SPRING FLING (7/?)
 

Willow looked at the posterboard and scowled. She moved the brush over the
left side and stood back, the scowl deepening. She moved the brush over the
right side. Groaning, she tossed the paintbrush on the tarp and said, "I
can't do this!"
 

Cordelia looked at the redhead and smiled. "It can't be that bad." She moved
behind the girl, her face taking on a comical expression, "Oh, yeah, that's
pretty bad."
 

"Thanks," Willow said, glaring at the girl that had gotten her into this mess
in the first place.
 

"Well, it's a nice...what's it supposed to be?" Cordelia asked with a smile.
 

"It's a flower," Willow said, pointing, "see, that's a petal and that's the
stem."
 

"If you say so," Cordelia said, shaking her head. "Maybe we should have you
blowing up the balloons. That's pretty easy."
 

"I warned you that I suck at things like this. Give me a program to develop
and I'll have it done perfectly. Make me draw some stupid flowers and they
look like sick aliens," Willow said, annoyed with her inability to draw
something as simple as a flower.
 

"It's OK, Willow," Cordelia said, "you're just not the artistic type. No big
deal."
 

"It is too a big deal. I wanted to make a real pretty flower," Willow said
with a pout.
 

"You do notice that I am staying away from the paint myself?" Cordelia said,
motioning to where she had been sitting amongst the balloons. She whispered,
"I can't even draw a stick figure without it looking deformed."
 

Willow laughed, rolling her eyes, "OK...I'm not that bad off...Thanks."
 

Cordelia smiled, "Anytime."
 

The two girls sat down and began blowing up the balloons, laughing as the
helium either went too fast or too slow, causing the balloons to droop or
bust. Willow finally shook her head, "Even this is getting difficult!"
 

"Guys!" Buffy called out as she ran into the gym. She slid to a halt beside
them, sitting down and laying her head on a startled Willow's lap. "Guess
what!"
 

"You've been possessed by some perky little spirit?" Willow guessed.
 

"You're going to burn that shirt when you get home from school?" Cordelia
volunteered. "What? It so does nothing for you, Buffy."
 

"I asked him!" Buffy said, sitting up and grinning from ear to ear.
 

"And I'd say from your enthusiastic attitude that he said yes," Willow said
with a smile.
 

"Yes!" Buffy giggled, feeling happier than she in months. "It was so
horrible. I felt like an idiot, having to ask him. But, he was so nice. He
just smiled and said that he'd been hoping I'd ask him....isn't that too
sweet?"
 

"Sickeningly," Willow said with a straight face.
 

"Oh, hush," Buffy threw a handful of colored balloons at the redhead.
 

"So, Buffy finally got the balls to ask her crush," Cordelia said with a
knowing smile at the redhead. "And what about you, Missy? There's only two
days until the dance....running out of time."
 

"Time for what?" Willow frowned as she looked at the cheerleader. "I'm not
going to the dance."
 

"You have to go!" Buffy whined, her eyes pleading with the redhead. "If you
don't go, I'm not going!"
 

"Buffy," Willow made a face. "I'm not going and there is no way you're
missing your first date with Jonah."
 

"Will too," Buffy nodded. "I couldn't enjoy the dance knowing that my best
friend was home and not here where she should be."
 

"She's right," Cordelia said, smiling slowly. "I won't go either. You have to
go Willow."
 

"You guys!" Willow glared at them both.
 

"Think about it, Willow. We won't go unless you go," Cordelia said, her eyes
determined as Buffy echoed her words.
 

"I am not going!" Willow said, "You know that you guys won't miss it. Quit
being silly."
 

"We're completely serious, Willow. Give it some thought. We either all go, or
we all stay home," Buffy said, smiling as she saw Willow's face. Maybe this
would finally push her best friend into asking Angel. Any fool could see that
those two were in love. Willow brightened every time she was around Angel.
And Buffy had never seen Angel more happy than when he was with Willow. It
didn't hurt seeing another woman make him happy when she had only seemed to
bring him pain. Knowing Willow, she could understand it. Willow was special
and Angel deserved someone special.
 

"You're both crazy," Willow said, laughing at her friends. "You won't miss
the dance for me. By tomorrow, you'll both be giggling over dresses."
 

"Only if its yours," Buffy said with a confident smile.
 

"Can't be mine since I'm not going," Willow said with her own smile.
 

"Think about it, Willow. Tomorrow, you can let us know if we're ALL going or
not," Cordelia said sweetly, watching the redhead realize suddenly that she
and Buffy might just be serious. Angel owed her one, she decided. Even
threatening to miss the dance was a drastic action for her, one that he had
sure as hell better appreciate.

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