Lost Love
Chapter One
Stalker Guy and Jealous Angel
Disclaimer: As much as I wish they were mine...they're not.
------------------------------------------------------------------------"191...192...193...194..." Buffy Summers chanted under her breath, listening patiently as her Watcher, also known as Giles, continued to lecture her on the importance of wandering the park at night without a stake. It wasn't her fault! …Not entirely, anyways. How was she supposed to know that demons hung out in parks? But at least Angel was there to save her, right? So why is it that Giles was constantly nagging her, yet he considered Angel to be a hero.

"Therefore you should have KNOWN better then to go out without a stake in your possession!" The Brit finished, making Buffy sigh and roll her eyes.

"Coulda, shoulda, woulda, did," She quipped, flashing her familiar 'I'm-Such-A-Blonde-So-You-Can't-Be-Mad-At-Me' grin at him. "Noow…if you're done with your little talk now, I'm supposed to be in Chem. 101 right now. 'Cause, y'know, Mr. Oriel gets all angry-like when I'm late…" She grinned at him again and quickly hurried out before he could respond.

"See ya later Giles, Angel!" She called over her shoulder, her heart doing beating rapidly as Angel turned his alluring gaze, resting on her as he slowly lifted his hand in a wave.

Damn…why did he have to be so…so…SEXY?! Okay, no more thinking about Angel, Buff! You will go to school. Fail your History test. Finish the school day. Hang out with Willow, Xander, and Oz at the Bronze. And NOT think about Angel. She shrugged. It sounded like a good plan to her, so she headed off.

"OHMIGOD! BUFFY WHERE WERE YOU?!" Willow shrieked, making Buffy sigh. She loved her best friend and all but sometimes she just wished that she would disappear. "Were you with Angel?! Did he kiss you?! Did he tell you he loved you?!" Buffy let out a little laugh and walked inside, Willow trailing after her.

"Yes, I wish, and…no," She replied with slight disappointment, shrugging at her then grinning as she spotted a familiar face in the crowd of teens. "Yo Xand! Over here!" She called, waving furiously to her other best friend. She grinned even more as Xander strutted, yes STRUTTED, over to them, his arm draped loosely around the shoulders of his recent girlfriend, Anya.

"Wassup, my friends?" Xander asked, hugging them both playfully. Buffy smirked and started to make a retort when her eyes narrowed and she quickly ducked behind Xander.

"Eh heh heh…you know, Buffster, as much as I'm loving this…" He trailed after, shrugging. "I already have a beautiful girlfriend," The said girlfriend rolled her eyes and sighed.

"Can't you see she's hiding from S.G., sweetie?" Anya inquired, trying to keep from bopping her boyfriend on the head. As much as she loved him, sometimes he could be so dense!

"Oooh! S.G.! That makes sense!" Xander exclaimed, then paused for a moment and blinked. "Um…who's S.G.? Is he someone I should know about?" Willow took over and explained that S.G. took for Stalker Guy. And Stalker Guy, was none other then Riley Finn.

They'd begun calling him Stalker Guy when he first showed up on Giles's doorstep, right after Buffy had walked in. He went right over and kneeled down, confessing that he liked her. A lot. Luckily for him, Angel hadn't been there to witness the scene. They could just imagine the chaos if he had. Poor Riley's body would be shredded.

Buffy had politely told him off, saying that she already had a boyfriend and really didn't want to upset him, which was a bunch of lies. Riley had glared at all of them that had been there, Oz, Xander, Willow, Giles, and Cordelia (Xander hadn't started dating Anya yet), as if it were all they're fault she's rejected him.

From time to time, Willow and Buffy noticed Riley was following them down the street. Or rather following BUFFY down the street. Every week he left a bouquet of fresh roses on her doorstep, a different color each week, with a note revealing his passionate feelings for her. Though she felt bad about it, she always threw the note into the furnace, sometimes with the roses with them.

Angel still wasn't aware of their little 'relationship', which Buffy supposed was for the best. She wasn't that fond of Riley, but she certainly didn't want him six feet other because of Angel!

'Not that Angel would care if he knew, anyways.' Buffy thought sadly, as she recalled that day. 'He barely says two words to me anymore…and when he does he seems to act like it pains him a great deal to even be in my presence' She let out a soft sigh, which only Willow seemed to hear. She shot her friend a sympathetic look, figuring she was thinking about her 'Angel Problem' again.

"Hi guys! Is Buffy around?" Riley asked eagerly as he approached them, making Xander snicker a little bit. Anya rolled her eyes and glared at him, smacking his arm. She smiled and turned to Riley, a completely fake sorry expression on her face. She wasn't too fond of the boy either.

"Sorry, Riley…she just left to go to class," Anya lied smoothly, making the boy's face fall. He muttered something unintelligible and shuffled away. Buffy breathed a sigh of relief and jumped out from her hiding place behind Xander, hugging Anya tightly.

"You saved me!" She crowed, grinning at her happily. "I'm forever grateful to you!" Anya laughed nervously, looking over at Xander with a panicked expression on her face as Buffy hugged her tightly. Xander snickered a little and pried the two apart.

"She's…just…unbelievably happy…that someone saved her from…" He coughed, trying to stifle his laughter. "S.G." Buffy nodded quickly, looking around slowly.

"I think…Mr. Oriel…is spying on us…" She told them all in a monotone. "Or…I may just feel guilty that I'm going to be late for his class and, uh…going to get detention again," She coughed and waved to them sheepishly, silently slipping inside the school doors.
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"Free at last!" Buffy exclaimed happily, slipping into the seat next to Willow. "I LOVE lunch hour! We can goof off and get a break from classes and…stuff" She babbled, then blinked and turned to Cordelia, who was sitting on the other side of her.

After Buffy had saved her a few times, they admitted to a truce. They weren't exactly best friends, but they weren't enemies anymore, either.

"Who do YOU think is, like, the sexiest guy in the world?" Cordy was asking the Cordettes, grinning. A light smirk made it's way across Buffy's lips as she replied instead of one of the Cordettes.

"Why, Aaron Carter of course!" She grinned and jauntily tipped her backwards baseball cap, an old one of Xander's that he'd given her awhile ago, to the right and grinned more. Buffy, Cordy, the Cordettes, Anya, and Willow all burst into laughter and pretended to swoon over the amazingly 'hott' pop singer.

"Too bad he has a girlfriend…" Buffy muttered, sticking her lower lip out in a pout. It really wasn't fair. She would've loved to out with him…pfft, like that would ever happen. Even if he didn't have a girlfriend.

"It's SO not fair!" The other girls agreed, ignoring Xander's panicked look as they continued chatting about Aaron Carter, Nick Carter, Tom Cruise, a few other famous guys that they considered worthy of their time and attention.

After a few moments of talking, Buffy heard faint country music starting to play. She raised her eyebrows questionably at Cordelia as she grabbed Buffy's hand and led her to the middle of the cafeteria, which was the only space empty from students.

"You planned this, didn't you Cordy?" Buffy asked softly, copying Cordelia's moves and lip-synching the words to the song, as Cordy also did that. Cordy nodded and smiled at her before continuing to dance.

Let's go!

Don't wantcha for the weekend, don't wantcha for a night I'm only interested if I can have you for life, yeah Uh, I know I sound serious and baby I am You're a fine piece of real estate, and I'm gonna get me some land

The two did a few back flips, both staying in perfect unision.

Oh, yeah So, don't try to run honey, love can be fun There's no need to be alone when you find that someone

(I'm gonna getcha) I'm gonna getcha while I gotcha in sight (I'm gonna getcha) I'm gonna getcha if it takes all night

They did some backhand springs, earning applause from their audience. She hated to admit it, but Cordy was pretty flexible and a pretty good dancer. Then again, she WAS captain of the cheer squad.

(Yeah, you can betcha) You can betcha by the time I say "go," you'll never say "no" (I'm gonna getcha) I'm gonna getcha, it's a matter of fact (I'm gonna getcha) I'm gonna getcha, don'tcha worry 'bout that (Yeah, you can betcha) You can bet your bottom dollar, in time you're gonna be mine Just like I should - I'll getcha good

They both started cart wheeling around each other in a circle, clearly enjoying themselves.

Yeah, uh, uh I've already planned it - here's how it's gonna be I'm gonna love you and - you're gonna fall in love with me Yeah, yeah

Oh, yeah So, don't try to run honey, love can be fun There's no need to be alone when you find that someone

Soon everyone got up and started dancing, though Cordelia and Buffy were still in the spotlight. Buffy soon found herself dancing with Scott Hope, who supposedly liked her, while Cordy was dancing with one of the football team's quarterbacks.

Yeah, I'm gonna getcha baby I'm gonna knock on wood I'm gonna getcha somehow honey yeah, I'm gonna make it good Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah

Oh, yeah So, don't try to run honey, love can be fun There's no need to be alone when you find that someone

Oh, I'm gonna getcha, I'm gonna getcha real good Yeah, you can betcha, oh, I'm gonna getcha (I'm gonna getcha) just like I should, I'll getcha good Oh, I'm gonna getcha good!

As the song ended, Cordelia and Buffy both bowed. Buffy tried to hide her pink cheeks as she headed back to her table, all the applause embarrassing her slightly. Cordy was in heaven with all extra attention she was getting.

"Whoa…Buffy…" Willow started then stopped and paused for a moment, gaping at her. "I didn't know you could dance so well…I didn't even know you could dance at all..." Buffy blushed a little more as she slunk down in her seat, now wishing she was invisible.

"I took some cheer lessons back in L.A." She muttered, sighing and shrugging sheepishly. "Before I burned down the gym, that is…" Willow gaped even more and before her friend could speak, Buffy quickly interrupted. "It was an accident! It was all the stupid vamps faults…" She protested, just as Xander spotted something, or rather someone, in the shadows.

"Yo Buffster! I think Dead Guy wants to talk to ya!" Xander told her, eyeing him with great distaste. He wasn't nearly as jealous now that he'd gotten over Buffy and started dating Anya, but he still didn't like Angel and the affect he had on his friend.

"Huuh?" Buffy blinked and quickly turned and, seeing her favorite vampire with a soul watching her intently, sighed and went over to him. They're went her vampire slaying free day. The last time Angel came to her school was when he'd informed her of fork guy, so he had to have some information about some .

"Why do his legs look so great in those pants?" Came Xander's loud, whiny voice, making Buffy stop and crack up. She soon calmed down and grinned wickedly at her now embarrassed friend.

"Does Anya know about your unhealthy attraction to Angel?" She called over to him in a loud voice, her eyes twinkling in merriment and amusement. "'Cause I don't think she should know that you fancy him! After all, I remember you saying once that he was 'buff' and a 'very attractive man'! Does that mean you'll soon go out with him?" These remarks make the whole cafeteria burst out laughing, Larry Holloway laughing hardest of them all.

Larry had unsuccessfully tried asking her out many times, only to be rejected. Then, about the tenth time he'd asked her out that day, Xander stepped in and threatened him with blackmail. He'd never asked her on a date again after that. This was all BEFORE she'd met Angel, or Cryptic Guy as she occasionally still called him.

"Good call, Hun!" Larry called over to her with a flirty wink, making Buffy scowl at him. She fixed a cold, lethal glare on his face, making him wince. Dawn often called it the 'Get Away Now Before I Kill You' glare. She made her way over to Angel, a tiny smile playing her lips as she stopped in front of him. He wasn't paying attention to her, which was a change, but was glaring at both Larry and Scott. Her dance partner and the annoying little person who kept flirting with her.

'He's jealous!' She realized, the thought making her smile a little more. Maybe this day wouldn't turn out to be so bad after all.

"Who...are THEY?" Angel growled coldly, still glaring at the two. Buffy sighed and layed a comforting hand on his arm, which seemed to calm him down a bit. But not much, since he was growling softly at the two men.

"Calm down Cryptic Guy…" She murmured softly, looking up at him with a warm smile. This brought a tiny half-smile to his face, which made her heart flutter. She secretly yearned to see him with a whole smile on his face, since even that part smile made him look even sexier. "So, what's the deal with appearing at my school?" She asked him calmly, quickly changing the subject before her racing heart got out of hand. "A vampire nest was found, or something?"

"No," Came his simple answer as he gazed down at her with his soulful eyes. She couldn't help wishing that there was love in those eyes. Bad thoughts, Buff, BAD. THOUGHTS!
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End Chapter One