Her sense of love was gone now. There wasn't even a question of its
existence. For her it wasn't possible. To love would be to lose and she
couldn't lose anymore then she had already. For this young English teacher
at a small school in a very small town love had cost her every thing. A
child, a husband, a house, a car, and all the money she used to have.
That's how she ended up here. In Bartlett Illinois. Population: 5000.
Buffy Summers. Well that's what they called her before she married Angel Noland. Now they call her Elizabeth Noland. Or as her freshman students say Mrs. Noland. Elizabeth was a good teacher, and her students loved her and she thought that she loved them.
She got married four years ago to Angel. Shortly after word she found out she was pregnant. Elizabeth and Angel were ecstatic. Angel treated her like a queen. It turns out later that Elizabeth had a miscarriage. She was so distraught and so was Angel. He began to become a jerk. He would stay out all night and not tell her where he went. He would bring girls home and ask her to leave so he could have his way with them. And then he just wouldn't come home. He filed for divorce in the spring of 2003.
Elizabeth became Buffy again. She couldn't stand how formal the name Elizabeth sounded. Over the summer she met Riley Fin. They were hot and heavy for a while until his wife showed up to bring him back home to Utah. It turns out he was a Mormon. He has 3 wives. He asked her to be his fourth wife. She thankful said no.
So here she is now in the middle of fifth period. She was dying just as much as her students because she wanted out. This was the last class she had to teach.. and she would get to go to lunch.
The only reason she really wanted to go to lunch was because her friends Willow McClay and Fred Gun were there and Willow had news for them. And then she had two more classes to teach.
"Okay then what was Mr. Poe actually trying to say?" Buffy asked looking into the see that was her students. It wasn't a very interesting topic she had to admit. Every one was either already asleep or halfway there. Travis in the back had his head up against the wall with drool coming out of the corner of his mouth. Tina was going to leave a fabric pattern on her forehead from her arm. Randy had hit his head on his desk three times in about 15 minutes and Sandy had been asleep since she walked through the door. "Uh Sara?"
The over the achiever Sara Montgomery hand had been either up in the air or furiously writing down every thing that Buffy said. "What Poe was trying to say is that struggle is inevitable. That there is no way around it."
"Of course he had to go to great lengths to be a sick psychopathic freak." Randy said as he was starting to come to.
"He wasn't a freak! He was an artist.." Caroline said dreamily staring at the poster of Edgar Allen Poe on the wall.
"You're all correct," Buffy said, "well except for Caroline. Sorry but he was a freak. For that time and for ours. I don't know if he will ever be considered an actual right minded person in society. But there is one thing that almost everyone can agree on. He was an amazing writer." At the end of that the bell had finally rang, and every one exhaled as if they were all holding there breaths. "Okay I want you guys to read the poem on page 434 and write how you felt about it. I will not accept anything less then half a page!" Buffy shouted over the rustling of pages and feet shuffling out the door.
The last three people to leave were always Caitlin, Dan and Ashton. Friends form infancy to the end. They reminded her of her friends back in LA where she grew up. Her, Cordellia, and Xander. What ever happened to them you ask? Well Xander and Cordy got married a little after Buffy and Angel. Only instead of a divorce and a miscarriage. Cordy fell from the stairs of an old hotel and fell into a coma. And that's where she still is.
The teachers lounge was almost full but Buffy managed to get her lunch and find Fred and Willow in the back of the room at a small table. Fred Gun was one of the Chemistry teachers and Willow was a Liberian and the technical person. She's the one that fixes your computer if it goes wonky on you.
"Hey Buffy, how's the book coming?" Fred asked. The petite brunette held her sandwich in both hands as she ate. There was always a rumor among the students about Fred. This month is was the reason that she got the best job in her department and the best room in the science division. The whole reason behind it was that her husband was the principal. Charles Gun. Only the teachers know more then the students as usually. The reason for all of Fred's promotions was because she was the most skilled and the most intelligent teacher on the force and everyone knew it. Plus she's had the same room for four years and only been married two.
"It's ... well it's a work in progress." Buffy said deflating into the open seat next to Willow, who was in fact bouncing in her chair from excitement. The vibrant red head would probably burst if Buffy had not decided to say something. "So, Willow, what's the news you have for us?"
"To be honest it's for you. Fred already knows." Buffy turned with raised eyebrows to Fred who was nodding in agreement. Willow was absolutely beaming. "We are sending you on a trip!"
"No." Buffy said with out hesitation or regret. She was not going. She was not impressed and she was not going. And to her it was final. But Willow can be a very persistant little person.
"Come on! When was the last time you were on vacation?" Willow pleaded dropping her salad fork to the plate.
"Willow I'm very gracious but I don't want to go any where. I'm really content all by my self." Buffy stated trying to convince her self as well as Willow and Fred.
"No, you're not! You keep your self locked up tight in that small apartment for God knows how many hours. You grade papers as fun. I know we're teachers but we're people first and u deserve some happiness. And for your sake and my sanity I'm sending you away for Christmas and New Years." Willow said as she inhaled the air she desperately needed.
"Fine! I'll go! But I'm not gonna like it." Buffy was defeated. She knew it would happen sooner or later but she just didn't think it would be that soon.
"You're darn tooten you'll go." Willow once again reclaimed her fork.
"Where?"
"What?" Fred and Willow chorused dryly and confused.
"Well where are you sending me?"
"Key West, Florida!" Fred burst out before Willow had a chance to stop her.
"No."
Buffy Summers. Well that's what they called her before she married Angel Noland. Now they call her Elizabeth Noland. Or as her freshman students say Mrs. Noland. Elizabeth was a good teacher, and her students loved her and she thought that she loved them.
She got married four years ago to Angel. Shortly after word she found out she was pregnant. Elizabeth and Angel were ecstatic. Angel treated her like a queen. It turns out later that Elizabeth had a miscarriage. She was so distraught and so was Angel. He began to become a jerk. He would stay out all night and not tell her where he went. He would bring girls home and ask her to leave so he could have his way with them. And then he just wouldn't come home. He filed for divorce in the spring of 2003.
Elizabeth became Buffy again. She couldn't stand how formal the name Elizabeth sounded. Over the summer she met Riley Fin. They were hot and heavy for a while until his wife showed up to bring him back home to Utah. It turns out he was a Mormon. He has 3 wives. He asked her to be his fourth wife. She thankful said no.
So here she is now in the middle of fifth period. She was dying just as much as her students because she wanted out. This was the last class she had to teach.. and she would get to go to lunch.
The only reason she really wanted to go to lunch was because her friends Willow McClay and Fred Gun were there and Willow had news for them. And then she had two more classes to teach.
"Okay then what was Mr. Poe actually trying to say?" Buffy asked looking into the see that was her students. It wasn't a very interesting topic she had to admit. Every one was either already asleep or halfway there. Travis in the back had his head up against the wall with drool coming out of the corner of his mouth. Tina was going to leave a fabric pattern on her forehead from her arm. Randy had hit his head on his desk three times in about 15 minutes and Sandy had been asleep since she walked through the door. "Uh Sara?"
The over the achiever Sara Montgomery hand had been either up in the air or furiously writing down every thing that Buffy said. "What Poe was trying to say is that struggle is inevitable. That there is no way around it."
"Of course he had to go to great lengths to be a sick psychopathic freak." Randy said as he was starting to come to.
"He wasn't a freak! He was an artist.." Caroline said dreamily staring at the poster of Edgar Allen Poe on the wall.
"You're all correct," Buffy said, "well except for Caroline. Sorry but he was a freak. For that time and for ours. I don't know if he will ever be considered an actual right minded person in society. But there is one thing that almost everyone can agree on. He was an amazing writer." At the end of that the bell had finally rang, and every one exhaled as if they were all holding there breaths. "Okay I want you guys to read the poem on page 434 and write how you felt about it. I will not accept anything less then half a page!" Buffy shouted over the rustling of pages and feet shuffling out the door.
The last three people to leave were always Caitlin, Dan and Ashton. Friends form infancy to the end. They reminded her of her friends back in LA where she grew up. Her, Cordellia, and Xander. What ever happened to them you ask? Well Xander and Cordy got married a little after Buffy and Angel. Only instead of a divorce and a miscarriage. Cordy fell from the stairs of an old hotel and fell into a coma. And that's where she still is.
The teachers lounge was almost full but Buffy managed to get her lunch and find Fred and Willow in the back of the room at a small table. Fred Gun was one of the Chemistry teachers and Willow was a Liberian and the technical person. She's the one that fixes your computer if it goes wonky on you.
"Hey Buffy, how's the book coming?" Fred asked. The petite brunette held her sandwich in both hands as she ate. There was always a rumor among the students about Fred. This month is was the reason that she got the best job in her department and the best room in the science division. The whole reason behind it was that her husband was the principal. Charles Gun. Only the teachers know more then the students as usually. The reason for all of Fred's promotions was because she was the most skilled and the most intelligent teacher on the force and everyone knew it. Plus she's had the same room for four years and only been married two.
"It's ... well it's a work in progress." Buffy said deflating into the open seat next to Willow, who was in fact bouncing in her chair from excitement. The vibrant red head would probably burst if Buffy had not decided to say something. "So, Willow, what's the news you have for us?"
"To be honest it's for you. Fred already knows." Buffy turned with raised eyebrows to Fred who was nodding in agreement. Willow was absolutely beaming. "We are sending you on a trip!"
"No." Buffy said with out hesitation or regret. She was not going. She was not impressed and she was not going. And to her it was final. But Willow can be a very persistant little person.
"Come on! When was the last time you were on vacation?" Willow pleaded dropping her salad fork to the plate.
"Willow I'm very gracious but I don't want to go any where. I'm really content all by my self." Buffy stated trying to convince her self as well as Willow and Fred.
"No, you're not! You keep your self locked up tight in that small apartment for God knows how many hours. You grade papers as fun. I know we're teachers but we're people first and u deserve some happiness. And for your sake and my sanity I'm sending you away for Christmas and New Years." Willow said as she inhaled the air she desperately needed.
"Fine! I'll go! But I'm not gonna like it." Buffy was defeated. She knew it would happen sooner or later but she just didn't think it would be that soon.
"You're darn tooten you'll go." Willow once again reclaimed her fork.
"Where?"
"What?" Fred and Willow chorused dryly and confused.
"Well where are you sending me?"
"Key West, Florida!" Fred burst out before Willow had a chance to stop her.
"No."
