A Charmer
This was written way back when. Spoilers for Elephants Memory...Pleaz R&R!"
I sipped on my fourth cup of coffee as a waitress passed me by with a plate of eggs and bacon. Only two days had passed since I had gotten shot and my leg, obviously, still hurt like hell. Nonetheless, I had managed to drag myself out to my favorite coffee shop to help the owner out. The shop was on the verge of closing down, so they will asking any of the costumers that could manage to stay as long as they could do so. To the public, the event was known as a single-mingle event, but most everyone knew what it really was. Since the economy was terrible and no none was willing to see another local-owned jewel close down, everyone was willing to chip in and come for a coffee throughout their busy work day. I, since I had nowhere to go since I was off work for at least another week, volunteered to stay the whole day to make sure everything went well and made sure 'singles' were talking to other 'singles'.
I sighed as I ordered another coffee, trying my best to stay awake.
"Hey, perk up man! You're supposed to be the cheerful host helper! Now go out there and be social!" the oldest son, 26, of the coffee owner's shop instructed.
"Sorry Penn, I'm just exhausted." I muttered backed less than enthusiastically.
"How's your leg?" Penn asked.
"It's been better."
"Are you sure you want to stay? I can handle things if you want to leave..."
"That's okay. It's not that bad; I will let you know if it gets too bad." I lied, trying to be polite.
"No you won't, but I will be able to tell, and if I think you are in too much pain I'm going to send you to my mum's house." he threatened.
"I think I might take him home anyways." Margret smirked as she came around the corner. "Thanks for coming, Sweetie. It's nice to know that someone out there cares."
"I couldn't let my favorite coffee shop close down, could I?"
"With the way you drink coffee, no." Penn muttered, earning a slap from his 'mum'.
"Be nice." she said as she walked away. I smirked at their carefree interaction, not knowing what it felt like to have that.
"Like that's going to happen." he mumbled. Then, more coherently he said, "Thanks Spencer; we all really appreciate you being here."
"No problem, and I am glad to help out." I smiled.
"Alright man." Penn smiled back. "And you better start looking for a soul mate before my mother starts playing match maker with you." With that, Penn walked back away to start his waiter shift.
"Hey stranger." a voice said from behind me.
"Hey." I greeted as I turned around. A brunette with a large tote bag sat down next to me with a large smile on her face.
"Long time no see." she said as she ordered a large coffee.
"18 years." I corrected.
"And you're still as smart as you were before. If not brighter." she said in between sips of coffee. "So, what is the child prodigy Spencer Reid doing these days?"
"I'm actually with them BAU now. Er, the behavioral-" I started, but she cut me off.
"The behavioral analysis until, I know." she laughed.
"Sorry, it's just that most people don't."
"Well, I'm not most people anymore."
"Anymore?" I challenged, looking for a light conversation to pass the time.
"Spencer, I'm not a shallow teenaged cheerleader anymore. I grew up."
"I know; we all grew up." I sighed, absentmindedly rubbing at more sore leg. That's when she first noticed the pair of crutches that were propped up next to me.
"What happened?" she frowned.
"Oh, I got shot in the leg on a case." I left it at that, not in the mood to tell a fifth person the same story in the same day.
"Really? I thought the BAU just profiled, not field work."
"No, we do field work as well; we are still part of the FBI." I answered. She just gave a 'hmm' before turning back to her coffee.
After that there was an uncomfortable silence where neither of us exchanged words or glances. It wasn't until five minutes later that she broke the silence.
"Spencer, about what we did to you in high school-" she started, but this time it was my turn to cut her off.
"No, please. I know none of you were thinking about it, that you were all kids just looking to pick on the kid. I know that you've all grown up and I know that you are all sorry. It happened years ago; it hardly matters anymore." I rushed out.
"Spencer," she sighed, looking at me with those sad eyes of hers.
"Penn! Could you use some help?" I asked as he walked by, not in the mood to listen to her newest charade.
"Are you sure man?" I nodded. "I'm sure we could find something for you to do in the kitchen. " he suggested.
"Alright, sounds good." I nodded. "I will be in there to help in a minute."
"Take your time." Penn nodded as he took off with his serving tray in his hand.
"So now you're ditching me?"
"Seems like it." I answered sharply.
"In high school you were all over me, and now you don't even want to talk to me?"
"No, not really."
"Why?" she asked, getting snippy.
"Because you haven't changed." She went to protest, but I stopped her. "You keep saying that you have changed, but the more you say it the more I don't believe it. In high school you were always saying that. Whenever you changed your hair, changed your make-up, changed your clothes, changed your boyfriends. You were start acting differently, but deep down you were always the same. And I don't buy it anymore." I paused. "Do you know what the BAU does? They profile criminals. And it really is a useful tools. It's helped me figure out a few key details about you, for one thing. Like you think that everyone loves you, for instance. You feed off of other people's embarrassment, and the more you embarrass them the better you feel. You were never smart, and you always knew that, so you used your physical capabilities to make up for the lack of intelligence."
"Spencer, I have had enough of this! I'm trying to be nice to you and make up for what they made me do to you-"
"What you did to me? Oh, that's funny. They 'made' you do it." I laughed bitterly.
"Oh yeah, because you're oh-so pleasant to be around." she snorted.
"Is there a problem here?" Penn asked, glancing from me to Alexa.
"No, I was just leaving." Alexa huffed, grabbing her bag as she ran out the door.
"Isn't she a charmer?." Penn muttered. "How do you know her?"
"I went to high school with her." I said, keeping the most important details to myself.
"You sure you want to go on kitchen duty?" he asked, changing subjects rather quickly.
"Yeah; I'm not much of a mingler." I joked.
"Psh, you were doing fine!" I just rolled my eyes as I hobbled my way to the kitchen.
"Hey!" someone shouted. I turned around. A girl with curly brunette hair and a thin frame jogged up to catch me. "I saw you tell that bitch off. Just wanted to say good job. I knew her in high school." she smiled.
And then it dawned on me who the girl was.
"Yeah, I knew her too." I smiled.
"How about I volunteer to help with kitchen duty too so we talk about her?"
"Sure." I answered shortly, feeling more comfortable with her than Alexa Lisbon.
Together, we walked into the kitchen of Penn's family cafe kitchen. We talked and laughed about high school; how we used to study together after school, talk about ourselves, and just about anything that came to our mind.
Liz Tabbern was the person who helped me down off the football poles that day. She had been in the library when the whole charade was going on. When she came out, everyone had already left. Liz had asked me if there was anyone that she should call, but I told her no. Instead, she helped me home and helped me deal with the kids at school after the event. She was always there for me ever since the incident.
Before either of us knew it the cafe was closing. Before we parted ways, she gave me her phone number and told me to call her sometime soon. I smiled back and said that I would call her tomorrow.
Penn watched as we exchanged laughs and smiles, but I didn't mind. I was just glad to see one person from my past who didn't harm me...
The next day I got a call from the BAU. They needed me back early to work on a case. I reluctantly agreed. As the day went on, I grew more and more anxious to leave. The case was a bad one, and I wanted to forget about it and call Liz.
When I went home that night, I called her. I could practically hear her smile as she greeted me. And before I knew it, we were talking just like we used to...
Not what I wanted to happen, but Alexa ended up in here somehow. It was supposed to Elle, but it didnt work that way Ah well. Pleaz R&R!"