Ashley jogged in silence back to Spencer’s place with Dano lagging behind with a limp. There was a thick tension between them, a mutual bitterness towards each other that settled on their shoulders like a blanket full of holes; inconsistent and unnecessary.

In her attempt to get on the phone and talked to Gideon, the brunette had kicked her best friend in the shin, so hard that she fell on the ground clutching her leg for a good five minutes after the phone conversation had ended.

There was no doubt in her mind that the taller girl wanted to rip her head off at the moment. Her impulsive actions and complete lack of respect for Daniella and Gideon’s decisions were beginning to have an undesirable effect on their friendship. She should know better, and she did, but to her, the circumstances made her irrational actions justifiable. For Spencer, for love’s revenge, she would hurt those closest to her.

Feet hitting the pavement had been the only sound between the two girls until they reached the Carlin residence. Dano stood at the bottom of the steps while Ashley stood at the top, waiting for someone to say something: anything. It was the taller girl who broke the uncomfortable quiet with a deep sigh.

“I guess I’ll see you tonight.” She said and turned around to walk to her car, hop in, and drive off.

She remained on the steps a little while longer, willing that car to turn around and come back so that she could explain herself, make everything right, reaffirm her allegiance and friendship with the girl. She waited, but it didn’t come back.

Her body moved as it should have, hand twisting the doorknob, feet carrying her inside, perspiration dripping off her skin, muscles aching, but her mind was firing a million ideas every second. Too much was going on in her head and in her life. She needed a reprieve desperately.

Glen and Clay were on the couch playing on the PS2 while Mr. Carlin acted as the color commentary to the game at hand. They seemed so normal at that moment. Father and sons enjoying some male bonding time together. Ashley thought that it was a great thing, but an event worth pitying because the truth was; Glen’s hopes of getting a basketball scholarship were long gone, Clay’s life was in danger, and Mr. Carlin was in the middle of fighting for his marriage. Yet, they still made it look like life was good, that things were normal. ‘I guess I’m not the only one who’s lying to live.’