The next day started out well for Willow and then that changed.
"Willow, I need to talk to you." Jenny called out to Willow.
"Yes, Ms. Calender?" Willow asked, as she followed the teacher into her classroom.
"I understand that a computer company is interested in hiring you once you graduate."
"Yes, me and a guy named Daniel Osbourne. Apparently they're familiar with us somehow."
"I think Principal Snyder passed your information on to the recruiter from the company. Willow, I think you should consider their offer. The company has a good reputation and is pushing the boundaries of technology and programming. You could go far."
"That would mean leaving Sunnydale after graduation. How would I help Buffy if I do that? And what about my Magic studies? Even though you haven't let me do any spells yet. I know can learn them - ."
"Willow, I don't think you should be studying Magic."
"What? Why? I know I can learn it! How hard can it be?"
"And that there is exactly why you shouldn't be doing it. You have absolutely no understanding of what Magic is and you refuse to understand it."
"I'm trying to learn it -."
"Willow, you're not understanding me. Magic is not a career, it's not a computer program, it's not a subject you can research. It's a belief, an art, a lifestyle, a tradition. It's many things, but it's not an intellectual exercise. It's not about intelligence or proving you can learn it. You may indeed be able to learn spells and acquire Power, but I don't for a moment believe you'll respect it and I'm absolutely convinced you'll push the limits because you'll convince yourself that you can handle it. But you'll be wrong and you and possibly others will pay the price."
"You doubt me that much?!" Willow cried, staring at her favorite teacher.
"Yes, I do. Willow, you could go far with computers, but you look at Magic the same way you look at computers and math and they're nothing alike. I want you to consider the offer from the recruiter and understand I'm saying this because I believe you and Magic is a bad combination. So do the divining methods I've been casting. They say, if you do Magic, something dark and terrible will happen."
"Like what?"
"Evil, something evil will happen and you will cause it."
"But I would never do that! I know I wouldn't, please Ms. Calender, you have to believe me, I can learn Magic."
"I didn't say you weren't capable of learning it, Willow. I believe you'll misunderstand it and misuse it because you don't understand it. Because you believe it to be something it's not."
"Ms. Calender - ."
"If I catch you doing Magic on your own, Willow, I will bind you. I was willing to try because I hoped I'd be able to get you to understand, but it's clear to me that you never will. You're too stubbornly married to your view of what Magic is and you refuse to let go of it. That will only end badly."
Unable to believe what she was hearing, Willow backed away from Ms. Calender and groped for the door handle. She raced out of the classroom and away from Jenny Calendar. Away from the frank commentary on her ability to learn something she very much wanted to learn.
She ran right into Buffy and bounced off of her.
"Oomph, Willow, what's going on?"
"Ms. Calender has decided not to continue teaching me Magic."
"Why?"
"She says me and Magic is a bad combination. That I'll never understand it and she's certain I'll misuse it. I couldn't convince her that's she wrong. "
"Why does she think you don't understand it?"
"She says I look at it as just another subject to learn and it's something else entirely and she doesn't think I'll ever understand what it actually is. She also said, she's cast several divining methods and they all say something bad will happen if I do Magic."
"What kind of bad?" Buffy asked.
"She said something evil will happen. But I don't understand how, I'm a good person, I wouldn't choose to do evil things, I know I wouldn't. So why does she think I would?"
"I don't know, Willow. You're not like that Ethan guy who used Magic to play games on Halloween, that almost got me killed and you're not rebelling against a Destiny you don't want like Giles did."
"Exactly, I'd never use Magic to hurt people, well I want to learn how to use it against vampires and help you, but that's not a bad thing."
"No, it's not, but both Margaret, the witch from the coven and Ms. Calender both insist Magic can go wrong really easily. Maybe you should wait a little while and then try to talk to Ms. Calender again. Maybe she'll change her mind."
"What do I do in the meantime?"
"Well, you could read books about Magic, try to figure out what Ms. Calender thinks you're missing, without trying any spells. Because I'm thinking if you do try a spell, Ms. Calender will be upset."
"She threatened to bind me if she finds out I've done any Magic, but your idea is a good one. Maybe if I can figure out what she thinks I'm missing, she'll change her mind. Thanks, Buffy."
"No problem, Will. So how did your career day go?"
"A recruiter from a computer company is interested in me and Ms. Calender thinks I should consider their offer. And I think a boy flirted with me, I'm not sure since no one has ever flirted with me before. But he said I had a nice smile."
"A guy who's finally smart enough to notice you. Way to go, Willow!"
"He's a genius, literally. The computer company's recruiter talked to him too. He's cute and his hair is dyed orange and he plays guitar in his own band."
"Ooh, taking a walk on the wild side."