Hey again! What do you think of the story so far? I've been writing more, and though there's gonna be a lot of Spoby, there's now also more of the friendships and yes, drama. Also, about the whole Toby's past with Jenna thing, should I open that up a bit more? I plan on mentioning it, but in how much detail? I assume most of you watch the show and know what went down between them, but should I explain it more? Please let me know what you think of my work so far and if you have any ideas at all, let me know! I love reading reviews so, please, review. Okay, enjoy chapter 4!
My friends seem pretty okay with everything Toby's told them so far. I'm sure they still wonder about the A thing though. If he really doesn't blame us. How should I approach this? Convince my friends of that? I can't exactly come out and say 'hey, can you assure them that you're not our psycho stalker who you know nothing about? Great, thanks.'
"So, uh, you don't hate them. Right?" Well, that was almost as bad. Toby laughs but gets serious pretty quickly.
"No, of course not. Like I said, you're not like Alison. She's the one I.. Didn't like. I don't blame you for believing her stories. She could be convincing. I get it."
Aria seems to relax a little bit. Maybe, this whole time, she was afraid Toby would be mad at her?
"And as of what happened to Jenna.." Toby starts, unsure of how to continue. "That was Alison too. I know you didn't want to hurt Jenna, or blame it on me. Alison did." He assures my friends.
"Why did you take the blame?" Emily asks carefully. "I mean, she blackmailed you but.. Being accused of something like that is.. Awful." I can tell she feels sorry for Toby.
"Uh." Toby breathes. I know he doesn't want to share his past with Jenna, which is one of the things Alison blackmailed him with.
"She thought she had something on me. Something she didn't really know anything about. She was gonna tell even worse stories, about whatever.. Freak things she already said I was doing. Plus I couldn't let her-" He suddenly stops. We all wait for him to continue. He seems to realize that stopping in the middle of his story didn't exactly make him look good. So he continued.
"I couldn't let her get Spencer in trouble too." He mumbles. Wait, what?
"What?" I ask confused. "What does that mean?"
"I, uh." He runs his fingers through his hair. "She might've said something about you too. It doesn't matter anymore though, I mean it's-"
"Tobias Cavanaugh." I interrupt him, using his actual name, which I always do when I'm serious.
"She.. She said she would tell your parents about us. And others. And do it so that I wouldn't be the only one looking bad." He says, making a face, like hoping I wouldn't get mad.
"What!?" I yell. "Why would you not tell me that!"
"I didn't want to cause anything between you guys!" He defends himself. "Plus I was afraid if I did, she'd tell!"
"Okay, how about in the last year that she's.. Not been around?" I challenge, raising my eyebrow.
"I.. Yeah, I see where I might've screwed up." He admits. "I'm sorry Spence, I just wanted to-"
"Make sure I was okay? So, you going away for a year was a better option? Yeah, cause I wouldn't feel guilty, or miss you or anything!" I roll my eyes.
"There was more to it and I told you not to feel guilty. You know the story, this doesn't change it that much, does it?" He asks, rubbing my hand.
"It makes it more my fault." I whisper, lowering my head.
"Hey." He says, touching my face, to make me look at him. "It does not. It's not your fault. I still blame Alison for all of it. And Jenna because, well, you know." He says.
"I just hate it got so messed up for you." I sigh.
"I know sweetheart, but I'm fine. I'm here now, aren't I?" He says, poking my shoulder.
"Yeah. I still feel bad."
"Well stop it." He says.
"Oh well, sure, now that you asked so nicely." I say sarcastically.
"You know what I mean, Spencey."
"Don't call me that." I chuckle.
"I can't promise that." He laughs, putting his arm around me. Hanna coughs. God, I totally forgot they were even here.
"I'm sorry, Toby." Emily suddenly says. "For what Alison did. And whatever part we, I, played in all of it. Seems like you really didn't deserve what you got."
I might cry. When Toby and I first got together, I was so afraid of what my friends would say if they ever found out. Here Emily was, apologizing to my boyfriend, and saying he doesn't deserve to be treated the way he is.
"Thank you. But you don't have to apologize to me." He smiles. "But thank you, for believing me anyways."
I smile at Emily. Hanna and Aria look torn. I can tell what Toby told them has affected them, maybe they're just confused for now.
"I'm sorry too." Aria finally whispers. Toby just nods.
"Do you really love Spencer?" Hanna suddenly blurts out.
"Han." I warn her.
"Yes. I do." Toby says without a moment's hesitation. Hanna squints at him, as if to see if he's telling the truth or not.
"I'll be watching you." She says, motioning between her eyes and Toby's with her hand. Really Hanna? Toby laughs.
"Good to know."
Suddenly Toby's phone rings. He looks at the screen. "It's Jenna." He sighs. "I'll be right back." He says, rolling his eyes and walks out of the room. I look at my friends in front of me.
"So?" I ask, not sure what I'm asking exactly.
"I don't think he could've hurt Alison, either." Emily says. "And he seems too.. Human, to be A." She sighs. I nod. A is.. Something else.
"He really seems to care about you Spence." Aria says sweetly. Always the romantic.
I blush.
"Maybe he's not evil." Hanna says. "I just don't know him. And I don't exactly trust people I don't know." She shrugs, looking sorry. I understand. Especially with A, it's hard to totally trust anyone.
"Good enough." I smile lightly. "I'm just glad you believe me. Or well, him."
"I see what you meant." Emily says. "He is kind of too sweet to do anything.. Bad."
I laugh. "He is, isn't he?"
Emily laughs too. "Did he really call you 'sweetheart'?"
"I, well.." I mumble.
"Yeah!" Aria chimes in. "I never thought you'd be the kind of girl to let a guy call you by a pet name like that!" She's laughing now too.
"Wha- It's not like he'd stop if I asked him to!" I chuckle. "He's more stubborn than I am!"
"Impossible." Emily winks.
"And as if you mind him calling you that." Hanna chuckles now too.
"Oh whatever, you guys.." I look at my shoes.
"It's sweet." Emily says, more seriously now. "You seem happier. When he's around. I think we all need that after everything that's been going on."
"Agreed. I wish we knew about this sooner though, Spence." Aria looks at me accusingly.
"I know, I know, it's just complicated." I sigh. Then I smile.
"I am. Happier with him." I whisper. "And I do wish it didn't have to be a secret."
"I get it. Trust me, I do." Emily sighs. Of course she gets it. Her relationship is kind of complicated too, considering Me, Hanna, Aria and A are the only people who know about Emily being gay. I smile understandingly at her.
Toby walks back in.
"So, uh, that was basically Jenna, telling me she's gonna be here soon and that I have to help her with some art thing." He sighs. I know he hates having to do things for Jenna but his dad usually makes him.
"That's our cue to leave." I stand up from the couch.
"Thank you Toby, for explaining all those things." Emily says, standing up too.
"Hey, my pleasure. I don't exactly enjoy being suspected of murder." He shrugs. I roll my eyes. "Wait, am I? Your suspect still?"
"No." Emily assures him. "And I'm sorry you were."
"You need to stop apologizing so much. You're almost as bad as Spencer." He laughs.
"Hey!" I laugh too, punching his side. He catches my hand and pulls me closer to him for a hug. I, of course, hug him back.
"Call me when you can, okay?" I tell him.
"Yeah, of course." He says, kissing the top of my head quickly.
"Bye." I smile at him, walking to the door.
"Bye Spence. Bye girls."
We step outside, right as a cab pulls in front of the house. Jenna. We quickly walk to Aria's car and sit in it until Jenna disappears inside. Then we drive off.
"Well." Hanna starts. "That wasn't exactly as awful as I thought it would be."
We all laugh.
"Good." I say.
"We better get used to him, huh?" Aria asks winking.
"Yeah. You better. I'm hoping he's not going anywhere anytime soon." I smile, staring outside my window.
"Please, you seem to have him wrapped around your little finger." Aria laughs.
Suddenly my phone beeps. I open the text. Great.
"What is it?" Emily asks. "Is it from..?"
"Yeah." I sigh. "Toby might not be a murderer, but he is bad news. Just ask your mom. -A" I read the message out loud.
"I don't get it." Hanna says. "We all know your mom doesn't like Toby. Not a lot of people in this town do. Why remind you of that?"
"I don't know." I say, as we arrive at my house. "But I'm sure as hell not bringing up Toby in front of my mom."
"Good idea." Aria says as we walk inside.
"Spencer!" My mom yells as we walk in to the kitchen.
"Mom. I thought you had plans tonight?"
"I did." She states. "But something came up."
She opens her purse and looks for something. She finds a piece of paper and holds it up so that I can see it. I freeze at what I see.
"Every girl needs to fall for a bad boy at least once. But maybe you should keep an eye on your daughter, considering the bad boy she's been hanging around. -A"
This cannot be happening.
"I, uh, what does that mean? And mom, you do have two daughters you know-" I tried pathetically to get out of telling my mom, but she held up her finger to silence me, and turned the piece of paper over.
There is a picture, on the other side of the paper. A picture of me and Toby, standing in front of his motorcycle, kissing. I remember that moment, it was last week, when Jenna was out of town for the weekend and I told my parents I was staying at Hanna's. Toby and I spent the whole weekend at this little motel right outside of town. And we honestly didn't do anything.. Like that. We just wanted to spend time together after Toby being away for so long.
I stare at the picture, not being able to say anything. There's no denying it's me in the picture. I'm kissing a boy my parents hate, in front of a motorcycle. His hands are on my face and mine are around him.
Mom doesn't say anything for a moment either. Then she puts the picture on the table, and turns to my friends. "I need to talk to Spencer. You should come back later." She says icily. I can just imagine how pissed she is right now.
"Sure." Aria says quickly, walking to the door.
Emily brushes her hand on my shoulder while doing the same. "Call us, okay?" She says with a sorry look on her face. I nod slowly.
When all my friends are gone, my mom picks up the picture again, holding it up.
"I just can't wait to hear you explain this." She hisses at me.
I can't think of a thing to say. The only thing going around in my brain is 'run!'
Dun, dun, dun. Spencey's in trouble. If you want to read more, please, leave a review and I'll post faster. Kisses, -S
