5. "I Forgive You." "Thank God."

I'd been lying in bed for days. While Aria and Emily had gotten their week off last week, we had ours this week. Hanna had got in the habit of waking me up, practically picking me up to get me in the shower, then bringing my food into the bedroom. I never left. I barely ate, and just cried and cried.

One day, I woke up to hear Hanna on the phone. And she was talking about me.

"She does nothing but lie in bed all day crying, she barely eats, it takes everything I've got just to get her to shower… I know what she did. She feels terrible… Yes, I realize that, but still… Look, if you still like her, then get over here and talk it out…" Then her voice got angry. "Look, I don't care about your stupid fucking pride. I don't care that you think it's complicated. I care that my friend is fucking depressed and refuses to leave her bed! So you get your ass over here and talk it out!" And with that she slammed down the phone, and stomped into my room.

I shrank into the blankets, terrified she'd be mad.

She ripped the blanket off my bed, and I squeaked.

"Hanna!"

She glared at me.

"Get up, get changed. I don't care what you wear, as long as you're clean and are wearing clean clothes. Then you can go back to bed."

I stuck up my nose at her. "Fine. But I warn you, I am not going to leave my bed ever again. Don't even try."

"I won't." and with that she left my room.

I sighed, and got out of bed. I showered, dressed in jeans and my coffee-stained sweatshirt, and my Hello Kitty socks. Comfort clothes. Then I crawled back into bed and faced the wall.

I heard Hanna answer the door. Then the door shut, and someone walked into the bedroom.

"Go away Hanna," I said sadly. "I don't want to talk to anyone."

"Really?" a deep voice said. "That's not what you were saying in the park."

I turned over so fast I got dizzy. "Toby!" I exclaimed, grinning like an idiot for the first time in days.

He smiled back. "Hey."

"What are you doing here?" I asked, shocked.

He grinned. "Hanna called. She said you were miserable and refused to get out of bed."

I groaned. What a Hanna-esque thing to do.

Then I snorted. "She knew my pride was too strong to call you myself."

"I would've just sent you to voicemail anyway," he said softly.

I nodded. I knew that. And I didn't blame him.

"So why did you come?" I asked again.

He frowned. "I guess… I want to give it another try."

I sat up, quivering happily, waiting for what he would say next.

"That doesn't excuse what you did," he said.

"I know," I said softly.

He squirmed a bit. "But I guess if I was going to be mad at you, I should've been a little more honest with myself."

I cocked my head to the side. "What do you mean?"

He sighed, and closed his eyes. "I think it's time I told you something. Don't interrupt me while I tell the story, or I'll never have the guts to finish it."

I nodded solemnly and he began. He told me about how when his father had remarried he'd gained a stepsister. How he'd been considered a freak at his high school. How his stepsister was spoiled, and that she got everything she wanted. How she blackmailed him into sleeping with him. How he came to California to get away from it all. How last weekend, when he'd gone back home to visit his parents, she'd kissed him. And I could tell that in his book, that was cheating. And as he told me this story, I grew more and more quiet and still. I felt horrible about how I'd always acted like my home life was so horrible, when his must have been so much worse.

He finally concluded his story, saying that he hadn't really ever been happy until he met me. At this I let my face break from expressionless into a small smile.

Until he stood up to leave.

"Where are you going?" I squawked.

He looked confused. "Well, I assumed that after you heard all that, you'd want me to leave."

I stood up, and grabbed his hand and dragged him back to my bed. (no, not in that way!) And we both sat down.

"Never leave," I told him firmly. "And nothing you just said makes me want you to leave. It just makes me want you here more."

He smiled, and put his arm around my shoulders. I leaned my head onto his shoulder and smiled at nothing.

"Awwww," said a voice from the doorway. There stood Hanna, leaning against the doorway.

"Go away," I said throwing a pillow at her. She ducked, letting it fly over her head.

"At least you finally got out of bed," she said. I rolled my eyes.

She cocked an eyebrow at Toby. "Thanks."

He smiled wickedly. "My pleasure."

I looked from one to the other, and laughed, standing up. I took Toby's hand, and we walked out of the dorm room, and went down to Caribou Coffee.

Not one of my best chapters… But I wrote this while preparing for a sleepover. We are going to have a PLL marathon before the premiere. So excited! There will be junk food, and Spoby goodness! (hopefully) However, my pathetic veganness prevents me from actually eating the junk… Boo.