**A/N This takes place in the third season which means *deep breath* Angel isn't there, cause he's in Hell, Oz and Willow are still together, Cordelia and Xander are together still as well, Spike has run off with Dru to Brazil, or wherever they went, AND the high school hasn't been blown to smitherines yet. And now, on with the story....
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Another beautiful Friday morning. All of the students of Sunnydale High were already excited with the pre-weekend rush. As the Scooby gang of Buffy, Xander, Willow and Oz headed toward the library, their separate conversations became clear, even over the roar of the kids around them.
"So," Willow asked Oz, "what do you want to do for our anniversary this weekend"
"I don't know," Oz replied, "we haven't done the traditional 'mini-golf' date yet. That would be fun. There's a conspiracy though, because every time I putt, I land in the water."
"Your ball goes in the water every time?" Willow inquired, puzzled.
"No, me. I always step in a puddle, even on a sunny day."
"Yeah, well, that's usually a group date thing," Willow added. "I went golfing with Buffy once. But her mom was dating a robot...and he nearly killed us and...I don't want to talk about it anymore."
Buffy and Xander's conversation seemed to be on a more familiar subject.
"So, how's the whole slayage thing going nowadays?" Xander questioned.
"It's actually odd." Buffy remarked. "Paranormal activity has been slow lately. You'd think all the vampires would be in a rush with Spring Break coming so soon. Kill everyone before they leave."
"Kinda like a fire sale." Xander quirked. "Get it before it's gone."
"Exactly. I'm almost getting bored." Buffy added.
"We could probably fix that." Xander said hopefully.
At this point, Willow and Oz had decided to join Buffy and Xander's chat.
"Do you think you could join us for a miniature golf night tonight?" Willow asked.
"Tonight? As in night time? The time the 'Phantom of the Library' sets aside for graveyard prowling?" Buffy uttered.
"Yeah, hey, what's up with Giles?" Oz implored. "I haven't seen him leave the library for days."
Buffy replied with her usual sarcasm. "Bookboy is freaked 'cause it's slow city. Totally wigged. So, he's busy checking the books."
Xander was about to reply but something made him stop in his tracks. Whatever caused it was contagious, because Oz halted at the exact same moment. They both stared down the hallway. When Buffy and Willow looked to see what they were so intrigued by, they recognized immediately the cause.
Coming towards them was what Buffy could only describe as a striking brunette. She had the looks that made other girls sick with envy. Add to that fact that she was wearing an incredibly short blue dress, and Buffy and Willow knew they had totally lost Xander and Oz to this unknown stranger.
The girl walked right up to Buffy. "Excuse me," she asked in a strong accent, "but where's the admissions office? I'm trying to apply for enrollment here, but I'm afraid I'm lost."
At that moment, Xander regained his ability to speak, and, in his best sex-symbol voice, remarked, "We are all lost. And I shall be your unerring and fearless guide."
Buffy couldn't take this kind of acting from Xander. "Back off slobber geek," she told him, completely flattening what was left of his ego. Then she turned back to the girl. "It's understandable that you're lost. This place can be really confusing the first time around. Okay, just follow this hallway. Close to the end, you'll see a group of losers hanging around a door with a bunch of 'writing' on it. That's Principal Snyder's office. The door after it is the admissions office."
"Thank you so much," the girl said gratefully. "That helps me a lot. My name is Jasper White."
She extended her hand to Buffy, who in turn shook it. "Buffy Summers," she remarked, then added in her special way, "Welcome to the home of the Fighting Razorbacks."
Jasper smiled at her. "Thanks." She then motioned towards the guys standing there, gawking at her. "Who are your friends?"
"Oh yeah," Buffy said, "this is Willow, Xander and Oz."
"Hello," Jasper remarked with a smile still on her face.
All Xander and Oz could do was nod in acknowledgment. "Hi," Willow replied. "I've never known a Jasper before, especially a girl named Jasper. I had a jasper pendant once, but I guess that's not the same."
Everyone just looked at Willow like she was insane.
Buffy broke the momentary silence. "So, if you get in, maybe we'll have some classes together."
"Yeah," Jasper related. "And maybe we could be friends."
Through all of this excitement- Buffy's making a new pal, Xander and Oz's growing infatuation, and Willow's indifference to the girl before her- no one noticed that on the glass of the trophy case behind them, the images of Buffy, Xander, Oz and Willow mimicked their actions completely, but there was no reflection for Jasper.