Disclaimer: It's occurred to me that perhaps I should add in a disclaimer.
So here goes: I do not own the characters of Buffy; they are property of
Joss Whedon etc. Only the storyline is my original work.
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The rush of people streaming by me, the squeak of shoes on linoleum, and the hum that people en masse gave off as they talked about whatever they talked about. I was lost in a world of business and I had no where to go and nothing to do.
As time passed I tried to think of where I could go. I really didn't want to see my dad, plus how would I explain. There weren't any places that seemed fun for me, plus I barely knew my way around. Then I had an idea. Angel. He had been a family friend when we had lived here in L.A. I've known him since I was a toddler. He's older than me, by a few years but we were really close. I remember spending so much time with him, right from when we playing in the sandpit together up until when we were both starting high school. That was when I moved. It was devastating news for me; I was going to lose my only other best friend apart from Willow. After she had died in grade six Angel and I became even closer so when it was time to tell him I was moving it became so hard and I didn't know what I could say, I spent a week avoiding him trying to figure out a what to do.
* Buffy's Memory*
The doorbell sounded. As I jumped up to answer I felt sick to my stomach with nerves. Slowly I opened the door and Angel started to come inside asking what it was I wanted to talk to him about. My mouth was completely dry and it took a few minutes to get out any words. Finally I made a choked sound meaning come in and I headed down the hall to our living room. I sat, and Angel, looking concerned, sat too. When I finally got up my courage to speak, all my carefully prepared lines went out the window. "I'm leaving" I said. For the longest time Angel said nothing, just sat there. Then he asked when I was leaving and I said today he almost fainted on the floor in front of me. "We can still stay friends" I muttered. But I knew it was no use. It wouldn't be the same. He just stood up and left. I never saw him again. I tried calling but I never got through. After a while I just gave up.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
If I was to see Angel things would be weird wouldn't they? We will never be how we used to be. But maybe we can start over. Forget the past. Make a new friendship. Would Angel be ready to deal? Or will he see me and think back to what happened and go cold. Well, there's only one way to find out. I decided to see him, only trouble was, how would I find him? I looked across the slowly emptying platform and saw a telephone booth on the farthest side. I rushed over to it and saw a battered telephone directory lying inside. I looked up O'Connor and found there to be two. He must live on his own now. He would be what, twenty one? I looked at the addresses and saw that one of them was the house Angel used to live in. That must be his parents' house then, so that leaves the other address to be Angel's apartment. O'Connor isn't a very popular name in L.A. I headed over to the information desk to ask for a map and to see where this place was.
"Why hello little lady, what can I do for you today?" the man at the desk asked as I approached him.
I just rolled my eyes, "I want to know where this address is", I handed him the slip of paper with Angel's address on it.
"Ok, well, this is easy to get to on a bus, I take it you don't have enough money for a cab? I thought not" he said before I had a chance to answer, then he continued on, "Just go up those stairs and it will take you out to 4th Street. Catch bus number 482 from there and it will take you to this part of town. When you see Johnstone Elementary on the left get off the bus and walk past the school in the direction that the bus was headed, then at your first intersection, turn left and about 5 houses down you'll see the block. The only reason I know this young lady is because I live in the area, you should be grateful because normally people don't know more than the part of the city than they need to."
"Thankyou, I really am gracious you've been a great help to me" I said and headed off up the stairs to find the bus the man spoke of.
When I reached 4th Street and found the bus stop I took the time to look around and take in the busy road. Everyone around me seemed to be doing stuff, there were mothers with little kids in prams rushing around probably about to get some groceries, there were businessmen heading to their sky- high office buildings, there were tonnes of cabs heading down the road either full of passengers or about to load in some more people. Life in the city sure seemed busy. I miss it. I missed having lots of people around that I didn't even know. I could meet someone new everyday if I wanted to whereas in Sunnydale everyone knew most of the people there and if you didn't know a person yourself you knew someone that knew them.
My head snapped back to reality as I saw the bus coming closer to the pavement. It stopped and I boarded along with several other people. I headed about halfway down the bus and sat on a patchy worn out seat that was covered with horrible 70's seat covers that had rips in it. This bus wasn't in the best condition. Then again, neither were most buses in L.A.
The bus stopped outside the elementary like the man said it would and I stood up to get off. After walking about half a block I came to the street I was looking for; Green St. I turned and started looking at house numbers. When I reached an old brick block of apartments that had the number 28 on them I got scared and started thinking irrationally. What if he's not home? What if he doesn't remember? What if it's not his place? What if he's still angry about it? All the "what ifs" gushed through my head for about five minutes until I managed to calm down and slowly, shakily walk up to apartment number three and tap lightly on the door.
I heard shuffling coming from inside and then the door opened and I saw Angel standing there. He looked exactly as I remembered, only older. He saw me and for a moment he just stood there, mouth open, as he had done all those years ago when I told him I was leaving.
"Buffy" He whispered.
"Can I come in?" I asked.
"Uhh.O-Of course, sorry, please do" He managed to spit out.
He let me in and after a few minutes he managed to compose himself and asked if I would like tea. I told him yes so he went into another room to make some. I looked around the room; it was small and kinda dingy, but then again, Angel always liked the dark. I looked on the mantle piece and to my surprise found a photo of the two of us as kids playing at the park as well as a photo of his parents, but there was another photo, of a girl who didn't look familiar, she seemed about Angels age and then it occurred to me that it was probably his girlfriend. I sat back down just as Angel came in with two cups of tea.
After another few minutes of awkward silence Angel finally asked why I was here. It was as if that was the key to the gate, his words just let everything out. I told him everything, from how I tried to call him but never could, how I missed him, what has been happening at school and how I couldn't take being alone anymore. I needed out, so I came here for the day, to get away from the torment at school. I just let everything gush out as I never had before in my entire life and soon I felt tears spring to my eyes.
When I was finished Angel just sat there and said slowly and almost carefully, "Buffy, I know your hurt and something is happening in your life but you can't just come here and expect everything to be normal between us. Things have changed. I'm living my life now. You left me, deserted me, you were my only true friend. I know I acted stupidly then but it took me years to get over the fact that you were gone and I don't want you to come back here thinking we can fix things because we can't. You shouldn't even be out of school right now so I think it would be best if you left and went back to your home."
I stood up shocked at Angel's harsh words and, with tears pouring down my face, I walked out of his apartment and began to head down the street, Angel tried to call out to me, "I can drive you home if you want" but I didn't ever want to see him again.
I caught the same bus back to the train station and got on the next train back to Sunnydale still in tears.
A/N: Well, here's the next chapter I hope you like it. Thanks to Beth and Buffy-Star for reviewing and can I just say, if there is anyone who reads my story but hasn't reviewed please do, because it shows that people do read my story and that makes me feel good. It's not hard, just click on the little button that says Submit Review and type something in, anything. I would really appreciate it. Thanks!!
* * * * * * * * * * * *
The rush of people streaming by me, the squeak of shoes on linoleum, and the hum that people en masse gave off as they talked about whatever they talked about. I was lost in a world of business and I had no where to go and nothing to do.
As time passed I tried to think of where I could go. I really didn't want to see my dad, plus how would I explain. There weren't any places that seemed fun for me, plus I barely knew my way around. Then I had an idea. Angel. He had been a family friend when we had lived here in L.A. I've known him since I was a toddler. He's older than me, by a few years but we were really close. I remember spending so much time with him, right from when we playing in the sandpit together up until when we were both starting high school. That was when I moved. It was devastating news for me; I was going to lose my only other best friend apart from Willow. After she had died in grade six Angel and I became even closer so when it was time to tell him I was moving it became so hard and I didn't know what I could say, I spent a week avoiding him trying to figure out a what to do.
* Buffy's Memory*
The doorbell sounded. As I jumped up to answer I felt sick to my stomach with nerves. Slowly I opened the door and Angel started to come inside asking what it was I wanted to talk to him about. My mouth was completely dry and it took a few minutes to get out any words. Finally I made a choked sound meaning come in and I headed down the hall to our living room. I sat, and Angel, looking concerned, sat too. When I finally got up my courage to speak, all my carefully prepared lines went out the window. "I'm leaving" I said. For the longest time Angel said nothing, just sat there. Then he asked when I was leaving and I said today he almost fainted on the floor in front of me. "We can still stay friends" I muttered. But I knew it was no use. It wouldn't be the same. He just stood up and left. I never saw him again. I tried calling but I never got through. After a while I just gave up.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
If I was to see Angel things would be weird wouldn't they? We will never be how we used to be. But maybe we can start over. Forget the past. Make a new friendship. Would Angel be ready to deal? Or will he see me and think back to what happened and go cold. Well, there's only one way to find out. I decided to see him, only trouble was, how would I find him? I looked across the slowly emptying platform and saw a telephone booth on the farthest side. I rushed over to it and saw a battered telephone directory lying inside. I looked up O'Connor and found there to be two. He must live on his own now. He would be what, twenty one? I looked at the addresses and saw that one of them was the house Angel used to live in. That must be his parents' house then, so that leaves the other address to be Angel's apartment. O'Connor isn't a very popular name in L.A. I headed over to the information desk to ask for a map and to see where this place was.
"Why hello little lady, what can I do for you today?" the man at the desk asked as I approached him.
I just rolled my eyes, "I want to know where this address is", I handed him the slip of paper with Angel's address on it.
"Ok, well, this is easy to get to on a bus, I take it you don't have enough money for a cab? I thought not" he said before I had a chance to answer, then he continued on, "Just go up those stairs and it will take you out to 4th Street. Catch bus number 482 from there and it will take you to this part of town. When you see Johnstone Elementary on the left get off the bus and walk past the school in the direction that the bus was headed, then at your first intersection, turn left and about 5 houses down you'll see the block. The only reason I know this young lady is because I live in the area, you should be grateful because normally people don't know more than the part of the city than they need to."
"Thankyou, I really am gracious you've been a great help to me" I said and headed off up the stairs to find the bus the man spoke of.
When I reached 4th Street and found the bus stop I took the time to look around and take in the busy road. Everyone around me seemed to be doing stuff, there were mothers with little kids in prams rushing around probably about to get some groceries, there were businessmen heading to their sky- high office buildings, there were tonnes of cabs heading down the road either full of passengers or about to load in some more people. Life in the city sure seemed busy. I miss it. I missed having lots of people around that I didn't even know. I could meet someone new everyday if I wanted to whereas in Sunnydale everyone knew most of the people there and if you didn't know a person yourself you knew someone that knew them.
My head snapped back to reality as I saw the bus coming closer to the pavement. It stopped and I boarded along with several other people. I headed about halfway down the bus and sat on a patchy worn out seat that was covered with horrible 70's seat covers that had rips in it. This bus wasn't in the best condition. Then again, neither were most buses in L.A.
The bus stopped outside the elementary like the man said it would and I stood up to get off. After walking about half a block I came to the street I was looking for; Green St. I turned and started looking at house numbers. When I reached an old brick block of apartments that had the number 28 on them I got scared and started thinking irrationally. What if he's not home? What if he doesn't remember? What if it's not his place? What if he's still angry about it? All the "what ifs" gushed through my head for about five minutes until I managed to calm down and slowly, shakily walk up to apartment number three and tap lightly on the door.
I heard shuffling coming from inside and then the door opened and I saw Angel standing there. He looked exactly as I remembered, only older. He saw me and for a moment he just stood there, mouth open, as he had done all those years ago when I told him I was leaving.
"Buffy" He whispered.
"Can I come in?" I asked.
"Uhh.O-Of course, sorry, please do" He managed to spit out.
He let me in and after a few minutes he managed to compose himself and asked if I would like tea. I told him yes so he went into another room to make some. I looked around the room; it was small and kinda dingy, but then again, Angel always liked the dark. I looked on the mantle piece and to my surprise found a photo of the two of us as kids playing at the park as well as a photo of his parents, but there was another photo, of a girl who didn't look familiar, she seemed about Angels age and then it occurred to me that it was probably his girlfriend. I sat back down just as Angel came in with two cups of tea.
After another few minutes of awkward silence Angel finally asked why I was here. It was as if that was the key to the gate, his words just let everything out. I told him everything, from how I tried to call him but never could, how I missed him, what has been happening at school and how I couldn't take being alone anymore. I needed out, so I came here for the day, to get away from the torment at school. I just let everything gush out as I never had before in my entire life and soon I felt tears spring to my eyes.
When I was finished Angel just sat there and said slowly and almost carefully, "Buffy, I know your hurt and something is happening in your life but you can't just come here and expect everything to be normal between us. Things have changed. I'm living my life now. You left me, deserted me, you were my only true friend. I know I acted stupidly then but it took me years to get over the fact that you were gone and I don't want you to come back here thinking we can fix things because we can't. You shouldn't even be out of school right now so I think it would be best if you left and went back to your home."
I stood up shocked at Angel's harsh words and, with tears pouring down my face, I walked out of his apartment and began to head down the street, Angel tried to call out to me, "I can drive you home if you want" but I didn't ever want to see him again.
I caught the same bus back to the train station and got on the next train back to Sunnydale still in tears.
A/N: Well, here's the next chapter I hope you like it. Thanks to Beth and Buffy-Star for reviewing and can I just say, if there is anyone who reads my story but hasn't reviewed please do, because it shows that people do read my story and that makes me feel good. It's not hard, just click on the little button that says Submit Review and type something in, anything. I would really appreciate it. Thanks!!