Spencer stuffed her hands into her sweatshirt pocket and shook his head. “I can’t believe you went through all the trouble just to throw a party for me.” Staring out at the band and her dancing classmates, Spencer was amazed at just how huge this homecoming was.

                “Who said I did it for you?” Melissa joked with her usual smirk. “Maybe it was an attempt to impress your boyfriend. You know, the ‘be polite to your in-laws’ rule and all.” Her ice blue eyes scanned through the crowd, refusing to meet her sister’s gaze.

                “I told you, Melissa. We’re not together,” she sighed.

                Arching a brow, Melissa laughed. “They kicked you off because they knew you were faking it, didn’t they?”

                Spencer’s eyes widened in surprise. “How did you know that?” she demanded in a loud whisper, not needing anyone to hear.

                Melissa shrugged. “Easy to figure out, considering you fessed up to me before you left in the limo.” Her face was flat, void of any emotion, and Spencer knew there was something on his mind. There was a long, uncomfortable silence between them until Melissa spoke again. “You saw Jenna again.”

                “Yes, unfortunately,” Spencer responded monotonously.

                “Did she say anything about me?”

                Turning her head, Spencer furrowed her brows. “No. Why would she?”

                Melissa shook her head, the slightest hint of resentment dimming out her pale eyes. “No reason.”

                Spencer was taken off guard by her sister’s strange attitude, particularly because their conversation ended there. So, shaking off her confusion, she stepped into the crowd of her dancing classmates, casually socializing with a few of her friends who she ran into. She spent a few minutes catching up with Emily, Aria, Alison, and Hanna, who were proud to say they helped set up the party. They caught her up on the latest couples, not that it really interested her, but it gave them something to talk about.

                Toby was on the other side of the yard, giggling with Ezra, Caleb, and a small group of guys. She recognized Frankie Evans and Justin Lambert from French class, but the rest went nameless. She let out a small sigh, wishing more than anything that she could walk over to them, wrap her arms around him casually from behind, and join in the conversation. But she restrained herself.

                It was only when a slow song came on, and the group broke apart to find dancing partners, that Toby glanced up to find Spencer staring at him. He gave them that smile, the smile that he had reserved for her and her alone, and discreetly nodded to the corner of the house. When he did this, Spencer picked up her pace. She realized he was completely out of sight as soon as she went in the same direction as him. The side of the house was extremely dark, secluded, alluring even. Fog raised all the way up to the trees. The Pennsylvania air had a chill to it, so different than California; Spencer couldn’t even feel of tips of her fingers. But, oddly, she liked it. She felt at home.

                She was suddenly taken out of her thoughts by the hands pulling at the back of her sweatshirt. She gasped, shocked, realizing with a deep breath that he was staring into the deep, welcoming depths of Toby’s emerald eyes. “You scared me.”

                He giggled at her words. “Sorry.” His voice was just below a whisper as he leaned close to wrap his slender arms around her neck. She gently pressed her freezing forehead against his, rewarded with his sweet breath tickling her numb lips. “Hey stranger,” he teased.

                Spencer chuckled, placing the gentlest of kisses on his lips. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, sir.” Her voice rung through his ears. Toby shook his head, playfully rolling his eyes at her acting skills.

                “A pleasure…” With that, he grasped the back of his head, knotted his fingers through her hair, and pulled her close. Their lips collided in a fiery mixture of desire and desperation, and Toby gasped when his back almost instantly came in contact with the side of the house. It was freezing, but he didn’t care; how did she do this, make every single kiss better and better?

                She pulled away gently, breathing heavily. They opened their eyes simultaneously, emerald green eyes meeting forest green. “I love you,” she whispered matter-of-factly.

                “I love you too.” He grinned. Toby’s entire face lit up when he smiled; Spencer loved that about him. He was unconditionally, undeniably beautiful. Breathless with swollen lips, he leaned back on his head so his head was resting lightly against the cool bricks, which now seemed extremely soothing to his ignited skin. “Who would ever thought…you and me?”

                 Toby’s heavy eyes drifted closed; it was extremely hard to speak. “We make a good pair?” she commented. “I like us.”

                “Me too,” he sighed happily. “You know…when we were in sixth grade…and we went to our very first junior high dance…”

                Spencer briefly paused. “We slow-danced together for the first time…” She laughed, bringing her head back up. She pressed her lips gently to his.  “Our excuse was we didn’t want to be the only people not dancing. So I asked you.”

                He wove his fingers through her chestnut hair. “You kept stepping on my feet!” he laughed. “After it was over, I tried to avoid you so that you wouldn’t see me blushing, you know?”

                Spencer smiled brightly, lovingly. “Really?””

                Giggling, Toby nodded. “Really. I couldn’t stop smiling.”

                She couldn’t wipe the grin on her face and replied by kissing him, an attempt to show her how much he loved her as the snow began to fall. But truly, he’d never really know just how much she loved him. It was beyond words, beyond action.

                Just as they began to get those in their lips, they were interrupted by a breathless Emily, who had clearly been running around looking for them. “Guys! People are leaving! They’re wondering what happened to you!”

                Toby buried his face in her shoulder.

                Emily rolled her eyes. “No offense, but you guys really suck at this whole pretending not to be a couple thing.”