A/N: Well, it looks like our journey ends here, guys! This is the last chapter. I had a lot of fun writing this and even more fun reading your reviews, and thanks again to anyone and everyone who bothered to give this fic the time of day. I can't guarantee I'll start another one soon, but I'd like to hope that this really has reinvigorated my love for Spashley and that inspiration will strike and I'll be churning out chapters for a new story in no time. Until then, it's been a fun ride :)

Madison's a fan of putting on a show. Spencer and I have both always known this about her, and so it doesn't surprise me that when I show up on school property at lunchtime -when Madison will be amongst the largest crowd- I'm right on time, just as expected. Spencer's eating lunch with Chelsea, and despite her decision to come to school today, she does look nervous and one look at her tray is enough to know she hasn't eaten much. She catches my eye and gives me a small smile, letting me know she's holding it together. That's her only job for today. I made this mess, so I'm the one who's gonna fix it.

Sherry and Aiden are over by their usual table, murmuring about something to each other, and I openly watch them from across the room, wondering when Madison's going to make her appearance.

"What'll it be, chica?" I murmur aloud to myself as I survey the room. "A banner? A poster? A cardboard display? How exactly are you going to try and ruin my best friend's life?"

Less than a minute later, she appears next to Aiden and Sherry with a megaphone in her hand. How dramatic. I immediately roll my eyes and start toward her, slowly making my way around tables and past crowds of students waiting to get food.

Nose-bandage and all, Madison steps onto the nearest table and turns on the megaphone. "Attention King High students." Confused, everyone turns to stare at her, including the lunch ladies. She smirks in Spencer's direction. Spencer swallows visibly, but she doesn't look scared. "I've kept a terrible secret for another certain King High student for a long time, and I think it's time we let everyone know the truth."

"Aiden has Chlamydia!" I shout loud enough to garner a few laughs in my direction as I arrive a few feet away from Madison. Aiden reddens beside Madison and she shifts her attention toward me.

"Oh, Ashley. So glad you're here; I thought for sure you'd miss the show after being suspended for acting like a crazed animal at the mere mention of what happened between you and Spencer Carlin last weekend."

Okay, I won't lie: that one got my heart beating a little faster. But I can't let Madison get the best of me. "Bring it on, whore."

"Oh, don't worry: you're way too much of a slut for one closet quickie to be a big deal." There are some noticeable whispers at that and I'm too worried to look in Spencer's direction. "The real story is Spencer over there. Good little church girl, perfect daughter, straight A student… isn't that right, Spencer?" The megaphone isn't necessary anymore and Madison tosses it aside, where Sherry barely manages to grab it. "Too bad your parents don't know what you're been doing with other girls behind your Catholic family's back. Even in our very own bathrooms here at King High. How many girls has it been now? I hear you've even gotten a bit of a reputation." I finally chance a look at Spencer. She's so red. It's bad. When I follow her gaze I see why; she's not looking at Madison. Glen's in here. Madison must've made sure he'd be. And he doesn't look happy.

"So there you have it, everyone," Madison finishes proudly. "Spencer Carlin is a dyke. Ladies, watch out or she might be after you, next." There are a few chuckles and I know that must break Spencer's heart. My own heart's going haywire at the prospect of what I'm about to do, but I step toward Madison and roll my eyes, putting on a brave face.

"Oh, fuck off, Madison. What made you think it was okay to show your mug in public after I ruined it yesterday, anyway? Shouldn't you have waited until after your next nose job?"

"Very funny," Madison sneers. "Please continue. You have no idea what Aiden's told me about you that I could announce while I have everyone's attention."

I roll my eyes again, heading directly for her table. "You're right. And I actually don't care about what you wanna tell everyone about me, Madison. I really don't. What bothers me is that you're messing with my best friend. But honestly, this is LA… who cares about sexuality? Why is it even a big deal anymore? Yeah, Spencer's my best friend, and she's gay, and if I didn't find her incredibly hot, nothing about our relationship would've changed due to her sexuality." I hop up onto the table, joining a confused Madison.

"Wait… are you saying you're gay?" She laughs. "Wow. You two really are freaks."

"Well, as hilarious as that would be because it would totally humiliate Aiden, I'm actually not." I take a deep breath. "I am, however, bisexual, and there's nothing wrong with that. I thought I loved a guy once, and… now I'm pretty sure I've loved a girl since before I knew what love even was, and that we've both been very oblivious for a very long time. And that's okay." I glance to Spencer and we share a look that makes warmth bloom deep down in my chest. I can see her tearing up. With even more conviction, I address Madison again. "And you know what? Some of these people you're trying to trash Spencer to are probably gay too, Madison." Some kid across the lunchroom raises his hand with a shrug, and I point to him excitedly, grinning. "Hey! There you go. I knew it. Rock those skinny jeans."

Madison just stares at me in confusion. "You are so weird."

Ignoring her, I turn my attention to Glen next, who is standing nearby with his arms crossed and an unreadable expression on his face. "Glen," I address him. "I know this isn't the way you should've found out about any of this… but you and Clay are like big brothers to me, too. And I know how much Spencer loves the both of you. And I think she'd be crushed if you treated her differently based on who she loves. Especially when it's me. 'Cause I'm awesome." Glen shoots me a disappointed look and shakes his head, but he doesn't look angry. It's a start.

"Which brings me to Spencer." I swivel around to face her, vaguely noting how bored and awkward Madison looks up here beside me now. Spencer's still smiling, though, and her eyes are shiny. "You're a total spaz and you left before I could tell you this this morning, so everyone's just going to have to hear me say it now instead." I take a deep breath and let it out. "You were right. I did the same thing to my own sexuality that I did to yours because deep down I didn't wanna face the fact that making out with girls was something I enjoyed a little too much. And you're a saint for seeing it and yet waiting for me to come to terms with it myself. We have this… weird, shockingly confusing and scary… but… amazing chemistry, and you're also smart, and gorgeous, and funny, and patient with me when no one else is. You're so special to me, Spence, and you put up with all my shit, and I want us to be together for a really long time so you can continue to put up with all my shit, if you would like that also?"

She laughs, nodding. Chelsea is beside her and she looks so happy for us, too. Something tells me she's the least-surprised person here.

"Okay, so… I'm gonna stop putting our shit on display for like a fourth of the King High population now. Thanks, guys." I give a quick wave to the crowd and descend from the table, leaving an uncomfortable Madison behind and heading straight for Spencer. When I reach her, she stands up and I grab at both of her hands, and a few of the girls near us "aww" at us, which makes me wish I'd stuck it to Madison a little bit more back at the table. I can always go back and do that later, though. This is more important.

"Spencer," I start, trying hard not to grin. She can't hold hers back. "I'm kinda bad at this."

Her smile widens as she watches me warmly. "I think you did great."

"Thanks." For some reason unbeknownst to me, my eyes find my feet. I've never had to do this before and I think all my courage ran out around the time I jumped off the lunch table. "Um. We should date and stuff."

She giggles. "You're so dumb."

I nod, shyly raising my gaze to her face again. "I know. That's why you're so smart?"

I get an eye-roll in response. "Come here, dummy." She wraps me up in her arms and kisses me, and there are probably a few wolf-whistles and also a few "get a room"s, but I don't hear any of that. When we break apart and I finally tear my eyes away from Spencer's face, Glen is gone, which probably means he's not at all happy with this but he won't hate Spencer forever for it, and Madison's also gone, which probably means she feels stupid, which is exactly what I'd hoped for. My gaze shifts back to Spencer and she cups my cheek in her hand.

"I'm really proud of you," she tells me. "You didn't have to do all of that."

"I love you," I tell her abruptly. I mean it, more than I've ever meant anything. Her expression softens and she gives me the prettiest smile.

"I love you, too," she replies, leaning in to kiss me again.

Christine won't like this, and Spencer's family will take it hard with the exception of her dad. But if it means having Spencer all of the time like this, being out and proud is so worth it.

And from now on, everything we face, we'll face together.

"We're never doing this in a closet again, okay?" I murmur halfway through our kiss. Spencer nods against me and whispers her agreement into my mouth.

"Definitely not."