Be My Forever [COMPLETE]

Chapter 23

-Spencer's POV-

I decided to visit Toby at work a few days later. I didn't care that my parents were there. I wanted to know if he was okay.

When I got there, he was in the backyard, shirtless, digging a few holes. Apparently, my parents were building a gazebo. "Wow." I said, admiring him. He was sweaty and dirty, but for some reason, that turned me on. "Hey, Spence." He said, semi-ignoring me. He wasn't looking at me.

"Look, I'm sorry for getting angry at you. I was just... Scared."

"I know you're scared. But I promise, I won't let them do anything that will hurt you."

"I love you," I say, walking closer to him. Our chests were touching, "and I especially love it when you get so protective." I start to kiss him. He drops his shovel and grabs me by my waist. We kiss for a few minutes until we are interrupted by a noise.

"What the hell is this?"

I look over. It's my father. He looks pissed. But then again, he always looks pissed.

"Dad, don't get angry." I say. I knew how this would end up.

My dad scolds Toby and tells him to get back to work. He then grabs my wrist, and holds on to it very tightly. I worried that my wrist was going to break. He drags me back into the house. Toby stops him after a few steps.

"Hey! Don't grab her like that!" He demands. Now he looks pissed

"Another remark like that, and you'll be looking for a job. You got that?" My dad threatened. Toby looked at me. He was more scared than I was.

"Toby, just go. There's nothing you can do." I say. There's no more fight left in me. I'll let whatever happens just happen.

Toby cautiously continues his work, keeping an eye on me. My dad drags me inside the house and starts yelling.

"What makes you think you can just come in here and act like that?"

I say nothing. I know that no matter what I say, he'll still hurt me.

My dad gets closer and pushes me. I hit the wall, and then the punching begins. He hits me in my face, my shoulders, my torso, everywhere. I want to scream in pain. But screaming won't help. It'll just make things worse. I'm stuck. I'm stuck in hell.

My face is bleeding. I can't cry. My father taught me that crying shows weakness. I'm stuck with an emotionless expression on my face. I prayed that someone would find me here. Someone would rescue me.

I hear someone coming down the stairs as my dad leaves the house. It's my mother. Great. It's going to happen again.

Instead of continuing the beating, she ran to my aid. That surprised me more than anything. All of a sudden, my mother had a change of heart. "Spencer, oh my god!" She said. I was huddled in the corner. That's the only place I wanted to be. Cuts and bruises covered my face and body, and I still had an emotionless expression on my face.

Before she helps me, she knocks on the back door and tells Toby to come in. Toby runs in and sees me. I don't want him seeing me like this. I spent our entire relationship trying to be everything I'm not.

I'm not broken.
I'm not scared.
I'm not going to cry.

"Oh my god, Spencer!" He says and rushes to my side. He wraps me in his arms.

My mom tells me that I'm going to be alright.

Toby apologizes for not helping me.

"Stop apologizing," I tell him, "if you followed me, he would've hurt you too."

My mom starts to cry. "What's wrong?" I ask. I know she couldn't possibly care about me. She's probably upset that the carpet and wall is ruined with my blood.

"I'm so sorry if I've ever done this to you." She cries, "I've been getting help."

Help? What kind of help?

"I've been in rehab," she continues, "and I realized that I was a terrible mother."

I couldn't believe what I was hearing. My mother was actually apologizing. I didn't say anything. I couldn't. I just laid my head on Toby's shoulder as he picked me up and carried me to the couch.

----

"Does it still hurt?" Toby asks me as he puts a damp cloth on my bruised and cut lip. It stings. My face is probably swollen and unattractive right now. I don't want him to see me like this.

"A little." I lie. I don't want to show any signs of pain. I stopped doing that long ago. Toby kisses my cheek. "It's okay to cry, Spence." He says. I can't cry. I don't want to cry. Toby gives me a sympathetic look. I don't want him pitying me.

I take one look into his crystal blue eyes. For the first time in my entire life, I actually let myself cry in front of someone. I buried my face into his shirt and cried. He knew how to comfort me. He was so gentle.

My mom joined us not long after, and she helped take care of me. I insisted that I didn't need any help, but they both wanted to help. "Spencer, let us take care of you." My mom said. Toby kissed my head. "I love you. I'm not going to let anything like this happen again." Toby whispered to me.

My mom didn't hear what Toby had said. In a way, it was like our secret promise. Although my mom was sitting right next to us, she knew nothing of the vow Toby and I made that day.

We promised to keep each other safe, no matter what.