Point Of View: Part One
by Wravyn
Disclaimer: The usual. Not mine, never were mine, never will be mine.

Author's Notes: Friday the 13th has been dubbed as the day when all bad stuff happens to the poor, undeserving folks who just want to get through the day without any trouble. Well, it happens to be MY good luck day. Never passes without something good happening to me. I guess it all depends on your Point of View ...



***

Willow closed the door to her house and looked around nervously. The sun was just setting over the horizon, and there was always the danger of lurking vamps around this time, thought Willow.

Taking a deep breath, Willow started the walk towards Buffy’s house. Slaying had once again put her behind in all her classes, and she needed tutoring. Willow had offered to help her friend catch up. It gave her something to do, anyway. Now that Spike had once again left town, things should have settled down around Sunnydale, and they have, Willow supposed, vamp activity-wise anyway. As far as their personal lives went, well, that still needed taking care of.

Buffy and Angel seemed to be at some sort of standstill in their relationship, but Willow could not spare very much sympathy for either of them. Her own life was in too much of a muddle. After that kiss ... well, she and Oz weren’t doing so well, either. And judging from the few times she’d talked to Xander since that had happened, it looked like things with Cordy were even worse.

Willow couldn’t really blame them. What they had done was unforgivable, and she couldn’t speak for Cordy, but she had seen the look of betrayal on Oz’s face when he had caught her kissing Xander. She could tell that he wasn’t about to kiss and make up that easily. she thought humorlessly. Willow sighed and gave up trying to sort though the mess in her head.

The thought of the bleach-blonde vampire brought a wan smile to her face. Buffy had told her, during one of their rare conversations about “that night,” that Spike had sworn to torture his beloved Dru into loving him again. Spike being who he was, she had no doubt he could and would do that task very well. She scowled.

Willow had reached Buffy’s house by then. Sighing in relief that she had arrived there safely, she went on the porch and knocked on the door. She did not notice the blue eyes watching her intently from across the street.

Spike smiled.


* * *
“It’s no use, Willow,” said Buffy irritably. “Maybe I’m just stupid. Even English is going over my head. And this stuff we’re reading, is it even English? I grew up speaking it, and I like to think that I’m fairly fluent speaking the language, but I don’t understand a word this guy Shakespeare is saying!” She picked up “Romeo and Juliet” and threw it across the room. It hit a lamp with a thump, and the two girls watched in alarm as it began to tip over to one side and fall to the floor with a crash.

“Wow,” said Buffy, looking at the pieces laying scattered all over the floor. “I didn’t know I threw it that hard.”

Willow stood up and fetched a broom and dustpan from the kitchen. “You’re a Slayer, Buffy,” she said, a hint of annoyance coloring her words. “Supernatural strength and all that. It’s probably a good idea not to be throwing stuff around the house. Even paperbacks.” She began sweeping up the pieces of Joyce’s favorite lamp without another word.

“Here, let me do that.” Buffy had not missed the exasperation in her friend’s voice, and she snatched the broom out of Willow’s hands in an effort to pacify her. “I’m sorry, Willow. I just get so frustrated, y’know? I mean, how many times are we going to relive this Romeo and Juliet thing? Didn’t we read it last year?”

“Hamlet.”

“The year before?”

“Othello.”

“Oh. I must have read it in my old school or something. But do you see what I mean? Why do we have to read Shakespeare every year? And why “Romeo and Juliet?” Claire Danes covered the whole star-crossed lovers deal already.” A flash of pain went through her features, but she quickly covered it up with a wry smile. “It is so over.”

Willow knew why this particular play was giving Buffy so much trouble. Romeo and Juliet. Star-crossed lovers. The not-so-subtle similarity to her relationship with Angel was there. And everyone knew Romeo and Juliet were doomed. The thought must not sit well with Buffy.

Willow watched her friend silently for a while, then sat down at the table they were using and closed her notebook. “I think we’ve covered enough for English. Do you want to move on to your math?”

Buffy groaned and went into the kitchen to dispose of the remains of the lamp. She came back with a cookie in either hand and a smile on her face. “I have a better idea, Wills. Let’s take a break and go patrolling. I’d rather face Spike again than deal with Calculus!” She laughed. “Luckily, that’s not going to happen. Want a cookie?”


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