Author's Note: Okay, I have gotten some reviews about how you guys can't wait to see Spencer and Toby meet again. Don't worry; you will soon be very happy :)
I would also just love to ask you guys what kind of Spoby story you guys would be wanting to read. I am willing to take prompts, because my brain is kind of going dry after this. Literally, writing has been turned off in my brain with the exception of this story. I cannot stop with this story (I'm already up to 106 pages on Microsoft Word!)
And, lastly, sorry I didn't update. Like I mentioned before, the musical is really tiring and there are some days I would like to jump into my bed and go to sleep for five years. That would be heavenly. And then I would ask the genie for an endless supply of mocha frappachinos and Five Guys.
Chapter Ten
Dianna stared at her. "W-what?" There's no way it could be this easy. There has to be a catch…right?
"I'm Hanna!" Hanna said, trying to break up the silence. Out of the corner of her eye, Dianna could see Emily roll her eyes.
"It was a big shock for me, too," Analeigh said, keeping her cool. Inside, she was flipping out. I can't believe she's right in front of me! I hate to ruin this tender moment, but…what's that scar on her forehead from?
In fact, that scar was the only distinguishable feature on Dianna and Analeigh. That, and the idea that Analeigh's hair was just a little bit lighter.
Dianna just blinked back at her. "I must be dreaming. This isn't actually happening. I'm going to wake up, and it'll all be over," Dianna whispered to herself.
Analeigh yawned in front of her. "Done yet? This isn't a dream," she said, bursting Dianna's bubble.
"Are you always this intrusive?" Dianna inquired.
Analeigh actually thought for a moment. "Yeah."
Dianna rolled her eyes. "There's no way you're my sister," she declared.
"Believe it, Sweetie. I'm right in front of you. And like it or not, we share the same DNA," Analeigh retorted.
"Okay then…how about lunch? Those cheese fries look really good," Hanna said, trailing off due to her fascination with those cheese fries.
Emily nodded, agreeing. "I'm Emily, Analeigh. I'm your mother's friend," she explained.
Analeigh nodded. "I know who you are. Hanna told me about all of you."
Emily shot Hanna a look.
"What? I figured she better know as much as possible for when we try and get their parents back together," Hanna announced, with Dianna and Analeigh both snapping into attention. Emily shook her head, glaring at Hanna in a "what the hell did you just do" sort of way.
"You're not serious, are you?" Dianna asked. "Our parents getting back together?" she questioned.
"I think it's a great idea," Analeigh said, adding in her two-cents.
Dianna looked at her like she was crazy. "Are you freaking insane? They are not going to fall back in with one another that easily!" she exclaimed.
"We'll have to work on it. But they have to realize that it's what's best for everyone," Analeigh insisted.
Dianna shook her head. "What's best for you, maybe. I realize you may drive a nice, shiny Lexus, and you have two perfectly nice adoptive parents for when this doesn't work. They'll be there to comfort you; you have friends. I don't! When I run back to my house, I don't have a mom I can cry to! I have empty bottles of whiskey and cobwebs. So, I'm sorry if I just crushed your dream of having two perfectly beautiful families, but some of us can't afford to take that risk!"
Dianna felt every pair of eyes in the restaurant turn to her. She immediately felt embarrassed. Analeigh was the only one in the entire restaurant who wasn't entirely flustered. "But what if it does work? Hanna told me, and I'm sure that Emily told you about how in love they were. We weren't a mistake. We were conceived out of love. And…maybe that's why we're here right now. This is the path the universe set out for us," Analeigh explained calmly.
Dianna was shocked. "Is that what you tell yourself? We were conceived out of love? We were conceived out of our mother and father being either stupid, overly-passionate, or really unlucky. For crying out loud, Spencer wasn't even out of high school."
Analeigh rolled her eyes. "You really need to stop being so closed minded. If you open up your mind, you'll see what I see. And I see our parents getting back together, and being happy. Spencer is so upset…it's awful. It really is," she said. Hanna, her own personal Sideshow Mel, nodded in agreement. "That's why I propose we get Toby and Spencer in the same room together. Let's just see what happens," she proposed.
"You do it. Apparently you're gutsy and unafraid, but I am. I don't want to ruin this new relationship I have with my father," Dianna said.
Analeigh sighed. "Fine. Then Emily will help me. Right?"
Emily nodded. "I want to see them together just as much as anyone here. And Toby is probably never going to hate me. I'm not really going out on a limb here. I know Spencer will be furious and then she won't care."
Hanna, Emily, and Analeigh exchanged looks all around the table. "Plan?" They all exchanged knowing looks, silently agreeing.
"Okay. Now that that's over with…we seriously need to get you some new clothes," Hanna said, looking at Dianna.
"I know I look like crap right now, but you don't have to point it out."
"Lucky for you, I just opened up my own boutique. That being said, I've made such a profit on the clothes, I can afford to set you up with a new wardrobe," Hanna announced, happy she would be able to play dress up with her own mini-Spencer.
Spencer sat, staring at her test papers, trying to grade them, but finding herself dwelling on the same question over and over. Describe your family. Be sure to use adjectives and their relation to you.
Finally, she decided to give up on it, going back later. Everything reminded her of Analeigh and of Toby. It was draining and heartbreaking. She finally decided that there was only one way to deal with these problems. That was to deal with them head-first.
Gingerly, she picked up her phone and searched for Toby's number. Slowly and reluctantly, she began typing.
Hey, I know it's been forever, but I really want to talk to you. –Spencer
About a minute later, Spencer received a reply: Spencer? I've wanted to talk to you, too, lately. Maybe we can meet sometime. Where are you living now? –Toby
Spencer smiled at the fact that he even answered.
I'm in Rosewood. What about you?
Philadelphia. Maybe we could meet tomorrow?
When? Where? I'm free as a bird.
Spencer winced at her own usage of that cheesy saying. Still, Toby answered.
We could meet in Rosewood. Do you want to meet for dessert?
Dessert is always good. Some things never change. When?
Maybe at about eight? Rosewood Grille?
Spencer smiled. She hoped her anxiousness wasn't spilling onto the text messages.
Sounds great.
Okay. See you then.
For the first time in what felt like forever, Spencer felt happy. There were butterflies at the pit of her stomach, making it feel like when they were in high school. Her smile faded when she realized that they weren't in high school; she couldn't expect things to be the same as they were nearly seventeen years ago. Don't hope for it, Spence. You know your motto. Hope breeds eternal misery. Then, the feeling of happiness and wishful thinking washed over her. Oh, screw it. And with that, she fell back onto her pillow, the soft and fluffy feathers cushioning her fall from Cloud Nine.
"Come out! We're not getting any younger!" Hanna called for Dianna in the dressing room. She was trying on a pink high-low chiffon dress that Hanna insisted she take.
Dianna didn't even want to look at herself in the mirror. She just sighed.
"Show off those Hastings legs you've got!" Hanna shouted.
"Haven't you forgotten?" Dianna finally stepped out. The jury's jaws dropped. "I'm a Cavanaugh."
"Not with those, you're not," Emily said.
Hanna shook her head. "That color is amazing on you. I love it," she said.
"You've been awfully quiet, Little Miss Sunshine," Dianna said, staring at Analeigh in the mirror instead of herself.
Analeigh shrugged. "I don't know what to say. I feel to narcissistic when trying to complement you. I mean…you look just like me."
Dianna scoffed. "Maybe you look like me," she argued.
"I don't think so."
They both faced each other. They turned to Emily, and in unison, asked, "Which one of us is older?"
Emily opened her mouth, no words coming out. She was astonished at their twin sense. "I think Dianna is older by about an hour," Emily answered.
Dianna stuck her tongue out at Analeigh, who rolled her eyes. "That would make me the baby, which means I'm cuter."
"But I'm the original. That being said, you look like me," Dianna insisted.
Hanna butted in. "I would just like to say that while it seems Dianna got the logic half of the embryo, and you both, obviously, got the pretty part, Analeigh certainly got the stylish half. Just a professional's opinion."
Both Emily and Dianna rolled their eyes.
"I think we should add it to the pile," Hanna continued.
"Really, Hanna, thank you, but…I feel guilty taking this from you," Dianna said, gesturing towards the pile of clothes perched on the store countertop.
Hanna shook her head. "Consider it a gift from your Auntie Hanna." Dianna was still skeptical.
"Oh, come on! I have seventeen years' worth of presents to make up for!"
Dianna looked at the clothes again and sighed. "Fine."
Emily and Hanna smiled at this classic-Spencer quality. And then Hanna remembered something, almost like a light bulb went off in her head. "Auntie Hanna has one last present for you. Consider me your fairy Godmother instead," she insisted.
"Can Auntie Hanna make up her mind on what she'd like to be called?" Emily asked.
Hanna dug behind the sales counter. She fished out a black, sparkly jewelry box and presented it to Dianna. "What is this?" she asked.
"Just open it."
Analeigh smiled when she saw what was in her sister's jewelry box. It was nearly an exact replica of what Hanna had given her, but instead of Analeigh and Toby, it was a picture of Spencer holding Dianna. Dianna could've died when she saw that. She held her breath, almost as if she didn't want the moment to end.
"Do you want me to put it on you?" Analeigh asked her.
Dianna nodded, her mouth and brain not able to form words. She almost flinched when she felt Analeigh's cold hands on her neck.
Dianna turned around and looked at her sister. For the first time, she realized that Analeigh was wearing a similar one. Suddenly, something in her heart told her it was best to go along with the popular consensus.
"What do you suggest that we do to get them back together?" she asked.
Analeigh, Emily, and Hanna once again traded sly smiles.
Spencer threw dress after dress after dress onto her bed, until her closet was nearly empty. Too tight. Too short. Too boring. Too hopeful. Too…ugh. Her eyes finally settled on a perfect dress. When she slipped it on, she knew it was the one.
She looked in the mirror once more. She closed her eyes, saying a little prayer, sending it up into the dark room.
Finally, her eyes settled on the earrings sitting on her dresser. There were two ruby red, heart-shaped earrings sitting atop some velvet material. She placed them in her ears, finally feeling like she was ready to meet Toby. She sent up some more wishful thinking. And then, far in the back of her head, she felt a bad feeling. Hope breeds eternal misery, Spence.
You must hate me now. I am just so cruel. Next chapter, I believe Spencer and Toby will meet. Oops!...I did it again. I played with that section of your brain that gets all those emotions. For that, I am personally sorry. Here's a sneak peek!
Emily, Hanna, Analeigh, and Dianna were all staked out in Hanna's store. It was right across the street from the Rosewood Grille.
"Okay, can we go over the plan again?" Emily asked.
Hanna sighed, recapping the plan in her mind before explaining it. "Analeigh is going to call Spencer. Dianna is simultaneously going to call Toby. They're going to meet for dinner here, in Rosewood. At the Grille. But what Toby and Spencer don't know is that Dianna and Analeigh know each other, and this was all a set-up."
"I don't even know at this point if we should even meet with them," Dianna commented.
Analeigh nodded. "Yeah, she's right. Maybe we should just let them talk to each other. I mean, they need more time with each other before either one of us pursues whatever…this is," Analeigh agreed.
Ooh! The anticipation! And don't leave that review box hanging! Please review/follow/favorite! -Kayson