an: do not own buffy or any of its characters. I only own Lindsay and her plot.
***
The weekend has finally come to an end. The corners of my eyes have the crusty eye goop and my body has no desire to leave the comfort of my blankets. This can only mean one thing-today is a school day. After two days of freedom from homework and papers it's time to go back to the hellhole of school-high school to be exact. Finding the strength to get up, I stretch out my muscles and a yawn escapes my mouth. I run my fingers through my brown hair as I shuffle my way to the closet. Discarding my worn pajama shorts and top, I throw on jean high-waisted shorts and a black top that just covers my midsection.
After getting my appearance and books together, I walk down the stairs and am met with my mom pouring coffee into her thermos. Her brown hair is curled to her shoulder and her lips are painted red. I've noticed my mom dressing more revealing lately. Her cleavage is on full show and her dress skirt comes mid-thigh-my mom would never wear something like this. Not since the divorce.
"Hey honey," she says, giving me my own cup of coffee. "Ready for school?"
Taking a sip, I shrug. "I wouldn't say ready, but it's not like I have a choice."
"You'll be just fine. When does cheerleading start?"
"We're having tryouts soon then we'll start practicing." I pick up a muffin from a plate Mom has lying on the corner and start picking at it. The banana flavor invading my taste buds. Watching Mom bite her lip while writing something on a notepad makes me feel uncomfortable. "Who are you trying to impress?"
Mom spins around, her eyes wide. "What are you talking about?"
"You're dressing different," I point out.
She shakes her head, seeming nervous. "It's just to make me feel better about myself. There isn't anyone else."
Finishing up my coffee and taking my muffin with me I say, "I'm more observant than you think I am. I'll be back later." Not wanting to wait for an answer I feel out the front door quickly. Willow is picking me up with her mom today knowing my mom has to get to work.
Just as I get to the end of the driveway I see Willow's mom's car down the street. I thread my arms through my backpack straps and get into the backseat once she pulls up. "Thank you for the ride."
Willow turns around in her seat smiling. Her red hair falls straight passed her shoulders. "No problem Lindsay. Are you excited for school today?"
I give her a blank look. "Willow, you already know the answer to that."
Willow chuckles, turning to her mom. "She's not much of a morning person."
"Or a school person," I add, looking out the window as we slowly make our way down the road and into the school's parking lot.
"Have a nice day girls," Willow's mom says as she pulls up behind a few other parents dropping their kids off.
Willow and I hop out of the car before walking side by side up to the school. We soon see Xander, our friend, rolling towards us on his skateboard. I look at Willow, seeing the dreamy eye stare she gets whenever she sees Xander. "When are you going to tell him you like him?"
"Ha-never!" she exclaims as Xander checks out a girl walking up the steps. I've never seen her before. Huh, I wonder if she's new.
Xander then crashes into the guardrail-classic. The girl he was checking out doesn't turn around, but Xander brushes it off like it's no big deal. His skateboard hits my feet as he gazes up at us. "Willow, Lindsay you guys are so the people I wanted to see."
"Really?" Willow asks as I hand him his skateboard. "Well, Lindsay can't really help but you can."
I stick my tongue out at Xander. "Very nice."
"Anyway, I kind of had a problem with the math," Xander says, looking to Willow for some sort of help.
"Which part?"
"The math," he emphasizes. "Can you help me out tonight? Please be my study buddy?"
Rolling my eyes, I watch Willow's smile grow a little wider. Xander, of course, misses her little hints and it drives me insane. Xander is mindless when it comes to girls half of the time though so I'm not surprised he doesn't get Willow's crush on him.
"Well what's in it for me?" she asks.
I give her a look. Please, just hanging out with him alone is good enough for Willow.
"A shiny nickel."
"Gosh Xander," I add, not wanting to keep my mouth shut anymore. "Could you be anymore lame? A nickel, really?"
His eyes narrow at me. "It's called being funny."
"Then try harder," I shoot back, shaking my head.
"Enough," Willow steps in, looking at me for almost ruining a moment with Xander tonight. "Okay, I'll do it. Do you have Theories in Trig? You should check it out."
Xander looks at her like she's speaking another language. "Check it out?"
"From the library," I sigh. His stupidity almost hurts sometimes.
"Where the books live," Willow adds more gently, soaking up this attention from Xander.
He nods his head. "Right, see? I want to change," he says before coming up on a guy he knows, Jesse, who is talking about this new girl. Was that the one I saw him checking out? "Right I saw her, pretty much a hottie."
If Willow was hurt, she didn't let it show. "I heard someone was transferring."
"Why didn't I hear about this?" I question.
"You're too busy looking to have fun," Willow explains. "Or not paying attention in class. Maybe you missed someone bring it up."
I should be offended but I just shrug. "It's true."
"What's the sitch, what do you know about her?" Xander asks Jesse.
"Ah, new girl." Xander sighs.
"You're certainly a font of nothing!"
***
After class I quickly meet up with Willow by my locker. I exchange the books I don't need and replace them with ones for classes later today.
"So, what were you saying about your mom earlier?" Willow asks as we walk down the hall from my locker.
I clutch my notebooks in my arms, my finger running down the spines. "I think she's seeing someone."
"Isn't that a good thing? Your dad has been gone two years. Maybe she needs someone of the opposite gender to keep her company," she says before pulling her red hair to the side so she can get a drink from the water fountain.
Crunching my nose in disgust, I shudder. "I do not need those images in my head." A voice catches my attention-a voice I'd rather go my life not hearing-Cordelia. She's another cheerleader or so to be cheerleader I should say, but we do not get along whatsoever. She's more concerned with her appearance and popularity then being a nice human being.
"Willow," Cordelia says in an already teasing manner as the new girl watches.
"Crap," I murmur as Willow stands up, wiping her mouth. I stand next to her, letting Cordelia know if she gets in Willow's face she'll have me to deal with.
"Nice dress," she fakes compliments. "Good to know you've seen the softer side of Sears."
Glaring at Cordelia, I allow Willow to try and defend herself. "Oh, well, my mom picked it out," Willow says all too innocently.
"No wonder you're such a guy magnet. Are you done?" she asks in a cut tone, eyeing Willow and sizing her up.
"Oh!" Willow exclaims before quickly walking away.
Watching my best friend getting bullied doesn't settle well with me. "Leave Willow alone," I seethe to the loud mouthed girl in front of me who I can describe only in a bunch of colorful words that shouldn't be spoken in front of my mother.
"Lindsay," Cordelia sighs. "If only I got to you first like Buffy here. If you would've been able to identify the losers maybe you could've been more popular."
"Popularity means nothing to me if I don't have loyal friends," I come back and spit out. "Willow is the sweetest girl you'll ever meet. What do people say about you I wonder?" I ask before turning away and meeting Willow by the door, not bothering to look back.
Grabbing Willow's arm, I pull her away from staring back at Cordelia. "I wish I can stand up for myself like you," Willow sulks.
I wrap an arm around her shoulders. "You will. Until then we'll stand up to her together."
Willow smiles and nods, seeming to feel a lot better about what just happened. I will do anything for my friends and if that's cussing out the popular girl then so be it.