Author's Note: I'm back with Chapter 31! And you know, I'm procrastinating, as per usual. That's just my optimal environment.
See, Ms. Thompson? I used a biological term. The optimal environment is the conditions in which a cell or an organism can function normally (or more specifically, enzymes).
Chapter Thirty-One
"Fifteen days, Spence. Just fifteen days left of being Spencer Hastings," Hanna said as she typed something on Spencer's laptop.
Spencer walked over, holding two cups of coffee. As she placed one down next to the laptop, she took a sip of the other one. She sat next to Hanna. "What are you doing now, Hanna Banana?" she inquired.
She smirked. "Just getting you ready for your honeymoon. I'm jealous," she said, shooting Spencer a look of envy.
Spencer smiled. "It's going to be so perfect," she thought aloud, drifting off.
Hanna smiled. "If you weren't so hopelessly, adorably in love, I would've already punched you in the face."
Spencer rolled her eyes. "So anything left with the wedding?"
Hanna thought about it. She had the wedding checklist, with all the boxes nearly crossed off. She looked down the list, encountering a task that was not yet complete. "We have to go get the rings from the jeweler."
Spencer's eyes widened. "Crap, Hanna. We didn't even decide on rings."
Hanna just smiled. "Toby chose them. He picked a ring he knew you'd like for him, and he had a…very special request when it came to your ring," she announced excitedly.
"Is it pretty?" the brunette piped up, getting excited.
The blonde nodded. "Beautiful."
Spencer turned the computer so she was looking at all the pictures of Bora Bora again. The crystal clear blue water was so gorgeous.
As she was looking, she suddenly got this craving for Chinese food.
"Hey, do you want to keep looking over Chinese food? I have the number in one of these drawers," Spencer said. Before getting an answer, Spencer had already pulled out the menu.
"Can you get me some of that sweet and sour chicken and the Lo Mein?" Hanna said, peering over the menu.
Spencer nodded as she began to dial the number.
Hanna looked at the checklist again. "We're done, Spencer! Now all that's left is the stuff to do the day before and the day of the wedding, which only I have worry about because…"
Her face fell as she thought of all this responsibility. "Crap. Bring out the string; I need a lot of reminders," she said as she overlooked everything still left to be done.
Spencer just beamed as she began to put away all of the leftover food. "I can't believe I'm going to be married in a day and two weeks," she said.
As Hanna began to tear her hair out, the door opened. Toby walked in. He opened the fridge to see all of the leftovers.
"How much food did you order? Were you going to have a party?" he asked.
"I was really hungry, okay? We have leftovers," she insisted.
He shrugged, pulling out some food so he could eat it.
"Hey, Hanna," he said, looking at the stressed-out Hanna.
She stared at the paper in her hands wide-eyed. "Your wedding will be the death of me," she said to them both. Toby and Spencer laughed. "Caleb and Emily are going to help me on this, because there is no way I can get it all done in 36 hours," she announced before getting up, off the couch.
"Bye, Hanna," Spencer said before giving Hanna a hug.
"Bye, Bridezilla," Hanna answered. "Bye, Toby," she said before shoving the list in her bag.
Hanna was out the door before Toby could respond. He just turned to Spencer. "What was the deal with all of that food?" he asked.
"I was really hungry. I ate some of all of it before you insult me," she added defensively.
"How are you so thin? There must be at least twenty boxes of take-out boxes in the garbage," he said.
She cringed. "Ugh, you're right. I want my dress to fit me perfectly and Chinese food has a ton of MSG and salt," she said before biting her nail. "The Chinese food is all yours and Caleb's! Hanna has to fit into her dress, too," she added before wandering off to their room.
Toby just stood, not entirely sure of what just happened.
Emily overlooked the list as she sat across from Hanna and the very pregnant Tiffany. "The three of us are doing all of this?"
"By 'the three of us,' I hope you mean you, Hanna, and Caleb," Tiffany said before taking a piece of bread from the basket in front of her.
Emily furrowed her eyebrows. "I just assumed you were helping us, too. I mean, you're here."
"Hanna just brought me along because everyone is nice to pregnant women and they usually let us cut the wait for a restaurant."
Hanna nodded. "I think it's something with not wanting her to go into labor or something," she answered. "Whatever. It works for me," she added with a shrug.
"Okay…" Emily trailed off. She shook her head. "So we're going to do all of these things two days before the wedding?"
Hanna nodded. "Please. I need your help."
Emily sighed, but nodded. "Fine, I'll do it."
They both turned to look at Tiffany. "So when are you due?"
Tiffany thought about it for a moment. "Ten more days. Hopefully the baby will be born by Spencer and Toby's wedding because I don't want to go into labor at their wedding."
Hanna laughed. "What a way to steal the spotlight from Spencer and Toby," she agreed with a laugh.
"Not my idea of a fun night. But I guess then, Toby could never forget their anniversary."
Hanna thought of it. "Who do you think is going to be the first one to forget any important milestones for them, like their anniversary? Spencer or Toby?"
"Spencer," Emily answered.
"Toby," Tiffany said at the same time.
"Interesting. I don't think they'll forget at all," Hanna answered.
"I can just picture Spencer getting really stressed out and forgetting all about it, and then Toby would be so sweet and say that it's fine, so she has to make it up in a big way the next year," Emily explained.
Tiffany piped up. "Shane can't even remember what he had for breakfast yesterday. I won't be surprised if he forgets our anniversary. If Toby is like Shane, then I'm going with Toby," Tiffany answered.
Spencer paced back and forth in the room with the paintings nervously. The only sounds she heard were the sounds of her feet pacing the floor and her rapid heartbeat.
She looked at all of these paintings and scrutinized them all. Something just didn't feel right. She felt sick, from nerves, most likely.
Her OCD was certainly acting up, along with her anal-retentiveness, making it hard for her to ignore that something was off about all these paintings. She could've sworn they were in different places, looked different, or were in different colors. She faintly recognized them all, but at the same time…they were all foreign.
She stared at one particular painting.
"Spencer?"
She stared at it for a moment more before turning away and exiting the room. She walked out to the kitchen and sat at the island.
"Are you okay? You've been acting like yourself and not at all these last few days I've been back," he said to her.
She thought about it. Well, at least someone else noticed it, too. "I don't know. I feel strange. It's kind of like…I'm here and I'm not. But I guess that's better than constantly stressing out over the wedding," she said dismissively.
"Do you feel sick? Besides whatever it is you're feeling, I mean."
She didn't answer. "I'm feeling sick to my stomach now, but it's nerves. Toby, I promise I'm fine," she said dismissively before attempting to walk off.
She was trapped, however, in between his arms. "You know I can tell when you're lying. What's really wrong here?"
She sighed. "I'm sure nothing is wrong. I think I just need to go to sleep and see if I feel any better later."
Spencer peeked out of the bedroom as she watched the front door close. She took a deep breath and exited the room. She was fairly sure Toby hadn't forgotten anything, so she was free to speak. She picked up the phone and called the only person she really felt she trusted with this huge possible secret.
She dialed Hanna's number.
"Hello?"
Spencer paused before responding. "Hanna?" she asked weakly. "I think I need to tell you something. It's important," she said simply.
Still, Hanna, being her best friend, could tell something was really pressing on Spencer's mind.
"Okay. I'll be over as soon as I can."
"You don't have to rush, Han," Spencer insisted.
But Hanna knew something was up. She completely ignored Spencer's pleas.
Hanna was over within half an hour. "What was so urgent that you needed to talk about?" Hanna asked as she sat down at the island in the kitchen.
Spencer walked back and forth before going into the refrigerator. She took out the lemonade she had made about two days ago. "Do you want some?" she asked, avoiding the question.
Hanna glared at her. "Spencer, you're not going to make me corner you and ask, are you? What was up with you before? And why are you acting so weird now?"
Spencer bit her lip as she turned to get two glasses. "I don't know how to tell you this, Hanna," she said before setting down two blue-rimmed glasses.
"Just spit it out! You'll feel so much better once you have," she insisted.
Spencer sighed. "I think I might be pregnant."
Hanna's eyes widened. Out of everything, Hanna wasn't expecting that. Cold feet, maybe. But pregnancy? That seemed totally off, though in retrospect, it probably made more sense than cold feet.
"Have you talked to Toby about this?"
Spencer just shook her head. "I don't know how. I haven't taken a test or anything but I'm thinking with me feeling so nauseous all the time and getting kind of moody…it makes sense," she answered.
"You need to tell him what you think."
"But I'm scared about this. What if he decides this isn't what he wanted after all?"
Hanna gave Spencer an unenthused look. "Spencer, Toby would want you, no matter what. A baby that's his, no less, wouldn't change anything," she reminded Spencer.
Spencer sighed. "You don't know that!"
"I know everything! You may be smart, but your logic and social skills are lower than Patrick Star's IQ. Listen; I will take you to the clinic. You should still tell him," the blonde insisted.
Spencer sighed. She hated knowing she was wrong.
"Spencer, I promise you, if you are carrying his child, he'll only love you more. Guys who aren't scumbags get so excited about stuff like this. I mean, you remember how Shane got after Tiffany found out she was pregnant, right?" Hanna asked.
Spencer sighed. "Yeah, I do. But what if…this wasn't what he agreed to? I mean, he knew he was marrying me. He wasn't really asking for an instant family. And honestly, what if I don't want to have a baby right away?"
"Do you think Aria and Jason really wanted a baby? No. Cassidy was conceived by accident. But she's the best accident ever and look at how happy Jason and Aria are now," Hanna said.
Spencer frowned. She didn't know how to answer. Hanna knew she had gotten Spencer.
"So, when are we going?"
spobettes: Spoby are so precious...and I actually did really well on the Latin test! I got 103%! So I hope you do well tomorrow (if you get a chance to read this before then).
spobylover1237:Today was a crappy day, so I can't imagine my work having that effect on you, but that makes me happy! That is exactly what I need...I need a good fanfiction to make me smile, because I am on pins and needles and stressed as all hell. Any recommendations? Anyway, thank you so SO so So sO so SO much for all the lovely praises!
AL3110:You know who else is hella creepy? IT. You know who I'm talking about. He's hella creepy. He's like a two year old stuck in a 14 year old's body. But whatever. I have to put up with him until I go to college, so I might as well make the best of it. You know what, I just have to read that book, no matter how much I cry. John Green just seems too awesome (as he just taught me about World War II, so...that's cool).
Guest:Alright, thank you. And I figure I'm going to have this discussion once this chapter is up? Okay.
Guest: Thank you! And I promise, the fluff will ensue for the remainder of the story. I'll update ASAP, but not going to lie...I am stressed the heck out.
mickeymack16:I think everyone's favorite chapter will be the epilogue...just saying...oh, I should slap myself. I am such a tease.
eveningshades1107: You can join my little cousins, AKA the co-chairs of the fan club. They get so excited when they see me and I'm just like, "I love you, munchkins, but you wear me out." Really, I stay up until 3AM on a regular Saturday (I get all my best writing done then), and last week, after they came to visit me and my grandma and dad, I crashed before 11 PM. I'm like, damn it, I was supposed to get stuff done! I'm really much more productive at night. And I don't think you'll have to worry about Ezra showing up. I'm not really planning to make him appear anytime soon (and probably not at all, should I continue the series).
Guest: I'm glad you like them! And here's your update!
Guest:I hope you'll settle for the update happening sooner than usual :)
Guest:Well, let's see...this was chapter 31...so sad to say it, but there are two more chapters+an epilogue in the works for me. And then I will be asking everyone whether they want me to make this a trilogy. I already have a poll up on my profile (which you can vote on if you're interested and not using your phone)!
Guest:I really really enjoy writing it and I am so glad you like it! I may add a sequel to this (making this a trilogy). As I was telling the other guest, there's a poll on my profile about this, so if you're interested, please leave a vote!
vondydora: Aw :( I really can't hate Toby on the show. I love Spencer and Toby both, so it's like, I can't choose between them both. I understand where Toby is coming from, and I really don't feel as though he *yelled*, per se, but I just think he's frustrated with the whole situation. I think he mostly just wants to move on. And speaking of Show-Spoby, can you wait for the black and white episode? I know I can't! I heard it's like Spoby centric (which makes me swoon in itself). I really like Latin, but I get the impression the Latin teacher kind of hates half of my class (but I think I'm on his good side since I don't make a ruckus and I actually pass every test and quiz).
So in case you didn't know, I have a biology test tomorrow and a history test as well, so I'm procrastinating, especially since my Bio teacher decided to let my class learn the material on the test by ourselves, like, WTF? I have to learn all about cellular respiration by tomorrow at 8:30, which means I will probably have less than 12 hours to learn it all before this test. Great. Thank you, Ms. Thompson. I will be sure to never take your class again. If I have to take AP science as a senior, I will opt for Chemistry. I really could not care less about how a cell breathes.
Okay, you know my deal. 10 reviews=update because I'm very nostalgic about this story and I like to hear what you have to say. And also, getting out of school to your reviews will probably make me feel a lot better knowing I probably failed that Bio test tomorrow.
And I just thought you'd all like to know that the Merrick house has a combined GPA of over 9.6 (making us the top in the GPA race thus far and meaning that my friend Trip will have to eat his shoe) and it puts us at over 500 house points with the other houses lagging far behind in the 300's. So Kayson is happy and #MerrickFTW #MerrickFTW #MerrickFTW -Kayson
P.S I have a sweet little deal. If my house wins the house competition at the end of the year, I think I might just start another story in time for the summer (hopefully after completing a threequel, if you guys and time permit me to do so)!