The days up until her mother’s departure passed quickly and finally Buffy was granted the freedom to do as she pleased in her home; and so, Friday afternoon she found herself doing what every young woman should do in the absence of a guardianship…dancing around the living room in a T-shirt and underwear singing into a wooden spoon. Sugary foods had her floating high and candy pop music pumped through the speakers at an alarmingly loud level that her mother would most certainly not approve of. But for Buffy, this was heaven; she could literally let down her hair and act crazy without a care in the world. As the current song dwindled to an end, she faintly heard a ringing in the background. Turning the music off, she darted to the kitchen and grabbed the phone.
“Hello?” She asked breathlessly, leaning against the doorframe for support.
“Buff? Is everything ok?” Angel asked, “You sound like you’re out of breath.”
“I’m fine, just…uh…had to run to get the phone. I was outside.” She fibbed, not wanting to let a college boy know what she had been up to. How immature would she sound if she told him the truth? “Hey! What time did you say you would pick me up? I totally spaced out and forgot.”
“Yeah, um…that’s what I was calling about, babe. My folks came into town at the last minute and I somehow got wrangled into taking my little sister out for the night. So, can we maybe push our plans back until tomorrow night?”
“Oh, yeah I guess. I was really looking forward to going out tonight though. I wanna dance.” Buffy stuck her bottom lip out in her signature pout, not thinking that her boyfriend couldn’t see what she was doing.
“I’ll make it up to you, I promise. Just be ready at seven o’clock sharp and be prepared to be romanced, ok?” Angel promised before ending the conversation without getting her response. “See you tomorrow, Buff.”
“Ok?” Buffy stared at the phone quizzically as if it would explain Angel’s abrupt behavior, then shrugged and hung up the phone. She was halfway to the living room when an idea formed in her head. Turning around and grabbing the phone again, she dialed a familiar number that she hadn’t dialed in years. When someone picked up on the other end, she asked, “Xander?”
A couple hours later, she found herself perched on a stool at the Bronze with her childhood friend and happier than she had been all week long; the fiasco with Spike not forgotten, but amazingly shoved to the far recesses of her mind. Following her typical Buffy behavior, she figured that as long as she ignored the problem, it would eventually go away. After slurping the last dregs of the pink frosty beverage she had ordered, Buffy shivered as the liquor burned her throat. Xander had cleverly pilfered a flask of Rum from his parent’s liquor cabinet and snuck it inside the Bronze. Once they had ordered two non-alcoholic drinks, he had poured just enough into them to provide no more than a slight buzz for the evening. Setting her now empty cup onto the table, she motioned to the dance floor and asked, "Wanna dance?"
"Like I'd say no to dancing with the Buffster!" Xander replied, smiling ear to ear because he was out with his best friend from way back. Taking her hand, he helped her off the stool and led her to the dance floor where they spent the next five songs working up a sweat.
"Break!" Buffy shouted over the music before weaving through the mass of bodies that had converged on the dance floor. Plopping down onto a stool, she poked out her bottom lip and shook the empty cup in Xander’s direction; offering him a blinding smile when he obediently headed towards the bar to refill their drinks.
When he returned, Buffy graciously said, “Thank you!” and slurped down half of the concoction before she realized that Xander had already doused the drink in alcohol; causing her to cough furiously. “Oh, wow…that’s way stronger than the last one!”
“You want me to get you another one?” Xander offered; reaching for her cup.
“Don’t be silly. This one’s just peachy.” Buffy assured him, taking another long slurp through the straw. “Hey, Xan…don’t turn around and be all obvious guy, but you are totally being checked out.”
“Really? Where? Is she hot?” Unable to resist his urges, Xander turned around to find a very pretty girl with honey colored hair boldly staring in his direction. “Holy frijoles!”
“Go ask her to dance or something.” Buffy insisted. When he shook his head violently indicating that he wouldn’t be taking her advice, she eyeballed him and said, “Don’t make me go over and invite her to sit with us. Do you wanna look like a doofus that needs his friends to pick up chicks for him?”
“Fine, but when she shoots me down it’s your fault.” Xander sighed, pushing away from the table and heading towards where the girl was standing alone.
Buffy smiled proudly when they walked hand in hand to the dance floor and started dancing. Feeling lonely, Buffy finished off the last of her drink and headed to the bathroom so that she wouldn’t have to sit at the table by herself. Turning right into the hallway that led to the restrooms, she muttered, “Excuse me,” to the couple that was groping one another and blocking way. When they pulled apart, she blinked several times in disbelief and backed away. “Angel?”
“Buffy? W…what are you doing here? I thought you…uh, were staying at home tonight?” Angel stammered, untangling himself from the tentacle like arms of the curvaceous blonde that was currently pawing at him.
“You’re wondering why I am here? Hello? You’re all…like…sucking face with a girl that’s very much not me and I am the one getting the third degree?” Buffy demanded, crossing her arms across her chest and giving him the best stinky eye she could manage. “So, I guess this is your sister then, right? Close family?” Not bothering to wait for his explanation, she turned and started to stalk away; only to be jerked backwards when Angel’s meaty paw clamped around her upper arm.
“Buffy, come on…don’t be like this, baby. I slipped, ok?” Angel pleaded, trying to pull the struggling girl into his arms. “It’s not like you’re giving me anything. Gotta get it somewhere…guys can’t just not have sex. You said you weren’t ready and this way I didn’t have to pester you for it.”
“Have you totally lost your mind or have I slipped into an alternate dimension where girls actually fall for a bullshit excuse like that?” Buffy spat, finally getting free of his hold. “We’re over, Angel. Don’t call me…like ever.” Storming away, Buffy willed away the tears burning in her eyes and tried to ignore the “Little girl” comment that Angel yelled at her back; pushing her way through the bodies on the dance floor in search of Xander. In the middle of the dance floor, Buffy tugged on his arm and announced, “Hey Xan, I…uh…don’t feel too good all of the sudden. I’m gonna split, ok?”
“Hang on, ok? I’ll drive you home. Wait…what’s wrong? You don’t look sick, just mad.”
“So really don’t want to get into it right now. Look, you stay and dance and be all merry like. I’ll call you tomorrow, ok?” Buffy hurried off without waiting for his reply and rushed out of the club. Several blocks away from the Bronze a loud clap of thunder rang through the air and Buffy looked upwards to the sky, frowning at the heavy clouds that hung threateningly over her head and realized that walking home was not the best idea. The first plop of rain hit her square in the middle of the forehead and Buffy cursed loudly and started running towards home. Less than a second later, the heavens opened wide and she was caught in the midst of a torrential downpour. Giving up on the idea of making it home before getting too soaked, Buffy stopped running and strolled at a leisurely pace instead.
A loud rumbling noise came from behind her and all of the sudden Buffy was covered in the high beams of the car that was slowly approaching her. “Miss, do you need a lift? Bad night to be taking a walk, innit?”
“Um…no thanks. I’ll be fine.” Buffy called out, keeping her eyes straight ahead and focused on the sidewalk.
“Buffy? Pet, is that you?” Spike called from inside his black DeSoto; slamming down on the brakes. “Get in and I’ll drive you home, kitten.”
“Well, since I doubt you’re a hatchety serial killer, I will. Thanks.” Buffy replied as she slid into the vintage car, grateful to be out of the rain. Once she had given directions to her house, she leaned back against the leather seat and stared out the window. They rode in silence the entire way to her house, most of it very uncomfortable. Neither one knew exactly what to say to the other one since their last encounter nearly two weeks ago. When he pulled into the driveway, Buffy stared at the darkened house in confusion. “Dangit, I thought I left a light on. Now it’s all creepy and dark and I have to go in. Grr.”
“Tha’s right, kitten, I forgot you Mum was out of town.” Spike reached for the door handle and said, “Come on then, let’s go make sure there aren’t any boogie men waiting for you.”
Following behind him, Buffy chastised herself for admiring Spike’s backside when she had just broken things off with Angel; but was unable to tear her green eyes away from it anyway. ‘Bad Buffy!’ She thought to herself as she maneuvered in front of him and unlocked the front door. They stepped inside the foyer and she fumbled for the light switch, flicking it on and bathing them in soft light. “Um…thanks for doing this for me.”
“Not a problem, luv. Wouldn’t want any baddies eating you up; they love little girls, you know.” Spike joked; curling his tongue over his teeth in a suggestive leer. “Now, stay here and I’ll go-“ His words were cut off when Buffy smashed her lips against his, kissing him fiercely and wrapping her arms tightly around his neck. ’Bad idea, mate. Need to push her away before things spiral rapidly out of control. His conscience warned. ‘Oh sod it all!’ The devil in him screamed, pushing all thoughts of doing right out of his mind as he slid his hands down her back to cup them under her bottom, pulling Buffy against his body roughly; not giving a care in the world that her soggy clothes were drenching his. Her hands were fisted in his hair, loosening the strands that were cemented with gel and a breathy moan escaped from her when they pulled apart to catch their breath. Spike stared down into her emerald green eyes, hazy with lust, and dared to ask, “Wha’ brought tha’ on, luv?”
“I’m not a little girl.”
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