Strangers [COMPLETE]

Chapter 30: The New Girl

Spencer decided to keep her reunion with Toby at the market to herself. Days later, when she was getting ready for a parent-teacher conference with Isaac's teacher, Spencer received a call from Hanna.

"Hey Han!" Spencer answered. They had promised to call each other at least every other day, to keep their friendship alive and growing.

Hanna asked what Spencer was up to, and Spencer informed her that she was just about to leave to meet Isaac's teacher. "Is Mark going with you?" Hanna asked.

"No. He'd rather be out with his friends rather than find out how his own son is doing in school," Spencer complained.

Hanna was silent for a minute. "Sorry Spencer, I really have to go. My boss wants me. I'll call you later tonight. Good luck with Isaac's teacher." Hanna said and quickly hung up.

"Bye," Spencer said annoyingly to the sound of the line going dead.

-

Spencer had only met Isaac's teacher, Shannon Valentino, once. From what she remembered, Shannon was an extremely beautiful woman, probably in her mid-twenties. Spencer honestly believed that Shannon could've been a model with her natural beauty.

"Nice to see you again, Mrs. Anderson," Shannon greeted Spencer.

"Oh, no. Isaac's dad and I aren't- no. Just call me Spencer." Spencer stuttered. This wasn't the first time people had called her "Mrs. Anderson", and nothing about it felt right to Spencer. Which was ironic, because in middle school, Spencer spent most of her time in class doodling that name on her notebook instead of learning. Now, over twenty years later, it just felt odd.

"Oh, I'm sorry." Shannon said, laughing to herself a little.

"It's alright. How's Isaac doing in your class?"

"He's doing tremendously well. There was the incident where he got into a fight with another boy in class,"

Spencer knew about that incident. That was the first time she met Shannon. When Toby left, Isaac took it extremely hard. He began to hit other kids at school, and then he stopped after a while. Then it resurfaced, and it seemed like Spencer couldn't get it under control again. It was the main reason why Spencer didn't want to talk about how she ran into him at the market. She knew it would trigger something in Isaac that would cause him to start hurting other kids again.

"I know, you see, I had a boyfriend a few years ago, and he was really close with Isaac. When we broke up Isaac took it really hard. I'm teaching him to explain his anger rather than take it out on other kids, but I guess this situation is a little too complicated for him to understand." Spencer explained.

"Of course. And I'm willing to help Isaac through it, too." Shannon added.

Suddenly, the door to the third grade classroom opened, and the last person Spencer expected walked into the classroom: Toby Cavanaugh.

"Toby?" Shannon and Spencer said in unison, surprising each other.

"Toby!" Isaac exclaimed, running to Toby. Toby quickly picked him up, still shocked.

"What are you doing here?" Shannon asked him, "This is really unprofessional, I'm so sorry," Shannon apologized.

"Spencer? What are you doing here?" Toby asked,

"Miss Valentino is Isaac's teacher," Spencer explained, still confused, "Um, how do you two know each other?"

"This is so unprofessional," Shannon repeated, muttering to herself anxiously, "Toby and I are dating. How do you two know each other?"

"She's an old friend. She catered for Jon and Rebecca's wedding," Toby quickly saved Spencer.

"I'm so sorry," Shannon said, getting up and heading toward Toby, "what are you doing here? I'm working!" She whispered to him.

"I'm sorry, I forgot you had conferences today," Toby explained, "I just can't get away from you," he said, leaning in for a kiss but was dismissed by Shannon.

"Not now. Not in front of a parent." Shannon scolded. Toby admired how seriously Shannon took her job, but sometimes it irritated him.

In an instant, Spencer felt her heart shatter. For some reason, seeing him at the market the other day made her have a false sense of hope. She thought they actually had a chance.

But she was wrong.