Review Section
S.O.N luva: I'm glad you're liking it so far.
Tribaltaisan: Maybe you're going to the wrong college?
DurtiPr3ttyGrrl: Yay for good characterization.
Blaze: Right on! I wrote something that somebody understood!
Andi: I was oddly excited by your review. Thank you.
Hackensack nights: Woot woot, pacing!
Chels5267: Me, too.
Ariana: I'm definitely enjoying writing this one. Thanks.
Sp0rtgirl: Well, then I'm sorry I've taken so long.
Kat: It's funny you should mention Kelly...
justlikeyou: College is good.
Whisperedrainbow: They have good thoughts. Now I feel warm and fuzzy.
MistyRiver17: Well, you know Aiden has to make an appearance. Ooh, cookie. Chocolate Chip even... the soft kind with big chunks of chocolate. How did you know?
Blackrosesareprettier: Well, then I'm definitely glad that I started working on one of your favorite types. I do believe I have ESP...N.
SON lover 06: I'm a Spashley fanatic, too, don't worry. We can go to Spashley Fanatics Annonymous together.
This-charming-man: Yes. Isn't Spencer so cute?
Boberry: You quoted a paragraph! I take that as a really high compliment because... well, I just do. I am now on Cloud Nine.
Author's Notes
Yes, I have upped the rating. Not for this chapter, but for chapters that are to come. This fic is going to be darker than the last one, and I really don't want the admins here deciding that my material isn't suitable. So, I've gone as high as I can. I hope this doesn't effect anyone's judgment of me. Then again, I've never really cared about that before. Alright, enough of this. On with the story.
Disclaimer: I do not own the South Of Nowhere characters. They belong to Tom Lynch.
In The Sun
Chapter 3
By Persephone's Nautical Nun
- Spencer -
Click.
Click.
Click.
I swear, this website was like a freaking maze. I had been clicking links like mad, trying to figure out how to register for Dr. Lykens' online course. This was the only way we could take the quizzes and the tests. Why couldn't he just hand us a quiz like a normal teacher?
I groaned in frustration as I was taken back to the school's homepage for the millionth time. The librarian shot me another annoyed glance, but I stopped caring a half hour ago.
"Need some help?" a female voice floats into my ear from behind. It's so soft that I almost think I imagined it. Deciding that it was better to turn around and look like an idiot if there wasn't anyone there, than to ignore whoever it was, I turned around, forgetting how to breathe. Standing over me was Ashley, a soft smile on her lips.
"Um, yeah," I said, quickly trying to recover. "I can't seem to figure out how this WebCT Registration thing works."
"Yeah, it's tricky," she said, smiling wider and leaning over me, clicking a few links to get me where I needed to be.
"Wait a minute," I started. "Are you telling me that I just spent the last forty-five minutes trying to figure out what you show me in two?"
She moved over to the left side of me, leaning against the desk. "Looks that way." She had the cutest little half smirk on her face.
We looked at each other. I don't really know any other way to explain it. It's like we were on display for one another. I soaked up everything that I could about her, and I felt her do the same to me. Normally, I would have felt self conscious but it almost seemed natural for Ashley to look at me this way.
"You're Spencer, right?" she inquired, shifting her weight and cocking her brow. I gave a small nod. "Cool," she said, extending her hand. "I'm..."
"Ashley," I interrupted, shaking her hand. We looked into each other's eyes and giggled mercilessly.
"I guess we both pay attention to the roll call," she observed.
"Yeah." I watched as she brought her right hand up to her left elbow, running her hand up and down her arm. It was then that I realized that she was just as nervous as I was. My eyes traveled down her arm and I noticed that she was carrying a CD. "What's that?" I asked, pointing to the disc in her hand.
"Oh, this?" she said, bring the CD to eye level. "Just a mix I made a while back." She pointed towards the back of the library. "I was actually on my way to the music library when I noticed you having problems. I couldn't just leave a damsel in distress, could I?"
"Well, you have very lovely armor for a knight." We laughed together for a few minutes, trying desperately to stay quiet. "Music library?" I asked after our giggles subsided.
Her eyes widened in shock. "You don't know about the music library?" She gave me an admonishing look. "Come with me."
With that, she was off, and I was left with nothing to do but follow her. She walked past several bookshelves and slipped inside a room with glass walls.
"What is this place?" I asked, taking in my surroundings. It was a small room, with headphones sitting on top of the desks and cream colored folders on shelves along the walls.
"The music library, duh." She made her way over to one of the desks, pulling out a shelf. There, perched on the shelf, was the most high tech looking CD player I had ever seen. "They have excellent stereo systems here. Very state of the art." She accentuated her point by pursing her lips and giving a matter-of-fact nod. "Actually, hardly anyone's ever in here, and it's the perfect place to listen to some music and collect my thoughts."
I was suddenly very curious to know what thoughts she was collecting, but it was too soon in our friendship to ask that question. Instead, I just nodded, indicating that I understood.
She put her CD into the system and picked up the headphones, walking around behind me. "Listen to this," she whispered, sliding the headphones over my ears. She walked back around to my front, pressing a few buttons. Soft guitar strumming and the smoothest male voice I'd ever heard filled my senses. I felt my eyes close involuntarily. Not very smart, I know, considering I was alone with a complete stranger, but for some reason, I felt safe.
---South-Of-Nowhere---
- Ashley -
There was no point trying to get anything done with Kelly around. She wanted to party tonight. She always wanted to party. She didn't seem to grasp the concept of homework, and the fact that I usually had some.
"Would you just wait a little bit?" She was really starting to piss me off, now.
She gave me a pout, and sauntered up to me, wrapping her arms around my neck from behind, the tips of her fingers grazing my breasts. I wasn't going to acknowledge this, though. It would only worsen the situation. "Aw, I'm sorry, baby," she whispered in my ear, making sure to brush her lips against my earlobe.
The violation of personal space wasn't helping her case any. "Kelly, get off," I said firmly, pushing her off of me, trying to get back to work.
"Well, you know what I want."
Those six words made my skin crawl. I needed to get out of there. I grabbed my favorite mix CD and headed towards the door. "Yeah, I know what you want. You don't need me for it. Call Dallas yourself."
She started to reply, but I was already out the door. I ran down the steps of the apartment building, trying to get out of there as fast as I could. I made it across the parking lot and leaned against the co-ed dorms, letting the cold night air wash over me. It wasn't like this was any better. I knew about all the shit that went on in here; home made porn videos, smoking pot, you name it.
With resolve to get out of there before Campo showed up, I started to walk to the library, thinking I'd be able to get some work done. It wasn't until I was halfway there that I realized I had left my books at the apartment. Oh, well. I wasn't about to go back to get them. I could always just bask in the quiet.
I hated the fact that the music library was at the back of the library. I hated that the music library was in that building at all. Every time I walked in there, everybody stared at me. It was creepy. The music library should have been in the music building. Music majors were the only ones in there, anyway.
I was pulled out of my thoughts when I heard a groan. I turned in the direction of the sound. I looked over the bookshelf, and there was Spencer, sitting at a computer, obviously having a hard time.
I was hesitant to go over there. What if, at a closer look, she wasn't what I thought she was? And if she was, would I taint her by exposing her to the likes of us peasants?
I sighed inwardly, knowing full well that I would go over there eventually. It was just in my nature, and it was pointless to fight it.
I walked over to her quietly. "Need some help?" I whispered, trying not to disturb anyone else.
It was weird. She didn't jump, or turn around quickly, or anything. She turned around very slowly, and calmly. I know this place. I was very familiar with this place. I was here every Tuesday and Thursday in Art Appreciation. Here I was again, falling down into bright blue depths that could shred my soul.
"Um, yeah," she said, turning back to the computer screen, giving me time to recover. "I can't seem to figure out how this WebCT Registration thing works."
Ah, yes. Lykens shall forever be our connection. I leaned over her and showed her what to do step by step. I had to control my breathing, because I suddenly wanted to breathe much heavier than I was. And she didn't shy away from me.
I finished showing her how to register, and we had our introductions. She knew my name from roll call, and I felt very warm after learning that fact.
Silence fell upon us, and I started to relax. I felt her eyes on me and I wallowed in that soothing feeling. At that moment, I was very calm. Calmer than I've been in days, anyway.
"What's that?" Spencer seemed to have a way of breaking me from my thoughts. I followed her gaze, and remembered the CD in my hand. How had I managed to forget I had it? Oh, well, not important now.
I explained to her about going to the music library, and she had no idea what I was talking about. "Come on," I said, motioning for her to follow me.
I was standing in the corner of the music library when she caught up with me. She looked around the room, taking in her surroundings. "What is this place?"
She couldn't be serious, could she? "The music library, duh." I walked over to the desk she was standing next to and pulled out the hefty black stereo. "They have excellent stereo systems here," I said, while nodding. "Very state of the art." There was a small moment of silence between us, and I felt as if I wanted to show her who I was. It was much too soon for that, though. "Actually, hardly anyone's ever in here, and it's the perfect place to listen to some music and collect my thoughts."
I thought I saw curiosity flash across her eyes, but she masked it quickly. You can learn a lot about some one by the music they listen to. I slipped the headphones over her ears, and turned it to one of my favorite songs, letting this be the best way of showing her who I am.
I loved watching people listen to music; the expressions they get, the way you can see the notes flowing through their body. I smiled as Spencer closed her eyes, letting the music take her where she needed to be at that moment. I watched as she gradually brought her eyebrows together, giving in to her emotions.
She opened her eyes and took the headphones off. She looked so serene. "What was that?"
"In The Sun by Joseph Arthur," I said, a smile tugging at my lips.
"It was beautiful. I mean... wow."
"I know," I started, taking a step toward her. "Don't even bother trying to explain. There are no words."
"What's your major?" she asked. Hello, left field, how are you doing?
"Music. Choir, to be specific."
She laughed at herself. "Yeah, I guess I should have known that one."
"Why? One can love music without being a music major."
"You got me on that one," she admitted.
"What's yours?" I asked.
She shrugged and tipped her head to the side. "Don't have one. No clue what I want to do. So, for now, I'm Gen Ed."
I nodded. "Most people don't know what they want to do with their lives."
"You do," she said, gesturing to me.
"Don't be so sure," I started, sitting on the desk. "I mean, I love it, sure. It's just that, the stuff they teach me here... I don't want to be performing thinking 'This is a B minor inversion.' I just want to feel it. These professors, no matter how good they are, can't teach that."
She nodded. I guess she didn't know what to say to that. There wasn't much to say, anyway.
We sat in comfortable silence for a while, just enjoying each other's company. I liked it. Then it was ruined when she noticed the time.
"It's getting late," she said, standing up. "I'd better go. Thanks for your help."
"No problem," I said, smiling. "See you in class?"
"You bet." And then she was gone and I was left with the silence that I had come here for. I was disappointed to find out that I didn't want it anymore.