Author's Note:
The following chapters take place immediately following the season finale of South of Nowhere, the episode "What Just Happened?"
Disclaimer:
I do not own any of the characters portrayed in this story. They belong to Tom Lynch and the people of South Of Nowhere.
"Hey," I gave Ashley a smile as I sat down next to her at the lunch table. "How were your morning classes?"
"Ugh…not good. I got a history test back that I didn't do so hot on. And I forgot that I've got an English paper due in a couple of days that I haven't started," Ashley groaned. "This week should be interesting."
"Oh, you'll be fine," I assured her. "Since when do you worry about school stuff anyway?"
"Since you," she smiled at me. "You make me want to be better…at everything."
My smile spread all the way across my face. "Awww…that was so corny it was almost sweet!" I teased. I gave her a quick kiss on the cheek.
"Oh my GOD, can we please save it for the lesbian porno?" I heard a familiar voice whine behind us.
I looked at Ashley and saw the immediate change in her face. She jumped up and whipped around to face her nemesis.
"Oh Madison," she said sarcastically. "Please TRY not to be jealous. I know how hard it is for you to see two people in a REAL relationship."
"Ha," Madison scoffed back. "No Ashley, a real relationship requires a girl and a GUY. But you wouldn't know anything about that."
"Really?" Ashley plastered on that fake smile of hers. "I seem to remember that your ex, who just happens to be a GUY, starting screwing you on rebound from ME!"
I jumped up and stepped in between them just as Madison started to lunge. "Ok guys, that's enough! Madison, can you seriously just mind your own business for once in your life!"
"So you really are the butch one, stepping in to save your little girlfriend," Madison sneered at me.
"No, I'm the butch one, Madison," Ashley said. "And I'll be the one to kick your ass if you mess with us again."
"I'm so scared, Ashley." As she turned to walk away, Madison turned to me, "Try to keep your dyke under control from now on, Spencer."
"Go pretend to enjoy sucking a dick, Madison!" Ashley yelled after her.
I had to laugh at that. "Good one, Ash."
I saw the crease between her eyes start to disappear as she tried to smile at me. "Hey, I tried."
"Are you ok?" I asked her.
"Yeah, I'm fine," she replied. "I'm just sorry that I've brought you into this whole mess – this life. It can suck a lot of the time."
I pulled her into a tight hug. "Ashley, I chose to be with you," I whispered in her ear. "It doesn't matter how much crap people throw at us. It's all worth it. And we can deal with it. Together."
She looked into my eyes as we pulled away from each other. "Now you're the one that's being corny," she laughed.
"You bring the corniness out of me," I teased as we sat back down at the table.
We sat there for the rest of the lunch period just talking about normal stuff – school, music, and my parents. I told her about how I had found my dad when I got home and how I was feeling about the whole situation. She sympathized in true Ashley fashion, her insightful words making me feel a little better. Of course, she knew all about parent problems, so I guess she really knew what she was talking about.
"Thanks, Ash," I said as the warning bell rang. "We better get to class. I'll see you after school."
"Yeah," she said, smiling and taking a step closer to me. "You wanna go back to my place for the afternoon?" she inquired, raising her eyebrows in tempting fashion.
"I thought you had a paper to write," I giggled as I pressed my body up against hers. "Wouldn't I be too much of a distraction?"
Ashley took a deep breath, looked me over, then looked back into my eyes. "Yeah, you would be. Forget I said anything," she smiled, wrinkling her nose.
She gave me a quick kiss, then turned and walked away.
"You're such a tease!" I yelled after her, and then went on my way, smiling like I always did after being around Ashley.