LOVE POTION #12a (8/?)
 

The sound of soft laughter surrounded the booth causing the waitress to look over at the two pretty girls and smile as she walked past. If she had paid closer attention, she'd have seen that only one of the girls was laughing. The other was watching with narrow eyes and an annoyed expression, her foot tapping the table as she shifted uncomfortably on the vinyl seat.
 

"You..." Buffy started to say before she started to laugh again, her left hand brushing against her eyes to wipe the water from them.
 

"Are you finished yet?" Willow asked sweetly though her look was deadly.
 

"Sorry," Buffy tried to put on a straight face, though she was still smiling.
 

"Glad to see my life provides you with such amusement," Willow said crossly, a scowl on her face.
 

Buffy rolled her eyes as she shook her head, "Not going to work. You've had plenty of laughs at my expense over the past six years Miss Whiny Girl."
 

"I am not whining," Willow said, glaring at Buffy.
 

Buffy snorted, "Yeah, right. Sure you aren't."
 

"I don't know why I told you," Willow muttered, shaking her head. "I should have known you wouldn't be any help."
 

"Hey now," Buffy said defensively, "I resent that! I'm your best friend, damn it. I think I've earned the right to laugh a little when you throw something like this at me."
 

"A little, maybe, but you were crying in laughter!" Willow glared.
 

"I sowwy," Buffy said pushing a fry across the table, "a peace offering?"
 

"I can't be bribed that easily," Willow said before snatching the fry and taking a bite.
 

"So, where were we?" Buffy asked, deciding to try to treat this situation seriously.
 

"You were having a hysterical fit after I told you about my problem," Willow said with a pointed look.
 

"No, I was reacting to something you threw at me with no warning whatsoever," Buffy clarified. "Would you have preferred me to throw something?"
 

"No, but you laughed," Willow grumbled. "I don't like people laughing at me."
 

"I wasn't laughing at you," Buffy said sincerely, "I was just a bit surprised and had to do something so I could think."
 

"One more fry and I'll forgive you," Willow said with a small smile.
 

"And you said you couldn't be bought," Buffy handed over two fries as she settled back against the booth. "So, let me get this straight, just to make sure I understood what you said. Yesterday, you went for a walk and found a fortune teller that seems to have come straight out of some old song from when my mother was young and she gave you some potion that you actually drank and now you think you're going to suddenly find your true love?"
 

"That's about it," Willow said, sighing. "It does sound rather funny, doesn't it?"
 

"No, of course not," Buffy said though her lips were twitching.
 

"Yes, it does," Willow said, having to laugh as she shook her head again. "That stupid potion must have made me turn silly."
 

"Everyone needs to be silly sometimes, Willow," Buffy said, studying Willow more closely. "What aren't you telling me?"
 

"What?" Willow looked surprised.
 

"Oh, please. You told me you drank some potion made of who knows what. Why? Do you want to believe it? Do you want to find your true love?" Buffy asked with curiosity.
 

"I don't believe in true love," Willow said softly, shrugging, "I don't know why I drank it. Call it curiosity or stupidity. Either way, I drank it and I've been feeling weird ever since."
 

"Weird how?" Buffy asked, slightly worried. "Sick weird? Do you need to see a doctor?"
 

"Goddess, no," Willow laughed, "I'm fine. It's nothing. Hard to explain. I just thought that maybe talking about it would make everything the same."
 

"The same?" Buffy groaned, "Willow, you're not making any sense."
 

"See? Now you're in my head," Willow smiled brightly as she laughed. "It's nothing, really. I just wanted to see if you thought I was an idiot for drinking the potion."
 

"I'd never think you were an idiot, even when you were dating Dogboy," Buffy said, visibly shuddering, "thought that was close to being the stupidest thing you've ever done."
 

"Leave Oz alone," Willow said, rolling her eyes. When they had been dating, Buffy had always seemed to like Oz. After they broke up, Buffy seemed to hate him. She didn't know now if Buffy had never liked her boyfriend and only put up with him for her sake or if her best friend hated him now for what he had put her through during freshman year. She had to believe the latter, not believing that Buffy would be able to conceal such a dislike for nearly three years.
 

"Hey, I didn't hunt him down and give you a wolf skin rug. I'd say I did my part," Buffy said, hating the man for putting Willow through such pain and hurt. She'd never believed him to be good enough for her best friend, never trusting his love for some reason. Of course, after her experience with Angelus at that time, she hadn't been real trusting of any males in her or Willow's lives. Oh well, it didn't matter. Dogboy was gone, no longer hurting Willow.
 

"Enough talking," Willow declared. "I thought you had some shopping to do."
 

"Shopping, that's right," Buffy smiled, picking up the check. "Let's blow this joint and melt some plastic!"
 

"They should never have given you a credit card," Willow said with a laugh as she followed Buffy towards the door, thankful that she hadn't mentioned her weird feelings for Spike to her friend or Buffy might still be laughing.
 

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