Winnie

oops

Wait, I love you?

Did I really just say that? 

"What was that?"

"Nothing" Spencer said with embarrassment. "It's just-"

"I love you too" Winnie cut him off.

"Really," Disbelief clear in his voice. 

"Of course Spence," Winnie then stood up on her toes and hugged him tight around the neck. "You're my best friend. How could I not?" 

Ouch, right in the heart. 

The barista made eye contact with Spencer and a little nod as if to say, I felt that bud. She also slid over the tea with pity half smile, "Your tea, ma'am" 

Winnie let go of the wholehearted hug, which was more of a shattered heart hug to Spencer. She then grabbed her tea and turned to Spencer. 

"Now can we please just go back to normal?"  She smiled and sipped her tea. "I miss our movie nights."  

Fuck. Normal? I can't go back to normal. We were never known for being normal. She has to know what I meant by 'I love you'. 

"Yeah," He smiled back, he gripped his bag a little tighter. something about this conversation made him hungry for something he hadn't had in a while. 

Just to take some of the pain away. He had been weaning himself off for a while now but maybe a little more couldn't hurt. 

Shit, I can't be normal. Why does he do this to me? He can't just say he loves me. I do love him, and he is my best friend but why should that make things change?

"So I'm thinking Marvel movie marathon?" Winnie carried out the conversation as if she hadn't just ruined their whole love journey with a casual friend-zoning. 

"Depends on if you count 2003, Eric Bana HULK, as a Marvel movie," Spencer said. 

"If it isn't Mark Ruffalo then it doesn't count." 

"By that logic, the validity of the first Iron man would come into question because Terrence Howard who played Rhodey was later replaced by Don Cheadle." 

"Was Rhodey the main character?" Winnie bantered back. 

"By that logic-" Spencer stopped himself. She knows. "You are just messing with me."

"You are very perceptive, doctor." Winnie smiled, she really did love his endless factual rants. "My place at 7?" 

"I'll bring the food." Spencer smiled too, happy to be able to spend time with Winnie again. Even if it wasn't romantically, it was just nice to see her smile. 

~~~

Winnie practically danced through the door. Her dance ended when she saw all the paperwork sprawled across the living room. She hadn't had anyone over in quite some time. She glanced at the clock, 5:32pm. Plenty of time to tidy up. 

Winnie started with the paperwork on the floor, she divided it by police files and students' homework, and from there by date. She then piled it neatly on her made bed, closed the door and proceeded to pretend that work, homework or police work, didn't exist. At least for that one night she would spend with Spencer. 

She continued to clean up around the living room wiping off every surface as well as sweeping the wooden floors and vacuuming the rug. Winnie wanted this night to be perfect, or at least as close as it could get. It was their first time hanging out together in a while and she wanted it to go well.