Chapter 3
Who Are You?
Toby Cavanaugh is no saint. He has skeletons in his closet just like most people. Before he moved to Rosewood, he lived with his mother and father. They were a pretty happy family from what the eye could see, but no families ever perfect. His mother was mentally ill and spent most of her life in and out of asylums. Unfortunately, she never got better and killed herself when Toby was only fourteen.
After the death of his mother, Toby fell into a deep depression because he lost his best friend. His fathers sadness had a big affect on Toby because his dad would barely talk to him or even look his way. Only a few months after his mom died, Toby's father started dating this single mother with a daughter the same age as him. The women was okay, but Toby could tell something was off with her daughter, Jenna.
After about a year of dating, his father remarried and the woman and her daughter became Toby's step-sister. His step-mom was always nice to him, but it was obvious about how much both of the parents doted over Jenna. That's why when Jenna started touching him and he would tell them they wouldn't believe him. Jenna would always hit or threaten him that if he tells anyone that she'll cry rape and he knew she would win. For years, Jenna, would force him to have sex with her and then would hit him if he didn't comply with her orders.
When Toby turned seventeen, he bolted out if his house with only the clothes on his back and couple of bucks in his pocket. For a few weeks he lived wherever he could find a place to lie his head. He worked odd jobs to save money to find a place and he finally found one in Rosewood over the summer. He moved into the loft above the Brew and started working for Mr. Sweeney. He decided to back to school after missing out for almost two months and on his first day he first came in contact with what had to be the most beautiful girl in the world. She was beautiful, but when he looked into her eyes saw sadness and fear.
Now instead of focusing on his classes all day he was wandering around the school looking for Spencer Hastings.
"Toby, you have got to stop looking like a lost puppy." Caleb said, snapping Toby out of his trance.
Toby meet Caleb a few days before he started school at the Brew and they instantly became friends. Caleb's been showing him around all day, but he wasn't showing the only important thing he wanted to see. Spencer.
He rolled his eyes and turned his head in his friends direction."At least puppies are cute."
"Seriously, dude, you're starting to scare me. I just asked you a question a few minutes ago, but you were too busy staring at girls to even hear me."
"I wasn't staring at girls." Toby grumbled and then a smile spread over his face when he thought about her."I was looking for a girl."
Caleb chuckled and nudged Toby with his elbow."So who is the unfortunate girl?"
"Spencer Hastings." Toby said and watched his friend laughed and shake his head."What's so funny?"
"Dude, you are never gonna get Spencer Hastings."
The bell rang for last period. Caleb patted Toby's shoulder before heading off in another direction.
"Wait! What does that mean!?" Toby asked him, but Caleb had already rounded the corner.
He silently cursed himself for not asking sooner. He pulled out his schedule to see that his last class of the day was AP French. It wasn't his favorite subject, but he wasn't terrible at it. After searching the halls for about ten minutes, he found Mr. Carinci's class. He walked into the class and up to the teaches desk.
"Sir, I just started here today." Toby handed the man his schedule for him to check off.
"Yes...Mr. Cavanaugh. Welcome to the class and we've already started, so just take a seat anywhere and copy the notes."
Toby nodded his head before he turned around to look for a seat. As his eyes scanned the classroom, he found her. Spencer was in the second row in a seat at the end by the windows. She was obviously trying to avoid him because she had her face hidden behind a book. He smiled widely before he walked to the empty desk next to her and planted himself in the seat.
"I think this just became my favorite class." He whispered to her and he swore he heard her scoff.
"Are you stalking me or something?" She asked and sent him a dirty look, but all he did was smile.
"Or something." He said to be sarcastic and she rolled her eyes before going back to writing her notes.
After a while, he got out his pen and paper to writing down the notes too. He had just written the first bullet when she turned to him and asked him a question.
"How'd you know my name?"
"I just matched a pretty name with a pretty face." He winked at her and she shot him a glare before turning back to her work.
He look down to see when she turned that she knocked her pencil off her desk. He reached down to get it and touched her arm to get her attention. But when he touched her, he felt her tense up and quickly pulled her arm away.
"Please don't touch me." Her voice wasn't as strong as it was anymore. She sounded afraid.
"You dropped your-" Toby didn't know what to say, so he set the pencil on the desk and said the only thing that came to mind."I'm sorry."
For the rest of the class, Toby and Spencer didn't speak anymore. She would ocassionaly glance at him because she was trying to figure him out. Every time he looked into her eyes it was like he was looking into her soul and finding the truth. And when she looked into his eyes all she saw was a code that she couldn't figure out.
The bell rang for school to be over and everyone started to gather their things. Toby was obviously taking his time to talk to Spencer at least on more time. When he saw that she was nearly finished he decided it was time.
"Your name was on the prescription bottle. That's how I knew it, but I'm glad I looked." He winked at before he walked out the classroom before she could give him a smart remark.
Spencer was basically attached to Andrew at the hip all day in school. He hated to not know where she was at all times. He would let her go to class, but he made it his choice to walk her to every class. At lunch, he would sometimes let her sit with her friends, but the truth was he really didn't like her spending time with them because he thought she might tell. He usually would walk her to her car, but he had a Decathlon Team meeting after school today.
Today Spencer didn't have to worry about Andrew because she lied and said her nana was coming over. Today she could be free until tomorrow. She was actually relieved until her car decided not to start.
"You have got to be kidding." She muttered to herself as she turned her key over and over, but the car wouldn't start.
She got out the car to see what the problem was. She didn't even know anything about cars, but a Hastings always tried to come up with a solution. So, she popped the hood and when she looked inside all she saw was a big puzzle. She was really hoping to get out of there in case Andrews meeting ended early.
"Do you need some help?" Spencer didn't notice the truck that pulled up next to her, but knew the voice. She turned around and sitting in a tan truck next to her was Toby with a smile on his face.
"No, I don't need help because everything's just peachy."
Of course he didn't believe her, so he got out of his truck to help. He watched her for a moment. He watched how her face was so serious and determined to get her car to start. It was obvious that so didn't know anything about cars because of the way she was just fiddling with things until she hoped it would start. Toby noticed that her car was still window was down, so he decided to take a peek inside, but what he saw made him burst out laughing.
Spencer glared at him over the hood."This isn't funny. My car won't start and if all you're going to do is laugh, then you can go."
He kept on laughing as he walked over to her and closed the hood of her car."Spencer, your car isn't going to start because you don't have any gas."
"Great, that's just great." She knew know that she'd have to get a ride from Andrew because her friends had already gone home.
"I can give you a ride."
"No, thanks."
"Then I'll just wait with you until I see that you get home safely." Toby leaned up against her car and crossed his arms.
"Just go home alright. I'll be fine. My boyfriend will take me home when he gets out of his meeting."
He stepped in front of her and gave her a serious look."Look, your boyfriend might take longer than you think, so I can't leave you out here alone. So get your stubborn ass in truck before I put you there myself."
Spencer was a little taken aback by his boldness. She knew that he wasn't kidding and knew he would put her in his truck. She really didn't want him or anyone touching her. It was either she rides with Toby or ride with Andrew.
"Fine." She grumbled and walked around him to get the keys out of car and lock it up before getting into his truck.
"Address?" He asked. She gave him the address and pulled out of the lot in the direction of her home. As he was driving past the front of the school, Andrew was outside. Spencer ducked down, so he wouldn't see her in the car with another guy because she'd have hell to pay for it.
"Are you alright?" Toby asked when she noticed that she cowered down in her seat.
She straightened back up when they were out of view of the school and gather herself again."I'm fine."
"Liar." He mumbled under his breath and she turned to him with a questioning look.
"Excuse me?"
"You are scared of something." He asked and his face turned down into a frown when he thought of what might be wrong."Are you afraid of me? Do you think I might hurt you?"
"No." She lied."I just...I...Why are you being nice to me? What do you want?"
"What makes you think I want something?"
She chuckled lightly and shook her head."All guys want something."
"Not all guys."
"That's what guys say too when they want something."
He laughed this time and quickly glance over at her."What if I just want to get know you? Get to know the real you."
"Is that a line?" She squinted her eyes at him and he shook his head.
"No, if I were going to use a line then I'd use one like: Would you grab my arm so I can tell my friends I've been touched by an angel?"
He was surprised when she actually giggled at his pick up line."That line is so lame."
"Okay, how about this one: Are you going to kiss me or do I have to lie to my diary?"
"Who are you?"
"What?" He looked over at her and noticed that her playful mood turned back to serious in two seconds flat.
"Who are you? Why are you in Rosewood? Why are talking to me and giving me rides home?"
"That's another conversation for a different day." He pointed in front of them and surprisingly they were sitting in the driveway of her home."Goodbye, Spencer."
"Bye." She grabbed her books and purse off the floor before exiting his truck. She walked all the way to the door and he was still there. He waited until she was safely in the house before he pulled out of the driveway.
In the morning as Spencer was done getting ready for school, she remembered that she didn't have a car. She about to send Aria a text to give her a ride, but a noise caught her attention. He was the sound of a car door opening and closing. At first, she thought it was Andrew, but there was never a knock at the door.
So, she looked out of the window by the front door to see her car sitting outside in the driveway. She walked outside to it and noticed a note under the windshield.
You left your keys in my truck, so I went back for your car. I had a friend tow it to the gas station and I filled it up with gas before I brought it back. The keys are under the mat.
-T
P.S. Smile more it looks good on you ;) (Yes, that was a line.)
Spencer knew she smiling before she even read the note. Reading the note only made her smile even more. He must really have something up his sleeve if he's working, so hard to get to her. Her moment of happiness was shattered in a few moments by the presence of another person.
"Spencer." She knew that voice and her smile faltered, then faded. As she turned to face him, she quickly slid the note into her back pocket. He was standing there with a scowl on his face and that wasn't good for her.
"Andrew, I thought we were meeting at school?"
"I know your nana wasn't here or your family last night. I called Melissa to check and now I think we need to talk." He growled and she instantly knew what he meant by talk.
She knew what was coming and she didn't even fight it. If she tried to fight it, he would only beat her worse. She walked into the house with him close behind because he wouldn't hit her out in the open. But when the door closed behind him she felt the first strike to the back of the head and she immediately went down.
This time he started hitting her in face. She could have sworn when he kicked her, he broke a rib or two. He would slap her, punch her, kick her, taunt her, and when he was tried of beating her he would take a break. When the break was over he dragged by her ankles up the stairs to her bedroom where his assault continued. All she could do was let the darkness consume her.