Outing

Part Two: Above It All

When I told Spencer it really didn't matter where we were going, I really should have been more specific.

I should have known something was up when she suggested that I wear "more sensible" shoes when I came over on Saturday. I should have known because any place that wasn't strappy-platform friendly had the potential to be a yawn fest.

As soon as I saw the gigantic rental van beached in the Carlin's driveway like a huge, blue, metallic whale, I knew Spencer hadn't been joking when she said they were going on an actual outing.

When I saw Madison practically hanging off of Glen Carlin like an overzealous vine; I sat inside my car with the key in the ignition…mulling over my options.

Okay…You could just drive off right now and no one would be the wiser. They'd just chalk it up to a "crazy, flaky Ashley" thing to do. You can handle that. A day trip in the company of Madison Duarte is so not on your list of daredevil tricks to do before you die…

My thumb and forefinger pressed harder against the key.

You could just burn right by them, move to another town, change your name, maybe have a little facial reconstruction…

Just a fraction of an inch more on the key and a little gas and I would be out of there.

But then Spence would never forgive you, Davies…and that would hurt worse than anything else… Wouldn't it?

As if she could read my mind, Spencer stepped around the van, put her hands on her hips, and smiled at me…walking down the driveway and across the street to where I sat pondering my fate.

Too late to duck down now. Besides, she kind of knows your car.

I took the key out of the ignition, steeled myself with a deep breath, and smiled at her out my window as she came up on my car in that oh-so-Spencer way she had.

I've realized lately that she does not have the ability to not only has the ability to brighten any room she walks into, but the world outside seemed to gain serious wattage when she smiled at me.

"Hey, you." She said.

"Hey back." I said stoically. She squinted and tilted her head. Cute

"Are you planning on coming out?"

"Hmm?"

"Out of the car…Or are you planning your escape route?"

"You can get in and we can both escape." I offered coyly. She seemed to think about it for a fraction of a second, and then shook her head.

"Nope. You already said yes to this. Your bound by your word."

"My word doesn't mean much." I offered. Thinking maybe self-deprecation would do the trick. She pulled on the handle of the car and opened the door for me. "Come on. Get out." I remained in my seat and nodded over to the family van.

"What's the Queen Cheer Ho doing here?" Spencer followed my gaze. Madison was still doing her clinging vine act.

"She's Glen's one guest pick…and you were mine." She nudged my arm with her finger and gave me another 600 watt smile.

I supposed I could stand a few hours around Madison if it meant being subjected to a few more of those smiles. Hell. I might even learn how to smile back when she flirts with me like this.

You have to play it cool, Davies. Don't give in too easily…

"Where exactly are we going, Carlin?" I ask, trying to play off the way my heart was suddenly blundering around somewhere near my stomach.

"Disneyland." She said. I sat completely still, staring at her.

"You're kidding…?"

"I'm really not." Spencer said up at me, looking irritatingly amused by my expression.

"You have to understand that I can't go to Disneyland…" I say very matter-of-factly. She's still smiling up at me as though she knows that she has this uncanny power to make me do whatever she wants you to. If I didn't know better, I'd have thought she was mocking my will to resist her charms. "I can't." I said…a little bit too weak to make for a convincing argument.

"You already said yes, so get out of the car." She said.

You're not the boss of me, Spencer Carlin.

And yet I get out of the car and shut the door. She reached for my keys and for the briefest of moments our fingers blend together with the promise of something more…and then they're gone and she has my keys.

'Click' go the auto locks.

"This day is going to be great." Spencer promised.

"It is?"

"Well…You're going…and I'm going…" She suggested. I could practically hear the dot-dot-dot after those words.

Do the math, Ash.

I followed her across the street, not sure what to make of spending a whole day with the whole Carlin Clan at the Happiest Place on Earth.

Might be a Saccharin overload, Ash…

Spencer turned to smile over her shoulder at me encouragingly.

But it might end up being very interesting after all…

TBC…