Still Falling For You | Spencer Reid

two

Spencer

As soon as I step into the empty reception area of Avery's dance studio, the sound of a violent pounding, followed by a loud cracking hits my ears.

Under other circumstances, these noises would alarm me. But after years of hearing these sounds, I've grown used to them.

I pushed the door to the studio just as Avery was slipping her pointe shoe off of her foot before proceeding to start whacking the tip of her shoe into a cement tile I'd gotten her just for this because she was beating up her walls so bad I've had to patch up a hole for her once.

It still makes me chuckle at how ballet was supposed to be such an elegant art and yet the preparation process was so violent. Especially when seeing Avery's nose scrunch up in concentration as she continues to abuse her shoes that she'd paid big bucks for just to destroy.

I cleared my throat, startling her and she ends up throwing her pointe shoe at my head with a scream.

For a thing that looks so dainty and refined, it sure was hard. Judging by the loud thud that echoes through the room as it bounces off my head, it'd say Avery might have already even gone through the step of re-enforcing it with super-glue like she always does.

"Shit, Spence. I'm sorry," She gasps, rushing to my side to assess the damage.

"It's fine, Aves. I'm alright," I assure, reaching up to rub at the spot that I had been hit.

"It's late, you should've let me know that you were coming!" She chastises.

"I did..." I drawl, raising a brow at her in amusement. "Or at least I tried. You weren't answering."

Peering over my shoulder at the clock hanging on the wall behind me, Avery's shoulders sag as she lets out a sigh.

"It's later than I thought it was. I was hoping that we would still have time to get dinner."

Avery's still hung up that we missed dinner on my birthday. That was two days ago now and I've been so caught up at work that we haven't had the chance to catch up on our dinner plans.

"Hey, it's fine." I reach up to lightly flick at her nose. The gesture brings a smile to her face like I was hoping it would. If there was one thing in this world that I knew I absolutely hated, it was seeing a frown on Avery's beautiful face. "We could order some pizza. Make a night of it."

Avery thinks on it for a minute before giving me a firm nod, "That sounds nice."

"Pizza, it is." I pull out my phone from my back pocket and place the call to the nearby pizzeria and place an order for Aves' favourite- one large pizza with broccoli and chicken.

Once that was done, I turn back to see that Avery has retrieved her ballet slipper from where it has fallen and was trying them on to make sure they were to her liking.

She hums thoughtfully as she goes en pointe, "Who knew your head would break them in so nicely."

I snort at her comment before settling against the wall across from the large mirror at the front of the room.

"What have you been working on so far?" I ask, "Show me."

Excited by my request, Avery rushes to turn on some music in the room.

After a minute or so of her fidgeting with the stereo, music floats through the room. It was a classical piece- Waltz no. 6 in D Flat Major if I wasn't mistaken, and I rarely ever was.

She starts off with a dramatic bow with a little giggle just for me and I can't help the smile that stretches across my face as I watch her glide across the room gracefully.

About halfway through the song, she pauses, eyeing me with a mischievous glint in her sparkling ocean gaze before she approaches me and reaches down to grab my arms.

"Dance with me." She begins tugging me to my feet and I go willingly. After all, there isn't much in this world I wouldn't do for her.

My arms naturally come up around her waist as if they knew they were meant to be there as she wraps her arms around my neck and starts swaying to the music.

After a while, she rests her head against my shoulder, a contented sigh leaving her lips.

The music has ended by now. But still, we held onto each other, neither one of us willing to let this moment end just yet.

"Spence?" Aves mutters against my shoulder, breaking the silence.

I bury my nose in her hair, taking in the sweet fruity scent of her shampoo. "Yeah, Aves?"

"Have you ever fallen in love?"

Her question makes me pause. Because for the longest time, I didn't think I was capable of loving someone.

Then, that night on Aves' birthday, I kissed her and that kiss had just cemented the fact that there was no coming back from that for me.

I'm not sure when it happened. Maybe I'd fallen for her the first time I'd ever laid eyes on her and just didn't realise it. But all that I knew was that the moment Avery stumbled into my life, fending off a group of boys who were picking on me all on her own, she had been the subject of my every waking thought and every dream when I went to bed.

The problem was that evidently, I didn't do well with emotions.  And as far as I could tell, Avery has never shown any signs that she had been interested in anything more than being just friends.

Yes, she kissed me back that one time, but she has also never made any mention of our kiss after that.

I suck in a breath, ready to grant her an answer that I knew she was still waiting for.

Just as I will the words to leave my lips- to tell her that, yes, I've fallen in love before. I still am in love. Fully prepared to answer the question of who I was in love with that I knew was going to follow after with one word; you- a knock sounds at the door and Aves jerks away from me.

She blinks, shifting on her feet. "I'll go get it," She finally says after a beat before rushing out the door.

And just like...the moment was broken.