Chapter 4

The next day at school...

"Have you talked to Toby?" Emily asked. "I want to talk to him, but I just don't want him to hate me for how long I've ignored him and given him the cold shoulder. It was so unexpected, and I never told him why. I just left him hanging. I'm so sorry."

"I didn't talk to him, but I talked to Jenna," Spencer responded. "Besides, you shouldn't be apologizing to me. You're apologizing to the wrong person. Toby's the one you should be saying sorry to. He's the one you ignored."

"You're right," Emily nodded nervously. "Where is he? Why can't he be earlier to class!?"

"Calm down, Em," Spencer put a gentle hand on her friend's shoulder. "There's still five minutes to the bell, I'm sure he'll be here."

Before they knew it, the newly-dressed Toby Cavanaugh walked in the classroom. He looked even hotter than yesterday. Along with his new haircut, he'd gotten new clothes and kicks, and was well-dressed to school. He was wearing a flannel button-up and black jeans. He looked much better than he did when school started. It was almost as if he were a new, more confident Toby.

Unfortunately, he wasn't much more confident. He had gained a little more, but he was still hiding and running from his past. He didn't want anyone to know that he was in juvenile detention, as he'd be seen as an outcast again.

"There he is!" Emily exclaimed. "What do I say to him?"

"Just greet him calmly," Spencer said. "Then, if he gets upset, just apologize. He probably will get upset, so you better start thinking of your apology speech a little early, Em."

Spencer and Emily approached him. He was sort of stunned that both these girls were willingly talking to him. Girls hadn't talked to him in a while... especially popular girls, and Spencer & Emily were popular girls. They got invited to all the parties hosted by cool guys and jocks, like Noel Kahn and Sean Ackard.

"Hi Toby," Emily awkwardly said.

Toby glared at her, "Well, I didn't think the day that you talked to me again would come so soon. What changed your mind? Found out that everything Alison DiLaurentis said about me was a lie, or what?"

"No..." Emily sighed. "I wanted to apologize for trusting what she said. I don't even know if it's true. I just got worried."

"It's a little late for apologies," Toby rolled his eyes. "This would've been nice about eight months ago, though. Thanks for your attempt, though. It was nice of you."

"Toby, she didn't know," Spencer defended. "News is always spreading around in Rosewood easily."

"So she didn't want to give me the benefit of the doubt before cutting me off?" Toby asked, angrily. "It doesn't take that much effort to at least talk it out with me before ignoring me for the rest of the schoolyear. You think coming here right now, after months of showing me hatred, that I'll forgive you? Well, you're wrong, because I won't."

Emily felt like crying now. "I'm sorry, okay? I didn't mean to hurt you. I just assumed the worst."

Toby brushed past her and took his lab seat. Spencer gave her friend an apologetic look before joining Toby at the lab station. Emily dejectedly walked back tto her seat, sitting next to her new lab partner.

Mr. S announced the experiment, and the groups got to work on their assignment.

"So you're just going to cut Emily off, like that?" Spencer asked.

"It wasn't a problem for her to do to me," Toby shrugged it off as he added a gooey substance into the glass beaker.

"Everyone believes Alison, okay?" Spencer sighed. "She has a way with making people believe things, and I know you know that."

"What are you implying?" Toby asked. "That Alison made me believe something? She didn't."

"No, I'm implying that she made the cops believe-" Spencer began.

This was the first day Toby got angry again. He had been so chill for the past two days, especially yesterday. Right now, he got angry. His new look gave him a whole new attitude. Ever since Emily's apology, he had been angry.

"What the hell does this have to do with the cops?" Toby defensively asked.

"Look, I know about your past with Ali," Spencer sighed.

"Oh, you've been digging into my past?" Toby asked with irritation in his voice now. "I can't believe how nosy you are."

"You're accusing me of digging into your past!?" Spencer was offended now.

"Well, did you?" Toby asked.

"Yes... No... Maybe... Yes," Spencer finally gave in.

"I thought so," Toby rolled his eyes. "You have nothing to object to. I can't believe you. Jenna was right about you, and everyone in your posse."

"It's not like that!" Spencer cried defensively. "I did it for a reason!"

"And what's that reason?" Toby asked.

"Alison said some things about you," Spencer sighed. "When I said that it can't be true, she seemed one-hundred percent confident that she was correct about you. She said nasty things."

"She makes up lies all the time..." Toby muttered. "Did you believe her?"

"For a moment, but then I felt like it couldn't be true," Spencer shook her head. "So I went to Jenna, looking for answers. You can't tell her I told you this, though! Please, I promised her. And she told me all about your past, and I know that Ali was lying now."

Toby looked like he was about to cry. His anger faded.

"So you know that I wasn't in Cape May with my family for the last six months?" Toby asked with a frown. "Look, I'm sorry I lied-"

"I know. If I were you, I wouldn't have revealed my past in reform school to a stranger, either," Spencer said. "Don't worry. I know the hell Ali put you through, and I think what she did with CeCe was unbelievable, and she needs to stop this bull."

"You're supporting me?" Toby was shocked. "That's a first."

"I know you're innocent," Spencer said.

"I barely know you," Toby commented.

"I barely know you, too... Yet, I feel like I've known you my whole life," Spencer sighed.

Toby smirked, "So, you're the only girl in the Alison posse without a bitchy attitude."

"My friends are not bitchy," Spencer defended her friends. "Ali might me a little bitchy, but Aria, Hanna, and Emily are total sweethearts, I promise you."

"And that's why Emily ignored me for months," Toby rolled his eyes. "I don't know Hanna and Aria personally, but I know Emily, and she let me down."

"She was scared!" Spencer cried. "We all believed everything Ali said!"

"You want me to give Emily a second chance as a friend?" Toby asked.

Spencer nodded eagerly, "She's a good person. She feels so bad about what she did."

"Fine, I will," Toby agreed. Spencer was attracted to him for some reason right now. "On one condition. You have to talk with me right in front of Alison's face, and so does Emily. Prove your loyalty. I'm not going to be your secret meeting buddy, okay? If you're really not as snobby as Jenna used to say you were, then you wouldn't give a crap what Alison thinks about us hanging out."

"Deal! Anything for you to give Emily a second chance!" Spencer agreed. "I'll tell Emily what she needs to do for forgiveness. She'd be happy to gain you back as her friend. I think she missed you a lot."

"I'm glad she doesn't think of me as past trash," Toby smiled a little. "It feels good to know that at least somebody cares in some way. I've gotten so many dirty looks because of Ali, and nobody's given a rat's ass about what happens to me anymore."

"Toby, that's not true," Spencer shook her head. "You're a good person, people care about you."

"Like who?" Toby rolled his eyes. "They all think I'm a devilish guy who blinded his little step-sister."

"Me," Spencer surprisingly said.

"What?" Toby was shocked.

"I said me!" Spencer was fine with her answer. "I care about you. I barely know you, but I already care about you. I would never want anything bad to happen to you. That would be so wrong."

Toby smiled, "Thanks. Now, you wanna give me a hand with this experiment?"

"Of course," Spencer smiled back, taking the green dye and adding it to their experiment carefully.

Spencer met up with Emily as they walked to the cafeteria to buy their lunches. As they got their trays and walked towards their regular table, Spencer decided it was time to tell Emily the plan.

"Toby and I talked a lot in chem," Spencer told her. "He said he'd give you a second chance."

Emily's face brightened, "Really!? What changed his mind?"

"He just had a change of heart, I guess," Spencer shrugged. "But there's one condition. We have to hang out with him right now, right in front of Ali's face. He wants us to prove our loyalty to him."

"But... What if Ali gets mad?" Emily asked, fear on her face.

"She can't do anything. If you want to prove you care about Toby, you'll do this with me," Spencer replied.

"Definitely. I don't want to lose him," Emily said. "I care about him, still. I know it doesn't look like it, but I do."

"Good," Spencer smiled.

They sat down at their regular table.

"What's up, ladies?" Alison smiled. "You look happy, Em. Did Ben do something extra special for you?"

"I... I uh... I was telling Spencer about my great date with Ben last night," Emily said with a smile. "Ben's just perfect! Right, Spence?"

"Yeah, yeah. Ben seems like a wonderful boyfriend after that date story you told me," Spencer agreed, playing along with her lie.

"I'm glad you hooked up with one of the jock hotties," Alison was happy. "You think Ben's a keeper?"

"I guess. I really like him, and he likes me back," Emily nodded. "I think we'll be together a while, unless one of us does something to really screw the relationship up. Right now, it's going well, though."

"You should ask Ben to get Noel to hook up with Aria," Alison said. "Aria and Noel would be great together. Since Noel's back on the market, I think Aria has a shot with him."

"I heard my name!" Aria exclaimed as she sat down. "What are we talking about?"

"We think Noel's crushing on you," Alison grinned. "He's available. You two should totally go out!"

"Noel and me?" Aria couldn't help but blush. "Are you serious?"

"Yeah!" Emily exclaimed. "You two would be so cute together! Noel's a total package. He's hot, a jock, and his parties rock! Imagine being Noel's date to prom! He'd probably go to the extreme and rent you a limo. He really knows how to throw a party."

"He gets it from his brother, Eric Kahn," Alison told them. "My friend... CeCe. She used to date Eric. Eric threw these insanely awesome parties, and she got me invited to one. Eric was teaching little bro Noel all about party throwing, and now Noel's a master."

"You think Noel likes me?" Aria asked with a smile.

"Definitely. He's available, too!" Emily exclaimed. "I could see if Ben could get Noel to ask you out!"

"But my parents are setting me up with this cute guy that I've been friends with for a while," Aria said. "Since childhood, I think. His name's Holden. Should I go out with Noel or Holden? Maybe I'll friendzone Holden."

"Friendzone Holden, for sure!" Spencer told her. "I think you'd be better off with Noel."

Hanna sat down, "Sean is pissing me the hell off! He keeps arguing with me about dumb things. I love him, but I hate him!"

"Hanna, honey, don't lose your jock," Alison said. "Guys like Sean don't come around very often, so keep him. You two are perfect together."

Spencer turned around to see Toby giving her an upset look. She almost forgot! Was she going to go get him right now? She was with her friends now, talking about boys. She wanted to hang out with him, but she didn't want Ali to go mega-bitch on her.

"So Spencer, how are Dr. Dreamy and you?" Hanna asked, referring to Wren Kingston.

"We're over," Spencer shook her head. "I can't be with Wren. Not right now. He's Melissa's ex-fiance, it would be wrong to pursue anything further with him, so I put an end to us."

"Who cares what that bitch Melissa says?" Alison rolled her eyes. "She can go slut it up with Ian Thomas instead."

"I can't be with Wren. It would become a major family issue," Spencer sighed. "Melissa would bitch out every time. It's better that we're over."

"Well, if Wren and you are over, I heard that the tennis-playing-chef cutie Alex Santiago is available now!" Aria exclaimed. "You should totally go out with Alex. I heard from a friend that Alex has a thing for you, Spence."

"Really?" Spencer half-heartedly smiled. "I think Alex is cute."

"You should hang with him so he asks you out!" Alison exclaimed. "He's a hottie, for sure."

Spencer and Emily kept turning around to look at an upset Toby. He knew that they were considering going up to him, but were also considering blowing off the whole plan.

"Guys, I'll be right back," Spencer announced.

"Me too," Emily said.

Both the girls walked up to Toby's table.

"Toby, come with us," Spencer said. "I'm not going to give a crap what Ali says about you. Sit with us."

Toby smiled, "I honestly thought you bailed. Thanks, Em."

"I came to my senses," Emily smiled. "You matter more to me, Toby."