Guess This is Goodbye

Toby's POV

That Sunday night I decided to pick up the phone to call Spencer. Whatever is going on between us has got to stop. I think the only way to do that is if I tell her to leave me alone. I'm going to have to leave her alone too. It's a sacrifice we both have to make. We can't keep this this up anymore. It's not healthy for two people who hate each other to be involved in a sexual relationship. Do I really hate her or is all of this anger built up from a fight we had many years ago that was never resolved? That maybe part of the reason we fight all the time. It's because of that one huge fight that we never got over.

Enough stalling myself, it's time for me to call Spencer. We can't keep doing this anymore. I can't keep doing this anymore especially when I'm starting to feel some new and unusual feelings whenever I'm around her. I dial Spencer's number and she answered on the second ring.

"Hello?"

"Spence I mean Spencer, it's me."

"Hey," she sounded more relaxed.

"We need to talk I think we really need to talk."

"Okay, did you want to meet up somewhere?"

"No, this won`t take long it's something we can discuss over the phone."

"Toby, what's wrong?"

I sighed and said, "This isn't working."

"What's not working?"

"Us."

"What do you mean us? Oh right that."

"Yeah it's just I don't think its right for us to continue being together in that way."

"Okay, we won't do it anymore."

"Actually I think it would be best if we don't see each other at all. I think we should try to avoid each other at school."

"I understand not wanting to have sex anymore, but you don't even want to talk to me anymore?" She asked sadly.

"It's for the best Spencer. Clearly we haven't learned to control ourselves when we're around each other and we both know we can't keep this up. We have to face facts Spencer. I hate you and you hate me it's not good for us to be around each other."

There was a long pause on her end. I heard her swallow through the phone then take a deep breath. "Okay, you're right we can't keep this up anymore."

"So I guess this is goodbye."

"Yeah, I guess this is goodbye."

When she hung up the phone, I think I may have felt a small piece of my heart break. What did I just do? I did it again. Spencer and I were finally starting to get close again and once again I ruined it. Why do I always push her away whenever we start getting along? This isn't the first time I did this. I pushed her away once after she tried to comfort me when my mother died.

General POV

It was October 24th when the Cavanaugh family got the news. Marion Cavanaugh was admitted to Radley a month ago. The doctors called this morning to tell them the news. Marion Cavanaugh committed suicide early this morning. Mr. Cavanaugh was the first one to know about it. Toby walked down the stairs getting ready to start his ninth week as a sophomore.

"Toby, wait just a minute," his father called out. "I think you should sit down I have something to tell you."

They sat down at the kitchen table and he told Toby what happened to his mom. Toby was so upset that he lashed out and refused to go to school that day. That was the only time his father understood his behavior. Toby locked himself in his room for two days and no one, not even Caleb could get him to come out.

Spencer was just getting home from her class trip with the debate team when she heard the news. When Spencer saw that Toby didn't show up for school on Thursday, she knew something was wrong. She made a joke about him staying home all day watching re-runs of Spider-Man. That's when Caleb told her that Toby's mother died the other day. Spencer felt guilty and wanted to make sure Toby was okay. Even if she does hate him he's still human.

After school that day Spencer walked the two blocks from school to Toby's house. She hesitated before walking up his front porch steps and knocking on the door. A minute later Caleb opened the door. He was on his away anyway.

"Hey Caleb."

"Spencer, I'm surprised to see you here."

She ignored his comment. "How is he?"

He sighed. "He won't come out of his room. He won't eat and I don't think he's showered in two days. He's a mess and I don't know what to do."

"Could I try talking to him? Maybe I can get him to eat something."

He nodded and allowed her to come inside. Spencer walked up the few steps to Toby's room. Once again she hesitated before knocking on the door.

"Toby," She knocked again. "Toby, it's Spencer."

"Go away!" He snapped.

Spencer sighed. "Come on Toby, open the door."

"Just leave me alone to di my world is over."

"Your world is not over. The worlds not over until a great big fire ball comes down and strikes us all dead." Spencer waited for to reply, but he didn't say anything. She sighed and leaned her head against the door. "Toby I'm trying here. I know it feels like it's the end of the world for you, but it's not. You have so much more in life waiting for you and if you keep yourself locked up in here then you'll never know what those things are. The only way for you to know is if you open the door."

Toby remained silent, but he was leaning his forehead on the other side of the door listening to her. He took in and listened to every word she said. He hated to admit it, but this was helping a little. Even when Spencer hated him, she still always knows what to say. That is one of the reasons why Toby will never be able to completely hate her.

"Okay," She spoke up again. Toby almost forgot that she was out there. "If you get hungry I'm leaving some cronuts out here for you. It's just something I picked up at the Brew, so if you get hungry, they'll be by the door."

Toby took a deep breath. "What's that?"

Spencer was a little surprised to hear him speak. She knew he was asking what cronuts are. "Haven't you heard? There all the rad it's a part crescent part donut it's all trans-fat."

Toby chuckled softly. "That sounds disgusting."

Spencer laughed and Toby could hear it from the other side of the door. Once again silence came over them and neither one of them spoke for a few minutes. Spencer was the first one to break the silence.

"Okay, I'm going now."

Spencer was about to step away when she hear him say, "Spencer."

She turned half way around and said, "Yeah?"

Toby wanted to say that he misses her, but he remembered the war they are in with each other. A war that could've been avoided if Alison didn't interfere. The reason Alison ruined their friend is unknown, but it's also something Toby would never forget.

Instead of saying that he misses her, he said, "Thank you."

Spencer's POV

I don't know why I'm upset about Toby putting an end to this. It's something I wanted to do since it started. Now here I am clenching my phone on the palm of my hand wishing he would call me back to say, "Just kidding." I know that this is the right thing to do, but part of me knows I'm going to miss him. It's just like him to push me away right when we start getting along again.

On Monday my friends were waiting for me by my locker. They've been trying to call me all day yesterday, but I wasn't in the mood to talk. We started out with the normal thing we do everday.

"Can you believe we only have a month left until first semester is over," Aria said.

"No," Hanna said. "I feel like we've been in school forever."

"It's going pretty fast for me," Emily said.

Aria reached out to poke my arm. "Hey, what's wrong with you?"

"Oh um I'm just tired. I've been busy with the whole wedding and other family drama."

"We heard that Toby was at the wedding," Hanna said. "Caleb told me his soon to be stepsister was one of Melissa's brides maids. Toby said he was surprised it was the same wedding."

"We're you surprised too?" Aria asked.

I nodded and choked back a few tears. "Uh um, it was a really big surprise."

"I think we can stop teasing Spencer about getting together with Toby," Hanna said.

"Aw, but it's fun," Emily said.

"Caleb told me he's seeing someone."

"What!" I exclaimed. "Who is Toby seeing?"

"I don't know," Hanna admitted. "The only thing Caleb told me is that Toby's been ditching him a lot lately to be with some girl."

"Did Toby give a hint on who he's been with?" Emily asked.

"No, I wonder who would be dumb enough to get with Toby," Hanna said.

"Hanna," I scolded.

"What?" Whoever this girl is needs to back off. She's crushing our Spoby dreams."

Aria looks down the hallway and sees Caleb talking to Toby. We noticed her staring and decided to look too. Caleb was trying to talk to Toby and Toby just looked annoyed.

"Maybe I should go back him up," Hanna said. "To get Toby to spill his guts about who he's with."

"Guys leave him alone it's his business," I said.

"We have to know who's ruining our Spoby dreams."

"There is no Spoby dream!" I exclaimed. "You guys have to understand that Toby and I do not get along. We hate each other and we are never going to get together."

I slammed my locker shut and walked down the hall. The girls stood back watching and gossping about who Toby is with.

On Monday I tried really hard to avoid running into Spencer. I also didn't want to run into Caleb. He's been on my case lately about who I've been hanging out with. Apparently Caleb called me while I was at the wedding and I didn't even realize he did. He also said I told him I couldn't hangout, because I was with some girl. He told me I didn't say her name just that things were getting heated. I'm guessing I was drunk when he called. Caleb keeps asking me who I was with. I guess him trying to guess isn't as bad as him knowing that it was Spencer that I was with.

"Toby, what's going on with you?" He asked.

"Nothing is going on."

"Why won't you tell me who you were with the other night?"

"Because I wasn't with anyone I told you that."

"That's not what you said over the phone."

"Clearly I was drunk and had no idea what I was talking about."

"Toby you kept moaning through the phone like someone was kissing your neck."

"Caleb," I sighed. "Could you mind your own business?"

"Dude, we're best friends we tell each other everything."

"No," I said. "I had a best friend once and she's not here anymore."

Caleb's face softened. "Wait a minute is this about Spencer."

"Who said anything about Spencer?"

"You did or at least you implied her in the conversation. Toby, are you with another girl to try to get over Spencer?"

"What?" I exclaimed. "Where are you getting this from? I'm talking about you minding your own business and you're asking me about Spencer?"

"I think the reason you won't tell me who you're with is because you don't want Spencer to know or maybe you're waiting for the right time to reveal it to make Spencer jealous."

"This has nothing to do with Spencer! Now leave me alone!"

I tried walking down the hall, but Caleb stopped me. "Toby, I know that you used to have a thing for Spencer. I don't care how hard you try to deny it, but I know that you used to like her. The only reason you're not admitting it is because of the stupid war you guys been in since that stupid fight."

"Okay yes!" I yelled. "Yes I used to like Spencer. I'll admit it okay. I used to have a thing for Spencer, but not anymore. I hate her and I never want to think about it again. Now can you leave me alone?"

Caleb let go of my arm and let me walk down the hall. Instead of going to class, I stormed out of school. This whole thing is making me mad. I keep thinking that if I didn't start that fight with Spencer then we'd be okay by now. Maybe we would be more than okay. After all this time that I've been spending with Spencer. I think I'm starting to like her again. No, that can't be happening. I don't like her. She's my enemy and I can't like my enemy.

It looks like Spencer and Toby are back to phase one. How long can they stay away from each other? Will they have another slip up? Is Toby really over Spencer or are his old feelings coming back? Maybe his old feelings are even stronger. Thanks for reading don't forget to review. Next chapter Spencer gets closer to finding out who's after her.