Title: My Unexpected Detour
Author: Lowdeen
Disclaimer: The characters and show do not belong to me. The story contains love between two women, so if such things offend you, don't read it and upset yourself.
Author's Note: This is an AU story. I decided to play with these characters so they only hold a passing resemblance to those on the show. Faith is a high school student. Buffy is a college student. They meet and this is what happens afterwards.
Rating: R

Coffee stains.

Shit! Do you have any idea how hard that stuff is to get out? You've gotta pretreat and wash and rinse and repeat... and damnit, I'd rather bang my head up against the wall a couple dozen times rather than deal with that crap. Hell, I'd sell my soul to the devil in a split second not to have to do another stupid load of laundry again. Cause it never ends. Never. Always another load waiting at the end of the week cause clothes always get dirty. And unless you're Ivanna fuckin' Trump or some other hoity toity rich bitch who has maids doing everything but take a crap for them, you're stuck.

God!

I think I just might bang my head against the wall just to stop myself from raving like a complete lunatic, even if it is in my own head .. at least, I think none of those words actually dropped out of my mouth. I can't really tell. The scalding hot burn across the front of my chest isn't letting me think too straight.

She was standing right in front of me, a cup of Starbucks in her hand and a book in the other, a pair of glasses perched on her nose, and a mess of blonde hair pulled back in a loose ponytail. Her jaw was working up and down and her eyes had gone big and round. I guess it wasn't everyday she tried to kill someone with first degree burns.

"Ohmigawd! I am so sorry."

'Ohmigawd!' I could imagine myself spitting right back at her in some sick imitation of a Valley girl voice. 'You're gonna have my foot up in your ass in about two seconds, blondie!' That's what I would've said -- what I should've said anyway, seeing as how I had scalding hot coffee running down my pants and dripping on the wooden floor.

To this day, I still don't know why I held back. The words were at the tip of my tongue, locked and loaded for bear, pushing at the gates of my teeth trying to get out. But they didn't come. Surprised the hell outta me too, I'll tell you that. What actually did make it out into the light of day was a cross between a whimper and a growl. Like the sound a dog would make if you kicked it for no good reason. Anyway, that's what I sounded like. A wounded dog.

Next thing I know, she's trying to wipe down the front of my T-shirt with a couple of napkins which would've been just fine with me at any other time. It's not like I'm the type of person to stop a nice looking chick from running their hand across my breasts. I'd be lying if I said I wouldn't be running my hand right back. But that's at any other time. As it was, she forgot she still had half a cup of joe still clutched in her hand -- the hand with the napkin in it -- the napkin she was using to wipe me down with ... of course.

It was almost funny the expression on her face when the rest of her coffee splashed down on me. Funny in a 'this has gotta be a nightmare' way. For both of us, I think.

We sort of stared at each other for a couple of seconds. A very long couple of seconds. I can't swear but I think she was holding her breath the whole time. I figured if I didn't do something and soon, we'd be standing there till the damn store closed so I just opened my mouth and said the first thing that came to mind. "You couldn't order a small?" Of course, it wasn't small, it was 'tall'. Fucking Starbucks and their retarded sizes.

She blinked slowly at me a couple more times before the edges of her lips started curling up. For some reason, that made me feel better too. As better as I could feel with white hot liquid branding into my skin anyway.

"I'm so sorry," she repeated again. And before I could get another word out, she was gone and back with more napkins and wiping me down again. This time, without the cup getting in the way.

This is the story I tell whenever anybody asks us how we met. It never fails to get a blush out of Buffy, not like it takes a lot to get a blush out of her. By the way, that's her name, Buffy Summers. Never thought I'd actually meet anyone with a name like that but it sort of suits her in a bubbly, happy kinda way, y'know?

Anyway, we started hanging out after that. Don't ask me how or why. I still don't know why that wasn't the last time I saw her. It wasn't like we were anything alike. We hung in different circles, different crowds. She was in college with a 4.0 GPA. Yours truly was still in high school, attending classes only when the mood struck. She was on the fast track, her dad some rich alumni of the school and fishing buddies with the Dean. The only times I heard my name coming from my teachers' mouths was when they shouted for me to go to the Principal's office. Hell, I didn't even like Starbucks. The only reason I was in the store at all that day was cause I needed to take a piss. So you could say that the fact we met at all was pure luck.

But that's how it all started.

****

I was trying not to let the front of the cotton T-shirt touch my raw skin as Buffy fumbled with the locks on her door. She'd insisted on taking me home after wiping up as much of the coffee as she could, telling me she wouldn't feel right without doing more to help. Normally, I would've said 'Thanks, but no thanks' and just taken off but the girl could talk a nun into a whorehouse. She was still talking now even with her back turned towards me. I was beginning to feel a little trapped by all the words, wondering for the fifth time in ten minutes what the fuck I was doing there. For all I knew, she could be some kind of psycho nut and the whole coffee accident might not have been an accident at all but some kind of set up to lure me here. Hell, what kind of a girl invites a total stranger into their home anyway? Didn't she know the world was a dangerous place.

My eyes started wandering nervously around the narrow hallway, wondering how loud you'd have to scream for the neighbors to hear so I didn't notice that the door was finally open until Buffy cleared her throat.

"Are you sure you're all right?" She asked, pulling me in by the sleeves. "You look a little pale."

"Uh ..." How exactly do you go about telling someone that you were just wondering if they were a psycho killer or not? Before I could come up with a lie, she'd already sat me down on the couch and gotten my jacket off.

"Wait here. I'm going to get the first aid kit," she said, her words trailing behind her as she went down a hallway towards where I guessed her bedroom and bathroom were. With nothing else to do but wait, I decided to take a look around. Now, I don't usually go snooping around other people's stuff but this wasn't a 'usual' situation. I just wanted to make sure I hadn't wandered into any bad shit with blinders on. That's what I told myself anyway.

The first thing I noticed about the place was that it was severely lacking in the furniture department. In fact, aside from the couch I was sitting on and a couple of pillows scattered around, there was nothing. Not even a chair. But there sure were a lot of books. More books than I've seen anywhere outside of a library. Stacked in piles, lined on shelves, opened, closed, on the floor, on top of the TV, slim and fat. That's when I remembered she was clutching a book in one hand even when she spilled that coffee on me.

"Huh," I muttered to myself as I read the titles of a couple of the spines lining one bookshelf. I didn't recognize any of the names, couldn't even pronounce some of them -- hadn't figured I would either. Reading was never more than a chore to me. A chore I had no trouble skipping out of as often as I could.

A soft "Hey" coming from behind almost made me jump out of my skin as I whirled around. Buffy stood next to the couch, holding a first aid kit in one hand as she motioned me over with the other. I don't know what it was that made me so jumpy all of a sudden. Was it the coffee drying on my skin, the room, the books, the entire fucked up day? Was it her? Whatever it was, it made me feel off balance and that wasn't something I liked feeling.

"I'm just gonna ... " She made a gesture with her hand as I came closer and I thought I could see the color rising in her cheeks. "You have to ... um .." Another gesture and I was positive she was blushing. Oh yeah. Now I'm feeling better. I'm not the only one feeling lost.

I grinned once I finally realized that she wanted me to take off my shirt. So I did. What can I say? Modest I wasn't -- not about my body anyway. She, on the other hand, was trying desperately to look anywhere but at my chest as she wordlessly handed over a jar of cream. I took it but not before I brushed my fingers against hers for way longer than I should have. I swear I wasn't trying to be mean or trying to get in her pants or anything. I just wondered what would happen.

She blushed a beautiful tomato red and I could feel the slightest tremble as our fingers parted. I instantly felt like such an asshole for playing with her that I sat down without even realizing I'd moved. The jar of cream was still in my hand and I figured I might as well use it and get the hell out of there as fast as I could before I made more of a jerk of myself than I already was.

"That's a really good cream," she blurted out suddenly and I almost dropped said cream as my nervousness returned ten fold. She sat down next to me and I could see from the corner of my eye that she was staring straight ahead. "I used it when I burned my hand a couple of months ago ... would you believe it was with a cup of coffee too?"

I shook my head and she grinned, inclining her head slightly so she could look at me. The cream really did feel good as I spread it over the reddened blotch across my chest and I told her so. Her grin widened and I took the lead as I asked her about all the books she had. It wasn't only cause I was trying to be polite but also cause I can't stand awkward silences. Silence is golden my ass, I always say. Maybe that's why I'm such a big mouth. I can't let a moment go without some kinda noise.

"Oh, yeah. You noticed, huh?" She gave me a full fledged smile and I could feel my stomach start to tighten. "I just like to read," she explained. "My mom always jokes that ever since I was two, I've had a book in my hand." I imagined a baby Buffy holding onto a book with one chubby little hand and couldn't help but chuckle.

"Hey, no laughing at my expense," she groused in a teasing tone of voice.

So I teased right back. "How do you know it was at your expense."

"Call it a hunch," she answered with as much authority as she could muster with the smile still on her face. "Which reminds me. Now that I've scalded you and have you half naked on my couch, it seems kind of ridiculous that I still haven't gotten your name yet."

"That's because I haven't given it yet." I grinned as she bumped me on the shoulder and glared at me. It looked so cute on her -- the glare, I mean that I almost forgot to answer. "Faith ... Faith Donelli."

"Faith Donelli," she said slowly as if testing out the way it rolled from her tongue. Let me tell ya. It rolled just fine. I could almost imagine her whispering my name in my ear and it made me quiver inside.

I finished spreading the cream, almost regretting not having any more reason to stay as I put on my damp T-shirt again. "I gotta get going," I said, already standing up and handing her back the jar. That was a lie though. I didn't really have to go anywhere but I wasn't about to kick back in some stranger's apartment even if that stranger was as nice as Buffy seemed to be. I just didn't want to make things awkward.

"Hey, Faith," she called out right before I reached the front door. "You wanna go to lunch or something maybe? I mean if you want to ... I still feel really bad about spilling all that coffee on you and I'd really like to have lunch with you. Really," she finished in a rush. And who was I to make her feel bad, right? So we made a lunch date for Saturday. I left her apartment feeling like maybe stopping at Starbucks hadn't been such a bad idea after all.

****

I think I had a pretty normal childhood as far as childhoods go. The most fucked up thing about it was that my mom left us when I was still in diapers. Didn't fuck me up all that much though. It wasn't like I was attached to her or anything, you know? Hell, if it wasn't for the pictures my dad still keeps around, I wouldn't even know what she looks like. Dave and Mike, my brothers, were three and four when she left so they remember her more than I do. But it's like a dream -- all fuzzy around the edges. At least that's what they tell me. But like I said, you can't miss what you've never had and as far as I'm concerned, I've never had a mother.

As far back as I can remember, Dad's always held two jobs, trying to support us and giving us everything we needed. So, basically food on the table and a roof over our heads was the tradeoff for a close relationship with his kids. Don't misunderstand me. The three of us love the old man and we'd do anything for him but the day you catch any one of us sitting down with him and having a heart to heart talk is the day hell freezes over.

Mike's the oldest and he's got a protective streak a mile wide, especially when it comes to me. When we were kids, he'd always give me half his candy anytime he got enough money to buy some, always made sure I got to school on time, always made sure he was there for me whenever I needed him. He was the first one I told about my first kiss. My first date. My first time. So if there's anybody on this entire planet who knows me better than me, it's him.

Mike's nothing at all like Dave and me. For one thing, he's not loud. And for another, he's not a magnet for trouble. Everybody gets a kicker about how alike Dave and me are when they first meet us. The same dark hair and the same brown eyes run in all three of us but Dave and me have the same dimples when we smile, the same walk, the same talk ... the same temper. That's what's always attracted the trouble. Dad says we get it from mom's side of the family. It sure wasn't from him anyway. He's the most even tempered man I know aside from Mike. I can count the number of times he's ever raised his voice to any of us on one hand and still have fingers left over. Dave and me, on the other hand, blow our stacks on a weekly basis and anybody who's spent any amount of time with us know to leave us the fuck alone when that happens.

Mike finished high school three years ago and went through two years at the local community college and now, he's a bookkeeper. I'm not exactly sure what it is he does all day but he seems happy doing it so I'm happy for him. Dave graduated two years ago and found a job as a mechanic which didn't surprise anyone cause ever since we were kids, he had a habit of taking things apart and putting them back together again. As for me, I'm in my last year of high school and know fuck all about what I want to do once I graduate.

So that's my little family in a nut shell. We've lived in the same town, in the same blue collar neighborhood, in the same house since before I was born. It's not as bad as it could've been. The town's pretty big as far as towns go and it's right next to a college so it's pretty open-minded too as far as politics are concerned. Our house was built around the '50s and that's pretty damn old if you ask me. But we put a new coat of paint on it every few years and patch up anything that squeaks, creaks, or drips and that makes it look a couple of decades younger. I honestly couldn't imagine living anywhere else.

"Hey chipmunk," Dave called out as soon as I stepped through the door. "Whoa! Which girl'd you piss off this time?" He asked, seeing the large stain on the front of my shirt. I knew he was in a good mood cause he never called me chipmunk unless he was feeling good.

"Didn't piss anybody off, dumbass," I shot back, referring to my own nickname for him. "It was an accident."

"Right," he grinned, rolling his eyes at me. "But I bet there was a girl involved somewhere in there. Am I right?"

I returned his grin. "Didn't say there wasn't." The thing is, ever since I started high school -- maybe even before that -- I knew I was gay. Like so many other times, Mike was the first one I turned to to talk about it. He didn't seem surprised when I told him. Just raised one eyebrow and said that no matter what, he would still love me cause I was his sister. Dave didn't take it nearly as well. He found out a year later when he saw me making out with Stephanie who just so happens to be his best friend's kid sister. He blew his goddamn top, nearly bit my head off and we ended up not speaking to each other for about a month. You sure wouldn't know it now with how easily we tease each other about who we're seeing.

I climbed the stairs two at a time and went into my room to get a change of clothes and a shower. I came back downstairs thirty minutes later, feeling much more human and finding Dave messing with the insides of our stereo.

"Are you still messing with that old clunker?" I asked, flopping down on the sofa and eyeing the heap of plastic, wire, and metal on the living room floor.

"You have your hobbies and I have mine," he said, picking up a screwdriver. "And besides, it'll work like new as soon as I get done."

I stretched out more comfortably and dug for the television remote between the cushions.

"So what happened to make you look like a walking coffee stain today?" He asked as I flipped through the channels.

"I zigged when I should've zagged. Like I said, it was an accident. I wasn't looking where I was going and apparently, she wasn't looking where I was going either."

He sucked in a breath, giving me a sympathetic look. "That must've burned."

"You ain't kidding ... especially when she did it the second time."

He looked at me like I was trying to sell him the Brooklyn Bridge or something. "What?"

I couldn't help the grin that popped onto my face. Now that I thought about it, it was sort of funny. "Yeah, she was trying to wipe off my T-shirt with a napkin when she splashed me again."

"Damn, Faith. I hope you didn't hurt the girl too bad."

"What are you talking about?" I asked, scrunching up my brows. "Of course, I didn't hurt her. In fact, we're having lunch on Saturday. Can you believe that?"

Obviously he couldn't because his frown deepened and I could just tell another question was going to come popping out of his mouth but the sound of a car horn outside stopped him midword.

"I won't be back for dinner," I said, jumping up and walking to the front door.

His mouth was still working as he stared after me. Almost mechanically, he shouted out, "Remember your curfew" as I shut the door behind me.

I climbed into the cab of my best friend Simon's beat up old Chevy truck and like I did every time I saw him, I slapped a hand down on the bill of his cap in greeting. He tugged it back into place and shot me a grin before stepping on the gas. As far as I know, we've been best friends since we were sucking on pacifiers and playing in the sandbox. I couldn't remember a time when he wasn't my best friend. He has ash blonde hair he always kept short -- not like you could tell cause he always covered it up with a cap anyway. Large gray eyes peeked out from beneath the brim and in the right kind of light, they almost looked blue. But the first thing everybody notices about him first is his size. Simon's got the kind of body that could and regularly did make football coaches get down on their knees and give thanks to God.

"So where were you today?" He asked as we drove to the movie theater.

I shrugged, watching the familiar scenery pass by the window. "It was a nice day. I didn't feel like spending it cooped up inside a classroom." Even though I wasn't looking at him, I knew he was frowning. I also knew him well enough to know he wasn't upset that I'd skipped school and missed a valuable educational experience. No, it was because I skipped school without him. "Don't be a grouch, Simon," I said, turning back around to face him. "I promise the next time a perfect day rolls by, I'll drag you with me, teachers and coaches be damned." I watched as his frown disappeared and a grin reluctantly tugged at his lips.

The rest of the drive over, I listened to his usual rant about what a sadistic fuck his coach was. He wasn't, really. Truth was, Simon could be a lazy little turd if left to his own devices. His coach knew it too and insisted he give 110 percent at every single practice. But being his best friend and all, I couldn't point that out to him so I nodded at all the appropriate places and kept the eye rolling to a minimum when he wasn't looking.

We parked down the street from the movie theater and walked the rest of the way there. I spotted Linda and Stephanie right away. They were standing out front with their heads slightly canted towards each other and talking. We'd all grown up together but it was only a couple of months ago that Linda and Simon started dating. Linda was a petite redhead with skin that burned but never tanned. She barely topped 5'4" and Simon easily dwarfed her when they were standing together. But I had to admit, as strange as it looked to see the two of them together, they made a disgustingly cute couple.

Stephanie and me were another story. We started dating when we were sophomores and we'd broken up and made up five times in total during the last three years. Rocky road wasn't just an ice cream flavor when it came to us. And since it's only been a couple of days since our last make up, we were still feeling each other out.

They smiled when they spotted us. Stephanie stepped in and gave me a brief kiss on the lips before she took my hand. My eyes ran up and down her body out of habit. It was an involuntary reflex. I couldn't have stopped myself if I tried. No, really. I'm not kidding. Stephanie has what Dave would call a body built like a brick shithouse -- all the curves in all the right places. There was nothing on that body that wasn't absolutely perfect and I should know. I've explored every inch of it.

Tonight, her body was encased in a tight black skirt that barely reached her knees, a matching black sleeveless top and a faded denim jacket. I was salivating before she even touched me and burning where her fingers grazed against the palm of my hand.

"Let's go to Betsy's before the movie," Linda suggested. Betsy's Diner was right across the street from the theater and as far as I can tell, there never was a Betsy. But I could forgive them the deceit since they did serve a mean cup of coffee. And staring into that black cup of coffee the waitress set down in front of me inevitably drew my mind back to thinking about Buffy again. Idly, I wondered what she was doing at that exact moment. Was she reading one of her books? How long had it taken her to read all of them anyway? She said she was a student at the college but what was she majoring in? I bet she'd look way hot if she took off her glasses and let down her hair ... "Ow!" I winced at the stinging slap to my shoulder. "What was that for?" I asked, looking over at Stephanie who was sitting next to me in the booth.

Simon's shoulders were shaking as he chuckled. "Man, you should've seen your face, Faith. Were you having lustful thoughts about your coffee? You could've given old man Riley a run for his money." Now, I've got to interject and explain here so you can get the full extent of the insult. On summer nights, you can bet that old man Riley would be sitting on his porch in his ratty blue bathrobe, leering his toothless gums at every woman that passed by his house. If he were in a particularly good mood, he'd let his bathrobe go untied and let it all hang out. So to be compared to him is not a compliment. I threw a sugar packet at Simon, growling under my breath for him to shut up while simultaneously flashing my most apologetic grin towards Stephanie. It wasn't working on either front so I just gave it up and drank the coffee.

The night improved significantly ten minutes into the movie we snuck into. We never paid to get in cause one of Simon's jock friends works there as an usher. We'd grabbed our usual seats in the back and ten minutes after the previews, my hand had snaked its way onto Stephanie's thigh. I snuck a peek at her out of the corner of my eye and since she wasn't protesting, I started rubbing my thumb in small circles on her soft skin. I could feel the heat starting to gather in between my own legs as I continued inching closer to her warmth. "I've been wet for you ever since I saw you tonight," I said, leaning over to whisper in her ear and nuzzling her with my nose when I heard the hitch in her breathing. "You're the only one that can do this to me, Steph," I went on, capturing her lobe between my teeth and biting down just hard enough to make her shudder. "The only one," I emphasized, letting the tips of my fingers graze over the damp material of her panties and earning myself a strangled moan. Go me.

****

Buffy really did look hot when she took off her glasses and let her hair down as I found out on Saturday when I went by her place to pick her up. She must've thought I was some kind of idiot when I stood there for what must've been a full minute staring at her when she opened up the door. Her grin dissolved into a nervous smile as she finally stepped forward and closed the door behind her. "Shall we?" She asked, leading me towards the stairwell.

That's a great way to greet someone, Faith. I mentally slapped myself one on the back of the head. Repeat after me: staring at them till they start wondering if you've got a few screws loose is not a good thing. God, I'm such an idiot. Well, since she already thinks I'm headed for the nuthouse, I can't really sink any lower in her eyes. Might as well go all out.

"Hey Buffy. You look hot with your hair down." Oh yeah, just call me Miss Smooth.

"Thanks," she says slowly, giving me that nervous little smile again. And after a little bit of hesitation, she adds, "Um .. you look good too."

I checked myself over quickly in the mirror in the lobby as we passed. Black T-shirt. Check. Black pants. Check. Zipper up. Check. Yep, this was as good as I ever looked. No frills. Just me and attitude to spare.

She led us down the block to this little sandwich shop. "This good?" She asked me, stopping in front.

She could've led me all the way to Alaska and back for all I cared at the moment. Out loud, I answered, "Yeah, sure. I could go for some Pastrami." Buffy insisted on paying. I should've known she would but I still wasn't too sure about it. She finally had me when she laid a hand on my arm and said it'd make her feel better about what happened the other day. I could already tell I wasn't going to win many arguments with her if she kept doing that.

We decided to take our lunch on the college campus. Well actually, 'we' didn't decide. Buffy did and I followed. It was nice though. Almost like we were having a picnic.

"So how long have you lived here, Faith?" She began before taking a bite from her sub.

"All my life. I know most everybody in town. Hell, I grew up with half of 'em. But enough about me. My life's boring, not to mention that I already know everything there is to know about myself, inside and out. You, on the other hand ... I don't know a damn thing about you Buffy Summers."

She gave me an indulgent look. "What is it you want to know about me, Faith Donelli?" Oh yeah. I loved that tone of voice. It was just like hanging a big sign up, inviting me over to play.

"I want to know everything, B."

"That could take awhile. We could be here all day."

"I've got no other plans. Do you?"

She suddenly broke eye contact and stared down at the sub she was holding. "Are you flirting with me, Faith?"

Well, yeah. But I must not have been doing that good a job if she has to ask. "What would you say if I said yes?"

I could see the blush rising in her cheeks and the nervous smile made a reappearance as it fluttered about her face. "I've never ... with a girl ... I mean ..." She shook her head quickly, making a frustrated little grunt. "Arghh! I don't know what I mean and I don't know what it is about you but whenever you're around, I come off acting and sounding heavily medicated."

"What can I say? It's a gift," I answered automatically as my brain picked over what she'd just said while simultaneously making a note of how cute she looked when she got frustrated. "So are you saying you're straight, B?" Please say no. Please say no. Please say no.

"Well ... no." YES! "I'm not saying that I am. Actually, I've never really thought about it before. It's almost like someone coming up to you and asking when the moon's going to fall down. You're like 'What?' because it's not something you've spent time thinking about and when you get asked something like that out of the blue, it just takes you off guard. Am I making any sense at all?"

"Absolutely not." Buffy retaliated with a playful punch to my arm. "But seriously, Buffy, if you tell me to stop, I will."

She looked long and hard into my eyes and I had to beat down the urge to look away. I don't know what she was looking for, what she wanted to see but whatever it was, she seemed to find it. Her smile grew firmer and she nodded slightly. "It's fine." She shrugged. "I mean, I don't know if we could ever ... but I'd like to spend more time with you, Faith." I saw the opening and shot right through like a greased eel.

"You saying I'm growing on you?"

"I'm saying that I think you could." Making an obvious attempt to get things back on safer ground, she asked. "So what specifically did you want to know about me aside from which way I swing?"

"Let's start with the basic stuff and work our way up," I suggested, watching her resume eating. "Tell me about your family?"

She took a deep breath as if getting ready to deliver a speech. "Well, I'm an only child. Mom's a socialite. Dad's an investment banker. I probably know more about my nanny than I do about my own parents but it really isn't as bad as it sounds. They've always encouraged me to pursue my dreams. Only problem is, they haven't the faintest clue as to what I dream about. The best part about growing up was always the summers. I've always spent them with my grandparents up in their house in Maine. It's so beautiful there. Especially out in the ocean on grandpa's sailboat with the blue sky overhead and the sparkling water underneath. If you try hard enough, you can almost imagine you're the only person on the planet."

I caught myself leaning closer to Buffy as she talked. Her voice was almost hypnotic and I had to shake myself to clear my head. "What do you dream about?" I asked, hoping she hadn't noticed my strange behavior. "You said your parents don't know so what is it that you dream about?"

Her eyes took on a faraway look and she was quiet for so long, I almost thought she wasn't going to answer. Finally, she peered up at me through her lashes and said in a soft voice, "I dream about looking up at night and seeing a black canvas with stars splashed across the sky. I dream about the sound of water gently lapping against the side of my boat. I dream about air that's clean and cool and wind that carries a salt tang. I dream about falling asleep and knowing with a certainty that the next night will be exactly the same."

"God, that's beautiful," I said, watching a bright smile light up her face. God, 'she' was beautiful.

"Thank you. So now that I've told you my dream, tell me yours."

"I don't really have one," I said and to her incredulous stare, I added, "But if you're feeling generous, maybe you can let me share your dream when you're not using it."

"Anytime, Faith," she said without hesitation. "Anytime." And I was just the kind of person to hold her to that.

****

"You are so fucking dead!" I shouted, jumping onto Simon's back and yanking down viciously on his cap. He stumbled forward, still braying like an ass who's spotted a tasty carrot. "I swear I'm going to pound you into the ground if you don't give that back." I was so angry, I could feel my ears burning as he dropped to one knee still choking through his laughter. He was almost as red as me by that point, mostly cause I was choking him across the neck with an arm. I jumped off of him and grabbed the slim book from out of his hand before giving him the finger and walking away.

"Aww ... c'mon. I'm sorry." Let me tell you, if you're still laughing when you're apologizing to someone, you might as well save your breath cause it'll work about as well as trying to put out three alarm fire by pissing on it.

Simon came jogging after me. Nobody ever accused him being the sharpest tool in the shed. "I just never pictured you as a poet," he said, rubbing a hand across the top of his head before jamming the cap back in place. "Caught me off guard." My fingers involuntarily tightened around the book as I glared at Simon. "After all," he continued, totally ignoring my death stare. "I can't remember the last time I caught you with your nose in a book and 'specially not a book of poems." He said the word poems with a snicker. If he weren't my best friend, I would've just punched him in the nose by now. Obviously ignorant of my homicidal thoughts, he went on, "Man, I can still remember the last 'poem' you wrote for Steph. Let me see. How did it go?

Roses are red,.
Violets are blue,
You've got huge honkers
Can I squeeze them for you?"

He started laughing again so I kicked him in the shin which didn't shut him up like I'd hoped. Instead, he kept on laughing, only now, he was hopping up and down on his good leg.

"One of these days, you're gonna surprise me and grow a fucking brain," I grumbled, taking off again. This time Simon stayed put, too busy wiping tears from his eyes to run after me.

But the longer I thought about it, the more I had to admit the big wuss was right though, in his own twisted, fucked up way. I was reading poetry. Poetry for fuck's sake! What part of the Twilight Zone had I walked through? Two weeks ago, I wouldn't have been caught dead even glancing at something like that. I slapped the book against my forehead. Twelve years of public school and not one iota of interest. Two weeks since having met Buffy and I was reading Tennyson and Whitman in my spare time.

That's not to say I haven't done my share of crazy shit in pursuit of pussy but this was different. This wasn't just about sex or lust although they're definitely two things I hold near and dear to my heart. I'm not sure how to explain it any clearer -- this feeling I get whenever I'm near Buffy, whenever I think about Buffy. I've never felt this way before about anybody. I want her, no question about that. But I'd be happy just sitting in the same room as her. I must be going crazy.

****

I squeezed the warm weight in my hand and just barely grazed the top of the nipple with the pad of my thumb. The flesh instantly pebbled, proudly lifting up to its highest peak. It never fails to amaze me how horny I can get just staring at her tits. And if Steph's parents weren't due home in twenty minutes, I'd have been happy playing with them for hours. Her breathing was already getting ragged again even as she slid out from under me.

"All I need is fifteen minutes." I wasn't above pleading to get my way. "I just wanna taste you one more time."

I knew all hope was lost when she flung my clothes at me. "Last time you wanted to taste me one more time, you ended up climbing out my window with your ass hanging bare to the world."

"Don't lie and say you didn't enjoy the view." I started pulling my clothes back on as Stephanie walked around me and slapped me on the back of the ass.

"I might have enjoyed the show but I don't think daddy would've been so appreciative."

"No?" I questioned, backing her up against a wall and kissing her roughly on the lips.

I got a close up view as she swallowed and flicked out her tongue to lick her bottom lip. "Nope," she finally said and firmly pushed me back with a hand to the chest. "Good night, Faith. I'll see you tomorrow?"

I blew out a sigh, stole one more kiss and walked out of the house still feeling wound up. It was only ten o'clock at night and I wasn't sure if Buffy would even be in or not but I chanced it and walked towards her neighborhood. I guess I should feel some kind of guilt for going there right after being with Steph. And I did but it wasn't nearly enough to stop me. Straight from my girlfriend's house to Buffy's front door I went.

Lucky for me, it wasn't a wasted trip and after two knocks, the door swung smoothly open.

"Faith."

"B." I couldn't help returning her quick smile as I took in the bare feet, the well worn blue jeans, the strands of blonde hair spilling out of its clip and the glasses perched smartly on her nose. I'd come to refer to this as her study mode. "You gonna invite me in or are we holding a party out here?"

"Nah, I'm not one for exhibitionism. That's more your area."

I chuckled as she took a hold of my wrist and pulled me in. Two weeks hanging around with me and I've already corrupted her. I'm SO bad.

She led me into her living room and I was a little surprised to see she hadn't been alone. Three women sat around in a loose group arranged comfortably on the pillows scattered on the floor and on the couch.

"Faith, these are some of my friends from my women's studies course. Angela," she pointed to a slender, dark skinned girl, "Alex", a tall brunette with shoulder length hair, "and Michelle" a curly blonde who still had baby fat around her face, giving her a cherubic air. "Guys, this is Faith," Buffy said, finishing with the introductions.

"Hope I'm not interrupting," I said, trying for my most winning smile as I took a seat on a big purple sofa cushion..

"Interrupt away." Michelle blew out a short burst of air and brushed back the blonde locks from her eyes. "We were just finishing up a project for class and I don't know about anyone else but my brain is fried.."

"Fried, dried, and left out in the sun too long," Angela added with a bright smile. "I don't think I've seen you around campus Faith but it's always fun meeting new people. So what are you majoring in?"'

"Art history," I immediately said, trying to keep a straight face. I even surprised myself with that answer. It was just the first thing that popped into my mind, weirdly enough.

"You're such a liar." Buffy grinned, bumping me against the shoulder with her hip. Before she could back off, I went ahead and grabbed her around the waist, pulling her down on my lap. I held on, feeling the giggles shaking her body as she squirmed part way around and draped her arms loosely around my neck. I was so focused on the complete feeling of 'rightness' that suddenly engulfed me from head to toe that it took my brain a couple extra seconds to pick up the conversation again.

"Sorry, zoned out there for a minute. What were we talking about?"

Buffy rolled her eyes like a little kid, only it looked much cuter on her than on any little kid I've ever seen. "We were discussing your nonexistent alter ego, the art major. Remember?"

"Oh right ... " I looked back at Angela who wore an amused expression on her face. "Don't know what happened there. That just bypassed my brain and popped out of my mouth without my blessing. Sorry. Truth is, I'm just a lowly high school student."

Michelle clucked her tongue and waggled a finger in what would've been stern disapproval if the effect weren't completely undermined by the mischievous grin on her face. "Robbing the cradle, Buffy? I never would have figured you for the type. Well -- there's a lesson well learned, kiddies. Never judge a book by its pristine cover."

I watched fascinated as the blood creeped up Buffy's neck and blossomed across her cheeks. I wanted to kiss her there, to feel the warmth of her skin beneath my lips. I wanted to tilt her chin up, just ever so slightly so I could nuzzle at the curve of her neck. I wanted to run the tips of my fingers up under her shirt and feel her breathe.

Just breathe ...

"So how did you two meet anyway?" I didn't catch who asked the question. I was only too glad however that whoever it was, did, giving me a chance to divert my attention away to safer ground. Because, given five more seconds, I don't think I could've stopped my body from 'doing' exactly what or, more specifically, who it desired. And I desire Buffy. Desire, want, crave, need, hunger, thirst. I'm a walking thesaurus when it comes to her.

****

I took another gulp from the bottle of water I'd gotten out of Buffy's mini-fridge. It was only recently I'd made the discovery that she even had one, hidden as it was behind a stack of books so high, it nearly reached my waist. I patted the seat next to me for Buffy to sit as she came back from locking the door.

"Your friends are nice," I said as she plopped down next to me.

"You would say that seeing as how you entertained everyone at my expense." She heaved a huge sigh that was this side of melodramatic. "I can't believe how everybody ganged up on me like that ... and it's all your fault too."

"My fault?" I asked, putting on my best innocent act.

"Don't act all innocent. Yes, your fault." She nodded with a crooked grin. "You're way too enthusiastic about telling that particular story, Faith."

"For good reason, B. I mean, how many other people can claim they met their dream girl through spilt coffee and accidental injury?"

I waited for the quick retort but her face suddenly became serious and when she spoke, there was a hint of uncertainty in her voice. "Do you really mean that? ... That I'm your dream girl?"

"I ... " My eyes were suddenly looking everywhere but at her and I almost jumped off the couch when she captured my face in between her hands. I had no other choice but to look into her eyes then. A tight pressure rose up in my chest making it hard to breathe. I was nine years old again, getting caught snooping in Dave's room. Getting chased through the house, every step making my heart pound faster. Getting wrestled to the ground as he sat on my chest. Screaming myself red cause I couldn't breathe and he wouldn't get up.

The sound of Buffy's voice snapped me back from the memory. "I can't tell sometimes when you're teasing me and when you're not ... I need to know this time, Faith. Tell me if you're serious."

"I don't ... I don't know what to say."

"Please Faith ... "

That's when I felt it. Her hands were trembling against my face. She was scared, maybe even more than I was. Every bit of tension drained from my body right then. There was nothing to be afraid of, I realized. Not for either of us. So I let go. Let myself willingly fall into the warm hazel eyes that were staring back at me. I raised my hands to cover hers, never letting our gazes drop.

"I'm serious, Buffy," I answered in a husky voice as I ran my hands up her arms, feeling the goosebumps rise up where my fingers touched. A faint grin started tugging at her lips. Her hands slid behind my head, fingers tangling in my hair as she pulled me closer. I leaned in slowly, closing the remaining distance between us until my lips brushed against hers.

So soft. So sweet.

She pulled me harder against her, our mouths meeting again and again. When I felt her tongue licking at my bottom lip, my mouth immediately opened, allowing her easy entrance. The first touch was like an electric shock straight to my groin as her tongue roughly slid against mine, thoroughly exploring every bit of space before retreating back and luring me to follow. When she finally pulled away, I could see her eyes had darkened from hazel to a nearly dark brown.

Our breaths were already ragged as she took my hand and placed it over her right breast. I could feel the hard nub against my palm. The warm weight settled beautifully into my hand as I massaged it, reveling in the pliant flesh.. Watching her eyes slide closed and her mouth hanging slightly open, a desire so sharp settled over me that my heart actually skipped a beat. I moved in, kissing her so hard and so deep, I thought I would lose myself in her.

She pulled away again, almost growling out, "Bedroom. Now."

****

I got serious flak from my old man for not coming home and not calling that night. If I had to do it all over again, you're damn sure I'd do the exact same thing though. I can't even describe what happened between us cause all the words I know don't come close to describing how I felt, how I still feel.

Was this love? Was this what it felt like? Could it happen so fast? I thought I'd been in love before and it had felt good but it wasn't this constant yearning pull at my gut. It wasn't a hot burning ache that rips through me with nothing more than a touch. It was a hundred times less intense and I couldn't go back to that now that I'd gotten a taste of what it could be. With Buffy. God, even thinking of her name brings this goofy, fucked up smile to my face. It would've been annoying if it didn't also feel so damn good.

And knowing all this, there was no way I could keep seeing Stephanie behind B's back. Good thing breaking up was easy for Steph and me. The two of us had done it so many times in the past, we could almost write each other's lines. It didn't stop her from getting pissed that I'd cheated on her but, as break ups go, this one had gone off pretty smoothly. I didn't tell Buffy any of this, of course. As far as I was concerned, the whole thing was dead and done. What was important was the future -- our future, as corny as that sounds.

I was sitting on Buffy's couch as she walked around with a cordless in her hand, chatting with her mom ... actually, by the looks of it, I'd say mom was doing all the talking cause B hasn't said one whole sentence in the last ten minutes. She's got this tiny little frown on her face which makes her look kinda cute but even I wasn't stupid enough to mention that little fact right now. I'm not exactly sure what her mom's saying but whatever it was, Buffy didn't seem to like hearing it.

She hasn't exactly been info girl when it comes to her parents. Don't get me wrong. It's not as if she'll clam up if I bring them up or whatever but I get this feeling that she's not very comfortable whenever I do. It makes me realize that even though I might know a lot about Buffy, I don't know anything about her life or the people in it before she came here.

I played with a little blue embroidered pillow with two swans sewn into the right corner until she finally hung up. "Everything all right?" I asked.

She looked at me for a minute like she didn't even know I was there. "I'm fine," she said, shaking her head. "Nothing I'm not used to."

I didn't know how to take what she said or how she said it. I'd never heard her use that tone of voice before -- kinda angry, kinda dulled, kinda sad. She laid down on the couch with her head resting on my lap and touched my lips with two fingers. "We should do something together," she suddenly said. "Just the two of us."

I nipped at her finger with my teeth, making her giggle out loud. I loved the sound of it. "What do you have in mind?"

"Maybe we can do something during Spring Break," she suggested, snuggling down a little bit more. "We can visit my grandparents or something." Almost as an afterthought, she asked, "You don't have anything else planned, do you?"

"Nah, I would've probably just bummed around the house, vegging out in front of the TV." I brushed back a lock of hair that was covering her eye. "But are you sure about bringing me to meet the relatives?"

"You don't want to?"

"It's not that," I said, struggling to find the words to explain myself. "I don't ... It's that I want them to like me, B cause they're important to you. But what if they don't?"

She sat up and pulled my head around so she could look into my eyes. "How could they not like you, Faith? Trust me when I say you're a very likable person. Lovable even. And that's not just the girlfriend in me speaking either. It's the truth and anybody who spends any amount time with you at all can see that in the first five minutes."

"I can't believe you can do that."

"Do what?" She asked, scrunching up her brows in question.

"Make me hot with just a couple of words," I said, grinning at her.

She flushed and totally surprised me by grabbing me and giving me a long, deep kiss that I could feel all the way down to my toes. "Well, then we're even," she said, licking her bottom lip when she finally released me. "Cause you make me hot by just sitting there."

"We should definitely do something about that," I managed to get out before she leaped on top of me again.

****

"Hey!" At the shout, I turned, trying to locate the familiar voice. I didn't have to strain myself too hard as I spotted Simon right away. "You're a hard woman to track down, Donelli," he said, jogging up to me.

"What are you talking about? You see me almost every fucking day in school." I started walking again and he fell into step beside me.

"I see you, doesn't mean I get to talk to you. And that's another thing. I can't even remember the last time you spent every 'fucking' day in school. Something's up with you."

"Would you listen to yourself? You're actually standing there, bitching that I spend too much time attending class. If I were you buddy, I'd lay down the crackpipe and seek some professional help."

"Hey, I'm not saying it's a bad thing. I'm just wondering what's up with you."

I knew I'd end up telling him all about it sooner or later but why make it easy, right? "If I said nothing was up, would you believe me?"

"Not on your life. And what's this I hear about you and Steph breaking up cause you found yourself another honey, huh?"

"Since when was my life public knowledge?"

"Since when hasn't it been?"

"Shit, Si. What's the big deal? Everybody knows Steph and I break up on an almost annual basis. She takes the even years and I take the odd ones. It's like a never-ending vicious cycle."

"C'mon Faithy. This is your oldest, bestest pal speaking. I know when you're trying to bullshit me so cut it out and tell me what's really going on."

"Christ, you're annoying. Fine. You want to know? I'll tell ya. You're right about why Steph and I broke up. Yes, I met someone else. And you know what? She's a sophomore in college. Her name's Buffy. Her hobbies are reading, sailing, and seducing not-so-innocent high school girls in her spare time. Anything else you have a burning desire to know?"

He waited a beat before asking, "Are you fucking with me, Faith?"

"Nope."

"You're really dating a college student?"

"Yep."

"And her name's Buffy?"

"Yep again."

We walked a couple of steps in total silence.

Then, "Can I meet her?"

"Huh?"

****

"You have a key to her apartment?" Simon asked, leaning one shoulder against the wall.

I rolled my eyes. "Dude, did you get a lobotomy while I wasn't looking? I have a key in my hand and I'm reaching for the door with the other. What the fuck do you think?"

"I just never thought I'd see the day," he said, crossing his arms across his chest.

"What are you talking about?"

"I mean, think about it, Faith. Behind that door is her home, her private domain, her fortress of solitude, if you will. The fact that she offered you nearly unlimited access to that and the fact that you accepted tells me there's some serious shit going on between the two of you."

"And ... your point is?"

"Just never thought I'd see the day." He smiled proudly as if he'd just found the solution to world hunger or something. Before I could tell him where to shove it, the door suddenly opened without warning.

A shirtless fratboy stood at the opening and started eyeing both of us. I gave him the quick once over and found nothing special. Maybe a bland sort of good looking if you were into khaki wearing, leather loafered, blond haired, brown eyed, lantern jawed guys who liked standing in doorways with no shirt on. He cocked one blond eyebrow and asked, "Can I ... help you?"

God. That tone of voice. I don't think I'd be too far off the mark if I said I'm not gonna be liking this guy too much. "Yeah, sure buddy. You can help me by telling me if Buffy's here."

He glanced behind him into the apartment and then raised the other eyebrow. Very annoying. "Is she expecting you?"

"Gee, I don't know. We'll have to see ... BUFFY!"

Oh. He didn't like that at all --- tough shit.

"Faith?" The muffled voice floated back from the hallway leading to the bedroom and a minute later, Buffy came out.

I knew something was wrong soon as I saw her. A small frown creased the smooth skin of her forehead as she stopped just inside the door. There was no smile. There was no hug. There was no kiss hello.

"Faith. I wasn't expecting you."

Fratboy apparently grew bored with all of us and walked back inside the apartment without another word.

"I didn't know I had to make an appointment to see you now."

"That's not what I meant." She ran an agitated hand through her messy blonde locks as she finally took a step forward and hugged me. "I'm glad you're here," she whispered into my ear. A familiar tight tension coiled up at the bottom of my belly as her warm breath tickled my skin and the light scent of her perfume washed over my senses. We stayed wrapped in each others' arms for so long that I'd totally forgotten Simon was still there until he coughed. Really loudly.

"Buffy, I want you to meet someone," I said, jerking my head towards my best friend. "That's my annoying friend, Simon. He didn't believe you existed so I had to bring him here ... And since we're doing introductions and all, who's your new friend?"

****

I didn't believe my ears at first when she told me. That's why I asked her to repeat it but the second verse was the same as the first and all my brain could come up with was an awfully appropriate 'AWWW HELL!' It had to be poetic justice or karmic kickback or some other divine retribution cause ...

Buffy has a boyfriend. Not as in ex but as in still. And his name's Toby. He's a junior at Penn. And he came to visit for a few days. Blah. Blah. Blah. Yakkity yak. Not what I needed to know.

"Just tell me there's nothing going on between the two of you, Buffy." I'm sitting at the foot of her bed as she's pacing back and forth in front of me. Simon and To-by -- I can't even think of the name without gagging -- are outside, probably wondering what the fuck we were doing in here.

She stops right in front of me. "There's nothing going on between the two of us," she says locking her eyes with mine. "But ... " Why's there always gotta be a but? "It's complicated."

"I pretty much figured."

"I didn't even know he was going to be here. I hadn't heard from him for weeks and then he just showed up yesterday."

She was wringing her hands. I reached out and took them in mine, pulling her closer until she was standing in between my legs. I noticed that her palms were damp as I rubbed a thumb across her knuckles. "Does he know about us?" I asked. She shook her head no. "Are you going to tell him?" She hesitated for just a moment before nodding yes but it was still a moment too long to make me feel real reassured. She was about to pull away from me when this blind panic I couldn't even put a name to made me wrap my arms around her waist and cling to her as tight as I could. I closed my eyes and pressed my face against her stomach cause I couldn't stand looking into her eyes for what I was going to say next.

"You'd tell me, right Buffy?" My throat started closing up but I pushed the words through anyway. "You'd tell me if you were going to break up with me, right?"

"Faith, I am not going to break up with you." She sounded almost angry that I'd asked. Her hands ran through my hair and I burrowed deeper into her body. "Baby, breaking up with you is about the furthest thing from my mind. I'd be the dumbest person on the face of the earth if I let the best thing that's come into my life leave just when I've found her."

Did she say I was the best thing in her life? Did she actually say that? I should say something back but my mouth had gone so dry that I couldn't even form a single word. But Buffy seemed to understand my silence and just held me, murmuring that everything would be okay.

****

Continued in the Sequel "My Addictions"
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