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TITLE: Lessons In Love
AUTHOR: Laragh
CHAPTER RATING: PG-13
DISCLAIMER: Joss, UPN, FOX, ME and anyone else associated with the television show Buffy The Vampire Slayer own the characters of Willow and Tara and anyone else who may appear, I am simply a lowly viewer, trying to write some happier situations for, who I consider, the greatest TV couple ever.
SUMMARY: Highschool fic! You guys know I'm bad at summaries, so I’m gonna go with my standard 'happy, light reading’
SPOILERS: Completely AU, so I doubt any. At most, the odd reference or piece of dialogue. Not supernatural, no way am I smart enough to write a magic fic
FEEDBACK: I love it.
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Three chapters left (including this one) Thanks to everyone still reading!
Chapter 34 ********
Tara smoothed the material of her light yellow dress one as she checked herself in the bathroom mirror one last time. She let her hair was pulled back in a pony tail, with wisps of hair framing her face and the light blue eye shadow she had applied made her eyes pop.
Her and Willow had agreed they’d get changed for the Prom at her house, and had come straight home from their final day of their junior year, ready to check their SAT scores and start to get ready. After their impromptu, yet thoroughly enjoyed lovemaking session, and the twenty minutes of afterglow snuggles that were also thoroughly enjoyed, they had disentangled themselves and Willow had gone for her shower, coming back in a towel and making Tara leave with all her clothes and make-up for the night, wanting to keep at least one thing traditional; not seeing each other until they were both in full attire.
She left the bathroom and walked into the living room, where her mother was sitting, reading the newspaper. She looked up when the brunette walked in the room and got a tear in her eye.
“You look beautiful, sugar,” she said standing up and walking over to give her daughter a hug.
“Thanks, Mom,” Tara said, hugging back.
“Where’s Willow?” Jen asked, going back to sit on the sofa.
“Oh in my room, getting changed.”
“You’re not with her?”
“Mom!” Tara replied, sitting on the armchair across from her and giving her a playful glare.
“I didn’t mean any…you know, I think you take a lot of things that I say with a much more suggestive meaning that I ever intend. I don’t know how I feel about that,” Jen responded jokingly.
“To answer your question, she didn’t want us to see each other until we were all ready. Did you get those roses I asked you to pick up?”
“Indeed I did,” Jen replied, reaching onto the small coffee table beside the sofa and grabbing a small bouquet of red roses.
She handed the flowers over the small space where her daughter was sitting.
“Thanks so much, Mom. I wanted them to be fresh but a surprise, ya know? She woulda seen if I stopped on the way home from school.”
“Well I’m happy to help.”
“You’re the best, Mo-” Tara was cut off by her own gasp as Willow shyly entered the room.
She was dressed in a simple knee-length, strapless black dress, her hair put up in a tight bun with, like Tara, a few tendrils framing her face. She had also applied some light eye shadow, a subtle green that made her eyes shine vibrantly. Her outfit was finished by the necklace Tara had bought her for her birthday, the two hearts shining brightly.
“Holy crap!” Tara continued, “I mean…no, holy crap just about covers it.”
“And she got a 790 on her writing SAT,” Jen chuckled, having been delighted when Tara informed her of her scores when she had come home from work; Willow had been in the shower and Tara had come in with a beaming smile, telling her the news.
“SATs didn’t make me stand in front of the most beautiful girl on the planet,” Tara replied absently, standing and going over to Willow, awestruck.
“Not possible,” Willow said, taking in the brunette’s look as well, “I’m the one standing in front of the most beautiful girl on the planet.”
“You look incredible,” Tara whispered, running her hands up and down her girlfriend’s arms, then handed her the roses, “These are for you.”
They stayed staring, lost in each other until Jen cleared he throat, feeling like she was intruding on the moment and wanting to ease the tension.
“So Willow… I know this is generally meant to be said to daughter’s date going to senior Prom, but I’m going to say it regardless. Don’t get my daughter pregnant.”
Willow, used to her girlfriend’s mother’s teasing at this stage, adopted a serious face and regarded her.
“I solemnly promise I will not get your daughter pregnant tonight, ma’am.”
“Good,” Jen replied with a smirk, “Okay, so no drink, no drugs, no-”
“Mom, since Buffy has adopted some sort of protest stance and doesn’t want to go to any after-Prom parties-”
“Its part of her ‘no more guys’ perspective,” Willow interjected.
“She’s very young to have become so cynical on love…” Jen said with a sad smile.
“Anyway,” Tara said, continuing on from before, “Xander and Anya are doing their own thing after as well, and we have no interest in hanging around a bunch of people drinking and doing said drugs, getting squashed onto a sofa that will probably have god knows what kind of stains on it, we’re coming straight back here after the dance to my nice big… um, stereo. To listen to music and talk about how much fun we had.”
Jen caught Tara’s verbal slip-up, saw the slight blush on both girl’s faces and narrowed her eyes.
“Make sure you have your house keys. I think I might go into the office tonight. Catch up on some work. Till late.”
“Right. Now that this has been sufficiently awkward, we’re leaving,” Tara said and went to turn both her and her date.
“No, I need pictures!” Jen said, jumping up and running into the kitchen to get her camera.
Tara rolled her eyes and turned to her girlfriend.
“I’m sorry.”
“You kidding me?” Willow replied with a grin, “I love your mother.”
Jen came back in the room with her camera and indicated for the two girls to stand closer together. The couple stood closer and put on a smile for the camera as Jen continued to click away.
“Okay, now hold onto each other’s waists.”
Tara rolled her eyes again with a smile and turned to hold onto her girlfriend’s waist, feeling Willow to the same. They looked at each other, grinning until Willow’s hands started snaking lower, on instinct.
“Willow, you know I’m fine with your relationship with my daughter, but really, groping her right in front of me?”
Willow squealed and pulled her hands away, turning to face Jen with an apologetic look on her face.
“I’m so sorry, Ms. Maclay, I didn’t mean to, I swear, they just have a mind of their own some- oh. You’re teasing. You think I’d know that by now,” she said, looking sheepish.
“You haven’t called me Ms. Maclay since we first met,” Jen said, biting her lip to keep from laughing, “Sorry I freaked you out.”
“I promise I don’t just go around groping your daughter…”
“Willow, don’t lie to my mother,” Tara said, giving her a faux-stern look and eliciting a disbelieving glare from the redhead, “Come on, we’re gonna be late.”
“Oh yea,” Willow nodded, recovering slightly, but embarrassed nonetheless, “Uh, since we’re coming back here anyway, can I leave my roses in your room?”
“I’ll take care of that,” Jen said, taking the flowers from Willow, “Have a great night, girls.”
“Thanks, Mom.”
“Thanks, Jen.”
The couple walked out of the living room and out of the house, to Tara’s car as Jen waved to them from the front door. Tara started the ignition in the car and pulled out of the driveway with a final wave.
“Moms,” Tara sighed, smiling nonetheless as she drove the short five-minute drive to the school.
“As far as they go, you’ve got one of the best,” Willow replied.
“Yea,” Tara replied, scrunching up her nose, “I know I do. So…you’re not gonna get me pregnant tonight?”
“Nope,” Willow responded and waggled her eyebrows, “Doesn’t mean I’m not gonna try.”
Tara blushed and continued driving until they pulled into the carpark a few minutes later and saw Buffy standing at the small steps that lead down to the gymnasium. Buffy seemed to spot the car and ran over as they were getting out, hugging Willow enthusiastically before letting her friend go and giving the same treatment to Tara.
“Um…what’s with the big bear hugs, Buff?” Willow asked, a little dazed.
“I’m just glad someone’s here. One major drawback of not having a date – walking in alone. So I waited out here for you guys.”
“We’re sorry, Buffy, we would’ve hurried if we’d known,” Tara said with a genuine smile.
“It’s all good. You’re here now. And wow, you guys look incredible!”
“You do too,” Willow said, looking at her best friend’s flow-y lilac dress, fitting her curves perfectly, “You look amazing.”
“Yea, totally,” Tara agreed, “That dress hugs your figure really well.”
“Okay, too far, Tara,” Willow said with a glare, “‘You look great’ would’ve been fine. Don’t need to go talking about figures and curves.”
“Hey now, I never mentioned curves, that’s all on you.”
“Guys,” Buffy sighed, wrapping an arm around both her friend’s shoulders, “Please don’t fight over me. I understand that my hotness is just so overwhelming sometimes that – I don’t know whose hand that is, but I’m guessing they were trying to reach a little more across?”
“Um, my bad,” Willow said, pulling her hand back, “Was aiming for Tara’s butt, not yours.”
“If you were about to grope me, does that mean you’re not mad? I just meant it in a friend way,” Tara asked, ducking out from Buffy’s embrace and wrapping her own arms around the redhead’s waist.
“Definitely not mad.”
The girls smiled at each other and leaned in for a kiss while Buffy sighed.
“Okay, so now I’m thinking going in on my own would have been better,” she said into the night, the kissing couple in front of her completely oblivious, “Instead of standing here, in a pretty dress, watching two of my best friends make out. But no, I had to try and keep my dignity. That failed miserab- Oh thank, god, Xander, Anya! Now I can take ‘crazy; talks to herself' off the list.”
Buffy embraced Xander and Anya as they walked up to her.
“Willow and Tara kissing again, huh?” Anya asked casually.
“Yep,” Buffy nodded, “I’ll take the redhead.”
“Understood,” Anya replied with a nod of her head.
The two girls walked over to the couple, Buffy grabbing Willow around the middle as Anya did the same to Tara, pulling them from their embrace. Willow was about to say something but just looked at Tara and all four girls burst into giggles. Xander walked over and shook his head.
“Never in my life will I ever understand women. Shall we dance?”
There was a chorus of agreements and the gang made their way into the gymnasium, brightly decorated with balloons and streamers with a table set up with punch. The room was filled with the rest of their classmates, some dancing, some just standing around, talking.
Anya immediately dragged Xander onto the dance floor, hitting him lightly on the arm to get him to move. Buffy rolled her eyes and turned to face the other two girls.
“I’m gonna go scope the place out. See what’s happening… maybe taunt Cordelia a little.”
“Have fun, Buff,” Willow said with a smile, before turning to Tara, extending her hand, “My dance?”
A slow song came over the system as they arrived on the dance floor and Willow wrapped her arms the brunette’s neck, feeling Tara rest her hands comfortably on her hips as they started swaying to the music.
“So…whole summer of fun ahead of us,” Tara said, looking into the redhead’s eyes.
“Mmhh, I know. Hey, we should go the beach. With everyone. Have a barbeque or something.”
“Xander’d try to act like his macho self and the barbeque would never get lit, and then it’d probably rain or something.”
“Jeez, pessimist,” Willow said with a smirk, “We’d still have fun though. You know why?”
“Enlighten me,” Tara replied, smirking back.
“’Cause we’d be together.”
Tara leaned down and put a playful kiss on the redhead’s nose, then moved lower so their lips were brushing against each other lightly. Barely seconds later, an arm was pushing through their upper halves, separating them completely.
“Ah, uh, ah,” Willow spluttered, completely confused.
“Ladies,” Snyder sneered in a quiet tone, “Obviously I was not aware of the nature of your relationship, but now that I am, I cannot allow you to flaunt it…as you are at this dance. You may both stay if you keep a foot apart from each other, otherwise, please leave, or I will have you escorted out. Do I make myself clear?”
“Ah, uh, ah,” Willow spluttered again, this time completely shocked.
Snyder took that as confirmation of understanding and turned, going back to his corner where he was watching over the entire room.
“I cannot believe that just happened,” Willow said, finally comprehending what had happened, “God, Tare, I don’t wanna stay a foot away from you!”
Tara bit her lip and looked between Snyder and her girlfriend.
“Wait right here,” she said, looking at Willow, “Okay? Right here.”
“Yea, sure,” Willow agreed, watching Tara walk over to the DJ and say something, before turning on her heels and walking back to her, “What was that about?”
“We’re gonna get kicked out anyway, ‘cause there’s no way I’m staying away from you tonight,” Tara said, grabbing her girl by the waist, “Lets give them a reason to get kicked out.”
Willow recognised the opening bars of Lady Gaga’s
‘Just Dance’ start to play and understood what her girlfriend met.
“Tara, I don’t know how to actually dance…”
Tara leaned forward and put her mouth above Willow’s ear.
“I know you know how to move against me,” she breathed and started moving them both sensually to the beat.
Willow shivered and smirked, quickly spinning herself in Tara’s arms so her back was rubbing up against the brunette’s front as the pace of the song quickened. She was keeping up with the beat as she felt her girlfriend do the same behind her, grinding into her as she guided both their movements, keeping a firm hold on the redhead’s hips. Willow noticed the other people on the floor stopping their own dances and everyone else gathering around, watching them dance.
She surprised herself by feeling good at the attention, even as she felt Tara’s hands start to move up and down her sides in what could almost be considered naughty touching, she wasn’t embarrassed. She felt mischievous and fun, knowingly defying a teacher’s request, and she had to admit, was getting a little turned on by the close contact. She gasped slightly, making sure to keep her movements in time when she felt her girlfriend briefly graze the side of her breasts as her hands moved up and down her sides.
Okay, make that a lot turned on. The song ended to a round of applause and Willow giddily turned around in Tara’s arms, seeing a grin on the brunette’s face that matched her own. Her eyes widened as she saw Snyder come towards them, seething, in her peripheral vision and tilted her head to indicate the impending disaster to her girlfriend. Tara turned, saw what Willow was talking about and quickly grabbed her hand, dragging them both straight out of the gymnasium, not stopping until they were safely in Alexis. Once there, they both looked at each other and burst into laughter.
“That was awesome, Tare! The look on Snyder’s face!”
“He was so angry! Serves him right, nobody tells me I’m not allowed be with my girl.”
“Mmmm, I love aggressive Tara,” Willow said and leaned over the car to meet her girlfriend’s lips in a fiery kiss, “Lets get back to your place.”
“Definitely,” Tara murmured into the redhead’s lips, giving her a few short, sweet kisses, before pulling back and starting the car, driving back to her house, their hands entwined the whole time.
They walked through the front door, both putting their bags in the hallway and were about to go down the hallway to Tara’s bedroom when Jen appeared the doorway of the kitchen, holding the phone in her hand, with a look on her face that neither Willow nor Tara could decipher.
“Mom?”
“I just got a phone call from your principal,” Jen replied, walking towards them, “He says that you specifically disobeyed his orders, then proceeded to engage in a ‘provocative dance’ that alone would be against the moral code of the school, but because of the ‘nature of the students’ involved, was even more morally reprehensible. And all because he told you that you couldn’t be within a certain distance of each other?”
“Um, yes?” Tara answered.
Jen’s face broke out in a huge grin and she went forward, embracing both the girls, giving both of them a kiss on the head.
“Way to stick it to the man, girls! I am so proud of you!”
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God, I love Anya!
Love it, as usual!
hmm I don't think it should end..maybe follow them through college?