Chapter 11
Buffy nervously walked into the over-decorated gym on Scott Hope’s arm. He
had been plaguing her with compliments since he had walked through the door,
and although Buffy thought it was sweet, it was very quickly grating on her
nerves.
‘I wonder what he would say if I told him I bought this dress for the hot
history teacher?’ Buffy thought with a small smile.
The black halter-dress was a little risqué for a high school dance, with a
high slit up one leg and a low-cut neckline. Not to mention the fact that
there was no back.
Buffy could see Spike standing across the gymnasium, wearing a pair of black
dress pants and a black button-down shirt. She felt her heart speed up
slightly when she noticed the unbuttoned collar, exposing a small portion of
his chest.
“This is nice, huh?” Scott asked, seeming more insecure than normal.
“Yeah,” Buffy replied, turning to him with a smile plastered on her face.
“Thanks for inviting me.”
She wasn’t lying. It really was nice to be here with a nice guy like Scott,
but her traitorous thoughts kept drifting to the man across the gym. The
same man who hadn’t even looked at her since she walked in the door. Buffy
knew that he was aware that she had arrived, since his stance had straightened
and his jaw was more rigid, but he never made eye contact with her.
“Would you like some punch?” Scott asked as everyone got situated around an
available table.
Buffy glanced up, seeing that Spike was still standing in the same place,
which also happened to be very close to the refreshment table. “Yeah,”
Buffy replied. “But why don’t you let me get it,” she finished, not really
giving him a chance to question her before taking off for the table.
Spike could see Buffy approaching out of the corner of his eye and casually
walked over to grab a cup from the table, taking a sip as he eyed her up and
down. He felt aroused and angry at the same time.
Buffy nervously glanced at him, offering a tentative smile as she reached
for her own cup. Spike took a step past her, so they were
shoulder-to-shoulder. “You shouldn’t be here with that wanker, the way you
look,” he muttered, causing Buffy to risk a glance at him. Spike met her eyes
and immediately regretted his tactless remark when he saw the hurt in hers.
Buffy turned to walk away when Spike stepped in front of her. “I didn’t
mean it that way.”
“I wore this for you, not him,” Buffy said softly before walking away.
Spike sighed, turning around to watch her as she approached her friends,
handing her date his drink.
‘Why do I feel threatened by this kid?’ Spike asked himself before shutting
his eyes in realization. ‘Because he’s a kid…he’s the same age as Buffy…the
age that she should be dating.’
Spike watched face light up with a smile at something Willow said as her date put his arm
on the back of her chair.
‘She deserves this,’ Spike thought, his brow creasing with the stress of the
situation. ‘I should end it. It would be the right thing to do.’
Even as he thought those fateful words, an image of Buffy’s body pressed
against his as they moved together flashed through his subconscious. He
couldn’t let her go. She already meant too much to him- whether it was
sexually or not, he wasn’t ready to analyze it. He just knew he didn’t want
to let her go.
* * * * *
Buffy avoided Spike for most of the night. She wasn’t mad at him about his
comment, but the situation would have been too awkward if her lover and her
date were both within close proximity of her.
Buffy hesitantly danced with Scott, trying not to focus on the awkward way
his body felt against hers. She felt like she was in Junior High again, with a strange boy awkwardly wrapped around her.
“I’ve had a really good time tonight, Buffy,” Scott said softly as they
moved in a slow circle.
Buffy pulled back to look at him, smiling softly. “Me, too,” she said. She
was surprised that she actually meant it. Although she would have preferred
to have been dancing in the arms of a certain blonde chaperone, she knew that
was an unrealistic dream. Scott was a nice guy, who went out of his way to
make sure she had a good time.
Nothing could have prepared her for the shock of his lips gently meeting
hers. Buffy tried to pull away without actually jumping out of his arms,
not wanting him to feel bad, but not liking the feel of someone else kissing her, either.
“I’m sorry,” Scott said with a soft smile. “Should I not have done that?”
“Scott, it’s not that I didn’t like it…it’s just I’m not looking to get
involved with anyone right now.”
‘Not entirely a lie,’ Buffy thought to herself.
“That’s okay,” Scott replied with a small shrug. “I guess that’s what I
expected.”
“Scott-“
“No, it’s okay,” he said as he backed away. “If you don’t mind, I think I’ll
head on out…unless you want me to make sure you get home okay.”
“It’s okay,” Buffy said with a wave of her hand. “I’ll take the limo back
with Willow and Xander.”
“Okay…I did have a really good time tonight.”
“I did, too,” Buffy said with a smile as he walked away. She hated hurting
his feelings, but she knew it was better this way. She definitely didn’t
want to lead him on and it wasn’t fair to whatever she and Spike had or might have together.
Buffy turned to scan the crowded gym looking for Spike and felt her heart drop into
her stomach when she saw him dancing with Jenny Calendar.
*I don’t owe you anything*
Spike’s words haunted her as she watched Jenny laugh at something he’d said.
His eyes met hers and she felt the familiar knot in her stomach that accompanied his gaze. Only this
time it wasn’t lust- it was anxiety. The look in his eyes made her feel
like she had been replaced…permanently.
Buffy felt the tears spring to her eyes as her lips tightened. She turned
and walked back to the table, saying a quick goodnight to Willow and Xander.
Buffy saw their linked hands casually resting on top of the table and felt a brief smile flicker on her lips, happy that her friends had each other.
“You don’t want to ride back with us, Buff?” Xander asked.
“I’m not feeling well,” Buffy replied, knowing it was the truth. “I’m just
going to call my mom.”
Buffy walked out of the gym, feeling her anxiety grow with every step she
took. Every step that separated her from the man she felt a natural pull toward.
* * * * *
Spike watched Buffy walk out by herself, and a deep frown settled on his
face. He noticed she didn’t walk out with her date, and he’d seen the look
on her face when she saw him dancing with Jenny. It must have mirrored the
look on his face when he had witnessed the kiss between her and Scott Hope.
Spike thought about going after her, but he didn’t want to draw any
attention to himself by leaving Jenny in the middle of a song. The last
thing he needed was for Jenny to see him confronting someone who was more
than a student. And he knew whatever he said to Buffy tonight, would only blow up in his face.
* * * * *
Buffy opened the door to the school office and switched on one row of
lights, illuminating a small section of the room in the glaring fluorescent glow
as she walked over to the phone. Hearing the door open behind her, Buffy
turned and felt her jaw tighten when she saw Riley Finn standing behind her.
“I’ve been watching you all night, Buff,” he said with a wicked smile as he stepped
closer to her. “And you haven’t even said hello to me.”
“Aren’t you here with Cordelia?” Buffy asked with a raised eyebrow.
“What of it?”
“I was just thinking that maybe you should be with your date, instead of
stalking your ex.”
“I just thought we could have a little fun,” Riley said with a grin.
“I think we had enough ‘fun’ while we were dating. Although, that’s
certainly not how I would describe it.”
“Come on, sweetheart,” Riley said, pinning her to the wooden counter and
angling his lips to kiss her. “For old times sake.”
“No,” Buffy replied as she turned her head, letting Riley’s lips come in
contact with her cheek. She could feel her heart begin to speed up, but breathed a sigh of relief when she heard the door open. She didn’t care who it was as long as she wasn’t alone with Riley Finn.
“Mr. Finn, back to the gym…NOW!”
Buffy briefly closed her eyes when she heard Spike’s voice. She certainly
wasn’t relaxing, as she expected to, when Riley walked out of the office.
Spike waited until he had disappeared through the double doors before
turning to Buffy.
“Is he another one of your ‘nothings’?” Spike asked with a raised eyebrow.
Buffy’s eyes burned as she held back her tears. Taking a deep breath, she
walked past Spike, out into the hallway, surprised when he caught her by the
arm.
“You never answered the question,” he said in a menacing tone.
Buffy jerked her arm out of his grasp as she pinned him with her own angry
gaze. “What do you care? You were busy.”
“Not as busy as you,” Spike countered, jealousy dripping from his voice. “Two men in ten minutes, and plans
with another one for later tonight? I’d say you’ve found your calling, pet.”
Spike regretted it the minute the words were out of his mouth. He watched
her carefully, noting how Buffy’s face stayed closed off, but her eyes
reflected all of the pain that she was feeling. She slowly turned and
walked toward the exit doors when she heard his voice.
“Buffy-“
“Don’t,” she said softly, her back still turned to him. “I know you meant
it- why take it back?”
‘But I didn’t,’ Spike thought, wanting nothing more than to hold the young
woman in his arms.
“And for the record,” Buffy continued, turning slightly to look at him over
her shoulder. “I told Scott I didn’t want to be with him. And as for
Riley…he was the first man to treat me like I was nothing…but obviously not
the last.”
Spike’s mouth opened slightly, wanting to call out to her as she walked out
of the building, but no sound came out. He felt remorse flood through him
as he realized what he’d said to her…and what she must be going through.
A/N Thanks for all the reviews so far and Happy Birthday to Allison!
[Reviews - 475]
-
Table of Contents [Report This]
Chapter or Story |
Chapter or Story | 
Chapter or Story
Has been viewed 5912 times
- Text Size +
-
Table of Contents [Report This]
Chapter or Story |
Chapter or Story | Chapter or Story - Text Size +