Sorry it took so long to post, but here it is! Finally.
AUTHOR'S NOTES: Uhh, what is there to say? I've been kinda sapped for creativity in regards to this story lately. Oh well.
CHAPTER THREE
SPECIAL GUEST WILLOW ROSENBERG
Dawn flung open the door just as the doorbell rang.
"Hi!" she said to Willow, opening the door wide and grinning even wider.
"Hey, Dawnie!" Willow greeted her, handing her a book. "Jumanji," she explained.
"Ooh, goody!" Dawn exclaimed, soaking in the sight of the title picture. It was black and white, excellently painted, as far as she could tell. "Read it to me?" she asked Willow. She felt a little babyish, asking to be read to, but she could tell Willow didn't mind.
"Sure, Dawnie," she said, taking the book back and walking into the living room to the couch. Dawn settled down on the couch next to her.
Willow opened the book and read, "The game under the tree looked like a hundred others Peter and Judy had at home. But they were bored and restless and, looking for something interesting to do, thought they'd give Jumanji a try…"
Willow closed the book with a small snap! and Dawn smiled.
"I liked that story."
"Me too," Willow said. "It used to be my favorite. I was actually a little afraid to play board games for awhile. That's when I started playing chess."
"Does Xander know how to play chess?" Dawn asked.
Willow grinned a little. "Nah, he's too impatient. He sits there and goes, 'Will, for the love of all things holy, will you please hurry up?'" Willow smiled a little more, then continued, "And that's when I've only been thinking for about thirty seconds!"
Dawn smiled too. "He's nice, though."
Willow nodded. "It more than makes up for his lack of patience," she agreed.
Dawn smiled a little. "I think he's so funny…and nice, you know."
"You don't even see him during school," Willow told her. "That's when he comes up with some of his best Xander-isms. Although you probably wouldn't find most of them funny."
"But Xander's always funny."
Willow laughed a bit. "I don't mean to say that the things he says aren't funny, just that you probably wouldn't get them, you know?"
"Oh."
There was a slight pause, then Willow asked, "So, what's new with you, Dawnie?"
"Nothing really," Dawn said flatly, then brightened. "Ooh! My birthday's in two weeks!"
"Well, happy early birthday!" Willow said, patting her on the back. "What are you guys doing to celebrate?"
"I'm having a little party," Dawn said. "You're invited," she added a little shyly, "if you want to come."
Willow smiled at Dawn's hesitance to invite her. She probably thinks that I think a kid birthday party is 'uncool'. I actually think it's sweet! "Of course I want to come!" she assured Dawn. "I'll just have to check the date and make sure it's clear."
"Okay, cool," Dawn said, hoping she didn't sound overeager. Willow was actually her first real friend in Sunnydale. Dawn didn't like the other kids very much, but that was okay, because they didn't really like her either.
"Great," she added. She had a whole new thing to look forward to.
Doncha just love fluff?
Next time: Dawn's party, Buffy enters our little story, and Xander remains oblivious to both Willow and Dawn's crushes.
Okay, I know it was short, but it's late and I have to get to bed if I ever want to get to church tomorrow morning.
Toodles!
mistymidnight