Chapter 12

Young love blooms between three friends.

Chapter Twelve

Unusual Warmth

 

            The sun rose in the distant horizon that bordered Crescent City, shining radiant colors of rosy pinks, butter yellows, and faint greens. To the normal eye, it looked just like any other sunrise, but to Willow it was a thing of beauty.

            The sun arose slowly, splashing the world with its bright light. The light beamed into Willow’s room, making her skin glow beautifully along with making her luscious ebony hair glint in the light. Although Willow was up early, she didn’t feel at all tired. She was energized, and not at all like she had felt during the last few days after Viola’s passing.

            I feel alive. I’m ready to face the world now. Ready to face my own father. Now all I have to do is find him.

            She gently leaned her head against the wooden pane of her window.

But how? Maybe I can find something about him on the Internet. He’s bound to come up sooner or later.

            Willow shifted about a little, but otherwise, she didn’t move an inch. The reason this was so was because she was listening. She closed her eyes, listening to the sound of honking cars, barking dogs, and the shouts of people bustling about. A new day was beginning, and Willow craved to be apart of it.

            Suddenly, Willow sensed her door creak open a bit and felt another human presence invade the room. Willow flared her nostrils and a faintly sweet scent filled them. She recognized the perfume belonging to Agatha.

            “Good morning, Aggie.”

            “Morning, Willow. Are you feeling better?”

            She turned around and grinned a Cheshire-cat grin.

            “A whole lot, in fact.”

            “Well, that’s good to hear. Do you feel well enough to go to school today?”

            “Yeah.”

            “That’s good. I’m sure your friends miss you.”

            “Yeah…I bet,” said Willow wistfully, gazing out the window once again.

            “Want me to go? I can if you want me to.”

            “No…that’s not necessary.”

            “I’ll…I’ll go anyway, okay?”

            “Okay.”

            But Agatha didn’t hear Willow’s reply because she was out her bedroom door before she could even bid her farewell. She turned back to the window again and gazed at the horizon. Many voices reached her spider-sensitive ears. Willow realized two things in the last few days. One was that she was human and was supposed to feel this way normally. The second that this entire life of hers…it wasn’t a dream at all…

 

…it was real.

 

_____

 

            He walked very slowly that morning. Not because he was tired, but because of some very deep thoughts of his. The whole prospect of Willow not being at school kept him concerned for the last week. He even lost sleep over it because at night all he could think about was Willow this, and Willow that. He had to face the fact that he liked Willow more than he desired. He knew that she was in love with someone else, but he knew that she still cared for him. And Allister cared for her.

            It seemed that they were simply best friends, yet more than just that all at the same time. Allister was like a mere mortal compared to the mesmerizing dark beauty of Willow, but he tried his best to remember that Willow was just as human and as imperfect as he was, not the other way around. She just had suffered more than he had in her entire life. He knew that it was something big, and he respected that Willow preferred not to speak about it.

            But, maybe, he hoped, maybe she’ll open up completely one day and tell me all her secrets and stories. Maybe she’ll let me hold her and kiss her…comfort her and tell her that I really and truly love her. But…it’s just a maybe. I just wonder right now if Willow will be coming to school today. I haven’t seen her in a while.

            Al suddenly found himself right in front of Willow’s house.

            Huh…maybe I spoke too soon.

            Allister shifted his heavy backpack around on his shoulders, maneuvering it to make it more comfortable to his back. He grimaced at the weight.

            “God…what is it with teachers and too much homework? Jeez, I can barely move as it is!”

            “Then maybe you should suggest less homework,” said a soft voice behind his turned back.

            He twisted around to face a girl slightly shorter than him, but still tall in stature, with long raven hair draping most of her facial features. As she gazed up at him, her hair fell back to reveal Willow Halliwell’s familiar face.

But the strange thing was that she was smiling. And Allister felt himself smiling, his heart skipping beats.

“Willow! W-what happened? How come you weren’t at school? Wh�"?”

“Shh….” She placed a finger on his lips. “You talk too much, you know that?”

She smirked and chuckled lightly to herself.

“Willow, I’m being serious here!”

“So am I.”

“Then where have you been all this time? I’ve been…worried about you.”

She cocked her head to one side, dropping her gray backpack to the ground, crossing her arms in front of her chest. She detected the momentary pause in his deep voice. Although it looked as if she were irritated, a smile crept up on her lips and a twinkle in her eyes indicated that she seemed satisfied that he cared for her so much.

“Willow…please…tell me?”

“You know where I’ve been. Here, of course.”

“That’s kinda obvious, isn’t it?” Allister replied sarcastically. “But where have you been? And you know what I mean.”

“It’s just,” said Willow, pacing over the yellowing grass and fallen leaves, “that…it’s just Viola’s death. I can’t seem to get over it. Not while I was…well…secluded, but now…I feel so alive! I feel…somewhat happier. I just don’t know why, though.”

“Maybe it’s because you faced what you had to.”

“I definitely think you’re right on that account, Allister. There’s just one thing that still bugs me, though.”

“What?”

“No…it’s too…too risky.”

“Why? How would it be risky for me?”

“Al, please. It…it just is…”

“Please tell me? You’ve been hiding it from me forever. Isn’t time you finally told me?”

“I…I’m not completely sure if I’m ready for that yet.”

She turned her back to him and placed her face into her hands. Allister would’ve thought that she was crying silently all except for the fact that he didn’t hear any sobbing coming from Willow. She just simply seemed overwhelmed by all the emotion.

I know that I’d be, too.

Al wanted to place a comforting hand on her shoulder but hesitated at the last second. What if she burst at him? What if she began to cry?

Taking the risk, he bravely placed his hand on her shoulder and hugged her from behind, laying his head on her shoulder. They stood in complete silence for the next few minutes. A chilly wind swept over them, making Willow shiver harder than she already had. Allister tightened his embrace around her, willing to warm her as best as he could.

“Willow…I-I…I’m sorry,” he whispered softly next to her, his breath fogging in the air. “Willow, I’m sorry for forcing you on that so unexpectedly. You must think I’m so insensitive, but I’m really not. And you know that. I know you do.”

Willow didn’t answer, but straightened her head as if she were listening to every single word he said. He continued on.

“I’m sorry if I’ve ever been a jerk to you. You don’t deserve it…whatever you went through, that’s enough. You’re obviously in pain and I don’t want to add to it. Willow, I want you to know something.”

“Yes?”

She was listening.

“I want you to know that…that I…um…”

“Yes?”

“I…I can’t say it here. It’s just…somebody might hear.”

“Oh…I understand.”

Willow sounded fairly disappointed yet relieved. She turned to him and looked him straight him the eye. Although she wasn’t smiling at that exact moment, she seemed determined in her actions. That’s what Al loved and admired most about her. Her willpower.

“Should we be getting to school now?” asked Allister.

“Oh…oh yeah. I almost forgot about that…”

Willow picked up her ragged backpack and slung it over one shoulder and started off.

Al watched her in silent awe. Willow twisted round and called out to him.

“You coming?”

“Yeah. Yeah, I am!”

He caught up with her and they strolled to school in a totally awkward silence. Both their heads were filled with thoughts of the recent event.

Willow mulled over what Al wanted to tell her.

What was he going to say? Does…is it true? Does…he really like me that much? I wonder…

She bowed her head a little, making her hair float and settle right over eyes. Through her hair, she watched Allister in silence. He had a thoughtful look on his face as he gazed into the distance. Willow thought for a moment that her mind had tricked her, but for one second she thought she saw…sorrow. Sorrow, pain, and…something else. Something she had felt very rarely these past few days.

What she thought she saw for that single moment she could only describe as love.

 

_____

 

            At lunch, Allister and Willow sat together. All the while Willow felt Al staring at her the whole time as she chewed her pasta sluggishly. To her tongue the noodles were tasteless and she wanted to spit them out. She kept eating because she knew it was necessary to eat something.

            “Willow? You okay?”

            “Yeah…yeah, I’m fine. Just thinking about stuff.”

            “What kind of stuff?”

            “Just stuff. Everything, mostly. Especially Vi’s death…it hurts so much.”

            Al laid his fork down on his tray and wrapped an arm around Willow’s shoulder. A couple of people stared at them from other tables, but Allister just ignored them.

            “I know it does, but…it’ll go away. Time heals all wounds, you know?”

            “Hasn’t healed the one I’ve dealt with for so long now.”

            Al retracted his arm from around her shoulders and gained a fierce look in his eye.

            “Willow…look, how can you possibly expect me to know what it is that pains you so much? You don’t tell me anything!”

            Willow went back to picking her food solemnly and glared at Al.

            “Would you sit down?” she hissed. “People are staring!”

            “Since when did you suddenly start to care whether or not people are staring?” he hissed back, lowering his voice an octave.

            “Since never. I just…have this thing with people and staring. Bugs me.”

            “Really? I mean…look, Willow, please…I know I’m kinda forcing this on you, but…I won’t know what’s wrong until you tell me about your ‘risky’ secret, okay? Just, please…tell me?”

            “I will…”

            “Good.”

            “But not here.”

            “Then where, then?”

            “How about we meet? Say…at your place? Then I can tell you all about it.”

            He grinned happily at her, but Willow kept the serious look on her face.

            “At what time do you wanna meet?” asked Allister.

            “Midnight.”

            “Midnight? Are you crazy? My parents would  freak if they find I had a girl in my room!”

            “Would you rather it be any later?”

            “Fine. Midnight sounds great.”

            “Good,” Willow replied as she grinned and playfully pushed Al’s shoulder with a hand. “It better.”

            “Should we meet tonight, though?”

            “Yeah. Yeah…that’s good.”

            “Okay…if you’re sure.”

            “Have I ever been wrong?”

            “There’s always a first, you know.”

 

_____

 

            That day as she walked home, Willow thought deeply over everything. As the previous days had passed, everything had gotten more sinister by the moment. There was an eerie sense of foreboding that crept into her instincts. Besides the overwhelming sadness that still lingered around everything after Viola’s passing, Willow really felt perfectly fine. But, somehow, she felt that something dangerous and exciting was going to begin soon. She could feel it because the air everywhere was riddled thick with tension.

            Despite the unusual warmth of this November day, she shivered a little and wrapped her arms around herself, simply glancing down at the concrete sidewalk. Her tattered gray turtleneck sweater didn’t seem to be enough to warm her and distract her from the thought. She always knew that her spider senses were right because they would never backfired on her before. Willow’s backpack was a miniscule weight on her shoulders compared to everything else she had faced lately.

            I need to get all of this extra energy and anxiety out. I think I know just where to do it, too.. I need to see Pierce, anyway. I just…I just want to know if he’s…anyway, I’ll go to the Academy later.

            Willow looked up and felt her eyes wandering into the distance. It was a little bit warmer today than it had been the past few days. Usually, Crescent City got lots of rain and was moist and cold. Willow was used to it and didn’t mind. The weatherwoman said that there would be a chance of more rain this weekend and going into next week.

            The last thing we need is more rain, but if that’s the way Mother Nature wants to play it, she can. I’m not one to complain about the weather. As long it doesn’t get in the way of continuing my duty as the Black Widow.

            As soon as Willow got home, she dragged her backpack up the stairs and immediately began on her homework. It was pretty simple, and as a result, Willow was finished before three o’clock. Willow sat at her desk, tapping her fingernails against the hard wood surface, mulling over what to do. Suddenly she remembered that she had promised herself that she’d go over to the training academy later that day.

            And that’s exactly what she did.

            Willow packed up her duffel with her boxing gloves, pads, and other things to protect herself, though she sincerely doubted that she’d need them. She changed out of her school clothes and into her old black sweatpants, her favorite white tank top, and her worn Nike sneakers.

            To a normal person, Willow’s duffel bag would seem to weigh a thousand pounds because of all her gear. Willow carried her bag like it weighed nothing. All the training and martial arts resulted into nicely shaped muscles on both her legs and arms. Her body was slim and strong.

            Her heart and body pumped with the lovely feeling of adrenaline, which whispered in her ear to move and move with all her might, to release her extra energy. And Willow wanted to do exactly that. To calm her system, she ran all the way to the Academy, her body warming and aching at every single movement. Her muscles hurt slightly from the lack of movement, but soothed out once her body grew hot and sweaty. Even though she had beaten up that drug dealer yesterday night, it still wasn’t enough exercise to keep her body fit.

            I’ve been relaxing too much and I haven’t been patrolling the streets as Arachne as much as I should. When I find him, I want to beat him to a pulp, and maybe do more than that, too…he’ll get what he deserves and I’ll see that he gets it.

            The thought of her father made red-hot hate surface in her heart. It fueled her to keep moving. Exercising was one of the ways of Willow’s favorite ways of relaxing. The high heat created by her body soothed her muscles and the sweat that dripped from her pores cleansed her of all the dirt that had built up during the last few days. She felt cleaner and purer than she had in a long time. She ran and ran, her heart matching the beat of her shoes against the sidewalk below. She was relaxed and alive. It felt good for her to feel alive once more two weeks after Vi’s death.

            Finally, after what seemed only a few minutes, Willow found herself in front of the Academy where she had begun and finished her training long ago. Willow loved to come because of three reasons: one, she loved to volunteer around the Academy helping kids with their training and cleaning up, and, two, she had a job there that paid her good money. She never minded because the activity kept her mind off of really painful things that just loved to pop up in her head unexpectedly.

            The third and main reason she came was because of Pierce Stevens. She didn’t know what it was about Pierce that attracted her to him. Maybe it was his strength, his speed, or his chiseled good features, but…Willow felt that, deep within her heart, it was some mock fights where they would practice and sharpen their skills. Nobody would get hurt, but there would oftenly be the small bruise or teeny cut on the forehead or some other place.

            Willow went into the locker rooms and set down her duffel, opening it and extracting from it her protective gloves, which also provided as her gloves for her Black Widow costume. They were black, fingerless, and made of durable leather. She clenched and unclenched her fists so that they would get used to the feel of the leather all over again.

            Willow exited the locker rooms and looked around the room. Just a few kids were there practicing their martial arts, wrestling, and boxing along with teens and adult instructors. Not being able to find Pierce, Willow approached a teen instructor.

            “Hey, Diane.”

            “Hi. What’s up?”

            “Do you know where Pierce is?”

            “Why?”

            “I want to practice.”

“Yeah, he’s over there with some kids showing them some techniques for tae kwon doe. He’s just finishing up.”

            “Thanks so much.”

            “Anytime.”

 

_____

           

            Allister knew what he had to do, but he wasn’t sure or not if he should tell Willow that night.

            She’d be devastated to learn that Viola loved me first, but protected her. I know it’s the right and only thing to do. I know I have to do it and do it soon. Once it gets out, I won’t have to worry about it much longer.

            How the heck will I approach a topic like that?

            Al paced back and forth across the gray carpet flooring of his room, looking deep in thought at the white walls of his room. The white walls always seemed to have made his room appear much smaller than it actually was. He had pleaded with his mom to paint his room a decent shade of color, but, of course, she wouldn’t consent, thinking that his room was “fine the way it was.” He stopped and sat on his bed, laying his head on his pillow for a moment in thought. No ideas came to him then.

            I guess I’ll have to approach it the best I can. Telling her the truth about Viola and I is the most important factor. I’ll just be adding to her pain, but it’s only right.

            I know it is.

 

_____

 

 

            Willow jogged over to where Diane had directed her. She stood still in the corner and watched them while Pierce finished with the kids. He taught them various stances and movements, and what to do and what not to do. Willow’s heart skipped a beat as Pierce smiled when one of the kids did something correctly. She grinned herself and kept on observing them. There was something about younger kids that reminded her of her when she was much younger.   She also remembered that painful day when her mother had been murdered. That day Willow had been punished for pestering her mom with inquires about her birth father. She had always asked her mom, but she either had never given her an answer or snapped at her to never ask the question again. Willow almost regretted her behavior at that moment, but also realized that it had been a good idea to ask her mom the question, even though she had refused to give an answer.

            She cocked her head to one side and her heart pounded once more as she once again saw Pierce smile, but not at the kids this time. At her. She grinned back and waved a little. He held up one finger to indicate that he was almost finished training with them. She replied to him by giving him two thumbs-up, but he didn’t see it because he had continued to practice with the kids again.

            Pierce demonstrated a kick and the girls first copied him. Pierce went around to show the girls how to correctly position themselves while performing the kick. He crossed his arms in front of his white tank top shirt and nodded in approval at their progress. Pierce’s mouth formed a straight line and his eyes transformed into a grim state. Willow watched him in silence as worried creased her smooth brow. He gazed into the distance, seeming to think about something…horrible.

            I wonder what he’s thinking about right now? It seems pretty horrible if he’s reacting to the thought like that. I wish I could look straight into his mind and find out what his dilemma is…

 

            It can’t be her…I just know it isn’t, but all the evidence points directly to Willow. Some way or another.

            He shook his head slightly at the thought.

            I don’t know how I never suspected it before. Willow and Arachne seem to have the same training in martial arts. Who else can kick like that? Willow is one of the Academy’s best

            Pierce glanced over at Willow for a moment. She was observing the kids with a cocked head, her eyes grazing them all fast. Willow seemed to be absorbing them all at once like she might need the information for much later use.

            Without him knowing it, Willow’s eyes landed directly on him and she smirked a bit at him like she was mocking him in a way. That struck a chord in his heart; not only of attraction but also of familiarity. The smirk was the exact same smirk as Arachne’s was. The smirk had a downside. He could tell it was a fake. Pierce looked directly into Willow’s eyes, trying to see what she was really feeling. What he saw first struck him unexpectedly like a fist to the stomach. It practically left him breathless. What he saw was…pain. Overwhelming pain.         

He felt his eyes burn with unshed tears. Pierce wanted so much to turn away, but he couldn’t. Her sad gaze kept his eyes locked in place with her own. He then saw sorrow for everything that had happened to her. It haunted her. His heart gave a jolt at that moment and seemed to cry out for comfort. It was on the last emotion he saw that he knew what he was feeling. He was feeling Willow’s emotion. The last thing he witnessed was…revenge, hate, and anger but also worry for him. Willow was worried about him.

            Pierce finally broke the powerful pull of her haunting sadness by looking away once more. The anger and hate that radiated from her entire being, especially her eyes, was too much for him to bear all at once. His heart pulled at him in pity for whatever Willow had endured all her life. She really had never told him what troubled her so. She had always kept a silent and serene demeanor about her, but inside she was bubbling mad with fervent rage for revenge.

            Revenge for what?

 

What did I do?

Willow was a little perturbed at the way Pierce had looked at her for that single moment. He had first winced as if he were in pain himself, then he had tears that turned into some type of anger. She turned her face away from his view and touched her cheek gently with the very tips of her fingers. She brushed them lightly down the side of her face and touched her other hand to the other side of her face.

Is something wrong with me? What did I do to him?

Willow pulled her hands away and let them land on her lap. She turned them palm side up and raised them to her eye view.

It has to be me.

She shook her head to rid herself of those ill thoughts and took in a deep breath.

Nothing’s wrong with me. Nothing. I don’t think anything’s wrong with Pierce, either.

She turned her head a little to glance at him. He was back and helping the kids out to train, but with a serious look on his face as if he were concentrating on something really hard.

It’s not him or me. It’s the both of us. Some sort of nervousness. It’s just a guess, though, but my senses have never been wrong before in my entire life.

Willow cocked her head slightly as she looked at him with affection deeply rooted in her.

Author's Note

Of course there is a love triangle between Pierce, Willow, and Allister. That was one of the best things about writing this. I know I haven't ever suggested photos for them.
When I was writing the Black Widow, I imagined Amy Lee of Evanescence as Willow, Jensen Ackles as Pierce, and Jared Padelecki as Allister. Why? Because I was totally in love with the show Supernatural (Jared and Jensen were stars of) and my absolute idol was Amy.