Title: Hate to Lose
Author: slacker_d
Pairing/Characters: Spencer, Paige/Emily, Aria, Hanna
Summary: After losing six bets in a row to Spencer, Paige comes up with a new approach.
Disclaimer: Not mine.
Word Count: ~1,685
A/N: This might be cracky. I can't really tell.
Aria is exhausted. Spencer's been looking for a quantum spanner or whatever for over an hour and it seems unlikely that she's ever going to fine one. The Do-It-Yourself-Warehouse is huge, and Aria really wishes Spencer would just ask someone for help. Aria's beginning to question if even after all the years of friendship if she's completely underestimated Spencer's obstinacy.
However, the question she really has, is what exactly Spencer is hoping to accomplish. It's not like the entire school doesn't already know that Spencer's... scholarly. Out doing Paige at the science fair hardly seems like that big of deal.
Then again, Spencer's competitiveness knows no bounds.
It doesn't help that she's found her soul mate in Paige; at least in terms of their ridiculous competitive streaks. Especially because they seem to compete over everything, even stupid little things like who can open their locker the fastest, in the morning. It would be hilarious if the two of them weren't driving Aria, Emily and even Hanna, insane.
"So you're really not going to tell me what your project is for the science fair?" Aria asks.
Spencer shakes her head as she consults the store map. "Sorry. I can't risk it," she says, making a sharp left at the bath mats.
"What risk?" Aria questions, trying to keep up.
"If Paige finds out what I'm doing, she'll have the advantage."
"Uh…"
"She'll be able to come up with something better, something guaranteed to win," Spencer explains, exasperated.
Aria looks at the curious collection of items that Spencer's already thrown into the cart. "I'm not sure that's possible."
"Oh, it's possible," Spencer practically growls.
"Really?" Aria asks. "Because it looks like you're going to build a nuclear reactor… or a time machine."
Spencer scoffs. "Despite what pop culture tells us, time travel is not actually possible."
"And you would know that how?"
Spencer rolls her eyes.
"So you're building a nuclear reactor?" Aria tries.
Spencer sighs and stops her hurried pace. "No one's forcing you to be here."
"Well considering I wasn't really given a choice of where we were going, especially since you drove," Aria retorts. "I'm not sure that's entirely true."
"Not really a fan of overheated, overcrowded, grimy warehouse stores, are you?"
"I'm not even going to dignify that with a response," Aria snaps.
"Well, I'm just about done," Spencer says as she begins walking again.
Shaking her head, Aria has no choice, but to follow.
…
"I still don't understand what we're doing," Emily says.
"You're helping me make a periscope out of PVC pipe," Paige replies, jovially.
"But why?" Emily asks.
"Because I need an entry for the science fair," Paige explains. "Were you not listening the other day when Spencer challenged me?"
Emily nods. "Considering I was sitting between the two of you, I'm not sure I really had a choice."
"Well, okay then."
"I'm just confused," Emily replies. "If you actually think that a simple homemade periscope will beat whatever elaborate project Spencer has come up with, then I may have to take you to the hospital because you're showing signs of being concussed."
"I'm not concussed," Paige says, an almost manic grin spreading across her face.
"That look is not reassuring," Emily tells her.
"It's all part of my plan," Paige says.
"Mind sharing with the group?"
"We both know that while I'm not an idiot, trying to out… academic Spencer is an exercise in futility. Especially since the science fair is only a few days away."
"I suppose that's one way to look at it," Emily agrees.
"So I don't plan on beating her," Paige continues.
"Then why did you agree to the bet?" Emily asks.
Paige grins. "Because we both know that Spencer is currently driving herself insane trying to make certain that she's going to beat me."
Emily nods.
"So next week when she sees my homemade periscope and realizes that she freaked out for no reason, she'll definitely blow a fuse," Paige explains.
"Paige," Emily admonishes. "That's not nice."
"Whatever," Paige scoffs. "She's the one that started it, trying to insinuate that I'm a moron."
"She didn't mean it like that," Emily defends.
Paige shrugs. "Either way, it's a win for me. And after six loses in a row, I could use one."
"You have been having some bad luck lately," Emily allows.
"And it's not just the losing," Paige says. "It's her gloating afterwards."
"You say that like you aren't the exact same way."
"Emily," Paige dramatically gasps. "I was nothing but gracious when I demolished Spencer at tennis and fencing."
Emily barely holds back a snort of disbelief. "Whatever you say, Paige."
"Thank you."
"But you're going to have to make it up to Aria," Emily says. "Spencer apparently dragged her to the Do-It-Yourself-Warehouse to buy supplies."
"So?"
"Aria says that they've been there for over three hours," Emily finishes.
Paige lets out a gleefully evil laugh. "My plan is working."
"Paige."
Paige looks a bit contrite at that. "I will make it up to Aria, Em," she replies. "I promise."
"You better."
…
Spencer snatches the coffee out of Hanna's hand the second the door opens. The blonde watches her gulp down half the scalding liquid before scurrying back into the kitchen.
"Nice to see you too," Hanna mumbles, following more sedately. "Holy crap!"
"What?" Spencer asks, obviously distracted.
"Aria said you were crazed," Hanna replies. "But I didn't think you'd be at the mad scientist level."
"You two exaggerate," Spencer replies, eyes still on her task.
"When's the last time you slept?" Hanna asks, eyeing the obviously well used coffee maker on the counter.
"No time for sleep," Spencer replies. "I only have twenty hours until the science fair."
Hanna sighs. "I knew you like to win, Spencer, but this is a bit much; even for you."
"You know what they say, Hanna," Spencer says. "Go big or go home."
"You are home."
"I've won the last six bets," Spencer replies "Knowing Paige, she's got something big planned."
"Yeah, maybe," Hanna allows. "But I bet she's not working herself into a frenzy."
"Only because Emily wouldn't let her," Spencer retorts. "Whipped."
"That's a good thing, remember?" Hanna points out. "We like it when Emily's happy. Right?"
"Of course," Spencer replies, flippantly.
"So you really did just invite me over so I could bring you coffee," Hanna observes. "I honestly thought Aria was exaggerating."
"You could help if you want," Spencer throws out.
Hanna laughs. "Now I know you haven't slept. You're seriously offering? I wish someone else was here to witness that, because no one will believe it."
"Mmm hmmm."
"Right," Hanna says. "I'll leave you to your craziness and go visit Emily at work."
It isn't until Spencer looks up fifteen minutes later that she realizes that Hanna has left.
"She left without telling me," Spencer says to the empty kitchen. "How rude."
…
The morning of the science fair, the sky is overcast, but Spencer still reaches for her sunglasses. The three hours of sleep and four cups of coffee she's running on seem to be making the cloudy sky too bright.
At school, Spencer is given a booth number to set up in and she does so with practiced efficiency. Once finished, she looks at her watch and sees that she still has fifteen minutes before things get underway. So Spencer decides to go check out the competition, namely Paige.
It takes a bit of wandering, but Spencer eventually finds booth #17, which is the booth Paige has been assigned to. Emily is nowhere to be seen, but Paige is there finishing her set up.
"McCullers," Spencer growls, seeing Paige's project. "A periscope?"
"Hastings," Paige greets, smirking.
"What the... that's what I've been worried about all week?"
Paige shrugs.
"But I spent hours..."
"What'd you end up doing?" Paige asks, still grinning.
"A metal detector," Spencer replies.
"Oh. Cool."
"And you built a periscope," Spencer says. "Something I made in third grade."
"Really?" Paige questions. "Em never mentioned that."
"I've been freaking out all week," Spencer informs Paige.
Paige shrugs.
"And that was your plan the whole time, wasn't it?" Spencer reflects.
"Seems so," Paige nods. "Trying to outdo you in certain academic competitions seems like an impossible task. So I didn't even bother trying."
"You. Are. Mean."
"It's not my fault that you didn't sleep," Paige replies.
"You are unbelievable."
Paige grins.
"I think we should ban bets between you two," Emily says as she joins them.
"I agree," Aria adds, appearing next to Emily. "I don't need to be dragged somewhere insane just because you two are crazy competitive."
"Or used as a delivery girl," Hanna throws up as she appears on Spencer's other side.
"No way," Spencer protests.
"But Em—" Paige tries.
"No," Emily interrupts. "You're both driving us nuts with all these bets."
"Crazy nut so, even," Hanna adds.
Aria rolls her eyes.
Paige sighs and nods.
"C'mon guys," Spencer pleads.
"No more," Emily decrees.
"Fine," Spencer huffs. "Take away all my fun."
"You'll survive just fine, Spence," Emily tells her.
"You guys act like healthy competition is a bad thing," Paige retorts.
"Healthy?!" Aria exclaims. "Your so called healthy competition led to me wandering the Do-It-Yourself-Warehouse for hours."
"You're exaggerating," Spencer says.
"Three hours, Spencer," Aria emphasizes.
Spencer sighs. "Fine. No more bets."
"Thank you."
"Well?" Spencer asks, after an awkward moment of silence.
"Well, what?"
"Paige hasn't agreed yet," Spencer points out.
"Actually I did," Paige replies. "You were just protesting too loudly to notice."
Spencer crosses her arms with a scowl.
Paige rolls her eyes. "Fine. I agree too. No more bets."
"Judging is about to start," Aria says, glancing around.
"Good," Spencer says. "I'll go over to my project and enjoy my last triumph over McCullers."
"For now."
"Really?" Emily questions. "It's only been two minutes."
"Can't teach an old dog new tricks, Em," Hanna says.
"Hey!" Spencer exclaims.
But before she can formulate a proper response, Aria is pushing her back towards her own booth. All Spencer can do is wave her fist menacingly at a smirking Paige.