A Surprise First Date

by Mishafer

Summary:

It's the summer of 1985, high school is officially over and Tara works at a Sam Goody music store in the mall. She often spies the cute goth girl who comes in with her friends.

Tara never has the courage to approach Willow. That is until they get locked in the mall together.

Notes:

I did my best in researching what stores existed in 1985

Chapter 1

Tara peeks around the edge of her Sam Goody store and to the three seated at the nearby food court. Her eyes zero in as they eat hamburgers and hotdogs. One is blonde and gorgeous, one is tall and has awkward movements, but her attention is on the third; a black-haired goth girl who smiles the most beautiful smile in the world. 

She thought goths were supposed to be sullen and hostile but from what she’s seen of Willow she’s a ray of sunshine. Willow went to the same high school as she did but they seldom spoke. Tara was too shy and knew her stutter would give that away. 

She is eighteen and high school just ended. She is glad the grueling experience is over so that the grueling experience of college may begin. She gets stressed about likely being left out of social events at college too. 

Oh, and she’s a closeted lesbian. 

At least, to the greater world. Two people know, her only friends, one of whom is closeted himself. So she feels grateful to have that support at least.

And Willow sets off her gaydar big time. ...Or it’s just the delusion talking. Because how could someone like Willow ever be interested in someone like her? For that one needs to have conversations with her first. And Tara doesn’t rank conversations high on her skill list. 

“Miss Maclay!” a stern voice comes from behind her. She sheepishly turns around to Mister Snyder, her manager, staring daggers at her. “We have customers who need to be rung up,” he says, voice like ice.

“Yes, Mister Snyder. Sorry.” She hurries to the check out where a family is holding an assortment of cassettes.  

“Sorry for the delay. I can ring you up.”

***

“You should just cast a love spell on her,” Andrew says, rolling the Star Wars Monopoly dice and landing his Chewbacca figure on the Millennium Falcon. “Not that I’ve ever cast a love spell...”

“No, no spells,” Tara insists yet again. 

Jonathan frowns. “Like any of us would ever have anyone spare a second glance in our direction unless it was to shove us in a locker.”

Tara rolls the dice. “Don’t be so negative. Negativity affects your aura which affects the spells you cast.” She progresses her Luke Skywalker to The Emperor meaning she pays $100. “Damnit. I’d just started collecting more money.”

“Don’t be so negative, Tara, god,” Andrew says, drinking orange juice from a cup with a silly straw. They all have silly straws. 

Tara smiles a tad. “My negativity is less damaging because it’s over something superficial. It doesn’t run deep.”

Jonathan rolls the dice and progresses his Princess Leia to Jabba’s Boiler Room. “Now this I am buying.” 

A knock sounds on the door. One Tara recognizes only as Andrew’s brother Tucker. Not hers, or anyone’s, favorite person.

“What is it, ‘fucker?’” Andrew calls impatiently.

Tucker opens the door. “Mom told you not to call me that.”

“Mom also told you not to call me you-know-what.” A sissy. Among other things.

“I was just looking for my lighter.” He spots the green lighter on his dresser beside the door. “What do you even use it for?”

Lighting candles for spells. 

“I have no obligation to tell you anything,” Andrew says.

Tucker looks across the three of them. “You know what I can’t figure out is why you guys spend so much time with a perfectly good-looking woman and do nothing.”

Tara has suspicions Tucker knows the answer but pretending he doesn’t is the joke.

“That’s because Jonathan’s type is Amazonian women,” Andrew says, straightening his owned properties cards. “Like seven-feet tall.”

Jonathan’s eyes grow wide. “Dude, no it is not.” 

“I think the little man doth protest too much,” Tara quips.

“But really, we’re just not into each other, Tucker. Unless we’re forced to kiss like Kirk and Uhura.”

Tucker puts his lighter in his pocket. “I just think you guys are on track to dying virgins is all.”

“Dude, you’re a virgin too,” Andrew says. 

Tucker’s eye twitches. “I got a—nevermind. Enjoy not being touched.” He shuts the door with force.

The three share laughter. Andrew and Jonathan always wanted to do hexes on Tucker which Tara was against as she only wants to use magic for positive purposes. She of course knows they would just do said hexes behind her back anyways but as long as no real violence is involved she could look the other way. And she gets no inklings he or anyone else had actually been hurt. 

Tara says, “You wouldn’t have to force me to kiss Uhura.”

***

Tara keeps an eye out for Willow at her next work day, as always. She feels Snyder breathing down her neck more than usual though so she affords quick glances towards the food court rather than longing stares. 

The day drags. It’s not busy—it’s Wednesday afternoon—which Tara usually prefers but for some reason she feels an especially stronger need to go home than usual. Maybe because what Jonathan said is getting to her, about how they’ll all be eternally loveless. 

Tara takes her fifteen minute break in the back, seated at the table and eating a ham and cheese sandwich and sipping a coke. She’s alone. 

She gets hit with a sudden wave of dizziness. Putting her half eaten sandwich down, she holds her head in her hands. How odd. Tara never gets dizzy. She pushes her sandwich aside and lays her head down on the table, just to rest until this passes. She doesn’t know how long she’s down for but she keeps thinking she’s not feeling better yet so no point in sitting up. The room swirls around her. 

Finally, her dizziness wanes and she lifts her head. She notices it’s become dark since she’s been down. She can still catch a bit of ambient lighting from under the door to the store but upon standing she has to feel her way around.   

Tara first thinks she must’ve have fallen asleep and they locked up the store while she was out. But how would they not have seen her? Was she invisible or something?

She opens the door and finds the storefront dark but with enough light from the outside mall to see. She makes her way through the store and to the outside. It’s indeed closed and abandoned. Except for the bars that usually come down in front of the stores aren’t there. She’s grateful for this or she’d be truly trapped. 

Tara treads along the walkways, gulping as she realizes she’s alone and feeling a chill in the air. 

“Hello?” she calls out. 

Her voice echoes. 

“Hello?” a female voice replies from what sounds like the next story. 

Tara smiles in relief. “I’m down here!” 

“Stay there, I’ll come to you!” the voice replies. 

“Okay!” 

Tara waits as she hears footsteps reverberate through the empty mall. There’s not even music playing which adds to the creep factor. She doesn’t like abandoned places. 

The footsteps go down what Tara assumes is the stilled escalator and appear behind her. She turns around to the female form in the dark. She spies black hair and dark clothes. It looks like...

Willow.

And that’s all she needs to know this is Andrew’s and possibly Jonathan’s doing. They must have cast a spell because no way is this coincidence possible.

“Willow?” Tara asks.

Willow stops in front of her, recognition lighting up her face. “Tara, right?”

Tara smiles. “Y—yes.” 

Oh my god. She’s talking to Willow. Glee fills her chest. Though she will still kill Andrew and Jonathan. Especially Andrew.

“Hey so, looks like we’re both locked in,” Willow says. It’s dark, but Tara admires her smudged black eyeliner and dark red lips. Her jet black hair hangs loose around her shoulders. She wants to stroke her hair so bad, see if it’s a soft as it looks. She’s always loved jet black hair. 

“How do you think it happened?” Tara asks.

Willow shrugs. “I dunno, I was with Buffy and Xander and I went to the bathroom with Buffy, you know, as we girls do, and then next thing I know I was in a stall and it was dark and I was alone. It’s so creepy.”

“So you weren’t dizzy or anything?”

“Maybe? I just remember time skipping.”

“So strange. Well, let’s try to get out of here.” 

“Yeah. I’m sure my parents are worried sick.”

Another reason to kill a certain twink.

They make their way toward the exit and Tara admires Willow’s outfit. She wears a dark grey plaid long-sleeved shirt under a black overall dress with a short tennis skirt. Her legs are clad in fishnet stockings and she wears black ankle socks with black platform boots. 

“I love your clothes,” Tara says. 

Whoops, that feels too random.

“Oh, thank you!” Willow says. “I do feel it is some of my best work. And no, I did not spend fifteen minutes trying to decide what shirt to wear under this dress and I resent that you thought so.”

Tara giggles. Every time she hears Willow speak it’s something incredibly witty and funny. 

They make it to the exit and try to push open the doors.

“Locked,” Tara says.

“Not surprising. I’m sure the whole building is.”

“Well there’s a pay phone I think by Radio Shack.”

“Let’s try.”

They proceed towards the Radio Shack which is on the first floor.

“So, how have you been?” Willow asks. 

“Good. Just working at Sam Goody. And you?”

“I saw. What’s it like working there? And I’m good, just chilling this summer.”

“Oh, my manager is a real piece of work. Getting on me about every little thing I think about quitting every shift. I wish I could’ve chilled this summer but my parents would never let me.”

“Sorry to hear that. I dread eventually having to work because of bosses like that. But hey, if you quit Sam Goody all you gotta do is pop on over to Electronics Boutique and apply.”

Tara laughs. “Yeah, it’s convenient, isn’t it?”

They make it to the Radio Shack and the pay phone beside it. 

Tara digs into her pocket and procures the needed change. She picks up the phone. No dial tone. 

She furrows her brow and looks at the phone in her hand before putting it to her ear again. Nothing. 

“What’s wrong?” Willow asks.

“I don’t know, there’s no dial tone.”

“Try dialing anyway.”

Tara enters her number, but still nothing.

Tara feels the color drain from her face. “I think we’re trapped.”

How did Andrew manage this spell? His magics were always poor.

Willow nods slowly. “It would appear so.”

“Unless we break the door?”

“We’ll get in real trouble for that.”

Tara huffs. “This is not how I wanted to spend my night.” She twiddles her hands and looks down. “I had a bubble bath planned.”

“Well, we can go to Bath and Body Works and do some window shopping in the meantime.” 

Shopping for bath bombs with Willow does sound amazing. And she might as well make the best out of a bad situation. But then that justifies Andrew’s bad actions. 

But... Willow. Standing right there in front of her wanting to spend time with her. She’ll still kill Andrew after, she will.    

“Sure,” Tara agrees. “Let’s do it.”

They walk to Bath and Body Works and the color returns to Tara’s face. This is actually exactly where she wants to be. 

Notes:

If Tara being friends with Andrew and Jonathan sounds nonsensical, it is, but I reckon that Tara couldn't have been popular in high school and being a closeted lesbian she naturally found more social outcasts as friends one of whom is also closeted. Plus I think she'd be a good influence on them lol.

Second chapter is already written it just needs to be edited, I'll try to post it tomorrow.

Chapter 2

They go inside the store and Tara finds a light switch in the back. 

“Let there be light,” Tara says. 

Ugh, stupid.

But Willow chuckles. She must just being nice, Tara assumes. 

They find a row of bath bombs and bubble bath. 

“Ooh, peony and sweet pea,” Willow says, lifting a bath bomb to her nose. 

Tara finds a rose and vanilla one she likes. “This one I’d buy.” She holds it to Willow.

“Mm, yes that’s good.”

“Do you take a lot of baths?” Tara pictures Willow in the bath and likes what she sees.

Willow sets down the bath bomb. “Sometimes. I’m more of a sudsy body wash gal though.”

“That’s valid. I don’t take baths every day. Just about once a week or twice if I’m especially stressed.”

Willow picks up a body wash. “Cashmere and cedar.” She holds it to Tara.

“Nice. Do you like more, I guess you’d say, masculine scents?”

“Yeah. I guess you’d say so. Which is ironic considering. Or fitting.”

“Considering what?”

She waves her off. “It’s not important.”

Just then Tara gets what she’s implying. Or is she? 

Is she saying she’s not into men!? Is Tara not crazy?

No. It would be too good to be true. And to her recollection, Willow had a boyfriend in high school. Tara never did, denying the very few boys who asked her out. With her role as a social outcast it wasn’t very questioned why she didn’t date. She was grateful for the cover. 

But being compelled to heterosexual date is strong among gay people. Willow having a boyfriend before therefore means nothing. 

They make their way to the next aisle and the candles there. 

“Do you like to light candles when you take a bath?” Tara asks. “I do sometimes.”

“I get worried about burning myself. Not sure why, when I’m cool with candles any other time.”

“I’m hot with candles.” She cringes internally.

Stupid!

Willow giggles. “Hey, yeah! I should be more hot with candles rather than cool. Maybe that’s my problem.”

Tara is relieved, but feels that doesn’t make her joke any less dumb.

They explore the rest of the store, finding things they make a mental note to come back to and buy at some point. 

After Bath and Body works they stroll along the walkways outside the stores.

“Where to next?” Willow asks. 

“How about Hess’s?” Tara suggests.

“Sure. I can show you how I can make goth outfits out of normal people clothes.”

“Yeah. That sounds fun.”

They find Hess’s on the second floor and go inside, again finding the light switch. 

They begin looking for clothes on the racks. 

“So what do you do for fun?” Willow asks, locating the black clothing. “You already know I come to the mall for fun.”

“I like playing board games.” And doing magic.

“What kind of board games?”

Tara finds a long green paisley skirt to try on and drapes it over her arm. “Well, I like Monopoly, and I love Risk.”

“You play with small or big groups?”

“Small. It’s usually just me and my two friends. You probably saw them, the really short guy and the kinda short guy.”

Willow picks out a plain black t-shirt. “Yeah, Jonathan and Andrew. I remember them. Are they your only friends?”

Tara averts her eyes. “Um, yeah.”

“I ask because I just have the two friends too.” She finds a black leather jacket.

Tara looks back up. “Yeah?”

“And I think just having two or even one is perfectly fine. It’s about the quality of the connection not about the number.”

Tara smiles, picking out a blue floral print shirt. “Yeah, I agree. But I’d have taken you to have more friends. Like goth friends.”

“I have acquaintances in this goth scene, but no true friends.”

“Do you want more goth friends?”

Willow locates a black skirt on the opposite rack. “I think so, but I’m not pushing it—just waiting to see what happens.” She circles around and presents her clothing finds. A short black skirt, a black t-shirt, and a black leather jacket. 

“Oh how cool,” Tara says. “I can totally see the goth in that.” She presents her own finds. 

“Nice, nice. I know you’ll look great in that. Let’s try our stuff on.”

They find the dressing rooms and proceed to try on their clothes. They come out. 

“Oh, that looks so good,” Tara says. Willow is a vision as always.

Willow steps forward. “I love that shirt! I think floral print is so pretty.”

“Thanks. So do I. Obviously.” She tucks her hair behind her ear. “So—how long have you been doing the goth thing now? I remember when you were a redhead.”

“Three years. Feels like I always have been though.”

“Yeah. It’s hard to picture you any other way now. And I like the way you are now.”

“Not a lot of people do so I appreciate that.”

They share a smile.

“So where to next?” Tara asks. 

“How about West Coast Video?” Willow suggests.

“Sure.”

They change back into their clothes and put their picks back on the rack. They move on to the video store a few shops down. 

“So what kind of movies do you like?” Tara asks as they peruse the aisles. 

“Oh, I like comedy, sci-fi, horror.”

Tara’s eyebrows quirk up. “Really? Those are my favorite genres too.”

“Oh wow. And I’d say horror especially.”

“My favorite horror movies are Black Christmas and Suspiria.” Though with Suspiria she wishes there were more positive portrayals of witchcraft in popular culture. 

“Great picks. I love Suspiria. And the soundtrack, oh man. I also love Halloween and The Omen.” They reach the horror section.

Tara holds up A Nightmare on Elm Street. “How do you feel about Freddy Krueger?” 

“He’s a bad, bad man.”

“Yes, he is the worst. I think the movie was trying to tell us that though.”

“Nah, it’s all pro-Freddy.” She giggles, such a beautiful sound. 
 
Tara picks up a movie. “Have you seen Motel Hell?”

“No, I haven’t. I need to.”

“I thought it was pretty good. I kinda like cannibalism stuff if I’m being totally honest.”

“Yeah no, the eating of people. Don’t do it in real life but love it in the movies. I totally get that. I love me some Texas Chainsaw Massacre.”

“Right. Yeah.”

Willow glances away. “So maybe you think—we could watch Motel Hell? Like together as two people who watch movies together?”

Tara grins. “I’d like that.”

Oh my god!

Tara feels like doing a little dance. Maybe she would hug Andrew before killing him.

After they scan the movie store they stop outside it and look in both directions.

“How about there?” Willow says, pointing to the store on their right.

“Victoria’s Secret, sure. I never wear fancy undergarments.” 

This makes Tara anxious. Are they going to try on lingerie? For each other? Tara blushes at the mere thought.

“I never wear lingerie,” Willow says. “Like never in my life. The most I’ve done is a lacy bra and that felt fancy.”

“Surprising, when I’d consider you to have fancy clothes.”

“That’s my outside, lingerie is my inside.”

Tara furrows her brow and Willow adds, “That was utter nonsense, wasn’t it?”

Tara laughs. “Yeah.”

Willow laughs too. “Ugh, I’m a fountain of nonsense!”

“I like nonsense. It’s refreshing. It’s not trying to be something it’s not.”

“Then we have a bright happy future ahead of us.” She looks to the store. “Come on, I wanna try on something sexy.”

Tara’s heart skips a beat. 

They proceed into the store and find the light switch, then a rack of lingerie. Tara goes toward the less bold colors. She’s not sure she could wear bright red anything. She doesn’t like to stand out. 

But Willow picks a bright red lacy piece with multiple straps going across the stomach and a garter. 

“I’m gonna try on this one,” Willow says. 

Tara gulps. “Nice. I was thinking this one.” She holds out a pastel pink one with flowers on the breast and a see-through skirt around the midsection. 

“Cool. I’ll see you in the dressing room.”

They go to the dressing rooms and Tara starts stripping off her clothes. She feels clammy all over as she stares at the sexy piece. It’s so not her. But she is dying to see Willow in hers so she bites the bullet and manages to wrangle herself into it.

She stares at herself in the mirror. Wow cleavage! She never shows any. She hardly ever shows any skin. She prefers to be covered up so it feels strange to be wearing clothes but not really wearing clothes. 

“I’m ready!” Willow calls from outside. 

A mixture of excitement and dread claims her system.

Tara looks at herself again and takes a deep breath before creeping out of the booth.

Willow stands idle and Tara’s breath catches in her throat. She’s gorgeous. Beautiful. Sexy. The curve of her breasts and hips are just begging for Tara to sink her hands into them.

Willow’s face lights up at the sight of her. “Look at you! You look amazing.”

Tara instinctively crosses her arms. “I feel so... exposed.”

Willow takes a few steps closer. “Sometimes being exposed is good. Being vulnerable.” Tara smiles shyly. “I for one would love to see your vulnerable side.”

“I—I got baggage. Mainly family baggage.” And closeted lesbian baggage. “I feel like it scares people away.”

“I wouldn’t be scared away. I don’t believe in running from people when they show you they’re human.”

Tara smiles wide. That statement pierces her heart and makes it glow. “I like that. That’s a good way to put it. And I’m the same way. I don’t run from people’s humanity.”

“Well, you can tell me about your baggage. I won’t bite.”

I wish you would. 

Tara’s kneejerk reaction takes her aback.

“Well, there’s one thing,” Tara begins, “and I think you’ll understand.”

Willow’s brow raises. “Yeah?”

“It’s something I’ve been dealing with a long time. Only two people know. One who’s the same as me, which I’m grateful for believe me, but they’re not exactly like me, so I still feel lonely about it sometimes. I just wish the greater world was as accepting as you.”

“I know what you mean. The way everyone would react makes you feel so hated for something you can’t control.”

“Yeah. Definitely.”

Willow grips Tara’s wrist. Tara feels fire where their skin meets. Willow leans in. “You can tell me.”

Tara leans in too, her heart flip-flopping in her chest. “I think you already know.”

“You don’t have to tell me, you can just show me.” Her voice is soft as petals.

They continue leaning in, pausing briefly as their parted lips are a hair's breadth away. Their mouths brush together, this is Tara’s first kiss ever. So she lets Willow guide their movements, repeating every stroke and nibble. She melts into her, feeling like she might just envelop her whole—and she would let Willow do it. 

Willow moves her hand from Tara’s wrist to the small of her back. Tara moves a hand to Willow’s shoulder blades. They continue kissing until a bright pulse escapes them on the floor where they stand. They jerk apart.

Magic.

“W—what was that?” Willow asks.

Oh no. How would Tara explain this? But wait, a magical energy burst wouldn’t happen unless they both have power. 

“You?” Willow questions.

“You?” Tara also questions.

“Yes.” 

“You’re a witch,” they both say in tandem.

They smile. 

“That’s awesome!” Willow says.

“We’re dykes and witches.” 

“That’s why we’re so cool.” She gestures to her mouth. “You got um...” 

Tara looks at her reflection in the nearby mirror. Willow’s lipstick is all over her mouth. “I think it’s a good look for me.” She wipes her mouth.

“So do I.” She looks in the mirror as well. “And I got it too.” She wipes her mouth also.

“Yeah, but there’s something you should know.” She deflates. “The reason w—we’re here is because I think Andrew and probably Jonathan cast a spell trapping you here with me because I was too scared to approach you. I’m really sorry for all this it wasn’t my idea and I’d never support it.”

Willow shrugs. “I had the inkling it was magical. Too many bizarre happenings. And I actually think it’s nice of them to want you to talk to me so bad they use magic. Not that it’s good per se but that their hearts are in the right place.” 

“Yeah. I guess so.”

“And this night has been awesome, hasn’t it.”

Tara smiles. “It really has.”

“Well, now we can try to use magic to jimmy our way outta here.”

They get dressed and start back out to the front doors. 

“Do you know any spells to get us out?” Willow asks.

“I think so.”

They discuss what spells might work.

They reach the doors and join hands, which makes Tara tingle. They repeat an incantation. Tara feels the raw power Willow possesses and it impresses her. She wants to do more spells with her. 

They finish the spell and Tara pushes open the door. 

“Success!” Willow says, clapping her hands. 

“Now we can finally go home,” Tara says. 

Willow smirks. “Not before I give you my number.”

***

“So you didn’t get us anything,” Andrew says over the phone.

When Tara got home she found out her parents had believed she was staying at Andrew’s house overnight. And yes, he had gotten Jonathan’s help in the multiple spells it took to pull that stunt off.

“No, I did not rob the mall,” Tara says, softly because she is in the kitchen and doesn’t want anyone overhearing. “What you did was wrong and I wasn’t about to make it more wrong.”

“I think you’re grateful.”

“Partially. But that has to be the last time you do something like that.”

“Okay, sure. I swear.”

A lie.

After Tara gets off the phone with Andrew, she wishes to call Willow. But no—that would be desperate. Tomorrow.

The phone rings. Her father answers it. 

“Tara, you have a phone call, someone named Willow.” 

Notes:

Honestly I may write more of this if I get any more fun ideas like for spells or monsters. I think it's a fun little verse.