I'm extremely sorry for the wait, but school started and it's already killing me. So I'm very sorry for just posting this now. I would also like to say that if this feels rushed, then it may be because it kind of is lol. I can't really help it, but I just like to see things get done, so that's just how I write. This is kind of short, but I promise the next ones will be longer.

Thanks for all of the reviews. Here's chapter four. Enjoy.

Chapter Four: I'll Be There For You

The car ride home was very silent, save for Ashley sighing every three minutes. I have decided that I hate hearing her sigh. It's very annoying.

Just when I thought things were finally going to be over between us, and maybe we would just not talk for the rest of my visit in LA, Ashley pulls her car over to the side of the road. She turned her whole body to face me.

"What are you doing?" I looked at her.

"Okay, so I know I've talked a lot already, but this is last time I will. If you don't want anything to do with me, that's fine, I guess… But I just want you to know how incredibly sorry I am for screwing things up with us. There isn't a day that goes by that I don't think about you. About what we had. Because above everything else, we were best friends. And I just," She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "I miss you."

She missed me. She missed me. All these years, I've been thinking about how much I missed her, and missed our friendship; she's been missing me too.

"I miss you too, Ash…"

She smiled. "So do you think we could, maybe, try to be friends again? I mean, we don't have to be best friends, but just, we could start talking again, you know?"

This was just too much, too fast. "I don't know… Can I think about it?"

She nodded, disappointed. "Yeah, of course."

When we got home, I went straight upstairs and fell onto my bed. I stared at the ceiling for awhile, not really thinking about anything until I realized I hadn't looked at my phone at all this morning. I grabbed it out of my purse. Sam had called and left a voicemail. God, I thought. I hadn't thought about her at all today. I listened to the voicemail.

"Hey babe, it's me. I just wanted to say good morning, and that I hope you had fun last night. Well… not too much fun, right?" She laughed, but I could tell there was some seriousness in her voice. "Okay, just, give me a call when you're free cause I know you want to spend time with your brother… What? Okay… Uh, Chelsea's here, and I guess she wants to say- Hey,ow! Stop! Hi, Spence! It's Chelsea, and I hope you're having a blast in LA, but don't forget about me, your best friend, all right? I'm expecting a call from you soon. Okay, Sam's getting pissy now… haha, love you, Spence…"

There was some rustling in the background then Sam starting talking again. "Sorry about that, she just punched me in the arm and grabbed my phone even though I was about to hand it to her… Anyway, like I said, call me when you're free. I love you, Spencer. Bye."

I set my phone down, and decided against calling either one of them. They would both be able to know something was wrong, even if they couldn't see me.

I really needed to figure out what I was going to do about Ashley, too.

My thoughts starting to wander back to high school, and all of the time Ashley and I spent together. One time, in particular, really stuck out.

We were at my house, and it was almost a month after Robin had dumped me. I was still pretty depressed about it, but Ashley was the only one who could fully cheer me up. That was one of the reasons why I always wanted to be around her.

I remember that Ashley was over because Robin had called me, asking if she could come by and get some of her stuff that I still had. I said yes, and after she had come and gone, I just broke down. Of course, I called Ashley, and of course, she came running. She always did.

"Did she say anything to you?" Ashley asked me as we sat cross legged, facing each other on my bed.

I shook my head. "Nothing really. She just asked how I was doing…"

"What'd you say?"

"I said I was fine," I looked down.

She grabbed my chin and pulled my face up to look at hers. "You're not fine." It wasn't a question, it was a statement.

"I'm not." I whispered, and looked away from her.

"Spencer, look at me. Please." Something in her voice, made me do it. I don't know what it was, but she had such a way of making me do things I didn't really want to do. Or did want to, but was just too scared to do in this case.

"I know I've said this to you so many times before, but I'm going to keep saying it until you understand. She didn't deserve you. Not at all. You deserve the world, Spence. And so much more… God, I hate seeing you like this."

She took her hand off my chin and ran it through my hair instead. Then she rested it on my cheek.

I closed my eyes and leaned into her hand. "Thank you," I whispered.

"For what?"

"For saying everything I need to hear. For coming here, for always coming here when I need you."

"I'm always here, Spence. Whenever you need me, I'm here."

She was such a good friend to me back then. And I missed that. I missed that a lot. Friend. Friends. Could I handle being her friend again? Could she handle being my friend again?

My thoughts were interrupted by a knock on the door.

"Come in," I said.

The door opened, and Ashley walked in. "I know you said you wanted to think and shit, but I just can't sit and wait anymore."

"Ash, it's been like twenty minutes."

"I know, I know, but I'm an impatient person. You know that," She smiled at me and it made me happy. Just like it used too.

My mind made up, I got up and stood in front of her. I took a deep breath. "Let's try this. Let's try to be friends again."

"Really?" She looked shocked, happy, and relieved all at once.

"Yes, really." I smiled.

She automatically threw her arms around my waist and pulled me into a tight hug. I responded my wrapper my arms around her neck. She smelled good. She had always smelled good.

She pulled back, but kept her arms still around me. It should have bothered me, but it didn't.

"Thank you, Spence. You won't regret this. I promise."

As she hugged me again, I hoped more than anything that she was telling the truth.