LonelyTara - Dang, you're good! No chance of keeping Tara a secret with you on the trail! And a woo-hoo to you, too!
Cyteach - Your comment had me laugh at loud.
I'm interested to see if Cordelia's vengeance is what you think it will be; time will tell . . .
lonelylanding - Like the way you stick up for our girls! Things will get better and in a later posting Tara will take the situation with Cordelia into her own hands.
Thanks for the feedback, it's golden!
Title: How I met your mother*
Author: Ariel
Email:
blaziak@yahoo.com
Feedback: All feedback welcomed, specific input appreciated
Rating: R for nudity, will change rating for later chapters
Disclaimer: I don't own these characters, but I love to take them for a ride!
Summary: A/U before season 1, the summer after Willow's freshman year with a large dose of Queen Cordelia at her bitchy best and teen-aged angst.
*no connection to the sit-com of the same name
Thoughts are in italics.
Part 3: The Riding Instructor
Dinner had been quiet. Everyone felt badly about Cordelia’s injury while Cordelia continued doing everything she could do to return as the riding program leader.
“I mean,” she went on, “if the new girl does a bad job. If she just can’t handle it then maybe I could be the lead and she could be my assistant.”
Mrs. Finch was beginning to lose patience. “Cordelia, give the new girl a chance! If, and only if, she can’t do the work, we’ll consider giving you the job back. Of course that’s only if you recover sufficiently and are ready to return.”
Cordelia’s dark eyes flashed. “Don’t worry, I’ll be ready!”
Willow grimaced. She could see the wheels turning in Cordelia’s mind and already felt sorry for the new girl.
I hope she’s some kind of amazon goddess because Cordelia’s out for blood!
A moment later the screen door was pushed slowly open and a blond girl entered, wearing well worn cowboy boots, jeans, and a faded blue work shirt. She had long hair that reached down to her hips and carried an old army duffle bag slung over her shoulder. She ducked her head shyly when she saw everyone watching her. Then she paused for an instant, as if gathering her courage, and walked further into the room.
Mrs. Finch smiled warmly and nodded at the girl. “I’m Doris Finch, we spoke on the phone. We’re glad that you could come on such short notice.”
The girl dropped her eyes for a moment, but managed a smile as she reached out to shake hands. “I’m T-Tara, Tara Maclay.”
Cordelia stood, swiftly clasping the blonde’s hand. “Tuh-tara?” That’s a very interesting name!” She giggled and a couple of girls joined in.
Tara’s face flushed. “It’s Tara.”
“I’m sorry,” Cordelia said, eying Tara scornfully for an instant before re-applying her sweetest smile. “I must have misunderstood you. I mean it’s not possible that you couldn’t even say your own name. Is it?”
Tara jerked back as if she’d been slapped.
The director cut in. “Cordelia, that’s inappropriate. Apologize to Tara!”
Cordelia’s eyes widened in dismay. “I’m so sorry, Tara. It was just a joke, but Mrs. Finch is right. I shouldn’t have made fun of your handicap.” Cordelia rubbed one eye daintily as if struggling to hold back tears then addressed the room. “Between my injury and the pain pills I’m just not myself right now.” She gestured to include everyone. “So I really want to apologize to Tara and ask everyone to treat her just like she’s really part of the team here.”
Tara’s stood stiffly, struggling to regain her composure.
Willow winced in sympathy, “poor kid.”
Suddenly Tara turned toward Willow and her blue eyes glared into Willow’s green ones.
Willow blushed.
I didn’t mean to say that out loud!
Tara straightened to her full height. Her hands were clenched into fists, but Willow was the only one who noticed that they were trembling.
“I’m gl-glad to be here. I’ll w-work hard and d-do my best.”
Mrs. Finch smiled somewhat cautiously. “I’m sure you’ll be fine. Are you hungry?”
“No thank-you.” Tara spoke with painful care. “I had something on the way. I think I’ll s-sit on the porch outside and get some fresh air.”
“That’s fine, Tara. Everyone, finish eating and we’ll call it a night.”
People set their dishes on the counter and separated into groups to enjoy their last night without campers. Tara’s entrance was animatedly discussed.
Willow hated to see Tara being treated so badly and was determined to find her and apologize for the misunderstanding, but Cordelia was already on the porch with the new girl.
She was slowly looking Tara up and down with every one of her teeth showing in her smile. She had an unerring eye for weakness and she sensed Tara wasn’t the type to tell on her. Still, she had blundered in front of the director and knew that she would need to be more careful. She looked around,
no one but Willow and she’s no threat! She turned back to Tara.
“Gosh, Tara. I love your outfit and that classy luggage, too! The Salvation Army must have had a storewide sale!”
Tara took a deep breath and managed to keep her expression neutral.
“I need to rest for half an hour so let me know when you have a sentence ready.”
That one hurt. Tara felt herself shaking and bit her lip.
Cordelia saw that she had scored a direct hit and her laughter trilled after her as she headed towards the cabin.
That loser is as good as gone!
Willow reached to pat Tara’s arm, but Tara whirled around to face her. “G-go ahead! L-laugh! I d-do stuh-stutter!”
“No. I didn’t--”
“But I’m n-not 'poor' and we d-don’t take charity. I’ll work for everything I get!”
Willow stared helplessly back at her, unsure of what to say.
“There you two are!” Mrs. Finch walked up and put a hand on each girl’s shoulder. “Willow, your senior counselor still hasn’t checked in so there’s a spare bed already made up in your cabin.”
She turned to Tara. “Follow Willow, you’ll be spending tonight with her. Goodnight, girls.”
Tara looked back at Willow and Willow looked back at Tara.
Willow gave a small, nervous smile before taking a deep breath and plunging into the heart of the matter.
“I think that this is one of those awkward moments. You know, stiff silence, bristle-y angry and all ultra grouchy. Not sure what’s next because I sort of think you’re nice and I don’t want to not like you. But if you’re dead set on hating me then we could have a cat fight; of course I’ve never really fought a cat. Um, that was actually a joke that uh nobody’s laughing at, but we could pull each other’s hair or we could do a Cordelia and insult each other’s clothes.” Willow paused for breath.
Tara’s crooked smile started small then flashed across her face like a sunrise during Willow’s monologue. She laughed then formed a cross with her fingers as if to ward off evil. “No Cordelia!”
Willow grinned back, raising an imaginary glass. “I’ll drink to that!”
Tara giggled and raised her own imaginary glass to clink with Willow’s. “To a Cordelia-free zone!”
Then they paused, blue eyes meeting green eyes as Tara reached out to shake hands.
Willow took Tara’s hand, feeling a tingling jolt of electricity go through her body. She gave a small gasp and noticed that Tara’s lips were parted, too. Willow squirmed, she wasn’t sure why, but she felt
funny inside.
Then they grinned at each other like idiots, linked arms, and walked together towards their cabin. The cabin was a rectangle, with the door one end. They entered a small room with two metal framed cots, each with a matress and bed linen, a door led from their room into the main cabin where the girls' bunk beds were set up.
Willow smiled, "So it's a little bit private, kind of. But the door doesn't lock, fire code stuff, and they walk through our room if they need to go to the bathroom or something.
"W-well at l-least we can talk if we need to and we have our own r-room."
Willow pointed out the two camp beds. “I was in this one last night, but I don’t care. I mean, you know, we could switch.”
Tara smiled. “It’s fine, W-willow. I’ll take the other one.” She set her duffel bag in a convenient corner and sat down. “So wh-what did I miss?”
Willow grinned ruefully. “The exact same things that I missed. We’ll get a crash course in orientation tomorrow morning at 6:00 a.m., just you me and Cordelia.”
Tara rolled her eyes and Willow giggled.
“Hey, Tara, a little sympathy here. I actually grew up with her!”
Tara gave her a teasing grin, “oh you poor kid!” Then she pulled off her shirt and bra matter-of-factly.
Willow stared. Tara had real breasts. Tara caught her looking.
“Wh-what are you l-looking at?”
Willow froze. Absolutely no plausible lie came to mind.
“Uh, well, I’ve still got a training bra and my breasts don’t seem to want to be trained. I mean they don’t sit up, they just lay down. I mean they just stay down, flat as a pancake. I don’t even know if I have breasts. Whenever we have square dancing and they need a boy they pick me. I don’t even have a regular period yet. I’ve researched all the hormone-y happening stuff, but I think there must be something wrong here. And I’m sorry I was looking. You probably think I’m all pervy-girl but seeing yours might be the closest I come to real breasts since my body doesn’t seem to want to grow any!”
Willow slumped to a sitting position on her bed, still blushing furiously.
At least I won’t cry. I think the heat in my face has dried up my tear ducts!
A moment later Tara sat next to her and put an arm around her shoulder.
“Hey,” Tara said gently, “cheer up. You j-just need to take the breast tests. There’s two of them. M-my cousin Beth sh-showed me.”
“The breast tests?” Willow smiled hopefully. She had a straight-A average and was a great test-taker. “What do I do? Can I study?”
“W-well. First you lay flat on the table without your bra or shirt.”
Willow peeled off her shirt and bra and climbed up on the table, then laid flat.
“Now lay c-completely flat on the table with your breasts pressed right into it.”
Willow obeyed. “Ouch, that hurts!”
“That’s it!” Tara said triumphantly, “it only hurts if you have real breasts!”
“Really?” Willow pressed even harder, it definitely hurt and she was thrilled.
“Th-that’s it! You’re totally in the girl club!”
Willow jumped off the table and ran over to give Tara a big hug then skidded to a stop. “You’re not just saying that are you?” She felt a tear pricking in her right eye and rubbed at it, hoping Tara didn’t see how much it meant.
Tara looked seriously at Willow’s body. “Y-your waist goes in, y-you’re s-soft up top, and you have g-gorgeous green eyes in a beautiful girl face.” Tara blushed, then swallowed. “Y-you’re beautiful all over, W-willow and I’m n-not just s-saying that.”
Willow paused, something had changed. She ran her hands wonderingly over her breasts and along her waist and drew a deep, quivering breath. She looked back at Tara and felt a singing inside her body, a joy in who she was and how she looked. She looked again into those incredibly intense blue eyes and she could see it. Tara really did think that she was beautiful and that she was a woman. She blushed and knew that there would be times when this insight faded, when she would feel insecure again but she also knew that she would hold that look in Tara’s eyes forever, like a talisman she could touch when she felt skinny and ugly.
Then test-passing Willow re-emerged and she literally jumped for joy and gave Tara a big hug. “You’re the best friend in the whole wide world!” She stepped back. “Can we do the second test? I mean, I’m on a roll here!”
Tara smiled. “Sure. It’s the hot test to see if you have g-girl breasts or woman breasts.”
Willow looked down at herself, but she was smiling instead of sad. “I think we already know the answer to that question.”
“No, it’s not about s-size it’s about h-hotness.”
“Hotness? Farenheit or Celsius?” Willow blushed to the roots of her hair. “Geek moment, never mind! So what do we do?”
“Well, you take your finger and dr-draw a circle around your nipple. If it st-stays the same then y-you’re a kid. If it g-goes p-pointy it means you’re getting h-hot and if it g-goes pointy and you get t-tingly then it m-means y-you’re ready to m-make out.”
Willow and Tara’s eyes met.
Willow spoke first. “Don’t look, I mean, I’d feel so dumb if you were and I wasn’t. Can we shut our eyes?”
“We have to look to see w-what happens.”
At almost the same time their eyes brightened and they both said, “back to back!”
Tara pulled off her shirt again and they sat back to back on Tara’s bed, leaning against each other.
Willow moved her back over to line up better with Tara’s and felt the softness of Tara’s skin sliding against hers. She wiggled to get closer, loving the warmth between their bodies. “Ready?”
“Ready.”
Willow got her index finger ready to encircle her nipple and looked down. “Hey, Tara?”
“Yeah?”
Willow’s voice was triumphant. “I didn’t even touch it and I’m all with the pinky pointy thing.”
“See! I told you.” Tara’s voice was soft and Willow guessed she was bent over, hiding behind her hair. “M-me too only I’m kind of a m-more brown-y pointy thing.”
“Mmm. Chocolate.”
O, god did I actually say that out loud?
Suddenly both girls jumped up, red faced.
Within seconds Tara had thrown on a tank top and a pair of old track shorts and flung herself into bed.
Willow meanwhile dug out the new flannel pajamas her Mom had surprised her with. They had pictures of the cartoon dog, Scooby-Doo, and Willow thought she would just about die of embarrassment.