Elizabeth Anne Summers stood in line waiting for movie house to open. Willow stood beside her, complete with skinned knees and elbows, and scraggly red pigtails. Buffy, as Elizabeth was known, had a matching set of skinned knees and elbows, and to go one up on Willow, her cheek was scraped as well. Rather then pigtails, though, Buffy’s long blond hair was tucked up in a braid under a baseball cap that she stolen from her older brother, Liam.

Grubby tennis shoes, dirty ankles, and scabbed coltish legs led up to dirty jean shorts, and brightly colored t-shirts on both girls, Willow in orange, and Buffy in dark blue with a large basketball on the back. This was again procured from her older brother, and the short sleeves came to her thin bony elbows. Buffy’s hands were stuck in her back pockets, while Willow held a small coin purse possessively to her chest.

Today was the grand opening of Alien Invaders from Mars: Revenge of the Clone Monster, and both Buffy and Willow had been waiting to see it since Attack of the Clone Monster had come out. The line wasn’t budging though, because the theater didn’t open its doors for nearly thirty minutes yet. Hopping back and forth between feet, Willow’s red pigtails bounced against her shoulders. They were the only two in line so far, but that didn’t daunt them in the least.

Others would show up soon, after all, it was summer vacation, the sun was shinning, and they each knew of at least 3 other boys who would be showing up soon. They were just counting away the ticking of the clock that hung over the dime store across the street. Buffy was a bit of a tomboy, and while Willow certainly wouldn’t call herself a girly girl, she wasn’t exactly a tomboy, either.

Maybe it had to do with the major creepies she felt when she was around dirt for too long, or when she had to touch a worm, or something gross like that. All in all, though, Buffy and Willow got along great, and both stuck up for the other. They didn’t get along with the other girls they knew, but the boys were another matter. Some were okay, and some were just not.

Buffy was rocking back on her heels when she felt something slimy go down her shirt. With a growl even the fiercest of boys would appreciate, she turned with an upraised fist, and clocked the boy standing behind her. Willow jumped back and plastered herself against the wall of the movie house, and the other boys cheered Buffy on as she shoved the boy to the ground, and began tickling his sides mercilessly.

Willow had to admire Buffy for how she reacted. Most girls, and even some boys she knew, would have freaked out to feel a worm down their shirt. Buffy ignored it, and got the boy back first, then, only after Xander screamed uncle, did she get up, and take the worm from her shirt. With a slimy bit of mud, it landed on Xander’s nose, and he did indeed scream like a girl in response.

Laughing mercilessly, Buffy turned and leaned against the side of the building next to Willow. Xander stood up, and brushed the mud from his nose, and laughed nervously with the other guys, though he knew they were laughing at him. Jesse wormed in next to Willow, and pulled at one of her red pigtails, while Larry went up to peek inside the doors. Buffy pointed out that they still had nearly ten whole minutes before the doors would open, and that they knew from previous experience that the doors would only open when it was 3pm, and not a moment before then.

Just as she was turning to look behind her, Buffy noticed a thin boy with glasses standing off to the side a bit, just looking at the friends as they laughed and teased with each other. She nudged Willow, who in turn nudged Jesse, who pointed to Larry, who lastly poked Xander. In just a moment, all five of them had turned to look at the kid, much to the new kids embarrassment, if the red tint to his cheeks was any indication.

“Hi. I’m Buffy, and this is Willow, and Jesse, and Xander, and that’s Larry. Are you here to see Revenge of the Clone Monster? Cause the movie house doesn’t open until 3, but that’s only a few minutes away.” She smiled friendly at him, and slid over on the wall, to make more room for him. He shifted from foot to foot, his mop of curly light brown hair brushing over his eyes.

Willow waved to him, and each of the guys nodded as they sized the youth up. He looked like he was about 12, which was how old Larry was, but the rest of them were still only 10, with Willow not even 10 for a full 3 weeks yet. The shy youth shuffled closer, almost tripping over his untied sneaker laces in the process. When he was a bit closer to the group, he held out his hand.

“I’m Will’um. I just moved in. My Da works at University, in the library. I’m going to be in the 6th grade this year.” His voice was soft at first, but he stopped to clear his throat, and then it was better, deeper. Buffy smiled and held her hand out, and shook his hand.

“Nice to meet you Will. Can I call you Will? Cause, I like the name Will. Of course, that could get confusing, because I call Willow Will a lot of the time. I know, though, I’ll call Willow, Wills, or Willow. So, we have Will and Wills. Wanna sit with us?” Buffy tilted her head to the side, and grinned wide, showing a missing tooth on the bottom. Her smile was infectious, however, and soon, William was at ease with this odd group of kids, and smiling with them.

They had been so intent on talking with each other, that none of the kids noticed at first that the door was being unlocked. Buffy, with her back against the door, felt as the ticket taker started to open it, just a split second before it was opened. She caught herself on the door frame before spilling through the door, and hooted back at the others.

“Movie time, guys! Let’s go!” She grabbed Willow, and tugged her up front, and the two counted out the fifty cents required for Buffy to enter, then another fifty cents for Willow to enter. Once they were let in, they waited for the guys to enter, and then they each ponied up a dime, and bought a large popcorn and a soda to share between them.

William held back a bit, and bought a small soda for himself, and a small bag of salted peanuts, before following behind the others, and trip trapping up the steps to the balcony, which was deserted, and would likely remain that way. They noisily picked their seats, leaving William on the end. He nervously slid into the seat next to Buffy, and smiled at her, before removing his glasses, and wiping the lenses free of dirt.

As the movie started, Buffy held the box of popcorn towards him, but William declined. Buffy shrugged, and started kicking her legs against the chair as she dug a handful out of the box, before passing it to Xander, who sat on her left. On the left side of Xander, Willow sat, followed up by Jesse, then Larry. The opening credits started, and William found himself lost in the world of cinematography. Previews showed first, followed by a quick short, then it was time for the movie to start.

Next to him, Buffy slumped down, and kicked her feet up on the seat in front of them, and relaxed. He snuck a peak over at the girl, and was perplexed with her. She was so friendly and open, but she looked like such a boy. It had actually taken him a few minutes to determine whether or not she was a boy or girl. It was finally her name that had done it in for him. Must be a girl, he thought.

Maybe Sunnydale won’t be so bad, he thought, as the credits finished, and the first lurching scene of a space ship was shown in front of him.

Buffy slumped down in the seat in front of the principal’s office, and kicked her feet against the floor in front of her. There were already scuff marks on the toes of her new brown buckle shoes, and Buffy knew she would be in trouble when her mother saw them. The dress she wore showed dirt smudges on the hem, and her hair hung limply from the pretty curls her mother had so painstakingly curled the night before. Her legs both had dirt, gravel, and blood caking her knees, from where she had hit the ground.

Her mother was going to just flip out when she heard about this one. It wasn’t like it was all Buffy’s fault; it’s just that Buffy was the only one who was going to get into trouble. The door to the principal’s office squeaked open slowly, and Buffy’s eyes were riveted to it as it pushed open. The most dreaded of all dreaded places, Principal Snyder’s office held the kind of fascinated fear that kids never wanted to get to know better.

Behind the desk, he sat waiting, and slowly, he crooked a finger her way, and motioned for her to enter. Her legs suddenly made of wood, she found it difficult to move, though she did finally stand up and shuffle towards him. Buffy came to a stop before him, and rather then show him her fear, she jutted her chin out, and put her hands on her hips. If the scowl he gave her was any indication, however, it wasn’t the move he was hoping for.

“Sit.” It was just one word, but it spoke volumes to her, and she quickly dropped the attitude, and sat primly in her seat, as her mother had taught her to. Wide green eyes looked up at the principal, as she readied herself to defend her honor. It was just a little fight, after all, nothing all that big. Principal Snyder had her file open before him, and boy was it a doozy of a file, even though she was so young.

“Well, well, Miss Summers. I had hoped we would go at least a week before our first meeting, but I can see I was wrong in my hopes. Can you please explain to me just why Cordelia Chase’s hair ended up in your fist, with her eye turning black?” Mr. Snyder stared down at her, and she had the distinct feeling that the vein in his forehead was going to pop.

“It wasn’t entirely my fault this time, though! I was minding my own business, and Cordelia came up behind me, and shoved me to the ground. I tried telling the playground aid, but she didn’t listen! Then, Cordelia and Harmony were laughing at me!” Her young voice was excitable as she pleaded her case with the principal.

“Miss Summers, really, I would think you could come up with something better then that. Well, no matter, you will have plenty of time to think of it while you spend the next two days in after school detention. Now, I suggest you go and compose yourself, let the nurse take care of those scrapes, and then get back to class.” Buffy opened her mouth to reply, but Principal Snyder shook his head while holding a hand out to stop her. With a deep breath, and a scowl on her face, Buffy made her way out of the office, and down the hall to see the nurse.

*

Buffy slowly crept in through the front door, looked to the left, then the right, and scurried up the stairs. When she was at the halfway point, she cringed to hear the sound of her mother’s voice calling to her. Buffy stopped in her tracks, and slowly turned to look down at her mother. Her mother was very feminine, the exact opposite of her, wearing a pale blue dress with a flared skirt.

“Elizabeth Anne Summers, please come down here, so we can talk?” Ever lady like, Joyce Summers smiled as she talked to her wayward child. Buffy, a name that Joyce detested and refused to use, came skulking towards her, shoulders slumped down, feet dragging on the floor. When she got to the bottom, Buffy’s head was tilted slightly to the side, and she was glaring up at her mom from the tops of her eyes, not moving her head upwards at all.

Joyce swept out of the room, and walked towards the kitchen in the back, with Buffy following slowly behind. In the kitchen, warm cookies sat on the table, and a glass of milk sat next to it. Buffy took her shoes off, and placed them on the rug by the back door, then slumped down in the chair at the table. Her mother raised her eyebrows towards Buffy, and gave her ‘that’ look. The one that meant, Buffy sit up like a proper lady.

“Elizabeth, I received a phone call today from your principal. I think that maybe you ought to explain what happened, before your father comes home. He’s going to be very upset, and you know I don’t like seeing that. Now tell me, what did you do to Cordelia Chase this time?” Joyce knew the story from the principal’s side, but she also knew from experience that Buffy often told slightly different tales. It usually depended on how outlandish the story actually was, on whether Joyce believed it or not.

She was expecting a dilly of a story this time, however, and had already thought up a suitable punishment, though that depended on Hank, of course. As Buffy opened her mouth to speak, the phone rang, and Joyce held up a finger, then politely answered the phone.

“Summers residence, this is Mrs. Summers speaking.” Her voice was soft and calm when she answered the phone, but not a moment later, Buffy noticed her mother’s hand clutching the phone was just a little to white, to tense. Her eyes were a bit wider then they had been before, and her face set a bit more tightly. “I… see. W-when did this happen?” Joyce’s voice wobbled slightly, and her eyes darted to Buffy’s. Without a word to Buffy, she pointed to the back door, and Buffy took off out it, pausing only to grab her shoes.

She sat on the back step, throwing glances over her shoulder now and then, and started to put her shoes on. She heard a few boys playing next door, and with one last glance towards her kitchen, she dashed over, to see what was going on. Buffy spotted Liam among the boys, as well as Larry, Xander, and Will. Several other boys, mostly older ones she didn’t really know, were all gathered around, while they picked teams for football. A tattered relic of what was once a football was clutched under Larry’s arm.

“Liam? Can I play, too?” Buffy scampered over the fence, unaware that she was still in a dress. Liam turned towards her, and frowned.

“Bethie, Bethie, Bethie, what would mom say if you came home with stains on your school clothes? Now, go back and change, and if we have room, you can play.” Liam turned back, and Buffy muttered to herself over his nickname for her, though he didn’t like the name Lee that she had given him any better then she liked Bethie. Buffy walked around to the gate, like a girl would. She really hated when they had to remind her that she was indeed a girl, rather then a boy.

Buffy came back around to their yard, and saw her mother, her prim and proper mother, sitting on the back step, her face in her hands. Buffy’s step slowed, and she glanced back towards Liam. Tugging at her lip thoughtfully, Buffy decided to get Liam, first. She scampered quickly back to her neighbors yard, and whistled loudly, using her fingers, as Liam had taught her the previous summer.

Liam looked up, and saw her waving towards him, motioning for him to come closer. “Just a minute, guys. I think my sister needs something.” He trotted over to her, and wiped the sweat from his brow. “What is it, Bethie?”

“Mom’s outside, sitting on the steps. I think she’s crying, Lee.” Liam frowned, then looked back at the guys, and held up a hand, his fingers outstretched to indicate he’d be gone for 5 minutes. He trudged around the gate, Buffy trailing behind him a bit slower. She felt an odd sense of dread in her stomach, and wasn’t anxious to hear what had upset her mother so much.

Moving quickly through the grass, Liam sat beside their mother, and hesitantly patted her back a few times. Joyce looked up, and saw both of her children looking at her, and she took in a deep breath. Calming herself quickly on the outside, if not the inside, she took several more deep breaths before addressing the two children.

“Liam, Elizabeth… I-” Joyce stopped as a crying hiccup caught her voice, then continued on. “Liam, Elizabeth. I received a phone call a moment ago. Your father… there was an accident. He… He died after his car was hit on the way home.” She didn’t make it any further before the tears she had tried so hard to hide away, came bursting forth, like a broken dam.

Buffy and Liam looked at each other in shock for a moment, before they both held their arms around their mother, comforting her the only way they knew how. Behind them, Xander had walked up, with Will and Larry behind him. They had heard the news, and stood watching the small group in shock. It was the first time death had come so close to their circle of friends, and they had no idea how to cope with the loss Buffy was feeling.

Quietly, the boys came closer, and did the same as Buffy and Liam had done. They hugged their friend, and her brother and mother.