Two Dimensions [A Criminal Minds fic]

Chapter 2

The year is 2012. The boy is now twelve years old and clutching a graduation certificate, staring up at all the boys and girls nearly twice his age and height, also proudly displaying their own certificates. Everyone is amazed that he is graduating high school with the rest of the year twelve students when at his age, he should only be in year seven or eight.

'I want your boy in my college.'

A man stands by Spencer's mother with a meaty hand on her thin, frail shoulder. 'His intellect and intelligence is superb -- especially at such a young age.'

Spencer's mother nods. 'I know that. You'll have to ask him. It's up to him.' She takes Spencer's hand, staring happily into his brown eyes. 'I'm proud of you, my dear.' She whispers so only the two of them can hear, though the rest of the students and parents are happily engaged in their own conversations and are busy enough minding their own to pay attention to Spencer and the dangerously thin woman standing with him. The graduation cap is too large for Spencer's underage head and keeps slipping off, while pushing his mousy brown hair into his eyes. After he tips it back again, he stares at his certificate. In the corner it tells him that his IQ is 187. He wasn't sure that was possible.

'My boy genius,' she sighs happily, enveloping him in a hug which he reluctantly reciprocates. He's never been one for touching.

Underneath her alleged happiness, Spencer can tell from her body language and the shadows inside her brown eyes that she is a much different woman than the one she is outwardly showing; he's been able to tell all his life. His mother was never happy with his father around -- but now that he's finally gone, surely his mother would be happy? Alas, no; she was still a shadow of a woman. Bending closer, she murmurs in his ear, 'the other woman is proud of you, too.'

Spencer shudders. The 'other woman' has never been there. She's not real. He's about to insist to his mother that she needs help, but decides against it. The college man is still standing with them, and even through her false mask, he knows that this is truly the happiest she has been in a long time so he lets it pass.

'This man is from the college you wanted to go to. You should talk to him, he says you've almost got a guaranteed scholarship with his program.' She smiles brightly at him, as Spencer politely shakes his hand.
'Which college?' He asks, 'there are quite a few.'

The man introduces himself but Spencer zones out while he talks, instead reading the man's body language. He's clearly a businessman; you can tell that from his posture alone. He is strong; independent; he wears a simple gold wedding band on his left ring finger, and the organisation of both his speech and his brochures and numerous folders tells him that his wife isn't the only person he lived with and whose routine he was used to. The man most likely has kids.

After listening to the man drone on for a while, Spencer looks to his mother. 'I think I'll be calling you later. But,' he gently touches his mother's shoulder, as a slight guide; 'we need to be going. Thank you.'

The man nods, smiling almost brighter than the relentless sun beating down on them, increasing Spencer's already pounding migraine. 'Of course. Pleasure to speak with you, Mr Reid.'

*

That night Spencer gets a text message from an unknown number, just as he is rolling over to get comfortable in his bed.

- MEET ME AT THE SHAMROCK, TOMORROW AT NOON. BRING A FRIEND.

He treats it as a wrong number. He vaguely knows the Shamrock as a pub down the road and around the corner from his favourite bookstore but has never been there before. Obviously the text is meant for someone else, so he dismisses it, plugs his phone in to charge and rolls over, eventually falling asleep.