Part 3
“Damn, this place is the shit, B.” Faith admired as they were seated at their table. “But we really can’t afford this.”
“Don’t worry about it, Faith. The boss is paying for it since I was able to land our big egotistical client.” Buffy smirked.
“Giles is letting you spend his money?” Faith scoffed. “Damn maybe I should have sucked up to him more often.”
“That’s my uncle, Faith. Please spare me.” Buffy told her, flipping her golden mane to one shoulder. So, order whatever you want.”
“Forty dollars a plate for fucking filet mignon?!” Faith screeched. “Fuck that.”
“Faith, could you please keep your voice down? We are in a restaurant.” Buffy told her. “Don’t worry about the cost. Order whatever you want.”
“Oh my God!” Faith glanced over at the table across the room and dipped her head in her menu. “Why is this happening to me?”
“What is it?” Buffy pondered.
“It’s William, and his wife.” Faith whispered. “They’re here. I need to get out of here before she sees me.”
“His wife? Why?” Buffy asked.
“Because she always suspected Will and I of having an affair. I think she eventually put two and two together and…” Faith sighed. “I can’t let Dru see me here, Buffy.”
“Everything’s going to be okay. You just stay here, and try and relax.” Buffy remarked, excusing herself.
Faith just tried to concentrate on the menu choices, instead of her ex across the room, who never saw her best friend coming in that direction.
“Excuse me.” Buffy tapped William’s shoulder.
“Can I help you?” William asked her. “I was in the midst of a lovely evening with my wife.”
“You’re William, right?” Buffy asked, ignoring his statement.
“Yes, William Kensington.” He flashed her a smile. “Have we met?”
“You wish.” Buffy rolled her eyes, and turned towards his wife, who presented a scowl, evident on her features.
“Hello, I’m Buffy Summers.” She greeted the woman.
“Drusilla Kensington, his wife.” Dru faked a chuckle. “Is there something you wanted with my husband?”
“Yes, actually.” Buffy nodded. “You see, Dru…May I call you Dru?”
“Everyone does.” Drusilla shrugged.
“Dru, your husband William here has created a very messy situation for me.” Buffy sighed. “I think he needs to take responsibility for creating those problems. Don’t you agree?”
“Yes.” Drusilla nodded. “I believe all men and woman should take responsibility for their actions.”
“Wonderful!” Buffy giggled sweetly. “Here’s my card, William. Call me on it tomorrow morning, and we’ll get down to business of what you owe me for the damages. Goodnight, Mr. and Mrs. Kensington. It was a wonderful pleasure to meet you.”
“And you, as well.” Drusilla answered for both of them as Buffy returned to her table. “Well, honey…what the hell was all that about?”
***
“What the fuck did you say to them?” Faith spat as Buffy sat down.
“Don’t worry, Faith.” Buffy smiled. “You are about to get everything you’ve wanted. And William is going to be the one left hanging.”
“I’m still jonesing to know what you said to him, B.” Faith replied.
“You’ll find out soon enough.” Buffy teased with an evil gleam in her eye.
“You’re evil, you know that?” Faith asked.
“You’ll be singing a different tune come tomorrow.” Buffy remarked. “William is going to be providing for you and your baby. I’m going to get that jackass to pay you every red cent he owes you and your baby for the lies he told and lives that his lies ruined. You both will be provided for and that’s all that matters. So, I think a celebration is in order.”
“B, we’re already at the most expensive restaurant in this side of town. What more is there?” Faith pondered.
“One last night at your favorite club, for old time’s sake.” Buffy told her.
“Wow.” Faith chuckled. “So, tell me. Are we really going there for me, or are we actually going there for you?”
“For me?” Buffy repeated. “Faith, you know I hate clubs.”
“I know. Let’s be real here, B.” Faith smirked. “You met that hunk of brooding chocolate-y goodness there, and you are dying to go there to see if you can run into him again, am I right?”
“N-No, of course not!” Buffy faltered.
“Whatever.” Faith rolled her eyes. “Fine, we’ll go, we’ll party.”
“Good girl.” Buffy smiled, as they enjoyed the rest of their meal together.
***
“Man, this place is packed tonight.” Faith remarked as they stepped into her favorite club.
“Yeah, a tad more so than regular, but hey, it’s your last fun club night together. Relax.” Buffy reassured her. “I’m gonna get a drink. You want anything.”
”I guess…mineral water?” Faith suggested. “Since I am with child, and all.”
“Good choice. I’ll be back.” Buffy promised and pushed her way through the crowd, and up to the bar.
“What can I do you for?” the bartender gave her the once over.
“One mineral water, and a club soda, please.” Buffy smiled, paying the bartender.
“You do know this is a bar, don’t you?” a voice breathed from behind.
“You are aware that your present actions could be misconstrued as stalking in all fifty states?” Buffy prodded.
“I can deal with that. A man in uniform has never kept me from a beautiful woman before.” Angel advanced.
“Hands off, smart ass.” Buffy turned around, removing his arms from her waist. “I have to get back to my friend, excuse me.”
“Where is she? I, for one, would love to meet her.” Angel taunted, producing his trademark smirk.
“What are you doing?” Buffy ignored his last statement.
“What do you mean?” Angel questioned innocently.
“You, acting like you and I are pals, or whatever.” she ground out. “We had sex once, that’s it. It’s called a one night stand; I’m sure you are very familiar with the term. So, you can take yourself right on out that door, and not look back.”
“You’re calling our relationship a farce?” Angel chuckled.
“Relationship?!” Buffy snorted. “What relationship? You and I aren’t in a relationship! We aren’t a couple, or whatever your delusional little mind thinks. God, can’t you go annoy some other girl whose pants you want to get into?”
“Oh, but sweetie, your pants are the only ones I want inside.” he mocked, pulling her closer.
“You are seriously disturbed!” Buffy pushed him away. “Leave me alone or I will get a restraining order against you.”
“Come back to my apartment tonight.” Angel pled, as she was walking away from him.
“You’re a fool if you expect me to sleep with you again.” Buffy shouted back.
“Who said anything about a sexual encounter? Isn’t it a little pretentious to assume that I want to indulge myself in an erotic display of intimacy with you?” Angel retorted.
“Pretentious?” Buffy echoed. “You are a delusional, self absorbed, shell of a man who lives just to bed down a different woman each night of the week. Do yourself a favor and stay away from me and my friend. I’m not like the other girls you’ve bedded and discarded. Unlike them, I go with my gut instinct, and that is to stay as far away from you as possible.”
“You’re a fierce one.” he laughed. “You have a wild tongue.”
“Stay away!” Buffy roared, leaving the area that he occupied.
“Wish I could.” He sighed, and resumed his previous position on the barstool, watching her.
***
“One mineral water for the pregnant woman.” Buffy smiled as she sat down across from her.
“Does Mr. Hottie O’Connor come with that, waitress?” Faith taunted.
“So very funny. Any moment I’m sure to laugh.” Buffy pouted angrily.
“I say you two bickering at the bar.” Faith admitted. “Once more with tension, please.”
“Did you know he was going to be here?” Buffy prodded.
“No, I didn’t.” Faith replied honestly. “Do you want my opinion?”
“Not really.” Buffy shrugged. “But, then again, I don’t ever really have a choice, do I?”
“Not really.” Faith chuckled. “My guess is that Mr. O’Connor has been inhabiting this building every night since you two got pelvic. He’s in lust with you, at the least. Hell, could be love. Who knows?”
“That man doesn’t know how to love.” Buffy sighed.
“What did your mother teach you about counting your chickens before they hatch?” Faith shook her head. “So, when are you seeing him again?”
“I’m not.” Buffy remarked. “He’s incorrigible, egotistical…”
“And you want to get in his pants again!” Faith finished for her. “Face it, B. You are so in lust with him.”
“No.” Buffy denied. “I’m wondering why I even had sex with him in the first place.”
“How was the sex, by the way?” Faith asked, sipping her water.
“Mind blowing, amazing. He did the most sinful things with his tongue, and…” Buffy paused mid sentence. “Focus! Focus! As the best friend, you should be consoling me, not prodding for the gory details of my sex life.”
“Now you have a sex life?” Faith gasped dramatically. “And we all thought you were just a tight ass who had a big old bug up her ass.”
“You’re quite the little sadist, aren’t you?” Buffy scoffed. “I don’t like him. He’s an arrogant ass that just uses women for sex.”
“But it’s good sex.” Faith deduced. “There’s really nothing wrong with that, is there? You both are consenting adults, who can frequent each other’s beds if they so desire. Is there really anything wrong with a relationship based on the heightened sexual needs of you both?”
“You aren’t seriously asking me this!” Buffy exclaimed. “Faith, after all we’ve both been through in the last month or so, you especially, I assumed you would be backing me on this…Not trying to convince me to sleep with the man.”
“It’s not like he’s married, B.” Faith mocked her own personal situation. “Besides, it is normal for two adults to resume a purely sexual relationship. It’s practically common these days, no?”
“I suppose so.” Buffy shrugged. “But I want more. I mean, what if the perfect guy comes along, and I miss him because I’m too busy boning every guy that comes my way. I don’t want to become like my most of the women in my family. A whore with two kids to raise all alone. I promised myself a better life than that.”
“As well you should.” Faith agreed.
“I remember when Daddy used cry in his sleep at night. He loved Joyce…Mom…but she’d cheat on him at least bi-monthly, but since he loved her, he stayed with her…until Tara disappeared. It all fell apart then, as you already know.”
“They got divorced.” Faith nodded.
“And then she ran off with some scumbag that she met when she was out whoring around, never heard from again. She ruined Daddy, and I promised myself that she wouldn’t ruin me or rule my life, ever.”
“But what does that have to do with Mr. Hottie over there?” Faith asked.
“I don’t want to become her, Faith.” Buffy sobbed. “And what if he is the one? You and I both know that in the long run, all he is gonna due is hurt me. And I can’t live through that. I can’t give me heart to someone who’s going to stomp on it once it’s in their grasp.”
“How can you be so sure he will?” Faith questioned. “People change, Buffy. And if you don’t act, you’ll never know. I mean, what if he’s the guy…The one you’ve been searching for all your life, but you never knew it because you held his past against him. You’ll still be miserable for the rest of your life, never knowing what could have been.”
“So, you think I should risk this, everything I’ve ever achieved, on the precedent that he’s the one?” Buffy pondered.
“That’s exactly what I am saying, Buffy.” Faith nodded. “You need to start taking risks, stop being so safe and narrow minded with your emotions.”
“It’s kept me sane this far.” Buffy defended herself. “That fact alone has kept me from making one of the biggest mistakes of my life…pregnancy.”
“Oh, I see.” Faith replied, feeling ashamed. “Are you insinuating that this life I am carrying around inside me, my child of my own flesh and blood, was a mistake? Granted, it’s conception wasn’t planned, but that doesn’t mean that I am going to look upon them with disdain or regret. It’s an innocent life here, B. Maybe if you weren’t so selfish, if you actually did something that you cared remotely about, you would figure that out. Instead, all you care about is how far you can make it in your career without failing. You’re a self absorbed baby, who only cares about her work ethic. That alone would turn off any man. No wonder you aren’t attached by now.”
“That was harsh.” Buffy sighed, feeling the tears rolling down her face.
“I’m going to call a cab to take me home.” Faith disregarded her prior statement. “I’ll see you at the house.”
Faith leapt off the chair and made her way to the phone booth intent on calling a cab. Buffy just continued to sit there and sulk, not fully accepting what Faith had conveyed to her.
Was that really all she was? Mentally screwed up, withholding the knowledge in her mind that if she wasn’t perfect, if she didn’t keep on the task of her career, that she would be nothing but a washed up failure?
Was that what people had once seen, and possibly still saw her as?
Buffy didn’t know. Maybe she never would. The only thing she knew was that she couldn’t afford to find out.