Dear Kittens,
Work has been piling up but your enthusiastic feedback gave me a boost in finishing Part 7B. I wish I could post the individual replies today, but I'm kinda in a hurry.
Your feedback made me
(especially about the "getting Willow a clue" movement). You guys have no idea how your words of appreciation made me write even in the face of other deadlines and demanding superiors. I don't know when I'll be able to post the next installment and individual replies, but I hope to finish this fic before the year ends.Love you
Sleek
==
THREE WORDS
Part 7B
By Sleek
A thick mantle of silence fell inside the room. We would probably hear the sound of crickets and grasshoppers outside if we were paying attention to anything other than the last words Alex uttered.
"Boyfriend?" Willow whispered hoarsely.
"Yup," Alex nodded and slipped an arm around my shoulders. "Officially just today."
"But, but.." Willow sputtered and looked wildly about as if trying to make sense of the situation. She rested her gaze on me and what I saw in her eyes almost crushed me.
"Tara?"
Just my name. One word. One question.
She was asking for the truth. And more than that, she was asking if I broke our unspoken bond of loyalty to one another.
Maybe I'm imagining this. Maybe I love her so much I wished she would feel this just once.
Betrayed.
I betrayed our love. I lied to her. And I can't. Not anymore.
"Will," I choked and almost ran into her arms if Alex didn't halt me with his hand on my shoulder.
"Willow and I are going to talk first," Alex instructed. "She has a problem with me being with you, and I'm going to find out why."
"Fine," Willow said, flatly. Her usual brand of perkiness already gone.
Why is she not looking at me? Have I really hurt her, or did I just imagine it?
With that, Alex let go of me and stepped in front of Willow.
They eyed each other, not with harshness, but more like two soldiers who agreed to do the final battle.
They exited towards the porch in silence.
***
"Will is very protective of you." Oz spoke quietly.
I almost forgot I wasn't alone.
Oz's hands were shoved deep in his pant's pockets. He was studying my face as if I held the answer to a puzzle he couldn't decipher.
"Uh, s-sometimes." I said, sinking back on the couch. I took a slice of pizza and chewed — more to occupy my mouth than to eat.
Oz sat on the couch as well and stared at the box of a quickly cooling pizza.
Several feet and a cocoon of silence separated us.
We were both too immersed in our own worlds; a world that revolved around the fiery redhead who unknowingly held our fragile hearts in her slender hands.
***
"So you don't hate me?" Alex clarified.
"It's not so much of hate as much as…" Willow trailed off and searched for the right word, "Trust."
They were sitting on the Maclay porch steps. Alex rubbed his sweaty hands on his denim-clad knees while Willow clasped her hands together, still and chilly as the night air.
"Why don't you trust me?" Alex arched a dark brow.
Willow sighed. Apparently, there is no escaping this confrontational conversation.
"Maybe because…" Alex trailed off as if he was about to suggest something, "it's because you are jealous?"
"Why would I be jealous?" Willow snapped.
"See? Note the irate tone. The clenched fingers. Lot of tension going in there," Alex pointed out as if he was merely participating in a classroom discussion. "And you stretching your lips into a taut line right now isn't helping either."
"Argh!" Willow threw her hands up and stood, separating herself several feet from Alex. "I don't trust you, okay? You might hurt Tara and Tara is one of the most gentle, beautiful souls I know. If you break her, I don't know if I can let you live."
"Jealousy it is," Alex almost smiled if Willow wasn't giving him the glare of death.
"This isn't jealousy, Alex!" Willow gestured wildly. "I'm just upset!"
"Then tell me why you're upset?" Alex probed, standing up as well.
"Because I…" Willow paced back and forth, "I really don't know, I'm too upset to know. And I really want to talk to Tara."
"Willow, stop pacing," Alex placed both hands on the redhead's shoulders. "You're making me dizzy."
Willow stilled. Finally, she looked at him straight in the eyes.
"I mean it Alex," she said, her eyes flickering like green flames.
"What?" Alex took an unconscious step back, as if to brace himself for a sudden attack.
"I'm not sure if I'll let you live," she whispered, her eyes narrowing into slits. "If you hurt Tara."
Alex gulped but covered it with a cough. He ran a shaky hand through his dark hair. His casual demeanor vanished.
"I love her Willow. I'd do anything in my power to make her happy."
"Love?" Willow smiled thinly, "What do you know about love Alex? Sharing drinks? Flirting over pizza? Getting the girl drunk so, what, you can score?"
"Enough!" Alex held up his hand to cut her off. "I don't claim to be the master of love Willow. I know I will make mistakes. But I won't let my life pass me by without telling Tara how she makes me feel."
Willow considered this for a moment. She searched the ebony skies and seemed to count the stars before looking back at Alex.
"She makes you feel like you could do anything?" Willow said, almost to herself. "Like you could slay dragons or deliberately flunk algebra if it means she'll stay in your arms forever?"
Alex chuckled in spite of himself.
"Something like that, yeah."
Willow reflected Alex's grin. They finally found something in common.
"So," Willow said, almost conversationally. "What do you make her feel?"
Alex averted his gaze and withdrew within himself. His forehead wrinkled in thought.
"I don't know," he sighed. "But I'm sure of one thing."
"What's that?"
"You're all she sees, Will," Alex looked at Willow with a mixture of envy and admiration.
"What do you mean by that?"
"Why don't you talk to her and find out?" Alex said, and motioned towards the door. "Can we go in now? It's kinda chilly out here."
Willow noticed for the first time the goose bumps on her skin.
"You know what, Alex?" she said as she placed her hand on the knob. "I still don't trust you, but I'm beginning to think you're not so bad after all."
"Finally, you got something right," Alex grinned and together they entered Tara's house.
***
I'm all she sees. What does that mean?
And the gall of that Alex telling me I'm jealous. Just because I can't stand his face and thought his pizza was poisoned doesn't mean I'm jealous.
Right?
I mean, do bestfriends get jealous of each other's boyfriends? If so, is Tara jealous of Oz? Am I jealous of Alex?
Is it normal for bestfriends to be this protective? What is the line between "goody" protective, "mother-hen" protective, and overprotective?
Sigh.
I wish I talked to Tara, but Oz said he wasn't feeling so good so we took off and drove me home.
There was this really awkward silence when we reached my door. I wasn't in a kissy mood and he seemed preoccupied as well.
He looked at me just once, tuck my hair behind my ears as if I was a kid, and said goodnight.
But the way he said goodnight seemed like he was saying goodbye. His quiet eyes held too much unspoken sadness. Well maybe if we start talking soon we could clear this up. Maybe I'm just being worry-wart-Willow suffering from a post-Alex-confrontation. Yeah, that would be it.
I miss talking to Tara. I wish she were here now, rubbing my tummy in circles. All the bad just ebbs away when she's around me. She's like my light, and anyone who tries to take my light away will have to answer to me.
Yawn.
Sleepy Willow.
I better have a bestfriend date with Tare-bear soon. We only have three months before graduation, five months before college, and before we know it we'll be wrinkly cranky old ladies playing bingo and cheating on Scrabble. I wonder what a geriatric me would look like? Will I suffer Alzheimer's, pee on myself, or just become your average garden variety of an old woman?
Well as long as Tara is there, I know a part of me will stay sane.
Yawn. Stretch. Sleepy, sleepy head.
Sleepy world. Goodnight world. See you tomorrow.
TBC
Edited by: Sleek at: 11/19/03 10:50 pm
*shakes head at herself for being addicted to fanfic*
at: 11/19/03 6:30 am
this!
Sleek
Oz, but don't kill himjust yet. he's already suffering a slow death. Poor guy.
you're funny( (well, at least the above statement was) 
Thank you 
See? 
Thanks!
cliffhangfers. 
emoticon anytime you want! 
.
the new PC will pose quite a big of problem. But as for the chocolates... **runs around the whole thread planting boxes of Macadamia nuts coated with dark chocolate everywhere** I'll work on the getting you a new PC part, but for now, hope the chocolates satisfy ya 
Well ok, for him, it isn't exactly a time for celebration. But watch me do the happy dance, cause that slightly increases the chances of him not standing in the way. Unless.. unless he doesn't wanna budge. Well he better, or I'll 
"Celebrate good times come on!"
I can't believe that Alex actually told 
that she is all that 
sees. 
Isn't that like breaking the promise to keep it a secret? 
I don't see how they both can be so blind. 
Can't wait to 
