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T: Hey, why did you leave like that earlier? You didn’t even say goodbye
S: Um, something came up. Your mom said that she'd tell you goodbye for me. Did she?
T: She told me that you had up and left. No explanation. She did say that maybe you were thinking about your brother.
S: Oh.
T: Ok, I was hoping for more of an explanation, especially after those photos you took with Esme…
S: I thought you said that you weren’t angry about that.
T: I'm not. It's just...you looked like a family in them and then you just up and leave when I might have needed your help without an explanation. It just didn't sit well. I know you say that I'm a priority, but it's your brother, I get it. It would have just been nice to get a goodbye in person is all. It kind of made me feel... never mind. Forget I said anything…
S: No, I won’t forget. Trina, you’ve been doing this lately. Not telling me your true feelings when you used to tell me everything, whether I liked it or not.
T: Like you have been?
S: What do you mean?
T: You could have told me that something was going on with Ace that had you concerned and made you leave like that.
S: Wait... nothing was going on with Ace. I wasn't even thinking about him.
T: Then why did you leave?
S: Trina…
T: Why, Spencer? You want me to tell you my feelings and not shut you out, the same goes for you.
S: Can I call you?
T: Yes…
Trina picked up the phone as soon as it vibrated.
“Spencer?” Trina asked, despite knowing that it was him on the other line.
"Trina, I didn't leave because of Ace, alright? Don't think that I'm putting him over you, because I'm not. In fact, I'm realizing that Esme's a good mother, meaning that Ace doesn't really need me as much as I thought he would, so I'm letting up. I'm leaving him to her more. Which means more time for you and me. I love Ace, but I know that he'll be ok without me. He's not my main priority anymore. You are. I mean...I did drop everything to help you move... even though your mother hates me and thinks that Curtis's shooting is my fault…"
“Wait what was that about my mother?” Trina frowned.
“She hates me…”
“No...about Curtis.”
She could hear his hesitation and reluctance. His need to protect her from anything that could cause strife between her and her mom. She knew why he was doing that. She knew that he didn't want her to lose her mother as he had lost him, but this was important. This was their relationship.
“Just tell me, Spencer. Stop protecting her.”
“I’m not…”
“You are. I know you. I know when you’re not telling me everything and I know why. So you might as well tell me the truth. You want me to be more open. You have to do the same.”
Spencer sighed. "Fine. I didn't want to tell you this. I thought it'd be best to keep it between me and your mom, but you're right. You need to know. She basically blames me for Curtis getting shot. Saying that since it was my Uncle Sonny they were shooting at that I'm a danger to you, basically."
“What the hell! That is bullcrap, Spencer!”
“I know, I know…”
"I mean, how long have I been best friends with Joss, Sonny's stepdaughter?! She never had a problem with that before! In fact, she had all the smoke for Ava, but none for the Corinthos family! And she wants to lay blame on your feet when it was her and Taggert's jobs that made me a target for Cyrus Renault twice?! And she's going to have the audacity to try to put what happened to Curtis on you?! What else has she said when I'm not around?"
“Trina…”
“What else, Spencer?! Stop protecting her damn it!”
"She blamed me for Esme and all she did...she even said I'm a danger because of Esme and Ace. Of course, she brought up Greenland and said that Curtis saved you and not me and how that was my fault and the right thing, the mature thing was to let you go…"
“What the hell?! When was this?”
“The last time we were in the hospital together…”
“When you were asking me if I was happy, right?”
"Yeah...she waited until you went to see Curtis."
“And you didn’t just up and leave today, did you?”
Spencer sighed. “No. She basically kicked me out. She wouldn’t let me take that box to your room. She wouldn’t even let me say goodbye in person, saying that she would tell you I had said goodbye.”
Trina felt like she was going to explode. How dare her mother do this! Sabotaging her relationship behind her back! Manipulating Spencer in such a way, using his insecurities against him! She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She so wanted to pack her stuff back up and leave again, but Curtis may need her to stay, so she won't do that. But, for the health of her relationship with Spencer and for Spencer's own mental health, it was best that she kept him away from Portia indefinitely.
"Look, I can't move out again until I know that Curtis is ok. I think it's best if we keep this low-key relationship going. I was foolish enough to think that I was being silly. Obviously, I wasn't. But I want to make it clear, I'm not doing this for her. It's for you, Spencer. You're already going through enough with Esme and her possible manipulations. I'm not going to expose you to my mother and have her manipulate you like that too."
“What about you?”
“Now that I’m aware of what she’s been up to and her continuing to lie to my face, I’m able to handle her better now. Don’t worry about me. I’m not going to let her get in the way of what we have. We’ve been through too much to get where we are. My mother will not be ruining this for me. I’m so sorry that you had to deal with her. It’s my fault. I knew that she hated you. I should have asked Joss for help...or heck, even Dex…”
“Ugh, not Dex. If I can’t help you….”
“Spencer, he’s not that bad. I understand you’re loyal to Cam and so am I, but you and I also love Joss. Joss loves him...so…”
“Can we not talk about errand boy?”
“Fine. I get it. You two will never get along. Joss and I both stop trying to make fetch happen.”
“Good.”
“My point is, I could have found someone else to help me. I had just wanted an excuse to spend extra time with you.”
“Hey, you need no excuse, alright. All you have to do is call and text and I’ll drop everything.”
“The same goes for you, babe. You know, I have an idea. Ava has a big old castle all to herself with wings and she’d do anything for me…”
“What’s your idea?”
"Ask her for a wing. Somewhere to go where it's just me and you. No Esme. No mom. Just us. And we can also meet at places where my mother doesn't frequent and where she's not around. I don't want her anywhere near you. I'm done exposing you to her."
“Alright. So the keeping it low-key has recommenced.”
“Right. It’s ridiculous, because I’m 21 years old now, but…”
“It is what it is. I’m sorry that we have to do this, babe.”
“I am too. But it’s not forever.”
“Ok...well...how about we meet up tomorrow at Kelly’s? We can go talk to Ava then?”
“That’s a great idea. See you then,” Trina found herself smiling, feeling better about everything where Spencer was concerned.
“See you then.”
Trina's smile faded as she turned off her phone. She set the phone down and got up off her bed to go downstairs where her mother was fixing dinner. She folded her arms and glared at the woman she had used to admire.
"I texted Spencer. Asked him why he was up and left like that. Had to force him to call and talk to me and forced him to tell me about the little conversation you had behind my back."
Portia put down the knife she was cutting some meat with and turned to face her daughter.
“Trina…”
"No, I don't want to hear it. I also forced him to tell me about what you said at the hospital. You've been very busy, Mom. Busy manipulating my boyfriend, trying to use his insecurities against him! Using stupid reasons like Curtis getting shot to try to push him out of my life when I need him the most! You have all these people to be your support system, but Spencer is mine and you tried to take that away from me! What kind of mother are you?!" Trina began to yell, her anger building.
“Trina, you don’t understand! I’m just trying to protect you! He’s related to dangerous people! Curtis got shot because someone was shooting at Sonny!”
“You don’t know that! That’s a theory for one! Anna Devane was a WSB agent! Someone could have been shooting at her! Dante’s a police detective! Someone could have been aiming for him! You had no problem with Sonny Corinthos when I was having sleepovers at his house with his stepdaughter Joss! So now there’s a problem! Even if they were aiming for Sonny, Spencer and I were nowhere near it! In fact, Spencer hardly ever sees Sonny because of the danger! Yet you tried to lay Curtis’s shooting at his feet! He already has enough to deal with emotionally because of his family, he doesn’t need you to pile it on!”
“Trina…”
"And you keep Greenland out of your mouth! Saying that Spencer didn't save me! For your asinine information, he did save me! We saved each other! It was because of
Spencer that I was able to get in contact with you! It was Spencer who kept me from being thrown overboard! It was Spencer putting his own life on the line to make sure that Curtis found me quickly! So don't you dare open your stupid mouth to tell him that he didn't save me because he very well did!"
“Trina…”
“For now on, you are going to stay away from Spencer. He won’t be coming here no more. I shouldn’t have had him help me move back in today. If I had known about what you were doing to him, I wouldn’t have!”
“Trina...how angry are you?”
"Enough not to believe a word out of your mouth ever again, you lair. Telling me that he just up and left when you as good as threw him out and didn't even let him say goodbye! I guess you forgot that we have cell phones. Did you really think that I wouldn't find out? Oh, of course, you did because you knew how Spencer tries not to portray you in a bad light because of his own mother issues! You are some piece of work. I really don't know who you are, do I?"
“Are you moving out?”
"For now, no. I'm not. I'm here for Curtis. But I'm not going to be manipulated by you. Not anymore and I am not going to expose my boyfriend to you any longer either! You told me recently to stay out of your relationship with Curtis. Well, the same goes for you. Keep the hell out of my relationship with Spencer!"
With that said, Trina turned around and left the kitchen, feeling better now that she had laid into her mother about what she had been up to and knowing that soon she'll see Spencer again.