a/n: an actual quick update? Whoever knew I was capable! Well, I hope you like this chapter! Thanks so much for the reviews lovelies!

Chapter 10

Common Interests

Sometimes Spencer came over to work on homework, well, AP physics homework, mostly. They helped each other with it. Spencer would never admit to it, but she needed his help as much as he needed hers.

Sometimes Toby would stay a little while after they completed their homework. It was kind of strange at first, but eventually it became almost normal. Then one say came along and changed everything. Spencer had come over after school, completely forgetting that they weren't assigned homework, and even if they were, it was Friday. Toby was oblivious to all these fine details too apparently, because he didn't stop her from coming in.

They sat at his dining room table, like always. Spencer pulled out her planner, and went through it. Then it hit her. It was Friday, and their teacher didn't assign homework for the weekend. She closed her planner, and looked at him, "it's Friday."

"Yeah," he nods, not looking up from his phone. "Why is that a problem? Don't you always start your homework on Fridays? I never thought I would become such a nerd."

"That isn't the problem," she grits through her teeth. "The problem," she begins in a voice of annoyance, "is that we don't have any homework."

He drops his phone on the table, and looks up at her. "Oh, yeah. We don't…" realization crosses his face.

They sit there awkwardly for a moment. Spencer looks away, bringing her crossed feet more under her chair. She clasps her hands together, setting them on her lap.

"We could do something else," he offers.

"Like what?"

"I don't know. Watch a movie."

"What movie?"

"Anything but the Notebook…" he voices.

She rolls her eyes, "you're such a typical boy. Have you ever even seen The Notebook?"'

"Yes, and I hate the ending. They die together? That's so unrealistic… and lame."

"Okay, fine, I admit that part was a little surreal. But the rest of the movie is great."

"They make out in the rain. That is so…cliché."

She purses her lips, annoyed, "it is passionate."

"It's overdone."

"Fine, then. What do you have in mind?" she counters.

"I told you I don't care."

"You are so annoying! Just pick something. I don't even know what you have," she glares at him, becoming impatient.

"I have everything. You see Spencer, there's this thing called the internet. Haven't you ever watched something illegally?" he squints his sapphire eyes at her.

"No, Toby. I am not a felon, like you. You know, you could get into a lot of trouble for that, right?"

"If I do, will you be my lawyer?"

"Considering I'm only seventeen, and haven't completed Law School, let alone High School, I don't really think I'm going to be able to help you."

He smiles, "I'm sure you're better than anyone I could actually pay for."

A compliment? From Toby Cavanaugh? Strange.

"Thanks, but I don't really think I'm going to follow the Hastings family business."

"Why not?" he questions.

"I don't know," she shrugs. "I just rather not go down that route," she explains. Trying to avoid of this conversation, she moves on, "so, we can watch any movie?" she beckons.

"Anything your heart desires."

"Besides the Notebook," she states.

"Yes. Besides that."

"Fine. Then let's watch an old movie. Or are you not into that either?" she narrows her eyes on him.

"Actually, noir movies are probably my favorite genre."

"Hmmm, I never thought we would actually have something in common," she murmurs.

"Me either," he muses.

…

Toby stares at her, wondering how the hell this even happened.

He tries to document the events that got them here, on a time line.

It was Friday evening. Spencer was at Hanna and Caleb's helping Hanna with some bridal shower invitations, and Caleb was apparently just watching some wrestling match. After threading a ribbon through fifty invitations, and listening to her fiancé grunt repeatedly at the wrestling match, Hanna went berserk. She nearly pushed the TV off its hinges from how hard she pressed the "off" button. She was soon yelling at Caleb, demanding he help them, and to get Toby's ass over here while he was at it.

Once Toby arrived, Hanna sort of ditched the invitations, and began to watch some chick flick. Spencer stayed to finish the rest of the invitations, and that's where this conversation took place:

"I'm so excited for Thursday," she smiled at Caleb.

Caleb proceeded to get flustered by the statement; obviously oblivious to whatever the hell she was talking about.

"Oh, yeah," he replied with fake enthusiasm to the brunette, eyeing the ribbon, instead of her.

The extremely observant brunette noticed the fluctuation in his voice, "did you forget?" she seethed, dropping the invitation (well, more or less slammed it down on the table.)

For once, she wasn't pissed at Toby. It almost felt relieving to the man. He shifted his eyes between the two, becoming amused by the situation.

"No…" his voice trailed. He still wasn't looking at Spencer.

"Stop lying, Rivers!" she groaned. A sigh leapt from her throat, "it's the Arcade Fire concert, remember? We scheduled it last May," she informs him, an obvious annoyance running rampant through her.

"Oh, yeah. God dammit," he shook his head. "Spencer, do you think you could find someone else to go with you?" he asked.

"What? Why!"

"Hanna and I have that interview for that church, Friday morning."

"So?"

"I have to be awake!"

"You're such a baby. You'll get back at, like, 12."

"Spencer, the concert is in Allentown!"

"Fine! So, like, one, one-thirty, at the latest. You can sleep in the car! Caleb, you promised! We made these plans months ago. Are you seriously going to bail on me?"

He looked conflicted. "I—just, this is Hanna's dream chapel. If we don't get in, then she won't just marry someone else, she'll kill me."

"If she doesn't kill you, I will," she gritted through her teeth, her copper eyes narrowing on him. "Who am I supposed to take? I don't know anyone else who likes them."

Caleb thought for a second. Toby knew he would eventually remember that he was a huge fan of them a year ago, and still a pretty well aquatinted with their music, today. It was only a few seconds before Caleb would propose of the idea, not caring that the two were notoriously known to argue.

"Toby!" the shaggy hair man exclaimed, beaming at his friend. "You love them, right?" he asked. But he knew the answer. He turned to Spencer. "Toby is, like, the biggest fan, ever. I'm pretty sure he wanted to go to that concert. I told him I was going with you, and he was, like, incredibly jealous!"

Toby kept his eyes away from Spencer, pursing his lips, as he continued to work on the invitations.

"Really? You love them, Toby?" her voice came out flat. The little emotion that seeped through her words was exasperation.

"Hmm?" he glanced up, "oh, oh, um. Yeah. I do…"

She sighed, her eyes roaming for a second. She glanced back at him, "so…do you want to go with me?"

It was weird. Spencer asking him to go somewhere with her. He supposed they weren't…enemies, anymore, but they still bickered and bantered 24/7, and weren't exactly the bestest of friends.

"I wouldn't want you to waste the ticket," he supplied.

"So saint like of you," a smile inched out on her face. She tried to make it a twisted smile, but he could tell it was more. "I'm sure now you'll be canonized…" she went on.

So, here they are, now. On the way to the concert. It is about an hour and a half drive, including traffic and other obstacles they endure. Like stop lights and what not. They've been in the car for forty minutes, and they haven't really said a word to each other. Toby didn't think it was possible to go this long without fighting with her. Sure, it happened in high school, but this wasn't high school. They weren't really friends. Not like they were in those days.

Something had to be wrong.

"Is something wrong?" he decides to ask.

"What?" she glances at him for a split second, "no. Why?"

"It's just, it's been, like, forty minutes, and you have only insulted me twice."

She laughs a little, "sorry. You're annoying. Are you happy now?" she gives him a glance.

"And you're a liar," he back fires. "What is it, Hastings?" he demands.

"Fine," she sighs. "I guess, I'm just a little…annoyed, still at Caleb. He just ditched me. Like, what the hell was that?" she complains. A moment passes, and she shakes her head, "why am I telling you? You're his best friend…"

"No, I think that would be you."

"Really? Because it sure doesn't feel like that. He doesn't ditch you. Want to know how many times we've hung out since they got engaged? Not because of the stupid wedding, but just to hangout?"

"Sure…"

"Once," she clucks her tongue.

"And you think it's different for me?"

"I don't know," she admits, in a sort of shy tone.

"Well, it isn't. I've seen him once, too. And I think the only reason for that was because he wanted to interrogate me about…" and then he stops. He wanted to interrogate him about him and Spencer

"What?" she glances over to him, a wrinkle in her brow. "About what?" she questions.

"About…this girl," he decides to lie, because he really wouldn't even know what to say. It would just be awkward.

Quiet.

"Oh…" she murmurs after a minute.

"He thinks something is going on between us, but there isn't…" he feels the need to say.

"Oh," she repeats with more octaves. "Well. Caleb is annoying, either way."

He looks through the window, at the passing cars and people, wondering how time passed so quickly.

"I think…that Hanna's his best friend now," he decides, looking back towards Spencer. "I don't think it's either of us," he concludes.

Her eyes drift down for a second, but are quickly back on the road, "yeah. You're probably right," she sighs. "I guess…" she begins, "I've just never understood the whole love thing. I just don't see why once someone gets romantically involved with someone, they totally forget about everyone else in their lives."

"Do you really feel that way?"

"I don't know," she sighs. "I'm just jealous, I guess. Hanna and I have grown really close, but I just…I'm jealous of her," she confesses. And then she quickly adds, "not like that!" she glares at him, "don't even get any ideas."

He chuckles, "I wasn't even thinking about that," he offers a wide smile.

"Good," she nods.

"Partially because I feel the same way. You were enough, and then Hanna came into the picture, and now they are getting married, and probably going to be having kids soon…I just. It sucks," he declares. "I mean, I'm happy for him, I am, but I'm…just…I don't know," his sentence falls apart as he realizes what is happening. He is talking to Spencer Hastings about feelings and emotions. About his feelings and emotions. How the hell did this happen?

"I know what you mean," she sighs. "I just… I hate when these thoughts creep up on me, because I feel like such a bitch," she grumbles. Then she glares at him, "don't say a word…" she threatens.

"I wasn't going to," he promises, a warmness fluttering through his voice.

"But I have a right to be mad at Caleb, right now," she decides. "He screwed me over," her voice comes out in a rush of anger.

"Yeah…" he agrees in a quiet voice.

They fade back into a silence shortly after.

…

They sit in their seats, waiting for the opening act to make their appearance. This always happens at concerts, they never start on time. Usually Toby just makes the time go by faster by talking to whoever he is with, but he is with Spencer, and he doesn't really know what to say to her.

"What songs do you hope they play?" he asks.

"Wake up, Rebellion, really anything off Funeral, to be frank. Also, We Exist, Here Comes The Night Time. Literally, anything off of The Suburbs. Especially, Rococo, and Modern Man…" a look of embarrassment crosses her face. She glances away, pretending to check out the stage, "I'm just…a big fan."

He wonders what he must be looking like right now. He moves away, so he isn't facing her. She named, like, half of his favorite songs. How is it possible that they have so much in common? He felt awe rush across his face when she started to list the songs. He wonders if she took it as awe or not… He hopes not.

"What about you?" she questions, an eager, sort of, glimmer in her brown eyes.

"Well, you already named like half of my favorites…" he admits, not meeting her eyes just yet, "but, You Already Know, Flashbulb Eyes, No Cars Go…" he continues, thinking, "oh! Neighborhood, part one, well… any part," he finds himself smiling at her.

She is smiling too.

"Oh! I totally forgot about that!" her voice comes out in a roar of excitement. "God, I love Neighborhood. All of the parts…" she sighs happily. "But You Already Know…I don't know, it's okay."

"It's amazing," he fights.

"It's not their best song," she counters.

"Well, I never said it was…" he points out. "It's still amazing though…" he comments.

"Here Comes the Night Time is better."

"I don't know if I would say that…" a thoughtful expression comes to his face.

"I am not going to bash any of their songs," she laughs suddenly. "I feel like we're just fighting to fight," she gives him a small smile.

"I think you're right…" he admits after a second, giving her an equally small smile.

"Finally we agree on something," she declares. "But, just for the record, I'm always right," her copper eyes challenge his.

He shakes his head, "you're always full of yourself, is what you are," he comments.

"Confidence is key…" she points out, staring away again.

He lets it go, mostly because he doesn't really feel like fighting with her. Sometimes…it is actually…nice in a way. He knows that is strange, but he feels like most of the time they banter nowadays are just out of habit. He feels like they are more playful than anything, and it is nice, but right now, he just feels like having a conversation with her. It is weird, but he, sort of, likes that idea, too.

…

After the concert, she feels like she is on a high. It was amazing, better than amazing. It was phenomenal. They didn't sing a couple of songs she was hoping to hear, but it was still absolutely fantastic. She had to admit, "You Already Know," did sound fantastic live..

"I can drive home if you want," he offers as they get closer to her car.

She gives him a look, mostly of bewilderment, "why would you do that?"

"Well, I mean, it's a long drive. You drove here, you're the reason I even got to go, so, I mean, I figured I could drive back. You could get some rest, I don't know. Don't you have your lovely law school classes tomorrow?" he questions.

She flinches at the law school thing, a ripple of annoyance rushing through her. The idea of dreams, and what not, still haunts her. It is all damn Toby's fault. But then, eventually, her face calms. She stares at him, studying him, "I don't know. Can you, like, drive?

"Seriously?"

"I'm just asking!" she recoils, her hands up at once. "How do I know you won't take me to the middle of nowhere and stab me to death?" she interrogates.

"I guess you'll have to trust me," he shrugs as they reach her car. "Plus, if I were planning to kill you, I wouldn't do it tonight. Everyone knows I'm with you, remember? And they all know how well get along," he recites, sarcasm lacing through his voice. "If I were going to kill you, you be sure Hastings, I would have a better alibi."

She resists the urge to smile. But she isn't very successful. "I guess that would be pretty stupid of you…but then again, you are pretty stupid," she offers in a light, restrained voice, her copper eyes boring into his.

He steps closer to her and her breath hitches. Why does her breath hitch?

"And you're very smart…" he comments.

Her heart drops into her stomach. What? She wasn't expecting that. She can handle the insults, but compliments? Her little…whatever she has on Toby…cannot be exposed to compliments. She doesn't know how it will affect her.

"Oh? I am?"

"Yes," he nods. "And normally you're a little less oblivious to it.

Back to the insults. She can handle this, she thinks.

No, she can't. She can't at all. Her eyes flicker from his piercing blues, to his pink lips, and a horrible thought strikes her. She glances back up at his eyes, which stare at her with some curiosity, and lust? She isn't sure. Is she seeing things?

"Yeah, well…you're in my breathing space," she takes in a breath, stepping away. It wasn't her best comeback…probably her worst…but it is better than kissing him! That would be awful.

"So, do you want me to drive or not?" he asks.

"I—sure," she decides in a sigh, throwing him the keys.

"Don't worry, I won't crash…or ditch you at some motel, or anything. I promise," he gives her a stupid grin.

"On second thought," she moves toward him in a swift movement, but she lets her hands drop, and laughs. "You better not, Cavanaugh."

He laughs, too. And then smiles again at her with that stupid grin of his. That stupid, idiotic, grin.

a/n: reviewwwwwwwwwwwwww please ? :)