Chapter 13
Buffy was confused when she walked into school the next day. Everyone was staring at her and she couldn’t remember ever getting so much attention before. She was a little late, but didn’t think anyone would care about that. She just shook it off and headed to her locker, where she found Willow waiting for her.
“Hey, why is everyone looking at me? Is there something on my face?” she wondered and opened her locker, getting whatever she would need for the day.
Willow looked like she had something to say, but didn’t know how. “No, you look great,” she commented instead.
Buffy felt even more worried. She knew that expression on her friend’s face. “What’s going on?”
Willow took a deep breath before she spoke again. “Buffy, there’s a rumor going around about you.”
Buffy’s eyes bulged. “What rumor?”
Willow took another breath. “They’re saying that you’re easy. That this whole shy thing of yours is an act, and that you’ll put out for anyone,” she stated in a rush.
Buffy was appalled when she finished. “What? Where did you hear that?”
“I heard some of the cheerleaders talking. I swear, Buffy. I didn’t believe a word they said. I just thought you should know.”
Buffy tried to calm herself down as she thought about how a rumor like that could get started. She then gasped when realization hit her. “I’m going to kill Harmony,” she said harshly, slamming her locker door shut and heading in the other direction to look for her sister.
* * * * *
Buffy finally found her outside the girl’s locker room a little while later. She didn’t even care that Harmony was talking to a few of her friends. She was surprised that her sister still had any left after the whole diary thing. Her expression turned angry as she stomped over to her.
“So, you decide to get me back by spreading lies about me? That’s really pathetic.”
Harmony turned around, looking like she didn’t even care. “I don’t know what you’re talking about, little sister. I only told everyone the truth. That you’ll basically spread your legs for anyone,” she said with a smile.
Buffy just wanted to slap if off of her face. “I think you just described yourself, Harmony. I am not a slut like you are. You must be crazy if you think that anyone will believe that.”
Harmony shrugged and pretended to examine her manicure.
A few of the football players suddenly strolled down the hall.
The one in lead smirked when he noticed Buffy. “Hey, Summers? Care to give me and my buddies a good ride?”
His friends burst into laughter behind him.
Buffy was mortified at what he was implying and noticed the satisfied smile on Harmony’s face. She was not going to cry in front of them. “You went too far,” she told her sister, then took off running. She wanted to get as far away as she could.
* * * * *
“God, you really are a bitch.”
Harmony turned back around when she heard another familiar voice behind her, only to see Dawn standing there.
“You’re not satisfied until everyone around you is miserable.”
Harmony rolled her eyes and was really sick of dealing with her bratty sisters at the moment. “I was only getting her back. That’s what she gets for humiliating me.”
Dawn had enough and moved closer to the blonde. “For your information, Buffy wasn’t the one that humiliated you. Not that you would even care, but I was the one that posted your diary entries around school. It was my idea and Buffy was even against it. No matter how much hell you’ve put us through in the past, she didn’t think it was right to embarrass you in front of everyone. She covered for me because that’s what good sisters do, but you wouldn’t know anything about that,” she finished and walked away from Harmony, leaving the older girl to stare after her.
* * * * *
Dawn found her sister in one of the bathrooms. She knocked on the stall door, where she heard the sobs coming from.
Buffy opened it after a few seconds.
Dawn noticed how red her eyes were. “Hey, you okay?” she asked, even though she knew there was no way Buffy could be okay.
“No, I’m not okay. I wanted to be noticed and this is my payback. They all think I’m a slut now. I had to deal with disgusting comments from guys that have never talked to me before. God, I just want to go home,” she said, burying her head in her hands.
Dawn rubbed her back in comfort. “It’ll be okay, Buffy. I told Harmony the truth about the diary thing. She might leave you alone now.”
Buffy shook her head and looked up at Dawn. “It doesn’t even matter anymore, the damage is already done. I can hardly show my face now.”
Dawn pulled her up and out of the stall. “All right, you’re going home. I think the day is done for you. Mom won’t be there, so you don’t have to worry. I think it was about time you took a day off from school, anyway.”
Buffy didn’t say anything and just nodded. She was too tired to argue.
“Just go home and get some rest. I swear all of this will blow over by tomorrow. I don’t care if I have to flash this whole school to get them to stop talking about you. I’ll do it.”
Buffy managed a tiny smile. “I don’t think Connor would appreciate that.”
Dawn shrugged. “You’re my sister. Connor knows that you come first. He’s just gonna have to accept it.”
Buffy smiled bigger and gave Dawn a hug. The younger girl always knew how to cheer her up. They have always been really close and were practically best friends. She was really lucky to have Dawn in her life.
They pulled out of the embrace a few seconds later.
“I guess I’ll see you at home. Thanks for everything, Dawny. You’re the best.”
Dawn waved her hand in the air like it was no big deal. “I know I’m the best. You’re not so bad yourself.”
Buffy gave her one more smile before she left the bathroom.
Dawn watched her go and really hoped that everything would get better for her sister.