Author: Amazonaa
Rating: R
Disclaimer: Characters from Buffy the Vampire Slayer are the property of Joss Whedon/Mutant Enemy.

Tara went up to Nicki's room. Nicki was laying on her bed listening to her headphones. Tara snuck up behind her and started tickling her. Nicki screamed and jumped up.

"Mom!! You scared me!" Nicki said pulling the headphones off.

"Mission accomplished." Tara said laughing. As did Nicki. "So... are you gonna keep me in the dark or what?" Tara asked getting serious.

"What?" Nicki said. Tara looked at her.

"Ditching school. Slamming the door. Making out with Alisha." Nicki looked at her mom wide eyed.

"How...?" Nicki asked.

"I'm pretty good a connecting the dots. So whats going on?" Nicki rolled her eyes and sat down on the bed.

"She dumped me."

Tara pushed Nicki's hair behind her ears. "Well it does happen." Tara said trying to cheer her up.

"For a guy." Nicki added, anger filling her eyes.

"Oh. Honey. Well you can find someone better." She said giving Nicki a hug.

"I have."

"Really. Way to rebound. Who?" Tara asked.

"Well I don't exactly know her name... yet, but she goes to school with me." Nicki said.

"Well ask her out." Tara said simply.

"I think I might."

"But... bring her over so I can meet her this time instead of trying to sneak around, and a little tip you arn't very good at it." Tara said with a smile. Nicki smiled.

"Finish getting ready for school. Will's gonna take you. I have a meeting that I have to go to." Tara stood up and went to the door.

"Thanks mom." Nicki said. Tara smiled then shut the door.

Nicki stood at her locker. Half trying to find her pen, half looking for the mystery girl.

Then the bell rang and Nicki slammed the locker closed. She turned running into someone.

"Pent up anger?" The person said. Nicki looked up into forest green eyes.

She smiled.

"How could you tell?"

"Intuition." The girl said. "So what's the problem? Could it be you lost your pen?" Nicki looked up and saw the girl holding her black pin with the words Everything Dies written on it.

Nicki grabbed it looking at her puzzled. "It was on the floor." the girl said.

Nicki nodded. "So mystery girl. Care to tell me your name or are you going to make me wait a little longer?"

"I think... I'll make you wait." The girl said before turning and walking to her class. Nicki stood there shocked.

"You might want to get to class because as of right now your four minutes and thirty-two seconds late." the girl said smiling.

Nicki looked at her watch. "Shit!"

"See you at lunch." The girl said before disappearing into the room.

Nicki smiled then bolted down the hallway.