Reid and the awkward girl | S.R.

13

As they are standing in line to order ramen, Spence feels a vibration in his pocket.

"Reid," he states into the phone.

Danny can't help but to feel safer with him. If she was by herself, she would be crying in the school bathroom like some high schooler. Instead, she's braved the outside world again and chosen to spend time with an agent. Getting food, no less. He even gave her a spare shirt he had from his go-bag. Hers was covered in blood, and taken into evidence. Danny wouldn't have been able to bounce back as fast as she did without the help of Spencer.

"Yeah, can you give me a few minutes though. I'll be there soon."

Spencer turns around with a sheepish look on his face. Danny's heart drops.

"You have a case," she states. The look on his face says it all.

"I'm so sorry. I did not expect this. I do have a few minutes to spare before I have to be on the plane. Just enough time to get our food. I'll have to drop you back at the college," he looks defeated. His eyes are crinkled and his hands shoved into his pockets.

"It's okay. It's your job. You can't say no," but Danny still can't seem to pick her heart up from off the ground. One thing that was going to brighten her day was lunch with Spencer. Now even that is taken away from her. She knows she can't be selfish, but she can still take every minute with him that she can.

They got to the front of the line and ordered their ramen to go. The hot bowl in Danny's hands was at least a temporary comfort. That, and being inside Spencer's car. His looked like a regular silver car from the outside. Definitely more than she could afford, yet still not flashy. On the inside however was a little different. Books littered the back seats along with file folders and papers. Coffee cups were occupying the front two holders. They seemed to be empty. When the shaken girl first got into the car, Spencer looked at the mess in horror. He obviously was embarrassed about the clutter.

In a way, it made Danny feel better. It was nice to know that he isn't as perfect as she thought. It also made her wonder what his apartment looked like. She chalked it up to him being a busy agent, not having much time for cleaning.

They reached the school faster than before it seemed. She hugged the ramen to her chest. Bought by the man sitting next to her, even though she put up a protest. Good byes were always awkward, especially this one. Spencer looked like he wanted to kick her out of the car.

"Bye, I'll be going now. Thanks for the ramen, and for, you know," she trailed off, thinking about his comfort and attention he gave after her attack.

"No problem," he spoke rushed and looked at the clock again for the hundredth time during the drive.

Danny didn't want to overstay her welcome. She gave Spencer a tight smile and exited the vehicle. She barely shut the door before he sped off out of the parking lot. He disappeared faster than she could blink, and she wondered whether he could get away fast enough. Even though she understood, it really didn't make her feel better about herself.

She reminds herself that he's just a teacher going above and beyond for his student. Her juvenile mind came up with the idea as a sort of date. All he was going was making sure she was okay. That she ate something. Ramen in hand, she walked back into the school.

Plopping herself down in the hallway close to Mr. Charles room, Danny opens the lid to her take out container. The fresh smell of the Japanese soup wafted out. Danny have it a few stirs with her fork before taking a bite. Her mood was improving already.

Ahead of her, someone cleared their throat.

"Oh, uh, hello?" Danny asks and slurps up a noodle half hanging from her mouth. The tall woman from from Mr. Charles class, Trish, was standing in front of her.

"It's Trish," Trish introduces and smiles. Danny cringes at her noodle slurping, giving Trish an awkward smile around her mouth full. How humiliating. Danny slurps up another noodle. This one gets stuck to her chin.

Trish looks on in disgust. "I just wanted to tell you that your desperate attempts at getting to Spencer are pathetic. Maybe tone it down a little. You are too young for him anyway," she ends her confident speech with a head tilt. Danny looks on with large eyes. Was it that obvious she liked their lecturer?

"I don't-"

"Don't try to deny it," Trish snaps back, "you're trying to get him to pity you, so you can get his attention. He gave you his shirt didn't he?"

Her smug face stares back on the hurt girl. Danny looks down at the shirt from Spencer.

"You know I'm right. He only pities you. In fact he told me he didn't want to see you cry in front of everyone. So he tolerates you," Trish goes on to say more, but Danny's mind is already shut down. Danny is embarrassing, awkward and shy, but the one thing she would not do, was be pushover enough to listen to Trish's speech on one of the shittiest days of her life. Danny stands, gathering her things and starts to walk away.

Danny has to admit that Trish is right. Danny was always trying too hard to get Spencer's attention. He barely seemed interested past a student/teacher relationship. She was just dreaming of something more, when nothing was there.

She stirs her noodles again before taking a bite. Slurping in the noodles. It was probably a good idea Reid didn't want to stay. He would have had to pity Danny some more while also watching her weird noodle slurping.

The only thing worse than being pushed aside by Spencer, and being verbally attacked by Trish, is having to go home to her apartment. All by herself.