"My friends still don't believe that I'm dating a college guy," Annabelle laughs, swinging our hands between us.
"You really should tell them I'm just 17. They must think I'm a creep."
"What do you mean?"
"They think I'm real college guy! I'm afraid they'll ambush me someday when I least expect it and have my head for going out with you."
"Technically, you are a college guy, though."
"Right, but I'm only a year older than you! They think that I'm 21 or something, harassing a 16-year-old high school girl! What if they tell their parents and I get in trouble?"
"Spence, relax! I'm just messing with them, is all!" I continue to pout when she stops in front of a desert willow. "I'll tell them tomorrow, okay? Stop your pouting," she smiles, reaching up and kissing the tip of my nose.
A small smile creeps onto my face and I bend down to kiss her forehead. I can feel her weight leaning into me, her tiny hands squeezing mine. We continue walking the small path around the park, hand in hand. I sneak a glance down at my watch when I think she's not looking, but, of course, she notices.
"Time to head back?" she sighs.
"I've really gotta study…I've got a test coming up soon that I need to prepare for."
"Can you spare some time to come over to my house?"
My heart jumps in my chest. "Are you sure? Last time didn't go so well…" Her wanting me around anymore in light of that night is miracle enough, never mind her actually wanting to try again. The thought of Anabelle laying under me, with her skin illuminated by the moonlight and her eyes heavy with passion, makes my knees grow weak and my pants tighten.
Anabelle giggles. "The first time is always awkward, so I've heard." She nuzzles in closer to my side with a smile on her face. The few fly-aways from her hair tickle my face. "Besides, you were amazing," she breathes. The tension in my pants grows at the sound.
I clear my throat and glance again at my watch. Annabelle giggles again and tugs at my hand. "Come on. I have a present for you!"
"Okay, okay. But we have to make it fast."
"Yeah, yeah. Wouldn't want to cut into your study time, would we?" Annabelle laughs, waggling her eyebrows and pulling me off into the direction of her house.
When we walk up the driveway, Annabelle's mother comes out the front door with her purse and car keys in hand. "Oh, hello Spencer!" she smiles when she sees me.
"Hello Mrs. Sipha."
"Mom, I wanna give Spencer his present. Is it okay if he comes up to my room for a minute?"
"Oh, honey, I was just about to leave to go pick up your sister and get dinner…" Mrs. Sipha's gaze shifted from her daughter to the car and back again.
"Mom, please? It'll only be a minute! I wanna give him the present and then he has to go study for an exam. We'll be super quick!" Annabelle begs.
Mrs. Sipha sighs and trains her gaze on me. "Can I trust you not to impregnate my daughter while I'm gone?"
My eyes widen in shock by the question and I stumble out an "Of course". Mrs. Sipha nods a little, then says she'll be home in twenty minutes and she'll call when she's close.
"I'm trusting you to behave," she warns as she opens the driver-side door of her car.
"We will, Mom. Thank you!" Annabelle grabs my hand and sprints into the house. She drags me through the living room, past the kitchen and up the stairs into her bedroom. She releases my hand from her grasp to throw open her closet door and dig around for something on the floor. I set myself down on the edge of her bed, running my fingers over the soft fabric and letting her scent fill my lungs. "Here it is!" she exclaims, producing a large box from the very back of her closet.
"What exactly is this present for? We just had our anniversary. You didn't have to actually get me anything for it!" I blush and let my gaze fall to the floor. "Letting me take your virginity is more than I could ever ask for…"
"This isn't for our anniversary. I've been wanting to give you this for a while now, but it's been hard for me to break the habit so I could give him to you," Annabelle states, plopping down onto her bed and pressing the box into my lap.
"Him?"
Annabelle doesn't answer. She nods her head towards the gift and I slowly begin to open it, until I realize what's waiting for me inside.
"You're giving me Mason?!" I ask, pulling the large, fluffy panda bear from his cardboard cage. The purple scarf around his neck is wrapped in a bow and it looks like he's been through the wash recently, his fur having been combed and carefully cared for.
"I know how bad it gets at your house and there are times when I won't be there to help you. So I thought Mason might be of service to you," Annabelle smiles. She rests a gentle hand on her stuffed-animals fur and the smile turns slightly melancholy.
"But you sleep with him every night! I can't take him."
"I haven't slept with him all this month. That's why I put him in the box at the back of my closet, so I wouldn't be tempted to take him out. I really want you to have him."
"Annabelle…"
"You need him more than I do."
I stare at the panda in my arms. Annabelle looks over at him once, then forces her gaze away. It's then that an idea begins to form in my mind. I pull at the purple scarf hanging around Mason's neck and throw it over my own. "Here," I murmur, laying Mason on Annabelle's lap. "You keep him and I'll take his scarf. That way you can still sleep with him when you need to and I'll have something to make me think of you when you're not there to help me," I state.
Annabelle's face breaks out into a smile. She catapults herself into my arms and presses her lips to every inch of my face. Annabelle's attack comes to a grinding halt when her mouth connects with mine. I can feel her body sag into me, her arms wrapping around the back of my neck. I can't resist pulling her into my lap and letting her hips grind into the growing tension of my pants.
"We should…we should really st-stop before…before your mom-!" I attempt to protest, but the feeling of her hands traveling down the length of my torso terminates the objection midsentence.
"We've got time," Annabelle breaths with a smile.
I snap back to reality when a hand clamps down on my shoulder. "Congratulations again, kid."
"Thanks. And thanks again for being my best man, Derek. It means a lot."
Morgan flashes me a wide grin. "Of course, Reid. It was my honor to be up there with you." I smile and nod. Morgan pats my shoulder once again then heads towards the open bar.
The dimmed fairy lights along the bannisters above illuminate the polished dance floor before me. A large group, mostly females, are dancing around one another with their hands raised high in the air. I can't see her, but I know she's at the very center of it all. For a brief moment, I catch a glimpse of white and a streak of deep red curls before they disappear again into the mass of people.
When the song ends, the body of party-goers begins to dissipate towards the bar and tables for refreshments. I watch JJ and Garcia stumble across the floor towards the ladies room with giant smiles across their faces in their matching bridesmaid's outfits. I can hear Rossi laugh from across the room as he and Hotch reminisce in the far corner.
And then, I see her. My heart flutters just like it did when she walked down the aisle towards me no more than four hours ago. Her red hair is curled and styled with small white flowers dashed in between the strands. The long, white dress hugs her every curve, then flows down and away from her long legs. There's small and intricate detailing along the bodice that trails down the length of one side, drawing every eye in the room to this beautiful masterpiece that is my new bride.
"Well don't you look deep in thought?" she laughs, wrapping her arms around my neck as I pull mine around her waist. I can't help but run my fingers down her hips, feeling the silky fabric under my hands and wanting so desperately to reveal the skin hiding beneath. "What are you thinking about?"
"When you gave me that scarf," I whisper, leaning my forehead to hers.
"Before or after?" she hums.
"Everything," I reply with a gentle squeeze to her backside.
"Hey, you save that for the honeymoon, mister!" Annabelle giggles. I smile and press a quick kiss to her forehead. "Come dance with me."
"I can't dance. You know that."
"Then come flail like a madman out on the dance floor with me!" she laughs.
"Maybe later. I'd hate to hurt someone with my flailing," I chuckle. Annabelle smirks and leans in for a kiss when a pair of small hands grab onto my leg.
"Mommy! Daddy! Lookit!" our 4-year-old daughter exclaims.
I lift her up in my arms and marvel at the small row of flowers lined in her red hair. "Very pretty," I comment.
"Now I look like mommy!"
Annabelle smiles wide. "Who did that for you, baby?"
"Jack and Honey did it," she replies, using the easier and affectionate nickname for Henry she's been using since they met two years ago.
"Mason, come on!" Jack calls from the threshold of the hall with Henry by his side.
Mason squirms in my arms. "Don't get your outfit dirty, okay?" Annabelle warns. "This means a lot to me and daddy, you know," she says, taking the end of the purple scarf we had stitched to Mason's white dress and reties the bow.
"Okay mommy!" Mason kisses her mother's cheek and hugs my neck before I set her back down on the floor. She runs off towards the boys and disappears into the crowd once again.
"I'm gonna go get another drink. You want something?" Annabelle asks, taking a step in the direction of the bar.
I grab her hand and pull her back into me before she can take another step away. "Thank you," I whisper in her ear.
"For what?"
"For giving me that scarf all those years ago and forgetting about it when we broke up. If you had taken it back, I never would have had an excuse for calling you up and asking you out again. And then I never would have been able to hold Mason when she was born and we never would have gotten married and I wouldn't be as happy as I am right now, with you."
Annabelle looks up at me with tears lining her eyes. "Thanks for keeping it all this time," she murmurs. I dip my head and our lips connect, allowing sparks to fill my body like they always do when we kiss. I can feel Annabelle's fingers pull through my hair and a small moan escape her throat.
"Enough kissing and more socializing! You can spend time together when you're on your way to your honeymoon and Mason is happily tucked in at my house!" JJ cries and pulls Annabelle back onto the dance floor with Garcia in tow. Annabelle laughs and melts back into the throng of people. I make my way over to Rossi, Hotch, and the rest of my groom's men in the corner. The rest of the night is spent laughing, drinking, and even some dancing on my part with Mason.
Every time I catch a glimpse of my daughter, it reminds me of that moment Annabelle and I were tied together forever. And I couldn't be more grateful to a purple scarf.