I do not own Pretty Little Liars.

Chasing Cars

Prologue

I lied down on the thick asphalt road. I stared at the sky, knowing I could get run over at any given moment. I outstretched my arms as if I was making a snow angel. My hair puddled around my face. My lips curved into a smile, reminiscing at how quiet the night was. A couple of months ago, I would have never thought of doing this. Something so preposterous. It was insane, doing this so late. At this point, I didn't care. It was a nice feeling.

I remember the first time I did this with him. I knew it was crazy, but he was so calm about it. About everything. I remember the adrenaline rush I felt when I quickly stood up to save myself from getting hit by a speeding car. When I looked up from the sidewalk, he was laughing at me. The both of us were about to die, and he didn't care a single bit.

He thought me how to let loose. I had my whole life planned out before I met him. I had a daily routine, I always knew exactly what I was going to do everyday. We were complete opposites. He never thought twice about anything. He lived everyday of his life with a new adventure, while I played everything safe.

What was once a one time thing became my new daily routine. Except, I never knew what was going to happen each day. I didn't know how many cars will pass, if there will be someone who will stop to check if I was okay. I came here every night. Sometimes, I saw him lying next to me, just like the first time. I could feel his hand encased in mine, his lips pressed against mine, his arm around my shoulders.

I promised him I wouldn't cry, and I didn't. Only the first hour. I knew he wanted me to be happy when I thought about him, and I am. I only thought about the good times, never the bad. And I had no regrets. I heard a loud honk coming from the distance, and I felt it. The sudden burst of energy escaping me. I jumped up, walking slowly towards the sidewalk.

I waited for the car to pass, before going back to my original spot. Now, I didn't care. Because whatever happens, happens. Life still goes on. And by now, I would have already experienced the one thing I've always wanted.

To know what it was like to feel alive. To be on good terms with the ones I love.

To fall in love.


Chapter 1 - Crazy

I first talked to him on the night I caught him laying in the middle of the street. I already knew who he was. He was Toby Cavanaugh. He didn't really talk much, but when I saw him lying there. I knew he was crazy.

"What are you doing?" I asked him, freaking out a little bit. I almost ran him over, but I pulled over to the side of the road. He turned his head at me, with a smile.

"Lying down," he answered simply. He said it as if it were obvious, and it was, but that's not what I meant.

I clenched my fists, angry. "Are you freaking crazy!" I shouted at him, while he chuckled quietly at my outburst. "I was about to run you over!"

He shrugged, and completely ignored me. "Would you care to join me?" I walked closer to him, about ready to slap some sense into him. Instead, I grabbed him as I saw the bright glow of a car's headlights, and a loud honk to signal us to get out of the way. We jumped towards the sidewalk as the car sped past us. I tried to catch my breath, but he was giggling. At me.

"Are you serious right now?" Toby's goofy smile didn't leave his face. "Are you even listening to me? You could have died!" I shouted before realization hit me like a bus. "We could have died!"

"But we didn't." He let out his last laugh, walking back to the middle of the street and sitting down. I crossed my arms, and walked towards him.

"What are you doing?"

"Enjoying myself," he told me. "Wasn't that fun?"

"You call almost dying, fun?" He acted as if everything was one big joke. "Are you out of your mind?"

"I think I'm fine," he smiled at me. "Live a little." He held out his hand to me. "Try it with me." I looked at him, in disbelief.

"Why are you even doing this?" I asked him. "This is insane."

"I'm trying to live a little, Spencer," he laughed. "You have to be a little daring sometimes." He reclined his back, using his hands as a pillow. He closed his eyes as if he was in pure bliss.

"This is not daring," I snapped. "This is suicide."

"Would it really matter if I died? Or get injured?" He asked, lifting his head up, his eyes reopening. He used his elbows as a stand to hold himself up. "Life will still go on."

"But you'll be dead."

"True," he agreed. "But life is all about taking risks. If I did die, then it was meant to be. Everything happens for a reason, you know." His blue eyes shined under the moon light. "Nobody lives forever, so why waste any time?"

"You won't have time if you stay here, waiting for a car to run you over," I pointed out.

He gave me the same answer. "Live, even for just a little bit." He patted the spot next to him. "It's not too late to join me."

"I'm going home," I announced, uncrossing my arms, and heading back towards my car. I saw his head fall back, but his smile never faded. "He's crazy," I muttered to myself.


"Wait," Hanna paused me mid-sentence. "He was in the middle of the road?"

"Yeah," I replied. "And he didn't seem to care that he was very close to dying."

"Guys, give Toby a break," Emily said. "He's really sweet."

Hanna scrunched her nose. "He doesn't really talk much."

"He's crazy. He's insane. He's out of his mind," Hanna and Emily's heads turned upwards, their eyes wide in shock. Their eyes were like screaming at me to stop talking. "He's right behind me." I pressed my lips tightly together, and turned around. "Hey, you're alive!" I said, in the most sarcastic tone.

"I am," he said. He looked straight ahead, then he looked back down at us, and nodded to excuse himself. We watched as he entered his first period class.

Hanna titled her head a little. "You know," she started. "He's actually really cute up close."

"I'm going to class," I said, closing my locker.

Hanna teased a little. "Why so early?" She questioned. "Want to get the seat closest to his before the bell rings?"

I glared at her. "I don't even like him like that."

The blond giggled. "Relax," she said. "I was joking." I rolled my eyes, turning around and heading towards Mr. Fitz class.

Standing at the doorway, I searched around the classroom. I looked for a nice seat closest to the front, but they were all taken. My eyes landed upon the last seat in the second row. I walked towards it until someone took my place. He smirked at me, giving me a small wave. I looked at him in total disbelief as I was now stuck in the back of the classroom. The bell had rung by now, and Mister Fitz began his usual lesson.

It was hard for me to concentrate on the lesson. I hated sitting in the back. It felt as though the back was so dim and dark. Toby just had to take my seat.

"For this book, I'm going to assign you guys partners for a group project," he announced. He picked up his notebook, reading aloud the list of partners. I listened intently, waiting to hear my name get called. Hoping I don't get a lazy partner. "Aria Montgomery and Lisa Parker. Emily Fields and Hanna Marin," he read on through the list until the last two names were called.

"Spencer Hastings and Toby Cavanaugh."