Chapter 1
The student union at UCLA was crowded, bustling with students getting something to eat, shopping or meeting up with friends. It made Buffy feel safe to be surrounded by this many people. It also made her envious as she watched their easy laughter, and the friendships they took for granted. Sometimes she would sit and watch them go about their lives without them ever being aware of how she would imagine their pasts and their futures. Of course, they were always safe, and they always got their ‘happily ever after’. Unlike her.
Buffy sighed, forcing herself to start gathering up her books. She stuffed them into her black backpack, making sure the report she’d just had bound at Kinko’s was protected between two of the textbooks. It was due the next day for one of her Social Welfare courses. After two years in school, she’d finally decided to settle on social work. It wasn’t one of the best paying or glory careers out there, but she wanted to help other people, and despite her desires, she wasn’t medical school material. This was a faster track, and she could still work directly with people.
Slinging her pack on her back, she looked around. She didn’t see anyone suspicious. Feeling safe, she headed for the exit nearest the parking lot where her blue Chevy Avalanche was parked. She’d gotten a lot of kidding when she bought it because she was so tiny and it was so huge. But that was why she liked it. She felt more secure in the vehicle. Besides anyone who knew her past let it go without too much ribbing. She patted her pocket, making sure her keys were there. They were. She pushed open the door.
“Buffy, may I speak to you for a moment?” A young blonde woman came up from her left. “Please.”
Buffy immediately fell into a defensive stance, watching warily as she waited to see what the woman wanted. She chronicled the girl’s round face, bright eyes and messy blonde hair. Buffy didn’t sense any immediate threat from the woman, and relaxed a bit.
“What do you want?”
“You’re Buffy Summers, right?” The girl looked around her. “May I speak to you for a minute?” She placed a hand on her chest. “I’m Cassie Newton.”
“Yes, I’m Buffy, but have we met before?”
Of course, they didn’t know each other. Buffy was very good at memorizing at least the faces of the people that were around her every day. She didn’t know Cassie, but waited to hear what she wanted. Cassie looked around them nervously, which made Buffy do a quick sweep of the area to see if there was trouble lurking somewhere.
“I’m sorry,” Cassie said. “No, we’ve never met, but I thought you could help me.”
“Help with what?”
“Can we go somewhere and talk?” Cassie asked. “Maybe back inside?”
“Look, I’m sorry, too. But I don’t see how you think I could help you, besides I’m running late.” It was a lie, but her inner warning bells were going off. Buffy just wanted to get out of there.
Cassie grabbed Buffy’s arm. “I’m going to end up dead if I don’t get some help.”
It was enough to make Buffy stop and ask, “Why me?”
“I read about you before…in the papers,” Cassie explained. “You and the cop, your boyfriend, figured out about the other girl.”
It wasn’t something totally unusual. The media had been relentless in the first year, and even now almost four years later, they still occasionally contacted her for interviews. She declined then and now, because she wasn’t going to spill her soul for entertainment. There could have been an element of helping other victims, but when she told her story, it would be on her terms and when she was ready.
“He isn’t my boyfriend,” Buffy replied. It wasn’t until the words were out of her mouth that she realized how immature she’d sounded. However, the words were a defense mechanism, and a reminder that through her own stupidity she’d lost the first, and so far only, man she’d ever loved. The move back to Los Angeles had come too late and by the time she’d returned, Spike was already engaged to Fred. “Maybe you should just go to the police with whatever problem you‘re having.”
Cassie tilted her head. “They won’t listen to me. I don’t have any hard evidence and they think I’m just trying to get back at my boyfriend.”
“Has he abused you?”
“No, no, come on,” Cassie said, sounding and looking more nervous by the second. “I don’t like being out in the open.”
Neither did Buffy. Looking around again, she still didn’t see anyone. She wasn’t going to argue though, and they headed toward the parking lot. There were a lot of students and faculty around even though the long shadows of late afternoon were beginning to blanket everything. It was still safe, but Buffy didn’t want to linger too long in the open.
“Is he following you?”
“Him or someone else. Please, I’m scared and I don’t have anyone else to call for help.”
There was nothing Buffy could do to help Cassie. She was only a student, and only did volunteer work for the credits they would accumulate. She sighed because she understood the fear the other girl was feeling. It was the kind that could choke you until you were unable to do anything except give into it and the one who was trying to victimize you. Buffy couldn’t let that happen to anyone, and especially to someone who was asking her for help.
“Look, I know some cops that might be able to help you out,” Buffy offered. “They’re really good people who believed me when no one else did.”
“Okay,” Cassie replied, with a cautious nod. “I knew you could help me.” She hesitated for a second. “He isn’t abusing me. It’s worse than that.”
“What kind of worse?”
A chill ran through Buffy as she realized that no matter what, she was being drawn into Cassie’s nightmare. By even introducing her to her friends, she was bringing Cassie into her life. If this was really bad she could be bringing unwanted trouble to those people she considered family. She stopped in the aisle next to the one where her truck was parked. She wanted answers before she embroiled herself any further. The best thing to do would be to give Cassie some phone numbers to some help hotlines and get out of there. But she would hear her out first.
“I heard him talk about murdering someone,” Cassie whispered.
“He murdered someone?” Buffy squeaked.
“He was bragging about it. It was some kind of drug deal gone bad.”
“Are you into drugs?” Buffy asked. She was ready to run. Drugs and murder were too much for her to handle, and she didn’t want to endanger anyone she knew. Not because of her…not again.
“No, I never touch the stuff,” Cassie said with an emphatic shake of her head. “I knew he…he was smoking pot, but I had no idea.”
“Please,” Buffy said, in disbelief. “You couldn’t tell that he was a user? Either you’re blind or lying. And I don’t have time to figure it out, nor do I need to get involved in this.”
It was over for her. She turned, walking determinedly toward her vehicle. She wasn’t going to put her life on the line for someone who couldn’t respect themselves. There were hurried footsteps behind her, but Buffy didn’t slow down. It wasn’t her concern. It never had been.
“Please stop,” Cassie called. She ran a few steps until she was walking beside Buffy. “I swear I don’t use anything. He doesn’t either.” She sighed when Buffy snorted. “Most dealers don’t. They can’t keep their business going if they’re fucked up all the time. It’s California and I just thought that his money was old money or something. Yeah, I wasn’t too bright, but now it’s too late. And I’m in serious trouble.”
Buffy was trying hard to ignore her as she reached into her pocket to pull her keys out. She clicked the button to unlock it. Opening the back door, she slung her backpack in, and then shut that door with one hand and opened the front door with the other. Cassie was still there, and Buffy turned to her to tell her to call the police when she saw an angry looking man making a beeline toward them.
“Shit,” Buffy muttered. “Is that him?”
Cassie turned, and she could only nod a response. The guy wasn’t that particularly frightening looking. Yeah, he resembled a thug, but Buffy could see the attraction that Cassie would see in him. Tall, with an athletic build, and he walked with the assurance of someone who knew his place in the world. He oozed confidence, and it wasn’t until he got closer that Buffy could see the cruelty twisting his lips. Her gaze flickered upwards, taking in the intensity of ice blue eyes under shaggy eyebrows and wide forehead. A shiver ran through Buffy. He was good looking, but everything about him reminded her of a coiled snake.
“Hello, Cassie,” the man said. “Who’s your pretty friend?” His eyes raked over Buffy in a way that made her definitely feel uncomfortable. Like he could see through her clothes, and she instinctively took a step backwards. Except her back hit the truck door, and she realized she was trapped.
“Luke, this is…”
“I’m Anne,” Buffy said, holding her hand out to him. She was trying to think fast so they could both get out of this situation alive. Luke was setting off every panic button she had inside of her. “Cassie and I were discussing some classes.”
“Oh, really,” Luke said. His eyes darted between the two women. “Cass has never mentioned you before.”
Buffy shrugged, and stepped forward. “We just met recently. Some of the classes around here are so big that you can’t know everyone. We’re working on the same project.”
“Oh,” Luke said, with a grin that was colder than any winter night. He slung his arm around Cassie’s shoulder. “Well, soon that won’t really matter anymore.” He kissed her cheek. “You ready to go home, baby?”
“Cassie and I were just going to go grab a bite,” Buffy said, as casually as she could. She had to get the two of them out of here. Otherwise, she didn’t think she would ever see Cassie alive again. “I’ll drop her off at home later.”
“No, I don’t think so,” Luke said. “I’d like for her to go with me.”
Buffy took the girl’s hand, tugging her gently toward the truck. She looked around the parking lot, and was thankful there were several groups of people around. The odds were on their side, if only Cassie would trust her.
“Cassie, let’s go get some dinner,” Buffy said, trying to give Luke an innocent smile. She batted her eyes. “I promise, Luke, she’ll be home in a couple of hours. We really need to go over these notes. I am so close to failing this class, and I desperately need Cass’s help.”
Cassie hesitated, caught between them, and with both holding onto her. It didn’t take her long to decide to go with Buffy though, and she turned big eyes to her boyfriend. “Luke, sweetie, I can’t let Anne down. I’ll be home soon.” She stood on her tiptoes to kiss him on the lips. “I love you.”
Without waiting for his response, Cassie hopped into the truck with Buffy quickly following her. Luke started to reach for Buffy, but she shut the door, and he didn’t have any choice but to pull his arm back. It was either that or it was going to get smashed. Buffy hit the locks while jamming the key into the ignition.
“He’s not moving,” Cassie said, as the truck turned on. “No, wait he is,” she looked behind the truck. “He’s blocking us, Buffy.”
“Truck’s bigger than he is,” Buffy retorted. She refused to let something like him standing there get in the way of her getting to safety. She’d submitted once to survive. This time she would rather die on her own terms and fighting to remain untouched. “He can either move or get run over.”
With that, she put the truck in reverse, and slowly started to back up. Luke didn’t move. Buffy didn’t stop. It knocked into him, and he started swearing as he jumped out of the way.
“You fucking crazy bitch,” Luke shouted as Buffy drove by him. “This isn’t the end.”
Buffy didn’t slow down. She kept moving, and tried to forget him. They were safe for the moment, and she grinned in victory.
“Oh, wow, just wow,” Cassie said, laughing and clapping her hands together. “That was really great. I knew you were the right person to help me.”
“That was pretty good, wasn’t it?” Buffy asked, relaxing back into her seat. She glanced over at her companion and now she needed to decide what to do now. “Do you have anyone you can stay with that would be safe?”
“I’ve been living with Luke,” Cassie said, twisting in her seat to face Buffy. “I took a suitcase out this morning, but left most of my stuff there. I was hoping that he wouldn’t realize I was gone until I figured out what to do.”
“Where is your stuff?”
“It’s stashed in a locker at the bus station,” Cassie said. “If you weren’t going to help me I was going to run. I’ve got a little cash.”
Buffy sighed. She rubbed her forehead as she tried to think. For the time being she just drove aimlessly as she tried to decide whom she could go to that could help Cassie. She stopped for a light when she glanced in the rearview mirror. There was an SUV behind them. It didn’t appear to be stopping, and she eased up on the brake to give it a little more room so they could stop. They didn’t and they bumped into the back of the Avalanche. The impact propelled them forward with a violent jerk, then back against their seats with the same jarring impact. Buffy shook her head trying to clear it. Her gaze moved to the mirror again as she started to undo her seatbelt. It was then that she saw it was Luke behind them. He was grinning.
“Damn it,” Buffy muttered. “It’s Luke.”
“How?” Cassie asked, turning to look behind them. “Oh, god, Buffy what are we going to do?”
“Drive,” Buffy said, with determination. She made sure it was safe and then she turned right. Luke was behind them. There wasn’t time to think anymore. They were in big trouble. Buffy fumbled on the console for her cell phone. It was automatic. They weren’t lovers anymore, and she didn’t think she could even call them friends. They hadn’t really even spoken in almost six months, but he was the only one she trusted with her life.
She called Spike.
to be continued
squawks
05/18/17 04:16 am
pj! I remember wishing one of your stories would be finished seriously about a decade ago. Amazing. I just tried an old password I used to use and amazingly got in too. Memories!
pj
03/20/17 01:20 am
10 yrs later, i finally rem my username and password. Pari, you rock. Hope you are well.
Rabbit_moon1
12/23/16 01:12 pm
I donate every month. Please donate to keep this site up!
AudryDaluz1
10/06/16 08:34 am
Great post.
Chrissel
08/31/16 03:45 pm
And anyone else who loves this site, it's worth mentioning there's a nifty little "Donate" option just below the shout box here! ;)
Chrissel
08/31/16 03:43 pm
Just wanted to take a moment to thank Pari and all the mods for maintaining such a great site!
05/18/17 04:16 am
pj! I remember wishing one of your stories would be finished seriously about a decade ago. Amazing. I just tried an old password I used to use and amazingly got in too. Memories!
pj
03/20/17 01:20 am
10 yrs later, i finally rem my username and password. Pari, you rock. Hope you are well.
Rabbit_moon1
12/23/16 01:12 pm
I donate every month. Please donate to keep this site up!
AudryDaluz1
10/06/16 08:34 am
Great post.
Chrissel
08/31/16 03:45 pm
And anyone else who loves this site, it's worth mentioning there's a nifty little "Donate" option just below the shout box here! ;)
Chrissel
08/31/16 03:43 pm
Just wanted to take a moment to thank Pari and all the mods for maintaining such a great site!