BTW- Just read your little note about yourself. I'm shock that you are male. But I got of had a feeling that you were a guy. A guy in high school at that. hehe......

You did get into Buffy a little late but hey that's okay. Glad that you started watching the greatness that is Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

Spike is the reason why I started watching Buffy. First I was just watching Buffy just so I can see Spike. Pretty bad, huh? But his character just had me all the time. James Marsters did wonderful acting. Spike is my all time favorite character and probably always will be.

Question- What makes you a Spuffy fan? I love getting a male's perspecitve on their relationship. I always talk to female spuffy fans.

Spike is better than Angel, huh? most guys I know like Spike better than Angel.

Author's Response: Yes, a male in high school. Watch out, might poke an eye out with the testosterone and angst. ;) I guess writing romance fics on television shows is probably more of a girly thing to do, but I've always prided myself with having more feministic qualities and views on the world. Like I've watched every romance in existence and I read books and I actually cry (to songs, books, etc.) and I'm a firm believer in equality and I adore third-wave feminism. I also watch all that teen crap on television these days. V_V Maybe I'm getting stereotypically cliche, and I'm sorry that offends you. I got into Buffy through Angel; I loved Angel's badass qualities, mystery, and spikey-hair. He was just, I dunno, fun to watch. And I watched the first three seasons of Buffy in eager anticipation to see Bangel all the time; I took the greatness of the show for granted at first. Of course I later rewatched it and beheld the supreme surrealness of the show, but at first I just watched it for the Bangel. That all changed when Spike came around. I loved Spike when I saw him in Becoming Part 2, he was just so much fun to watch, had the greatest lines, and amazing acting. His only appearance in season 3 was just spectacular, right down to his ability to correctly analyze every situation beside his own. I only survived through season four because of the five minutes of Spike each episode; without that, I might have just dropped the show entirely. I lived vicariously through Buffy's rejection of Spike, and that was about the same time my celebrity crush on SMG started. At first I hated the way she looked, but she grew on me and now she's my perfect ten (on a REALLY jaded and oppressive scoring system where even Alyssa Milano gets like an eight). She just has so much beauty, so much grace, and it's not the genitalia that got me hot, but her hair and cute soft voice and face and eyes... boy, did I ever get lost in her eyes. I think I paused the screen for five minutes every time Buffy would come on screen, just to admire the beauty and the elegance and the... gah, I'm probably boring you with this male lust, so I'll stop. I always thought that we would have true love Spuffy on the show, mostly from reading wikipedia entries wrong, and so I was kinda sad that never happened. That kinda contributed to it, and also the fact that Spuffy dwarfed Bangel in every way possible. I cried in Surprise/Innocence, Becoming, and Graduation Day, yes, but Spuffy is in a whole other league of greatness. Marsters is an extraordinary actor, and SMG played the role of the rejector perfectly, it was like they weren't even acting but just living. I dunno, first I loved Spike and then I loved SMG and then I saw the rejection of the love and lived vicariously through that and here I am. Also the dark themes of the sixth and seventh seasons. If this response didn't seem well-thought out and ramble-esque, I'm sorry to disappoint. I've talked scores on Buffy (particularly Spuffy) with friends (primarily *gasps* male friends!) and this just scratches the surface on my opinions/views on the show/Spuffy. And I realize I just rambled on for an hour when all you wanted was probably a one sentence answer, oh well. ;) Um... I guess that's what makes me a Spuffy fan; I could probably go on for days longer but I won't. ^_^

can't wait to see what happens next!!!!!!!!!!!!! :D

Author's Response: Thanks! :)

like it said before it is a well written story. just not the story that I was looking for.

I have so too many high school stories where spike is the dick. Heck I read a lot of stories where spike is the dick. seen enough where spike has to go crawling back to buffy and beg for forgiveness.

What about buffy. she treated him wrong for so long. but you dont' write about that. that is why this story is not for me

might give it another chapter or so but I don't think it is for me.

Author's Response: OK... I can take that. I guess I was a bit misleading in the beginning, because originally the story was going to be what you described. That just seemed too OTS and light to me, though. Quickly it evolved into a really angsty, twisted, and dark HS story where Spike is a bad guy sometimes, and I'm sorry if that's cliche and unoriginal. The years of Buffy tormenting Spike will come into play later in the story, might even be what leads to a big breakup (this is way later, post-fluff, if the story even survives that far). Are you thinking about writing what you described? I think it'd make a great story. I'm sorry that I didn't deliver for you. :( Thanks to commenting, it's good to see what people don't like about the story.

I don't like angst either, but unfortunately, it's part of life.

I'm sorry for both Buffy and Spike, they're really screwed up, totally, but again, it's realistic to a point.

As for the Hearst Castle thingy!!! I'm really looking forward to that one......I love that place and have been on every tour at least twice if not more. I can't wait to see where you go with this happy part of this!

spuf

Author's Response: Story is full-on angst; they're in HS, after all. And yay for people who have seen the wonders of Heart Castle! :) I, too, have been on every tour. I thought of having Buffy and Spike spent the night there when I was on a tour around New Years... how weird is that, LOL. I'm in this beautiful place with amazing architecture and art and I'm thinking about my little angsty story. Haha. Thanks for reviewing.

>>Spike was caring about Buffy’s future less and less, probably due to the fact that Buffy was becoming more and more obsessed with him and so he didn’t really need to show any affection whatsoever to get what he wanted.

Author's Response: Just kind of flowed out when I was writing it. It's bad, but it's where I want to head.

cant wait for more updates. i want to see buffy back some for herself.

Author's Response: She will, she will. ;)

YES! FINALLY! Is this relationshippy spiral going to be halted? Awesome story, dear

Author's Response: Yes, the downward spiral ends next chapter, along with the abusiveness. Always intended to have it end there, and since everyone seems so up in arms about it, it's a good thing that it's ending soon.

i hear you ella.

I just didn't think this story was going to be all about feeling sorry for Buffy. Bad home life not spike treating her like dirt.

I thought it was going to be more about Spike and what he went through being made fun of time and time again from his love. I hardly see high school stories like this.

But you really don't feel for Spike at all because you really didn't see any of what Buffy and the others did to him.

you just read about buffy sorry home life and spike using her. Now spikes looks bad. It is always the same.

I was liking this story. don't get me wrong. it is well written. just not the story that i thought it was going to be.

Author's Response: My fault there... should have had more flashbacks. Maybe I'll just have an entire chapter devoted to Buffy flashback cruelty... not in my plans, but I can see it working somewhere in the story. What do you think about that? The story was originally about what you described, but people started hating Buffy so much (heck, _I_ even hated Buffy) that I needed to make her a round character. She is the heroine, after all. And the story would have been pretty darn short-lived and kinda trite if I wrote that. I wanted a story that described all the wonders of high school. I wanted a twisted story, a story that explored populars and rebels and suicide and government conspiracies and the uselessness of school and other high school themes. I guess I might have been stretching too far into my own little world. I hope I haven't passed the point of no return, and I do hope that you will continue to read/review. I think that you'll be completely satisfied once we get to the Spuffiness after all this angst. Thanks for commenting.

As I read about Spike's treatment of Buffy I can't help but wonder what exactly you are trying to convey? Is it that Spike is justied because Buffy serves as s revenge instrument and deserves everything she gets? Or is it that Spike's cruelty to her will end up backlashing and be a testament to the futility of revenge? Dig two graves and all of that. Or is it just a getting even exercise and that once he gets it out of his system all will be well because Spike is basically an individual of worth and better than all this? Because I have to confess that none of the above could in any way justify the way that Spike is treating Buffy. She was mean to him--so shut her down or ignore her or whatever. So he is being honest with her about his feelings so by accepting his treatment that supposedly makes it OK? I don't think so--Buffy is pretty much the walking wounded herself and willing to do whatever necessary in order to receive even a false sense of affection. There is no moral justification for anyone using someone that way for their own benefit. Yes, it does happen but lots of really ugly things "really" happen and they still aren't OK. One of the reasons that high school is so miserable is because everyone there is so wrapped up in their own miserable selves (populars, geeks, and everyone in between) that they can't see beyond their own pain to empathize with anyone else. So I guess what I'm asking is this--is this story going to be just an endless stream of self-righteous attacks against Buffy or is this moving toward anything resembling an actual relationship?

Author's Response: Gosh, I sure hope I didn't convey that the story is some downward spiral of abusive attacks. It's most definitely not; we'll hit rock bottom and climb our way to true Spuffiness. But I am _not_ writing this as a nice little fairy tale where Spike's always a hero and Buffy's got no problems. That's dull, unrealistic, and cliche; it's been done a million times, even in Spuffy fanfic. This is high school and high school is hell. This is relationships and relationships are hell. Buffy treated Spike badly for years and Spike's taking some back. It's ugly, it's abusive, it's demented, it's unjustifiable... call it whatever you want. Like most things in life, it's not suppose to have some heroic justification that makes everything better. Because things are _never_ better. Maybe I'm just bitter and I'm writing too bitterly, I don't know. I can tell you, though, that Buffy will take a stand, albeit from the momentum of the events in "that day," and that will stop this unjustifiable abusiveness that you seem to loathe so much. I'm _not_ saying that it's justifiable, but all those reasons you stated will probably come into play in the story. I don't think what Buffy did to Spike all those years is justifiable either. I certainly don't think Buffy deserves what she's getting. Spike might think so right now, but he most certainly won't once we reach rock bottom. Just an FYI, this was always intended to be the last of the abuse, even when I structured it around mid December. To be honest, I'm very glad that you see Spike in such a bad light, as that's exactly where I wrote him. Have hope, they *will* have a good relationship down the road, I can promise you that. I really liked this review, I thought it dug into the story quite nicely. Another FYI: I have Spike signed up for a speech in English where he empathizes with populars, another thing I've been planning since the beginning. I guess I might give the impression that things are bad and they are always gonna stay bad, but they aren't. As much as I want to write a tragedy, that would be too cruel to the readers. Feel free to respond to this response - I never intended for this review to offend you or anything, so if it does, I'm sorry. Thanks for commenting, I look forward to more insightful observations from you in the future.

Funny, how this story was suppose to about Spike being the one who was treated badly by Buffy and the rest of the popular people. Yet, we see chapter after chapter of you trying to make Spike look bad.

and I hate Angel in this story. HE is suppose to be Spike best friend and he should understand that Spike did what he had to.

Die Angel die.

Author's Response: ;_; I hope I've succeeded, at least partially, in making Spike look bad. Or else I haven't done my job at all. >_> And Angel will come around. Just give him time. I wanted total isolation for the next event, thought it'd add to the drama a bit. Thanks for commenting.

arrgh! i am really glad things are starting to fall apart because i dont think i could take anymore of the buffy-abuse without feeling a bit sick, i don't know why but this story affects me in a "Big Love" kinda-way, i really dont want to read anymore of the badness but i just cant stop reading, and it cant really be a good sign that when you find out that a new chapter has been posted, you jump from you chair and screams "FINALLY" causing the whole class to look you in a not-very-nice-way.

Stupid story is making me obsessed.

Author's Response: Wow... didn't think I could have that type of an impact on someone with the story... that's cool, I guess. ^_^ This'll probably be the last you'll see the Buffy abuse, at least in its current context. I tried to be really gentle with the abuse, as not to disturb readers, but I just had to go out and say it in this chapter. Sorry if it made you sick, never my intention. Or maybe it was, I dunno >_> Thanks for the review!

yayyyyyyyyyyy more life threatening madness soon plz!!!!!!cant wait!!!!spike is a bastard !!!lalalaalaa

Author's Response: Hehehe... thanks, I guess? ;)

My only complaint is the lumping of Pride and Prejudice in with Can't Buy Me Love and other pop culture nonsense I'm too old to reference.
If you think Spike is disgusted with some of society around him, he's got nothing on Jane Austen...she made fools out of many who never realized it was them she was paroding. W.H. Auden in his poem "Letter to Lord Byron" said of Austen "You could not shock her more than she shocks me, Beside her Joyce seems innocent as grass. It makes me most uncomfortable to see an English spinster of the middle class describe the amourous affects of brass, reveal so frankly and with such sobriety the economic basis of society."
I suggest you reread Pride and Prejudice, as Darcy, like Spike finds himself in love with a most unsuitable (in his mind) woman, and Darcy is by far one of the greatest male characters developed in the English language, more young men (and women) would do well to follow his lead and learn to curb their pride and prejudices for the sake of love.
Besides that there was wonderful writing in the scene with Buffy and Spike on the roof, very good indeed....just remember Austen is very nearly untouchable (for me anyways). But my reasoning on this may be more based on my crush on Colin Firth than scholarly argument =)

Author's Response: Yes, well, when I originally wrote the movie references, I was thinking the 2005 remake of Pride and Prejudice (not the book), which was, as you perfectly asserted, "pop culture nonsense." And I was not consciously writing with Pride and Prejudice as a road map - in fact, this is actually the first time I've connected my little drabble to the spectacular and awe-inspiring novel. I guess I kind of stumbled upon it, though, in some type of broad, roundabout way. I most definitely was NOT trying to copy Austen's great work, though, as I've stated several times (in A/N and review responses) that this story's inspiration comes from similar feelings I've had in high school, about falling for a superficial and otherwise not-so-bright valley girl and just hating yourself for it. I had to switch the story up a little, make Buffy a likable heroine, and I can see where I might have garbled up a few original intentions. I'm most definitely not trying to copy masterpieces of the English language here - the closest you'll ever see to that in this story is maybe some broad song or movie line/reference. Thanks for the compliment on the roof scene, it's much appreciated. I hope to echo that same scene later in the story with similarly opposite descriptions on the scenery. And Spike's malcontent of society is also, at least partially, derived from similar feelings I have (although I'm not some crazy psycho either...). Thank you very much for commenting; I love it when you analyze my story, it really keep me on my toes. :)