AUTHOR: Goddess Isa
EMAIL: goddessisa@aol.com
SUMMARY: First dates don't always go as planned, do they? This is the third in my new Spike/Anya series. You won't have to read them all to follow along, they're all be stories of their own right, but they'll take us through their relationship bit by bit. I'm finally getting to the fun part!
SPOILER: The Wish, S4 rumourso
DISTRIBUTION: Sandee, of course - My site - http://planetslaythis.homestead.com - Crystal and Butterfly if they want it - A Soul's Redemption - Anyone else - sure, just email me & lmk where it's going - I like seeing my name in print =)
FEEDBACK: Please, I'd hate to have to Slay for it. =P
RATING: TV-14
DISCLAIMER: I don't own these characters, Joss Whedon does. If he ever decides to give them to me, that would be nice. =)
Anya didn't do much packing that Tuesday. She didn't do much of anything, come to think about it. On her way home from the Bronze the night before, she'd made a Wal-Mart run. She'd purchased several things as a cover for her real reason for stopping at Wallyworld: potato chips, a two liter of Mug root beer, a TV Guide and some Ben & Jerry's. Peanut Butter Cup was world-renowned for its aid when it came to boyfriend bummers. Or non-boyfriend bummers in Anya's case. She snuck her two intended items into the car - a blank journal with stars all over the cover and Jennifer Lopez's CD. She whipped her Visa out as fast as possible and ran red lights to get home.
She'd stayed up all night, eating, writing about Spike and listening to Jennifer's song over and over and over. She flopped against her pillows, undecided as to whether or not she should go to the Bronze. If he didn't show up, she'd feel like an idiot. If he did show up, she'd feel like he'd gloat knowing she had come to see him. True as it was, she didn't want him to know it.
She thought about going out with Xander, but it wouldn't really be fair to him and she knew that. He'd already been hurt by three girls in three years and he didn't need another broken heart. Still, it kept crossing her mind. Dancing with an uncoordinated hottie like Xander would likely make Spike jealous.
Or make him wonder what he ever saw in her.
The phone rang and she rolled her eyes, letting the machine pick it up. She was too tired to exert the energy needed to argue with Buffy about the packing.
"Anya, it's Buffy. I *know* you're busy packing--"
Anya snorted.
"--but we're going to the Bronze soon so if you wanna come by, we'll see you there. Oh and Anya!" Willow got on. "I know you're lying on your bed sulking about Spike, so--" Buffy was heard swatting at her friend and grabbing the phone back. "Just let things happen with that idiot. For some stupid reason, you like him, and I know he wants you so it'll work out on its own."
Anya grinned, deleted the message, then sprinted for the shower.
*****
"I feel like Cordelia." Anya said. It was a few hours later and she'd actually managed to empty her closet before going out. Unfortunately, it was onto her floor and her bed instead of suitcases. She'd found an older dress from when she was living in Los Angeles, cursing the wives and girlfriends of many popular soap opera actors. It was purple, skin tight with glitter here and there and the skirt of the dress had a four inch slit on each side.
Willow eyed her outfit. "There's a reason for that." She herself wouldn't be caught dead in something like that. She was wearing her usual, a blue jersey-style shirt with a glittery rainbow on it and a red skirt.
"Ignore her. You look fine." Buffy pulled on her sweater to try and get some of the post-Slayage wrinkles out. "You look fine, great even, and Spike'll--"
"What will I do?" he asked as he approached their table.
"Buy us a pitcher of iced tea," Buffy said. "I already ordered it, so you can pay the waitress when she brings it by."
"How thoughtful of me." he rolled his eyes then smiled at Anya. "Wanna dance?"
Buffy met Anya's eyes and shook her head.
"No," Anya tried to make her voice sound casual.
"It's Girl Night." Willow added.
Spike snorted and pulled up a chair.
"Who invited you?" Buffy asked.
"I did." he replied smugly. The waitress arrived and laid the bill on the table.
"Love?" Spike made his accent thick as possible. "Can you bring us a plate of nachos real quick like? I'm dying for a taste." he looked her up and down and Buffy was quite sure she saw the poor girl shiver.
"Su-sure," she replied.
"Extra cheese and I'll throw in a big tip for ya." he added.
The waitress nodded and nearly walked into a wall because she couldn't take her eyes off of him.
Anya was scowling at him. He noticed and played dumb.
"What?" he asked even though he knew what the what was.
"You called her 'Love'!" she shouted.
"You told me to call you 'Anya'!" he used the same pointed tone she did.
She mimicked him right back and snorted.
The group sat in silence, giving each other dirty looks now and then. The waitress returned and brought the nachos to Spike. She ripped the bill off her pad and batted her eyelashes as she gave it to him. He folded a twenty into the receipt and put it in the pocket of her apron. Anya could barely keep her meals from the previous year down. She grabbed her glass of iced tea and downed it, staring at him.
"Want some?" he offered the girls the plate.
"No thanks," Willow replied. Buffy just stared at him and Anya was looking at him with so much detest that if looks could've killed, he would've already been dead and buried.
"What?" he asked her.
"Nothing," she turned to the girls. "You guys wanna dance?"
"Nah," Willow answered. Oz was just getting ready to take the stage and she wanted to watch.
Both girls kicked her under the table.
"Oh, uh, yeah. Uh-huh, let's go dancing." Willow limped over to the dance floor with Anya. As soon as they were out of sight, Buffy slapped Spike.
"What the--"
"You are such a....God! A guy! I thought they made them better in England, but I guess not."
He snorted. "I deserve better than this bullcrap."
"Yes, you do." Buffy pointed to Anya. "And so does she."
