But Ashley hadn’t gone home.  She had gone to Gia’s; Kyla’s silence told her as much.  She felt stupid. Why did I think Ashley would be home, waiting for me?  Gia’s beautiful with a killer personality to match.  How easily she had invited Spencer and Natalie to her birthday and Spencer managed to help ruin that.  She wouldn’t be surprised if Gia tried to claw her eyes out the next time they met.

                Spencer knelt down, rummaging around all the boxes underneath her bed.  Shoved in the very back corner, she found what she was looking for and pulled in out.  The old box was nameless and plain, slightly tattered and ripped; boxing tape surrounded its entirety, keeping the contents in and simultaneously, preventing Spencer from opening it on a whim, but was the most valuable thing Spencer had.  Spencer sat on the floor, taking deep breaths as her hands hovered over the top of the box.  She hadn’t touched this box, let alone opened it, in over a year.  Even when she moved into the dorm, the box was one of the many Glen had carried over.

                Spencer found an edge of tape and started to carefully peel it away.  It took her a while, but she finally managed to get all the tape off.  Taking another breath, she pulled off the top.  Inside were remnants of Spencer’s and Ashley’s relationship; back when things were still perfect.  Numerous photos, concert tickets, the fortunes from Chinese cookies that always seemed to predict good things for them.  Spencer picked one up.  Hard work will only bring you closer to soul mate.  Lucky numbers: 19, 58, 3 

                Spencer crumpled the small strip of paper in her hands as tears gathered in her eyes.  She had worked hard.  She wanted her and Ashley to work more than anything she wanted in her entire life.  Sometimes she wondered if she wanted it more than she wanted Clay to be alive again.  But here they were.  Here she was, staring at a box of past memories.  Spencer picked up a photo from before her and Ashley had begun to date.  They had only just met as they sat at the lunch table with Aiden, Glen, and Clay.  Chelsea had been the one taking the picture.  She had captured such a striking moment.  Amongst the chaos of the lunchroom and a very lively story that Aiden was telling Spencer’s brothers, Ashley and Spencer sat off to the side, fully engaged in each other.  Spencer couldn’t remember what they were speaking about, but she remembered how Ashley made her feel no matter what the conversation.  They were frozen in time, eyes locked and slightly grinning.  It was as if the girls knew they were on the brink of something special, even if they didn’t know exactly what.