Disclaimer: I don't own South
AN: So I took longer to update than I expected but I go back to school tomorrow, so it might be harder to update everyday.
Here's another chapter. I hope to get 10 to you as quickly as possible!
Review please! :D
9
I stood outside Ashley's house. I hadn't been here in two years yet the outside looked exactly the same. It had the same Porsche in the driveway. It had the same windows and shades. And the same ominous looking front door. I walked up her driveway, and heard Glen speed off behind me. The gravel under my feet crunched as I made my way to her door. I stood outside her door my hand raised in position to ring the bell, but I hesitated. The memories of all the times I had been here came rushing back and I didn't know what to do.
All of a sudden I was angry again. I was angry at myself for even hesitating on ringing the doorbell. This shouldn't matter anymore, Ashley Davies didn't matter anymore. I shouldn't care what she thinks, or anything else that has anything to do with her. I'm here to do the stupid project and then leave. I pushed the doorbell and heard the distinct ringing from inside the house. I awkwardly looked around as I waited for the door to open. The LA sun was out and it was in the 70s. Not unusual weather. It looked like Ashley still had a gardener because the bushes around her door were neatly trimmed. I looked over the rose bushes admiringly as the door opened.
"Spencer, hey, come in," the brunette said.
"Hey Kyla how are you?" I asked.
"Fine, you know the usual. Come here," she said pulling me into a hug, which surprisingly wasn't all that awkward. When Ashley and I had been friends Kyla would sometimes join us but she never really hung out with the five of us. We were pretty tight knit though, maybe she felt like she was intruding. But when I was at Ashley's house she would hang with us sometimes and watch movies, or eat ice cream sundaes.
"You look good," she said and I couldn't help but laugh at the cheesiness of our conversation, acting as if we were strangers.
"You know we still see each other almost every day in the hallways right?" I joked.
"Yeah, yeah," she laughed, "So Ash should be down soon."
"Okay thanks," I said and there was a moment of silence between us as we waited. I broke it, "Hey Kyla?"
"Thanks for the other day, in the locker room," I said and she looked surprised. She opened her mouth to respond but was cut off.
"What happened in the locker room?" Ashley asked standing on the bottom step. We both turned to her, having not heard her come down the stairs.
"Nothing," I said and Ashley made a face and turned to Kyla expecting her to give her an answer.
"Nothing Ash," she said, "I'll see you later Spence," she said climbing the stairs leaving me there with Ashley. Ashley and I looked at one another for a moment. Then without a word she led me to her kitchen, notebook in hand. I followed her silently. She was wearing a skirt and I couldn't help my eyes as the wandered down her legs. I quickly looked away. I don't know why I just checked her out. Crap. Not going to happen again.
I sat down and pulled out my notebook and she sat down next to me.
"Ok, so I have a list of questions, I figured we could just compile a bunch of information and then put it in an essay," she said.
"Whatever sounds good," I said my mind still reeling from the thought of her legs in the skirt. Shit, this needs to stop now. Ashley handed me a copy of the list and I opened up my notebook to get ready to record.
"Ashley dear I need you to be home at eight tonight, I don't know if you were planning on going out but – oh hello," Christine Davies said noticing me at the table. She did a brief double take before exclaiming, "Spencer Carlin! Is that you? We haven't seen you in quite a while," She rushed over and pulled me into a hug.
"It's been far too long!" she said as she released me from her embrace.
"It's good to see you again Mrs. Davies," I replied returning to my seat. I looked over at Ashley and couldn't decipher her expression.
"Uh, yeah Mom, Spencer and I were assigned a project together," she said to her Mom, "and we're working on it right now," she elaborated her eyes boring into Christine's. Christine suddenly took the hint and said, "Oh of course, we'll talk later Ashley. Good to see you Spencer," and walked out of the room with her heels clicking on the floor.
"Sorry about her, I'm looking to get her instituted," Ashley said dryly and I smiled. Ashley's Mom was always a bit eccentric.
"Ok, so let's start," she said clearing her throat. I nodded. Ashley started scribbling away in her book and for a moment I was confused, thinking we were going to question one another. She seemed to sense my question because without even looking up she said, "I figure we can write what we already know about one another using the list and ask questions if we need to from the list." I made a sound of agreement and let my eyes return to the list that she had composed.
It had questions like favorite color, movie, class, etc as well as stuff about families like the number of siblings or parents. I hesitated, reading that question knowing what a hard time it was for Ashley when her Dad passed away; but I scribbled the information into my notebook anyway.
We stayed silent for a long time and it was starting to get to me. There was a thickness in the air and slight tension between us as we wrote. The silence was consuming and I found it hard to concentrate. But I wasn't going to be the one who broke first and spoke.
I heard Christine long before I saw her as she walked into the dining room where we were working with a plate of snacks.
"I figured you two might want a snack, you've been working for a while. Take a break," she said placing the plate on the table between us. I looked at the assortment of pretzels, chips and of course Oreos. I had never been to Ashley's house without eating an Oreo, it was almost tradition.
It seemed she was thinking the same thing as I watched her eye the plate and meet my eyes. I saw the corners of her mouth turn up slowly.
"Thanks Mom," she said as Christine nodded, smiling at our small interaction and leaving us once more. I glanced at the plate not knowing whether or not to take something. This is ridiculous, that I feel awkward even accepting a cookie here. Ashley sensed my hesitation and took a cookie for herself before pushing the plate in my direction, easing some of the tension in the room.
"Um, so is your favorite movie still The Sound of Music?" she asked quietly after she finished her Oreo. I nodded hesitantly, "Yeah, and it bugs Glen that I make us watch it almost every New Year's" I said chuckling thinking of my brother's annoyance at my choice in films.
"I can imagine," Ashley said laughing. We spent the rest of the afternoon talking rather than in silence, and I left her house confused at our ability to converse easily about the past. Confused, but happy.