First Fic:Behind The Scenes

[PoorEve]

Title: Behind The Scenes

Author: PoorEve

Rating: PG-13...for now

Pairing: Willow & Tara of course

Disclaimer: I do not own these characters. They are the property of Joss & Mutant Enemy. *pout pout*

Summary: Season 3 thereabouts; The gang is in their senior year. Tara is a new student. Willow is taking Theatre.

Notes: Oz only became a minor fling with Willow during their junior year. Thoughts are in italics

Feedback: Sure, this is my first fic, so don't be too harsh.



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"Am I late? Did I miss anything?" Willow races to her desk trying to catch her breath. The late bell rings just as she takes her seat.



"Not liking the new look Will..." Xander takes in the attire more closely..."I mean damn did you get dressed in the dark?"



"Xander be nice" Buffy does a double-take noticing that Will's oxford shirt is buttoned wrong up the front, her hair is a mess, and that she's wearing two different type's of sneakers. "What did happened to you?" Buffy says with a snicker.



"Woke up late, missed the bus, long story."



"Say no more...Hey, did you guys hear about the new girl!" Xander chimes in excitedly.



"What do you know about her?" Buffy asks in response.



"New girl. But my sources tell me that she's apparently REALLY hot, and easy on the eyes."



Just then a beautiful stranger enters the classroom with note in hand. She hands the note to the teacher, and he greets her with quiet affirmation. The class begins to settle down as he introduces her...



"Class, we have a new student; Ms. Tara Maclay. Please make her feel at home." The classroom chatter subtly begins to pick up again. "Go take that empty seat over there next to Ms. Rosenberg."



"Well your sources weren't wrong" Willow manages to whisper as she watches the blonde beauty close the distance between the two of them. Oh my god I look horrible! Maybe she won't notice. Oh right like she won't notice that I'm wearing two different shoes. But she probably won't be looking at me anyway right?



"Looks like somebody's got a new study buddy" Xander meagerly whispers to Willow over her shoulder. Willow notices a bright red blush overtake Tara's cheeks, figuring that she probably heard Xander's oh so NOT subtle remark. "I'll get you for that later" Willow says through her teeth.



"Hi I..I..I'm Tara" Tara says, silently kicking herself for studdering on her introduction.



"I'm Willow, a..and this is Xander, and Buffy... So you're new here?" Of course she's new here you idiot, it was just announced like two minutes. She's talking to me...yay me!



"Uh yeah. Do you know where the auditorium is?"



"Oh yeah, I can show you. I go there for my next class."



Tara looks down at her schedule...."So I take it you're a theatre geek too?" Damn it! I really just called her a geek didn't I? Get it together you imbesile...you don't go around calling beautiful women geeks!



"Guilty. I'm a geek from way back. Not a theatre geek...I...I mean I am a theatre geek...but...but I was a geek befor..." Willow closes her eyes trying to gather her thoughts.



Tara giggles at her little outburst of babble. "It's okay I do that too. So you can show me where it is after class?"



Willow nods with a huge smile on her face.



I think I'm going to like theatre class...



TBC hopefully



Tell me what you think. First fic, so be gentle.

Edited by: PoorEve at: 1/7/05 3:48 pm

[My Always]

I like it but I'll like it even more if you continue.



-LR

[PoorEve]

Willow spent the rest of the class blushing at all the naughty thoughts she had about the goddess who just happened to be sitting two feet away from her. Every thought made her wish she had a towel to wipe away the beads of sweat that were welling up on her brow. She hoped Tara couldn't sense her desperation to get out of class. All Willow wanted was for this God forsaken class to end so she escort the gorgeous Ms. Maclay to their next class. She liked that thought, "their class". No sooner had she met this blue-eyed beauty, that she found that they had something in common. That was a rare feeling for Willow.



Sure she had a perilous, life-altering secret that she could only share with her two bestest buddies, but it mostly ends up to be boring shop talk about the countless beasties that roam about Sunnydale. Ever since her stint with Oz Willow felt that she needed more out of life than just demon talk with her closest buds. This is where the Theatre came in. It was something she had always loved but was to afraid to try. Just the thought of being on stage use to freak her out. She told herself that this was just something she would have to get over.



Willow would tire of the constant reminders of her mousy ways. She hoped that acting, and being around a new, more outgoing crowd would bring out the true Willow that she always knew was there. If that wasn't enough of a reason, finding out that she was gay also pushed her toward the drama scene. She knew drama was full of people like her, in that sense anyway.



********



The bell rang after what seemed like weeks to Willow and Tara both...



"So...ready to go?" Willow asked with a hint of giddiness in her voice.



Tara nodded in agreement. "What's the teacher like?" Tara asks as they began to make their way through the hallways.



"Oh Ms. Cutshaw? She's great you'll love her. By far the best teacher in Sunnydale. Today we're performing our monologues."



"So I'll get to see you in action!...I..I...mean on stage, acting, like actors do." Whoa way to much enthusiasm there Tara. You're not ready to jump into her pants...yet.



"Yeah, a little nervous though, like we actors get."



"I'm sure you'll do great." Subconciously Tara's hand makes it's way on to Willow's arm. Noticing the gesture Willow grins over at Tara, looking into those big beautiful blue eyes. Tara quickly takes back her hand...



"Oh sorry, didn't realize..."



"We're here." She quickly jumps in to relieve Tara of her embarrassment. "I'll introduce you to Ms. Cutshaw."



"Uh Ms. Cutshaw, this is Tara she's a new student..."



"Ah yes, welcome Tara. I've heard alot about you. Willow it seems your new friend here has quite an acting reputation. Her last teacher told me it was an honor to teach such a gifted student. Oh yeah, and Willow you will be performing your monologue first so get ready." A disheartening look appears on Willow's face. Tara gives her a smile of reassurance, and that somewhat lightens Willow's mood.



"So you were a big drama head in your last school." Tara nods in agreement. "You could probably teach me a thing or two."



"If you're willing to learn I'm willing to teach. Maybe some night after school?" Please say yes, please say yes...



"It's a date."



TBC

Edited by: PoorEve at: 1/7/05 5:44 pm

[Willow18]

Oh, I like thes tart of this. LOL at Willow putting on two different shoes. Surpised they didn't do that on the show what with their wardrobe "choices."



Willow liking drama. Tara also liking drama. This has promise. Hmm...



Please continue. I'll be happy to read more.

[frau rosenclay]

I'm enjoyin your story very much. I look forward to how it will unfold, and all the words inbetween too.

[willlovestara]

I really like where this is going! Please keep the updates coming. Hannah.

[pikescoob]

Poor Willow...she ran late causing her clothes to look all messed up, and it happens to be a day where she meets a hot chick Tara doesn't seem to mind though..they're totally diggin' each other. Great start



**Michelle

"these wounds won't seem to heal,

this pain is just too real,

there's just too much that time cannot erase"--Evanescence (My Immortal)

[Willow18]

Oooh. It's a date? Willow doesn't know how right that word choice was... lol.



I like the update. Nice touch having Tara being kinda renowned at her former school. And then Willow having to go first with the monologue. If she wasn't nervous before, now she's going to be a wreck knowing that Tara has a rep for her acting ability.



Looking forward to the next update.

[sam darls]

Awww..I love this so far . Love sam xx

"Sometimes things happen between people that you don't really expect. And sometimes the things that are important are the ones that seem the weirdest or the most wrong. And those are the ones that change your life." - Jessie Sammler (Evan Rachel Wood)

[PoorEve]

Here's the update!

Sorry it took so long...





Did I just say date?



Did she just say date? Unknowingly the two's thoughts collide simultaneously.



"I mean about the learning, and the you teaching me part, and....."



Willow's explanation is cut short by the sound of Ms. Cutshaw's voice. "Willow onstage, now."



Tara watched as Willow's excited expression slowly fade away. "I know you'll do great!" Yet again Tara's hand made it's way over to Willow's. She gave it a quick squeeze before she ran off to get onstage. Tara grabbed a seat in the far right section of the theater away from the rest of the class.



Willow turned her back to the audience so she could mentally prepare everything in her head. This time she had to make sure to do her best because there was a certain actor in the audience whom she didn't want to disappoint. The certain actor with... smooth womanly curves, eyes as blue as the Carribean Sea, breasts to die for, and...concentrate! concentrate! Okay stay open to the audience, project.....



"Sometime today!" Willow's thought process was interrupted by a boy who wanted to make sure his opinion was heard.



"Vincent!" Ms. Cutshaw scolded the boy for his sudden outburst. "Continue when you're ready Willow." Tara glared over at the boy who dared to interrupt sweet Willow.



"Hi, I'm Willow and the monologue I will be preforming is from Othello. I...I will be playing the part of Desdemona..." Don't screw this up Rosenberg! She lowers her head to get into character...



"Most Gracious Duke

To my unfolding,

Lend your prosperous ear

And let me find a Charter in your voice

T'Assist my simpleness..."



Tara looked upon the red-headed wonder... Willow and Shakespeare equals Good!



"...So that, dear Lords,

If I be left behind

A moth of peace

And he go to the Warre

The rites for why I love him

Are bereft me..."



Tara smirked as she watched Willow do her best "Old English" accent. Every now and then she noticed Willow glance down at her from the stage. She figured she must be looking to her for confidence, and nothing else so she tried her best not to distract the girl from her performance.



Try as she might to stay in character Willow found herself flashing brief, but noticable smiles in Tara's direction...Pay attention! You're here to study theatre not Tara! But a whole class on studying Tara would be nice...hehehe...Pay attention!

Tara noticed a certain vulnerability in Desdemona, the same vulnerability she had felt many times before she moved to Sunnydale. Her dad, and Donnie grew even more distant after her mothers death. Her father, as usual, was out at all hours of the night, usually at some sports bar watching a football game, and knocking back a few with his buddies. Donnie, like his father, would rarely be seen at home. Each would come home from work, then head out to go see some friends.

One night in particular her father came home sprawlingly drunk. Tara had a friend over for a movie night. Seeing Tara laughing, and having a good time was enough to send him off the deep end. He came at Tara muttering in some crazed, incoherent tongue, and backhanded her across the face. She fell hard to the ground after the unexpected blow. Her friend quickly reacted by knocking him in the back of the head with a fire poker. He fell to the ground, knocked out cold.



After that ordeal Tara, and Donnie were sent to live with their aunt, and cousin in Sunnydale. Her aunt welcomed them with open arms, but their cousin Beth was less than thrilled at Tara's arrival. Beth and Tara never saw eye to eye, she figured Tara wasn't worth the time of day. On the otherhand she got along well with Donnie. Mostly because they both shared a deep lack of interest for Tara. Tara didn't mind, neither of them seemed to be incredibly interesting people anyway, and if she got to close she feared they might figure out who she really was. She felt she needed to escape from her troubles. This is where theatre came in...



"...Let me go with him...SCENE!"



Willow began to retreat to her seat in the auditorium when the quiet applause of the class picked up to a thundering roar. The class was enthralled by the talent shown by the shy little Willow that they believed she was. Tara joined in on the applause, as Willow came to sit next to her.



"Thank you Willow, that was wonderful" Ms. Cutshaw looked pleased by Willow's performance.



"You did great Willow! I think you could teach me a thing or two..."



"Thanks...So you want to sit with me at lunch? Well, not just me, you know there's Buffy and Xander too, and..."



"I'd love to..."





TBC

[willlovestara]

Ahhhh! I really like this. Nice bit of background on Tara as well. Thanks Hannah.