AN: To anyone who has bothered to take a look at this work; to anyone who is following or has inserted this story among their favorites; to Momma Duck and TheMidnightSociety for their incredibly kind words and the reassurances on my English ( TheMidnightSociety, believe it or not I'm actually Italian xD) a huge Thank You! It means a lot to me. I hope I won't disappoint you with the next chapters. Please, let me know your opinion so far or if there is something you would like me to insert here or there, and I promise I will try. That being said, let's go on…

Ps: I realized that the date in the previous chapter was wrong, I tried to update but it won't change. From here on I'll pay more attention, but just so you know the current year is 2003 and the girls are in 3rd grade. Next chapter there will be a time skip.

Rosewood, February 2003

Sometimes it's strange how time seems to pass so fast. Even if you're just a kid, it's surprisingly easy to come to such a realization when you find out that tomorrow will be Valentine's Day and the one person (well, not really a person yet… more likely a girl around your age) you couldn't get off of your mind for months now, is ignoring you and only God knows why. Hanna was on the verge of throwing a tantrum: since that day in the courtyard when Spencer rescued her from Chuck, they had been on good terms. They weren't really friends, but they talked everyday, they even had lunch together a few times, along with Aria and Emily. But after a few weeks Spencer began to give her the cold shoulder, and now she just couldn't take it anymore; she was just so infatuated with this girl who had been so kind with her, that she had to do something, anything to make things better. She wanted nothing more than to be her friend. At least for now. The only problem was, she didn't know how…

When Spencer entered the classroom that morning, she did not realize immediately what a fateful day actually was; not until she reached her desk, that was now covered by chocolates and cards of every sorts and shape. With a scowl she turned on her heels and went to the bathroom. At almost nine years old, Spencer Hastings hated wholeheartedly this charade that normal people called "Valentine's Day".

When she returned, however, she catched a glimpse of the one blonde girl that was always in her thoughts. She was looking intently at Spencer's desk –actually, it was more like she was trying to set it on fire whit some sort of laser glare – and she looked kind of dejected. "Maybe she's sad because she didn't get anything", Spencer pondered, sitting down this time. And soon enough boys and girls were all over her, trying to chat her up. "What is it exactly that I did to deserve this torture?!" She quietly growled. She glanced again in Hanna's direction and noticed that she was now in full talk with Emily and Aria. "At least she's not alone anymore".

"She's still not talking to you, uh?" Emily asked sympathetically.

"Nope" Hanna sighed, resting her head on her desk. "I thought she was different from the others, guess I was wrong. She doesn't see me, just like everyone else".

"But that time she was the only one to come to help you. If it wasn't for Spencer, we wouldn't even be friends now. Uff, I don't get it!" Aria exclaimed frustrated. The truth was that all three of them liked Spencer and wanted to be friends with her; they actually thought they were at one point. But then the preppy girl became elusive and all too soon they drifted apart.

"Whatever! Who cares anyway? It's her loss" the blonde angrily stated.

"I thought you liked her…" Emily muttered.

Hanna glared at her but said nothing, returning her head on her spot on the desk with a soft growl. She spent the rest of the day that way.

Hanna was standing in front of the school gates, waiting for her mother to come and pick her up. Her cheeks were red from the cold and she was shivering. She felt a hand on her shoulder and when she turned around she was met with a pair of brown eyes she knew all too well.

"Uhm, are you ok?" Spencer asked her, slightly worried. "If you need a ride I can ask my mother to give you one" she added.

Hanna stared a long moment at her in complete silence, then exhaled: "No, thank you. My mom's on her way already".

"Uh, ok. Then I'll wait with you?" It came off more like a question.

"Are you sure you want to be seen with me?" Hanna barked. The brunette jumped a little at that. "Because I'm not sure that I want to be seen with a jerk face". The normally shy and quiet blonde really didn't know where all this sudden burst of confidence came from; maybe the pain makes you brave.

"Look Hanna, I'm really sorry. I know I've been a jerk to you but you have to believe me, I didn't want to. I really like you, and the others too, but my sister told my father what happened that day and he banned me from hang out with you guys and I can't disobey him and I'm so, so sorry" Spencer blurted all out without taking a breath. She really was feeling bad for how she had behaved towards Hanna and the other girls.

She then noticed that the smaller girl was shaking, she was probably freezing; she took off her scarf and wrapped it around Hanna's neck.

"What are you doing?" Said girl asked, her cheeks now even more reddened, and not from the cold.

"You're freezing. Here, take those chocolates, that'll help warm you up a bit" Spencer said, handing out all the bars she collected from her "suitors" at school.

Hanna eyed her carefully, but she happily took the treats nonetheless.

"Just so you know, this is not a bribe"

"A what?" the blonde asked confused, scrunching her nose and furrowing her eyebrows. Spencer found her adorable.

"Nevermind" she smiled at the smaller girl.

After a few minutes, a horn break the silence. It was Ashley Marin.

"That's my mom" Hanna said. "Do you need a lift?"

"No thanks, my mom is on her way. Besides, I don't think you want your mom meet this jerk face" Spencer joked. Hanna looked down for a second, biting her lips, then suddenly she leaned forward and kissed Spencer softly on her cheek.

"You're forgiven" she said softly. "Only because of the chocolate" she winked.

"So it was really a bribe, after all…" Spencer mused.

"Again, what?"

"Nothing. You should go, your mother is waiting" Spencer wrapped her arms around Hanna's waist and whispered in her ear " Happy Valentine's Day, Han".

"H-Happy Valentine's Day, S-Spence…" Hanna murmured.

They simultaneously let go of the other and, with a last wave at the brunette, the blonde walked away and towards her mother's car.

"So I guess that was the infamous Spencer…" Ashley said to her daughter, her voice tinged with mirth. The only reaction she got from her child was an exaggerated eye roll. The redhead decided she could have a little fun: "She seems nice. When are you going to introduce me to your girlfriend?"

"MOOOM!"

And they both burst out laughing.