PART 4

Strangely this morning it didn’t feel so hard to get up for school and strangely too, I didn’t get lost today, strangely….

I’m walking in the corridor now, is it me or does it seem quiet here today? One would assume on a Friday everyone would be more excited. Maybe later this afternoon. Not there, not here neither. I shouldn’t be searching like that I know. But I kinda want to see her, just to say hi. New girl in a big new school, nothing surprising I want to see the only friend I made. So, nothing unusual here, right? Right. Nope, not here neither. The bell’s ringing, maybe later then…

It’s lunch time. Where do I sit? Is there even any room left?

“B. Come here!”

What?! I turn around, where is she? Oh there, she’s gesturing me to come over great! She’s… not alone, less great. I mean,

“Hi” I say with a nice smile to her many friends

“Hey!” Some of them say in unison.

“Come here B, there’s a seat there.”

Here?! Between that guy and this girl? Why not beside- what is wrong with me? It’s not the first time I've met people I don’t know, right? Ok, so now sit down, Buffy. They’re smiling and laughing and talking; I feel a little out of place.

“Guys, this is Buffy, she’s from LA. B, these are some friends of mine, Bett, Shane, Simon, Sean, David, Bren, Max, Stacy, and Greg, Ally and Logan there.”

“I'm Danny.” Says a brunette guy she didn’t introduce to me, he’s cute I must say, ooo and he’s smiling at me, a nice smile, oh potential boyfriend there. Yeah, really cute.

“Nice to meet you.” I say, focusing on the brunette guy, ok, back to earth, oh something tells me Faith either doesn’t like that guy very much or maybe has a secret crush on him because she doesn't look very pleased right now. There she goes again with her I-look-at-you-but-turn-my-face-the-other-side-when-you-look-back-at-me. What did I do? Ok, let’s eat and not think about that.

That was nice, these guys are cool. I have a bunch of friends now but… She didn’t talk to me. I think she’s mad and honestly I don’t like that. Danny talked to me a lot on the other hand. He seems like a nice guy but I was slightly embarrassed because of her, I don’t know. It really bugs me that she’s mad at me. I hope I didn’t do anything bad without realizing it.

“Hey B.”

I almost didn’t hear her from her corner, I smile, I try the nicest smile I know.

“Are you ok, Faith?”

“Yeah. Sorry about earlier, well I was thinking, what're you doing tomorrow?”

She didn’t dwell on it; maybe later I’ll know. Better reply now, “Nothing planned, why?”

“Do you wanna join us in the park, rollerblading?”

That’s a thing I never did, might be a good challenge but “I don’t have rollerblades,”

“I have an old pair from a couple years ago, I think they should fit you, what do you say?”

“I’d like that, but I never learnt, better warn you.”

“It’s ok, this is my cell phone number, we’ll be there around 3:00 I guess, call me when you’re in the park and I’ll tell you where we are, ok?”

“Ok.”

She smiles oh, and very fast hides it behind the serious look she previously had,

“That’s ok then, see you.”

She’s gone, she’s really weird, I really don’t totally get her. I don’t know if she was still upset or embarrassed or if she was afraid I wouldn’t come. It’s hard to get a hold on her… But I really wanna try though.

I went to bed really early last night, daddy wasn’t even home. I was so excited about today, but that’s just because I've never used rollerblades, that’s the only reason…

Anyway, now I’m not excited I’m anxious; if they’re all gonna be there and she is too… and I don’t know why I’m anxious like that. Probably because I don’t know them very much. Ok I’m approaching the place she said they were and yes, here they are, they’re about 6 or 7 of them, maybe it’ll be easier but, how many friends does she have?! There’s Bren, Max and Logan from yesterday and the others I don’t know, I’m really not surprised not to see Danny. Anyway, she smiles so that’s ok.

“Glad you could make it, B.”

She’s half leaning against that blonde guy that I don’t know. Not sure what it means though cause they don’t seem coupley, but then with the way she talked to that other guy the other time, this, is probably her definition of being coupley.

“Glad I could find you; it’s so big in here.”

“You’ll see, it seems smaller when you’re on wheels.” She winks at me pointing out a bag where I can already see the rollerblades. I’m not so sure about that now,

“Well, I really haven’t tried that, Faith, you know. I wasn’t joking yesterday.”

“It’s ok, I’ll teach you.”

I like the tone she used, and she’s staring at me and she does that turning her gaze aside thing again. She’s about to move on,

“Oh and this is Tina, Jesse, Matt and Nick.”

“Hi” I say with a nod, they nod back.

Matt, the blonde guy she was leaning over gets up and the others follow,

“So you meet us later at bar 13, right?”

He told her, where are they going now?

“K” she says, she stays on the grass and they start leaving,

“What’s going on? Did I just do that?”

“No don’t worry, I told them to go ahead; I need the time alone to teach you the basics, thought it’d be easier that way.”

She gestures me to sit beside her and I gladly do, “Thanks, that’s nice of you to spare me an humiliation in front of your friends, by the way, how many do you have?”

She smiles but then looks away,

“They’re not my friends.”

Huh?

“I mean, we hang out sometimes but… I don’t call it being friends.”

“Ok, what about the blonde guy, Matt?”

She smiles, “Nothing serious, yet. We just kissed yesterday evening, but it was late… Didn’t want to be tired for today, you know.” I nod as if I could know, and mostly as if I believed her; she did not not do more with him because she didn’t want to, and not because she wanted to be in good shape for today, this I’m pretty sure, but, why am I even wondering about this already? She stares at me now,

“What about you, not too sad Danny’s not here?”

“You didn’t forget about him today as I see, even so he’s not here this time, so, what’s the story?”

“No story, I saw you two were getting along pretty fine yesterday.”

“We just talked, he kind of was the only one talking to me, you know, since you were upset for I don’t know what reasons.” She turns her head aside again, ok maybe I shouldn’t have said that, “Look I’m sorry if I made you mad yesterday, I don’t know what to say.”

“We dated, when I first came here, that’s the story, that’s all.”

“Who broke up?” I probably shouldn’t have asked that.

“He did.” She sounds really honest, maybe that guy mattered a little bit to her then.

“I’m sorry, listen I don’t intend on dating him if that will make you feel better.” Did I just say that? Come on, boy is cute, but she’s smiling at me now and I think I prefer that. I mean, having a friend, a good friend rather than a boyfriend, besides, Logan’s cute too.

“That’s nice of you but it’s ok, it was just a thing you know? I think I was just upset to see you get along so fine with him. I mean, I hang around with them but… I don’t know you’re… different, I mean a different friend, it’s well, not mixing, I mean I didn’t want…”

That’s cute she’s kind of babbling,

“Is that a way of telling me that you do consider me as a friend?”

She shyly smiles, hey didn’t know she could be shy.

“Didn’t say that,” she says with a wicked smile, I can’t help slightly laughing.

“Ok, put them on now, ‘nough talking girl, time to sweat a little.”

“Ok, ok,” I take the bag, “but believe me, you won’t see your friends anytime soon with that learning cause I’m not a fast learner, better be warned.”

Wow she’s looking at me in a way... I don’t know, my stomach feels like… well, weird.

“I couldn’t care less.” she says and her tone again, ok, now it’s cramps that I’ve got in my stomach, she smiles at me… I put the rollerblades on now… Time to focus…

“Hey hey not so fast!”

My God it’s awesome, she’s rolling so fast, I’m just letting her lead us, it is so unusual of me, I mean unusual since I became the slayer. Oh, my God, I thought we were gonna fall but she’s holding me tighter than this, holding my waist while she’s rolling so fast behind me. I know I can follow her by now; I am good at physical stuff now that I am… Ok, drop that Buffy. Anyway I could tell her I’m ok but… I like having her doing this, laughing behind me while she’s pushing me that way…

“God, we nearly fell!!” I yell, she laughs even more, God we’re really gonna fall and I find myself laughing too.

“Come on B, you can do it.”

What’s she doing?! What’s she doing?! “No, no don’t leave me!” She moves away, she’s… taking my hand, hey I’m skating, I’m a skater girl now; yes I’m a New Yorker now!! Never thought I’d say that. Damn she doesn't slow down at all, she’s still holding my hand.

“Told you it was easy!!”

“It’s awesome!!” Yes, really it is, wow I nearly bumped into that guy.

“Stop hitting on guys like that, B!!”

“Very funny!!!” A bunch of people ahead “Slow down,” She’s really pulling me towards her now, these things don’t turn very well, or maybe I’m not so gifted with them, “Slow oh!” I can’t stop, she’s pulling me towards her ooo, ah! Oi! Ouch!.

Damn, I think we’re on the ground, we fell, God we fell! We’re alive though and hey; I think I’m almost on top of her, she’s alive too though cause she’s laughing, very loud even, ok, looking now, I can’t help but laugh too, I can feel her roller blade sink in my tibia and mine on her legs but we’re still laughing like two crazy chicks…

She calms down now, like I do. She’s staring at me and I can’t seem to quit my eyes off of her, her breathing is heavy, probably cause I’m crushing her I guess, but strangely I don’t wanna move, and she doesn’t seem in much a hurry to catch her breath back, or maybe I’m not crushing her at all, so then… ok shaking my head now but, I think it’s me who’s breathing so heavily, not her. Maybe we both are. It feels like my heart is crushed in my chest, like I’m missing some air, I don’t know what’s happening. She smiles that shy smile again. Twice in 2 days, I like that. I bet she doesn’t smile like that a lot. And now I think maybe we should move, I mean, I should move away cause, well, there’s still people walking in the park, and we oughta check that we really are in one piece. Ok, I admit I don’t want to do it, but I move away. She’s still not talking, I held out my hand to her to help her sit on the grass.

“Wasn’t that fun, B?”

“Yes,” I say within a slight laugh, “I’m sorry for the last part though. Was caught in my run up, told you I don’t know how to stop.”

“Well, I think you found a pretty good way though.”

Damn, I’m blushing, I know I’m blushing, she smiles and looks at the sky,

“Anyway it’s my fault too, pulled you too strongly, wanted to avoid these people and then I couldn’t avoid the grass and wheels plus grass, not really a good match.”

I smile, hey, I think she’s bleeding, her thigh, just under her shorts,

“Hey, you’re injured!”

“Hey, hey what you’re doing Buffy?” She says as I pull out my cell phone,

“I’m calling an ambulance or dad, I don’t know.” Here she laughs again.

“Come on, it’s really bleeding.”

“It’s a little scratch it doesn’t hurt;” she says, but it’s bleeding a lot. Ok, I’m pulling out my bottle of water,

“What are you doing?” She says as I move closer to her thigh, weird, but, she sounded somehow… fearful.

“I’m gonna at least clean it with this handkerchief and some water, there’s dirt on it, can I?” I say with my nicest tone. She lets me do it; I slightly pull her shorts up a little so I have the wound in sight. It’s rather deep, either it’s mine or her protections that did it while we fell, anyway, she put her hand on my arm. I’m using the handkerchief, I can tell she’s holding her breath, and she slightly squeezes my arm. I’m sorry that I got her hurt, “It’s almost done.”

“It’s fine, I don’t feel anything.”

It makes me smile cause she’s still squeezing my arm though, I won’t tell I promise. It seems to be hurting less now,

“We should go to my place to put a bandage on it, at least for today.” I look up at her, what? She’s staring at me,

“What’s wrong? Faith, are you ok?”

“I’m fine,” I was worried for a moment, she looks, I don’t know, almost like she’s gonna cry, she’s not though, but she squeezes my arm again,

“Thank you.”

“It’s totally normal, Faith.”

“No, it’s not.” She says with an honesty that pierces through my heart like an arrow,

I smile at her, “Well, ya better get used to it, cause that’s how it’s gonna be from now on, that’s how I am with my friends.”

God why did I do that? I touched her, I mean I pulled a lock backwards and my fingers brushed against her face and it felt…. And God; she shivered, I saw her shiver and it made me… Ok, breath Buffy, it’s Central Park, that must be the air. NYC’s air again, there’s really something wrong here, makes you… so weird.

“Ok, let’s go then.” She says as she tries to get up, I quickly help her and there again, we stare at each other, not moving as I’m holding her by the waist.

“We’d better hurry before you lose all your blood.” Nicely diverted Buffy. We so had to move away from this staring position. We roll, more slowly this time, towards the closest exit of the park. My heart is incessantly racing in my chest and I can’t stop it. What’s going on with me?

“I’m almost done.” This must be the fifth time I’m saying this, I know. I’m really not good at bandaging, plus, this is weird, I find it so hard to focus. I’m running the bandage around her thigh and I just, I can’t even look at her. I feel bad right now. I don’t know why I get these waves of heat. Why do I feel like something’s not going right? I’m just bandaging a friend that hurt herself. Then why does it feel so awkward? God I hope she doesn't feel this awkwardness. Ok, done this time. Good thing; she’s smiling.

“Isn’t it too tight?”

“It’s perfect.” She looks aside with that shy smile that I get to see once in a while. I love that smile.

“Faith I-, well, I’d like to ask you something but,” I don’t want you to take it bad,

“You don’t have to reply if you don’t want to.”

“It’s ok, go ahead.”

She looks a little stressed at what I’m gonna ask though, let’s try it anyway,

“Well, I noticed this big scar behind your thigh, I mean your other thigh, when I was bandaging you,” she looks aside again, very shortly, then back at me. “Did you fall, or something?”

“Err, hum, or something,” She laughs, a rather half embarrassed laugh as she raises her hand to her forehead.

“You don’t have to reply if-“

“It’s ok. It’s, well, it’s my dear mother, it’s simple in fact, she just threw bottles of beer at me one day she was really drunk. Actually that’s what set the whole -me moving out- thing cause... well, it had become clearly impossible to live together anymore. Aunt Sarah brought me to her house when she picked me up from the hospital. I went there walking, on my own. They put stitches in my head, 3 in my shoulder and there, behind my thigh too.”

I feel so bad for her, “I’m sorry, Faith.” She smiles that it-doesn’t-really-matter smile but she is sad, it shows.

“Was she... beating on you, often I mean, well, was she?”

“She wasn’t beating on me, slapped me once in a while, she knocked me out with a punch one time though, but mostly screaming and slapping when she was really drunk. But in 14 years it didn’t happen enough to qualify it as beating on me, I can’t put that on her, no.”

I shouldn’t go further on that topic but I just can’t help it, and things aren’t clear,

“Then what happened? Why did she react that way? I mean, you told me things had become impossible, what was different?” That seems a harder question, she’s about to talk though, I’m glad she trusts me.

“I-, well, her last boyfriend had dumped her and she... she thought I tried to steal him from her. We told each other some nasty bits for a couple of days and it ended up that way.”

Should I ask it? I want to, but no, I can’t ask her if it was true or... I think I know the answer; it wasn’t true. She may act a little loose but I don’t think she would do that. So, no, I won’t ask.

“I’m sorry, I hope things will get better one day.” Hey, she smiles, and I definitely know it was a good thing I didn’t ask. She smiles in a I’m-glad-you-didn’t-ask-me way. She knows I trust her. And even if I think there’s more to it, everything in time, right? Now she trusts me and she has my trust.

“Anyway, I’d better get going now, the others are gonna be waiting for me but, do you wanna come with us at the club? You can you know.”

“I’d like to but, another time maybe, tonight dad is bringing me to that French restaurant he said was so awesome. He said he wanted to make up for him being so busy this week.” He was actually feeling sorry, so I guess I should try to be nice to him.

We’re staring at each other now. I don’t really want her to go but...

“Hey, we could go to a movie tomorrow?” I like it when a good idea pops up in my head just at the right moment, “I mean, if you’re free of course?” I hope she is, she seems like someone who’s free by the way she’s smiling. She gets up,

“I pick you up outside your place at 5:00?”

Yes! She agreed “Perfect.” And yes it really is.

Great. Heading to the door now. I’m sad to see her go but I’m glad and really looking forward to tomorrow. She smiles,

“Bye B. See you tomorrow!”

“Tomorrow!”

She’s gone. I don’t know why my heart is still racing so much in my chest.

Anyway, let’s go do some homework...

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