By arriving early at school for the next few days, and claiming to have 'slaying duties', she managed to avoid Xander. On the fourth day, Willow confronted her.
"Buffy, what is up with you and Xander?"
"Nothing"
"Funny enough, that's exactly what he said, but somehow I don't believe either of you."
Buffy looked at Willow. "Really Will, it's nothing. I've just been busy lately, is all."
"Buffy, you have been actively avoiding him, and I think I have a right to know why my two best friends in the world are not so friendly anymore."
"That's the problem, we are."
"Huh???!"
"Can I talk to you later, Will?"
"Don't try and avoid this Buffy"
"I promise, it's just...this isn't the place. Meet me after school"
"Ok...I'll meet you out front."
"See you then." Buffy left Willow and headed off to have lunch by herself, once again.
********************
After school finished Buffy found Willow waiting for her, as they'd arranged. "Let's go to my house," she suggested.
The two of them walked there mostly in silence. They arrived at Buffy's house and got a snack before heading up to her room. They settled themselves on Buffy's bed.
"So what is it Buffy?"
"What did Xander say?"
"Nothing, but anytime I mention your name he kind of just changes the subject."
"Oh." Buffy looked down at her hands which were fiddling with the corner of the blanket on her bed.
After a few moments silence, Willow tried again. "C'mon Buffy, it can't be that bad."
"I kissed him." Buffy whispered so softly that Willow didn't hear.
"Sorry, I didn't catch what you said."
"I kissed him." Buffy blurted out, "or he kissed me, I'm not sure which."
"Oh, my gosh...when?"
"The other night after we dropped you off"
"And you just kissed...just like that?"
"I don't know...I guess I must have been kinda depressed, and he was trying to get me to smile. I playfully punched him and he went flying backwards. He just slumped to the ground. I was so worried Will, what if I'd really hurt him?"
"So he was ok, then?"
"Yeah, when I went to see if he was alright he just grinned up at me, we got into a playful shoving match, and it just happened."
"And how did he react?"
"He apologised, but I don't think it was his fault Will."
"What do you mean?"
"I can't be sure that I wasn't the one that kissed him."
"Well what did you say? I mean what is so bad that you aren't talking now?"
"I was confused Will, I didn't know how I was feeling, you know. I was all mixed up, so I just ran."
"And you haven't spoken to him since?"
Buffy shook her head.
"Oh, Buffy"
"What should I do, Will?"
"Well first things first....how do you feel Buffy? What about Angel?"
"Angel...I don't know..."
"Well you have to talk to Xander sooner or later. You're putting him through hell this way."
"I know...it's just that this is Xander we're talking about. He's one of my best friends. I don't want to screw that up, but that kiss. It was more gentle and passionate than anything I had with Angel."
"Ok...details really not necessary..." Willow said, a small pang of jealousy going through her. "So what are you going to do?"
"I promise I'll talk with Xander. I'll apologise for the other night and hope things go back to how they were before."
*Oh, Buffy*, Willow thought. *Why can't you open your eyes and see that you're falling in love with him.*
"Buffy, what is up with you and Xander?"
"Nothing"
"Funny enough, that's exactly what he said, but somehow I don't believe either of you."
Buffy looked at Willow. "Really Will, it's nothing. I've just been busy lately, is all."
"Buffy, you have been actively avoiding him, and I think I have a right to know why my two best friends in the world are not so friendly anymore."
"That's the problem, we are."
"Huh???!"
"Can I talk to you later, Will?"
"Don't try and avoid this Buffy"
"I promise, it's just...this isn't the place. Meet me after school"
"Ok...I'll meet you out front."
"See you then." Buffy left Willow and headed off to have lunch by herself, once again.
********************
After school finished Buffy found Willow waiting for her, as they'd arranged. "Let's go to my house," she suggested.
The two of them walked there mostly in silence. They arrived at Buffy's house and got a snack before heading up to her room. They settled themselves on Buffy's bed.
"So what is it Buffy?"
"What did Xander say?"
"Nothing, but anytime I mention your name he kind of just changes the subject."
"Oh." Buffy looked down at her hands which were fiddling with the corner of the blanket on her bed.
After a few moments silence, Willow tried again. "C'mon Buffy, it can't be that bad."
"I kissed him." Buffy whispered so softly that Willow didn't hear.
"Sorry, I didn't catch what you said."
"I kissed him." Buffy blurted out, "or he kissed me, I'm not sure which."
"Oh, my gosh...when?"
"The other night after we dropped you off"
"And you just kissed...just like that?"
"I don't know...I guess I must have been kinda depressed, and he was trying to get me to smile. I playfully punched him and he went flying backwards. He just slumped to the ground. I was so worried Will, what if I'd really hurt him?"
"So he was ok, then?"
"Yeah, when I went to see if he was alright he just grinned up at me, we got into a playful shoving match, and it just happened."
"And how did he react?"
"He apologised, but I don't think it was his fault Will."
"What do you mean?"
"I can't be sure that I wasn't the one that kissed him."
"Well what did you say? I mean what is so bad that you aren't talking now?"
"I was confused Will, I didn't know how I was feeling, you know. I was all mixed up, so I just ran."
"And you haven't spoken to him since?"
Buffy shook her head.
"Oh, Buffy"
"What should I do, Will?"
"Well first things first....how do you feel Buffy? What about Angel?"
"Angel...I don't know..."
"Well you have to talk to Xander sooner or later. You're putting him through hell this way."
"I know...it's just that this is Xander we're talking about. He's one of my best friends. I don't want to screw that up, but that kiss. It was more gentle and passionate than anything I had with Angel."
"Ok...details really not necessary..." Willow said, a small pang of jealousy going through her. "So what are you going to do?"
"I promise I'll talk with Xander. I'll apologise for the other night and hope things go back to how they were before."
*Oh, Buffy*, Willow thought. *Why can't you open your eyes and see that you're falling in love with him.*
