Hello! This is the first fan fiction I've written, so reviews and constructive criticism would be great! Depending on feedback on the storyline, I may or may not continue it, so let me know what you think! Thanks!

-athlete12

Summary:

Spencer Hastings has always been the absolute best at everything, especially when it comes to athletics. Unfortunately, one sport in particular has continued to trump her best efforts year after year: track and field. This being her senior year and therefore last attempt at being the best in state at what is often considered as the most difficult race, the 800-meter run, Spencer is set solely on her training. So when out-of-state athlete Emily Fields moves to Rosewood and onto Spencer's track, will there be friendship, rivalry, or maybe even a romance in store for the two?

"Come on Toby, pick it up! Are you really going to let a girl beat you?" Spencer Hastings yelled over her shoulder. She was about to reach the top of the hill the two were racing up, and had a slight lead over best friend Toby Cavanaugh.

"I- Spence- Wait!" gasped Toby, being too exhausted to even form a sentence. He stopped and bent over for a bit, trying to catch his breath in the icy January air. When he looked up, he smirked and sighed at the triumphant pose Spencer was striking from the top of the hill.

Best friends since preschool, Spencer and Toby had been inseparable since they were little. They'd taken swimming lessons together, done homework together, played sports together. As they got older, they did try dating, but that ended quickly as neither felt any sort of spark for the other. Regardless, the two remained best friends, and were free to focus on more important things, such as track. Toby was also a great track athlete and, like Spencer, was being recruited by some of the great track schools in the US. However, wanting to get the decision out of the way early and stay close to home, he committed to Penn State early senior year. Spencer on the other hand, had her eyes set on the college track giant, Oregon. It was the track and field college in the United States, anyone who was anyone in the track world went there, and she had decided she wasn't going to accept anything less. That being said, Spencer knew she had a lot of work to do, hence the aggressive hill running before school. It was the first day back from winter break and she wanted to get an extra head start on the February track season, but it was starting to look like she'd have to cut the morning workout short due to Toby's apparent overindulgent holiday eating over the break.

"Toby are you kidding me? You promised you would push me during preseason and this is what I get the very first day?" Spencer whined.

"I-I know. I should've taken better care of myself over the break, but there was just so much food!" Toby exclaimed from where he was now sprawled out on the ground. "I guess I overdid it?"

"You guess?" Spencer rolled her eyes. "Fine. But I'm adding the hills we didn't run to the workout this afternoon and I'm hoping I'll have a partner that doesn't pass out after just four!"

Toby smiled sheepishly, "You're the best. So am I dismissed to go home and shower so I don't repel people the first day back to school?"

Spencer nodded and watched as the boy slowly got up and proceeded to jog back down the hill towards their neighborhood. She would do one more hill run, full speed she decided, and then could allow herself a quick shower and a healthy breakfast.

Sitting in class felt like torture for Spencer. She had better things to do, and even her hardest class felt like child's play today. Didn't her teachers know she could be spending this time training? She risked a glance at the clock and groaned internally. There was ten minutes left, and even then it was only her lunch period. She mentally checked out for the rest of class, planning what workouts she would be doing after school.

Lunch went by even slower. Spencer had somehow forgotten that her four closest friends, Toby, Aria, Caleb, and Hanna, had all coupled up over the break. Since she did not particularly want to partake in the planning of her friends' double date that upcoming weekend, she was the odd man out, and growing more and more antsy about training by the second. Deciding to somehow relieve her hunger for something track-related, she excused herself from the table and started off towards the gym. Her track coach, Ian Thomas, also had this lunch period, and usually spent his lunches watching old sports film in his office, so he would have time to talk track with Spencer. Spencer got there just in time to see Coach Thomas escorting a tall, tan, dark-haired girl out towards the track. She didn't know why, but this sent a jolt of nerves and anxiety through her body. Having to know who this girl was and what Coach Thomas was showing her the track for, Spencer followed them out to the track.

"Hey coach!" Spencer shouted after them.

"Hey Spence! Come over here, there's someone I want you to meet" Coach Thomas exclaimed, motioning for Spencer to come join himself and the new girl beside the track.

Not wanting to keep the two waiting, Spencer jogged over.

"Spencer, this is Emily Fields. Emily, this is Spencer Hastings, our track captain here at Rosewood. "

The two shook hands. Spencer noticed that the girl had a gentle, but somehow still firm shake. She liked that, and gave the girl a smile.

"So, Emily... What event do you run?" Spencer questioned casually.

"Well I do lots of events! I do the 300m hurdles, triple jump, and I run the 400. What I'm best known for is the 800 though!" Emily answered with a smile. Unfortunately, her smile had faded just a bit and was replaced with a look of uncertainty as she looked back at Spencer. Spencer's smile had immediately disappeared and was replaced with one of the fiercest glares Emily had ever seen, let alone had targeted at her. Then, without warning, Spencer turned and walked away.