Chapter 2

"So they are having this Parent-Teacher mixer thing at school Friday night." Dawn said to Buffy at the breakfast table a few weeks later.

"Right I know." Buffy sat across from her sister and sipped a cup of coffee. "You know they used to have these things earlier in the year. I thought I would miss it."

"That's really nice Buffy." Dawn was annoyed.

"And a mixer? Like a school dance for the parents? What happened to boring in the class room stuff?"

"I don't know." she was even more annoyed. "So are you going?"

"Yeah of course."

"A bunch of us want to get together and go to the movies while the mixer is going on." she said pushing her eggs from one side of the plate to the other. She did not look up at Buffy.

"Are you trying to ask if you can go Dawn?" she asked sipping her coffee again.

"Can I?" she said looking at Buffy now.

"Yeah. Why not. Just be careful and stay in a group. Take your cell and call me if things get dicey."

Dawn bopped a little in her chair and lifted a full fork of eggs to her mouth.

"So is HE going?" Buffy asked.

"Hmmmmm."

"You know…. Jeremy."

"I don't know. Maybe." Dawn said.

"Ohhh Jeremy is sooooo dreamy."

"Stop it Buffy." Dawn laughed and threw her waded up paper napkin at her.

Buffy pulled her car into the parking lot of the school. She pulled the visor down and check her face in the mirror. She pulled out a tube of lip gloss and applied it then snapped the visor back up. She was feeling a little uneasy about this and she couldn't figure out why. She got out of the car and straightened her dress. Her blond hair was pulled into a low chignon and some tendrils fell around her face. She walked up the path towards the front door of the school. There was a table there to sign in and get a name badge. Buffy peeled the badge off of its paper back and slapped it up close to her right shoulder. She took a breath and walked into the gym. She felt a little uncomfortable. All of the other parents already knew each other and the teachers. She was the only one who did not know a soul. "What the hell are they even doing this for?" she thought. She couldn't help but notice that everyone was looking at her. She took a few more steps into the gym and stood looking a the faces. Some she recognized from town and The Grill.

"Hi." said a voice from behind her. Buffy turned and saw a short round woman with dark brown hair standing behind her. "Hi I am Missy Phillips."

"Hi. Buffy Summers. My sister is Dawn Summers. We are new in town." she said almost in a run-on sentence.

"Oh I know. Everyone knows who you are." she said staring at Buffy. "My son is Mike Phillips. He is in the same grade as Dawn." There was a long silence. "OK It was nice to meet you." Missy said and walked away.

"You too." Buffy called behind her.

Alaric stood by the refreshment table across the gym. He drank slowly from a clear plastic cup and looked around the room. All the same faces. Every year. Fucking Parent-Teacher mixer. "What the hell are they even doing this for?' he thought.

"What's up Ricky." said a familiar voice from behind him. He turned and Damon stepped into his view.

"What up Damon." he said and pulled another sip from his glass. "Any news about Stefan?" he asked.

"Nope nothing. Not one peep from Stefan or Klaus." he said pulling a silver flask from his jacket pocket. He took a stealthy swig and motioned towards Alaric. "Want some?"

"No I'm good." he said and looked away from Damon.

"What are you drinking anyway?" Damon asked looking into his cup.

"Water." said Alaric.

"Are you feeling ok?" he asked.

"Yes I am fine." He looked away from Damon again and saw her. She stood in a group some parents, some teachers and talked. She smiled and shyly pushed some stray hairs out of her face. She tucked them behind her ear. She wore a red dress with nude heels. She laughed with the group.

"What is that?" Damon said looking in the same direction. "Why have I not seen her before?" he asked.

"That's Buffy Summers. Her little sister is new at school. They moved here about a month ago or something."

"Its about time we had some fresh blood in this town." Damon said. Alaric turned and faced him.

"Knock it off Damon."

Alaric turned back to the room and Buffy was gone from the group.

Buffy looked across the gym and saw Alaric. Her stomach did a strange flip. She watched him as he talked to another man she had not seen before. Probably not a parent. He looked to young to have a kid that old. She excused herself from the group and walked to the other side of the gym. She watched him for a while. Talking with parents and other teachers. She did the same. Checking off each of Dawn's teachers from a list she had. Making sure she got each one. They had made it around the room towards one another. Alaric was standing his back to Buffy and talking to some of the mothers. They broke away from each other.

"Hello Mr. Saltzman." Buffy said. He turned and looked at her.

"Ms. Summers." he answered.

"How have you been?" she asked

"Good. I'm good." he said and mashed his lips together. They stood quiet for a few minutes. Alaric took a drink out of his glass. He saw Buffy's eye flit quickly to the glass the back up to his eyes.

"Its water." he said.

"Well I am glad to see that you are not drinking on school grounds." She stopped for a minute and thought about what she said. "I'm sorry. That was uncalled for."

"You're apologizing to me." He said. "I should apologize to you. I was a dick to you the other night and I'm sorry."

"Yeah. Its ok." she said trying to make light of the situation.

"NO its not ok. I was a douche and it wasn't right. I'm sorry." Buffy looked up in his eyes. His brow was knitted together in some what of a worried expression.

"Its ok." she said again a little more relaxed this time.

"Oh and I owe you." He reached in his pocket and produced a 20 dollar bill. "For the cab. I was recked."

"Oh please. As long as you got home safely. Thats all that matters." He looked at her then lowered his head slightly then looked back at her. He smiled and felt a jolt to his stomach. He was actually enjoying himself just standing there talking to her and he felt guilty.

"So Rick are you going to introduce me to your friend?" said Damon. Buffy turned and looked at him. The pale blue of his eyes captured her attention, and something else. She wasn't sure what.

"Right." Alaric said sounding annoyed. "Damon Salvatore - Buffy Summers." Damon stepped towards Buffy and took her delicate hand in his.

"Enchanted." he said and brought her hand to his lips. Alaric huffed and sifted his weight from one foot to the other.

"OK so I am going to find the rest of Dawn's teachers. I need to get this list all checked off." She took few steps forward and stopped. "It was nice to meet you Damon." she said and then turned to Alaric. She placed her hand on his arm. "See you around Alaric." she said and walked away from him.

"You're a dick you know that right?" he said to Damon as they walked together towards the refreshment table again.

"Come on Rick. Everyone knows I am a dick."

"You just couldn't leave it alone could you?"

"Don't you mean leave her alone?" Damon turned and glared at Alaric. "That is what you meant right? Her. Buffy. Pretty little Buffy Summers."

"Damon I am not joking. Leave it alone."

"You've got a little crush on her don't you. Oh Alaric you are so cute." Damon said.

"She is the parent of a student. Stop being an asshole." Alaric reached for Damon's flask and shot a mouth full for bourbon down his throat.

Buffy turned as she made her way out the door to the parking lot. She saw Alaric and Damon talking again. It looked a little heated this time. She took out her phone and slide her finger along the bottom to unlock it. She found her notes icon and began typing the name Damon Salvatore. Then she slide the phone back in her purse.