Chapter 12
I can’t believe Dawn broke up with me. Well, I guess I can. I have been neglecting her these last few weeks, but I thought she’d understand. And for her to say our age difference was why she was breaking up - she was the one that didn’t care about the large age difference. She told me it made me more interesting. Now she tells me I have too many things tying me down and she is too young to be tied down.
Will was slamming things around his office after Dawn had walked out. At first when he had gotten the message last night, he thought she was going to try to convince him to attend the sorority dance. Breaking up was the last thing he thought of. It’s not like he was upset with her breaking up with him. He really hadn’t felt that into the relationship from the start. He liked the idea of having a younger woman interested in him, and she was always so full of energy, but really, did they have that much in common outside of the bedroom?
He needed to calm down because he had a class to teach in fifteen minutes and the students could always tell when he was upset. Deep breath. Okay now I can take a leisurely walk to the classroom, and I should be right as rain when I get there.
As he arrived at his room, an interesting thought popped into his head. I’m free now to pursue Buffy. And with a smile on his face, he opened his textbook and started to lecture on artwork from the Renaissance.
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Buffy finally showed up at The Gallery around two PM. She looked better, but her eyes were still a bit bloodshot.
“Oh Buffy, what happened last night? Anya came by to check on you this morning and was surprised when you weren’t here. She said she had a wonderful time with that guy she brought home. You don’t look so well,” Tara said with a very concerned voice.
“I had a little too much to drink and didn’t get much sleep last night,” Buffy mumbled in an embarrassed voice.
“Were you sick? Oh Buffy, you didn’t drive home, did you? You could have called Willow and I to pick you up,” Tara rambled on.
“No, I hailed a cab and got my car before I came here today. I was sane enough not to try and drive.”
“Thank the goddess for that. So, did you meet anyone?” Tara could sense that there was something Buffy wasn’t telling her but wasn’t sure what it was. She hoped Buffy trusted her enough to tell her.
“Ahh, no, I didn’t meet anyone new,” Buffy said with hesitation. She really didn’t meet anyone new - she knew Will already.
“Oh, well then why did you drink so much? Did Anya keep buying you drinks?” Tara said accusingly.
“No. I bought myself drinks. I guess I felt inhibited being out in that kind of place. The alcohol loosened me up, and I was able to go out on the dance floor and really let loose. Now of course I am paying the price. My head is killing me, and my stomach is all wonky.” Buffy walked to her mini fridge and pulled out a ginger ale to soothe her stomach.
“Are you sure you didn’t meet anyone? I hope you can trust me enough to tell me, even if it is embarrassing,” Tara said with a kind heart.
“Oh Tara, promise me you won’t tell anyone. Not even Willow,” Buffy pleaded.
“Sure Buffy, I promise,” Tara replied with a little hesitation. What could have happened that had Buffy so flustered?
“I was a bad mom last night. I acted like a total drunken skank with Will. He met Anya and I at the Bronze, and I had had already too much to drink. He offered to take me home, but I made him dance with me first. I was grinding all over him - it was disgusting,” Buffy said with revulsion.
“Oh Buf, it couldn’t have been that bad.” Tara always had a positive way of looking at things, and this just didn’t sound that bad.
“Wait, there’s more. He kind of responded to my grinding.”
“What do you mean?” Tara asked with a perplexed look. Had Will taken advantage of Buffy?
“Well, I’m so embarrassed, Tara. I don’t know if I can tell you this. What will you think of me?” a dejected Buffy said.
“Buffy, you know I love you no matter what. You’re a wonderful person. You couldn’t have done anything that bad. You didn’t slay him or anything, did you?”
“It would have almost been better if I did. No, I did worse. I was disloyal to Dawn. I pulled Will into the back utility closet and I… I... I gave him a blow job.” Buffy felt a bit better getting it off her chest, but she was hesitant to look at Tara and see what she thought of her.
“Oh Buffy. Come here and give me a hug.” Tara always knew what to say and was not judgmental in any way.
Buffy went to Tara and was comforted by her friend. She felt better telling Tara, and she knew she could trust her to keep her promise not to tell.
“Buffy, I just have to ask - did Will try to stop you?”
“Well, I think he stopped for a minute and mentioned Dawn, but I told him I wouldn’t tell Dawn. Oh, how bad of a mom is that? Seducing her daughter’s boyfriend. I am the worst of the worst.”
“I have to be honest with you, Buffy. Ever since I have seen you and Will together, I have felt that you two had a special connection, and I don’t mean Dawn. There’s something there and maybe Will feels it, too. What did he say after?”
“Well, I kinda told him we shouldn’t be alone together anymore and walked out. Then this morning Dawn came over and told me she wants to break up with Will ‘cause she felt they were growing apart and that she wanted to date this other boy she met that was closer to her age. I am so confused,” Buffy said while massaging her temples.
“Well, if she truly did break up with Will, will you go out with him if he asks? Do you feel any connection to him?” Tara wanted to prepare Buffy for that scenario since she knew in her heart that Will and Buffy belonged together.
“Yes, I do feel some kind of connection with him, but I don’t know if I’d date him. Not right now, that’s for sure. It’s too soon after the break up. What should I do, Tara? You are always so level headed in your thinking. Help me,” pleaded Buffy.
“You have to follow your heart, Buffy. Do what you feel is best for you. And you have to remember that you may be a mother, but you have needs, too,” Tara said as she gave Buffy a tight hug. “The heart always knows what’s best.”