|
|
Part 3
May 21st 1998
Taela looked at her watch for the third time, where WAS Michelle? She and Ms. Calender were SUPPOSED to be here at 8:30, it was already 10:25.
Suddenly a very happy Michelle burst through the doors. “Sorry, I went to Jenny’s class. It was SO interesting. She’s really cool.”
Taela nodded, her best friend had blown her off to spend time with HER father’s girlfriend? What a weird world.
Taela was about to chew Michelle out, when Giles came out a serious look on his face. “It is time. Kendra has died.”
Taela knew that meant she was the slayer now, wonderful. “I’ll be your watcher until you can manage on your own, although Michelle will be trained to be sort of an assistant.”
“Excuse me? I thought I was supposed to be here to help TAELA, I don’t want to actually get involved.”
Giles looked at her seriously. “You don’t have a choice.”
“Fine.” Michelle said unhappily, Taela gave her a brief smile of thanks.
Later that night at The Bronze, Taela was sitting at the table feeling very alone.
Buffy and Angel were making out. Willow was drooling over Oz, who was on stage with his band. Xander and Michelle were dancing. And Cordelia was flirting with some guy.
Taela got up to get a drink when something got her eye, something she was sure she had to be imagining.
Jen.
Talking to some boy.
Taela shook her head she was hallucinating.
She was shook out of her thoughts by Cordelia approaching. “Isn’t that disgusting?” She said nodding to Xander and Michelle.
“Kinda I guess.” Taela grinned, the two girls started chatting.
An hour later Xander and Michelle were heading home. “Damn! I have to talk to Willow, I forgot the math assignment. Could you wait here? You’ve got a cross and all?”
Michelle nodded. “Yeah, I’ll be fine.”
“Thanks.”
He leaned down and kissed her, she broke the kiss a minute later. “Shoo! Go talk to Willow so we can do more of that. I’ll be perfectly safe.”
Xander grinned and ran off, as soon as he was out of sight she heard a voice. “I wouldn’t be too sure about that.” Jen said walking out of the shadows.
Michelle looked at her in shock. “You’re dead.”
“Un-dead actually, and soon you will be too. Dead I mean, unless of course you want me to turn you into a vampire?”
Michelle looked horrified. “NO! Just kill me now and be done with it.”
“You’re wish is my command.” Jen said grabbing Michelle by the arm and pulling her towards her.
Michelle gave up, this was it.
Death.
She’d never make it to sweet sixteen, and to top it off she’d be killed by one of her best friends. She felt her life slip away, just as Jen was finishing Taela and Xander came out of the club.
Jen grinned and handed Taela Michelle’s dying body.
Without a word she grinned broadly and disappeared into the night. Taela stared at her friend. “Michelle?” She whispered, there was no answer.
She looked down and she knew it was over. Her best friend was gone. She dropped the body to the ground and just stood there in shock.
Xander wasn’t sure whether to cry or to laugh over the cruel irony. Just when his love life seemed normal, she died.
He gently took Taela’s arm and led her inside to tell the others. The
war was just beginning.