Chapter 1
“Um… Harmony…” Buffy coughed a bit, but Harmony seemed to be unaware of her discomfort.
She was close to turning blue when the hysterical bottled-blonde finally let up.
“It’s so good to see a familiar face.” She sighed with a smile still over her lips as she added: “Even if it is yours.”
Buffy’s eyebrows furrowed immediately.
“Um, thanks. I guess.” Buffy muttered.
“I’ve just been so lonely lately.” Harmony complained; her eyes growing glassy with tears. “I don’t think I like college. Everything is just so complicated. I don’t understand half of what people are saying. They talk funny.” Her face contorting into a disgusted look.
Buffy was left standing at the doorway without a clue as to how to reply to Harmony’s outburst. After a few seconds of uncomfortable silence Harmony took a Kleenex from her pocket and blew her puffy nose.
“What are you doing here?” She asked with a hoarse tone.
“I came about the ad. You know, the room for rent?” She was still dumbfounded by the revelation that Harmony could be her potential roommate. ‘No, not Harmony. Anyone but her…’ She thought to herself.
“Oh, come in.” Harmony finally stepped away from the door and let her in.
The apartment wasn’t very big. But it was very well lit. There were two large windows on the left that let the sun filter into the living room. The furniture consisted of a couch with its back turned to the entrance door, an armchair, a coffee table set in front of the sofa and up against the wall was a large cupboard with drawers and various shelves but it only held a TV set. In the corner, between the cabinet and the second window was a small fireplace. ‘It’s California. Why would you need a fireplace?’ Buffy wondered.
On the opposite side of the room, closer to the front door was a kitchenette that was separated from the living room by a counter and three stools. Finally, between the kitchenette and the couch, was a round wooden table with four chairs around it.
“So…” Harmony started as she plopped down on one of the chairs. “You’re going to Sunnydale University too?”
“Yes.” Buffy replied still pondering whether or not to accept living with Harmony.
She liked what she saw of the apartment so far. It was clean, it wasn’t too expensive and it was close to campus which was a major plus. She’d get to sleep a few extra minutes, and God knew those extra minutes were crucial at seven o’clock in the morning. On the downside there was the blonde slouching on the chair in front of her, checking her nails instead of showing her the rest of the apartment.
She didn’t know Harmony all that well. They had gone to high school together but they had never gotten along. She was one of Cordelia Chase’s airhead lackeys whose wardrobe consisted mainly of pink and baby-blue outfits. Not really Buffy’s crowd.
“What’s your major?”
Harmony was making small talk? Since when did Harmony Kendall want to speak to her? ‘She must be really lonely.’
“Haven’t decided yet.” She replied a bit disconcerted by the whole situation.
“Me neither. I really didn’t want to go to college, but my father said it was important for me as a person.” She exhaled sharply as she rolled her eyes. “Yeah, right! Like hanging around with a bunch of geeky losers is going to do any good for my social life.” She whinged. “At least the football guys seem cool.”
Buffy had met the football crowd – the ‘I-suffered-one-too-many-head-traumas-and-now-I-have-the-IQ-of-an-amoeba’ football crowd.
Buffy looked at her watch. She was going to be late. She’d told her mother that she’d be home early to go with her to the doctor’s. Harmony, however, was completely oblivious to her predicament and seemed intent on getting a free therapy session out of her.
“You see, my mother doesn’t really think that college is that important. I mean, she didn’t even finish high school and look how smart she is!”
Ah, yes! The intensely intellectually challenged Mrs. Kendall! All Buffy could feel for her was pity.
“But my father, he thinks I should expand my horizons – Whatever *that* means – so he rented this apartment for me and-“
“Um, Harmony?” Buffy stepped in and the sitting blonde looked up from her manicured nails. “I’m sorry to interrupt, but I’m kinda in a hurry. Could you just show me the rest of the apartment?”
“Oh… Ok.” She pouted a bit and stood up, reluctantly heading for the corridor next to the big living room cupboard, opposite the front entrance to the apartment. There were three doors, two on the left and one at the end of the hall. She opened the first one. “This is my room.”
Buffy literally had to narrow her eyes as the pink emanating from almost every single object in the room attacked her retinas.
“Isn’t it pretty? My dad talked to the landlord and he said it was ok to paint the walls too as long as we painted it back to white when we left. I’m going to have them painted sometime next week, or something.” She explained while Buffy rubbed her sore eyes.
They walked further down until they reached the end of corridor:
“This is the bathroom…”
Buffy barely had time to see the inside of the compartment as Harmony moved back and opened the door they had passed on their way to the bathroom.
“… and this would be your room.”
Buffy peeked in. It was perfect. Not too big, not too small and not too furnished. It contained one queen-sized bed in the corner near a large window, a closet on the wall near the door and a desk with a chair to her left against the wall that separated her bedroom from Harmony’s. Buffy was amazed. After all the rooms and apartment she’d searched over the last days this looked like paradise itself. The words were out of her mouth before she could stop herself:
“I’ll take it.”
“Great!” Harmony shrieked clapping her hands.
The moment she saw the girl’s reaction she was sure she would regret her decision but, for the time being, she had no other choice.
~+~
“Your roommate is Harmony Kendall?” Willow exclaimed from the other side of the line.
“Yeah.” Buffy muttered, running her comb through her hair, looking at herself in the mirror. “That was probably the only setback I could find in the whole thing.”
“But it’s one big and loud setback.” Willow noted.
“Don’t remind me.”
“Well, it’s only for one year. Next year you’ll sign up for the dorms and get rid of Miss Cordelia Chase wannabe.”
“I have the feeling this is going to be the longest year of my life.” Buffy grumbled. “But you should see the apartment. It’s really perfect. It’s got a fireplace and everything.”
“A fireplace? In Sunnydale? What for?” Willow wondered.
“I know. Strange, huh?” She placed the comb on the vanity and walked over to her bed. “Well, it’s the last night I get to sleep in my own bed.” Buffy sighed, sliding between the warm sheets.
“You already called Xander?”
“Yep. Ten o’clock tomorrow. Sharp.” Stretching a bit she practically purred. “God! I’m so tired. This whole apartment hunting was really stressing. Glad it’s over. What about you? How’s your roomie?”
“She’s pretty cool. Her name is Tara Maclay. Kinda shy, but very sweet. I think we’re gonna get along just fine.” Willow explained.
“That’s great.” Buffy half yawned.
“Well, I better let you get some sleep. I’ll meet you at the coffee shop at ten thirty.”
“See you tomorrow, Wills.”
“Night, Buffy.”
“Good night.”
She pressed the off button on the cell phone and placed it on her nightstand.
~+~
Buffy practically stumbled out of the car when Xander opened the door. The brown haired boy offered to help her carry the large box she held in her hands, but she refused vehemently, shaking her head and shouting over her shoulder as she walked up the front steps of the building.
“Just help Willow bring the other boxes from the back.”
She placed the heavy load on the floor and brushed her hands over her dirty jeans. Stretching herself for a second, she rubbed the back of her neck. She was going to have major backaches by tomorrow morning. Thank God it was a Saturday!
She rang the door bell and waited for an answer. When it didn’t come, she rang twice more and once again got no reply. After she repeated the process three more times she gave up.
She sighed heavily.
“No one home?” Willow questioned with a frown, dropping the large box she was carrying next to Buffy’s.
“I told Harmony I’d be here by eleven.” Buffy grumbled, checking her watch before ringing the door bell again.
“Didn’t she give you your own key?” Xander asked, walking up next to them and adding to the growing pile of boxes at the entrance of the building.
“She couldn’t remember where she had left them and I was already late so… God, I can’t believe she’d forget!”
“This *is* Harmony we are talking about, right?” Xander tried to verify.
Buffy simply pouted and gave the doorbell one last try.
“What are we going to do now?” Willow wondered.
“Wait?” Buffy offered.
“In the meantime, we can just unload the rest of the stuff.”
“Good idea, Xander. Maybe she just went out to get breakfast, or something.” Willow supplied.
“Ah! Willow, ever the optimist!” Xander exclaimed on his way back to the car.
~+~
Two hours passed and the three were still sitting on the boxes piled up at the front door. Willow and Buffy shared one, while Xander practically lay sprawled on another.
“I don’t think she’s coming.” The redhead finally spoke what was on their minds.
“God, I’m gonna kill that pathetic excuse for-“
“Buffy!” Harmony’s overly cheerful voice reached Buffy’s ears and she snapped her head around to see the ex-cheerleader walking down the road, carrying two shopping bags in each hand. “What are you doing here? Willow! Zach! How are you?”
“Hey, Harmony.” Willow replied while Xander corrected:
“It’s Xander.”
“Whatever.” She dismissed him with a wave of her hand. “What are you- Oh, you’re moving in today?”
“Yes.” Buffy practically growled, standing up and picking one of the boxes as she followed Harmony.
“Oh. I completely forgot.” She explained nonchalantly as she fit the key into the lock and opened the door. “I just went shopping and I got this amazing Versace dress. You just gotta see it.” She chirped happily, not bothering to hold the door open for Buffy as she walked inside.
As a result, the petite blonde was projected backwards, toppling over Willow as the door slammed against her. The box she was holding fell to the floor and the distinct sound of something breaking was heard.
“Oh, my God! My lamp!” Buffy explained stumbling to her feet and helping Willow up before kneeling next to the box and opening it.
Her panic expression was replaced by a completely distraught one as she picked a random piece of broken glass from inside the box.
“Oh, you broke it?” Harmony asked from her spot at the door.
Buffy threw Harmony a murderous look.
“Bummer.” She said before walking inside.
“I can’t live with her.” Buffy hissed under her breath, picking up her box again and kicking the door open. “She’s gonna turn me into a psychotic killer.”
“Just relax. Maybe it won’t be that bad.” Willow offered just as they reached the elevator.
In about twenty minutes they managed to stock up all the boxes in Buffy’s new room.
“I’m going to have some major back pains tomorrow.” Willow mumbled, whipping the sweat from her forehead.
“I don’t think I can move.” Xander moaned plopping down on the bed.
Buffy smiled as she leaned on the nearest available surface.
“Finally, I thought you guys would never finish.” Harmony complained, coming into the room.
‘Maybe it would have been faster if you had actually helped instead of sitting on your fat, lazy ass.’ Buffy’s mind screamed, but her mouth simply grumbled: “Yeah.”
A frown took over her eyebrows as she watched the bleached blonde walk across the room and start opening one of the boxes.
“Um… Harmony?”
“Yeah?” She replied without stopping what she was doing and forcing Buffy to stand up and walk over to where she was.
“What are you doing?”
“Just checking if you have any cool things to wear. We could share.” Harmony explained picking up a shirt for a second before scrunching up her face and throwing the item on the bed.
She was about to reach for the next piece of clothing when Buffy’s hand fell over the box and closed it.
“I don’t share my clothes. Sorry.” She apologized unconvincingly.
Harmony stared at her for a second before huffing:
“Fine! You probably don’t have anything slightly wearable anyway. Everything you wear is just *so* last year.” Harmony eyed her from head to toe before exiting the room with her nose raised high.
“I can’t believe you’re going to live with that for a whole year.” Xander said from his spot on the bed.
“Neither can I.” Buffy sighed. Her eyes still lingered on the door for a few seconds before she shook her head and snapped out of her daze. “So, who’s up for some pizza comfort? I know I need it.”
“Here, here.” Xander instantly approved sitting up straight.
~+~
“Oh, my God, I haven’t seen you wear this in centuries.” Willow exclaimed, taking out the blue cashmere sweater and passing it to Buffy.
“Yeah. I don’t really know why I keep it. I’ve been meaning to throw it away for some time now, but every time I decide to clean out my closet this sweater just seems to sneak its way past my cleaning radar.” Buffy replied, folding the item and placing it neatly on one of the shelves of her closet. “It’s one of life’s mysteries.”
Willow smiled and continued handing her clothes.
“How’s that mattress, Xander?” Buffy asked sardonically.
“Very comfortable.” The boy practically purred as he lay with his eyes closed on the bed.
“I bet.” Willow smiled, shaking her head and exchanging a look with the blonde.
“I was being witty and sarcastic. You know, all college-like.”
“Huh?” Xander pretended not to hear. “Sorry, I didn’t hear you. I’m just too tired from carrying all those heavy boxes. You know, all friend-like.” He jabbed. “And without any compensation I might add.”
“What do-” Buffy wasn’t able to finish her sentence as the doorbell rang.
“Pizza!” Xander jumped off the bed and was out the door in an instant.
When the two girls joined him he was already seated on one of the barstool with a large slice of greasy pizza in his hand he was about to bite into.
“God, how I needed that!” The sentence was barely comprehendible as he munched on the pizza.
Willow and Buffy smiled and took their seats on each side of the young man.
“Hey, you guys.”
The three sighed in unison and turned to see the ex-cheerleader walk into the apartment. She had gone out shopping – Again! – as they had started unpacking Buffy’s belonging and they had actually managed to have some peace and quiet.
“Oh, pizza! Great, I’m starving!” She cried, dropping her bags to the floor as she rushed to the counter and grabbed a slice of pizza.
The three just sat and watched as she gobbled up the slice in record time and reached for a second serving. Once again, the slice disappeared into her mouth and she took yet another one.
“Um… Harmony?” Buffy interrupted the blonde’s binging fest.
“Huh?” She asked mouthful, not bothering to glance at her.
Buffy was about to say something but decided not to. ‘Better not start off this whole roommate thing on the wrong foot.’ She thought to herself.
“Nothing. H-How’s the pizza?”
Harmony reached for a bunch of napkins and cleaned her mouth as she mumbled on her way to her room.
“Kinda greasy, actually. Not too good.”
“Oh, she is just unreal!” Xander supplied. “Not too good? Good enough to gobble up half of a family-sized pizza in three minutes flat.”
Buffy simply sighed, cleaning her hands on one of the few remaining napkins.
“I don’t care. I just want to have my room, have some peace and quiet and not have to worry about her.”