Chapter Six
The patrol went good, no sign of Red’s big bad, but there were plenty of vamps all night long. It was a blast slaying side by side again. B started off a little rusty, but she was still damn good, and as the night rolled on that rust just seemed to disappear.
We’d always had way different styles of slaying, and although there’d been more than a few changes over the years, what we were was still what we were. I was more emotional and wild, she was more calm and controlled, and I still loved watching her go at it.
When B was in the thick of it, it was like watching one of the greats in their prime. They didn’t come around often, and ya had to give’em their props when you ran across’em. I had no trouble doing that, never had, even when I was her opponent.
What makes her so special is how quick she is at making adjustments. Nobody I’ve ever seen, and that includes me, is as good as she is on the fly. She’s all about the fly, and that’s what’s kept her alive for so long.
Everything’s a potential weapon to her, and pretty much even if ya got the advantage on her, you don’t. Fact is, that’s when you’re most likely to get your ass handed to you. Throw in her intelligence and courage, and you’ve got yourself the best fighter ever.
We stayed out patrolling until about 4:00 a.m., and B gave me a way grouchy tour of the town. She didn’t really speak to me for like two hours, so we just walked around killing bad guys in an uncomfortable silence. Least it shoulda been uncomfortable, but I was loving every second of it.
Even though it’d been over five years, we fell right back into it. Our moves fit together like they were made for each other, and although I knew it didn’t really mean a whole hell of a lot, well no way could I help enjoying myself. I could feel her when we slayed. I was so close to her, moving right in sync, and I wanted it to go on forever.
Sure her fighting now had this pain and rage mixed in it, but she was still all B, and that was always worth the price of admission. Plus as things went on, the darkness in her was sorta blinking on and off like it knew it wasn’t supposed to be there. It wasn’t wrapped all around her, it was just laying on top, waiting to get shoved off.
That was encouraging, ‘specially when you consider I’m a real expert at shoving people around. Just one of my many natural talents. First though, I figured to give talking a shot. We were right in the middle of a slowdown, and it never hurts to give the easy way a try.
“Man, shitload of action. It’s like there hasn’t been a Slayer on the job.”
Right after that came out, I realized it wasn’t exactly the best icebreaker I coulda come up with. Probably work a lot better if I said something that didn’t sound like an accusation.
“So, just the five cemeteries. Seems tiny compared to before.”
“…”
“Aw c’mon B, talking don’t mean anything. You can still be a big bad ass when it’s over.”
“…”
“Not trying to buddy up on ya, just looking to…”
“Shut up.”
“’Kay, least that’s something. Not quite what I was shootin’ for, but…”
She stopped walking and turned to face me:
“I am not going to talk to you like we’re old friends. I don’t want you here…God, I don’t want me here, and I’m not going to pretend otherwise. So do us both a favor and just shut the hell up.”
“Kinda overreacting, don’t ya think? Just on a patrol and…”
“’Overreacting’? You come here and try to take over my life, how am I ‘overreacting’? I’ve asked you to leave about a thousand times now, but you just keep irritating me.”
She did look all irritated, frustrated too…Guess those are kinda the same thing.
“You cannot stay here, do you understand? We’re not friends and I don’t want you around. Haven’t I made it clear just how much I want you gone?”
“Well yeah, but obviously I’m still not so hot at taking a hint. You’re not gonna hold that against me, are ya?”
I turned on every ounce of charm I had:
‘Sides, don’t I get some kinda credit for fucking up your life so fast this time around? C’mon B, it’s only been one day, one measly day…That’s gotta be the new record.”
I saw the smile she was trying to keep outta sight. It started in her eyes, and then her lips started twitching like they wanted to turn up. She managed to hang on and keep it offa her face, but her eyes still gave her away, just like always.
She blew out a big breath:
“Come on, I’ll give you the tour.”
I grinned big, I couldn’t help it. Any progress was progress, and this was definitely “progress”. Also, being this close to her was for sure my drug of choice, and there wasn’t anything that got me higher or happier.
“You can stop with the cocky smiling. This doesn’t mean anything.”
“Means you’re giving me the tour. Maybe also means you…”
“God, do you have to push all the time? Just be quiet!”
“Okay, sorry. ‘Sides, it’s never smart to piss off the tour guide. Do that, they skip all the best stuff.”
So it went okay after that, better than you’d think.
A lot of shit was involved, and all of it had her rattled. Our little torture session scared her because she enjoyed it way more than she should have, and our patrol confused her for the same reason. Throw in the part where I made her choose to help me instead of doing what she’d convinced herself she wanted to do, well it was a big meal she had sitting on her plate.
She’d been trying so hard to set herself up as this tough unfeeling bitch who didn’t give a shit anymore, then here she was having to give a shit. I was making her see that no matter what she tried, she was still always just herself. The things she believed in were still the things she believed in, and that was creating a huge problem for her. It was upsetting her, and really fucking up the game she was trying to run.
We got home about 4:30, and the sun was just beginning to think about getting its lazy ass up. We were both beat and trying not to show it.
“Thanks for the tour B, always did hate being the new kid. Place sure is laid out good for a Slayer. Least it’s got…”
She interrupted me using her deadly serious Slayer voice::
“Listen to me, I want you gone. Rest awhile if you need to, but then get your things and go. I meant what I said before: I am all done playing games with you. Go away.”
“Yeah well, that’s the thing about dog shit, B. Can scrape it off, hose it off, but you can never really seem to get rid of it. You think I don’t hear you but I do. I hear ya loud and clear, it’s all this other garbage I got tuned out. But the real you? Well that I’m listening to with everything I got.”
“I don’t give a damn what…”
“Now hold it a sec ‘fore you get your ass up on your shoulders. Think I oughta point out that it’s you who’s not listening. I’ve told ya a billion times already that I’m not leaving. You getting all high and mighty, Top Slayer scary, ain’t changin’ a thing. Guess we gotta call it a draw, yeah? Better get ya some rest now.”
She stood there literally shaking with rage. I’d heard that expression before, but never actually seen somebody doing it. Leave it to B to do the unusual.
Her mouth just kept opening and closing with no sound coming out, and her face was getting really red. Finally she got it going:
“Go to hell!!!”
Then she roared off into the house, and I felt like laughing at her. She looked just like a little kid as she went storming off, but I’m not an idiot. B is no kid, and seriously, my shoulder was still tender enough to keep me quiet.
Okay, none of this was going easy but it was going, and it was going good. I’d been forcing her to look at what she was doing to herself and everybody else, and she wasn’t liking it at all. That was fine, I mean who’d expect any different? Point was, she was looking, and it was already getting to her in a big way. Was all going better than I’d hoped, and I had no complaints.
Wasn’t much sense in sleeping, so I decided to watch the sunrise. I went in, snagged a beer, and then headed out into the backyard. I took a sip, then sat down on this bench that was next to a bird bath. I took another swig and leaned my head back against the wood. I was tired, but my mind just wanted to keep replaying the night to me.
We’d been so good together, and it felt so right being that close to her again. Something in her made me feel like I was home whenever I was with her, a pretty neat trick since I’d never really had much of a home. But she made me feel like I was where I should be, and it felt great.
Coolest thing of the night had to be when this vamp had me pinned up against the wall of a crypt. I couldn’t get him far enough away to stake him, and he couldn’t get close enough to bite me. I was trying to figure out what to do, when I saw B smacking her vamp to the ground. I thought she was gonna stake him, but she came running towards me instead.
Without a word, she did this kick ass flying somersault that ended up with her rolling in low right behind my vamp. I shoved, and he fell over B. I went with him and staked his dead ass right on the ground. I felt like jumping to my feet for a high five, but I knew to stay down low.
Sure enough, I heard the stake as it whistled over me, and then the last vamp was dusted long distance. I hopped up and looked at her. Her face was a little flushed, there was some dirt on her chin, she was all sweaty, and a few strands had busted loose from her ponytail.
Christ, she was so sexy and…Nope, no way could I afford to go there. I knew that, but it didn’t change anything, not really. But I had lots of shit I had to do, and for sure just standing there staring at her, wasn’t gonna get any of it done.
“Thanks for the rescue, B. Fucker didn’t wanna die.”
“So I noticed.”
“Man, how cool was that? We just fell right back into a groove and…”
And she just walked off while I was in mid-sentence. Suppose to the rest of the world that’d be a bad thing, but to me it just meant I was getting to her.
There’s nothing like a crazy motherfucker with a shitload of insight to drive you right the fuck up the wall, and driving B I was. Think we’d even passed Miss Daisy a few miles back.
“Hi. You’re up early.”
“Hey, Red. Never been to bed. Was out slaying with the Slayer, and we just made it back a coupla hours ago.”
I definitely said the magic words because Willow lit up like a Christmas tree.
“Slaying? You were slaying with Buffy? How’d it go?”
She sat down on the bench and faced me, and I could tell she could hardly wait for the report.
“Went great, soon as we got all the threats, pain, and scary parts outta the way. She was a little rusty, but she got it back fast. It was fun.”
“That’s so great! Did she have fun too? Was she…”
Willow started asking about a million questions at once, and it made me like her even more. She was thrilled, and fuck I’d love to have a friend who cared about me as much as she cared about B.
“…so I didn’t really know what to do about breakfast. I mean, you did say every morning at 7:00, but then you guys were out so late. Anyway, I got up just in case.”
“Glad ya did. I’m starvin’ and we need to get a new routine going. Let’s agree right here: breakfast at 7:00 every morning, no matter what’s been going on.”
“You do mean with Buffy, right?”
We both kinda laughed, but it wasn’t really a question that was meant to be funny.
“Yeah. Nuts, I know. But I want her seeing you and Xander in a normal way, everyday. We gotta break her outta this pattern of partying all night and sleeping all day. I wanna get her back into the life she belongs in, make her see the sunshine instead of just the darkness.”
“I get it, and I think it’s a great idea. But how do you plan on getting her to cooperate?”
“No fucking idea. Know she’s not gonna be happy about it, but I’m getting her up in thirty.”
“Oh boy.”
“Just gonna have to see how it goes…Maybe you can get a healing spell ready for me.”
We did that “not funny” laughing thing again, then Willow spoke up:
“Seriously though Faith, it’s not like she’s been out all night doing whatever. She’s not going to be hung over and weak like she was last time.”
“It’s a problem for sure, here’s hoping maybe she likes the idea.”
Willow’s face screwed all up as she thought it over for real:
“I don’t think there’s any way in the world she’s…”
“Yeah, I know. Well, least I got an even shot at getting her to the table. It’s the keeping her there that’s gonna be the hard part. Got no clue how to make that happen.”
Again she thought it over:
“Nope, me either…Gee, doesn’t this sound like all kinds of fun?”
“Got my doubts we’re gonna get much eating done.”
She shook her head and stood up:
“I guess I should go start the food. When I hear you coming, I’ll assume the crash position.”
“Not familiar with that one, but way appreciate the offer.”
I wiggled my eyebrows and leered at her as I said it, and she busted out into a good laugh.
“Sorry, but I can only help you out with your hungries.”
“Aw Red, c’mon. Heard this was a full service joint.”
”Nope, at least not with me.”
“Man, what a letdown. Okay then, guess I’ll have to settle for what’s on offer. Good thing I’m all mature now and don’t let my hormones run me around. Figured out how to take care of’em by myself.”
“Okay, in one way good to know. In another, way too much info.”
She was all red, but she was still smiling big.
“Red, you blushing?”
“Uh no, probably closer to combusting.”
“Why? Was just talking about exercise and meditation. What’d ya think I meant?”
“I thought you meant…well, never mind what I thought.”
My hand flew up to my heart or breast, all the same general area.
“Willow, I’m shocked! Geez, wanna get your mind outta the gutter?”
“It’s not…I mean, I didn’t…Oh shut up, Faith.”
“So what? You sayin’ you do something different?”
That was her limit.
“Stop right there! If you want anything to eat…food, I mean…You’d just better keep all further comments in your hand, I mean head. In your head.”
We both kinda got the giggles, and how nuts was it? Me and Red sharing a friendly moment, teasing back and forth like we were old buddies.
“Okay. Since ya won’t offer anything else, don’t take away the food. My lips are sealed…all of’em.”
“Faith!”
“Alright, I’m gonna be good now. For real. You go whip up the food, and I’ll bring B along. Guess we just gotta hope for the best.”
”I can definitely do that. I’ll even say a little prayer too.”
She went back in, and I sat there waiting. 7:00 came all too soon, and as I walked up the steps I felt like I was being taken to the hole. My feet were dragging, and I could see now why they always had the guards haul ya there.
No way was this gonna go smooth. Most likely I was gonna get my ass kicked again, and I can’t say it sounded like anything I wanted to be a part of. Maybe I could just head to my room and wake B up around lunch time, hell maybe supper time would be even better. Meal’s a meal, right? What’s it matter which one she shows up for?
Okay, now was for sure not the time to go all chickenshit. I had a job to do, and getting B up wasn’t gonna be any tougher than anything else. Hell, it could be easier even. I mean, what could she do that would be so…
She was topless again. Jesus, had she never heard of clothes? I mean, how hard’s it to put a friggin’ top on? And who thinks it’s okay to just flaunt yourself in the privacy of your own bedroom? What about a little consideration for the person who just keeps ignoring your personal space and barging in where they’re not invited?
Yeah, okay. Guess my little rant just proved I wasn’t in any position to complain, but damn. I’d been slaying all night and she was laying in a bed big enough for two, with all her assets on display. How much was I supposed to take?
I took a deep breath and tried to focus, not on her but what I’d come to do. The good news was she wasn’t bottomless this time.
“Hey B, rise and shine time.”
I tried saying it all cute and cheerful, almost singing it like they do in those old black and white movies. Thought I did it pretty good, but far as I remember, nobody ever got knocked back into the wall like I did. Guess I didn’t do it right.
“Get…out…of…here.”
“Hey c’mon now, Red’s got breakfast going and Xander’s gonna…”
“Leave my room!”
Shit, she was already yelling.
“Look B, I want ya up, you don’t wanna get up. We could throw down and have a big knockdown drag out, or maybe we could just compromise instead.”
“Compromise? Fine, how about I compromise my fist into your…”
“Tell ya what, you come downstairs for breakfast, and I promise to let ya have my bacon.”
“Faith…”
“Okay I know that wasn’t the greatest, but shit B, I don’t have the first clue how to compromise. Maybe you could just do me a solid and come downstairs. I’d really appreciate it.”
She got up then, and it’s kinda tough to explain what went down. Well eventually it was us that went down the stairs, rolling over and over each other. We stopped when we finally hit the bottom, and I was on top.
I tried to pin her arms, but before I could get a good grip, she swung her legs up and around my neck. I was forced to go with her or have my neck break, so of course I went with her. Next thing ya know, she’s on top.
Before she could lock down, I punched her in the face. She didn’t let go, but when she leaned back I was able to toss her to the side with a rolling motion. I stayed with her, and then I was back on top.
She tried the leg thing again, but a little pressure on her windpipe stopped that in its tracks. What it revved up though was her hand that she worked loose, curled into a fist, and then smashed right the fuck into last night’s shoulder. “Ow” is pretty much all ya need to know about that move.
I let go, and she was on her feet. Me? Still on the floor, but starting to stand. B was mad, no surprise there, and as I got up, I saw her let loose with a snap kick aimed square at my shoulder. Didn’t seem fun, so I went right back down and scissored her other leg out from under her.
She dropped hard to her knees, but it wasn’t stopping her or even slowing her down. As she moved in, I hit her in the head with the phone. Not one of the fancy new ones, not a regular one either.
This fucker was big, black, and heavy, and it looked like it’d come over on The Mayflower. It was brutal and it wasn’t fair at all, but it was wicked effective. I clocked her with it, and she went out like a light.
Red had been peeking out from the kitchen, and she was just freaked:
“Faith!!!”
“I know, but nothing else I could do. She’s gonna be comin’ around in a few, so we gotta hurry. Can ya run and grab her a top? Pretty sure she’s not gonna want Xander staring at the twins all through breakfast.”
“But Faith…you…you…”
“I knocked B cold with this ugly ass phone. Jesus, how fucking old is this thing anyways?”
“It was my grandmother’s and I…Faith, you…”
“Red, warned ya right upfront that none of this was gonna be nice. Ya gotta trust me here, I know what I’m doin’. Promise I won’t kill her, okay? Now let’s move, not much time left ‘fore she wakes up.”
She ran upstairs then, and I carried B into the dining room. I was wishing for some good chains, but rope was all I could spot during my quick look-see. Willow brought a shirt, and we got it on B and all buttoned up.
Then I tied her to her chair.
Red looked like she was gonna faint, and I knew just where she was coming from. Damn, this was gonna be something. Just how mad was B gonna be? Did anybody even know a number high enough to rate it? I was way deep in a situation I didn’t wanna be in, but what the fuck else was new? Whole deal could be summed up that way, so there was no sense in bellyaching about it.
Xander arrived and never said shit. We all got our food, sat down, and got ready to eat. I sat next to B and as I reached for my plate, Xander finally spoke up:
“Wow, this sure smells good, Will. Hey, did either of you happen to notice that Buffy is unconscious and tied to her chair?”
“She didn’t wanna come to breakfast, so I hit her in the head with Grandma’s monster phone. Can ya pass the bacon?”
They wanted to get into it with me but before they could, B started stirring and groaning.
Okay now, how in the fuck to put it? B had definitely come around, and deathrays were shooting outta her eyes. At me, at them, at me and them…
“Faith, have you completely lost your fucking mind?!”
“Geez B, sure seem obsessed with...”
“You hit me in the head with the goddamn phone!”
“Yeah, I did. Felt like I had to or you were gonna kill me.”
“Oh, I’m definitely going to kill you. Untie me!”
The look on her face was nothing but scary.
“Just take it easy now, B.”
“Don’t tell me what to do!”
“Just askin’, really.”
“You fucking bitch.”
She was all done with me. She turned to Willow and Xander, and they didn’t look like they were on solid ground.
“Willow, Xander, are you telling me you’re okay with this?”
Xander’s mouth opened, but no sound came out. Willow’s voice was just a shaky stutter:
“…W...Well I…I…”
“Speak up! Are you guys onboard with this or not?”
This was the moment really. Of course they weren’t onboard, not in the slightest, but they couldn’t tell her that. If they did, she’d have the upper hand and the whole thing would be over for good. They had to back me here, they had to, but it was way iffy if they were gonna. Shit I was scared, everything was at stake…
“I’d prefer that you weren’t tied up, but I am really glad to see you at the table with us. I guess that means I’m onboard because if this is what it takes, then I’ll be more than happy to start swabbing the decks.”
I couldn’t have loved Xander more than I did right at that moment.
“Me too, Buffy. This whole thing’s been so crazy, so one more crazy thing doesn’t seem so crazy, just kinda crazy, ya know? I mean, it’s crazy for sure, but not ‘crazy’ crazy and…I’m onboard too.”
I was glad I was sitting because I was so relieved, I woulda collapsed if I’d have been standing.
B still looked furious, but now she looked shocked too. The Scoobies were all shook up, but they also seemed way determined to stick with what they’d said. B was glaring at them and they looked scared, but they were staring right back at her.
The tension was getting thicker and thicker, so I figured I’d better jump in:
“Hey look B, extra bacon.”
She looked at me like she’d never seen me before, maybe she hadn’t. She kept looking, and then she just started laughing her ass off. We all joined in, and it went on for a while.
“Faith, you are absolutely unbelievable.”
“Look, I’ll feed ya, okay? What do ya want first?”
“How about untied?”
“Love to ‘cause I’m starvin’ and it’s gonna take twice as long if I gotta feed you too. Course, not like I feel like gettin’ my ass kicked either.”
“…”
“Got any ideas?”
She looked me right in the eye:
“Yes. If you untie me, I won’t leave the table. I’ll sit here calmly and eat my breakfast.”
“Wish I could believe that, B.”
“I give you my word. We’ll all have our breakfast with no trouble.”
I had my knife out the second she gave me her word.
“Works for me.”
I cut her loose ‘cause no way could I undo all the knots I had going. She didn’t speak to any of us, but she kept her word and breakfast went smooth.
Me and her ate like pigs, guess all the slaying and fighting took a lot of energy. Lucky Willow knew us ‘cause she’d made enough food to feed ten people. As it was, the four of us polished it all off.
Willow and Xander had finally relaxed a little by the time the meal was winding down, and I was busy trying to figure out how I could get B to agree to a little training session. Turned out not to be much of a problem at all. They say great minds think alike.
I never even saw the punch that sent me over the table and into the kitchen. Before I could get to my feet, B jerked me up and hit me again. I smashed into the far wall with enough force to jar loose a buncha plaster, and then she was on me again.
She hit me about four or five more times before I finally managed to get a hold of her. We did that weird kinda wrestling ya do when you’re standing up, and I used the time to try and catch my breath. Fuck, was I gonna get beaten up every fucking day?
I had to pay attention then because it was taking every ounce of strength I had not to get thrown across the room…again. All of my muscles were seriously straining, and I knew I wasn’t gonna be able to hold her off for much longer. Guess it was the same for her because we both tried to get tricky at the same time. End result was we both ended up crashing through the back door.
Now when I say “through the back door”, I mean right through it. Wood and glass went flying everywhere as me and B went sailing out onto the grass. She was up first, but I wasn’t far behind.
We were facing each other, and we started circling while we looked for an opening.
“Hey B, ya must be psychic. Was just gonna ask if ya wanted to train.”
“Really? Well I’m not sure about training, but I am positive I want to kick your stupid ass all around this yard.”
I smiled all smartass at her:
“Whoa, soundin’ a little on the hostile side. Ya mad about somethin’?”
“Mad? Me? Now what would I have to be mad about?”
I shrugged all casual while I kept a close eye on which way her hips were leaning.
“Beats me. Just sounds like ya might be holdin’ onto a grudge maybe.”
“Nope. It’s just that since breakfast is over, well I thought I might give you back a little of the joy you’ve given to me.”
“Aw, that’s really sweet, B. Glad you’re not pissed. That kinda thing’s not healthy for ya.”
She crouched slightly, and went up on the balls of her feet:
“Oh Faith, I am so going to enjoy beating you into the ground.”
“Don’t think so. Maybe you should wait a while until you…”
Her fist caught me square on the chin.
“I don’t feel like waiting.”
I faked with my left, and connected hard with the right:
“Ouch! Sure looked like that stung.”
I barely got the sentence finished before she nailed me in the ribs:
“Not as much as that did.”
“Probably true. Sure I can return the favor to ya though.”
“But F, there aren’t any phones out here. However will you manage?”
I moved in close and belted her in the stomach:
“Think I can handle it.”
“Let’s find out.”
We went at it no holds barred, and man was it fun. We danced around and around, fighting and challenging each other like no one else ever could. Her eyes were alive like I’m sure mine were, and we were both having a blast trying to get the best of one another.
I’m happy to say I kicked her ass up one side and down the other. She might be The Slayer, but wasn’t like I was some novice either. I knew how to fight, and I showed her a little something new…like how to end up on top of me while the blood ran from the corner of my mouth.
“Looks like I win again.”
“Yeah, looks like that, but a little diff without my shoulder outta place.”
“Really? How’s that?”
“Well, got no weak spots, so just gimme a sec and…”
“Oh I see a weak spot, F.”
“Don’t think so, B. I’m…”
She squirmed around on me and…shit. I looked over at where the door used to be for help, but there was no sign of Willow or Xander. She wriggled, and my heart started pounding. I looked over at the house again, and B laughed.
“What’s the matter? Can’t you handle me by yourself?”
She pushed down, and I struggled to stay still and quiet.
“You’re the cavalry, remember? There’s no one left to rescue you, you’re it.”
“Alright B, ya won fair and square. Now get off.”
“Mmm…Maybe that’s what I’m trying to do…for both of us.”
I tried to get loose for real then, but she had me at her mercy. I was really starting to panic until I looked into her eyes.
There wasn’t a hint of meanness in them, just amusement and what could almost be called happiness. All this was was old times shit, she was just teasing like we always used to do. Okay, maybe she was taking it a little further than usual, but it was the same kinda deal. She wasn’t out to hurt either of us, and I relaxed right away.
“Okay B, much as I’m enjoying this, can’t do a cold shower. Got way too many aches and pains.”
“Really? Aw…where’s it hurt, baby?”
“Everywhere. See, The Slayer’s been kicking my ass all night and day.”
“She has?”
“Yep.”
B got this cute look on her face:
“So you’re saying you’re no match for her?”
“Not sure I’d go that far, but…”
“Would you say she’s the big winner?”
I laughed:
“Declaring you the champ, alright?”
She leaned in right next to my ear, and I could feel her body pressing against mine in all the right places.
“You wanna get up?”
“If ya wouldn’t mind too much.”
“Hmm…You owe me one…F.”
After she whispered that, her tongue darted into my ear, making me jump. Then she was off me, and the moment was over.
“As the official champ, I’m taking the first shower.”
“Seems only right, but can ya make it fast? Otherwise I’m gonna be crashin’ right here.”
She started to go into the house, but then stopped and turned back to face me. She looked so much like herself, it made my heart stop for a second.
“…Faith…I…I………”
I didn’t even realize I was holding my breath until she finally managed to speak:
“Forget it.”
She hauled ass inside without even a glance back, and I watched her all the way. I knew what she wanted to say, and I understood why she couldn’t get it out. Figured even though she was gone, she deserved an answer anyway:
“Don’t worry B, I’m not gonna let go.”
