It was autumn and the beginning of a new return to school. For some children it is the worst experience because they have to face another year of people they don't like or worse cases they attack them, for others it was perfect, they could talk about what they had done on her vacation with their friends, For Maeve Hunter this was a middle ground.

She didn't hate school, in fact sometimes she longed to go so she could have some excitement in her life but upon arriving she realized that she really had no reason to be excited.

Maeve was not a social outcast, But she did not feel comfortable around her peers, Not inferior, she just never felt that they would be the kind of people with whom she should be friends.

Some might think it ironic that in such a large school there wasn't a single person with whom Maeve could strike up a friendship, but that's how it was.

The good thing is: The loneliness never bothered her.

Starting the day with their school's tradition, highlighting the merit of all those star students during the previous school year.

Maeve waited patiently among the crowd and the applause, she wanted to finish the ceremony quickly and start her classes.

Maeve kept her head buried in her book the entire time until she heard one last name.

The girl was always noted for her quick learning, in many things, she was good in mathematics, history, science, physics, computing, in art above all, obviously Maeve was not good at everything, that would be impossible, physical activities such as theater, dance , or any sport were her least prized skills.

But she wasn't bad, she just wasn't good. Being the middle ground in everything is something she became accustomed to, at least in her teenage years.

"You are good, but you are not excellent." "You didn't succeed, But at least you didn't fail." "You're smart, but you don't put in the effort."

There was always a but in many things. Because Maeve Hunter couldn't be a star, how could she?

Is the girl who eats lunch alone while reading a book a genius? The girl who doesn't even have parents? What would they teach her in an orphanage? Come on.

They are words that Maeve didn't know her teachers said about her, at least not until she grew up.

A star on your forehead doesn't seem that significant until you stop to think about it.

Maybe she wasn't a star, Maybe it was about getting recognition for what you're good at. Maeve wasn't interested in receiving something she didn't deserve but when you know you deserve something and you don't get it; It's heartbreaking.

But those things were never important to Maeve.

It was the same every year.

Maeve clearly remembers the day her school took the seniors, including her, on a field trip to different colleges in different states.

NYU sounded promising to Maeve, but she didn't even know if she could afford it or even go to college.

The trip was so long and exhausting, but at least they were now at their last stop.

MIT.

If NYU was already an unattainable dream for Maeve, she won't even allow herself to dream about it.

Spencer Reid was relatively weird, always has been. He understood from a very young age the expression "Fish out of water." When you are always the oldest in height and the youngest in each room, but always being the oldest in terms of intellect.

The interests are different, that is why personalities exist. Your qualities, likes and dislikes would form who you are.

Can your personality change due to the experiences you live? The answer is yes.

Sometimes Spencer wondered if he would be a different person if "this happened instead of—" he was content with the person he was and despite everything, with his family. But he was also aware that situations could have been better.

There is a very easy pattern that you should follow if you want to be popular or at least be nice to people.

It all boils down to: Not being yourself.

But Spencer could describe it in a little more detail.

Trust? I already have that one. People attract more people when they show confidence when speaking. . .regardless of what they say doesn't make sense, Nobody will notice.

Luxuries? Eighty-four percent of people are attracted to what they can't have: Jewelry, an expensive house or car, or simply money. The less accessible it is, the better. They will feel that it is also a luxury to be with you and they will feel that they are living their fantasy through you.

Mystery? No one should know you at all. They are interested in what you project visually, not what you are. Saving comments that provoke free will is not an option, say simple things and cushion them with an insult, so people won't realize that you said the wrong thing.

Sports? Women are attracted to more muscular men. Even though they can double their size or triple their weight, it makes them feel protected. As for men, it will be less easy for them to bother you and you will stop being a target and become their competition.

Number one: Friends? That would be easy to achieve when you first fulfill the previous ones. The others will arrive on their own.

People tend to look more attractive from an external point of view when they are in groups, conveying the perfect appearance and balance to everyone. "A good group of friends" would make others see you as irresistible and with the need to belong too.

Spencer knew the rules to survive but never applied them. He decided to be who he was and that's it. . .That wasn't easy.

But that was not enough. "Be yourself." It's easy to read it on a sticker, but Spencer knew that from time to time he had to lower his head to try not to stand out as the weird one, always being the youngest, even when he was already in college, they still saw him as a child.

He was the victim of absurd nicknames in high school and practical jokes in college.

Always going for the weakest link. That was the way to survive. Causing fear and fear in others, to make them believe that no one could even replace them.

Spencer was thirteen years old when he entered college.

Ironically, one would think that Spencer Reid would never want to set foot in a university again in his life, but for him there were still too many things in the world that longed to be known.

By the time he started his first doctorate he was the age that the average person is when they enter university.

Spencer observed all those new students, who are now his age, he realizes that he is the age that his classmates were when he entered when he was only thirteen years old.

This should make you proud. He's being number one at something, probably being America's greatest genius since William James Sidis and he wasn't able to see it.

A bitter smile formed on Spencer's mouth as he made his way to the library. Not knowing how to identify why he felt what kind of emotion he felt.

— Spencer.

Ethan greets him as he arrives.

Ethan is a boy Spencer met and could instantly sense that they had a connection.

The bitter feeling disappeared as soon as Spencer saw him.

That's what friends do: Ease your sorrows without even knowing it. And this is Spencer's first, and he knew then that this is what a friendship should feel like.

— Have you been waiting for me for a long time? —Spencer asks.

They were an unmatched duo, Ethan was as brilliant as Spencer. They didn't see each other as often as they wanted but when they were together it seemed as if they had never left each other.

Time and distance have no power over that friendship.

They were excited because they had both submitted their applications to join the FBI. It sounded like the craziest idea in the world, but they had nothing to lose.

Spencer especially, was sure that's what he wanted to do for the rest of his life. He was already old enough to apply, so he hoped to be accepted before returning home this summer.

— I just arrived. —Ethan answers.—There are many people on campus, the first years I think? They are touring the place, which is why it was difficult to get here.

— I think they are high school students. — Spencer drops his backpack on the table and begins to take his notes. — In their last year. Looking future options.

Ethan stood up to stretch, but Spencer was already immersed in his research.

— Do you think they have the potential to get in here? —Ethan asks.

— There are over thirty thousand students a year here, Ethan. — Spencer responds with his eyes on his book. — We're not that special. — He turns his head to the side as his friend began to review the books on the nearest shelf. — Surely thirty-seven percent of them have the potential to enter. Only three percent can afford it, assuming they like the place and want to enter.

Ethan nods his head, agreeing with Spencer.

— MIT is characterized by its computer science, engineering, science, and mathematics programs.

— What about art? — Maeve interrupts the guide, earning all the looks.

— MIT. — The guide responds in a friendly way.—Massachusetts Institute of Technology. — Explains the name, making Maeve understand that it is not the place where he would find that kind of programs.

Maeve just nods, the group advances with the teachers and the guide stops his pace and waits to have Maeve close.

— There is an arts school in New York. I mean. A really good one. — Maeve was about to interrupt him and tell him that it was not necessary until she heard the following: — They offer scholarships. If you have a good average and extracurricular points you will be in.

Maeve looked up and her eyes filled with hope upon hearing that. Especially knowing that she would be home.

The guide notices her smile.

— I'll give you the details at the end of the tour, is that okay with you?

Once again Maeve nods and the man almost runs away to catch up with the group.

Maeve smiles to herself. She watches the group walk away, she might as well run, but we've already seen that she doesn't even like the place.

She watches as the guide takes them to the laboratory. It wasn't even far away, since they were still in her field of vision, but Maeve diverted her gaze to the right.

Library.

She was closer to the library than the lab, and she could catch up with them whenever she wanted. It's not like anyone would notice her absence either.

Maeve walked up the steps to her right.

She knew that once walked in , she wouldn't find the kind of books that might interest her. No fantasy, no art, but at least Maeve's interests weren't limited there. So she would find something to entertain herself.

Ell walked down the hallway, seeing the large round tables that were at the beginning of the room next to small coffee machines and sofas, and a lady at her desk. The different hallways were divided into large, thick columns of books. At the end of the room she could see a pair of green chairs and lamps indicating the study area.

Maeve headed to one of the hallways and picked up a book at random to look inside.

It was difficult to concentrate on her reading when a large part of the place was murmuring.

Maeve returns the book to its place, and takes the one that was next to it.

Cosmos by Carl Sagan.

She opens a random page, but Maeve can't read a word when someone bumps into her.

— The universe doesn't seem to want me to read today. —Maeve complains when she sees the book on the floor.

A boy had been backing up and bumped into Maeve's back. Hearing her, he crouched down and picked up the book.

— Sorry.

Maeve tells him to forget it and looks back at the shelf in search of a different book.

— Are you sure you don't want to read it? —He questions, holding the book still in his hands.

Maeve glances at the book cover.

— It doesn't seem to my taste. — Lies. Just to avoid having a conversation.

— Are you sure not? It talks about . .— The boy opens the book and begins to read some random words.— Travelers. Planet. Human race. Sounds interesting. — Maeve looks at him, raising an eyebrow. — I'm sorry, I didn't read the book, my friend sure did. I'm Ethan by the way.

— Nice to meet you, Ethan. — Maeve said sarcastically.

She focuses her gaze on a specific book and not at random this time.

— Clean Code. — The boy says the title of the programming book out loud.—You must be from engineering. I hadn't seen you before.

— I don't study here. — Maeve responds simply before putting the book in her backpack.

The boy turns his head and looks at her confused.

— What. . .? How do you expect to return the book then?

— Return. —She says laughing.

— Are you stealing? —He asks almost with amusement, because he didn't believe it.

— No. — She points to the shelf. — This is free to use for students.

— But you are no—

—They don't know that. — The boy lets out a light laugh thanks to Maeve. — Enchanted to meet you but i have to go.

— Wait. What's your name?

— Sabrina.

— Sabrina ?

— . . .Spellman?

— Sabrina Spellman. — She nods.— Really?

— What can I say? It's a very common name in salem. — She sighs when she sees Ethan's face and notices that he doesn't believe her. — I'm not going to give you my real name.

Was the last thing Maeve said before she walked away.

But Ethan stops her by grabbing her shoulder.

Maeve almost got nervous when she felt the foreign hand on her body.

Ethan opens her backpack and takes out the book.

Maeve watches him dumbfounded, waiting for the public humiliation in front of the others.

Ethan with the book heads towards the librarian.

Maeve. Runs. It's now or never. Told the voice inside her.

— Hello.

— Hi, Hazel. — He responds with the same kindness as the woman.—Could you pass this book?

The woman nods and runs the book through the code reader and hands it back to Ethan. Maeve who was behind him the entire time looks at him blankly.

— What did you do? —She asks.

— Each book has a code. Like every object, in here you were not going to make it off campus without it being registered under your name and oh cheese, you're not a student here, how could you do it?

Maeve squints at him trying to guess if he was lying or not, but decides to believe him. After all, he was registered under the name Ethan, right? Not hers. What would he gain by cheating on her?

— Thank you?

— You're welcome. —He returns the book to her.— Now go away, little witch.

Maeve looks at the book in her hands and doesn't hesitate to run away before he regrets it.

— You're the best! —She exclaims when she was already outside the library, which made Ethan laugh.

— A friend? — Hazel asks confused, who was listening to the conversation.

— Yeah. Sure. Old friend.

Ethan goes to get two cups of coffee, which was the reason he stood up in the first place, and returns to his table with Spencer.

— I thought you just went for coffee. Why did you delay? —Spencer asks when he sees him on his side. 

— I met a girl.

Spencer looks up at his friend.

— I met a girl. — Spencer grimaces, thinking that this was referring to some girl he was flirting with. — And she stole a book. Well, first she gave me a fake name. — Ethan laughs remembering the face of that stranger when she thought she was going to tell on him. — God, and she ran away.

Ethan was laughing but Spencer didn't find it funny.

— You know. If you had been there you would laugh with me. You do not get it.

— Sure. What's her name?

— Sabrina Spellman?

— Sabrina Spellman? —  Spencer asks.

Spencer takes a sip of his coffee and prefers not to ask more.

Ethan was looking forward to seeing the girl in the coming months when it was time for the new ones to enter. He couldn't miss the opportunity to forget that moment in his life, and the girl seemed nice or at least fun, the kind of person he would like to have in his life, just like Spencer.

To Ethan's surprise, He never saw her again. She didn't get into MIT, and both Ethan and Spencer's lives took separate paths when the former realized there was more to the world than being a behavior analyst.

Ethan separated from Spencer as soon as they both entered the BAU. Their interests were relatively different now, They didn't keep in touch as often as they wanted, Because Spencer isn't able to start a conversation in a chat or call, They aren't quite his style, and Ethan had bigger concerns than that.

They sent each other letters simultaneously but these were becoming less frequent. The last time they saw each other, Spencer was still the baby of the BAU.

It was the first time they met again after several years, but Spencer continued to see that man with the same affection he once had for him.

Ethan was just a memory in Spencer's mind.

It is then that Spencer understood that all people have a deadline in our lives and that is not synonymous with death, since some leave while alive.

And that was the cycle of life. People knock on the door to have tea with you one day and will leave at night when you are asleep.

Spencer couldn't be upset about that. He was fine, he didn't want it to be different.

But he has always thought about the idea that someone leaves every time they come into his life.

What about that girl?

She didn't get into MIT.

That was not of her interest.

She didn't study arts either.

She was late for the tour that day and did not see the guide again.

She had stolen a book and that took away her art.

Was it worth it, Maeve?

She was able to leave that orphanage which covered her head on rainy days.She managed to get sleep. 

Simple jobs but low pay. She can barely survive to get food on a daily basis. 

Tired of running away, Maeve met what she assumed was her angel. It was her salvation at that moment.

A boy named Robbie.

There were no ifs or buts, but Robbie saw in the girl's eyes that she needed help and he offered it to her. Until those brown eyes provoked another kind of emotion in him. They formed a friendship where it was just them against the world. For the first time, she had someone to trust and vice versa. They eventually fell in love.

Or at least one of them did.