Chapter 3

Study Session Gone Wrong


Toby quickly made his way home from work, so he wouldn't be late to meet Spencer. He quickly showered and changed clothes. He waved at his stepsister Jenna and his parents, then was out the door. Running up to his bike he was stopped short when somebody grabbed his arm. It was his girlfriend, Alison.

"Toby, I've been waiting for you to get off work. Come on let's go have some fun." Alison whispered in sultry voice.

Normally, Toby would automatically saw yes, but right now he had to focus on his grades.

"I'm sorry, Alison. We can do this tomorrow." Toby pecked her lips before he got on his bike and reached for his helmet, but Alison snatched it out of his reach.

"Where are you going that's so important? Come on take me out for a ride?"

"Alison, no. I have somewhere that I need to be." Toby took his helmet and tried to ignore the angry expression on her face.

"Whatever, Toby." Alison snarled as she walked off down the street.

Toby took a deep breath and put on his helmet. He loved spending time with Alison, but now wasn't the time. He had to focus on his school work right now. He pulled away from the curb and headed to the Grill.


Toby arrived at the Grill a few minutes later because he was speeding a little. He took off his helmet and looked into the building. He spotted Spencer in the back of the place looking at a book. Toby dismounted from his bike and walking into the Grill. When he sat down, Spencer didn't even look up.

"I'm here." Toby said and glanced down this watch."I made it with one minute to spare."

"I know you're here and I applaud you for being punctual. Pull out your textbooks and we'll get started." Spencer smirked at him like she automatically knew that he had forgot.

"I-I forgot my textbooks at home. I was kind of in a rush to get here."

"It's okay I came prepared if you did." Spencer said as she pulled out an extra set of textbooks from her bag and handed them to Toby.

"Thanks, so where do you want to start?"

"How about we start with English. It seems like the easiest to start with."

"Okay, let's get learning." Toby winked at Spencer and she just sook her head, then began tutoring him.

Hours past as the two sat in the Grill and Spencer tutored him. He was improving slightly in English, so they moved on to French. French wasn't so easy for Toby.

"I hate this!" Toby growled as he slammed his French textbook closed. He immediately felt bad for his actions when Spencer flinched

"Don't worry, you'll get it. It's hard to pick up a second language." Spencer said trying to give him some sliver of hope.

"Easy for you to say. You know this language like the back of your hand."

"How did you think I picked up the language?"

"With your freakishly large brain." Toby joked and Spencer actually laughed at it.

"No, I studied and it took some time, but I got the hang of it. That's what were going to do. I'm going to tutoring, so hard you'll be begging me to stop, but I won't till you succeed."

"You sound like a very tough football coach, giving their player a pep talk."

Spencer shrugged and opened up her Physics book."I'm determined to help you. If you fail, I fail."

"Why do you eat in the cafeteria by yourself?" Toby asked before he even knew he was asking. He just felt like in the hours he spent with Spencer she was a pretty cool person.

"Stop trying to get out of doing your work."

"No, I'm serious. Why do you insist on eating lunch in the library instead of the cafeteria with your friends?"

Spencer sighed deeply and looked into Toby's curious eyes."Because I don't have any friends and I want to avoid being called a nerd or a geek."

"But I don't understand. You're kind, funny, smart, witty, and very very pretty-" Toby stopped himself from rambling and noticed the blush on Spencer's cheeks.

"Some people don't see me that way. Either I'm too smart for them or they just want to use me to get an easy A on their work."

"I would love to be your friend. Those idiots don't know what their missing out on."

"Those idiots are the people like you." Spencer said sharply and Toby was wounded by her words.

"People like me? What kind of person do you think I am?"

"You're the type of guy who has everything he wants. You have the friends and the popularity. You don't care about anyone, but yourself and your ego is bigger than the earth."

"I'm not that type of person."

"Well, from what I've observed of you over the past few years that's all I come up with."

"Toby!?" Toby cringed when he heard his name being called by Noel. He turned around to see Noel, Caleb, Holden, and Sean coming over to his table.

His friends pulled up chairs to the table without even asking if its okay. Caleb and Noel sat down net to Toby while Sean and Holden sat down next Spencer.

"What are you doing here, man?" Sean asked and then his eyes turned to Spencer."Wait, Cavanaugh, are you on a date with geek Hastings?"

"Don't call her that." Toby said and looked at Spencer's face. She looked like she was seconds away from tears.

"Is she your new charity case or something?" Holden asked as he put his arm around Spencer's shoulders and she removed his arm immediately.

"Goodbye, Toby." Spencer muttered as she gathered her things and began walking to the door.

"Hastings, where you going? I don't think Toby got enough community services credits for today." Noel asked causing his friends to laugh, everyone, but Toby.

Toby had enough, he pushed Noel out of the chair causing him to fall to the floor. He held himself back from punching Noel because that was still his friend.

"What the hell, man!" Noel yelled as he sat on the floor after Toby pushed him.

"Dude, that's not cool." Toby yelled before he left the Grill and went running after Spencer.


"Spencer! Spencer, wait!" Toby yelled as he raced to get to her. She was already getting in her car and Toby felt like he had only one option left. He hopped in the car as soon as she started the car.

"Toby, get out of my car!" Spencer yelled, but Toby didn't get out, he actually put on his seatbelt.

"Not until I talk to you and make sure you're okay."

"Just tell me one thing. Was this whole tutoring thing a trap, so you and you're friends could come and harass me?"

"Spencer, no. I would never do that to you or anyone. My friends were assholes for what they did and I just want to make sure you're okay."

Spencer frantically wiped away her tears. Hastings weren't supposed to cry in front of people."I'm fine. I just want to go home."

"Alright, then let's go to your house to finish studying."

"Toby, it's after midnight and I don't think-"

"Spencer, please I'm drowning in my class and you have to be my lifeguard. Please, I'll even make coffee and I promise I'll be the perfect student." Toby begged as he stared into her brown eyes that were slightly red from crying.

"Fine, but you only stay for an hour and that's it."

"Yes ma'am." Toby said as he watched Spencer's mouth turn into a smile before she started the car and pulled off.


Pulling up to Spencer's house, Toby had realized that his mouth had dropped open. Her house was big and it looked like it could be bigger on the inside. Toby wanted to say is this really where you live?, but didn't want to sound like a dork.

"Your place is nice." Toby said as she parked the car in the driveway.

"It's not much, it gets a little lonely sometimes."

"You're parents aren't around a lot? Do you have any siblings?"

"My parents work, a lot. My sister Melissa lives in Philly and comes to visit, but we don't always get along. My brother Jason, he lives here with us because he's still taking some college courses at Hollis."

Spencer got out of the car and Toby took that as his cue to follow her actions. They walked up the pathway along the side of her house, leading to the backyard. Spencer pulled out her keys and opened the back door for them to enter. Toby stepped into the living room and took in his surroundings. Her house was great and it looked like a lot of the stuff was expense.

"Have a seat and I'll get the coffee started." Spencer said before she made a motion to go into the kitchen, but Toby gently grabbed her wrist.

"I promised coffee, so I'll make it. Just point out all the stuff to me and you get the textbooks out."

Spencer was hesitant at first, but pointed out where all the stuff was to make coffee. Toby went into the kitchen and began making the coffee. His gaze flickered over to Spencer, who was curled up on the couch with textbooks and flashcards. Toby chuckled to himself, he though it was funny that this was the first time he was in a girls house alone and they were only studying.

Spencer caught Toby looking at her and she rolled her eyes at him causing him to laugh. He brought the coffee over to her and sat down next to her with the textbooks an flashcards in between them.

"So, where do you want to start?"

"With an apology." Toby said sincerely and Spencer rolled her eyes because he was bringing up what happened at the Grill.

"Toby, stop. It's not the first time and it probably won't be the last."

"That doesn't make it okay, Spence." Toby said and Spencer was surprised that he called her Spence."How did all of this happen to you."

Spencer let out a deep breath and sat down her coffee."Alison and I were friends once when we were little. We were close until she got too controlling and I wouldn't do what she said. So, she started picking on me and started calling a geek or a nerd. Soon, everybody started doing it and it's been happening for years. Jason's been my only friend and Melissa sometimes."

"I never did call you those names. I'm not that type of guy, no matter who you think I am, but I'm not."

"I believe you and I'm sorry for not trusting you the first time you said it."

Toby grinned at her and Spencer smirked before picking back up the French book.

"Now, that we got that out of the way. Spencer Hastings, will you be my friend?" Toby asked and Spencer squinted her eyes at him, trying to tell if he was joking.

"What?"

"Don't make me beg. I'll do it if you want me to." Toby said and was on his knees in front of her before she could protest. He grabbed her hand and held in both of his."Spencer Hastings, will you pretty please with a cherry on top be my friend."

"I don't know, I don't like cherries." Spencer teased and Toby groaned, but smiled and sat back on the couch.

"There is no pleasing you is there?"

"Nope, but my friendship doesn't come easy, pal."

"I already begged. What do I have to do for you and me to be friends?"

Spencer eyes scanned her living room until she landed on the thing she was looking for. He lips turned up into a smile as she stood up to get the item she was looking for.

"Play me for it." Spencer said and showed him a Scrabble board game.

"Alright, fine. If I win you and me get to be friends."

"And if I win you'll have to spend a whole weekend studying, alone. Deal?" Spence held out her hand for him to shake. Toby knew that this was a risky bet, but he always liked a challenge.

Toby shook her hand and said."Deal."

Spencer cleared off the table in the living room and set up the board game. Toby shrugged off his jacket and shoes to get comfortable for this intense match. They played rock, paper, scissors to see who would go first. And of course Spencer won.

"Don't cry when I bet." Spencer said as she placed down her first word.

"Spencer, don't be mad when I kick your ass at Scrabble." Toby winked at her before he placed down his first word.