Aftermath and College
by Bwriter
chapter eleven
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Chapter eleven
A week had passed since Buffy had seen Willow. She reasoned with herself that Willow was busy, what with college starting soon.
She wondered why, with the brains she had, Willow had chosen to go to UC Sunnydale instead of somewhere like Yale or Harvard or even Oxford.
Leaving the house, she made her way over to meet Xander and Anya at the Espresso Pump.
She had ordered Tom, Mike and Jonny to take the day off and sent them to the beach to work on getting a tan. They were far to pale to live in California.
She still found it strange being home. Sunnydale was a lot different than London. The shops, the people, it didn't even compare. The only difference was, Sunnydale was where she had everyone she loved in one place.
"Hey Buff."
Buffy looked up and saw that Xander and Anya had chosen a table out in the sunshine, instead of indoors.
"Hey guys. I'm going to order a mocha, be back in a bit."
Not even a minute after she left, Willow joined them.
"Hey Will, taking a break from dorm life?"
Willow pouted at him before sitting down in the booth opposite them.
"I needed coffee."
Buffy, who was in hearing distance heard that last remark and turned back to get Willow her coffee, only changed it to a mocha at the last minute.
"I thought you'd quit. Here."
Willow accepted her mocha with a frown.
"I heard you say you needed coffee, so I got you a mocha instead.
Buffy sat down beside her and took a sip of her mocha.
"Thank you." Willow said quietly.
Xander looked between the two, wondering if they could ever get back to the way things were.
"Where's Kim?" Xander asked, looking for his friends current girlfriend.
Willow lowered her head, and Buffy noticed.
"Will? Something wrong?"
Buffy always could read her moods.
Without thinking, she rested her hand on Willow's which were sitting on top of the table.
Willow froze at the touch before pulling her hands back.
Buffy lowered her eyes and busied her hands with fiddling with her cup.
"We broke up."
Everyone's gaze shot to Willow.
"What? Why? When?" Xander fired off questions, wondering what he had missed.
"We broke up. Because it wasn't working. Last week." Willow rimed off the answers in the order he asked the questions.
Buffy was intently studying her mocha, and not saying anything and Anya noticed.
"So, after dating for a year, you decide its not working?" She never had learnt the meaning of tact, Xander thought.
Willow blushed and avoided looking in Buffy's direction.
"We both talked and realised that we wanted different things from the relationship."
"Like what?"
Willow really didn't want to talk about this in front of Buffy.
"Just things. Can we change the subject please."
Buffy drained her mocha, not noticing as it burned the back of her throat.
Willow had broken up with Kim, but that didn't mean that she wanted to get back together with Buffy, and that hurt more than seeing Willow with another person.
"So, how's college going?"
Willow sent Xander a smile, letting him know she appreciated his help.
"Great, classes start next week, so I have to go buy some book still. Anyone want to come with me?"
"Sure, we could go after we leave here." Xander wanted to get Willow and Buffy back together, maybe if they spent enough time together, nature would do its part.
Willow excused herself to go and use the bathroom.
"Guys, I think I'm going to head home."
Xander turned wide eyes to Buffy.
"You can't!"
Buffy quirked an eyebrow at him.
"Why not?"
He sighed, not being able to come up with a reason. Surprisingly, it was Anya that came to his rescue.
"Willow asked us to come."
Buffy caved, as Anya had a feeling she would.
They all talked as they finished their respective drinks before heading over to the college book store.
"So Will, what books do you still need?" Buffy turned to face Willow.
Willow avoided her eyes, something that was starting to annoy Buffy.
"I still need to get my Psych book. Professor Walsh is like, world-renowned." Willow couldn't help getting excited about school.
Buffy smiled, glad that Willow hadn't changed too much in the time she was away.
"So your looking forward to school then?"
Willow forgot all her problems at the minute, glad to talk about school.
Buffy was reaching for a book on the top shelf when one slipped.
She watched, as if in slow motion, as it fell. Just as it would have thumped Willow on the head, she caught it in her grasp.
Willow was none the wiser as she chatted to a guy that had taken Walsh's class before.
"Will? This the book?"
Willow pulled her attention away from Riley and looked over to see Buffy holding the book she needed in her hands.
"Yep, that's it. Buffy this is Riley, he's the TA in my Psych class."
Buffy said a polite hello to Riley.
"Well I have to go, but it was nice to meet you both." Riley left them there, but as he was walking away, he kept looking back at Buffy, more importantly, Buffy's ass, Willow noted as her friend bent down to get a book from the bottom shelf.
Scowling, she decided she didn't like Riley that much and moved to stand in front of Buffy to block her from his view.
"What's with the look?"
Willow jumped.
"Oh nothing. Lets go find Xander and Anya."
Buffy was glad she stayed. It felt nice to be able to hang out with Willow.
Buffy heard them before she saw them. Putting her hand on Willow's arm, she held her back a minute.
Willow, like she had done before, flinched from contact with Buffy and Buffy once again noticed.
Its not like Willow was doing it on purpose. She didn't know what to do. She knew she still wanted Buffy, was still in love with her, but Buffy had broke her heart, and she didn't trust her not to do it again.
"Sorry. It's just, you really don't want to round that corner yet."
Willow sent her a funny look.
"Huh?"
Buffy shook her head.
"Just wait."
A few seconds later, a dishelmed Xander and Anya, came from behind the corner, and it had been clear what they were up to.
Willow was outraged. There were in public for gods sake.
"You could get arrested for that you know."
"It's not like your one to talk. You did worse in the past."
That shut Willow up. Buffy glared at Xander for the implied comment, no matter that it was true.
tbc