"I wish you'd let me be there for you, Spence." Ashley reached for a nervous hand across the car. Spencer smiled ruefully, and just shook her head.
"I don't need to give my mom even more reason to push me to get other friends."
Brown eyes looked over at her, twinkling. "You mean she doesn't love my winning charm and personality?"
"It's because of her, isn't it?" Paula's voice was accusing, already. All Spencer could do was shake her head violently, desperately.
"No! God, no. No one has done something to me. Brainwashed me. Influenced me."
"Spencer, you're not ga—"
"Yes, I am!" Tears began to well, threatening to overflow. "And I care about Ashley. I'm not going to stop seeing her." It was added almost as an afterthought. A soft murmur while she bought time to wipe her eyes, downcast at the floor.
A chuckle came from the blonde, shyly turning her face to look at Ashley. Their gazes locked for several moments before Spencer sighed quietly. "Assuming I still have my phone when today is over, I'll call you?"
"Already planned on it."
The phone in Spencer's hand began to vibrate loudly, making her jump. A strangled noise came from the girl's throat, knowing who it was without looking. She felt helpless in that moment. Her eyes darted from the flashing lights on the phone to her mother, and then back again.
"You're not answering that. You're not talking to her anymore."
Spencer spread her arms and leaned over, pulling Ashley into a tight hug. Even when aware of the windows to her house being a gateway to the driveway, she shivered inside of the black sweatshirt when Ashley's lips found a sensitive spot of flesh underneath her ear.
It turned into a full shudder when she felt breath over her skin, between the soft kisses, whispering in her ear. "Just remember that things can't be bad forever, Spence. It can only get better." They both tightened their arms around each other. Spencer couldn't help but turn her head to the side for a second and burying her nose into the crook of Ashley's neck, before pulling away.
Spencer sat there on the edge of her bed. It was quiet all through the house. Except for the yelling downstairs. Her mother's voice was shrill as she tried to drown out her father. Once he had woken up, the arguing began. The blonde sighed shakily, ignoring the blurry vision she was accustomed to by the crying, and desperately wishing her cell phone was anywhere but down on the kitchen counter. It had been confiscated when Ashley called.
A light rapping on the door pulled Spencer back from her thoughts. Petrified, she said nothing. The door opened anyway, and a blonde head peeked in. Glen slid inside, leaving the door open a crack. He was quiet, hands shoved inside of his pockets.
Spencer braced herself for the insults to come, but they didn't. At the silence, she looked up into his face. He took the few strides to her and crouched down until he was eye level with her on the bed. His hands felt heavy on her shoulders, but he squeezed them tightly before letting go. Before she could finish the words about to come from her mouth, she was cut off.
"You're my sister."