Warm Heart

CHAPTER 1

The snow had hit Pennsylvania around the end of November to the beginning of December, and the people in Rosewood didn't take the holiday season lightly. Trees and decorations had already went up, far too premature for Christmas. And in the Hastings household, the big trip to the Poconos was being planned. The Hastings, being the rich Hastings, had a lavish cabin up in the Poconos, which they occasionally visited when their youngest daughter Spencer was off of school. And with the holiday season arriving, they had planned a trip there during her winter break.

They'd also be bringing their next door neighbors, who were also just classified as family friends: the Cavanaughs. Friday was Spencer's last day of the first semester of school, and also the last day of her semester finals, which was a huge relief. She had headed home that Friday to pack her bags for the big trip. They'd be leaving on Saturday morning.

Interrupting her hour of consecutive packing was a knock on the door. She sighed, getting up from the floor and opening it. She smiled when she discovered that it was the son of the Cavanaughs: Toby. He was her age, and they had been very good friends for quite a long time. They had met back in middle school, although they didn't become extremely close until ninth grade. He started spending more time with her, and coming over quite often. Their friendship had developed well, and she'd practically tell him anything at this point.

"Hey," he greeted, stepping inside. "You haven't finished packing?"

She shook her head.

"I've been so busy studying for finals and sending in the last of my college applications that I haven't had time to pack for this stupid trip," she groaned.

"Stupid?" he questioned.

She laughed quietly.

"Sorry, I was just saying it in the moment. I do want to go," she told him. "It's going to be fun, and I'm really glad you're coming with my family this year. Usually, our trips are super boring. My pretentious parents and my pretentious sister having pretentious conversations all throughout the trip... not the best thing ever."

"Well, I'll try my hardest to make sure it doesn't suck," he said, grinning slightly.

"It won't. It'll be a great way to get my mind off of all the crap that's been happening, and it does not help me to hear about Hanna's break up and relationship problems," she sighed. "She's so occupied with telling me every last detail about her break up that she hasn't bothered to ask me about my own. Not that I'm complaining, though. She's a good friend, and I don't exactly want to talk about it anyways."

His jaw hung slightly ajar for a moment. He hadn't even heard that she and her boyfriend had broken up- not Hanna- but Spencer.

"I don't mean to be that person, but you and Andrew broke up?" he asked, raising his eyebrows.

She stared at the floor, and ran a hand through her hair.

"I forgot I didn't tell you.." she muttered. "I thought I'd already mentioned it somewhere, but I guess I don't exactly remember what I've been doing or saying recently. Everything's been such a blur. College apps, finals, the break up, my friends. I need a break. Thank God it's here."

He didn't want to push any further by asking her more about the break up, so he let it go. Although he was pretty happy to hear that she wasn't with that jackass of a guy anymore. Andrew wasn't a bad boyfriend, he was just, equally as busy as Spencer, so he didn't care for her as he should. He was a good guy. He had a good personality, good looks, and good everything. Except, his time was critically divided from being a football player, the senior class president, the president of many different school clubs, having perfect grades in his AP classes, all while having a girlfriend.

Sometimes Spencer expressed some sadness about how he forgot major events in their relationship, didn't respond to her text messages, or just overall didn't pay attention to her. She didn't elaborate on it much, because she liked to keep her relationship information quite private. Toby didn't hate Andrew for what he did. He understood- the guy had a busy life. But, Toby didn't understand how somebody wouldn't find the time for a girl like Spencer. He knew what a great girl she was, and she did deserve somebody who would actually pay attention to her.

"It's okay," Toby quietly said, and reached over to squeeze her hand. "The Poconos should be fun. Besides, I don't have to deal with Jenna's whining all through winter break!"

Spencer raised her eyebrows.

"What do you mean?" she asked. "Isn't she coming with us, too?"

He shook his head.

"She's going to a two week winter music camp instead," he grinned. "It'll be just like old times, before my dad got remarried.. except, my stepmom is coming, but I don't really mind her. Jenna's usually my problem, and now she's not."

The brunette smiled.

"Well.." he spoke up, due to the silence. "I'll be on my way out-"

She cut him off, "Toby."

"Yeah?" he asked.

"Sometimes I forget to ask because I'm so preoccupied with my own crappy problems, but you deserve a friend that actually asks you how you are. So, how are you?" she asked, her brown eyes locking with his piercing blue eyes.

"I'm.. good," he answered, swallowing hard. "Thank you for asking.."

She gave him a look of disbelief.

"You're good?" she asked. "There's nothing on your mind? Nothing bothering you? Am I the only one who stresses out?"

"We all stress out from time to time, but nobody stresses quite like Spencer Hastings does," he chuckled, and sat down on her couch. "I'm okay, though. Everything in my life has been pretty perfect. I'm settling with myself."

"That's good," she commented.

"Yeah, it is," he agreed.

He stood back up, although he had only sat for a short moment. He knew he was lying to himself. He wasn't okay. He just wasn't. She was on his mind, and he couldn't stop thinking about her. And he knew she didn't want to talk about her break up, but he wanted to know. He just didn't want to cross her boundaries and make her run away from him. He was always afraid of losing her because he'd say the wrong thing.

"Good luck packing, Spencer," he chuckled. "I should go double check and make sure I have all the things I need for the trip, too."

"Okay," she nodded her head. "Goodbye, Toby."

She wasn't looking back at him when she said that, since she was busy continuing to pack her bags, but he glanced back at her admiringly.

"Goodbye, Spencer," he smiled. "See you first thing in the morning.."