Here's a nice long chapter for you. (: Toby talks to his mother about Spencer. R&R.
As soon as Toby finished his first week of work, he set out for Rosewood. He promised his friends he would drop in for a visit as soon as he could. Now, he has time to. The drive back to Rosewood took up to ten hours, so by the time he got home, it was after 1 o'clock in the morning. Toby pulled up into his usual parking spot outside the brew. He got out, took the cold, metal stairs up to his loft, and unlocked the door. When he opened the door, his loft appeared pitch black. He flipped the light switch on the wall and the room lit up.
Everything in his loft appears to be the way he left it before he left. The coffee mug he drank out of is still sitting by the sink unwashed. The magazines on the table are in a messy pile. The trash-can is still half full thanks to the pizza he ordered a few days before he left. Toby walked down the short hallway into his bedroom. He turned on the light and walked over to the closet to hangup his jacket. Then, he tossed his keys down on the nightstand by his bed. After he showered, he changed into a light gray shirt and navy blue sweatpants. He walked into the kitchen and opened up the fridge. He doesn't have much to choose from. The only thing he has in his fridge is a few cans of soda, some beer, a couple bottles of water, a jar of strawberry jelly, and a package of cheese. Toby grabs a can of Pepsi then, walks in the family room to sit on the sofa.
Normally people are happy to be back home. They say home is the happiest place in the world. Why does being home feel so strange to him? He's sitting in his loft, which is his home, but he doesn't feel like he's home. Toby finished his soda and turned off the t.v. It's getting late and he has a big day tomorrow. He's catching up with everyone during the day then, having dinner with his mother at her house. He finally got himself off the couch and went to bed.
The next morning, Toby left to go have breakfast with Emily, Aria, and Ezra. Later, they will go to the bar and meet up with everybody else. Toby entered the brew which is right below his loft. He searched the room and spotted his three friends sitting in the back where there's a couch, some chairs, and a little coffee table. He ordered himself a coffee and a blue berry muffin then, went over to join them. Emily saw him coming and stood up to hug him.
"Toby, I'm so glad you are back," Emily said.
"It's good to be back," he said.
"I hope you hear about a job here in Rosewood soon, because we miss you here too much," Aria said.
"Thanks, but it's really not that bad working in Maine."
"It's bad for us, because we miss you," Emily said.
"You guys could visit Maine sometime."
"Not with college," Aria said.
"When do you have to go back?" Ezra asked.
"Early Friday morning," he said.
"No!" Aria and Emily whined.
"That's too soon," Emily said.
"We need more time with our Tobes," Aria added.
"We're not letting you leave again," Emily pouted.
Toby chuckled, "what are you girls going to do? Tie me up and keep me in your basement?"
"If we have to," Aria said.
The four of them laughed. They finished their coffee and muffins and talked for a little bit longer. At 12:30, Caleb texted them to meet up at the bar in an hour. They all agreed. When the time came, they got up and headed to the bar. Since Aria and Emily are under twenty-one, they had to get fake IDs. Actually, they've had these IDs since high school. When Toby walked into the bar, Hanna saw him, ran up, and gave him a big hug. The tall blonde nearly knocked him over.
"Toby!" She squealed. "You're back!"
"Yes, I'm back," he chuckled.
"Glad to have you back buddy," Caleb patted his shoulder. "Even if it's only for a few days."
"How is it that you haven't heard about a job at Rosewood P.D?" Hanna asked.
Toby shrugged. The truth is he did get a job offer in Rosewood. He was offered a spot on the Rosewood P.D patrol team. It was a great job offer, but he turned it down. Why would he turn down that job? Well, we already know the answer to that question. Someone back in Maine is holding him back from taking that job in Rosewood.
They partied on into the late afternoon. Toby spent most of his time sitting at the bar drinking his second beer of the day. A tall girl with tan skin and silky blonde hair came over and sat beside him. She was wearing an outfit that would make any other man drool. She wore tight skin shorts and a black tank top with lacey sleeves. The girl's pink glossy lips curled up into a smile.
"Well, hi there, cutie."
Toby swallowed some of his beer and said, "hi."
"I'm Holly."
"That's nice."
Holly maintained her best smile, "and you are?"
"Toby."
"Toby," she grinned. "What a sexy name for a sexy guy." Holly turned towards the bartender and said, "can I get a gin martini?"
The man nodded and got her drink right away. Pretty soon, Holly was sitting at the bar slurping her drink while making googly eyes at Toby. Toby felt a little uncomftrable having her stare at him like that, but he didn't want to be rude. A month ago, he would've been spending the whole afternoon flirting with a girl like her. Something inside of him has changed his ways of flirting with every hot thing that walks through the door.
"So," Holly spoke up. "I heard your a cop."
"That's right."
Holly wrapped her arm through his, "I think police officers are hot. The way they wear their uniforms is such a turn on. Knowing that they have weapons and handcuffs. It all just sound sexy so, so sexy. Do you get to carry around a gun?"
"Uh, yeah. When I'm on duty."
"That's so hot. Have to ever arrested anyone?"
"Not really. I'm currently working at a facility in Maine, so I don't do much arresting."
"Prison guards are hot too. Maybe you should take me home and teach me what you do to bad girls."
"You don't seem like much of a bad girl."
Holly smirked and rubbed his thigh, "oh, I can be a very bad girl."
Toby sighed and removed her hand from his thigh. He was already uncomfortable before. Now, she really crossed the line. He stood up and set a $30 down for the drinks he's had. Holly turned around thinking he's about to take her home.
"Sorry," he said. "I can't take you home."
"Why not?" She frowned.
"I just can't."
He stood up and started to leave. Holly got up and blocked him from leaving.
"Unless you can give me a legit reason why, you're not going anywhere."
"I can't, because I have a girlfriend."
Those words shocked him more than they shocked her. He doesn't really have a girlfriend, but if Holly thinks he does then, she'll leave him alone.
"You have a girlfriend?" She squinted her eyes at him like she doesn't believe him.
"Yes, I do," he said. "I know my girl wouldn't like it if some other girl started flirting with me."
"I saw you with your friends over there and I know that two of those girls already have a boyfriend and that girl with the black hair is gay. If you have a girlfriend, why Isn't she here with you tonight?"
"Because she's a girl I met back in Maine."
"Tell me about her. What's her name?"
"Spencer," he blurted out without even thinking. "My girlfriends name is Spencer. She has brown hair, brown eyes. She's extremely beautiful. She's tall and has perfect skin. A lot of people find her scary, but to me, she's amusing. She's very smart, but doesn't like to show it."
Holly rolled her eyes and walked away. Toby sighed in relief when she left. Caleb watched the whole thing from the other side of the room. He came over and stood by him.
"I gotta give you points for turning down Rosewood's biggest slut, Holly, but do you think Spencer knows she's your girlfriend?"
Toby sighed, "I only told her that so she'd leave me alone. Anyway, I have to go. My moms expecting me for dinner."
Marion Cavanaugh stood in front of the stove waiting for the rice to finish cooking. Toby should be here any minute. She's making his favorite for dinner baked chicken with rice. It was Toby's favorite meal growing up as a kid. When she saw that the rice was close to be done, she turned the burner down on low. A few minutes later, Toby's truck drove up in the parking lot. Marion ran over to the window to go see if it's really him. She smiled when she saw her son hop out of the truck and up the porch steps. She was at the door when he walked in and unvolped him in a tight embrace. Toby smiled and held his mother. He sure did miss her while he was away.
"I'm so glad you're home!" She exclaimed. "I've missed you."
He smiled back and said, "I've missed you too, mom."
She pulled away and gestured towards the kitchen, "come on in and sit down. Dinner will be ready soon."
Toby followed his mother into the kitchen and sat in one of the chairs. While his mother had her back turned to him, Toby stared out the kitchen window. You can see the Hastings old house from here. It looks different. It's rumored that Peter Hastings moved out of that house a few years ago. Toby stared at the house and kept thinking about all those times he would hear a scream coming from there. At the time, he had no idea who or what could be making such ear shattering noise.
"Toby?"
"Hmm?"
His mother pulled him out of his thoughts. He looked up to see his mother staring at him with her eyebrows raised and hands on her hips.
"Sorry, did you say something?" He asked.
"I said dinners ready and I asked if you could get the plates."
"Oh," he stood up. "Sure."
He walked over to the covert and got down two glass plates. His mother took the chicken out of the oven then set it on top of the stove. Toby set the plates on the counter by the stove and Marion started serving the food. They took their seats at the table and fell into a deep conversation. Actually, Marion did a lot of the talking. Toby would mumble a response every now and then. Marion noticed his strange behavior. He's barely talking and he's not eating his dinner. He would pick at it with his fork and take small bites. Marion set down her fork and folded her hands on the table top.
"Toby."
He looked up, "yeah?"
Her forehead crinkled in confusion, "is everything alright?"
"Yeah," he lied. "Everythings fine."
"Don't you lie to your mother now. What's eating at you?"
"It's nothing," he sighed.
"Does this have anything to do with your father?" He shook his head and she tried again. "Is this about your job?"
He shrugged, "maybe."
"Toby," Marion reached out to touch his arm. "Come on. I'm your mother talk to me. What's going on?"
Toby set his fork down and sighed, "do you remember the family that used to live in that house down the street? The one that Emily Field's parents live in?"
"The Hastings," she nodded. "Yes, I remember."
"You remember Spencer, right?"
"Of course I do," she said. "Spencer was a very sweet girl. You used to adore that little girl."
"Yeah, well, she's not such a little girl anymore."
"Huh?" Marion looked confused.
"The first day on my job at that prison facility, I saw her. She's an inmate there. Spencer is in juvie for doing drugs."
"Spencer's in juvie?" Marion questioned. "But I thought she was…"
"I know," Toby sighed. "I did too. That was until I saw her and it's her. I would know Spencer anywhere, but the thing is, she's acting like she doesn't know me. I walked into her cell and she just looked right through me."
"If she doesn't remember you then, maybe it's not really her."
"No, mom," Toby spoke in a stirn voice. "It's her. I think I would recongize my old best friend when I see her. It's her. It's Spencer. She knows who I am, she just won't come out and say it. I just," he sighed and sat back in his chair. "I don't know why she's acting like that. To me. She used to tell me everything and now, it's like I'm a complete stranger to her."
It's the middle of Spring, so the air is getting warmer. Flowers are blooming and leaves are growing on the trees. It's a beautiful time. It's also Toby's favorite time of the year. Not so good for his mother though since she has allergies. After Toby finished his homework, he took the trail into the woods and met Spencer by the river. The eleven-year-old was there already sitting on a rock scribbling something down in her journal. She's always writing or drawing something. Part of Toby wonders if she wants to be a writer when she grows up. Spencer always said she wanted to be an interior designer instead. Toby walked up behind her and covered her eyes. He didn't seem to notice when Spencer tensed up.
"Guess who?" He spoke.
Spencer relaxed when she recognized his voice. She thought it was someone like her dad. Her father cannot find out about this place. She spends a lot of time out here. It's the one place where she can be alone. Only her and Toby know about it. Well, Toby's parents know about it too, but Spencer's dad doesn't. And she'd like to keep it that way.
Spencer smiled, "is it the idiot who lives next door?"
"Ding ding ding!"
He exclaimed and removed his hands from over her eyes. Toby sat down on the rock beside her
"What are you doing?" He asked leaning over her shoulder.
She held her notebook close to her chest, "don't peek!"
"Oh," he smirked. "It's a secret. I get it. Are you writing about your secret crush?"
She rolled her eyes, "No, I'm eleven. Boys are gross."
He gave her a look, "and what am I? A fish?"
"Well, you sure do smell like one," she teased.
"Toby, can I ask you something?"
An hour passed and the two sat out by the river making small talk. It's been mostly quite since Spencer's trying to concentrate on what she's writing.
"Anything," he said.
"Why do you still hang out with me?"
"Because, you're my friend."
"Don't you wish you had friends that are the same age?"
"What are you getting at, Spence?"
"Well, I'm eleven and your almost fifteen. You're only best friend is an eleven-year-old girl. Aren't you upset about that?"
"Not really," he shook his head. "I like having you as a friend. Plus, you're a lot more mature than a lot of the teens my age. They're already talking about drinking, smoking, and doing other grown-up things."
"Grown up things like having sex?" She questioned. When he looked at her in surprise, she smiled. "Yes, I know about that kind of stuff."
"You're a little young to know about that."
"Apparently not," she said with a shrug. "They're already teaching us about it in school."
"Well, you're too young to be doing any of that, so don't even think about it."
"Yes, sir," she said with a smirk. "Do you have a something sharp with you?"
"Like what?"
She shrugged, "I don't know. Like a knife maybe."
"I have my fathers old pocket knife," he said pulling it out of his pocket.
"Perfect."
She took it from him and stood up to walk over to the little oak tree. She stepped up on one of the stumps and started carving something into the trunk of the tree. Toby stood up and walked over to see what she's doing.
"What are you doing?"
"Shut up," she whispered. "I'm trying to concentrate."
Toby remained quiet while she continued to carve into the tree. It took her a couple minutes longer then, she was finished.
"There," she smiled. "What do you think?"
Toby took one look at it and smiled. Spencer carved their names into the tree trunk along with best friends forever. It looked like this Spencer + Toby BFF. He ran his fingers over the carving. It looks great. He probably couldn't have done it any better himself.
Toby ran his long fingers over the carving in the tree trunk. After all these years, it's still here. After dinner and after he helped his mother clean the dishes, he went out into the backyard and took the long trail through the woods. He walked until he came to the river he and Spencer spent so much time at as kids. He looked at all the trees until he found the one that Spencer carved their names into seven years ago. He felt his eyes begin to water as he traced over the letters. Why doesn't Spencer want to remember? The only way to get her to come around is if he has solid proff that they were once best friends. Toby picked up his camera and snapped a picuture of the tree. He plans on taking this and other pictures they've taken together in order to get her to come clean. He's tired of her screwing with his mind. He just wants his best friend back. If only she knew what her disappearance had put him through.
Next chapter will contain more flashbacks and how Spencer spent her week in juvie while Toby was gone. Do you think showing Spencer the pictures will help or make things worse? Post your theories in the comments and thanks again for reading! Have a nice night or day.