I didn't want to go. I wanted to spend my senior year with my friends in Rosewood. I wanted to spend my time with Toby, now that I had him back. I wanted to go to UPenn and I wanted to go next year like the rest of my friends. But of course, when did my parents ever let me have what I wanted?

After months or arguing with them, lasting well into the summer, I had finally relented, and reluctantly agreed to give up my senior year and start at Yale a year early under the stipulation that my parents would pay for Toby, Aria, Emily, and Hanna to visit whenever they wanted.

My parents hastily agreed, money never having been much of an issue in my family. They were too eager to boast to their friends that I had gotten an early acceptance at Yale, and would be starting a year early, forgoing my senior year at Rosewood High, Yale having deemed it unnecessary because I had more than enough credits to graduate.

So here I was, packing my life away, getting ready to go to Connecticut. I was almost finished packing, other than the things I would pack before I left tomorrow, for I would be using them before we left, I only had a few things left.

I was putting Toby's sweatshirt in my bag, the one that I loved to steal from him, though I was sure he didn't mind because I'm positive that he likes seeing me in it almost as much as I like wearing it, when I felt his arms on mine. I turned around, melting into him, my arms wrapping around his neck as his found their way around my waist. He brought his lips to mine, pressing them against me with a sense of urgency.

"I don't want to go," I whispered when the kiss was broken.

"I know," Toby said, "but it'll be good for you, getting away from Rosewood, and I'll come visit you whenever I can."

"I guess," I said dully, "It's just, I don't want to miss my senior year, and now that A's gone, I would actually be able to enjoy it. Plus, I wanted to go to UPenn."

"Spence," Toby said, "I know that UPenn's your dream school, but you can always transfer. And I know you're gong to love college, so go enjoy it. It's a handful of us that you'll actually miss anyway, and we'll all visit."

I knew he was right. I wanted to stay for him, and for the girls, and even a little for my family, but other than that, there really wasn't anything keeping me in Rosewood.

The next day

I pulled into a parking space, and Hanna pulled in beside me. It was no surprise I was one of the first people here, because this is me we're talking about, my friends say I'm an overachiever, and in all honesty, I guess I am.

I was thrilled to find out that I had gotten a single like I had requested, I didn't want to have to deal with a roommate, plus it meant that I didn't need approval or permission from anybody for the visitors I was planning on having over, as much as possible. I was really lucky, apparently, because freshman weren't usually granted singles, and I was one of two who had gotten one.

The girls helped me set up my room, a couple hours later, it was perfect. I had pictures up all over, mostly with some combination or Aria, Hanna, Emily, Toby and I, though there were some with Alison, Caleb, Ezra, Melissa, my parents, and some other people in them. I had my bed all set up, and an air mattress for when the girls were up. I had a mini fridge, and a microwave. My desk was in perfect order, and my bookshelf was full. All my clothes were put away exactly where I wanted them, and I had boxes of food under my bed, along with other things I would need, such as laundry detergent, which I wouldn't need too much of seeing as most of my clothes were dry-clean only anyway. I would have to find a good dry-cleaner here. I had set up my television, with my DVD player, so that I could watch it from my bed if I wanted to.

We talked for a couple hours, ending up ordering Chinese from some random place in the phone-book. It wasn't bad, but I'd have to find better places to order from. After we finished eating, Hanna indicated that it was getting late and that they needed to leave soon, so I walked them out to Hanna's car. We exchanged hugs and such and they promised to come back soon. I told them to keep me updated on everything in Rosewood, and to keep an eye on Toby for me. And soon, they were off, and I watched as they drove away.

I walked back to my building. We didn't have an elevator in my building, and I was on the top floor: thank God there was only four floors. I was on the landing before my floor when I saw a blond girl carrying a box up the stairs, her legs were shaking, and I saw as she started to stumble, about to fall backwards. I ran up to steady her.

"Need some help?" I asked after catching her before she had fallen back too much. I helped her upright, and took the box from her.

"Thank you," the girl said.

I got a good look at her, she was slightly shorter than me, but she had green eyes that were captivating. She looked to be in great shape, too. There was something about her, though I couldn't place it, that gave me the distinct feeling that, had she grown up in Rosewood, she would have been close with Alison.

I shifted the box so that I was holding it with only my left arm, and extended my right arm, "I'm Spencer," I said.

She smiled weakly at me, "Quinn."

"So Quinn," I said, "Where do you want this?"