Buffy turned the key in the lock and walked into the flat with Spike following her. Without a backwards glance at him she ran to her room and slammed the door. Spike was about to knock and try and talk to her but thought better of it, thinking it would be better for her to get her head around things before her pushed her to talk to him. He wandered into the living room and smiled wearily at Faith, and flopped down beside her.
“Thought you were taking Buffy out?” she asked raising an eyebrow at him.
“She ran into Warren at work. Let’s just say it didn’t end well.” He smirked. “ I think she’s okay. Just needs to get her head around it.”
“I swear to god one of these days I am going to beat that boy from here to next Tuesday.” Faith fumed.
“What’s up with her anyways?” Spike asked. “One moment she seems okay the next she’s all shy and quiet.”
“Long story pal.” Faith said but seeing Spike’s look she decided to just tell him. “High school was okay with her, you know the usual. Spoilt, rich, popular, prom queen the works. God, I couldn’t stand her when we were growing up before dad moved us all here. She was such a little daddy’s girl. Then her mom died, and from what I heard she went off the rails. Out every night, finding any guy she could, then all of a sudden one day puff….” Faith said flicking her fingers in the air. “The confident Buffy we knew vanished and this quiet shell of her appeared. I just got a phone call out of the blue a few months back from her saying that she wanted to come and stay with me, I said yes and here we are.” She eyed Spike, a smile breaking her face. “You like her don’t ya?” It was more of a statement than a question.
Spike didn’t answer for a second until he was finally able to find the words to express his feelings about Faith’s cousin. “I don’t know what it is about her, Faith. She’s under my skin and I’ve only just met her last night. She just blows me away.” Spike shook his head as he ran his hand through his hair a soft chuckle escaping his mouth. “I just never thought there could be someone like her that’s all.”
“Yeah, well I know what your lot are like, buddy, just remember that. I grew up on this base, I’ve seen you guys in action.” Her expression screwed up into a scowl at him. “There’s a reason I don’t date ‘squoddies’, and I will tell you something for nothing pal. You fool around on her, and your dick won’t be attached to your body for long after I find out.”
“Scarily enough I believe you there pet,” he laughed. “And, we aren’t even together. She just runs and hides from me, and I have no bloody clue what to do,” he threw his head over the back of the couch and sighed. “You’re a woman, give me some advice here.”
“Thanks for noticing and I don’t know what to tell ya, bud. Just give her time, she’ll come around,” she laughed. “Besides it’s not like you’re on your death bed here.”
“Time isn’t something really have here you bint! I’m back out on exercise for four weeks in just over two months.” Staring at the ceiling his mind raced. What could he do to win this girl around.
*~~~*~~~*~~~*
Buffy slammed the door of her room and went to her dresser. Staring in the mirror she saw herself. For the first time she really saw herself. She was a whore. Men could tell she was a whore, and that’s why that ‘Warren guy’ went for her, it was her own fault.
Spike didn’t really like her, he was just being nice to her get into her pants. That’s all they wanted. It was what all men wanted, to get laid and blame her for it.
Well, Buffy was tired of it. If they kept thinking of her as a whore she might as well act like one.
With a snap, Buffy opened her dresser drawer and pulled out her make-up bag. It was of a way to create her mask. A mask that she had used after her parents had died. ’You cant hide what you are Buffy’ she thought. ’You’re a whore, so you might as well act like it’
She applied the makeup. The dark colors clashing with her pale skin. Skin that had once been a tanned golden tone. The violet lipstick being used to define her mouth. Looking back at the mirror she smiled at herself. ’There I am’ she thought. Her confidence beginning to rise again.
She went to her closet, pulling out the black leather mini she had hidden at the back, along with its matching corset. She put the clothes on and admired herself in the mirror, smiling again she pulled her hair out of the band and let it fall down her back. Grabbing her purse she crept to the door. She was out of here. She needed a drink and she needed it fast, but she had to get by them first.
She pulled the door open, slowly making sure she didn’t make a sound. Creeping out down the hall, unlatching the front door, and then finally she ran. She needed to go, be anywhere but here. She looked down at her arms again. The marks looking more pronounced than usual. She ignored them, hazards of what she was nothing more.
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AN2 - This chapter and the story for that matter is for MY squoddies, who leave for Iraq on Saturday. I know some of them read my stories though they wont admit it and i would just like to say - I know we dont do goodbyes but please come back in one piece and I love you all.
AN2 - Voting for the burst into flames awards starts soon. Not sure when evildeadgirl will have everything sorted but Im sure she will let you know. Contact her for how to nominate authors and stories and also for what catagories she is including. :D