Pieces

Chapter 5

After explaining Spencer's situation to my mom, she agreed that it was best Spencer stayed here with us.

Spencer awkwardly followed me upstairs to my bedroom, and stood in the doorway while I rummaged through my drawers, trying to find some clothes for her to put on.

"I've got a T-shirt and a pair of soccer shorts you can wear to sleep in. I'll ask my mom about underclothes."

Spencer nodded, examining her feet. "You really didn't have to go through all this trouble.."

I held out a shirt and shorts to her. "Spencer, it's the least I could do. I couldn't have let you go back home."

Spencer sighed. "I'm just glad that the babies were with their dad tonight. I forgot it was his weekend." She looked up and took the clothes from me.

"You can shower in my bathroom," I said, pointing to it with my thumb. I examined her cut. "Are you sure that doesn't need stitches?"

"It's fine. I'll be alright."

I shrugged and took a step back. "There's towels under the sink. If you need anything, I'll be in the living room."

My mom was in the living room, drinking tea and watching Across the Universe. She looked up at me and smiled when I came in. "Hey, Chandler."

"Hi, mom." I sat next to her on the couch and watched the movie in silence for a few minutes.

"What happened to Spencer again?"

I shifted so I could stretch my legs out on the coffee table. "I'm not sure if Spencer wants me to talk about it."

My mom sighed. "Okay. You tell her that she can come and talk to me whenever, alright?"

"I will. Where is she going to sleep?"

My mom took a sip of her tea and thought for a minute. "The spare bed has stuff all over it, so she can't sleep there. We could give her an air mattress and put it down here, or she could sleep on the couch.."

"I'd rather not leave her alone in our house." My mom gave me a look. "I know she's a girl, but she's a friend, and I think it would be best if she was in the same room as someone."

My mom raised an eyebrow. "She's still a girl."

I rolled my eyes. "I know, mom. But.. can you just make an exception? We'll both sleep in the living room." I frowned slightly, and I knew my attempt at a puppy dog face had worked when my mom sighed.

"Fine. Bring down blankets and pillows. But you need to be quiet and clean it up tomorrow so your dad doesn't throw a fit when he gets back from his golf tournament tomorrow night."

I smiled and kissed her on the forehead. "Thanks, mom."

She smiled. "You're welcome." She stood up and handed me the remote. "I'm going to see if Spencer needs anything. And then I'm going to bed."

I nodded and flipped the DVD player off. "Alright. G'night mom."

"Goodnight, Chandler. I love you."

"Love you too."

I turned Netflix on, and scanned through the movies until I heard the shower shut off and the door close. I waited a few minutes before walking upstairs to get some blankets out of my room.

When I opened the door, Spencer was still in the bathroom, with the door slightly open. I knocked gently. "Spence? Are you, um, dressed?"

"Yeah," Spencer said as she walked out of the bathroom. Her makeup was washed off, leaving her light brown eyelashes bare, and letting her blue eyes stand out mor brilliantly than they had before. My gray shirt hung loosely on her, hiding the shorts I gave her, but still making her body look fantastic.

"How does your eye feel?"

"Swollen." She touched it lightly, wincing a little. "Where am I sleeping?"

"Downstairs. I figured you wouldn't want to sleep alone.." I paused. "Or do you?"

Spencer shook her head quickly. "Um, no I'd uh, rather someone be in the same room as me."

I smiled. "Alright. I just have to bring down some blankets. You can head down there if you want. Netflix is up on the tv, so you can choose a movie."

Spencer nodded and disappeared through the door. I followed behind a few minutes later, carrying blankets and pillows in my arms.

"Did you pick a movie?" I asked, tossing some blankets on the couch next to her.

"No. I don't care what we watch."

I shot her a look, and she smiled a little. "Then we're watching a sports movie."

She wrinkled her nose and then winced in pain as the cut split a little. "How about no?"

"How about we just watch tv?"

"That sounds fine."

We surfed through the channels before deciding on Family Guy. I must have fallen asleep while watching it, because I woke up later to the sound of someone tossing and turning.

I sat up. "Spencer?" I sleepily rubbed my eyes.

In the dark, I manages to make out her figure. She sat up. "Yeah?"

"Are you okay?"

"Um." She shifted agin. "Kinda."

"Do you want to talk?"

She sniffed and cleared her throat. "Um, I dunno. I'll be okay.."

I clicked the light on next to me. Spencer's eyes were bloodshot from crying and she was twisting her pinky ring around her finger. I could tell she was still very upset, and I felt my heart ache for her. She looked at me, her blue eyes looking more gray that usual and threw the blankets off of her. She got up off the couch and quickly walked over to my couch.

"Can I sit?" I nodded, and she sat down cross legged in front of me.

I gave her one of my blankets and she wrapped it around her. She played with the ring for a few moments while I watched her.

"Thanks for letting me stay here tonight," she said, not looking up. "It means a lot that you care so much."

"Of course I care. Why wouldn't I?" Spencer shrugged. "Did you think I didn't?"

"I don't know." I raised an eyebrow at her. Spencer looked up at me. "I just, didn't think that someone like you would want to help someone like me."

"Someone like you?"

Spencer shrugged again. "Someone who doesn't matter. An average person with a fucked home life and who tends to literally run away from her problems. Someone who can't let people get close to her because they always leave in the end." Her eyes filled with tears.

When I opened my mouth to protest, she placed a thing finger to my lips. I cocked my head to the side and pulled her hand away. "And what is someone like me?"

"Someone amazing. Who is popular, and smart, and attractive. You're the kind of person everybody wants to be, but you're a thousand times better because you aren't cocky about how amazing you are."

I thought for a second. I looked up at her and pulled her into a hug. She wrapped her arms around my waist and I pulled her closer.

"I think you're an amazing person, Spencer. I mean it."

Spencer pulled away and looked up at me. "Really?"

I nodded. "Yeah. And do you want to know how I think that?" Spencer shrugged. I put my hand under her chin and tilted her face towards mine. She looked at my lips and quickly turned her eyes back to mine. Her lips parted slightly.

And then I kissed her.