“Yeah, we used to be best friends.” Ashley replied with a nostalgic look in her eye.

“What do you mean that y’all ‘used’ to be best friends?” Spencer asked finally getting into the reason she had to rescue Ashley from school today.

“Well, a few weeks ago, Aiden was in a car crash and he was hurt pretty badly. Well, I was in the hospital for him just about every day. When he was finally released to go home, I went straight to his house from school after I had to go to the tutoring center to get some much needed help. Well, anyway, I walked straight into his room and on his computer was Madison’s website that she has a webcam on. Well, instead of just a video of Peyton on the viewing screen, it was Peyton and Lucas making out. I was shocked. How could my boyfriend and my best friend cheat on me like that? Well, I confronted Madison and Aiden in school this morning about all of that and of course they didn’t have anything good or worthwhile to say. I pretty much chewed them out in front of the whole school.” Ashley finished as tears began streaming down her face. It was apparently her turn to cry.

“I saw the whole fight this morning. I just didn’t really understand what it was about. When I saw you storm away, I followed you because no one else seemed to even care. They just kinda looked at Madison and Aiden and watched you run away. I knew you were crying or you were about to cry so I knew that I needed to get there for you. I guess that motherly instinct runs over into friends too huh?” Haley said as she grabbed Brooke and began to comfort her. Spencer ran her finger nails softly up and down Ashley’s back, a gesture that always seemed to calm Justin down and was also apparently working for Ashley as well.

“Yeah, I remember seeing you in the bathroom and you bringing me back to your apartment. I didn’t know if you knew what had happened or not.”

“Well, now I know right?” Spencer replied as she continued to scratch Brooke’s back.

“I could stay like this forever.” Ashley moaned as she curled in closer to Ashley. Something about this girl made Brooke feel safer than she had ever felt.

“Me too” Spencer replied as she began to drift off to sleep. Before slumber completely came over the two girls, Spencer whispered, “I will always be here for you too Ashley. Me and Justin. Always…”

To which Ashley replied, “And Forever.”