Chapter 11
Buffy ignored the disapproving stares when she walked into the school with Spike, his hand clenching hers tightly. She still couldn’t believe that he didn’t mind being seen with her in public. In fact, he seemed to be proud to have her at his side. It was something that Buffy didn’t think she would ever get used to. She held her head up high as the other students that used to ridicule her looked on in envy. Her dad yelled at her after Addie complained about Buffy ripping off her wig, of course including some more of her lies and fake tears to make herself look even more the scorned party, but Buffy wasn’t about to let that get to her. She was with Spike now and knew that nothing could ever compare to that. It was going to be a good day.
* * * * *
“Hey, Harris, you know Buffy,” Spike said with a nod and sat down at his usual lunch table, pulling Buffy down with him.
Xander nodded and flashed her a smile. “It’s hard not to with the way you’re always going on about her.”
Buffy blushed and smiled in return. She already felt comfortable with Xander. He was the only friend of Spike’s that didn’t make it a habit to torment her.
“So, where do you suppose my sister is?”
Xander shrugged. “I haven’t seen her. She’s probably off with some jock,” he mumbled.
Buffy heard him and wondered if he had a crush on Dawn. She thought it would be really cute if they got together, but wasn’t about to put her nose where it didn’t belong.
Xander groaned. “Speaking of really dumb jocks, the King of them all is headed this way now.”
Spike turned to see what his friend was talking about, and groaned as well at the sight of Riley Finn.
The jock stood over their table and scoffed. “What’s this about, Giles? Are you taking on charity cases now?” he said, pointing a finger at Buffy.
She lowered her head in embarrassment.
Spike was seething. “I don’t see your mum here, so I guess not.”
Riley glared at him. “You don’t talk about my mother, you bleached freak. I’m not gonna bow down to you like every other idiot in this school. You and your bitch of a sister would be nothing without your daddy’s money.”
Spike had it and was about to stand up and give the bloke a piece of his mind, but the arrival of Dawn put a stop to his actions.
“You know what, Riley? Jealousy really doesn’t become you,” she commented and glanced down at his crotch. “Shouldn’t you be putting some ice on your dick right about now?”
He raised his eyebrows in confusion. “What the hell are you talking about?”
Dawn grinned and without any hesitation, brought her knee up into his groin.
Riley yelled out in pain and fell to the floor, clutching his privates in agony.
“You better put something on that before it swells,” Dawn claimed with a sweet smile.
Riley instantly shot up and hurried out of the cafeteria, laughter following after him.
Dawn turned back to the others, with the smile still on her face. “That felt great. I don’t know what I ever saw in him.”
Spike stood up and pecked his sister on the forehead. “I taught you well, that was bloody excellent.”
She waved her hand in the air. “It was long overdue. Well, I have a make up test to take, catch you guys later.”
Xander watched her go, a look of awe adorning his features. “God, I love that woman. Your sister is a goddess, man.”
Spike rolled his eyes. “Don’t go telling her that, her ego is big enough as it is.” He placed his arm around Buffy and pulled her closer to his side, pressing a kiss to the top of her head to try and ease some of the pain that he knew Captain Cardboard caused.
She let out a sigh and leaned into him. It felt really good to be held.
* * * * *
“So, are you free this weekend?”
Buffy shook her head as they sat down on the same bench in the park. She considered it to be their bench now. “I’m grounded after the whole thing with Addie. I’m not allowed to go anywhere except for school, at least for two weeks.”
Spike nodded. “Well, we can wait until then to have our first official date. That just gives me more time to plan.”
“You don’t have to go to any trouble for me, Spike. I’m pretty simple.”
He took her hand in his, planting a kiss to her palm. “You’re my girl now, Buffy. You’re going to have to get used to me spoiling you. I want our first date to be special. It’s really no trouble at all.”
Buffy smiled and leaned closer to him, kissing him softly on the lips. “You’re pretty great, you know that?”
Spike blushed and realized that she was the only one that could bring the shyness out of him. “You’re pretty great yourself.” He then got back to what he really wanted to tell her. “Love, about what that git said to you today, he was just full of it. He’s always been jealous of me, even if he won’t admit it. It had nothing to do with you. I don’t want you to listen to anything they say. They don’t know you like I do. Everyone in that sodding school is too blind to see the amazing woman that you are. I’ve always seen it; I just wish it didn’t take me this long to say something about it.” He cupped her cheek and wiped one of the tears away that were now streaming down her face. “You are the most beautiful woman in that school; don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. They’re just jealous.”
Buffy nodded through her tears, nuzzling the hand that was still on her cheek. “Thank you,” she whispered.
Spike rested his forehead against hers and sighed in contentment. “You don’t have to thank me for that, pet. I was only being honest.”
Buffy gazed into his blue eyes and could tell how sincere he was. If there was one thing Spike wasn’t, it was a liar. He always said exactly what he meant. All thoughts of suicide and leaving the world were not even a factor in her mind anymore. Without even realizing it, Spike managed to save her life by talking to her that one dreadful day when she was ready to end it all. Buffy just hoped that she would be able to tell him that.