Thanks for the reviews, as always.

I know Paula sucks, that was my intent but just think:

Would you have it any other way?

Enjoi.

Why? Why me? What did I do to deserve such a life? Whatever I did, I take it back. I don't wanna be here. And by here I mean home with my family. It wouldn't be that horrible if my father wasn't here. I'm still furious with him. Mom keeps me updated on the divorce thing because he doesn't ever talk to me. She's actually been rather quiet lately, I haven't heard any updates on the divorce...

"So, how was school, girls?" my father asks as he slowly chews his food that my mother cooked him. I hope she sprinkled some poison in there. I mean if the cops come, I don't know a damn thing.

"Good, I had prom committee today. I can't believe there's like two more weeks before prom. I'm so wrecked." Kyla says.

"Are you taking the Carlin boy?" he asks.

Kyla brightens at the mention of the blonde boy, "Yeah. I finally had to ask him because I was tired of waiting for him to ask me. Hey, if you want something you gotta go for it, right?"

I chuckle to myself, "Good, good. And what about you, Ashley?" He asks.

I look from Kyla to him. I'm staring daggers, "I had detention. Nothing productive there. Unless you count the fact that I have a chair with my name on it there."

Turns out a teacher was watching Terry and I's little squabble and decided we needed to be punished. She's on the lacrosse team so she got suspended from that week's game and since I don't participate in school activities they just gave me the usual detentions after school and as an added bonus to never do it again I got Saturday detention as well. Needless to say, I've barely seen Spencer since I asked her to prom a week ago. Yeah, we call and text and she lives right across the street but she's back on the cheerleading squad and I feel like her mom has something to do with the separation.

Everyday last week they've had some family game night thing. I mean, Kyla went over there practically everyday last week because Paula invited her. So, I'm very sexually frustrated. I went from sixty to nothing within a week.

"Why this time, Ashley?" he asks sternly. Uh-oh, I think he's trying to be a parent now. How not cute.

"Felt like it." I shrug with a smile.

He bangs his fists down on the table as mom and Kyla jump. They stare between us, "Damn it, Ashley, why can't you just do what you're supposed to do?"

"Because then that would make you look good and looks are highly deceiving." I'm ready to get into a knock-out drag out yell war with my father.

"And what's that's supposed to mean?" He asks slowly.

How should I put this? "It means that you're a piece of shit but everyone thinks highly of you because all they see is that fake ass facade you put up to impress them."

"You don't talk to me that way. I am your father and you will treat me a such." Aw, I can tell he's getting angry. Do I care?

Nah, "Actually, in order to be treated as a father you would kind of have to act like a father. You know, like care about your kids. Love them unconditionally. Like all that shit that you don't do." uh-oh. This is going to turn into World War 3.

"Ashley, that's enough." Mom says to me quietly.

"No, shut up, let her speak." he says nastily to my mother. The mother of his children. That's just all kinds of wrong.

I stand up quickly out of my chair, "Don't you talk to her like that!" I raise my voice.

He gets up as well, "I'll talk to her however I please, she is my wife."

I scoff as I smile, "Wife? No. You're getting a divorce, remember? You don't get to call her that anymore. You cheating bastard. You ruin this family then think you can put it back together because YOU want it that way? No. Not happening. I'm not playing along with the 'Leave it to Beaver' shit. God, for once in your life, be real."

Kyla tries to quiet me by grabbing my hand but I'm too angry to shut up now, "Admit it. You're done with us. You wanna throw us away and move on. You wanna run away to Spain with your mediocre new assistant. I'm tired of beating around the bush, what the fuck do you want from us?"

Silence falls over the room like we've suddenly entered a funeral.

"Get out." He says

"No, Raife, you can't kick her out, she's-" my mom pleads before I cut her off.

I shake my head and shrug, "Nah, mom it's cool. I'll be glad to leave. If Raife can't handle the truth then I think that's his own fault. Don't feel bad for me. I'm gone." I kiss my mom on the cheek, "I love you." Then I walk over to Kyla and do the same to her, "See you at school." I look at my father. I use the term loosely, "As for you-"

"I don't wanna hear anything you have to say, Ashley," he says like that's really gonna shut me up. I'm not letting him off that easy.

"Too bad. You're a shitty excuse for a father and and an even worse excuse for a husband. There's nothing appealing about you except your money. When that runs out, who's gonna love you? Not the mother of your children. Not your children, we only put up with you out of respect. Now that that's all gone, what is there for you, hm?" I challenge him as I raise my eyebrow. Bring it, sucker.

An evil smirk creeps across his lips and I can do nothing but wonder why.

I inquire, "What are you smirking about?

"You really think I care about what you have to say? Some common slut that just so happens to be my daughter? I don't. Little do you know, I have a son on the way as we sit here and have this little chit-chat. That's who's gonna love me. That's who's gonna respect me. Along with his twenty-two year old mother."

What?

Time's slowed down.

I turn to look at my mother and you can see the break in her heart through her eyes. The look in her eyes makes me want to die.

I look over to Kyla. I can see the statue of her perfect daddy crumble shining through her watery eyes. Then I have this out of body experience and I see my face erupt with anger as I begin to shake and breath erratically.

Time resumes. "You son of a bitch!" I scream as I throw a glass plate at him. It nails him right in the head. I don't waste time on leaving after that. I'm too angry to look at him. I think I might kill him if I laid eyes on him again. That son of a bitch.

He calls me a slut before telling his family about another secret family he has? No way in the fucking world does he get off good saying that shit in my book.

I swing open the front door and I make sure not to close it behind me. Fuck the electric bill at this point. I walk with motive to my dear daddy's car. I reach into my pocket and pull out my trusty pocket knife. I bend down on one knee and go around his car one by one slashing every single one of his tires. Fuck him. Go to your new family now, dick.

I stand up and I stare across my lawn to Spencer's window. I can see her sitting at her desk. Probably writing an essay or something. I don't know if I should plague her with my problems right now, as big as they may be. She needs to focus in school instead of putting up with my bullshit.

Oddly enough, just as I think that she looks over in my direction and I feel her stare into my heart and she can tell how broken it is. How horrible I feel. How I so badly want her to hold me. How I just want her, and only her, to love me.

I'm gonna break soon.

Spencer bolts from her room and not even a minute later I see her walking out of her front door in her pajamas. Cute little bunny ensemble. I meet her next to my truck, parked in the road, "Baby, what's up?" she says out of breath, gripping my elbows with both hands.

I can't talk. Not that I don't want to. I want to tell her everything. And I mean everything, starting with when I took my first steps as a little one. Yep, that far.

"Ashley?" she says again.

I don't respond. I can't. Where'd my voice go? I just yelled at my father. It was definitely there a minute ago.

"Where are your keys?" She says. I hand them to her, "Get in your car. I'm driving."

I don't nod or confirm that I heard her. I do what she says and within a matter of seconds I'm on the road. Holding her hand so tightly as if the fate of the world depended on it. Well, my world does at least. I would never tell her that though, too much pressure.

I don't speak for the whole drive. We wound up at the beach house. I'm laying on the couch with Spencer. I have no clue what time it is nor do I think I care. We fell asleep on the couch facing each other with my hand on her hips and her hand on my face. I'm so comfy.

The whole time we've been here and awake she didn't badger me about what was the matter. She just knew I needed her here. Now. I love this girl. Nothing about her I can even complain about.

She can tell that I'm staring at her because the corners of her mouth curve upwards, "See something you like?"

"I see something I love." I kiss her on the forehead lightly.

She opens her eyes and looks up at me, "You should be asleep."

I shrug, "I think my time is better spent this way, thank you."

Her smile grows and I can see her teeth now, "Yeah?"

I nod once, "Absolutely."

She closes her eyes again, "I think I can deal with that."

"Better." I say quietly.

After a comfortable silence, "So, are we gonna talk about what has you so upset?" she says sweetly.

I sigh and groan, "Are you ready for this?"

She rubs my cheek tenderly, "Yes," she gave me goosebumps.

I tell her every little nasty detail about my family feud. She gasps at all the appropriate places and laughs at all the funny parts that she points out to me. Like, I wacked my father in the head with a glass plate then maliciously slashed his tires. I sound like an angry girlfriend.

Now we're at the end of the story, "I'm so sorry, baby." she says rubbing my head.

We've changed positions. She sitting on the couch with her legs crossed and my head is nicely placed in her lap, "It's not your fault. Not like you're the other woman."

I feel her shrug, "I don't even know what to say."

I sit up and look at her, "There's nothing to say. Don't tell me things are gonna be okay. Don't tell me it will all work itself out. I've been telling myself the same thing."

"But, baby," she grabs both of my hands and intertwines them with hers before she continues, "But it IS gonna be okay. And it WILL work itself out. I promise. It'll still hurt but the sting'll be gone. If it's not then you can hit me."

I smile at the last line, "I'm not gonna hit you, Spen."

She smiles with here eyes at me, "I wouldn't care you know. A little fire in the bedroom is nice."

I laugh out loud this time, "I love you. So much. I don't think you realize how much sometimes. It's a large amount."

She leans into me and kisses my lips so sweetly. Willy Wonka ain't got shit on my lady, "I do realize because it's the same amount that I love you."

I push her back on the couch and I straddle her as I pull up her shirt. I place my hands on both sides of her navel. She looks at me with lust in her eyes but it's not one of those moments...yet. "What did your mom say when you left?"

Spen closes her eyes, "I didn't even say anything. I just kind of left."

I chuckle a little, "So, there's gonna be a search party out for Spencer tonight?"

She shrugs as she smirks with her eyes still closed, "Spencer will be alright. She's in perfect hands right now."

Funny.

But my insecurities are kind of curious, "What if she finds out you're with me?" I say timidly.

This must catch Spencer's attention because her eyes pop open and she stares into my eyes intensely, "Then so what? You're my girlfriend. I think it's okay to be with you."

"But she doesn't know that. She just thinks I'm your slutty lesbian friend."

She places her hands on my hips and rubs them slowly, "What's the matter?".

"I love you and I don't wanna lose you. I don't want my life to be torn apart without you by my side. I feel like your mom plays a big role in rather you're by my side or not." boom, hey, Ashley's insecurities. How you been lately? Insecure? That's good. Go to hell.

"Aw, Ashley. My mom has no say in rather I should date you or not. I will do what I want rather she approves or not. Sooner or later she's gonna know and she's just gonna have to deal. She may not find out today or tomorrow or maybe within the week but I'll tell her when I'm ready. I promise." She sits up to beat it into me, I guess.

Music to my ears, "Okay. Moving on to our next topic of discussion."

"What's that?" she asks seriously

I pull my shirt off with a quickness, "Why are we still wearing clothes? We have tons of free time that we haven't had in like a week and I don't know about you but I got needs, woman."

She shakes her head as she hides her laughter, "Well, it's good to know what's important in our relationship."

I shrug, "You can't tell me you don't want it though." I know how to get under her skin in all the right ways. I trail my fingertips around her navel. Her breathing turns crazy quick.

"Why do you do these things?" She whispers with her eyes closed.

I shimmy down her body so I'm eye level with her stomach. I place light kisses on her stomach, "Because I'm a tease."

She places her hand over my mouth, "If you think that you're gonna tease me then you got another thing coming."

"Hm, coming? For some reason I am absolutely okay with that. Bring it." I stare her down as a I slowly crawl up her body.

She pulls me into a passionate kiss as her hands roam under my bra. She's getting far riskier with what she says and how she touches me.

By golly, I think I've unleashed the dragon. Roam free, little girlfriend.

So, suggestions?

Comments?

Anything from the class about this one?