrupted with a cheeky smile. Both Ashley and Kyla stared at him hoping he would crack but they both knew that Holden's loyalty to his Father would never falter.
"Hey Holden if you tell me what Daddy is up to I'll give a thousand dollars" Ashley offered with a raised eyebrow.
"Are you trying to bribe my son?" Kyla accused as Holden considered Ashley's offer.
"No...ok maybe a little but Aiden has been really weird all day"
"Ashwee I can't tell you anyfink because that would break the man code" Holden explained looking very serious.
"The man code?" Kyla questioned laughing.
"It's a code that only men like me can have so that girls don't know anyfink" Holden continued looking very proud of himself.
"You Holden are far too cheeky and far too clever. Look if you see him please send him in my direction. I need to go get ready" Ashley kissed Holden on the cheek and walked off. She spotted her band backstage and she headed over so she could meet Jamie's replacement. It was a guy who was a lot taller than everyone else in the band, he had long blonde hair and looked every bit the rock star.
"Hey guys you ready for this?" Ashley asked as she embraced her long term band members.
"Fuck yes!" They replied in unison.
"Hi Ashley I'm Jared...it's awesome to meet you" The tall blonde said shaking Ashley's hand.
"Welcome to the family Jared...you ready for this?"
"Hells yes!" Jared high fived Ashley.
"Ok we ready for the family confidence dance?" Ashley asked to the group. They all nodded and started holding up pretend mirrors and dancing around with Ashley pretending to look into the mirror. After a few minutes of this they all high five again then head off in their own directions so they can all enter the stage at the right time. Ashley grabbed her favourite guitar and headed stage right almost knocking Ally over in the process.
"Hey there rock star"
"Hey yourself camera girl" Ashley smiled adjusting her strap.
"What the hell was that?" Ally asked meaning the strange dance Ashley and her band just did. Ashley couldn't help but blush at the question knowing how stupid they all looked.
"Ermm...you saw that huh?"
"Yep and so did my trusty camera"
"It's the family confidence dance" Ashley mumbled feeling dumb.
"Family confidence dance?" Ally questioned with a confused face.
"We started doing it a while ago to hype us all up before we went on stage...it's pretty dumb but you can't help but smile when doing it"
"It's cool...good luck tonight"
"Have you spoken to Spencer?" Ashley asked turning back.
"No Ash sorry" Ally lied hoping that her best friends non-appearance was going to be a good thing. Ashley actually looked more crest fallen than she already did which made Ally feel bad for lying so she just hoped it was worth it.
"Enjoy the show" Ashley smiled one last time before taking her position. Just as the lights dimmer in the arena Ashley felt somebody move next to her. Looking to the side she saw a breathless Aiden.
"Where the hell have you been?" Ashley snapped digging Aiden in the arm.
"Sorry, I've been busy but I'm here now Davies and I'm ready to watch one hell of a show" Aiden replied still catching his breath. Before Ashley could reply the announcement guy was introducing her. Giving Aiden one last glare she took a deep breath and headed to the centre of the stage. The noise from the crowd was incredible, nearly taking Ashley breath away and it made her feel good again for a short second. It made her forget about the blue eyes that weren't there and it made her remember the best parts of her job. Once the crowd started to quiet down Ashley struck the strings on her vintage gibson that signalled for her band to start the first song which they did perfectly, playing the opening chords to the first song.
The concert was going well and Ashley was really enjoying everything, the vibe from the crowd, the energy from her band and the completeness that always came to her when she played a live show. The part of the concert was after the song they were doing which meant Ashley would take to the stage on her own for a few songs while her band chilled. Banging out the last chord Ashley raised her guitar in the end and approached her microphone.
"So L.A I'm about to get acoustic on your ass now. There guys are going to give us a bit of alone time" Ashley teased knowing that half of her audience were girls with crushes on her. Placing her guitar as the whole arena screamed Ashley jogged to the side to get her acoustic while the roadies quickly carried out a battered sofa. Ashley positioned her micro phone and then took a seat on the battered sofa.
"Ok lets set the mood" Ashley whispered to the crowd who once again screamed in response making Ashley chuckle.
"I need you to all scream really fucking loud so the sound guy hears you and dims the lights for us" Ashley instructed with a cheeky smile.
"On the count of 3. 1...2...3 GOOOOOO!" Ashley led the crowd in a scream and they all did as instructed. Within a few seconds all the lights in arena went off leaving everybody in the place in the dark which wasn't supposed to happen, the spot light was supposed to stay on Ashley. Looking to the side of the stage for Aiden or the tour manager she struggled to make anyone out. As Ashley searched the dark for an answer or explanation her eyes suddenly zoned in on one single flash light shining to her left. The light moved closer and closer until it was right in front of her, looking up Ashley couldn't believe her light deprived eyes.
"Spencer?" Ashley whispered feeling light headed and relieved.
Flashback
Spencer watched Ashley leave her apartment looking broken and hurt. Spencer wanted to stop Ashley so badly but her self induced fear had stopped her just like it had done all those years ago. Spencer knew that she liked Ashley, probably way more than she should but she couldn't couldn't help but remember the hurt of Ashley leaving and that scared Spencer more than anything. The thought of Ashley going on tour for 3 months made Spencer feel insecure and she hated that feeling so the only logical thing she could think of to stop those insecurities was to stop it all. Yes it would hurt for now but like before she would learn to get passed it. As she had been so consumed by her inner musings Spencer had neglected to realised that she was in fact crying which only made her cry even more. Lying back on her bed Spencer picked up her phone to call Ashley but at the last second stopped herself. Without meaning to Spencer fell to sleep with thoughts of Ashley, of sadness and of loneliness racing through her tired brain.
Spencer shot up as she heard a banging on her front door. Shuffling to the door she pulled it opening revealing an out of breath Aiden. Rubbing the sleep from her eyes Spencer realised that the sun was now shining which meant that she had slept through to tomorrow.
"Aiden what are you doing here?" Spencer yawned letting the breathless boy into her apartment.
"I wanted to talk to you" Aiden replied coldly.
"Look if this is about Ashley I would rather not"
"I don't care what you would rather Spencer! I am sick of this, I am sick of you two! I am sick of my best friend being broken because of you. Why would you let this past week happen if you had no intention of following through?" Aiden yelled clearly fed up with the situation.
"This isn't a walk in the park for me either Aiden" Spencer snapped back not really knowing how to defend herself against Aiden's harsh words.
"I understand that Spencer but backing out because of 3 months is weak. I mean I leave Kyla and my goddamn Son for that long all the time and they both still love me. You don't just stop thinking about somebody just because they're not there or you can't see them. Ashley has spent the last 3 years loving you and she would never do anything to hurt you again. She spent 3 years on the road and we all know she was pretending with those girls, she was just keeping up an act. Do you know why she didn't sleep with any of those girls?" Aiden asked a shocked Spencer.
"Why?" Spencer asked dumbly.
"Because in her heart she knew that you two weren't over, she knew that one day she would have a second chance with you and she didn't want to give that up by having sex with random girls. Do you want to know something else?" Aiden was on a roll now and he couldn't keep his frustration in any more.
"What?"
"Ashley begged me to get the label to extend Not Now Productions contract so that you could go on tour with her and they've said yes. I now have to tell Ashley this which only hurt her more. Oh and the cherry on this shit cake is that I have found a clause in Jamie's contract which means she is no longer a part of Ashley's band or tour" Aiden had managed to regulate his breathing and was now talking calmly much to Spencer's relief because an angry Aiden was little scary. Spencer ran Aiden's words on a loop in her brain trying to decipher all the information.
"You're a little scary when you're upset Aid" Spencer sort of joked not knowing what else to say which made Aiden giggle slightly.
"You love her don't you?"Aiden asked needing to know.
"I do" Spencer replied barely audible to anyone.
"Then tell her that Spencer, be with her and make both of you happy" Aiden pleaded with hopeful eyes.
"I need you're help Aid" Spencer advised snapping out of her selfish daze as Aiden and her own words sank in.
"Anything"
"Ok I need you to tell the label that Not Now Productions will be coming on the tour to continue the DVD but nobody can tell Ally yet. Please do not tell Ashley either, I need to tell her" Spencer instructed as Aiden nodding along pleased with his handy work. He just hoped that his interfering had worked and that Spencer would do the right thing.
"Thanks for coming Aiden even if you did scare me a little bit. Oh erm can you please not tell Kyla either"
"Ok, so what are you going to do?"
"Something impressive hopefully"
"Well let me know if I can do anything else for you" Aiden gave Spencer a hug before he headed home to his family leaving a plotting Spencer behind. She knew that she would need to win Ashley over some how and that she would need to be completely open with the brunette for the first time since they had met, she couldn't risk playing it safe otherwise despite Ashley's promise she may lose the girl forever.
Spencer towered over Ashley as she remained glued to the battered old sofa. Spencer's blue eyes sparkled from the flash light which only increased Ashley lack of breath. Spencer swallowed the lump in her throat and knelt down in front of the gobsmacked rock star. Bring the mirco phone to her mouth Spencer looked straight at Ashley, ignoring the thousands of fans, the cameras and the pressure of Ashley saying no.
"I know I'm the last person you expected to see here especially at this moment in time but I couldn't leave it any longer. Ashley Davies since the day I met you you have driven me insane, you're cocky, careless and impulsive but I kind of adore all of those things. You literally turned my world upside down and since that moment I have changed mostly for the better. You said to me yesterday that you were mine from the first time we kissed well you had me won over from the second I saw you and I have tried to ignore that for so long but I'm over it now. I know I have fucked up so many time and that we had a rocky start and restart but I'm here now, in front thousands of strangers and all I want is to tell you how much I love you, I've loved you for years and will carry on loving you even if you send me away once I shut up" Spencer was cut off by the screams from the crowd who were going insane at this point. Ashley just sat and stared at Spencer like she had grown a second head. Seeing the girl she had pined after for 3 years standing in her safety zone confessing her love was enough to make Ashley's head explode. Ashley's frazzled brain was soon taken over by the crowd chanting 'KISS HER KISS HER'. Ashley stood up followed by Spencer so that they were now at the same level. Spencer's blue eyes looked back at Ashley seeming hopeful and vibrant. Without a second thought Ashley closed the already small gap between them. Careful lips clashed as the crowd screamed in delight as the lights came back on as well as the large screens around the arena which were now adorned with images of Spencer and Ashley kissing. Pulling away Ashley looked at Spencer and mouthed 'I love you too' as they hugged. Both girls reluctantly pulled away from the embrace and in true professional style Ashley bowed to the crowd and so did Spencer. Grabbing her microphone Ashley cleared her throat and wiped her watery eyes.
"Ok so erm...we should get on with the show" Ashley yelled still holding on to Spencer's hand. As much as she loved her fans she loved Spencer Carlin a thousand times more and all she wanted do was spend all her time with her before she left for tour. Spencer kissed Ashley one more time and ran to the side of the stage applauding the girl she loved as she starting playing guitar again. Spencer smiled even more when recognition hit her. Ashley was playing the opening to 'Where the lines overlap' a song that Ashley had written for Spencer.