Chapter 4
The next day as Buffy walked to meet Jake outside the rental store, she passed the theatre, and something caught her eye. It was a poster for Romeo and Juliet. The clothes were wonderful, Juliet wore a flowing white gown, the sleeves hanging down over the balcony as she beckoned Romeo from below.
Checking her watch, she ran inside to pick up some leaflets for it, before continuing on her way to the store.
* * *
William trudged through the school. He hated Mondays. He also hated the fact that he hadn’t heard from Buffy since Friday night.
Alright, it wasn’t like he really expected to hear from her – but after that kiss…he’d kind of hoped…
Shaking his head, William sighed, continuing on his way to class. He ignored everyone around him, tried his hardest not to capture parts of their conversation when he passed – gossip wasn’t his thing – but when he heard the familiar sound of cheerleading – he paused.
Walking over to the window of the gym, he looked inside.
There she was.
Her little yellow skirt was shorter than any school in England would allow. It bounced up revealing pretty yellow hot-pants underneath every time she jumped into the air. She was facing the team, so he could only see her back, but still he felt as if it was more than he should ever see.
An odd thought, considering she wore that outfit to bounce and twirl in front of the whole town anytime The Sunnydale Demons played a home game.
Shaking his head again, William turned and headed in the direction of his classroom, trying to erase the images of her in that outfit from his brain.
* * *
“Alright everyone, great practise.” Buffy panted, throwing her pom-poms down onto the floor and picking up her water. “I think we’re ready for next week’s game.”
“So can we hit the showers or what?” Cordelia asked, stepping up next to her friend and taking a sip from the bottle.
Buffy nodded, watching as all the girls filed out into the locker-rooms. She loved this; training all the girls, making up cheers. It used to be what she lived for – and even now she knew that it would be hard to give it up.
These girls were her best friends. She’d spent the last few years of her life solving their problems and letting them in on hers. They were like a unit. A family.
Cheerleading was something she would do for as long as she could.
Sighing, she grabbed her towel and threw it over her shoulder, following the other into the locker-room.
* * *
“So…I decided to go out with Jake again.” Cordelia gushed. “He is really nice. He is handsome, he can dance, he has money…”
Harmony sighed dreamily. “Wow…”
About to reply, Buffy slipped her hand into her coat pocket and felt something cold. Pulling it out, she smiled down at the Romeo and Juliet leaflet.
Looking over at Cordelia and Harmony, she decided that ‘Jake’ could wait. “Hey you guys, I’ll see you later. I have to go and talk to someone a second.”
Cordelia sighed. “If it’s that geeky William Giles guy, you better reconsider!” she shouted after her friend’s retreating form, but Buffy just waved over her shoulder and continued to run.
“God, WHAT is her malfunction?”
* * *
William opened his locker, pulling his books out of it ready for Chem-class. All day he had been thinking about Buffy.
About her dancing around in her cheerleading suite – about that kiss.
Alright, it was only on his cheek, but a kiss is a kiss, right?
Just as he was mulling this over, Xander nudged him. “Oh hey, here comes Buffy.”
Zoning out as he watched her approach, William didn’t notice Willow’s overly-dramatic groan.
Buffy waved at him, smiling as she reached them all. “Hey Will.”
Trying to be casual, William smiled back. “Hi Buffy. Anything I can help you with?”
“Actually, yes.” She pulled a leaflet from her pocket and handed it to him. “So, I was shopping the other day, and I saw sign poster for a Romeo and Juliet production at the theatre. I was thinking that maybe we could go, so we can see what it’s like and maybe add something about it into our presentation. What do you think?”
Buffy missed the raised eye brows of William’s friends, but William didn’t.
“Yeah, alright. Sounds good.”
Buffy touched his arm. “It will be. It’ll be great. I’ll book the tickets tonight. What night do you want?”
At his questioning look Buffy giggled. “Ok, it’s on all week. You think maybe…Thursday?”
“He can’t.”
Buffy was so wrapped up in asking William, that she hadn’t even noticed the redhead’s presence. It was now that Buffy looked over at her.
She was probably slightly taller than Buffy, but not by much. She was wearing a striped t-shirt and jeans. Buffy had to admit she’d never really noticed the girl before.
“Oh. Who are you? Sorry, kind of bad with names and stuff.” She smiled politely and waited for the reply.
Doing little to hide her distaste, Willow replied, “I’m Willow. William’s friend.”
“Hi, I’m Buffy –”
“-Summers, I know. I’m NOT bad with names and stuff. Also, I kind of remember you standing and watching every time your boyfriend punched William in the nose. So…”
It was strange. No-one had ever spoken to Buffy like that before. This girl looked like she hated Buffy. She was glaring at her with a look on her face that just screamed ‘DIE CHEERLEADER DIE!’.
The redhead continued. “…And I was just saying, how he’s busy on Thursday. Too bad.”
William had watched the conversation between the two girls with a devastated look on his face.
Willow had to have her first confrontation ever, right now? With Buffy Summers? And right when she was asking him out too. Ok, not asking him out on a date, but asking him to go out with her for the night…and that was something right?
“Yeah. Too bad.”
The cheerleader was speaking quietly now with her head down. It was obvious that she was upset by the red-head’s tone of voice. She was turning to leave.
“Uh, Buffy. I’m free on Wednesday.”
Buffy turned back, her eyes flicking from the still-angry Willow to William.
“You are? Oh that’s good. I’ll call and book them tonight then. I mean…only if you want to. Don’t think that you have to go just because I want to. You’ve probably seen it like a million times, you don’t have to-”
“Buffy. I want to go.”
Taking a breath, Buffy began to smile again. She’d gone all stuttery and nervous just because one of Will’s friends obviously disliked her. That had never happened before. Buffy usually took comments with a pinch of salt and either answered back or flipped them off. But not this time…
She again wondered when everything had become so different.
“Alright. I’ll speak to you tomorrow.” She smiled, looking him in the eye for just a little bit longer than an attached girl should, and then turned and walked down the hallway, once again swaying her hips.
Once Buffy was out of sight, William spun on his friend with an angry face.
“What the bloody hell was that all about?”
Willow shrugged. “I don’t appreciate my friends being used is all.”
“And why are you so sure she’s using me? Does it seem that impossible to you that I could actually get a girlfriend?”
Trying to defend herself, Willow didn’t realise what she said until she’d said it.
“Well come on, it’s Buffy Summers. You aren’t exactly up to her standards…I would’ve thought all those years of her ignoring you may have proved that.”
Xander, who was still playing the part of ‘observer’ saw William’s jaw tighten with anger.
Buffy’s previous rejection of him was still a sore spot, and it had hurt more to realise that, in truth, she’d never even really noticed him until recently. Neither man could believe that Willow had just said that.
“No, you’re right. I don’t suppose I’m up to anyone’s standards am I?”
Looking over to Xander and muttering ‘bye’, William slammed his locker door closed and stormed away.
Xander looked at the little redhead. “Ouch, Willow.”
The red head whimpered. “Well, Xander…I think it’s a bet. Buffy must have a bet going…I mean, come on. He’s William Giles for Christ’s sake.”
As much as he wanted to disagree, she had a point. “Let’s just…see how things turn out, alright?”
Willow nodded, watching as William walked angrily away.
* * *
Wednesday Night
All week Buffy had been nervous about the play. William was due to pick her up in fifteen minutes and she still wasn’t sure that she was dressed right for the theatre.
She’d never been before.
Angel’s idea of a date was an hour at The Bronze, then home for a quick roll in the hay. The only real date Buffy had ever had was the meal he’d taken her to for Valentine’s day…two years ago.
Looking in the mirror once more, she walked downstairs to wait for him at the door.
A few minutes later his car pulled up, and Buffy waited for him to knock before opening the door. She didn’t want to seem too keen.
“You’re early.” She smiled, studying his outfit.
He was wearing brown trousers, a brown suede jacket and matching suede shoes. He looked smart…and kind of sexy.
His hands were tucked in his pockets, and she noticed that he was studying her clothes too.
“You look really nice, Pet.”
That was all the convincing Buffy needed that she was dressed right. She was sure that William had been to the theatre hundreds of times.
Twirling, Buffy showed off her clothes before picking up her bag. “Come on, let’s go.”
* * *
To William the play passed in a blur. He’d seen it so many times that he knew it word for word.
The costumes were beautiful, and the acting was almost phenomenal, but William felt so closed to the play, that he kept looking from the stage to Buffy, making sure that she was enjoying it.
He was pretty sure that she had a crush on the person playing Romeo- her eyes lit up every time he came on stage. She gasped once or twice, holding her hand to her chest as the title characters kissed. Her eyes narrowed during the fight scene, and she looked over at him in disbelief when Mercutio died.
She seemed enthralled, and even cried at the end.
She was still sniffling slightly as they gathered their things, and he smiled at how cute it was. She had mascara stains on her cheeks and he stepped close to her, wiping them away with his thumb.
She giggled and thanked him, pulling her coat around herself as they got ready to step out into the cold.
His car was several blocks away, so they had to walk a little bit. He almost asked her did she want his jacket – but that was senseless considering that her coat was bigger than his jacket.
He was wracking his brains, trying to find an excuse to stay out with her longer.
Halfway down the road, though, she turned to him and asked, “Do you want to go for something to eat? I’m kinda hungry…”
William smiled, thankful that he’d grabbed a few extra dollars when he left the house.
“Sure, that would be great.”
* * *
Sitting in the booth at a nearby McDonalds, William waited for Buffy to sit down before starting up conversation.
“So…did you like it?”
Buffy nodded. “Yeah. It was kinda depressing though. Made me think about my relationship with Angel.”
This wasn’t exactly what William wanted to hear, but before he could try and change the subject, she continued,
“I mean…I’m so tired of it. There is never any romance anymore. Not that there was a lot to begin with. It was just ‘Angel’s a jock, you’re a cheerleader…that’s a good match’.”
William nodded as she sighed. “I thought that I was in love with him once – but I don’t really think that I’ve ever been in love. Not the kind of love that Romeo and Juliet had…and I know it’s just a play, but I want that, you know?”
I can give you that… William thought to himself, but he remained quiet…
...he wouldn’t risk scaring her away now.
To be continued....
The next chapter is much fun. - The Sunnydale Charity Auction. For one night, any girl can have any guy she wants - for a price.
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