Chapter 2
~Los Angeles, 2004~
I’ve been in this dump all my life. I want out. I want to be free of all of them but I can’t escape.
They always find me.
No matter where I run to, they will always find me. I don’t want to ever come back, but I do. I come willingly so I don’t die. Lately it has been so bad that I want to kill myself. Get it over with.
It has to be better than this excuse for a life I have, doesn’t it?
“Summers!” a voice brought the blonde out of her thoughts.
“Faith.” Buffy sighed. “God, I thought you were Walsh.”
“No, please.” Faith snickered with disgust at the thought. “I came to warn you though. Your regular weekly chores need to be finished and if you don’t get them done soon, I imagine Walsh is going to come down on you again.”
“Okay.” Buffy nodded as she pinned her hair up in a ponytail and donned a semi clean t-shirt. “I’ll get right on that.”
“Buffy.” Faith called again.
“Yeah?” Buffy turned around to face her friend.
“Don’t screw this up.” Faith warned.
Buffy nodded silently and continued on her journey. She noticed one of the younger girls, Dawn, about to spill some water onto the floor. Buffy was able to grab the water bucket before it made too much of a mess.
“I’m so sorry.” Dawn muttered and went about cleaning up her mistake.
“Dawn, right?” Buffy saw the girl nod. “Don’t worry about it, okay? You go do your other chores. I’ll clean up here.”
“Thank you.” Dawn replied. “Thank you so much.”
“Just finish your chores.” Buffy shooed Dawn away with her finger.
Buffy was still in the middle of cleaning up Dawn’s mess when she heard footsteps coming up on her. When she heard the tap-tap of someone’s heel, she knew exactly who it was.
“Headmistress.” Buffy turned around.
“What are you doing?!” she yelled. “These aren’t your chores. Did you do your chores this morning yet, Summers?”
“Not yet, Headmistress. I promise I will have them done by morning’s end.” Buffy told her.
“Always the martyr, aren’t you?” Maggie scoffed. “You will do your chores and then redo Faith’s as well. I want to see the damn floors shine like the sky on a crystal clear day. Is that understood, Miss Summers?”
“Yes, ma’am.” Buffy nodded.
“What do we say?” Maggie reminded her.
“Thank you.” Buffy replied curtly.
Maggie just laughed and walked out of the room. Faith, who had witnessed the whole scene, walked back into the room.
“I’m sorry, B.” Faith apologized. “But you gotta stop dinking around here. You need to start watching out for you, not the whole damn lot of us.”
“I know.” Buffy nodded as she finished cleaning up the floor. Faith bent down and took the dirty rags from her.
“What are you doing? You should be kicking back. You have the whole week free.” Buffy reminded her.
“I don’t like seeing my best friend doing work she didn’t deserve.” Faith smiled. “Now, you get started on your chores. I’ll finish up here, okay?”
“Okay.” Buffy nodded.
“And Buffy?” Faith called out to her.
“Yeah?” she turned back.
“One person can make a difference.” Faith replied. “You have.”