A few days passed, and as the competition loomed over her, Buffy began to freak out, very stressed and worried about losing to Spike.
“The battle’s tomorrow,” Buffy said, looking around the kitchen of Joyce’s Pastry Shop. “And I don’t think my weapons are good enough.”
“You’ll do awesome,” Willow said, leaning against a counter. “We’ve been working our butts off until sunset every night, and you perfected your peanut butter and chocolate chip cookies.”
“Yeah, those were good,” Anya said, staring at one that was sitting in a display case. “Very, very good.”
“Go ahead and eat it,” Buffy said, smiling a little, and Anya grinned, grabbing it and biting into it with an excited look on her face. “Dork.”
“It’s a perk of working at a place like this,” Anya said, shrugging. “I can’t wait until this whole mess is over.”
“Right there with you, scooter,” Willow agreed, pulling her hair into a ponytail. “I could use a week off.”
“Me too,” Buffy said, double-checking that everything in the refrigerators looked alright. “Thank you both so much for helping me. I don’t know what I’d do without you two.”
“Lose?” Anya offered, and Buffy smiled, shrugging. “Who else wants to go out for a drink?”
“I’d love to,” Buffy said, and Willow nodded. “Let’s go, then.” They closed up the shop and walked down the street, going inside The Little Green Tavern, a bar owned by a family friend of Buffy’s named Rupert Giles.
After sitting down at a table and ordering drinks, they began talking amongst themselves when Buffy noticed Willow frown, looking across the room and focusing on something. Buffy followed her gaze and scowled when she saw Spike and one of his friends playing pool.
“Why does he have to be here?” she asked, narrowing her eyes at him. “Shouldn’t he be at his restaurant or something?”
“Maybe he needs to unwind, too,” Anya suggested, looking at his friend. “His name was Xander, right?” Willow nodded, drinking some of her soda. “He’s pretty good-looking.”
“Don’t you dare like a guy who’s friends with a man like Spike,” Buffy chided. “That won’t lead to anything good.”
“He seemed pretty nice,” Anya replied, shrugging. “He was polite and has a charming smile.”
“Those are the ones you have to watch out for,” Willow said. “They might be overcompensating for something.”
“So what if he is? He could be a Viking in the sack,” Anya said, giggling, and Buffy shook her head, sighing.
“Do you ever think before you talk?” she asked, smiling when Anya shot her a pointed look. “You’re just very honest about what you say.”
“Well, they say honesty is the best policy,” Anya said, standing up. “I think I’m going to have a word with him.”
“Conversing with the enemy? Are you insane?” Buffy hissed. “If you go over there, I’m not paying you for a month.”
“Money or sex- which sounds better?” Anya asked with a pensive expression on her face. “I think I’ve got enough in my savings for a month, so I’m voting sex.” She walked away while Buffy’s jaw dropped in anger.
“You’ve got to be kidding me!” she said in a low tone. “I’m going to kill her when the competition is over.”
“It’s not like she’s going to tell them any of your secret recipes or anything,” Willow said, finishing her drink. “I really wouldn’t worry.”
“Doesn’t matter,” Buffy said, looking into her glass. “It’s the principle of the matter.”
“Let’s just have a good night, okay?” Willow asked, and Buffy nodded before looking at Anya, now talking and laughing with Xander as Spike took a shot, making it, before looking at Buffy.
‘Why’s he looking at me?’ she asked herself, confused. ‘I don’t like the way his eyes are traveling up and down my body- it’s creepy.’ He smiled at her before taking another shot. She quickly ducked her head before finishing her soda and standing up.
“Time for a refill,” she said. “Want one, too?” Willow shook her head and raised an eyebrow when she noticed a slight blush in her friend’s cheeks. “Be right back.”
Buffy headed over to the bar and sat down on a stool, placing her order and waiting for it. When she saw someone sit beside her out of the corner of her eye, she turned her head and frowned, realizing who it was.
“Hello, luv.”
* * * * *
“What are you doing?” she asked in an even tone, raising an eyebrow when Spike grinned at her.
“Trying to have a polite conversation with you,” he answered, ordering himself another beer. “It’s what people do in civilized cultures.”
“You don’t seem all that civilized to me,” she said, tapping her fingers on the bar as she impatiently waited for her order.
“What’s got you so huffy… Buffy?” he asked, chuckling. “That rhymed!”
“Congratulations for passing first grade,” she said, tilting her head as she looked at him. “Go away, Spike.”
“And miss the opportunity to talk to my favorite competitor?” he asked, smirking. “I don’t think so.”
“You’ll see me tomorrow when I kick your ass and win,” she said, smiling gratefully at the bartender when he put her glass of beer down in front of her. “Thanks.”
“You don’t strike me as a beer girl,” he said, surprised. “I would’ve thought you’d order a fruity concoction or something. You know, a girly drink.”
“I felt like something different,” she replied, standing up. “Besides, don’t want to drink too much tonight and end up with a hangover tomorrow.”
“Yeah, that wouldn’t be too good,” he said before shrugging. “Well, it wouldn’t be good for you, but it would increase my chances of sending you to second place.”
“In your dreams, Billy,” she said, turning around and walking away, returning to the table Willow was sitting at.
“Did I just see you talking to Spike?” the redhead asked, and Buffy nodded, looking down. “How’d that go?”
“How do you think it went?” Buffy asked sternly before drinking some of her beer. “I can’t wait to knock him down a notch or two.”
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Author's Chapter Notes:
Thank you to everyone who read and reviewed chapter 3- you all are so sweet and have definitely inspired me to keep writing this fic:) I hope you enjoy this chapter, and the competition starts in the next one!