With My Life in Her Hands

"I am so sorry. I am so so sorry, Willow. I didn't mean to..." words fail me again and frustration makes me sigh.

I avoid looking at Willow in the face. She is too amused about the whole situation. I can see the grin on her face at my repeated apologies. How is it so funny? We almost died! I almost had her killed.

"It's really not your fault. I was the one who opened the door. I still can't believe the magic we did though," her fawn colored eyes are wide in excitement. "We lifted a soda machine. Together. Magically. It's whoa. I mean like a good whoa. Just whoa," the last word seems almost sounded out from her small pink mouth.

"That's really all you can focus on?" I ask feeling my eyebrows pull down. "Not that I'm the reason you almost had your heart stolen but because we used magic to move a big machine?"

"Well, yeah. This always happens in Sunnydale. You know, weird things. It's just I went from barely levitating a pencil to helping to levitating a soda machine and pushing it with you. By the way, how did you know they were after hearts? How were you running so fast? Are you a witch, too?" Question after question fires out of Willow's mouth and no time is given for each question.

My face must be full of expression because she blushes again and apologizes.

"I'll start over and let you answer," Willow promises grinning guiltily. "How did you run so fast?"

"You can't?" escapes my mouth before I can think.

"I mean it's normal at home. Everyone is fast. I'm just one of the fastest," I say thinking about what not and what to say.

"Question two," Willow raises two fingers to specify. "Are you a witch?"

It is my first smile of the day that appears. "No. We're still a magical bunch just not wiccan."

My answer confuses Willow. Her brow is furrowed in thought. I wonder what she's thinking. Have I said the wrong thing again? Did I reveal too much? Whatever it is, Willow's face smoothes as if all conflict is gone.

"How did you know about the Gentlemen?" pure curiosity is leaking from Willow in waves and I wonder how to answer without revealing too much. Her openness is refreshing but the questions almost make me feel like running. Willow's face is so kind though that I am rooted to the chair.
"My bloodline has records of the supernatural," I begin sticking close to the truth. "Starting with the first, they add notes and it's passed from generation to generation. We are so few that its important to know the dangers," my eyes earnestly look into Willow's. Her eyes turn inexplicably sad and I can't find the cause.

"You have no one else?"

Again, I answer as truthfully as possible." There are not many others like me but there are some. We are not close. Most did not accept so they have a hard time accepting me," I finish.

Willow seems so hurt on my behalf. "That is horrible. You would think that racism wouldn't exist today. It was because she wasn't the same as them, wasn't it?"

Is not fully answering lying? Technically, it was race but also species. I nod in confirmation feeling guilty. My stomach twists because of it.

I have drank since last night and search through my bag for my bottle of water. A crushed cookie wrapped in plastic is found instead. I decided to give Willow what is rightfully hers.

It looks like a broken cookie and I can see now it is more crumbs than nothing. Willow recognizes the cafeteria's cooking and her mouth frowns.

"I forgot," Willow seems to have forgotten I was there. "I never forget. What made me forget?" A reason she can't tell me right now because Willow gives no answer but a heartfelt apology. She delicately unwraps the cookies revealing golden crumbs and chocolate. She eats the cookie piece by piece slowly but looks at me between bites.

"I would like to be your friend," I announce and blush when I see spoke too loud.
"You are nice and kind and I like you so I want to be your friend," I explain in a quieter voice.

"You want me?" Willow's eyes look even brighter when they're wide like that. A peach colored hand points one finger back at herself.

"Yes," I answer seriously." Was I unclear?" I question worried.

"Do you not want to be my friend?" I evade Willow's eyes and take her silence as the answer.

A warm hand grabs my wrist gently. A small smile is on her face and I can see the hints of dimples imprinted though high cheekbones. Willow's eyes feel like they see every inch of me leaving exposed.

"I'll be your friend," she quickly answers. "We have to hang out though. And talk because friends talk. We need to have fun too," Willow becomes excited at the thought as ideas flash though her head. " We can study together or do magic together. We can go to the Pump together or the Bronze. My friends have been really busy but now I have a friend but now I have a friend to be with too," Willow's smile had widened and I feel dizzy. I take a breath and realized I had forgotten to breathe.

"I can do that," I say relieved.

"After psych, I'll show you the Pump. It will be so cool," Willow stops to glance at the clock." I have to go though. I need to check on my other friends. Bye!" she waves before heading out with short red hair being the last things I see.

I have a friend.

In my disbelief, I can't stop smiling and can't myself caring what a pump is only that Willow will show it to me.