In this chapter shows a little about what Spencer was up to. Something big happens in this chapter. R&R

Sleeping in the car always does well to keep time moving. The van pulled up to an easy stop as Spencer slowly started to stir. She leaned her head off the glass window. The light from the neon sign at the gas station made her squint. Mona, who had been working on the laptop that's set up on her knees, looked up towards the front seat.

"Why have we stopped?" She asked.

Maya glanced back at her, "we need gas. It's getting late. There's a motel just next door. We can stay there."

"Where are we?" Spencer asked.

"Oh, my dear," Maya smiled. "Don't worry about where we are, because here is not where we're staying for long. You can worry about where we are when we get where we need to be."

"And where is that?" She asked once they were all out of the van.

"We don't know yet," Maya said, shrugging. "We'll figure that out when we get there."

"Maya and I will get some gas," Jake said, handing Mona $20. "Why don't you and Spencer get some snacks."

Mona accepted the $20 and walked with Spencer inside the station. Jake pumped the gas while Maya went in to pay for it. The gray walls and flickering lights gave Spencer a headache as she scanned up and down the rows for something good. For the past week, all they've done is drive from city to city in an old hippy van. She's beginning to wonder if she made the right choice by tagging along. Then again, she's free from Gary, so, so far she's okay with this.

"How are you?" Mona asked.

"Compared to what?"

"Are you okay with what we're doing? I understand if life on the road is new for you."

"No," Spencer quickly shook her head. "I'm okay. I'm just trying to adjust, but I'm okay."

Mona turned to look at the shelf, "what looks good to you?"

She looked too, "maybe some chips."

"Pick whatever you like. I'll get drinks."

Spencer grabbed a bag of regular potato chips, one bag of BBQ chips, a bag of cool ranch Doritos, and a bag of salt and Vinegar chips. Mona walked back around with a case of root beer for everyone. Together, they walked up to the counter and bought everything. Jake finished putting gas in the van and everybody climbed back in. They drove the short distance to the motel and rented two motel rooms. Mona and Spencer shared a room leaving Jake and Maya in the other room.

During the night time when everything is quiet and everyone's asleep, that's when Spencer starts thinking about things. She's only fourteen and she's putting her trust into some people she barely knows. Sure she knows Mona and Maya pretty well, but this guy Jake is still new to her. She laid awake in her bed staring up at the ceiling as she thought about her friend Toby. What is he up to? She wonders if he misses her. She sure misses him. Was it really right for her to just leave him without giving him a single word? It is if it means he stays out of harm's way. In Spencer's mind, she did the right thing by running away.

"You'll never guess what they're serving for lunch today," Samara says, taking her seat next to Paige and across from Spencer.

"Let me guess," Spencer thought. "Chewed up bread crumbs?"

"Ew that's disgusting," Paige made a face.

"Well, most of the food here looks like somebody already chewed it up then spit it back out."

"You mean like baby food?"

"No, I don't think even babies would eat that."

"There's no chewed up bread crumbs," Samara said. "They're serving cereal."

"Cereal?" Paige questioned.

Samara nodded, "that's right. They're giving out shredded wheat."

"I wouldn't trust it," Spencer said. "It's probably not any good."

"Well, will just have to see about that."

Samara took a bite of her shredded wheat and instantly regretted it when the taste hit her tongue. Paige held back a laugh when she saw the disgusted look on her face. Spencer handed her a napkin and Samara spit the shredded wheat right out then whipped her mouth.

"No good?" Spencer asked, already knowing the answer.

She shook her head in disgust, "don't eat that if you have any desire to live."

"Told you it would be horrible."

"Uh, that's older than my grandmother."

"I never knew my grandmother," Spencer said. "I think I got one card from her on my second birthday and that was it. She died before I turned three."

"Wow," Paige said.

"What?"

"Nothing. I just don't think I've ever heard you talk about your family before."

"Yeah, well, don't get used to it."

"I like my grandmother," Paige said. "She used to send me cards on my birthday every year. A few times she came to visit me. She's also the first person I came out to."

"One of my grandmother's is gay, so she was cool with it," Samara put out. "Actually, my whole family was surprisingly supportive of me."

"Lucky you, I lived with my grandmother for two months when my parents kicked me out. My father wasn't very accepting."

"What the hell is wrong with parents?" Spencer said while shaking her head. "Why can't they just support and love their child for who they are? Why should we have to jump through hoops in order to make them happy? Why should we have to beg for their attention and unconditional love? We didn't ask to be put on this earth. We didn't ask to be born. They're the ones who put us here. Then they turn on us and fill our lives with sorrow and disappointments. Not to mention all those broken promises."

Samara touched Spencer's arm, "are you okay?"

"Yeah," she sighed and took a very, very deep breath. "Yeah, I'm sorry. This is why I never talk about my past. It can make me go a little crazy."

"No!"

Spencer screeched and curled into the corner of the wall. Which was not a good idea. Now she has nowhere to run. Today Spencer was playing with a tennis ball when she accidentally tossed it too hard. The tennis ball flew across the room and hit the lamp in the living room causing it to tumble over and crash to the floor. She cupped her tiny hands over her cheeks in panic. Her daddy is going to kill her. Not even a second after the lamp broke, Peter came home. He walked into the living room and that first thing he saw was his six-year-old daughter shaking with fear. His eyes moved towards the floor where the lamp laid shattered all over the wood flooring.

"Spencer."

He growled. His face turned a dark shade of red and his blood began to boil. He clenched his fist together tightly until his knuckles turned white. Spencer's really going to get it this time. She broke something after being told over and over again not to play downstairs. Now, her mother's lamp is shattered all over the floor. Peter set down his briefcase and clinched his jaw.

"I'm sorry." She whimpered and started backing away. "I didn't mean to. I-I promise to clean it up."

"How many times do I have to tell you not to play down here?"

"I just came down here for a few minutes and…"

"And, and, and," he said mocking her tone. "You broke the rules. You always break the rules. God, when will you ever learn? You're such a useless, clumsy bitch."

"I'm sorry," she cried backing more towards the corner.

"You will be sorry."

"No," she pleaded, resting her back against the wall. "No, no."

Spencer yelped when Peter struck his hand hard across her cheek. Hot tears threatened to spill out of her eyes. She's not supposed to cry. That only angers her father more. He strikes her again on the other cheek and this time she sinks to the ground. Peter huffed one more time before leaving the room.

As soon as he left the room, Spencer hugged her knees to her chest tightly. Finally, she let the tears slip off her eyelashes and stream down her cheek. Will this torture ever come to an end?

Another week went by, which means Spencer's another day closer to getting out. The time can't come soon enough. If it weren't for Paige and Samara, she would've died of boredom weeks ago. A certain guard being around has helped a little too. There's no way she's about to let him know that.

Late afternoon rolled around and a new inmate has been brought in. The rumor about this inmate is she's seventeen and got busted for battery. Her name is Cora and she's a tall, skinny girl with thin black hair tied up in a pony-tail. Her arms are covered with tattoos and she has a nose piercing on her right nostril. Cora's been here for a day and she's already giving Spencer the creeps. There were times where Spencer would catch Cora giving her a death stare. She doesn't know why Cora's looking at her that way. She's never seen that girl before in her life. Why would Cora hate her?

"Hey, Spencer," Samara said.

"What?"

"How do you know that girl?"

"Who?"

"Cora. She went around asking a few people about you. Do you know her?"

"No," Spencer shrugged her shoulder's. "I've never seen that girl before in my life. I swear."

"Well, you're about to meet her now, because she's walking over here now."

Spencer turned around just as Cora was walking up. Cora came over and stood in front of Spencer. The two stood face to face. Since Cora was glaring at her, Spencer glared back without even knowing what this is about.

"Are you Spencer Hastings?"

She hesitated for a second before nodding, "depends on who's asking."

"Cora Landford that's who's asking. You're going to pay for what happened."

Before Spencer had time to answer, she was shocked by a slap Cora delivered right to her face. Spencer held her now throbbing cheek and looked back at Cora. She stood there for a few seconds before giving Cora her best death stare.

"You're messing with the wrong bitch, bitch!" Spencer hissed.

Spencer raised her hand and struck Cora harder than she struck her. Cora stumbled back a little but managed to catch herself before she fell. She looks back at Spencer, her face glowing red as an apple. Cora shoves Spencer back into a table. Everyone begins circling around them to watch and see who is going to scratch whose eyes out. Spencer steadies herself up straight and lunges forward. The two begin fighting back and forth. Both pushing, slapping, and scratching at the other. A lot of people tend to underestimate Spencer's strength. Some might take a look at her and think she's an easy target. In reality, she's a lot stronger than people think.

Four guards finally ran over to break up the fight. Three guards had to pull Spencer off of Cora and restrain her. A fifth guard came over to help keep Cora under control. Spencer could feel something warm trickling down her lip. Stupid bitch gave her a bloody lip.

"Damn, bitch!" Cora yelled.

"I'm the bitch?" Spencer yelled back. "I'm not the one who went all psycho crazy on me for no reason!"

"I have my reasons, freak!"

"I should've killed you when I had the chance."

"That's enough!" Officer Wilden shouted over all of them. He turns to the other guards. "Get those two out of here, but first, take Hastings to see the nurse."

Spencer maybe walking away with a bloody lip, but Cora has a black eye, a bloody nose, and a large scratch down the left side of her cheek that starts from right beside the eye and half way down her face. Two guards take Spencer to see the nurse to take a look at her bloody lip. The blonde nurse gave her a cool, damp washcloth to hold over her lip. She has to keep it there until it stops bleeding. Then apply ice to it.

She's been sitting here, staring down at her shoes for a good fifteen minutes. The nurse had to leave the room real quick to go check on Cora back in her cell. A few minutes after the nurse walked out, somebody else walked in. Either the nurse got back really fast or another guard walked in.

"Spencer."

Of course, she thought after hearing that familiar voice. She looks up and see's Toby standing just a few feet away from her. He's still wearing his police jacket so he must've just gotten here. He folded his arms over his chest and shook her head at her in disbelief.

"Spencer I'm trying to trust you here. If you want my trust, you have to start being honest."

"Toby it was just one little fight. I'm okay. Wilden already said that they're going to make sure Cora and I don't cross paths again."

"What happens when you do cross paths again? It will happen. Maybe not while you're in this place, but sometime."

"That bitch is just crazy, Toby."

"Give it a rest, Spencer."

"Give what a rest?" She snapped.

"I know you're good at acting like you don't know someone, but that girl tried to kill you. Who is she?"

"I don't know!" She exclaimed. Toby looked at her in disbelief. "I've never seen that girl before in my life, I swear. I know I lied about knowing you, but that was only so I could protect you. Why would I lie about knowing Cora, when I don't give a damn about her."

"You don't give a damn about Cora?"

"No! How can I give a damn about somebody that I don't even know." Spencer's chest rose and fell. She took a deep breath to calm herself down.

"Look," she said calmly. "You have every reason not to trust me, but I swear to you that I don't know who Cora is. You have to believe that."

"You really never seen her before?"

She shook her head. Toby sighed and put his hands on his hips. He's not sure if he should trust her word, but she seems to be telling the truth. She's not showing any familiar signs of lying.

"I wasn't expecting you back so soon," she said honestly.

"There's a staff meeting tonight, so I came back early."

"Oh."

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. I think Cora is the one you should be asking that too."

"It's not funny, Spencer. You could've been seriously hurt."

"Don't you think I know that?" She scoffed. "I've been seriously hurt before. I'll probably get seriously hurt again."

"Well, try to not let that happen."

"Believe me," she huffed a laugh and brushed a strand of her brown hair back. "I've been trying my whole life."

"I should get you back to your cell."

"Okay," she hissed and squinted her eyes. "God, my lip really hurts."

As soon as she stood up, Toby places his hand gently on her upper arm. They're now facing each other. He really should be getting her back, but there's something he needs to do first. He leans in and presses his lips against hers. Allowing his lips to graze against hers in the softest of ways. He pulled back and leaned his forehead against hers, feeling her warm breath on his cheek.

"How's your lip now?"

"Better," she said with a shaky breath.

She smiled softly as he turned her to hold on to her arm. Like always, he walked her back to her cell without saying another word.

Who do you think Cora is and where does she know Spencer from? Was Spencer telling the truth when she said she didn't know who Cora is? Some drama went down in this chapter, but we got sweet Toby at the end. Thank you all for reading and don't forget to review.