✓ 𝐑𝐄𝐈𝐃'𝐒 𝐆𝐈𝐑𝐋, 𝘴. 𝘳𝘦𝘪𝘥

CHAPTER EIGHT.

chapter eight — um, what?
"A certain darkness is needed to see the stars." — Osho

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EDITED: December 8th, 2020
Tessa's POV

      "ALRIGHT, EVERYONE, WE AREN'T DOING any good here. Time for you guys to head to the hotel and get some sleep, be here by seven am, sharp."

      My green eyes flickered over towards Hotch as he spoke with his usual monotone, serious tone, and it seemed like the wrinkles under his eyes were a bit tougher than usual. The case looked to be attaching a bit too deeply to him, I guessed.

      After Hotch moved over to his usual seat and hooked his fingertips around his coat laying on the chair, I switched over to Spencer, who was still studying the board, but he didn't seem to actually pay attention to anything that Hotch had just said. I decided to stay in the seat I already was planted in, while JJ, Morgan, and Rossi got up from their chairs. I could only assume that they were all leaving for the hotel as Hotch had suggested.

      "You want a ride, Tessa?" JJ asked, while she stretched out her legs from possibly sitting in the same position for so long. I tore my eyes from Spencer over to meet hers, and for a second, I wondered if she saw the way I was staring at him, but I ignored it.

       "Spencer offered to drive me there already," I replied, giving JJ a quick, polite smile. It wasn't that I found her annoying or anything, just the fact that I've been doing something nonstop every second of today and desperately need to sleep. "Thanks for the offer, but I'd rather not be stuck in the back with Morgan."

      "Hey!" Morgan protested, raising both arms in defense as he flashed me a deadpan look, but he couldn't keep a serious face on so it shifted over to amusement within a second.

      "You know it's true!" I countered, a small smile etched on my face as I spat the sarcastic comment.

      "Whatever," Morgan rolled his eyes jokingly, and with that, he moved from his chair and followed out Rossi close on his heels. The two men had managed to sneak their coats on without me seeing — where Morgan was wearing his typical motorcycle leather jacket and Rossi had on an expensive looking black coat.

       "Okay, well, don't be gone too long," JJ teased softly, sending me a quick wink, and her adorable laugh echoed throughout the room as she mimicked the same action as the boys before her, coat and purse hanging loosely on her left arm.

      That was when I noticed that it was just Spencer and I left in the small room, where Hotch and Prentiss must've snuck out while I was busy talking to JJ and Morgan.

      I glanced up at Spencer, who was still staring at all the pictures and words on the map in front of his face. I didn't quite understand why, since he's got an eidetic memory, and knew it all by heart. When I first heard from JJ that Spencer had an eidetic memory, my eyes were as wide as saucers. It honestly seemed like the coolest thing, and made sense as to why he could remember every little detail about every little thing.

      "You havin' fun?" I questioned, chuckling under my breath by the way Spencer was scribbling something on a frail piece of paper.

      Spencer seemed to be absolutely startled by my tone of voice because he flinched so rapidly, and he spun around quickly to look at the person who spoke up. I perked an amused eyebrow up towards the lanky man, and had to stifle another loud laugh in the back of my throat.