How Alison Met The Liars

Spencer

Author's Note: I had the idea for this story a few years ago, and I finally finished it this year. It's the first time I've written anything in a long time so feedback is greatly appreciated!

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The first time I saw Spencer, it was in her backyard. We were five and next-door neighbours, we still are. Our families were never close, just the occasional pleasantry if we happened to cross paths. I always knew there was something strange about their family. They were too perfect, Mr and Mrs Lawyer Hastings and their perfect daughters Melissa and Spencer. They definitely had some secrets lurking, but you would never know by looking at their pristine home and garden.

I decided that it was time to see if I could learn more and draw out the secrets the Hastings were hiding. I learnt from my mom a long time ago that you had to be selective with your friends, you never know who you could trust. I needed to know the dirt on the neighbours before we became close.

Spencer and I were going to be starting high school together and I thought it made sense to become friends, we had grown up next door to each other after all. Plus, from what I gathered, Spencer didn't have many friends, just people she played hockey with or studied with.

So, I followed her to the library one day after school and sat at a table across from her. She was studying for a test but also writing a paper at the same time. I don't know how she didn't get confused but she seemed to keep her focus.

"You know, if you take a picture it might last longer." She said, looking up from her book.

"Oh, sorry I was just wondering if you could help me with something?" I asked, I had my books open pretending to study for my own test. I'm not one to be phased by being caught staring.

"I really don't have time."

"But I'm totally gonna fail if I don't figure out a technique to keep this crap in my head." I pouted, surely, she can't turn down a sad, seemingly dumb blonde?

"Two minutes," she got up and walked over to me.

I showed her my textbook and she rolled her eyes. It was basic mathematics that anyone could do in their sleep, but I was committed to my role.

"See, these equations mean nothing to me."

She poured over the page for five minutes and then began scribbling on a note card on the desk. She was calculated and precise, and I liked that about her. She was someone I needed as a friend.

"Here, I hope this helps, I can't explain it better than this."

"Wow, thanks!" I took the card and looked down at her tiny, perfect handwriting. If anything, this made the math more confusing, but I took it anyway. "I'm Alison by the way." I felt the need to reintroduce myself since I don't remember the last time, we talked to one another.

"I know, we're neighbours, I'm Spencer," she gave me a small smile and then got up and went back to her desk. I guess that was the end of our interaction. Still, she knows who I am so that's something.

I spent the rest of the afternoon in the library across from her, pretending to work while watching her work. Eventually, someone else came into the library looking for her.

"There you are!" A girl said approaching Spencer from behind. "Come on, we gotta go."

"Why?" Spencer looked up, clearly annoyed at this girl.

"Mom told me to find you because we have a dinner reservation, plus your phone is off so she thought you might have been kidnapped."

Mom? Ah, this was Melissa - I didn't see much of her around growing up, she always seemed to be onto the next best thing. She's a few years older than me and Spencer so was already preparing for college. She was the spitting image of her mom, dressed in a smart business pencil dress with sensible heels. I could tell she was the boring sister.