Chapter 5

“Buffy?” Joyce struggled to hold their shopping bags and the sacks of fast food. “Please tell William we’re home and that dinner is on the table.”

“William! Food!”

“That’s enough yelling, young lady. Go upstairs and tell William. Now.”

Rolling her eyes, Buffy headed to his room with her drink in hand. “William,” she said, knocking on the door. “We’re home.” When he didn’t respond, Buffy opened the door, instantly dropping her drink. The soda bubbled on the floor and soaked through her shoes. “Oh my God,” she whispered.

“Buffy!”

“Oh my God!”

“Get out!” William pulled up his pants and ran to the door. “Get out!”

Buffy blinked as he slammed the door in her face.
***

“Mom, can you wash my sneakers?”

“Why?” Joyce didn’t look up from picking up after Dawn. “Is William going to join us?”

“I dropped my drink.” In her bare feet, Buffy put her damp socks and soaked shoes in the kitchen sink. “Do you think they’ll get sticky?”

“Buffy, those are your favorite shoes! Did you dunk them in your cup?”

“Do you really think they’re ruined?” Buffy pouted, “My cup just slipped...”

“Buffy--.”

“Just leave me alone! I don’t want to talk about it!”

“Okay.” Joyce sighed as Buffy ran away.
***

“I haven’t seen you so much these days.”

“I have a lot of homework,” William grumbled. He moved around the kitchen quickly, trying to gather his breakfast before Buffy could see him.

“Are you excited about the party tomorrow night?”

“Well...I’m not sure that I’m still going.”

“Why not?” Joyce frowned. “You don’t want to go? Buffy will be very disappointed.”

“I don’t want to upset her...” William looked away and mumbled, “Mrs. Summers, I was wondering if I could borrow some money. I’ll pay you back—I’ll do chores and everything.”

“What do you want to buy?”

“Uh...”

“Okay, how much will it cost?”

“I’m not sure yet. I need to go to the shoe store first and check the prices.”
***

Buffy stopped, surprised to see William out of his room.

“I’ll be gone in two seconds.”

“Wait. Are we really not going to Harmony’s party now?”

William kept his back turned, afraid to look Buffy in the eye. “I know you don’t want to be near me. I’m sorry, Buffy.”

“I have a new dress. Mom’s going to help me with my make up and hair...”

“Maybe you should call Riley then?” he said softly.

“If I wanted to go with Riley, I would’ve asked him.”

“Are...are you saying that you still want to go with me?”

“What do you think?”

“But about last night...”

“Just promise me that I won’t see that ever again.”

William turned, painful embarrassment twisting his features. “Never. I swear.”

“Good, because I’m traumatized, William.” Buffy laughed, wanting to make him feel better. “In the future, when you want to touch yourself, just lock the door like normal people.”

William’s mouth gaped open and he just nodded.

“And if you chicken out on me and don’t take me to the party...oh, I’d hate to be you, William.” Smirking, Buffy walked away.
***

“This is just like sodding television.”

“What?”

“Nothing, just talking to myself.” William smiled at Joyce who was clutching her camera. They were both waiting at the foot of the stairs for Buffy.

“Maybe she got lost?”

“Oh hush, patience, dear.”

“I’m coming down! Get your camera ready, mom!”

William rolled his eyes. “You’d think this was prom or something instead of some blasted birthday party.”

“Language, William.” Buffy took careful steps around the corner and took each of the stairs while staring at her feet. “How do I look?”

“Ah...nice.” William cleared his throat, his eyes sweeping from her curled hair to her high-heeled shoes. “Very, eh, nice.”

“Cheese, kids!”

“Cheese? Oh yeah, camera...” Swallowing, William inhaled Buffy’s perfume. “You smell nice.”

“Thank you,” Buffy said, laughing sweetly. “You look nice too.”

“Move closer! Closer!” Joyce shook her hands at them.

“Yes, Mrs. Summers.” He gave Buffy a weary look.

“You can put your hand on my waist I guess.” Buffy leaned into his side and grinned, hearing his irregular breathing
***

“I feel pretty,” Buffy whispered as William awkwardly held her during the slow song. One hand was on her shoulder and the other was on her hip.

“You look pretty.”

“Thank you.” Buffy shuffled her feet, taking a baby step towards him. “I’m so afraid that I’m going to stomp on your shoes.”

“I don’t think I’d notice.”

She laughed. “Mom did my make up. It’s an improvement, huh?” When he remained silent, she continued. “It’s not so bright, I guess. When mom was done, you should’ve seen her. She started crying and saying that I was growing up too fast.”

“You do look older.”

“Really?” Buffy beamed, deciding that he had given her the best compliment.

“Oh, yeah, you look like you should already be in high school, pet.”

Buffy sighed dreamily, “I can’t wait for high school. It’ll be so much fun, don’t you think so?”

“I guess.”

“Ok, everybody stop dancing!”

“What’s going on?” William asked, once Harmony turned off the stereo.

“I don’t know.”

“Okay people, my parents went to get more ice so we’ve got about twenty minutes!”

“To do what, Harmony?” Buffy asked.

“To play some kissing games, duh!”

“Kissing games?” Buffy squeaked. “My mom would kill me.”

“Then go home if you’re not grown up enough to kiss a boy.”

“We can go, Buffy.”

“No,” Buffy told William while glaring at Harmony. “I want to stay.”
***

“We can only play stupid Spin the Bottle,” Harmony pouted. “And we have to use this lame-o two liter bottle. Can you guys believe that my parents locked all the closets and bedrooms? Boys and girls in separate circles!”

Buffy gave William a nervous grin before taking a seat.

“I go first because it’s my birthday!” Harmony giggled and slathered on a fresh layer of strawberry flavored lip-gloss. “Ready boys?”

Buffy took a deep breath as Harmony spun the bottle. She sighed and felt a pull in her chest each time the cap passed William. She calmed down once Harmony kissed a boy that Buffy didn’t recognize.

“Ok, guys, go at it! Ladies first, start in order by first names or something.”

“Who’s next?” asked someone.

“Any As?” another piped up.

“Bs?”

“Buffy!” Harmony jumped and pointed at her. “You’re next! Remember, there must be tongue, I say so!”
***

Please no, Buffy wrinkled her nose. No, no, not Angel, she swallowed in disgust.

“Ready, Buffy?”

“No, I’m not. Harm, I think your bottle’s broken. Can I spin again?”

“No! Kiss him! I wish I could’ve.” Harmony batted her eyes at Angel.

“Then you take my turn—consider it as, like, a birthday gift.”

“If Buffy doesn’t want to kiss him,” William spoke up, “she shouldn’t have to.”

“Yes, she does,” Harmony hissed. “Buffy, you’re taking up all our time! Kiss him!”

“Yesh, do I have bad breath or something?” Angel chuckled, his cheeks turning pink. “You’re hurting my feelings and ego here.”

“Fine, fine.” Buffy closed her eyes and puckered her lips.
***

Wiping off her mouth with the back of her hand, Buffy stood. “I need something to drink.” Once her back was turned, she made a face. “That was so gross,” she said, under her breath. “Angel, ew!”

After rinsing her mouth out, she came back and couldn’t find William in the circle of boys.

“Hey,” Buffy tapped a girl on the shoulder. “Have you seen William?”

“I think he had to pee or something. You should find him and bring him back because I totally want to kiss him.”

“Uh, okay.” Buffy left the group and searched the entire house. When she couldn’t find him, she considered calling her mother but decided against it.

Maybe he’s outside, she thought, putting on her jacket and finding her purse.
***

Buffy found him sitting in the Kendall’s yard under their large tree. “I thought you ditched me.”

“How was it?”

“Nasty.” Buffy started to sit and William stopped her, saying that it would ruin her dress. “Oh, I’ll stand then, in these horrible shoes.”

“Wait a minute.” William took off his jacket and laid it on the grass.

“You’re kidding.”

“I’m not. Sit and take off your pointy shoes.”

“You’re not the boss of me,” Buffy teased before sitting and setting her shoes out in front of her crossed legs. “Well we lasted fifteen minutes before running away.”

“If you want to go back, do it.”

“You don’t wanna get tongued by one of Harm’s cronies?”

“I’d rather die. I can’t believe you kissed Peaches.”

“You and your nicknames.”

“Was it really gross or are you lying?”

“Why would I lie? It was awful. I nearly choked because he jammed his tongue down my throat.”

“Cleaning the tonsils...”

Buffy grinned, happy that he remembered. “I think he threw in a free teeth cleaning.”

William chuckled and looked at his hands. “I don’t think I’d give up my first kiss so easily.”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, it’s dumb but I always had it pictured, how it would go, who it would be with...”

“You’re such a girl.”

“I know but I figure one of us has to be.” He smiled when Buffy giggled and hit his arm. “You may look like a girl but Buffy, you’re quite mannish.”

“I am not!”

“You like pink and that’s it. You never did the Barbie thing or got into those fairy tales and stuff.”

“You think you know everything, William. I like being a girl and I think I do it very well. Just because I don’t write poetry and go on and on about my feelings,” she wiggled her fingers and wrinkled her nose. “You’re too girlie-ish!”

“That’s not a word, Buffy.”

“It is now and in the dictionary underneath it, is a big dumb picture of you.”

“You’re so lame.”

Buffy crossed her arms over her chest and pouted. “You’re stupid.”

They watched as Harmony’s parents returned, their car’s headlights blinding them.

“The kissing’s over, you wanna go back?”

“Do you?”

“Not really.”

“Okay, let’s stay and you can tell me about your dream kiss.”

“Buffy, I don’t think so.”

“Why not? Does it...am I involved?”

“What makes you think that?”

“You’re very predictable, William and a little birdie told me information that makes me think that I may be your secret crush.”

“That’s absurd,” he said.

“Prove it’s not me then. Tell me who it is and then I want your kissing story.”

William grumbled under his breath and held his head in his hands. “Alright! I like you, Buffy.” He paused, keeping his eyes covered. “I’m waiting for you to laugh and call me names.”

“I’m not going to laugh at you, stupid.”

“That’s very reassuring.”

“Look at me and tell me how you want to kiss me. God, that sounds funny,” Buffy laughed and hit him.

“Alright!”
***

Buffy fell back on the grass, not caring about her dress. She gasped for air and her eyes watered due to her laughter. “You’re the biggest girl ever! Kissing on a Ferris wheel at night with twinkling lights and pretty music—you’re such a girl!”

William frowned, his feelings hurt. “I shouldn’t have told you.”

“Was there fireworks too?”

“Shut up.”

“Is that what you where thinking about when I caught you--.”

“Buffy! You’re so—go to hell!”

“What?” She watched in shock as he stomped down the road. “I was kidding!”

“Sod off!”

“What does that mean? William!” When he was almost to her house, Buffy jumped to her feet and tossed his jacket over her arm. “Ow!” she said, realizing that she had run out on the street without her shoes. “Wait! Wait!” Grabbing her shoes, she continued to jog with every rock stabbing her bare feet. When William was at the garage of her house, Buffy hurled a shoe at him. “Stop it now!”

He whimpered in pain and held his head, muttering more curse words.

“I have another shoe!”

“I’m stopping!” William rested against the garage door. “I think I have brain damage.”

“I hope you do!”

“You’re mad at me? You’re crazy!”

“I’m not!” Buffy threw his jacket on the floor and brushed off each of her dirty feet. “I was joking with you, you baby!”

“You know how embarrassed I was! I’m still mortified!”

“Well...maybe you should just keep your hands out of your pants!”

“I’ve had enough,” he snapped.

“Wait.” Buffy held him back, touching his arm. “I...wait.”

“What now?” he demanded.

“I’m sorry, that I laughed at you and that I made fun of you.”

“And for calling me names?”

“Yes.”

William searched her face. “You really mean it?”

“Yes.” Nodding, Buffy bit her lip. “William, you ready?”

“For what?”

Buffy pushed him against the garage door, covering his lips with her own. William seemed to be in shock; he kept his mouth closed and bugged out his eyes.

“William,” she whined, pulling back. “Work with me here.”

“I-I...”

Rolling her eyes, Buffy kissed him again, mirroring what she’d seen on her mom’s favorite soap operas. She moved her head around and tried to gain a deeper entrance. “Let me get to your tonsils.”

He laughed and was about to say that he didn’t have any when Buffy slipped her tongue in his mouth. William made throaty noises and moans as she kissed him. When she pulled back, they panted, both of their chests heaving.

“Um, we should go inside and ah...”

“Yeah, we should go inside.”

They broke apart and walked inside, pretending that nothing had happened.
***





You must login (register) to review.