|
|
Disclaimer: None of the BTVS characters are mine. Therefore, if their name sounds familiar, I don’t own them.
Author's Note: That aside, this little piece of insanity was inspired by my own recent trip to a carnival. Hope you enjoy!
As they neared that first ride, the only thing that ex-demon Anya could think to tell herself, although silently, was NOT to freak out! Sure, she had lived for more than a thousand years, had visited the most horrible things on unfaithful men wished upon them by girlfriends or wives... But nothing she had experienced the past millennium could even come close to the sheer dread she was feeling today.
*Why, oh why did I let Xander talk me into this?* Anya thought, throwing an anxious glance at her boyfriend. Unfortunately, he seemed too occupied to notice how nervous she was, involved as he was in conversation with Buffy and Willow, while they waited in line for their turn.
Xander had heard last night that a carnival had come to Sunnydale, and it didn’t take much to convince Buffy and Willow that it would be fun to go and make it a weekend to remember. After all, their lives were under constant threat most every day, so a little attempt at fun had to be crammed in there somewhere. Anya had jumped at the idea too at first, only now, facing the ride head on, she wasn’t so sure she could do it.
Too late though, as it was finally their turn, and before Anya knew it, Xander was helping her into her seat. Her trepidation only grew when the ride started, having her clinging to the safety bar. All the while, she kept throwing glances at her friends, wondering profusely why they were being so darn calm! Especially when she was about to lose it from all this up and down motion...
Moments later, the four friends were exiting the ride with a mixture of emotions. While three of them were very much annoyed, same as the rest of the people who had been on, one was just glad she had survived. “I’m sorry, okay,” Anya said at last, seeing just how peeved her companions were after what she’d done. “I couldn’t help myself! I was scared.”
For a long while, no one said anything. Then, with a deep sigh, Xander strode up next to Anya, putting one arm around her. In an attempt to salvage the situation, for Buffy and Willow’s benefit as much as his own, he said, “We forgive you, as long as you promise you won’t do it again.“ Xander paused, then went on to offer an explanation solely for her benefit, as it appeared she didn’t quite get where the problem lay. “As a common rule, Anya, it’s not considered good etiquette to actually scream while you’re on a Merry-Go-Round...”