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"Just do it . . ."He strong hands clamped my shoulders.

"NO!" I squirmed.

He smirked, licking the shell of my ear. " . . . C'mon Spenc-ah. It'll feel good." I HATED the way he said my name. The way his British accent had become more sickening to me than ipecac.

"NO! No . . . No Wren Stop. Stop, Please! PLEASE! MELIS-"His palm smacked down on my lips, banging my teeth, causing me to whimper in pain.

"She won't hear you Spencer. Now shut the FUCK up."

I screamed into the air as I sat up, shaking and sweaty in bed.

"Spence, baby?" Sheila barreled in. I greeted her with mangled sobs and she immediately wrapped her arms around me. I screeched against her shoulder, too filled with anguish to hope I wasn't actually biting her shoulder.

"How could they have believed him instead of me! I was their child."

"You still are. They're just . . . just . . ."

"Don't say confused!" I pulled back slowly. "They've been 'confused' for years. I want my friends! I want my life back. I don't want this anymore." I shook a few more times before my breathing got back to normal. "Aunt Sheila? I hate to ask but will you stay in here till I fall asleep?" I simpered.

She sniffed up and nodded, brushing my hair behind my ear before settling onto my futon as I tried to drift back to sleep, but only seeing his face when I closed my eyes.

Toby's POV

"You think Group will be better today?" My mom's blue eyes sparkled.

I sniffed up, pouring a tall glass of O.J. "Maybe. I know someone in there. Spencer, remember?"

Her blonde curls bounced wildly, "I used to love Spencer. Always so nice and smart. And absolutely beautiful huh?"

MY cheeks reddened slightly, "I guess." Mom's expression changed and I realized she had taken in all of what I said.

"Why would a girl like that be in Group?" she asked. I thought about telling her but didn't feel right, telling Spencer's business like that. I just shrugged, "Why would a boy like me end up in Group?" I asked rhetorically, placing my empty cereal bowl in the sink as I left the house and began the drive to the center.

It's weird. I can't get Spencer off my mind. And I just pray that I see her here this morning, as apposed to hearing she's attempted again. As I park, I look in the rear view mirror. For the first time, I resent the raised pink skin on my neck. I wonder how weak Spencer thinks I am because of it. But then I remember. She's in group, too. It still makes me feel like shit.

Spencer's POV

I bite my lip softly as I peel of the wrapping. I stare down at my cuts, not worthy of being called scars yet. Last week I got the stitches of, but the lines of blackish red are still there, surrounded by puffy reddened skin. I roll my eyes at them, wondering vaguely how long it took Toby's neck to scar. I feel so weak in his eyes. His entire life he was an outcast, tormented relentlessly. Don't get me wrong, what happened to me was terrifying. But it happened in a relatively small time period. Carefully, I rummage through my cabinet, finding the gauze to replace the old ones.

Even though I find it somehow impossible to stop thinking of him, I'm able to get one wrist wrapped, but call Sheila in to help me with the other one. As she works on it, I glance at my mirror. It I was being honest, I had never thought I rocked the short hair thing. I just figured, if I'm gonna die, I'll be a little charitable. I willed my fallen tresses to locks of love and, last I heard, a small girl with lymphoma was mad a very nice wig from it. I smiled slightly to myself as Sheila stood up and left, "Five minutes, sweetie!"

Toby's POV

I stand next to Spencer. Maybe a little too close, but it's the only way I can stop my heart from exploding. She doesn't seem to mind, though. I can't begin to put my finger on why I feel this way, but a part of me is dead set on protecting her. Everyone's eyes are on Dr. Pell but mine keep drifting to Spencer and I have to hide my satisfaction when I find her having to tear her own eyes form me.

"Okay guys! Today we're going to have a bit of an excursion! We're going to the Rosewood National Park!" I had to quiet my sharp yelp when, surprisingly, Spencer gripped my hand as if it were her only life time.

"What's wrong?" I whispered.

She looked down, realizing for the first time, it seemed, that she was holding my hand. "I-I'm sorry." She breathed, pulling her hand back. I shook my head, gently grasping her hand back, pulling her slightly to the corner of the small room.

"No, tell me. You can tell me, it's okay." I looked into her chocolate orbs. She looked around, her free hand coming up to touch her hair nervously.

"I just haven't been to Rosewood in a while. And I don't want to run into Melissa and . . . um . . ." she couldn't even form his name. As reasonless as it was, I wanted to kill him. "Toby?"

"Yeah Spence?" I asked, feeling a wonderful sensation as a small smile pulled up to her lips at her own nick-name.

She looked up at me, her eyes cautious. "Would you mind sitting next to me on the bus?"

I chuckled lightly and nodded, not letting go of her hand.

Spencer's POV

I didn't want Toby to think I was being a weirdo, but it felt so good to have someone to care. To have someone to hold my hand and smile. He hadn't let go of my hand, even after we sat down, so it surprised me a little when he turned to me and asked, "If I do something wrong, tell me okay?"

"What do you mean?" I asked, genuinely confused.

Toby shot me a crooked smile and rolled his eyes, "I mean, if I do something that makes you uncomfortable . . . like if I put my arm around you and you don't like it . . . just tell me."

I nodded. "I would actually like it very much if you put your arm around me, now." His blue eyes widened for half a second before he shifted slightly and put his arm behind my back and around my waist, pulling me closer. "Thanks." I smiled, resting my head on his shoulder and closing my eyes. For the first time in years, when I close my eyes I didn't see Wren. I just saw Toby's brilliant smile. And I felt peace.

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