I love Columbus Day. Thank God for the holiday of a guy no one remembers to honor. Otherwise October would be lethal. I still say Leif Erikson Day would be better though.

Don't expect updates this rapidly. Not unless it's around a holiday that doesn't really get celebrated.

Annoyingly, things keep getting moved around or deleted when I press the Save button on Document Manager. I think I've got everything back in place, but if things are in weird places let me know.

Sometimes you know something might backfire, but you still have to try because the prize is worth the risk. I think, in those moments, you have to consider what's at stake. I, for one, have nothing left to lose.

Ashley's PoV

Doctors are the most annoying people on the planet.

I say that with great confidence. Exhibit A: My ex-girlfriend's mother.

Throughout my stay at the hospital, the doctors there wouldn't stop prying, asking stupid questions. This time I didn't know I was pregnant. If I did I would've gotten an abortion. Seriously, please don't hate me. But I learned after the first miscarriage that carrying a baby is not a good idea for me. If I got sick it could have been deadly. Figures that I always have just enough luck to keep me alive and floundering.

Eventually the hospital released me. Hospitals are like jails, they don't send you home, they "release" you.

When I saw Kyla she looked at me like I was Lucifer and walked the other way. And that's okay. Spencer's better off without me. She shouldn't have to deal with me. It might even be easier without her.

I went up the room to my bed and sank down. It felt so good there. So right and warm and not because Spencer is written everywhere there.

Spencer was gone. It didn't feel real, or even possible, like I was going to see her tomorrow or the next day, or the day after that. There was a disconnect between what I knew and what I felt. I remembered those hateful words, and I try really hard not to think of them. I can't get them out of my head, but I don't feel it. It's an idea that's so out-there that, even though I knew it was true, I couldn't believe it.

My eyes finally drifted shut. I tried to keep them open, because if there was one place where my perfectly crafted wall of numbness failed, it was in my dreams. People however, need sleep to live, and I eventually succumbed to exhaustion.

I had a dream.

It was dark and musty. I couldn't see because there was simply no light. Nothing except darkness and my own rough breathing. And then a laugh. Not happy or warm, but gloating, superior. I bolted away from the sound, driven by blind fear. I couldn't get anywhere because I careened and crashed into things. I couldn't tell what they were, but I would pick myself up and run again as fast as possible. Anything to delay the inevitable. Finally I hurtled into what felt like a wall and crumbled onto the floor. Somewhere the laugh was coming. Only this time it cursed as it stumbled over fallen whatever they were's and made its way to where I was a pile on the ground. The laughter was back by the time it came to stand right next to me. A hand dragged me up by the forearm.

Suddenly the seemingly impenetrable black was pierced by a shaft of light. There was an opening like a hatch above me and it drew my eyes though I had to squint. A silhouette peered down at us: Spencer. I couldn't quite make out her features with the light behind her, but I will always know Spencer.

In the certainty of dreams I knew she could see everything that was, had, and would happen. I reached a hand up as though she could pull me out. She didn't move. Then her voice filtered through, "You deserve every horrible, unlucky thing that happens to you"... "You're a slut Ashley Davies"... "I hate you"..."Every, horrible thing...".

The light disappeared.

Spencer's PoV

I couldn't stop crying for weeks. Every little thing would set me off. I refused to admit I ever felt anything for her. I forced myself through. There was no going back to who we were. I didn't want to, it was to painful to ever return to. So I made a promise to myself that my next relationship would be with someone who was sweet and caring. Not just some of the time, but all of the time.

I wandered King High's halls in a daze, with no idea of the world around me. That is, until I realized that I was doing exactly what Ashley was doing after her trip. After that I threw myself into everything. My GPA skyrocketed and my English teacher stared when I handed in my latest essays.

Life without Ashley Davies was good.

At least when it came to my productivity. I felt lonely though. I didn't have many friends. I didn't even see Ashley anymore (a good thing) because she hadn't come to school for the last two weeks. Deep down I was burning with curiosity and concern, but it wasn't any of my business anymore. Ashley could always run to Aiden if she needed to.

None of this solved the fact that my only friend was Chelsea, who was now heavily pregnant. We didn't share a lot of classes and she needed rest.

One day, I was waiting at the door to the sketch class for Chelsea in case she needed help with anything. A girl with a bunch of books rushed out and slammed full tilt into me. We both collapsed, me stumbling backwards and her crumpling like she'd hit a brick wall.

"Oh shit." She said, helping me to my feet. "Sorry. I didn't realize anyone was there."

Hmm. Let's see, when you bump into Ashley she tells you that you "create disaster wherever you go. "

"It's okay." I reply.

"It's just that I'm new and I've been rushing around trying to get to my classes on time at least for the first day."

"What about the second day?"

"I figure I've already graced them with my presence once." She said with a dignified air before cracking into a grin.

For a second I was reminded glaringly of Ashley, the arrogance that I had thought was only an act to make me laugh had become more and more a part of her. On the other hand this girl was already a lot nicer than Ashley when I first met her.

I knew from great experience in dealing with egomaniacs that the best response to such a conceited statement was to roll my eyes.

So I did.

"So, I'm Spencer, and if you want me to show you where the cafeteria is you're going to have to ask nicely."

"I'm Carmen and if you show me where the cafeteria is I promise to be your friend for a year."

"Lucky me."

We started laughing. Then, Chelsea came out and the two started talking about art.

It's good to have friends.

That's chapter 5. Things are probably going to be moving faster in Spencer's world so I'm not sure if I will be posting more chapters with just Spencer's PoV.

Please read "The Heretic Bard". It's kind of a story written in verse instead of prose, plus it's actually finished. I know it's the second time I've asked, but apparently I have to learn "Shameless Pitch".