Long Way Home

Chapter 31

November 2017

The night continued as normal most would say, though Spencer was now attached to the oldest friend at the hip. They were having the best time together, drink after drink, game after game. It was a few hours later when Michael and Crystal approached the two friends, causing the blonde to look at them like a deer in headlights. Worried she was about to get lectured and yelled at for being so drunk.

"Have either of you seen Luke lately?" Michael asked, raising his eyebrows and chuckling lightly when he saw the blonde girl's face. He waited a moment, giving them both an opportunity to answer before speaking up again. "I'll take that as a no."

"Last I saw he was super drunk and with Nat and Cal." Spencer finally answered, looking between Crystal and Michael a few times.

Ashton couldn't help but chuckle along with Michael once he laughed, then glanced at the blonde. "Super drunk? I'm not sure he's more drunk than you, Spence."

"Well I haven't stood on a table or counter and sang." The blonde looked between her three friends around her. "I think he's had more than me." She paused for only a second. "Wait, are you guys leaving? Is that why you want to find Luke?"

"Ashton raised his brows, turning to the couple. "Crystal, didn't you promise Spencer you'd have a drink with her so you guys could get to know each other?"

Spencer blinked a few times, feeling as if Ashton could read her mind and taking the words right out of her mouth.

"I know, I know. I'm sorry." She sighed, giving the girl a warm smile. "Next time, I promise."

Michael raised his eyebrows at his girlfriend, a goofy smile on his face. "Spencer takes promises very seriously."

Spencer laughed, rolling her eyes playfully. "I do, he's not wrong. But you could just have a drink with me now, and Mike could hang out with the guys a little longer."

The girl glanced at Michael, who just shrugged and gave her a sincere smile. "We can hang out for a bit longer, I'd love if you and Spencer got closer. She was one of my best friends."

"Let's go get a drink then!" Crystal nodded, turning back to the blonde who happily linked arms with her and started pulling her away.

"Hey, hey– wait." Ashton laughed, grabbing Spencer's hand and pulling her back to face him. He then placed a long, soft kiss on the girl's lips before letting her go. "I'll see you in a bit, Spence."

It didn't take long after that first drink with Crystal that Spencer convinced her to have a few more, and to play some drinking games. About another hour and a half had passed before Michael and Calum were together, searching for the girls all over. Eventually finding the three of them lying back on the guest room bed, staring at the ceiling and talking.

"I used to always help him dye his hair–"

"I swear they weren't up here ten minutes ago when I checked." Calum held his hands up in defense when Michael turned his head to look at him. "Looks like they're getting along great though?"

"We've just been chatting." Crystal sat up in the bed, looking at the two boys. "Spencer here tells me that you used to pick on her every single day?"

Michael rolled his eyes playfully, making his way over to the bed and taking his girlfriend's hands. "In my defense, she was like my little sister– it was my duty to pick on her."

Spencer sat up, narrowing her eyes at the boy, a small smile playing on her lips. "You're lucky I never fucked up your hair on purpose, Clifford."

"I mean– There was the time you did purple instead of blue or some shit." Calum laughed, shaking his head as he walked over to the bed. He pulled Natalia to sit up with a goofy smile on both their faces.