I was sitting on the loveseat near the window, eyes mindlessly following the actors on the screen as Gale turned the volume down a little. It was some show from Nick at Night and I honestly couldn't care less about it but just being here at the Vincent household was nice, even if the idiot I was hoping to see wasn't here.

He was probably out with Damon somewhere doing god knows what. But the later it got the more I started to worry a little. Thoughts of maybe he's just hanging out with Damon turned to what if he lost the fight and got hurt. I had to shake my head a few times to chase them away. He's not allowed to make me worry and when he gets here he's not allowed to say hi to me let alone kiss me.

No I'm angry and Toby's in trouble, or he will be if he doesn't make it home before curfew. It's 10:57 and he has only a few minutes before certain death. Gale wasn't anything like my mom before she got sick, she grew up with ass whoopings and being told that children are meant to be seen not heard. Gale's idea of punishment didn't involve a switch or a belt but it was still plenty embarrassing. Like that time Toby got into a fight with a human boy down the street and broke his nose. Gale didn't let Toby go anywhere without one of his cousins there to chaperone him, and he even paid them to babysit when he had to go to work.

Sighing I sink further down into the couch cushions. It's when my eyes start to flutter closed that I hear Toby's voice calling out that he'll see someone later. He walks through the door slowly, he must know how late it is, sucking in his bottom lip. When he sees me he smiles and I have to fight back the urge to return it, it's made easy once I spot the cut on his bottom lip and my elation turns to annoyance. He makes a move to pull into a hug as he sits down on the loveseat with me until Gale clears his throat.

"Nice of you to come by and spend the evening with us," Gale said, crossing his arms over his chest at his son.

Frowning Toby groaned. "I got back before curfew."

"Three minutes before curfew."

"Three minutes, thirty minutes. I'm here aren't I?" Toby reasoned, and I can't help but wonder if maybe he was in some kind of good mood or something to be talking back to his father like that. I don't get the chance to comment on it though as he grabs my elbow and yanks me towards the stairway. "We're going upstairs to watch TV."

"You have a TV now?" I raised a brow at him as I struggle to keep up with his fast two-step at a time pace. From below I could hear his dad saying for us to keep it down or whatever.

"Yep. You noticed the flat screen in the living room right? He gave me the old one since Callum and Pete are gone," Toby explained.

Nodding my head I stepped to the side as he let me go, opening up the door to his room before giving me a boyish grin.

"After you," he said, blue eyes following me as I went inside.

A tangled mess of controllers and video games sat on the floor in front of the old TV that now sat on top of his dresser. The console sat on a chair in front of it, unplugged as regular cable TV played.

Toby shut and locked the door before biting his tongue, an odd giddy little smile claiming his features. Strolling over to the bed he pulled me in for a quick kiss then plopped down behind me.

Feeling my face get hot I raised a brow at him. "Why are you so..." I did a little shake, "giddy?"

"Cause I won!" he whispered, eyes going wide as he smiled at me.

"So...?"

"Eric I fucking fought him and I won!" he said, looking at the ceiling to avoid my gaze. I must be frowning at him cause when he looks at me again and the look on his face turns sour.

"You went through with it?" I scowled, sitting up to look down at him, eyes scanning the scars on his face.

Nodding his head he laughed. "And I won."

Grabbing me he buried his face in my neck, rolling onto his side and wrapping his legs around me. I struggled against him but soon realized he wasn't letting go any time soon. Groaning I finally relaxed against him, wrapping my arms around him to return the hug.

"I fucking hate you," I whispered. "I really do. Why can't you just listen to me and say no every once in a while? I mean even your dad agrees with me so why can't you?"

"I thought I told you that I was gonna be an alpha," he said, breath tickling my neck a little.

"That's just an old title that only thugs and mutts use to make themselves feel better, it's not even accurate." Pulling back I inhaled. "Toby, can I ask you something?"

"Anything."

"Do you like me?"

It came out of nowhere honestly. It caught even me off guard and Toby was no exception as he pulled back to frown at me. He looked so confused I couldn't help but feel my heart drop.

"What the fuck kind of question is that?" he asked, brows furrowing.

Punching his shoulder I pouted. "I'm serious. I mean, we always get into fights about everything and I avoided you all last month so I guess I started to wonder if maybe you only wanted me around for..."

"For what? You were gonna say sex weren't you," he chuckled, giving me a look. "I mean I know I can be a little clingy but jeez-"

"Shut up Tobias you know I didn't mean it like that. I just... I was just scared that maybe you only wanted me around cause you felt bad for me with what's been going on at home lately and mom's getting worse and Eli's been acting weird and now his new girlfriend just moved in with us-"

"Wait Eli did what?"

"Shh! This isn't about him, it's about us. I'll tell you everything later, you never answered my question. Do you like me?"

Reaching towards me Toby ran his thumb over my bottom lip

"Well yeah. I mean you're my best friend," he whispered as the sound of an old laugh track sounded from the TV at some dry joke.

"You answered that too fast," I said, brows furrowing. "I meant do you like me as more than a friend?"

"I..." He swallowed. I was afraid that maybe I'd scared him away a little. Toby is the kind of person who knows what he wants and is always willing to take it but with stuff like this, it's just different. I made my mind up, maybe not all that long ago, but all he has to do is say yes.

Licking his lips he pulled away from me. Wringing his hands together he shrugged. "Eric I'm not doing this right now."

"What do you mean you're not doing this right now?" I snapped up into a sitting position. Scooting closer to him I leaned down trying to get a good look at his face but he moved away.

"This. Eric, you know how I feel about you and if I could have things my way you and I would be cuddling on the couch and watching tv with my dad right now," he whispered, surprising me as his voice cracked, "we'd go on dates every Saturday and at school I'd walk you to all of your classes, even if my class was all the way across campus. When I walked you home before curfew I'd kiss you on the lips before you blushed and rushed inside not cause you were scared someone had seen but because you were embarrassed and that you knew if you kissed me for real you'd be tempted to sneak me in. If I could have things my way maybe, just maybe I'd be able to tell you that I love you without the fear that you didn't feel the same."

He loved me... And I was an idiot to think hearing him say that would be enough to get me to convince myself to let go of what everyone might have to say about us.

I didn't realize I was crying until I felt the snot start to leak out of my nose. Sniffing I moved away from Toby's arms reaching out for me.

"Why are you crying?" Toby asked, his own eyes starting to water a little.

"Cause I feel awful."