Winnie

long wait

This was the beginning of the fourth week of silence after their date. 

It went well I thought. Reid pondered for what felt like the millionth time that day. He just could not understand why she wanted to get home so quickly, maybe she was just tired, or had to pee!  

His thoughts continued to go down that ridiculous path of whether it was his fault she left so sudden or the large soda. Either way, Reid was distracted. So distracted that when the barista called his name for the third time in a row it was Garcia who took the coffee and pulled Spencer out of his thoughts. 

"Hey Boy Genius, your coffee is gonna get cold," Penelope said handing Spencer his beverage. "Almost as cold as your heart if you don't just call her already." 

"Thanks," Spencer looked at the cup, wondering if he was just being dramatic and overthinking the situation. He definitely was, but even so, why didn't Winnie call him either. "If she wanted to see me she would've called by now" 

"Honey, she's probably thinking the same thing" Penelope sipped her extra-whip, extra-mocha mochaccino. "You should just go stop by her place. You used to visit her at least once a week. Now what? Its been like three weeks?"

"Four" Spencer corrected.

"Four too many," Garcia said taking another sip. "Go surprise her with a coffee or something."

"Yeah, I guess so." Reid only agreed because he didn't want to lose Winnie. Even if she wasn't romantically interested in him, he shouldn't be so selfish to jeopardize their friendship. After all, they had both already admitted to being the one person the other could relate the most to. They were each one of a kind, together. 

Winnie was not good at picking up social cues. So these four weeks she wasn't overthinking it. She had assumed Spencer was busy. She was disappointed when he didn't follow her inside but also guessed he was just tired. And he travels a lot for work, sometimes for days and weeks on end. He was probably just on an assignment. 

I'm not overthinking this, I'm just regular thinking. Winnie told herself as she walked up to the coffee shop entrance. He's probably just on an assignment. There's probably a time difference. He's not calling because the time difference. 

"Hey, Winnie!" Garcia practically shouts across the shop. "Speak of the devil am I right, or am I magic?" She says with a smirk while nudging Spencer. He looks up and makes eye contact with Winnie for the first time in what feels like forever. 

So not on assignment. Winnie thought with a momentary spark of rage fueled by hurt. Those feelings quickly dissolved into embarrassment and sadness when she made eye contact with Spencer. 

"Oh hey, guys," Winnie said with little hesitation but still some shake to her voice. A strange instinct to run out of the shop over tool her senses but she pushed them away and continued to the cash register. "Small chai tea" Winnie placed her order and took out her wallet but without a second thought, Spencer slid beside her and paid for the drink. 

"Thanks, but you didn't have to," Winnie trailed off. 

"It's no problem." He looked down at his coffee. 

"Okay, bye kids!" Garcia left noticing the evergrowing tension. "Don't have too much fun without me" Then she dashed out the door. 

Winnie let out a small chuckle. Fun. She hadn't had any of that for about four weeks. 

"So Spence-"

"Winnie, I-"

They had started at the same time and paused also. Miscommunication seemed to be their main form of communication, whether verbal or otherwise. 

"Listen,-"

"It's just-"

Again, it happened. 

"I miss you."

"I love you" 

Again, at the same- wait 

Wait, I love you?