Chapter One

Slamming my fist down on my alarm's SLEEP button, I struggled out of my cover sheets and rolled myself out of bed. Making my way across the room to the door, I grabbed my white, silky housecoat.

Sulking down the stairs tiredly, I drove half-asleep body into the kitchen and took a health bar out of the closet.

Closing the closet door, I took a look at the clock.

6:55AM.

Shockingly realizing that I was late for work and that I had to be there by 7:15AM, I devoured the rest of my health bar, bolted up the stairs, and got changed.

I opened the door to the coffee shop, and noted that there wasn't a very long line. Hopefully, there would be just enough time for me to get my hot chocolate and still make it to work.

Waiting in line for approximately six minutes, I made my way to the front counter.

"Hello, Ma'am, and welcome to Carla's Coffee Shop. What can I get for you today?"

"Just a hot chocolate to go, please," I told the young, cheery cashier girl.

"That'll be three seventy-six, Ma'am."

Fishing my wallet out of my satchel bag, I had totally forgotten that I hadn't stopped by the bank yet, leaving myself with two dollars, a dime, and three nickels.

Hesitantly, I looked back up at the still-smiling cashier, then murmured quietly,

"Never mind…"

"What seems to be the problem, Ma'am?" the cashier asked.

"Nothing," I replied back.

"Are you sure?" she questioned me again.

"Yes, I'm positive," I wanted this to be the last reply to her trail of questions.

"Alright, Ma'am. Have a nice day," she gave me a farewell as I stepped out of the line and took a seat at an empty table near a window.

I put my wallet back into my satchel, and set my bag in between the wall and my feet.

I sighed softly, setting my head in my hands, letting my dirty blond hair fall, covering my face, and my glasses slide a tiny bit down my nose.

Looking up after I had heard the chair in front of me slide out from underneath the table, I saw that it was the guy who had been standing behind me in line.

"Hey," he smiled partially, just staring at me straight in the eye.

"Hi…"

I scanned him over.

Tall, thin, thick and wavy brown hair with slightly darker brown eyes, a white dress shirt with a faded red sweater vest over it.

"So, why did you drop out of line? Did you not have enough money?"

Great, more questions, as if I hadn't had enough this morning.

I stayed silent, staring at the tabletop.

"I see…Hold on just a minute," he got up from his chair and walked away.

Sitting there, I hadn't realized that time had seemed to slow down once the mysterious stranger had left the table.

It seemed as though time couldn't be any slower, and things couldn't be any quieter in this little coffee shop.

Out of the blue, something was set down on my table and I felt a gentle hand on my shoulder.

"Hang in there,"

I looked up, my head rising out of my hands, to see that the stranger had just left the coffee shop. Smiling.

I looked down at what mysterious item had been set down on my table.

A white Styrofoam cup with a black lid was just sitting there in front of me, steam arising from the tiny sip hole.

Picking it up, the sweet, tender scent of the hot chocolate floated into my nose.

I turned the cup around many times, looking it over.

I noticed something was scribbled onto one side.

Call me if you need to talk, or just to see me.

I'll always have my phone on me.

-Spencer Reid

Under the name, I found itty-bitty numbers, still readable.

I looked from the front door of the small coffee shop, and then back to my steaming cup of hot chocolate.

I could feel my face turn a bright shade of pink as I looked at the message on my cup again.

I took a small sip after staring at the cup for about five minutes.

It was the best hot chocolate I've ever tasted.

"Thanks, Spence,"