Chapter Twelve
Author's note: Thanks for the reviews! I hope you have guys are still enjoying the story! ME, I'm sorry but I can't tell you who Buffy is going to marry! I'm trying to make the groom a surprise! If you want to know you'll just have to keep on reading! Again, thank you for your comments and remember feedback is always great!
Happy New Year! Lisa Anne
"I think you should get the baby blue one, it looks great with your hair," Buffy told Willow as they tried on dressed of the prom.
"I don't know, I like the black one too, I don't know. How does that pink one look on you?" Willow asked as she changed into the black dress for the third times that visit.
"It's not pink, it's a pale magenta. I think I like it. This could be it," Buffy said as she walked out of the dressing room and looked in the mirror. She was waiting for Willow to come out of her dressing room to show her the dress. "Wills, what do you think?
Willow opened the door to the dressing room and reviled the long, straight floor length dress. The strapless dress hugged Willow's skinny body. "Buffy, that looks beautiful on you!" Willow told her best friend as she stared at the calf length, light magenta dress. The silk dress had dark magenta flower designs running over the dress.
Buffy nodded her head. "Thanks Will. Your dress looks great too. I think I like that more than the blue dress"
The girls took off their dresses and got changed. They paid for their dresses and started out of Lord and Taylor and were going to walk to the Steve Madden store for a fun pair of shoes when they ran into Cordelia.
"Willow, Buffy? What's up?"
Willow and Buffy exchanged looks before answering Cordelia. The girls hadn't talked to Cordelia that often since she and Xander had broken up around Christmas time. Buffy was still annoyed with Cordelia because of her self-centered attitude. Willow on the other hand didn't really care or think about Cordelia. After all, she and Cordelia never really liked each other, especially after Cordelia and Xander began dating. Willow knew that Cordelia would hurt her friend and in the end she did. They were both extremely annoyed because Cordelia was acting as if the prom was the next day when in fact it was over a month and a half away. "We're good Cordelia, yourself?' Buffy answered with a forced smile. "I'm great. Just shopping for last-minute prom accessories. You know, the prom is so close and I don't want to wait until the last minute and forget something. Did you two just get your dresses?" "Actually, yes, we just bought our dresses from Lord and Taylor. Now we're going to look for shoes." Willow told Cordelia with a slight attitude. Willow wanted Cordelia to get away from them. "Wow, Lord and Taylor? Buffy, I would expect that from you but Willow? My Willow you have grown up and now shopping in real stores. I'm almost impressed." "Cordelia, really, is there anything you need or want to tell us that can be done through a civil conversation and involves no bashing?" Buffy asked quite infuriated at that point. "Oh, right, what I wanted to talk to you about, yeah, I've been meaning to talk to you. I haven't talked to you since Xander and I broke up." Cordelia paused. Just as Willow was about to say something Cordelia cut her off and continued. "Just because we've broken up doesn't mean I don't want to be friends with you." Buffy gave Cordelia a quick look. "Cordelia, we were never friends. We get a long but we're not friends. Plus, you hurt Xander so much when you broke up with him, for no reason may I add. I really have nothing to say to you. Oh yeah, and may I also add that we were never friends!" "Gee Buffy, why don't you tell me how you really feel? I guess we have nothing else to say to each other." Cordelia stormed off. Willow and Buffy watched her walk away. "Good riddance," Willow commented. "She's so strange, I don't understand her. Friends? Were we ever friends?" "I don't think so. I don't think she has ever liked us." Willow shrugged before continuing. "Do you want to go to Steve Madden now?"
Buffy nodded and the two walked through the mall.
May was warm and sunny. The sun had shone for the entire month. Everyday was just as beautiful and sunny as the last. At the end of May Sunnydale High School held their prom at an area hotel. "Buffy, we're going to be late," Xander yelled up the stairs. Buffy was running late. She was franticly getting ready as her friends waited downstairs.
"I'm almost ready, give me a few more seconds," she shouted downstairs.
"I'll go up and help her," Willow said as she left Oz's side and ran up the stairs carefully. "Buffy, do you need help?"
Buffy opened the door to her room. "Does my hair look all right?" She asked. Her golden blonde hair was wrapped in a bun on top of her head. Golden curls bounced on the sides of her face.
"It looks great."
"Will, you look so beautiful," Buffy commented. Willow's straight hair was all curled and wavy. She looked very feminine. Buffy grabbed her purse and walked with Willow down the stairs.
"We were wondering when you'd join-wow, Buffy you look stunning. Wow, you look nice," Xander told his date. He knew Buffy was pretty but the way she looked in that dress really blew him away.
"Thanks, you look pretty good yourself. You look great too Oz," Buffy commented to her friends. Her mom took pictures of the friends before they were on their way.
"Oh excuse me, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to bump into-oh Buffy, it's only you. Never mind, I'm not sorry about anything," Cordelia said as she ran into Buffy in the ladies room.
"Cordelia, it's always a trip to see you. Having fun?" Buffy asked to be civil as she washed her hands.
Cordelia had her compact in her hands as she applied more make-up. "I am having a great time. My date and I are I mean. He's a real boyfriend and not some lame-ass friend who I had to go with because I don't have a real boyfriend."
Buffy grabbed a paper towel and wiped her hands. As she threw it into the waste barrel, she looked at Cordelia and smiled. "I'm going back to my 'lame-ass friend' Cordelia, it's always a pleasure to talk with you. We don't do it often and I have to remember to do it even less."
Buffy went back to her table and found her friends talking and laughing. She joined in on the laughter as she sat next to Xander. She declined to tell everyone about her run-in with Cordelia. Christina Agulieria's Beautiful began to play. Oz and Willow got up to dance as did Buffy and Xander. Buffy swayed to the music as she and Xander continued to talk and laugh. Xander spotted Cordelia also dancing with her date. He was hurt for a quick minute and then he was better. He didn't care about her, not when his best friend was in his arms.
"Did you see that?" He asked catching a glance of Cordelia's date.
"See what?' Buffy asked.
"Cordelia's date. They are the couple to the left of the DJ."
Buffy looked and was a little surprised. "Is that Ford?"
Xander nodded. "I think so. Wow."
Buffy stared at them for a few seconds. She didn't care. She never felt any romantic feelings towards Ford. Buffy actually felt a little bad for Ford. He was a nice guy and she hoped that Cordelia wouldn't treat Ford as she treated Xander.
Oz hosted a gathering at his house after the prom since his parents were out of town. The party was tam. The kids ate food and watched teen movies. Buffy wondered outside for a bit. It wasn't long before Xander found her.
"Hey," she smiled at him.
"Hey yourself. What are you doing out here? There's a party or something going on inside."
"Yeah, I know. I just wanted to come out here. It's so nice outside. It really is beautiful out here tonight."
Xander sighed as he stood next to her. "It is really nice. Warm too."
Buffy nodded. She didn't want to talk to Xander about the weather. She wanted to talk to him about the feelings she was felt about a boy. The boy made her have butterflies in her stomach. He made her smile and happy to be with him. He was kind and gentle. He always considered other people's feelings before his own. He had been there for Buffy again and again. She had the lovey-dovey feelings for Xander. She kept telling herself that they had talked about this before, at Christmas time. They shared a passionless kiss. Xander even said it was like kissing his sister.
'I'm sorry, what did you say? I was zoning out." She lied as she asked Xander to repeat whatever he had just said.
"I said I think it's going to be a great summer with Angel staying in New York. He might come back to visit but it's doubtful. Mom said we could visit him. I kind of miss him." Xander was right. He did miss Angel. Angel was his brother. Even though his pissed him off a lot he still loved him. "I'm sure though you don't want to talk about him. Is everything all right Buf?"
Buffy turned and looked at Xander. This was it. She was going to tell him how she felt. "Yeah, I was just thinking." "Okay. About.?" Xander asked.
Buffy sighed. "Well.I was just thinking about this guy."
"A guy? Do I know him?"
"I think so. I kind of have feelings for this guy. You know that butterfly felling you get when you like some one?"
Xander nodded. He had known that feeling a little too well.
"Well, I have the butterflies and I think I really like him. I think about him a lot."
"Wow, it sounds like you have it bad. Have you told him how you felt."
Again Buffy sighed. "Kind of."
"And what did he say? I can't imagine anyone not being excited that you have those feelings for them."
Buffy was silent. She looked up into the sky. The sky was cloudless and she could see stars for miles and miles.
"Did it go that bad?" Xander asked.
"I don't know."
He was confused at that point. "You don't know? What did he say?"
Still looking up into the sky, Buffy answered her friend. "Nothing yet."
"Not yet? When is he going to give you some time of feedback."
Buffy took a deep breath. "I don't know." Silence filled the air. She looked Xander straight in the eyes. "What do you think?"
"I think the guy is a jerk."
Buffy shook her head. "A jerk? No, no he isn't."
"Why isn't he? He hasn't told you how you feel."
"I don't think he realizes it is him I have those feelings for."
Xander was silent for a moment. He thought he knew where this conversation was finally heading but he didn't lead on yet. "Why wouldn't he realize you were talking about him." Still looking Xander in the eyes, Buffy gave him the confirmation he was looking for. "Because I haven't told him- you that I have been talking about you."
Xander was silent. If this conversation had happened around Christmas time there would be no doubt in his mind to how he felt. At that moment he didn't know what to do or say.
"Are you going to say anything?" Buffy asked looking at him.
"I don't know what to say. I think I need some time to swallow this and then to think about this some more."
Buffy nodded. There was no rush. She just felt better that he had now known.
"Buffy, I will give you your thirty dollars after dinner. Thank you for taking care of the yard." Joyce smiled as she cut her meat on her plate. "Thirty dollars, that's it? I feel like I should get more," Buffy whined as she talked about her allowance with her mother at the dinner table.
"Well, that's what you earned. It's more than you usually get for your allowance. By the way, you did a great job of cutting the grass and planting the flowers.
"Mom, I think I deserve more. Some people would consider that kind work child labor."
Joyce rolled her eyes at her daughter as she placed her fork on her plate. "You mowed the grass and planted flowers while you worked on your tan. It took you almost three days. I would hardly call that child labor. Plus you volunteered to do it. Your father and I just thought you'd like some extra money, that's' all. I could always take it back-" Joyce was cut off by her daughter who know was singing a new tune.
"Did I say child labor? I meant fun. I had fun. Thirty dollars is plenty, thank you." Buffy said to her mother as she talked about accepting the money.
"You could always get a job," Rupert suggested as he buttered his piece of bread.
"Excuse me?" Buffy asked with a slight attitude.
"You could get a job at the mall. School's out and stores in the mall always hire summer help," Rupert explained.
Buffy was almost repulsed by the idea but then she liked it. "After dinner I'll check it out. Good idea, thanks," Buffy smiled at her stepfather. She quickly turned and looked at Dawn. "Dawnie would you like to come with me to the mall after dinner?"
Dawn thought for a minute. "Is Xander going to be there?"
"Possibly, I was going to call him."
Dawn thought again. She had a slight crush on her sister's new boyfriend. Xander and Buffy had made an agreement that they would try out the dating thing. If either one of them felt weird or didn't think it was heading towards anything then they would break up. They had been dating for a month and things were gong smoothly. Dawn thought about all the hand holding they did in public and then kisses they shared when they were together. "No."
"All right but don't say I didn't offer to take you anywhere," Buffy stated. Joyce and Rupert thought that Buffy and Dawn didn't spend a lot of time together any more. Sometimes they would go out just so Buffy would have to watch Dawn and they would be force to spend time together.
After Buffy cleared the table she called Xander to ask if he wanted to go with her to the mall. He wasn't home. She thought of calling Willow next but she had gone with Oz to visit his relatives in LA. She was going to go solo.
She walked in and out of stores filling out applications. She wasn't sure where she wanted to work.
"Can I help you?' a fair skinned brunette asked Buffy in Sam Goody.
"Yeah, I was wondering if you were hiring part-summer help?"
"How many hours were you looking for?" Buffy was asked.
"Just a few days and maybe a weekend every now and then."
"Well, I was looking for a part-timer to work ten to twenty hours a week. You'd have to work some weekends, maybe more than one."
Buffy thought about it for a few seconds. She then nodded. "Are you offering me a job?"
The brunette smiled for a moment before extending her hand out to Buffy. "I'm the manager Faith and yes, I am offering you a job."
Buffy smiled and introduced herself to Faith. Buffy was excited that she had gotten her first job. After filling out the paper work, Faith told her she started the next week.
Author's note: Thanks for the reviews! I hope you have guys are still enjoying the story! ME, I'm sorry but I can't tell you who Buffy is going to marry! I'm trying to make the groom a surprise! If you want to know you'll just have to keep on reading! Again, thank you for your comments and remember feedback is always great!
Happy New Year! Lisa Anne
"I think you should get the baby blue one, it looks great with your hair," Buffy told Willow as they tried on dressed of the prom.
"I don't know, I like the black one too, I don't know. How does that pink one look on you?" Willow asked as she changed into the black dress for the third times that visit.
"It's not pink, it's a pale magenta. I think I like it. This could be it," Buffy said as she walked out of the dressing room and looked in the mirror. She was waiting for Willow to come out of her dressing room to show her the dress. "Wills, what do you think?
Willow opened the door to the dressing room and reviled the long, straight floor length dress. The strapless dress hugged Willow's skinny body. "Buffy, that looks beautiful on you!" Willow told her best friend as she stared at the calf length, light magenta dress. The silk dress had dark magenta flower designs running over the dress.
Buffy nodded her head. "Thanks Will. Your dress looks great too. I think I like that more than the blue dress"
The girls took off their dresses and got changed. They paid for their dresses and started out of Lord and Taylor and were going to walk to the Steve Madden store for a fun pair of shoes when they ran into Cordelia.
"Willow, Buffy? What's up?"
Willow and Buffy exchanged looks before answering Cordelia. The girls hadn't talked to Cordelia that often since she and Xander had broken up around Christmas time. Buffy was still annoyed with Cordelia because of her self-centered attitude. Willow on the other hand didn't really care or think about Cordelia. After all, she and Cordelia never really liked each other, especially after Cordelia and Xander began dating. Willow knew that Cordelia would hurt her friend and in the end she did. They were both extremely annoyed because Cordelia was acting as if the prom was the next day when in fact it was over a month and a half away. "We're good Cordelia, yourself?' Buffy answered with a forced smile. "I'm great. Just shopping for last-minute prom accessories. You know, the prom is so close and I don't want to wait until the last minute and forget something. Did you two just get your dresses?" "Actually, yes, we just bought our dresses from Lord and Taylor. Now we're going to look for shoes." Willow told Cordelia with a slight attitude. Willow wanted Cordelia to get away from them. "Wow, Lord and Taylor? Buffy, I would expect that from you but Willow? My Willow you have grown up and now shopping in real stores. I'm almost impressed." "Cordelia, really, is there anything you need or want to tell us that can be done through a civil conversation and involves no bashing?" Buffy asked quite infuriated at that point. "Oh, right, what I wanted to talk to you about, yeah, I've been meaning to talk to you. I haven't talked to you since Xander and I broke up." Cordelia paused. Just as Willow was about to say something Cordelia cut her off and continued. "Just because we've broken up doesn't mean I don't want to be friends with you." Buffy gave Cordelia a quick look. "Cordelia, we were never friends. We get a long but we're not friends. Plus, you hurt Xander so much when you broke up with him, for no reason may I add. I really have nothing to say to you. Oh yeah, and may I also add that we were never friends!" "Gee Buffy, why don't you tell me how you really feel? I guess we have nothing else to say to each other." Cordelia stormed off. Willow and Buffy watched her walk away. "Good riddance," Willow commented. "She's so strange, I don't understand her. Friends? Were we ever friends?" "I don't think so. I don't think she has ever liked us." Willow shrugged before continuing. "Do you want to go to Steve Madden now?"
Buffy nodded and the two walked through the mall.
May was warm and sunny. The sun had shone for the entire month. Everyday was just as beautiful and sunny as the last. At the end of May Sunnydale High School held their prom at an area hotel. "Buffy, we're going to be late," Xander yelled up the stairs. Buffy was running late. She was franticly getting ready as her friends waited downstairs.
"I'm almost ready, give me a few more seconds," she shouted downstairs.
"I'll go up and help her," Willow said as she left Oz's side and ran up the stairs carefully. "Buffy, do you need help?"
Buffy opened the door to her room. "Does my hair look all right?" She asked. Her golden blonde hair was wrapped in a bun on top of her head. Golden curls bounced on the sides of her face.
"It looks great."
"Will, you look so beautiful," Buffy commented. Willow's straight hair was all curled and wavy. She looked very feminine. Buffy grabbed her purse and walked with Willow down the stairs.
"We were wondering when you'd join-wow, Buffy you look stunning. Wow, you look nice," Xander told his date. He knew Buffy was pretty but the way she looked in that dress really blew him away.
"Thanks, you look pretty good yourself. You look great too Oz," Buffy commented to her friends. Her mom took pictures of the friends before they were on their way.
"Oh excuse me, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to bump into-oh Buffy, it's only you. Never mind, I'm not sorry about anything," Cordelia said as she ran into Buffy in the ladies room.
"Cordelia, it's always a trip to see you. Having fun?" Buffy asked to be civil as she washed her hands.
Cordelia had her compact in her hands as she applied more make-up. "I am having a great time. My date and I are I mean. He's a real boyfriend and not some lame-ass friend who I had to go with because I don't have a real boyfriend."
Buffy grabbed a paper towel and wiped her hands. As she threw it into the waste barrel, she looked at Cordelia and smiled. "I'm going back to my 'lame-ass friend' Cordelia, it's always a pleasure to talk with you. We don't do it often and I have to remember to do it even less."
Buffy went back to her table and found her friends talking and laughing. She joined in on the laughter as she sat next to Xander. She declined to tell everyone about her run-in with Cordelia. Christina Agulieria's Beautiful began to play. Oz and Willow got up to dance as did Buffy and Xander. Buffy swayed to the music as she and Xander continued to talk and laugh. Xander spotted Cordelia also dancing with her date. He was hurt for a quick minute and then he was better. He didn't care about her, not when his best friend was in his arms.
"Did you see that?" He asked catching a glance of Cordelia's date.
"See what?' Buffy asked.
"Cordelia's date. They are the couple to the left of the DJ."
Buffy looked and was a little surprised. "Is that Ford?"
Xander nodded. "I think so. Wow."
Buffy stared at them for a few seconds. She didn't care. She never felt any romantic feelings towards Ford. Buffy actually felt a little bad for Ford. He was a nice guy and she hoped that Cordelia wouldn't treat Ford as she treated Xander.
Oz hosted a gathering at his house after the prom since his parents were out of town. The party was tam. The kids ate food and watched teen movies. Buffy wondered outside for a bit. It wasn't long before Xander found her.
"Hey," she smiled at him.
"Hey yourself. What are you doing out here? There's a party or something going on inside."
"Yeah, I know. I just wanted to come out here. It's so nice outside. It really is beautiful out here tonight."
Xander sighed as he stood next to her. "It is really nice. Warm too."
Buffy nodded. She didn't want to talk to Xander about the weather. She wanted to talk to him about the feelings she was felt about a boy. The boy made her have butterflies in her stomach. He made her smile and happy to be with him. He was kind and gentle. He always considered other people's feelings before his own. He had been there for Buffy again and again. She had the lovey-dovey feelings for Xander. She kept telling herself that they had talked about this before, at Christmas time. They shared a passionless kiss. Xander even said it was like kissing his sister.
'I'm sorry, what did you say? I was zoning out." She lied as she asked Xander to repeat whatever he had just said.
"I said I think it's going to be a great summer with Angel staying in New York. He might come back to visit but it's doubtful. Mom said we could visit him. I kind of miss him." Xander was right. He did miss Angel. Angel was his brother. Even though his pissed him off a lot he still loved him. "I'm sure though you don't want to talk about him. Is everything all right Buf?"
Buffy turned and looked at Xander. This was it. She was going to tell him how she felt. "Yeah, I was just thinking." "Okay. About.?" Xander asked.
Buffy sighed. "Well.I was just thinking about this guy."
"A guy? Do I know him?"
"I think so. I kind of have feelings for this guy. You know that butterfly felling you get when you like some one?"
Xander nodded. He had known that feeling a little too well.
"Well, I have the butterflies and I think I really like him. I think about him a lot."
"Wow, it sounds like you have it bad. Have you told him how you felt."
Again Buffy sighed. "Kind of."
"And what did he say? I can't imagine anyone not being excited that you have those feelings for them."
Buffy was silent. She looked up into the sky. The sky was cloudless and she could see stars for miles and miles.
"Did it go that bad?" Xander asked.
"I don't know."
He was confused at that point. "You don't know? What did he say?"
Still looking up into the sky, Buffy answered her friend. "Nothing yet."
"Not yet? When is he going to give you some time of feedback."
Buffy took a deep breath. "I don't know." Silence filled the air. She looked Xander straight in the eyes. "What do you think?"
"I think the guy is a jerk."
Buffy shook her head. "A jerk? No, no he isn't."
"Why isn't he? He hasn't told you how you feel."
"I don't think he realizes it is him I have those feelings for."
Xander was silent for a moment. He thought he knew where this conversation was finally heading but he didn't lead on yet. "Why wouldn't he realize you were talking about him." Still looking Xander in the eyes, Buffy gave him the confirmation he was looking for. "Because I haven't told him- you that I have been talking about you."
Xander was silent. If this conversation had happened around Christmas time there would be no doubt in his mind to how he felt. At that moment he didn't know what to do or say.
"Are you going to say anything?" Buffy asked looking at him.
"I don't know what to say. I think I need some time to swallow this and then to think about this some more."
Buffy nodded. There was no rush. She just felt better that he had now known.
"Buffy, I will give you your thirty dollars after dinner. Thank you for taking care of the yard." Joyce smiled as she cut her meat on her plate. "Thirty dollars, that's it? I feel like I should get more," Buffy whined as she talked about her allowance with her mother at the dinner table.
"Well, that's what you earned. It's more than you usually get for your allowance. By the way, you did a great job of cutting the grass and planting the flowers.
"Mom, I think I deserve more. Some people would consider that kind work child labor."
Joyce rolled her eyes at her daughter as she placed her fork on her plate. "You mowed the grass and planted flowers while you worked on your tan. It took you almost three days. I would hardly call that child labor. Plus you volunteered to do it. Your father and I just thought you'd like some extra money, that's' all. I could always take it back-" Joyce was cut off by her daughter who know was singing a new tune.
"Did I say child labor? I meant fun. I had fun. Thirty dollars is plenty, thank you." Buffy said to her mother as she talked about accepting the money.
"You could always get a job," Rupert suggested as he buttered his piece of bread.
"Excuse me?" Buffy asked with a slight attitude.
"You could get a job at the mall. School's out and stores in the mall always hire summer help," Rupert explained.
Buffy was almost repulsed by the idea but then she liked it. "After dinner I'll check it out. Good idea, thanks," Buffy smiled at her stepfather. She quickly turned and looked at Dawn. "Dawnie would you like to come with me to the mall after dinner?"
Dawn thought for a minute. "Is Xander going to be there?"
"Possibly, I was going to call him."
Dawn thought again. She had a slight crush on her sister's new boyfriend. Xander and Buffy had made an agreement that they would try out the dating thing. If either one of them felt weird or didn't think it was heading towards anything then they would break up. They had been dating for a month and things were gong smoothly. Dawn thought about all the hand holding they did in public and then kisses they shared when they were together. "No."
"All right but don't say I didn't offer to take you anywhere," Buffy stated. Joyce and Rupert thought that Buffy and Dawn didn't spend a lot of time together any more. Sometimes they would go out just so Buffy would have to watch Dawn and they would be force to spend time together.
After Buffy cleared the table she called Xander to ask if he wanted to go with her to the mall. He wasn't home. She thought of calling Willow next but she had gone with Oz to visit his relatives in LA. She was going to go solo.
She walked in and out of stores filling out applications. She wasn't sure where she wanted to work.
"Can I help you?' a fair skinned brunette asked Buffy in Sam Goody.
"Yeah, I was wondering if you were hiring part-summer help?"
"How many hours were you looking for?" Buffy was asked.
"Just a few days and maybe a weekend every now and then."
"Well, I was looking for a part-timer to work ten to twenty hours a week. You'd have to work some weekends, maybe more than one."
Buffy thought about it for a few seconds. She then nodded. "Are you offering me a job?"
The brunette smiled for a moment before extending her hand out to Buffy. "I'm the manager Faith and yes, I am offering you a job."
Buffy smiled and introduced herself to Faith. Buffy was excited that she had gotten her first job. After filling out the paper work, Faith told her she started the next week.