4:59PM Wednesday, September 11, 2013

Spencer leaned back and lifted her face to the sun.  The warmth of the sun seemed to invigorate her mind on a rather lackluster afternoon. 

Kate propped herself on her elbows, her long auburn locks fell down on either side of her face.  “Hey, Spence, you okay?  You’ve seemed a little out of it the last few weeks and I’m worried about you.”

Spencer opened her eyes and turned her head slightly to the left to face Kate.  She smiled slightly.  “Yeah, I’m fine.  Just getting adjusted to another semester at school…you know.”  Spencer sighed. 

“Yeah…okay.  Well, if you want to talk about it…” Kate looked at Spencer intently, searching for something in the girl’s eyes.

Spencer stopped looking at Kate; instead she stared through her.  A moment later, Spencer’s eyes hardened.  “Really.  I’m fine.”

“Okay, well, I’m going to go see one more exhibit before we go.  You want to come?” Kate pushed herself onto her knees and stared expectantly at Spencer.  She sensed she needed to get the girl out of her own head.

“No, I want to finish this reading, but thanks.”

Kate leaned over and gave Spencer a quick peck on the cheek.  “Okay sweetie,” Kate said over her shoulder as she walked off the grass of the Getty gardens and back towards the museum. 

Spencer looked down in her lap, her lips forming a frown.  As she reached up with her right hand to push the blonde hair behind her ears, she closed her eyes and took a deep breath.  After exhaling, Spencer opened her eyes, once again hardened to the outside world.    

Ashley had broken her heart one too many times.  She couldn’t take it anymore.  This accidentally running into each other – if it was in fact accidental – would have to stop.  She would just stop running away every time Ashley saw her.  She’d let Ashley confront her, she’d tell her the same thing she told Ashley a little more than two years ago, and that would be it.  Ashley would stop bothering her and they’d both get on with their lives.  That’s how it had to be.