Hey all, and sorry for the slow update. I just have not been able to focus enough to actually proofread until now. Thanks for all the reviews, and shoutouts to: dan, for getting me to 500; and to nevermindthebuttocks for almost canceling a date to read this story (but don't do that, I need to live vicariously through you guys). Since I got to 500 I will be publishing a new story soon, either today or tomorrow. So look out for 'Forever Yours', but I'm warning you it's dark and depressing, so make sure you're up for it. So here's the next chapter, which has some of my favorite things, including: a Spoby kiss, Tomily, a touch of Sparia, and some good old-fashioned 'Aria-ing'. Enjoy, review, all that good stuff.
X.X.X.X.X.X.X.X.X.X.X.X.X.X.X.X.X
Light streams through the window, slanting across Toby's face as he slowly opens his eyes. As his consciousness catches up with him he stays perfectly still, reluctant to disturb the utter silence that pervades the room. He looks around the room, gradually realizing that this is not his house. He's not in his bed, he's still in his clothes from yesterday… and Spencer is curled up beside him.
This last fact causes him to move, startled, and it's just enough to make Spencer stir. She blinks a couple of times, looking up at him, and then she just rolls over and goes back to sleep. Toby breathes out slowly, trying to remember how he ended up here. He'd driven Spencer to her house after her meeting with the vice principal, and they'd talked for hours in her kitchen. It had grown dark, and Spencer had said it was too late for him to be driving home. So he'd come up to her room, and they'd sat on her bed side by side but not touching, and they'd talked long into the night. They'd talked for so long that both of them must have drifted off to sleep.
To his surprise Toby notices that his hand is around her shoulders, and even as he realizes this he sees her wriggle closer to him, still fast asleep. Glancing at the clock, he notes that school starts in less than an hour. He carefully slides his around from around her and gets to his feet, watching her all the while for a reaction. This is the first time he's seen her look truly peaceful, and he doesn't want to do anything to ruin that.
He finds himself wandering over to her bookshelf and perusing the titles. Many of them are ones he's read, but some are unfamiliar. He looks at the blurbs of some of the ones he doesn't know, and eventually selects a title and sits down near the window, starting to read. He's only a couple of pages in when the alarm clock goes off, breaking through the gentle silence with a sharp buzzing.
Spencer shoots upright at once, as sudden as an electric shock, and she hurriedly shuts off the alarm. Then she takes a few deep breaths, stretches, and looks around. Her eyes fall on Toby and her serene expression falls away to one of shock. Then that too fades, leaving nothing but a welcoming smile.
"Good morning," Toby says warmly, marking the page of the book with a Post-It note and then shutting the cover.
"Morning," Spencer says, her smile unwavering. She makes no move to get out of bed, seeming content where she is.
The peaceful silence returns, and Toby finds himself wishing this moment would last forever. This is all he needs: good books, good company, a tranquil silence and a shining sun. A minute passes, and then Spencer gets out of bed, stretching again as she walks over to the window.
"Have you ever seen anything so beautiful?" she asks, looking out the window at the sunlight glistening off trees, the wisps of clouds flitting by in the bright blue sky, a butterfly drifting past the house.
"No," he says, looking at something else entirely. He stands up, and is suddenly very aware of how close they are. She turns to face him, and he waits for just long enough for her to nod her head slightly, silently giving him permission, and then he kisses her. This one is slower than the others have been, less urgent passion and more thoughtful tenderness, but no less thrilling. The world seems to stop, and Toby is lost in the moment, lost in this feeling, until they finally part and he looks out the window and sees that the world hasn't stopped turning, that people are going about their business, that in all other respects it's an ordinary day.
"Oh god," Spencer moans, self-mocking, "I probably have the worst morning breath right now."
Toby laughs, wondering how to tell her that she tastes sweeter than anything he'd ever imagined. "You're fine," he says. Then he fishes around in his pocket and pulls out a packet of mint gum. He holds this out to her and offers, "But if you're really that worried, here."
Spencer looks at the packet, her eyes narrowing, and then she stiffens. Without saying anything, she gives the impression that she's completely shutting him out, and Toby has no idea why. She's looking at the gum like it's a snake, something she'd much rather just throw out the window and never set eyes upon again.
Toby is about to apologize for whatever wrong he has committed, but Spencer speaks first.
"No thank you," she says in a measured voice, carefully controlled.
Quickly, Toby puts the gum back in his pocket and takes half a step away from her, but in an instant she comes back to him, her expression softening and her limbs loosening. There's an unspoken apology in her eyes, and he knows better than to ask about it.
"So," he says, clearing his throat. "We should probably…"
"Yeah," she says, running a hand through the tangles in her hair. "Do you want to go down and wait in the kitchen while I get dressed?"
"Sure," Toby says, already moving across the room. He's not sure what he did to upset her, but he doesn't want to repeat it. But as he leaves the room he notices that she's smiling again, even if it seems a little more sad than before.
When Toby gets to the kitchen he realizes that he hadn't asked if any of her family are home – her parents, her sister. They weren't home last night when he and Spencer arrived and he hadn't heard them come home, but that doesn't mean they aren't here now. Suddenly very nervous, he moves quietly, hardly daring to breathe as he sets about making breakfast. Nobody else comes into the kitchen, so by the time Spencer arrives he's set the kitchen table with an array of toast, eggs, and, of course, coffee. Spencer goes straight for the latter, giving him an appreciative smile as she settles into the seat.
Toby sits down across from her, nibbling on a slice of toast. There's no need for conversation, which Toby is grateful for. He's not a morning person by any means, so the quiet is very welcome. Spencer seems to feel the same, because she makes no attempt to break the comfortable silence between them. Together they finish the breakfast, and Spencer thanks him, and he politely accepts the thanks, and then they mutually decide it's time to go to school.
"I'm sorry for the accidental sleepover," Toby says as he navigates the almost deserted streets, heading toward the school. "I didn't mean to…"
"It's okay," Spencer says quickly. She hesitates, and then adds, "It was the best night's sleep I've had in months."
"Me too," Toby says, and they share a smile.
When they arrive at school Aria immediately whisks Spencer off, wanting to discuss the latest book she read. Spencer follows, with an apologetic smile and a mouthed See you later to Toby, who watches with bemusement. Spencer is settling into school so well, and he has a feeling she's even starting to feel like she belongs here. And if he played any part in that, he can sleep a little easier.
"Good morning!" says a bright voice from behind him.
Turning, Toby sees Emily approaching, waving a greeting to him with one hand while her other one is clutched around a mug of herbal tea. "Hey," Toby says as she reaches him, and they start walking down the hall, falling into their natural rhythm as they do. "If you're looking for your girlfriend, she just disappeared down the hall with my… with Spencer."
He bites the inside of his cheek, hoping Emily hasn't noticed the slip. Had he really almost called Spencer his girlfriend? Is that what they are? Is that what she wants them to be?
Tactfully, Emily chooses to ignore it. "That's fine," she says easily. "Is she still fangirling over that new book?"
"Seems to be," Toby says with a chuckle.
Emily rolls her eyes, pretending not to be amused. "Then Spencer's welcome to her. She already talked my ear off about it last night."
"Good book, huh?"
"Apparently."
Toby opens his mouth to reply, but suddenly notices that Emily has stopped walking. Startled, he turns back to her. She's a few steps behind, looking him up and down, and for a moment he can't figure out what she's staring at.
"Toby," she says, a smile creeping across her face, "is there something you want to tell me?"
Shaking his head in confusion, Toby looks down at what he's wearing, at the bag he's carrying, still not seeing what she's so excited about. "No. What would I -?"
Then it hits him, and his realization must show in his face because Emily's smile widens, showing she knows what he's thinking.
"Big night, huh?" she teases, crossing the space between them and looping her free arm through his as they start walking again.
Toby looks down again. He's wearing the same clothes as yesterday, which on anyone else would mean one thing only. But it's not what happened, and he can't have Emily going around thinking something happened when it didn't. "It's not like that," he protests. "I just spent the night at her house. That's all."
"You're trying to tell me that you spent the night at that gorgeous girl's house and nothing happened?" Emily asks, raising an eyebrow in disbelief. "Come on, Tobes, you can tell me."
"I am telling you," he says quickly. "We just lost track of time and fell asleep -"
"So you slept together."
Toby's eyes widen in alarm, until he realizes that Emily is still teasing him. "In a manner of speaking," he says guardedly. "But it was completely innocent. We kissed once, that was it."
Emily looks at him, clearly trying to decide whether or not to believe his story. "If I find out you're lying to me, Toby Cavanaugh, I'll -"
"I'm not lying," he assures her. "Nothing happened."
This seems to be enough to persuade her, because she drops the subject. They keep walking down the hall, which is slowly filling with tired students and even wearier staff, and end up at the coffee cart. Emily ditches her tea for an Americano, and once Toby has received his own order they make their way over to one of the empty benches and sit down.
"Paige is back," Emily says suddenly, causing Toby to nearly choke on his coffee.
The mere mention of the name is enough to make him frown. Paige McCullers, state-level swimmer, A-level bitch. She and Emily had had a rocky relationship, and it had ended badly not that long ago. Toby had watched Paige flounce off to boarding school, leaving Emily a broken wreck behind her. Emily's friends – Toby included – had managed to help her through her heartbreak, but there had been doubts as to whether she would be able to move on. And then she and Aria had happened.
"Why did she come back?" Toby asks, taking a careful sip of his coffee, which is still almost scalding-hot.
Emily shrugs. "I don't know. And I don't really care. I'm happy with Aria, and I'm happy to leave Paige in the past."
"So you guys aren't going to try to be friends?" Toby says, even though he knows the answer.
"No," Emily scoffs. "I've developed this thing called 'standards', and I think that means that anyone who once tried to drown me isn't allowed within ten feet of me now."
"Sounds like a good plan," Toby laughs, happy to see that Emily has moved on so fully.
The bell rings then, ending their conversation. Emily stands up, tossing her empty cup into the nearest trashcan, and then turns to Toby. "You coming to homeroom?"
Toby is about to nod when he catches sight of someone across the courtyard, and a better idea comes to him. "Actually, I'll meet you in there. There's something I need to do first."
Ignoring her startled look he starts off across the courtyard, hailing the person he has his eye on. "Excuse me, can I talk to you for a minute?"
X.X.X.X.X.X.X.X.X.X.X.X.X.X.X.X.X
Okay, so, theory time. Who's Toby talking to? And why did Spencer act so strangely in response to Toby's simple offer of gum? And as always keep your guesses coming as to the Mystery of the French Project, which will be revealed in a few chapters.
So that's it from me. Please review, I'm still aiming/hoping to get this to be the most reviewed Spoby story on here, so every little bit helps. See you guys next week, or maybe in my one-shot later on.