Part 6

"Angel," Buffy whispered, not quite sure that she heard her friend right.
"You're staying with Angel? My Angel?
"No, not your Angel," Willow replied, feeling a little bad about the hurt
that appeared on the Slayer's face at the mention of her ex-boyfriend, but
then she remembered what Buffy had done and any guilt she had disappeared.
"Why would you stay at Deadboy's?" Xander asked, not liking the idea of his
best friends staying with the souled vampire, not to mention the way his
girlfriend has reacted to the news.
"Because I needed a place to stay and he was the only person I could think
of at the time," the red head defended. "I needed a friend and he was there
for me."
"You know you could have stayed with me," Buffy said, also not liking the
idea of Willow and Angel living together. Sure, Buffy night not be involved
with the vampire anymore, but the thought of him with someone else bothered
her.
"You know Buffy, I could have but somehow I felt like an unwanted third
party," Was Willow's sarcastic reply. "Wonder how I could have come to that
conclusion."
"Willow, I know you're upset at Xander and me for not telling you about us,
but that's no reason to get snippy," Buffy commented. Willow stared at her
friend in disbelief. She couldn't believe that Buffy couldn't see where
Willow might feel defensive after finding out that her two best friends had
been lying to her.
"Snippy," Willow repeated. "You don't see why I should be snippy. Gee
Buffy, I'm sorry I'm not acting the way I should. Just so I know, how
should I have reacted to finding out about you and Xander?"
"I would have expected you to have been happy for us," Buffy answered. "You
know how much it hurt after Angel and I broke up. You're my best friend and
I figured you'd have been glad that I had found someone that I wanted to be
with."
"I would have Buffy," Willow explained, "but you never gave me that chance.
Instead you kept your relationship to yourself and pushed me aside.
That's the part that hurts the most. That you would rather push me away
then tell me that you and Xander were together." A crowd began to form
around the four people causing Buffy and Xander to become increasingly
uncomfortable. Cordelia basked with the attention, while Willow seemed
completely unfazed.
"Willow, how about if we talk about this somewhere else, a little more
private," Xander suggested. "Like maybe the library."
"Why Xander, afraid people might find out exactly what kind of a person you
really are," Cordelia chimed in, tired of how Buffy and Xander were acting
like the wounded party. "Maybe they'll realize what a complete and utter
moron you really are."
"This doesn't concern you Cordy," Xander bit. "Anyway, don't you have to
go and make sure your face is on right?"
"Cordelia ignored Xander's insult. "I'd say it concerns me alot
considering that Willow wasn't the only one that you lied to or have you
told Buffy about you and the school closets?" Cordelia said. "I bet she
would find your activities very interesting." Xander paled at Cordelia's
mentioning of their make out sessions.
"What are you talking about Cordelia?" The blonde Slayer asked, looking
between the cheerleader and her boyfriend. "What about Xander and the
closet?" Cordelia looked smugly at the happy couple and was pleased to see
Xander's discomfort.
"Go ahead and tell her Xander."
"Buffy you already know. I told you about it before," Xander said,
grateful that he had been honest with at least one female in his life.
"Oh that," Buffy commented. She smiled sweetly at Cordelia. "I already
know all about that."
"About what?" Willow questioned, feeling once again out of the loop.
"Well, for the past month or so, Xander has been telling me that he cared
about me," Cordelia informed a stunned Willow. "We used to make out in the
closet."
"Xander is this true?" Willow asked the boy she used to have a crush on.
"Yeah," he faced Cordelia. "I'm sorry you had to find out about Buffy and
I the way you did."
"No you're not<‘ Cordelia answered back. "You're just sorry that you got
caught at all." Willow got between Cordelia and Xander, hoping to diffuse
the tension between the two of them. She put aside the hurt she felt that
Xander would rather be involved with Cordelia than with her for another
time.
"Cordelia, can we just get out of here," the red head suggested. "I'm
suddenly not feeling well. Would you mind driving me back to Angel's?"
"Yeah, no problem. I'm suddenly not feeling well myself," Cordelia
replied, grateful to Willow for giving her an excuse to leave before she did
or said something that she might regret. "Besides, I told you that I wanted
all the dirt on you and Angel."
"Deal." Willow and Cordelia walked past Xander and Buffy heading towards
the brunette's car.
"Willow, come on," Buffy said, running to catch up to the pair. "We can
work through this. We're friends aren't we?"
"I thought we were, but friends don't lie to each other." Willow then
thought of something that upset her if she was correct. "Buffy, is Xander
the reason you broke up with Angel?"
"No, of course not," she hastily replied. She shrank back from the
withering glare that Willow gave her. "Well, maybe a little. But, come on,
you have to admit that Angel and I would never have worked." Willow was
disgusted by Buffy's behavior. "Come on, Will, we can work this out."
"There's nothing to work out," Willow informed the shocked teen. "And
right now, I don't think it would be a good idea for me to be around you.
Tell Giles if he needs me for anything he can reach me at Angel's. He has
the number. Goodbye Buffy."
Willow and Cordelia walked to the cheerleader's red sports car and got in.
Buffy and Xander watched as the pair sped away from the school, confused the
sudden friendship between the two very different girls. They also didn't
like how hurt and upset Willow had been. And they really didn't like it
that she was staying with Angel and they both wanted to know what exactly
was going on between the hacker and the vampire.
"Why would Cordelia think there was any dirt on Angel and Willow?"
 
 

Next