A/N: Hey guys! Just to clear something up, I described Lia as having more muscle in her arms and legs than Spencer because she's an athlete, not to make Spencer seem weak. I hope you enjoy this chapter!

Chapter 7:

"Wow, I haven't watched that episode in a solid two years" I grin as the clock strikes eight. I have been at Spencer's for an hour, the two of us on opposite sides of his red leather couch, a bowl of popcorn in between.

"I can say the same" Spencer replies with an identical mouth structure.

Silence falls.

"So, um, don't you have school tomorrow? It's a friday" he says in hopes of conformation. My chest sinks.

"I don't really need to go, I usually do my work from home. I'm not great with crowds and it's easier just to teach myself" I confess and rub my hands over my arms in an attempt to heat the goose bumps covering my body. My neck still burns.

"I can relate" he responds and glances downward with a small smile.

Silence, yet again. I'm caught with a wave of nausea as I my brain switches back to dwelling on the ordeal at home. You can feel the tension in the air. I gulp and look down.

"If you don't mind me asking, what did you fight about with your mom?" Spencer asks, which doesn't surprise me in the slightest. I saw it coming, but it still punched me in the chest. I know I can't tell him what actually happened, no way in hell, so I quickly work up a vague enough answer.

"She's a fall down drunk," I say more harsh than intended "so fights aren't hard to come by" I lie and trace a square with my finger on the leather surface. I never fight with my mom. I wonder if he can tell I'm lying through my teeth.

"I'm sorry" Spencer's smile flat lines and we make brief eye contact. I shrug my shoulders and look into my mug, half filled with hot chocolate.

"It's okay, not like you did anything" I reply and stir the hot liquid with my pinky finger. The clock ticks loudly. I scratch the red ring around my neck through the fabric surrounding it. I clear my throat.

"You can uh- you can stay here whenever you need. I have an extra room but it's not really ready for inhabitance- but the couch is all yours" Spencer offers and I grin widely. "I'm away a lot but the option is still open" he adds and my hearts warms.

"Thanks, I'll definitely take you up on that" I reply with a nod. I look to my right and see an entire wall of bookshelves, marking in my mind that the titles range from English to Russian. I tap my nails on my glass mug and grind my teeth.

"Does your mom know you won't be home tonight?" Spencer asks lightly.

"Yeah-" I say in a high pitch tone. "Well, she doesn't really know where I am, but if anything she'll call me" I explain an octave lower than when I started. "She doesn't exactly know I know I know about you" I confess and Spencer's brows shoot up.

"Wait- she has no idea about any if this?" he replies frantically and I mentally kick myself.

"I haven't seen her sober at all since I found out" I say calmly, "I'd like to tell her about everything when she's lucid" I say straight faced and Spencer frowns. "Sorry if that came out harsh" I apologize when I hear myself.

"No- no it's alright" he ensures and we sit in an awkward silence. "I can uh- I can relate" he says with a slight grin. I'm intrigued.

"How so?" I sip my hot chocolate.

"My mom is a paranoid schizophrenic" he replies oh-so-casually.

"Shit" I mumble, "and it was just you and your mom after our dad left?" I ask cautiously.

"Yep, just us" he responds and my chest aches.

"Must have been hard" I trace the rim of my cup.

"Yeah but, I wouldn't trade it" he replies and that ache in my chest warms up and I don't mind it being there.

"That's cute" I grin widely. "How's your mom doing now?" I ask while grinning.

"She's good, she's in a facility in Las Vegas" he confesses and I sip my drink.

"Good, good I'm glad she's doing well" I say honestly and nod my head.

"Me too" he grins his contagious grin and there's a silence- but this time it's not uncomfortable. It's...easy.

"So, do you want to watch episode 19 and then call it a night?" I suggest lively to Spencer.

"Sure" he replies and gets up to assemble it into the DVD player. "I can drive you home in morning before I go to work, i-if you need" he responds.

"No, it's okay. I can get a ride tomorrow" I assure him and cross my legs. The episode starts and I end up passing out halfway through, out cold on Spencer's couch.

And I sleep.

Next thing I know I'm rubbing my eyes open and the chirp of the birds are going in one ear out the other. My body has a few kinks, my neck is slightly aching. I glance at the clock and my stomach sinks.

10:36am. I cannot remember a time where I slept passed eight thirty.

"Shit" I shout as I throw the fleece blanket off my body. I rub my face and stand up a bit too quickly, almost teetering over. I look to my right and see a note, signed by Spencer.

I didn't want to wake you. I left the coffee pot on, the mugs are in the cabinet above the stove. Call me if you need anything,

Spencer

I grin as my eyes scan the letters written on the plain white paper. It's the first time in months I've woken up refreshed, no worries that haunted my sleep. I stretch my arms and grab my cell phone- no messages missed. I go into the bathroom, pee, and take a look at the red marks surrounding my neck. I gulp.

I make my way into the kitchen and pour myself a cup of coffee in a plain green mug. I drink it while pacing around, soaking in the bits and pieces of Spencer's apartment. I find myself picking books out of his book shelves, reading each one in approximately twenty minutes. I read until the clock strikes two, and then I decide it's time to go home.

I don't call for a ride, I take it upon myself to ride the metro home. I do this silently.

I reach my home and see my mother's lone Volvo in the driveway, which means her scum bag of a boyfriend decided to leave the premises. I turn my key in the lock and kick my shoes off in the hallway.

"Mom! I'm home" I shout in hopes of her response.

"Hey sweetie" she emerges from the kitchen and kissed me on the cheek.

She's sober.

"How was school?" she asks, my chest sinks.

"Can I talk to you about something?" I divert the conversation and her expression flushes.

"Yeah, yeah of course" she replies and rubs my arms. We stand in the hallway, me avoiding all eye contact and tapping my foot. I take a deep breath.