Spencer just smiled. "It works for you."

They stayed like that for what seemed like ages. Ashley’s hand on her hip began a simple stroking, bringing back that cold sweat to the blonde. They traced each other’s visible features with their eyes, occasionally locking together. Spencer was sure if you mixed blue and brown it made something different and wonderful.

That thought led her to finally raise her hand hesitantly and place it on Ashley’s side. Her skin felt warm through the shirt Spencer let her borrow.

Ashley just smiled at her.

It was becoming a strange game of Jenga. They were taking out the pieces already there and trying to build anew from it all.

"God, I hate that game!"

"What game?"

Spencer looked up in confusion before realizing she had spoken aloud. Ashley looked at her with a smirk on her face as she sat down at their lunch table. The blonde smiled shyly and turned a little pink.

"Oh, Jenga. Horrible game. It’s too much metaphor for me."

Ashley grinned at her before rummaging around in her bag for a piece of gum that she offered to Spencer. Shaking her head, she pushed all of the apocalyptic thoughts out of her head.

"That’s why I like my life metaphorically free. Makes life a whole lot simpler. What you see is what you get, my friend." Ashley gestured to herself, making Spencer chuckle softly.

"So, what are the plans for this weekend?"

"Well, I don’t know about you, since I’m all out of Magic 8 Balls, but I have a date tomorrow night."

Spencer just stared at her, completely dumbfounded. "What? With who?"

"Her name is Josie. We met at the club the other night." Ashley grinned, slinging her bag over her shoulder again as she stood. "And she’s hot."

Spencer’s mind was spinning. What happened to last week? She couldn’t tell if she wasn’t breathing enough or was breathing too much. She just knew that her Jenga tower was teetering on the edge because of the piece Ashley just took, no, shoved out. So much for metaphor free lives.

"But… Y-You don’t even know her. I don’t think you should." Spencer was grasping for anything to hold on to. Anything to make Ashley change her mind.

"Why not?" Ashley looked at her critically, as if daring the blonde to speak her mind.

Spencer looked down at her hands, voice soft. "I’m just looking out for you. Sorry. It’s just… What about us?"

Ashley leaned against the table top, palms flat. "Spence, I think we both know that we’re both interested. But, my social life isn’t gonna stop because you’re figuring out who you are. I’m not going anywhere. When you do figure everything out, I’ll be here."

Confusion and hurt. Volatile mixture. It bubbled and it burned Spencer’s insides, forcing her to open her mouth. "Yeah, you’ll be here after you roll out of your bed with the person you were with the night before! You hook up with people for no reason!"

"Why should you care? It’s not like you’re my girlfriend!" The look on Ashley’s face made blue eyes go wide with the low blow.

"It’s a damn good thing, too! Maybe I won’t want you there when I figure everything out."

Ashley narrowed her eyes at Spencer and spun on her heel to walk away. Spencer watched as Ashley turned the corner, and continued staring at the same spot for several moments before letting out a deep sigh and cursing.

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