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As the days passed, both Buffy and Spike didn’t let up when it came to publicly belittling one another and spreading more lies. As far as Buffy was concerned, she was finally able to get back at him for being such a jerk to her years ago, along with completely breaking her heart.

Cordelia and Willow spent one afternoon polling their classmates, trying to see who was liked more, Buffy or Spike. Buffy was more than thrilled to see that she was in the lead, although not by much.

“So if you keep on going like you have been and don’t mess up at all-” Cordy began to say.

“And don’t allow Spike to keep spreading rumors about you,” Willow added, cutting in.

“You should win, Buffy,” Cordelia said, smiling. “I think the chances are very high right now.”

“Good,” Buffy smiled, relieved. “Are any of Spike’s contenders close to him, percentage-wise?”

“A couple of them are, yes,” Willow answered, looking at the chart she made to compare everyone’s statistics that were running for Homecoming Court. “The next closest is Riley Finn, with a 35% rating.”

“What is Spike’s?” Buffy asked curiously, looking at Willow’s chart.

“Spike has a 40% rating,” Willow said. “And you, my dear, have 49% of the votes for Homecoming Queen.”

“Who’s below me?” Buffy asked, and Willow sighed.

“Harmony Kendall,” she answered. “She has 39% of the votes.” Buffy raised an eyebrow.

“So Harmony could potentially keep me from being crowned?” she asked, and Willow nodded. “Should I maybe start campaigning against her, too? I mean, Spike’s not my competition when it comes to being crowned Queen.”

“I have complete confidence in you,” Cordelia replied. “Stop worrying about it- you’re going to win.”

* * *

“I’m actually getting worried about this,” Spike said as he ran a hand over his face, frustrated. “If Finn beats me, I’m screwed.” Wes looked at his cousin and took a deep breath.

“Maybe you should figure out another way to win votes,” he suggested. “It wouldn’t hurt.”

“This was all a very bad idea,” Spike replied. “Sounded good in the beginning, but not so much anymore.”

“Give it time, man,” Lindsey said, following Spike and Wes outside after school. “Besides, Homecoming isn’t that far away. You’ve got a week to prove people wrong about you.”

“Good point,” Spike said, nodding. “I’m not letting this stupid bet ruin my weekend. What’re we doing tonight?”

“I was thinking of going to the Bronze,” Gunn said, catching up to his friends. “I think we could all use some fun.”

“Yeah, and a flask of Jack Daniels,” Spike replied, unlocking his car doors. “Eight o’clock sound good?”

“See you there,” Gunn said before he walked away with Lindsey. Wes and Spike got in his car, and before he started the engine, he saw Buffy exiting the school with Willow and Cordelia beside her.

“You really are worried, aren’t you?” Wes asked, and Spike nodded. “Do you really believe that if she wins, you’re not equally as popular as she is?”

“It has nothing to do with popularity anymore,” Spike replied. “This is my way of proving to her that I’m better.”

“And do you really think that’ll get you in her good graces again?” Wes asked, raising an eyebrow.

“What the bloody hell are you talking about?” Spike asked sternly.

“I’ve seen you look at her, Spike, and I’m not as daft as you think,” Wes replied. “You can deny it as much as you want, but no matter what has transpired between you two in the past, you still love her.”

“I…shut up, you berk,” Spike replied, starting the engine and clenching his jaw as his cousin chuckled. “So what if I do? I spent a good portion of my young life head-over-heels in love with her, so I don’t see why I can’t still love her a smidgeon.”

“You’re lying to yourself if you think it’s only ‘a smidgeon’,” Wes said, rolling down his window. “But if you really do still have feelings for her, you’d stop this bet before it blows up in your face, William.” Spike raised an eyebrow as he looked at Wes, surprised by the formality of his tone. “Now stop looking at me like that and take me home.” Spike laughed slightly and sped off, beginning to wonder if maybe both Rupert and Wes were right.

‘I already tried to get the ball rolling for us to break off the bet, but she didn’t catch on,’ he thought. ‘Looks like I’m going to have another go at fixing things.’

* * *

Buffy walked out her back door around 7:45 and was surprised to see Spike leaving his house, also. The two looked at each other and stopped walking.

“Hi,” she said quietly, looking down when she saw him appraising her outfit.

“You going out somewhere?” he asked, pulling out his pack of cigarettes, taking one out and lighting it.

“I’m supposed to meet my friends at the Bronze,” she answered, looking at him. “You?”

“Same,” he said, opening his car door. “Want a ride?” She raised an eyebrow, shocked. “I don’t have all bloody night, luv. I’ve still got to get Wes.”

“Umm, okay,” she said, walking over to his car. “You’re not going to purposely crash or anything, are you?” He looked at her with a bemused expression. “Well, not on your side, of course, because you want to live, but you’re not going to smash into a tree on the passenger side, are you?”

“Get in the car, Buffy,” he replied, and she quickly obeyed him, catching the irritation in his voice.

Once they were seated inside and the car had been started, she looked at him, noticing that his jaw was clenched.

“Alright, what’s got you pissed off now?” she asked, crossing her arms.

“You really think I’d do that to you?” he asked, looking at her. “Try to kill you?”

“I was kind of joking before,” she answered, confused by how he was acting. “I don’t think you’d actually kill me, Spike.” She paused. “Well, probably not.”

“I wouldn’t hurt you,” he said, looking outside, and she scoffed. “What?”

“It’s funny you say that because you did hurt me,” she said, trying not to become too angry.

“Things were different then,” he said, looking at her. “I was a wanker- I admit it. And I think I’ve apologized enough for one lifetime, don’t you think?”

“After what you’ve put me through, I don’t know if that’s even possible,” she said, looking down.

“I’m sorry I’m a bastard,” he replied sternly. “I’m sorry that I’ve treated you so horribly over the last few years. You deserve someone better than me, Buffy- we both know that. I wish things had been different, and I made a stupid mistake years ago, one that I will probably hate myself for until the day I die.” She looked at him, surprised by his words. “I don’t deserve you, pet, and I don’t think I ever really did. But I’ll be damned if I’m going to keep fighting you over pointless stuff because it’s not worth it. I care about you still, and frankly, seeing you hurting sometimes isn’t as much fun as I pretend it is.”

“Why are you saying all of this?” she asked, looking away before he could see how watery her eyes had become.

“Because it’s our senior year, and within the year, we’re graduating and going off to college, and it’s possible I may never see you again,” he said, shrugging. “I couldn’t live with myself knowing that I didn’t at least talk to you about this while I had a chance. It’d probably eat me up inside.”

“And you don’t think you deserve that kind damage?” she asked quietly, looking out the window.

“I know I deserve it,” he replied. “But I guess a part of me is hoping that you’ll find something deep inside of you that will at least let me try and make things up to you.”

“Is this your way of offering me an olive branch?” she asked, and he sighed.

“I don’t know what it is,” he mumbled, backing out of the driveway. “Disregard everything I’ve said tonight. It’s probably better for us both if you do.” She looked at him sadly.

“I don’t think I can,” she said, and he looked at her, seeing the conflicting emotions she was battling in her eyes.

“So where does this leave us, then?” he asked, saddened by the fact that she was obviously hurting once again.

“I don’t know,” she answered, looking down and wiping off the corners of her eyes.

“Can we try being civil at least?” he asked, and she smiled softly.

“How do you propose doing that when we’ve got one hell of a bet going?” she asked, looking at him. “One that I’m going to win.” He smiled slightly.

“Fat chance, sweetheart,” he said, driving towards his aunt and uncle’s house for Wesley.





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