Chapter 16
Turning Back The Clock
Tomorrow was the big night. The homecoming dance was the big event for all the high school students of Rosewood High. It was a night to celebrate with friends and have a good time enjoying a carefree night. Expect, Toby didn't think it was going to be much of a good night because the real girl he wanted to be his date was gonna go with someone else.
Toby laid across his bed in his room on that Friday afternoon. He kept replaying his conversation that he had earlier in the week with Spencer about Jenna. It's been on his mind, so much that he hadn't been paying attention at school and he was barely eating. He was just concerned about where they stood now.
She was just down the hall, but he was just too ashamed to talk to her. He didn't want her to look at him with disgust or pity. More importantly, he didn't want her to look at him as a monster. He didn't want her to believe anything Jenna she said to her. That's why he kept replaying that night over and over in his head, trying to find any indication that they were okay.
She crossed her arms and let out a small sigh."I want to talk about your stepsister, Jenna."
His heart felt like it had stopped for a moment. He didn't have to look in a mirror to know that his face had gone pale. This is exactly what he didn't want to happen. He was trying to protect her from his problems. He was trying to protect himself from his problems.
"H-How'd you know about Jenna?" He asked nervously as his hands began to get clammy and his stomach started to turn into a circus.
"We meet today at the Brew. She wanted to talk about you." She squinted her eyes at him."She wanted to share some things about you."
"Like what?"
"She's say that you're troubled and that I should be afraid of you." She stated.
He felt like the wind had been knocked out of him. The last thing he wanted to do was make her fear him."And what do you think? Should you be afraid of me?"
"I don't know. I mean, we've only known each other for two and a half months and I still know nothing about your past, but your mother. And Jenna says that I should be afraid of you because of who you'll become...She said you did stuff to her."
He felt his nervousness turn into cold, hard hatred."I never did anything to Jenna. Whatever she said to you was a lie." He said angrily and she was a little taken aback.
"How am I supposed to believe that? You won't tell me anything about you." She said."If you want me to trust you then tell me the truth and the whole truth."
He walked away from her to pace on the other side of her room. He was trying to get his head together. He's spent a long time trying to forget what happened between him and Jenna. But now his past has caught up to him and he was about to explode.
"Jenna's mom married my dad and they moved in with us. I thought Jenna was really sweet when I first met her, she was really nice. And then all of that changed. She didn't act like a sister or friend to me any more." He felt his voice croak and the tears drip down his face, but he kept going."It started with her wanting to hangout all the time. Then she would tell me how cute or sexy I looked. After a while, she started touching me whenever she could like holding my hand or playing with my hair. One night our parents went out on a date and Jenna came into my room wearing lace lingerie and she said she wanted me. I said no, but she said she was gonna take what she wanted anyways."
She listened to him explain and her heart broke for him. Little by little, she was feeling guilty by bringing this up.
"Jenna kept doing that for a while and when I wouldn't cooperate, she'd hit me. Or she'd threaten to tell people I forced myself on her. I tried to tell my dad, but he wouldn't listen to me and told me never to talk about Jenna like that again or I'd pay. One day something just snapped inside of me and I left. I ran and ran and ran until I got here. And looks like I'll still have to keep running."
"Toby,-" She tried to say something, but he held up his hand to stop her. He stopped pacing and walked over to her.
He kissed the top of her forehead before looking into her eyes."I hope that you can believe me because without you I know I wouldn't be the same. I just want you to be able to trust me because I want to be that safe place to land for you." He kissed the top of her head before walking out of her room and down to his.
He kept replaying that conversation in his head the past two days. Ever since then he's been walking on eggs shells around her house. He left early in the mornings and came home when he knew she'd be asleep or when he knew she wasn't home. He didn't want to hear her say that she was done with him. So he just kept avoiding her.
His thoughts were interrupted by a knock at his door."Come in." He said because he knew Spencer was out getting dresses with the girls.
After a moment in walked Caleb and Jason."Are you ready to go?" Jason asked.
"And where are we going?"
"We're going to go get our suits for the dance tomorrow night."
Toby shook his head lightly."I don't need to. Yesterday, Alison and I went out together to get a suit to match her dress."
"Well, you're going anyways," Jason stated as he grabbed Toby's arms and sat him up on the bed."because you've been moping around for the last two days. It's time to go back into the world."
"I can't. I just don't want to risk-"
"Risk running into Spencer?" Caleb challenged and Toby groaned.
"No, I don't want to risk doing something stupid because of the way I'm feeling."
"Oh, that you're feeling and acting like a depressed love sick puppy."
He rolled his eyes and stood up."I'm not in love with Spencer."
"Really?" Jason challenged."Say that again, but this time look us in the eye when you do."
Toby lifted his head up to look his friends in their eyes."I don't..." For some reason he couldn't get the words out. Then images of Spencer started to cloud his thoughts."I don't..." Her laugh, her touch, her smile were so intoxicating to him and he felt his body yearning for her now that he was thinking about her. He felt something change inside of him. He finally felt it."Holy crap, I'm in love with Spencer."
The homecoming dance was finally here. Actually it would be in a few hours, but Spencer and her friends had been getting ready already. The girls came over earlier, so that they could all do their hair and make-up together. Caleb and Jason came over a little while after the girls, Spencer heard them laughing down the hall in Toby's room. Her friends were shocked and furious when she told them about her going to homecoming with Andrew, but she told them it was something she needed to do for closure.
After everyone was dressed and ready to go it was time to take pictures. Spencer's mother invited Hanna, Emily, Aria, Caleb, and Jason parents over, so that they could get some shots of their kids together and with their dates. Her father still hadn't returned to the house and all she knew about his departure was that he messed up badly. Still it didn't matter much because she still had her friends, mother, and sister there for her.
After almost every picture was snapped, Spencer was starting to notice that a certain blue-eyed boy was missing all the fun. She didn't have to look around to know because she could feel his presence in a room and he wasn't
"Hey, does anyone know where Toby is?" She asked out loud to everyone in the room, but got head shakes of no from most of them.
"I think he's up in his room." Veronica spoke and then turned to her daughter."Will you go get him and tell him to hurry down, so we get some pictures of him too?"
Spencer nodded her head before venturing up the stairs. She slowly approached his room as she walked down the hall. His door was cracked open, so she peeked in. He was standing in front of his mirror putting on his tie or at least attempting to put it on.
"Come on." He groaned to himself as he had to start over with his tie.
Spencer watched him struggle for a few more seconds before opening the door and stepping into the room. She shut the door behind her and the noise made him look up from his task at her. She don't say anything just approached him and took his tie from his hands and started doing it for him.
"Thank you." He said meekly as his eyes gazed at her as she focused on his tie."It's like you know how to do everything and next you'll tell me you know how to make flan."
"I do know how to make flan." She chuckled and then shrugged."It's not a problem. I want you to look great for your date tonight." She finished tying his tie and then took a step back from him.
"It's not a date, Spence. I'm just taking Alison to homecoming."
"Yeah, but why are you doing it?"
He clenched his jaw before he spoke."Because the girl I wanted to go with tonight is going with her ex-boyfriend."
"Toby-"
"No, I let me say it. Please let me say it before you say that you're too disgusted with me." He pleaded as he took her hands in his and laced this fingers together."You've caused a lot of stuff to happen to me ever since I've moved here. I was beat down, my loft was destroyed, my truck was trashed, and I was put in the hospital." Spencer bowed her head down in shame, but Toby grabbed her chin and tilted her head back up."But I wouldn't take any of it back. I'm glad that I moved here. I'm glad that I chose to stay here and fight for you. I'm glad that I meet you because you spark something inside of me. I think about you all the time and I crave your touch or your scent. Everything you do drives me crazy and I love that feeling. I love that feeling because I love you. I'm in love with you, Spence."
Love. It has been such a foreign word to her for so long. The way Andrew treated her wasn't love, but with Toby it was something different. Ever since he came into her life he's been on her mind constantly. He always the one person she wanted to see everyday because she knew he would brighten her day. She's felt so many emotions for him, but she didn't know if she was ready for love. But when she took one long good look into his beautiful blue eyes, she knew.
She cupped his face in her hands and gently pressed their lips together. He was a little surprised and didn't respond until Spencer added her tongue to the mix to deepen the kiss. Instinctively, he wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her flush against him and started kissing her back. The kisses were setting their bodies on fire and whenever one of them moaned or bit down on the others lip. Their mouths moved rapidly, their tongues dueled, and she still just couldn't get enough of him. Toby felt like he was in pure heaven and that nothing in the world could be better than this moment right now.
Spencer reluctantly pulled back from the kiss to gaze up into his eyes."I don't find you disgusting. I don't think you're a monster. I think that you've been hurt just like I have and you just want to protect me. You're my safe place to land. And...I love you. I'm madly in love with you."
"You have no idea how long I've been waiting to hear you say that." He teased before he dove back in for another kiss. He kissed her harder, but the passion and love was still there. She felt herself going weak in the knees, so she wrapped her arms arounds his neck for support. He placed soft kiss after kiss after kiss until he pulled back."So what does this mean? I mean I made a promise to Alison-"
"And I made a promise to Andrew. But he's just the guy I have to go to the dance with. You're the guy I get to be with when I come home. And after tonight there's no more me and Andrew or you and Alison."
"And there's no more just Spencer and Toby. It's gonna be that you're my girlfriend and I'm you boyfriend. And I'm the only one who gets to keep this."He gestured to her heart as he spoke his last sentence."I found it, so I get to keep it. And in return you get to keep mine."
She smiled at him and nodded her head."You drive a had bargain, but you've got a deal." He leaned back in for another kiss, but she pushed him back a little."We really need to get back downstairs before they send a search party for us."
She grabbed his hand and lead him out of the room. All eyes were on them and their intertwined hands as they walked down the stairs. It didn't bother them though because they were so consumed with each other. They took their places with the rest of their friends for the group photos. They took picture after picture until they noticed it was almost time to go. But Toby had one more request before he left.
He walked over to Veronica and handed her his phone."Mrs. Hastings, do you think I can get a photo with just me and Spencer?"
She smiled at him and took his phone."Sure."
Toby took his place behind Spencer and pulled her back close to his chest. His arms wrapped tight around her with a big smile on his face. She took two photos and Toby was sad he had to let her go to retrieve his phone. He smiled at the picture in front of him as he looked at his own and Spencer's smiling faces.
"Make sure you send that to me." He heard her whisper into his ear and he sent the picture almost immediately.
Toby had to pick up Alison and Spencer had to wait for Andrew to come get her. He didn't want to go to the dance with Alison, but he made a promise to someone and always kept his promise. He hated the fact that Spencer was going with Andrew, but she told him that it was something she had to do for closure. He didn't try to think about too much because after tonight, she'd be his girlfriend. She'd finally be his.
"What are you smiling about?" He snapped out of his thoughts of Spencer when he heard Alison call his name.
He looked down at her and shook his head."Nothing, I was just thinking about how nice you look in your dress."
"I know that you're lying." She said to him and he was a little taken aback by her response."It's okay because I'll take the compliment anyways. Can you get me some punch?"
"Sure..." He said confused, but still walked over to the punch bowl on the farther side of the decorated gym. As, he was getting her drink, Caleb strolled up beside him.
"I did that thing you wanted me to handle."
"Thanks, Caleb, I owe you one." Toby said, but Caleb just shook his head and said he was glad to do it.
Before, Toby could say anything else, Mr. Fitz got onto the stage and headed over to the microphone. He motioned for the DJ to stop playing and tapped the mic to get everyone attention.
Mr. Fitz cleared his throat before speaking."Excuse me, ladies and gentlemen. I hope you all are having a good time and it's about to get even better because it's time to announce homecoming king and queen. And your homecoming queen..." He took a piece of paper out of his pocket as someone made a loud drumroll."Alison Dilaurinties!" The crowd erupted in cheers as she went up on stage to retrieve her crown."And your king is...Andrew Campbell!"
This is what Toby had planned for. He smiled when Andrew and Alison's crowns were placed on their heads. He watched them walk off the stage and onto the dance floor for the king and queens dance. A slow song began to play and Toby went in search for Spencer.
People were starting to join the king and queen on the dance floor when he finally found her standing over by the DJs booth. He approached her and held out his hand to her.
"Dance with me?" He asked and she blushed a little bit before nodding, then sliding her hand in his. He lead them out onto the dance floor and pulled her close. Her arms wrapped tightly around him and his wrapped protectively around her waist.
"I was hoping that I'd get to sneak in one dance with you before the night was over." She whispered to him as she laid her head on his shoulder.
He chuckled."You probably wouldn't have if I hadn't asked Caleb break into the ballot box and make Andrew the winner."
She looked at him shocked and then playfully smacked his arm."Toby! That's cheating!"
"I would have only cheated myself because Caleb counted the votes and said I would have one."
"And you didn't want the crown?"
She shrugged his shoulders and leaned down to rest their forehands together."I'm not a crown kind of guy."
"And what kind of guy are you?" She teased with a small smile playing on her lips.
He tugged her closer and leaned down to whisper in her ear."Your guy."
She blushed at his response and felt herself go a little weak in the knees. She leaned up to gently kiss him on the lips before resting her head on his shoulder. He felt like he was on top of the world as he held her close and swayed to the slow music. Even the death glared he was getting from Andrew couldn't bring his mood down.
The dance seemed to drag on forever for Spencer. The whole night Andrew was always keeping her close in his sight. He wouldn't let her go talk to her friends because Toby and Alison would be with them. He was the only one who got to dance with her all night and she was grateful she got one dance in with Toby.
That's why when Mr. Fitz got back on the mic a few hours later to tell everyone the dance was winding down, Spencer was up and gathering her stuff. Andrew kept talking to her about the after parties that were going to be happening. She already knew that a lot of people were having after parties tonight in the city at some hotel. But she only promised Andrew to go to the dance with him and nothing else.
As the people were filing out of the building, Spencer's eyes searched for Toby. She finally found him moving with the crowd and moving with Alison. She watched as Alison whispered something in his ear and something flashed across his face before he smiled and nodded. She felt a pang of jealously hit her hard in the gut, but it faded away when he looked up at her with a smile and winked.
She let Andrew lead her outside to his car. He opened her door for her before going around to his side and getting in. He didn't start the car right away and that caused Spencer to turn and look at him, but he was already staring her.
"What?" She questioned and he just shook his head without taking his eyes off of her.
"Nothing, I'm just marveling at how beautiful you look tonight." He reached over the console to grab her hand, but she moved it out his reach. He sighed heavily before starting the car."So who's party are we going to tonight? Noel's, Mona's or-"
"We're not going to any party." She interrupted him and noticed his hands tighten around the steering wheel."All I agreed to was going to the dance. So you can just take me home and go on about your life."
He didn't say anything, but just muttered a few curse words under his breath. He pulled out of the parking lot and headed down the road to her home.
"Why do you hate me so much." He asked out of the blue and she looked at him like he had three heads.
"You've got to be kidding right? After the hell you've out me through over these past years why would I not hate you."
He scoffed loudly."Yeah, but look at the person you've become ever since you've been with me. You're stronger now because of me."
"No, I'm stronger because of the help and support of my friends and family. I'm strong because I have Toby."
"Toby." He said Toby's name with such disdain."You don't know him. He's just some guy that you've only known for a few months. He doesn't love you like I do. He doesn't care about you like I do."
She unbuckled her seatbelt and twisted in her seat to turn to him."You're absolutely right. He doesn't love me or care about me the way you do because he loves and cares about even more than you do. That's why I love him and not you."
Her last words caused him to immediately slam on the brakes and have them just sitting on a dark vacant road. He unbuckled his seatbelt and turned his body to face her.
"I know that I'm not perfect, but I'm trying my hardest to change."
"Change? Andrew, you used to hit me whenever you felt like it. You took my body without my consent. You've ruined people's lives. So no I can never forgive you and no we will never get back together." She said sharply.
His jaw clenched and unclenched repeatedly."Well, I'm sorry you feel that way because I'm sorry and I'm not going to stop fighting for you."
She rolled her eyes and turned her head towards her window."Just take me home."
He reached over to start the car, but before he could they were both jolted forward. Someone had crashed into them hard and they both went flying forward because they had forgot to put their seatbelt on. Spencer heard the sound of glasses smashing and then a sharp pain start to form in her head. She hears sounds of screaming, but she didn't know if they were coming from Andrew or herself. She opened eyes for split second after she landed on the hood. Andrew was laying on the concrete with his eyes closed and blood dripping from his head and mouth.
"Andrew." She weakly called out his name, but got no response. She wanted to get up and help him, but her body was too hurt.
Her head was starting to hurt and her vision got blurry. After a while she just gave in and let her eyes shut. The last noise she heard was the sound of the ambulance before she drifted off into oblivion.
Toby rushed into the ER shortly after he got a call from Melissa, saying that Spencer had been in a bad accident. He had just gotten the call after he dropped Alison off at a party she wanted to go to. His eyes were red and he was stricken with grief as he strolled into the hospital with his suit still on from the dance earlier. He walked up to the front desk, but saw Emily out of the corner of his eye and made his over to her.
He kneeled in front of her"Em, tell me what happened to her. Where his she? How is she? When can I see her?-"
"Toby," she said to interrupt him."She's in the ICU for some brain damage."
"B-brain damage? How bad his it." He asked and squeezed her hands tightly to prepare himself for the worst.
"The doctors say that she'll probably pull through."
He let out a deep sigh of relief."Well, how's Andrew?"
"He didn't make it." Toby turned around when he heard Jasom answer his question. With Jason was Aria, Hanna, and Caleb holding coffee in their hands.
"Jeez, what happened to them?"Toby asked as he took a seat in the waiting room with the rest of his friends.
"The police say that they were parked in the middle of the street and they didn't have seat belts one when they were hit from behind." Aria explained, but while she was speaking, she was wiping away tears."Andrew died instantly, but Spencer held on."
"Where is Melissa and Mrs. Hastings?"
"They're here. They're in the back speaking with Wren about Spencer." Hanna said.
"Do they know who did it? Or did the person flee the scene?"
"Yeah, it was some girl named Jenna Marshall, but she's not from here. She couldn't flee the scene because she got hurt too. When she hit them from behind the glass on her windows broke and hit her in her eyes. She's having eye surgery right now."
His blood started to boil when Jenna's name was mentioned. He should have known that she was behind this. Well, at least now she was getting a taste of her own medicine.
"So what do we do now?" Toby asked around.
"We wait."
Spencer spent a little over a week in the hospital. She was going to be fine, but the doctors wanted her to stay in the hospital to watch over her. During those weeks, Toby spent everyday at the hospital even though he couldn't see her he was hoping that Wren would tell her he was there.
The week has been crazy because the night of the incident Mr. Campbell came screaming into the hospital, yelling and cursing at everyone and blaming everyone for the death of his son. Andrew was buried two days after the accident and Toby may not have liked the guy, but he wouldn't wish death upon anyone. Jenna's surgery was successful, but they had to wait a few more days to determine if she could see or not. Mr. Hastings had tried to come and see Spencer everyday, but each time Mrs. Hastings turned him away. He must have finally got the message because he didn't show up anymore, but he still sent flowers.
Today was finally the day that everyone could see Spencer. Wren gave them clear instructions that only three people at a time can visit in her room. So it was gonna be him, Mrs. Hastings, and Melissa going first. Then the girls would follow after them.
Toby just couldn't bring himself to go into her room yet as he stood outside the door. Melissa and Mrs. Hastings must have felt the same way because they were standing outside her door. He felt Melissa slide something into his hand.
"This might help you a little." She whispered into his ear.
The item she had placed in his hand was a cellphone. But it wasn't just any cellphone it was Spencer's phone. The police must have given back all of Spencer's belongings from that night. He pressed the power button and sucked in a breath when he saw what was on it. Spencer's lock screen was the picture that he and her had taken before heading to the dance. She must have made it the lock screen picture as soon as he sent it to her. Her smile in the picture instantly lifted his spirits and made him smile for the first time in days.
"I think it's time." He said before stuffing the phone into his pocket and grabbing Mrs. Hastings and Melissa hands for support.
Veronica nodded her head before leading them over to the door and opening it up. The sun was shining through the window and there were colorful bouquets of flowers scattered around the room. His eyes moved over to bed and he felt his heart start to pound in his chest. There was the love of his life sitting up in her bed watching them with a few scratches on her face and a cast around her wrist and forearm.
He made a mental note to crack a joke about how as soon as he got out of his cast, she jumped right into hers. Mrs. Hastings and Melissa let go of his hands to go engulf Spencer in a big group hug. He stood back and let them have their moment, but once they let go, he was right next to Spencer.
Before, she could say anything. He crashed his lips on hers as gently as he could because he was going through serious Spencer withdrawals. She didn't kiss him back, but he probably thought it was because she was embarrassed about her family being in the room. He pulled back from the kiss and pushed a strand of loose hair behind her ear.
"Hey, beautiful. I've missed you so much." He said to her, but she looked at him like he was crazy.
"Who are you?" She asked and Toby laughed because he thought it was a joke. But when he saw that she wasn't laughing he got nervous.
He chanced a glance back her mother and sister and they had worried looks on their faces. He turned his attention back to Spencer."What do you mean, baby? It's me, Toby, your boyfriend."
She pulled back from his touch and frowned at him."You're not my boyfriend. Andrews my boyfriend." She turned towards her mother."Who is this guy and where's Andrew?"
Toby couldn't believe what he was hearing. She don't remember him. She didn't remember all the time they spent together. She didn't remember all the good times they shared. She didn't remembered their kiss or the fact that she loved him. She didn't remember him in general. He felt his heart sink down to his feet. What was he going to do now?