Title: Just Tell Me What You Want
Rating: This chapter is PG-ish.
Disclaimer: None of these characters are mine. I can't claim them. They are all property of the hard-working folks who are involved in the show South Of Nowhere. Well, Neil and Brock are mine, but that's it.
Feedback: Thanks to everyone who sends feedback, and I still appreciate getting it, yes. Plus, it really does give me incentive to update.
Summary: This will be a Spencer/Ashley story. It will involve the other characters of South of Nowhere though too.
Author's Notes: Okay, so there has been happiness for a little while now…There has been a few requests for some angst, and who was I to deny? Plus, I had the same general idea that some was needed soon ;) Enjoy.
Spencer's mother didn't say too much as Spencer got ready for bed. In fact, it wasn't until the morning that Paula said much of anything to her daughter. Spencer had acted as teenagers do, and had slept in a little bit. It was late enough that she heard Clay getting out of the shower. Usually, Spencer would wait until Glen got his shower in, then she would get up and take hers. Glen always complained that Spencer took too long with her hair, so she eventually just let him go first. Clay, who didn't have to try to fix his hair, didn't mind taking his last. However, it wasn't until Spencer heard him talking to their dad about breakfast that she actually woke up.
She glanced at the clock, realizing she was late once more, and then sprinted towards the bathroom. Clay was back in his room getting dressed, and Glen was still fussing with his hair. She had time yet! Quickly, Spencer took her shower, and brushed her hair. She already knew what she planned to wear, so that part was quick enough. In fact, the only thing that she hadn't had time to do was blow-dry her hair. That's okay, it was warm out, so she assumed that it'd dry quickly enough on the way there before school anyway. "Spencer, breakfast!" Paula was calling out to her, just as the blonde made her way down the stairs.
"I'm here, Mom. Relax." Paula frowned, wondering if her daughter was being sarcastic with her. She didn't push it, and instead just smiled again, settling down with her own cup of coffee. After breakfast, the three teenagers were getting ready to leave. Glen was driving them to school. That was when Paula realized that Spencer had blow-dried her hair. Glen noticed too.
"Sleep in a bit, Spencer?" Glen joked as she shot her brother a warning glance. She didn't want to discuss her waking up late in front of their mom, afraid that she might assume that something was wrong with her daughter.
"He's right, Spencer. Are you okay, Sweetie? Did you sleep in because you didn't feel well?" Spencer shook her head, concerning the sleeping in because she didn't feel well comment. Her mother took it as Spencer agreeing that she didn't feel well. "Do you need to stay home?"
"Mom, I'm not sick. I slept in. Teenagers do that sometimes." Spencer shook her hair a little bit. "It'll be dry soon enough anyway."
"Oh…Maybe I shouldn't have let you stay out so late last night." Paula was really wondering aloud. Maybe it was her fault that her daughter had slept in. "I knew I should have had that Ashley girl bring you home earlier…" She just had to make everything about her. Of course, it was Paula's fault that her daughter felt the need to sleep in. It was probably her fault that her daughter hung out with the likes of that brunette girl in the first place. Paula didn't like her. Of course, she wouldn't say that directly to Spencer, she'd take it the wrong way. Though, there was no right way to take it anyway.
"Mom, it's not Ashley's fault! I slept in a little bit. That's it. End of story." Spencer started to walk out the door, and her mother glared.
"Don't walk away from me, young lady." Spencer ignored her; she didn't have to deal with this right now. She'd feel after talking to Ashley again. They never got the chance to finish their conversation last night. She'd feel more awake after getting a cappuccino or another drink with caffeine in her system too. "That's it. You're not going out tonight with Ashley. Actually, no. I think it's best if you would stay away from her for a little while, not just tonight."
Spencer immediately whirled around. "What? You're not going to let me hang out with my friend because I slept in a little bit late? Are you going to ground all the kids that sleep in a little bit late? Clay sleeps in later than me every other day, and you don't talk to him about it."
Clay raised his hands in surrender, "Don't drag me into this. I got up this morning." Spencer shook her head, feeling defeated.
"I have to get to school," she muttered.
"The other kids aren't my concern. They aren't my children, and this isn't about Clay. This is about you. You are my daughter, Spencer, and I think it's best if you stay away from Ashley for a while. I don't think she's the best choice of a friend for you. That's that." Spencer shook her head, and walked out the door before her mother could say another word. She didn't want to deal with this right now. Her brothers followed her, walking towards the car. Arthur, who had missed most of this because he had been getting ready for work, walked in just as their three kids left.
"I feel like I missed something. Did a hurricane blow through here while I was getting ready?" Paula smiled at her husband and shook her head.
"No worries, Sweetie. It was just a misunderstanding. I took care of it." She kissed him on the cheek and walked towards the kitchen. He stood there dumfounded for a moment, trying to figure out what was really going on, before he followed to fetch himself some coffee before work.
Spencer was even more miserable by the time she reached school. She got out of the car just as Madison walked by. Spencer was prepared to have a comeback to anything that Madison may bring up, but Madison was simply interested in kissing her boyfriend. Spencer rolled her eyes as Glen started kissing her, and walked away looking for Ashley. Clay had already wandered off in search of his friends as well.
Ashley didn't go to school that day. She had wanted to, but her father had suddenly insisted on some father-daughter bonding day that he had thought of. No doubt it was to promote his healthy family life to the press, and it meant one other thing. He was leaving to go on tour soon. Her dad always got like that just before he left for a while, leaving her alone with just her mom, who ironically usually left her completely alone. He'd actually wanted to go bowling where they used to, at Neil's. It was there that he told her about the upcoming tour. He was going to be gone for a couple of months.
The brunette had been expecting this, so she practiced her nonchalant shrug the whole way over to the bowling alley. She managed to have it appear normal when she actually performed it for her dad, after hearing the tour news. The best thing about the day was that she would see Spencer after school; they were supposed to hang out. Well, there was that, and Brock was in school, so she didn't have to put up with him that day.
Spencer was in a horrible mood by the end of the day. She hadn't gotten a chance to talk to Ashley yet, and now she had to go home to face an evening full of her mom. Great. Usually, she got along with her mom, but not when it concerned Ashley. Some things parents just couldn't understand, or didn't want to understand.
Spencer had been in her room for the past hour, doing homework. Ashley hadn't been able to get a hold of her but couldn't because Paula had decided to take her phone this time too, really preventing Spencer from being able to talk to Ashley. So, Ashley did the best thing she could think of. She drove to the Carlin house. "Hi, Mr. C." She greeted Arthur as he answered the door. "Is Spencer upstairs?" He was about ready to let her in, when Paula heard Ashley's voice.
"I'm sorry, Ashley," she stated as she walked towards the door. "Spencer's doing homework right now, so she's kind of too busy for visitors."
"Oh, it's okay. I could do my homework too." Ashley said smiling, as she held up her own book bag.
Paula frowned, "I'm not sure that that's such a good idea. She had a large assignment that she really had to get done. I'll let her know that you came by though." With that, Paula shut the door. Ashley was not going to change her daughter. Paula wouldn't allow it.
"What was that about, Paula?" Arthur frowned as he looked at his wife. "Was that really necessary? I'm sure that Ashley and Spencer could have done their homework together just as well as they will separately."
"If they would do it just as well separately, why would they do it together? Can't you support me on some of my decisions in this house? Spencer's grounded." With that, Paula walked back to the kitchen for the second time that day, leaving her husband at the door, and for the second time that day, Arthur wondered what had gotten into his wife.
About five minutes later, there was another knock at the door. Paula was ready this time, or she thought she was. She opened the door expecting to see Ashley, but instead found Kelly. Ashley hadn't left from her parking spot across the street yet, and she felt some happiness anyway knowing that Kelly wouldn't be allowed to see Spencer either. Hah. To her surprise, she saw Paula smile and allow Kelly inside. After all, Paula thought Kelly was such a nice straight girl. Ashley bit at her lip, wondering why Spencer wouldn't see her. So, she did what she did best in these kinds of situations; she assumed the worst. Spencer must have freaked out about the idea of being her girlfriend. That's why she didn't return her calls this afternoon, and that's why she wouldn't see her. Well, if Spencer wanted to see other people, so would Ashley.
"Hello?" The voice immediately registered who was calling. "What's wrong, Ashley?"
"Oh, I'm just kind of bored. Feel like getting together tonight?" The person on the other end of the phone call was confused, but didn't feel the right to question the brunette at the moment. Hormones had taken over, passing the thin line called friendship. They both knew what this was. Whenever one of them would call the other, in a way like this, it only met one thing…They'd be getting together in more ways than one that night.
"Sure. I'll be at your house in fifteen minutes?"
"See you then, Aiden."