Like Other Girls...

Disclaimer in first chapter.

Faith was in a bit of a state of exhausted confusion for the majority of that morning. She was still having trouble sifting through the early-hours drowsiness, and random little things kept interrupting her train of thought. Namely a few phrases and gestures that Buffy had used that morning. She was trying to figure things out, she really was, but she kept getting distracted… the teacher would insist she pay attention, one of the Cordettes would actually bother to attempt teasing her, Buffy would send her an aggravated glare and storm off without explaining…. That last distraction bothered Faith more than the others. She really just didn’t understand the blonde. It was one of those days when she was near ready to slap the girl.

Then, though, her mind would wander back to the dream and her mouth would go dry, remembering Buffy calling her “mi amore”. The last complaint as the girl had left her in the library, confused and grumpy, she wasn’t even sure if it was meant about Willow and Tara. She was already starting to see what Buffy had been trying to point out, that they would send each other longing glances occasionally, and how Willow practically bulled Jesse over when trying to sit next to Tara at lunch. That starting to prove Buffy’s point set another question running in her head. She wasn’t thinking so much of getting them together, as the blonde seemed to intend, but rather B’s comment about her own being straighter than the red-head as if that made Willow automatically gay…. The last comment, about Faith being blind… was that because Faith thought that Buffy was straight?

“Hey Faith!”

The brunette jumped a full foot in the air from where she’d been leaning casually against a tree in the school courtyard, watching Buffy and Tara talking about something or other. Her brown eyes turned and glared at Willow, who was giggling shyly at the reaction that she had just elicited. “What the fuck, Red? Can’t ya tell when a girl’s in deep thought?”

“Deep thought Faith?” Willow smirked slightly. The bad girl decided then and there that Buffy being around was starting to be a bad influence on the redhead. She’d have just blushed shyly before the blonde came around. “What about?”

Faith glared at her long-time friend, deciding after another moment’s thought that maybe it wasn’t a bad influence completely, she kinda liked the redhead being a bit bolder. At least she still knew how to tweak the girl’s buttons. “About the fact that ya can’t stop making moon eyes at Blondie. Damn girl you got it bad. And here I thought ya was into the whole boy-toy thing instead.”

“B… boy toy?” Willow squeaked, then finally processed the rest of the information. “Like Buffy?!” Okay, partially processed it.

“No.” Faith chuckled. “Tara. The other blonde. There’re two of them… or maybe you really do like B.”
“No… no I don’t and…” Willow turned bright scarlet, then glanced over at the twins. “Why do you think I like Tara?”

“Again with the longing gazes and shit. Fuck girl, its’ like puppy love. Do ya doodle little hearts with your combined names in ‘em too?” Willow’s blush deepened and she grumbled something at Faith. “Fine, fine, I’ll stop. Why didn’t ya tell me Red? I mean, come’on, we’re buds. Been buds forever.”

“It’s not important. She… she’s got a boyfriend.” Willow’s voice was so quiet when she said that, and without babble, that Faith was truly shocked. With all that teasing, and the subject matter at hand, the redhead would usually go into such a babble fest that she’d likely hyperventilate. Faith snorted. “She does! You do remember Spike, don’t you?”

“He seemed pretty willin’ ta share ta me.” Faith joked, earning herself a glare. Sighing, she turned to stare at the blonde twins again. “I know, Red, I know. I was kiddin. Yanno, B thinks that Tara’d drop him for you.”

“Buffy knows?” Willow’s voice was a strangled squeak.

“Shit Red, ya think I’d be quick enough to catch you makin eyes at her on my own? Not with th’ sleep I’ve been gettin. B’s the one that figured it out first.” Faith shrugged. “She says that Tara makes eyes at you too. Gotta admit, didn’t see much in the way of googly eyes, but when you bulled your way to sit next to her, she sure as fuck did beam all happy like.” Faith smiled and waggled her eyebrows suggestively as she turned to face her old friend again. “And fuck if she wasn’t all dazed and happy after that kiss.”

“So what’s been bothering you Faith? You never did tell me what those dreams you’ve been having were about.” Willow asked, changing the subject and attempting to get her blushing under control. The blondes were both starting to look around. She knew that she and Faith were supposed to be meeting them by now for mochas after school. “You’ve been acting weird for a while.” Faith only grunted. “You have. You’re usually as bad as Buffy with flirting… but now it’s like, feast or famine. Either you don’t flirt with anyone, and are all quiet and broody, or you’re all over some idiot guy like you’re in heat.”

“Willow!” Faith turned and stared at her friend in shock. No doubt about it, the redhead was blushing again. At least she’d managed to get it out though. Faith’s cheeks turned a bit pink themselves, and she turned back to staring at them. “I don’t know what you’re talkin about, Red.”

“Then maybe you should listen to her more carefully, slut.” Someone said in a rather annoying, sniping tone.

~

Buffy looked around with a final sigh, wondering where Faith and Willow were. It was already a good amount of time after the last bell of school, and even if Faith had detention again, at least Willow would be here, with that exact news. Her annoyed face turned in to a scowl and she jumped up, growling. It took Tara a moment to react and follow along, staring at her sister, then looking on ahead at what was making Buffy so angry. There, ahead of them, at a tree, was Darla. She was dressed in what had to be the most expensive, latest fashions, and her posture was a cocky, angry one. She’d seen it on Buffy when the girl was in the worst of her moods. Willow looked like she was about to shrink into herself, and Faith’s cheek was twitching and her fists clenched tightly.

“Fuck.” Tara was shocked at that Buffy actually muttered that, lengthening her stride to move faster without looking like she was hurrying.

“And to think that…”

“That you can actually survive in sunlight without turning to ash is a miracle. After all, aren’t vampires supposed to spontaneously combust or something?” Buffy finished for her, raising a brow proudly and sending a pointed look to the other girl.

“Oh so witty from the arsonist.” Darla said, snorting derisively and smirking. “You think that I really care what you say, Buffy? You’re nothing but a hoodlum. Trying to be something you’re not, really that is quite passé. Imitation, very last year. Dressing like your girlfriend here, that’d suit much better. Slum-bitch does seem to work better as a look for the arsonists and lunatics after all.”

Buffy looked like she was shocked into an enraged silence, and Tara visibly flinched as she saw a strange look cross her sister’s face. “Better than a living toy, discarded with pretty dresses to keep her occupied while mommy goes out and plays god with the lives of rape victims.” Darla let out a breath of air as if she’d been struck. “Oh, you think it’s not common knowledge Darla? Everyone knows that your mom is such a high price lawyer because she gets rapists off the hook. Wasn’t her last case defending a pedophile?”

“Buffy don’t.” Tara gulped.

“Strike a nerve, did I?” Darla asked in a barely strained voice, quickly recovering. “It would seem so. Now, one’s gotta wonder, is it because everyone knows that you’ll never get this… walking bordello… to look twice at you, no matter how hard you try… or is it because I know the awful truth? That you, innocent, beautiful, Elizabeth Summers, set fire to the last school with a girl still trapped inside the gym.”

“I did not.” Buffy growled, pronouncing each word carefully. Darla merely smiled triumphantly.

“I bet that’s why your daddy left you. Because he knew you were a sadistic little brat who set things on fire when she got upset, figured he’d be next.” Darla watched Buffy’s eyes turn cold and furious with mounting pleasure. “Truth hurts, doesn’t it Elizabeth?”

“Not as much as this will.”

The next thing they knew, Darla was on the ground, her lip split and her nose bleeding. Faith was still growling, shaking her hand out from the punch she’d just delivered. “Get the fuck away from us, Barbie. We don’t care about you any more than your momma does.” The spoiled girl was quickly up and gone, running. She’d never thought that Faith would actually be stupid enough to hit her, or at least that the others would let her.

“B, you okay?” Faith turned, still fuming, and looked carefully at the blonde. Buffy merely looked after Darla in a cold, cruel manner, then turned and walked away in the other direction. “Fuck…”

“Buffy…” Tara turned and readied to chase after her sister, only to have Faith’s hand stop her. “B- but…”

“I think we need’a talk, Blondie.”


TBC

Okay, so this is the last of what I've already got written. Hope you enjoy it till I get more done.