Thanks to BlondieBear, Angie, Elanor, Beth and “dot” for my reviews!
Beth – I think the term is Billiam. (Wuffy is used to describe the Buffy/Wesley fandom.)
Chapter 3
It had been two weeks since that day in the library, and Buffy had taken her seat by William Giles everyday without even mentioning it. In truth, she enjoyed his conversation, and the subtle ways he’d hint for her to get on with her work and stop distracting him. The more time she spent with him, the more she realised how cool he was, and she even felt a little attracted to him at times.
Okay, he wasn’t universally good looking. His glasses were big and his hair fell awkwardly around his forehead, but his eyes were phenomenally beautiful, and his smile was just the cutest thing.
Every time he smirked or laughed at something she said she felt herself get all blushy, and it caused major annoyance.
This wasn’t supposed to be happening. Cheerleaders do NOT fall for William Giles’s. As a rule. So she decided that they’d settle with friendship. Not that that was strictly permitted either.
Mrs Baker had informed them of their new projects…Romeo and Juliet. Buffy had groaned and banged her head against the desk a few times, before William had placed his hand on her shoulder and told her that it was ok…Shakespeare was cool.
She’d had to fight a snort of laughter.
In the past few weeks, Miss Baker (seeing how much Buffy’s move was helping) had rearranged the whole class, making sure that everyone was sitting next to someone that they only knew briefly, if at all.
She had decided on a new plan of action…one that would ensure she got a well-rounded amount of essays handed in by the end of the month.
“Ok, now…take a good long look at the person next to you.”
Everyone – including Buffy and William – did as they were told.
“Alright, that is the person that you’ll be doing your summer projects with.” There was a loud groan, but Buffy only smiled a dazzling smile at Will. She really had no problem with the arrangement. Will was nice and cute, and he actually seemed kind of confident in himself when you brought up the right subject and you were in the right place.
That day in the library, she felt like she’d been talking to a whole other person.
Miss Baker continued. “I know, I know. You want to do the project with your friends, you don’t want to spend your time with mere acquaintances, but kids, school’s over soon and I think it’s time you started breaking away from your inner circles. There’s a whole world full of people out there, and soon you’ll have to step out into it. So…this is a good way to get your work done and broaden your horizons at the same time.”
Will watched Buffy from the corner of his eye, waiting for her to pull a face or mime to one of her friends about how bad her chosen partner was, but she didn’t do either. Just started jotting down notes and asking questions.
At the end of class, Buffy turned to Will and handed him some paper.
“Hey, give me your address, I’ll come over tonight or something. We can start it, before I forget what we have to do.”
She giggled – making him gulp – and smiled.
“But tonight’s Friday.” William pointed out.
Suddenly her smile faded and she bit her lip. “Oh, if you have plans I can wait. I’m sure I won’t have forgotten it by next week.”
The geek stumbled over his words now. “Oh, no. I didn’t mean…I meant…no not me. You. I thought you’d have plans.”
Now she crinkled up her nose. “Nah. Everyone will just be going to The Bronze, I don’t really fancy it. But hey, if I come over early I can bring a movie or something, as a treat for when we’re done. I really can’t work if I don’t have something to aim for. If I aim for a movie, then I’ll work.”
William had stopped listening the minute she mentioned a movie. Buffy Summers wanted to watch a movie in his house? What kind of world had he been sucked into? And when had said sucking happened?
“Will? Is that alright?”
“Um…yeah. I’ll see you at eight?”
The dazzling smile returned and she hopped up, grabbing her things and taking the paper from his hand.
“Wow, neat writing. You can write the presentation if you like…mine’s all scribbly…”
Then, with a toss of her hair she left, and Will realised he was the only one in the classroom still.
As he was about to leave, the teacher touched his arm. “Um, William. About Miss Summers? Don’t let her take advantage of you, and try not to let her procrastinate. She can be a good student when she’s void of distraction.”
He nodded, but she stopped him again.
“Also, if she isn’t putting the work in, don’t do it for her. Just do your half, and I’ll know that at least you did something.”
“Ok, thanks.”
* * *
“Buffy, did you like the red dress or the black one?”
Pulling herself out of a day-long reverie, Buffy blinked and turned to her friend, who was looking at her expectantly. “Huh?”
Cordelia sighed, shaking her head. Buffy had been so distracted lately. “Which dress did you like?”
Raising her eyebrows, Buffy tried to remember which dresses Cordelia had been looking at. Trying to sound convincing she replied, “Umm…the short one?”
Cordy rolled her eyes. Buffy obviously wasn’t listening to her. “Hello? There was no short dress…I’m picking for Prom…remember?”
Rolling her eyes and picking at her nails, Cordelia sighed.
“Ugh, I think I’ll get the black.” Cordy looked around. “What are we doing in here?”
The shelves were stocked with videos to rent, and Cordelia stood and watched as Buffy picked a few films up and read the backs, before putting them back down again.
“What kind of film do you think someone like Will would like?” she suddenly asked, turning around to Cordy with an interested expression.
Scrunching her nose up in confusion, Cordelia shook her head. “Who the hell is Will?”
Buffy sighed and turned to her friend. “William Giles.”
Again, confusion struck Cordy’s features and she replied, “William Giles, the geeky kid who gets beaten-up by Angel?”
When Buffy nodded and picked up another video, Cordelia ripped it from her hand and placed it back on the shelf, demanding Buffy’s attention.
“Why would you care what kind of movie he likes? And since when did you start calling him Will?”
Shaking her head at Cordelia, Buffy walked over to the desk and waited for the assistant’s attention.
When she got it, she smiled and leaned over the desk on her tip-toes. “I was just wondering if you could help me pick a movie.”
The guy seemed pleased, and Cordelia rolled her eyes at the obvious flirting Buffy was doing to get her own way. They used to do it all the time, flirt with bouncers to get into clubs, salesman to get free samples, even once a teacher to get the grade they wanted.
“Sure. What kind of movie are you looking for?”
Buffy shook her head, huffing as she settled back on her heels. “See, that is just it. I don’t know which kind of movie this particular person would enjoy. I want to get something that will let them know I was thinking of them when I got it.”
Again, Cordelia noted the way Buffy worded her sentences. She said ‘them’ instead of ‘him’ just to make sure that the sales assistant didn’t realise he had no chance with her in reality.
“They’re sweet…kind of geeky - probably into sci-fi in a big way. They like books, poetry mostly, and are kind of shy.” She paused, closing her eyes and picturing William. “I’d like to rent something that we’d both enjoy though…so don’t give me Star Wars or something, alright?”
Nodding, the sales assistant smiled. “He’s a writer, huh?”
Buffy was about to answer, when she realised what he’d said. “I didn’t say it was a he.”
“Yeah, but I could tell, because you got this goofy-smile on your face as you spoke about him. That’s how I knew you were talking about your guy.”
At this, Cordelia giggled slightly, walking up to the counter and pointing at the assistant. Looking at his name badge, she nodded. “You are so right, Jake. She did get a goofy smile on her face didn’t she…but see,” Cordelia smirked over at Buffy. “…she always gets that goofy smile when she talks about her lover-boy.”
Looking over at Cordelia, Buffy shook her head. “No, he’s not my guy, or my lover-boy…and I didn’t get goofy, we’re just friends.”
Cordelia nodded. “Whatever.”
Grinding her teeth, Buffy shook her head and turned back to Jake. “Look, can you help me pick a movie or not?”
With a quick nod, and one last look at Cordelia, Jake stood up and walked into the back room. A few seconds later, he walked out with a red box.
“This is Spiderman 2. It isn’t released until next week, but you can have it tonight.”
Buffy thanked him, and reached forward to the box, but he pulled it out of her reach. “Hold on, you only get it on one condition.”
The two girls exchanged slightly worried glances, but Jake shook his head and smiled, once again leaning closer to Cordelia.
“Let me take you out. One night. We’ll eat, we’ll dance…if you don’t like me, we never have to see each-other again.”
For the first time in forever, Cordelia blushed. “Listen to you, smooth talker.”
Glancing at Buffy, Cordelia saw her friends desperate expression, and she sighed, looking back at Jake. “Alright…” She scribbled her address onto the back of a leaflet and then handed it to him.
“Pick me up at 7.30 tomorrow night – if you are even one minute late, I won’t even answer the door.”
Jake smiled, placing the address into his pocket and handing the DVD case to Buffy. “You get this free, I can’t ring it up otherwise they’ll know I’ve let you take it early…I need it back early tomorrow.”
Buffy excitedly bounced on her toes and thanked then both, before grabbing Cordelia’s hand and leaving the store.
* * *
8.00pm
Glancing around his house one last time, William made sure that nothing was out of place, and nothing was on show that could embarrass him.
With a deep breath, he opened the door and was met with the most dazzling smile he’d ever seen.
“Hey, you.” Buffy giggled, stepping into the house and looking around quickly before turning back to him. “This is a nice house.”
Although he wasn’t sure how sincere she was being, William thanked her anyway and then took the bag from her hands, pulling out the movie she’d brought.
“I hope you haven’t seen it. The guy at the store thought this would be your kind of film, so…” when he smiled, Buffy let out a breath she didn’t realise she’d been holding. “I brought popcorn too…I just figured that we might as well make a night of it. Maybe, if it’s not too much trouble, you could drive me home afterwards.”
William smirked at the cheeky expression on her face. “Of course. I’d love to.”
Again with the dazzling smile. “Good.”
William led her into the kitchen, watching as she sat down and began to read his notes. She smiled, raising her eyebrows a few times.
“So, I’m guessing that you understand the play then.”
Sitting opposite her, William nodded. “Yeah. I read Shakespeare a lot anyway, so I pretty much understand the language.”
“That’s good, because I have no idea what the hell is going on throughout most of it.” Placing the notes down, she looked up at him with a grin. “I’m glad we got paired for this.”
That came as a shock to William. He’d expected that maybe she was okay with it – content even – but glad?
“You are?”
Buffy nodded. “Yeah. I think we get along. We don’t really have a lot in common, but as friends, we work…right?”
Smiling and nodding, William waited for Buffy to get her books from her bag, before they settled down to work.
* * *
As the movie drew to a close, Buffy sat up and sighed. “Tobey McGuire is beyond hot.”
“You think?”
“Yeah…and with those little glasses…” She then paused and tilted her head to the side as if in deep thought. “Not that I’d say ‘no’ to James Franco.”
William just nodded, reaching for the remote to stop the movie. He picked up the empty popcorn bowl and took it into the kitchen.
Buffy took the book that she’d lent from William out of her bag as he sat down next to her again. She opened it at a bookmarked page and passed it over to him. Leaning close, she pointed to a certain poem in the book, written in old English, almost like Shakespeare.
“Before I go home, could you tell me what this means?”
Reading over the passage once, William leaned back and sighed, understanding the poem completely but trying to find a way to explain it to her.
“He’s talking about the woman he loves.” William looked up and found her staring at him. “How he can’t seem to stop thinking about her – even though he should. There are obstacles that will always stop them from being together…and yet she is all he sees, all he breathes. She’s part of him.”
Buffy’s skin was hot and flushed as she listened to him speak, her heart fluttering as it absorbed the passion that William was speaking with.
If the book hadn’t been so old, Buffy would have thought that he’d written the poem himself. She could see that he felt the words, and understood the poem completely.
“I…wow…” Buffy coughed, shaking her head and taking the book from his hands. “I think I need a glass of water.”
William let out a nervous laugh, nodding. “Well…it’s getting late. Shall I give you a ride home?”
“Yeah.” Buffy nodded.
* * *
As they pulled up outside Buffy’s house, he sighed and looked out of the window. Her house was a lot bigger than his, and a lot neater. The lawn was short and full of plants, and the cars in the drive were perfectly gleaming.
“Thanks for tonight.” Buffy whispered, “I’ll see you in school on Monday?”
As William nodded, Buffy leaned over and kissed him on the cheek; her lips brushing his skin lightly.
Eyes wide, he felt himself blush, but she only smiled and opened the car door.
He watched as she walked up the path, waiting until she was inside before he drove away.
To be continued...
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