Hey again,this is another part from Mainer.
Title: The Cards Life Deals
Rating:pg-13
Disclaimer: Characters belong to Joss, except for the new ones.:)
Tara had smiled back at the girl, hoping that she was different than the others. That she could look past Tara's troubled life and become her friend. She had been unable to make any friends since moving to the town. She had tried, but as soon as they found out about her son and her job it was so long Tara.
"Hey," Willow whispered trying to get the blondes attention, "hey," she said again, not getting through to the thoughtfilled girl. Reaching out she tapped Tara on the shoulder, sending the girl flying into the air and shrieking lightly.
"Girls," the teacher said sternly, "What is going on back there?"
"Nothing," Willow said quickly, having never been addressed by a teacher in this way before in her life, " I was trying to get her attention so I could look on in her book, but she was paying attention so hard that I startled her, that's all."
"One more disruption and you'll both have detention tonight," the teacher said, then continued with his lesson.
"Sorry," Willow whispered apologetically.
"It's okay," Tara said her face as red as a tomato, sliding her book toward Willow.
"I didn't mean to jump you," Willow continued, "I just wanted to see your book cause he's pointing things out in the book and being new and late, I don't have one yet, Do you know..."
"I see that my warning means nothing to you," the teachers said standing directly in front of the two girls.
"Oh no it does," Willow said, "I'm sorry."
"Yes well... sorry doesn't work in my class room, detention, tonight, for both of you," he said.
"Oh please... I can't," Tara said. "I have to pick up my son, and work," Tara pleaded.
"You should have thought of those responsibilties before you ignored me."
"It wasn't her fault, it was me, all me," Willow said, feeling horrible for causing this girl so many problems in an effort to be her friend. "I was talking, she was just trying to listen to you, in fact, she told me to shut up so she could pay attention, but I just didn't listen cause I'm new and I wanted to make friends right away, but this isn't a very good way to be making friends is it? Getting everyone in trouble I mean, so I'll gladly serve my detention that I deserve for disrupting your very interesting and entertaining class, but really sir, she didn't do anything."
"Fine," he quickly said before the red head started again, "Detention for you tonight."
"Oh thank you sir," Willow said, much to the amusement of the class. This time Willow simply gave Tara an apologetic look hoping it would surfice until after class. It was possibly the longest class of Willow's life, having to sit there and be quiet and not be able to apologize to Tara for getting her into so much trouble was killing her. This afterall could be her first friend here. No one was happier to hear the bell than Willow.
"Hi, I'm Willow," she said extending her hand to Tara.
"Tara," Tara responded taking the slender hand.
"I'm so sorry that I got you in trouble," Willow said. "I really was just trying to be friendly, but I promise no more friendly talking during class."
"It's okay, really," Tara said.
"It's just really hard coming into a new school, and it's senior year and all, most everybody already has their friends by now."
"I'm new too," Tara said.
"Really? That's great. Well not great that your new, but great that you're new too," Willow babbled.
Tara couldn't help but smile at her she was so cute and trying so hard, no one had ever done that before.
"You don't have to try so hard," Tara said. "I'll be your friend, if you still want to be mine."
"Oh yes, I'd love to be your friend," Willow said excitedly.
"Really?"
"Yeah... you seem so nice," Willow smiled warmly.
"Even after what I said in class?" Tara asked.
"Sure...I can't remember anything bad," Willow said.
"I have a son," Tara said.
"I know," Willow said. "How old is he?"
"Three months."
"Oh... so cute," Willow smiled. "I love babies."
"He is, cute," Tara said.
"You said you had to pick him up, where is he?"
"At daycare," Tara said, "I pick him up after school and then take him to night care while I work."
"Wow... don't your parents help you out at all?"
"Well..."
"I'm sorry, that was too personal," Willow said. "Maybe you can help me, my next class is advanced physics."
"We offer advanced physics?" Tara questioned.
"Yeah," Willow said showing her schedule.
"Wow, we do," Tara smiled. "It's two doors down," Tara said stopping.
"Why are you stopping?"
"My class."
"Oh..um.. where can I meet you for lunch? If I can meet you for lunch?" Willow asked.
"You can meet me in the cafeteria."
"How will I know where to look?"
"You'll see me," Tara said smiling and walking into her class.
'My first day at school, my first detention,' Willow thought slowly entering the classroom. It didn't seem too crowded, but it looked like everyone was sitting in groups. Which group could Willow sit with? She looked around examining her fellow detentionites. 'Okay... leather jackets, biker boots.. not my crowd, trench coats... not really me either. Then her eyes came across two students who seemed to relatively normally dressed. The girl was pretty with very trendy clothes on and the boy, well... his clothes weren't trendy, but he didn't look like he was out to kill either. Willow decided she would head in that direction.
"Can I sit here?" She asked hoping for a yes.
"Sure," the girl answered cheerfully. "No offense but you don't look like the detention type."
"You either," Willow said.
"I do," the boy said enthusiastically.
"I'm Buffy and this is Xander," she said.
"Willow," she said. Today was turning out pretty good despite it's bad points, she seemed to be making friends rather easily. "How come your in detention?"
"Skipping class," Buffy said.
"Don't you mean classes," Xander said emphasizing the plural.
"If you want to get technical," Buffy said. "What did you do?"
"Talking in class," Willow said.
"You had Mr. Snyder," Buffy said, "He's the only teacher who gives detention for that. Where's the person you were talking to, please don't tell me it's one of them," Buffy said pointing at the trench coat wearing boys.
"No... her name is Tara, but she didn't get detention, it was my fault," Willow said.
"Usually it doesn't matter," Xander said.
"I think I babbled him into letting her go," Willow said.
"Yeah, he hates talking, that probably did it," Buffy said smiling. "Unless it's him talking."
"Is there a teacher coming?" Willow asked.
"Oh yeah, tonight it's Giles," Buffy said smiling at Xander.
"No detention, no detention," Xander said dancing around.
"I don't get it, who's Giles?" Willow asked.
"He's Buffy's watc..."
"He's my very favorite teacher," Buffy said covering Xander's mouth.
"Good afternoon all," Giles said entering the room and walking toward Buffy. "Buffy you must get out there and... hello," he said looking at Willow.
"Hi."
"Giles this is Willow," Buffy said, "and I know, I've got to go, we're on it," Buffy said tossing Xander his book bag. "It was nice to meet you Willow. I hope I see you again, but preferably not in detention."
"Yeah," Willow said thinking how odd it was that he would dismiss them from detention.
"Hey, Tara," an older woman said.
"Hey," Tara replied, tying her apron around her.
"How was school today?"
"I almost got detention," Tara said, "but this really nice girl helped me out of it."
"That's great," the lady said, "Well... I'm ready for you to take over, looks like it's going to be a slow night."
"It's always a slow night," Tara smiled, moving behind the register.
"You got that right. Bye honey."
"Bye."
"Tara pulled her science book from her bag and began the assigned reading. Working until 11 wasn't too bad, it was walking to the night care and back home that really got her. There was something eery about Sunnydale at night. Usually, nobody even came into the grocery store after dark. Tara didn't mind though cause it gave her plenty of time to do her homework.
"I don't know why you can't be more responsible," A woman said coming through the door.
"It was an accident," A girl protested following her.
"I can't take this stress Willow, no more detention."
"There won't be anymore," Willow said, looking up, she saw Tara. "Tara, hey," Willow said cheerfully.
"Hi," Tara smiled, putting down her book.
"Is this where you work?" Willow asked. "Well.. duh."
"Yeah," Tara said.
"Willow... we really need to hurry, I have tons of work," her mother said.
"Tara this is my mom, mom... Tara," Willow said making quick introductions. "You can go ahead, I'll wait here," Willow said.
"After today, I don't think so," her mother said.
"Mom..." Willow said in a whisper voice, "I'm not a baby... please."
"No, Willow, now come on."
"I'll see you in a little bit when we check out," Willow said trying to remain cheerful, but with her mother being such a pain it was difficult.
"Okay," Tara smiled. Knowing Willow didn't realize how lucky she was to have her mom there nagging her.
Everytime they came to the end of the aisle where the registers were Willow would smile and wave at Tara. Always pleasantly surprised when Tara waved back. Grocery shopping with her mom was one of Willow's least favorite things to do. Her mother would ask her what she wanted and then proceed to say no to everything. At least when her parents had been together she could stay at home with her dad, now she had no choice, but to go. Her mom seemed to think she was seven and not seventeen. She was thrilled when they were finally finished.
"Find everything you needed?" Tara politely asked Willow's mother.
"Yes, thank you," she said impatiently as Tara rang up the groceries.
"Do you work every night?" Willow asked.
"Yeah, I need the money," Tara shrugged.
"Don't we all," Willow's mother interjected.
"Yeah," Tara said.
"I'll see you tomorrow," Willow smiled as she and her mother prepared to leave.
"Okay, bye," Tara called after her.
"Bye."
Tara greatfully opened the door to her small apartment and sighed a breath of relief that she and her son had made it back in one piece. There was an awful lot of crime for a town that small. Sitting down the bag of groceries she had purchased on the floor next to the table, she placed the baby carrier on top of table.
"I know it's late Ben, but mommy needs to put these things away," Tara said smiling at her son. "Are you ready for a bottle, I bet you are," she cooed while taking care of the food. "And then you can sit here until I finish my math." Tara spun around smiling brightly at the tiny baby. Then walking to the cabinet she prepared a bottle for him. It was already after midnight, and she had all her math to do before she could go to bed. She figured it might be better to put Ben in his crib after he ate and she could do her work on her bed, that way she wouldn't have to move him once he was sleeping again. "Oh Ben," Tara said gently rocking him while she fed him, "Mommy is so tired tonight, and all I want to do is go to bed, but I can't. And it's not your fault, baby, but oh how I want to sleep." She had to fight the urge to close her eyes as she sat there rocking and feeding her son. "Okay, baby, it's time for you to go to sleep," Tara said standing and placing him in his crib. She felt very fortunate that he didn't cry as much as other babies, and generally made it through most of the night without too much crying. 'Now to tackly math,' Tara thought spreading her books on her bed. 'I just have to finish this and then I can sleep.'
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~Tara~
=) 
Love sammi xx 
to get 
out of trouble. Please write more. 
,
I think it is so sweet that 
. Oh, and I loved the Willow babble in Willows' head,