Back to Me

The Found and Returned

"So, I saw you sitting with the girls today at lunch. How was that?" Jason asked me from his kitchen where he was attempting to cook some dinner.

"It felt good. It's still strange to have Mona in our group but it's a nice sort of strange."

"Well, I'm glad you're getting back with your friends. Maybe it will make you get a life instead of spending all your time with me listening to really bad music." He teased. "Dinner is served."

"Would you be insulted if I said that I was slightly afraid to eat?" I asked cautiously as I pushed the plate away.

"Yes, Spencer, I would be. In fact I'm considering throwing you out the door for even thinking such a thing." He said with a raised voice. He was trying to sound threatening but I could hear the barely contained laughter.

"Go ahead, Jason, throw me out. I would actually appreciate it because you might be saving my life by not allowing me to eat whatever you tried to cook."

"I probably would be saving your life because I'm not even sure if I can eat that without it coming back up later." He said finally laughing.

"Wait, you're telling me that you wouldn't even eat it but you still offered it to me?"

"Yeah, you see I thought that since you can't see how burned it is that maybe, just maybe, you might not taste the burnt parts. Then if it didn't kill you I would consider trying it myself."

"Jason DiLaurentis! What kind of horrible person are you?" I shouted.

"Relax, Spence, I was joking. Like I would really do that? I might be an idiot and be a mean older brother but I'm not that bad. I know you don't willing eat anything I cook so I was already planning on asking if you wanted to go to the Grille." Jason explained to defend himself.

"The Grille? Jason, we can't go there, everyone from school hangs out there." I said desperately.

"Why, are you scared people are going to think you're a dork for hanging out with a teacher outside of school?" Jason laughed as he handed me my sweater.

"Yeah, it's something like that. Jason, there's a rumor going around that you and I are dating." I told him hoping that he would realize that this was serious. But it only made him laugh harder. "Jason, this isn't funny!"

"Oh yes it is." He said still laughing like a mad man.

"Jason, this is serious! You're on the school staff as a counselor and I'm a student and also a minor. You could get in major trouble and I don't even want to think about what Daddy Dearest would do if people found out the truth."

"Alright, Spencer, calm down. We won't eat at the Grille; we'll just get take out." Jason said casually.

"It's more than that, Jason. The whole reason the rumors started was because Noel Kahn and a bunch of others saw us arrive and leave school together today and yesterday. And since you walk me to most of my classes, people think it's more than you just helping a poor blind girl."

"So what do you want me to do, Spence? Drop you off a block away from school so it looks like you walked? And make you get a ride home with one of the girls while I completely ignore you all day?" He asked sarcastically. "Look, Spence, I hate to say it but there's nothing we can do except ignore them."

"But what if people really believe it and you lose your job?"

"If any of the staff believe the rumor then I'll tell them the truth and make sure that they don't say anything. And it doesn't matter what a bunch of kids think because something else will happen and they'll forget about us." He assured me. "So, where should we order some take out from?"