Xander was sitting in his algebra class barely listening to his teacher. All he could think about was Willow and how she had someone new. [ Why does she like him? Is she tryijng to make me jealous? She I tell her I have feelings for her? Am I having feelings for her, or did I eat some bad food.....? ]

Xander looked up at the clock, sighed, and tried to listen so he might actually learn something. [ Later. I'll talk to her later. ]

* * * * * *

Xander was walking to the library when Buffy came up behind him.

"Hey, Xander. Are you alright?"

Xander looked at her and stopped in the hallway. "Um... yeah. I'm fine. Why?"

"Well, you just seemed kinda mad earlier today, and I was wondering if something happened? Cuz, if you want to talk or anything......" she was cut off.

"Buffy, look. I'm okay. I've just, had a lot of things on my mind lately, that's all."

"Okay, well... Oh, were you going to the library, because I am, but I want to make a quick stop at my locker first." Buffy said as she started walking.

"Oh, sure. Yeah, I'll walk you." Xander said as he walked after her.

When they got to her locker (which was across from Willow's) they stopped. Buffy was chatting away about her plans for the evening when Willow and Oz walkedto Willow's locker.

"And of course, I mean, if Angel really didn't want to go to the Bronze or patrolling he would have said at least...." she stopped when she realized Xander wasn't listening, but instead watching Willow.

"Xander, earth to Xander. Hey!" she samcked him in the arm.

"Owwie!" Xander yelped.

"Owwie?! You little baby." she quit teasing and turned serious. "Look, Xander. I don't pretend to not notice your sad glances, or stares for that matter, at Willow now that she's with Oz. I really don't under stand you, but I think you should tell me something before I start jumping to conclusions."

Xander looked at Buffy."It's hard for me to understand, but can we not talk about that here. Please. Somewhere... away." he glanced over at Willow and Oz.

"Yeah, sure. Whatever." Buffy took Xander's arm and pulled him outside.

* * * * *

"So you have no feelings for her at all." Buffy clarified their talk by a tree on the quad into one sentence.

"Nope, I'm just having a little buddy withdrawel, I guess." Xander said, as nonchalantly as possible.

"Okay." she said as she looked at her watch. "Oh, I gotta go. Giles wanted me in the library an hour ago. I guess I'll talk to you later, unless you want to come with." she pointed to the way of the school.

"No, I'm going to meet you in a couple minutes. I have to go to my locker too. Then, I'll be by the library."

"See you in a few then." Buffy took off toward down the sidewalk on the quad.

"Nice cover up Xander. Very smooth." Xander told himself sarcastically as he rested his head against the tree after Buffy had gone. "Now get yourself to believe it, and you're set."

* * * * *

Xander was about to walk into the library and he looked into the window through the door. He saw Willow and Buffy talking at the table. They were both laughing. [ Laughter. I wish I could share in it. ]

Xander started thinking about how Willow used to be around all the time, before Oz. And how much laughter was shared.

He was so engrossed in his thoughts, he didn't see her coming.

BAM! Willow opened up the door, to meet with Xanders head. He fell over backwards and had his eyes shut tight.

"Oh my gosh, Xander! What were you doing? Are you okay? Why didn't you come in?" Willow didn't know what else to say.

"Owwie!" Xander could only get that out.

"Oh, Xander." Willow fell to her knees to help her friend out.

"Thanks for showing me which way the door opens, Will." Xander said.

He opened his eyes and saw Willow looking at him. He just sat there for a while thinking about her........ and eveything else.

"Ah, Willow. I've needed to tell you something for the past couple of days and it's really been bugging me." Xander was looking for some sort of approval in Willow's eyes. After he didn't get it, he kept going.

"Okay, ever since you started dating Oz I've had this feeling. The thing is Willow that I... well, I just..... I can't........"

"Whoah, wait a second. I think I know what you're going to say and it's sweet but I really like Oz, and I'm not sure if he's THE ONE, but I want to see how things develop with him. You know, and if you're going to date Cordelia, then, I don't know how she would feel about this either. I mean......." Willow was going a mile a minute when Xander interrupted.

"Wait! Willow, who said I was going to say anything like that?"

"Well, you were going to say I love you, right?" Willow said with a questioning look on her face.

"No, I do love you, but not like that. I was just going to say that I uh, I can't... believe how nice Oz seems. Yeah." Xander shot out.

"Well, good, I'm glad you like him. That means a lot to me, thank you." Willow said as she hugged Xander. Xander sat there and closed his eyes, remembering how she would hug him all the time.

"But, Xander. Now I have to go. I'm meeting Oz at his van. But Buffy said we're all going Bronzing tonigh, so I'll see you there." she let go of him and walked down the hall, and turned the corner.

"Nice save, Harris." he looked down and saw and animal cracker that must've fallen out of Willow's hand when she was helping him after she hit him. It was a monkey. "You had to let her go somtime. You knew you wouldn't be there always. And I guess fate just finally, kicked in." He looked down the hall, then down at the animal cracker.

"Yep, it just kicked in a little earlier than I opened up my eyes." With that, he got up and walked the opposite way down the hall, eventually turning a corner.

The door to the library opened up after Xander was out of sight. Buffy and Giles came out and looked down the way Xander went, then down the way Willow had gone. Then they looked at eachother. "That was one of the better eavesdropping sessions." Buffy told him. "Yes, I think you're right. But we must get back to the research before....." his voice droned on behind the doors he hadjust gone through, leaving Buffy in the hallway.

She looked both ways down the hall after her friends. [ So he's got his head on straight after all. What a guy. ] she smiled a little smile, then turned on her heel and went back into the library.

---

The End
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