Up in the World. Chapter 2.
Glad you all liked it. I just like working with different characters being the lead roles. It's Tara's turn to shine in the spotlight.
Tara wakes up to a loud noise. It's something like glass breaking. She quickly gets off her inflatable bed and heads over to the window. The streets are filled with people all around. It was a city where people are bustling.
Tara heads over to the bathroom and sees that the tub had mold and roaches were coming from the drain. She quickly runs out of the bathroom and closes the door. Tara then goes to her bag, where she had her bathroom stuff and pulls it over to the kitchen sink. The kitchen looks decent and moderately clean. She gives herself a cat wash and puts lotion on all over.
"Just relax, Tara," says Tara to herself. "I can do this." She grabs a piece of paper and pen to write the things she'll need to handle this. She starts to brush her hair, when she hears someone knock at her door. "Who knows where I live?" Tara heads over to answer the door.
"Hi," says a tall guy wearing a tool belt and carrying a bunch of bags. "My name is Xander Harris." Tara looks at him strangely. "Buffy sent me. Carpenter."
"Oh, I didn't think you'd come so early. Sorry, please come in." Xander enters the apartment.
"Gosh, you have a horrible house keeper." Tara laughs at that. "Don't worry. When I'm through here, this place is going to look like…well, you're not going to recognize it."
"That's great. How much is…"
"No, this is a favor for Buffy. No charge."
"Oh, I can't accept that. There must be something I can do."
"Hmmm. Do you cook?"
"No, not really."
"Okay, why don't you head over to the grocery store down the street and get some stuff. Does your frig work?" Xander heads over to the frig in the kitchen. He opens it and sees that it needs a cleaning, but it feels pretty cool. "Get some ice and…" Xander grabs a pencil and paper from his pocket and starts to write her a list. He hands it over to Tara, who looks at it. Then he quickly pushes her to the door. Tara grabs her bag and heads out the door. "Oh, and I like regular coke, not diet." He closes the door on her and Tara is in shock. Tara looks at the list again and then heads out to her car and to the grocery store he had mentioned.
Tara goes down the aisles of the store and half the things on the list she never knew existed. She grabs everything she needs and gets the regular coke for him. For her, she grabs a diet vanilla coke. She pays for the stuff and heads to her car.
On her way to the parking lot, she sees a car driving really fast towards her. The driver seems to be arguing with someone on the phone and was not paying attention to where he was going. Tara pushes her cart with her groceries forward and backs out of the car's way. She falls backwards and onto the floor. The man in the car puts on his breaks and notices that he had almost hit a woman crossing the street.
"Oh my gosh," says the man. "Are you okay? I am so sorry." He helps her up.
"I'm alive," replies Tara.
"I was…there is no excuse, can I do something? I really feel bad about this."
"It's okay." Tara walks over to her cart, which by some lucky chance, is perfectly fine with all the groceries intact.
"Look, here's my number. Call me anytime. For anything you need, okay?" Tara looks at him strangely, but accepts his number.
"Thanks." Tara heads over to her car and puts the groceries inside. She then drives back to her apartment.
As Tara opens the apartment door, she hardly recognizes the place. It's actually pretty when it's clean. Xander walks up to her and helps her with the groceries.
"What?" asks Xander. "You like it the way it was before because I haven't gotten rid of the spider webs."
"No," says Tara as she puts some of the groceries on the kitchen counter. "I like it. You work fast. You must be highly recommended."
"That I am. Let's start some brunch. I'm hungry here." Tara smiles and starts looking around her apartment. She then sees the bathroom door open.
"Did you clean the bathroom?"
"Yeah, you look worried."
"No, it's just it wasn't a pretty sight."
"Right, I disinfected the tub and the rust actually came out. You were lucky."
"Oh."
"I know what you were worried about."
"What?"
"The roaches. Don't worry, I put them away in a jar for you, so you can keep them as pets."
"You what?"
"I'm kidding. You're just like Buffy. Terrified at creepy crawly things."
"They are not my friends, that's for sure. So, I brought this to keep them away." Tara pulls out a spray for roaches.
"You know, one time Buffy called me in the middle of the night. I was knocked out that night and she calls to tell me that there is something in her kitchen. She doesn't tell me what, so I get really worried and get my butt over there pronto. When I get there and turn on the kitchen light, I saw a roach. It was a little tiny one."
"Boy, weren't you pissed?"
"No. She let me sleep on her sofa. It's much more comfortable than my bed."
"Why didn't she call her boyfriend?"
"Oh, he's pretty far and he is smart enough to ask for what. She doesn't even bother. She takes advantage of me. Hey, do you have a skillet?"
"Yes, it's in one of these boxes. Help me look." Xander pulls out his little knife to open the boxes.
"Not that one." He opened a box with stuffed animals. "Cute." Tara laughs.
"Oh, I think this one is it." Xander opens the box.
"Great." He heads over to the kitchen and washes it.
"So, how did you and Buffy meet?"
"Oh, that is a long story."
"I have time." Tara sits down on the floor leaning against one of the walls.
"Okay. When she got here, she was living in a similar apartment like this one. I lived next door to her and when I went to welcome her, I decided to help her out."
"That was sweet of you."
"Yeah, after that we became the best of friends. Then she met Angel."
"Can you tell me about this Angel guy? I was supposed to meet him last night, but he didn't show."
"Oh, he's your typical tall dark and handsome kind of guy. Hey, if I were gay, I'd go out with him, but I'm not." Tara laughs. "He's actually really good for her."
"I'm happy for her. She's always talked about him. I hope I get to meet him soon."
"Here we are." Xander grabs two plastic plates and put a piece of omelet on it. He hands one to Tara, with a plastic fork. She tastes it.
"Hmmmm, this is wonderful." Xander gets himself a plate and puts his piece on it.
"Thanks."
Suddenly, Tara's cell phone rings. She rushes over to her purse to get it. Xander pours her some orange juice in a plastic cup and one for himself.
"Hello," says Tara as she answers the phone.
"Good morning," says Buffy on the other line. "How did you sleep?"
"Um, okay."
"Is Xander there?"
"Yes, he just made me breakfast."
"Oh, save me a piece of omelet. I'll be there in a minute."
"Okay." Tara heads over to Xander and takes a sip of her juice. "It was Buffy. She wants a piece of omelet. Must be infamous."
"You bet," says Xander with a smile. They hear the door and Tara goes to get it.
"There she is."
"Boy, she's fast." Buffy enters the apartment.
"Wow, it looks pretty when it's clean," says Buffy.
"Here is your omelet," says Xander as he hands her a plate and fork.
"Oh, yes." Buffy starts to take a bite and savors it.
"I think she's having a food orgasm." Tara laughs at that as Buffy closes her eyes and starts to moan a little.
"It's just so good."
"Here," says Tara as she hands Buffy a glass of orange juice.
"Thank you. Xander, I'm going to have to steal her away from you for a couple of hours."
"That's okay, Buff," says Xander. "I know my way around this place. When you get back, you won't recognize it."
"That's great because it's going to look dazzling when we get some furniture," says Buffy as she takes Tara to the door.
"F…furniture?" says Tara. "I don't have enough to do that right now."
"You do need a bed."
"I'm pretty comfortable in my inflatable bed." Xander goes over to it and lays on it.
"Hey, it really is comfortable."
"We're shopping for a new bed," says Buffy. "Get your things and let's go."
"Alright, mom," says Tara as she grabs her purse and coat and then heads out the door. "Bye, Xander."
"Bye," says Xander as the door closes. He lies back down on the inflatable bed.
"So, what do you think about Xander?" asks Buffy to Tara as they head over to the elevator.
"Um, he's sweet," replies Tara.
"Do you find him attractive?"
"Why would you ask me that?"
"I know. He doesn't go out much and he needs to meet a nice girl like you. How about it?"
"I like him as a friend."
"And that could build up to more than friendship." They enter the elevator.
"Um, maybe not."
"Why not?"
"Well because he kind of likes you more." The elevator doors close.