- Spencer's POV -

When I was six and Melissa was seventeen, my father went out for a "business meeting". On his way to "the office" he hit an icy patch on the road, swerved, lost control, and hit another driver. The other driver was okay, but that doesn't mean he didn't suffer. The thought of killing someone, a son, husband, father, was a nightmare. It's crazy, isn't it? How the bitter truth can come out in the worst of ways. For example, we learned before the accident my father was on his way to see his girlfriend and little boy in Philly. He had been going up there to see them twice a week, and fed Julia the same lie. Anyway, Julia showed up at the funeral with Xavier, her son. Julia stopped by the house once before, and seemed nice. She gave our mother her condolences, and introduced herself. Melissa and I had been watching from the staircase. I wasn't too interested. Honestly, I just wanted to go downstairs to find the cat. But of course, Melissa said we shouldn't disturb them. Maybe if we had, things wouldn't have ended up like this.
I only saw Julia one other time, at my father's funeral. My mother threw a glass on wine in her face and called her a home wrecker. Julia was so upset, but come on. Did she honestly think the wife of your lover was going to be excepting of you and his illegitimate love child? If so, she was sadly mistaken. Mel wasn't on her side, either. Especially after what happened a few weeks later. My mother became severely depressed, and started drinking. A lot. She'd get so worked up over the littlest things, dishes not being done, Julia calling, her car not starting, etc. Mel only made it worse. She tried to help, but mother took it as backtalk. Pretty soon after her rampages she starting hitting Mel, Then worked her way to me. Imagine explaining to your first grade teacher the mysterious bruises on your arms.
One afternoon, after my mother had pushed me down the stairs, Mel had enough. That night, she woke me up, had me pack an overnight sack, and we went to her friend Lindsay's house. That morning, she talked to mother. Told her she was staying there until she was eighteen, which was just a few days away, and was adopting me. My mother was hysterical. But Mel held her ground. No matter how many tears my mother shed could make her cave. So on her eighteenth birthday, she started her case. A case that would be cut short because of a hand full of pills, and an ill-minded widow. So as I grew up, we were constantly in debt. Funerals were cheap. Neither was raising yourself and your little sister. Somehow, Mel did it. She barely finished her senior year and immediately got a job to support us. And how do I repay her? By showing her eight white wands that would change everything.
"Hey, Mel?" I knock on her bedroom door, and hope she's already asleep. Just like her mother, Mel has a bad temper. Who knows what she'd do if she knew the truth?

*earlier that week*
"Now everyone listen..." Mrs. Carlton's words were like a faint buzzing to me. Normally, I'd be poised and alert, maybe even taking notes. Not today. My period was due a week ago. This didn't mean much
at first, they're usually late-ish. But when I woke up this morning and instantly ran to the bathroom to puke? Yeah, that doesn't happen too often. So during lunch, drove to Walgreens, bought a few pregnancy
tests, and waited. Waited for the little white stick to predict my future.
*end flashback*

The door swings open, and drops little paint chips as it hits the wall. "What, Spencer? I'm kinda busy." she says, motioning towards the stacks of bills, notebooks, and calculators spread out on her bed.
"Come in the living room. You might wanna sit down for this." She hesitantly closes the door and follows me to the mini living room. She sits on the old, worn, couch and crosses her legs. "Spencer, hurry along. I have to finish the tax returns for The Grille, or Marissa will have my head." I squirm in my seat, an armchair that was here when we moved in. "Well, Toby and I-" Mel springs out of her seat and starts toward the bedroom. "I've had enough of hearing about that kid. You need to focus your attention on something else, something more academic perhaps, instead of some high school romance. One that won't make it past your senior year. You need to start thinking about your future, Spencer. I swear-" I run up behind her, grab her shoulders, and spin her around. "MELISSA. I'm pregnant!" As soon as I blurt out
the words, I instantly wish I could take them back. I cover my mouth as Melissa's face drops. "Y-y-ou're...WHAT?" Mel pushes my hands of her shoulders and recoils, as if I told her I had Poison Ivy.
"You're PREGNANT? How could you do this to me?" Melissa leans her head against the wall and slowly sinks to her knees. "Mel, I'm so..." I start, but Melissa snaps her head towards me. "You...I spent all of my life raising you! I didn't even get to start COLLEGE. I work FOUR jobs just so I can keep a roof over our head, water in the sink, heat in the furnace, and food on the table. So you decide to add to
the load and bring in another human being into this world, knowing you couldn't take care of it?" She's, back on her feet now, inching closer and closer to me, until her nose is practically touching mine. "It's Toby's isn't it?" She asks, backing away. I nod, and she looks out the smudged window to Toby's house, making a face of disgust. "What do you have against him, Melissa? He's done NOTHING to you!" I cry, fed up with her constant criticism of Toby. He's done nothing but make my life bearable, he makes me...happy. Something I'm sure couldn't be without him. He's my everything. "He's not good for you, Spencer! Look what he did, he knocked you up for heaven's sake! Plus, he's not the most stable character. The other day I heard him screaming at his father, storming off in that truck of his. That could be him, storming off on YOU, after you tell him about...it." She sighs exasperatedly, and walks over to the kitchen. A few moments later she returns, a glass of scotch in hand. "Toby's not that kind of guy. I know he'll take care of me and the baby." Melissa rolls her eyes and darts back down the hallway. For a minute, I thought she went back to her room. Well, until I hear a light flicker, closet door swing open, drawers slam, and a zipper. Soon, a suitcase and duffle bag land at my feet, alongside my shoes. "Leave. Now. If you're mature enough to have sex and get pregnant, you're mature enough to leave the nest.
Go fly little bird, it'll be easier without you." I know it was the alcohol talking, but her words stung. How could she kick me out, now, of all times? I'm just a kid myself, how am I going to raise one? "You know what? You're no better than mom, leaving her family behind." That caught her attention. She spins around and throws her glass against the wall, just inches from my head. The glass shatters, and
shards fall around my feet. "You are NEVER allowed back in this house. NEVER. don't call, don't show up. Especially with that demonic child of yours." That was it. Melissa storms off to her room, slams the door, and turns up the radio. Where am I going to go? "Spencer...? What are you doing? It's like...late." Toby asks, running a hand through his untamed bedhead. I mess with the strap on my duffel nervously then say, "I need a place to stay, just for the night. The Holiday Inn on fourth street was closed, so... I came here." Toby ushers me inside and directs me up the staircase. Once safe from waking Jenna, or even worse, his father, Toby asks, "What's this about, Spence? Why aren't you home?" I flop down on the bed, tonights events finally weighing in on me. I was kicked out. I can't return home. Where am I going to go? I can't stay here, Toby's dad will have a breakdown. Then again, how else would Toby see his baby? If I can't stay here, then I'm leaving Rosewood. Plain and simple. "Can we talk about that in the morning? Please? I just kinda wannabe here, without the questions or complications. Just lay here, I'm bed, with you. Hopefully get a few hours of sleep." He nods and climbs in next to me. Just like that bitter March night, Toby pulls me close to him, wraps his arms securely around me, and falls instantly to sleep. I just lay there, wide awake, fearing what tomorrow had to bring.

Bailey wrote this one :)