Chapter 11
“Hey, Buff,” Xander said as he approached Buffy, who was getting her books her locker.
“Hey,” she said back. She liked Xander, she really did, but they could never find anything to talk about.
“What’s up?” she asked.
“Nothing, I have math first period.”
“Oh,” was all she said.
“Ah B-Buffy, I wanted to ask you something ........”
“Ok, shoot,” she told him.
“It’s about the dance.......”
“Willow,” she interrupted him before he could finish. She wasn’t listening anyway; she had more important things on her mind.
“Willow, how is he?”
“How is who?” Xander asked, confused.
“Oz, he fell down last night. We went to the emergency room with him, but I had to leave before we knew anything,” Buffy explained.
“Wait a sec....how did you get to the hospital? Did you ride in an ambulance? Did it make that woo woo sound? How did you get home? I hope you didn’t walk by yourself with the reputation Sunnydale has.”
“No, we didn’t ride in ambulance. Spike drove us to the hospital and he took me home,” Buffy said, a little annoyed at Xander.
“So, Willow?”
“He broke his arm!”
“Oh my GOD! Did he?”
“He did,” Willow confirmed.
“Hold on another sec here.......He broke his arm? How did he manage that? I mean, Oz doesn’t strike me as the clumsy type,” Xander asked them.
“He tripped over my coat that fell on the floor and hit his arm on the coffee table,” she explained “I feel horrible, it’s all my fault! If I had put the coat somewhere safer he would have never tripped,” Willow said, nearly bursting into tears.
“Willow, no! It’s not your fault, you didn’t know the coat had fallen on the floor!” Buffy tried to make her feel better.
“But it was me he was defending, you remember when Shawn made fun of me! Oz was defending me!”
“I know, Willow, I was there,” she said softly.
“Shawn made fun of you? What did he say?” Xander asked.
“He said something about a-a nerd and red......I don’t really remember, it all happened kinda fast,” Willow told him “Can we please talk about something else?”
“Sure,” Buffy told her.
“Cordelia,” Angel shouted from half way down the hall.
“Yeah?”
“How was the mall yesterday? With Buffy?”
“It was fine......”
“Fine? Just fine? It was supposed to be perfect!”
“It was, I guess, we shopped and had lattés.”
“Yeah, then what?”
“Then I dropped her off at Xander’s.”
“Damnit! You dropped her off at Xander’s!? What the hell is wrong with you!?"
“What’s the big deal?”
“The big deal is that we’re supposed to be getting her away from them, not bringing her closer!”
“Well, geeze, sorry. God, you could be a little more specific as to what I’m supposed to do!”
“God, Cordelia! Don’t you ever pay attention?”
“I’m listening now, aren’t I?”
“Ok, so here’s your assignment for today......”
Xander went off to his math class and Buffy and Willow walked on to study hall.
“Have you seen him yet today?”
“No, I haven’t been talking to him since last night.”
“Oh.”
“Do you think he’s mad at me?”
“I’m sure he’s not.”
Buffy was so wrapped up in comforting Willow that she didn’t even notice that she walked right past Spike.
‘Oh my God, I knew she was mad at me! Damn, Shawn! That bloody ponce! Why couldn’t he keep his mouth shut? Now she hates me! I have to make this up to her, get her to forgive me somehow.' these were Spike’s thoughts as he walked through the Sunnydale High corridors to his class
Buffy and Willow were now very close to their class
“OH! I forgot something in my locker!” Willow said dramatically.
“Ok, you want me to come back with you?”
“No, that’s ok.”
“Ok, I’ll save you a seat.”
“Thanks.”
Willow rushed down the hall as Buffy went inside. She sat down at one of the tables by the window, the second one from the back.
“Hey,” Cordelia said, sitting next to her.
“Oh, hey Cordelia.”
Just then Xander entered the class and made his way to the table behind Buffy. She turned around and looked at him, confused.
“I thought you had math?” she asked.
“Yeah, it turns out I don’t.”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean, I got there sat down only to have Ms. Calendar tell me I didn’t have math this period.”
“So how did you know to come here?”
“I had to go to Snyder’s office to find out what class I was in, only he wasn’t there.”
“So then what did you do?”
“So I was thinking tonight at the Bronze........what do you think Buffy?” Cordelia interrupted.
“Ah......ya sure,” she said and then turned her attention back to Xander.
“So?”
“So I was walking down the hall, not knowing where to go, and luckily I ran into Willow, so I asked her what I had.”
“She knew and you didn’t?”
“Yeah, I guess she was too upset before to realize I went to the wrong class.”
“Yeah, I guess so.”
"So Buffy, have you met the new librarian yet?” Cordelia asked hopefully, trying to get Buffy's attention on her.
“I've never met the old one.”
“He's wound a little tight. I had this philosophy book checked out for, like, a year, and he made me pay the fine, even though it was huge. I was sad to return it. It was perfect for starting conversations with college boys,” she sighed heavily “You know, I've heard there’s a secret rule that if a teacher is more then 10 minutes late, we can all leave.”
“The big pinhead librarian didn’t show up, and I don’t wanna do it........you do it.”
“Alright, fine. I’ll do it,” she walked off into the classroom.
“Everybody expects me to do everything around here because I’m the principal......It’s not fair,” he said to himself as he walked down the hall towards his office.
“So Buff, did you get caught last night?" Xander asked.
“Huh?”
“You know, with the sneaking out and everything?”
“Oh yeah, I did, the car woke her up, but she was all cool about it. She didn’t even ground me, kinda gave me the wigs.”
All of a sudden the teacher was behind the desk, clapping her hands together to get everyone’s attention.
“Hey! We’re all stuck here, okay? So now let’s just sit quietly and, and pretend we’re reading something until we’re really sure that old Commandant Snyder’s gone. Then we’re all outta here!”
“Does anyone else want to marry Mrs. Barton?” Xander asked
“Get in line,” Cordelia told him.
Just then, Willow entered the class. She made her was to the back of the classroom to sit with Xander.
“Hey,” she whispered as she sat down “Find your way ok?”
“Yeah,” he whispered back “Chocolate?” he offered her
“No thanks.”
“I like chocolate, there is no bad here.”
Soon the class was over and the bell rang. Buffy quickly rushed over to Willow.
“Feeling better?” she asked.
“Yeah, a little,” she answered.
‘There she is. Ok, stay calm.’
“Hi Buffy,” he said.
“Oh, hi Spike.”
“Listen, about last night, I’m really sorry. I mean, really sorry, I didn’t know he- that’s no excuse, what I’m trying to say is you have a reason to be mad and I understand if you never want to talk again and-”
“Spike......Spike slow down, I’m not mad at you.”
“You're not?”
“No.”
“Oh thank God,” he let out a sigh of relief.
“Why would I be mad at you?”
“Well it’s just, you were really quiet on the way home last night, and then this morning when- never mind, you’re not mad so that’s good. Silly of me to think you were, I guess.”
“Yes, really silly, what happened last night wasn’t your fault. I have no reason to be mad at you, and I was quiet last night cause I was worried about Oz.”
“Um, Buffy, there’s been something I’ve been meaning to ask you, it’s about the dance next Monday night......”
“Yeah.”
“Well I was w-wondering if you would l-like t-to go with me?”
‘Oh my GOD!!! SPIKE just asked me OUT!!!! OH MY GOD!!!’ she thought.
‘Please say yes, please say yes.’
“I would love to.”
“Really?”
“Yes really.”
“Ok, great then, I’ll pick you up around seven?”
“Sounds great.”
“Ok, uh, I got to go to class now, so we’ll chat some more later?” he asked.
“Yup, you bet,” she told him.
When the lunch bell rang, they all piled out of their classes and headed for the cafeteria.
“Hey Buffy,” Cordelia said she approached her in the lunch line.
“Oh, hey,” she said.
“I never saw you at the Bronze last night.”
“I was backstage with Spike.”
“Really? I never knew you two were dating.”
“Well we're........Willow was there too, with Oz, they invited us to hang out with them.”
“Oh, I see.”
“Well, see ya,” Buffy said as she went off to her table, where no one was seated yet.
“Wait,” Cordelia stopped her.
“Yeah?”
“Come sit with me.”
“Uh, ok, I guess so.” ‘I’ll just call them over when I see them’ she thought.
“Buffy, this is Harmony, Kathy, Amy, and Anya. Everyone, this is Buffy.”
“Hey,” she said, sitting down.
“Hey Buffy,” they all said, at almost the same time.
“Hey,” Angel greeted as he approached their table.
“Hey,” everyone but Buffy said.
“Mind if I sit here?” he asked Buffy.
“Ah, yeah sure.......” Buffy said, taken by surprise.
“You look nice today, Buffy,” Angel told her.
“Ah, thanks...........I think.”
“Is Buffy here yet?” Xander asked Willow as they sat down at their table. Willow scanned the crowd until she noticed Buffy with Cordelia.
“Guess not,” she said, feeling hurt.
“Well, where is she? I need to talk to her, I sorta haven’t had the chance since this morning and I wanted to ask-”
“Her to the dance?” Willow finished for him.
“Yeah, you think she’ll say yes?”
She knew Buffy only thought of Xander as a friend, and that she probably wouldn’t say yes, but she couldn’t tell him that and she didn’t want to lie or hurt his feelings, so she simply said “I don’t know.”
“I think she will, I mean I hope, I’m good lookin right?”
“You aren’t too bad on the eyes,” she joked.
“Ha ha,” he laughed.
‘Where are they? They should be here by now’ Buffy thought, looking around trying to find them.
“So Buffy, are you going to that Spring Fling on Monday night?” Angel asked.
“Um, yeah, I’m going.”
“OH! We’re all going shopping to pick out our dresses, Buffy you have to come!”
‘Good going, Cordelia, more bonding time is perfect’ Angel thought to himself.
“Well, I’m already going with Willow, but unless she can come too?”
“Willow Rosenberg?! That geek? You couldn’t pay me enough money to hang out with that loser,” Harmony nearly fell of her chair in laughter.
Buffy angrily grabbed her bag, which she had put on the floor when she sat down, and stormed out of the cafeteria. Xander took notice of her when she left, and took it as his opportunity to follow her. Spike, who had forgotten his books for his next class at home, pulled into the parking lot around the same time Buffy came out of the school.
“Hey Buffy, wait up,” Xander said, catching up to her.
“Oh, hey Xander.”
“So, Uh, Buffy, I wanted to, um....... There was this thing I wanted to ask you, to talk to you about...”
“Okay, what’s up?”
“Ah, lets go over here and sit,” he lead her over to a bench.
“Okay, now you’re making me nervous.”
“Oh, no, no, there's nothing to be nervous about. Really, it's silly. Ha, ha!” he laughed nervously.
When they got to the bench, a guy was sitting there.
“Hey,” Xander said to the him “leave,” the boy then left. “Thanks,” Xander told him.
“Well?” Buffy asked, after they sat down.
“Um....... You know, Buffy, uh, Spring Fling is a .......time for students to gather and....... Oh God!” he took a deep breath “Buffy, I want you to go to the dance with me. You and me, on a date.”
‘Stupid git. Don’t you know she’s mine’ Spike thought. He had overheard them while he was walking by.
“I-I don’t know what to say.”
“Well, your not laughing. So that’s a start. Buffy I like you. A lot. And I know we’re friends, But I want more. I wanna dance with you.”
“Xander, your one of my best friends, you and Willow.......”
“Well, Willow's not looking to date you. Or if she is, she’s playing it pretty close to the chest,” he said laughing nervously.
“I just don’t want to spoil the friendship that we have.”
‘That’s it pet, let him down gently’ Spike said quietly to himself........he was now eavesdropping.
“Well, I don’t want to spoil it either. But that’s the point, is it? You either feel a thing or you don’t.”
Buffy looked away for a moment and then looked back up at him.
“I don’t. Xander, I’m, I’m really sorry. I-I just don’t think of you that way.”
“Well, try, I’ll wait” he smiled a little.
“Xander......”
“Nah. Forget it,” he got up “I’m not him. I mean, maybe if I was big and bad and had white hair and black finger nails or maybe if I smoked, yeah I bet that’s a real turn on.”
“That’s really harsh.”
“Look, I’m sorry. I don’t handle rejection well. Funny! Considering all the practice I’ve had, huh?”
“Xander, I’m sorry, I don’t know..........”
“You know what? Lets just not,” he said, taking off back into the school. Buffy stayed there, almost in tears.
“Mind if I sit here, luv?”
“Yeah, sure” he took a seat beside her “I guess you heard all that, huh?”
“Yeah, pretty much. Are you ok?”
“Yeah, I’ll be fine.”
“You sure?” he asked, taking her hand.
“Yeah.”
The bell rang and lunch was over.
“Guess we better go inside then, unless you want to stay out here.........don’t care what the bleeding area of a triangle is, anyway.”
“No, that’s ok,” she said, standing up. Her and Spike walked slowly back into the building hand in hand.
“Oh my God! I left my math book in the cafeteria,” Buffy said in a panic.
“Well, I’ll come with you”.
“Thanks, Spike.”
By now there was no one left in the cafeteria except for Angel and Cordelia, who were talking about the plan.
“So you’re telling me I have to buy chicken feathers?” Cordelia asked.
“Yes. I’m getting the eggs. Buffy is going to be so humiliated.”
“Ok, so run this by me again.”
“Ok, tomorrow I’m going to ask Buffy to the Spring Fling-”
“What makes you so sure that she’s going to say yes?” she interrupted.
“That’s where you come in.”
“Ok.......So what do I do?”
“You need to makes sure she wants to go to the dance with me.”
“But she hates you.”
“I’ll change her mind about that.”
“What are you gonna do?”
“I don’t know yet.”
“Maybe you should wait till Thursday or Friday to ask her.”
“Yeah, but by then some one else might beat me to it.”
“Like who?”
“I dunno........Harris.”
“Or Spike.”
“SPIKE?!”
“Yeah, they’ve become real close lately. You remember how we couldn’t find them at the Bronze last night?”
“Yeah.”
“She was with him.”
“WHAT?!”
“Yeah, good thing he’s on our side, huh?”
“Yeah........”
“You don’t sound too sure about that.”
“Yeah, I’m sure he’s on our side, he’s just ahead of the game, that’s all.”
“Oh, I see, ok. So tell me again about your brilliant plan.”
“Ok, so we’re all going to act like her best friend, and I’m going to ask her to the dance, or Spike is, then we’re going to make sure she’s in a certain spot at the right time and the bucket of egg whites is going to be dumped all over her followed by chicken feathers.”
“Oh my god, you are pure evil.”
“What can I say? I lost my soul.”
“Hey,” Willow said shyly as she approached him at the vending machine.
“Oh, hey......... Animal cracker?” he offered her. His arm was still in a sling.
“No thank you...... How’s your arm?”
“Suddenly painless,” Oz said, trying to open the box.
“You can still play guitar okay?”
“Oh, not well, but not worse.”
They began to walk down the hall, and Willow took the box of animal crackers from him to open it.
“Y’know, I never really thanked you.”
“Ooo, yeah, please don’t. I don’t do thanks”, Willow handed him back the now opened box. “I get all red. Have to bail. It’s not pretty.”
Willow smiled “Well, forget that thing. E-especially with the part where I kind of owe you my dignity.”
Oz pulled out a cookie and stopped walking. “Oh, look! Monkey! And he has a little hat. And pants.”
Willow smiled, “Yeah, I-I see”
“The monkey is the only cookie animal that gets to wear clothes, you know that?”
Willow smiled brightly “You have the sweetest smile I’ve ever seen.”
Willow looked at him, surprised by the compliment. They continued to walk down the hall.
“So, I’m wondering, do the other cookies animals feel sorta ripped? Like, is the hippo going ‘Hey, man, where are my pants? I have my hippo dignity!” Willow laughed “And, you know, the monkeys just ‘I mock you with my monkey pants’” he said in a French accent. Willow laughed some more. “And there’s a big coup in the zoo-”
“The monkey is French?”
“All monkeys are French. You didn’t know that?”
“No.....” Willow giggled.
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Author's Chapter Notes:
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