The ones I call "family"

Toby's POV

When I got home my dad was sitting in the kitchen with Charlotte. The two were leaning against the kitchen counters laughing while drinking coffee. I don't understand why my dad has been spending so much time with this women. I'm pretty sure Charlotte spent the night here last night and maybe even the night before. My dad will probably let her stay the night again.

"Toby, why are you home so late?" Dad asked.

"It's 9 o'clock I'm not late."

"It's later than usual."

"Since when do you care what time I come home?"

"I wanted you here tonight, because I have something to discus with you."

I rolled my eyes. "I'm not becoming a cop dad."

"That's not what I meant and you will someday. What I wanted to tell you is that the Marshall's need a place to stay for awhile, because they can't afford to pay their rent."

I shrugged and said "that's not our problem."

"Toby, the polite thing to do is help them out."

I groaned "why do they have to stay here and where will they sleep?"

"Jenna and her mom will take the guest room."

"Fine whatever," I groaned. "But keep Jenna out of my stuff.

I was half way up the stairs when I heard them whispering to each other. Instead of going up to my room, I decided to stand behind the wall and listen.

"Are you ever going to tell him?" Charlotte asked.

Danielle sighed "I can't tell him yet. Not now."

"He needs to know sometime."

"He will when the time is right."

"The time was right six months and now we're a couple."

"I can't tell him we're engaged, I never even told him we we're a couple."

My jaw dropped and my face turned red. My dad has been dating this women for a while and now their engaged? When the hell did this happen? Why did my dad keep this from me. My mom only died over a year ago. How can he move on? I couldn't stand to listen to this any longer, so I stepped out into the kitchen to face my father.

"You're getting married!" I exclaimed.

My dad and Charlotte spun around quickly. My father was speechless right now. He probably didn't even notice I was listening.

"Toby, how long have you been standing there?"

"The whole time," I hissed.

Danielle crossed his arms and said "it's not nice to listen in on other peoples conversations."

"Normally people wait for someone to leave the room completely before talking. When were you planing on telling me you're engaged."

"I was going to tell you soon."

"Oh yeah like when on your first wedding anniversary?" I questioned. "I'm your son doesn't that mean anything to you!?"

"Of course it does Toby, but things are complicated."

"It's not complicated! All you had to do is say you were dating someone and now you're engaged!"

"Toby please calm down."

"Is there anything else I need to know about?" I questioned. "Are you guys pregnant."

"No, but they are moving in at the end of the month and Jenna requested that she wanted your room."

I grumbled and threw my hands up in the air. I picked up my jacket and walked out the front door. Danielle and Charlotte looked at each other before continuing their previous conversation.

Spencer's POV

I took a deep breath as I took another sip of my water. My family and I are out at a special dinner to celebrate Melissa's engagement. Of course this won't be the first dinner to celebrate her engagement. After all there's still the dinner to plan the rehearsal dinner then the rehearsal dinner and then of course the big wedding.

My parents are determined to make sure Melissa's wedding is the most festive even this town has ever seen. Of course if this was my wedding, I'd be lucky if my parents offered to pay for a single rose. My mom, dad, Melissa, Ian, and I all meet up for dinner. My aunt Vicky and my Uncle Sam also showed up for the dinner. I don't like my aunt and uncle. They are more stuck up than my parents.

"You're uncle and I are so happy for you," aunt Vicky said. "Who's going to be your brides maids and who's your maid of honor?"

Melissa's face lite up like a Christmas tree. "I have three brides maids. Two of them are my best friends from high school and one of them I just met a few months ago."

"How lovely and who's your maid of honor."

"I thought maybe cousin Sara could be my maid of honor."

Aunt Vicky clapped her hands together and said "oh how lovely."

Melissa smiled and nodded. "Yeah Sara and I have always been close, so I though she'd be perfect. Spencer was my second choice to be maid of honor."

"Oh and how would you feel about being maid of honor," Vicky asked.

Aunt Vicky gave me a sharp look. Everyone at the table was now looking at me. Sometimes I actually like when the conversation doesn't get turned toward me. Every time it does it always end in disaster.

I faked a smile and said "it would be an honor and a privilege."

My mother sensed my sarcasm and carefully set her glass of wine down. She gave me a warning glance and I just shrugged it off. I really don't feel like I deserve that gaze. I'm behaving and acting polite just like they forced me to.

"Spencer don't be like that," my mother finally said.

I looked up in confusion. "Be like what?"

"Jealous of your sister."

I tried to hold back a laugh. "I'm not jealous."

"It's normal to be jealous of your sisters," Aunt Vicky interfered. "Especially when they announce something big like an engagement."

"Did you all really not hear me when I said that I wasn't jealous!" I shouted.

"Please don't be sarcastic Spencer," Peter muttered.

"Way to ruin this for me Spencer, congratulations!" Melissa exclaimed then stood up and left the dining area.

Ian whipped his mouth off then stood up to go after her. Everyone sat and glared at me. I don't understand what I did wrong. I got up from my seat and stormed out of the restraint. I didn't even care that they were all calling my name.

After I stormed out of the restraint I didn't know where to go. I just started heading in a random direction. It was dark and foggy out, so I had trouble seeing where I'm going. I pulled my wrap more around my shoulders and kept on walking. I'm so done with my family. I don't know how much more of this I can take. Family sucks!

Toby's POV

I pulled up my jacket as I made my way down the street. I had no idea where I'm planning to go. All that I know is that I do not want to go back home. I can't believe my father is getting married and didn't even bother to tell me. Not only that, but they've been together for a while. Now my dad is bringing Charlotte and her creepy daughter, Jenna into the family. After everything I've been through I can officially conform that family sucks!

"Ump!" I looked up to see what I just ran into. Spencer was standing right in front of me rubbing her forehead after running into my hard chest. We were both stunned to see each other out so late. I looked at her and noticed that she was dressed up. I put the clues together and figured out that Spencer ran out on a family dinner.

"Good job watching where you were going!" she snapped.

"Like you couldn't have done the same," I hissed.

"Don't start with me," she warned. "I'm not in the mood."

I grumbled "like I am?"

"What's the matter with you? Did you break your favorite screw driver?" she teased.

I glared at her. "Stop it I'm really not in the mood."

Spencer's smile faded "what's wrong?"

"Nothing you have to be concerned about."

"You still have a problem though."

"Don't worry about me! Just go on and worry about being jealous over your sister!" I hissed then turned to leave.

Spencer reached out and yanked me by my arm to turn me around. I was shocked by her movements and just stared at her for a moment.

"Don't talk to me about my sister!" she hissed. "Or anyone in my family, because you don't know the first thing about them or what I'm dealing with."

I shrugged her hand away. "Oh yeah the only family drama you probably deal with is when you bring home a B."

"That's right," she hissed carelessly. "Because my family is rich, so what problems could Spencer possible be dealing."

I sighed and ran a hand through my hair. "That's not what I meant."

"Yes it was," she hissed hopelessly. "I know what everybody thinks about me. Poor Spencer Hastings that bitchy rich girl knows nothing about dealing with pain."

She rubbed her hand down her arm and sat down on the park bench. I looked around for a second before sitting next to her. Spencer sighed and looked down sadly. That's when I realized I crossed the line by talking about her family. After all the Hastings are filled with a family of overachievers. Her parents like everything done perfectly and in their way.

"Family's aren't great," I said after a while.

She scuffled "isn't that the truth."

"But they are not horrible."

She bobbed her head "mine is."

"Every family has secrets and problems Spencer it's a part of life."

"Yeah, but does every family have a black sheep?"

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"You're the one living in your older sibling's shadow. Their parent's treat them like their invisible. They act like nothing you ever do is good enough. You're not important like the rest of the family. If anything you're just the black sheep."

"Is that how your family is?"

She faked a laughed. "Yeah and I'm also the little girl who cried Ian."

"Ian?" I questioned.

"My sister's fiancé, Ian he's done some things that are unforgivable."

"Things that are unforgivable to your sister or to you?"

"Both," she shrugged. "Me mostly I guess."

"What has he done to you?"

Flashback Spencer's POV

I walked into the bathroom with my clothes in my hand. After a long day at field hockey practice I really need this shower. My muscles are aching and the hot water will feel good on my body. I turned on the water and set it to how I like it. Then I stripped out of my clothes and got into the shower.

I inhaled deeply then exhaled as the water touched my skin. The warn drops of water rolling down my body felt nice. I grabbed my strawberry scented shampoo and poured some out on my hand. Then I brought the shampoo to my head and gently rubbed it through my hair. I hummed to myself quietly.

I was about to start conditioning when I heard the door creek open. I opened my eyes and listened to the sound of footsteps outside the shower. Who is out there? Is somebody watching me? There was a large figure standing on the other side of the glass door. I couldn't see who it was, because the door was all steamed up.

I raised my hand to whip the steam off the glass door. I gasped and almost slipped in the shower when I saw Ian standing on the other side. He was standing out there watching me with a twisted smirk on his face.

End of flashback

Toby's POV

Spencer tried to shake the memories out of her head. I didn't know what she was thinking about just now. She just started staring off into space.

"What just happened?" I asked.

"Nothing," she lied. "I'm not ready to talk about it or ever talk about it."

"At least your sister told you she was getting married."

She looked at me. "What are you talking about?"

"My dad's been dating this woman for a while and now their engaged. I never even knew they were together until I heard them talking about it tonight."

"Wow, someone knows how to keep a secret."

I chuckled. "Yeah tell me about it."

"Next thing you know they'll be bringing home a new born baby," she teased.

I laughed "that's what I said."

"This lady that you speak of, does she have any kids?"

I nodded "she has a daughter her names Jenna. She seems evil and she'll probably end up making my life hell."

"She's going to make your life hell, but that's my job," she teased.

We both smiled and looked at each other. For the first time ever I felt calm. I felt like nothing couple upset me now. That is strange, because we hate each other or we always thought we hated each other.

My smile faded and I turned away. "I think my family's worse."

Spencer scuffled and crossed her arms. "Um Excuse me? Did you not hear me say that I'm the black sheep in the family?"

"My dad lied to me for several months!" I exclaimed. "And who knows he's probably hiding more from me."

"Yes I admit that's bad, but at least he doesn't treat you like a stranger in your own home."

"Actually he does treat me like that."

"I'm pretty sure my family is worse."

"No their not!" she yelled.

"Are too!" I fired back.

"Gosh," she groaned. "You're such an idiot if you think you have it worse than me."

"You're too stubborn to admit that my family is worse than yours!" I argued.

"I'm not stubborn. You're an idiot for saying that!"

"I am not an idiot!"

"Are too!"

"Are not!"

We both sat there staring at each other intensely. Both of us were heated and neither one of us are determined to lose this fight. For a long time the two of us just stared at each other. Our eyes are burning holes in each other's brains. The thing that happened next surprised us both. We both reached up to cup each other's face and crashed our lips together.

The kiss got more and more intense as it went on. Spencer's hands gripped at my hair as my tongue slipped into her mouth. One of my hands was gripping at her waist and the other got tangled up in her hair. Our kiss was so unexpected, but it felt so right. We were surprised at how well our lips seemed to fit together.

All of our family problems seemed to disappear for a moment while we kissed. Nothing else seemed important. What surprised us more than the fact that we kissed was the fact that the kiss just kept going. Neither one of us seemed to be pulling back anytime. It was like we couldn't get enough of each other, but wait we hate each other, don't we?

Finally after a long time of having our lips pressed together, air was needed. We pulled away and started panting for air. Our hands were still on each other as we gazed in each other's eyes. Neither one of us knew why we just did what we did. Maybe it was because the moment was so intense and we just kissed to get out all of our frustration.

Spencer was the first one to speak. "I… I have to go."

I nodded and said "okay."

We slowly removed our hands from each other's body and pulled away. Spencer got up from the bench and walked down the street. I just say back trying to process what happened. My heart was racing. I couldn't tell if that was because I was trying to catch my breath or it was because of the fact that I just kissed Spencer Hastings.

Toby's dad is engaged and Toby didn't even know then that crazy Hastings dinner. That's not the only crazy thing that happened in this chapter. How about that Spoby kiss?

Thanks for reading please review, so I know to continue writing.