Later that evening…
‘Can’t you just—’
‘No.’
‘Can I at least— ’
‘No.’
‘I’ve been sitting here for like…a hour!’
William glanced through the balcony door and chuckled at the sight of Buffy blind-folded and pouting, lounging on his couch.
‘It’s only been ten minutes pet,’ he pulled out his new lighter. ‘I’m almost done.’
He shook his head when he heard her sigh and fidget with impatient excitement. Straightening up from the candle he’d just lit, he looked around at his ten minutes of work and nodded in approval. It was definitely the best he could have done with such little notice. And after all, they did say that less was always more.
On his way back inside he checked his reflection in the glass of the window, adjusting the collar of his midnight-blue shirt. He knew that their unspoken plan for her to stay for the following few nights was a dangerous one, but just too tempting to forego. But most importantly of all, it was an opportunity.
An opportunity for them, even if just for four days, to pretend that they were a normal couple. Just two people, devoted to one another and with nothing to hide.
He padded silently across the thick carpet to where she sat and kneeled in front of her. Placing a feather-light kiss on the corner of her mouth, he helped her to stand and turned her away from the balcony before untying the scarf that covered her eyes.
Unfortunately the cool evening breeze had given it away that a balcony was involved and Buffy had known the moment he’d come back inside. Her heart thudded louder and faster at the instant change of atmosphere. And from that moment he’d held her hand and turned them towards the balcony, nothing else existed; he was the only other person in the world.
~
The sound of her laughter lit up the night around them. Her golden hair glowed in the soft flickering shine of the candles around them. The soft touch of her hand pulled him back into the moment he’d been memorizing.
‘Thank you, for this.’
Buffy gestured to the scene before them, two and half hours later it still took her breath away. They sat on a luxurious Persian rug, assorted candles adding an air of romance. The twinkling LA skyline stretched out around them as far as the eye could see. But the main attraction was neither of these. They were seated right next to it; a ten-meter lap pool which reflected rippling blue beams of light all around them. More candles had been placed around the corners. They’d left the door open, but the thin white secondary curtain was left shut and would billow as the breeze changed.
‘No, need to thank me pet. I should be thanking you…for not going on that trip.’
With a soft smile, Buffy looked down at her glass of champagne sparkling away when she was suddenly struck with wonder at how they’d gotten into this very pleasant situation in the first place. She looked back up at him, obviously about to speak when she realised that she wasn’t exactly sure what her question was; rather awkwardly, she quickly turned to take in the view. In the corner of her eye she saw him smile as he raised his glass to his lips.
‘What is it?’
‘I just—I was just wondering.’
He looked at her questioningly, ‘What about, sweetheart?’
She spoke slowly, her brow furrowed in deep thought, ‘When…when did you…realise? About us, I mean.’
He shifted at her question and exhaled loudly, his lips pursed in contemplation. He’d wondered that himself over the past few days and had never been able to come up with a satisfactory answer.
‘To be perfectly honest, I’m not really sure. I’ve always…it’s always been all about you, Buffy. Everyday as I saw you—’ he broke off.
As rich as their past was, he didn’t want to bring it up this night. It was one thing going behind Liam’s back, but the gap between their ages was completely separate. He closed his eyes to think and opened them as he started again.
‘Ever since you came into my life…there hasn’t been anyone else. How could there be?’
The thought that she’d had someone so devoted to her everyday of her life pulled at her heart, even though a part of her had always known. She reached over to take his hand, planting a kiss on the back of it. Her eyes never left his. But his pause had been obvious and she couldn’t help but be curious. She asked in a gentle voice,
‘You hesitated, what were you going say?’
He sat back. Sometimes she was too curious for her own good and he refused to ruin the evening.
‘It was nothing. I was just trying to…choose my words.’
‘No you weren’t. Please, Will? Tell me?’
Buffy’s eyes were so open, baring every emotion unguarded for him to see.
‘Buffy, I…’ he sighed heavily and rubbed the back of his neck. ‘Alright…I was just thinking about watching you grow up; wondering about…the woman you’d become. I was thinking about what my expectations had been. And how you—how you outdid every single one more than I’d ever imagined was possible. I was thinking about—this might not sound quite right but, I am so proud of you luv.’ By the end his voice was barely a whisper.
She reached up to stroke his cheekbone, her heart swelling with every word he said. Curiosity, it seemed could be a wonderful thing.
‘Maybe a little weird… but it was nice to hear.’
He turned away with a sniff, wiping his eye.
‘God, I’ve never cried so often in my life.’
She let out a little laugh, handing him a serviette.
‘Well I’m proud of you too, for what it’s worth. Considering what you’ve told me about the past…’
She shivered as the temperature dropped and he pulled her towards him, wrapping her in his favourite leather duster which he’d brought out in case and cradling her in his arms. She sat sideways between his legs, hers legs bent over his right and her hands clutching at the familiar leather.
‘What about you, pet? When did you realise?’
She looked up at him, ‘Promise you won’t laugh.’
A smile touched his lips, ‘Promise.’
‘Well,’ she continued slowly, ‘I suppose I’ve always, kind of, since I was fifteen, had a crush on you.’ She could see how hard he was trying not to react. ‘But if I had to choose an exact moment, it’d be…that New Year’s party when I was sixteen at Faith’s house.’
His features darkened at the memory, ‘That was a night.’
~
Two years before: New Years Eve, fifteen minutes to midnight… ‘
Come on, Buff. You know you want to.’
Buffy snatched her wrist back from the idiot in front of her, looking around for a way out, furious that she’d let herself get into this situation.
‘Riley, the only chance you’d ever have with me is if I was unconscious. I wouldn’t touch you with a ten foot pole let alone kiss you! Now get out of my way.’
Her eyes were narrowed, every pore on her body spitting venom. Shoving at his chest, she managed to move away from the wall he’d backed her against. But she hadn’t moved far away enough and he grabbed her arm. She shrieked when he quickly turned them and pushed her against the bar. No one heard, the pounding music was too loud, the buzzing chatter growing in anticipation of the arrival of the New Year.
‘Don’t touch me!—’
She pushed at his arms and raised a knee to hit him where it’d hurt. But he grabbed her behind her knee and started to move his hand up her thigh.
‘You want me Buffy, I know you do.’
She slapped his hands and his face before punching his jaw.
‘Get off me!’
But she’d just angered the massive eighteen-year old even more and he pushed her harder against the bar, pinning her hands on the counter top and nudging his knee between her legs. She struggled hopelessly looking for someway to push herself to freedom. Her cries continued to go unheard. He’d started to lower his face to hers when she suddenly spied an unmistakable flash of peroxide blonde walk past the door.
‘Will!’ she shouted at the top of her lungs, ‘In here! Will!’
She kept screaming, even when Riley brought up a hand to cover her mouth. But when his knee had started to roam uncomfortably high along the inside of her thigh, in rushed William. She shouted in relief when he grabbed the teen’s shoulder and pulled him away, punching him square in the nose.
‘Bloody bastard! Come near her again and I’ll—’
Buffy cried out in surprise when Riley hit him back and two began a fully-blown fight. Still against the counter of the bar she looked behind her and saw a fake pot-plant. As she was about to reach for it to use as a weapon, William threw Riley against the counter next to her.
‘Buffy, move!’
In the corner of her eye she saw Riley reach for a tray of cocktail glasses next to the fake plant. She ducked quickly, moving away when he swung it outwards, the glasses flying and smashing, bits of glass bouncing dangerously. She stumbled backwards to dodge his swing and fell, some of the shards cutting at her hands and legs. She heard William call her name and watched in shock as he grabbed the tray from Riley and sent him flying across the room.
She winced as she tried to stand and failed. William ran over to her. Quickly he tried to brush away all the glass around her, his own injuries starting to swell and bleed. He stroked her arms and kissed her hair, comforting her all the while.
‘You alright luv? You’ll be just fine. I’m right here, I’ll take care of you. I’m sorry I wasn’t faster sweetheart, I’m so sorry. Everything’s gonna be okay.’
He’d picked her up and carried her to the kitchen, family members milling around them and demanding to know what happened. She’d clutched tightly at his hand the whole time Liam had tended to her cuts and spat curses at Riley.
That night she’d slept down on their couch, as she like to do when she was sick, surrounded by the plush cushions. Waking up at one stage, she opened her eyes to see William sleeping on the recliner opposite. As she’d taken in his darkened and swollen bruises she promised that her heart would belong only to him.
~
‘I never thanked you that night. Is it…is it too late to say it now?’
Although she spoke quietly, her words echoed around him. He consumed the warm pools jade-green which were her eyes. He breathed her scent, was warmed by her own gentle breaths. He finally understood what it meant to live by another person. His eyes fluttered closed as their lips drew nearer. There was nothing else, there was only her.
‘Buffy.’
~
to be continued...
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