Buffy shifted on her feet while scanning the room nervously. She had never set foot in the Principal’s office before. She knew that Mr. Angelus had been there to speak with Dr. Marsters but she wasn’t as confident as the others in the group that it would make detention simply disappear. Riley squeezed her hand snapping her out of her thoughts.
“Don’t worry, Buff, I’m sure we’re about to get an apology,” Riley smirked.
Buffy was about to respond when she heard a dry chuckle.
“That so?” Dr. Marsters asked entering the room, his eyes drifting over Buffy before landing on Riley.
The room fell silent and Buffy took a deep breath. His calm, authoritative demeanor was not lost on any of them.
“Now, I believe we are here to discuss detention” Spike announced.
“Wasn’t my father here to see you today?” Angel asked, his voice no longer bold and confident.
“As a matter of fact, he was,” Dr. Marsters replied approaching the boy. “And I’ll tell you exactly what I told him. I run this school, not you and definitely not your rich daddy.” He poked his finger into Angel’s chest. “Got that, Peaches?”
The room erupted in sighs and half complaints that seemed to disappear when Dr. Marsters turned his attention back towards the group.
“Now, all of you are to report to Mr. Giles in the library, within 5 minutes after the final bell…with the exception of Ms. Summers.”
Buffy’s head snapped up, confused by being left out. She was about to ask why when she was cut off by Cordelia.
“Why doesn’t she have detention?” Cordelia huffed.
“Because, Ms. Chase, she is the only one who stayed to clean up the mess in the cafeteria,” Dr. Marsters replied.
“I can’t believe you told him!” Harmony scowled at Buffy.
“Actually, she didn’t. I came back to check on you and she was the only one still there. This isn’t her fault,” Dr. Marsters informed the whining blond. “Now, all of you, get back to class.”
Buffy watched as the group filed out of the office. She remained there, stunned and unsure of how to feel about what had just happened. She was thankful not to have detention, but now she was once again viewed as an outsider.
“Why did you do that?” she asked.
“You didn’t deserve detention, but consider this a warning, you follow that group and you’re going to find yourself in trouble,” Dr. Marsters said leaning back against his desk folding his arms across his chest.
Tears burned Buffy’s eyes. “Yeah, well, thanks a lot for ruining my life.”
Spike watched as the small blonde ran out of his office in tears. He kept watching the door for a long moment before cursing and running a hand through his hair. “Bloody teenagers.”
Buffy shuffled her feet as she watched the group exit the school. She didn’t miss the dirty looks that Cordelia and Harmony were sending her. As Riley approached she tried a sympathetic smile.
“Hey,” she said hoping he wasn’t still upset with her.
“Why are you here, to gloat?” Parker scoffed.
“No…” Buffy turned to Riley hoping he would stand up and defend her, but he simply walked by her toward his car.
Buffy ducked her head and followed behind him trying to keep the tears from spilling down her cheeks, she was determined not to let them see her cry.
“Man, we have to do something about this.” Angel growled tossing his backpack into his car.
“Yeah, but what?” Cordelia countered. “He isn’t intimidated by us or our parents.”
“Well, what now? Are we supposed to just go to class everyday?” Harmony pouted.
“He’ll be watching our every fucking move now,” Parker grunted kicking the trash can and sending its contents spilling all over the asphalt.
“Wait, that’s it!” The group turned towards Angel who wore an eerie smirk.
“Maybe we are going about this the wrong way, what if we aren’t the ones who mess up?” Angel raised an eyebrow.
“You mean wait for him to mess up?” Riley asked walking from his car to join the conversation.
“No, I mean we make him mess up,” Angel answered patting Riley on the back.
“How are we going to do that?” Cordelia inquired.
“Well, we just make him an offer that he just can’t refuse,” Angel responded trying his best to sound like a Mafioso.
Buffy rolled her eyes but walked back towards the group, following her boyfriend’s lead. “I doubt you can pay him off,” she interjected, immediately regretting it when all eyes were once again focused on her.
“I wasn’t talking about money, my dear,” Angel said walking over to Buffy and placing his arm around her shoulder.
Buffy could feel the bile rise in her stomach at his touch, she tried to force a smile and think positive, Well, at least he is being nice to me.
“Then what are you talking about, Angel, quit with all the games and just tell us already,” Anya called out from her spot on Parker’s car where she had been diligently filing her nails.
“I mean, we tempt him with something other than money,” he said giving Buffy’s shoulder a quick squeeze.
“Wha-what are you talking about?” Buffy asked pulling away from Angel’s grasp.
“I mean, he likes you, he has made that pretty obvious,” Angel started his eyes moving to Riley who was listening intently.
“I think you be a little friendly with him, come on to him a little bit and when he takes the bait we get him fired.”
“NO! No way. Are you crazy? I cant do that! ” Buffy squeaked out looking pleadingly at Riley.
“Besides he wouldn’t want her,” Harmony scoffed.
“Oh, I think he does and besides Buffy, it’s not like you have to do anything with him, just a little harmless flirting,” Angel challenged.
“But…I think Harmony is right, I don’t think I’m the right person to do this,” Buffy argued wishing her silent boyfriend would speak up on her behalf.
“I think Angel may be right, Buff, he does look at you a lot,” Riley said matter-of-factly.
“Besides, it would be a great opportunity for you to prove once and for all that you are part of the group, right guys?”
Buffy listened with dread as one by one the group agreed with Angel. She stood there suddenly wishing the pavement would open up and swallow her whole. Anything was better that this. The simple idea scared her more than she could even comprehend, but in the end she looked to her boyfriend. This was her one chance to finally feel included. Isn’t that what she had wanted all along?
“Ok, I’ll do it.” She whispered, tears once again burning her eyes and a familiar sinking feeling crawling up her back.