Story: The Bracelet (chapter 2)

Authors: Jessica Knight

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Chapter 2

Title: Part 2: Skipping School On Your First Day Is Healthy, It Says So In Books

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part two:
SKIPPING SCHOOL ON YOUR FIRST DAY IS HEALTHY, IT SAYS SO IN BOOKS

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11:59 AM; the same day, and there was only
about ten minutes left on their lunch period...

Buffy and Amy walked together back into the school. Buffy had mentioned that she needed to stop by the library to request some textbooks and Amy had volunteered to show her the way there.

"So, what's your next class?" Amy asked. "Mine's English."

"Hey, me too. Two periods in fact." Buffy said as she looked at her schedule again. "Is this the one you have?" She asked showing the paper to Amy.

Taking the schedule, Amy looked over it and her face brightened. "Yeah, and it looks like we've got gym together after that too!"

"Really?" Buffy asked. "Very cool." She smiled over at Amy. "So what are the teachers like?"

"Um, I don't know. I guess they're o.k.." Amy thought about it. "Mr. Jenson, the English teacher, he's pretty easy going... Kind of annoying to listen to sometimes though." Amy confided.

"Has a bad voice?"

"Well..." Amy smiled. "It's not good, and I'd hate to hear him sing with it, but it's mostly just that he's dull."

"Ah." Buffy replied simply, her mind, at the mention of voices, busy contemplating Amy's... which, she considered, she found completely endearing and almost musical in the way words seemed to roll off her lips so easily.

"Yeah. It's not so bad though. He picks interesting assignments usually." Amy informed her.

"And the gym teacher?"

"She's a gym teacher." Amy said lightly. At which Buffy chuckled.

Smiling over at her, Amy went on. "Yeah, it's like with cops or librarians or something. The job must just attract a certain type."

Buffy chuckled some more. "You're pretty funny sometimes, ya'know that?" [Trying too hard.] Buffy chastised herself internally. [Stop it.]

"Well, I do my best.... I've never offered to punch someone's mom, but I do o.k.."

"Hey." Buffy corrected in mock-serious tones. "That was a serious offer. You just say the word and pow! Right in the kisser!" Buffy smacked her fist in her hand for emphasis, causing Amy to dissolve into giggles again.

"Hey com'on. I'd do it, really I would!" Buffy defended herself.

"Really?" Amy asked skeptically.

"Sure." Buffy said.

Looking at her curiously, Amy said. "Hmm. I can't tell if you're joking or not."

"Well if she gives you scarps of rabbet food like that for lunch again and I have to eat it, you might just find out." Buffy replied, sounding all too aggrieved at the notion.

Amy just shook her head a bit at her new friend's antics as they came to the library door. "Well here we are, Sunnydale High library." She said as she opened the door and Buffy followed her in.

"It's nice." Buffy said absently as she looked around the room. "Nobody's here?"

"Hey, yeah." Amy said as she looked around too. "Well, the librarian must be around here somewhere."

"Oh, there he is." Buffy pointed out as she saw an old (well, middle-aged actually, but that was still pretty old in Buffy's considered opinion) guy in glasses and tweed approaching them from what looked to be his office.

"How could you tell?" Amy remarked in droll tones.

"I call it a hunch." Buffy said matter-of-factly, causing Amy to have to hold back another chuckle lest she risk offending said librarian.

"Can I help you find something?" The man asked in a reserved British accent as he came up to them.

"Yeah, my friend here's new to the school and she needs some textbooks." Amy supplied.

"Ms. Summers?" The man asked.

"That's me." Buffy confirmed. "Guess you were expecting me?"

"Indeed." The man said smartly. "Now, what books was it that you were needing?" He asked as he went around behind the service counter.

"I'm not sure." Buffy said. "These are the classes I have." She handed him her schedule.

"Ah, yes. I should be able to find you the appropriate texts then." The man confirmed as he ducked under the counter and rooted around the shelves there.

"So, what are we on now in English?" Buffy asked Amy as they waited for the librarian.

"Oh. Shakespeare, but just 'A Mid Summer Night's Dream'. Not 'Macbeth' or something really awful like that." Amy provided.

"Gee." Buffy intoned in a feigned and slightly flirtations sort of way, not considering herself above trying to charm the other girl into helping her. "I hope I'll be able to get caught up soon. Foreign languages aren't my strong suite." Buffy had transferred in a week after the quarter had already started, so she had to make up the missed work in all her classes... well, excepting gym class of course.

"Foreign languages?" Amy questioned.

"Well it might as well be." Buffy said logically.

"That's true." Amy conceded. "If you want, we cou-"

"Ah. Here we are." She was interrupted by the librarian's reappearance. "I believe this is most of what you should need. I-I can't seem to locate a copy of the introductory sciences text you'll be needing however. P-Perhaps you could stop by after school and I'll have found it by then?" He offered, a bit haltingly.

"Sure. Why not?" Buffy answered easily.

"All right then. After school it is." The man smiled thinly in an immanently British manner.

"'K." Buffy said, studying the man for a moment. [British people are weird.] She knew from experience, and thinking of her impending Shakespeare assignments as well. [Still, something seems kind'a off about this guy somehow...] She considered momentarily as she started to load the books into her bag.

"You were saying, Amy?" Buffy prompted, hoping Amy had been about to offer what Buffy hoped she was about to offer.

"Oh, right. Well if you want, we could get together after school to study and I could help you get caught up?" Amy offered. "You know, before The Bronze?"

"Sure, sounds good. Thanks Amy." Buffy smiled over at her, internally doing a cheer. "It's really nice of you to offer, and I could definitely use the help." She said a bit wanly, not at all confidant in her ability to learn Shakespeare flying solo and immensely grateful to Amy for offering to save her from trying.

"Oh I'm happy to." Amy said happily as they left the library. "You're really nice to talk with... And I'm also kind'a glad to have a good excuse not to be home 'til late, you know?" Amy admitted as the two turned to leave the library.

"Yeah." Buffy said sympathetically, feeling slightly guilty now for some reason.

"We could go over to the Espresso Pump in town if you want? They've got really good snacks and coffee, and it's a great place to study." Amy informed.

"Sounds perfect." Buffy approved, delighted. "We just need to make a quick stop by here on the way and we'll be set to go." She said as they left the library, determining to herself that she would definitely show Amy a good time to cheer her up more.

[Damn.] Thought the librarian in consternation. [She'll be accompanied then as well. Now what am I to do?]

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12:10 PM to 2:20 PM;
It's English class, as if you didn't already know...

In class after lunch, the students were in a little of an uproar before the teacher called the class to attention. It seems that a dead body had been found in the girl's locker room earlier. This fact causing Buffy's Slayerly interest to pique. So, once she had the opportunity during her class's period break to go check it out, she gave Amy an oblique "I have to go check something out, I'll be back in a bit" before she headed out on her investigation.

As she'd suspected from the description of the boy's wounds she'd overheard, he'd been killed by a vampire. A fact which Buffy thought did not bode well for her future in Sunnydale in general, and her prospects of retiring at a ripe old age into the elderly Slayer's home in particular. Still, she resigned to do a little digging around after she left the Bonze later that night. [Gee mom, hope you weren't expecting me home early tonight.] She thought wryly to herself on her way back to class. She really didn't like worrying her mom like this, but what else was she to do? [Maybe I should just go home and then sneak out after she thinks I'm asleep?] Buffy thought to herself as she headed back. [Or I could always just tell her the truth about this and worry her on a scale not previously dreamt of...] She immediately dismissed the idea, though she would rather have not had to. [Maybe I should reconsider that whole 'run away to Hawaii' idea I was thinking about?] She considered, not taking the thought seriously but liking the fantasy none-the-less. [I bet I could convince Amy to go with me too...] She pondered, thinking of the new friend she'd made and her likewise undesirable Sunnydale situation. [The two of us running away from our troubles together? It could be fun... There could be swimsuits.] It was a cheerful, if patently unrealistic, not to mention very forward, notion that she immediately felt a little guilty for. She was finding it hard not to like the other girl though, they just seemed to click somehow. [Maybe it's something in the loneliness...] She analyzed critically. [I still miss her so much, maybe... maybe I'm just seeing things...] She thought sadly, bringing her hands across her chest and torso to hold her elbows in an effort to feel warmer inside again as she made her way across the grounds to meet Amy back at their English class. She really hated to be alone, and she knew that about herself all too well.

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2:21 PM; English class lets out
and Buffy and Amy head to Gym...

As class was being let out, her English teacher handed Buffy a note from the school librarian, one Mr. Rupert Giles. Something about him being 'called away'. It asked her to pick up the book in the morning before classes instead. Which, in fact, worked out perfectly.

Especially sense, on arrival, she and Amy found gym class that day had been canceled due to the locker rooms being declared a crime scene. So there were going to be some 'educational videos' shown to the students who were to have had gym that period.

"So... Wanna skip?" Amy asked off-handedly as they were given the news.

"I'm up for it." Buffy replied reasonably.

"Where do you think we should go?" Amy asked as they made their stealthy escape.

"Hmm... Well, sense I'm new in town, could I convince you to play tourist with me for a while?" Buffy asked with a smile. "I suddenly have an urge to get lost, see the sights? We could study after." She put in helpfully.

"Sure, we could do that..." Amy trailed off uncertainly. "But just so you know, don't expect much, o.k.? Sunnydale doesn't really have that much in the way of sights... There are a lot of churches though."

"Yeah, well whatever there is, it's gotta be better than what they pull out of the school's video archives that those other poor shlubs are being forced to watch." Buffy said logically, having the good manners to at least act a little guilty that she'd escaped and left the other students to their fate. "Lead the way!" She exclaimed cheerfully.

Amy smiled and followed along side Buffy, once again very charmed by her new friend and the life she seemed to be able to so easily breathe into a day.

"So, why so many churches do you think?" Buffy asked playfully. "Do they at least have nice landscaping? Nothing worse than a church you can't have a decent picnic at, I always say... Not that I've ever gone to a church except at Christmas mind you." She qualified, babbling slightly.

Amy gave her a curious look. "Um, Idonknow, I guess they might. I'm not much of a churchgoer either. My dad used to take me when I was little, but I don't remember it much. And I don't know why there's so many... It's just kind'a a weird town sometimes..." Amy explained, her words growing a little distant as something hinted through her voice that Buffy picked up on.

"Mm. O.k., so there was definite inflectioning going on there. What's the deal Amy? Is there something about Sunnydale that.. um.."

"No, it's... well... No one really seems to talk about it, but yeah, it can be... kind'a... Well, like today? Dead body in the girl's locker room? ...Its not as out of the ordinary as it would be other places." Amy confided skittishly.

"Not as out of the ordinary?" Buffy asked, not really getting the point exactly. "You mean, like, there's a high crime rate?"

"Not so much, not officially at any rate." Amy looked away a little.

"But unofficially?"

"I looked it up once. Of the two? The death rate's higher." Amy looked at her soberly.

Buffy processed this little bit of information for a moment.

"It's a good thing I'm good at punching things then." Buffy said, seemingly in all seriousness.

"It could come in handy." Amy replied.

"I'll keep my eyes open." Buffy smiled over at her a little as they immerged from the school grounds and onto the sidewalk.

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2:46 PM; a quick walk from school finds them on Main Street.
They'd walked a little ways, stopped at a bagel shop and got
some fresh to go. Now, a shop called The Sand Dollar, a touristy
sort of place that carried an impressive assortment of knick-knacks,
had caught Buffy's eye and they'd gone in to investigate...

"I don't think I've ever been in here before..." Amy commented, looking around curiously.

"And you call yourself a tour guide." Buffy tisked, looking inquisitively at an assortment of beaded jewelry.

"No, you called me a tour guide. I just went along with it." Amy clarified, going over to where Buffy was and looking at the beadwork with her.

"That is true." Buffy admitted, smiling at her. "They've got some great stuff in here though." She said, holding out the miniature stuffed panda she'd found shortly after they'd walked in and immediately clamed as her own.

Amy took the panda and looked at it.

Buffy moved a little closer to her and proceeded to put one of the stretchy bead charm bracelets around the panda's neck as a necklace, a purple one with a heart on it. "What do you think her name should be?" Buffy asked, leaning back against the counter and regarding her handy-work.

"Um..." Amy looked between Buffy and the panda. "I don't know... 'Julie'?" She asked.

"How about it? Is your name Julie?" She asked the apparently female panda. She looked up at Amy. "Good guess. I think that was her name all along." She smiled, taking the panda back and hugging it to her.

Amy laughed. "There should be a law. That was just too cute to be legal." Amy said.

"You think I'm cute?" Buffy asked curiously.

"Uh-huh, no doubt." Amy said. "Very."

That earned Amy a very genuine smile that just seemed to light up the blonde-haired girl's face. "Thanks." She said it a little softly and their eyes kind of held each other for a moment and something seemed to pass between them. Absurdly, Buffy wanted to kiss her at that moment, or at least return the complement or touch her hair, but, not really trusting herself with those options, she stifled the urge.

"I think I'm going to buy it." Buffy said finally.

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3:12 PM; they were walking down Main Street heading
towards the Espresso Pump and their study date. Amy
proudly carrying Julie the panda in her arms, Buffy
having given the miniature plush toy to her outside
of The Sand Dollar as a gift...

[That was really sweet of her.] Amy once again mused as she peeked sideways at Buffy while they walked, holding the panda a little closer to herself as she did.

After leaving The Sand Dollar, the pair had explored much of the rest of Main Street and gone in any store that looked appealing. Amy had ended up buying Buffy a stuffed tiger and small charm bracelet that had a yin/yang symbol on it from an oriental kind of gift store, in return for the panda. It was crazy really, Sunnydale wasn't actually that interesting a place, but they'd had fun anyway. Something Amy really wouldn't have expected would happen touring her own home town. In fact, she found herself in a down right very good mood at the moment, an experience she'd sorely missed in her life of late. Of course, nagging thoughts wouldn't let it last...

"I should probably call my mom, let her know I'll be out late." Amy thought out loud, the unwelcome thought crossing her mind unbidden, as if to counteract her good mood before it got too out of control.

"Think she'll be o.k. with our plans?" Buffy asked curiously, not really having an idea what Amy's mother's reaction might be. Strangely enough, she found herself not being able to relate to the woman. A fact for which she was grateful. The lady sounded like a psycho. A psycho that, truth to tell, she actually did have a little of an urge, if not to punch, to at least chew her out verbally something fierce.

"Oh, she probably won't care. Or if she does care, it's not like anything I do ever seems to make her happy. So what's the difference?"

Buffy looked at her with sympathy.

"Besides, she's out showing a house today. So I can just leave a message and I won't have to talk to her." Amy said, her mood brighter at the thought.

"O.k.." Buffy said easily, indulging her new friend's good mood.

As Amy went over to the payphone they'd come upon, Buffy shivered a little involuntarily remembering the 'lunch' Mrs. Madison had given Amy. [Jeeze lady, she's your daughter, not your pet rabbit...] "Even rabbits get carrots." She grumbled grumpily to herself as she leaned against a street light, her mood now darkening some.

"All done." Amy said cheerily as she retuned from making her call.

At which, Buffy's semi-dark and grumpy mood vanished, and a smile once again graced her features. "Great! Hey... um, I was thinking, do you wan'a go by my house after a while? My mom will be home and I'm sure she could be convinced to make us dinner? We could pick up the studying a'bit there too, before we go to the club?"

"Mm, you're inviting me to a real home cooked meal?" Amy said speculatively, with obvious food greed.

"Yup."

"I'm so there." She replied, impulsively giving Buffy a hug.

Taken a bit by surprise, Buffy none the less quickly returned the hug, greedily soaking up the momentary closeness. [This feels so good.] Buffy thought wistfully, her thoughts getting away from her for a moment.

But all too soon for her tastes, the hug was over and Amy was pulling her along to the Espresso Pump and their study date.

[God, please let her be into girls.] Buffy thought bemusedly as she happily followed Amy along to the coffee shop.

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to be continued in part three...

STUDYING IN BED TOGETHER? YES, IT REALLY DOES MAKE YOU SMARTER

see you next time!

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