Totally forgot to thank you guys for the reviews etc. I do apologise for any missed words or bad grammar. As I have said a thousand times before I do not proof read my work as I don't have time. I literally write the chapter and post it so please forgive me for any errors. If for any reason you are unable to decipher any of my writing then please contact me and I will try to sort it out if I have time. Anyway continue to enjoy and please review x

Hide My Heart alternative chapter 8

The ride back to school was intense to say the least. Spencer focused on the road while Ashley stared absently mindedly out of the window. Spencer felt like her hand was still on fire from where Ashley had held it. She had never felt something so intense before in her life and it scared her beyond belief. She had felt slight tingles before when Carmen had touched her or hugged her but when Ashley held her hand she nearly died on the spot which is why she panicked. Now she was stuck in a confined space praying for something remotely intelligent to say or at least some form of a sentence.

"So are you still going to the game?" Spencer croaked as she glanced quickly at Ashley who was still looking out of the window.

"I might just give it a miss" Ashley replied solemnly which made Spencer feel even worse. As they entered King High Spencer pulled the car over and turned to Ashley hoping the brunette would finally look at her but she had no such luck. Ashley muttered a thank you and quickly exited the vehicle leaving a dumbstruck Spencer behind her. Ashley had no idea why she ran but she knew that she had to. She had felt something when she held Spencer's hand and it had terrified her but it felt good. The way Spencer had reacted had made Ashley realise that she could never start something with the blonde especially not when she had so much to lose. Ashley headed into the gym to see if she could find Kyla so she could have a quick rant before the game. Spotting her sister warming up Ashley paced over and signalled for quiet time.

"Hey what's up?" Kyla asked slightly out of breath from the routine Madison was making them do.

"I was just hanging out with Spencer then I held her hand...there was like this crazy electrical surge through our hands. Anyway she must have felt it because she went weird and left. Then on the ride back to school I freaked when Spencer tried to talk to me and I just left without saying anything" Ashley ranted not stopping to breathe.

"Spencer ditched?"

"Kyla focus please!" Ashley snapped.

"Sorry. Ash you need to talk to Spencer about this. I mean it sounds like she clearly wanted to talk to you before you bolted"

"What are you saying?"

"Sorry was I talking in French or are you just really dumb today?"

"You are no use to me little sister!" Ashley nearly yelled out in frustration.

"Look idiot just go talk to her or carry on doing what you're doing because that seems to be working out really well. Ash I love you but please go away the game starts soon and I still have to practice"

"Sorry Ky...see you later"

Ashley wandered out into the hallway and watched as the masses of fans and family started to fill the gym in time for the game. Watching the big crowds had almost eased Ashley's over active mind and slowing down her thoughts had helped. Deciding to take Kyla's advice she made her way to the stands to take a seat hoping that Spencer would turn up. Across the other side of the gym she spotted Aiden, Kyla and Spencer talking.

"Carlin I'm so glad you came" Aiden squealed as he hugged Spencer.

"Yea me too. Is Ashley here?" Spencer asked clearly distracted as she scanned the crowd.

"She's over there Spencer" Kyla answered pointing towards Ashley who was suddenly more interested in her phone.

"Good luck Aid" Spencer said as she headed over towards Ashley. Spencer tried her best to smile a welcoming smile but Ashley still looked uncomfortable.

"This seat taken?" Spencer asked politely.

"Nope"

"Ash I'm sorry about earlier at starbucks" Spencer attempted.

"It's cool don't worry" Ashley lied not really knowing what to say.

Spencer decided that she needed to step up so she grabbed Ashley's hand and pulled her out of the gym finding an empty bathroom.

"Spencer what are you doing?" Ashley asked as she finally caught her breathe.

"I...look I felt whatever that was when you held my hand earlier and it scared me. I have never felt anything like that before so I freaked. I mean I have literally just found out that you are gay and I have spent the past week trying to figure out whether I am. I had never even considered that I may or may not be gay before. Well not until you said what you did at the beach party and then that almost moment with Carmen. The thing is that when she tried to kiss me I kind of wanted to kiss her back..." Spencer was interrupted by Ashley.

"Please spare me the details Spencer. I get it okay you don't need to explain to me" Ashley explained feeling like the room was closing in on her all of a sudden.

"I owe you an explanation so please let me talk" Spencer demanded now feeling slightly braver.

"Okay" Ashley agreed.

"I didn't kiss Carmen because I like you Ashley which is insane because you're a girl and I've only known you a week!Plus there's all that stuff with your step father and I don't want to ruin that for you but there's something about you that drives me insane" Spencer continued. She stopped waiting for Ashley to reply but the other girl just looked terrified and frozen to the spot.

"Say something Ash" Spencer pleaded as she realised that a few moments had gone by since her confession.

"I need to leave" Ashley stuttered her expression full of panic. Spencer stood aside so Ashley could leave as she stood there feeling like the worlds biggest idiot.

Ashley burst out of the bathroom in full freak out mode. Spencer had said everything she had ever wanted to hear from anyone but coming from Spencer it meant something different, it meant taking a chance on somebody. Ashley located her her car and left the school as soon as possible. She was already regretting the decision to leave without telling Spencer how she felt but she was trying to be sensible. There was no way that it would work, Ashley couldn't be out until after she got her inheritance and Spencer was still in the closet. The whole thing was a recipe for disaster which is what scared Ashley the most and she thought it was easier to hurt Spencer now than further down the line when they were both more invested in the relationship.

Spencer stayed and watched some of the game while she went over everything in her head. She knew deep down that Ashley must feel the same way and she decided in a split second that she didn't want to leave this alone. She wanted to know exactly how Ashley felt whether it was the answer she wanted or not. Spencer found Kyla and asked for the address without explaining to the younger Davies sister what her intentions were deciding that the less people knew the better.

As Spencer pulled up to the oversized house that she semi recognised from the beach party the weekend before. Climbing out her car Spencer approached the massive door she reconsidered her actions but her new found guts pushed her to ring the door bell. After a long wait an old lady answered and Spencer worried that she had come to wrong house.

"Can I help you dear?" The old lady asked.

"Erm does Ashley Davies live here?"

"She does dear. Can I help?"

"I'm a friend from school and she left some books in class and I wanted to bring them to her" Spencer lied badly. The old lady eyed her suspiciously and Spencer realised that had nothing but her car keys in her hand.

"She's in her room. Go up the stairs and it's the second door on the left. Follow the loud angry music" The woman instructed with a kind smile. Spencer did as instructed and followed the stairs. She found the door and as described she could hear the loud music. With one deep breathe Spencer banged on the door but there was no reply. Digging deeper for some more courage Spencer pushed the door open. Ashley turned to look at her and Spencer could see that the girl had been crying which broke her heart even more.

"How did you get in?" Ashley questioned knowing that the house keeper never let anybody in with her step fathers prior permission.

"That cute little old lady let me in"

"Oh...look Spencer I'm sorry for running out on you"

"I just wanted to make sure you were ok"

"I feel like the worlds biggest ass for running away from you" Ashley admitted with a smile.

"Well I feel like the worlds biggest ass for saying all that stuff especially as you don't feel the same but that's fine. I still really want to be your friend Ash" Spencer stated as she stood next to the door feeling nervous and like a huge idiot.

"How are you being this nice to me? I mean you found some pretty shit things about me recently and then after you confess all this stuff to me I run away but here you are still wanting to be around me"

"Ashley I haven't been the best person to be around so I'm not gonna judge you plus I like you" Spencer smiled still not moving from her spot by the door. Ashley stared at her intensely for a short while before standing up and slowly walking towards the confused blonde. Ashley was not looking Spencer directly in her bright blue eyes as if she was daring her to move but Spencer knew she wouldn't be able to even if she wanted to. Within a flash of a second Ashley was pressing her perfect lips against Spencer's as she pressed her body against the blonde's causing her to fall against the door. Ashley kept the kiss slow and passionate as if she was trying to say everything she wanted to before but couldn't get out. Spencer felt heat burst through her body as Ashley placed her hands on her hips. Spencer had only ever kissed two people before and one of them was Aiden. Either way she had never felt something so insanely magical before and she never wanted it to end. As Ashley pulled away she prayed that Spencer wouldn't freak or push her way. The look in the now darkened blue eyes staring back at her confirmed that Spencer was definitely not freaked out.

"I like you too Spencer" Ashley finally said as she leaned her head against Spencer's as if all the stress and worry had been kissed out of her body.

"Where do we go from here?" Spencer whispered not wanting to destroy the moment.

"That's the complicated part" Ashley advised knowing that the next however many weeks or months were going to be a challenge. They were still getting to know each other, Ashley couldn't be out and proud like she wanted and Spencer was nowhere being out of the closet.

"I think that this should just be an Ashley and Spencer thing for now. It's not that I don't want people to know but with all things considered and..." Spencer started to ramble.

"Spence I get it. I'm not offended okay. We just need to be careful...my step dad can't find out or that's it"

"I would never risk that Ashley so don't worry. Hey what's all that noise?" Spencer asked as she heard the sound of honking cars and people cheering. Ashley looked out of her window and spotted the crowd.

"The stupid basketball team must've won. Come on" Ashley sighed taking Spencer's hand.

"Wait let me just kiss you one last time" Spencer said as she pressed her lips against Ashley's melting them both into messy pools of goo. Ashley smiled sweetly as they pulled away and they headed to the beach behind the house where there were crowds of teenagers high off the most recent win.