TITLE: Burgandy
AUTHOR: Ben Is Glory
RATING: PG-13
PAIRING: B/S
DISCLAIMER: Characters do not belong to me. Title comes from a Common Rotation song. Goooood band, go listen!
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Here's more! Thank you SO much for all the reviews. I 333 them. Just remember, we're only getting started, baby! xD
FEEDBACK: Now! I command you! ;p
***
Buffy kept her head down for the entirety of the ninety minute lecture. If she looked up at all, it was to copy a few notes off the blackboard. When she was feeling particularly daring, Buffy would sneak a peek at William. He caught her looking once, so she refused to tear her eyes away from her notebook for the rest of class.
After what seemed like a lifetime, Mr. Giles finally concluded his lecture, and the students gathered up their things and stood up to leave. Willow began standing, but Buffy grabbed her arm and pulled her back down in her seat. "Do you see that?" she whispered. "That's the guy from the Bronze!"
"Yeah," Willow agreed nervously. "How 'bout that." She avoided making eye contact with Buffy, afraid the blonde would find out just how well she actually knew William.
"What am I going to do?" Buffy asked, her eyes wide in desperation.
Willow took a deep breath. "Just relax, and walk out the door."
It sounded easy enough, so Buffy picked up her bag and walked toward the door, only to be stopped by William.
"Hey," he said as he stepped in front of her. "Didn't I see you at the Bronze last night?"
Buffy could feel her face getting hot. "Um, maybe," she answered, looking down at the ground shyly.
William smirked, but Willow shot him an angry look. She pulled on the blonde's arm and led her out of the classroom.
"Sorry!" he called out after them, but he was almost positive they hadn't heard him. "Wow," he started, turning toward Mr. Giles, "I guess I blew that one."
"Nonsense. She's just a student," he replied.
"Right," William agreed. "Just a student."
***
Buffy left the classroom and hurried straight back to her room with Willow close behind. "Buff! It's not that bad!" she yelled to her roommate.
"Not that bad? *Not* that *bad*?" Buffy demanded as she swung around to face Willow. "Only the most gorgeous man I've ever seen thinks I'm an idiot. No, you're right. That's no big deal." She opened the door and stormed into her room.
"Well," Willow began as she closed the door, "it's kind of more than that."
Buffy looked at her, confused. "What do you mean?"
"Do you remember anything from last night?"
"Only that I saw him, and proceeded to have way too much to drink."
"Yeah, that all happened. But, there's also one part you're missing."
"What, Wills? What am I missing?"
Willow hid her face behind her hands. "The part where Will helped me take you home, and the part where you kind of, sort of… hit on him." She slowly took her hands away from her face to see Buffy's reaction.
For a minute, Buffy sat on her bed completely motionless. Then she started to laugh.
"Did I miss something?" questioned Willow.
"It's just so funny," she managed in between fits of giggles. "Everything that could have possibly gone wrong, has. So, this must be karma."
"Buffy, it's not that bad. Really. He was just being a jerk today, that's all."
"Yeah, I guess you're right. Well, if he's a jerk, then maybe I won't like him so much," she lied. Her gaze turned and focused on the clock. "Wills, it's almost eleven. Don't you have class?"
"Yeah, you're right. Are you gonna be okay?" She was genuinely concerned about her friend.
"I'll be fine. English was my only class today, so I'm going to take the day to get settled in."
Willow smiled. "Sounds good. I'll see you around one? We'll have lunch."
"It's a date," stated Buffy.
***
Around five o'clock that evening the phone rang. "I get it," Willow said to Buffy, already reaching for the phone. "Hello?"
"Hello. May I speak to Buffy?" the woman on the other line asked.
"Sure. Hang on one second," answered Willow. "It's for you," she told Buffy and handed her the phone."
The other girl took the phone. "Hello?"
"Hi, Buffy."
"Oh, hey, Mom."
"How was the first day of classes?" wondered her mother.
"Oh, um… they were fine," she said nervously.
"And you're adjusting okay?"
"Yes, Mom. I'm fine. No worries." She could hear her sister ask if "she could talk now" in the background, and Buffy couldn't help but smile. Just like Dawn, she thought.
"Well, I think Dawn wants to speak with you before her head explodes."
"All right. I'll talk to you soon, Mom. Love you."
"I love you too, sweetie. I'll call you soon." She handed the phone over to her youngest daughter, who grabbed it eagerly.
"Hi, Buffy!" she screeched into the phone as she ran up the stairs to her room.
"Hey, Dawnie. What's up?"
"Nothing much. How's college? Been to any parties yet?"
"Dawn… it's the first day of school."
"I know, but it's college," she pointed out. Dawn thought she was the expert on everything having to do with college life. When Buffy was just starting her senior year, Dawn would give her weekly talks about the do's and don'ts of the upcoming years in her life. Buffy could've sworn there was one rule about beer and the first day of school. Who knew a twelve year old could predict the future? she thought.
"Well, nothing you need to be hearing about," she teased.
"Oh, Buffy! Tell me!"
"No. Not now. So… how's home?" She tried to change the subject hoping Dawn would let the party thing go.
"Amazingly normal. Except," the younger teen stopped and closed her door. She lowered her voice. "Mom's been having headaches."
"What do you mean?"
"She's been complaining a lot about how her head hurts. It's getting worse, Buffy." Dawn sounded worried.
"I'm sure it's nothing serious." Buffy had to be strong, even if she was terrified something was wrong with her mother.
"Yeah, I hope so," agreed Dawn.
"Look, Dawnie, I have to go. You hang in there, okay? I'll talk to you soon."
"'Kay. Love ya."
"Love you, too," replied Buffy. "Bye."
"Bye, Buff."
She stared at the phone for a second before hanging it up. Hang in there.
-TBC-
***
A/n: What do you think? Review!