Something About Us

Here Goes Nothing

Toby woke up first the next morning. It was 6:50 am and his MP3 had been on a loop all night. He and Spencer were still in the same position they had fallen asleep in, she was wrapped closely against him, her back to his chest as his arms embraced her presence- probably for warmth. Spencer finally began to stir about five minutes later.

 “Hey.” He whispered, his voice soft. “ I wasn’t going to wake you, I figured you could use all the rest you could get. You looked pretty shaken up last night.”

 “Um, yeah.” Her eyes trying to adjust to the setting she had fallen asleep in. “I’m fine, I don’t know why I made such a big deal about that. It was basically nothing.”

 Toby glanced down at the bruises she had shown him, and she caught his gaze. “Nothing huh? That looks like something to me.” He recalled. Spencer quickly became self-conscious, and hid the black and blue mark with her sweater.

 “Oh! Spencer. I didn’t mean to make you feel-“ His voice faded out. Toby looked at his watch and directed his eyes to the coffee shop across the street, then back to Spencer.

 “Why don’t we go to The Brew? It opens at 7, and you’re cold and all the color has left your skin…” Toby reached up to feel her cheek, and then laughed at his own thought, “… I’m starting to think they should’ve casted you in all of the Twilight movies.” 

“You’ve seen twilight?” She snickered a bit.

 “I’ve heard stories about it.”

 Both Toby and Spencer stood, walking across the street to grab a quick breakfast.

 “What do you want?” Toby asked handing Spencer a menu.

 “Oh no! Toby please, I can pay for my drink, you don’t have to. But, thanks!”

 She turned to the cashier ready to order her drink of choice. “I’ll take a Hazelnut Frappuccino.”

 “And I’ll just have a coffee. Black.” Toby added.

 “Your total today will be $8.43.”

 Spencer dug around in the pockets conveniently placed on her skirt. At this moment she realized she had left her wallet and phone at home when she stormed out the night before.

 Without even speaking, Toby gave the cashier a $10 bill, and waited for change. Spencer smiled, feeling a tad bit guilty and embarrassed for not paying for her drink like she said she would. Toby picked up on her embarrassment and spoke on it, “Don’t worry. It’s my treat.”

 Spencer and Toby sat and talked about an hour. Neither one of them wanted it to end really, they were enjoying each other’s company. They were enjoying how for the first time in a long time someone would listen to them, and not judge them immediately. Then he came into the conversation.

 “So, what’s your boyfriend’s name?”

 “Alex.”

 “And he did that to you?” Toby couldn’t get his mind off of the bruises and cuts he had seen on Spencer. They weren’t minor aches and pains, they were big.

 “Yeah.” She turned away ashamed of what she had become.

 Noticing the frown that slowly crept across her face, Toby set out on a mission to see that award-winning smile of hers again. He said the first thing that came to his mind, “Dick.”

 She laughed. Mission accomplished. “I know he is.”

 A silent pause.

 “So why don’t you do something about it?”