This is cute. This is so cute and I'm dying and I have nothing else to say. I'm just going to post this.

I haven't heard back from my other interview yet, but I just got invited to a final interview with Teach for America and I'm losing it. Guys this is an insane opportunity and I'm flipping out. I hope I get it!

Chapter 9

TPOV

It was funny how quickly things changed. In the past Christmas was a family day. He didn't really want to do anything other than spend the day with his mom, but that was all different now. He kept his eyes on clock as it slowly ticked its way toward 5 o'clock. "Mom?"

His mom laughed over her hot chocolate. "Go see Spencer."

He grinned despite himself. Somehow she always managed to read his mind, although he doubted that he was hiding his desire to see his girlfriend very well. Spencer's family spent Christmas day with her grandma in Philadelphia, so he had to wait.

Presents were basically his favorite thing. He was like a little kid, tearing through the wrapping paper. He didn't care if he was 35, he'd still probably wake up at 6 am to open presents on Christmas morning. But today all he could think about was giving Spencer her present. It wasn't the first present that he had even gotten for her, obviously. But it was their first Christmas together, and there was something about the situation that was higher pressure.

He laughed and dodged the snow ball that Emily threw at his face. "Emily, you've maybe got the worst aim in the world." He almost told her that she threw like a girl, but no one threw a snow ball harder than Hanna, so he didn't think that was much of an insult.

She just shrugged and let out a halfhearted laugh. "Go see Spencer, Toby. She's sad and she won't talk to me."

He followed her eyes and felt a twinge of sadness over not noticing sooner. He was a crappy friend. He trudged through the snow until he was in front of her. "Spence? Are you okay?"

"Did you know that I never got to see snow?" She asked him softly. "We lived in North Carolina before we moved here, and it was much hotter"

He sat next to her with a sad smile. "You are missing much. Remember when we were younger and we went to the beach?"

She smiled. "And you told me it feels just like it looks?"

"Snow is even worse," he explained. He shoved a piece in her hand, watching it melt over her smooth skin. She really should be wearing gloves. "What color do you think it is?"

"White," she smiled. "I did see it in movies before. I just wish I could see the real thing."

"Trust me," he laughed. "Ninety percent of snow is how it feels. It just looks like fluffy cotton."

"Hey, have a present," she changed the subject quickly and tossed a small package in his lap.

"Nice wrapping," he teased and carefully removed the tape, revealing a small stack of classical CDs.

She nudged him with her shoulder. "I just thought you would like them, I don't know."

His smile stretched into a grin. "I love them." He dug the tiny package out of his pocket and pressed it into her hands. As she unwrapped it he quietly explained what it was. "It's a necklace. The charm is an owl, just because it reminded me of you. You're so smart, and even though you're in the dark a lot of the time... it doesn't stop you. I don't know, I just thought maybe-"

She laughed and took his hand. "I love it!"

He pulled in behind Emily's SUV and put his truck in park, just taking a calming breath. Even getting to see Spencer set his heart flurrying like a hummingbird. He climbed out of a the truck and walked up the driveway, his heart hammering against his chest. He hadn't seen her in two days, and it was two days too long.

"Toby Cavanaugh, be still my beating heart," Mrs. Hastings yanked open the front door with a dramatic flourish. "I feel like we haven't been graced with your presence in about eighty-seven years."

He laughed and slid inside around her. "I miss you too, Mrs. Hastings. Is Spencer here?"

"She's in her room wrapping your present," Emily yelled from the couch. "It's pretty awesome. Can I borrow it?"

He just laughed again and climbed the stairs, too eager to see Spencer to focus on much else. He put a hand on the cold door handle and pulled it open. As soon as he saw Spencer sitting on her bed tension that he didn't even know he was feeling evaporated. But it was always like that with them. She was the most calming thing in his world.

"Hello?" She asked, turning her face toward the door. Tyrion lifted his head from her lap and turned to look at him, his tail thumping happily on the bed.

He smiled and walked inside, shutting the door behind him. "Hey," he murmured, sitting down across from her.

She grinned, pushing Tyrion off the bed and crawling across the bed into his arms. "I missed you," she murmured into the skin of his neck.

He buried his face in her hair, breathing in her distinctive scent. "You're so beautiful," he breathed. He loosened his grip on her for a second and pulled the long, thin box from his pocket and pressed it into her hands. "I know I'm getting cliche with the necklaces, but-"

She cut him off with a soft kiss. "I'm sure that it's perfect." She opened the box and ran her fingers over the charm. "A Scrabble piece?" She whispered.

He smiled and nodded. The number of times the dominated Scrabble- there really wasn't anything more perfect. Sure, they had to play with teams, but that didn't matter at all. It was still their thing. "There's an S on the piece," he murmured. "If you don't like it I-"

She shook her head. "No, it's perfect. You're way better at this kind of thing than you think you are. Can you put it on for me?" She twisted so that he had access to her neck.

He brushed her silky curtain of hair aside and pressed a gentle kiss to her neck, his lips lingering for a few moments longer than he usually would. He took the necklace and draped it over her elegant neck, struggling with the delicate clasp for a second. God, he loved her more than he could even express. But he bit down on his lip, stopping himself from saying it out loud. He refused to scare her away by saying it too soon. But there was no way he was going to be able to keep it in for much longer.

He felt her shiver before she turned around, a dazed kind of look on her face. "Do you want your present?"

He refrained from saying duh. He loved presents. "Of course."

She handed him a bag with a nervous look on her face, which was pointless because he wasn't sure that it was possible for him to be disappointed with her. He dug into the bag until his fingers touched two things. He pulled out the cool rectangle first, revealing a beautifully framed picture of him and Spencer at 6 or 7, hugging in knee length green grass. "Spence," he whispered, his finger grazing over their faces.

"Which one is it?" She reached for his hand.

He met her hand halfway and gave it a gentle squeeze. "The picture."

The air tickled his nose as he ran through the sun soaked field behind his house, pulling Spencer behind him. Emily would probably think they would hide deeper in the field, but they were going to trick her and hide right by his house. "You okay, Spencer?"

"Yes!" She giggled, tightening her grip on his hand. "Just don't let me run into a tree, Superman!"

"I got you," he said importantly, pulling her to a stop right behind his house. They were still in bounds, because they hadn't left the field, but Emily would look here last. He was sure of it.

"Toby?"

Before he could ask her what was up she had wrapped her arms around him. If it had been anyone else he would have thought it was gross, but with Spencer it felt right. He was already home, but this felt different. It felt like being wrapped up in the warm blanket his mom just pulled out of the dryer. It felt like being cozy in bed with a cup of hot chocolate. It just felt right.

He didn't know until a few years ago that his mom had snapped that picture, but it had quickly become one of his favorites. "This is perfect, Spence."

"The other one is better," she giggled, sounding eerily similar to the little girl of his memories.

He squeezed her fingers before pulling out a square, velvet box. Had she gotten him jewelry? He couldn't imagine himself wearing anything like that, but if Spencer had picked it out he would wear it every single day. He opened the box with a snap and immediately sucked in a deep breath as he examined a beautiful, silver pocket watch.

"Open it," she said softly.

He nodded, knowing she couldn't see it, but the lump in his throat making it difficult to speak. He flipped open the cover and couldn't stop a tear from trailing down his cheek at the elaborately etched words on the lid. You are my once upon a time.

He swallowed roughly, leaning in to brush his lips over hers. She leaned into him, losing her wondering fingers in his hear and deepening the kiss. "Toby," she whispered against his lips.

"I love you," he murmured, pulling his lips away and pressing his forehead to hers. "God, Spencer I love you so much."

She half laughed half sobbed and slid her face down to his neck. "I wanted to say that first."