Chapter 9
While Angelus was visiting sister, Buffy decided to go out and about the town, and do some shopping, and some errands. She also thought that it wouldn't hurt to stop by and see Gunn and find out her schedule for the next week.
She had no fucking clue what the hell was going on between her and Angelus but when he left that morning he hadn't said anything to her really, other then that he was going to his sisters for breakfast and for some movie watching. She had no reason not to believe him but he hadn't said anything about if they were doing anything that night or anything like that.
She figured the best thing to do was just do something that she was familiar with. She walked to Gunn's house on Maple Street and knocked on his front door. Unless there was an emergency she was really the only one of the girls that worked for him that was allowed to go to his house.
She casually knocked on his door again and waited patiently for him to open it. She stood waiting a good two or three minutes before she realized that no one was home and if he was, he was preoccupied.
Shrugging, she thought, "I'll just go to the club tonight," She walked off of his porch and walked all the way back to her apartment for some good ol' rest and relaxation. There was no pressure, no men, nothing except her and her copy of A Walk to Remember.
She sat down on her couch and felt her stomach give her an unhappy song. Sighing she wasn't sure what she had to eat in her apartment that was still edible. She checked in her fridge and her freezer, and saw that there was no milk and no microwavable dinners. She pouted, but moved on to the cupboards.
She looked in and all she found was an old box of Frosted Corn Flakes and a can of soup. She thought about it and decided that it was time to go grocery shopping. Her hunger and her date with Shane West would just have to wait a little while.
As she went down the aisles of food galore, she wanted absolutely everything in sight to eat. That was when she realized that you really shouldn't shop for food on an empty stomach. It causes unnecessary food purchases that she really didn't have money for. She looked down at her shopping cart and saw that she had all that she really needed, and nothing more.
She paid for her food and was out the door and back to her apartment in mere minutes. She put everything away and took out some chicken strips. Deciding that she would eat three, she pre-heated the oven and put them in to cook.
Fifteen minutes later as she was pouring herself some juice, someone called her cell phone. She didn't usually keep it on, but since she hadn't talked to Angelus all day, she figured that she might want to, in case he called. Though she thought differently, she never knew.
Walking over to her phone she politely answered it, "Hello?"
"Where the fuck are you?" the angry voice demanded immediately.
"I'm at my apartment, where are you?" she challenged right back at him. She knew it was him the second he started talking. His voice was so low and distinctive. No one could miss it.
"I've been searching all over this god damn town looking for your hot little ass, that's where I am! What are you doing?" he said with a biting tone and then softness.
"I'm just about to eat. I haven't eaten in what's felt like days. So, I made chicken strips and am just about to eat them before they get cold." She explained. She took a bite out of one chicken strip and listened as he told her that he was coming over.
"Whatever." She said and before he could say anything else, she hung up.
She finished her meal in peace, quietly wondering if she had made a bad move hanging up on him when he didn't sound pleased with her. Oh what did she just do? She could run to the club and hide out there. She'd be safe there for sure. But what if her not being here when he got her made him all the more pissed when he did finally find her? Would he hurt her? Would he hurt her anyway?
Not wanting to find out, she grabbed her purse and ran out the door and down the back stairwell. She left her cell phone in case he tried to call. She went down the back way and was out the door before anyone could see her.
Taking a breath of relief that she hadn't been caught she ran off down the alley way and to the club as fast as her legs could take her in three inch heels. It wasn't pleasant but it was something that she needed to do. She couldn't confront him. All these feelings were too new for her and she would be lying if she wasn't absolutely terrified. The last time she depended on a man, she wound up in the hospital. How could she trust him and not wonder if he might do the same?
Once she reached the confinement of the place that she hated with a passion and was looking like a sanctuary at the moment, she hadn't ever felt safer. Looking around she saw Eve working some good looking guy and Faith and Spike sitting at their usual table, only this time, they didn't seem so stiff, they actually looked relaxed. Looking down, dare she actually see it, but them playing footsie?
Laughing to herself she looked for Gunn and didn't see him. If he wasn't in the back, she'd start to get worried. Gunn didn't like to be away from his guests unless he could avoid it. He liked to be able to see trouble before it began. She walked back and put her purse in the coat room and saw the door to his office was slightly opened.
She peeked her emerald eyes through the tiny opening and saw Gunn sitting at his desk and heard a rather familiar voice. She saw the back of his head but would recognize his voice anywhere at all.
More then fearing Angelus finding her here, she feared it more if Riley walked out of Gunn's office and found her here.
Ducking into the coat room as she saw them start to leave his office she felt like such an idiot! As frightened of him as she was, no one scared her more then Riley. Well maybe Parker, but she didn't think Parker would be coming around anytime soon.
She checked to make sure the coast was clear and she walked back out into the club, which was now hoppin', she scanned the crowd for Gunn to find out if she needed to work. If she did, it would take a LOT of things off of her mind, as dancing usually did. For the first time since she started working there, she wanted to work so she didn't have to face the reality of her life.
Reality made a big fat come back as she looked out and scanned the crowds. Her stomach was having a weird feeling and it was almost like she KNEW he was out there, watching, waiting for her to make a move. Before she could, he had grabbed her and pulled her in the back where she just came from.
TBC…
