It turned out that the only major difference between Buffy and Will as friends and Buffy and Will as a couple was the amount of time they spent making out. Now that they were able to show affection toward each other, life became much simpler, and it seemed they had forgotten about the fact that Will would be leaving for school in a few months. They were in a blissful state, just content to be with each other and not have to hold anything back. One of the first things Buffy wanted to do with him after they started dating was to go out to the park and hold hands. It was a simple thing, but she was so excited to be able to do it.
“Just hold hands?” he asked with a teasing smile, as they walked down the dirt pathway. The weather was hot and sunny and people were all around the park, having picnics, playing Frisbee and enjoying the day.
“Yes,” she insisted. “I just want to show off my gorgeous boyfriend to everyone.”
“I think I like having you as my girlfriend,” he joked, squeezing her hand. “You’re much more free with the flattery. Does wonders for my ego.”
“As if your ego needs inflating. But seriously, we don’t have to hold anything back now,” she said with a bright smile, swinging their clasped hands giddily. “Why do you insist on wearing long jeans when it’s eighty five degrees outside?” she asked, changing the subject.
As she thought back on it, Buffy didn’t think she had ever seen Will wear shorts, at least not since he and Xander had gone to high school and he started bleaching his hair in an effort to be more edgy. Today, he was in his usual attire of ripped blue jeans and a black t-shirt. Buffy was dripping sweat and she was wearing a light floral sundress, so she couldn’t imagine how he felt.
“Because shorts are stupid,” he replied in explanation.
“No, you just don’t want people to see your skinny legs,” she teased.
“That too.”
“Aren’t you all sweaty?”
“Yes, but I refuse to sacrifice my image,” he said.
“God, I can’t even imagine wearing pants today. I’m dripping and all we’re doing is walking,” she whined.
“But, I think you look pretty cute when you’re all sweaty.” He emphasized his point by leaning over and licking a sweat bead from her neck.
“Ew,” she squealed, swatting him away, but not letting go of his hand. She shivered despite the heat at the memory of his tongue on her skin.
Will just laughed and pulled her into his arms, damp skin touching damp skin. She wound her fingers into the wet curls at the nape of his neck as he leaned down to kiss her, standing in the middle of the pathway as people moved around them. She forgot about the heat entirely when she felt the tip of his tongue touch hers.
“You’re even more sweaty now,” he said in a teasing tone after he pulled away.
“I don’t think I mind so much anymore.”
They decided to settle down in the shade of a large tree, where they could sit and people watch. It was also much cooler, which Buffy was extremely grateful for. They sat down next to each other to lean up against the tree, and Will pulled out a small sketchbook and pencil from his back pocket.
“Lie down right there,” he instructed her, pointing to a spot a few feet away from him.
“You wanna draw me now?” she asked, doing what he said and laying down on her back in the grass. The grass was cool from being in the shade and Buffy relished the sensation on her arms and legs.
“I’m gonna fill this book with drawings of you,” he said, starting to sketch. “That way I can always look at your beautiful face, even when I’m across the country.”
Buffy smiled, though the moment was bittersweet. She was warmed by the thought of him keeping a book of drawings of her, but it was just another reminder of how he would be leaving her in a few months, something she didn’t want to have to think about just yet.
Buffy closed her eyes and listened to the sounds around her…dogs barking, children laughing, bicycle horns. Over all of it she could somehow hear the light scratching of Will’s pencil, comforting her and letting her know he was there.
***
“Done,” he said after some time had passed.
“You’re finished already?” With her eyes closed, she hadn’t realized how much time had passed. She sat up and stretched her arms above her head.
“Come here,” he said, patting the spot next to him by the tree.
She moved over to him and cuddled up to his side, resting her head on his shoulder. She grabbed his hand and laced their fingers together. Holding their clasped hand up in front of her, she studied them together. His large hand dwarfed her smaller one, his pale skin contrasted against her tan skin. They didn’t speak as they sat together, enjoying the weather and being close to each other.
This time when an elderly couple walked by and gave them knowing smiles, Buffy just smiled back, feeling no regret.
***
“Jenna Marie Parsons.”
Buffy, Joyce, Hank, and Anya sat in folding chairs on the Sunnydale High School football field as the hot sun beat down on them. The graduation ceremony had been underway for an hour, and Buffy couldn’t wait for it to be over. They had finally arrived at the P’s and she practically bounced in her seat, waiting for Will’s name to be called.
“John Michael Potter.”
She could see him waiting by the edge of the stage, looking handsome as usual in his blue cap and gown. He gave her a smile and a wave when he saw her look his way.
“William Edward Pratt.”
Buffy jumped up and cheered as he walked across the stage, looking far more embarrassed than she had ever seen him. He accepted his diploma and shook Principal Snyder’s hand before he exited the stage.
“Melissa Anne Quincy.”
Now they were left to wait for Xander’s name to be called. Buffy zoned out, watching Will reclaim his seat. He was laughing about something with John Michael Potter, the boy next to him.
“Alyssa Jane Smith.”
Finally they had arrived at the S’s and this ceremony would be over soon. They had already sat through the valedictorian and keynote speeches.
“Matthew Alan Stevenson.”
Xander was up next and they were prepared to thoroughly embarrass him.
“Alexander Lavelle Summers.”
All of them jumped up and cheered and clapped as loud as they could. Hank let out a loud, obnoxious whistle through his fingers. Xander shot them a look of warning, but they didn’t stop. Buffy knew he would do the same were it the other way around.
The rest of the ceremony passed by slowly, but finally it ended with a “Congratulations Class of 2011,” from Principal Snyder. The crowd dispersed around the football field as all the graduates made their way to meet up with their families.
“You guys are the only thing more embarrassing than my middle name,” Xander said as came over to them. He gave hugs to all of them as they all congratulated him.
“I’m so proud of you, sweetie,” Joyce said.
“Well, I did make it through high school,” Xander said.
“Now it’s time for you to find a job,” Hank said in a joking tone, clapping Xander on the back. It was a typical Hank thing to say, but Buffy was grateful that he seemed to have toned down his harassment for the occasion. Xander didn’t need any of that today and he didn’t seem to let his father’s statement get to him.
“Where’s Will?” Anya asked Buffy as Joyce started snapping pictures of Xander in his cap and gown.
“I don’t know,” Buffy said, scanning the crowd for Will’s blond hair.
She spotted him after a few moments, talking to a woman she had only seen in pictures at his house, but knew to be Will’s mother. It was strange to her that they had never met, even though she and Will had been hanging out for months. However, Will did seem to do whatever he could to avoid their meeting, only taking her to his house when his parents weren’t home. She decided now was as good a time as any to meet his mother and she made her way over to them, pushing her way through the crowd.
Will’s mother was small and plump, with dirty blond hair and a kind face, highlighted by a rosy complexion and the same bright blue eyes that Will had. She wore a simple floral dress that was a bit on the matronly side, if Buffy was completely honest. Will noticed her as she neared them, offering her a bright smile. He reached out his hand to her and she took it, coming to his side.
“Mum,” he said, addressing his mother. “This is Buffy Summers, my girlfriend. Buffy, this is my mum, Anne Pratt.” He gestured back and forth between them.
“It’s lovely to meet you, dear,” Anne said jovially, reaching out to shake Buffy’s hand.
Anne had an English accent that was similar to Will’s, albeit stronger, as Buffy had expected. She seemed so nice and good-natured. Buffy couldn’t imagine why Will had kept them from meeting for so long, even knowing what she did about his parents. ‘Maybe it’s just his dad that’s the problem,’ she thought, noticing the absence of his father.
“It’s so nice to meet you, Mrs. Pratt,” Buffy replied with a smile, taking Anne’s hand.
“Call me Anne,” she insisted. “You must be the thing that keeps William out of the house all the time.”
“Guilty,” Buffy said with a laugh. She felt Will squeeze her hand, though she wasn’t sure why he did it.
“William should bring you over for dinner some time,” Anne offered excitedly.
“Oh, Mum, I don’t think Buffy-“
“No, I’d love to,” Buffy said, interrupting him. Will shot her a pained expression that told that he most definitely didn’t want her to have dinner with his parents.
“Wonderful!” Anne said. “How about tonight?”
“We’re having dinner with Buffy’s family tonight,” Will said before Buffy could speak up.
“Oh, well. Maybe tomorrow,” Anne suggested.
“We’ll see, Mum.”
**
“Why were you so weird about your Mom earlier?” Buffy asked later that night when they were finally alone.
The events following the graduation ceremony had been chaotic. They had eaten dinner at the same restaurant they had gone to on Buffy’s birthday. However, this experience was much more pleasant. Hank was good-natured, Anya didn’t say anything embarrassing and Xander and Will didn’t give each other scathing looks, but were just apathetic toward one another. Between that, Will having to spend obligatory time with his mother and Buffy having to do the same with her father, they hadn’t been able to get a moment all day.
It was late in the evening and Buffy and Will were lying under the stars in the backyard, enjoying the warm night air. Buffy had laid out a large blanket and they were cuddled together on it, her head resting on Will’s chest and an arm and leg flung over him.
Will looked down at her when she asked the question. “I dunno,” he said.
“Yes you do.”
“I just…don’t want you to come over for dinner.”
“Why not?”
“Because, my parents….have issues.”
His parents were the only topic that Will had never been open about and she had never pushed him on the subject. She had heard things from her mother, of course, but she didn’t know how much of it was actually true.
“Oh.”
“Buffy, believe me. It’s best if you don’t come over. Why do you think I’ve never brought you over when they’re home?”
“Well, I figured it was something like that. But, I’d like to know why, Will. I want to try and understand.”
“My mum is bipolar.”
That made her lift her head off his chest and she turned over so she could look him in the face. She tried to read his expression, but he kept a façade of stoicism.
“What does that mean exactly?” she asked. She had a mild understanding of what bipolar meant, but wanted to hear him explain it.
“It means that she’s completely unstable.”
“She didn’t seem-“
“You caught her on a good day. If she was having an episode she wouldn’t even have come today,” he said. Buffy could read the sadness on his face as he spoke about his mother. “She takes medication for it…usually.
“Oh.”
“That’s why I never introduced you. When she’s bad, she’s really bad…and I don’t want you around any of that. Xander saw some of it and-“
“You told Xander, but you couldn’t tell me?” she asked, letting the hurt show in her voice. They had become so close, even before they had started dating, and she couldn’t understand why he didn’t share it with her.
“It’s not like that. I just…didn’t want you to have to know-“
“But I want to know, Will.”
“Okay,” he said, smiling sadly, then took a deep breath. “She’s been like that for as long as I can remember, but she’s gotten worse since we moved here. She’ll be all happy and upbeat one moment and angry or crying the next. It’s too much for me to deal with…I don’t know how to help her most of the time so I make myself scarce. Dad winds up dealing with her most of the time…it’s why he drinks.”
“What do your parents do?” she asked, realizing that he had never even mentioned that.
“Well, Mum used to be a nurse, but that stopped when we moved here. Dad’s a computer software salesman. He does pretty well, but he’s out of town a lot. That’s why he wasn’t there today.”
“What’s he like?” she asked, curious about the man that had raised him.
“Angry,” Will said with a bitter tone in his voice. “He never used to be like that, but the drinking makes him just unpleasant to be around most of the time. Fakes it pretty good on the job, though. He uses his accent to charm his clients.”
“Well, accents are pretty charming,” she said, offering a smile.
Will put his hand behind her head and pulled her down for a soft kiss. He released her a moment later.
“You see why I don’t talk about them?” he asked, returning to the subject at hand.
“Yeah. I’m glad you told me, though.”
“Now you know everything about me,” he said. “Well, except for one thing.”
“What?” she asked hesitantly, afraid of what he might tell her. She hoped it wouldn’t be something bad or god forbid something about him and Xander. She moved into a sitting position. “What thing?”
He sat up as well, looking at her with smiling eyes and taking her hand in his.
“That I love you.”
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Author's Chapter Notes:
Thanks to those of you who reviewed the last chapter! You all make my day and keep me writing!
Chapter End Notes:
The stuff about Will's parents isn't going to play a major part, just in case you were wondering. I just thought it needed a little explanation.
Anyway, I hope you all enjoyed the chapter and please please please let me know what you think! All comments are appreciated, even constructive criticism, as I'm always trying to improve my writing.
Thanks for reading!
Anyway, I hope you all enjoyed the chapter and please please please let me know what you think! All comments are appreciated, even constructive criticism, as I'm always trying to improve my writing.
Thanks for reading!