Spencer's POV

My name is Spencer Hastings. I use big words in unnecessary circumstances and I have an obsessive need to be the best at everything. Trust me, I even try to win at yoga. But that's only my outer shell. Inside, I'm a hopeless romantic, insecure, nerd. Welcome to my mind.

Now, to the outside world, I cover up my flaws through joining that one extra club or winning class president… again. My parents expect a lot of me and my family comes from a long line of overachieving, wealthy, terribly important people. Naturally, I can only spend my whole life so far, trying to reach up to their crazy expectations. The only people that really seem to see my flaws as good things, are my friends.

Aria, Hanna, Emily and I have been best friends for years upon years. We never hide anything from each other and if you know our story, we've had a lot of things to hide. After our manipulative leader Alison disappeared, we starting getting threatening, blackmailing texts and messages from an anonymous figure called "A". We first discovered that A was one of our childhood school mates Mona Vanderwall. After she stepped down from the job, CeCe Drake, Alison's unknown sister took her place. It's been a year now with no A. We finally put an end to a game that went on for years and damaged us in so many aspects of our crazy lives. But in some ways, it only made our bond stronger. The four of us have been through so much shit, we have no choice but to stay strong in our relationship. It's all we've had to hang on to.

We're all in college now. Emily is enrolled at Pepperdine University, Aria is in Savanna, Hanna is in New York pursing fashion and I of course am at Georgetown majoring in law. Saying goodbye was hard but we all do a group Skype chat every night before bed to stay in touch. To be honest, things in my neck of the woods haven't been so great. Law is so boring. I was once again influenced by my family's path when I enrolled. I've actually been thinking a lot about my future, and how after I got out of that dollhouse, I made a promise to myself to choose to be happy for me, not my family. So I'm leaving, I'm heading to California, without any expectations. I called up Emily and casually asked if I could live with her in Malibu, I can't exactly remember our conversation but it went something like this,

"So how's Georgetown? You talking like a politician yet?" Emily asked joking.

"Em, when have I not talked like a politician?"

"True," Emily and I laughed, as if it was only yesterday we were sitting in my kitchen in high school.

"So Em, I've got some news," I said up-talking a bit in my slightly raspy voice.

"Fill me in." Emily said as I could hear her eating something on the other line.

"I think I'm going to leave Georgetown. And I thought maybe," I smiled playfully, "I could come live with you. Only for a bit."

Emily laughed,

"What?" I asked now confused.

"You're leaving Georgetown? You? The Spencer Hastings is leaving Georgetown?"

"Yes, Emily," I said sarcastically, "and I want to come to live with you in California."

"Well you didn't even need to ask Spence." I could basically see Emily smile on the other end of the phone.

"Am I going to be interrupting the constant flow of college girls with lesbian fantasies you bring home?" I asked.

"Only a little bit," She joked back. "But seriously Spence, of course."

And thats how I'm here, outside of her small college apartment, looking directly up at 3 palm trees as I take my suitcases out of my cab. I'm not in blazer land anymore. Emily walks out of her apartment and I haven't seen her in person for months. She starts to run towards me, barefooted in short shorts, her long dark hair wavy and untouched like it always is. She looked so free, I'm hoping some of that will rub off on me.

"Spence!" Emily said hugging me tightly and then standing back scanning me up and down with a smile like we hadn't seen each other in 15 years.

"You look so happy," I said to her, and I meant it.

"Happier now that my best friend here," she kind of skipped over to one of my suitcases and started carrying it to the door.

She opened it and said, "Welcome home Spence." Alison always said Emily was the loyal one. But, you wouldn't know how much that word fits her until you know the very depths of who she is. Emily would never betray you, thats what I loved most about her.

"So take a look at me," Emily said handing me an iced coffee, black. "I win the best friend award."

"Oh god you're a life saver!" I said taking my ice-cold addiction in my hands.

"So how did the Hasting's parents take this news?" Emily said joining me at the barstools of her kitchen island.

"Like shit." I said sipping.

"I thought so," Emily said looking down, "But, lets worry about our problems tomorrow. It's a beautiful saturday in California and there is fun to be had." She said sitting up to then go over and pick out her white converse in front of the door. I liked this happy, spontaneous Emily. She started tying them and looked up at me, "Well get off your ass."

I did. I put on my shoes, probably preferring to binge watch the new season of The Fosters on Netflix filling my face with any food ever. But I went along with it and I got into the car with Emily. She drove me around for the rest of the afternoon, playing our favorite childhood songs, stopping for food along the way. Her happiness was contagious. I had never seen her so, limitless.

"So, any new girlfriend of yours Em?" I asked.

"I would have told you if there was. I'm so single." Emily smiled. I suddenly regretted asking her that. I begged the universe for her to not ask about Toby.

"What about Toby?" Shit! There it was.

"What about him?" I said keeping my cool.

"Spence." Emily looked at me with disapproval. What was I thinking trying to slide this past Emily?

"We're done."

"Yeah you were done a year ago too… What happened? You never explained what happened."

I breathed heavy. "Fine Emily, he cheated."

Emily gasped but not in dramatic way. "With who?"

I breathed even heavier, "Melissa."

"What?" Emily said now getting angry.

I just nodded.

"Oh Spence, I am so sorry."

"I stole her boyfriends, she steals mine."

Emily shook her head. "This isn't about Melissa. Melissa is a bitch, not breaking news. But Toby," she looked defeated, "why would he do that?"

"I don't know." Spencer said now extremely down.

"God I am so sorry," she said again, probably at a lost for words.

Emily and I spent the rest of the night lounging. I probably wouldn't want to be with anyone else right now. She was so comforting, and I needed that right now.

Emily's POV

Spencer arrived yesterday. She seems lost. Hearing about Toby just broke my heart. I can't believe he would do that to her, he is the most honest and kind person I know. There must be an explanation, I'll talk to him later. For now, I'm going to get in the shower and get dressed for the day. She's not up yet but she will be soon and it's my responsibility to make sure she feels safe here.

Spencer's POV

I woke up and my eyes burned. They were bright red and a little crusty from crying myself to sleep last night. I woke up and heard my phone beep, that noise has never stopped making my chest feel like someone dropped a boulder on it. But it was just my dad, the most threatening person since A. He sent me 15 long texts and emails about going back to Georgetown on Monday, I only read one, that was enough.

I got up and sleepily walked into the bathroom across from the room I was staying in, I opened the door and looked up. Emily was butt naked getting out of the shower.

"Oh shit, sorry Em." I closed the door fast.

"I forgot to lock the door! Sorry." She yelled back.

Honestly, I had to do a double take. Who ever said that everyone gains the freshman 15 was wrong. Emily's body looked better than I had remembered as kids. She was so tan and strong, probably from the amount she stills swims and runs despite her shoulder injury. I had to catch my breath a little bit. But it wasn't like I found her attractive or anything, that would be insane.

Emily walked out dressed, her wet hair brushed straight on her shoulders.

"I am so sorry Spence. That must have been so awkward for you. I should have fricken locked the door. I got too used to living by myself."

"Awkward for me? No it must have been awkward for you!"

"Eh," She said highly while shrugging.

"What was that?" I asked smiling.

"Oh never mind," Emily said laughing obviously not wanting to talk about this.

"What Emily?"

"I'm just used to being naked in front of girls." Emily turned her back from me, pouring herself some coffee, "That's all."

I laughed, "I bet you are."

"What is that supposed to mean?" she asked.

"You've just had a lot of girlfriends."

"Spencer, stop it. I've had reasonable amount of girlfriends."

"6 since high school."

"True." Emily said giving in.

"Well, if I might add, you looked really really good," I said placing an emphasis on really's. She looked at me, shocked at what I just said. There was no way she was more surprised than me. Why would I flirt with her like that? Ew, Spencer. I was just unconsciously desperate after Toby, that's all this was.

"Thanks." She said a little awkwardly. But it could never be too awkward between us, it just wasn't possible. I did a reality check and reminded myself that we were almost 20 and we were adults. I sometimes feel my teenage "appropriate filter" switch on when I am with my friends. It was weird that I said that, but not that weird… so I moved on.

"Forget I said that. Never mind. It was a lot different in my head."

"It's okay," Emily said clearly not phased by it at all.

"What's your Wi-fi password?" I asked.

"emilyspencerariahanna all lower case."

"Seriously?" I asked.

"No," She laughed, "It's centurylink546."

"Oh god, I was afraid you had attachment issues."

Emily POV

After I gave Spence the Wi-fi password, what she just said to me sunk in. What the hell? Why would Spencer say that. "You looked really really good." And why did I like it? I've never even let my mind wander to the fact that my friends were attractive after Alison. I guess I hadn't even noticed how beautiful Spencer was until she showed up here all sad and lost. But that's me, Emily Fields always goes for the broken ones. Always…