College Girl (Book Four, BTVS)

chapter 3 - The Harsh Light of Day

At night at the Bronze, Dingoes Ate My Baby was playing on stage. 

Buffy, Willow and I were sitting at a table.

"Hey, look," Willow told us. "Parker's here." She looked at Buffy. "You're not looking? He looks really cute in green."

"Teal," Buffy corrected. "He's reflected in the mirror."

Willow and I followed her gaze to a round security mirror that showed Parker shooting pool.

I looked at Buffy. "You know, when you spend all week with a boy, you are allowed to look at him directly."

"Not all week," Buffy told us. "We hung out. Moderately incessantly. But we're not here together tonight. You know, I don't want to crowd him."

Willow and I nodded understandingly.

The song came to an end.

The crowd applauded.

Oz took off his guitar, walking off stage toward us. "Hey. You guys ready to load up and go?"

"Almost," I answered. "Buffy's looking at Parker. Who it turns out has a reflection, so big plus there. Buffy's having lusty wrong feelings."

"No, I'm not," Buffy told us.

"No, you're not," Willow told her.

"Oh, I so am," Buffy told us.

"No, uh, they're not wrong feelings, 'cause you're free, you're both grown ups," Willow told her. "You are free, right?"

Parker walked over, putting a hand on Buffy's shoulder. "Hi."

"Hi," Buffy told him.

"I just wanted to let you know I'm headed out," Parker told her. "And it's not real safe here, so if you want to walk back to your dorm..."

"How silly of me not to have planned ahead," Buffy told him.

Willow and I smiled.

Buffy grabbed her jacket, standing.

"Bye," Willow told them.

"See you guys," I told them.

Buffy and Parker walked toward the door.

Buffy turned back, smiling.

Willow and I nodded, smiling.

  ~~~~  

Oz, Devon, Willow and I carried equipment out to Oz's van behind the Bronze.

"That was like the best set ever," Devon told us. "We'll do great in LA. We're gonna have them glued to their seats."

"Uh, Devon, aren't they supposed to dance?" Willow asked.

"Well, we can glue them to the dance floor," Oz told us.

Oz, Devon and I headed back inside.

"I didn't mean with real glue," Devon told us. "You got that, right?"

The other members of the band were trying to lift a heavy set.

"Come on, guys, lift with your legs," Oz told them.

I took the heavy set, picking it up on my own, receiving looks of surprised confusion. "Strong legs."

Oz smirked, shaking his head.

I smiled, walking out with the heavy set, leaving.

  ~~~~