Ch. 11
The next morning, Spencer hobbled down the hallway to Aria's locker. Emily, Hanna, and Aria were already there talking.
"My mom is totally freaking out. I'm lucky they're letting me come to school by myself," said Emily.
"Well, cops coming to your home asking about Toby Cavanaugh sure doesn't help," replied Hanna.
"Spence, I'm surprised that the cops didn't interview you too," said Aria.
"They did."
"What? Why didn't you tell us?" asked Emily and Hanna.
"We're in this together Spence," said Aria. Spencer found an empty classroom and pulled them in and shut the door.
"The cops think that Toby had something to do with Jenna's death. They asked if I had seen Toby, and I said that he was with me the night she died."
"What?"
"No way"
"I thought that Toby had left town? Why didn't you tell us he was back?"
"He isn't."
"Spence, what the hell? Start at the beginning," instructed Aria.
"Right when the cops came to my house, 'A' sent me a text." Spencer pulled out her phone and pulled up the message to show the others.
"Alibi Toby for Jenna's death or your personal physician will be answering charges on the distribution of kiddie porn. Too bad for him, you're still a minor Spence—A" read Emily.
"Ohmygod."
"There was a video of us attached. So I told Wilden that Toby was with me that night."
"Do you think Wilden believed you?" asked Hanna.
"I don't know." The bell rang and students began filing into the classroom, taking their customary seats. The girls began to leave for their next class, but Hanna stopped and turned in the doorway, blocking the flow of annoyed students.
"Spence, why are you walking like a cowboy with a stick up his ass?"
"Shut up Hanna," said Spencer, pushing Hanna through the doorway and into the mass of students in the hallway.
"Did you pull your groin muscle at field hockey?" asked Emily. "Groin pulls can be tricky and hard to heal. You should skip class and go to the school trainer."
Spencer heard her signature "My Humps" buzz over the din of lockers and students. *Emily's right Spence, better get some tips from the trainer. Need to limber up before your next performance. Your fans want you at your peak.-A*
As Spencer looked up from her phone, Mona caught her eye, smiling at Spencer as she put her phone into her handbag before walking into the classroom.
…
Hanna quietly approached Spencer alone at their usual courtyard table for lunch and peeked over her shoulder as Spencer played with her phone.
"Who are you playing Words With Friends with? I thought Aria quit after the whole scrabble word finder thing."
"Wren, he plays with creativity," said Spencer as she submitted her winning tiles. She looked up and noticed Hanna giving her a meaningful look. "What?"
"Fuck buddies don't play Words With Friends."
"Says who," demanded Spencer.
"Says everyone, Aria, do fuck buddies play Words With Friends?" asked Hanna.
"Um, I…don't…know? I'm not sure what the appropriate level of intimacy is for two people playing digital games exactly. I've never given it much thought. I play Pictionary with my mom and my brother. I guess it's more companionable than businesslike? Who's playing Words With Friends?" replied Aria.
"Spencer and Wren," teased Hanna.
"Hey Em, can we go for a run tomorrow before school?" asked Spencer, attempting to change the topic.
"Yeah, I'm going with Paige, but I'm sure it would be fine if you joined us. Is 6:30 okay?"
"Oh, I don't want to be a third wheel."
"Don't worry about it, you won't be," said Emily. Andrew Campbell approached their table carrying a large binder.
"Spencer, could I talk to you for a minute?"
"Sure Andrew," said Spencer, getting up from the table to talk. "Everything okay with Decathlon?"
"Yeah, everything's set. I actually wanted to ask if you would do me a huge favor and fill in on Model UN this weekend. The conference is at UPenn, and the two sophomore girls we had on Legal just bailed at the late minute. It's not as sexy as DISEC, but the position paper's been submitted and I really want to kick some Radnor ass this year. You'd have a hotel room to yourself too, since you're the only girl on the trip. And Yale would love to see Model UN on your application. Would you do it?"
"Yeah, I can do it this weekend."
"Great! Spencer, you're a life-saver. We're gonna destroy Radnor and bring home the gavel! Here's your research binder."
…
Spencer parted from Emily and Paige after their loop through the woods. She continued her run, finding her way to Wren's on auto-pilot. She used her set of keys to quietly enter the apartment. Wren lay in bed asleep. Spencer pulled her shoes off and slowly lay down next to him, watching him sleep. He could pass for sixteen in his sleep. It's his expressions that show his age. I should really be getting ready for school. I should probably take a shower—better with company. She leaned over and began to kiss him chastely. Wren responded, deepening the kiss and pulling her close to his body. Pressed against his body, she smiled at the feeling of his familiar morning condition pressed against her. She allowed her hands to freely wander his body. He rolled Spencer underneath him and fumbled with her running clothes.
"Bunny darling, why are you wearing clothes?"
"I just came by on my run."
"Oh that wasn't you last night?"
"Was she any good?"
"Total rubbish," Spencer rolled him back over and straddled him. "Definitely not you then." Spencer giggled and kissed him.
"Ugh, I've got to get going. I've got to take a shower before school."
"I can't detain you here as my prisoner?"
"Your prisoner?"
"Yes, you broke into my flat." Wren began to pull her running top off. "I think it would be wise to strip-search you, in case you are concealing weapons about your person."
"Well, that will have to be in the shower. And then you can drive me home."
…
"A parking ticket breaks her story?" asked the Chief.
"Spencer Hastings has a parking ticket on Somerset St. the night that Jenna Marshall was killed," said Detective Wilden.
"She parked in a permit only zone. Resident called Parking Enforcement to complain, they end up booting the car Friday afternoon," said the desk sergeant.
"When did she call to have the boot removed?"
"Not until the next day."
"If she didn't notice that her car was booted until the next day, she probably spent the night somewhere near there."
"Happened to me like that when I saw this girl I knew…never even noticed the boot a whole weekend once, if you know what I mean." Wilden ignored the patrol officer.
"Somerset St. is near the hospital, right? So who does she know in that part of town—her friends all live on the other side—big houses, big lawns. Canvass the area, someone will have seen her. It will lead us right to Toby Cavanaugh."
…
The Rosewood Model UN club was walking back to conference hotel from a late dinner Friday night when Melissa Hastings practically fell out of an apartment building. Spencer's eyes widened in horror at the sight of her sister. Or rather my boy—fuck buddy's ex-fiancée. Since when do I think of Wren as my boyfriend—I don't—he isn't—I'm just tired and a little stunned.
"Oh, hey everybody! I must look like a total alkie! Just leaving a housewarming you know—Spencer aren't you going to introduce me? There are a few of your boyfriends that I don't know," said Melissa, charming each nerd into awed silence.
"Melissa, you know Andrew Campbell and David Rosenberg from the club, and this is Jack Thompson, Tom Donahue, Mac Mackey, and Bobby McKenna. Guys, this is my sister Melissa." Nice-to-meet-yous were mumbled. "I'm going to catch up with my sister and go back to the hotel later. Andrew, get me when you go for breakfast?"
"Uh, sure—but you shouldn't walk back alone this late, it's not safe."
"I promise to take a licensed cab back, okay?"
"Good. It was good to see you again Melissa, you look great. Come on guys, it's just a few blocks back to the hotel." Spencer waited until the boys were out of sight before speaking.
"I wanted to tell you that I've become friends with Wren. I'm not asking for your permission for anything, I just thought you should know, in case you hear rumors. I thought you should hear it from me."
"Friends? I didn't realize that fucking my fiancé was friendship. Normally I'd call it whoring, but it isn't that you can't keep your legs together, it's that you use sex to hurt me. That's sick Spencer. You need help."
"God, Melissa, this is so typical. My friendship with Wren has nothing to do with you!"
"It has everything to do with me. Who do you think has to clean up your messes? First the biker cum construction worker, then Downton Grabby. I paid the blackmail money to keep you from becoming the latest sex tape joke. At least you're nearly eighteen. If this had happened when you were fifteen, I don't know if I could raise the money it would cost to keep those videos from going viral without telling Mom and Dad."
"I'm sorry—I didn't know, but it means a lot to me that you did that to protect me."
"I didn't do it for you—I did it to protect Mom and Dad."
"To protect yourself you mean. You know, I would never have wanted my sister to find out that way, but you know what, I bet that even in your alcoholic stupor you could learn a few things. It might help you keep your boyfriend satisfied next time." Melissa slapped Spencer across the face.
"How dare you! You dirty little whore!" Melissa's cell phone played "Glamorous" and Spencer's played "My Humps", stopping their argument.
"Yes, This is Spencer Hastings—"
"—I understand"
"Thank you." Spencer turned to her sister, "Your car is at your apartment?"
"Yes, let's walk a block over, there's a better chance of catching a cab there. You'll have to drive, I've had a little too much."
"Hi, Andrew, I have to go back to Rosewood. My mom's been in a car accident. I'm sorry about the conference... Thanks, I'll call you tomorrow."
"Twenty-four hour cease fire?" asked Melissa.
"Agreed," said Spencer, and texted the girls, *SOS Mom in car accident meet RW hospital*