I was still at Jason's doing homework. We had been having a great time together; we usually do when we're together. Jason left to answer the phone and when he came back I could sense a change in his mood.
"Who was on the phone, Jason?" I asked curiously.
"That was Peter. He wants you home in half an hour because Melissa is bringing her fiancé home for dinner."
"Like I could have possibly forgotten." I mumbled sarcastically.
"You don't sound excited, Spence, why would that be?" He asked even though he knew the reason full well.
"Why do think, Jason? Melissa has to have all the attention, she can do no wrong, and I've never cared for her choice in guys. So in other words, this dinner is going to be awful and monotonous. And you're not invited so I'm going to have to go through it alone." I ranted in reply.
"I'm sorry you're going to have to sit through dinner with them alone. If I was invited I would definitely go just to keep you from dying of boredom." He assured me but I could tell he was lying so I called him out on it.
"Yeah right, Jason. You would rather get a tooth pulled without any medication than sit through dinner with my family and Melissa's fiancé. Even if you had been invited you would have faked a life threatening illness just to get out of it."
"As usual, you're probably right. You're my sister, Spence, and I love you, I really do, but…"
"But not enough spare me from the dreaded Hastings' family dinner?" I finished.
"Hey, nobody's perfect." He stated defensively and I couldn't help but laugh.
"In your case, Jason, I have to agree." I teased.
"Right back at you, Spence." He replied as he too started to laugh.
Surprisingly the dinner was actually tolerable. It wouldn't be my first choice on how to spend my evening but it was still tolerable. Wren turned out to be very charming and kept the conversation interesting. I was actually surprised that Melissa was with him because most guys she went out with were just like her. But Wren seemed to have a caring personality, something which Melissa definitely didn't have. Maybe he would rub off on her and she would become a more likable person. But I wouldn't set my hopes on it because my motto in life is 'Hope breeds eternal misery.'
After dinner I excused myself and sat on the bench on the back porch. I wanted to enjoy the last of the summer weather before the cool of fall and the bitter cold of winter. Usually one of my favorite things to do when I'm sitting outside is read but today I just wanted to sit and relax.
"There you are, Spencer. I was wondering where you ran off to." Wren said as he closed the door behind him.
"You're a medical student but you smoke?" I questioned when I got a whiff of smoke. "Does Melissa know?"
"Melissa doesn't have to know everything." He replied and I felt the bench move as he sat at the other end.
I brought my books to the front desk to check them about just as the library was closing. Some were for pleasure and some were for school. I had been here ever since school let out because I was avoiding home. My parents were out of town as usual and Melissa and I had gotten in a fight this morning so home was the last place I wanted to be. I put the books in my messenger bag and was walking out the door when I realized that it was pouring rain and that I had to walk home. And of course I didn't have an umbrella or even a jacket since it was mid-April and the weather had been perfect earlier.
Since the library was closing I decided to dash over to the Apple Rose Grille and wait it out. I usually didn't mind walking home from the library but not when it was raining buckets. Maybe the old poem you learn in kindergarten was true, 'April showers bring May flowers.'
Just as I walked through the doors of the Grille I literally bumped into someone.
"Oh no, I am so sorry." I said quickly in embarrassment.
"Hey, Spence, don't worry about it." Toby shrugged.
"Hey, Toby, what brings you here?" I asked in pleasant surprise as we moved to the side so weren't blocking the door.
"I was just picking up some take-out. My dad and stepmom are having a date night or something and I'm not that much of cook." He explained. "What about you?"
"I'm trying to stay dry. I was at the library until it closed and I don't feel like walking home in the rain."
"Do you want come over to my house? It's a lot closer than yours and I have an umbrella that's big enough to share." He offered.
"I don't know, Toby. I appreciate the offer, but what about Jenna? She'd kill us if she knew I was hanging out with you at your place."
"Jenna doesn't have to know everything. Besides she's not even home, she's sleeping over at a friend's house. Now come on and say yes, Spencer, because who knows how long it's going to rain and you don't want to be stuck here all night."
"Okay fine, you win. I just hope you got enough take-out for two. Otherwise you might end up spending the evening with Low Blood Sugar Spencer." I teasingly warned him.
"I can assure you that I will never make that mistake twice. I definitely learned a lesson last time. No offense, but you were worse than No Caffeine Spencer." He replied and I playfully punched him in the shoulder as we walked out the door together laughing.
"So, since everyone is still alive, I'm going to assume that the dinner went okay." Jason said sarcastically.
"Yeah, it was tolerable. And Melissa's fiancé isn't like the other guys she's been with; he was actually nice to be around." I told Jason.
Jason had come over to bring me a couple of books that I had left at his place. And he conveniently timed his visit just after my parents had gone to bed and Melissa and Wren had gone to the barn for the night.
"And why is that? It couldn't be because of Wren's charm and British accent could it?" He teased.
There were times when I was glad that Jason and I didn't know we were related until a year ago. And this was one of them. Most of the time Jason acted like the mature adult that he was, but other times I'm convinced that he's still twelve. I've only had to deal with Jason acting like the typical annoying older brother for about a year. I have no idea, and I don't want to imagine, what he would be like if we had known the truth our whole lives and had grown up together.
"How do you know that he has an accent? You've never met him or spoken to him." I questioned trying to change the subject.
"Rosewood is a small town, Spencer. People know everything about you the second you step foot into it." He replied. "Now, I've answered your question so you have to answer mine. Do you like Wren because of his charm and accent?"
"I can't deny that he does have some charm and his accent definitely sounds nice, but that's not what made me like him."
"Well then, what did? Because you can't stand Melissa's choice in guys and you don't hesitate to let everyone know."
"I liked his personality. To be honest, I'm surprised Melissa is with him because he actually seems to care about other people and isn't obsessed with perfection and money."
"Wait a minute, he is going to be a doctor, which is one of the best paying careers, but he doesn't care about money? I find that hard to believe." Jason commented skeptically.
"If you find that hard to believe, wait until you hear this. He's a med student but he smokes."
"Whoa, does Melissa know?"
"Nope, and I don't think he cares or plans to tell her anytime soon."
"Man would I love to be a fly on the wall when she does find out." He said as he started laughing, probably imagining the scene in his head.
"Yeah, me too." I laughed.
"So, is there anything else that makes you like Wren? Or do you just like the fact that he's different from what you expected and he's hiding something from Melissa?"
"There is one other thing." I said slowly since I wasn't ready to admit it. "He said something after dinner and the way he said made me think of Toby."
"So you only like Wren and find him tolerable because he's like Toby?" Jason tried to clarify.
"No, no way, Wren is nothing like Toby. Wren has a caring and charming personality and he knows how to attract women, but Toby…"
"But Toby is meant for you. I know you're going to say that you were just friends, but you care about him more than you admit anyone. And I'd bet that he likes you more than a friend too."
"Jason DiLaurentis, you are not seriously giving me your opinion on my relationship with Toby. And do I have to remind you that our relationship doesn't even exist anymore." I ridiculed in disbelief.
"Hey, make fun of me all you want, Spence, but when Toby comes back…"
"If, Jason, you mean if he comes back." I interrupted sharply.
"When Toby comes back I say that the two of you will be a couple within two weeks." He insisted and I could imagine the smug look on his face.
"Jason!"
"Okay, I'll give you guys three weeks. But if you aren't together by then, I will consider you the two dumbest people that ever lived."
I probably would have thrown something at him, but I knew that I would most likely miss and end up giving Jason more to tease me about. So instead I just ignored him and walked into the kitchen. Even though I was annoyed with Jason and didn't believe that Toby was coming back, I still found myself thinking about the possibility of me being with Toby.
I had always thought of Toby as a friend, but I thought the same of Alison and the others. I had lost both around the same time. And I knew that Toby and Alison were never coming back and that my friendship with the girls would never be quite the same. Yet, I still thought about and missed Toby every day, but the girls and I drifted apart, and I didn't want anything to do with Alison.
Alison had been gone for a long time and I didn't really mind anymore since I realized she was never a friend worth having. But my friendship with the girls and Toby was. Maybe absence really does make the heart grow fonder. The girls and I seemed to be getting back together and things between us felt better than they did when Alison was around. So maybe if Toby did come back we could get back together again too. And maybe Jason would turn out to be right about us, even though I would never tell him that.
Wow I can't believe I got the 5 reviews in one day. Thanks you guys so much! So next chapter will discuss the possibility of Spencer having feelings for Toby some more. But they were only friends before and you'll see that next chapter too. So let me know what you think and see you Monday or Tuesday (Depending on how excited I am to update) and have a nice weekend.