Aiden: (picks up his dropped book and slowly walks backwards, with his hands parallel to his shoulders) I don't know. Maybe... maybe not.
Spencer: (stands up and grabs her purse) What does that mean?

Aiden just shrugged his shoulders before turning completely around and walking away.

As Aiden turns the corner, Ashley comes from around the same side as Spencer's on.

Ashley: (almost bumping into Spencer and not knowing it was her) Oh, sorry. (looks up and realizes who it was) Hey, Spence. What are you doing out in the halls after the tardy bell? Ditching, perhaps?
Spencer: (smiles) No, I'm not much of a rebel when it comes to ditching classes.
Ashley: But hey, I do recall the time you ditched school... to go out on the town with me.
Spencer: Yeah, I guess you're right. But yeah, I should probably get back to class.
Ashley: You mean, go to class.
Spencer: What's the difference?
Ashley: Well, think about it. How can you 'get back' to class, when technically, you weren't even there to begin with?
Spencer: (shyly smiles and giggles) You've got a point!
Ashley: Well, I try.
Spencer: And, I'm going to have detention if I don't 'get' to class.
Ashley: Okay, I guess I'll just see you later.
Spencer: Alright, bye.
Ashley: (walking away) See ya.

As Ashley walks away, Spencer pulls her purse strap up on her shoulder and made her way to her 3rd hour class.

At the moment she walked through the doors, the teacher stops her dead in her tracks.

Mrs. Hilbuds: Miss Carlin, are you aware that the tardy bell has already rang?
Spencer: (sighs) Yes, I'm aware of that. (pauses) I'm sorry.
Mrs. Hilbuds: Well, you can be sorry -- in after-school detention.

Spencer's eyes widened at the sound of "detention".

Spencer: Detention?
Mrs. Hilbuds: Yes, detention. Go into the library after the last bell and stay until 3, okay?
Spencer: (rolls her eyes) Whatever.

She takes her usual seat next to the filing cabinet and quietly pulls out her cell phone and text messages Ashley.

Meanwhile, Ashley is in the office getting change for her twenty dollar bill, when her cell phone begins to vibrate on her leg.

The secretary slowly looks at Ashley's vibrating leg, then back up to her face.

Sec.: No cell phones in class, hon.
Ashley: I know. But technically, I'm not in class.
Sec.: (secretly smiles) Alright. Here's your change. (hands her the money) Now don't get caught.
Ashley: (smiles back) Thanks. (walks away) Don't worry, I won't.

Ashley put her money away and then pulled out her cell phone.

One new message.

She opened the link and read the note.

+THE MESSAGE+

From: - (Spencer's #)
To: - (Ashley's #)
: hey, ash. well, i got detention. so, i guess i'll just c u in there after school. bye.

Ashley was speechless and happy at the same time. Her reason for being speechless was: Spencer Carlin got detention for the first time. Her reason for being happy was: she was going to be able to be in a room, by herself... with Spencer.

She text Spencer back with the note:

: aww, spence. i'm sry. at least u won't be alone in that room all by urself. don't worry, we'll make ur 1st experience fun.

Ashley sent the message, then looked back down at her phone and put it in her purse.

Meanwhile, Spencer is still in class, listening to the teacher give a lecture about current events. All of a sudden, she felt her phone vibrate on her lap.

She quickly/quietly flipped it open, in order to stop the vibrating.

She read the message Ashley sent her and then replied back:

: o really? how do u make detention fun? do u ditch it? - if that's ur answer then u can 4get it. im not ditching w/u again.

Spencer quietly giggled to herself and then sent her message to Ashley.

Now Ashley is outside of the cafeteria, sitting on one of the lunch tables, when she felt her phone vibrate.

She read Spencer's message, giggled and then wrote her back.

: lol! ur getting ahead of urself. that wasn't even an option 2 me. but since u've mentioned it... lol/jk! no, we'll do none of that, but – what i have in mind will def. make u want more detention. later...

Ashley smiled to herself and then sent her last message to Spencer. She looked at the time on her phone and then got up from her seated position. The last bell was about to ring and Ashley actually wanted to be on time for detention. Ever since the recent news about Spencer receiving detention, Ashley was kind of looking forward to going.

As Ashley's making her way to the library, the last bell rings. She went through the double-doors of the entrance to the library; she gave the on-duty teacher her Pink Slip (her detention slip) and took her usual seat next to the back window.

She sat there for what seemed like ten minutes; waiting for Spencer to walk through those front doors.

Ashley: (to herself) did she decide to ditch and not tell me?

Ashley quickly got out her phone to check her messages. Maybe Spencer sent her one saying that she wanted to skip the whole detention scene.

She checked her inbox -- nothing.

Ashley got a confused look on her face. That is, until she saw Spencer gracefully glide through the double-doors.

Spencer made the same actions, as did Ashley. She gave the teacher her Pink Slip and then took a seat across the table from Ashley.

Spencer: (breathing deeply) Hey!
Ashley: (giggles) Hey. What were you doing... jumping-jacks?
Spencer: (smiles and quietly giggles) No. I was busy turning in late papers to Mr. Crossby.
Ashley: Oh, I see. Is that what you kids call 'it' these days?
Spencer: (wrinkles her nose) Ewww, gross! Ash, quit being disgusting!
Ashley: Alright, (laughs) I'm sorry.

All of a sudden, the two girls were shushed by the on-duty teacher.

Mrs. Easton: (shushing them) Girls! Please, be quiet!
Ashley: Oh come on, Alice. We'll be quiet when you be quiet.

Spencer kicked Ashley's leg from under the table.

Spencer: Ashley.

Mrs. Easton just looked at Ashley with a sly little grin.

Mrs. Easton: You're a troubled one, Davies. You always have been and you always will be.
Ashley: (sarcastic tone in her voice) Well, thanks for the awesome pep-talk!

The teacher shook her head from side-to-side and then stood up and spoke.

Mrs. Easton: Okay, enough small talk.
Ashley: Thank God!
Mrs. Easton: I'm going to the office to get some copies for this weekend's school dance.
Spencer: There's a school dance this weekend?

Mrs. Easton: (completely ignoring Spencer) Don't try anything funny. (pointing at Ashley) Particularly... you.
Ashley: (gasps and looks at Spencer) I just love being singled-out!

The teacher didn't respond; she just walked out of the library and turned left towards the office.

Ashley rolled her eyes and looked across the table at Spencer; who had a speechless/ surprised expression on her face.

Ashley: What?
Spencer: (smiled) I can't believe you can talk like that and not get in trouble.
Ashley: (shrugs her shoulders) I just know my limits. And I try not to exceed them.
Spencer: Oh, I see. I wish I could talk like that sometimes... especially to my mom.
Ashley: Why? What's wrong with you and your mom?
Spencer: The real question is: what isn't wrong?
Ashley: What do you mean?
Spencer: She's just... bugging me, like... constantly. I don't know why, though. Maybe it has something to do with dad.
Ashley: Your dad? What's wrong with him?
Spencer: Well, (she leans forward; in order to speak quieter to Ashley) he told me one night that he had to get away from mom. He said he 'had' to! Doesn't that sound like he wants to get a divorce?
Ashley: can you blame him for wanting to leave your mom? Spencer, you don't know that for sure.
Spencer: Well, I didn't say I did. I just said, doesn't it sound like it?
Ashley: Maybe... maybe not.
Spencer: What does that mean?

Ashley just shrugged her shoulders and put her left leg up on the table.

Spencer decided just to let that subject go. That was the second time that phrase showed up in her life and she didn't like those odds.

Spencer: (trying to change the subject) So, there's a dance this weekend?