"Today's my last day in this place," Paige said at lunch.
Spencer took a sip of her water. It's true, today is Paige's last day in this place. Before dinner, she's being released and her grandmother is the one who's coming to get her. It's good knowing that she's getting out of here, but if Spencer's being honest, she wishes it was herself who's getting out. Samara still has some time left to serve, but not before long she too will be getting out. As far as Spencer knows, she still has a month left. Spencer has about a month left in this place as well. The time can't come fast enough.
"I can't wait to finally have some of my grandma's home cooking."
"Bet that's going to be nice for you," Samara said.
"It will be. I've missed my home."
Spencer smiled teasingly, "you know the first thing the guards are going to ask you before you leave is if you've learned your lesson by being here, right?"
Paige laughed, "oh, yeah, I had lots of time to think about what I've done."
"I'll be happy when I get out of here," Samara said. "I can finally get back to my girlfriend."
"Oh, you have a girlfriend," Spencer said.
Samara nodded, "her name's Abigail. We've been dating since the summer before junior year. Coming out for me was easy, but not for her. For most of our relationship, her parents didn't even know about me. That was until her father died in a car crash and all she had been her mother. It took a very long time for her mom to come around. She even tried sending Abby to therapy to find out what's wrong with her."
Spencer shook her head, "that's so sad."
"I had one secret girlfriend," Paige said. "But I was the one who wanted to keep things on the down low. The girl I liked wasn't ashamed about who she was. It took me forever to come to terms with who I was. And because I was so afraid to tell my parents, things didn't end well for us."
"What happened?" Spencer asked.
Paige looked at her, "she finally found someone who didn't hide who they were."
"Okay," Samara perked up. "Since today is your last day here, we should really make the most of it. The three of us have been friends since the day Spencer arrived. How can we make this day memorable for you?"
"I think just the three of us being here is enough to be remembered," Paige smiled when she thought of something. "Actually, there is one thing I want before I go. We told Spencer about our tragic love lives, but we know nothing about hers."
"Oh, boy," Spencer looked down.
"Yes," Paige grinned. "Come on, give us something. Tell us about any past boyfriends you've had or a crush."
"Oh," Samara spoke up. "I know. Tell us about what's going on between you and that one cop."
"What cop?" She asked.
"You know," Samara fluttered her eyelids like a little school girl. "That handsome, brave fellow, officer Cavanaugh. The one who's always looking out for you."
"Yeah," Paige said. "Tell us about him."
"I can't tell you guys anything."
"Oh, come on!"
"I can't tell you anything because there's really nothing to tell."
"Yeah, right," Paige rolled her eyes. "You're good at lying, but you're not that good."
"Don't think we haven't noticed those sexy eyes you two always share from across the room," Samara teased.
"Alright, alright," she whispered. "There is a little to tell, but you have to swear never to tell anyone, got it?"
"We swear," Paige said.
"Now," Samara bit her lip and smirked. "Tell us every little dirty detail about you two."
The phone on Detective Wilden's desk kept ringing loudly throughout his office. Toby sat in one of the chairs behind his desk. He wondered if he should answer the phone just to get it to stop ringing or just let it go. A few more rings later, the phone stopped. Toby sighed enjoying the silence surrounding him. He's been sitting here for a good thirty minutes waiting for Wilden to come in.
Toby plans to convince Detective Wilden to allow Spencer an early release from this place. He understands that Spencer still has a month left to serve for her time. What might work is if Spencer is put on temporary probation. She'll still be under police custody, but at least, she'll be out of this place. Spencer will be under the protection of yours truly. As if on cue, Wilden walked into his office with a large cup of tea clenched in his hand.
"Alright," Wilden started, taking a seat on his chair. "What's this about, Cavanaugh?"
"This regards one of our very own inmates here, Spencer Hastings."
"What about her?"
"The other night, Spencer asked me if there was any hope of reducing her time served in this place. I understand that won't completely happen, but what if she got out on probation. Don't most people who get arrested for drug problems get probation?"
"Before Hastings got arrested, she was given several warnings."
"I know that," Toby said. "But, I don't know if locking her up is the answer. Spencer needs help."
"Yes," Wilden nodded. "The guards and I are well aware of that. That's why we're moving her to a different facility."
"Moving her where?"
"Don't worry. Where we're sending her is a good place with great doctors who can help her."
"Wait, doctor's?" Toby asked, skeptical. "Just where exactly do you plan on sending her?"
"To a lovely place called Radley. It's a facility in Rosewood Pennsylvania."
"Radley!" Toby exclaimed. "You mean like a mental institution?"
"Yes," Wilden nodded. "Exactly that. She'll be moved there by the end of this week."
"Spencer doesn't need to be sent to Radley. She's not crazy. She just needs some guidance."
"She'll get that guidance there."
"I really don't think sending her to Radley is the right move to make."
"Based on her latest actions, I do think this is the right move to make," Wilden said.
"What actions? What has she done that shows you she needs mental help?"
"Last week she got into a fight with one of the other inmates. When she first came here, she was rude and wouldn't listen to any of the guards. The other night, she lashed out at two of my men. That girl is crazy."
Toby slammed his hands on the desk, "Spencer is not crazy!"
"And how do you know that?"
"Because I actually listen to her instead of what the other guards say about her. It took her some time to just get her to come out of her cell. I did what the other guards didn't do."
"And what's that, Mr. Cavanaugh?"
"I took the time to get to know her and earn her trust."
"Not all the guards can stick their hands out and wait for her to sniff them. She's not a dog."
"That's not what I'm saying," Toby said.
"Alright," Wilden sighed. "If you're such an expert about how to handle these situations, what do you think should happen with Spencer?"
"I think we should let her out on probation. Have an officer check up on her week by week and see how she does on her own."
Wilden chuckled, "no officer is going to want to put up with that impossible human being."
"I'll be her parole officer."
"Toby, you work here. How can you trail her while keeping up with your job here? If Spencer gets out on probation, she'll have to stay in the state of Pennsylvania."
"Well, it just so happens that I live in Pennsylvania. I was offered a job with the Rosewood P.D where detective Holbrook works. I can keep an eye on Spencer."
Wilden sat behind his desk lightly tapping his fingertips together. Clearly he's considering it. If Toby can get him to agree to let Spencer go, he can do a better job of protecting her. He's also scared too. What if she does get out on probation and tries running away again? She'll only be on probation for a month or two. Who's to say she won't leave again? He doesn't know if he could handle losing her a second time.
"Alright," Wilden said. "I will get ahold of Holbrook tonight and discuss this with him. If he agrees, Spencer will have to talk to a judge. Then, if the judge grants her probation, she'll be released. Keep in mind that if she does get out you will be responsible for her."
Toby tried to bite back a smile, "I understand."
By the end of the first semester in college, Toby became more accustomed to everything. On the first day he got here, everybody seemed strange. Especially his roommate, Caleb Rivers. He seemed to be the king of strange people. Believe it or not, though, over time, Toby and Caleb have grown to be very close friends. As well as the girl who lives in the same building as them, Hanna Marin. The three of them have formed a pretty tight group.
Towards the end of the semester, Toby met some other friends at college. For example, Emily Fields. She started going here at the beginning of the second eight-week mark. They had a class together and became study buddies. Over a short amount of time, they became friends. Emily then met Hanna and Caleb, and their group grew from the three of them to the four of them.
"I can't believe it's New Year's Eve already," Hanna said while chugging down her second alcoholic beverage.
"Hanna, you better keep track of how many drinks you have tonight," Emily said. "Because I am not holding your hair again like I did at the Halloween party."
"Em, that's what best friends do for each other. When we get drunk and throw up, we hold each other's hair and take care of each other's drunk asses."
"Okay, well, let Caleb be that friend tonight."
"Don't look at me," Caleb said. "I'm hoping to have a few drinks myself."
Emily rolled her eyes and looked at Toby, "Toby, how is it that you and I are the only two people in this room who have a brain?"
Toby just chuckled and shrugged his shoulders. While Emily and Toby drank the non-alcoholic lemonade, Caleb and Hanna took another drink of theirs.
"How did everybody spend Christmas?" Emily asked. "I spent mine with my family back in Texas. That's where my dad is stationed. How about you guys?"
"My mom and I took a trip to Paris," Hanna said. "There was lots of shopping. My kind of heaven."
Caleb rolled his eyes, "that sounds horrible."
"Oh, and you spending Christmas on a boat out in a lake, fishing with your father Isn't?" Hanna challenged.
"No, it's not. It was very relaxing."
Emily sighed and rolled her eyes, "forget it. I'm sorry I asked. What about you, Toby? What did you do over Christmas?"
"I went to visit my parents back home."
"That sounds nice," Hanna said then burped. "I'm going to get another beer."
"Wait," Caleb finished his. "I'll come with you."
After they left, Emily leaned against the wall and looked at Toby. Based off the look on his face, she can tell he's leaving something out.
"How were your parents?" Emily asked. "When you went to see them."
"Oh," Toby snapped his head up but didn't look her in the eye. "Good. They were very good. They're still doing good."
"Don't you think your parents would've been even better if you actually did go home for Christmas?"
Toby sighed, "how did you know?"
"By your tone of voice and body language, I knew you were leaving something out."
"Okay, I started driving home, but halfway there, I turned around and came back. I just couldn't go home. It's funny, because before I came, I was hesitant to leave home. Now, I don't think I can ever go back to my hometown."
"Why?" Emily asked out of curiosity.
"It just doesn't feel like home anymore."
"Why, are your parents jerks or something?"
"No," he chuckled half-heartedly. "My parents were great. It's what happened in my hometown that's making it hard to want to go back."
"Well, what happened that made you not want to go back?"
Toby looked at Emily for a long time. His blue eyes appeared to be a light gray color. A tall sign he's about to cry.
"It's nothing," he set his half-empty cup on a table. "Would you excuse me for a minute? I need some air."
On the following day, Spencer worked alone in the laundry room folding up all the dry, clean clothes that came out of the dryer. She's pretty much down here alone. Two of the other inmates who were down here went to deliver the stuff on carts. When they return, Spencer will have more stuff for them. While folding the laundry, she heard a noise coming from behind her. Cautiously, she turned around and saw Toby enter the room.
"God," she sighed, holding her hand over her chest. "You scared me. You could've announced yourself."
"Well, I just thought I'd come down and tell you the good news."
She finished folding the last pillowcase and turned around to face him.
"What news?"
"Wilden called Holbrook about letting you out on probation and he agreed to it." A huge grin spread out of Toby's face. Spencer smiled as well. Not as wide as he's smiling, but enough to light up her eyes.
"You mean, I'm getting out of here?" She asked.
"Well, maybe. You still have to talk to a judge and they'll decide what happens to you after that, but yeah. In a few days, you could be getting out of here. The only problem with being on probation, you won't be able to leave the state of Pennsylvania."
Spencer's smile faded, "but what about Gary? If he's out running the streets, there's only so many places I can hide."
He took her hand, "I know you're scared about Gary still being out there running the streets. What you have to realize is that there are dangerous people wherever you go. You could hide out in New York or somewhere on the West Coast, but there will always be crackheads out there. The first step to facing your fears, is to stop running."
"I know that you are right, but I'm still afraid of getting hurt by him or him hurting you. I don't want to put anyone else in danger."
"Spence, I can protect you. As long as you're with me, no one is ever going to hurt you again. I promise."
"I think I'm more worried about your well being than mine."
"Well," Toby wrapped an arm around her waist. "Guess that's one thing we have in common."
She leaned up and met him halfway for a kiss. His fingers teased her hips while moving his hands down her body. Spencer pressed her body against the table and he leaned against her body. The thought of somebody catching them crossed both their minds, but they didn't pull away. Her fingers ran up the back of his neck and tickled his hairline. After a few minutes, Toby started smiling against her lips.
"We shouldn't be doing this here," he said.
She laughed against his lips, "you're the one who started the kiss. We should stop."
"Yeah, we really should."
Not long after finishing that sentence, Toby's lips were back on hers. Spencer made a sound that sounded like a giggle and a moan as her arms circled around his neck. If they weren't in a detention facility right now, Toby would be doing a lot more than just making out with her. They stopped then they heard the speaker on Toby's vest start vibrating.
"Wait, wait, wait," Toby stood up. Spencer pouted not being able to reach his lips anymore. He chuckled and took a few steps back before acknowledging whoever's calling him.
"I gotta go," he said.
"Fine," she frowned. "Go, you're distracting me anyway."
He smiled, pecked her on the lips then, walked out of the laundry room. When he reached Wilden's office, he was puzzled seeing three other officers standing around the office. Very slowly, Toby walked into the room and looked at each of them.
"What's going on?" He asked.
"Cavanaugh you might want to have a seat," Wilden said.
"I'm good standing, thank you. What is this about?"
"This is about you screwing the inmates!" One of the officers blurted.
"Rick, please," Wilden scolded.
Toby was stunned, "what?"
Wilden sighed and looked at him, "Toby, we have an eye witness that said they saw you 'hooking up' with an inmate here. I don't think we need to elaborate on who you were rumored to be hooking up with. I'll be honest with you, Cavanaugh, I'm really hoping this Isn't true because you could be in a lot oftrouble."
Oh-uh. Somebody found out about Toby and Spencer's relationship and told the head guards. Any guesses on who sold them out? Will this affect Spencer getting out on probation? Leave a review and I'll update with the answers ASAP.