a/n: wah, i know i said "i will try to upload tomorrow" and then update a week later, but I'm so busy nowadays. UGH. I'm sorry.

Also, someone mentioned how there was no flashback last chapter. Yes, I meant to address that. Not all chapters will have them. At first I thought they would, but I have changed my mind. This one doesn't but, I will try to put one in the next one.

As for when the meet, I'm saving that for later ;)

Anyways, thanks thanks thanks for the awesomely awesome reviews. I can't believe I already have 67 on a simple story like this. You guys are the cutest.

Chapter 6: A Little (Not So Friendly) Competition

Her friend had dragged her out to some bar. Apparently, it was some special, extraordinary, night where bands and musicians of all kinds were performing—her friend's boyfriend included. Spencer actually liked to find local bands to listen too, but some of the acts were just god awful. She suddenly felt the agony of judges on American Idol and The X Factor and every other singing competition TV show. Sure, some of them were good—great even, but worth sitting through all the other horrendous acts? She wasn't sure.

The next act that was announced made her jaw drop.

Did they just say Toby Cavanaugh? Seriously? Of all bars in Philadelphia, out of all the nights, he was performing here, tonight?

She didn't know how she felt about this. As Toby stepped on stage, and made sure his guitar was tuned right, her friend made a comment about his hotness. "He's so hot, if he can sing, then I'm officially his groupie."

Spencer grimaced, rolling her eyes, "Matter of fact, I know him. We went to high school together, and now we're both part of this bridal party." She told her friend, annoyance in her voice.

"Then you need to introduce me to that fine piece of man." The blond purred, staring down the man on the stage with hunger in her eyes. "Oh wait," she groaned, "I have a boyfriend." Her words came out in a sigh. "Can he sing?" she suddenly asked, looking towards Spener with her eyebrows raised slightly.

Spencer looked at her for a moment before responding, "I don't know." The response was more of a mumble than anything.

Right after Spencer's response, Toby's voice came through the microphone—blasting out of the speakers around her. He was telling the audience how he was so honored to be here, but Spencer didn't look at it as much of an honor. They just about let anyone perform tonight.

He said how it was an original song, which only interested her more to hear him. Yes, she was interested in something Toby Cavanaugh was doing, but only because she wanted to see how bad he was. She would fully enjoy the laugh when he completely humiliated himself.

After he finally stopped blabbering, he began to play. The tune was soothing and relaxing, and you could tell it was a slow song that you would listen to while trying to fall asleep. When Toby began to sing, Spencer fell in a sort of awe. He was actually pretty good. He had one of those voices that was unique, but familiar. It brought you home.

And the song, the song was great. Spencer didn't even understand how he came up with it. He made the music, he wrote the lyrics, and he orchestrated the whole thing. It was truly beautiful.

When it was over, Toby came off stage. People were patting him on the back and telling him he did a great job. He had this smile on his face. This kind of smile that lit up each of his features and made him glow. Spencer couldn't remember ever seeing this smile on him.

She found herself smiling at the sight, but she quickly adverted her stare and turned her smile upside down. What was she doing?

"Aren't you going to go talk to him?" the blond asked her.

She stayed silent and still. The question floated through her mind for a long time until she reached a solution. "I wouldn't want to leave you alone," Spencer said.

"I was actually going to go wish Noel luck," the girl made a guilty face.

"Oh," Spencer's face dropped.

"I mean if you don't want to go talk to hunk angel voice over there, you can come. But believe me if I were you…" the blonde's eyes traveled to the man across the bar. "I would go visit that fine ass."

Spencer laughed, "ehh…I wouldn't go that far."

"What are you blind?" the girl asked, her mouth flew open like she had just announced she was marrying Nicholas Cage or something ridiculous like that. "If I were single…" her words slurred out, "I would be all over that."

"Cece!"

"What? Honesty is the best policy, right?" she winked as she stepped up from her chair. "Tell him I thoroughly enjoyed his performance, and if he ever wants to pursue another line of entertainment, I'll be ready to hire him." A wink accompanied the blonde's statement.

"I'll be sure to tell him," Spencer replied dryly, looking at her amused friend. Cece left her with one last giggle before going on her way.

Spencer sat at the table a few minutes before she decided that talking to him wouldn't be so bad.

She felt weird approaching him. What did she even say? "Hi, I've actually been here the whole time watching you!" No. Why was she suddenly getting nervous about speaking to Toby Cavanaugh? Was this a thing? Did she do this every time she talked to him? No, no, there was no way. She was probably just acting strange because she was drinking. That had to be it.

She was facing his back when the words left her mouth, "You know, Cavanaugh, you surprised me."

He turned around instantly, a look of oddity on his face. "Spencer? Wha—what are you doing here?"

"It's a public bar…"

"Oh, yeah, right." He said, looking as if he was feeling foolish. "Um, I just mean…tonight."

"The music."

"Oh," he nodded, itching the back of his neck. He sounded nervous, but what did she know? "So, um, you saw me then?"

She nodded, a smile on her face. "Yeah, I must say, you're pretty good for being you."

A half smile crept on his face, "what does that mean?" his tone was lighter now, more playful. He didn't seem nervous anymore. Spencer wondered if she sounded nervous? She still didn't know whether or not she even was nervous.

"You know," she shrugged "I just—" she looked up, unfortunately her answer wasn't on the ceiling. "You," she looked at him again. "I just wasn't expecting that." Her voice is soft, and quick. It makes him smile timidly, only increasing her nerves.

"Are you complimenting me?" he asked in a childish matter.

"What?" she spat out, "no…I—I'm just saying, you were good."

"That's a compliment, Spencer."

"Fine." She growled, looking at him her sharp, golden irises. "It's a compliment. Now are you going to accept it, or keep being an ass about it?" she crossed her arms.

"I just can't believe it—a compliment, from Spencer Hastings."

"That's it, I'm taking it back."

"No, no, no!" he pleaded over his laughter. "Thank you, Spencer, really" He said his voice becoming more serious than it was before. He stared at her with those big dopey blue eyes, and Spencer found herself compelled by him. Was this even possible? Why wasn't she looking away? Why was she smiling? Why was he smiling? Oh god.

She pried her eyes away and hit the floor. Keeping her eyes locked on his feet. She ran a hand through her hair out of nervousness. "Yeah," she replied, shrugging her shoulders lightly. Yeah? What the hell was she saying?

"Even if it was backhanded."

She shot her sharp copper eyes up at him, suddenly regaining her confidence. "Toby, that's the only way to compliment you."

"Ha," he remarked. "I tell you what," his eyes traveled across the bar for a glimpse of a moment. "If I can beat you in a game of pool, you have to give me a real compliment. No sarcasm. No backhand. No take backs."

There it was again. That serious dumb little stare of his. He was staring right into her, taking a dive into her world, even though no one invited him. "Doesn't that kind of defeat the point?" Spencer retorted, crossing her arms.

"Not if the point is to annoy you," a smirk crept on his face.

She glared at him, her eyes rolling into another dimension. "Okay, well what's in it for me. What happens when I win?"

"When you win? Isn't that a little premature."

She smirked, "That's cute, but really. What's gonna happen?"

"If you win, then…" his voice trailed, "I don't know. What do you want?"

She pondered for a moment, letting the idea of having whatever she wanted, in reason of course, wandering through her head. Her mind was completely blank. She could not think of a single thing she wanted from him. Normally, at an opportunity like this, she would totally embarrass him, but, she was out of juice. She couldn't think of anything. "Hmm, a coffee. You'll buy me a coffee."

"Reasonable enough."

She smiled tightly, her voice giddy. "So, let's get this started, shall we?"

The waltzed over to the pool table, through the assortment of people, with an eagerness in their step. Spencer didn't really care about the coffee, (OK she did, but it was a free cup of coffee, could you blame her?) she cared more about one upping him.

The game started of balanced. Both were doing well, anything could happen, but then Spencer had her move. That move led her on to big things. She won quickly after, and smirked at her opponent with a victorious grin.

"Rematch," he demanded.

"Sure, I could always use another free coffee." She teased, laughing over her pool stick.

The game began again, and Toby gave it all. He ended up triumphing, ending the game quickly. Spencer, of course was livid, and demanded a rematch. He agreed to this, making it two for two.

This pattern continued all night, the rematches never ceased to end. They lost count of how many coffees and compliments they owed each other. They had no idea of the time. No measure of how long they have been together. They just kept playing, over and over again, until the bar's population numbered down to just a handful of people.

After another defeat from Spencer, Toby made a new proposition.

"OK…that is the last game. No more rematches, you lose, I win. You have to buy me coffee for the next two months."

"Wait, wait, wait…" he stopped her, "one more round. We can make it more interesting…" he smirked, his hands toying with the pool stick in his hand.

She gave him a curious look, awaiting his proposition.

"If you win, I'll play intern, and get all your coffee, whenever you want, for the next three months."

"And you'll pay for it?"

He nodded.

"What's in it for you?" she stares at him, a cease in her brow.

"You have to kiss me."

Her heart plummets into her stomach like an eighty pound anchor diving into the sea. "What?" she exclaimed, her voice balancing between disgust and shock.

"What? You were so sure of winning earlier, why not now?"

"Because—" she spattered, losing all common sense. "I'm not—"

"Going to win?"

She growled, glaring at him. "Fine," she grunted through her teeth. "But you are going to go to whichever coffee shop I want you to go to, even if it is in Ohio, you'll get it."

"Fine," a wicked smile arranged on his face. "You're on, let's start."

The game was more intense than the others. It was like the Olympics of pooling. Neither spoke to each other, they didn't even look at each other. This was the all or nothing. This could be the end.

Like the first game, the game began slowly. Both were doing average, neither was striking for the gold. That was until Toby stepped it up a notch. He went at it with all he had, which led to his victory.

Spencer felt like she was going to faint. Was he seriously going to make her kiss him? No, no, no, never. No way in hell would she ever introduce her lips to his mouth. No, no, no! The thought was utterly horrible. She was not nearly drunk enough to do this. She couldn't even imagine it. She didn't want to, nope, she wouldn't do it. She couldn't. She would not. Nope.

But she made the bet, so she would have to.

Sometimes she hated her life.

He smiled at her, sneering away behind his pool stick. She just stared at him, half in disgust, half in question. Why did he want to kiss her? Why would he propose such an awful thing? It didn't make sense.

He came closer to her, smirking, his pool stick still in his hand. "Looks like I won," he taunted.

"Looks like it," Spencer stared at him with hard golden eyes.

He laughed again, his shoulders shaking wholesomely. Spencer wanted to punch that smile right off his stupid, little, face.

"Let's just get it over with, OK?" she grumbled out unwillingly.

He looked at her, his normal bright blue eyes, hitching up to a hue brighter. "Relax, I'm not actually going to make you kiss me."

"What?" her voice answered lightly.

"You don't have to kiss me, Spencer. I wouldn't make you do that. I just wanted to see you freak out."

"What if you lost?" she fired back skeptically, acting if that move was the stupidest thing in the world.

He shrugged, providing a sheepish smile, "then I guess I would be making night live drives to Ohio each night."

A trace of a smile embarked on her face at the statement, "I think you need to change your priorities."

"Probably, but at least I'm not solemnly addicted to coffee."

She rolled her eyes, "touché."

He laughed, and she found herself laughing too after a moment.

"You know, I actually had a good time tonight," Toby told her.

"Me too, surprisingly."

Toby smiled, as did she. It was an innocent moment, but it held potential. Potential for the beginning of a new era.

Toby dismissed himself shortly after and she decided it was high time she went home too. Her friend had left, what seemed like, ages ago. When she came over to say goodbye, Spencer was so engrossed in the game that she barely even said goodbye. But Spencer was beginning to wonder if it was the game, or just her component that captured her attention so rowdily.

She didn't know the feeling she got when he told her he was just kidding about the kiss. It was relief, but it was also more than that. Under all that relief was an almost disappointment.

a/n: hHAHAHAH am i bitch, that is the question. But COME ON, you don't want their first kiss to be like that. Plus, Toby's too sweet to actually make a deal like that, come on. PLUS, if you read my previous stories, you know I am one of those people who will let you think you have it, then take it away. Please hold your torches, thanks 3

Anyways, leave me a review pretty please. I REALLY LOVE THEM. PlEASE please. if you haven't done it before, idk it's pretty fun, you should do it! i will give you ice cream (spiritually)

ok peace, it's 130 AM so sorry if i missed any typos!