Chapter 7: Ultimatum

"Aahh...finally, weekend's coming! Don't you love that?" Buffy plopped herself down on the cafeteria chair.

She was very tired ever since last period. It was physics, taught by Mrs. Walsh, the most boring and killer teacher Sunnydale High ever had. Thanks to Xander who kept nudging her to wake her up, Buffy managed to get away from Mrs. Walsh's special detention, which was for students who dared to sleep or make trouble during her class.

"Uh-huh." Willow just nodded, not taking her sight off of her chemistry textbook. Buffy rolled her eyes at her best friend's simple response.

"Willow, will you give it a rest? It's Friday! You're NOT supposed to study on Friday..." Buffy grabbed the textbook and put it on an empty seat.

"Hey!" Willow's eyes shot up at Buffy, her lips pouting.

"Don't you have anything better to do? Beside torturing yourself with chemistry book." Buffy took a gulp of her drink, drenching her throat.

"You mean like having a bet with Xander to see how long you're gonna keep denying to yourself that you're in love with Spike?"

Buffy spit the liquid from the drink out, choking. Willow just raised her eyebrows as Buffy coughed, trying to recover from her choke. Willow silently thanked god that the liquid didn't spray on her as she leaned back on her chair. "What, you didn't think I wouldn't know your little bet with Spike?"

"How did you-" Buffy coughed again. Her eyes began to water as her cough wasn't getting any better.

"Well, let's just say that Spike once accidentally slipped, telling Xander that he had to buy you an outfit because he lost it."

"Oh," was all Buffy could say. She smiled sheepishly when her mind practically screamed 'BUSTED!!'

"Buffy, you believed that me and Xander were so into each other but you kept denying that you've got the same thing going on with Spike. You two are-"

"Best friends. That's all we are. Will, what I have with Spike is totally different with what you've got with Xander. We...are just like brother and sister. Y'know, he's like my big stubborn-ass brother and I'm...like his bratty little sister. Hmm....no wonder he kept yelling at me whe-" Buffy started to ramble on to herself but was cut off by Willow.

"Buffy! Will you listen to me? You two are NOT like siblings, believe me! I can literally see the sparks flying around above both of your heads whenever you two start talking or arguing."

Buffy held her head down, silenced for a while as Willow waited for her response. She let out a frustrated sigh, looking up back to her best friend.

"Can we change the subject please?" she asked desperately.

"No!" Willow answered quickly, a stern look set across her face. Buffy sighed again.

"Well then can we at least get another soda? I'm really thirsty and you know if I really get thirsty...." Buffy got up from her seat, grabbed her bag and started walking while she desperately babbled about anything to change the subject.

"Buffyyyy…" Willow groaned, exasperated with her best friend's childish reaction. She reluctantly followed Buffy, exiting the cafeteria.


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Angel let out a heavy sigh as he watched a petite blond head rummaging her locker, a sad and worried look clearly registered over his features. The hall was empty, it seemed that everyone already gone home. He strolled over to her with his fingers clutched together nervously.

"Hey Buffy!"

"Oh, hey yourself! What's up?" A wide smile plastered across Buffy's face.

"It's just that we haven't been out together for a while and there's this event going on at the Bronze and I was wondering if we could go together..." Angel let out a long breath he didn't realize he'd been holding in. His mind ran wildly at all the possible answers she would give this time.

"Well...you see, Spike's still in a recovering stage right now and he needs me more than-"

"ME??? Buffy, I need you too! Why is it always about Spike, huh?" Angel was infuriated, he was too tired to keep up with Spike. Buffy, on the other hand, was shocked by Angel's abrupt yelling, but then enraged herself.

"Angel, Spike IS my BEST FRIEND! And as his best friend I have to be there for him at his rough times. You'd know that if you had one of your own," Buffy started yelling as well. She inhaled deeply, trying to keep her temper down. She took one step closer to the still irate Angel.

"Look, you can't make me choose between you and Spike. You both are two different people and mean so much to me," said Buffy in a lower voice.

"Well maybe I can." Angel glared at her, taking a step back.

"What?!?" she asked, disbelief taking over her features.

"I can't do this anymore. You either choose me or him. It's your call."

"Angel, you're being ridiculous!" Buffy shook her head, not really liking to be put in this position.

"I'm being ridiculous? What about you? Spike is NOT a five year old kid. He can take care of himself." Angel paused for a few moments before he continued.

"Buffy, I can't keep wondering if I'm still the one you want. I need you to choose. Me. Or him. What's it gonna be, Buff?"

In the back of his mind, he prayed that she'd choose him, that all his doubts were wrong. He stared at Buffy who was looking back at him, still in disbelief. It was the tensest moment in his life. He felt sick in the pit of his stomach as he waited her to respond. He could feel sweat started moistening his palms and handsome face, anxiety controlled over his whole form. A drop of the salty water trailed down the side of his forehead, crossing his jaw line. But he wiped it quickly, almost too harshly.

Buffy couldn't believe what just happened in the last five minutes. For almost five months they'd been going out and everything was fine until today, until this last five minutes. There were no signs, no small fights or arguments and there it was...he just dropped a bomb in front of her! And they were fighting over Spike? Spike, her very best friend, her non-existent big brother, her family...and the object of their fight. This was outrageous!! Why would he be jealous of Spike, of all people??

But she did like Angel a lot. She cared about him so much, although she wouldn't dare to say that she was in love. But she was willing to find out. She knew he would be good for her. He cared about her. He loved her and he would sacrifice everything for her. However, enough was enough. Angel was also a man with needs. With needs to be loved, to be cared by the woman he loved. Their future was in her hands, but she would do anything to pass that to another person. Her head was aching when she forced her brain to come up with a decision, the toughest decision she had ever had to make in her entire life.

to be continued