Hey folks. I'm back with chapter four as promised. I actually just got in, the traffic on the M25 was a freaking nightmare and I am not in a great mood right now. I'm used to speeding down the motorway on my bike but instead I was stuck driving my girlfriend's shit little bright yellow Fiat Punto which doesn't even have power-steering. Utter nightmare.
Anyway, I've been astounded by the positive response I've received for this fic so thanks a lot for that. It's really is appreciated. Also, thanks for the birthday wishes and good lucks for my little trip. It was pretty disastrous if I'm honest because for starters you can't get someone an Xbox and then tell them they can't play on it for three days and expect them not to moan. And secondly, you can't book a crappy little hotel that has the world's lowest ceilings (there are at least five bruises on my head),suspicious looking hairs in the bed and a psycho Jack Russell that kept trying to bite my face and expect someone not to complain. It's just not on.
Anyway, rant over. Here's chapter 4, I hope you enjoy it.
"What the fuck are you doing here?" I ask as he plonks himself down next to Spencer. A little too close to her if you ask me.
"I'm here to watch Taylor play soccer of course." Aiden replies, speaking to me like I'm an idiot and I seriously want to rip his head off. "Hey Ash, why don't you introduce me to your friend." He says, his eyes not leaving Spencer for a second.
That git. He hates soccer and has never once been to one of Taylor's games with me. He can't fool me; I know exactly why he's here.
"Aiden, this is Spencer Carlin. Spencer, this is Aiden Dennison." I say through gritted teeth, grinding them together as Spencer sends him a polite smile.
Aiden immediately engages her in conversation as I turn back towards the pitch with a frown so big it could probably win an award.
Turns out I turned back just in time to see King score. Taylor slips a through ball into the striker, Carmen; I think her name is and she hits it into the back of the net with a simple strike.
I don't even bother to clap. I'm pissed and I don't care who knows it. Spencer, however, jumps to her feet and cheers loudly before bringing her hand to her lips and letting out a rather impressive wolf whistle.
Whoa! I so did not see that coming and apparently neither did anyone else because suddenly the whole field is silent and everyone is staring straight at the blonde, and some of them don't look too happy.
I instinctively reach up and grab Spencer's wrist, my hand tingling at the direct contact as pull her back into her seat before she gets something thrown at her. I can't help but chuckle when I look at her. Her face is even redder than Madison's and that's saying something!
"Shut up!" She mumbles to me with an absolutely adorable pout.
And there I go again with the stupid, girly descriptive words that weren't even in the 'Ashley Dictionary' before last week.
"Don't worry Spence." Woops. Didn't mean to call her that but thankfully I don't think she noticed. "We all get carried away sometimes."
"Shut it Ash." So she did notice, and could I just say that I totally just swooned when she said my nickname. I seriously think I'm ill or something.
I'm about to counter with an incredibly witty remark when Aiden taps her on the shoulder like a little kid and draws her attention away from me. Bastard.
How did that tool even find out about Spencer coming to the match anyway? I bet he eavesdropped on Taylor and I. What a Dickhead.
I turn back to the match with a badass frown firmly planted on my face. Okay, fine, I'm totally pouting like a petulant child. I'm not used to things not going my way.
I watch Taylor boss the midfield with incisive passes and crunching tackles for a while and I have to admit that every time I watch her play I'm impressed by how good she actually is.
Taylor tackles the Benson captain (who is massive by the way) and plays it quickly down the wing and I can't help but grin as I watch Taylor almost bust a gut sprinting from the centre circle into the box. It pays off though because the winger cuts inside and squares the ball perfectly for Taylor to tap past the flailing keeper. 2-0 to King. You have to give me props for actually keeping track of this game with Spencer sitting beside me. Talk about distracting.
The half time whistle finally blows and the teams filter back into the changing rooms.
Aiden is still talking Spencer's ear off, which is odd because he doesn't normally talk at all. I mean what else does he have to talk about other than basketball and weight-lifting? In fact, that's probably what he's talking about right now. It would certainly explain why Spencer looks so bored.
I let a small grin spread across my face at that because when she was talking to me she so didn't look bored at all. Suck on that Aiden.
I'm still pretty annoyed though. Since that douche came along Spencer's hardly been paying any attention to me. What is it about Aiden that makes him better than me? Is it because he has a penis? Or biceps bigger than my head? Straight girls are so weird. If I had my way, all girls would be lesbians. And Spencer would be like the queen lesbian.
I hear clapping and realise that I've spent ten minutes daydreaming about my perfect world where the lesbians form a giant army and decapitate all the men. That would be so awesome.
The game restarts and I'm trying to pay attention but it's kind of hard when there's a blonde beside you that you want to fuck and a boy that you want to castrate. But I really should pay attention; Taylor tends to test me after the game to make sure that I was actually watching.
So I focus my eyes firmly on my best friend as she continues to pull all the strings in midfield both offensively and defensively.
"She's good." I freeze when I feel Spencer's warm breath brush my ear, shivers running down my spine. Holy shit!
Christine!
Phew, that was a close one.
"Yeah she is." My naturally husky voice is even huskier and I pray that Spencer doesn't notice. If she did she's quickly distracted by something happening on the pitch.
"Oh my God!" She exclaims, looking worried and I quickly whip around.
Ouch. Welcome back Mr. Whiplash.
What I see on the pitch instantly causes my eyebrows to crease in concern. Taylor is lying in a ball in the floor, clearly in some kind of pain.
"What happened?" I ask Spencer hurriedly.
"They were going for the ball and that big girl completely missed it and smashed her head straight into Taylor's." Spencer bites her lip and I would have found it sexy if I wasn't so worried about my best friend's well being. Okay fine, I totally found it sexy regardless.
I turn back to the pitch and sigh in relief as Taylor gets shakily to her feet being supported on either side by two of the King High defenders. Her hand is pressed over the top of her right eyebrow and I can already see the blood seeping through her fingertips.
She brings her hand away from her face and I can't help but cringe at the nasty gash just above her eyebrow that's leaking copious amounts of blood.
In a flash, she's shaken off her teammates and is striding towards a massive girl that's by my reckoning over six foot tall and almost a wide. I have a feeling that this could get ugly.
"What the fuck is wrong with you!" I hear Taylor yell as she stands on tiptoes to get right in the bigger girl's face. "Do I look like a fucking football to you?"
I snort slightly and Spencer looks over at me in shock.
"Is she always like this?" She asks me incredulously.
I consider the question for a moment before sending her a small shrug.
"Yep. Pretty much."
Taylor never was one to back down from confrontation. Just last week she had a massive rant at this uber-hairy motorcyclist with biceps bigger than Aiden's because he parked his bike too close to Dora.
I can't help but grin as Taylor continues to scream into the colossal girl's face until pretty much the whole King High team; substitutes included, manage to drag her away and onto the sidelines for treatment.
"I'm just gonna see how she is." I say to Spencer, standing up and making my way down the half empty bleachers to the touchline.
When I reach her, Taylor is getting a thick, white bandage wrapped tightly around her head as she continues to rant at the first aider about incompetent players and their over-sized heads.
"Ashley!" She smiles cheerfully when she spots me. It looks kinda funny because her eyes are all scrunched up from where the bandage is pushing on her forehead.
"Hey Tay." I greet her and place a hand on her shoulder. "You alright?"
"Yeah. I'm fine." She shrugs in her typical nonchalant manner. "Just a flesh wound. But can you believe that bitch? She just nutted me in the face and didn't even have the bloody manners to say sorry! I outta give her a good slapping!"
"Thought you didn't hit girls?" I tease lightly, giving her large shoulder an affectionate squeeze.
"Have you seen her? She's no girl; she's some kind of beast!" We share a laugh, as Taylor staggers to her feet and leans over towards me with a conspiratorial smile.
"How are things going with Spencer?" She asks me as she stupidly tries to arch an eyebrow.
"It was good until that twat showed up." I reply with a pout and she follows my gaze before doubling over in hysterics.
"Shut up!" I whine, nudging her in the back gently.
"Sorry." She chuckles. "But you've got to see the humour in this situation."
I try to think of the ways in which I find Aiden showing up and ruining my time with Spencer even remotely funny but I'm coming up blank.
"Nope, not really."
"Don't worry about it Bud." Yeah, she calls me Bud. She's lived in the USA for three years and she suddenly thinks she's Texan.
She pats me on the back and turns to say something to the referee, who's jogged over to check on the situation.
"You're sure you're alright to go back on?" I know it's a stupid question, the first aider and the coach have already tried to persuade her otherwise, but I have to ask anyway.
"Yes Mum!" She replies with a smirk before marching unsteadily but determinedly back onto the field.
"Is she alright?" Spencer asks with genuine concern as soon as I've sat down again.
"I think she'll be okay." I shrug, although I keep a watchful eye on Taylor for the remainder of the game. Benson get a goal back, probably because Taylor's not up to full fitness and there are a couple of gaps in midfield and the game finishes 2-1.
"How'd you get here?" I ask Spencer whilst I'm waiting for Taylor to get changed after the game and Aiden is momentarily distracted by a funny shaped cloud. I don't know why that douche is even here still. Doesn't he have basketball practice? Or a gym session? Just somebody please remove him from my sight before I actually kill him.
"A friend from the cheerleading squad dropped me off after practice." She replies with her usual saccharine smile. I swear that girl's gonna make me diabetic.
Just as I'm about to offer to give her a lift home Aiden jumps in.
"I could give you a ride home if you'd like?" He offers, with a stupid grin.
Right now, I would really like to knock those pearly whites straight down his throat.
Just as Spencer is about to reply Taylor appears beside us and I'm a little worried when I notice that her face is paler than usual and the blood has started to show through the bandage around her head.
"You alright Tay?" I ask.
"I'm good." She shrugs but her voice is a little slurred and her eyes are slightly out of focus.
"Are you sure?" Spencer says, peering into Taylor's pallid face with legitimate concern.
"I told you I'm fine." Taylor tells her, pulling her kit bag up over her shoulder and slinging an arm around mine. "You girls ready to go?"
"Actually Tay, I'm gonna take Spencer home." Aiden tells her quickly, sending Spencer another stupid smile.
Ugh, if he smiles like that again I'm gonna cut his fucking lips off and stick them to his ass!
"Actually Aid." Taylor looks at him and then at me, immediately grasping the situation. "It would be more environmentally friendly if Ashley gave Spence a lift, considering that she's also giving me a lift and Spencer lives right next to me. It would be rather impractical for both you and Ashley to go completely out of your way to give lifts to people who live right next door to each other don't you agree?"
How I love her geographical reasoning. Although, I'm slightly amazed that even with a bashed in head she still manages to pull it off. I think I tend to underestimate her a little bit.
"That is true Aid." I jump in quickly as Taylor gives me what I think is supposed to be a wink. With the bandage right above her eye I can't quite tell.
"Yeah that makes sense." Spencer agrees and I'm pleased to say that in my opinion she looks a little relieved.
Aiden, however, looks crushed. I wanna laugh so bad right now. He's pouting like someone just blew up the gym.
Yeah, okay, I admit that I'm being a bit of a bitch to him. I do actually like him, he's one of my best friends but right now he's just pissing me off. And a pissed off Ashley is a bitch.
Aiden wanders off after that and Taylor, Spencer and I head back towards my Porsche. Taylor is staggering slightly and I can see the whole left side of the white bandage slowly turning red with blood.
"You sure you're alright Tay?" I ask and I notice Spencer smiling at me out of the corner of my eye. Huh, maybe I should act like a concerned friend more often, girls seem to like it.
"Yeah, yeah, I'm good." We reach the car and she drops her bag and leans against it, inhaling deeply. I'm pretty sure she's not okay but I shrug and grab her kitbag, throwing it in my trunk before I open the door for her to climb in the back.
Out of my peripheral vision I can see Spencer looking at me and I turn to face her. She cocks her head to the side in the most adorable head tilt I have ever seen in my life. I'm talking so darn cute that I just got that sensation when your legs turn to jelly. Whoa, that's seriously trippy.
"You sure she's alright?" Spencer asks me in a low voice.
"Nope." I shrug once I've stopped swaying. "But there's not much I can do. Taylor's stubborn as hell."
It's true. Last year we were making each other do stupid dares. I dared Taylor to keep her hand on a boiling hot radiator for two minutes. Seriously, don't even ask. We were really bored. So to cut a long story short Taylor burned the palm of her hand to the point where the skin was peeling off and blistered just to prove to me that she could do it.
"But you're her best friend." Spencer looks at me all expectant, like that makes all the difference.
"Yeah, but I'm not bloody superwoman." I retort in my usual witty manner.
"I dunno about that." Spencer grins and I swear to God that if I wasn't sure I was imagining things it almost looks like a flirty grin. "I'm sure you'd look great in the costume."
Well, fuck me. Maybe I do have a shot at getting into this girls pants after all. Score!
"Davies! Carlin! Stop fucking flirting, get in the bloody car and drive me home before I kill you both. It feels like someone's dropped a freaking elephant on my head and I'm not too happy about it!"
Spencer and I exchange a look before we both burst into laughter. It's probably one of the best sounds I've ever heard, her full out laughing. It's husky and deep and the most beautiful timbre...and holy shit, what the fuck am I saying? This is getting really weird. Beautiful Timbre? Really Ash?
"Okay Tay." I chuckle as I open the door to allow Spencer to jump into the passenger seat. She sends me a beaming smile and I can't help but smile back.
"Ashley! Stop smiling like a fool and drive the damn car!"
Oops. I forgot she was still there. Something about Spencer makes me forget everything around me. It's like she gives me temporary amnesia every time she smiles. It's seriously freaking me out.
I start the car and drive out of the parking lot without killing anybody. Quite the accomplishment if I may say so myself, considering Spencer is sitting right next to me.
As we're driving, I notice Spencer glancing in the wing mirror every few minutes, obviously checking to see that Taylor's still with us. She's so sweet. Like, you know when you meet people and you can tell straight away that they're going to heaven with bells on to be greeted at the golden gates by a choir of angels and perhaps even Jesus himself? Spencer is definitely one of those people.
"What did the Doc say Tay?" I turn to my best friend, who's looking pretty worse for wear in the back seat.
"Doc? She's no Doctor; just the Mum of one of the girl's on the team who's qualified to do first aid." Taylor replies. "She said if the medical strips don't hold, I probably need stitches and as you can see." She waves her hand in the general direction of her head. "I don't think they're holding."
"Should we take a detour to the hospital?" Spencer bites her lip in worry and it's so sexy my stomach does this freaky jerky thing. Like when I have that recurring dream about riding a giraffe across Africa and I fall off its back and my stomach goes weird, it's kinda feels like that sans the giraffe.
"No." Taylor's voice is firm. Like Spencer's ass. "No hospitals."
Taylor never says anything about it but her Dad once told me that she's never set foot in a hospital since her Mom died. I turn to Spencer and shake my head, hoping she'll get the hint not to push the subject. Luckily, she does because as I pull into Spencer and Taylor's road she says:
"My Mom's a doctor; she should have finished her shift by now. She could take a look at you if you want."
I'm pretty sure Taylor's going to refuse. If there's one thing she hates, it's accepting help from other people. Especially if it mean she's going to be poked and prodded around.
"Sure, that sounds great."
Okay then, I obviously don't know her at all. Or maybe she's in more pain than she's letting on.
"Alright, well I'll go in ahead and tell my Mom." I pull up to the kerb and Spencer jumps out and runs down the path. I watch her ass for a moment before getting out and helping Taylor from my Cayenne.
She leans heavily against me and I almost fall over. What? I'm not weak or anything but Taylor's fucking heavy!
We start to shuffle down the path to the Carlin house and I turn to look at her, surprised to see this massive, dopey smile splayed comically across her face. Maybe she's concussed or something.
"What are you so happy about?" I ask as we reach the front door.
She turns to me and her smile is so wide that it looks like she's seriously overdosed on Prozac. Then she leans towards me and whispers conspiratorially in my ear:
"Mrs. Carlin is a total MILF."
Thanks for reading.
Thanks fo reviewing last time. Shout-out to the newest of a lovely bunch: SouthMusiq91, slushhy, bitten2, chunkymonkey3, lnkmstr10, Shipper4life and flooj9235.
And for those who wanted to know, yes I am indeed English. I'm a born and bred North Londoner.