“My house is in the other direction!" Ashley took a deep breath and release it. "Whatever, you don’t leave me much of a choice.”

Glenn yawned, “Well, she better get home soon. Mom usually wakes up around 7.”

Click.

Ashley closed the cell phone, “What an ass!”

***********

Ashley pulled at Spencer’s arms trying to get her up. She seemed a lot heavier than Ashley remembered her to be.

“Spence, we have to go. “

The pulling woke her up, at least momentarily.

“Where are we going? Can’t I just sleep here? I’m really exhausted…” Spencer’s eyes drifted closed once again.

“Nope, you have to get up.”  Ashley shook her semi- upright form. She put one of Spencer’s arms around her shoulders. “Alright, we’re gonna walk to my car, okay? Spence? Spencer!”

“Okay, I’m ready,” she responded tiredly.

        The walk to the car was mostly composed of Ashley dragging Spencer. Thankfully, Ashley’s car was parked in the driveway. After getting Spencer situated in the passenger seat, Ashley began to search her car for something for Spencer to wear. Drunk flirty Spencer, Ashley could handle. Drunk flirty Spencer with no shirt on? Ashley wasn’t so sure. Thankfully, Ashley had a black hoodie in her trunk, and soon Spencer was fully clothed. One problem down, and an innumerable amount to go. And miles to go before she slept.

 
        Ashley let out a massive sigh. She wasn’t drunk anymore, but she was completely exhausted. Sometimes a complete lack of sleep will do that to a person.

A suddenly sober Spencer brought Ashley out of her daze, “I’m sorry you were forced to take care of me. If you want, I can call a cab. It’s not a big deal.”

“No, I’ll drive you. You’ll never get home in time if you have to try to get a taxi. And as for me taking care of you, it wasn’t a forced thing. It was just necessary. I couldn’t very well leave you passed out on the kitchen floor.”

“The way things went earlier I wouldn’t have been surprised if you had.”

            Ashley couldn’t think of a response. Her tired brain couldn’t handle even an inkling of confrontation. She started her car, rolled down the windows, and put on the radio. She had to have something to keep her awake, preferably something that wouldn’t make her too angry to drive. In other words, she needed to drown Spencer out.

            The drive to Spencer’s was awkward, but at least there was not much traffic at seven in the morning on a Sunday. It also helped that Spencer fell asleep about five minutes into the twenty minute ride. As Ashley pulled up to the Carlin residence, she noticed there was a light on in the kitchen.

“Spencer, you gotta wake up. I think your Mom is already up.”

“Shit,” she mumbled, rubbing her eyes.

“Start thinking of excuses now. I’d recommend incorporating some sort of heterosexual bible-studying activity… at the nursing home.” Ashley smiled at Spencer.

“You’re so helpful, Ashley,” Spencer smirked. “But really, thanks for your help tonight. I appreciate it. I really do.”

“Don’t worry about it. Good luck with Mother Superior, Spence.”

            Spencer leaned over the gearshift and hugged Ashley. Before Ashley could say anything, Spencer was halfway to her front door. As Ashley got back onto the freeway, she hoped this would be the last interaction she had with Spencer for a while. They had, after all, successfully made it through two months of not talking. However, with the first day of school less than twenty-four hours away, Ashley knew better than to get her hopes up.