So caught up in the moment, the yelling and random honking sounds didn’t even register with the youngest Carlin. She rolled her eyes at her friend and leaned up to give her dad a peck on the cheek. “I’ll see you after school dad.”

“Okay kiddo. See you then.”

Ashley watched as Spencer walked towards, her eyes casually looking her over from her beautiful face to her long legs. The sight of her girlfriend made her sigh contentedly. ‘I’m definitely the luckiest chick on earth.’

“Took you long enough.” Ashley teased but her playful attitude stopped when she noticed the usually crystal clear sky blue eyes were clouded and puffy from crying. “Spence, what’s wrong baby what happened? Are you okay?”

“Yeah I’m fine, something good happened and I’m just really happy about it.” She responded with a grin.

“Are you sure? Because whatever it is I…” the brunette was silenced by soft lips pressed against her own and before she could return the kiss the velvety softness was gone.

“Really, I’m okay.” her point reinforced by taking her worried girlfriend’s hand and squeezing it lightly.

Even then, Ashley still wasn’t convinced. “Are you sure?”

“Yeah. I’ll tell you about it on the way to school.” she leaned in once again and planted a chaste kiss on the other girls cheek and then fastened her seatbelt one handed, her other hand still occupied.

She loved the feel of Spencer’s hand in her own and she relished every second of it because she knew it was short lived. Despite her discontent with the situation, she would do whatever it took to keep Spencer and make her feel comfortable. Even if it meant acting like Spencer wasn’t hers.

In a previous life, Ashley Davies would not have cared less if the girl she was with was uncomfortable about being seen in public. Those girls, of which some faces she couldn’t even recall, meant nothing to her. They were used to satisfy carnal desires, to release pent up frustrations, and to make her forget the person she was, if only for a moment. A means to an end.

Her past was wrought with mistakes, heartache, pain, anger, and a dozen other negative attributes. She hated what she was but saw no way out of her perpetual cycle of drugs, fights, and one night stands. The illicit substances were toxic escapes that freed her mind from the confines of the reality that she lived in. Pills, drinks, and joints took the edge off that she usually would have had if she were sober. No inhibitions, no looking back, but so many regrets.