South of Nowhere 1. Chapter 1

Spencer Carlin stepped out of the car and paused to look at King High and all her new classmates. She wouldn't admit it to her brothers but she was freaked.

"This is going to be amazing." Spencer looked over to her older brother, Glen, who stood inside the driver's side door with his hands on his hips and his chest up as if he had just conquered the New World. She stifled the giggle at the idea of Glen as Columbus produced. "Do you see all these hotties with the banging bodies, bro?"

Spencer tuned out Glen and Clay as they discussed their expectations of their new school. She was more concerned with hiding her own interest in the "hotties with the banging bodies". As they made their way through the parking lot, Spencer surreptitiously scanned the yard in complete awe. There were so many girls who were more appropriately dressed for a club than for school with short shorts, miniskirts and halters. _My God_, she breathed.

"How are we supposed to find our way around this place? This is madness." Spencer looked to her right at her brother, Clay who was staring down at his map of the school.

"There's the gym. That's all I need to know. Peace." Glen threw up two fingers as he ran in the direction of the big structure on the other side of the parking lot.

Spencer rolled her eyes and looked back at Clay. "My Physics lab is this way. See you at lunch, Spence."

"Wait, I don't know where I'm going." Spencer tried to catch Clay before he took off but the word had barely left her mouth before he had jogged away. "He could have at least left the map." Spencer muttered as she headed in the direction of the office. _Maybe I can get a map there_.

Walking into the office, Spencer saw an older woman stuffing envelopes at the desk. "Excuse, can I get a map?"

The woman stared at Spencer over her eyeglasses for a moment before she puffed out a breath. "Hold on."

The secretary bent down and started looking through cabinets behind the desk. Spencer rolled her eyes and her attention was caught by the smoking hot girl exiting the principal's office. _Wow, I wonder what she did to get in trouble this early. She was probably arrested for violating all the sexy laws in these here United States._ Spencer again chuckled on the inside at the jokes she knew only she could appreciate.

"And I don't want to see you in here until you graduate, Miss Davies." The principal sternly admonished the sexy brunette. But instead showing contrition for whatever it was that she had done, she smirked and winked as she replied, "Gotcha".

Spencer was smiling as she turned back to the secretary. Wearing an impatient expression, the woman had both hands on the desk as she leaned back. "I don't have anymore."

Spencer swallowed nervously, afraid to ask the sour woman anything else. She almost turned to leave but until she thought about spending the rest of the period looking for her class. She took a deep breath for courage. "Can you tell where F-240 is?"

"Ashley!" the woman shouted, causing Spencer to jump and look behind her. The hottie stopped walking out of the door and turned back with more than a little attitude.

"Yes?"

"Help…" The woman waved her hand in Spencer's direction. "…_her_ find Mr. Newton's class."

Ashley raised her eyebrows at the command. Spencer's eyes went back and forth between the two of them, anxious to see how this power struggle would end.

"Please."

_Wow, point one for the hottie._

"Fine. Come on."

Spencer smiled as she rushed forward.

"You're welcome." The irritated voice said behind her, calling attention to Spencer's lack of gratitude.

"Oh, I'm sorry. Thank you very much." _For hooking me up with Miss King High 2007._

The door slammed shut behind the two girls, aided by a hardy shove from Ashley.

"Don't thank that mean bitch. She gets her kicks out of making our lives hell." Ashley said, heading down the now empty hall.

Spencer took a few running steps to catch up with her after a lingering glance at her legs in the jean mini. She was walking fast and it took a second for Spencer to match her stride. She had only left Ohio a couple of weeks ago and she still wasn't comfortable with the fast pace of L.A.

"That's what all school administrators are for, right?" Spencer asked, looking over at her, hopefully, new friend.

Ashley laughed and Spencer's heart stuttered. Ashley slowed down a little and started to walk like a normal person to Spencer's relief.

"Yeah, I guess. So you're new here, huh?" Ashley turned her head and gave Spencer a quick sweep with her eyes.

"Yeah, I started today." Spencer nervously brushed her hair behind her ears, worried that she wouldn't pass Ashley's inspection. "My school records didn't arrive until Friday so I couldn't start last week when everyone else did."

"You're lucky. One less week in this hellhole."

The two turned a corner and started up a set of stairs. Spencer looked behind her and she would have sworn that Ashley have been looking at her butt as she walked ahead of her. She tripped and might have done a face plant had she had more than one step left or if Ashley hadn't grabbed her arm.

"Watch it. Are you okay?"

Spencer felt her face go up in flames. She knew that was from embarrassment and that the heat in her belly was all due to the girl who was still holding her arm.

"Yeah, I'm good. Thanks." Spencer looked down at her shoes only to feel Ashley tap her chin up at her finger.

"No problem. I'm used to my effect on people. I should come with a warning label."

Spencer laughed as she began to blush anew. _Wow, she's so arrogant. And I like it._

"You're funny."

"And hot. You like?"

_Oh my God, is she flirting with me?_

Ashley laughed and Spencer covered her mouth in shock.

"I guess you don't get subtlety too well, huh?"

_Oh my God, did I say that out loud?_

"Yeah, and in case you're wondering, you still are."

Spencer sucked in a breath and immediately began to mentally beg to wake up, for the ground to open up and swallow her, **anything** to get her out of this moment. She didn't know how long she stood there, like an IDIOT, staring at Ashley but it felt like an era.

"Don't worry, newbie. I think it's cute." Ashley winked at Spencer before pointing behind her. "Your class is behind you. Check you out later."

Ashley turned and headed back down the stairs. She looked back at Spencer and bit her bottom lip before walking out of sight. Spencer snapped out of her horrified trance and jumped up and down in frustration. "Agh, you spaz."

Spencer stumped the few feet to her class and walked in. She endured the annoying "introduction" to her class and found a seat in the middle of the room. She spent the hour going over and over the five minutes she'd spent with Ashley, thinking of all the things she hadn't said and wished she could have said.

_The hottest girl you have ever met flirts with you and you sit with you thumb in your ass. Great going, dorkus._

By the time lunch had rolled around, Spencer had mentally beaten herself into a pulp for her spaz routine. When she saw Ashley in the lunch line, she immediately began to give herself a pep talk.

_She's hot. She's obviously gay and you know that she likes you so you're already three steps ahead of the game. It took you 16 years to find that in Ohio and you've only been in L.A. for two weeks. At this rate, she'll be yours by 7__th__ period. You go, girl!_

Spencer smiled confidently as she strutted over to Ashley. As she walked, Spencer noticed that Ashley had changed her clothes. She now wore a pair of ripped jeans.

"Hey."

Ashley turned, a plate of jello and fries in hand. She lifted an eyebrow in question. "Hey..."

Spencer cleared her throat, uncertainly. "Uhh, I don't think I'm going to be able to find my class tomorrow."

"Umm, okay…"

Spencer bit her lip and looked around the busy room. Ashley wasn't as chatty as she was this morning. _Maybe she realized that she was too hot to hang with such a geek._

"Have you gotten that warning label…" Spencer trailed off as a handsome guy came up to Ashley and took her plate away and put it on the table.

"Aiden! What are you doing?"

"Since when do you eat this crap? I went to In-And-Out. Come on." He held up two bags of food and nodded at a table in the back. He nodded his chin at Spencer and asked while backing away. "Who's your friend? She's hot. Tell her to sit with us."

Ashley's eyes got big and she gave Aiden a look that might have killed on the spot. "I don't know her," she said between gritted teeth. She turned to Spencer and said, "Ah, good luck with your class. You should get a map from the office."

Spencer sighed in disappointment as Ashley walked away. She was totally confused and very upset that Ashley had pretended not to know her. _Get a map? Did she just flirt with me this morning for the hell of it? _But watching Ashley and her gang during lunch, Spencer thought she had the deal all figured out. Ashley was extremely popular. All the attractive and cool people were sitting at her table and she got up, half the table followed her. As she walked through the cafeteria, all the jocks and everyone who seemed to matter in the school greeted her. _Maybe she didn't like me and she was just being nice to the new girl. _

Spencer got through the rest of the day in a funk. She had seen Ashley in her gym class right after lunch and it had just been for a second. It was through the gate that separated the track field from the tennis court. Ashley smiled and wiggled her fingers at her as she ran by Spencer's class. Spencer cocked her head to the side and after a moment she had waved back. The exchange only served to confuse her even more.

Then, an hour later, she had seen her again, this time in the hallway. She had been receiving a piggyback ride from the same guy who had interrupted them at lunch. _Is that her boyfriend? If she has a boyfriend, why was she coming on to me? _Spencer didn't want to come off as an idiot again she had hid her face in her locker as they walked by.

In her last class of the day, Spencer walked in and saw Ashley sitting in the corner of the class. Spencer was raising her hand in greeting when Ashley put her hand up to cover the side of her face as she turned away. Hurt, Spencer walked to the seat furthest away from Ashley. She spent the hour seething. _Why is she playing this hot and cold trip? Does she just enjoy messing with people's feelings?_

When the bell rang, Spencer stood up and rushed out of class. Stalking down the hallway, she rudely pushed past the other students without an "excuse me" or apology. Ordinarily, Spencer would never be so inconsiderate but she just wanted to get away.

Just a few feet from her locker, Spencer ran into somebody and both she and the person she hit nearly fell but managed to hold their balance by hanging onto each other.

"I'm so sorry."

"Hey, watch where you're- Newbie?"

Spencer looked at the bi-polar girl that had put her through so many changes in one day. Knowing that she was about to explode and not wanting to do it with an audience, Spencer grabbed Ashley arm and dragged her into the nearest empty classroom. _Wow, she must be faster than Superman to get changed so fast. Damn, that skirt looks good on her. Don't get distracted, Spence. You have bigger fish to fry._

"What's with you, newbie?"

"You. You're what's with me. What's your problem?"

Ashley paused and stared at Spencer, incredulously. "My problem? I didn't just drag you into a class, screaming my head off. You just wanted to get me alone, right?"

Ashley smiled before she seductively licked her lips.

"That's what I'm talking about. One minute you're all flirty and I think you like me and the next you're acting all weird like you never met me."

Spencer turned around and dropped her bookbag on a desk. Ashley stared at her back, confused, as Spencer began to pace. An idea was coming to Ashley.

"Then you're waving at me but when we're in class together, I don't exist. Explain that."

When Spencer finished with a huff, Ashley burst out laughing.

"What are you laughing at? You think this is funny? Why do you only talk to me when we're alone and then pretend I don't exist in public? Or are you some kind of tease?"

Ashley held up a hand, struggling to catch her breath. "That new's…I've never been called a tease before." She continued to chuckle but with slightly less hysteria.

"Ashley, let's go. Aiden has practice and I need a ride home."

Spencer spun around and Ashley, this one in jeans, was standing in the doorway. She spun around back to Ashley who was still leaning against the teacher's desk.

"Hey, Kyla, I think you know newbie, here. Newbie, have you met my twin, Kyla?"

"Yeah, Ash, this is that crazy chick I saw at lunch. You didn't tell me you knew her."

Spencer sat down hard in a desk as her eyes swung between the Davies sisters. She felt she might faint in the room with all this hotness.


	2. Chapter 2

Ashley watched as the new girl sat in the desk, not surprised that she and Kyla had managed to overwhelm the girl. They usually had that effect but Ashley was especially was happy that the blonde was so obviously attracted to them. This morning she would have had to be blind and dumb not to notice that the girl liked her considering the fact that every time Ashley glanced at the new girl, she had been very quick to avert her eyes from various places on Ashley's anatomy.

At first she'd been amused and had simply dismissed the girl on sight. She was hardly the type Ashley went for. Ashley usually hung out with chicks like herself: bad-girls, rebels with or without causes and King High degenerates. She didn't run with the church-going type. The blonde didn't fit into the hot girl mold. She was timid and had goody-two shoes written all over her. _And she could stand to show a little more skin_, Ashley thought looking over the girl's Polo shirt and jeans that weren't fitted by any stretch of the imagination. But Ashley knew what lay beneath those clothes having spent the better part of gym class watching the girl, and her shorts, from afar.

Despite not immediately going gaga over the girl, Ashley had been charmed by her. She was very cute, had a good body and with a trip to shopping trip to Wet Seal, she would be a solid ten. The two of them could definitely be hot together.

"So you're twins?" the blonde asked, while pulling her hair back with both hands causing her shirt to pull tight over her breasts.

_Wow, those are nice_. Ashley mentally shook herself out of haze and forced herself to look the girl in the eye. _How is it possible that I didn't notice her eyes this morning? They're gorgeous. Ashley! Pay attention!_

When Ashley snapped out of her reverie, Kyla was speaking. "Do you really need an answer to that?"

"No, no, I don't."

"What's your name?" Ashley blurted out before she realized she was thinking about the question. The question came out a lot louder then she intended and both girls looked at her like she was nuts. "Well, you don't want me to keep calling you Newbie, do you?" Ashley said, trying to nonchalantly lean back onto the teacher's desk and barely catching herself from falling to the side of it. She avoided looking at Kyla because, knowing her sister, she would probably be mocked for her clearly off macking skills.

"Spencer Carlin."

"Spencer? Isn't that a guy's name?" Kyla asked.

"Do you really need me to answer that?"

_Ohh, newbie's giving it as good as she gets it. Mama likes. …but Kyla won't. _Ashley jumped in before her twin got her thong in a twist.

"Spencer? I can dig it." Ashley winked at the other girl and she smiled back.

"Okay, let me get this straight." Spencer looked at the other two girls.

"Good luck with Ashley," Kyla scoffed.

Ashley picked the eraser on the teacher's desk and hurled it at her sister. Kyla ducked, laughing.

"Chill out, I'm serious!" Spencer stood up, obviously having obtained her equilibrium back.

Both Ashley and Kyla clapped their heels together and they saluted Spencer while standing at attention and shouting, "Yes, ma'am". Often in trouble, the Davies' girls were in unison when they mocked authority. Spencer tried her best not to laugh but the tiniest bit of a smile turned up the corners of her mouth.

Spencer pointed her finger at Ashley. "You walked me to class this morning, right?"

"That was me" Ashley said, relaxing against the desk.

"And I saw you in the cafeteria and in class?" Spencer squinted at Kyla as if dissecting her.

"Yep," Kyla was clearly bored with this conversation.

Spencer turns to Ashley. "Were you running track for Phys Ed?"

"Yeah."

Spencer nods, seemingly content. She looks back at Kyla, "So, you were the one I saw in the hallway on some guy's back."

"Ah, I guess that me," Ashley raises her hand with a smirk.

"What dude were you riding?" Kyla asks, scandalized.

"Aiden was taking me to class! Riding is your thing, not mine." Ashley turns to a shocked Spencer with a seductive smile. "Well, I take that back. I do have a certain fondness for those types of activities."

Spencer looks down and blushes furiously, her hot blood visibly rising from beneath her shirt. Ashley took a deep breath as she started counting the minutes until she would be able to see Spencer's entire body blush. Kyla rolled eyes so hard Ashley feared they might roll out of her head.

"So…is…Aiden…your boyfriend?" Spencer didn't look up from playing with the bottom of her shirt. Ashley could barely make out the last of her question, Spencer spoke so quickly.

"Ew, hell no. He's our brother. Our triplet, actually."

"Oh…" Spencer looked into Ashley's eyes and smiled.

Ashley and Spencer stared at each and the room was filled with the attraction was obvious and stifling to the observant occupant. Kyla lifted her eyebrows as she watched her sister and this new girl. They didn't even know each other and they were already sprung.

"Hmph. Yeah, okay, enough of the visual intercourse, can we go now?"

Suddenly, Spencer found everything in the room interesting as she avoided looking directly at the Davies sisters. Ashley let out a long-suffering sigh as she turned to Kyla.

"Why do you want to go home? Don't you have practice?"

"Yeah, but it's not for another…" Kyla looks down at her watch and freaks. "Damn, Ash, it's too late now."

"Ah, well, too bad. So, Spence, what are you doing now?"

"I have cheerleading practice."

"You're the new alternate for the squad?" Kyla asked.

It was Ashley's turn to freak, though, unlike Kyla, she kept her disappointment in. _Shit, shit, shit, shit, shit. Tell me she did not just say that she's a cheerleader._

"Yeah, I have to do this probationary period before its official though."

_Cool, there's still a chance she might suck_. Ashley watched closely as Spencer bent to pick up her bag which had fallen off the desk. Eyeing the other girl's ass, Ashley some how doubted that Spencer wasn't good at shaking it. _Maybe, everything will be okay. _Ashley mentally scoffed._ Yeah, and Madison's a virgin._

_FUCK! Why me???_


	3. Chapter 3

Spencer glanced at Ashley, wondering why the girl had grown so quiet. They had left the classroom a few minutes before and made a stop at Spencer's locker to grab her clothes for practice. Other than a suggestive comment about knowing she knew where to find her, Ashley hadn't said much. But then again, Kyla hadn't left many openings to talk. _Does this girl even breathe?_

The three girls entered the gym where the basketball team sat in the bleachers being lectured by the coach. They were on the other side of the court so the only words they were able to make out were they ones the coach emphasized by pounding his fist in his hand like "work", "drills", and "win".

Spencer saw Glen look up and was surprised when he waved at her. He never waves at her. If he didn't ignore her completely, he usually just nodded vaguely in her direction. She raised her hand just above her waist and fluttered her fingers at him. _Weird._

Spencer takes a few steps into the gym before she realizes that she's lost one of the girls flanking her. She looks to her right and, yep, no Ashley. She turns back to the door where Ashley seems to be searching out the gym, for the boogeyman, perhaps.

"What are you looking for?"

Ashley stood abruptly from her crouched position where she had been scanning the open spaces in the bleachers. She brushed her bangs out of her face.

"Nothing, uh, I thought I saw a quarter. You know, I think I'm gonna go."

Spencer tried to school her expression to hide her disappointment. "Oh, that's cool."

"Ash, if you're not staying, could you run home and bring back my Cobra shoelaces?"

"Why are you so concerned with shoelaces?"

"'Cause Madison will flip if she catches me without them."

"Yeah, there's nothing worse than cheerleaders without green shoelaces. Oh, the horror." Sarcasm was thickly coated on each word out of Ashley's mouth.

"Come on. I don't want to hear her ranting about setting an example for the fresh meat. You know how she is."

Ashley gave Kyla a look as if she was considering whether or not she loved her enough to run her errand.

"You don't have to go home," Spencer said to Ashley. She turned to Kyla. "I can lend you a pair of mine."

"Great. I should have figured you for a girl scout."

"Damn, Kyla, she's doing you a favor. You could be little grateful."

"Chill out, Ash. I'm just playing with the girl. You know I'm kidding, right?"

Spencer nodded and tucked her hair behind her right ear. She hadn't known that Kyla was kidding but with Glen as her brother, she had learned not to take teasing to heart years ago.

"See? What are you doing if you don't watch practice?"

Spencer watched closely as Ashley shrugged. "Probably go to Gray's."

"We can do that after. Practice will only take about an hour." Kyla looked at Spencer slyly out of the corner of her eye. Spencer immediately dropped her eyes to her shoes. "Besides, I think Spencer wants the audience."

Spencer's head snapped back, eyes wide. "Uh, I-"

"Do you want me to stay?"

_Oh, shoot. What do I say? Of course, I want her to stay but only if she wants to stay. Oh, man. SAY SOMETHING!_

"If you want to stay…" Spencer looked into Ashley's eyes and her heartbeat kicked into high gear. _Please, stay, please stay, please, stay._

"Cool."

_Yes!_

Ashley and Kyla burst out laughing and Spencer's face went up in flames. This time she didn't have to question whether she had spoken aloud. She had heard herself. Thankfully, the door to the ladies locker room opened and a few girls, obviously cheerleaders, entered the gym.

"I think…I'll go get changed…Right…" Spencer gave the twins a slight wave and slowly turned to walk away.

"I like her, sis."

Spencer grinned when she heard that and she practically started skipping her way to the locker room when she heard Ashley's reply.

"Yeah, me too."

"Come on, ladies. I'm not feeling it. It's one-two-three-pop-drop and bam. Why is that so difficult? Watch me one more time."

Spencer warily watched Madison as she demonstrated the moves of the routine. The chick was extremely temperamental. One minute she was satisfied and the next she was screaming at the top of her lungs at some girl. Spencer had to admit the girl was good but very much a tyrant.

Spencer looked up at Ashley for the hundredth time since practice had begun. The object of her lust was at the top of the bleachers, leaning back nonchalantly with her elbows on the top row, propping her up. Their eyes caught and Ashley rolled her eyes at Madison as if to say, 'do you believe her?' Spencer smiled and shook her head at her. Wrong move.

"Spencer, are you paying attention?!" Madison exploded and followed her gaze to Ashley who sneered at her.

Spencer jumped and guiltily turned back to Madison. She nodded, "Yeah."

"Then let me see you demonstrate the routine-" Madison put her hands on her hips "- from the beginning."

Spencer lifted an eyebrow before effortlessly going through the routine. She did the entire thing without a single misstep and when she was done, the squad applauded her. She smiled at them and looked at Madison for whatever she had left up her sleeve. She was far from happy.

"Stop it," Madison instructed, sending the group a death stare. "This isn't So You Think You Can Dance. Okay, so you've got some moves. Keep it up and you may become more than an alternate. Until then, hand out the towels."

Spencer sighed and peeked at Ashley as she walked to the bench where the towels sat. She could barely suppress her smile when Ashley winked at her. Spencer handed out the towels as Madison continued to berate the girls. As Kyla accepted her towel, she rolled her eyes at Madison, unintentionally mimicking her sister. _Wow, these girls are really identical...and soooo hot. Whew!_ Spencer returned the eye-roll with smile and wondered, _just how alike are they?_

The squad began to clap at the end of a successful practice. Half of the girls headed straight for the locker, anxious to get on with their evening. The other half lingered, talking amongst themselves and watching the basketball practice. Ashley walked down the bleachers toward Spencer.

"Don't tell me you're getting school spirit, Ashley," Madison called out, interrupting Ashley progress to Spencer.

"Sorry, my school spirit has been kicked out of me." Ashley stopped on the bench closet to the floor, right above Spencer.

"Oh, so you just came for the eye candy," Madison said with attitude.

"You wish."

Madison scoffed. "Well, from now on, practice is closed to lesbo stalkers."

"Please, like I care about watching you and your gang of cheerbitches practice for your future careers dancing on poles."

Spencer grimaced at the insult. _Insensitive, much?_

Kyla grabbed Spencer's arm and pulled her away from the argument and toward the locker room.

"Don't take that too personally, Spence. Those two are like oil and water. You don't want to get in the middle of their hate."

Walking away, Spencer looked back and it definitely looked like the two of them were close to coming to blows.

"Then, maybe we should stay and break it up." Spencer stopped walking and Kyla nearly tripped, unaware that they were braking.

"Trust me, Spence, Ash can handle herself."

Just then, Madison threw her hands up with a scream and stumped toward them. As she stalked past, she roughly hit Spencer with her shoulder, knocking her back. "Ow!"

"Told you. Come on, so we can get out of here." Kyla grabbed Spencer's arm again and steered her into the through the doorway.

As Spencer showered and changed, she replayed Madison and Ashley's argument and even the practice over and over, trying to decode what was said and done that might indicate that their relationship was more to than a hate-on. She couldn't put her finger on anything, but she just had this feeling that their tension was a sexual one.

Kyla and Spencer entered the gym together and immediately began to head over to Ashley who sat on the edge bleachers. Basketball practice was over and a few of the guys were leaving.

"Hey," Spencer spoke shyly.

"Hey, you ready?" Kyla asked Ashley.

"Yeah, let's get out of here before Aiden wants to tag and bring that bitch along."

Ashley hopped down from the bleachers and they began to head for the door.

"What? You don't like your brother's girlfriend?"

Ashley laughed. "That's an understatement."

The door behind them opened and the girls looked back to see Madison exit. She glared at them before looking beyond them. Suddenly, she was all smiles and she began to skip in their direction. They watched her skip past them and jump into Aiden's arms. Kyla rolled her eyes and Ashley pretended to vomit into her hands while Spencer fought not to clap and jump up and down.

_I guess that means nothing's going on between her and Ashley._


End file.

South of Nowhere, Humor, Romance