Ever wonder how or why Ali, Spencer, Hanna, Emily and Aria became friends? Two years before Ali disappeared, there were actually some happy times. Don't believe me? I'll tell you, and you'll be surprised how everything is set into place. -A

Chapter 1: Miss Spencer Hastings

It was a crisp, clear autumn morning as Spencer Hastings casually walked to her field hockey practice with a huge smile on her face, and her confidence higher than the sky. Today's the day. The day that Spencer will become the Varsity Captain for her last year in junior high, and no one was going to take her place. Not even her ultimate competitor, Alison DiLaurentis, who conveniently lives next door. It was if she was born popular, and everyone wanted a piece of her. Spencer even heard rumors that she may be taken, with an older guy, which makes her even hotter and popular! Blood boils into Spencer's hot and irritated skin as she stopped her tracks. "This isn't about her. Ali can't take this away from me. This is all I have," Spencer thought to herself and continued her way to the practice field.

Luckily, she was one of the few who made it, and from the looks of it, there is no competition. She got this, just as long as Ali doesn't show up.

Spencer laid down her hockey stick onto the sticky grass and stretched out her long legs when she heard laughter from the other side. Her heart stopped when she realized who the laugh belonged to, Alison, who was talking to the Head Coach, Ms. Polanski. Ms. Polanski laughed very exaggerated, as she always does, and laid her hand onto Ali's shoulder. Ali looked disgusted, but she played along and laughed with her. What could be so funny? Spencer hastily continued her stretching as Ms. Polanski finally stopped and sauntered her way to the bleachers with the older field hockey teammates. Every year, the teammates from the high school varsity team help judge the upcoming captain and who gets to be on the team. Last year, one of them was her older sister, Melissa Hastings, as a judge and she purposely decided to not vote Spencer as captain for the seventh grade team and voted to none-other, Alison. Gee, what a loving sister right? This year, the judges look unfamiliar to Spencer and it can go either good or it could be a total, complete disaster. What does it take for Spencer to prove to others that she is the perfect captain? She's the top in her class and she's like in almost every club there is in Rosewood Jr. High. Apparently not much because Ali was captain last year and the only thing she's takes part of in, is her own diary and her inner posse.

Alison looked around and spotted Spencer stretching in that same pose for the past five minutes. Alison faked a smile and marched her famous walk, hips sway, head tilt to the side and her one hand on her perfectly toned back. She stood next to Spencer and smiled even more. Spencer never realized that Alison has a heart-shaped head and her eyes are hazel. Spencer continued to stretch out her other leg, to avoid staring at her. "Why so tense Spence? It's just a try-out," Ali said as she put on her jungle red lipstick from MAC onto her perfectly shaped lips. Spencer noticed it and couldn't help think that Melissa has that same color. Kind of think of it, Melissa never really was a daring person, but it could only mean one thing, it was for Ian Thomas, her boyfriend just started dating. And what makes it even more disgusting, they go to the same college. How corny is that? The whole point of going to college is meeting somebody new, now Melissa will be boring as ever.

"Why wouldn't I? I mean I'm just trying out to be team captain this year," Spencer said as she sat down on the grass and stretched her legs. "Why are you so relaxed? Maybe this year someone new might take your place." Alison turn around, her face was tense, but she relaxed and smiled.

"Who said anything about you taking my place," Ali said. She pulled her think, luscious blonde hair into a dainty ponytail, where it showcases her heart-shaped head and hazel eyes. Spencer noticed that Ali was wearing Chanel earrings. Couldn't she be even more perfect looking? "Look, I really don't want any bad blood between us and I know you still resent from last year. Honestly, I was hoping you would be captain, but thanks to Melissa—"

"Thanks to my sister, you turned out to be captain," Spencer refused to listen to Ali. It's like she's rubbing it in her face and this was some kind of joke. This was never a joke to Spencer, her family was already screwed up as it is and this was the only way out. Every ball she hits, she thinks of her family, every step she takes is anger and frustration of how her family treats her. There is no way she is losing to Ali again. "Well, not this year. I've practiced every day, even when I couldn't see two inches from where I stood, and not even you can stop me."

"Well, may the best player win," Ali said, as she held out her hand to shake Spencer's hand. She looked at her hand first, but then she looked at her eyes, they seem harmless. She reluctantly shook her hand, but somehow she seems to trust Ali.

- Later in the girls locker room-

Spencer passed up and down the girls' locker room as she and the other teammates were waiting patiently for the verdict. Alison, whose back was gracefully against the wall, was watching Spencer and had a small satisfaction on her face. Noise from Ms. Polanski had caught everyone's attention, except for Alison, who focused on her manicured French tips. Ms. Polanski started calling out the girls who tried out for the team first. Spencer noticed that Ali's best friends, Naomi Ziegler and Riley Wolfe, who have never lifted a hockey stick, shrieked in terror when they found out that they didn't make the team. What a surprise there!

"Spencer Hastings and Alison DiLaurentis, since the both of you did a remarkable job, it was very hard to make a decision," Ms. Polanski said. Butterflies fluttered inside of Spencer and she felt like she was going to throw up. She glances at Alison, who was calm, cool and collected. "Spencer, congratulations, you're the new team captain!" Spencer's heart stopped. She couldn't believe her ears right now, this is the perfect way to end the week and she finally beat Ali. "Alison, you will be co-captain." Ali simply nodded her head, as if she was happy that she got the position. It was as if she basically gave the position to Spencer. She did noticed that Ali wasn't her aggressive self during try-outs, but Spencer thought it was just nerves or she thought she even scared her for a minute. Now it just seems like she meant for this to happen.

The remaining girls, the ones that actually made the team, all congratulated Spencer on the accomplishment, but that gnawing feeling that Ali let her win was bothering her. Spencer couldn't help but walk up to Alison to see what really is going on. "Congrats, Spencer. I guess you did beat me."

"Alison, you can quit the random act of kindness. I noticed that you weren't being your usual aggressive self today. Why did you let me win?" Spencer asked as she put her hands on her narrow hips.

"I didn't let you win. I just felt like you deserved it more than me, so I held back," Ali said. From the look of Spencer's face, she didn't look convinced.

"Look, we live next door to each other and you don't think it's weird that we haven't hung out together? I just want to make amends." Ali leaned towards Spencer and handed her an embellished envelope that said Spencer. "Spencer I want you to come to my party tonight. It will be a lot of fun." She couldn't believe it. Alison's parties, from what she heard, were like the Oscar night of all parties, of which that doesn't include Noel Kahn's parties. They normally have it later in the school year.

Either Ali was bored with Naomi and Riley or she has a liking with Spencer because she could see that Ali really wants to be friends. "Don't be late," Ali said as she strolled leisurely to the door and everyone was looking at Spencer with amazement. Not even Ali's two best friends were invited, but little old Spencer who just lives next door and living in her sister's shadow was invited to one of the most anticipated parties of the year.