********
TITLE: College Confidential
AUTHOR: Laragh
CHAPTER RATING: PG-13
DISCLAIMER: Willow, Tara and any other characters from the Buffy the Vampire Slayer franchise belong to Joss Whedon, FOX, ME and a whole host of other entities, none of which are me.
SUMMARY: The first part of the prequel to
Hacker Confidential and
Family Confidential - the college years!
SPOILERS: Perhaps minor references to the show or stealage of dialogue, but nothing that would spoil the series.
FEEDBACK: Yes please
Chapter 16 ********
“I love this time of the evening.”
Tara looked over to Willow as they walked, hand-in-hand, along a pebbled street on the way to the restaurant. Willow smiled back easily and continued.
“It’s just getting dark, starting to get chilly…the sky is this wonderful deep blue…” she trailed off for a moment as she looked into the other deep blue she’d fallen in love with, before blushing and averting her gaze, “I just really love it.”
Tara noticed the affectionate glance and felt her cheeks flush in response, but was smiling from ear-to-ear.
“I like it too. I think it’s my favourite after sunrise.”
“Sunrise is great!” Willow exclaimed, before adding on excitedly, “We should watch it together sometime.”
Tara nodded keenly.
“I’d like that.”
“Great!” Willow beamed, a distinctive skip appearing in her step.
They arrived outside the restaurant just a minute later, and could see the place already had quite a few patrons inside. Willow headed straight for the door and went to open it but stopped short when she saw Tara discreetly but nervously checking her appearance in the window.
She walked up close to her and took her hands, swinging her back around.
“You look so pretty. I’m so proud walking in there with you,” she gushed with genuine warmth, then looked down at herself, “Penguins still okay?”
Tara felt herself falling in love with Willow all over again and swallowed back a lump she felt starting to form. She kept Willow's hands tight and smiled softly.
“Almost as cute as you.”
Willow ducked her head and grinned bashfully, before offering her arm again. Tara linked in and let Willow lead them into the restaurant, where they were greeted by a handsome, African-American man with a dazzling white smile, about their age or a little older.
“We would like a table for two, please,” Willow said to him, bouncing on the balls of her feet.
“Sure,” the waiter replied, reaching for two menus and, while doing so, took the opportunity to let his gaze linger on Tara.
Tara was oblivious, taking interest in some of the art decorating the walls, but Willow noticed straight away. She spent the first few seconds fixing him with a patented Willow-glare but when she followed his eyes to a particular point on Tara's chest, she aggressively grabbed the menus and plonked them into his hands.
“There’s the menus,” she said, dropping Tara’s arm to insistently take her hand, “You looked like you were struggling.”
The waiter glanced up at her but was as oblivious to Willow’s gaze as Tara was to his.
“Right this way,” he said, gesturing them forwards.
Tara took a step further into the restaurant and Willow stood protectively around her to shield her girlfriend from any more prying eyes.
Yep. That’s totally what I’m doing. Protecting her. Not in the least bit jealous at all.Tara looked over her shoulder and smiled shyly at Willow, who just pressed a kiss against her cheek, then pulled her chair out for her girlfriend as she shot the waiter a ‘get it?’ look.
He just smiled at her; either not getting it or not caring and Willow rolled her eyes as she took her own seat, then just shook her head and smiled. She wasn’t going to let some oblivious guy ruin their special date.
“Can I get you ladies some drinks?” the waiter asked as he set a menu down in front of each of them, but was shooting his smile in Tara’s direction, “I’m Deon by the way.”
Tara smiled back up at him in a way that could have been interpreted as coy, but Willow knew it was just her nervousness at being in such a setting
“Just some water, please.”
“Still or sparkling?” Deon asked, smiling again and revealing his dimples, “You look like a sparkling kind of girl.”
Tara shook her head softly.
“Still is fine.”
Deon nodded, then looked to Willow.
“And for you, ma’am?”
Willow sensed that this guy really
didn’t get it and decided as long as he wasn’t being a creep, she could let it go.
“Iced tea, please. Actually can you just bring a pitcher?”
“Sure,” Deon smiled easily, “I’ll be right back.”
He walked away and Willow picked up her menu, feeling her stomach silently growl in anticipation of food. She looked around the tables to see if any particular dish the other customers were having caught her eye, then noted with a pang of annoyance that was starting to turn into amusement; that Deon seemed to have pointed Tara out to the other waiters at the bar area, where the door that led into the kitchen was.
She continued to peruse the menu for a while; the smells that reached her every time the doors to the kitchen opened were making her stomach give that same growl. She finally settled on what she wanted and closed her menu. She leaned her head against her hand to watch Tara; the way her eyes were darting back and forth, how her lips pursed together for a second when she saw something she liked the sound of, how one finger was tapping silently against the table in her own little tune.
She got an entire two minutes in, uninterrupted, before Tara finally realised there were eyes on her and looked up. She let the menu fall to her plate and bit the skin around her thumb self-consciously.
“What?”
Willow just smiled.
“Nice atmosphere…good food…” she said, then spotted Deon and two other waiters all talking but with their eyes planted on their table again, and not on her, “Those waiters are totally checking you out…”
Tara looked completely bewildered a moment, then shook her head.
“Don’t be silly.”
“I’m not!” Willow protested, gesturing behind her, “They’re not super interested in our bread basket!”
Tara looked over her shoulder and caught the three men looking for a split second before they all noticed and quickly moved off. She blushed at the implication that Willow might be right and looked back to her.
“Were they really looking at me?”
Willow just looked at her girlfriend adoringly.
“And you can't imagine what they see in you?”
Tara’s cheeks flushed more but she didn’t look away.
You.“I-I’m not used to that,” she answered after a moment.
“Lucky for me!” Willow replied jovially, though not jokingly, “Don’t know what I would’ve done if someone had snapped you up already.”
Tara instantly shook her head.
“It wouldn’t...” she trailed off shyly, her cheeks showing a red tint again, “There’s no world that I wouldn’t choose you.”
Willow felt her heart swell and reached for Tara’s hand across the table.
“I can’t believe you love me,” in said in awe, before tacking on nervously, “You still do, right?”
“I always did,” Tara replied without a moment’s hesitation.
Willow closed her eyes just for a moment.
“I-I thought I knew what happy felt like,” she said, opening her eyes again, filled with love, “Before I met you. I thought I knew. I mean who doesn’t know what basic feelings feel like at nineteen years old? But I had no idea…I had no idea just how happy I could be.”
She squeezed Tara’s hand and smiled.
“I don’t care if it’s been two months or two years. I know what I feel, now I do. And I love you,” she said softly but emphatically, then blushed, but was still smiling, “I’ll stop with the mushy now, I just wanted you to know.”
Tara felt overwhelmed with emotion, completely touched. No one had spoken to her like that before, and her initial reaction was to have a hard time believing it, thinking it was some game to play on her emotions.
But she didn’t think that when Willow spoke, couldn’t think that, because one look in her eyes told her she was hearing the truth.
“I don’t know what to say.”
Willow smiled bashfully and looked up through her eyelashes.
“I can think of three little words…”
Tara smiled softly.
“I love you.”
Willow felt her heart instantly start to pound in her chest.
“I’ll never, ever get tired of hearing that. I mean, I know that’s only like, three times, but I know, I just know…”
She trailed off, unsure how to even begin to verbalise everything she was feeling, but a different set of three little words from Tara settled her thoughts.
“I know too.”
They shared a look, that outwardly seemed affectionate and shy, but between them was intense and deep – what they meant to each other, what they’d always mean to each other. They were special. They were
real.
After a few moments Willow blinked and broke the gaze, though kept her hand over Tara’s and a smile stayed on her face.
“So anything catching your eye?”
Tara looked at the menu again and shrugged one shoulder.
“The salads look nice.”
“Tara, you can’t get a salad!” Willow objected, “You’ll make me look like a fat pig when I get an appetizer and a main…and probably a desert too!”
Tara looked embarrassed and Willow internally kicked herself for making her girlfriend feel bad over something when she knew there were issues present.
“Hey, I know,” she said softly, searching for her eyes, “Not trying to make you feel uncomfortable. But just…check out the ‘classic pastas’ page. All of those look like they’re the same price as the salads, and probably a lot more tasty.”
Tara’s eyes went to the right section on the menu, and Willow decided to say what she wanted to say one last time before letting her girlfriend make up her own mind.
“And if I can convince you at all, please, please, please get whatever you want. And that’s all I’m gonna say.”
Tara knew Willow was genuine but still didn’t want to exploit her generosity…though comparing the two sides of the menu, she could see her girlfriend's logic in the pricing.
“The baked ziti does look nice.”
Willow instantly perked up.
“Yeah, it does. I was going to get the rigatoni…and some mozzarella sticks for the table?”
Tara looked up with a fond smile.
“I loved mozzarella sticks when I was a kid. My mom would take me to Buffalo shopping twice a year and we’d go to this little restaurant place and I’d have a milkshake and if I said I was hungry she’d get me mozzarella sticks.”
“That sounds so nice,” Willow replied, enjoying how they were settling into conversation, “A real treat, huh?”
Tara nodded.
“Yeah, my memories are a little…clipped…but I remember having fun.”
“Well I’m all for fun!” Willow replied, trying not to think of just how much was taken from Tara’s childhood, “So you’re going for the baked ziti? I mean, take your time, but my belly’s starting to get cranky at me for not feeding it.”
Tara confirmed her dish and Willow beckoned Deon back over to take their order, trying not to laugh this time as he went out of his way to make sure Tara was attended to.
“Tara’s got a boyfriend,” Willow said in a sing-song voice when he left again, “Tara and Deon, sitting in a tree…K-I-S-S-I-N-G.”
Tara blushed bright red and looked around to make sure no one was listening.
“Willow, stop.”
“He lurvvss you, Tara,” Willow giggled, “Can I get you more bread? Can I fill up your water glass? Do you want me to kneel down and be a human foot rest for you?”
Tara shook her head to herself, but had to admit it was a little funny how the man was acting around her, if uncomfortable.
“He is very accommodating,” she said politely, before giving a nonchalant shrug, “And has a very nice smile.”
That shut Willow right up and her mouth opened to let out a verbal tirade, but it shut again and she had to smile as she recognised the playful glint in Tara’s eyes.
Love that. She’s messing with me. We’re on a date and we’re in love and messing around and do you remember that love part, brain? Love, love, love. I love her, she loves me. You’re welcome for all these endorphins by the way.“Am I going to have to fight to keep you?” she asked, her tongue momentarily poking out between her teeth, ‘Cause I’m not large with the butch.”
Tara’s lips quirked up on one side.
“And I’m not very good with the…” she started to throw her fists out, which Willow looked at with confused amusement.
“Swimming?”
Tara dropped her hands.
“Violence,” she answered sheepishly.
Willow gave Tara’s hand a squeeze.
“So we’ll agree to no fighting? That comes with an unbreakable you-staying-my-girl clause.”
Tara nodded, the same smile on her face.
“Agreed.”
“Signed, sealed and delivered,” Willow replied softly.
They shared another glance that could only be described an intimate, then settled into easy conversation and joking around as their food arrived and they tucked in.
“Definitely better than lasagne that’s been sitting in the cafeteria all afternoon!” Willow said happily as she pushed her empty plate away from her, “Your ziti tasted great too, did you enjoy it?”
Tara nodded, a happy smile on her face.
“It was really delicious.”
“Do you want desert?” Willow asked, before perking up with an idea, “Or they have a gelato bar by the door, we could get some and stroll back.”
Tara smiled a little more.
“A real gelato bar? Not the soft serve ice-cream station they have in the cafeteria?”
Willow grinned and gestured for Deon to bring them the check. She got her wallet out, having kept a tally of the costs of what they’d had and calculated the tip already so she could quickly pay without causing Tara any more unease.
Deon, however, had a different idea as he brought it over, turning his back to Willow and handing it straight to Tara. Tara looked like she might die of embarrassment as she handed it back across the table and Willow had to restrain herself from kicking the waiter from under the table.
She opened the book containing the receipt, intending to shove the money inside and then right back in Deon’s face, but a scrawl of pen at the bottom caught her eye first. A closer glance revealed it to be a phone number and she looked up to see Deon shuffling awkwardly.
“I think he wanted you to have this…” she said, ripping the end of the receipt off and handing it over to Tara.
He’d embarrassed her girlfriend and now she was going to embarrass him.
Unfortunately she didn’t think of what an awkward position she was putting Tara in by doing so until she saw her sinking down in her seat and blushing bright red.
Shit. Shit, shit, shit. Shit!Tara, ever the polite and courteous person, forced herself to look up to meet Deon’s eyes.
“I-I’m very flattered, but I’m sorry…”
Deon nodded, trying not to appear awkward.
“Got a boyfriend?”
Tara smiled shyly in Willow’s direction.
“Got a girlfriend.”
Deon’s eyes went wide as understanding finally dawned.
“Oh, hey,” he said, lifting his hands in apology, “I’m so sorry. Meant no harm, I swear. I didn’t realise, girls all hold hands these days, or I wouldn’t have…I’m not one of those guys who think…my dads’ rescued me from foster care…I'm very sorry.”
Willow watched the young man’s eyes crease in deep conflict at having possibly offended them and felt bad for her intentional attack when his had been inadvertent. She offered him a smile of reprieve and handed the check back.
“Thanks for the great service. Really.”
Deon seemed visibly relieved.
“No problem,” he answered, smiling again, at both of them this time, then slipped the five dollar bill back onto the table, “And, uh, your mozzarella sticks are on me. Have a great evening.”
He offered them both a kind smile before leaving again. There was an awkward lull for a moment before Willow made a tentative reach for her girlfriend’s hand.
“Tara, I’m so sorry. I shouldn’t have done that to you, or him. I was being petty and I’m really sorry.”
Tara gave a small smile and nodded, not one to hold a grudge and put a damper on what had been a great day and evening.
“It’s okay.”
Willow would normally feel the need to continue to profusely apologise, to get repeated reassurance that there wasn’t some resentment lingering, but from Tara, those two words were all she needed.
It’s okay.And it was.
“Still want that ice-cream?” she asked, sliding the returned five dollar bill into her hand, “It’s practically free!”
They made their way over to where the ice-cream bar was set up and got a small cone each; Willow, rum raisin and Tara, butter pecan.
They started to stroll back towards campus, the hands not holding their ice-creams gently clasped and swinging between them.
“I had such a good evening,” Willow said happily as she licked an errant drop from the side of her cone, “Hey, I even forgot I have an exam in the morning! It’s not every day Willow Rosenberg forgets an exam!”
“Do you need to go to the library to study tonight?” Tara asked, trying not to show her disappointment.
Willow considered it for a moment, but promptly shook her head.
“You know what? I know my stuff. My exam isn’t until eleven, I can spend a couple of hours after breakfast reading over everything again. I just want to relax tonight.”
Tara grinned.
“Who are you and what have you done with my girlfriend?”
“Oh no, the question is what have
you done with me,” Willow replied with a giggle, before adding on softly, “And the answer is made me happy.”
Tara kept a tighter hold on Willow’s hand.
“You make me happy too. So happy.”
Willow leaned over and planted a kiss on Tara’s cheek, then took another lick of her cone.
“I gotta admit though, this ice-cream is running a close second. It’s soooo good.”
Tara nodded in agreement and offered Willow a taste of hers.
They took the long route home, wandering around the campus as they finished their ice-creams and enjoyed the stars, until finally arriving back at Tara’s dorm room, where Willow promptly brought her in for a tight, warm hug.
“Love you,” she said happily, just wanting to get it out.
Tara felt her heart flutter as she closed the embrace.
“I love you, too.”
Willow continued to cling to Tara for a moment, before bouncing over to the bed where she’d left the television before they left.
“Wanna watch something on your brand-new, two-year-old TV? We could get into jammies and snuggle.”
Tara couldn’t think of a more perfect way to end their evening.
“That sounds great.”
“Great!” Willow replied excitedly, “Where do you want it? If I put it on the corner of your desk we could see if from the bed.”
Tara nodded.
“Good idea.”
She walked over to her dresser to change into nightclothes while Willow busied herself with the TV-setup.
“Would you throw out my pjs with the baby chicks on them?” she asked as she got all the cables plugged in, “They’re nice and light. It’s getting so hot out!”
Tara made a sound of agreement as she rooted and found the pyjamas Willow had asked for, then got one of the standard tank tops she slept in herself and bypassed her sweats in favour of a cooler pair of shorts.
She left Willow’s clothes on the bed and took hers into the bathroom to change and brush her teeth.
Willow pressed the large circular button on the TV to turn it on, and saw the red indicator light come on, but the screen remain blank. She walked back over to the bed to find the remote but saw her pyjamas first and started to change into them.
She settled her top over herself just as she heard the bathroom door open again, and looked around to smile, but instead found her gaze instantly dropping when presented with the attire Tara was wearing – showing much more than the below-the-knee skin Willow had been privy to before.
Hel-lo Tara-thighs.“-working?”
Her head snapped up as she registered works being spoken in her direction.
“Huh?”
“Is it working?” Tara repeated, walking over and around the bed to slip in under the covers.
My libido? Definitely! Oh crap, she means the TV!“Yep!” Willow squeaked, fumbling for the remote and quickly clicking the button to turn it on, “Moving pictures, right in front of you!”
Tara looked at Willow curiously, then just smiled.
“Getting in?”
“Uh huh!” Willow nodded, “Just gotta do my teeth!”
And dunk my head in cold water!She scurried off to do both while Tara settled herself in bed and reached over to set the alarm clock for the morning. As she was doing so, a glint of something caught her eye from inside the opened drawer of her nightstand. Her eyes widened as she plucked the shiny key, hanging from the heart-shaped keychain, from where she’d dropped it in during the week.
I forgot.Willow came out just a few moments later, her cheeks flushed from the furious splashing and drying.
Tara scooted a little further over as Willow climbed in.
“I have something for you,” she said, shyly handing it to her, “You said I should keep my door locked, and I wanted you to be able to get in whenever you wanted.”
Willow looked completely surprised as she took the key.
“We’re not supposed to duplicate these.”
Tara gave a little smile.
“It’s a sneaky key.”
Willow just nodded, then smiled, more concerned with whether Tara wanted her to have the key than whether the college did.
“You really want me to have this?”
Tara nodded too.
“Definitely.”
Willow turned the key in her hand in wonder, then threw her arms over Tara’s neck.
“I promise I won’t invade your space.”
“I want you to invade my space,” Tara answered, settling her head against Willow’s shoulder, “I want my space to be filled with Willow.”
Willow thought she might cry from happiness and actually felt a tear prick in the corner of her eye but quickly blinked it away, not wanting to give Tara the wrong idea.
She squeezed her girlfriend and pecked her lips, then left her key carefully down on the nightstand near her.
“Love the keychain. Thank you,” she said as she turned back and took one of Tara’s hands, “Just thank you. I love you.”
Tara nodded in a silent returning of the sentiment and Willow couldn’t resist another kiss to her full lips before settling down to spoon her, as she had grown accustomed to.
“What do you want to watch?”
Tara smiled as she felt an arm settle over her waist, but her breath caught when she felt Willow’s fingers brush over her thigh.
She still felt quite shy about her body, but it was getting harder and harder to deny the feelings evoked when Willow touched her. Truth be told, she’d given up on denying them weeks ago, but wasn’t sure Willow wanted more yet…
She’s definitely rubbing my thigh…and that’s definitely a kiss on my ear…and she's kind of…grinding?…does she want to...maybe her birthday…if she wanted…“I-I don’t mind,” she eventually answered, hoping her cheeks hadn’t turned too red.
Willow made her hand rest, but kept it on Tara’s thigh, unable to resist the warmth of her skin.
“Well, um, I’m sure I could find one of those cop shows you like. Or it’s Sunday night, there’s bound to be a whole load of movies on.”
“A movie sounds nice,” Tara answered, trying to keep a squeak from her voice.
“Okay, um…” Willow replied as she started to flick though channels, “Terminator… Sophie’s Choice… Sleepless in Seattle…”
“I like that one,” Tara nodded, resting her hands under her head so she could enjoy the movie, “I watched it with my mom once.”
“And it’s just starting!” Willow responded with a smile and turned the volume up before leaving the remote down.
Tara watched the opening credits play out on the screen and sighed contentedly at how perfect a situation she wouldn’t have even envisioned three months ago could be.
“I could get used to this.”
Willow cuddled in closer and left a kiss in the crook of Tara’s neck.
“I already am.”
Tara held her fist up to the door and hesitated a moment, before finally knocking on the door. It swung open a moment later and Becky smiled at her as she worked at fixing the back of her earring in.
“Hi, Tara!”
“Hi,” Tara waved shyly back, “Um, I’m not disturbing anything, am I?”
Becky’s lips quirked into a grin.
“Willow warned ya, huh? Paul left for the breakfast shift in the cafeteria an hour ago.”
Tara’s cheeks flushed and she nodded.
“I just wanted to say thank you,” she said, before clarifying, “For the television. It was really kind. And if you ever want it back, that’s no problem.”
“I won’t, but thanks,” Becky replied, stepping aside to let Tara in, “Did you give it a go yet?”
Tara nodded gleefully.
“Willow and I watched Sleepless in Seattle last night.”
“All snuggled up in bed?” Becky asked teasingly, though not with derision, making Tara blush, “Oh, hey, while you’re here! I have to tell you about Willow’s birthday party.”
Tara blinked in confusion.
“Birthday party?”
“Uh huh,” Becky nodded, standing in front of her mirror and applying eyeliner, “Her birthday’s next week.”
“I know,” Tara responded quickly, not wanting Willow’s friend to think she forgot such an event, “She just didn’t say anything about a party.”
“That’s because it’s a surprise!” Becky replied excitedly, “I’m gonna ask her to have a celebratory drink – non-alcoholic if that’s what she wants – in the bar and then surprise her! I have it all set up, a bunch of her…okay, my friends, are coming and there’s a great band playing that night.”
Tara thought that seemed more like a night Becky would enjoy than Willow, but wasn’t about to say that.
“That’s really nice of you.”
“So you’ll be there?” Becky asked, surprising Tara, “I’ll let you know the times and stuff later.”
“Okay,” Tara agreed, not wanting to sound rude.
“Great!” Becky replied, walking over to her desk to gather some things, “Oh and not a word to Willow.”
Tara nodded diligently.
“Right.”
Becky picked up a black pen to go with the bundle of papers in her arms.
“I better be getting to literature class,” she said, her tone indicating she’d rather be going anywhere but, “Hey, I heard you guys used the ‘L’ word…and I don’t mean lesbian!”
Tara blushed once again, which made Becky laugh.
“You’re so cute,” she said before adding a rueful shake of her head, “I wish I could fall so hopelessly for someone that I knew I loved them after just a couple of months.”
Tara knew Becky had a boyfriend, or so she thought by the way Willow had described him, so could only assume something was up there but had no idea what to say, or whether she should even say anything. Thankfully Becky didn’t dwell for too long as she headed towards the door.
“Until then, I continue my love affair with Oscar Wilde and remember that illusion is the first of all pleasures,” she said dramatically, then with a good-natured laugh, “Have a good day.”
Tara nodded and offered a wave as she left through the door.
“You too. Thanks again.”
Becky waved too and turned to leave in the opposite direction, while Tara made her way back to her dorm, where Willow was tying her shoelaces.
“You get her?” she asked while contemplating whether to go with a straight-lace or try something more adventurous.
Tara nodded, but was playing with her hands nervously.
“Hey, I think something might be up with her um, boyfriend. She seemed kind of um… sad when she mentioned us and the love thing.”
Willow looked up in concern.
“Sad?”
Tara thought for a moment.
“Well, not sad, actually…more…pensive.”
Willow looked relieved and smiled.
“That’s just Becky. She thinks love is a great thing in theory but doesn’t feel the need to subscribe to it in all her relationships,” she replied, giving a small grin, “That’s a direct quote.”
She went back to her sneakers and started threading the laces, but sensed Tara was still worried.
“Hey, I’ll talk to her and make sure she’s all okay, but she’s talked to me about him before, so I do know a little, I don’t think they’re an exclusive boyfriend/girlfriend kinda deal,” she said in reassurance, before sticking out her sneaker with a giggle, “Check it out! It’s like a checkers board!”
Tara looked at the lace design and nodded, impressed.
“That’s very cool.”
“Don’t worry, experimenting with my shoelaces is about as wild as I’m going to get,” Willow replied with a wry grin, “Wanna go grab some breakfast?”
Tara nodded again and found Willow’s hand in hers just a moment later as they left the room and headed towards the cafeteria.
“So your birthday is next week,” Tara ventured after a moment, trying to remain casual.
Willow grinned.
“Yeah, you won’t be dating a teen anymore, you ole’ cradle robber.”
“What do you want?” Tara asked, blushing at her inability to stay nonchalant, “I mean, from me.”
Willow just smiled.
“You don’t have to get me anything. You’re everything I want.”
Tara’s cheeks flushed again.
“But it’s your birthday. I want to get you something.”
Willow opened her mouth to protest again, then shut it as a shy look came upon her face.
“There’s one thing I’d like. And you can totally say no.”
Tara felt her breath catch in her throat, unsure what Willow was going to ask…and whether it would match the plans she already had.
“Will you sing for me?” Willow asked, her voice holding a tone of childlike hope.
Tara looked completely taken aback.
“S-sing for you?” she asked in total surprise.
Willow looked down bashfully.
“I hear you in the shower, and sometimes when we’re studying you hum and sing a few notes…I really love how you sound. And I’d love to hear a whole song. But only if you’re really, really okay with it.”
Tara felt a wall of shyness start to creep up, but couldn’t resist the adorable look on Willow’s face and quickly pushed it down.
“Okay,” she said softly, “I’ll sing for you.”
Willow looked like she might jump out of her skin with excitement.
“Really? I can’t wait! Thank you, thank you!”
She threw her arms over Tara’s neck, not caring at the stares they were getting from the other students passing in the quad. Tara closed the embrace without question and placed a soft kiss on the top of Willow’s ear.
It seemed she’d be pushing a lot of her boundaries come Willow’s birthday…and she was pleased to find she felt a lot more excited than scared.