Distastefully In Love

Chapter 4: Falling, What A Tragedy.

She knocked on the door of the boy whose name she used to curse. They weren't really friends, not really, anyways. But they were almost sort of friendly. But then again, not really. They still made their daily remarks about each other. But it was almost in a teasing matter, rather than disgraceful. Although they weren't close enough to decree this situation as a norm. Toby had been absent today and she thought she would drop off their homework. It really wasn't a big deal or anything, he lived a couple houses down from her, but it still felt tremendously uncomfortable.

Toby opened the door and Spencer was glad it was him instead one of his family members. It was probably one of the first times in her life she had actually been glad to see him. This certainly wasn't a normal occurrence.

He gave her a puzzled look, his eyebrows tilted slightly inwards and the corners of his mouth pointing seaward.

"You weren't in school today, I mean obviously...but." She pointed out, the awkwardness of the situation finally catching up to her. She pushed the abundance of worksheets toward him, "I thought I would drop off your homework."

He the papers a skeptic glance before taking them. "Thanks, Spencer." He sounded uncertain.

She nodded stiffly, clasping her hands together in a tight grip. "Well, see you later..." she parted with him, turning around to step off the porch. When her foot reached the sidewalk, she heard him calling out to her. Telling her to wait. She turned around hesitantly, a puzzled look washing over her features.

"I know this is sort of a lot to ask, but do you think you could maybe help me out with this?"

Spencer had to stop herself from smiling out of victory. She had been waiting for the day where he would ask for her help. She knew he couldn't do this all on his own—she knew it. Sure, he was absent, but whatever. It still counted, right? She turned around and walked back up to his porch.

She told him she would help him, which led them to take a seat on the steps. Spencer took the packet of worksheets from the boy, describing what they were supposed to do in great detail until he finally understood. They spent the afternoon together on that porch, and it was the first time in all of history where neither produced one mean remark.

When Spencer heard the news, her stomach transformed into a broken elevator shaft, plummeting down to the depths of her stomach. It wasn't because she was shocked or surprised, or anything. It was because she felt like it was almost her fault. Usually she wasn't so superstitious, but for some reason, her mind wasn't working properly. The whole time they were in dance class, all she could hear was Caleb's words replaying in her ears, "Toby had an accident and landed his ass in the hospital." Obviously, Caleb did not seem too agonized over his best friend being in the hospital, so why did she? He was obviously fine. And the fact that she was blaming herself was just ignorant. The fact that she was riding an elevator up to his room was mental.

At the end of the class she had gone up to Emily. She seemed to be the most reasonable, even though she had her share of comments, but whatever, out of her choices, she was the best one. Spencer had tried to slide the question into their conversation, but Emily had not let it reside without a comment to add. But eventually, Emily gave away the information. He was staying at Greenford Hospital, room 2A, floor 3.

Spencer felt an urge to turn around. What was she doing here? They weren't friends. They could hardly stand each other. She pressed the elevator button again, but this time pressed "lobby."

The elevator opened at floor 3, and Spencer could hardly believe her eyes. It was Toby sporting an arm cast. He was standing right in front of her, looking at her with a look of confusion. The elevator began to close, and he used his free arm to stop it.