A/N. Ok, sorry that it's been so long since my last update. I've had the flu (102 temp not fun). But here's a REALLY long update to make up for it. And well, just remember that I have a plan, and well...angst + drama big payoff in the end. So...review please! Heart
Chapter Nine
Spencer glanced at the Caller I.D. Sighing, she turned towards Ashley, "I guess your mom isn't the only one who likes to ruin moments." She flipped open the phone, "Hi Mom, I…" She stopped mid-sentence, "Clay?"
Ashley sat up, curious. "Clay?" she whispered. Of all the people to interrupt a perfect moment with Spencer, Clay was the last on the list.
"If everything ok?" Spencer asked, turning away from Ashley.
"Spencer, things at home are…things have gotten bad," Clay began.
"What happened? Is everyone ok?" Spencer asked frantically, images of Glen or her dad in the hospital filled her mind.
"Depends on who you ask."
Spencer squinted her eyes, "Ok, you being vague is not helping me understand." She could feel the knots twisting in her stomach.
"Mom left last night," Clay said, shocking the blonde into silence. "Her and dad had a fight…"
"About me?" Spencer squeaked out.
"No Spence. They've been having problems. Mom…mom had an affair."
Spencer's mouth dropped as she turned towards Ashley. "I'll be home as soon as I can Clay." She hung up the phone and glanced at her girlfriend. "I need to go home…now."
Ashley, who had thrown on a shirt and jeans flashed a look at Spencer, "Is everything ok?"
Spencer shook her head, "No Ash, it's really not."
The ride to Spencer's house was silent, causing the tension in the car to be overwhelming. Ashley tried to joke and lighten the mood, but there was no forcing a smile on Spencer's lips. The blonde was upset, this much was clear, yet Ashley had no idea why. After she'd hung up with Clay, Spencer grabbed her purse and was out the door before Ashley could muster up the courage to confront Spencer about the phone call. Something had clearly upset her girlfriend, and Ashley couldn't take this silence anymore. She pulled over to the side of the road and shut off the engine. Spencer's eyes flashed with slight anger and annoyance at this.
"Ash, why are we stopping?"
She sighed, "Because I need to know what's going on." When Spencer didn't respond, Ashley continued, "Spence, you're my friend above everything else, you can talk to me."
Spencer sighed, "Look, things are bad at home. Mom left and I don't know why, so please Ash," she said, her eyes pleading the brunette to take action, "Can you just take me home."
Ashley silently kicked herself for being so selfish, "Yeah babe, I can do that."
When they pulled up in the driveway, the girls saw Glen shooting baskets, uncharacteristically missing most of his shots. Spencer turned her head and looked at the silent brunette, "Look Ash, I'm sorry for yelling at you. It's just that…"
"I know, it's your family. The concept is slightly foreign to me, so you'll have to excuse my ignorance on the subject matter," Ashley joked, earning a small smirk from the blonde. "There's the smile that I love to see." She leaned over to kiss Spencer, but the younger girl pulled away.
"Ash, I…I'm sorry," she said, looking down at her hands, "I…I have to go. Thanks for the ride." With that, Spencer opened the door and left before Ashley could respond.
Ashley felt her heart break as she watched the blonde walk away from her, "Well…so much for happiness," she said softly, pulling away from the Carlin's house.
Spencer walked up to her brother, who was obviously stressed. "Glen, what is going on here? Clay called and said that…"
Glen turned an angry glare in his sister's direction, "Mom left." Spencer nodded for him to continue. "They were fighting about everything Spence: Mom's work at the hospital, some guy named Ben," he paused before continuing, "and you Spence. You and that…you and Ashley."
Spencer's mouth dropped, "W-Why?"
"Because she's turning you gay and it's disgusting!" Glen yelled, startling the blonde. "She's tearing this family apart, and every time you are with her, Mom and Dad fight. They already have problems and you aren't helping, Spencer. How can you do this to them? To us?" He sighed angrily, throwing the basketball at the net. "We don't need to messing up the family like this."
Spencer blinked, unable to find the words to respond. She fought back the tears as she entered her house. The first thing she noticed was the silence, it hurt. It was like a family wasn't even living there. She walked into the living room and saw her brother. Clay was sitting on the couch, staring out the window at Glen, a solemn look plastered across his face. He slowly turned his eyes to meet hers. "It's not your fault Spencer. Glen's just upset, don't listen to him."
Spencer swallowed hard, wincing when she realized how dry her throat was, "Tell me…Were they fighting about me." When Clay didn't respond, Spencer knew the answer. Sighing, she said, "Ok." She turned and headed to the kitchen for some water, desperately needing this sick feeling in the pit of her stomach to disappear. She stopped when she reached the entryway. There, lying unconscious with his head against the table, surrounded by liquor, was her father. "Dad?" she whispered. Mr. Carlin remained motionless, but mumbled something that sounded like 'what?' to the young girl.
Spencer couldn't take this anymore. Mom was gone. Dad was drunk. Glen and Clay were mad. Glen was right: she had ruined their family. Spencer felt as though someone had ripped a rug out from underneath her. She slowly walked up to her bedroom and shut the door. She tentatively picked up her phone and dialed a number, one that usually cheered her up. But she knew that this wouldn't be one of those times.
"Hello?" a chipper voice answered. When there was silence, the voice asked again, "Spence? Are you there?"
"Ash, whatever we had…it's over."
"Spencer? What happened? What's wrong?" Ashley asked, concern in her voice.
"You heard me," she repeated coldly, "We're over."
"But…why?" Ashley whispered, fighting back the tears that threatened to fall.
"Everything's ruined," Spencer started, "My family is falling apart…because of me. Because of us. I just…I can't do this to my family." The tears fell freely down her cheeks as she explained the situation to her friend.
"I…I'm sorry, Spencer. I never…I never meant to hurt you," Ashley said, holding the emotion back. She would not let Spencer hear her cry.
"Goodbye Ashley."
"Goodbye," Ashley said, closing her phone. She stared at the wall, unblinking. She couldn't comprehend what had just happened. This morning she had woken up in her girlfriend's, her best friends arms. This morning she felt loved and wanted, and now….now she was alone. She heard the doorbell ringing in the distance. Remembering her mother's words that morning, she knew that she had to leave her house. She couldn't stay at Spencer's, she wouldn't go to Aiden's She had no place to go. The beach: the last time she was truly happy, that's where she'd go. She grabbed a backpack and some clothes and headed downstairs. She saw the money that her mom had left for her on the counter, and she grabbed it, but then something else caught her eye. An unopened bottle of Captain Morgan's Rum lie just a few inches from the cash. Her heart still aching, Ashley decided to find comfort in the good-ole Cap'n tonight. She grabbed the bottle and headed toward the beach; away from her problems.
