p class="MsoNormal"emI'll never be your mother's favorite/em/p
p class="MsoNormal"emUh, your daddy can't even look me in the eye/em/p
p class="MsoNormal"emOoh, if I was in their shoes, I'd be doing the same thing/em/p
p class="MsoNormal"emSayin', "There goes my little girl/em/p
p class="MsoNormal"emWalkin' with that troublesome guy"/em/p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"strongSpencer/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"Nothing prepared me for this. This moment seeing the woman I love, whose lips were a whisper from mine just a couple hours ago… To see her standing there kissing another./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"I can't help but wonder, wonder if she did have feelings for me at one point, did she feel this. This pain in my chest is nearly unbearable because I know that I am losing her. All I want to do is protect her, redeem her but I am losing her./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"I've been sitting here in my car waiting for her. I had to park across the street obscurely. Her parents don't like me, with good reason I suppose. Esme went on and on and I just couldn't deal with her. Plan foiled by my foolish heart./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"Anger replaces the heaviness in my heart. Maybe I should give Esme what she wants. That could speed things along/p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"emHmm, Officer Seth Suspicious is leaving. Maybe I should follow him. See what he is up to./em/p
p class="MsoNormal"em /em/p
p class="MsoNormal"em /em/p
p class="MsoNormal"em*/em/p
p class="MsoNormal"em /em/p
p class="MsoNormal"I roll my eyes as I see him get into the squad car. He took her out in a squad car. I'm so much better for her. He takes the car back to the station then swaps it out for a motorcycle. I hang back a second before picking up his trail again, oddly he lands not far from the launch to Wyndemere./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"emHmm/em/p
p class="MsoNormal"em /em/p
p class="MsoNormal"Before I can process why he would be in this neck of the woods, Esme steps out of the shadows as she always seems to do. He reaches for her but she brushes him off. Officer Dudley Do Right isn't so happy about that. They have a heated discussion. I snap a couple of pictures then I go back the way I came. I need to warn Trina./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"*/p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"I am no fool, I know better than to ring the bell. So, I go old school with the rock to the window. She looks out after a bit. She shuts the window, so I send a text./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"emI could always get a boombox if you want. I am sure Mrs. Robinson wouldn't appreciate that. span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanSigned your muse./em/p
p class="MsoNormal"em /em/p
p class="MsoNormal"strongemWhat the hell makes you think that you are my muse. Signed, frustrated./em/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"strongem /em/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"emI could say a lot in response to your frustration, but I am afraid that I need to speak to you. It is very urgent./em/p
p class="MsoNormal"em /em/p
p class="MsoNormal"She doesn't respond. I wait, pacing across the street until she comes down wearing a robe. Rationally, I know that she is not nude beneath it, but I cannot help but stare./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal""If you called me down here to stare then I can go back inside." She rolls her eyes. "If dessert was that bad that you are not—"/p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal""Jealous much?" She scoffs at that then laughs./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal""You wish."/p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal""Maybe." I smirk./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal""Spencer, no one and I do mean no one cares what you do with your two percent, teary-eyed, fake waif of a girlfriend does." I grin like an idiot./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal""It is late anyway. Why are you here? You have three minutes." It is my turn now./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal""I can't do much of anything in three minutes. I don't know about Officer Doofy." She sighs and puts her hand over her face./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal""Spencer Cassadine." She groans./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal""You can say that again, just like that." She looks at me, startled. I am being a bit direct, but she is the reason I am losing my everlasting mind, so it is not really my fault./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal""Okay, okay. I came because I don't trust Rory." She throws her head back and laughs./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal""You don't have to. Rory is none of your business unless you are breaking the law and we both know how you tend to think that it doesn't apply to you." I roll my eyes./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal""He knows Esme, Trina." That stops her in her tracks./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal""How do you know that? Did Esme tell you that?" I didn't think this one through. How can I explain that I pretty much waited outside her house for her to get home then followed him to get info on him? I purse my lips./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal""You can't just take me at my word?" She laughs again./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal""No, Spencer. You are still with the bitch who set me up. The Title IX report came back. I am likely going to be expelled. Do you know how hard I worked?" Her voice shakes. She wraps the robe tighter around herself./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal""I promise you that won't happen." I want to comfort her, but I know that if I took her in my arms right now that I would be breaking an unspoken rule. One where the most contact that we have his holding hands. span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanSo, I take her hands in mine. She doesn't recoil so I continue./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal""I know that my word isn't worth much to you, but I promise you that." She looks up at me not hiding her vulnerability in the moment. It is fleeting because her eyes quickly harden, and she steps back as if she has allowed herself only a small comfort. That it would have to suffice because she is in fight mode./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal""I can't tell you about Rory right now. Let me give you something solid that backs up my word. In the meantime, please be careful." She senses the sincerity in my voice, sees it in my eyes./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal""If you say so." She says casually but I know that she has heard me./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal""I say so. It is a little chilly. I will not take up more of your time." I smile. "I would walk you to your door but… I will just watch until you are in safely." She nods then walks away. My plan wasn't the most carefully laid but I know that I would confess before I let her take the fall./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"emTomorrow, I tell Cam that there has been a change in plan./em/p
p class="MsoNormal"em /em/p
p class="MsoNormal"*/p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"I didn't bother talking to Esme. My plan was to talk to Cam right before his shift at Kelly's was to start. I was nervous so I got here early. Cam rushes in. He is shocked to see me sitting at the counter./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal""We need to talk." He sighs./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal""I don't have time Spencer."/p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal""It is time to bring Trina and Joss in on the plan." He raises an eyebrow./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal""Okay, I am listening, but let's talk in the kitchen." He had a point. Esme seems to slither out of cracks at times. Best that we aren't overheard./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"*/p
p class="MsoNormal"strongTrina/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"strong /strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"There is one person who can help me get out of town without getting arrested or sent to jail. I walk into Ava's office./p
p class="MsoNormal""Ava, I really, really, really need to get away." She smiles at me./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal""You are in luck. I just may be able to help."/p
p class="MsoNormal"emUh, your daddy can't even look me in the eye/em/p
p class="MsoNormal"emOoh, if I was in their shoes, I'd be doing the same thing/em/p
p class="MsoNormal"emSayin', "There goes my little girl/em/p
p class="MsoNormal"emWalkin' with that troublesome guy"/em/p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"strongSpencer/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"Nothing prepared me for this. This moment seeing the woman I love, whose lips were a whisper from mine just a couple hours ago… To see her standing there kissing another./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"I can't help but wonder, wonder if she did have feelings for me at one point, did she feel this. This pain in my chest is nearly unbearable because I know that I am losing her. All I want to do is protect her, redeem her but I am losing her./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"I've been sitting here in my car waiting for her. I had to park across the street obscurely. Her parents don't like me, with good reason I suppose. Esme went on and on and I just couldn't deal with her. Plan foiled by my foolish heart./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"Anger replaces the heaviness in my heart. Maybe I should give Esme what she wants. That could speed things along/p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"emHmm, Officer Seth Suspicious is leaving. Maybe I should follow him. See what he is up to./em/p
p class="MsoNormal"em /em/p
p class="MsoNormal"em /em/p
p class="MsoNormal"em*/em/p
p class="MsoNormal"em /em/p
p class="MsoNormal"I roll my eyes as I see him get into the squad car. He took her out in a squad car. I'm so much better for her. He takes the car back to the station then swaps it out for a motorcycle. I hang back a second before picking up his trail again, oddly he lands not far from the launch to Wyndemere./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"emHmm/em/p
p class="MsoNormal"em /em/p
p class="MsoNormal"Before I can process why he would be in this neck of the woods, Esme steps out of the shadows as she always seems to do. He reaches for her but she brushes him off. Officer Dudley Do Right isn't so happy about that. They have a heated discussion. I snap a couple of pictures then I go back the way I came. I need to warn Trina./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"*/p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"I am no fool, I know better than to ring the bell. So, I go old school with the rock to the window. She looks out after a bit. She shuts the window, so I send a text./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"emI could always get a boombox if you want. I am sure Mrs. Robinson wouldn't appreciate that. span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanSigned your muse./em/p
p class="MsoNormal"em /em/p
p class="MsoNormal"strongemWhat the hell makes you think that you are my muse. Signed, frustrated./em/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"strongem /em/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"emI could say a lot in response to your frustration, but I am afraid that I need to speak to you. It is very urgent./em/p
p class="MsoNormal"em /em/p
p class="MsoNormal"She doesn't respond. I wait, pacing across the street until she comes down wearing a robe. Rationally, I know that she is not nude beneath it, but I cannot help but stare./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal""If you called me down here to stare then I can go back inside." She rolls her eyes. "If dessert was that bad that you are not—"/p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal""Jealous much?" She scoffs at that then laughs./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal""You wish."/p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal""Maybe." I smirk./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal""Spencer, no one and I do mean no one cares what you do with your two percent, teary-eyed, fake waif of a girlfriend does." I grin like an idiot./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal""It is late anyway. Why are you here? You have three minutes." It is my turn now./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal""I can't do much of anything in three minutes. I don't know about Officer Doofy." She sighs and puts her hand over her face./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal""Spencer Cassadine." She groans./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal""You can say that again, just like that." She looks at me, startled. I am being a bit direct, but she is the reason I am losing my everlasting mind, so it is not really my fault./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal""Okay, okay. I came because I don't trust Rory." She throws her head back and laughs./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal""You don't have to. Rory is none of your business unless you are breaking the law and we both know how you tend to think that it doesn't apply to you." I roll my eyes./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal""He knows Esme, Trina." That stops her in her tracks./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal""How do you know that? Did Esme tell you that?" I didn't think this one through. How can I explain that I pretty much waited outside her house for her to get home then followed him to get info on him? I purse my lips./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal""You can't just take me at my word?" She laughs again./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal""No, Spencer. You are still with the bitch who set me up. The Title IX report came back. I am likely going to be expelled. Do you know how hard I worked?" Her voice shakes. She wraps the robe tighter around herself./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal""I promise you that won't happen." I want to comfort her, but I know that if I took her in my arms right now that I would be breaking an unspoken rule. One where the most contact that we have his holding hands. span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanSo, I take her hands in mine. She doesn't recoil so I continue./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal""I know that my word isn't worth much to you, but I promise you that." She looks up at me not hiding her vulnerability in the moment. It is fleeting because her eyes quickly harden, and she steps back as if she has allowed herself only a small comfort. That it would have to suffice because she is in fight mode./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal""I can't tell you about Rory right now. Let me give you something solid that backs up my word. In the meantime, please be careful." She senses the sincerity in my voice, sees it in my eyes./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal""If you say so." She says casually but I know that she has heard me./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal""I say so. It is a little chilly. I will not take up more of your time." I smile. "I would walk you to your door but… I will just watch until you are in safely." She nods then walks away. My plan wasn't the most carefully laid but I know that I would confess before I let her take the fall./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"emTomorrow, I tell Cam that there has been a change in plan./em/p
p class="MsoNormal"em /em/p
p class="MsoNormal"*/p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"I didn't bother talking to Esme. My plan was to talk to Cam right before his shift at Kelly's was to start. I was nervous so I got here early. Cam rushes in. He is shocked to see me sitting at the counter./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal""We need to talk." He sighs./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal""I don't have time Spencer."/p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal""It is time to bring Trina and Joss in on the plan." He raises an eyebrow./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal""Okay, I am listening, but let's talk in the kitchen." He had a point. Esme seems to slither out of cracks at times. Best that we aren't overheard./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"*/p
p class="MsoNormal"strongTrina/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"strong /strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"There is one person who can help me get out of town without getting arrested or sent to jail. I walk into Ava's office./p
p class="MsoNormal""Ava, I really, really, really need to get away." She smiles at me./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal""You are in luck. I just may be able to help."/p