(no subject)
OOOOOOOOOOOOOO....I keep forgetting to post this here. Not that anyone is reading it anymore...but an update is an update
CHPATER FIVE cont...
“Aiden, what are you doing here?”
“Why would you tell people that I raped you?”
“Because you did!”
“No. You wanted it.”
“I said no.” Spencer whispered.
“You…you didn’t fight me.”
“But I said no!”
“We all know what that means coming from you. You told her no once too.”
“Aiden, get away from her!” He spun around to face the brunette. Ashley’s eyes fell upon his hands. “A gun? You bought a gun? What are you going to do? Shoot us?”
“Ashley-”
“Shut up, Spencer!”
“Don’t talk to her like that, Aiden.”
“Hello! I’m the one with the gun.” Suddenly time sped up. Objects became blurry as they were thrown across the room. Ashley tried to move, she wanted…no she needed to save Spencer. But it was as if every part of her body, except her eyes were paralysed. She heard her name being called but she still couldn’t move. She couldn’t even respond. Suddenly time slowed and the room seemed to be engulfed in a white light. Ashley squeezed her eyes shut.
“Ashley.” The brunette opened her eyes and saw Spencer standing in front of her. “What did you do?”
“What?” Ashley looked down at her hands and saw that she was holding the gun. “Oh my God.” She opened her hands and the gun fell to the floor. “I don’t…I don’t know…”
“Why’d you do that?”
“I don’t remember picking it up. I remember watching him attacking you. And I couldn’t move, Spence. I wanted to, but I couldn’t.”
“So you shot him?” Ashley looked passed the blonde to Aiden’s limp body. Her eyes soon returned to lock with Spencer’s.
“I was saving you. I couldn’t the first time…when he…but now.”
“Ashley, it’s not your job to save me.”
“Yes, it is.” The girls glanced at the window as sirens rang out.
“Damn nosey neighbours!”
“Spencer, I can’t lose you. You are the best thing in my life. I’ll do anything to protect you.”
“I know what you mean.” Spencer bent forward and picked up the gun.
“Spencer, what are you doing?”
“It’s my turn to protect you. If they think I shot Aiden…”
“It’ll all come out. Everything.”
“I know. But I can’t lose you, Ashley. That’s why I didn’t tell you before. I didn’t want you to do anything stupid.”
“You mean like this?” Both girls tried to laugh. They were trying to be strong, but inside both of them knew what was coming. The door was kicked open, and they heard the noise, but they didn’t tear their eyes from the other. Ashley took a step forward and wrapped her arms around Spencer. She squeezed her tight as police officers entered the room.
“Miss, you need to step away from her.” But they didn’t move. They held on as the officers screamed at them to part.
“I’ll never let you go.” Ashley whispered into Spencer’s ear.
“I have to.” Spencer pulled back. “Let me save you.” She whispered. Spencer turned and faced the army of officers. She held her arms up so that they could clearly see the gun.
“Drop it!” She slowly leant forward and placed it on the ground in front of her. One of the officers, a large male, rushed to her and grabbed her arms.
“Spencer!” But the blonde didn’t say anything. She just looked at Ashley, eyes full of tears.
“You have the right to remain silent…” Everything in the room seemed to fade as Spencer focused everything inside of her on the brunette. She felt herself being pulled from the room, from her house. Pulled away from Ashley.
CHAPTER SIX
“Look, Miss Carlin, it is in your best interests to talk to us about what happened.”
“I told you already, I’m not talking about anything, to anyone until you let me see-” The door to the interrogation room swung open and an older version of Spencer walked into the room. “Mum?”
“Now it’s your mother you want to see? For the last two hours you’ve been asking for-”
“I still want to see Ashley. And I’m not talking until I do.” The questioning officer pushed his chair out and stood up.
“This is going nowhere.” He faced Paula. “Maybe you can talk some sense into her.” Then he left the room.
“Spencer, are you ok?” She rushed to her daughter. “They told me that you’ve been arrested for shooting Aiden.” Spencer was out of her seat and across the room before Paula was within touching distance.
“I’m fine.”
“Your father and I both know you didn’t do this. We both know you’re only covering for that girl. Aiden is a such a nice boy. She’s probably jealous of the relationship you have with him.”
“Oh my god.”
“Spencer, honey, you need to tell the officer what really happened.”
“What really happened?”
“Yes. She belongs behind bars, not you.”
“Stop it!” The blonde shouted.
“I beg your pardon?”
“Stop talking about her like that. Ashley. Her name is Ashley.”
“I know what her name is Spencer.”
“So say it.”
“This isn’t like you, Spencer.”
“Stop saying that. You don’t know anything about me anymore.”
“Oh, and Ashley does?”
“Yes. Ashley has been nothing but supportive and kind and there for me in everything since we moved here. She’s my-” Spencer stopped herself. What more could she lose if she told her mother in that moment? She was looking at time in prison for a crime she hadn’t commited, but had wanted to with every fiber of her being. On the other hand, was she ready to see the hatred and disgust fill her mothers eyes?
“She’s your what?”
“Girlfriend.” Spencer said in a low, shaky voice.
“I really wish you wouldn’t use that word when you talk about her.” The younger girl suddenly saw red.
“You want me to use another word to describe Ashley? Beautiful, sweet, hot, sexy…”
“Stop it.”
“How about lover?”
“Spencer…”
“That’s right mum. Your daughter is dating a girl. And I’ve been happier.” Spencer studied her mother for a moment. She was waiting for the older woman to start yelling or crying…any reaction at all. But there was nothing. No hatred or disgust/ not even tears filled her eyes. They were void of any emotion at all and suddenly, the realization of that brought a wave of pain crashing down on the blonde. “I’m not saying anything else to anyone until I get to see her.”
“I think you’ve said enough.” Paula spun around and walked from the room.
It was another agonizingly long half an hour before Spencer got to see Ashley. The blonde rested her head on the table as tears filled her eyes. She heard the door open and close. She lifted her tear stained face and saw the brunette. “Ashley.” Was all the blonde could manage as she jumped to her feet and ran to her girlfriend. Crashing their bodies together, Spencer threw her arms around the smaller girl and pressed her lips against Ashley’s. The kiss only lasted a moment, but the emotion that passed from one girl to the other, was more powerful than anything they could’ve said.
“Spencer,” Ashley whispered, tightening her hold on the larger girl. “You’re mother is outside.”
“She knows.”
“What?” Spencer pulled back and starred into the confused chocolate brown eyes.
“I told her.”
“Everything?”
“No, but everything that she needs to know. I told her that we’re together.”
“Really?”
“Yeah.” Spencer kissed Ashley again, long and hard.
“So, jail might be a safer place for you right now.” Even before she finished the sentence, Ashley knew it was the wrong thing to say.
“Yeah, you know how much I love tattoos on a woman.” Spencer smiled weakly. She was putting on a brave front, but Ashley could see right through it.
“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have said that.”
“It’s ok.”
“No, it’s not. You shouldn’t be in here. Spencer, I’m going to do everything and anything I need to to make sure you walk out of here.” Spencer nodded, slowly. “And that starts with telling them what happened.”
“No, I won’t let you.”
“Spencer…”
“Ashley, let me do this. Let me protect you.”
“Ok.” The brunette reluctantly agreed after a moment. “But at least let me get you my lawyer and not some knob who sees you as his next pay check.”
“We’re going to be ok, Ashley. I’ll be out of here in no time.” Spencer pulled the smaller girl tightly into her. While they were happy to be in each other’s arms, both girls were thinking about their future. And if the lawyer failed, would they have one?
Spencer’s day in court quickly became a week. And in no time at all, a month passed. Spencer had made the brunette promise to still attend every class. But school wasn’t high on Ashley’s priorities before…and without Spencer there, it seemed like hell on earth. She wanted to be at Spencer’s side every second. Or in the case of the courtroom, behind her, separated by a wooden gate. But as the blonde squeezed Ashley’s hand, she knew Spencer not only wanted her there, but needed her.
Aiden’s lawyer stood, glared at Spencer, then summoned Ashley to the stand. He waited only a moment, before bombarding her with questions. “Before you answer anything, remember you took an oath.” Ashley nodded. “Now, your father is the late Rafe Davies, am I correct?”
“Yes, but I don’t see what -”
“Now, being the daughter of a rock star, I’m sure you’re used to getting everything you want.”
“No more than other kids my age.”
“That’s what Spencer Carlin was to you, right? Just something else that you wanted. And you were willing to go through my client to get to her.”
“He deserved everything he got!”
“Including the beating you gave him?”
“Yes!”
“So, you admit to beating him within an inch of his life?”
“Yes.”
“Now, you and my client dated for a while, am I correct?”
“Yes.”
“So, is it possible that you were jealous of the relationship between Miss Carlin and my client, and so you planned to kill him?”
“No, it’s not possible because it didn’t happen.”
“Did you shoot him?”
“No.”
“No further questions.” Ashley walked back to her seat and scolded herself. She had the opportunity to make this better, to free Spencer, and she didn’t take it. For a moment, she thought she heard the devil chanting her name.
Spencer was next on the stand. She knew her family was somewhere in the room, but she didn’t give them a second thought. Her eyes met and locked with the brunette’s. Aiden’s lawyer saw this, and stepped between the. Spencer glared at him.
“Did you really shoot my client?”
“Yes.”
“But everyone says it isn’t like you.”
“People change.”
“Your very close to Miss Davies, aren’t you?”
“Yes.”
“Would you do anything for her?”
“I see what you’re doing.”
“Really?”
“Yes. You’re trying to turn it around. You’re trying to make it look like Ashley made me shoot him. Or you’re trying to make me say that she shot him in a jealous rage. But I won’t.”
“You won’t?”
“No. There was never a jealous rage because Ashley knows that she has me completely. My heart, my body and my soul.” The lawyer turned and looked at the jury. “Yeah, that didn’t quite get the reaction you were hoping for, did it? Ashley didn’t shoot Aiden. I did. And given the chance, I’d do it again.”
“But you and Aiden were friends. You even tried to date at once stage.”
“Aiden and I never went past a first date. There was never a spark there.”
“So, you shot him?”
“Yes.”
“Care to tell us why?” Spencer’s eyes met with her mother’s.
“He raped me.” She whispered.
“You need to speak up.”
“He raped me! He held me down and forced me to…forced himself…” A tear escaped Spencer’s eye.
“Why didn’t you go to the police?”
“There were no bruises. No cuts. He put me in the shower so that there wouldn’t be any evidence. Who would believe me?”
“Did you tell your mother?”
“No.”
“But you told your girlfriend?”
“Yes. And that’s when she went and - ”
“Shot him?”
“Beat him! She was mad. She was doing it for me.”
“So, you asked her to beat him?”
“No, that’s not what I meant.”
“What did you mean?”
“She felt like she failed because she wasn’t there to protect me against him in the first place.”
“So, she decided to punish him?”
“I guess.”
“Tell me, Miss Carlin, why are her finger prints on the gun?”
“She took out of my hand.”
“So, you were behind him. And you shot him in that back? Was he running away?”
“He attacked me! He brought the gun to my house and he’s being treated like the victim?”
“He was shot. He almost died. At your hand. How did you manage to shot him in the back?”
“He was on top of me. I fought. This time I fought -”
“You didn’t fight last time?”
“I did. But he’s so strong. I gave up. But not this time. I wouldn’t let him win again. I fought my way out from under him, and I grabbed the gun off the floor and I turned and I…I pulled the trigger.”
CHAPTER SEVEN
Spencer and Ashley sat in silence for long moments. It was the first time in three weeks that the girls were given time to be alone. The blonde had her back to Ashley, leaning into her, arms and fingers entwined. Her eyes were closed and she was listening to the sound of the brunette’s breathing. “Spence?”
“Hmmm?”
“Do you think it makes me a bad person that I was imagining me ripping your clothes off while you were on the stand?” Spencer eyes opened wide as she faced the brunette. “With my teeth.”
“No.” Spencer kissed her lips lightly. “It does make you a bad person that you’re only just telling me now.” Spencer placed her hands on Ashley’s face and pulled her in for a kiss. Her tongue traced along the blonde’s lips before pushing into her mouth. Their tongues danced together. Spencer’s finger’s tangled themselves in browns locks. The kiss was growing in heat and intensity. Hands were beginning to explore, sliding across skin and up underneath shirts. The blonde tore away.
“What?” Ashley grunted in obvious disappointment. Spencer didn’t saw anything; she only lifted her eyes to the corner of the room. Ashley followed her line of sight, and turned back to smile at the blonde. “Wouldn’t be the first time with a camera.”
“Ashley…”
“Come on…”
“It’s not going to happen.” Spencer stood and walked across the room. Ashley turned, smiled and waved at the camera. She looked back at Spencer. The blonde was leaning against the wall. Ashley rose to her feet and walked toward her girlfriend. She stood, silently in front of her. Her face, there was something about her face. Ashley couldn’t quite put her finger on it. It was still Spencer’s beautiful face, but as she looked something was different. There were lines of exhaustion and defeat around her mouth. Her eyes screamed out that the blonde was in more pain then she wanted anyone to know. Ashley cupped her girlfriends face.
“It’ll be ok.”
“How can you be so sure?” Spencer pushed away from the wall, and pulled away from Ashley. “I just want to be sure. I want to stop feeling like I did something wrong.”
“You didn’t.”
“No, you did!” Ashley bit her lip. Spencer closed her eyes. “I didn’t mean that.”
“Yes, you did.”
“No, I didn’t.” The taller girl walked toward the brunette. “Ashley, I wouldn’t say anything like that to hurt you. I just…”
“You wouldn’t have said it if you didn’t mean it.”
“I say a lot of things I don’t mean.”
“Nice.” This time it was Ashley who moved away.
“I’m trying to fix this ok. Look, it was stupid and I-”
“No-one made you take the blame for me.”
“I know. I did it to protect you.”
“Yeah, that’s really what it’s done.”
“Ashley, none of what has happened has affected you.”
“What? How can you say that? After everything that you have been through? You don’t think that affects me?”
“I don’t know.”
“Spencer, I would trade everything I have to stop you from feeling pain. I know that this is so hard and horrible for you. But it’s killing me to see you go through it.”
“Ashley, why is…are we…will I…?” Was all the blonde could manage.
“I don’t think you’re going to jail, Spence. If that’s what you mean.”
“It’s not.” Spencer whispered, looking at the floor. Ashley opened her mouth to respond, but closed it when the door swung open. Spencer’s lawyer walked in.
“They want to make a deal.”
“What?” Ashley snapped. “They think we’ll deal after what he did!”
“I must remind you, Ashley, Aiden is not the one on trial. Spencer is.”
“I think…”
“Tell them no deal.”
“I think we need to hear what they have.” Ashley glanced at Spencer. But the blonde didn’t return her stare.
“Spencer?”
“I just…I need to hear it, Ashley. Whatever he has to say.”
“After what he did to you?”
“To me. Exactly. He did it to me. And I couldn’t…I wasn’t str…I just want to hear what he has to say.” Ashley backed down. She understood that Spencer was hurting. But what she couldn’t understand why the blonde wouldn’t let her help. Everything Ashley seemed to say was wrong. So she slowly nodded. Spencer walked out of the room, without glancing at the brunette. Not even once.
CHPATER FIVE cont...
“Aiden, what are you doing here?”
“Why would you tell people that I raped you?”
“Because you did!”
“No. You wanted it.”
“I said no.” Spencer whispered.
“You…you didn’t fight me.”
“But I said no!”
“We all know what that means coming from you. You told her no once too.”
“Aiden, get away from her!” He spun around to face the brunette. Ashley’s eyes fell upon his hands. “A gun? You bought a gun? What are you going to do? Shoot us?”
“Ashley-”
“Shut up, Spencer!”
“Don’t talk to her like that, Aiden.”
“Hello! I’m the one with the gun.” Suddenly time sped up. Objects became blurry as they were thrown across the room. Ashley tried to move, she wanted…no she needed to save Spencer. But it was as if every part of her body, except her eyes were paralysed. She heard her name being called but she still couldn’t move. She couldn’t even respond. Suddenly time slowed and the room seemed to be engulfed in a white light. Ashley squeezed her eyes shut.
“Ashley.” The brunette opened her eyes and saw Spencer standing in front of her. “What did you do?”
“What?” Ashley looked down at her hands and saw that she was holding the gun. “Oh my God.” She opened her hands and the gun fell to the floor. “I don’t…I don’t know…”
“Why’d you do that?”
“I don’t remember picking it up. I remember watching him attacking you. And I couldn’t move, Spence. I wanted to, but I couldn’t.”
“So you shot him?” Ashley looked passed the blonde to Aiden’s limp body. Her eyes soon returned to lock with Spencer’s.
“I was saving you. I couldn’t the first time…when he…but now.”
“Ashley, it’s not your job to save me.”
“Yes, it is.” The girls glanced at the window as sirens rang out.
“Damn nosey neighbours!”
“Spencer, I can’t lose you. You are the best thing in my life. I’ll do anything to protect you.”
“I know what you mean.” Spencer bent forward and picked up the gun.
“Spencer, what are you doing?”
“It’s my turn to protect you. If they think I shot Aiden…”
“It’ll all come out. Everything.”
“I know. But I can’t lose you, Ashley. That’s why I didn’t tell you before. I didn’t want you to do anything stupid.”
“You mean like this?” Both girls tried to laugh. They were trying to be strong, but inside both of them knew what was coming. The door was kicked open, and they heard the noise, but they didn’t tear their eyes from the other. Ashley took a step forward and wrapped her arms around Spencer. She squeezed her tight as police officers entered the room.
“Miss, you need to step away from her.” But they didn’t move. They held on as the officers screamed at them to part.
“I’ll never let you go.” Ashley whispered into Spencer’s ear.
“I have to.” Spencer pulled back. “Let me save you.” She whispered. Spencer turned and faced the army of officers. She held her arms up so that they could clearly see the gun.
“Drop it!” She slowly leant forward and placed it on the ground in front of her. One of the officers, a large male, rushed to her and grabbed her arms.
“Spencer!” But the blonde didn’t say anything. She just looked at Ashley, eyes full of tears.
“You have the right to remain silent…” Everything in the room seemed to fade as Spencer focused everything inside of her on the brunette. She felt herself being pulled from the room, from her house. Pulled away from Ashley.
CHAPTER SIX
“Look, Miss Carlin, it is in your best interests to talk to us about what happened.”
“I told you already, I’m not talking about anything, to anyone until you let me see-” The door to the interrogation room swung open and an older version of Spencer walked into the room. “Mum?”
“Now it’s your mother you want to see? For the last two hours you’ve been asking for-”
“I still want to see Ashley. And I’m not talking until I do.” The questioning officer pushed his chair out and stood up.
“This is going nowhere.” He faced Paula. “Maybe you can talk some sense into her.” Then he left the room.
“Spencer, are you ok?” She rushed to her daughter. “They told me that you’ve been arrested for shooting Aiden.” Spencer was out of her seat and across the room before Paula was within touching distance.
“I’m fine.”
“Your father and I both know you didn’t do this. We both know you’re only covering for that girl. Aiden is a such a nice boy. She’s probably jealous of the relationship you have with him.”
“Oh my god.”
“Spencer, honey, you need to tell the officer what really happened.”
“What really happened?”
“Yes. She belongs behind bars, not you.”
“Stop it!” The blonde shouted.
“I beg your pardon?”
“Stop talking about her like that. Ashley. Her name is Ashley.”
“I know what her name is Spencer.”
“So say it.”
“This isn’t like you, Spencer.”
“Stop saying that. You don’t know anything about me anymore.”
“Oh, and Ashley does?”
“Yes. Ashley has been nothing but supportive and kind and there for me in everything since we moved here. She’s my-” Spencer stopped herself. What more could she lose if she told her mother in that moment? She was looking at time in prison for a crime she hadn’t commited, but had wanted to with every fiber of her being. On the other hand, was she ready to see the hatred and disgust fill her mothers eyes?
“She’s your what?”
“Girlfriend.” Spencer said in a low, shaky voice.
“I really wish you wouldn’t use that word when you talk about her.” The younger girl suddenly saw red.
“You want me to use another word to describe Ashley? Beautiful, sweet, hot, sexy…”
“Stop it.”
“How about lover?”
“Spencer…”
“That’s right mum. Your daughter is dating a girl. And I’ve been happier.” Spencer studied her mother for a moment. She was waiting for the older woman to start yelling or crying…any reaction at all. But there was nothing. No hatred or disgust/ not even tears filled her eyes. They were void of any emotion at all and suddenly, the realization of that brought a wave of pain crashing down on the blonde. “I’m not saying anything else to anyone until I get to see her.”
“I think you’ve said enough.” Paula spun around and walked from the room.
It was another agonizingly long half an hour before Spencer got to see Ashley. The blonde rested her head on the table as tears filled her eyes. She heard the door open and close. She lifted her tear stained face and saw the brunette. “Ashley.” Was all the blonde could manage as she jumped to her feet and ran to her girlfriend. Crashing their bodies together, Spencer threw her arms around the smaller girl and pressed her lips against Ashley’s. The kiss only lasted a moment, but the emotion that passed from one girl to the other, was more powerful than anything they could’ve said.
“Spencer,” Ashley whispered, tightening her hold on the larger girl. “You’re mother is outside.”
“She knows.”
“What?” Spencer pulled back and starred into the confused chocolate brown eyes.
“I told her.”
“Everything?”
“No, but everything that she needs to know. I told her that we’re together.”
“Really?”
“Yeah.” Spencer kissed Ashley again, long and hard.
“So, jail might be a safer place for you right now.” Even before she finished the sentence, Ashley knew it was the wrong thing to say.
“Yeah, you know how much I love tattoos on a woman.” Spencer smiled weakly. She was putting on a brave front, but Ashley could see right through it.
“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have said that.”
“It’s ok.”
“No, it’s not. You shouldn’t be in here. Spencer, I’m going to do everything and anything I need to to make sure you walk out of here.” Spencer nodded, slowly. “And that starts with telling them what happened.”
“No, I won’t let you.”
“Spencer…”
“Ashley, let me do this. Let me protect you.”
“Ok.” The brunette reluctantly agreed after a moment. “But at least let me get you my lawyer and not some knob who sees you as his next pay check.”
“We’re going to be ok, Ashley. I’ll be out of here in no time.” Spencer pulled the smaller girl tightly into her. While they were happy to be in each other’s arms, both girls were thinking about their future. And if the lawyer failed, would they have one?
Spencer’s day in court quickly became a week. And in no time at all, a month passed. Spencer had made the brunette promise to still attend every class. But school wasn’t high on Ashley’s priorities before…and without Spencer there, it seemed like hell on earth. She wanted to be at Spencer’s side every second. Or in the case of the courtroom, behind her, separated by a wooden gate. But as the blonde squeezed Ashley’s hand, she knew Spencer not only wanted her there, but needed her.
Aiden’s lawyer stood, glared at Spencer, then summoned Ashley to the stand. He waited only a moment, before bombarding her with questions. “Before you answer anything, remember you took an oath.” Ashley nodded. “Now, your father is the late Rafe Davies, am I correct?”
“Yes, but I don’t see what -”
“Now, being the daughter of a rock star, I’m sure you’re used to getting everything you want.”
“No more than other kids my age.”
“That’s what Spencer Carlin was to you, right? Just something else that you wanted. And you were willing to go through my client to get to her.”
“He deserved everything he got!”
“Including the beating you gave him?”
“Yes!”
“So, you admit to beating him within an inch of his life?”
“Yes.”
“Now, you and my client dated for a while, am I correct?”
“Yes.”
“So, is it possible that you were jealous of the relationship between Miss Carlin and my client, and so you planned to kill him?”
“No, it’s not possible because it didn’t happen.”
“Did you shoot him?”
“No.”
“No further questions.” Ashley walked back to her seat and scolded herself. She had the opportunity to make this better, to free Spencer, and she didn’t take it. For a moment, she thought she heard the devil chanting her name.
Spencer was next on the stand. She knew her family was somewhere in the room, but she didn’t give them a second thought. Her eyes met and locked with the brunette’s. Aiden’s lawyer saw this, and stepped between the. Spencer glared at him.
“Did you really shoot my client?”
“Yes.”
“But everyone says it isn’t like you.”
“People change.”
“Your very close to Miss Davies, aren’t you?”
“Yes.”
“Would you do anything for her?”
“I see what you’re doing.”
“Really?”
“Yes. You’re trying to turn it around. You’re trying to make it look like Ashley made me shoot him. Or you’re trying to make me say that she shot him in a jealous rage. But I won’t.”
“You won’t?”
“No. There was never a jealous rage because Ashley knows that she has me completely. My heart, my body and my soul.” The lawyer turned and looked at the jury. “Yeah, that didn’t quite get the reaction you were hoping for, did it? Ashley didn’t shoot Aiden. I did. And given the chance, I’d do it again.”
“But you and Aiden were friends. You even tried to date at once stage.”
“Aiden and I never went past a first date. There was never a spark there.”
“So, you shot him?”
“Yes.”
“Care to tell us why?” Spencer’s eyes met with her mother’s.
“He raped me.” She whispered.
“You need to speak up.”
“He raped me! He held me down and forced me to…forced himself…” A tear escaped Spencer’s eye.
“Why didn’t you go to the police?”
“There were no bruises. No cuts. He put me in the shower so that there wouldn’t be any evidence. Who would believe me?”
“Did you tell your mother?”
“No.”
“But you told your girlfriend?”
“Yes. And that’s when she went and - ”
“Shot him?”
“Beat him! She was mad. She was doing it for me.”
“So, you asked her to beat him?”
“No, that’s not what I meant.”
“What did you mean?”
“She felt like she failed because she wasn’t there to protect me against him in the first place.”
“So, she decided to punish him?”
“I guess.”
“Tell me, Miss Carlin, why are her finger prints on the gun?”
“She took out of my hand.”
“So, you were behind him. And you shot him in that back? Was he running away?”
“He attacked me! He brought the gun to my house and he’s being treated like the victim?”
“He was shot. He almost died. At your hand. How did you manage to shot him in the back?”
“He was on top of me. I fought. This time I fought -”
“You didn’t fight last time?”
“I did. But he’s so strong. I gave up. But not this time. I wouldn’t let him win again. I fought my way out from under him, and I grabbed the gun off the floor and I turned and I…I pulled the trigger.”
CHAPTER SEVEN
Spencer and Ashley sat in silence for long moments. It was the first time in three weeks that the girls were given time to be alone. The blonde had her back to Ashley, leaning into her, arms and fingers entwined. Her eyes were closed and she was listening to the sound of the brunette’s breathing. “Spence?”
“Hmmm?”
“Do you think it makes me a bad person that I was imagining me ripping your clothes off while you were on the stand?” Spencer eyes opened wide as she faced the brunette. “With my teeth.”
“No.” Spencer kissed her lips lightly. “It does make you a bad person that you’re only just telling me now.” Spencer placed her hands on Ashley’s face and pulled her in for a kiss. Her tongue traced along the blonde’s lips before pushing into her mouth. Their tongues danced together. Spencer’s finger’s tangled themselves in browns locks. The kiss was growing in heat and intensity. Hands were beginning to explore, sliding across skin and up underneath shirts. The blonde tore away.
“What?” Ashley grunted in obvious disappointment. Spencer didn’t saw anything; she only lifted her eyes to the corner of the room. Ashley followed her line of sight, and turned back to smile at the blonde. “Wouldn’t be the first time with a camera.”
“Ashley…”
“Come on…”
“It’s not going to happen.” Spencer stood and walked across the room. Ashley turned, smiled and waved at the camera. She looked back at Spencer. The blonde was leaning against the wall. Ashley rose to her feet and walked toward her girlfriend. She stood, silently in front of her. Her face, there was something about her face. Ashley couldn’t quite put her finger on it. It was still Spencer’s beautiful face, but as she looked something was different. There were lines of exhaustion and defeat around her mouth. Her eyes screamed out that the blonde was in more pain then she wanted anyone to know. Ashley cupped her girlfriends face.
“It’ll be ok.”
“How can you be so sure?” Spencer pushed away from the wall, and pulled away from Ashley. “I just want to be sure. I want to stop feeling like I did something wrong.”
“You didn’t.”
“No, you did!” Ashley bit her lip. Spencer closed her eyes. “I didn’t mean that.”
“Yes, you did.”
“No, I didn’t.” The taller girl walked toward the brunette. “Ashley, I wouldn’t say anything like that to hurt you. I just…”
“You wouldn’t have said it if you didn’t mean it.”
“I say a lot of things I don’t mean.”
“Nice.” This time it was Ashley who moved away.
“I’m trying to fix this ok. Look, it was stupid and I-”
“No-one made you take the blame for me.”
“I know. I did it to protect you.”
“Yeah, that’s really what it’s done.”
“Ashley, none of what has happened has affected you.”
“What? How can you say that? After everything that you have been through? You don’t think that affects me?”
“I don’t know.”
“Spencer, I would trade everything I have to stop you from feeling pain. I know that this is so hard and horrible for you. But it’s killing me to see you go through it.”
“Ashley, why is…are we…will I…?” Was all the blonde could manage.
“I don’t think you’re going to jail, Spence. If that’s what you mean.”
“It’s not.” Spencer whispered, looking at the floor. Ashley opened her mouth to respond, but closed it when the door swung open. Spencer’s lawyer walked in.
“They want to make a deal.”
“What?” Ashley snapped. “They think we’ll deal after what he did!”
“I must remind you, Ashley, Aiden is not the one on trial. Spencer is.”
“I think…”
“Tell them no deal.”
“I think we need to hear what they have.” Ashley glanced at Spencer. But the blonde didn’t return her stare.
“Spencer?”
“I just…I need to hear it, Ashley. Whatever he has to say.”
“After what he did to you?”
“To me. Exactly. He did it to me. And I couldn’t…I wasn’t str…I just want to hear what he has to say.” Ashley backed down. She understood that Spencer was hurting. But what she couldn’t understand why the blonde wouldn’t let her help. Everything Ashley seemed to say was wrong. So she slowly nodded. Spencer walked out of the room, without glancing at the brunette. Not even once.