The look on Riley’s face was one of surprise when she whispered that perhaps William needed help, and the look on William’s face when Riley came over instead of her, was one of surprise and then annoyance. In fact, he shot her a slight glare, but Buffy ignored it and attended to the other people in the class who needed her.
Then Faith came bustling in, apologizing for being late and setting up camp next to William. Buffy’s whole body tensed when she got a gander at Faith in her tight and skimpy black tank top that rode up high enough to practically be a bra and showed off her belly. In addition, Faith had her belly button pierced. An image of William peppering Faith’s belly with kisses the way he had done to her had Buffy ready to scream.
From that point on, Buffy strategically avoided even looking at them, making sure to keep well enough away so she did not even have to hear their voices giggling and laughing together.
When class was over, Buffy packed up her things as quickly as she could, saying goodbye to the students that came up to wish her a good day. She smiled brilliantly at them, trying to appear untouched. Inside, she was a veritable mess, feeling as though she wanted to crawl out of her skin.
Riley came up just before she was about to bolt. “You okay?”
She smiled and nodded, “Yup! I’m fine. Just... just feeling a little under the weather--”
“So, Buffy, what time is dinner tonight so I’m not late for that too,” Faith said, coming up with a grin on her face, her arm slung through William’s.
Buffy stared at their entwined limbs, “Uh, usually around… six.”
“I can never remember,” William muttered.
“That’s because you’re hardly ever here for it,” Buffy retorted. Before William could reply, Buffy turned to Riley. “Hey, Riley—you want to join us for dinner tonight?”
Riley broke out in a wide grin. “Sure, I’d really like that.”
“Great,” Buffy smiled brilliantly.
“Shall I bring anything?”
“Hmmm…let me think on that while I walk you to the car.” Buffy said in faux thoughtfulness and slung her arm through his, walking him to the door. Take that, William.
Breaking free from Faith’s grip, William turned to her and growled. “What the hell are you doing?”
Faith looked up at him innocently. “What do you mean?”
William glared at her, “You know exactly what I mean. Stop acting like we’re together.”
“Why?”
“Cause now she’s gone and invited that oversized hall monitor over!”
Faith regarded him calmly. “Hmmm…Then maybe you should tell her how you feel.”
Stalking off, William muttered loud enough for Faith to hear, “Bloody women,” and Faith had herself a little chuckle. With a little more nudging, those two were going to explode in their want of each other.
~~~~~~
Buffy was about to throw up. As she sat down at the oversized dinning table, it took all the strength she possessed not to hurl all over her Filet Mignon. It was not the dinner that had caused her stomach to turn it was—
“Oh my god, that is the best piece of meat I have had in my mouth for months!”
It was Faith, more specifically, Faith throwing herself at William. Once she had gotten over her shock and disappointment at seeing the two of them at yoga, she realized her mistake in asking Riley to dinner.
For one, it meant that she had to sit and have dinner with Riley and two; it meant that she had to watch a soft porn version of the lives and loves of William Giles. Did he have to rub her nose in it? I guess its not rubbing your nose in it when he had no clue that she—
“I love him.”
Buffy’s head snapped up at the sound of Faith’s voice. “Who, who do you love?” she tried not to sound as desperate as she felt.
“That chef, you know the one who swears a lot. What is his name?” Relief washed over Buffy for a split second. She thought Faith was talking about William not—
“Gordon Ramsey,” Riley answered.
“Can’t stand him myself, gives all us British a bad name,” William commented as he took another mouthful of beef.
“Because you do such a bang up job at giving them a good name,” Buffy remarked, did she just day that out loud? Looking at the hurt expression on William’s face and the stunned look on everyone else’s, she figured yes.
“What the hell is that supposed to mean?”
“Nothing, just forget I said anything,” Buffy mumbled as she looked down at her plate. Yes, dinner had been on of the worst idea’s she had ever had.
“I wish I could drown out your voice from inside my head, but how that’s never going to happen is it?” William spat and she could see the anger and hurt in his eyes.
“You tell me William, I am not a mind reader.”
“Neither am I Buffy. Trying to figure out what you want is harder than climbing Mount Everest.”
“I have done it,” Riley remarked.
“What? Figured out what Buffy wants?” William snapped.
“No, not that. I climbed mount Everest about four years ago.”
Faith burst out laughing and as annoying as the sound was to Buffy, it did take some of the steam off her anger.
“Really life changing, one of the best things I have ever done,” Riley continued.
“So tell me, Riley, is it?” William asked.
“Is it what?”
“Is it easier to climb Everest than to figure out what Buffy wants?”
The tension in the room was palpable.
“That’s not the question you really want to ask is it William.” Faith asked, “What you want to know is if it’s as easy to climb Mount Everest as it is to mount Buffy?”
William’s jaw dropped at that remark and Buffy all but flung her utensils on her plate, causing the silence that was produced by Faith’s uncalled for remark to shatter.
Buffy jumped up from her seat and glared at Faith. She wanted to scream at her, scream at William and ask her why she dared be angry with < i>her when she was the one that was so obviously going to be sharing William’s bed.
“Bitch,” was all Buffy managed to spit through clenched teeth. She was going…somewhere.
Passing by the door to the wine cellar, Buffy took pause. Yes, that is what she needed. A nice, big bottle of wine. Flicking the light on, Buffy made her way down the creaky stairs to grab herself a special kind of warm milk before bedtime.
“Uh, I think that was kind of uncalled for,” Riley started.
“Oh, shut the hell up, Finn!” William barked, throwing his napkin down on the table and standing, glowering at Faith. “What the hell do you think you’re doing?”
“Nothing,” Faith said innocently.
“That was out of line, Faith and you know it. Stop doing whatever it is you’re doing.”
“Not until you do!” Faith shouted back.
William shook his head. “You’re off your bird,” he muttered and stalked off. Walking by the wine cellar, he heard someone fumbling around. Curious, he started down to see who it was at this time of night.
“Great, now I have to apologize to the both of them,” Faith muttered and stood, throwing her napkin down and heading for William.
“What is going on?” Riley asked, following her.
“God, what now? Need some wine for your disgusting girlfriend?” Buffy’s voice wafted up to them from the wine cellar.
Faith paused and when Riley opened his mouth to speak, she slapped a hand over his mouth.
“How many times do I have to tell you she’s not my girlfriend?” Yes, that was William down there with her.
“The way you were acting you might as well have fornicated right on the table!” Buffy shouted.
“Me? What about you and Mr. I climbed Mount Everest!”
Smirking, Faith quietly took hold of the door and shut it, locking it and taking the key, placing it in her pocket. “Gotta love these old houses with locks like that.”
“What are you doing?” Riley asked, wide-eyed.
“Giving William and Buffy a chance to work out their issues.”
“You’re such a pretentious ass!” Buffy screamed.
“You’re such a bitch!” William screamed back.
“They’re gonna kill each other,” Riley whispered.
“Honey, you’ve got a lot to learn. They’re not gonna end it by killing each other. They’re going to end it by doing each other.”