Hey guys, I'm back! Holiday absolutely sucked, but I had reviews to come back to, yay!

So thanks to floweredonion, Emmielou555, fuer grissa ost drauka, WellxWisher, uskohakuchan, Nightcrawlerlover and ConstantReader77. I adore you guys.

And onwards we go…

Chapter Four: Anything

Angel's words echoed in Buffy's head the next day. Anything you want… anything. She was aware that, at school at least, she was becoming more distant. She stopped listening in class – or even to the discussions going on during class which she usually participated so enthusiastically in.

"Hey, Buffy!" After a particularly hard slap from Kimberly, Buffy shook herself out of her stupor and looked away from the window.

"What?"

"You're so out of it! What the hell is up?" Her friends' faces were all turned towards her, half concerned and half curious. Buffy shrugged.

"I dunno, just thinking." She could have thought up something better, she supposed, but right now that wasn't something she cared about.

"It's a guy, isn't it!" Jennifer was grinning, looking around at the others. Suddenly losing her guard as she remembered Angel, a slow smile spread across Buffy's face. Jennifer burst into giggles. "Oh my God, it is! Who is it?"

Buffy shushed her, now giggling herself, as their particularly boring French teacher gave them a disapproving scowl. "He doesn't go here," she blabbed before she could stop herself. "He's… in college." It was an easy lie to tell. Besides, Angel looked like he could be in college. Maybe even older.

"Wow," said Kimberly, looking slightly impressed, "an older guy. Isn't that kinda perverted?" She smirked slightly. Jennifer started up her annoying giggling again. Buffy shot Kimberly a glare.

"Just because no guy older than twelve would be interested in you." The smirk vanished from Kimberly's face and she gave a half-hearted snort and turned round.

Jennifer gaped at Buffy. "Ouch," she said, rather flatly. Buffy turned back to the window and ignored her friends, who were looking at her in both disbelief and slight awe.

The lesson dragged, and with Buffy now sitting in silence, twinges of guilt began to gnaw at her. She reasoned with herself. Kimberly doesn't understand. She's never met Angel, she doesn't know what he's like. Besides, what gives her the right to talk to me like that? I'm special, and I can do anything. Absolutely anything I want.

The bell rang and Buffy swung her bag over her shoulder, breezing out of the classroom without saying anything. Her friends gaped after her but she didn't see. A faint smile played around her lips as she strode away, superiority in the air around her.

Inevitably, regret cut in when she was far enough away from her friends for them not to see, and she stopped her brisk walking. Oh God, what if I have no one to hang out with this lunch? In her heart, she knew they would forgive her, but she fill felt that familiar pang, a biting fear of rejection, of isolation and loneliness. Being completely alone.

"Hey Summers, if you're feeling lonely you could always come sit on my lap – I'll make you feel better." Buffy jerked her head around to look at the offending speaker. It was a boy in the year above, whose last name she could never remember – but she was pretty sure he was called James. He grinned in a self-satisfied way, his equally slimy best friends laughing and slapping each other. Buffy narrowed her eyes in disgust.

She almost walked away, but Angel's voice echoed inside her head again. Anything you want. She took a step forward, setting her face in what she hoped was a determined and threatening expression.

"How dare you speak to me like that," she said, and was surprised at how even and confident her voice was. James looked surprised for a moment, then, gaining confidence as he realised the support he had and her complete lack thereof, he also stepped forwards, so they were standing only an arm's width apart.

"What are you gonna do to me? Huh, Summers? Hit me with one of your high heels?" He smirked. Buffy didn't even think before she reacted.

She reached out – so quickly that her arm was a blur- and grabbed hi by the collar. Without straining, and still with only one hand, she lifted him clean off the floor. He gasped, kicking his legs and struggling to get free. His friends stood up as though to help him but didn't dare take a step forward.

"You're a slimy little bastard," Buffy hissed at him, "I should kill you." He was choking now, his face turning red.

"Put… me… down… please," he stammered. Buffy dropped him and he fell to the floor, scrabbling to stand up, as clumsy as a beetle on its back.

"Say sorry," said Buffy coldly. She kicked him, not hard, but he winced.

"I'm sorry," he gasped, before running off. Buffy gave his friends a final look of disgust, before turning on her heel and striding off.

Angel was right. I can do absolutely anything I want. I don't have to listen to anyone – in fact, everyone should listen to me. Why should I pay attention to any rules? They're for all these pathetic little people around me – not me, I'm special. I'm unique. That's why Angel likes me.

And with her private, thinking-of-Angel smile etched firmly on her face, she walked right out of school grounds, and headed for town.

Walking around an expensive shop which she hadn't even set foot in before, Buffy was still filled with a powerful sense of freedom. Running her hands over the unbelievably expensive dresses, she finally found one which was perfect. She took it out, holding it up against her and smiling. Making absolutely no attempt to be subtle or discreet, she shoved it in her bag and walked out of the shop.

Of course the alarms went off, but Buffy was already running – and far too fast for the security guards. They'd never find out who she was by watching security tapes either – she'd been wearing a hat and had thought, at least, to keep her face down, even if she had been blatantly obvious in stealing the dress.

Sufficiently far away, but with more than enough energy to keep running for miles, Buffy stopped and laughed. It was somewhere between the pure and ecstatic laugh of someone who has just been set free, and something colder and harder.

Anything. I can do anything. I can say what I want, do what I want, get what I want. I could even get away with murder.

END

Sorry about the delay. Hope you liked. Review pleeeeeeasepleaseplease.

My next update will probably be on Thursday, as I'm not going to be at home for a few days. I can write the chapter, but not post it.

Which annoys me.

And yes, I do have an ex called James.