"Lex!" I shout up the stairs to my best friend, as I lean over the railing of the staircase.

"Yeah?" She shouts back down? Today has been a pretty quiet day, Lexy's off work and Ashley's out with the band doing...band stuff. My mom called me earlier and asked if I was still coming over. I couldn't think of a reason to say no.

"Can I borrow your car to go over to my parents house?"

"What?" She comes out of her room, standing at the top of the stairs with a hand on her hip.

"Your car, my parent's house, borrow?" I say with a smile, thumbing towards the door.

"But I'm off today." She whines. "Why can't we hang out. Watch movies and make s'mores?" She questions. Okay, what is it with my friend and her need to always want s'mores?

"Can't." I shrug and shake my head. "I promised Paula I'd come by today. You know how she gets if you don't-"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah." She waves me off and walks back to her room. I narrow my eyes at the now empty spot at the top of the stairs before she comes back out her room, tossing the keys down to me. "Don't forget we have that double date tonight." She points a stern finger at me.

I sigh and roll my eyes. "Hasn't left my mind." I throw over my shoulder as I'm walking out the door.

–

"Mom, I'm here." I shout into the house, tossing the car keys on the table by the front door.

"Spencer!" My mother comes from the kitchen clapping her hands together. She pulls me into a bear hug, cutting off my circulation.

"Must you hug me so tightly." I'm barely able to get out and my mother squeezes me even tighter.

"I just missed you so much." She says, giving me another good squeeze before letting me go.

"Mom it's been like two days." I tell her as we walk into the kitchen. "Hey dad." I shout into the living room. I can hear the baseball game so I know he's in there.

"Hello daughter." He shouts back. He'll come give me a hug when there's a commercial

"Well if you wouldn't have waited nine whole months to-"

"Okay mom." I cut her off, raising a hand. "I got it. No more waiting until summer to come home to visit." She smiles and nods her head once. "Where's Glen and Clay?" I question as I take a seat on a stool.

"Clay had class and I think Glen said he was taking Meredith to lunch."

"They're still together?" I ask with a look of disbelief on my face. My mother chuckles as she takes a pan of cookies from the oven.

"Yes, they're still together." I shrug, hopping off the stool to grab one of the delicious sugar cookies from the pan. "Nope." My mother slaps my hand away.

"Owie." I pull it back, rubbing it. That really hurt.

"These need to cool." She tells me as she takes them out of the pan and puts them on a cooling rack. "Speaking of cooling off, how are things with you and Ashley?" What the hell kinda transition is that?

"Really mom?" I quirk a brow at her. She smiles and shrugs.

"Worked didn't it?"

"No." I shake my head once, giving her the most serious face I could muster. "It didn't."

"Never mind that." She waves me off. You didn't answer my question. So I'm assuming it hasn't?" She questions as she takes a seat on a stool. I sigh and follow her lead.

"No." I shake my head. "It hasn't. "It's like, the more I'm around her, the deeper my feelings get." I explain.

My mother nods, bringing a comforting hand up to my shoulder. "I know."

"And I feel so guilty, every time I'm around, Lex. I love Lex to death. She's my best friend in the whole world, but I don't know how to push these feelings away. I've tried ignoring them, ignoring Ashley and now I'm even trying to date someone else but-"

"Wait." My mom cuts me off. "You're dating someone?"

"Mom!" I shriek. I'm in the middle of telling her how much pain I'm in, falling for my best friends girl and all. But all she wants to do is hear juicy details about a new girl I'm seeing.

"Well you brought it up." She shrugs and smiles. "Who is she? What does she look like? Is she artistic?" My mom barrels off questions one after the other. I don't even think she took a breath.

"Ugh." I groan and slump in my chair. I know she's not gonna let me move on until I tell her. "Her names Stacy, she plays keyboard in Ashley's band and she's-"

"Wait, you're dating someone from Ashley's band?"

"Well, technically no. Our first date isn't until tonight." I explain.

"Spencer..." She starts, shaking her head.

"I know." I cut her off. "It wasn't something that I just went out and did on purpose. Ashley took me to lunch to meet them and well Stacy just kinda asked me out."

"And this in no way shape or fashion had to do with the fact that you're trying to make Ashley jealous?" She questions with a smirk, tilting her head into her hand.

"No." I shake my head. "I don't know... maybe." I finally settle on.

"This isn't going to end well Spencer." My mother shakes her head and says. Don't I know it. It's the same thing I've been telling myself for the past two and a half weeks. There's no way that someone doesn't walk away from this with a broken heart.

"I know." I sigh, dropping my head on the table.

"Is she still singing you love songs?" My mother asks, causing me to turn and look up at her. Seriously mom? I groan, not wanting to answer. "You know, she's not so innocent in all this. I see the way she looks at you. And the song she said she wrote, clearly it was about you. Have you two discussed possible outcomes if you continue go on like this? What happens to Lexy if she finds out, how hurt she'll be?"

"Yes mom." I groan. "I've considered all these possibilities. It's not like I wanted this to happen or even that I'm pushing for it to continue to happen. I don't want to be the best friend that does something like this." I roll my eyes and drop my head back on the table.

"I know you don't wanna be that friend, Spencer." She says and I can hear her push back from the table and get off her stool. "But in order not to be, you're gonna have to talk to Ashley. Sit her down and really tell her how you feel. If you don't want this to go on then tell her that." She says as her voice becomes close again.

"Here." I lift my head to see her holding out a sugar cookie for me. I take the cookie and bite it.

Mmmm. So delicious.

Almost makes me forget about all the drama that's going on in my life right now.

"Thanks mom." I tell her, thanking her not only for the cookie but for so much more. She doesn't understand how nice it is to talk to someone about all this. Someone other than Madison. She gives me a small smile before kissing me on the forehead.

"You're welcome sweetie."

"Spencer, come watch the game, the Dodgers are playing." My dad yells from the living room.

"You better go watch it honey." My mother smiles and nods towards the living room. I hop down off the stool I was occupying and make the trip to the living room to watch baseball with my dad.

And for the next couple of hours, not one thought of Ashley crosses my mind.

This is just what I needed.

–

"Spencer are you ready?" Lexy knocks on my door as I get dressed to go on this double date tonight. I still haven't seen Ashley today. She's kept her distance, even since I got back from my parent's house. She said a quick hello to me then took off upstairs to her and Lexy's room. I shrugged it off, maybe she's just trying to be a good girlfriend now. Maybe she's trying to get over me like I'm trying to get over her.

"Almost." I shout back to my friend.

"We'll hurry up."

"Okay, Lex." I finish getting dressed and head out to meet them in the living room. The first person I see is Ashley. No, let me rephrase that, the person I see when I enter the living is Ashley. She glances up at me, our eyes connecting briefly and I instantly melt. I don't see how we've gone this whole day without talking to each other. All I wanna do right now is walk over to her and hug her. And she looks freaking amazing. She's wearing some black skinny jeans with a red t-shirt, a black and red Miami Heat fitted and some Red and Black Retro 13s. And damn does she look good.

"Hey sexy." Stacy swoops in and whispers in my ear. Oh! I didn't even see her. "You look amazing." She tells me with a smirk. The smile and subtle nod of Ashley's head tells me she agrees.

"Thank you." I turn to Stacy and say.

"Everyone ready?" Lexy asks, grabbing her keys. Ashley and Lexy take Ashley's car while Stacy and I take hers. I barely paid attention to Stacy as she asked me several questions on our way to the restaurant. I couldn't focus my mind. It kept going back to Ashley, standing there in the living room with that look on her face.

I feel the car stop and notice that we've reached the restaurant. I can't tell you how much time has passed by since we left the house and that's a problem. My mind cannot be so consumed when it comes to her, yet it is. I get out of the car and notice Ashley holding Lexy's door open.

She's so chivalrous.

They link hands and make their way towards Stacy and I. I'm watching Ashley intently and I'm sure it's borderline creepy, but I can't help it, she looks so good. My gaze is averted as I feel Stacy slip her hand into mine.

Um…what?

What's this?

I look up from our hands and she's smiling at me. Right, she's my date. I keep forgetting that. Somehow you'd think I'd remember, given this awkward situation, 'cause I'm sure as hell not here by choice.

"You good?" She asks softly.

I really wish things were different because she's so sweet. Plus it seems like she's really trying, maybe I should too.

I allow her to pull me a little closer to her and give her a smirk. "All good."

"You guys look cozy." Lexy greets us and I see Stacy fighting an eye roll. I playfully glare at her and mumble out 'be nice'.

I turn to face the other couple. Lexy's sporting a creepy grin. She really needs to tone it down, she's more excited than I am.

Ashley on the other hand looks like she can set anything on fire just by the look in her eyes. She's like Drew Barrymore from the movie Firestarter…man that was a good movie. I'm pulled away from my thoughts and into the restaurant and I notice that at the back of the restaurant there is a small stage and a karaoke machine.

Dear God this is going to be a disaster I can feel it!

We're seated and I'm sitting directly across from Ashley. I can't remember whose bright idea it was to do this.

"I'm so excited we're doing this."

That's right it was Lexy's. Everyone forces out a smile for the benefit of my best friend. She's too excited to see that no one is too thrilled with this situation.

"So Spencer…" I turn to face Stacy...her eyes are captivating. "...you go to school in New York?"

I sigh at the memory of the city. I can't wait for Madison to get here.

"Yeah NYU I love it."

"We recently had a gig in New York. Where was is at again Ash?" Ashley and I share a quick glance and I shift in my seat, uncomfortable with our current topic.

"Oh yeah!" Lexy jumps into the conversation before Ashley could say anything. From where I'm sitting she looks a little relieved at her girlfriend's interruption. "Hey Spence didn't you go to a party the night before you left?"

I see Ashley drink her water busying her mouth. Hiding her freak out, I clear my throat in search of an answer.

"Um yeah I don't really remember."

Lie.

"Wouldn't it be crazy if you met Ashley without knowing?" Ashley chokes on her water and we all snap our heads in her direction. Lexy gently pats her back, asking if she's okay. When she gets an okay she turns her attention back to me and apparently that question isn't rhetorical.

"Yeah that'd be completely crazy." I answer searching for the waitress, hoping she'll interrupt any minute.

"Wait baby didn't you fly in on an afternoon flight after New York and you did too right Spence?"

I'm gritting my teeth nervous as hell…

"Karaoke!" Great now people probably think I have Turrets. My table looks at me and I point to the stage. "We should totally do karaoke, I mean what's the point of coming to a place with a karaoke if we aren't going to participate right?"

Did anyone believe that?

"I vote Ashley goes first!" Lexy pipes in. I sigh in relief… close freaking call.

"No, Ashley shakes her head. I'm not doing this."

"Oh yes you are." Lexy pulls her up from her chair.

"Babe." Ashley groans.

"You're a performer, Ashley. It's what you do, now come on." Lexy pulls on her reluctant girlfriends arm.

"Yeah Ashley! Woo!" Stacy shouts and claps for her friend. Ashley turns and gives Stacy the evil eye. She shrugs it off and continues to clap.

"Fine." Ashley says, now standing on her own will. "But you're all singing a song then." She points a finger at each of us. We all smile as she gets up on stage. She tells the DJ what song she wants to sing and then grabs the mic from the table in front of her. The music starts to play and I have no idea what song this is. She clears her throat and begins, glancing at our table.

"You had me hooked again from the minute you sat down. The way you bite your lip, got my head spinnin' round. After a drink or two, I was putty in your hands. I don't know if I have the strength to stand. Oh oh oh. Trouble troublemaker. Yeah, that's your middle name. I know you're no good but you're stuck in my brain. " She turns to our table again briefly, her voice flowing so effortlessly with the music. I swear this girl can sing anything.

"Woo!" Lexy shouts as Ashley plays to the crowd.

"And I wanna know, why does it feel so good but hurts so bad. Oh oh oh. My mind keeps saying run as fast as you can. I say I'm done but then you pull me back, I swear you're giving me a heart attack. Troublemaker." Is she serious right now? We're really doing this again? She turns and looks at me, giving me a smile before she starts to sing again.

"I swear she can sing anything." Lexy mumbles and smiles admirably at her girlfriend. I totally just said that! Thought stealer!

"It's like you're always there in the corners of my mind. I see a silhouette every time I close my eyes. There must be poison in those finger tips of yours. Cause I keep comin' back again for more. Trouble, troublemaker yeah that's your middle name. Oh oh oh. I know you're no good but you're stuck in my brain. And I wanna know. Why does it feel so good but hurts so bad? Oh oh oh. My mind keeps saying run as fast as you can. I say I'm done but then you pull me back. I swear you're giving me a heart attack. Troublemaker." The crowd shouts as Ashley continues to sing perfectly to the music. Almost like this is her concert instead of karaoke. "Why does it feel so good but hurts so bad? Oh oh oh. My mind keeps saying run as fast as you can. Troublemaker. I say I'm done but then you pull me back. Oh oh oh. I swear you're giving me heart attack, Troublemaker." She finishes the song and the crowd erupts into cheers. She thanks them with a wave before trotting off the stage back to us.

"That was amazing." Lexy smiles and kisses her girlfriend. Ashley glances at me from the corner of her eye.

"Kick ass." Stacy commends her friend. "No way I'm following that." She smiles and shakes her head.

"Me either." Lexy chimes in.

"Oh no." I shake my head. "You guys are not about to make me go on stage after Ashley." They all shrug and smile. I roll my eyes and groan. This is completely unfair. I sigh as I push back from the table and walk up to the stage.

What song should I sing?

I smile as an idea pops in my head. I tell the DJ my song selection and wait for the music to start...

–

Song used- Oly Murs- Troublemaker