Spencer froze and she swore her heart had stopped for at least two seconds. Her eyes widened and her breathing became shallow. She was torn between turning around and being let down or staying right where she was to keep the illusion alive. 'I'm officially crazy,' she thought to herself. Suddenly, a warm hand grasped her shoulder. The blonde closed her eyes and let the hand turn her around. When she opened her eyes, full, brown eyes of the most beautiful woman she'd ever seen met hers. Spencer's hand flew to her mouth in an attempt to muffle her gasp.
"Ashley," Spencer breathed out. Ashley's hair was straight, but her skin was still radiantly bronzed. Reality sunk in soon after and Spencer couldn't stop the rush of tears. She felt her knees weaken and she was soon enveloped in warm, strong arms. She inhaled Ashley's scent deeply and a sob followed.
Spencer pulled back to meet the brunette's eyes. She opened her mouth to speak, but Ashley cut her off. "God, you've only grown more beautiful."
Suddenly, Spencer pulled out of her arms and Ashley wasn't shocked when she felt the blonde's hand connect roughly with her cheek. "Ashley, how could you..."
"Spence, listen--"
"No! Where the fuck have you been, Ashley?" Spencer cried. The blonde pushed Ashley away and when Ashley stepped forward to envelop her again, Spencer frantically pushed her fists into the brunette's chest. "How could you, Ashley? How could you just leave me like that?"
"Baby, please, listen to me," Ashley said. She watched as sobs wracked Spencer's body and she felt tears sting her eyes. Spencer finally let her wrap her arms around her waist and as Spencer's knees gave out, Ashley slowly lowered them into a sitting position on the hard ground. "Spencer, I never wanted to leave. I thought I was doing what was best, but I was only doing what I do best; being selfish."
Spencer's body sank fully into Ashley's arms and she continued. "I told myself I wouldn't come back until I knew I was more of the things you deserve."
"Ash," Spencer whispered hoarsely. "God, I've fucking missed you."
-----
"PRADA, Gunther!" Kyla exclaimed, holding the soiled purse over the sink. "This purse is Prada! I can't believe it, you little monster! I swear if you piss on anything one more time, I'll--fuck, I won't do anything, but still!"
The dog merely looked up at Kyla.
"You're lucky I don't own your little ass," she said. "Or you'd be sharing a cage with Fernando the doberman at the pound...and he'd probably think your ass was pretty cute."
The doorbell ringing knocked Kyla out of her little rant. She opened the door and was met with a face she hadn't seen in over a year.
"Glen?"
"Hey, Kyla," he said surprised. "I totally forgot you were in town this week. Is Spencer home?"
"Um, no, she's not," Kyla replied. "She's at the cemetery."
"Oh..."
"Hey, wait, I didn't hear the driveway sensor go off," Kyla said, more to herself than Glen.
"Oh, yeah," Glen said with a chuckle. "I like to park my car at the end of the lane so I can walk up here and jump over the sensor. I usually go around knocking on random windows and shit. She gets so scared!"
"Still an ass, I see," the brunette replied with a smile.
-----
Ashley took a deep breath to try to stop her own tears. "Words can't describe how much I've missed you, gorgeous."
Spencer turned slightly to wrap her arms around Ashley's waist. "You still smell so incredible."
"Did you mean those things, Spence?"
"What things?"
Ashley paused. "What you were saying before I finally let you know I was there."
"Yeah," Spencer simply replied.
Ashley tightened her grip on the blonde and replied, "three years, Spencer. Three years and there wasn't a time that you weren't on my mind; I want you to know that. It's like that Jack's Mannequin song--there's a piece of you in every single second of every single day."
Spencer smiled a bit when Ashley began rubbing her arm like she used to.
"And I want you to know, gorgeous, that for those three years, I was still yours. Every day, hour, and second. Yours, baby," Ashley said, kissing Spencer's forehead.
-----
"Tell me a secret," Spencer whispered against Ashley's neck.
"Hmm, okay...I can remember the exact moment I fell in love with you," Ashley replied.
"Tell me," Spencer said, this time pressing a kiss to the brunette's skin.
"I knew I was attracted to you in this crazy way in the first place," Ashey stated. "Just something about you, gorgeous...but it was when I was walking up to the gym entrance when you made me come to the dance. I looked at you and that was it. Ashley Davies was done for."
Spencer smiled and slipped her fingers just under the hem of Ashley's shirt to trace patterns on her lower stomach. "That was when I knew, too."
"Wanna hear another secret?" Ashley asked, pressing a kiss to Spencer's forehead and tracing her fingers up and down the blonde's upper arm.
"Mmhmm."
"I love the way you smell," Ashley said. "I love when I can smell you on my clothes, my bed and in my car."
"Tell me another," the blonde replied.
Ashley smiled and placed another kiss to Spencer's forehead. "I love when you run your fingers across my stomach and I love when we lay in my bed like this."
"I love when you call me gorgeous," Spencer said.
Ashley ran her finger's through her girlfriend's hair as she said, "you are gorgeous, baby. I belong to the most beautiful girl in the world."
-----
"So, um, Glen, why exactly are you here?" Kyla asked, pouring herself a cup of orange juice.
"I don't want to get your hopes up, Kyla," Glen said as she nervously shifted on the stool he was currently occupying. "But some like die-hard Raife Davies fan came into the station earlier today stating that she'd seen Ashley in her hotel parking lot. It was crazy, she was like running around screaming, 'Ashley Davies isn't dead! She's not dead!'"
Kyla gently placed her glass on the counter without ever taking her eyes off of Glen.
"What do you personally think?" Kyla asked quietly.
"Personally, I think the lady is a God damn nut job."
Kyla leaned her weight on the counter. "What if she's right?"
"Kyla, it's been three years," Glen said sadly. "Usually after forty-eight hours, all chances of finding someone are gone."
-----
"Ashley," Spencer stated.
"Hmm?"
"I just wanted to hear you answer," Spencer said, inhaling the scent of Ashley's hair and tightening her grip on the petite girl. "Where do we go from here?"
"I don't know, gorgeous," Ashley replied, stroking Spencer's hair. "But we'll figure it out, okay?"
"Promise to tell me where the hell you've been and what you've been doing?"
Ashley slightly pulled out of the embrace to look at the blonde. "I promise, Spence."
-----
"We just graduated high school!" Spencer said excitedly after commencement ended.
Ashley pulled her into a tight hug and spun her around. "I can't believe I actually made it!"
Spencer finally found her footing and pulled away to look at Ashley. She ran her thumb across Ashley's cheek and said, "you're beautiful."
"Not like you," Ashley said, taking Spencer's hand and pressing a kiss to her palm.
"You're too sweet, you know that?"
Ashley smiled brightly and placed a chaste kiss on Spencer's lips. "Only for you, gorgeous."
"I love you," Spencer said with a wide smile.
"I loved you first," Ashley said, making a face.
Spencer scoffed and said, "no way!"
"Way."
"Nope!"
"Fine, we loved each other at the same time," the brunette said, placing a sweet kiss on Spencer's cheek. "I got you something."
"Oh, really? What?"
"Come on, it's in my car," Ashley said, taking the blonde's hair and leading her away.
"But my parents--"
"We'll find them when we're done, come on!" Ashley said excitedly.
When they reached Ashley's car, she opened the door and pulled out a heavy, flat object covered in wrapping paper.
Spencer quickly tore the paper off, revealing a plaque. "What is it, Ash?"
"It's your star," the brunette replied.
"You remembered..."
Ashley smiled and said, "I promised I would."
"God, I've wanted my own star since I was like six," Spencer said, her eyes still scanning over the frame in awe. "I love it, baby."
"Good, because I love you."