Childish| Criminal Minds

6

The weekend after the party is a miserable one. Spencer learns the hard way how bad hangovers can get, and JJ has to pay her sister to keep her quiet about the drinking.

Spencer actually looks forward to Monday. Emily lives close by so JJ and him start including her in their short morning walk.

Derek and Penelope sit down across from Spencer and JJ at lunch. "Where's emily?" Penelope asks. Today her hair is a different color. There are blue highlights in it instead of pink.

"She's sitting with Aaron and Haley," JJ sighs.

"Oh dear," Penelope laughs.

"I don't think Emily knows what boundaries are," Spencer mumbles.

"I completely failed my chemistry exam," Derek laughs. "I might have to take it again next year."

"That sucks," Spencer says, continuing to eat his lunch.

"Have you ever failed a test?" JJ asks.

"No," Spencer replies. "But once I got a B minus so I think I get how it feels."

"Dude."

Everyone at the table blankly stares at Spencer and he sinks down into his seat.

After the lunch bell rings the day goes by pretty quickly. Emily doodles in her notebook while JJ texts Will when the teachers aren't looking, and Derek and Penelope make jokes to their classmates. Spencer actually pays attention until the last bell rings and he heads directly towards JJ's class.

"Do you know if Emily has drama today?" Spencer asks.

"I'm not sure," JJ says.

"Crap," Spencer sighs. "I forgot my science book in my locker."

"I'll go get it for you!" JJ offers. "You go get Emily."

JJ walks as quickly as she can back to the locker hallway while Spencer heads to the drama room. Emily is waiting outside and smiles when she sees him. "No drama today?" Spencer asks.

"Rossi is gone today, so nope. I would have texted JJ but my phone died," Emily sighs.

JJ remembers Spencer's locker combination by heart. He's a surprisingly forgetful person, despite his eidetic memory and his impossibly high IQ.

When the locker door swings open, a small notecard falls out. JJ picks it up, and though she hates herself for it, she reads it.

It's Cat Adams's phone number. JJ bites her lip as she folds the note card in half and slips it into her back pocket.

She searches through the ridiculous amount of textbooks that are crammed into Spencer's locker and takes his science book, closing his locker and not thinking twice about what she's done.

He doesn't need that. I'm doing him a favor. Cat's insane. The father away from him she is, the better. Her attempts at reassuring herself are unsuccessful.

"You okay?" Spencer asks. He takes his book back from JJ and the three of them leave the school, Emily not paying very much attention but rather listening to music.

"Yeah, why wouldn't I be?" JJ asks. She forces herself to smile and tries to forget what happened.

"Just checking on you," Spencer smiles. "You're my best friend. You can tell me when things are wrong, okay? I'm here for you."

He's so caring it's going to make me sick, JJ thinks to herself. I don't deserve him whatsoever.

-

"Mom?" Spencer yells after he closes the door. "I'm home!" He sets his backpack down on the couch and rushes to his mom's room. More than anything he's worried she's hurt.

His mom is fine. She's asleep. "Mom, it's 3 PM," Spencer says.

Diana Reid opens her eyes, and for a split second Spencer can see panic in her expression. "Spencer?" she asks.

"It's just me," Spencer says. He opens the shades and Diana winces at the bright light coming from the window. "You need to get out of bed. This isn't healthy."

"What do you know?" she mumbles. She pulls a pillow over her head and covers her ears. Spencer doesn't know what else to do but leave.

He feels useless. Like no matter what he does he can't help her.

"I'm sorry," he whispers before exiting, leaving her door open just a crack.

Spencer can't help but cry. He knows it isn't his fault; that it's her illness, but he can't help but feel guilty.

A/N: this chapter: sucks- sorry lol.

Also this is three hours late but oh well. I'm updating like every day please be grateful.

Word count: 726