The tension in the air between Spencer and Ashley had been thick enough to cut with a knife in the past few days. Our normally lovey-dovey makes-you-want-to-barf-they’re-so-cute couple had been less touchy. Ashley was still upset with the fact that Spencer never told her about Carmen and Spencer just wanted Ashley to get over it. Cause, c’mon Ashley, the girl effin’ loves you.

    Ashley and Spencer were sitting on the couch with Luke and Erin watching a movie. Spencer on the couch with Luke and Ashley seated next to Erin. Even though the two weren’t near each other, they did steal meaningful glances every now and then when they thought that the other wasn’t looking. Keyword:thought. Ashley’s looks were those of disappointment and Spencer’s were those of longing and love. This didn’t go unnoticed by the siblings in the room, who shared knowing glances with each other.

    "Spencer! Telephone!" Grandma called into the living room. Spencer got up with a confused look in her cerulean eyes and walked into the kitchen, Ashley’s brown eyes fixed upon her from behind her glasses. Ashley ran her tongue along her teeth, still feeling weird from getting her braces off and not needing her retainer. Her and Spencer had both gotten their braces off about eight or nine months previous and were done with the retainers.

    Spencer stepped into the kitchen and started to grab the phone from her mother, mouthing ‘who is it?.’ Paula shrugged her shoulders.

   "They asked for you," she replied.

   "Hello?" Spencer said into the phone.

   "Spence! I’ve been trying to get a hold of you! You never check your e-mail!" The giddy voice answered.

   "Oh, my God! Sam!" Spencer pratically shouted. "My mom didn’t recognize your voice!"

   "You did?" Sam asked.

   "Of course! Best friend, heller?! Jeez, it’s been so long."

   "I know. Come over. We HAVE to catch up. MySpace is only good for so much." Spencer laughed and agreed then hung up the phone.

   "Hey mom," Spencer began, "Can I drive over to Sam’s?" She asked while looking at her mom melt. Paula had always had a soft spot for the strange brunette.

    "Yeah, is Ashley staying here?" Paula just HAD to ask.

   "Uh, yeah, she’s going to do stuff with Kyla, you know, sister stuff?" Spencer lied.

   "Yeah, stuff you do with Glen," Paula picked on the blonde boy who was helping his grandma peel potatoes with Clay.

   "Hey!" Glen protested. Spencer shared a quick laugh with her mother before grabbing the keys and heading out the front door, not even looking at Ashley.

She drove down the street looking through the familiar town, memories coming back to her. Ones of Sam, ones of Luke, ones of Erin, ones of Carmen.

I never noticed how much I miss Ohio, Spencer thought to herself.

   When she reached Sam’s house, her friend was already waiting outside to greet her with the biggest hug of her life. Spencer could barely breathe.

 
    "God, I can’t believe you’re here!" Sam squealed, "Tell me everything about L.A. What are the people like? Are you popular? Got a new best friend? Got a girlfriend? Is the weather nice? Sam started firing out questions at full speed and the blonde couldn’t keep up.

   "Uh, I gotta go to the bathroom, I’ll be right back, okay?" Spencer said and walked into the hallway, into the bathroom.

   She looked at her reflection in the mirror, less light in her usually bright eyes, bags underneath them. She had been this way since Ashley and her had gotten into the figth about Carmen.

   This is all your fault. This all could have been avoided.

   If you had just been honest with her.

   Is she keeping anything from you?

   Of course not.

   The doorbell rang and Spencer was kicked out of her trance.

   She headed out into the hallway but didn’t enter the fromt room, to spy and see who it was, and wished she hadn’t.

   "Hey! I missed you!" Sam greeted the person who was still outside. They walked through the door and Spencer’s eyes widened, jaw dropped, and she felt an unfamilar feeling surge through her body.

   "Me too," Carmen replied and kissed Sam on her lips.