Story Written Only For FanFiction
By: Siretha Elaine
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Chapter 1 - Prelude
"So I went and showed her the place. And she said she loved it," Toby Cavanaugh informed his girlfriend as the widest grin took control of his handsome face. "I think I did a good job. Once I finish putting the beams in the loft, she said they would be interested in me doing some custom work for them," he boasted as he happily twirled a bottle of water in his hand.
Concentrating on proofreading her Literature essay for the fourth time, Spencer nonchalantly replied, "That's great." Her eyes never left the Microsoft document; her fingers never stopped attacking the keys on the laptop that sat in her laptop. She hadn't even acknowledged he had sat next to her.
"She even gave my name to an architect she knows," he gleamed.
Taking her eyes off her monitor to attend to the text she received, Spencer still pretended she was listening to her boyfriend. "Th-that's great," she responded in an uninterested, monotone voice.
1 New Message
From: Hanna
Em, Ar, and I decided—4get our study party. That test isn't for another week. Let's just party! Mom working late. Bring your Greek god. All shirtless males get in free LOL.
Growling in frustration, Spencer speedily replied back.
To: Hanna
No thank you. I'd rather study. Have fun.
1 New Message
From: Hanna
Yawn! My grandmother is more exciting than you.
"Spenceeer," Toby winced. "You're doing it again."
Caught like a deer in headlights, Spencer's head shot up. Offering him an apologetic smile, she professed, "I'm sorry. I know that I've been a little bit distracted recently. I just—I have so much on my plate. I have this project due on Monday…"
Shaking his head in understanding, Toby surrendered to her workaholicness. "Ok, ok. I'll let you work. I'll just sit next to you," he coyly smiled as he placed his arm behind her on the sofa. "and I'll watch you type. I'll be very quiet," he fibbed.
With her mahogany eyes back on her work, she missed the adorable, puppy-eye look he was gracing her with. He knew his girlfriend well. He knew she was a perfectionist. The look of determination that swept over her ivory face when she just has to know the answer to something, he admired it so much. Spencer Hastings was fierce and independent. It was one of the things he absolutely loved about her, but it often straddled the fence and became one of her most notorious flaws. That's why he knew he was the perfect addition to her life. With his carefree attitude, he knew when it was appropriate to be immature and bring out her inner child. It was always a challenge to get her to relax, but just like Spencer, Toby revered a good ole challenge.
Spencer said she had a project due on Monday. The way she was panicking, you'd think she hadn't begun the project. But Toby knew his brunette like the back of his hand. She said it was due Monday—in Spencer-ology, that meant she had already completed and proofread her material. As always, she was obsessing over it being perfect; therefore she invested more time into something that was already A+ material.
She felt his warm, minty breath brushing against her neck. She just knew he was staring at her with those sparkling sapphire orbs. It was distracting her, so she decided to ask him politely to leave.
"I think…"
Her words were short lived as his hungry lips kidnapped hers. Indulging deeper into the depths of her delicious mouth, Toby's hand gently took possession of a handful of her apple-scented locks. Withdrawing her tongue from the affection, she pushed him back to allow distance between their faces.
"Toby, that's distracting…" she complained.
"That's the plan," he grinned and attempted to resume the action.
His lips collided with her palm, as she threw her hand up to stop him. He licked her palm, causing her to retract her hand.
Laughing, he advised, "You need to take a break, baby. You've been working nonstop on your assignments. It's not like you're going to fail. You're the smartest person in Rosewood."
"Well, if a certain someone stopped distracting me, I could become the smartest person in Pennsylvania," she snapped and continued her keystrokes.
Toby sighed, "Ok, fine. I'll leave you to your work tonight only if you promise me that you'll reserve tomorrow for me and me only."
Giving him a sincere smile, she agreed, "Promise."
Toby leaned in to shower her with a good night kiss, but she jerked back and pointed to her laptop, indicating she was working. Toby just sighed, masking his hurt. He perked up at the thought that tomorrow would be all about them and nothing else. She promised.
Waving goodbye, Toby exited the Hastings manor via the kitchen door. As soon as Spencer heard the door shut, the double patio doors behind her simultaneously flew open. Spencer swiveled her head to see who was making such a grand entrance. A bright light, as blinding as the summer sun, illuminated her house. She shut her eyes to protect them from the pure white flash. When she heard a loud thud, she opened her eyes again.
Sprawled out on the floor with her head facing down was a blond girl. Spencer removed her laptop from her lap and strolled over.
"Damn, the party just started and you're drunk already, Hanna," Spencer assumed as she squat down to assist the girl.
Helping her to her feet by gently tugging on her arm, Spencer's eyes were concentrating on the high skyscrapers the blond wore as shoes. Even sober, those things looked suicidal. But what really caught Spencer's attention was the charms dangling from the gold anklet accessorizing her leg.
"That looks just like Ali's anklet," Spencer stated.
"Because it is my anklet," the blond said.
That voice didn't sound like Hanna's. It sounded familiar, like a voice she'd heard many times before, but it was so long ago. Spencer looked up. When her chocolate eyes met those manipulating blue ones, she released the blonde's arm and stepped back.
Smiling profoundly, Alison asked, "Missed me?"
Spencer closed her eyes and chanted, "This is not real. This is not real. I'm just… just hallucinating. Spent too much time studying." When the brunette's eyelids separated, she was relieved to find no one standing in front of her.
Suddenly Spencer was drenched as cold water showered her from behind. Quickly she turned around to find her former friend with an empty cup in her hand.
"Real now?" Alison inquired.
"Spencer, what happened?" Melissa asked as she entered the kitchen. "You're soaking wet."
"She just splashed me!" Spencer shrieked as she pointed to Alison standing in front of her.
Melissa looked around the room. "Who?"
"Alison!" Spencer exclaimed.
Melissa gave her little sister a confusing look.
"She's standing right here in front of me. Can't you see her?" Spencer asked.
Melissa's eyes enlarged. "You're still seeing Dr. Sullivan, right?"
"What?! No, no, no! I'm not crazy; I'm not hallucinating; I'm not dreaming. She is standing right here!" Spencer pointed frantically at the smiling blond.
Melissa started clapping. "Practicing your audition for the school play as Sloane in Christmas Cupid. Oh, you so nailed it. You're going to get that part for sure."
"No, no, I'm not-"
But Melissa had retrieved her keys and was already out the door. Spencer's eyes returned to the last place she saw Alison. She wasn't there. Spencer palmed her forehead.
"Maybe Toby was right. I need a break. Geez, I thought I was losing my mind…"
Spencer felt something collide with her butt, pushing her forward until she fell on the sofa in front of her. She whipped her head around to unveil it was Alison who had kicked her.
"With all the information I'm about to share, I think you want to be sitting down for this," Alison started. "First things first, you're not losing your mind. I'm really here."
Ali picked up one of Spencer's pens and threw it at her.
"Ouch!" Spencer wailed when the item struck her forehead.
"See?" Ali smiled. "I told you; I'm really here."
"Ok, so whose funeral did I go to last year?" Spencer inquired.
"Mine," Ali admitted.
Spencer gasped, "I get it. You must've had a twin and she was the one who died. Just like those books I read Pretty Little Liars. So you're alive! Oh my goodness, you're alive!"
Ali rolled her eyes. "No, I don't have a twin. Spencer, I'm dead. I'm a ghost."
Spencer laughed excessively. "You're not talking to Hanna, you know."
"Ok, well if I'm alive as you claim, why couldn't your sister see me?" Ali investigated.
Spencer's laughter came to a sudden halt as the wheels in her head started to turn. Ali knew Spencer was contemplating her thoughts, trying to rationalize the turn of events occurring before her. To speed up the brunette's journey to believing her, Ali extended her hand and swung to slap Spencer.
Spencer's eyes grew ten times in size as she felt a rush of cold air brush across her skin concurrently with Ali's hand. Her hand dissolved into Spencer's face, never making an impact. Ali stood back and stared at Spencer's shocked expression.
"Ok, now that you believe me…" Ali said.
"B-b-b-b-but," Spencer stuttered.
"I know, I know. It's a lot to process. Well image how I feel. I'm excitedly sashaying my way across the clouds until I reach the large golden gates when I'm told I couldn't enter. Apparently, I haven't been such a nice girl during my time down here…" Ali apprehensively twirled her locks around her fingers as she regretted how she treated people.
Spencer gasped as she listened attentively.
"So, I was given a second chance to redeem myself and earn my wings. Thus I was cast back here with a task I like to think of as mission impossible," Ali frowned up.
"What were you sent to do?"
"Save you," Ali responded.
"Oh my goodness! Save me? From who?" Spencer panicked.
"Yourself," Ali said.
Spencer frowned up.
"With the way you are choosing to live your life, your future has been pre-destined to be… awful!"
Spencer's shaky hand flew to her agape mouth. "Wh-what's going to happen to me?"
"You're going to live a sullen life and grow old by yourself. Your life won't be celebrated at your funeral, because no one will attend."
"Wh-what?! Not even my friends!"
"Nope," Ali replied.
"What about my children?" Spencer interrogated.
Ali shook her head. "You won't have any."
"Well why not? Toby and I plan on getting married and having a new-born with a six-pack."
"You think Toby is going to stick around with the way you treat him?" Ali asked.
"I'm going to lose Toby?! How? Why? What happens?"
"You'll see for yourself soon enough. We're going to tackle your past, present, and future relationships. But first we must travel into your past and visit your first mistake with a guy who adored you."
"Time travelling? Reeeally?" Spencer asked disbelieving.
Ali nodded happily. "Yeah. Exciting, isn't it?"
Spencer tapped her foot impatiently on the wooden floor. Several moments had passed and nothing happened. She knew Ali was bluffing.
"Sooo… when are we rewinding our presence?" she smirked.
"Whenever the spirit of the past gets here," Ali stated.
Spencer laughed. This was the craziest night she ever experienced in her life. It wasn't real. It just couldn't be.
"Need me to drown you in another cup of water to get you to believe this?" Ali asked, reading Spencer's thoughts. "Oh, no time. She's here now!" Ali said as the ghost of the past entered the foyer.