Buffy bounced quietly up the steps to her bedroom, her long golden hair brushing against her back as she walked. The white blouse she wore was baggy, and nipped in at the waist, before disappearing into a shin length loose navy blue skirt. Around her shoulders, she wore a navy sweater, buttoned just once, and held on almost like a cape. Her long hair was pushed back with a thin blue headband, and the ends curled.
Her books were held tightly to her chest, and a frown was plastered on her face. Already, she was not nearly so far ahead as she had hoped for the semester. She was just now starting the required work for the 12th grade, but it was taking her longer then she had anticipated. The work was getting more difficult for her to do on her own, but she knew that she would be able to slide through fairly well.
Buffy had made a friend who was in fact now a senior, and had already listened to the plight of Buffy, and agreed to help with tutoring. Her mother and grandmother had found out at the end of the year conferences last year that it looked as though Buffy may finish a year ahead, and both showed joy at the prospect. Buffy suspected her Grandmother Sarah was in fact happy. Though the reason was suspect. Buffy had no reason to believe it was actual joy that her granddaughter was succeeding, but rather, joy to have her hands washed of one of 'Joyce's ill-mannered progeny'.
On more then one occasion in the past year or so, Buffy had heard her grandmother lecturing her mother over the previous upbringing of Buffy. She had walked in one time and found her mother on her knees praying to the lord, and asking forgiveness in her manner of child rearing. Buffy had been appalled and shocked, but upon lashing out at her grandmother, had been sent to her room. Later that evening, her mother had begged and pleaded with Buffy to forget what she had seen.
Joyce had sat down with Buffy that night, and explained that without Sarah, she would have nowhere to go, and would have to find employment, and that they would live in retched conditions. She asked that Buffy be thankful for what they did have, and that she not do anything to upset the already rocky relationship. Buffy had been confined to her bedroom for the better part of a week after that day.
Buffy sat down on her twin bed with a flounce, her long blond hair billowing out behind her. Her mother had helped her disassemble the bunk beds nearly a year ago, and put a twin bed in its place. It helped to open the room up a bit, and she was allowed to use many of the scraps of fabric from her grandmothers sewing, to form together a lovely quilt for it.
Many painstaking hours of work, and she and her mother had fashioned a simple block quilt done in shades of blue and green. It listened up the otherwise plain room a great deal, Buffy thought. Besides, it was one of the few things in the room that was hers. She flipped open the school book in front of her, and began reading, trying to let her mind absorb the information, so that she could be tested on it in the morning.
*
An hour later, Buffy was confidant that she knew the required material for 12th grade English. She was lying on the bed, her mind trying to go over the material one more time, this time without the book, when her mother came to her door. Frowning at the intrusion, Buffy sat up, and smoothed her glossy hair back over her shoulders.
"Yes, Mother?" Buffy knew her tone was on the cold side, but she had lost a lot of the love she had for her mother over the past few years. Her mother had become different, more like a child herself.
"You've received a letter, Elizabeth, from your brother. I'll leave it on the bureau." Joyce paused to study her daughter for a moment, before nodding, and turning to leave Buffy alone again. Buffy stared after her mother for a moment, before reaching over to snatch up the carefully penned envelope from the bureau. Her name was penned neatly on the front, Miss Elizabeth Summers. Buffy smiled as she carefully slit the top of the envelope, and pulled out the letter.
She scanned it quickly the first time, and then read over it a second time, more slowly. Liam mentioned that he was moving into an apartment of his own in another month's time, with two bedrooms. He was only waiting on her to finish her courses, so she could move in with him. He told her about her old friends, and how William had taken on the upcoming seventies with flair, and bleached his hair out. She laughed over a particularly funny passage about Willow and a dance that Liam had taken her to.
Thoughts of Sunnydale invaded her mind, and she dug out her journal, writing of the letter in it. Her own thoughts followed, and another day was crossed off. By all rights, she still had a full year and then some before graduating, but if things went smoothly, she would be done by June at the latest. Buffy marked the day she intended to be done in a bright red circle, and closed the journal, before replacing it in her pillow case.
Late Winter/Early Spring, 1970Buffy still couldn't believe it as she hurried home, her black shoes clicking against the freshly thawed sidewalk. It was still cold out, but the snow was finally melting away, leaving just a few tufts of white here and there. Her long coat was wrapped around her tightly, however, as she walked through the wind on the way home. She held the final letter of acceptance tightly in her hand.
Her smile was large and infectious as she passed down the street, saying hi to the people she met along the way. She came up the steps to the front door, and slipped her shoes off the instant she was inside. Her soft slippered feet scurried through the house to the back, and she picked up the phone. Glancing quickly to the sides, she dialed the number she had committed to memory, even if she had never called it.
"Ello?" A rough deep voice answered the phone. She could hear loud rock music playing the background.
"Liam?" Buffy asked softly.
"Guys, I can't bloody well hear a thing. Turn it down, will ya? I'm sorry, could you repeat that name?"
"Hi, I'm calling for Liam, please?"
"He's out, can I take a message?"
"What do you mean, he's out… isn't this his apartment?"
"Yeah, 's his place, coupla us just crash here when we want to get away, you know? So, then, ducks, can I take a message, or what?"
"Oh, yes, sorry. Could you please tell him that Eli- Buffy called?"
"Buffy? Buffy, 's Spike… William, that is."
"William? Hi, how are you?"
"Fine, pet, just fine. What's the story on graduating?"
"Promise not to tell Liam until I can?"
"O'course, pet."
"I am done in June!"
"Tha's great. You want him to call?
"No, no, my grandmother would not like that. Tell him I will try to call again tomorrow, around the same time."
"A'right, pet. Hey, Buffy?"
"Yes, William?"
"It'll be good seeing you again."
"You too, William."
"Spike, pet. Call me Spike now."
"All right, Spike. I should go, though. Good bye."
"See ya soon, luv."
Buffy hung the phone up with a smile bright on her lips still. Just three more months, she thought.