Part 8
January 22, 2003
Angel was walking down the hallway of doors to his girlfriend's apartment. He fiddled nervously with the ring box in his coat pocket.
When he got the ring, he knew it was the right one for her. It was bright and beautiful, just like her.
While he was walking to the apartment, his mind drifted off to what his best friend Lindsay McDonald told him.
Angel ran into him in front of the jewelry store.
//Angel walked out the store, jewelry box in hand. He steered the corner. Before he pocketed the box, he glanced at the small, black velvet box. Confidence and mind-numbing fear all rolled into one, bubbling up inside of him.
Not watching where he was going, he bumped into a masculine figure shorter than him.
"Oh, I'm sor-" he cut off and smiled, realizing who he was looking at. "Hey Lindsay."
He shook hands with his childhood friend, "Angel! I was just going for some coffee. Wanna join?"
Angel looked at his watch and shrugged, "Why not? I got time." He patted Lindsay on the back and walked into the Starbucks with him.
They got their coffees and sat at the table.
"So I saw you walking out of the jewelery store," Lindsay pointed out," Did you buy something pretty for your girl?"
Angel grinned and reached into his pocket, pulling out the ring box, opening it up and showing it to Lindsay, "Oh. Yeah," he responded.
Lindsay took the box and admired the ring with shock. After a moment, he whistled. "That's some ring." He handed it back to Angel, who closed it and put it safely back in his coat pocket. "So, you're finally gonna pop the question."
"Yeah, I am."
Lindsay's face turned serious, "Are you sure about this?"
Angel's grin turned into a frown, knowing what Lindsay was talking about. "Yes Lindsay, I love Buffy."
"Look, it's not like I don't like Buffy, she's the greatest. I just don't want her to hurt you like Darla did."
"Buffy wouldn't cheat on me like Darla did."
"Just to lt you know, I've been running into Buffy a lot, and it seems that everywhere she goes, there's this guy that looks a whole lot like Billy Idol following right behind her."
Angel started to get angry. "I'm sure he's just a friend. I trust Buffy. She'd never cheat on me."
"Do you know that? Or are you just trying to convince yourself?"
Angel took a deep breath and rubbed his temple, "Lindsay," he said firmly.
"I'm sorry Angel. I mean, the last time you were like this, the girl cheated on you. I'm just looking out for you buddy."
"I know." Angel got up out of his seat, "I gotta go. See you later?" He grabbed his coffee and started to walk out the door.
"Hey Angel!" Angel turned around and looked at his friend. "You gotta good one. Don't let her go."
Angel grinned at him, waved, and walked out the door.//
He thought back to what Lindsay said. Did he really know, or was he really trying to convince himself? That's ridiculous, of course he knew. He reached into his pocket, searching for the key that his girlfriend gave him.
Meanwhile, inside the apartment, Buffy dug into her bag and drew out her notes. She quickly hurried out her bedroom to the living room where Spike was sitting. *Why'd he have to come now? I still haven't set the candles for the bedroom.* she complaintly thought.
When Spike stood up in her presence, she quickly shoved the papers in his hand. "Here ya go."
"Thanks, Luv." He made no move to go.
"Well..." Buffy hinted him to leave. She didn't want to be totally rude.
"One more thing before I go."
*forget it it's Spike. Be rude as much as you want.* "Hurry, I still have to do some things before Angel gets here."
"Oh. Right...Peaches."
She rolled her eyes at the nickname he gave her boyfriend. "Spike," she hurried him. Befroe she knew it, he was on her; attacking her lips, running his hands in her hair, and rubbing himself on her.
After a few struggles, she finally managed to push him off of her. Wiping off her lips furiously, she growled, "What the HELL was that?!"
"Come on, Luv. I know you want it. I've seen the way you eye me." He starte dto advance toward her, to which she just backe daway.
"First of all, I have a boyfriend whom I love VERY much, and all I WANT from you is to leave!"
"Can't you see I'm the better man-"
"LEAVE!"
Spike glanced at her one more time before heading for the door.
*~*~
Angel found his key and was about to put it in the lock, when it was suddenly swung open. Angel looked up, expecting to find his love, but was shocked to see Spike standing in the doorway.
Spike smiled devilishly when he saw Angel's face morph from shock to anger and betrayal. He remembered that he still hadn't wiped the lipstick off of his face. *Oh yeah, Buffy will be mine soon enough.* He reached down and pretended to zip up his fly. He started to walk away, his gaze not leaving Angel's fury-filled one.
After walking away a couple of feet, Angel said to him, "You're sick."
"That's not what your girl said mate."
Angel brutally punched him, making him fall to the ground, and then kicked him in the stomach.
He stalked off, walked into the apartment and closed the door.
Buffy emerged from the bedroom and brightly smiled, forgetting what happened with Spike, clueless on what happened with her lover and him, she called out, "Hey Baby."
Still facing the door, Angel ground out, "How could you?"
Buffy was confused," What?" And then it came to her, *Oh God. He knows what happened with Spike*
He angrily whipped around, "You cheated on me! How could you? I loved you!"
She looked at him shocked, "Excuse me? I what?!"
"Oh don't pull that innocent bull shit on me! I saw him with your lipstick all over his mouth and the zipping of the fly!"
"All he did was kiss me, I pushed him off though. I don't think that qualifies as cheating! I'd never do that to you! I'm NOT Darla!" Buffy replied.
"Id believe you but from what I just saw it's kinda hard to believe right now."
"So you're just basing the fact on lipstick and him zipping up his fly?!"
"Oh I've got more proof than that." Angel defended himself.
"Oh really?" Buffy said sarcastically, "Please tell me your 'proof', 'cause I really need a good laugh right about now." Tears started to well up, but didn't fall just yet.
"Lindsay said Spike's been hanging around you a lot. And Spike even said that you two had sex!"
"You trust someone's judgement over mine?"
"Right now it's all I got. Goodbye Buffy." He turned to leave and opened the door. He stopped in his tracks when Buffy yelled his name. Yet he didn't turn around.
"I love you," cried her meek voice.
Angel then turned around. "You know, I am getting really sick of hearing that." He went to go out the door and yanked off his cladddaugh ring and threw it over his shoulder, and then slamming the door behind him.
Buffy looked down at the ring that fell in front of her feet, she was still in shock and couldn't find the strength to run after him.
Finally, her sobs took over and she fell to the floor, curling herself into fetal position.
*~*~
The next day, Buffy decided to go over to Angel's apartment so they can clear things up.
She hesitated a moment before knocking, moments later a girl about Dawn's age answered the door.
It was Angel's little sister, Jenalyn. Over the past year, Buffy came to think Jenalyn as her own little sister since hers was all the way across the country. She was the female equivilant of Angel. In fact, Jenalyn WAS and angel, from looks all the way down to personality. She had long, dark brown, wavy hair and matching eyes, reaching the height of Buffy.
Usually smiling, the girl wore a sad face when she answered the door. "Buffy. What are you doing here?"
"Hi Jenalyn. Is your brother home? I need to talk to him, it's important," Buffy greeted.
Jenalyn opened the door wider to show Buffy that her brother wasn't really there.
Buffy stared wide-eyed and disbelievingly at the almost bare apartment.
"He told us to put the rest of his stuff in storage until he calls us to tell whre to send it. He's bunking somewhere else for a while," Jenalyn informed Buffy.
Buffy looked at Jenalyn, "Where?"
Angel's sister tore her eyes away from her, "H-he told me not to tell you. All I will tell you though is that it's far away from New York."
Buffy looked down and whispered, "It's all my fault."
"I'm sorry Buff."
Buffy turned wordlessly around, her eyes watering, knowing she'll never see her love EVER again and it was all her fault. Jenalyn sadly watched Buffy's retreating form. It was a shame, she really thought Buffy was the right one for her brother. When she saw Buffy's form disappear around the corner, she called out, still in the open doorway, "She's gone."
Angel emerged from the little hallway. "Thanks Jenalyn. I owe you one."
His sister closed the door, turned around, crossed her arms and looked sternly at him, "What could she POSSIBLY do to make you leave?"
He averted his eyes, "I don't wanna talk about it. I just need to be far from here. From her."
"Whatever she did, she's obviously sorry for it. Go after her!"
"Hell no! Not after what she did."
"I swear Angel, you can be such a stubborn jackass sometimes. "She hotly walked into the kitchen, leaving Angel with his thoughts
January 22, 2003
Angel was walking down the hallway of doors to his girlfriend's apartment. He fiddled nervously with the ring box in his coat pocket.
When he got the ring, he knew it was the right one for her. It was bright and beautiful, just like her.
While he was walking to the apartment, his mind drifted off to what his best friend Lindsay McDonald told him.
Angel ran into him in front of the jewelry store.
//Angel walked out the store, jewelry box in hand. He steered the corner. Before he pocketed the box, he glanced at the small, black velvet box. Confidence and mind-numbing fear all rolled into one, bubbling up inside of him.
Not watching where he was going, he bumped into a masculine figure shorter than him.
"Oh, I'm sor-" he cut off and smiled, realizing who he was looking at. "Hey Lindsay."
He shook hands with his childhood friend, "Angel! I was just going for some coffee. Wanna join?"
Angel looked at his watch and shrugged, "Why not? I got time." He patted Lindsay on the back and walked into the Starbucks with him.
They got their coffees and sat at the table.
"So I saw you walking out of the jewelery store," Lindsay pointed out," Did you buy something pretty for your girl?"
Angel grinned and reached into his pocket, pulling out the ring box, opening it up and showing it to Lindsay, "Oh. Yeah," he responded.
Lindsay took the box and admired the ring with shock. After a moment, he whistled. "That's some ring." He handed it back to Angel, who closed it and put it safely back in his coat pocket. "So, you're finally gonna pop the question."
"Yeah, I am."
Lindsay's face turned serious, "Are you sure about this?"
Angel's grin turned into a frown, knowing what Lindsay was talking about. "Yes Lindsay, I love Buffy."
"Look, it's not like I don't like Buffy, she's the greatest. I just don't want her to hurt you like Darla did."
"Buffy wouldn't cheat on me like Darla did."
"Just to lt you know, I've been running into Buffy a lot, and it seems that everywhere she goes, there's this guy that looks a whole lot like Billy Idol following right behind her."
Angel started to get angry. "I'm sure he's just a friend. I trust Buffy. She'd never cheat on me."
"Do you know that? Or are you just trying to convince yourself?"
Angel took a deep breath and rubbed his temple, "Lindsay," he said firmly.
"I'm sorry Angel. I mean, the last time you were like this, the girl cheated on you. I'm just looking out for you buddy."
"I know." Angel got up out of his seat, "I gotta go. See you later?" He grabbed his coffee and started to walk out the door.
"Hey Angel!" Angel turned around and looked at his friend. "You gotta good one. Don't let her go."
Angel grinned at him, waved, and walked out the door.//
He thought back to what Lindsay said. Did he really know, or was he really trying to convince himself? That's ridiculous, of course he knew. He reached into his pocket, searching for the key that his girlfriend gave him.
Meanwhile, inside the apartment, Buffy dug into her bag and drew out her notes. She quickly hurried out her bedroom to the living room where Spike was sitting. *Why'd he have to come now? I still haven't set the candles for the bedroom.* she complaintly thought.
When Spike stood up in her presence, she quickly shoved the papers in his hand. "Here ya go."
"Thanks, Luv." He made no move to go.
"Well..." Buffy hinted him to leave. She didn't want to be totally rude.
"One more thing before I go."
*forget it it's Spike. Be rude as much as you want.* "Hurry, I still have to do some things before Angel gets here."
"Oh. Right...Peaches."
She rolled her eyes at the nickname he gave her boyfriend. "Spike," she hurried him. Befroe she knew it, he was on her; attacking her lips, running his hands in her hair, and rubbing himself on her.
After a few struggles, she finally managed to push him off of her. Wiping off her lips furiously, she growled, "What the HELL was that?!"
"Come on, Luv. I know you want it. I've seen the way you eye me." He starte dto advance toward her, to which she just backe daway.
"First of all, I have a boyfriend whom I love VERY much, and all I WANT from you is to leave!"
"Can't you see I'm the better man-"
"LEAVE!"
Spike glanced at her one more time before heading for the door.
*~*~
Angel found his key and was about to put it in the lock, when it was suddenly swung open. Angel looked up, expecting to find his love, but was shocked to see Spike standing in the doorway.
Spike smiled devilishly when he saw Angel's face morph from shock to anger and betrayal. He remembered that he still hadn't wiped the lipstick off of his face. *Oh yeah, Buffy will be mine soon enough.* He reached down and pretended to zip up his fly. He started to walk away, his gaze not leaving Angel's fury-filled one.
After walking away a couple of feet, Angel said to him, "You're sick."
"That's not what your girl said mate."
Angel brutally punched him, making him fall to the ground, and then kicked him in the stomach.
He stalked off, walked into the apartment and closed the door.
Buffy emerged from the bedroom and brightly smiled, forgetting what happened with Spike, clueless on what happened with her lover and him, she called out, "Hey Baby."
Still facing the door, Angel ground out, "How could you?"
Buffy was confused," What?" And then it came to her, *Oh God. He knows what happened with Spike*
He angrily whipped around, "You cheated on me! How could you? I loved you!"
She looked at him shocked, "Excuse me? I what?!"
"Oh don't pull that innocent bull shit on me! I saw him with your lipstick all over his mouth and the zipping of the fly!"
"All he did was kiss me, I pushed him off though. I don't think that qualifies as cheating! I'd never do that to you! I'm NOT Darla!" Buffy replied.
"Id believe you but from what I just saw it's kinda hard to believe right now."
"So you're just basing the fact on lipstick and him zipping up his fly?!"
"Oh I've got more proof than that." Angel defended himself.
"Oh really?" Buffy said sarcastically, "Please tell me your 'proof', 'cause I really need a good laugh right about now." Tears started to well up, but didn't fall just yet.
"Lindsay said Spike's been hanging around you a lot. And Spike even said that you two had sex!"
"You trust someone's judgement over mine?"
"Right now it's all I got. Goodbye Buffy." He turned to leave and opened the door. He stopped in his tracks when Buffy yelled his name. Yet he didn't turn around.
"I love you," cried her meek voice.
Angel then turned around. "You know, I am getting really sick of hearing that." He went to go out the door and yanked off his cladddaugh ring and threw it over his shoulder, and then slamming the door behind him.
Buffy looked down at the ring that fell in front of her feet, she was still in shock and couldn't find the strength to run after him.
Finally, her sobs took over and she fell to the floor, curling herself into fetal position.
*~*~
The next day, Buffy decided to go over to Angel's apartment so they can clear things up.
She hesitated a moment before knocking, moments later a girl about Dawn's age answered the door.
It was Angel's little sister, Jenalyn. Over the past year, Buffy came to think Jenalyn as her own little sister since hers was all the way across the country. She was the female equivilant of Angel. In fact, Jenalyn WAS and angel, from looks all the way down to personality. She had long, dark brown, wavy hair and matching eyes, reaching the height of Buffy.
Usually smiling, the girl wore a sad face when she answered the door. "Buffy. What are you doing here?"
"Hi Jenalyn. Is your brother home? I need to talk to him, it's important," Buffy greeted.
Jenalyn opened the door wider to show Buffy that her brother wasn't really there.
Buffy stared wide-eyed and disbelievingly at the almost bare apartment.
"He told us to put the rest of his stuff in storage until he calls us to tell whre to send it. He's bunking somewhere else for a while," Jenalyn informed Buffy.
Buffy looked at Jenalyn, "Where?"
Angel's sister tore her eyes away from her, "H-he told me not to tell you. All I will tell you though is that it's far away from New York."
Buffy looked down and whispered, "It's all my fault."
"I'm sorry Buff."
Buffy turned wordlessly around, her eyes watering, knowing she'll never see her love EVER again and it was all her fault. Jenalyn sadly watched Buffy's retreating form. It was a shame, she really thought Buffy was the right one for her brother. When she saw Buffy's form disappear around the corner, she called out, still in the open doorway, "She's gone."
Angel emerged from the little hallway. "Thanks Jenalyn. I owe you one."
His sister closed the door, turned around, crossed her arms and looked sternly at him, "What could she POSSIBLY do to make you leave?"
He averted his eyes, "I don't wanna talk about it. I just need to be far from here. From her."
"Whatever she did, she's obviously sorry for it. Go after her!"
"Hell no! Not after what she did."
"I swear Angel, you can be such a stubborn jackass sometimes. "She hotly walked into the kitchen, leaving Angel with his thoughts