Attending classes and blending into the social crowd at Sunnydale High was an interesting feat for Buffy. More reserved than most of her peers, she preferred to sit alone than join in the idle chatter.
The inane conversations about hair and boys held no sway over her, and so she voluntarily excluded herself from the popular group.
By the end of the first week she’d made friends with a shy redhead, her musician boyfriend, and a goofy brunette who was vying for the Class Clown position.
It became routine for her to join Willow, Oz, and Xander in the courtyard for lunch, where they would consume questionable mush and trade horror stories about preps and teachers.
She quickly learned a great deal about a cheerleader named Cordelia, who’d apparently spent several years laughing at Xander and Willow’s expense. Despite the brunette’s bitchy qualities, Buffy couldn’t deny an immediate physical attraction to her.
It was all she could do to keep her lips zipped about her desires; she hadn’t yet disclosed her sexual preference to her friends. She was fairly certain they would still welcome her with open arms, but the right timing hadn’t provided itself.
Three pm Thursday found the group sitting on the bleachers behind the school. Xander complained about his math teacher giving him too much homework, Willow bragged about Oz having a gig at the Bronze on Saturday, and Buffy stared at Cordelia doing cheers on the football field.
‘Skirts that short should definitely be illegal.’
She noticed her friends were staring at her with expectant expressions and she slowly blinked herself into reality. “Hm?”
Willow frowned a little at her distracted friend and repeated herself. “Do you want to come to the Bronze with us tomorrow?”
“Oh, um…” Buffy scrunched her nose and thought for a minute. “Actually I have a better idea. Oz has a gig Saturday, right?” Willow nodded so she continued. “Well instead of going there two nights in a row, why don’t we go somewhere else tomorrow night?”
The redhead gave her a puzzled look and said, “The Bronze is the only club in Sunnydale we can get into.”
Buffy grinned and exclaimed happily, “Exactly! It’s the perfect opportunity to show you guys my scene and introduce you to my friends.”
Willow caught on quickly and gulped audibly. “LA? Buffy, I don’t know… I don’t think-” Xander cut off her rant when he slung his arm over her shoulders and said, “I think that’s a great idea, Buff! Nothing like a trip to the big city to refresh our sense of fun.”
Oz offered up his two cents with a nonchalant shrug. “Sounds doable. I have a van.”
Buffy had come to realize that the redheaded guitarist was a man of few words, so she appreciated his input that much more, knowing it would be the final push Willow needed to agree.
She wasn’t disappointed.
The four teens piled into Oz’s van on Friday night and the journey began. Xander was more than happy to leave the one-Starbucks town and get out for a change, but Willow spent a good ten minutes complaining about how awful she felt for lying to her mother.
Buffy had had no issue telling her mother exactly where she was going. Los Angeles was her city and Joyce knew she could handle herself. She suspected that the woman also felt guilty for moving her away from her friends.
Her trusty Blackberry stayed well-occupied through the car ride, sending and receiving texts to and from the friends she’d be meeting at Club Odyssey. It hadn’t even been two weeks since she’d left and she already missed them.
When they arrived, the parking lot was packed and hip hop music speared the otherwise silent night air. A slender foot encased in black strappy stiletto was first to emerge from the blue vehicle. It was followed by smooth golden legs, a short leather skirt, a deep chocolate top, and smoky green eyes that shone with delight.
Her friends were dressed much more conservatively than she, obviously not accustomed to the upscale fashion expectations of big-city nightclubs.
She rushed toward the entrance with her three comrades close behind, scanning the crowd for her two waiting friends. Gobs of girls in skimpy clothing were lined up behind a velvet rope, illuminated by the club’s flashy neon sign.
A no-nonsense bouncer was keeping the waiting patrons from flooding the already-crowded establishment, while a few security officers lingered in the background to ensure that order was kept.
Buffy’s thumbs flew across the keypad on her phone and her face lit up when she got a response. “This way!”
She worked her way toward the back of the line until she spotted the familiar faces. Holding in a girlish squeal, she practically threw herself in the arms of a voluptuous blonde, and then a shorter brunette. “Oh my god! It’s so good to see you again!”
She would realize later just how prep-ish she sounded, but in that moment she didn’t care. She just basked in the presence of her two oldest girl friends. When she realized that the newest additions to her social circle had caught up with her, she made haste with the introductions.
“Guys… I’d like you to meet Kim and Anya. I’ve been friends with them since my freshman year at Hemery.” She indicated the blonde and the brunette with a smile as she spoke their names. Then she introduced Willow, Oz, and Xander, pleased to see that everyone was getting along so far.
The four of them joined the other two in line, receiving several glares from people waiting behind them, and Buffy chatted animatedly to catch up from the two-week absence. Progress toward the door was slow, but steady, and soon they were only a few people shy of their conquest.
Buffy stood on her tip-toes to try and see over the taller people in front of her, but she huffed in frustration when her efforts turned out to be useless. She squeaked mildly in surprise when she heard a soft, husky voice whispering near her ear. “You look amazing tonight, Buffy. I’m really glad you came.”
She shivered slightly at Kim’s dulcet tones and the implication behind her words. She bit her lip and tried to focus on anything but the warm breath tickling her neck. She wasn’t sure she was ready to reveal her big secret just yet, but her body was already reacting to the tempting blonde vixen behind her.
She felt a warm hand grasp hers and she didn’t fight it any longer. She resigned to blowing her cover as she squeezed Kim’s hand and turned to give the girl a kiss on the lips. She wasn’t quite prepared when the blonde’s tongue entered her mouth to duel with her own.
Despite the very public location of their steamy exchange, she couldn’t prevent the half-moan/half-whimper that rose up in her throat. It took every ounce of self-control she possessed to pull out of the kiss. Lust-glazed eyes locked as they panted slightly for fresh air.
Reality crept back into her consciousness and she glanced over at the Sunnydale trio, bracing herself for the worst. Xander’s jaw hung loose and she was convinced he was one step short of drooling. Oz was complacent and expressionless as usual, but his eyes held no unkindness in them. Willow seemed to be the only one on the verge of a wig-fest.
She seemed frozen on the spot even as the line started to move. Buffy swallowed hard and pleaded silently with the redhead to not hate her. It took the girl a minute to snap out of her semi-trance, but then she offered an awkward half-smile. That was all she could expect at the moment.
A corner table was procured upon their entrance to the club, and Willow, Xander, Oz, and Anya all took the liberty of sitting right away. The tables nearer to the dance floor were already occupied and they knew this was the best they would get.
Kim and Buffy, with their fingers still laced together, took the drink orders from their friends and proceeded to the bar. While waiting on the bartender to serve up their sodas, the busty blonde wrapped her arms gently around Buffy’s waist.
She leaned in as close as she could and whispered, “I really did miss you, you know…” Buffy turned and tilted her chin up toward the smiling face of her friend-with-benefits. The girl was taller than her by a little over half a foot, so she had to rise up on the balls of her feet to steal a soft kiss.
A throat clearing behind them interrupted the moment and they each grabbed their share of the drinks, cradling them awkwardly and trying not to spill the expensive beverages. When they got back to the table they passed out the refreshments then shared the only seat left.
Buffy felt the heat rising to her cheeks as everyone kept glancing over periodically, and then quickly looking away again guiltily. She sighed loudly, drawing the attention of the table, and she tried not to let her distress show on her face.
Her shoulders slumped a smidgeon but she bravely looked up and met Willow’s curious gaze. “Will… I know this is probably a huge shock to you, and I know I probably should have told you before… but are you going to be okay with this?”
The redhead seemed to be lost in thought for a long moment before she answered quietly. “I won’t pretend I’m not surprised, but I’m not going to judge you for what you can’t control. You’re still my friend Buffy and I’m happy as long as you’re happy.”
A tidal wave of relief rolled over the brunette and she let a smile spread across her lips. “Thanks, Will. I knew I liked you for a reason.” She winked playfully then bolted out of her seat as the music changed. A childlike grin crossed her face as she tugged on Kim’s hand.
“Dance with me?”
A devious smirk inhabited the blonde’s face as she eagerly accepted the offer. While they’d never officially been more than friends, the two girls had a long-standing physical relationship with one another.
Picking their way through the sweaty mass of hormonal bodies proved to be a challenge at first, but eventually they found a spot they were comfortable with. Bodies bumped, hips swayed, pelvises grinded, sweat beaded, and arousal built up at a steady tempo. By the final chord of the song, Buffy was sure she was burning up from the inside out.
The fast-paced music melted into a softer melody and the girls repositioned themselves, wrapping their arms around each other in a rare display of affection and intimacy. It wasn’t often that they danced to something so… romantic.
Buffy let her head rest on Kim’s shoulder and she closed her eyes, letting herself relax and pretend for a moment that she was happy with her life. For just a few minutes she could convince herself that she was in the arms of someone she genuinely loved. For just a few minutes everything would be okay again.
The illusion shattered far too quickly and they headed back to the table to cool off. She was surprised to find it empty upon arrival. It seemed that Oz and Willow had partaken in the slow dance, and apparently Anya and Xander were getting along better than she’d thought.
She arched a brow as she spotted them making out near the edge of the dance floor. “Huh… Didn’t see that one coming.”
Several hours later the group separated reluctantly, promising to keep in touch and repeat the night sometime soon. It was the general consensus of everyone that fun had been had, and Buffy was proud to say that all of her friends had gotten along swimmingly. Xander even had a potential girlfriend lined up by the looks of things.
Buffy knew Anya well and she knew that the girl liked to sleep around, but she’d never seen her friend so genuinely interested in a guy before. If she had to take a gander, she’d say that the brunette was interested in more than just a few satisfying orgasms from her goofy friend.
Another positive development of the evening was that she’d finally come clean about being a lesbian, and her friends were completely accepting of it. She couldn’t have asked for a more amazing group of people to spend her time with.
Tired but happy, the gang loaded up for the two-hour drive back to their home. Suddenly Sunnydale didn’t seem as awful as it had before. She had a sneaking suspicion that it would soon become home to her as well.