Hi! Thank you so much for the reviews! Well, in this chapter. The truth starts to come out some more. And about Sparia. I adore them, so you can expect some moment between them. (: I don't know how soon though. By the way, sorry about the wait! Hope you enjoy, if you do or don't, tell me about it with a review!(:
According to Greek mythology the first humans were created with four arms, legs, eyes and two noses and mouths; afraid of there power Zeus split them in half, leaving them to find the other half of themselves. These are called our soul mates.
The universe is a funny thing, sometimes things go as planned. The plans you developed from your child hood stay the same, and you keep going down the path you intended on traveling down. Sometimes the signs that guide you through your life are clear as day, but other times...not so much. For some the path the travel down, is smooth, and balanced. There is a few curves, and turns, every now and then, but nothing to life-changing. Then there are others, who's traveling road's of life, consist of twists, sharp turns, and fog. Their lives are filled with unexpected events, and their path is never calm. There is always some bump in the road. But, as they grow, they get stronger. Those bumps in the roads, nearly seem like pebbles, while to the one's who's paths were calm and steady, would see the the bump as a challenge. To Spencer, she was one of those people whom had never ending twists and turns, and bumps, that attempted to slow her down. Although, this just made her stronger.
She had been through so much, that at this point, she knew she could make it through anything. Life puts a mountain in front of her? She'll climb it. Life puts an tortuous grand rapid river in front of her? She'll find a way to cross it. No matter what it is, she'll find a way to get through it. Because the other side, has to be better. If she can get through the hard times, she'll make it to the easier times; even if it's just for a little while.
Although, on her path through life, there is one thing she can't seem to just pass, she can't just move on from, and can't demolish. Toby Cavanaugh. Every time she thinks, that detour is over, it comes back. Again and again. An endless cycle. As if she was going into a circle. She couldn't get away from him, if she tried. Maybe simply because of coincidence, maybe bad luck,or maybe because she hadn't gotten rid of him once and for all. Maybe, she couldn't seem to stray off the path that led her back to Toby Cavanaugh, because he was her destination.
Maybe, there is a such thing as 'soul mates'.
Maybe, he completed her in ways no one else could.
Maybe, he was her pure and true happiness.
Maybe, he was her true love.
Maybe.
Spencer laid in her bed staring at the sun that seeped through her navy curtains. She was laying on her side, and with a glance she noticed the clock change to seven thirty four. Normally, she would haven been up ten minutes ago. Preparing her son's lunch for day care, and brewing her coffee. But, today, she felt the need to stay in bed an extra ten minutes longer. She knew if she didn't get up soon, her son would come bursting through the door; pouncing on her bed, to wake her up. Although, she wasn't planning on staying in bed any longer.
She pushed the feeling of laziness aside, and sat up on her bed. She stretched her arms out with a yawn, and grabbed the back of her messy bun, to drag her hair out of the pony tail. She shook out her hair, and then stood up to start the day. Starting with her hygiene.
After changing into her outfit for the day, sloppily braiding her hair to the side, and putting on a slight amount of makeup, she went to go wake her son. Shockingly, he was still sleeping. It was a couple minutes past eight, and she had to get him to day care by nine fifteen. The daycare didn't really care to much about the time, they were paid anyways. But, she had class at nine forty five. To make it on time, she had to get her little boy in day care by nine fifteen. She had enough time, if he corrupted. He normally did, but just to be safe she would wake him up a few minutes earlier; most days, not today of course.
Luckily today, he was being cooperative. Spencer got him dressed in twenty minutes, and combed his hair. She told him to go brush his teeth, and make his bed, as she would prepare him breakfast. At first he seemed reluctant to do so, but after one threat of a time out, he was off.
By the time the little boy was at the table eating his frosted chocolate minute whets, the clock stroke eight-thirty. "Mommy," The little boy said as he filled his mouth with a spoonful of cereal. She looked up curiously, while preparing his lunch. "When we were doing this one thing the other day, Ms. Ellie told us to draw our family, and we had to tell the class about our families, and everything. And this one girl named Kara, said that she had two daddies." The little boy went on.
"Oh," She nodded packing the peanut butter sandwich into a brown paper bag labeled 'Noah'.
"Why does she have two daddies?" He asked curiously.
"Well, the two daddies probably love each other, and they wanted a daughter. It doesn't matter the gender." She awared him. "It's still a family."
"Yeah, but don't you need a mommy to have a baby?" He asked. Spencer didn't even know how he knew this.
"Well yes," Spencer's voice trailed as she picked up the lunch bag, and set it on the kitchen table. She took a seat next to her son, and smiled warmly. "But, sometimes there is other ways to get a baby."
"Like a stork?" His blue eyes lit up. Spencer laughed grabbing a napkin to wipe off the milk surrounding her son's lips.
"Yes." She laughed. Normally, she wouldn't feed her child false information, but for a complicated topic like this, she could certainly bend her rules a tad.
"Oh," He said gleefully. "Does everyone have a daddy?" He asked.
"Well," She licked her lips, inhaling a sharp breath. She wasn't expecting all these questions. She didn't exactly know how to address them. She feared they would lead into questions about his own father, which she would make up the answers to. Being a four year old, he would usually just forget. But, he was smart, and she knew as he got older, the questions would be more serious. "In some special cases, no."
"Like me?" He asked furrowing his eyebrows.
She nodded hesitantly, but luckily he just smiled, with a joyful giggle. For now, he would be okay with all all this. But he was only four, and the real world was just an imaginary place to him. For the time being in his world, all is well.
She went to her friends the next day, ready to end this all. For good. The first thing she said was "Fill me in on what A's been doing." And her friends were reluctant to do so, but they weren't going to question her forgiveness. They told her about A's latest schemes dealing with Hanna. 'A' had left pictures of Hanna and Wren kissing all over her bed. On one of the pictures, in red sharpie, it said 'I wonder what Caleb will think, when he finds out he doesn't know the WHOLE truth.-A'.
After the scheme 'A' had pulled, Hanna planned on telling Caleb. But, he already knew. He wasn't happy about the kiss, but he was more upset by the fact she hadn't told him. He was sick of secrets, and lies. He thought she had told him everything, but when he found out she hadn't, he was livid. All while Hanna was terrified. She feared 'A' would once again charge at her boyfriend. But, he was safe...for now at least. Hanna didn't know where their relationship stood, but she wanted more than anything for it to last. Which just pushed her motivation into getting rid of 'A' into high gear.
Spencer was surprised, hearing her best friend and old fling, once had a thing. But, it didn't affect her. Wren was old news, and so much heartbreak has happened since him.
Spencer let her eyes roam to Jenna, after her friends seemed to be done explaining. "Do you think she knows?"
The other girls all glanced at each other wearily. They had a good idea of what she was referring to, but none of them seemed to have the bravery to form a response. Spencer glanced at her friends curiously.
"Maybe." Aria said silently. "But, wouldn't that mean-She would have to be part of it too?"
"Who say's she isn't." Spencer squinted her eyes at the auburn-headed girl who was now stepping up from her own lunch table, and towards the doors to enter the school. She returned her eyes to her friends, and they all let out a sigh.
"But," Emily spoke softly. "Toby hates Jenna," She spoke hesitantly, afraid her friend would crumble. But, Spencer didn't even flinch. "Why would he be working with her?"
"Who's to say that wasn't a lie?" Spencer asked bitterly.
"What about the video-We saw Jenna, y'know." Hanna said with a cringe.
Spencer bit her lip, looking down with a puff.
"Maybe, they joined forces." Aria offered. "They both did have reasons to hate us, I mean... We thought they were A before?"
"We know Toby's A." Spencer said sternly, her brown eyes hardening.
"Yeah, but maybe our first suspicions were right." Aria said. "Maybe they're in this together. Or were."
"And Mona?" Hanna asked. "Mona hated Jenna, besides I don't know if you guys recall, but I certainly My hair smelt like smoke for a week. And I had to wash those clothes like twelve times, but why would Jenna walk into a building knowing it was about to explode? I mean she couldn't have known I was going to show up and save her."
"Maybe, she did something the A team didn't approve of? I mean, what if what he said in that letter was true, that the A team just has a whole military of people working for them?" She questioned.
"What could she have done that would been bad enough for them to want to kill her?" Emily asked.
"It's not like killing is a huge thing for them, Mona ran me over because I thought I knew who A was." Hanna reminded them.
"Yeah, and Mona tried to kill me cause I wouldn't join their sick team. I don't necessarily think you have to do something that is actually bad, for them to want to kill you." Spencer added.
"How does this even help us though?" Aria butted in. "We've been suspicious of Jenna for the past year,"
"We're going to talk to her." Spencer said solidly.
"And what makes you think she'll tell us anything?" Emily laughed with disbelief. "Jenna, hates us."
"Maybe, what she said earlier this year is true. Maybe that person she was scared of, is A. Maybe she'll help us, if we help her." Spencer said.
"So I'm confused-" Aria blurted. "Do you think she's working for A or not?"
"A's tried to make us all turn against each other right? Making us do things we don't want to do, because they can?" Hanna shifted her blue eyes between the three girls. "Maybe, that's how it is with Jenna. 'A' has something on her." Hanna's voice trailed. "And I agree with Spencer. I'm sick of waiting around, we need to be more direct."
After a moment of silence between the friends, Spencer sighed. "So we're talking to Jenna?"
After dropping her son of at day care, heading for school, and listening to a two hour lecture, she found her self back in the comfort of her own apartment. She only had about thirty minutes till she had to pick up her son. Usually, she would go to school, and then his day care. She would wait on a bench out side, on the nice days, or in the hallway on the rainy or humid days. But, today, she came home. She had work later that day, and she was dropping her son off at his uncle Jason's. That morning he had forgotten his picture he had drawn, the one he so desperately needed to give to his uncle, and Spencer had told her son she would try her best to get the picture for him.
That's all she needed to do, was to get a picture. A silly picture of a monster her son had drawn for his uncle. That's all she was planning on doing, but she heard a knock come to her door as she was making her afternoon coffee. An unexpected guest was behind her door, and after opening it, her whole body locked. Her heart dropped into her stomach, and felt as if her legs were going to go out on her. She gripped the door knob with a more stern grip, trying to obtain her balance.
She didn't know why seeing him made her body act this way. She saw him the other day, it's not like him coming here again was that surprising.
"I want to talk." He said.
"Um," She mumbled avoiding her eyes. So did she. "Okay," She said hesitantly. After a second, she huffed, removing her body from the door way and into her apartment. She gestured for him to come in, and he did. He shut the door behind him gently, and silence filled the air around them.
He stayed a few inches a way from the door way, as she leaned against a not-to-far-away kitchen counter. "I don't have that much time," She said awkwardly. What were you supposed to say in this situation?
"Oh um okay," He mumbled with a exhale.
"Why didn't you tell me? About Aria lying?" She asked. "I mean, you have to have known. Why wouldn't you tell me?"
"At the time, I didn't know. When we were in your room, and you were saying all those things about Aria. I had no clue what you were talking about." He admitted. "I didn't even know that happened to her. After you threw me out of your house, I didn't know what to do. I ended up getting drunk, and it was just a mess." He trailed off exasperatedly. "The next morning, I made Mona meet me at that creepy hideout, and I asked about Aria. I asked what they did to her, and then she just laughed at me." He said his eyes becoming distant. "She said they didn't do anything, that I did. Then she went on telling me exactly what I had done."
"Why would they do that to you? You were on their side..." She said giving him strange look.
"Somehow they knew I was going to tell you the truth."
"How could they possibly know that?" She asked. "And the truth? As in you being A? or?"
"Yes," He said instantly, with guilt in his eyes. "And suspicion is enough with them." He confessed. "They didn't trust me. I didn't trust them. I had their secrets, and they had mine." He said. "Every time they thought I was going to do something to jeopardize them in any way, they made sure I'd regret it."
She just stared at him, trying to absorb all the information he was giving her. "Like when?" She spoke softly.
He inhaled sharply and licked his lips. He finally returned to her eyes, and took a step closer. "I should probably start from the top." He said meekly. "Mona came to me when I got back from reform school, and she said she was planning to get back at all of you. The people of Rosewood were still treating me like something you scrape of your shoe, and she convinced me it was your fault." Spencer took in a deep breathe at the new information. "So, I agreed to help her. She just told me to get close to Emily, so I did." He said solidly. "I started to regret listening to Mona, because Emily was actually really sweet. At homecoming, Mona wanted me to out Emily to the whole school but, I wouldn't. I thought that it was done with. So I was planning to tell Emily, but she ran away. I was scared, so I ran away after dropping her off at the hospital. I stayed out of Rosewood for so long because Mona started to sound more of a stalker, then just someone seeking revenge, and the police started to believe I killed Alison. I was scared, and going back to Rosewood terrified me."
"But Mona wasn't kidding with her threats. I didn't just get into a motorcycle accident, someone drove me off the road. Everyone in Rosewood thought I was dead, and half of them wanted me to be dead. When I was in the hospital, Mona visited me. She said that, that was a warning. I knew I had to get out of Rosewood, but I had to see Emily and just clear my name. By that time, the Rosewood police were after me, and so was Mona. I was planning on leaving Rosewood, for good after explaining to Emily about Jenna and Alison, and everything." His voice trailed. "But she didn't seem to believe me. I was pissed, and upset, and I was planning on telling about Mona too. But, Mona just tried to kill me, and Emily didn't even believe what I was saying about Alison or Jenna. So, I ended up leaving that out. Then I got arrested, and put on house arrest." He rolled his eyes with a sigh, "And I was stuck in Rosewood."
"So you were on it the whole time?" She asked.
"Not exactly." He murmured.
"What does that even mean?" She said harshly.
"Just listen," He said with a sigh, letting his shoulders slump. "Please," He pleaded. Her brown eyes flickered, and after deciding she wasn't going to say anything else, he went on. "When I got put on house arrest, I was just a complete disaster. I was practically glued to Jenna, and Mona wouldn't stop coming by my house. Sometimes she would just be talking to Jenna, but most of the time she would be taunting me. She said she could get me out of this, if I just helped her like the original plan. I was mad, and upset, and I would have done anything. So I agreed again. And then I waited."
Spencer's eyes lowered down to the floor. She knew that this is where she came in.
"And then..." Spencer's voice lingered as the silence fell between them.
"And then, you came to tutor me." He stepped closer. "And things began to happen." He inhaled sharply.
"What kind of things?" She said looking up.
"When I was helping you with Jenna, I was helping you with Jenna. That was genuine."
"But nothing else was?" Her voice trailed with sarcasm and she shrugged her shoulders. "You were just directed into spending time with me, like you were with Emily?"
"No," He said abruptly. "No," He said again with a gulp. "I didn't even talk to Mona again till after I kissed you at the motel. I think that's why she framed you with the whole same fiber in the bracelet as the sweater thing. She knew I liked you, and the fact that I betrayed her, made her want to destroy my life. I didn't know this then, but she framed me. She was just playing me the whole time. I think she was hoping I'd fall in love with you, for the sole purpose of making this one hundred times harder. A few days after I kissed you, and you were the new person of interest, Mona finally made contact with me. She said I still owed her, because she made you look guilty. I felt horrible, and awful. And she was just a bitch about the whole thing." He confessed exasperatedly.
"I'm really sorry," He said softly.
All Spencer did was tighten her jaw, and stiffen her shoulders. She showed no signs of forgiveness, and her hard eyes stayed on him. "Then she started to talk to me more frequently, I figured she was the same A who left the note at the motel, and well I didn't know what to do. The last time I didn't listen to Mona, she tried killing me. And I owed her. So I ended up helping her. That night at the founder's day festival, I told her exactly where we would be, and what time, and everything. She told me to wait until she told me to come, and I did." He admitted. "Then you just seemed so upset, and scared. You, the girl who seemed to be so strong, and brave, and everything. You were scared, and just." He sighed. "You chose me over your mom, and you didn't care who was watching, or about any one watching us. And right then and there, I think I started to fall for you. I needed out, and I was tired of running, so I was going to confront Mona."
"I kept putting it off, then a few days later, something happened." His voice tightened at the mention. He glanced around the room nervously. Nervous, that this would simply just sicken her even more. "I'm the one, who-" He said, his voice shaking. "I killed Ian."
Her mouth slightly parted, as she inhaled a great breath. She had dozen of scenarios in her head, where it made sense, if Toby had killed Ian. But, hearing him say it. That was a whole different story. "Why?" She asked her voice so soft that he had barely heard her.
"Mona said you were in trouble, and I just-I couldn't let you go. I wasn't willing to give you up." He admitted his eyes boring into her. His blue eyes were soft, and full of sorrow. Just looking at him, she didn't have to even question, that he was truly sorry. She didn't have to think twice, if what if was saying was true. Actions spoke louder than words, and she could see the deep pain within him. The regrets, and the guilt pouring out of eyes, and his words filled with desperation for her forgiveness.
Tears started to filter her eyes, so she quickly squeezed them shut, turning her head to the side. "I-" She stuttered. "I have to go."
"Spencer, please." He begged stepping closer, and she looked up into his big blue eyes.
"I actually do have to go." She said meekly. "But," She said with a swallow. "I-I want to know the rest."
So before she left, the two ended up exchanging phone numbers. Spencer needed sometime to absorb the new information, it was all to much. But, it cleared the worse thoughts she planted in her mind many years ago. He saved her life. He at least deserved to to explain the truth. Right?