Present time, Cafe Rayne
" I don't know how much more of this I can take!" Anya whimpered.
They’ve been sitting across each other at the bistro section while they wait for their friend, Buffy to join them at their usual hang-out just outside of UC Sunnydale. Anya was just down to her third sip of her favorite chocolatey goodness when she grunted once again. With a very much impatient tone, she’d thrown Willow the same question for the 4th time within the short 7 minutes they they’ve spent together. “What’s taking Buffy so long?”
Willow who couldn't really stand Anya's customary outburst of self-centeredness had chosen to bury herself in some of latest NY fashion catalogues. Currently, she's setting her eyes upon a pair of Marc Jacob shoes that's on sale too. Not even Anya whose tactlessness and masterful kills in provoking the mildest of the mild mannered would get to her now.
“I can’t believe we have to wait this long. “ Anya paused to look at her watch. “Didn’t we all agreed to come here at 3:30? It’s already freaking 3:32! I mean that girl obviously doesn’t think of anybody but herself!”
Okay. That itty bitty last part got into Willow. The redhead rolled her eyes up as she temporarily disengaged her self from her reading material. “Anya, why don’t we give Buffy another good 20 minutes before we go a little judgy on her,” she told her sarcastically.
Willow and Anya never really got along when it comes to....well practically everything. Anya's dominant and callous attitude towards everyone she came across with has shattered Willow's teeny-weeny resolve of ever wanting to be her close friend.
Before, it had always been just the 4 of them, Willow Rosenberg, Xander Harris, Buffy Summers and Spike Giles. At the beginning of their freshman year in College, Willow and Xander dated for a while until things between started to fall apart, leaving a big scar on their relationship that almost ended their long standing friendship. Initially, it took months of meddling from Buffy and Spike to get them to be around each other again. Things have been quite tensed among them for a while until Willow found herself another point of interest in the likes of Daniel Osborne or otherwise known as Oz to the entire school body, a fellow student and also a lead guitarist for Sunnydale's famous band called Dingoes Ate My Baby. Xander on the other hand had moved on lately with Anya Emmanuel Jenkins.
Despite the fact that Anya belonged with the rich and popular crowd of Cordelia Chase, Drusilla Thompson and Harmony Kendall, the two found an immediate attraction to each other thanks to the ever reliable matchmaking medium that is chemistry lab. One day they've been assigned as lab partners and the next thing they know, they were all over each other in Xander's basement . From that day on, Anya and Xander had been pretty much inseparable.
There were times when she wondered immensely what on earth did Xander ever saw in her. Willow never liked the idea of allowing Anya to be part of their so called "average" troop but her best friend and ex-boyfriend had practically begged for her blessing. She had relented eventually of course. It's only right that Xander got his second chance at love. She's glad that he is able to move on as well.
“It’s easy for you to say that when you obviously have something to occupy you with. What are you looking at anyway?”
Willow ignored her again and resumed to taking down the code of the shoes that she's currently keen on. There goes my allowance for the rest of the year, she grumbled to herself.
“Uh, these young Americans nowadays. Drowning themselves into mindless consumerism….”
“Sitting right here.” Willow drawled. ” Weren’t you always have been the one who went on and on about how patriotic capitalism is? "The red head went on, making her best imitation of Anya's voice as she did an impression of her famously known high and mighty remark. "A free market dependant on the profitable exchange of goods for currency. A system of symbiotic beauty you say.”
“Well that was around that period when I was still at the receiving end of those profits”, She referred to the time when she co-owned a book shop with Giles. “Now my perception of it has suitably changed for the better. I’ve been reading articles on how capitalism could eventually lead to monopoly, imperialism and some other forms of human exploitation and economic misuse and by the way, that's not how I sound.”
Willow made an exasperated sigh. If Buffy doesn’t get there soon, she'll probably lose it.
Without hesitation, Anya roughly grabbed two catalogues from the redhead and started browsing through them.
“Hey!” Willow protested.
“Look at those shirt. I mean I have tons of them but I don’t care whether they were bought from Abercrombie & Fitch or - Ooh lookie! A Jimmy Choo spring clearance sale!”
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Not long after Anya’s constant whining, Willow's brief and yet unbearable torment finally ended when Buffy showed up.
“Oh thank goodness!” Willow and Anya both exclaimed at the same time.
“Sorry for the slight tardiness fellas. I had to stop by at my mom’s, tell her the good news and oh, dropped some laundry too.” Buffy told them thoughtfully as she went to grab the stool beside Willow.
“What is it? What's the good news?” the redhead queried, her eyes sparkling with anticipation.
“Yeah, tell us now," Anya demanded. " Xander’s going be here any second. He promised to take me to a movie so we could make out at the very back of the theatre before he meets with Spike later today.”
Buffy and Willow both scrunched their faces in disgust over the picture Anya had just painted.
"Oookay." Willow piped, I so desperately need to get rid of that icky visual now! " Go on Buffy, tell us the news "
Buffy took a deep breath before she moved on to making announcement. "I know that this might sound sudden, but before you go lecture me about how drastic my decisions are and oh don’t even consider the possibility of me being Pregnant Buffy, let me tell you right away that I'm in no way possibly pregnant. I am not-"
"Buffy?" Anya interrupted.
"Yeah?"
"You're babbling. "
"Oh. Right."
"Okay, take short deep breaths first." Willow advised. "Now tell us what you meant when you said you're not pregnant. I mean we already know you're not...Are you? " Willow hesitated then went on, "Of course not. Unless you want to. Do you want to?"
"No!" Buffy said sharply." I have no intention of becoming pregnant...well at least, not right away."
"You're not making any sense." Anya informed her.
"What I mean to tell you is that. " Buffy paused hesitating for a moment before she finally blurted out, "Riley and I are getting married."
Buffy brazed herself for her friends' daunting reaction. Much to her relief, what she saw was a look of pure exhilaration spreading across their faces.
Anya made an enthusiastic squeal while Willow flung her arms around her best friend to give her firm warm hug. “Oh Buffy we’re so happy for you.” She said sincerely.
"Wills?"
"Yeah?"
"Kinda need oxygen here."
"Sorry." Willow apologized as she abruptly let go of the tiny blonde.
“We’re glad that you’ve decided to make it more official with your orgasm friend." Anya added, patting her on the back.
“Thank you! Your support means so much to me.” Buffy told them seriously " You guys wanna have a look at the ring?"
" Oh yes!"
"Absolutely!"
Almost instantly, the two got caught in a trance at the sight of the new shiny platinum diamond ring on Buffy's finger.
"Oh my God!" Anya gasped. "I'm surprised you could still even lift your finger, judging from the size of that rock!"
Willow was flabbergasted. "Buffy! That must've cost a fortune! Wow !"
"Actually Riley said he wanted to give me those made to order types from their family's own jeweler but he said he couldn't wait so he just got me this instead."
"I heard those types you need to order are really really expensive," Anya mused. "But how much does this one cost?"
"Well he said this one cost about..." She cautiously looked around her before she continued softy " Twenty thousand dollars. "
"Twenty thousand? " Anya mouthed excitedly. " Are you kidding me!!!!"
" Are you sure you want to carry something that expensive around the school campus?" Willow told her thoughtfully.
"Riley assured me that there's no problem in replacing it just in case I lose it. God! I could already picture myself losing it 'cause I'm such a klutz! Anyhow, I'm still undecided. Among other things, I'm not loving the idea of me getting mugged in the alley...which our town seemed have a lot of. I think I just might put this in a safety box or something."
Willow couldn't stop staring at her ring. "Wow, you're one lucky gal. That is some birthday present you got there!"
"I know! " Buffy went on breathlessly. " We were just having my pre-birthday dinner last night at his place and next thing I know, he was getting on his knees and asking me to marry him. So I said yes and then he put this huge and expensive sparkly thingy on my finger!"
"Wow!" Willow rambled "Gosh! Wow!... I mean Wow, Riley's really something, isn't he?"
" He is. Riley is so... reliable. He's been so good to me ever since we got together. That man has everything a woman could ever want…and didn’t I tell you that he comes from a very rich family?”
“Only a thousand and one times. " Anya muttered. "But who's counting?" She went on quickly as she saw the disapproving look on Willow's face. " And I have to second Willow's endless wows for that is indeed one fine looking diamond ring."
“So when is the big date?” The redhead asked. “Is it after graduation?”
“Well actually he wants us to do it sooner. He wanted to have us tie the knot before the end of this school year.”
“Oh.” Willow and Anya both said in unison.
"Well are YOU ok with that?" Anya asked.
Noticing the shocked expression that her friends made, she went on to assure them, ”I know I just turned 20 years old today, but I think we’re doing the right thing. Anyway, he told me his parents are already coming over during the break."
Willow held back a comment as she caught on with her friend's version of "Too late. My boyfriend already made the decision for me."
“Hey guys I just heard the most ear piercing scream ever while I was on my way here. What happened?” came Xander's apprehensive tone as he suddenly showed up from behind them. He looked so exhausted and sweaty from doing all that running all the way from the library. He knows just how cranky Anya would get whenever he doesn’t arrive on time.
He grabbed the stool next to Anya while she entangled her hand with his. She whispered to him sweetly “You could have my shake, Xander."
Xander smiled his thanks, then asked " So is there any of you guys who would like to tell me what's going on?"
"Oh! An amazing thing happened!" Anya chirped eagerly." Buffy and Riley are getting married."
Xander almost choked on the chocolate shake Anya just gave him.
“I'm sorry could you repeat that again?” he asked. “I couldn’t have heard you right because I could’ve sworn you said Buffy’s getting married.”
“I AM getting married. Really Xander, what’s so outrageous about that?” came Buffy's offended tone.
“My apologies Buffster. It's just ....I didn’t expect it this soon.” He approached Buffy to give her a warm hug. ”Congratulations, Buff!”
Anya now grabbed Xander’s hand .” We have to go guys! All that engagement talk got me a little hot and bothered. Xander and I needs to take care of that right away. See you later at the Bronze guys!”
"Bye!"
"Guess you're probably so excited about everything." Willow said, noticing her friend's faraway look.
“I don’t know. I guess I could feel the excitement building. It’s like plain old Buffy left the building and now I’m all Energized Buffy. I know I have so many things to do. I don’t even know where to start. It’s a good thing we have a wedding planner coz you know Riley doesn’t want me to fret so much about it. Did I tell you already he’s rich?”
“U-huh.” Willow replied. “He’s old reliable and rich Riley Finn. I know that he loves you, so much that there's no doubt in my mind that he'll take good care of you, sweetie. You're lucky. Not all people are blessed to be with the one they want. No siree. And don't you dare worry about what the others might say. The important thing is that you're happy and that you’re going to live the rest of your life with the man you love.”
And with that last comment, Willow had told her, all of Buffy’s resolve began to shatter. Her once lively face immediately got distorted and within seconds, she found herself bursting into a flood of tears.
"Buffy?" came Willow's concerned voice.
“Oh Wills. What am I going to do?”
TBC
A/N: First of all, I want to say that you guys have been awesome. Thanks to everyone for giving me such wonderful feedbacks. Especially from some of writers of this Spuffy site whose remarkable work I'd never cease to admire. I feel bad though that this would be the last chapter I would be able post for this week. I have to make preparations for our camping trip this weekend. Happy fourth of July guys!
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Please don't be confused if you don't see Part two of Moving on in the next chapter. Moreover, you might not even see it till after 6 or 7 chapters are done. I hope you guys will stick around to see how it all comes together. Thanks again for your support.
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Author's Chapter Notes:
Hi! It's me again :-) Thanks for making time to read my story.
Please note that although this is a college fic most of the settings won't be happening inside the campus. Also, let make it clear that I love Anya's character and if she comes out a bit more annoying than usual in this chapter it would only be for the purpose of humor :-)
Please note that although this is a college fic most of the settings won't be happening inside the campus. Also, let make it clear that I love Anya's character and if she comes out a bit more annoying than usual in this chapter it would only be for the purpose of humor :-)