"It doesn't matter anymore. Really. It's just that, sometimes, I still think about all the 'what ifs', you know... I mean, I have Oz now, and I know that Xander and Cordelia shouldn't bother me, but sometimes it does." Willow looked ahead to the school as she and Buffy approached, keeping an eye out for the dark-haired object of their conversation.
"But he still shouldn't have asked you about flowers. He knows how you used to feel about him. And how you feel about him and Cordelia now." Willow smiled as Buffy spoke. She loved how Buffy could make Cordelia's name sound like a bad word. "Besides, how would you know what kind of flower Cordelia likes anyway? It was just insensitive. Xander's area of expertise apparently."
Willow sighed and sat down on a ledge near the entrance to the school. "It's just the whole 'You're a girl so you must know what girls like' thing. He's been using me for it for the last five years." She shielded her eyes to the harsh sunlight with one hand as she scanned the school grounds for Xander. She smiled as she caught sight of the new bracelet Oz had given her dangling merrily from her wrist. < He's so sweet. > "It's my own fault, really. For not telling him sooner that I was sick of being his sounding board for the personal preferences of every girl in Sunnydale."
"Why do you always defend him?" Buffy asked, sighing.
"Habit?" Willow asked innocently, sending Buffy a sly smile.
"Well, I'm just glad you're on my side," Buffy said, laughing a little. "Really Will. You've got to talk to him about this whole Cordy thing."
Willow sighed heavily. "I know. I don't want to, but I have to. I just wish that he already magically knew without me having to say anything."
"Well, he can't read minds Will. And we KNOW he can't see the obvious…"
"Yeah, I know, I know. It's just sometimes I wish he wasn't so ignorant about everything." Willow felt the anger boil up inside her again as she replayed the scene about flowers from the previous day in her head. "He should think about things from my point of view once in a while. It wouldn't kill him to think about how I feel before he opens his mouth every now and then." Willow closed her eyes tightly for a moment. "I just wish that he could see things from my point of view for a change."
Wind blew wildly for a moment, whipping Willow's hair into her face. She felt disoriented and limp. She looked around frantically for Buffy. Bright green light clouded her vision. "Buffy?!" she called, reaching blindly for her friend. "What's going on?!"
Xander felt a slight breeze stir him. Green light filled his senses. He heard noises that were far away and quiet suddenly get closer and louder. He tentatively opened his eyes to see Buffy in front of him.
"Yeah, well, we all wish he was less clueless once in a while," Buffy said, smiling at him.
Xander looked over his shoulder at the entrance to the school before he turned back to Buffy. He cocked his head to one side as he looked at her. A sudden panic rose in his chest as he realized that he couldn't remember getting to school.
"How'd I get here?" he asked cautiously, before clamping a hand over his mouth at the end of the question. < That's Willow's voice! >
Buffy was regarding him strangely. "With your feet - walking, one foot, next foot, you know."
Xander closed his eyes tightly again. His hand rose to calm his wildly beating heart and stilled immediately. < I HAVE BREASTS! Okay, this must just be that weird dream again… > Xander smiled lazily as he looked down and grabbed both breasts. < Geez, they didn't vanish this time. What's up with that? >
"What are you doing?" Buffy whispered, lightly slapping his hands away. "People are gonna look and start talking, Will."
Xander's head shot up again. "What?"
"I said 'People are-'"
"Give me your mirror compact thingy," he demanded suddenly, holding his hand out.
Buffy gave him a long stare as she reached for her purse. "What is with you? You're getting all wiggy." She handed him the compact and watched as he opened it.
Xander stared at Willow's face in the mirror. For a split second, he couldn't breathe. And then the sound of Willow's shrieking voice filled his ears. He dropped the compact and clamped his hands over his mouth again. < I'M WILLOW!!!! > Buffy's mouth was hanging open as she stared at him. Xander grabbed her by the arm and began dragging her towards the library. "Giles! We need to get to Giles. Weirdness. Giles. Now."
"Why? What's wrong Will?"
Xander came to a dead stop and faced Buffy. He grasped both her arms and leaned in closer. "Because I'm not Willow. I'm Xander!"
Willow opened her eyes carefully, letting the bright light of the room in slowly. < Why am I lying down? Why is my face all wet? > She reached up to her cheek and brushed away the sticky liquid. < Drool? Eeeewww! >. She sat up a little and turned over. < Xander's room! What am I doing here?! > Blind panic began to set in and she began to breathe heavily. She jumped up from the bed and rushed to the door, intending on finding Xander and demanding an explanation.
She opened the door and shrieked at the sudden and unexpected sight of Mrs. Harris about to knock on the other side of the door.
"Oh, sorry to startle you sweetie. Look, I'm going to have to give you a ride to school or you'll be late. So you'd better hop in the shower quick." Mrs. Harris turned abruptly on her heel and disappeared down the stairs while Willow was still trying to gather her wits.
Willow glanced down, and a surprised gasp escaped her lips as she examined the T-shirt and sleeping shorts that she was sure she didn't own. < Don't panic. There's a reasonable explanation. There's GOTTA be a reasonable explanation... > She padded softly down the hall and pushed open the bathroom door. She turned absolutely white as she stared at her reflection in the mirror. < I'm XANDER!!! > She clung to the edge of the bathroom counter as she desperately tried not to give in to the sudden buckling of her knees.
Chapter Two
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