the feelings that we hide | SPENCER REID

11. just friends

The next morning, Vanessa woke up in a hotel room. She figured, since she had no where else to go, she'd check into the nearest hotel in Quanitco—close to work. She didn't plan on going back home anytime soon because of her boyfriends blowout. Choking was over the limit for her.

She got up to get ready for work and saw her neck was bruised up.

"Fuck," she said under her breath before starting up her shower and setting her makeup out.

When she got out, she quickly wrapped her hair in a towel to do her makeup, and cover up the bruising. It took some time and a lot of concealer. She didn't own any turtle necks, so she was going to have to hope that the makeup didn't rub off.

Vanessa eventually walked out of the front door wearing a pair of black jeans with a pastel blue tank top underneath her black boyfriend knit cardigan and all leather black 3 inch heeled booties. Her hair was straightened as always but had 2 pastel blue hair pins on each corner of her hair to have a pop of color that matched the under of her cardigan.

F.B.I. Headquarters, Quantico, Virginia

She stepped onto the 6th floor of the FBI and entered the BAU office, taking a seat at her desk. Derek and Emily were talking across the room, and Spencer had gotten up to get coffee for himself.

"I'm gonna get some coffee," Reid spoke while getting up to his feet. "You want me to grab you a cup?"

Vanessa shook her head. "I'm okay, thank you though." He gave her a small smile before he walked away—her eyes stayed on him for a minute as he left, but quickly turned back once Hotch came up to her.

"Conference room in 5," he started before the girl nodded.

She was packing up her stuff, knowing that they were going to be leaving the city. She didn't want to leave a mess at her desk.

Morgan and Reid walked into the conference room first, Hotch already being in there. Vanessa made her way around up to the room but stopped at the side of the door when she heard Morgan say her name.

"So what's the deal with you and Vanessa?" Derek asked to what she assumed was Reid.

"What do you mean?" Spencer asked back.

"She was pretty worried about you when you were with Tobias."

It went silent for a moment.

"Do you have a thing for her?" Morgan questioned again.

"No."

"Come on, pretty boy. Yes you do." Laughs came out of him but nothing came out of Reid.

"I don't. We're just friends...nothing more."

"Well, she obviously likes you."

"I don't like her like that! And I never will—get over it."

Vanessa felt her pain in her chest. She didn't think it would've hurt that much but it did. As much as she wanted to deny the truth, she couldn't. She did like Spencer, a lot.

"Hey, Vee," JJ greeted while walking towards the room. "What are you doing out here?"

"Oh—umm," she stuttered. "I had a umm—cramp in my leg." She smiled awkwardly before JJ gave her a puzzled look and walked into the room, picking up the TV remote—Vanessa sitting across the table from Spencer, acting as if she didn't just hear the conversation he had with Morgan.

Vanessa set her folded hands on the table, waiting for the rest of the team to come in. Derek glanced over for a moment, knowing something was wrong.