So there's about...4 hours and 15 minutes left of 2008! I'm about to go to a party, but as a nice little present for the beginning of 2009, I cranked this out all while watching Love and Kisses, one of my favoriteee SON episodes :)) I've come to the conclusion that I'm living vicariously through Spashley in the girlfriend department. Bahahaha.
I'm warning you: it's shorter than the others. But there's a reason for that.
Your reviews were incredible as always!! I love you guys! Happy New Year!!! See you in 2009 :))
***
We were standing in a vast, Olympic-sized baseball field; enormous, wet ferns that resembled thick barricades were on all sides. Ashley tugged me forward by the hand in the direction of Christine, Jake, and Kyla. Raife, Glen, and Madison seemed to be marking bases.
They were at least a half of a mile apart. Maybe even a full mile.
Thunder cracked in the distance, and I involuntarily jumped, earning a symphonic chuckle from Ashley. Kyla danced to the pitcher's mound, and looked back at us with a wide smile.
"It's time!" she called excitedly. I could barely see her from that far away, yet I could hear her as if she were right next to me. Jake ran after her, his gait agile as he took his position on first base. Ashley turned to me, her cold hands placed delicately on my shoulders, and smiled.
Swoon.
"You'll enjoy this, Spencer. I promise."
I nodded, giving her an enthusiastic smile. In a very humane gesture, she pressed a tender, virtuous kiss to my warm cheek, then shot off past Kyla and Jake into the outfield. When she stopped, her flawless figure was merely a small black dot.
Yet she was the most incredible black dot I had ever seen, and I smiled. I watched as she raised one hand, and waved back.
She could see me.
"You know, Spencer," Christine broke the silence in her soft, melodic voice as she pushed me forward gently, her hand on the small of my back. "Ashley is my oldest daughter, and I'm so glad that she has found you, dear. She's been alone for so many years…and to finally see her happy makes Raife and I feel very much at ease."
I smiled shyly as we neared the edge of the field. "I'm…I'm all wrong for her, though."
"You're exactly what Ashley wants," she grinned sincerely. "And I can see in your eyes that you love her too. It'll all work out in the end."
"Thank you," I whispered. We stood at home base, smiling at each other. I could already tell that Christine was going to become a mother figure to me.
She was already ten times the mother Paula ever was.
"Are you ladies done?" Glen whined from the outfield. Christine laughed, and ushered me forward to stand behind Raife, who was playing catcher.
"Batter up!" she called in a high, clear voice. Madison approached the base, not looking at me, and gracefully swung the aluminum bat back and forth with practiced affluence.
Even though she hated me, I couldn't help but think she looked effortlessly gorgeous. A sharp pang of jealousy coursed through my veins as I remembered that Madison had been originally intended for Ashley.
But Ashley chose me…and that erased all traces of my jealousy almost as quickly as Kyla had pitched, and struck her out.
"Strike one!" Christine called, and I watched Madison's fingers clench on the handle of the bat as she shifted her stance.
I didn't even see the ball fly.
The field was motionless as Kyla stood deceivingly straight, twirling the ball around behind her back. As she raised her hand, and flicked the ball toward Madison again with a satisfied smirk, I studied the utter balance with which she threw it.
Like a ballerina.
Somehow, the bat connected with the unseen ball, and a powerful crack resonated throughout the field. Madison hurried around the bases as it shot into the forest like a flaming meteor.
Now I see why thunder was required.
"Home run," I murmured, staring after it.
"Ashley's very fast," Christine said, and we both looked in the direction of the forest. Just before Madison slid into home plate, Ashley suddenly sped out of the trees and appeared in front of Raife, gently touching the ball to the base.
The triumphant smirk plastered on her beautiful face was priceless.
"Out!" Christine shouted. Madison stood up, dusted off her clothes, and glared at me. Then, in front of my incredulous eyes, she outstretched a hand, and shoved Ashley backward. My girlfriend flew through the air, and landed with a deafening thud about one hundred feet away.
"Aw, don't be like that, honey! It's only a game," Glen called good-naturedly to his wife, then winked at me.
But I wasn't paying him any attention.
Ashley's musical laugh rang throughout the field as she stood up, miraculously unscathed. Relief surged through me, eradicating my Madison-induced rage, which had been present in every cell in my body just moments before.
But none of it mattered as long as Ashley was okay. She sprinted to my side, her golden eyes sparkling with excitement as she pulled me into a bone-crushing hug.
"Are you okay?" I asked into her chest, my voice a bit muffled by her sweater. I felt her silky laugh vibrating in her chest, and she pulled back to look at me.
"I'm fine, Spencer. It occurs more often than not; Madison is competitive," she assured me, caressing my cheek with her frigid hand. "What do you think so far?"
I thought for a moment, running my hands cautiously up and down her back. "It's loud. Major League Baseball won't hold much interest for me anymore." Ashley smirked, brushing blonde hair away from my forehead.
"Spectacular choice of words. I'm up."
Ashley played smart, that was for sure. She made sure to hit a steady ground ball in Jake and Glen's direction, discreetly trying to keep out of Madison's reach. Glen body-checked Jake in order to capture the ball, and as their bodies collided, it reminded me of the sound Ashley's fist had made as it connected with the boulder on the day she told me she was a vampire.
I imagined that as the first day of my life. The first day I actually lived.
Jake laughed loudly, mimicking Ashley's mannerisms in recovering from the slam, and walked over to high-five Glen.
Well, at least they could be good-natured about the game. Unlike Madison…
Ashley dashed around the bases like lightning, the pace of her run as impetuous as a cheetah.
I liked the fact that she was fast; it was just another thing to admire her for.
The score was completely unpredictable. Ashley's team would be in the lead, but then Kyla's number would rise. I gave up on trying to figure out where the ball was. I simply gazed on in amazement at these incredible, angelic beings and how they could seem so normal, yet so inhumane while playing a simple game of baseball.
It was mesmerizing.
Then, an audible gasp startled me from my reverie.
"Stop!" Kyla yelled, and Ashley was suddenly at my side. The other six vampires began running as well, and were in front of me within seconds.
"What is it, Kyla?" Christine asked, gingerly touching her youngest daughter's shoulder. Kyla looked as though she were in a trance, staring straight ahead, hypnotic eyes wide.
I was confused. Very, very confused.
"They're much closer than I thought," she hedged in a quiet, harmonic voice.
Who's 'they'? I was tempted to ask Ashley, but her perfect face was facing Kyla, watching vigilantly with deep concentration.
Then, it hit me: Kyla was having one of her visions.
"They heard us playing, and they're headed this way. They're curious," she squeaked in a strained, terrified voice. Six pairs of tawny eyes flickered to my face, then back to Kyla's. I felt Ashley's strong arm loop protectively around her waist, and I suddenly became a little frightened.
Ashley seemed tense…so it must not be good.
"How long?" Raife asked, his normally cheerful demeanor gone as he looked worriedly at my angelic girlfriend. Her face was contorted into fury.
"Five minutes. I can't make it. Besides, I don't want to run the risk of them catching her scent. They'll be on us as soon as they do."
Glen's blonde head turned toward the trees, then to Kyla. "How many are there?"
"Three: two females and one male."
"Oh, please!" Glen scoffed, flexing his muscles. "Let them come!"
An urge to laugh bubbled up inside of me, but I really didn't want to draw any attention to myself.
Any more, anyway.
All eyes were on their father figure--with the exception of Kyla, who still seemed to be staring into space--as he deliberated.
"Let's finish the game."
"The threat is immediate, Raife," Ashley spat harshly through gritted teeth, her guarded hold on me relentless.
"Ashley," Raife towered over her sternly, and she instantly relaxed. "Just stay with Spencer. We will finish the game." The insistence in his voice was impossible to argue with, and I simply watched the silent exchange, both fascinated and mortified beyond belief.
As the Davies' returned half-heartedly to their game, I could tell that they were all on red alert now, turning their heads in various different directions, listening for sounds that were too out-of-range for me to hear. They stayed extremely near, playing at least a quarter of a mile closer.
"Take your hair down," Ashley commanded furtively, even though she was already sliding the rubber band out with her hands. I let her drape my hair around my shoulders, my eyes never leaving her face.
She looked completely on edge.
"There are other ones coming, aren't there? Evil ones?" I felt idiotic in asking the obvious question, and even more so for using the word 'evil.'
"Yes. Just stay behind me, and don't move, alright? Please, Spencer. I need you to stay absolutely still." The stress in her voice seeped out, causing me to become even more jittery.
If Ashley was stressed out, maybe the threat really was imminent.
I closed my eyes, focusing on the gentles grazes of Ashley's icy fingertips as she busied herself with positioning my hair just right.
"Like that'll help," Madison's resentful voice floated toward us, and Ashley and I both looked in her direction. Her posture was defiant, and her expression was extremely smug.
"I can smell her from all the way across the field."
"I know, Madison," Ashley growled, frustrated. I decided to try and distract her for a few moments.
It didn't do any good for both of us to be apprehensive.
"What did Christine say to you?" I whispered, remembering the nonvocal vibrations of Christine's lips near Ashley's ear. This only looked as though it further irritated Ashley though, for her gaze became conflicted.
"She asked if they were thirsty," Ashley muttered back, her voice controlled and void of emotion.
"Are they?" I asked.
But I was afraid to know the answer. Ashley averted her gaze, amber eyes ranging the forest as we stood closely together, front to front.
I was too afraid to notice the butterflies erupting in my stomach.
The seconds ticked by, sluggish in passing. No one dared to smack the baseball harder than a measly tap. Occasionally, one of Ashley's family would glance in our direction, worry coloring their tawny pair of eyes.
Then I gasped.
Ashley had wrapped her arms around my tiny waist, and was now raining short, sweet kisses all over my face.
Now I was feeling the butterflies.
"I'm so sorry, Spencer," she murmured, her voice raw as she pressed her lips gently to my closed eyelids. "This was such a foolish, reckless idea."
"It-it's fine, Ashley," I stuttered. "I-I-I had a g-g-great…time."
Coherency is difficult around her.
"I should never have brought you here," Ashley's voice shook slightly as she kissed the corner of my mouth. "Please forgive me."
I smiled, leaned up and pressed our lips together, promising myself that I would behave myself. I draped my arms carefully around her cold neck, and she pulled me close. Her lips parted, and our tongues found each other.
Maybe I'm the irresponsible one.
Her mouth was overwhelmingly sweet. The first time I tasted it, I hadn't been paying so much attention because my one track mind was so patently focused on the fact that I was actually kissing her. But now I noticed.
And the feeling was amazing.
Her tongue massaged mine, matching it in the rhythm of a loving dance in which I could still detect her protectiveness of me. To my surprise, I was the one who pulled back.
Vampires may not need oxygen, but humans do.
I leaned my head against her chest, attempting to slow my frivolous breathing, and simultaneously ward off the increasing amount of butterflies fluttering in my stomach region.
"I love you, Ashley," I whispered inaudibly.
"I won't let them hurt you," she vowed in response, tightening her grip around me. We stood like that for some time; Ashley listening for the oncoming footsteps of our unwanted guests, me tuning in to the soft thwacks of bat against ball.
Then, it happened.
I heard Ashley's breath catch in her throat, and she turned around, angling herself in front of me as she faced right field, posture stiff and attentive. Kyla, Jake, Glen, Raife, and Christine all adapted a defensive stance, and immediately surrounded me, forming an indestructible wall.
Madison stood idly off to the side, looking mildly bored. However, at this point, I didn't care.
Ashley reached behind her, took my hands in her cold ones, and squeezed them reassuringly to let me know that she was with me.
And suddenly, I wasn't so frightened anymore.
***
R&R PLEASE!!! :))
SPASHLEY FOREVER.