Last Names | Tyrus/Muffy

Part 16

Buffy's POV

The streetlight above me flickers, bringing my shadow out and in of sight. I've been thinking about what happened so long that I'm beginning to wonder if Colton ever actually asked me out. And I don't want to look at the picture again. Once is enough to see that Colton doesn't care about me. He just does whatever he wants, no matter who he hurts. 

I get up to my home, hoping only that TJ and my mother are asleep so that I don't have to face them with my head in the place it is. As embarrassing as it would be to have to talk to TJ with him knowing what just happened to me, that's not the worst case scenario. No, the worst case happens to be the real one: seeing Marty step through my front door right as I get up to the bottom of the porch. 

I freeze in my tracks. Seeing TJ would've been embarrassing, but seeing Marty is humiliating. 

"Buffy," he says. "I was waiting for you."

My hands tremble as I focus all my energy on not cracking, not crying, not in front of him. 

"So why are you leaving?" I ask, my voice so quiet I'm surprised Marty can hear it. 

"It's late," he responds. "My mom wants me home." He steps down to the bottom of the stairs, stopping right in front of me. "But first I want to make sure you're okay." 

My head is up, but my eyes are down. I don't think I can look him in the eyes, not after the realization I had while sitting alone on cold, concrete stairs. He was right about Colton. Everyone was. And I have feelings for Marty, and that's why I'm so torn. 

"I'm fine," I mutter.

He stands with my response for a moment before asking, "Did you see the post?"

"Yes. I'm fine." 

No tears. You're doing good. Just hold it in. 

"Are you sure?"

"Just mind your own business!" I snap.

Oh, no. Here come the tears. A drop breaks free from my eye, and I turn away, not wanting Marty to see me cry. I don't like it when he sees me like this: vulnerable, fragile. I'm supposed to be strong. Right now, the best thing he could do for me is just leave. I want him to go.

"Buffy," he says, moving around to the side of me, "I care about you."

"Well, don't!" I shout. 

My fists are clenched by my sides, holding in them all the anger I'm trying not to release. But my tense voice is trying to expose me, and I don't want Marty around any longer to see me break down. When I finally look him in the eyes, I immediately regret it. He looks broken, like I just shot a bullet through his chest. 

"What?" he croaks, the word so quiet yet so piercing in my mind. 

I swallow hard and stare him in the eyes as I say, "Just go home."

Marty's eyes turn into ice in an instant, and now I feel like I'm the one who's been shot. His worry is still there but only under the layer of disappointment he's presenting forth. He has the right to be mad at me. I'm being awful to him. But it's too late for me to take it back. 

"Fine," he says. "I'll go."

Marty walks past me and down the driveway. He doesn't pause to give me a last glance; he just keeps walking. Once he's gone from my vision, I force myself to turn around and go up the stairs. Every step feels like a chore. I just drove away the one person I wanted more than anyone, simply because I was too proud to be wrong. 

My hand shakes as I reach for the doorknob and push open the door. Carefully, I close it behind me and spin around. Sitting on the couch is the second person I didn't want to see, but I'm hardly concerned with how he sees me anymore. The instant we make eye contact, I feel something inside me snap, and I burst into tears. 

A/N: Hi. This is insanely short, but I just felt like this was the best place to end the chapter. The rest of the chapters won't be this short. I love y'all. Have a good night!