Yellow Fever

Author's Note: Based on the episode 'Yellow Fever' from The Adventures of Pete and Pete. Reviews are appreciated!

Ever since there's been school, there's been field trips. In my school, we've been subjected to places such as the CRD Moloch Research Laboratory, the Sunnydale Army Base, and the burnt out factory in the middle of the industrial park. Field trips are supposed to be educational but what teachers don't get is that the real education takes place on the way there. The seemingly ordinary school bus becomes an incubator for the churning psyches of 48 kids. Inside, a kind of chemical reaction takes place; people change; friends become enemies; enemies become friends; and a class trip becomes a journey to the darkest recesses of your own soul.

Our journey began with Ms. French briefing us on our field trip to the Sunnydale County Milk Museum while our class stood in line, popping gum, rolling our eyes, and/or chewing our nails.

"...and last but not least, no milking."

She nodded in a prim way that signaled she was finished speaking and then turned to the bus driver.

"Alright. Everybody on the bus," he said in a cheerful voice. But it was the type of cheerful that made you suspect that there was something darker hidden.

But that wasn't the real story that day. Someone had given Riley a secret love note. In it, she had promised to reveal her identity by sitting next to him on the trip. I knew it shouldn't have bothered me. I mean, Riley and I were just friends but for some reason it chomped on my guts. Who had sent that note? It could have been anyone; Gwen, Harmony, Cordelia, Kendra, Amy, air-head Glory, any eligible girl in my entire class.

As I got onto the bus I thought, whoever Riley's secret admirer was I wasn't going to stand in her way. At least I thought I wasn't until I was passing by his seat. I didn't know what came over me but...

"What are you doing?" He asked as I sat down, a little stunned at myself but not about to let myself show it.

"I don't know."

"How am I supposed to find out who sent that note? You can't sit here," he whined.

"Come on. We always sit together."

Riley sighed in annoyance while I was grinning on the inside. Just for good measure, I tripped up my arch-nemesis Spike while he was walking by.

"Watch it, princess," he muttered as he kept walking. I stuck my tongue out at him.

"Remember to make a left onto Route 6," Ms. French was telling the driver. "I'll meet you there in an hour."

She turned and clomped off the bus in her chunky sandals.

The bus driver picked up the intercom microphone and held the button down so a static screech echoed around the bus. Everyone simultaneously covered their ears.

"Welcome aboard the yellow fever. I am your captain, driver Richard Wilkins the third."

I watched Ms. French get into her car from the window next to Riley.

"Our traveling time will be approximately 60 minutes. That'll be all," he finished before slamming his foot down on gas pedal.

In school you see the same people everyday. Nothing changes. But on a long bus ride, people reveal parts of themselves no one was meant to see.

Case in point: Holden Webster. Every time we went on a trip, we saw a new side to the kid who did the lighting for the annual play. This time, it was his newfound obsession with psychology. By the end of the trip he will have diagnosed everybody with something or other.

For some reason, just being on a bus made Kathy beserk. She kept a pair of rubber gloves on at all times and periodically wiped down the windows and seats when she wasn't straightening up the contents in her backpack.

For Cecily, it was like sort of vengeance hormone kicked in and she began questioning anyone in hearing range if they had any justice that needed to be served.

Sitting next to her, Drusilla started giggling like a hyena. Whenever she was on a bus, her normally bizarre behavior grew more and more nutty until we all wondered if she had really ever been sane at all.

But of all the mutations that took place that day, mine was the weirdest.

Riley sighed again.

"I really needed that seat."

"Oh. For your lover-girl? That's sweet," I held a hand over my heart to emphasize my sarcasm.

"You're just jealous," he snapped.

"You wish!"

"I wish you'd move."

There was no turning back for me or the others.

Some spent their time arguing about superheroes...

"No way! Wolverine would so destroy Spiderman!" Andrew argued.

"But he couldn't take Superman," Johnathon countered.

...others slept, some talked.

"Hey B! You'll never guess what hunk of meat I sank my teeth into last weekend."

Faith dangled her arms over the back of our seat as she grinned at me. I looked at her, waiting for her to continue.

She licked her lips.

"Scott Hope."

Faith and I started cracking up. I held out her hand and she promptly slapped it. Faith giggled as she sank back into her seat.

"What has gotten into you?" Riley said, irritated. "Next you're gonna want to make-out with Spike. Go ahead. There's no line."

"Well, what if I did?" I shot back.

"I wouldn't be surprised!"

The intercom screeched again.

"This is your bus driver Richard. We're going to be making a few minor changes in regulations such as..."

Bus Driver Richard paused when he heard our two voices interrupting his trail of thought.

"Just get out. I asked you really nicely," Riley whined.

"I wasn't going to make-out with anybody and who died and made you bus sheriff?"

"Passenger Buffy." I looked up at Richard. "No arguing. Back of the bus. Now."

There was nothing I could do. Riley was going to get the seat he wanted and I was going to get the seat I deserved. I threw Riley a glare as I stood up and walked tiltingly towards the back of the bus.

Spike patted the seat next to him.

"Princess, I am so looking forward to you and me spending some quality time together. I see you're having a little trouble with your boyfriend," he said, smirk in place.

"He's not my boyfriend," I said, turning around just in time to see Faith sliding in next to Riley.

"Heya. How's it going?" She piped cheerfully as she made herself comfortable.

"Faith?" I said confused.

"...and finally passengers will, ah, chip in for gas. If you have anymore questions. Please don't hesitate not to ask them," Bus Driver Richard continued.

Still facing the front of the bus, Spike quickly jumped up, slid his arm around me and pulled me down onto the seat next to him.

"And we're off," Bus Driver Richard said, finishing his speech.

Spike grinned and his arm rested comfortably around my waist, holding me to his side.

The transformation was now complete. Spike was my companion and my old companion was now a backstabber.

"I just figured you'd get bored sitting with Buffy all the time. Maybe you're...ready for something new?" Faith said to Riley with a cheeky smile.

Thanks to numerous bathroom trips and several wrong turns, we were two hours behind schedule and driving further into the uncharted territory of our souls.