The Most Beautiful Girl in the World
by cathy nort
chapter 7
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Buffy stirred and sleepily rolled over to face the alarm clock on her night stand. There was sunlight peeking between the closed drapes so she knew it was another bright California morning. Then she saw the time swim into view and that caused her to bolt upright in bed.
"Ten thirty-seven!" Buffy screamed. What happened? She picked up the clock and saw the alarm had been turned off probably by her mother trying to be considerate. She sprung out of bed and jumped to her feet her only thoughts were of Willow. She had to see her. And see her now.
She dressed quickly and burst out the door running toward the high school. Willow's and Buffy's lunch hour was 11:00 o'clock and by the time she would reach school it should have just started. And it had. Buffy rushed through the doors and into the cafeteria with such energy that eyes turned toward her. The table Willow and her usually sat at was empty except for Xander one of his friends.
Buffy went directly over to it and sat down. "Where's Willow?"
Xander squirmed in his chair. "I haven't seen her all day Buff. I have a history class with her and she wasn't there."
Xander's Friend, a tall blond boy named Reed broke in. "I saw her come onto school this morning. She was in the Commons where you guys meet. Maybe she's outside. It's a nice day so maybe she's.........."
"She's not in school or she would have been in History." Xander explained tartly to Reed before turning to Buffy. He was well aware of the special relationship Buffy and Willow had. He was also aware of the rumors circulating through the school. It was going to be painful but he had to tell Buffy about them.
Xander took Buffy's arm. "Come on. Let's go for a walk."
Buffy pulled away. "No. I need to find Will."
"Buff? This is kind of about her."
Outside, alone, Xander informed Buffy that it was said that she and Angela had been making out after accidentally, or not, being locked up in the Equipment Room. They had been seen kissing and feeling each other up.
"That's a lie," Buffy snapped. "I don't know what got into Angela. Everyone knows she isn't gay but the truth is she's the one that kissed me. And touched me. My only crime was freezing up in shock for a moment. I was only in there because I was helping........oh never mind. What's the use?" Buffy through her hands up is despair.
"I believe you Buffy. I do. But there's more."
"More?"
Angela told some of her friends that you and her were doing more than just necking. She also said you....". Xander paused looking away. He was having difficulty getting the words out.
"Go on." Buffy ordered calmly. At least more calmly than she felt.
"Okay. Angela told her friends you and her............did the lesbian thing. That you and her had............." Xander just couldn't finish.
Buffy finished for him. "She didn't say we had oral sex did she? She couldn't have said that?"
Xander nodded.
"Xander. That's a lie too. I never touched her until she pounced on me, and she didn't do that until the door opened."
Now Buffy knew why Willow wasn't in school. She heard the rumor. Buffy could only imagine as to how devastating that would be for her. Buffy knew how miserable she, herself, would be if it had been Willow in with Angela and that had been said about her.
Buffy couldn't understand why Angela would lie so brazenly. Or what she had to gain from the lie. And it was Angela who had been the aggressor. One thing was certain and that was that Buffy was going to find that out. Now!!
Buffy whirled and headed back through the doors into the school. Buffy cornered a couple of Angela's friends and found out she was in English up on the second floor. The blond Slayer was waiting for Angela outside room 214, the door to the classroom Angela was in.
When she came out after class Buffy yanked the girl aside and pressed her up against a bank of lockers. No one who witnessed the scene had the nerve to intervene. People, when they saw Buffy as she was at the moment, knew enough to stay clear.
Buffy's face was raw with rage but she did her best to keep her voice controled and level. "Angela, you are spreading lies. Vicious lies about what happened. How can you be so mean?"
A small crowd started to gather around the two. Buffy ignored them. Angela looked around fearfully, her eyes wide with terror. Then she seemed to focus on someone behind Buffy and a calm, or was it a blank, expression crossed her face.
"Buffy. You said you loved me. That you wanted me more than anyone in the world. You TOLD me that!" Angela's voice kept rising as she spoke. "When we made love..........."
"I never told you anything of the sorts." Buffy was about to start shouting. This was too preposterous to listen too. "I don't love you. I love........." Buffy stopped short of proclaiming her love for Willow. As far as most students, with the exception of Xander, knew Willow and Buffy were simply good friends. Exasperated Buffy could only ask, "Why? Why? Why are you doing this?"
Buffy heard a voice behind her from the crowd say snidely. "A lover's spat it seems."
Buffy spun her head, still holding her hands against Angela's shoulders. The voice was Cordelia's who was standing with a few of her snickering friends. She also saw the Assistant Principal pushing through the crowd. And beyond him she saw the back of Sasha's white, blond head disappearing around the corner.
The Assistant Principal, Mr. Logan, separated Buffy from Angela. "Ms. Summers? What is the meaning of this? Quit man handling this girl."
"Then tell her to quit telling lies," Buffy protested releasing her grip.
"About what? Lies about what exactly and this better be good enough to warrant your aggressive behavior." He said.
Oh Hell, Buffy thought. Now what do I say? That Angela and her were.....intimate. Mr. Logan was too straight laced to deal with that. Before Buffy could answer Mr. Logan followed up his question. "And while you are at it why don't you explain your unexcused absent from classes, Ms. Summers. I have a report from your home room that you didn't show this morning. I assume you have a note from home that will excuse you."
Buffy felt herself sinking. Why was everything going wrong for her?
"Detention, young lady," Mr. Logan said with an air of finality. "After you attend all your classes this afternoon. And," he said as a final warning. "You better be at them or you'll regret it."
Buffy lowered her head. Oh Willow. I love you so much. Please be home when I get off detention. I need to talk to you. To hold you in my arms. To make it all right again.