CHAPTER TWO

Spencer walked outside of the hospital and just leaned up against the building, replaying the beating over and over again. She didn’t hear a car pulling up, or someone getting out, but she did feel someone touch her shoulder. She looked up and saw Aiden. She turned and hugged him and he just held on tight, knowing that Spencer felt horrible for what she led Ashley too. See, Aiden and Ashley used to be best friends, once upon a time ago. He helped her when she was being picked on in preschool. Some of the other boys were kicking sand at her because she wanted to build a sand castle in the sand box, but they didn’t want her there. Aiden had went over and yelled at the boys to leave Ashley alone, and they did.

Aiden felt just as bad as Spencer did. He had made Ashley a promise that no matter what, he’d be there to protect Ashley from getting hurt whenever he could. He had broken that promise, just like he had broken their promise not to go after the same girl, and to always be friends. He broke all their promises, just because of who he hung out with now. They had both changed her for the better and him for the worse. Neither Aiden nor Spencer knew what would happen with Ashley and their friendships. All they knew was that nothing was going to be the same way ever again.

Mrs. C went into Ashley’s room after she watched Spencer walk away. She sat down in the chair closest to Ashley’s bed and held her hand. Ashley was part of the Carlin family because she and Spencer were so close. Sure, the Carlin’s thought they knew everything there was to know about Ashley because she was basically living with them, but no one besides Spencer had known who Ash really was, that she was gay. Ashley was so afraid that if they found out, they wouldn’t allow her to be friends with Spencer anymore.

What happened to Ashley? Why would anyone do this to her? She’s such a good person. She gets good grades, she has nice friends, and she never gets into any fights or trouble for that matter. This just doesn’t make any sense.

Mr. Carlin watched his wife as she sat with these thoughts racing through her mind. He had known that something was different with Ashley. He had overheard the two girls talking and while he always had a feeling that the girls were more than best friends, he didn’t know that it was only Ashley who liked girls. That it was Ashley with the feelings for his daughter, and not the other way around. He still loved Ashley with all his heart. She was just like a daughter to him. He had hoped that after Ashley told Spencer how she felt, that Spencer would return the feelings, but it didn’t work out that way. He knew that no matter what, he would always love Ashley the same. Nothing could ever change that.

Mr. Carlin walked away and went outside to find Spencer. He saw Spencer and Aiden sitting up against the building with their arms around each other. He knew that something had happened and that Spencer and Aiden knew the truth. It would only be a matter of time before they had cracked and let the guilt guide them into telling the truth.

Spencer looked up to see her dad watching the two. She removed herself from Aiden and flew into her father’s arms, hugging him as tight as she could. Mr. C felt Spencer’s tears against his shirt and just held onto her tighter.

“It’ll be okay, Spence. Everything’s going to be fine. You should be inside with Ashley, come on.”

Mr. C guided Spencer inside and straight into Ashley’s room. Mrs. C was still holding Ashley’s hand, but this time, Ashley was holding back onto it. She was awake.