Distastefully In Love

Chapter 26: Making Everything Go Askew

Day 24

Hanna left a few days ago. She claimed the house still reeked of pot, but would suffer through it. Spencer didn't smell anything, but she figures Hanna was just trying to make Caleb feel worse than he already does about it. Their relationship can be strange sometimes.

With Hanna gone, she thought she would see Toby more. When Hanna was at her apartment, it was very strange having Toby over. He only came over once, but Hanna made sure to make it as awkward as possible. "You guys are doing it, right?" "Can you tell me more about high school and how you two hated each other? I feel like Caleb always over exaggerates it." "I just think it's so funny, you two. I can't process it still.", and other obnoxious comments and questions like so. She knows Hanna thinks the relationship is a joke. Spencer can picture her and Caleb betting over how long it will last, the prize being some sexual act they will do for each other. It's just like them.

But Spencer hasn't' seen Toby since Hanna left. It's only been three days, but it feels like it's been more. He's been really busy with the tour planning, and everything. She understands. She has weeks where she completely secretes herself from the social spectrum and only focuses on her studies. She gets it. He's busy.

But she really wishes he'd call her back. She's just been getting texts. It's annoying. Does he really not have time to just talk—to actually talk to her for a few minutes? She can't help but feel like he's avoiding her.

Tonight she's seeing Caleb. She hasn't really seen him since the wedding. The only time she's really seen him is when he dropped off Hanna at her doorstep.

She knows she shouldn't ask Caleb about Toby. Pull him into this relationship that seems to already be uncoiling—this relationship that Caleb isn't exactly holding up a foam finger for, but she can't help herself. Caleb is his best friend. Maybe he knows something. Maybe Toby talked to him.

She has always been good at getting things out of Caleb. He's always been easy for her to break.

"Have you talked to Toby at all?" she asks casually as they sit through the trailers in a movie theater. They are seeing some comedy, something Caleb picked out that Spencer doesn't even know about, really. All she knows is that Hanna wouldn't see it with him. She doesn't know what to get from that.

Caleb doesn't look at her. His fidgety, maple eyes stay planted on the movie screen. "Not really."

She glares at him, exhaling through her nose silently. She turns her head towards the screen.

Maybe she is just being crazy. She bites her lips as she watches the trailer. She tries to concentrate on it. Tries to enjoy it, but she can't.

"What's going on?"

Her eyes snap back to her best friend. She sighs. "It's nothing."

"Spencer..." he tries. "We both know that ball of anxiety is only going to get bigger. Neither of us will be able to enjoy the movie. And I did not pay ten dollars to sit through a movie I'm not even going to be able to enjoy."

"Fine," she sighs. "It's...just, Toby. I feel like he's been avoiding me..." she admits in a low mumble.

"Why do you say that?"

"He's just... he hasn't called me back. He's just sending me texts..."

Caleb sighs, a grim line forming on his face. "Toby's just avoiding his problems."

"So what? I'm his problem?" she exclaims a little too loudly for a movie theater.

Caleb makes a grimace, his face crumpling up with regret. "No, no that's not it. It's just—" he pauses, "in a way," his shoulders drop, his scared eyes peering over at her.