Before we get to the story I would like to say Thank You. To all of you that are reading this story as well as my other stories. To sarahschneider2012, arubagirl0926, and spencershastings for helping me decide on one of many titles for this story. And to choose joy xox, whose stories are a huge source of inspiration. Now let's get to the story and I hope you enjoy. Oh and BTW sorry if certain aspects are inaccurate or unrealistic. I tried my best but I don't know a whole lot about the subject.
Diclaimer: I do not own anything.
"Let's get out of here." Alison told us and I heard a little bit of panic. "Run!"
And that's what we did. The five of us, Ali, Aria, Emily, Hanna, and I ran away from the Cavanaugh's garage. We were almost to the end of the driveway when I heard an explosion from behind me. All of us turned around and saw the garage in flames.
"Ali, what did you do?" I shouted at her.
"We need to get out of here." I heard Emily say with fear and panic evident in her voice.
The others started running away from the Cavanaugh's property and I was about to follow. But I heard screams from inside the garage, someone was in there. Before I could really think about what I was doing, I ran into the garage to try to save whoever was in there.
"You ready, Spence?" Jason asked me as he took my hand and led me into the school.
"Does it matter?" I replied sarcastically.
"Come on, everything will be fine. The school hasn't changed that much, and since I'm a student counselor I'll be around all day if you need me." He assured me.
"Remember, Spence, I'm right here if you need." Jason said once we reached the doorway of my first class.
"Thanks, Jason; I really appreciate you being here for me." I told him with a small smile.
"Good luck, Spence." He said giving me a hug and then walked off.
"Here goes nothing." I mumbled to myself as I entered the classroom.
"Spencer?" I heard someone call out as I entered the cafeteria.
"Yes?" I replied unsure. The voice sounded female and familiar but I couldn't place it.
"It's me Hanna. Do you want to come and sit with us?" Hanna asked.
"Sure, but whose us?"
"It would just be me and Mona." She replied.
"Hello, Spencer." Mona said and she seemed a little too friendly.
"I know, you're Hastings' brain is going crazy trying to figure out how Mona and I became friends. And I'll explain everything that's happened in Rosewood since you've been gone. But first let's sit down because my tummy wants food, now." Hanna said quickly and then she linked her arm through mine and led me to a table.
As promised Hanna told me what I had missed since I went away. I even found myself enjoying some of Mona's input in the conversation. Who would have thought that Hanna and Mona would become friends as well as the 'It Girls' at Rosewood High? I never would have and I never thought that I would find myself liking Mona.
"Okay, enough about us. How have you been? I haven't heard anything from you since last September." Hanna said once she had given me every detail of what I had missed.
"I've been good. I'm obviously not the same, but it's gotten better since it first happened." I shrugged in reply.
"I still can't believe that happened to you, Spencer. I mean you were brave enough to try to help them and look what you got in return. Not only did you get injured trying to save them, when it was Toby's fault in the first place, but you also got robbed of your eyesight. If I were you, I'd want to give Toby Cavanaugh a piece of my mind and be glad that I couldn't see his face ever again." Mona ranted.
"It wasn't Toby's fault, Mona, it was an accident." I defended Toby even though it hurt to remember. "Anyways, that was over a year ago now and I've learned to adjust and move forward."
"I'm glad you're back, Spence. Things haven't been the same without you. I've really, really missed you." Hanna said as she gave me a hug, which I gladly returned.
"I've missed you too, Han."
"You know, maybe now that you're back we can do something with the others and kind of get back together. Like I already said, we've all kind of lost touch." Hanna suggested.
"That's sounds nice. If you can organize it I'll definitely be there." I told her just as the bell rang.
"What's your next class, Spencer?" Mona asked.
"Uh, AP French I think."
"Me too, I'll walk you." Mona offered much to my surprise.
"Thanks, I appreciate that." I said as I stood up. "It was nice talking to you, Han."
"Same here, Spence." Hanna said as she gave me a quick hug before walking away.
"Shall we?" Mona asked and then we headed towards our next class.
"So how was your day?" Jason asked as we walked into his apartment.
He had moved into an apartment after finishing college because his parents had rented their old house. It was too painful for them to live there so Mr. and Mrs. St. Germain and their daughter moved in. I liked the apartment because it gave me a place for Jason and me to hang out, and also a place for me to escape to when my parents and Melissa bothered me.
"It was good. I talked to Aria and Emily a little bit and I sat with Hanna and Mona at lunch." I told him as I sat down on his couch.
"I'm glad your day went good, even though I already knew that it was going to be. And it's nice to know that you're getting back together with your old friends." He said as he sat down next to me.
"It was nice to talk to them, but being with them reminded me even more that he's gone. It's like I've gotten all the important people in my life back except for him." I sighed.
"I know you miss him, Spence. But he'll come back."
"You can't know that. And even if he did come back, what's to stop him from hating me? I was the one who gave Alison the stupid lighter that night. If I hadn't…"
"If you hadn't run in to save them, Jenna and Toby might not have made it." He interrupted.
"You're just saying that." I argued.
"I'm not just saying that to make you feel better. I'm saying it because it's the truth. And Toby could never hate you, because I saw the way you two were together. You and Toby have something special and you're going to pick up right where you left off when he comes back."
"Toby!" I called out as I arrived at the overlook.
Toby had texted and asked me to meet him here. I guess I beat him even though he said it was urgent.
"Toby?" I called out again when I heard a rustling noise in the trees.
No answer. The noise continued, and whatever it was, was getting closer. Usually I don't get scared by noises, but when you're alone in a dark wooded area your fear starts to get the best of you. The noise was definitely getting closer and I was really worried when I felt a tap on my shoulder. I jumped and nearly screamed but calmed down when I heard familiar laughter behind me.
"Toby Cavanaugh, what the hell wrong is wrong with you? Were you trying to scare me to death?" I yelled.
"I'm sorry, Spence, I honestly wasn't trying to scare you." Toby said with his hands in the air like he was innocent and surrendering.
"Yeah, sure you weren't." I said sarcastically and playfully smacked his shoulder.
"I'm telling the truth, Spencer. I was not trying to scare you." He told me as we sat down on 'our rock.' "Am I forgiven?"
He held out a large cup of coffee and all the anger I had toward him for scaring me vanished. I took the coffee, and after I had tasted it to make sure it was just the way I liked, I nodded to let him know that all was forgiven.
"So, what was so urgent that you wanted to talk to me about? And how come if it was so urgent, I beat you here?" I asked after taking another sip of coffee.
"Nothing, I just really wanted to talk to you. I figured we hadn't come here in a while and I wanted to spend some time with you since you'll be with the girls all day tomorrow."
"Toby, we came here last week." I pointed out. "But I'm glad you asked me to come here because I wanted to talk to you too."
"What about?"
"There are two things, the good and the bad. What do you want to hear first?"
"Uh, let's get the bad news out the way. I don't want tonight to be negative." He decided.
"I was talking to Ali earlier today and she didn't come out and say anything but she hinted around a lot. She doesn't think I should be hanging out with you. That if I know what's good for both of us I should get my priorities straight and forget about you. She said that she was just being a concerned friend and didn't want me to do something that might cause regrets by being with you."
"Don't worry about Alison. She's being saying stuff like that ever since she found out that you and I are friends." Toby said trying to comfort me.
"I know, but before she left she said that she didn't want anything bad to happen to either of us because I chose to be friends with you. It almost sounded like a threat. I guess I just want you to watch your back in case she tries something."
"I will, but make sure you do the same." He told me and I nodded that I would. "Now, what's the good news?"
"The good news is…" I said and then paused dramatically. "Because I'm spending the whole day with the girls tomorrow, I've decided that the next day I'm going to spend entirely with you."
"Wow that is good news. I'm going to miss you tomorrow but spending all day with you the next day will definitely make up for it." He said smiling. "I can't wait."
That was the first time that I ever made a promise to Toby that I couldn't keep. That was the night before The Jenna Thing, or what the others call The Spencer/Jenna Thing. That was the last time I saw Toby Cavanaugh before running into his burning garage. Instead of spending the day with him, I spent it in the hospitable trying to wrap my head around the fact that I was blind.
So I hope you enjoyed this. Once again I apologize if it was unrealistic or inaccurate since the only thing I know about blindness is what I see on TV/movies and info I've looked up online. Anyways if you noticed the chapters will be shorter compared to ATTWT which means three things. I can write faster, have more chapters ready in advance, and more frequent updates. That being said, I will always update on Mondays or Tuesdays but if I reach the number of reviews I ask for (in this case 5) I will post a "bonus chapter" on Friday. Let me know what you think and enjoy tonight's episode.