Its early morning. I'm out for a jog. The humidity has already started and I'm sweating like crazy. The Alabama heat is so different from California. Humidity vs. dry heat. I carry on running and stepping to the beat in my headphones.
I love the scenery. It is so vibrant with trees and flowers of all different colors. The road is shaded by the cascading branches, but the sunrise is filtering through. It's so peaceful here. I love the breakup of the monotonous LA summers. I would usually be out with my friends. Getting drunk and partying the days away. I'm gonna take the opportunity to start thinking about what I want to do after graduation, where I want to be. No one believes me when I tell them, but I'm in school for marine engineering. Growing up in LA and being exposed to the ocean has inspired me to pursue this degree. Just Something about it.
Despite partying hard the last three years of undergrad, I have maintained a 4.0 gpa. I know, I know, not what one would expect.
I keep running and thinking as my pace picks up. I am at an all out sprint right now. I keep moving until my body is completely exhausted. I stop. Bending over and catching my breath, I bring my hands to my knees. I begin to walk back to my grandmas house.
I'm still lost in my thoughts as the Carlins house starts to come into view. I see a blonde woman outside getting the paper. Spencer! Is all I can think. I pick up the pace of my walk. I haven't seen or talked to Spencer in three days since the library where she turned me down.
I approach as she is looking through the paper. Blonde hair down around her shoulders.
"Hey beautiful." I call out as I jog the rest of the way. She turns around and looks very puzzled and confused.
"Do I know you?" That's not Spencer, but an older version of her. I gulp. Oh. My. God. I am going to die.
"I, uh, um." I then stick my hand out "Ashley." I respond not knowing what to do as my embarrassment is running high.
She takes my hand " Ah, Ashley, you must be Lilly's granddaughter." She stares me down. "Paula". She introduces herself.
I vigorously shake my head. "Yeah I'm uh, I'm here for the summer." I continue to shake her hand. I'm nervous.
We stand and smile awkwardly at each other.
"Is Spencer here?" I speak out surprising myself with the question.
"Yeah... she is. I'll go get her." She turns and walks towards the house.
"Nice meeting you!" I call out before turning around and scolding myself.
"Hello beautiful." I mumble mockingly to myself as I replay the scenario "you're such an idiot. Ugh..." I bring my hands to my face and then run them through my hair. Still embarrassed I leave out a frustrated groan.
"You're sweating." I hear from behind me. I turn around. There's Spencer looking at me.
"Are you always so observant?" Like I mentioned before. She's a strange girl.
She continues looking at me.
"I was out running. And stopped when I passed your house."
"So you're stalking me now?" She rolls her eyes but a small grin creeps on her face.
"And again I ask, are you always so observant?"
She raises her eyebrow at me.
I kick the gravel with the toe of my shoe.
"Did you need something?" She finally speaks.
"Well I haven't seen or heard from you in a few days." I make eye contact with her, holding her gaze. She says nothing.
My shoulders drop "Do you want to get breakfast or something?" I ask hopefully.
"I like breakfast." She nods
"Is that a yes?" I'm confused by her response.
"Yes, it's a yes." I bounce on the balls of my feet in excitement.
"I'll just go get the truck." I motion with my hands.
"Ashley, I can drive."
""""""""
Spencer's car smells like a coconut scented day at the beach. It suits her. We drive to the sound of a Carrie underwood C.D.
"I should've pegged you as a Carrie underwood girl."
"Whatever! Why?" Spencer says in a sweet southern accent.
"That's why, right there." I say pointing at her
"What?!"
"That little southern accent of yours."
"You're stereotyping me!"
"Whatever you want to think. I'm just saying, the apple doesn't fall far from the tree."
She shakes her head. "We're here."
'Barbs Country Style Diner' I read as we walk up to the door.
I hold the door open for Spencer and she walks past me.
I flip open the menu and begin looking. "What's good here? I'm really a pancake kind of girl. " I sat flipping the pages.
" everything is good, but the French toast is really the best."
"Ehh. I don't know, I think I'm gonna stick with the pancakes here."
"Don't be jealous when mine is better than yours." She sing songs
The waitress comes and takes our orders
"Soo" I start off. "Tell me about the girl who spontaneously follows strangers and kisses them."
"Stop it!" She snaps at me "you keep bringing that up."
"Well excuse me, it's seems to be about the only interaction we've had." I throw my hands up in innocence.
"I was a little tipsy and you're grandma told me about you." She whispers. "And it just happened. Is that a good enough answer for you?"
"No."
"Please just drop it." She puts her head in her hands.
"I haven't stopped thinking about you since." I tell her sincerely. She blushes.
"I'm sorry. It was a mistake."
"Do I have to take you out for drinks for that mistake to happen again?"
"Ashley. It's not going to happen again."
"But you still came with me." I shoot back.
" I'm beginning to wonder why. This is dumb." She reaches to grab her purse. "I don't even know you. You don't know me" She begins to slide out of the booth.
I put my hand over top of hers trying to stop her. "So get to know me. Let's get to know each other" I say in an almost pleading voice.
She stares at me and we are silent. I then get up quickly and slide into the booth next to her before she can leave.
"Hey check this out!" I say in reference to the old 1950's style diner stereo that is connected to our booth. I reach into my purse and pull out a nickel and pop it into the machine. Soon Marvin Gaye's 'Ain't No Mountain High Enough' is playing through the speakers.
I hold the salt shaker to my mouth as a mock microphone before doing a spot on impression. "Listen baby! Ain't no mountain high ain't no valley low ain't no river wide enough."
Spencer stares at me in bewilderment before she starts laughing.
"Ahh. There I got ya." I bump my shoulder into hers, happy I was able to cut the tension out.
The waitress soon knocks us out of our little interaction.
"Here we have the pancakes and the French toast. Let me know if you dearies need anything."
I stay sitting next to Spencer in the booth. And we continue to eat.
She soon reaches over and swipes her finger through the whipped cream on top of my pancakes.
"Hey!" I yell at her. "get your own" I watch her bring her finger to her lips as she licks it off. "Mhmm" She smirks at me before starting to eat her french toast again.
On the outside I am smiling but on the inside I am burning with desire. Anything involving Spencer and whipped cream is a sexy thought.
""""""""
"Are you in school?" I ask on our drive back.
"No I'm not. I work at the library and live at home. Nothing too exciting"
" that's crazy, I think you're exciting."
"Psh. Come on." She rolls her eyes at me.
"I'm serious." I pause " you're the most genuinely intriguing person I've met in awhile. It's refreshing." I look out the window.
"Wait! Stop!" I shout out.
She slams the breaks and we lurch forward "what?! What's wrong!"
I hop out of the car and go pick a few wild flowers I spotted along side the road.
"What kind of girl would I be if I didn't get you flowers for our first date?" I hand them to her.
She holds them to her nose smelling them. "They're beautiful, but it's not a date."
"Whatever you say." I smirk.
""""""""
"Well. It's been fun." my voice is laced with sadness because I'm leaving Spencer.
"I'll see you later Ashley. Thanks for breakfast."
I see my grandma coming out of the front door. Making her way to the car.
"Hello girls. I've been wondering your whereabouts all mornin', Ashley."
"Sorry, Gran. Spencer and I went out for breakfast."
"Oh that's lovely!" She smiles at us. "Spencer dear, would you like to join us for dinner tonight?"
"Oh, Mrs. Davies I don't know…"
"Oh nonsense. It's supposed to be a beautiful night. We will take it out back and have ourselves a little cookout." My gran and I are both smiling at Spencer. "tell you what, I'll even give your parents a ring and invite them over too. Have ourselves a small get together." I'm smiling so hard right now.
"Alright" She relents. I have to keep myself from breaking out into a happy dance.
"Wonderful. We will see you at 7. Now Ashley, I need you to head down to the local market and pick up some things."
"Bye Spencer. Ill see you at 7." I give her a wink. She pulls away but not before giving me a small smile.
"Thanks Grandma." I give her a big hug.
"Alright, now get on down to the store."
'''''''''''''''''
It's 6:40 and I am shitting myself for lack of better words. My grandma called the Carlins and the whole family is coming over for the cookout.
Grandma is giving me directions and I am taking different plates out to the back yard area for the cookout. I am so caught up in getting everything ready that I don't notice it is seven.
I hear my grandma talking with others. I turn and see the Carlins walking in. Spencer is towards the back of the crew. I look past all of the others. There she is, wearing a yellow sun dress and looking absolutely perfect. The setting sun is shining and it is bouncing off of Spencer, bringing out the color of her eyes. I can't stop looking at her.
"Ashley, did you hear me dear?" I turn to my grandma who had apparently been talking to me.
"What?"
"I was trying to introduce you to the Carlins" she gestures
"Arthur and Paula. This is their son Glen and his lovely girlfriend, Madison. And well, you already know Spencer." I blush
"Nice to see you again, Ashley." Paula smirks at me. I'm assuming remembering our little run in earlier.
I walk directly up to Spencer. "Hi" I breath out. I feel nervous suddenly. "Can I get you a drink?" I raise my beer up in question.
"Sure, I'll have the same." She trails behind me until we are a decent bit away from the others.
"I'm glad you're here." I tell her genuinely. "I really haven't stopped thinking about you."
"Ashley" She warns. "You know my family wouldn't be fond of you flirting with me." She glances a look in their direction.
"Well I don't care what they think. How do you feel about it?" I take step towards her.
She takes a step back.
"there has to be a reason you kissed me." I fire at her.
"I know Ashley. Okay, I know."
"I just have this draw to you. I feel like I want to know everything about you." I glance down. "the other night at the bar, before you even talked to me, I couldn't stop looking your way."
"I know." She mumbles.
"So stay tonight when your family leaves. Take a walk with me?"
I can tell she is having an internal battle.
"Okay."
I smile so big at her I'm surprised my face doesn't hurt.
"Okay we better go back over before they start to wonder what we are doing."
I follow behind her.
—-
"So Ashley, what is it that you do?" I move the beer bottle from my lips to answer Mr. Carlin
"I'm actually in school getting my degree in marine engineering."
"Interesting." His eyebrows raise.
"You never told me that!" Spencer gasps.
I look over at her and smile "It never came up" I put the bottle back up to my lips taking another drink but not taking my eyes from Spencer's.
"Seems kind of like a man's job, don't you think?" Glen fires at me.
"Well if we are living in the 1950', then yeah, you're probably right." I glare at him. " But I think I remember it being 2016 you ass…." my grandma cuts in before I can continue with my sentence.
"Well!" She claps her hands together. "It comes much as a surprise to most, but my Ashley is the smart one of the family" She leans over and pinches my cheek. Im embarrassed.
"Alright, alright." I throw my hands up. "enough about me."
I look over at Spencer again and smile.
We are all sitting around enjoying our beverages at the fire pitt. I see Spencer shiver from the corner of my eye.
"Are you cold?" I ask her. She nods.
"Ill go get you a sweatshirt."
"I'll come with you." She stands to follow me. We make our way in the house and to my room.
She moves around the room gently running her fingers along picture frames that I have up. She's taking it all in.
"here" She jumps as she was not facing me but looking around the room.
"It's my favorite so I want it back." She goes to grab for it and I move it back out of her reach
She laughs.
"Promise you'll give it back." She steps forward looking into my eyes. A few inches from my face.
"Promise" she whispers out. I look down at her lips as she hasn't moved back from me.
I lean forward slightly and hesitantly at first. I then start to move forward again. I close my eyes intending on closing the space between us. I then feel her hands on my chest stopping me from moving forward.
"Ash." She says gently, I pull back and look at her. "I can't" She turns away.
I turn away from her as well and let out an annoyed sigh, not meaning to, but it happens.
"Uh, yeah, lets just go back out." I go to walk out.
"I'm sorry" I hear Spencer mumble. I stop briefly and then continue out the door.