CHAPTER 30: Not One Of Us

SPENCER'S POV:

When I woke up it was early evening. I had slept most of the day, and was already feeling somewhat better, although I still felt somewhat light-headed.

I changed my clothes, and put on a pair of ripped jeans, and a black t-shirt with a white wolf head in a tribal pattern on it. It was a shirt I'd had for ages, but still enjoyed wearing it when I knew I would just be hanging around the house. I threw on my black converse, and walked downstairs.

My mom and dad were talking at the counter. Melissa was nowhere to be seen, but the barn lights were on.

"Hey Mom, hey dad." I smiled softly as I walked into the kitchen to grab a glass of water.

"Hey Sport, how are you feeling?" My dad asked.

"Better, thanks." I replied, pulling a glass out of the counter.

"Your mom and I were talking about what happened while we were gone. I'm sorry we couldn't be here honey, I wouldn't have taken that extra meeting if I had known things were so hard back here." He apologized, sounding truly sincere.

"It's okay Dad." I smiled at him reassuringly. "I had Emily looking out for me."

My mom smiled sweetly at me, and I shot her a confused glance. She walked over to me to "get a cup".

"I know, it's okay." She whispered as she pulled the cup out of the cabinet. She walked over to my dad as if nothing had happened between the two of us. I didn't know how she knew, but I was overjoyed that she was okay about it.

"Well, I'm glad you have such a good friend like her to look out for you." My dad piped up, looking up at me from his newspaper.

I gulped nervously, and eyed my mom, who nodded back at me. My dad needed to know.

"Well Dad, Emily and I aren't friends anymore." I started. He set his newspaper down.

"Really? What happened between the two of you? You were so close." He was confused.

I looked at my mom, pleading with my eyes. I didn't want to tell him, I was too nervous. My mom winked at me and sat down next to my dad.

"Well honey," She looked at my father. "Spencer and Emily are a couple now. I would've told you sooner but I figured we should all be together. I didn't find out until recently, just so you know." She added, not wanting to upset my dad.

"You're what?!" He snapped. "A couple? What do you mean, like dating?" He asked.

"Yes Dad, we're a couple now. We love each other very much." I muttered, unable to meet my father's glare.

"No, that's not right. That can't be it, you're with Toby!" He growled.

"Toby and I broke up a few weeks ago due to some problems we were having." I explained.

My mom nodded to my father, and grabbed his hand gently, but he jerked it away.

"Spencer you have to end this." He demanded.

I looked up at him, my eyes wide.

"What do you mean?" My heart raced in my chest.

"You can't be in a relationship with her. I forbid it. I can't have a gay daughter, it just isn't right." He scowled.

"Peter..." My mom scolded, but he ignored her.

"Okay Spencer? You have to call her and end this before it gets out of hand." His eyes pierced my soul.

"What do you mean, it can't get out of hand. It's not a problem Dad." I argued. He rolled his eyes.

"Spencer, it is a problem. We can't have a daughter who's dating a girl. I won't allow it in my household." He snapped.

"Dad, it's not something I can choose! I didn't choose to be this way, you have to understand! I'm still you're daughter!" I pleaded.

"No daughter of mine is gay." He scoffed, standing up and walking over to me.

"Dad-"

"Stop Spencer, this conversation is over. I want you to end it. Now." He demanded once more, handing me the phone.

I shied away from him, outraged.

"No! I can't just end it! Dad, I love her! I love her so much, you can't make me do this!" I cried.

"Spencer that's enough!" He yelled. I flinched away from his voice. "You will do as I say, or you will get the hell out of here." He was furious that I was arguing back at him.

"Peter, let's be reasonable." My mother glanced at my sympathetically. "I know this is new, but you can't act this way. She's our daughter." My mom argued.

"Not if she's dating a girl." He snapped. I felt hot tears flow down my face, and I wiped them away. The back doors opened and Melissa walked in, confused.

"What's going on?" She asked.

"Nothing." My dad waved her away. He proceeded to hand me the phone.

"Do it Spencer. I'm your father, listen to me." He growled. I shied away once more from the phone, not wanting to touch it.

"Spencer what's going on?" Melissa walked up to me and I fell into her embrace.

"Melissa, this has nothing to do with you, I'm dealing with your sister right now." My dad replied, irritated.

"Well obviously you aren't dealing with it well." She snapped back. I normally would have been happy for her for standing up for me, but I was too upset to care too much.

"Melissa, just get out of the way so I can deal with this idiot of a human being." He shoved the phone into my hand.

"No, I'm not going to do it!" I shrieked, and threw the phone back to him. However, my aim missed and I hit the glass of water on the counter instead. The glass fell to the floor and shattered into a thousand tiny pieces. One piece flew up and cut me in the cheek, but I didn't care.

"I'm so sorry…" I started to clean it up but Melissa grabbed my arm and held me close to her.

"Don't worry about it Spencer." She growled, angry with our dad.

"See? Look what you did!" My father shouted. "This is why you just need to do what you're told!" He was furious.

"Dad! I'm not going to break up with Emily, I love her!" I cried. I felt Melissa tense up, and her anger shot through the roof.

"Dad, you aren't trying to make them separate are you? That's so cruel!" She screamed. "Dad, Spencer and Emily love each other, and Emily was there for Spencer when you weren't! If anything you owe her!" She argued.

"Melissa, don't you dare defend her. This isn't your argument. Spencer, pick up the phone and end things now, or I swear…" He threatened.

"No dad, I won't do it!" I screamed, stepping forward so I faced him face to face.

"You can't make me break up with the person I love more than anything on this Earth." I rasped, challenging him.

I felt a burning sensation on my cheek as he swat his palm across my face.

"Get the hell out of here." He demanded. I looked up at him with fear, and hatred.

"PETER!" My mom snapped.

"Dad what the hell?!" Melissa started approaching him.

He glared at me once more.

"I said get out." He replied, cold as stone.

I grabbed my car keys off the counter, and ran out the door, despite my mother and sister's protests.

I couldn't stand being in the same room as him.

I ran out to my car, and drove off, tears flowing down my face. It was snowing pretty badly, but I didn't care. I had to go somewhere, somewhere besides home.

I was on my way to Emily's house when the car got stuck in a ditch. Angry, cold, and upset, I grabbed the keys and slammed the door shut. I ran the rest of the way to Emily's house, it wasn't too far.

When I got there, snow coated my arms and hair. I was so cold, and my head was pounding. I felt awful, but I had to get away from him.

I knocked on the door, and waited.

EMILY'S POV:

I was finishing up wrapping Christmas gifts when I heard the front door.

"Coming!" I shouted. My mom was out of town, shopping with Mrs. Marin.

I ran down the steps and opened the door, but I was not prepared for what I saw in front of me.

Spencer Hastings was standing outside. She had no coat on, and was covered in snow. Her car was nowhere near, and she was bleeding from her cheek.

"Oh my god Spencer, come in!" I grabbed her and dragged her inside. She was shaking, and breathing hard.

"Spencer, how'd you get here?" I asked. The snow was so bad, no one could have driven.

"I drove, but my car got stuck, so I ran." She replied quietly. Her voice sounded awful, her throat was so sore.

"Oh Spencer, in this weather? What were you thinking?" I grabbed a blanket and draped it over her, leading her upstairs.

We got to my room, and I made her sit on the floor. I grabbed the first aid kit out of the hallway and some towels.

"Here Spence." I tossed her one of my old sets of pajamas. I turned away as she got undressed and put them on.

When she was dressed, I tossed her wet clothes in the laundry room and knelt in front of her. Her whole body was still shaking, and she looked horrible.

"Spencer, this might sting a little bit." I warned, as I cleaned off the blood on her cheek. Her other cheek was red, and I wondered what happened, but didn't ask yet.

Once I was done, and she was cleaned up, I sat in front of her and held her hands.

"Spencer what happened?" I asked.

She sniffed. "I told my dad." She choked.

"Oh honey," I pulled her towards me, hugging her.

"He wasn't very happy." She mumbled.

"It's okay Spencer. We can talk about it later." I reassured her, noticing how tired she looked.

"Why don't you get some rest? I'll get you something warm." I smiled.

"No, that's okay. I'm fine. I'll come help." She muttered.

I sighed as she stood up and walked downstairs with me. I pulled out two mugs for coffee.

"Decaf?" I turned around and asked, but she was zoning out.

"Spencer?" I started to walk forward when her knees buckled. I darted forward and managed to catch her before she hit the ground.

"God Spence…" I sighed, worried about the girl. I carried her to the couch, and set her down.

"Spencer…" I shook her lightly, but she remained knocked out.

It's probably the cold. I reassured myself, and fixed two cups of coffee.

Placing them on the table in front of the couch, I lifted her head and sat down, setting her head in my lap. I looked down at her, and stroked her wet hair gently.

"You don't deserve this.." I mumbled.

"You don't deserve this much pain."