Chapter 33: It's Not The End

After my utter and epic failure at trying to get Spencer to come back, I immediately called Kyla…who had to call me back because she already had a frantic girl on the line. Yeah, Spencer called her. And yeah, Spencer was pissed off and upset.

Couldn't exactly blame her, you know? She'd just found out her online crush was actually a girl she'd hated for the greater part of the decade, and also the person that effectively ruined her life. Yeah, she definitely had a right to be pissed off and upset.

When Kyla finally called me back, I was surprised to learn that Spencer hadn't lashed out on her when she found out that Kyla knew about what happened. Granted she only knew for a few days, but that was still enough time to inform the girl.

After a long talk, mostly about the amount of incoherent words that came from Regi- god…I can't even call her Regina anymore. It doesn't sound right. It doesn't feel right like it used to. But after the talk, and not a lot of help from my best friend, it was decided something big had to be done. If only to make things here ok for her so she could come back, something BIG had to and would be done.

***

Two Days Later…

"In the wake of the scandal at King High involving two of its female students and a video tape that was leaked onto the school's website, another video has hit the web. Ashley Davies, daughter of the late producing mogul Raife Davies, released the video just hours ago and it has already circulated…"

"Ashley Davies made headlines today when she released a video apologizing and declaring her love for Spencer Carlin. Carlin was recently implicated in the controversy…"

"Davies heiress, Ashley, apologizes to and offers up a heartfelt profession of love in her video that's gone viral in such a short time. Neither Davies nor Spencer Carlin were available for comment…"

There it was; plastered all over the news, and sure to reach Ohio (not to mention the rest of the country) within an hour or two. All I could do now was wait.

Yes, I realize I just made a fool out of myself, and I didn't exactly come clean about my transgressions. But admitting my involvement with the tape wasn't something that needed to be broadcasted on national news. I'd take care of that myself, involving only those that needed to be involved.

I knew that going to the school with it meant I'd probably be expelled and my hopes of going to USC would be demolished, but that didn't matter to me anymore. Nothing mattered to me more than making things right, setting the record straight, and taking whatever punishment was given to me.

This wasn't about getting Spencer to come running back to LA for me, I knew she wouldn't. I had to clear my conscience, of everything. That included my feelings for her.

***

The one positive of living in a gated community was that paparazzi and news crews couldn't get near the house. The one positive of living in a mansion was that there were plenty of places to escape in case certain people decided to give me shit.

On the flip side, if I wanted to leave the house I'd have to drive through the mobs of press, and with my luck I'd end up running one…or a few of them over. And if I wandered into a commonly occupied room (e.g., the kitchen) I was forced to deal with the idiocy of my stepsisters.

I was lying on my bed, it'd been a couple days since I'd released the video, softly singing to the music and thinking about this and that (see: Spencer Carlin and my upcoming confession) when I heard my door open and close. I made no effort to acknowledge whoever it was, just continued to sing.

"Staring out at the world across the street.
You hate the way your life turned out to be.
He's pulling up in the driveway
and you don't make a sound.
Cause you always learned to hold
the things you want to say.
You're always gonna be afraid

There's only hate.
There's only tears.
There's only pain.
There is no love here.
So what will you do?
There's only lies.
There's only fear.
There's only pain.
There is no love here.
What will you do?"

"God Ash, didn't you do enough singing this week?"

It's Kyla, and she's referring to the video, and my attempt to sing in it.

I turned down the music a bit and sat up so I could give her what I hoped to be a withering look, but was probably more pathetic than anything. I know I'm not the next American Idol or anything, but my voice isn't that bad. Plus I just spilled my guts to America, and I'd heard nothing from a certain blonde. Not that I was…ok yeah. I was stupidly hoping she'd at least email, but nothing.

"If all you came here to do was make fun of me then you can leave," I said while resuming my recumbent state.

She sat down, or rather plopped down, next to me on the bed and smiled sadly.

"Ash, c'mon. You know I'm not here to make fun of you, I think it was sweet. Ten bucks says Cal wouldn't do that for me."

"Yes he would," I glanced over at her. "He'd even do a little dance with it I'm sure."

"Yeah, you're right. He is kinda whipped huh?" she chuckled lightly.

I threw her a half hearted smile that faded as soon as it appeared. My mind instantly drifted back to a certain blonde, off in a far away land…called Ohio.

Kyla sighed and slid down on the bed so she could lie next to me. She propped her head up with her right hand, while her left played with the quilt we were on top of.

"So…you decided to not come completely clean to America huh?"

I closed my eyes and pinched the bridge of my nose, "What I did is none of their business."

"Not that how I feel about her is their business either, but ya know…" I added after a minute.

She nodded a little and turned over so she could lie on her back.

We laid there, one of our companionable silences washed over us, but something nagged at me.

I glanced over at her out of the corner of my eye, and then set my gaze back to the ceiling.

"Have you heard from her?"

She beat me to the question. I wanted to scoff at the utter stupidity of it, but it was Kyla.

"No," I replied quietly. "Have you?"

Nothing but silence came from her, so I figured she didn't hear me.

"Have you heard from her?" I said a little louder.

Still silent. Something wasn't right.

I sat up and looked at her and repeated myself for the last time.

"Kyla, have you heard from her?"

Her face contorted, somewhat painfully, as she avoided eye contact. Obviously she did hear from Spencer.

"Uh, yeah…I did."

And obviously, it wasn't good.

***

Not good at all.

I thought it was going to be something like, she has a girlfriend.

Ugh, that thought alone killed me. But I could deal with that. I figured (naively) she'd date the girl for a little while, then realize she wasn't me and call. Naturally I'd be waiting; ready to do whatever it was she wanted me to.

Nope.

According to Kyla, Spencer's decided to stay in Ohio permanently.

"Ash, I'm sorry. I tried, really I did. But you know how she is when she sets her mind to something."

I sighed dejectedly, "Yeah, I know."

After a long silence she patted my leg and stood from the bed.

"Tomorrow's Sunday, come over ok? No more wallowing in this room"

"I'll consider it," was mumbled into the pillow I'd pulled over my face.

"Ashley Davies you will be at my house tomorrow at 1 p.m. sharp or you can find yourself a new best friend!" she yelled while she whipped said pillow across the room.

I rolled my eyes, not quite believing she actually just used a Ferris Bueller tactic on me. The look on her face though told me I had no choice but to agree.

"Fine, whatever."

"Great! See you then."

After she'd flounced out, I rolled over.

"Yeah…great."

My hope was that Spencer's door would be closed this time. It was a lot easier to pretend she'd never existed that way.