PART 12
A messenger from the office came to Mr. Kerwin's creative writing class and announced that Faith had to come down to the office. Faith looked at Cordelia who was just as puzzled as she was. Faith shrugged her shoulders and gathered her things walking out the door.
Faith arrived at the office all in good time. She entered and the person at the front desk told her to go back to Principal Wood's office. Great, Faith thought rolling her eyes. Faith walked on to the office passing Buffy's empty office. She knocked on the door to Wood's office till she heard him say, "Come in."
She opened the door to find Principal Wood and Buffy sitting there. Buffy gasped at the sight of Faith. Faith avoided Buffy and stood in the doorway. "You wanted to see me?" Faith asked.
"Please sit down," Wood said gesturing to the chair besides Buffy. Faith was going to say she would rather stand but saw the look in Wood's face. She sat next to Buffy aware of the blonde staring at her.
Buffy had no idea what Wood meant when he said that he thought Faith was being abused again. And why would he think that? Now Buffy understood why. Faith was beat up pretty badly. Buffy knew Faith was ignoring her and it hurt a little bit. But more then anything, she wondered who did this to her.
Wood folded his hands and Faith sighed. "Now Faith, I'm going to ask you...did you run into Buffy here on your first day when she was carrying her files?" Wood asked. Faith rolled her eyes. Why was he asking this?
"Yes, so?" Faith asked. Wood gave Faith a stern look.
"Well, it seems that Buffy here has lost some files...you wouldn't know anything about that now would you?" Wood asked leaning back in his chair. Faith's face dropped. The files on her past. Faith looked off to the side not looking at either one of them.
"Faith...did you take them?" Wood asked. Faith turned and looked at Wood. As much as she wanted to say she didn't know what the hell he was talking about she couldn't. Faith actually didn't feel anything. She just didn't care anymore. But she didn't want Buffy to know the things she went through. Besides, why was Wood asking when he knew she took them?
"Faith...why did you take them?" Buffy asked lightly next to her. Faith about lost it. She sprang out of her chair startling both Wood and Buffy as her chair toppled over.
"God! Why do you care!?" Faith yelled looking at Buffy for the first time. "You want to know about my shit hole life, Fine! Knock yourself out and have a good old time! You think I want the whole damn world knowing what a piece of shit I am!? How worthless I am!?" Faith was yelling not caring what she said.
"Yes I took them! And I would do it again too! Go a head, go feel sorry for me. It's not like you give a crap anyway," Faith said looking directly at Buffy. A pang of guilt and hurt washed through Buffy at Faith's words.
"Fuck this, I'm out of here," Faith said turning around.
"Faith!" Wood yelled trying to get her to come back. Buffy rose and went after her.
"Faith!" She yelled nearing the girl. Faith whirled around.
"Leave me alone Buffy! I thought I meant nothing to you. It's your fault I'm like this!" Faith yelled pointing to her face.
"Stay away from me!" Faith yelled and ran off.
Faith didn't attend the rest of her classes that day. In fact, no one could find her. Buffy collapsed at her desk with her face in her hands, her head spinning for the third time that day. Wood came up to her desk.
"Doing ok Ms. Summers?" Wood asked. Buffy lifted her head and looked at Wood.
"Yeah," Buffy replied. Wood nodded and put a file on her desk. "This is the missing information from Faith's file. I had them recopied for you. You'll understand what I meant about Faith being abused after you read it," Wood said walking away.
Buffy sat there a little while just looking at Faith's name on the file. A feel of guilt washed over her. Buffy sighed and opened the file and began to read.
Faith was angry. She went back home and tried boxing the punching bag but it didn't work, not to mention her poor body state. So she grabbed her coat and went back out the door.
After School
Buffy sat at her desk staring into space. She was thinking about Faith and about what she had just read in the file. Faith had lived a hard life...and now Buffy knew about all of it. About her drug addictive mother and about how she was killed. How Faith lived on the streets...everything. Buffy's heart broke. How could she have been so cold to her?
Buffy sighed and shook her head. The way Faith felt about her and the way Buffy felt about Faith scared her, confused her. Just then, the creative writing teacher, Mr. Kerwin, walked in.
"Excuse me? Ms. Summers?" Kerwin asked. Buffy looked up at the short old man.
"Yes?" Buffy replied. Mr. Kerwin handed Buffy a paper.
"Principle Wood isn't in his office and you're the only one who sees him the most so I was wondering if you would give him this and tell him that this is the finalist for the poem contest," Mr. Kerwin stated. Buffy took the paper.
"Sure thing." Buffy replied mustering up a smile. Kerwin gave his thanks and walked out of the office as Buffy looked down at the paper. It read...
Night Girl
By Faith Virtue
She goes into the night
Her beautiful golden hair blowing in the wind
She walks through the night
Protecting others from the dark
She stands all alone
For she's that chosen one
But how I long to see
Her standing next to me
Her skin is soft
And her eyes hold my soul
My heart comes alive
When she looks into my eyes
I wish to protect her
I wish to help her
But she's out of my reach
She could never be mine
I can not tell her
How much she had affected me
I can not tell her
How I feel about her
I watch her in the dark corners of the night
Hoping one day I have the courage
To step out from my hiding place
And give letting someone in a try
Buffy put down a poem as a tear slide down her cheek. The poem was about her. Faith really did love her. And she meant it when she said it on the stage. Buffy just did the worst thing when she panicked...she rejected her.
Buffy shook her head. Faith was fragile. Buffy knew that. Probably the reason why Faith was so beat up was because she did it to her self some how. Buffy felt awful. Buffy grabbed her coat and ran out of the school, hoping to find Faith.
