The phone rang and Buffy jumped up to grab it. She’d just spent the day hanging out at the mall and watching movies with Willow. She couldn't imagine who'd be calling her right now. If Willow'd had anything to say, she would have done so earlier.
“Hello?"
“Hey, Buffy.”
“Riley?”
“Yeah. Listen, I called because I really have to cancel on you. I don’t want to, but-“
“Hang on, huh? You what?”
“I got suspended yesterday, and my parents won’t let me go to Homecoming now. I’m sorry, I really wanted to go with you.”
Buffy sat there for a moment. What now? Willow was surely going to start pestering her about Spike now. “Yeah, um, that’s ok Riley.”
“No, it’s not. Let me make it up to you sometime. We could go see a movie or something.”
“No, Riley, it’s fine. Listen, I gotta go now. I’ll see you later.”
“Alright. Love you, Buffy.”
“Bye.”
She hung up. “That’s not good.”
She changed into her pajamas and crawled into bed. Monday was going to be a bad day. Nagging Willow, lunch with Spike, quiz in English, homework, homework, homework. Hopefully, Spike didn’t come to movie night as well. She sighed. Maybe it wasn’t too late to ask Angel to Homecoming…
She fell asleep with these more pleasant thoughts in her mind.
~~~~~*~~~~~
Spike dropped his tray on the table and sat down. “Hello, ladies. Have a nice Sunday?”
“Hey! I represent that statement!” Xander cried.
Smirk. “Sorry. Ladies and Whelp. How’s that?"
“Much better.”
“So, what fascinating conversation did I just interrupt?” Spike asked, glancing at the two chattering girls. “I don’t suppose a bloke gets a greeting from the girls around here.”
“Hey, Spike,” Willow said.
Buffy just made a face at him and went back to her lunch.
“Don’t stop talking on my account,” Spike said. “I wanna hear what you were saying.”
“Riley canceled on Buffy. Now she doesn’t have a date to Homecoming,” Xander supplied.
“Xander!”
“What? You tell me, you tell Willow, why not tell Spike? He’s our friend, too.”
“Way to stick your foot in your mouth, Whelp. Apparently, our fair Buffy didn’t want yours truly to know. Probably thought I’d make fun of her.” He shook off his momentary hurt. “So, White Bread canceled on you? Always knew he wasn’t as reliable as he seems.”
“Shut up, Spike. You don’t even know him.”
“Sure I do. Lab partner. He’s one annoying guy. So plain, he puts vanilla to shame.”
Willow and Xander laughed. “That’s our Riley,” Willow joked.
Buffy scowled. “If you’re here to make fun of me and my judgment…”
“I’m not! Just havin’ a little fun! And honestly, you must know how boring he is, you dated him.”
“I didn’t break up with him because he’s boring, for your information.” Buffy glared at him and stood up. “I didn’t come here to be insulted.” She walked off.
“Jesus. What is wrong with that girl? It’s like she finds my very existence offensive.”
Buffy was walking down the hall, trying to cool off. She shouldn’t be so angry. Why should she care what that British moron thinks of her? She relaxed a little. Everything was going to be ok.
“Buffy!” Or not. She turned around to meet the guy who was running down the hall after her.
“What do you want?”
“Buffy, I didn’t mean to make you angry back there,” Spike said, catching up. “Listen, since you don’t have a date to the dance, and I don’t, would you go with me? Just as friends, I mean.”
Buffy waited until he was done before answering. “Spike, I wouldn’t go to the dance with you if you were the last boy on earth.” And with that, she turned and continued down the hall.
~~~~~*~~~~~
“So, got a date for the dance tonight, William?”
“Piss off, Liam.”
“Oh, come on! You’re not upset because I’m going and you’re not?” Angel teased his cousin.
“I said piss off!”
He looked at the angry boy and shrugged. “Fine. I’ve gotta go pick up one Buffy Summers now anyways.”
Spike was shocked. “You’re going with Buffy?”
“Yeah. Her date backed out so she asked me to go.” He smirked. “Not that I blame the guy.”
Spike glared. “She’s not going to be one of your little play-toys, Liam.”
“Why not? Don’t I get to have some fun once in a while?” he pouted. “Well, I’ll leave you to yourself. I have more important things to be doing today.”
Angel put on his jacket and opened the door. Just as he was about to walk out, he turned back and said, “Oh, and Willy? Don’t even try to take this one from me.”
~~~~~*~~~~~
When Buffy heard the doorbell ring, she dropped her hairpin, grabbed her lipstick, and checked her image in the mirror. She flew down the stairs and stopped at the bottom to compose herself before answering the door.
“Hey, Angel!” she said happily.
“Hey! Wow, you look really great!”
“Thanks, you too.”
“So, you ready to go?” Angel asked, looking over her shoulder briefly.
“Yeah, sounds good.”
When the pair walked into the gym, Buffy looked around and quickly spotted her friends. But Angel had other plans. When she tried to move over in Willow’s direction, Angel instead pulled her over to where his friends were standing.
“Hey, guys. This is Buffy. Buffy, this is Lindsey, Darla, Parker, Lilah, and Mr. Trick.”
“Mr. Trick?”
“James Trick, at your service,” the tall black guy said, taking her hand and giving her a malicious grin.
“It’s nice to meet you all,” Buffy said shyly.
“Yes, the pleasure is equally ours,” the girl called Lilah said. She turned and whispered something in Darla’s ear. The girls both laughed.
Parker looked over her body, his eyes lingering just a little longer than one would call respectful.
“Hey, Buffy. Pleased to meet you,” Lindsey said with a soft smile.
“Hello, everyone. This is my date, Chanterelle,” said a voice from behind them.
Angel turned around and grinned. “Gavin! So nice of you to come. This is Buffy.”
“Hi.”
“Hello, Buffy. I must say, I’m very pleased to meet you.”
Buffy looked around at the people who were now chatting comfortably, she standing at the edge of the group. She noticed Chanterelle looking a little uncomfortable with the situation, but Gavin’s arm around her waist prevented her from moving.
Angel turned and noticed Buffy’s nervous reaction to his friends. “Hey, babe, why don’t we go dance?” he asked, grabbing her arm and pulling her toward the dance floor.
“Your friends are kinda odd,” she said, once they were out of earshot.
“Yeah, they can be like that, but I can tell they like you.”
“Really?” They settled on the dance floor in time for a slow song. “Lindsey’s alright, but I’m not sure about the others…”
“Ah, they don’t mean anything,” Angel said with a shrug.
Buffy looked away for a moment, watching the other couples dancing around them. Something about Angel’s friends seemed off. How could he not notice?
They danced a few more dances before Buffy finally pulled away. “I’m gonna go over by my friends now.”
“Nah, why don’t you come over with us?” Angel said, gesturing towards the group at the edge of the floor.
“No, I think I really want to go sit with Willow and Xander now.” She left him on the floor, staring after her.
Rather than being upset and hurt, this made Angel all the more pleased with his new discovery. He grinned and walked back over to his friends, happy with the challenge laid before him.
[Reviews - 23]
-
Table of Contents [Report This]
Chapter or Story |
Chapter or Story | 
Chapter or Story
Has been viewed 2175 times
- Text Size +
-
Table of Contents [Report This]
Chapter or Story |
Chapter or Story | Chapter or Story - Text Size +
Author's Chapter Notes:
I had the strangest urge to introduce some of the more malicious characters of the Jossverse... And, hehe, I have to get this out now... I'm so mean. XD