South of Nowhere 1. Chapter 1

_Chances Fading Now. AU Spashley fiction. _

_Disclaimer: I do not own South of Nowhere, nor its characters._

**_Introduction_**

_D y k e. _The four lettered, bright orange, hate filled word defiles her locker. There's a hushed silence as the blonde unsuspectingly approaches it. The students, her classmates their eyes stare in her direction. When she is only mere inches away, someone's unkind and pitiless hands shove her forward, their snide comments taunting, antagonizing.

Tears form and sting Spencer's eyes before the word is completely legible, but there is no mistaking what is to be read. Voices, silent before now swirl around her. The embarrassment she feels is nauseating, almost paralyzing. She tries hard not to cry.

Its only been a few weeks since she's arrived. An unexpected move from a relatively small town in Ohio to one of seemingly similar proportions a few states away. Her mother told her to get used to it. Her father offered steady words of encouragement. Her brothers quickly adjusted. She on the other not so much. Whilst the town was small, friends for her were still hard to come by.

The sharp, rampant laughter of her peers violates Ashley's train of thought. A familiar body settles next to her, his shoulders pressing against hers. She pushes off the locker she's been balancing against with the sole of her shoe, and greets the dark haired boy with an expression that is anything but friendly.

Aiden smiles at her, despite the hostility that greets him in return. Ashley fiddles for the Ipod in her back pocket, wanting to tune out the increasing noise in the hallway, and him. The ear buds of her headphones are nearly when she hears it. "Dyke". The brunette winces slightly against the sound of the offensive expression as it echoes from the mouth of a nearby student. If it's directed at her, she doesn't turn around. She precedes to ignore everything around her until she sees her. The new girl, Spencer Carlin, teary eyed and seemingly humiliated flee past her and out of sight.

Ashley's heart rate speeds up at the sight of her, as it has been a lot lately regardless of having never shared more than a few words with the blonde. There's an elbow jab to her side. As if he sensed the change in her demeanor, her friend pins her with a look that seems too know to much.

First attempt at publishing any of my work. If you like what you have read let me know. Comments, questions and/or reviews are greatly appreciated. Thanks.

-JJ


	2. Chapter 2

Hey guys! Much thanks to all those who story alerted, and favorited this story. Thanks for the review as well.

**Chapter Two**

Spencer is in a hallway, alone, when Ashley spots her, arms crossed in front of her, half in shadow, leaning against a corridor wall.

Ashley doesn't want to intrude, but she's already stepping into the hall before she can give into the urge to turn away.

The sound of footsteps in the hall tells Spencer that she is no longer alone. She swipes quickly at her tears, but makes no moves to acknowledge whoever has joined her, hoping that their shared pathway only serves to aid them to a destination anywhere else, but where she stands now.

When a voice does breaks through a once refreshing silence it is both soft and familiar to Spencer. _Ashley_.

"Hiding isn't going to help, you know." The brunette's informs her as she draws near. The tone of her voice suggests that perhaps she's been here before too. Cowering in a corner. Spencer tries not to wonder. To not care. But fails. In fact she wants to tell herself to ignore the brunette, she cant. "Who says I'm hiding?"

"Aren't you?" Ashley asks pinning her with a stare a little too intense for Spencer's liking.

Ashley's tone reads of judgment or at least Spencer thinks it does, and she doesn't like it. She hates to be thought of as weak. Spencer looks away, but nods her head, hesitant to openly acknowledge what they both know to be true.

"So I'm guessing this place isn't anything like Ohio?" Ashley asks and with a few tentative steps she bridges the gap between them.

A brief but guarded smile appears upon Spencer's face. Though it's a guarded smile, its a smile nevertheless, and its one Ashley is eager to see more of . "Well the kids are a lot nicer in Ohio, that's for sure" , Spencer replies.

There's a look in Spencer eyes as she talks that has Ashley regretting

not being more friendlier to the blonde, for not extending her friendship when they first met.

"I'm sorry about your locker Spencer, those guys are real jerks."

"Yeah, tell me about it," the blonde agrees. Voices drift down the corridor. Its only a matter of minutes before lunch is over and everyone is heading to their next classes. Spencer wonders if she will be able to endure the stares and the pointing fingers again. She knows they haven't forgotten. For a moment she contemplates going home, but lately even there she feels unwelcome.

"So are you?"

"Am I what? Spencer asks, her brows slightly furrowed, not quite understanding.

"A lesbo?" The brunette smirks playfully. "You know, a queer?"

Spencer looked up at her, realization dawning on her. She sports a frown, though the question weighs unexpectedly hard on her. "That's just a rumor," she finally voices in reply.

"Is it?" The brunette asks, a well manicured eyebrow quirked in question upon noting the slight waver in Spencer's voice.

Spencer drops her eyes and lowers her head, hair falling forward around her face. "Do you usually believe everything you hear?"

A moment of silence hangs between them before their eyes catch again. Ashley shrugs casually in response, though she knows all too well what it feels like to be on the receiving end of cruel and unfounded rumors.

"You didn't exactly answer the question," Ashley presses tucking her hands into the back pockets of her jeans.

Spencer reaches for her book bag, where it rests on the tile floor, slings it around her slender shoulders.

"I'm not like _you_," the blonde retorts pointedly. The contempt she hears in her voice Spencer is sure mimics that of her mother when she speaks sternly against anything she disapproves of - _like gays_.

Though she's only been a student at her new school a mere few weeks, Spencer has learned a lot, like who's in and who's not. She's never cared much about that before, but she finds herself caring now. Maybe it has something to do with being the 'new kid' and wanting to fit in. Maybe.

A flicker of some unidentified emotion travels across Ashley's face.

A tense moment of silence stretches amidst them. There is just enough silence for Spencer to feel the sting of her own words. She has an urge to take them back, but doesn't. Their purpose, to create a boundary between them. She cant fathom exactly why she needs to establish boundaries with Ashley so soon, but something tells her that she does.

The words from Spencer's mouth wound Ashley, but it's a truth that Ashley wont deny. Perhaps the Carlin girl is just like everyone else she thinks. Either way, she forces herself to ignore the insult.

Spencer watches as Ashley begins to walk away, watches the space widen between them. With a quick turn of her feet, the pair are face to face again. "That's too bad", the brunette voices curtly. There's a smile on Ashley's face when their eyes lock and it's a little too big for comfort.

_What is that supposed to mean? _Spencer finds herself wanting to ask, but she doesn't. It shouldn't matter, but soon she is considering the smear on her locker and wonders if it's true after all, if maybe they all know something she doesn't.

Reviews would be great! Thanks!


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South of Nowhere, Drama, Romance