"Hey, Hogan sent me. She told me you're the best."
"And you just assumed she was talking about fixing bikes?" Paige smirks but doesn't look up from the derailer she is fixing. "What's the matter with your bike?"
"Take a look," Spencer says gesturing to something that looks more like abstract art than a bike.
"Shit, what did you do to it?" Paige runs her fingers over the frame, which is intact, and tries to spin a mangled front wheel.
"Melissa backed over it."
"What did you do to deserve that? Did you accuse her of murder? I know that's one of your favorite hobbies."
Spencer narrows her eyes at Paige who is still examining the bike and oblivious to Spencer's glare.
"Can you fix it or not?"
"Yeah, of course I can fix it. I'm the best, remember? But give me a reason why I should do anything for you?"
"Emily said-"
"Oh, Emily said. I get it. Now, you listen to what Emily says. But you weren't so good at listening to her when she told you I wasn't a murderer, were you?"
Spencer stands for a moment, blinking at Paige. She whirls around, sending her perfect ponytail flying in the air, and stalks off down the driveway.
xxxx
Paige rubs her hands on a blue rag dotted with grease stains and leans against her workbench. She is cleaning her tools before returning them to their drawers when she hears footsteps.
"What do you want?"
"I talked to your parents. They tell me that you fix bikes for the school."
"So?"
"So it turns out I am the newest member of the cycling team. So I'm going to need you to fix my bike." Spencer tips her chin up and grins at Paige, sure she's won.
Paige drops the rag on the workbench and crosses the garage to Spencer. "You talked to my parents? You joined the cycling team? Did you buy the whole team Nimbus 2001's to secure a spot?"
Spencer steps toward Paige and leaning forward. "You think I bought my way onto the team?"
"It's what you Malfoys do, isn't it?" Paige says cutting the distance between them in half.
"Are you going to fix the bike?"
"I don't fix bikes for Slytherins." Paige says with a shrug before returning to her tools.
Spencer resists the urge to stomp her foot and walks down the driveway.
xxxx
"You really won't take a hint will you?" Paige spins the wheel on the bike she is tuning up.
Spencer opens the box she is carrying to reveal half a dozen cupcakes. "Here, I thought if you are going to fix my bike you might need a little sustenance."
Paige uses the tip of her pinky, which is not covered in grease, to lift the lid and inspects the cupcakes.
"Coconut?"
"Of course." Spencer smirks at Paige when their eyes met over the top of the box. Paige gives an involuntary smile before turning around and walking back to her current project.
"Leave them on the bench, please."
Spencer's heels clack against the cement floor. "So how soon can you have it fixed?"
"Who said anything about fixing it? You think cupcakes are going to make up for all your bad behavior? I'm not your boyfriend, Spencer. You can't make me forget with cupcakes or a truck. Although, I might feel differently if you showed up with a truck." Paige looks up at Spencer with a teasing grin.
Spencer clacks back to the door. "You're impossible! Why won't you fix my bike?"
"I'm impossible? Why won't you just apologize for, I don't know, accusing me of being a teen terrorist?"
"If I say I'm sorry will you fix my bike?"
Paige strides over and stands less than a foot from Spencer. "The only way I will consider even looking at that bike of yours if you convince me you're actually sorry. Show me that a Slytherin can change her scales and we can talk about your bike. Until then, thanks for the cupcakes."
Spencer looks at Paige and then at the cupcakes before stomping down the driveway. At the curb she kicks over the McCullers' empty trash cans.
xxxx
Paige stifles a smile when Spencer returns to her garage. "How's this for changing my scales?" Spencer asks.
"I didn't mean, dress like Hermione Granger, but I appreciate the effort," Paige says letting her eyes wander over Spencer's outfit.
"I am sorry, you know." Spencer's voice is lower and raspier than normal, and it stops Paige from walking away. Paige turns back. Spencer's mouth is pinched as she looks at Paige. "I was trying to protect Emily. I went overboard."
"No, overboard is where you live, you went way past overboard." Paige says trying to shake the impulse to give Spencer a hug.
Spencer looks at the floor, wipes her hands down the sides of her skirt. "I know. Please forgive me." Paige inspects Spencer's face for any signs of insincerity.
"Fine. Let's fix your bike. At least then you'll leave me alone." Paige turns back to clean up her current project, a little flustered by this side of Spencer's personality. "Don't just stand there, bring over that sorry excuse for a bike." Paige talks without turning around until she hears the sound of Spencer dragging the bike across the floor.
Spencer is struggling, the twisted tires hit her in the leg and she nearly falls. "Easy there," Paige says catching Spencer's arm as she lurches toward the floor. "Here, give me that," Paige says hoisting the bike onto the work stand.
Spencer smooths her outfit after her fall and tries to ignore the feel of her heart pounding. "Thanks," Spencer manages after regaining her composure.
"First thing we have to do is get those wheels off. Here," Paige says handing Spencer a wrench.
"Me?"
"Oh don't tell me that Spencer Hastings doesn't know how to use a wrench."
"No. I just didn't exactly prepare for repair work when I got dressed this morning."
"Well, you can either tuck your Gryffindor tie into your shirt, or you can borrow some of my clothes."
Spencer pauses and looks over Paige's outfit. She looks much more comfortable in jeans and a worn t-shirt, than Spencer feels in her skirt and heels. "Judging by the grease on your hands, I think I better change," Spencer says. Paige wipes her hands on a rag, and then washes them in the slop sink in the corner, before leading Spencer to her room.
"These should fit more or less," Paige says handing Spencer a pair of jeans, a belt, and an old t-shirt. "Oh, and here, in case you want to put your hair up." Paige hands Spencer the hair tie from around her own wrist and leaves the room.
Paige has wrestled the front wheel off the bent forks by the time Spencer closes the door to the garage behind her. "Sorry, I didn't realize how small you are," Paige says noticing that her pants are slipping down Spencer's hips. "I thought the belt would work better."
"I think it would if your naked lady belt buckle didn't weigh as much as a small child," Spencer tilts it up and shakes her head at the sight of the mudflap girl. Paige walks over and wordlessly grabs the buckle from Spencer's hands.
"What are you..." Spencer starts to object as Paige undoes the buckle. Paige smells like cinnamon gum and WD-40 and Spencer blushes at the feel of Paige's hands pulling at her belt. Spencers hips bang it to Paige's with the first unexpected tug. "Well, you could buy a girl dinner first," Spencer cracks pulling her eyes from Paige's hands to her face.
"There. That's better." Paige says striding away and trying not to think about the way Spencer looks in her ringer tee and messy ponytail.
Spencer follows and folds her arms across her chest as she watches Paige work on her bike. "You're doing it wrong."
"That's not what she said," Paige shoots back. Spencer gives her a hard stare but can't help the red creeping up her cheeks. "What do you know about fixing bikes anyway? You came to me, remember?"
"I read a repair manual last night." Paige raises her eyebrows. "Just in case you said no again."
Spencer squats down and looks at Paige through the frame of the bike. "Here, try it like this," she says taking the wrench from Paige's hands. Paige pulls back from Spencer's touch and tries to cover for flinching by putting her hands up in surrender.
"Fix it yourself, then, Smarty Pants." Paige starts to get up but Spencer reaches through the frame and grabs her by the front of her t-shirt.
"I'd rather you show me how," she says locking eyes with Paige. Paige's heart pounds and she sucks her breath in through her mouth and then has to wet her lips. Before she can say anything they hear footsteps approaching the garage.
"Spencer! What are you doing? I thought you two could get along," Emily races over and pulls Spencer's hand off of Paige's shirt. "Are you okay?" Paige looks at Spencer as she nods at Emily.
"Yeah, I'm fine. It's fine." Paige pulls her gaze from Spencer and forces herself to make eye contact with Emily. "You misunderstood-" Paige starts.
"No, Paige. She's right. I was out of line. I'm sorry. I better go." Emily and Paige watch Spencer run out the garage door and down the driveway.