*****
Chapter Eight:The Bright Side of the Rainbow
Dawn bounced down the stairs then headed into the kitchen, only to be greeted by her parents. Joyce turned back to the stove finishing up her pancakes, as Hank poured two mugs of coffee along with two glasses of orange juice.
Buffy entered the room moments later humming to herself. Dawn watched as her older sister moved to the fridge grabbing the carton of grapefruit juice. She came to the kitchen table and sat down, before pouring some of the bitter juice in with her orange.
Dawn frowned then shrugged her shoulders before reaching for the grapefruit juice and doing the same. She then brought the glass to he lips; taking a sip. “Blah!” she shuddered then pushed the glass away.
Buffy hardly paid her any attention as she cut up her pancake, still humming.
“Buffy’s in love.” Dawn sang before stuffing a piece of her breakfast in her mouth.
The blonde rolled her eyes. “I am not! Shut up.”
“Yeeees, you are. Admit it!”
Hank arched a brow. “What makes you think Buffy’s in love?” He asked, slightly amused.
“Well, for starters she’s got this stupid look on her face.” To prove her point Dawn looked over at her sister. Buffy was no longer following the conversation; she was lost in her own world; daydreaming about her upcoming date with Spike. “And she’s totally ignoring me! I’ve been copying her all morning and all she done is hum that stupid song.” Dawn huffed.
Hank and Joyce shared a look, before she gave a small chuckle. Something did have Buffy distracted, it was only logical to think it could be a boy.
“Hurry up and finish you breakfast, you don’t want to miss your bus.” Joyce said to her youngest. The girl frowned then began her assault on her plate. Working with one good arm was hard.
Buffy took a few bites of her bacon and a nibble of her pancake before drinking the rest of her juice. She was lost in thought.
“I’m going out on a date, with Spike! Just how cool is that?” Buffy grinned to herself then frowned. “Oh, God, I’m going on a date, with Spike! What am I going to wear? I have nothing to wear. I have to go shopping, like today! Oh, wait. I have no idea when this date is. God, this is hard. Why couldn’t this be easier?”
“Did you hear me?” Joyce had begun clearing the table of dishes as she spoke to her daughter.
Puzzled, Buffy blinked, searching her brain for an answer. “Sorry, I kinda spaced out. What did you say?”
“I asked if you were finished with breakfast. Mind telling me who has you in such a bright mood this morning?”
“I’m not in a happy mood,” she said, getting up. Buffy followed her mother over to the sink; she had an important question to ask. “Would… could… is it okay if I go out… on a date… with a boy?” She waited nervously for the reply.
Joyce smirked before turning to face her daughter. “A date, huh?” Her brows rising in amusement.
“Yeah, nothing big. Just me, some guy, and a movie.” Buffy tried to sound aloof.
“Some guy, huh? Would this guy be the same one who drove you home the other day?”
Buffy nodded. “Yeah, Sp- Will.”
“Okay then. You can go out on your date under one condition. We, meaning your father and me, have to meet him first.”
“What? Are you serious? What am I twelve?”
“No, you’re not twelve, you’re fifteen, and my daughter. Therefore I want to at least speak to the boy who’s going to be taking you out.”
Buffy rolled her eyes. “Fine.” She huffed, before grabbing her backpack and heading for the front door.
*****
“Is it true?”
Buffy turned to Willow with a questioning stare. “You know, you and Spike?”
The girl paled, there was another rumor going around school about her? Why, God? Why? Her name being mentioned in the same sentence as Spike’s only equaled badness.
The look of trepidation on her face prompted the redhead to continue. “It’s all over school, but nothing in a bad way, I mean, it’s all good, very much of the good. People are saying that you and Spike are an item, which brings be back to my original question. Is it true?”
Buffy blushed this time. “I guess so. I mean, I really don’t know. He did ask me out but that doesn’t mean we’re a couple. Does it?”
Willow gasped in surprise. “Um, yeah, it kinda does. Or at least I’ve been told, so don’t quote me on that. Oh, my, God, this is so cool.” Willow was smiling but it quickly turned into something more serious. “Just be careful, okay? I don’t want you getting hurt. We all know how Spike is with girls, and by that I mean, don’t give him any sex.”
That comment earned her a glare which turned into a giggle. The two shared a moment of laughter before Buffy placed her hand on Willow’s shoulder. “Seriously, Wills, there will be no sex giving. I want Spike with me because of who I am, not if I put out or not. If he’s only after sex, then he’s with the wrong girl.”
“Sex? Who’s getting some?” Faith asked, squeezing between the two.
Willow rolled her eyes as Buffy smiled. “No one. What’s up?” Buffy asked cheerfully.
“Well, I have to go.” Willow announced not even glancing at the new comer. “See you later, Buffy.” Turning around she almost bumped into Xander.
“Sorry, I didn’t see you there.”
“It’s okay. I should have shouted “watch out” or something. Completely my fault,” he replied.
Willow shyly smiled at him before walking away. Xander watched her in slight awe. Was he completely reading into something that wasn’t there or, had Willow just smiled at him?
“Okay, I was hanging out in the boys locker room when something caught my ear. Wanna know what it was?” She didn’t wait for the blonde to answer her. “Well, if you must know, there’s this rumor that little Miss. Buffy and Big Bad Spike are dating. So I’m thinking there has to be some truth to it. You know, since the last time there wasn’t!” Faith said sarcastically.
“There is some truth this time.” Buffy admitted with excitement. “He asked me out to the movies. I called to tell you but you weren’t home.”
“Yeah, I got stuck actually having to spend time with my mom. She got dumped by her latest low life of a boy toy, and she was making with the water works. I had the phone unplugged as we watch Thelma and Louise.”
“Sorry about your mom, but who’s saying this about me? It’s not Jesse is it?”
“Jesse? No, don’t worry about him. It was Toby. He saw you at swim practice and then watched as the two of you got in Spike’s car.” Faith gave Buffy a silly leer. “Don’t worry this rumor is a sex free one!”
Buffy gave a sigh of relief, thankful to hear that bit of news. Faith on the other hand was rubbing her hands together staring at the teen. “Speaking of bumpin’ uglies; Spike asked you out? When?”
“There’s the problem, he hasn’t given me a date. Just how messed up is that? You ask someone out but you don’t tell them when or what time.”
“Don’t worry he’ll rectify that situation. And when he does you have fun on your date, and by fun I mean have fun.” Faith gave Buffy a wink of the eye and a nod of the head.
“Ewww, Faith. You’re such a pig. Why does everyone think that it’s okay to give advice on my sex life when I have no sex life?”
“We have too. It’s our duty. And if I don’t push you into having sex, well, then, you’ll never get a sex life. Plus, you so want to jump Spike’s bones.”
“Faith.” Buffy growled, slapping her on the arm.
“What? I was only stating the obvious. You know you were thinking it,” she grinned before jogging off down the hall a trail of laughter floated behind her.
Buffy watched with a bemused smile before she turned towards Xander with a slight smirk.
“Don’t look at me!” he offered, putting his hands up in mock defense. “I’m no Doctor Ruth; I do not give sex advice.”
The two began walking to class in a companionable silence. Xander shoved his hands in his jeans pockets as he took a deep nervous breath.
“What do you think about Willow?”
Buffy arched her brow in question. “What do you mean? Like as a friend?” She asked for further clarification.
“No, I mean,” Xander took another deep breath. “what do you think… do you think she could like me?”
The blonde’s smile grew. ‘Awww, Xander has a crush on Wills.’ “Honestly, Xand, I’m not sure.”
She watched as the hope on his face deflated. “But, look, it’s not like we’ve been friends forever, well, you know what I mean. We just got back together, it’s not like she’s mentioned anyone that she likes. I can ask her if you like. In a totally subtle way of course.”
That lifted the brunette’s spirits, his eyes lit up with his smile. “Yeah, completely subtle. Subtle is definitely of the good.”
*****
The bell rang; announcing the end of another school day. Buffy closed her locker door as she slung her backpack over her shoulder. She started down the hall debating with herself. She wanted to see Spike… again. The truth, she couldn’t get enough of him, if all he did all day was stand in front of her, she’d never tire of gazing at him. Correction, ogling is sexy body. He was perfection and perfection deserved to be ogled.
But the fact was she was not his girlfriend, at least not that she knew of, and no matter how badly she wanted to sit there on the bleachers and watch him swim she couldn’t. It would be in bad taste, and make her look all clingy. She so didn’t want to come off as one of those type of girls. She also didn’t want to fall in the category of being a Spike groupie. But, they had shared in two smooch sessions as well as drive to his house for dry clothes. Buffy frowned, that meant zilch. She just had to wait for their date and, then, maybe he would make it official. With her mind made up, Buffy headed for the front of the school.
“Summers!”
The voice came out of nowhere, sending a delicious shiver down her back. She couldn’t pin point the reason why her body reacted in that way when he called her, but she was pretty sure it was due to his voice. It had to be the accent. The way her name spilled from his lips, it should have been illegal. Taking a deep breath and trying her hardest to wipe the cheesy grin off her face, Buffy turned around.
“Hey, Spike!”
He came to a halt in front of her, not speaking, not moving, he just starred at her. His eyes roaming over her like a man starved. Buffy shivered once more, her checks turning a slight pink as her inner Faith whispered all the naughty things Spike was currently thinking about as he gazed upon her.
Another voice, Buffy’s voice of reason interjected on the smut fest currently broadcasting in her skill pointing out, rather rudely, that Spike most likely got wind of the new rumor going around. Buffy could feel the panic begin to rise inside of her. No, that so was not true. But it could be true, that’s what scared her the most. That Spike would hear the new gossip and decide to call the whole date off and never speak to her again. If that happened she would die. Just roll into the fetal passion and wither away to nothing. She didn’t want to die, she wanted to get to know Spike’s lips more.
Spike’s lips were of the good!
“You headed home?” He asked.
Buffy shrugged. “Yeah, it’s what I do at the end of the day.”
Spike nodded. “Or, you could come to swim practice and wait for me.” It was more of a statement than a question. Plus, who was she to refuse. It was an open invitation to gaze on the perfection that was Spike.
“Okay. It’s not like I have anything important to do anyway.”
“Yeah. Plus, you enjoy viewing my oh, so, sexy bod.”
Buffy’s eyes widened comically, his comment catching her off guard. Just how was one supposed to respond to something like that?
Spike didn’t have to look back at her to know that she was pink with embarrassment, but he did anyway. He loved how she looked, all pure like. If she knew how hot she looked right now he would end up putty in her hands. But Spike guessed that was one of the reasons he was so drawn to her. She didn’t have a clue about how attractive she really was.
Buffy’s cheeks grew pinker as she realized he was staring at her once again. She quickly ducked her head trying to hide her smile.
“I’ll take that as a yes,” he commented with a smirk, before turning back around.
*****
Buffy admitted (to herself) that the swim team offered a good chunk of eye candy, but none of them could even come close to Spike. The practice moved faster this time around and she found herself entertaining the idea of joining the girls swim team. It was an excellent way to stay in shape, but decided against it. The chlorine would dry out her hair.
Buffy nibbled lightly on her bottom lip as she stood waiting for Spike an hour later. She really didn’t want to deal with Jesse, but was pleasantly surprised when he ignored her, only mumbling a “Hey, Buffy,” as he passed her. Buffy shrugged then turned her eyes back to the door exiting from the gym and adjoining locker rooms.
Spike soon emerged, hair slightly wet and his swim bag under his arm. Buffy frowned as she saw he was accompanied by Angel. The two were talking. The brunette glanced at her, smiled, then turned back to Spike. He said something that had them both chuckling. He then gave Spike a friendly pat on the back and left.
She couldn’t help but wonder what he had said. Was it about her? It could have been. Angel had looked at her before turning back to Spike then making the comment. Buffy wrapped her arms around her middle as she pushed the dark thoughts from her head. She smiled as their eyes met and he smiled back.
‘It’s strange. I find myself standing here watching as the love of my life walks towards me, and I am faced with the harsh reality that I know nothing about love. Of course I’ve had crushes, been sorta in lust before, but this is real, I can taste it, feel it. Even smell it. Yet, it has this dream like quality to it. I keep thinking I’m going to wake up any minute and find this has all been a dream. That Spike still doesn’t know that I exist and I’m still the same girl that I was before the summer ended.
But then I feel as if I’ve woken from a dream, but to reality, and in this reality I have Spike. And I’m faced with this dilemma, should I open my heart to him and let him lead me through the choppy waters of love, hoping for a positive out come. Or should I shield myself off and hope for the best?
If I let him take the lead what will become of the both of us? What if I took the lead? Would that make me seem bossy? A control freak? Would he even like that?”
“Ready?” He asked, standing in front of her. Buffy nodded her head.
They made their way to the Desoto and he unlocked her door. Buffy slipped inside and watched as Spike made his way around the car, unlocked the door, then slipped behind the wheel. They drove in silence for a few moments until he reach over and turned on the radio. The car filled with the sound of what Buffy assumed was Punk. She never listened to it before, but it wasn’t too bad. She had no idea who it was or what they were saying. She continued to gaze out of the window. They would be at her house soon, yet he still hadn’t mentioned anything.
“Did you hear?” Why was her mouth speaking without permission from her brain?
“Hear what?”
‘Okay, he has no idea. Shut up now.’ Of course her brain wouldn’t hear any of that. “You know, you, me, an item.”
Spike took his eyes off the road for a moment to regard her. “Yeah, what of it?”
“Don’t know. Was just wondering if you heard about it that’s all.”
He parked in front of the Summers’ residence then turned off the car. He turned to her. “I’ve heard. What’s on your mind, Summers?”
Buffy sighed. “I was just… I’m guessing you no longer want to talk to me, right?”
Spike reached over, lightly nudging her chin up to look at him. “Buffy, only did that because I thought that was what you wanted. Might not have been one of my brightest ideas, but, yeah. Anyway, it’s not what I want this time.”
She was gazing at him with a hopeful look in her eye. “So, what does that mean? What do you want?”
“Thought that was pretty obvious. You.” He said the last part with a small smile.
Buffy looked away. “Why? What’s so different this time around?” Why couldn’t she leave well enough alone? She just had to keep pushing. Couldn’t just accept the fact that he wanted her. No, she had to know why. Like that mattered.
“Don’t rightly know. All I know is I’ve gotten know you and I like what I know. I want to know more of you, if you’ll let me.”
Okay, she completely took her last comment back. His reason did matter. He wanted to get to know her better, he wanted her. If it wasn’t for the fact that she was currently sitting in his car, Buffy would be doing her happy dance, instead she smiled.
He hadn’t realized it, but as they were talking his hand moved from her chin and now was resting in her hair, lightly playing with the golden locks.
“So we’re settled then?” He questioned. Buffy nodded.
She turned to look at her house. “Guess I better get going. I have home work and, I know my mom has some crazy chore for me to do.” She turned to open the door.
“We’re still on for that movie?”
“Yup, the last time I checked.” Buffy paused then rolled her eyes. “Wait, my parents, they so want to meet you. They can’t allow me to go out with some guy without them knowing him first.”
Spike regarded her with his scarred brow. This was a first. He had never been in a girl’s house while her parents were home let alone met said parents. This could be interesting. “Fine. I’ll drop by around six on Friday, chat up your folks, then we can catch the seven thirty show.”
Buffy smiled, relieved that he agreed to met her parents. “Sounds good.” With a final waved she got out of the car and headed to her house.
*****
A/N: Anyone still with me? Please review and let me know!
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Author's Chapter Notes:
Sorry about the gap in updates, but I’ve been sick. First the flu then I got some stomach bug thingy. Really nasty. But I’m better now. So I hope you enjoy this chapter, and please let me know what you think!