Buffy searched the crowded hallway of students into she found Willow in the lounge. She walked up to the table Willow was doing her homework at.

"Hey, Willow."

"Hey, Buffy. You're not going to believe what I just found out."

"What is it?" Buffy said, sitting down. Like most other girls, she couldn't resist juicy gossip.

"You won't believe it. Xander and Cordelia," Willow answered. "They're back together."

"I don't believe it," Buffy said, frowning a little.

"What is it about those two?" Willow asked.

"What is it about Cordelia?" Buffy rebutted. "Let's see... She broke up with him just two days ago, on Valentine's day no less, because he was beneath her, and now all of a sudden she's back with him again?"

"It does seem strange," Willow offered, opening up a can of Diet Coke.

"Cordelia seems strange. One moment she's a part of our group, the next moment she's pulls herself out. You'd think she would make up her mind as to what she really wants." Buffy began to fiddle around with one of her smaller stakes, then realized how embarrassed it would be if she had to explain it to anyone, so she put it away.

"Well, Cordelia has helped us out a lot," Willow added, then taking a sip of her drink. "She helped Xander kill that bug-man bounty hunter, not to mention she helped me and Xander discover the truth about Ted, you know, that serial-killer robot that your mom was on the verge of marrying."

"Don't remind me," Buffy winced. She still felt a little haunted by that particular memory.

"Sorry," Willow said, "but Cordelia and I are actually friends now." Willow stopped herself. "Did I say friends? I mean aquaintances. Well, actually, I think we... you might say we... I guess maybe we are friends. Gee, I never thought I'd say that in a million years."

"Neither did I," Buffy smiled.

"What about you, Buffy?" Willow asked. "I mean you and Cordelia? Could you say that the two of you are... friends?"

Buffy leaned forward onto the table. "Don't get me wrong. Cordelia and I have gotten along fine the past several months. I've never had a problem with her tagging along on our adventures, but the two of us have never really been... friends. Aquaintences maybe, but not friends."

Willow took another sip of her drink. "Out of all of us, I would've figured that you would've gotten closer to Cordelia a lot faster than either Xander or I would've. I mean, you did save her life from the Invisible Stalking Girl, and then you helped save her life again when those student surgeons wanted to chop her head off. Remember that?"

"Oh, yeah. But still, the two of us have just never been all that... close. In a way, it still sometimes feels like we're rivals. Have you seen Xander?"

"No," Willow said, quickly looking away. "I'm not talking to him right now... ever since he cast that... spell..."

Buffy nodded. "Ah, yes. The little adventure that got me turned into a rat. I probably would've killed Xander myself if I didn't love him so much." Willow raised her eyebrows slightly. Buffy continued on. "Maybe I should have a talk with Cordelia sometime. Ask exactly what the deal is with Xander." She then stood up.

"Buffy," Willow started. "Don't take this the wrong way, but you wouldn't be taking such an interest in Xander and Cordelia because... you're... you're... well... maybe..."

"What?" Buffy asked.

Willow looked away. "Oh, nothing. I'll see you later."

"Okay. Bye."

Buffy walked off. Willow watched her intently until she disappeared.

* * *

Buffy didn't see Cordelia at all that day. She did run into Xander, who told her how Cordelia rejected all her friends just to be with him. Of course, Cordelia figured they would eventually accept her back with open arms. Buffy felt even more confused about Cordelia when she heard all this.

The next day, she stayed afterschool to practice combat with Giles. After beating him up thoroughly, she was at her locker when she saw Cordelia walking in her direction. Apparently, she had just finished up with cheerleading practice.

"Hey, Ms. Save The World," Cordelia said, not in a nasty way, but not in a super-friendly way either.

"Cordelia," Buffy walked up to her. "Can we talk?"

"Sure," Cordelia said. "My friends still aren't talking to me yet, so how much lower can I go?"

"That's what I've never understood about you, Cordelia."

Cordelia leaned her right side against a locker. "What do you mean?"

"Your attitude," Buffy answered. "You hang out with me, Xander, and Willow as if we're friends, but whenever we go public you still treat us like we're the enemy."

"So are you saying that we're not friends?"

Buffy looked at her. "Well, sometimes I'm not sure what we are. It just seems like I can never figure out where you're coming from. I've never understood that about you."

"No, you don't understand, do you?"

Cordelia turned and took a few steps down the hallway, folding her arms.

"No," Buffy said, watching her. "I guess not."

"I guess I... maybe I'm... Okay, maybe I'm a little... jealous."

Buffy's eyes widened. "Jealous?"

Cordelia turned around and met her gaze.

"I watch all of you together... You, Willow, Xander, Giles. I see how close you all are... even though you're the social equivalent of a leper colony. Sometimes I wish... I had that. God, I'm turning into such a loser."

"What about Harmony and those other people you hang with?" Buffy asked.

"It's like I told you before when I was being stalked by the invisible psycho girl, remember? I often wonder if those people really like me... or if they're just trying to latch onto my social status. Not to mention, they can be pretty boring a lot of the time. All they seem to care about is who's dating who, what eye liner looks nice, shopping at the mall, finding a guy with a Mercedes. But you, Buffy... you're a hero. You've like saved the world."

"Well, you have helped me out on a few occasions."

"Yeah, I suppose. But it's not the same. You've got adventure, intrigue, mystique. At least your life's not boring." Cordelia looked away. "I guess I'm a little jealous... of you."

Buffy walked up to her. "Well... this is a revelation. Cordelia Chase... jealous of me."

"Please, don't blab it around. My social net worth has plummeted enough as it is."

Buffy folded her arms. "Well, to be perfectly honest, Cordelia, I think I've always been a little jealous of you."

Cordelia almost reeled backwards in shock. "What?"

"You've got just about everything I've always wanted. A normal life filled with lots of non-thoughts about nothing in particular. Only worrying about who's going to ask you out, what you're going to do Saturday night, what clothes you're going to where... That's what I've always wanted."

"Well," Cordelia said, "it's a bit overrated."

"Well," Buffy answered. "The undead stalking you at every turn, having to constantly risk your life, having to act like a total irresponsible buffoon in front of your mom and most of the other students just to protect your identity... Like you said, it's a bit overrated."

Cordelia looked at her. "I guess both our lives pretty much suck."

"Yeah," Buffy replied. "I guess they do. Looks like finding that middle-ground isn't easy. But, Cordelia, I still don't understand why you're always treating us the way you do."

"It's just my nature. And... maybe I worry that... none of you would accept me."

Buffy looked at her for a moment. "Well, on behalf of the whole gang, I'd like to offer you complete acceptance into our group. And I promise we won't let it get out."

Buffy extended her hand. Cordelia took it.

"Deal."

The two girls stared at each other for a long moment, absorbing the new insight each had gained. Each felt they understood the other a little better now, and that perhaps a real friendship had started to form.

"But don't expect me to start being super-nice to you," Cordelia smirked.

Buff smiled. "Wouldn't have it any other way. But it would be nice if we could finally stop acting like rivals all the time. And I don't ever want to see Xander get hurt again like he did on Valentine's Day. I care about him too much. He means a lot to me."

"I'm sure he does."

"I have to get going now. Maybe I'll see you on our next adventure... or hopefully on a more boring occasion."

"Yeah. Bye, Buffy," Cordelia waved.

Cordelia watched Buffy intently until she disappeared. She actually felt a lot better now. It looked like she and Buffy could actually become really close friends. Maybe. But there was something else. She leaned back against a locker and stared into space.

"I think I'm falling in love with Xander," she thought. "And that scares me. And why do I get the feeling, Buffy...

...that you are, too?"

Cordelia folded her arms. If her suspicions were correct, then she feared her rivalry with Buffy might not be over after all.

Rivals By John Dorsey Based on characters and situations created by Joss Whedon. Copyright 1998 by John Dorsey.