Chapter 2

“I’m running away tomorrow.”

“Why?”

“My mom’s going on dates—she says that she isn’t but I know she is. She stinks, Buffy, and her hair—it’s huge!” William spread his hands so Buffy would understand. “It looks so weird and then she wears high heels. She can’t even walk in ‘em and she squishes my head and uses me to keep her up so she doesn’t fall on her face!”

Buffy nodded, understanding completely, “So, where’re you going?”

“Scotland. I’m going to live in a castle with a moat and a dragon.”

“You just wanna wear those dresses!”

William glared and spoke up over Buffy’s giggles. “No! No! Buffy are you coming with me or not?”

“I don’t know…I don’t like plaid, it’s so ugly.”

“You can still wear your nasty girlie clothes,” William said, playing with his shoelaces and trying not to plead.

“I don’t know…”

“Please, please, please!” William gave up and he crawled to her on his knees, hands together. “I’ll get lost if you don’t come with me!”

“Alright!”

“Oh, thank you, Buffy.”

“Hey!” She squirmed as he hugged her. “Hey! Stop it!”

“Buffy,” he whispered, chin resting on her shoulder and eyes squeezed tight. “I didn’t even tell you the worst part…she says that she’s finding me a new father. I don’t want one…I like my old one, my real one.”

“At least your dad didn’t leave on purpose,” Buffy said, sitting rigid as he clung to her.

“I miss him.”

“Don’t cry, stupid.” Buffy blinked and thought that her eyes felt funny. “I miss my dad too.”

“I thought you hated him?”

“I do! Now, stop touching me!” Buffy pushed him away. “When are we leaving tomorrow?”

***

“Buffy, I doubt he’ll care about what you’re wearing.”

Buffy shrieked, “Don’t sneak up on me like that!” She quickly pulled off her shirt and threw it on the top of the heap of clothes.

“You’re going to be late.”

“What’s your hurry? Shouldn’t you be gone by now anyway?” Buffy grabbed two more shirts and showed them to her sister. “Pink or white?”

“Pink. Buffy,” Dawn crossed her arms over her chest,” you don’t remember, do you?”

“What?”

“You’re taking me to school today. Art project? Big art project that I can’t carry?”

“Oh, yeah—are you sure about the pink?”

“You know he likes you in pink,” Dawn said, rolling her eyes. “I’m going to put my stuff in the car.”
***

Buffy didn’t have to look to know that William was there; she could hear his laughter fill the air.

“Dawn! If you still need a ride, come on!”

“Bye William.” Dawn smiled and waved. “See, Buffy, some people can be late and still be in a good mood.”

Buffy said nothing; instead she got into her car and slammed the door. She drove her sister towards the high school in silence. Glancing into the rear view mirror, Buffy saw that William was following on their heels.

He always looked gorgeous in a suit, she thought, chewing on her lip.

“Buffy!”

“Huh?” Buffy was pulled out of her daze at Dawn’s scream and the crash that followed soon after.
***

“You hit my car!”

“Are you alright, Buffy? Dawnie?” William gave Dawn a quick hug before touching Buffy’s elbow. “What happened, love?”

She started blankly at his hand, unable to answer his question.

“She was totally zoning out and almost hit a dog,” Dawn explained.

“A dog?”

“Yeah, Buffy, what was wrong with you?”

“Hey now,” William frowned, not liking that Dawn was screaming at Buffy.

“It’s…it’s ok,” Buffy said softly, still shaken by the accident. “I wasn’t paying attention.” Moving away from William, she glanced at the front of her car. “Please tell me that I didn’t hit it…”

“I don’t think you did…” Dawn glanced along the sides of the road and spotted the dog. “See, there he is.”

“Good.”

“Should we call the cops and get a report written up,” William asked. He looked at their smashed vehicles and winced. “I left my phone…”

“I’ll call.” Buffy sat on the curb and started to dig through her purse. “I’ll call the school too.”

“Here I thought I’d only be a few minutes late.” With a soft laugh, he sat between Buffy and Dawn, making an effort to be closer to the younger Summers woman. “Gotta love the first day…”

As Buffy made calls, she watched as William whispered to her sister, saying things that made her giggle and blush.

I will not be jealous, Buffy told herself, looking away. I will not.
***

“Running away is boring,” Buffy announced, rolling onto her stomach.

“What do you wanna do?” William closed his eyes and allowed the sun to shine in his face.

“Why do I always have to think of everything? You think of something.”

“Ok, I will.” He tapped his chin and hummed, deep in thought. “It’s too bad we can’t swim ever again.”

“That’s all you want to do all the time.”

“Do not!”

“Well, we can’t.”

“Sometimes I wish you were a boy then we could swim and I wouldn’t get picked on…”

“I’d hate to be a boy! I hate those guys who are mean to you—someday I’m going to beat ‘em all up!”

“Yeah and I’ll help!”

“What would you do to help? Buffy giggled, sitting up and pinching William’s arm.”

“Ow!”

“You can’t do anything, William.”

“Can too! I’d…I’d spit in their eyes!”

“Oh, well, I guess that’d be ok, you’re good at that kinda stuff.”

“I am,” William said, smiling proudly.

“So have you figured out what we’re gonna do yet?”

“No…you know, Buffy, when I swim, I always close my eyes? I heard that if you don’t, water can get underneath them and they can float away, right out of your head.”

“Really,” she asked, interested.

“Yeah, I never ever open my eyes—eyes are important, you know?”

“Ok, ok, let’s run away to my house and the last one there can fill up the pool!”

***

“I’m so not going to class today,” Dawn said, bouncing.

“Don’t look so happy, bit. So,” he paused, catching Buffy’s glance, “since our cars were towed away and all that…lunch? On me?”

“No.”

“Oh. Right,” William nodded, looking disappointed. “I guess we’ll just start walking or maybe you could have a head start and I’ll follow…”

“William, it’s my fault, I’ll pay.”

“Really?”

“Yeah,” Buffy swallowed, avoiding his hopeful grin. “But just because I feel bad.”
***

“William,” Buffy ran into his backyard, “William, I’ve been thinking, let’s start our own business…who are you?”

“Who are you?”

“William,” Buffy looked at him, “who’s that?”

“He’s new. His name’s Angel.”

“Hi.”

Buffy frowned at the dark haired boy, “Angel, what kind of girlie name is that? William, ditch him and let’s go to my house.” She grabbed him and tried to steal him away. “William, come on!”

“I’m…I’m busy, Buffy.”

“You’re busy? When will you not be busy?”

“My mom’s picking me up at five,” Angel said.

“What am I supposed to do until then?”

“Well…I guess you could stay with us,” William said, wrinkling his nose.

“No!” Buffy clenched her fists, her eyes wandering from her friend to her replacement. “You can be alone with your boyfriend and see if I care!”

“He’s not my boyfriend!”

“Yes he is! I hate you!” Buffy kicked William in leg before running away in tears.

***

“I’m not having a birthday party! I don’t want to invite anyone!”

“Buffy,” Joyce sat on the couch and stared Buffy in the eye. “You should have a birthday party, you only turn twelve once.”

“I don’t care,” Buffy said, pouting.

“Why not? You’ve been planning since the beginning of the month…we bought all the plates, napkins…Buffy, would this have anything to do with William?”

“No.”

“His mom said he was making new friends, are you feeling left out, Buffy?”

“No.”

“If you have a party, you can invite your whole class and maybe you could make twice as many friends as William.”

Buffy tried not to smile at the thought; she loved having more than William. “I’m not inviting him or his boyfriend and you can’t make me.”

“Buffy…you’ve been friends with William for so long, he’s your best friend--.”

“He is not! He’s my worst friend! I don’t want a party!”

“Ok, but keep in mind that if you don’t have a party you won’t get any presents.”

“No presents?”

“Nope.”

“Fine! I’ll have the dumb party!”

***

“Maybe I should start walking home and give you guys sometime to be alone,” Dawn teased.

“Over my dead body,” Buffy said. She hesitated before sitting at the table, she didn’t want to sit next to William and she didn’t want to be tempted to stare at him during their meal.

“Just sit, Buffy.”

She glared, “Like you know what I was thinking.”

William smirked, staying silent as she settled across from him.

“Since I’m buying, don’t get the most expensive thing on the menu, Dawn.”

Dawn stuck out her tongue. “I’m not the one to watch, he’s the one that eats and eats.”

“That’s right.” Chuckling mischievously, he put up the menu and whispered to Dawn behind it.

“You’re going to drive me insane. Stop it,” Buffy demanded. She nearly growled as they continued to laugh, not including her. “I mean it, stop it now.”

“You’re no fun, Buffy.”

“No. I’m not.” She glared and considered kicking him under the table.
***

“Happy Birthday, Buffy.”

“Leave me alone.”

Sighing, William sat next to her. “I got you a gift and I even paid for it with my own money.”

“What is it?”

“I’m not telling, you’ll have to open it.” He put the present on her lap. “I wrapped it too.”

“William…are you really my best friend…were you before you abandoned me?”

“Buffy…”

“I knew it! Go away and take your dumb present with you!” Buffy tossed the gift at him and ran into her room.

William sighed, seeing that all the partygoers had their eyes on him. Feeling embarrassed, he grinned and slowly made his way up the stairs.

“You’re my best friend,” he said, resting his forehead against her closed door. “I mean it, Buffy.”

“Then why won’t you stop by anymore? Every time I go to your house, you’re gone or with another stupid boy!”

“I said you could play with us.”

“You were just being nice to me…you just felt bad or something.”

“No, no…don’t laugh or call me names but…I’ve missed you. Buffy, honest, I swear. It’s just—it’s—I haven’t been picked on at all lately and I like it.”

“You’d choose to never ever see me again just so you don’t get called a name—well, you’re the mean one!”

“No…”

“Yes!” Buffy opened the door suddenly and William jumped. “Who’s supposed to be my friend when you’re busy? You didn’t care at all that I was left all by myself.”

“I did…I just…”

“Go away,” Buffy said; all her anger had dissolved and she fought back tears. “Just leave me alone, William.”

“Buffy, I’m sorry.”

“Just go.” Buffy went back to her bed and stuffed her head in the pillows.

***

“Well, I had fun unlike some people.” Dawn gave her sister a dirty look. “Now what?”

“We start walking, pet.”

Buffy frowned, “Why don’t you guys go, I have a friend that’ll give me a ride back.”

“A friend?”

“Yes, a friend,” Buffy said.

“Who?”

“And how is that any of your business? Can you make sure that Dawn gets home ok?”

“Sure, I’ll be her babysitter.”

“Hey,” Dawn said in protest. “I can walk home by myself and I usually do.”

“Dawn.” William gave her a strange look and then she quieted.

I’m going to have to figure out how to make that look, Buffy thought, impressed by how quickly her stubborn sister stopped whining.

“I’ll get her home all safe and sound, love.”

“Good.”
***

“Buffy, get up.”

“What…” She rubbed the sleep out of her eyes. “What’s going on?”

“We’re going to the hospital, don’t change, we need to go now.”

“Why?” Buffy shot up, noticing her mom’s eyes were red, “Is Dawn ok?”

“Your sister’s fine, it’s William, his mother just passed away.”

“What happened?”

“When was the last time you saw him at school, Buffy?”

“Ah, I never do, I haven’t even talked to him since my birthday party a few years ago.”

“Well, his mom got sick and he needs us. He needs you Buffy.”

***

Buffy felt strange walking beside her mother in the hospital. It was very early in the morning and she was still dressed in her brightly colored pajamas. Before entering the room, Buffy could see him sitting next to the empty bed and staring at his toes.

“Mom, I don’t want to go in there,” she whispered. “Please, don’t make me.”

“Ok, honey, stay and I’ll get him to come out.”

As her mom walked into the room, Buffy hid and she slowly crept back to the window. She watched as they hugged and Buffy was shocked to see that William hadn’t been crying. He was such a crybaby before, she thought.

“Crap!” Buffy hid again when William’s eyes met hers. “Caught!” A few minutes later when her heartbeat was steady again, she peeked and William was still looking in her direction, as if waiting for her. Biting her lip, Buffy waved.

***





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