Wild and Running

Sweeney Todd was hands down Andy and Spencer’s favorite musical. When they were younger they would spend countless hours attempting to do their best reenactments of the scenes they loved so much. Sure, they looked ridiculous as possible when they had done it, but they were having fun, and that was all that mattered to them. At a very young age Spencer had learned that Andy didn’t care about what people had thought about him. If he wanted to do something, he didn’t let the negativity from the other’s around him stop him. It was one of his most admirable qualities. Spencer’s eyes were focused on the flat-screen television that hung in Andy’s bedroom. She felt like she was sixteen again, spending time with one of her favorite boys in the world. This was the happiest she had been in a long time.

On the other hand, Andy couldn’t focus on the movie whatsoever. His eyes were constantly flickering from the television screen to the girl that was curled up beside him on his bed. She looked different, yet just as beautiful as she had been before he had left. One of his favorite things about Spencer was her eyes. They were like no green color he had ever seen before. It almost reminded him of the ocean.

“Why are you staring at me, Andrew?” Andy blinked his eyes as he attempted to contain himself. Creeping on her wasn’t as fun when she began to notice.

“I wasn’t staring at you; I was staring at the wall behind you.” He was never good at lying. He was usually more up-front about things, but telling her that he was admiring her beauty wasn’t something that he was willing to spill so easily.

It was evident that Spencer was not buying his excuse. “Andy, I know you better than you think, and I know you weren’t staring at that wall.” She loved to taunt him if she thought he was hiding something. It was something that she had done since the beginning of their friendship. The first time they had met he had made a comment to a friend that he thought she was pretty. Once the friend told her what he had said, she had tormented him like crazy for several days after. He hated it more than anything, and she knew it.

The room fell silent as Andy scrambled for an excuse to tell her. Explaining how he thought she was one of the most breathtaking females he had ever seen before wasn’t necessarily what he wanted to let her know after being away from home so long. In his imagination that just wouldn’t roll over too well. After a few moments of silence he finally knew what to say. “I was just thinking about how much I had missed this. You know? What happened to us?” A sinking feeling settled in his stomach at the thought of their last encounter.

Before Spencer said anything she licked her lips, thinking back to the last time they had seen each other. She was upset, for Andy had asked Scout to be his girlfriend. Scout wasn’t Spencer’s particularly favorite person in Cincinnati, and she couldn’t fathom the thought of Andy being with such a girl. Being his date to Prom was a different story than being someone that he would actually care about and love in the eventual future. For a moment she forgot Andy was even in the room as two years ago replayed in her mind.

”Andy, are you fucking serious right now?” Spencer had never felt so angry or betrayed in her life. If she was going to be replaced by anyone, Scout Compton would be last. She was a bitch, a liar, and she didn’t deserve Andy at all. The thought of her best friend falling in love with such a fake person made her sick. If she had known Prom would have led to him actually liking her, she would have gone with him herself. Bryce had been the last of her interests, anyway. Sure she had a crush on him, but nobody could mean as much to her as Andy.

The look that Andy’s face held was enough to scare anyone. It was clear that he was unhappy with the way she had approached him. Confusion and hurt swirled in his mind as he stared down at the girl he cared for so much. He had finally come to the conclusion that Spencer’s feelings for him would never be mutual with his for her, and this is what he ended up with. “She’s nice, and she’s the only person in the world that is as interested in me as you are. So yes, I am serious.” His voice was calm; anger wasn’t something he was used to expressing.

Lunch break at school was not the best time to have this conversation. The crowds in the lunchroom buzzed as the two friends stared at each other. No food was touched, and no more words had been exchanged. Spencer’s eyes were watering as she stared into the blue orbs that she had grown to adore. Thoughts of their friendship drifting away raced through her mind. Scout was the type of girl who got jealous easily, and Spencer knew she would not be okay with her and Andy’s friendship continuing the way it had gone. Girlfriend’s didn’t allow their significant others to have sleepovers with their female best friends.
“Spencer?” Andy’s concerned voice pulled her out of her head.

“What do you mean by that? She is the only person in the world as interested in you as I am? I am your best friend, is that not good enough for you or something?” She was more confused than anything. The last person Andy had feelings for were her, they would never be more than friends, she knew that. It would never work, because neither of them was willing to put their friendship on the line. She thought it would be selfish to have feelings for Andy, because she figured if that step were to be taken, there was no going back. It felt like risking the entirety of what they were, and she refused to do that. Anytime that she had even thought of the two being that way she had pushed it as far away as she possibly could. Losing him wasn’t an option for her.

“That’s perfect for me Spencer, but I can’t spend my life with just you as my best friend. I’m sixteen; it’s about time that I get a girlfriend you know? You’re not an option, Spence.” That sentence was probably the worst thing Andy could have ever said. He knew that if he had the chance, she would be his first option. The pain that surged through his body was enough to leave him shocked, an unable to speak.

“I know I am not an option, Andy, and you’re not an option for me either. We aren’t meant to be together, we were meant to be exactly what we are. I wasn’t hinting that I thought you liked me or anything, but thanks for letting me know I wouldn’t be good enough for you. There are plenty of girls out there that are deserving of you, but Scout? I was just suggesting her for your Prom date, 'cause I knew that you would have gone alone if I didn’t. I knew that you would have felt like complete shit if I had gone with Bryce and you didn’t have a date. I can’t be all yours all of the time, and if you want a girlfriend I completely understand that, but why her?”

Andy couldn’t handle it anymore. “Spencer, you act like I can’t function without you, and you know what, that’s not true. I like Scout, and if you don’t like that, I guess you’re going to have to deal with it. Why don’t you talk to me when you can accept the people I bring into my life.” The words spilled from his mouth faster than he had expected them to. All he wanted to do was get away, and so he did. Breaking eye contact, he stood up from the table and turned his back. Spencer sat in disbelief as she watched the person she cared so much for walk away.

“Spencer, don’t cry.” The moment Andy was aware of the tears spilling down his best friend’s eyes he pulled her into his arms. It hurt him to see her upset. “What’s wrong, sweetheart?” She shrugged against him as he held her. “You can tell me anything, Spence, just let it out. Did I say something wrong?”

She stirred in his arms as she sat up to face him. Her eyes were swollen, and her cheeks were red. “No, I was so selfish back then. Like, how did you not blow up on me? I was so jealous of Scout, so jealous that I didn’t even think about you being happy. What the fuck?” A low chuckle fell from Andy’s laugh as he stared at her. “What’s so funny, Mr. Biersack?” Spencer covered her face with her hands as her eyes met his.

“Nothing, it’s just ironic. I was the asshole in that argument, and I got my karma. You were right about her.” Spencer removed her hands to wipe the tears from underneath her eyes.
“What happened?” She was interested to know what had happened with his relationship with Scout. She may not have liked her, but she had been a part of Andy’s life.

“Uhm, things were good at first. She came with me to California, supported me with the band, and then shit just got weird. We grew apart because I was more focused on Black Veil Brides than making our relationship work. I didn’t like her anymore, anyway. After the first year I knew she wasn’t the person I wanted to grow old with, you know?” Andy thought back on his failed relationship. He was never happy. That’s why it didn’t work, and he knew that.

“It makes sense,” Spencer shrugged, biting her lip before she continued; “I hope you find that person someday.” A light smile played on his lips as listened to her words. If only she was aware that he had found that person a long time ago.