From the episode entitled, "Love and Kisses", do you ever wonder what happened that evening after Spashley danced in the Carlin living room?
The voice from Ashley's recorded CD envelopes them, dances off their ears and shoulders, slowly, deliberately, working its way under their skin. Her song lyrics echo the poetry in their hearts that they don't know how to speak. A head rests on the other's shoulder; their small bodies wrapped in each other's arms reverberating warmth and understanding. They hold each other, swaying, lost in their joy of being together; oblivious to Paula and Arthur's eyes that gaze lovingly at them as the parents discreetly make their way upstairs without the knowledge of the two young ones in love. Spencer's birthday present is perfect even though its a few weeks late.
Their eyes meet yet again. They kiss; first a peck, then a pause. Then a real kiss, the kind that makes Spencer's tummy tremble, her palms clammy; the kind that sends a shiver up Ashley's neck and makes her arm hairs stand. An unspeakable feeling swirl between them, crashing at the base of longing, releasing torrents of rain.
"You're making me..," Spencer whispers her last word breathlessly into Ashley's ear.
Ashley gazes into Spencer's glassy eyes and on her full, glistening pink lips and whispers, "Let's do something about it. Upstairs."
"Are you kidding?" Spencer blurts. "Remember the last-"
Ashley's quick, long finger presses against Spencer's lips.
"Don't remind me. Nightmare," Ashley interrupts. "Then my place."
"Can't do it. Especially if my parents aren't here," Spencer says, unaware that Paula and Arthur are already upstairs, settled into bed. "The last time I left them a note about being at your place, I didn't hear the end of it."
"Hello? Didn't you turn 18 recently?" Ashley asks sarcastically.
"Ya well, I still live here."
"That sucks," Ashley teases.
"Does not," Spencer smiles. "Any other ideas?"
"Back seat of my car?"
"In my parents' driveway?" Spencer asks in disbelief. "You really do have a death wish."
"I'm running out of ideas here."
"Okay, okay. I'll tell you what," Spencer says. "We can stay here..."
Ashley mouths a 'yaay'.
"...but you have to promise to leave first thing in the morning," Spencer continues. "Before my parents wake up."
Ashley pauses and says, "Deal." as she pulls Spencer toward the staircase.
Spencer digs her heels into the floor and insists, "I mean it, Ashley. Or you'll be climbing out my bedroom window."
"Okay, I heard you. Let's go," Ashley says agitated as she pulls Spencer past the couch and into the hall. Ashley suddenly stops at the base of the stairs. "What time is that exactly?"
"Seven. Maybe eight but that's pushing it."
"In the morning? You're kidding me, right?" Ashley asks. "Who wakes up that early? All right, I promise. Just set the alarm. Oh, the things I do for love."
"The things you do for..." Spencer grins sheepishly.
"C'mon on already," Ashley playfully yanks Spencer toward her.
Holding hands, they stumble up the stairs with whispered laughter, shush each other down the second floor hall and crash into Spencer's bedroom.
They are not tentative when they enter Spence's bedroom and click-shut the door behind them. They are not awkward, clumsy or unsure. They know each other. They have done this before. Not the same way they are about to do it on this night but they know where to begin; and it begins with kissing as they sit on the edge of Spencer's bed.
Spencer stops briefly to remove her shirt; she is hot - steamy, in fact - and she likes the way the back of Ashley's hand and fingers feel on her skin, against her skin; warm, smooth, liquid. They kiss deeply as Ashley strokes Spencer's arms, neck, belly- Spencer shivers, Ashley gasps - cheeks, lower back, chest.
Sliding under her sheets, under Ashley's watchful and patient eyes, Spencer removes her skirt, damp panties and throws them on her bedroom floor. With only her shoulders exposed, Spencer unhitches her bra strap and tosses the undergarment in Ashley's face. Ashley does not even flinch as the lingerie cascades past her eyes, nose and lips; she gazes in awe at the pretty girl with the big puppy eyes who she is about to know, who is allowing Ashley to know her.
Spencer says coyly to Ashley, "What are you staring at? Take your stuff off."
Ashley quickly throws off her top and skirt and slips under the covers in her underwear beside Spencer's warm skin. The air under the sheet smells like a hothouse. They lay down putting their heads on the same pillow simultaneously. And it is Spencer who tips Ashley's chin towards her so that their mouths meet. Fabric glides against skin, skin against hair, hair entangles fingers, fingers, fingers, fingers find body to touch; find Ashley's bra strap to unhook and find the waist band of Ashley's panties to slide off.
That's when the swimming begins. Two pools merge into a wide sea into which they dive, stroke, and explore, coming up for air only when they absolutely need to; holding their breath when the other goes too deep, patiently waiting out the time it takes for the other to return so that they can coast down a different river or swim upstream. That's when it feels the best.