Buffy sat on her bed early Sunday morning, reflecting on the evening before. It had been fun. Willow had called early enough to get them a large table where everyone, dubbed the Scoobies for some odd reason, had assembled.
Buffy had enjoyed the apple martini Anya had snuck in for her as a present, which had given her a slight buzz. Willow and Xander had made a little impromptu ‘plaque’ that consisted of a piece of paper decorated with glitter and magic markers declaring Buffy “The Best Female Runner”, in respect for Wesley.
She’d laughed at the gifts, whole-heartedly enjoying herself. A short while later, Riley had joined them, looking like the nice guy he was and politely engaged in conversation with her friends.
It had been slightly awkward, but Buffy was happy no one was outwardly annoyed by anyone. So, all in all, it’d been a fun night, a good one.
And then as Riley had walked her home, he kissed her cheek like a gentleman and asked to take her out again, which Buffy happily agreed to.
Now, sitting on her bed and staring up at the ceiling, Buffy felt…content. It was a certain feeling she hadn’t had in a long while and she never knew how much she’d missed it. With all the things she’d done with Faith…followed by…God, she couldn’t even think of his name. It hurt too much.
Buffy wondered if it would always feel that way, a punch in the stomach and break in her heart.
*************
“Why not, Spikey?” Harmony pouted, crossing her arms over her ample chest.
“Because, Harm, we’re not together anymore,” Spike explained as patiently as he could.
He had been walking towards his locker before school, when an arm reached out and yanked him into the supply closet. Instantly, full lips pressed against his, the doorknob digging into his back.
It had been Harmony and she had conveniently forgotten all about their ‘break-up’ only a few days before.
Spike stared down at her confused face, trying to find away to, once again, kindly reject her. She reached out, running her hand down his shirtfront, playing with the buttons.
“That doesn’t mean we can’t still…” Harmony trailed off, giving him a suggestive look.
Spike gently pushed her hands away from his shirt, straightening it out. “No Harm, we can’t.”
For a moment, Harmony looked stupefied, before frowning, clearly annoyed. “God, you were actually serious!” Her voice once again hit a high pitched squeal. “You really don’t want me?”
“Harm-“
She cut Spike off quickly, pushing him away from the door where he was blocking her exit. “I can’t believe you!” She stopped, meeting his eyes with her now-cold blue ones. “Is this about that Muffy girl? I’m not blind, you know. You keep…looking at her.”
Spikes stood there mouth agape. “For God’s sakes, she’s nearly my bloody stepsister.”
Harmony’s nose scrunched up in distaste. “Ew! You like your sister?” She swung the door open, stomping out. “That’s just gross!”
Spike exhaled loudly, ready to do some damage control, but Harmony had already disappeared into the crowd, no doubt to find Cordelia and blab all about their confrontation.
And sure enough, not more than two hours later, Spike was walking down the hallway when he felt a presence by his side. He turned to see the Queen C herself walking besides him.
“You,” Spike muttered.
“Me,” Cordelia confirmed, tossing back her silky dark hair. “So what’s going on with you and Harm?”
“I broke up with her,” he replied, “but she’s obviously deluding herself into thinking we haven’t.”
Cordelia rolled her eyes. “Please, Harmony knows you broke up, she’s just jealous.”
“Jealous?” Spike couldn’t help but laugh. “Of what?”
Cordelia’s nose crinkled. “Some girl named Muffy who’s living in your house. Sounds like a dog’s name to me.”
It was Spike’s turn to roll his eyes. “Her name is Buffy. She’s Joyce’s bloody daughter and I have no soddin’ interest in her,” he spit out, thoroughly annoyed. Why did everyone think he liked Buffy?
“Whatever,” Cordelia responded as Spike stopped outside of his classroom. “All I know is…wait, did you say Buffy?”
Spike nodded slowly. “Yeah, Buffy Summers. What of it?”
Cordelia frowned, looking over his shoulder. For a moment a flicker of recognition flashed across her face before returning to her normal snobbish one. “Nothing. Just thought I’d heard of her.”
Spike just shrugged absently, not really paying attention to the brunette. “Maybe, we don’t get a lot of new students here.”
Cordelia shook her head, clearing her thoughts. “Anyway, know that Harm’s totally bitching about you right now. So, my suggestion? Run.”
“Gee, thanks,” Spike said sarcastically.
“Welcome,” Cordelia responded, blissfully ignorant of his sarcasm. “Gotta go. I’m getting jittery just looking at your so in need of a manicure black nails.”
Spike watched the brunette saunter off, her head held high as Parker Abrams-the git-slung an arm around her. He would never admit it in a million years, but Cordelia wasn’t half-bad. She may be a bitch, but she was far classier than Parker, Mr. Non-Monogamy. Spike wondered what she saw in him.
“Mr. Giles, are you planning on attending class today or standing out in the hall?” Mr. Tollhouse called out dryly.
“I’m coming, keep your bloody pants on,” Spike muttered, stepping into the classroom and slumping in his seat. A few students snickered at his comment.
The teacher glared down at Spike, his beady gray eyes narrowed. “That’s another detention, Mr. Giles and I suggest you keep your profanity to yourself.”
Joy, Spike thought sardonically.
*******
“…And then, the man took out his gun and ‘bam!’ shot the other guy!” Willow exclaimed excitedly. Her eyes were bright and she had a goofy smile on her face.
“Take a breather, Wills,” Xander advised, popping a fry into his mouth. “The real question is did he take advantage of you?”
Willow rolled her eyes. “No. He was perfect gentleman, Xander Harris.”
Buffy smiled at the exchange. “Well, I’m happy for you Willow. Oz seems really cool and nice.”
Willow’s smile turned dreamy. “He has cool hair.”
Buffy, Anya and Fred snickered at the redhead. Willow had spent nearly the whole lunch period dissecting her first date with Oz, which turned out to be a complete success.
“Oh!” Willow sat up straight, her eyes wide. “And he let me have all of the red Sour Patch Kids. He said they were his favorite.”
A tray clattered and everyone turned to see Tara clumsily standing up, her light brown hair half-covering her face. “I-I gotta go. Studying,” she said quickly and ran off, clutching her tray tightly to her chest.
Willow frowned, watching her friend go. “I wonder what’s wrong.”
Buffy shrugged, her eyes also following Tara. “Maybe she forgot something,” she offered lamely.
“Yeah. I guess.” Willow’s response was hesitant.
“So,” Anya said, drawing everyone back, “what was Oz wearing?”
Xander groaned loudly. “Good god, Ahn, did you have to ask?”
Willow looked stricken. “I didn’t tell you about what he was wearing?” The horror prompted her into another lengthily description of seemingly every thread of Oz’s outfit.
Buffy couldn’t help the small grin playing on the corner of her mouth. Willow’s excitement was infectious and it led Buffy to her own thoughts about Riley. His most notable feature was his gentlemanly ways, how he opened the door for her and didn’t push his advances like trying to kiss her on the lips or make out with her neck unlike other guys she’d gone out with.
Her eyes slid across the lunchroom and finally rested on Spike who was sitting with Gunn and Wesley, though it looked like Wes was spending most of his time staring at Fred with a besotted expression and cleaning his glasses in a Giles-like way.
Spike looked a little unhappy and soon Buffy could see why. Harmony was rapidly approaching the table, a determined look on her face. For a few moments words were exchanged and the annoyance on Spike’s face deepened.
Harmony suddenly straightened and spun her head in Buffy’s direction, glaring daggers at her before returning her gaze to Spike and then, humiliatingly enough, pointed at her while talking to Spike loudly.
Gunn and Wesley looked uncomfortable yet curious while the few other guys and girl with long curly brown hair watched with undeniable interest.
“Harm! That’s enough!” Spike shouted, catching the attention of most of the lunch room.
Willow had now stopped talking, turning to see what was happening.
Harmony was saying something low and Spike’s jaw was clearly clenching and unclenching. Finally, the blonde girl spun on her heel and stalked off looking hurt and confused.
Spike visibly let out a sigh of relief and he glanced up, meeting Buffy’s eyes. She blinked in surprise at the strange emotion, one she couldn’t exactly put a finger on. In fact, it seemed more like a collage of feelings reflecting in his ocean-colored eyes.
Buffy tore her eyes away from their locked gaze and looked down at her plate, feeling a zing shoot down from her heart to stomach, sending both flip-flopping.
Weird, she thought and cleared her throat as she sipped her drink.
**********
After school, Spike walked towards his car, grateful cross-country practice had been canceled. He glanced down, fishing through his deep pocket for his keys.
“There the buggers are,” he muttered and glanced up to see Buffy leaning against his car, her long golden legs crossed, sunglasses perched on her nose blocking her eyes from his.
Right, he remembered quickly, girls’ cross-country practice was canceled as well.
“Hey Summers,” Spike greeted, unlocking the door.
Buffy took her sweet time sliding in and breathed in deeply. “God, I love these days. It’s still warm but not overbearingly, ice-cream melting hot.”
Spike smirked a little at her analogy. “Yeah. It’s nice,” he added lamely. As he started the car, Buffy turned to face him, pulling her sunglasses off.
“So what was up with you and Harmony at lunch?” She inquired casually.
Spike shrugged. “She was just pissed about something.” He didn’t elaborate and Buffy didn’t ask again. Spike wasn’t sure what that moment was when their eyes had met, but he wasn’t gonna push it, especially with Harmony’s accusation ringing in his mind.
“Oz and Willow went out a date last night. She had fun,” Buffy gave him a look that clearly said, ‘tell me what Oz mentioned.’
Oz wasn’t much of talker and his one-liners or even one-worders could suffice for a whole conversation, but he’d been surprisingly chatty earlier that day-at least for Oz, which meant an actually complete sentence or two.
“He had fun,” Spike summarized, though it sounded a lot like Oz’s actual words.
“Good,” Buffy said, a small smile gracing her lips. “Willow really likes him.” She looked off into the distance and Spike could see her face was suddenly troubled.
“Somethin’ wrong?” Spike asked courteously. He did kinda want to know, but he didn’t want to sound that interested.
“Oh,” Buffy shook her head, “I was just remembering…my…friend’s birthday is this weekend on Saturday.”
“Where is she?” Spike asked as he turned onto Revello Drive.
“He. And he’s in LA,” Buffy’s word were halted, unsure.
“You goin’ up?” Spike asked, glancing at her quickly. Buffy’s face was drawn and her eyes seemed so far away.
“I don’t know, I don’t really have a ride,” Buffy answered and stopped, looking around the car. It didn’t even occur to her to ask Spike to drive her; she just assumed he’d say no. Well, it was worth a shot.
“Spike-“ She began but Spike cut her off with a sharp no.
“No what? You don’t even know what I was going to say,” Buffy responded irritably.
“No, I’m not going to drive you four bloody hours to visit your soddin’ boy toy,” Spike snapped as he pulled into the driveway.
Buffy scoffed, grabbing her bag. “I never said he was boyfriend.”
“You didn’t have to,” Spike countered, yanking his door open. “I’m busy. I’m not driving you.”
Buffy glared at him. “Like I’d ask you, asshole.”
“Good thing then,” Spike snarled and stomped into the house, Buffy following her eyes narrowed and she was seething with anger. Why was he being so rude about it? And what had ever possessed her to think she could actually ask Spike something as important as driving her to LA for his birthday?
Spike slammed the door of his room, making sure Buffy could feel the rattle. He threw his bag across the room and let out a mix between a strangled scream and growl. What was he so pissed about? And why did he care so much that the bint had some bloke in LA. Of course she did, she was pretty, annoying but pretty. Surely some football jock was waiting for her.
But only one thought repeated in Spike’s mind: Why did he care?
A/N: Once again, in case some missed the author's note above: for next two weeks updates will be spotty-sorry. Thanks for being understanding.