A/N: Surprise! Hope you all like, even though I don't think it's my best.

Disclaimer: I don't own this and I'm not claiming to.

Thanks and enjoy :) Oh and btw, sorry if there's any typos I missed, lol :D

lessons learned

-Spoby-

i.

Spencer Hastings thought she knew all there was to know about life. She memorized every fact, every detail, every logistic about human reproduction, (sperm + egg = zygote, XY boy, XX girl, 23 chromosomes) but as it turns out you can only learn so much from a bio textbook.

ii.

Learning such things might help you on a test, might even help you pass science in tenth grade, but it won't give you everything (as Spencer herself can well attest to). It won't tell you why people keep secrets, are evil, or betray those they claim to love most. It won't tell you what makes them tick.

iii.

There's another thing for that—it's called experience, something most people think you have none of at sixteen.

iv.

As it turns out, you've got more than they think. You've got enough for seven lifetimes.

v.

Your home life is only half of it. You've got successful parents and a perfect sister and everything's perfectperfectperfect. Except it's not, not even close. Not when you have near impossible standards to live up to—to follow in the footsteps of two parents who are never home and an older sister who works so hard to better than you and you know it. Yup, your life is real perfect.

vi.

Your relationship with your friends is the other half. The half that is slowly starting to crumble apart now that Ali's gone and never coming back. The half that is being threatened by A every second. The complicated web of lies, damage, and destruction that is slowly beginning to unravel text message by text message. The… oh, forget it…It's much too complicated to decipher, anyways.

vii.

There is one person who sends some of the stress packing, though. His name is Toby and he's a literal godsend. At 5'12" with those kind blue eyes and sweet smile, he's everything you could ever ask for. Your angel. Your boyfriend. Your sanity.

viii.

He understands what it feels like to be an outsider in your own town and to have people constantly point their fingers at you. He understands that times can be tough and unfair and you might feel alone. He's been through it, too.

ix.

He's there for you when you find out that your sister's been lying about her pregnancy since before June and after you fight with your mom over her sudden change in attitude toward defending Garrett. He doesn't speak or judge, he just listens and pats you on the shoulder comfortingly when necessary. And unlike anyone else's heart-to-hearts, it's perfect. He's perfect.

"I don't get why all of this is happening. Why people do the things they do, I mean. Because honestly, this isn't how I pictured my life playing out…"

"I know how you feel. But things happen for a reason, even if we're not entirely sure what that reason is."

x.

Spencer Hastings thought she knew all there was to know about life. That is, until, she met Toby Cavanaugh.

A/N: So, what'd you think? I know it's not great, but I tried. I haven't written in a while and I kind of rushed to get this done for you. Sorry, haha ;)