In the end, it took a huge amount of cajoling to get him to pick her up and take her. She wisely neglected to mention that it was at Ashley’s behest that she be somewhere until they were well on their way. Glen swore, and threatened to turn around, but Spencer convinced him to go on. Whatever was going on, she’d make it quick. Like as not, Glen could simply drop her off and she could go on with Ashley. Spencer had to admit it, she was nervous. She was half scared that Ash had brought her here to a relatively isolated spot to break up with her. At least having Glen at her back would help there. Her thoughts were cloudy, and she stared out the window of the car as they made their way up the winding road. Glen tried to engage her in some light hearted banter. His failure led to less light hearted banter, and more coercion into stuffing Ashley and finding a nice boy to date. She’d heard it all before, and a few short, but pithy sentences, told him where his chances stood.

It was pretty dark when they arrived. Two cars already occupied the meager off road parking, and the bend in the road that was behind them would have been the least safe place in the world to leave a car. There was just enough room for Glen to squeeze his car in. The rain was pouring now, the sky opening its gates and drenching the world with its bounty. Spencer could see shit all through the window of the car.

“I’m getting out” she announced.

“You’re crazy” Glen exclaimed. “It’s your funeral”. He turned the radio up.

Spencer got out of the car, and pulled the hood of her rain coat over her head. Shutting the door behind her, the darkness of the night left her momentarily blind. She could see two people standing by the far car. Ashley? Spencer made her way around the cars. As she approached, her vision became a little easier as her eyes adjusted to the night. The rain still made the image hazy, but as she got closer she could see…

She could see them, standing, closer than possible in the dark. Samantha’s arms were wound around Ashley’s neck and there was no mistaking what they were doing. Spencer screamed, anger bursting through her sides, her fists clenching in fury and agony. Ashley looked up, pulling back, startled. Spencer could hear Glen’s yells as he somehow appeared from behind her. He must have followed her after all, but she couldn’t hear what he was yelling over all the noise in her ears. The blood rushing through and deafening her. She barely saw Ashley push Samantha away..

‘Too late’ she thought.

Spencer stood, hands clenched, tears pouring down her face in the rain. She barely saw Sam move away from Glen and Ashley. Glen’s fist raised, Ashley pushing Glen back, as he moved to hit her. She barely saw Glen as he stumbled through the rain, only a few short steps. Or the car that took the corner too wide, sliding in the slick, black oil dark of the night, tires screaming as the lights found Glen. What Spencer heard was the sickening crunch as the car collected its unintentional quarry. And what she remembered was the smell of rubber on the bitumen, as his body hit the ground.

Later she would remember watching, through the red and blue lights, the last time she would see Ashley, fading, into the darkness.