AN: So sorry it has been so long! Here's a long chapter just because you all deserve it for waiting so long :)

*I take no credit for Taylor Swift's song: Enchanted

Chapter 28

"Why are we here?"

"Because. I remember how happy you were when we came here after Glen won his game. And you won the game for your team and I figured coming here would make you happy, too."

I smile at her words and at how well she knows me. She's right: I wanted Mom to treat my team to dinner at Fudd's. It didn't exactly happen that way, but I am thankful for this turn out.

"Thank you. I'm sorry, Ashley. I promise I-"

"No, Spencer. I told you already: I don't want words and I don't want anymore promises. No promises."

"Please don't be angry with me." I stare into her eyes and beg.

"I'm not. I just don't want you to make me any promises. And I also don't want you to tell me things and then not do them. It hurts, Spencer." She says this with no remorse and no anger. I barely see emotion. She's just telling me, plain and simple.

"Okay. I'm sorry, Ashley."

"It's okay, Spencer." She finally breaks the stare by grabbing the fries that were placed in front of us a few minutes ago.

"Spencer, are you okay? Your eye..."

"Yeah, I'm fine," I tell her, surprised at the question. "What about my eye?"

"It's bruised," She pulls out a mirror and I look at my right eye. She's right. It is bruised. I have a black eye. My black eye matches my elbow which is swelling around the bone. I look down at it and she must notice it, too. "So is your arm. Are you okay?" She repeats.

"Yeah, no, don't worry. It's fine!" I copy her action and take a fry from the tray that is sitting in front of us. When I do, I feel a sharp pain in my right arm. My eyes shut real quick and I wince.

"Spencer, are you sure we shouldn't take you to a doctor or something?" Her voice is nurturing, concerned even. She sounds like regular Ashley again. Good.

"No, honestly, I'm okay. It will go away within a few weeks. No big deal."

"You're positive?"

"I am." I reassure her, though I'm not too positive. Maybe I chipped my bone or something. Whatever, I'll live.

"That girl was huge. I'm glad you didn't break a bone or something."

My eyes widen. "You saw that?" I'm embarrassed now.

"Yeah! You went down hard."

"Yeah... It's okay, that happens. It's bound to happen again," At my words her face fills with worry: her forehead crinkles and her mouth opens slightly. "It's okay! I'm not gonna die! And I'll try to avoid it just for you." At this, her face attempts to soothe out. "So," I say, several fries and giggles later, "Care to tell me our plans for tonight?"

"Oh! Yes," She recalls after placing a fry in her mouth. "My house. No Mother and no Kyla. Just you and me. Nothing big. Do you have any ideas?" She asks me.

"Nope. We'll just wing it." I wink at her which makes her blush.

~.~.~.

"Go shower." She commands me and throws my clothes at me that we just picked up from my house. I'm going to miss how willing my mom is when she finds out Ashley is my girlfriend. I'm only sixteen, but parents aren't going to control my life. I'm happy now and that's all the matters. Right?

"Oh? I thought I didn't smell bad?" I smirk and raise an eyebrow at her. She walks over to me and places her hands on my hips and her lips on mine simultaneously.

"Now will you go shower?" She whispers in my ear. I definitely don't want to now. But she's mine for tonight.

~.~.~.

"Ashley?" I ask after stepping back into her room and noticing she isn't here.

"Oh, hey." she walks into her room a few seconds after I call her name. In her arms, she bares two circular cloths. She makes her way toward her bed.

"What's that?" I motion to the little wrapped items.

"Come lay down." I oblige. She sets the items down on her side table with a clank. She undoes the covers of her bed, holding them up, allowing me to slip under just the first one so I'm not too warm. It's perfect temperature. The breeze is hitting me through her open window and it feels like spring. My first spring in California. My first spring with and knowing Ashley. This makes me happy. Hopefully there will be many more with her.

"Ow, hey, that's cold! What are you doing?" The sudden drop in temperature on my skin knocks me out of my thoughts.

"You're all battered and bruised. This should make the swelling go down." It's not that she's like my mom, but she's nurturing. She's caring. It's no wonder I feel so safe and protected around her. She's like home. She's more of a home to me than my actual home, not that I don't like my home. With Ashley it's just nice. I look at the ice pack she is holding onto my elbow and then I look up at her face. She is smiling innocently and warmly at me; I try to smile back but realize I'm already smiling. The ice packs are extremely cold, but I suppose she's right about making the swelling go down.

"Thank you," I say and continue looking at her. "I can hold it." I move my hand and eyes to where her hand is holding the pack over my elbow. I place my hand over hers, but it doesn't move.

"Are you sure? I can hold it for you."

"No, it's okay. I'll do it." I say, though I'd prefer if she held it. I look back up at her and, out of the corner of my eye, I see the ice pack that she is holding to my face. It's close to my eye, so I allow myself to close it. I decided, instead of just closing one, to close them both. To just rest them.

Her arm maneuvers so that it's behind my head. She's slightly propped up while my head is resting on her arm. I keep accidentally letting go of the pack I am holding to my elbow because I keep slipping into sleep. I try to keep myself awake but find it hard.

"It's okay, just close your eyes." Her voice soothingly says. So I close them again. I don't have enough willpower to keep my pack in place. She holds it there after my hand slides to my side. I roll myself into her; she holds both of the packs onto me. I feel bad for making her do this, but I just want to sleep.

I feel a pressure on my head and something warm hitting my forehead, so I instinctively glance up to find the source. Ashley's breathing softly onto my forehead; she's asleep. Her forehead is leaning against my head. One of my arms is tucked in between our bodies and the other is wrapped around to her back, holding her close to me. The ice pack she was holding to my eye is now just water in a plastic bag, sitting politely on her side table. I try to look around for the one I was once holding to my elbow, worried that it might leak onto her bed. It's on the other side of me, also just water in a bag. I take it and set it on the side table closest to me so I don't accidentally roll over it or something. When I turn back, Ashley's eyes are open and she is smiling at me.

"Good afternoon, Sleeping Beauty." My sleepy voice says to her. I assume my position again: my face and arms huddled into her chest. Her arms cover my back and she holds me.

"You're the Sleeping Beauty," her voice is much more beautiful than mine is. "You fell asleep two hours ago. I fell asleep fifteen minutes ago."

"What time is it?" My muffled voice asks to her chest.

"Five-thirteen."

"Already?" I ask and sit up, feeling the pain in my elbow again from applying instant pressure to it. "Ow, I wasted all that time sleeping? You should have woke me up." I blame her, not actually blaming her.

"You were obviously exhausted, Spence. Do you not recall the game you won?" She smiles.

"It feels so long ago. Hard to believe that all happened today."

"Its been a long day. How are your arm and eye feeling?" She asks and pulls me into her. I'm careful to not let my arm touch anything.

"They're both okay as long as nothing is touching them." This makes me aggravated. What am I supposed to do with an aching arm?

"I'll be careful then," Her lips touch my cheek for a second before leaving. I feel a smile creep across my face. "Are you hungry?"

"A little, but not too much. Are you?"

"Very much so."

"Well, do you want me to go cook you something? Or I could go grab something. What do you want?"

She laughs. "You're not my maid, Spence."

"I know, but you're hungry so you should eat!" I say pathetically.

"I'll be fine, babe. Just tell me when you're really hungry, okay?"

"If you say so. What were you thinking for dinner?" I ask.

"Up to you."

"It's okay; anything is fine by me."

"Same. You pick."

"Oh, no. Please don't do this to me." I beg and face her.

"Nevermind, I won't; I just thought of something."

"Care to share?"

"Nah, you'll see."

"Another surprise? I'm not good with surprises." Anxiousness fills me. I'm not in the mood for any big surprises or efforts tonight. I just want to relax.

As if she reads my mind, she says: "Take a chill pill, freak. It's no big deal. Promise."

She waits until I get really hungry before we go and get food. I'm hungrier than before, but not starving. I just said I was ready so we could go get food for Ashley. Her stomach has been growling non-stop. She thinks I haven't been hearing it.

We pull into the shopping center nearest Ashley's house. I eye around all the food places, wondering which one she chose. I'm down for any.

The car slides into a spot and I look straight up at our destination.

"Panda Express?" My tone of voice comes off in a sassy manner unintentionally.

"Do you want something else?"

"No, this is fine." I smile at her before exiting her car.

~.~.~.

"Hold on, let me chew!" I laugh and tell her with my mouth full of chow mein. She laughs back at me. I hurriedly chew up the chow mein and swallow it, laughing only after in fear of choking on seemingly endless amounts of noodles. My mouth opens at the fork of noodles in front of my face. Once in my mouth, Ashley begins laughing again which makes me laugh and nearly choke again. "Your turn." I twist some chow mein on my fork and hold it close to her face.

"That's way too much!" She objects.

"Don't care. Eat." And she does. She takes the entire fork-full of chow mein into her mouth, struggling to chew. I try to avoid laughing, fearing she might choke, but she doesn't. After she finally swallows, I allow myself to laugh freely. She does the same.

"Alright, I'm done. And now there's something I want to show you," She gets up and makes her way across her room. Her arm reaches out and I watch as her fingers twist some dials in different directions on her stereo. She stands up straight again and faces me. "Or, rather, listen to. This was supposed to be your Valentine's Day gift. I'm sorry for it being so late." She awaits a response from me.

"I don't mind. Show me." I smile, curious for what's to come.

She presses a button and faces me again. She strides over to me and, as she does, a beat starts up. It isn't upbeat, it's calming. Sort of quiet, but nice. My hand reaches out to hers and I'm pulled up by it. Suddenly, I hear her soft voice coming from the stereo.

There I was again tonight

Forcing laughter, faking smiles

Same old tired, lonely place

I look her in the eyes for the first time since the song began. She looks worried, so I give her a smile because that's the most I can do right now.

Walls of insincerity

Shifting eyes and vacancy vanished when I saw your face

All I can say is it was enchanting to meet you

I find myself being twirled by Ashley's arm, softly, and pulled back into her again. My body moves instinctively with hers, knowing that it belongs here.

Your eyes whispered, "Have we met?"

Across the room, your silhouette starts to make it's way to me

The playful conversation starts, counter all your quick remarks like passing notes in secrecy

And it was enchanting to meet you

All I can say is I was enchanted to meet you

I smile and giggle like an idiot when I realize she's talking to me. Talking to me through song. Her lovely voice is telling me that, from her heart, she is enchanted to meet me. And that makes me feel so loved.

I hear a few guitar strums and picture her strumming in my head.

This night is sparkling, don't you let it go

I'm wonderstruck, blushing all the way home

I'll spend forever wondering if you knew

I was enchanted to meet you

I feel tears starting to form in my eyes. I look down and laugh some more, urgently blinking them away. I feel her eyes on me, but I avoid them, continuing our dancing. Ironically, the beat gets louder and our dances slows.

The lingering question kept me up

Two AM, who do you love?

I wonder 'till I'm wide awake

Now I'm pacing back and forth, wishing you were at my door

I'd open up and you would say, "It was enchanting to meet you"

All I know is I was enchanted to meet you

My arms are wound tightly around her neck. Fortunately, you can't hear my sobs very well over the music, but I'm sure she can feel them. Her arms are around my lower back; we sway back and forth together. I don't know why I'm crying so hard.

This night is sparkling, don't you let it go

I'm wonderstruck, blushing all the way home

I'll spend forever wondering if you knew

This night is flawless, don't you let it go

I'm wonderstruck, dancing around all alone

I'll spend forever wondering if you knew

I was enchanted to meet you

I wait for the next part in the song and for her beautiful voice to come back. I can't help thinking about every word she is telling me. It's so relevant to this moment. This night is literally sparkling: she has lights strung about throughout her room that are the only source of illumination. The night is flawless because Ashley. Just Ashley. I hope she isn't kept up by that lingering question because I love her. Forever.

This is me praying that this was the very first page, not where the story line ends

My thoughts will echo your name until I see you again

These are the words I held back as I was leaving too soon

I was enchanted to meet you

Please don't be in love with someone else, please don't have somebody waiting on you

Please don't be in love with someone else, please don't have somebody waiting on you

I'm not. Only you.

This night is sparkling, don't you let it go

I'm wonderstruck, blushing all the way home

I'll spend forever wondering if you knew

This night is flawless, don't you let it go

I'm wonderstruck, dancing around all alone

I'll spend forever wondering if you knew

I was enchanted to meet you

Please don't be in love with someone else, please don't have somebody waiting on you

The song ends and we continue swaying there for I don't know how long. My crying is easing up and I'm embarrassed that I ever began crying.

"Spencer?" She whispers into my ear. In response, I give a few sniffles and I slowly turn my head to become face to face with her. "Do you like it?" Her worried voice asks me.

I smash my lips to hers, tears leaking from my eyes. I kiss her long and hard, only breaking for second intervals due to loss of breath. It's sloppy, but I just want to her to know how much it means to me. Somehow, I feel this will show her how I feel rather than any words I can manage to come up with.

We finally pull away. My nose is only a couple inches away from hers. She removes her hands from my back and wipes my face dry with her fingers. Each time she does, silent leftover tears fall over my newly dried face. This makes her fake-frustrated; she laughs and it makes me laugh. A good laugh. My chest feels strange. I feel so good.

"No words will ever be able to come close to what it means to me," I tell her in my ugly 'I just sobbed' voice. "Thank you. So much. It was beautiful. Your voice is beautiful. You're beautiful."

"So are you," She kisses me, softly this time. Every taste of Ashley flows through my mouth and sends my stomach out the window. We stand there, holding onto each other, neither wanting to let go ever. Minutes pass before I hear her soft voice: "It took me months to write. The first part was when I was in the wrong place. Then I met you," She says sweetly. "Obviously some parts contain my imagination. I began writing it when I started crushing on you and I was confused. The chorus is when I began thinking about tonight and how I wanted to spend it with you. Exactly like this. It's what I imagined, so I wrote it like that. And tonight turned out just right."

"Wow. It's amazing, Ashley. I love it so much. Thank you," We stand there silently some more. My legs begin to feel tired of standing. "I'm so happy we didn't go to Prom. I'd much rather spend it this way."

"I'm glad you feel this way now. But I'm sorry I didn't want to go."

"Don't worry about it, baby. I'm happy. Are you?" I look at her; I let go of her warm neck and grab her hands with mine.

"Too happy." She smiles at me. I return it.

"You can never be too happy," I turn my attention to her open window which had been distracting me for a few minutes. "Is it raining?" She looks too. I walk over to the window, with Ashley close behind. We admire the drizzle.

"Let's go."

"Go where?" I look at her and ask. She gestures to outside. Before I can answer, I'm being pulled down her stairs and out the door. The rain that looked soft from upstairs is now pouring onto every part of me. I squint my eyes to see Ashley. We're standing in the middle of the street, rain falling everywhere including on us. I admire her beautiful facial structure as her head faces the sky. Her voice snaps me out of it.

"Want to know why I didn't want to go to Prom?" She nearly whispers, her head still facing the sky.

I keep my eyes locked on her face and answer in a similar whisper: "You don't have to tell me."

"I want to," She says as her eyes meet mine. Her eyes search around, looking for something but nothing at the same time. "I was cheated on. It wasn't fun." She gives a weak laugh and finally looks back at me.

"Ashley-"

"It's okay now. I just, I don't know, didn't want something like that to happen again." She finishes and sits right where she was standing in the middle of the street. I join her.

"What happened?" I bravely ask.

"Couldn't find him. Found him in the bathroom with her. They ran off together."

"Who was Aiden with, Ashley?" I ask bravely.

She looks me dead in the eye and says: "Madison." My stomach does somersaults.

"Oh, Ashley-"

"Really. It's fine. And I know you wouldn't do that to me, I just-"

"I'm so sorry you that happened to you," I reach across and hug her, both of us remaining cross-legged. "I would never. I just wish you would have told me earlier. I so would have understood. It's okay, I love you and I love how tonight is going."

"I love you, too," She hugs me tight before letting go and looking at me. She gives me a smile that warms me up. "I didn't mean to be all depressing and stuff, out in the rain and all," She giggles. "I just wanted to tell you. And be in the rain at the same time." I watch her get up and skip to the west.

"Where are you going?" I shout.

"Nowhere!" She shouts back, skipping and dancing, barefooted, in the pouring rain.

Instinctively, I jump up and skip to her just as she is doing. We dance around for I don't know how long, enjoying the rain and each others company. I grab her by the waist and pull her hips into mine. I throw my arms over her shoulders and kiss her hard and soft at the same time. I taste Ashley and I feel Ashley's tongue with mine. Despite how warm I'm feeling, I shiver from the contact with Ashley and she pulls apart. She hugs me and rubs my arms together in an effort to warm them up. Ashley's presence makes me warm, but my body is going colder. I'd stay out here forever if it wasn't so cold. She grabs my hand and pulls me along with her in the direction of her house.

We reach her lawn and prance over it. We're blocked from the rain now, standing from Ashley's porch. She reaches for her front door, opens it, and I pull her hand back. She turns to face me.

"Um, hello, we're soaked!" I tell her as I wring my hair out.

"It's fine! Come on. It's just water." She winks and pulls me in. Good thing because that wink practically paralyzed me.

We slop up her stairs and down her hallway and into her room, leaving numerous feet prints and puddles of water everywhere.

"Now what? We're cold and wet and I have no more clothes."

"God, quit your whining, wimp." She scolds me playfully and enters through her bathroom door. I hear a faucet turn on and I wonder what she is doing. After standing in her doorway for couple minutes, soaking up the area, I tip toe to the bathroom to see what she's doing, trying not to get her entire room wet.

What I see inside surprises me. The first thing I look for is Ashley. She's laying in the filled up bubble bath. On the edges and a few scattered around the bathroom are small, red, circular candles. Thrown next to the toilet are her soaked clothes. I look to her and she smiles innocently at me. Before I can respond, she pats the water that's sitting in front of her. She looks from it back to me and waits. So, I slide down my wet shorts and throw my shirt on top of them. I slip out of my undergarments and step into the tub, gingerly, careful not to step on Ashley's legs. I sit in front of her body and lean myself against her chest. The water is nearly hot and is at the very tip of the tub; bubbles nearly spill out. It's very relaxing, similar to a jacuzzi. I relax instantly and my goosebumps, signaling that I'm cold, disappear. Ashley slowly fills up water with a cup and repeatedly pours it over my head, farther back so it doesn't fall over my face.

"This is nice." I say, eyes closed, after many minutes without speaking.

"It is." She wraps her arms around my neck softly. I lift my head up and kiss under her chin. The water from her chin dribbles down to my lips and down my neck.

"Thank you for everything."

"I didn't do anything, Spence."

"Shut up. Thank you," I grab her hands with mine and play with them; I look at them briefly. I think about telling her what's on my mind, but I remember our conversation from this morning and decide otherwise. Instead, I just say: "Ash, your fingers are prunes."

"Well, we've been in here for quite a while."

"Come on." I stand up and help her up. We step out; I grab two towels and throw one at her. She catches it, looks at me, and drops it before walking out of here. I open my mouth to speak, but instead I hear her voice coming from outside the bathroom.

"Won't need that. Or clothes. Come here."