A/N: I like to read the PLL Wiki for theories, and an interesting one that I've encountered a lot in the past couple days is that something might happen between Toby and Hanna, thus making Spencer cry alone in her bedroom. As much as I don't like the possibility (I'm hardcore Spoby and Haleb, definitely), I have to admit, it's intriguing. And what do I do if I read an intriguing theory? Fic it, of course!
Anyway, this takes up after That Girl is Poison and during The Remains of the 'A.'
Hanna Marin let out a low groan as she opened her new text, and her three best friends all glanced up in surprise.
"What is it, Han?" Aria Montgomery asked, lifting a strand of dark hair from her sweaty forehead. It was an unusually balmy September afternoon in Rosewood, Pennsylvania, and the four girls were studying for a psych exam outside of Spencer Hastings's grand estate – after their debacle with a certified lunatic junior year, the girls decided that learning a little more about psychology couldn't hurt.
"My mom." Hanna rolled her eyes in disdain. "She wants me to go to this church dance thingy."
"And that's bad because…." Emily Fields started. She had been going to church events since she was baptized at two weeks, and the suggestion wasn't anything good to her.
"Because, Em," Hanna raised two fingers in the air. "First of all, it's church." She lowered the first finger. "And I don't want to go to some dance; it's not like I have a date or anything."
The girls exchanged uncomfortable glances. Ever since Hanna and her longtime boyfriend, Caleb Rivers, broke up the week before, he had been a touchy topic, and Hanna glowered whenever her ex's name was brought up.
"So go stag," Spencer proposed. "It's not like any couples are going to be getting steamy there, anyway."
Hanna rolled her eyes again – it was one of her most experienced gestures. "It's noteveryone else who matters, Spence, it's me. I have appearances to keep up, you know."
"And how many people do you know who are actually going to be at this thing?" Aria parried.
Hanna heaved a sigh. "I'm getting to know them, that's the point. I don't want to look like a girl who can't land a stupid date for this thing."
"So borrow a date," Emily suggested.
"Borrow?" Hanna's brow furrowed. "And how exactly would that work?"
Emily shrugged. "Just ask a friend if you can borrow their boyfriend for the night."
"I have about three friends – you guys." Hanna looked at each one of them in turn. "Em, I'm not getting anyone from you." Emily nodded in assent. "Aria, I don't feel too much like dancing with my former English teacher."
"Fair enough." Aria's round, pink lips quirked up in a smile.
"And that leaves Toby," Spencer realized. She glanced up at the clouds, considering it for a moment, and then gave a consenting raise of her shoulder. "I'm fine with that."
"Toby?" Hanna's eyes narrowed. "I don't think he and I have ever said two words to each other.
"He seems like your only option," Spencer stated bluntly.
"Fine." Hanna nodded in resignation. "I'll go to this stupid dance with Toby."
•••
Two days later, they had figured out a trap for A, replacing the note in Garrett's mother's bracelet to instruct their anonymous foe to come to the church at the same time of the dance. And Hanna, whose pride could not be wounded, was walking side by side into the Rosewood Presbyterian Church with a charcoal-suit clad Toby Cavanaugh by her side.
Hanna figured that Toby wouldn't be enthusiastic to go out with her; they had never exactly gotten along, or, as she had pointed out earlier at the Hastings estate, said two words to each other, save for the time when Hanna confronted him about Jenna and he instructed her to shut up.
They weren't on the best first foot with each other.
But Spencer wielded power over Toby, and she could convince him to do just about anything – or, as the ever-eloquent Aria summed it up, after she heard the news, "whipped."
So now, they had arrived at the church, and the two had kept an uncomfortable silence, seeing as they had nothing to talk about.
Hanna's attention was rapt on the organ – she was desperate to take A down once and for all. After all the hell that she'd been through just since her senior year started was a nightmare, and she wanted it to be over for good. She was fired up, and there was no stopping her.
•••
As the evening unfolded, Hanna found that she was actually enjoying it far, far more than she expected. Toby was sweet, funny, and being a total gentleman – she could see why Spencer loved him so much.
They managed to get over the initial tension and make conversation, to the point where they were getting along, despite Hanna's initial worry. She could still keep an eye on the organ and dance at the same time (if she maneuvered Toby strategically enough, that is).
Hanna's phone buzzed in her purse, and she smiled apologetically at her dance partner and stepped away from the rest of everyone. Please be Caleb, please be Caleb, the voice inside her head chanted. She didn't want to think about him, especially since she was having such a nice evening away from him, but her shaggy-haired ex-beau had taken up a permanent residence in her mind.
She pulled out her iPhone and glanced at the screen. New text from Unknown were the words that flashed up at her.
Oh, no.
Hanna opened up the text, and a nervous feeling stepped across her stomach.
Your instructions are on the organ bench. Do as I say, or else.
-A.
She swallowed nervously and walked over to where the grand organ sat. A creamy envelope had her name spelled out in elegant calligraphy. Hanna hesitated for only a moment before ripping it open to reveal a short note.
Kiss Spencer's BF or I just might finish off Caleb's mom this time. Oh, and you have two hours to do my bidding. Also, don't tell the other little liars about this, or Caleb's going with his mommy.
Good luck, Hannakins!
-A.
Hanna felt like punching a wall and sobbing violently at the same time. Why? Why? Hadn't A screwed up her life enough? Wasn't the fact that she had already lost her best friend and boyfriend to this psycho stalker business already a punishment?
Now she had to lose Spencer, too – and the other girls.
Kiss Toby? How was she supposed to approach that? They were just hitting their stride as friends, and this would ruin that. Also, talk about awkward! She didn't just go around kissing people; it wasn't like she was very spontaneous.
Hanna cast a glance around the room, her focus landing on the organ. There was no sign of A, no sign at all. How had she been outsmarted again? This was supposed to be a foolproof plan, but, yet again, A had made her look like a fool.
"Hey," Toby said, approaching her. "Is everything alright?"
"Yeah," Hanna blurted, stuffing her phone back in her purse. "Everything's fine. Totally fine."
"Good." He looked a little surprised at her sudden outburst. They went back to the dance floor, but Hanna's heart was racing too fast to enjoy the music. The last thing she wanted to do was betray her best friend, but a death seemed like a more serious deal than a kiss, no matter how much it would hurt.
An hour passed by, then another thirty minutes. Kids started to pile into cars and back home. Hanna's phone rang again, this time saying, Tick tock! –A
"I'm about ready to go," she muttered, feeling sick to her stomach. "Would you mind walking me out?"
"Sure," he replied easily. They wandered outside the grand oak doors of the church and into the parking lot, where the temperature had drastically dropped from the last time she had been outside.
"I had a nice time," Toby smiled, and started to walk away. "So, I'll see you around?"
"Wait." Hanna caught his arm, steeling herself for what was about to come.
Toby turned back around to her. "Yeah?"
Hanna put her hands on his shoulders, elevating herself, and planted a simple kiss on his lips. "Don't ask," she said quietly, and fled to her car, where she drove home, sobbing.
Fifty feet away from where Toby was still standing, speechless, a figure in a red trench coat looked through the photos that were captured of the kiss on an inconspicuous black phone, satisfied. The figure pressed the button to open the texting app and started a new one – to Hastings, Spencer.
A/N: So what do you think? Tell me in a review!
