Like Romeo & Juliet

Chapter 8

*General*

Last week was horrible. Spencer and Toby did not meet up throughout the entire week. Instead, she went back to sending helpful tips through messaging. Their texts between each other have been decreasing in amount. Waking up in the morning to see Spencer used to be the highlight of his day. Truthfully, seeing her was the only thing that got him out of bed. Seeing less of her had gotten his head spinning wondering what road they were heading down. Thanks to Aria, the kiss they shared in the tutoring center last week did not get out. Toby thought once the heat died down again, they would be back to meeting in the tutoring center. Then, Thursday evening Toby received a message from Spencer that they needed to meet early Friday morning because they needed to discuss something important. He didn't sleep at all the night before due to worrying about what she needed to say.

Toby got up earlier Friday morning. He made sure to be careful not to wake Jenna. Jenna had been waiting around the last few days hoping to catch him in a lie. He managed to slip out without alerting anyone. The sky was still dark. The air was crisp and smelled of dead leaves. It was early November. Toby arrived at school and walked around to the side door where they normally met. Spencer was already there waiting for him on the bench next to the door. She perked up when she saw him coming, but she did not look happy. Her eyes were wet and puffy like she had been crying. She didn't even bother to put on any eye makeup today just because of the conversation she was dreading to come. Toby reached her and his instinct was to fold her up in his arms to offer comfort, but he held back.

"Are you okay?" Toby asked.

Spencer stood up and sniffled," That depends on how you're going to take this."

She handed him a sheet of paper. Toby read it causing his forehead to wrinkle. He looked up at her mystified.

"What is this?"

"That's your new French tutor," Spencer said.

Toby's arm fell, "what?"

"I'm sorry it took so long to arrange. I had to first find out what Tess's schedule is like. You meet with her three times a week an hour before—"

Toby cut her off as he stepped closer to her, "I don't want another tutor."

Spencer wasn't meeting his eye as she tried to go back to explaining, "You can meet with her an hour before your French class or for an hour after school gets out at 3:15 p.m. I know you have work to get to, so I would take the 9 o'clock meeting."

"I don't want the 9 o'clock meeting," Toby said.

"Those are the only times—"

"Spencer," Toby said her name more earnestly to get her to look up at him.

Her eyes were on the brink of overflowing with tears. Spencer tried her best to conceal her emotions as she finally looked up to meet his eye.

"Why are you doing this?" He asked.

"I'm sorry," she whispered.

"I already told you I want you."

"My dad found out your back at school," Spencer said.

"Yeah, you told me that before, so what?"

"The part I didn't tell you was my father was wanting to force the school to expel you, so you had no choice but to transfer high schools."

Toby's jaw dropped, "are you kidding me?"

"It's not happening," Spencer reached for his hand, but pulled back almost as quickly as she reached for it. Toby grasped at the air between their fingers. "I was able to convince him not to, but" She shook her head. "But it won't be long until he finds out that I'm your tutor. That's why I'm setting you up with Tess for your last month of school."