After the USPS creates a penpal pairing program, Elizabeth Mills is encouraged by her friends to sign up and talk to someone new. Spencer Reid, bored with only getting bills and advertisements in his mailbox signs up for a penpal.
The two get paire...
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Spencer felt awkward standing in the airport that morning. He wanted to get her flowers like Derek recommended, but he decided against it. He'd get her flowers after the Invitationals. Instead he held a small sign to his chest with the words 'Welcome to DC Elizabeth' written in his handwriting.
He didn't know what to expect when it came to Elizabeth. He knew she was Jewish, and that she played chess. And he knew that she had her Phd in Linguistics and that she read. He felt like he knew her well, but he'd never actually met her. What if she didn't like him? What if she thought he was weird?
He fiddled with his shirt. He'd worn a purple shirt, he'd read that the colour purple can be soothing to some people. He didn't know why he even agreed to pick her up from the airport. When he read that she wanted him to pick her up from the airport, he couldn't deny her.
The airport was crowded as he stood in arrivals with his sign. Others stood around with more formal placards with formally printed names on them along with the car rental company. He stood awkwardly, standing out so significantly among the others. While the others stood in their pressed suits, Spencer wore a baggy purple button up and tie, along with a cardigan. He felt unusually underdressed for being at an airport. He sighed, looking back at the arrivals door, wondering which person he could see was Elizabeth. He was certain he'd know her when he saw her, however now he wasn't sure.
And then the doors opened.
Elizabeth had woken up early that morning, at 1am to be dropped off at the airport by the local taxi service. She slept more on the plane, and when they began landing she looked out onto the DC skyline. It was 10am in DC when she landed. She picked up the leather backpack that she had left under the seat in front of her and waited for the plane isles to clear up so she could leave.
She quickly scanned her passport in and headed towards baggage collection. Unlike the same black suitcases that went round the carousel, hers was a bright yellow, so she could see a mile off which bag was hers. The people that surrounded her were either formally-dressed families or businessmen. She felt awkward standing there, waiting for the bright yellow suitcase to come to her.
She wondered about Spencer, would he expect someone else? Someone more formal, like the normal chess stereotype? What if he expected someone less weird or more put together? She fiddled with the straps of her bag, spying yellow luggage coming down towards her.
She lifted up the bag, letting it rock slightly as she placed it onto the cold airport floor. She extended the handle and began walking along with the small crowd of businessmen.
The sliding doors opened and she began walking down the arrivals walk, looking for someone who might be Spencer. And then she saw the sign.
Spencer could see her before she saw him. Her curly brown bob sat on her shoulders as she looked around for him. Her brown eyes seemed to shine like honey. He could see her purely from her yellow suitcase.
He held up his sign as high as he could, in hopes that he might grab her attention quicker. He smiled widely, when she looked over, her face also widening into a smile.
When Elizabeth saw the wide smile on Spencer's face, she couldn't help but smile back. He was taller than her, at least six foot tall. He had floppy hair and wore a purple shirt, his favourite colour.
