Spencer ran out to the parking lot and found Ashley with her head on the steering wheel sobbing. “Ash…Ashley?” She asked reaching out to the brunette lightly touching her shoulder.

“I can’t Spencer. I have to go…I have to…” Ashley put her car in gear and sped off leaving Spencer standing there in the parking lot staring into the darkness where Ashley had just been.

Spencer heard the sound of footsteps and turned to find Kyla and her husband. “I swear I had no idea she would be here. God, Ashley must be going out of her mind.” Kyla began to cry.

“Do you think you could take me to Ash’s house?” Spencer asked Kyla. The brunette nodded her head and they all got in the van. “It’s not your fault, Kyla. Sometimes things just happen…no one can stop them…they just happen.”

****

They pulled up to Ashley’s house and Spencer was relieved to see her girlfriend’s car in the driveway. Both Kyla and her made their way up to the front door. “I don’t have a key.” Spencer suddenly realized.

“Oh don’t worry. Ashley gave me a key over the holidays when she bought this place. Here take it.” Kyla said handing the key to Spencer. “I would go in with you but I really don’t think she wants to see me right now. Please call me tomorrow to let me know how she’s doing.” Spencer nodded and gave the smaller girl a hug.

Spencer took a deep breath and opened the front door of the house. When she walked inside she could see that all the lights were off and that the house was eerily quiet. She made her way to the stairs and walked up not knowing which room was the bedroom. Making her way down the hallway, she opened each door and eventually found the brunette in the final room at the end of the hallway. She walked inside and saw an empty bottle of Jack Daniels lying on the floor. Stepping closer to the brunette on the bed she saw that there was a half-empty bottle of vodka in the girl’s hand. ‘Oh Ashley.’ Spencer kneeled down and took the bottle from the girl’s grip.

“I hate you…mother…I hate you” Spencer heard Ashley mutter over and over while she slept.

“Shhh…Ash…its ok. I won’t let her hurt you again.” Spencer laid down next to the brunette and stroked her hair kissing her forehead again and again. She laid there for what seemed hours and eventually fell asleep holding onto Ashley tightly.