TITLE: Buffy the High School Student
PART: Two
AUTHOR: Arashi
RATED: PG
SUMMARY: AU. Everyone's human.
DISCLAIMER: Joss Whedon owns all except this fic. I'm only borrowing
the characters and settings and etc.
DEDICATION: To Kayla and Mae, my betas; Sun-chan, who's always been
supportive of me; MysLii, 'cause...well, she's just cool :P. And to
Jason, who would've made a better Dawn than Michelle Trachtenburg.
Also! To Kaylin, Jade, Angelus, and Spike's Babytalk for encouraging me
to continue!
FEEDBACK: Please?
NOTES: For those who watch SNL, you'll recognize at least one of
the last names. My apologies to Kevin Nealon and Gilda Radner. ^^
My apologies to Alyson Hannigan as well.
~* Buffy the High School Student *~
Spike, Willow, and Buffy had all had a few drinks. Spike and Buffy
were absolutely hammered, and Willow was a bit tipsy. At the moment,
Spike and Buffy were cutting lose to 100% Pure Love by Crystal
Waters. The rhythm came alive through all the sweaty bodies packed
onto the dance floor. Buffy and Spike were moving as if they were
one entity, and it made Willow jealous. 'It's just pity,' she
reasoned with herself. 'Spike feels sorry for her.'
The woman from the back room, or so it seemed to Willow,
approached the table. "Hello," she purred.
"H-hi," Willow answered, hiccoughing.
"Were you with that pretty blond boy and the blond girl?" she
asked. The woman had black hair, and her eyes seemed to match it.
She was thin, almost a little too thin, and the dress hugged her.
Willow nodded. "Who're you?"
"Call me Dru," the woman smiled.
"Okay, Dru," Willow hiccoughed again. The song changed, this
one was sultry but decently paced. (AN: Think 'Crush' and the music
playing in the background when Spike and Dru are there.)
Dru slid out onto the dance floor, reminding Willow of a snake,
and over to Buffy and Spike. She slipped in between the two. Spike
gazed at her for a moment, then waved Buffy off. Buffy pouted and
ran as best she could over to Willow. Immediately, Spike and Dru
began to rock their bodies in unison to the beat. Dru ran her hand
through Spike's hair and latched her hands behind his neck, eyes
never leaving his. Spike wrapped his arms around her waist. He didn't
know Dru's name, but he felt as if he'd known her for more than a
century.
"Drusilla," Spike hissed, lowering his mouth on his neck and
kissing it.
Drusilla grinned, black lips revealing pearly white teeth. She
didn't question how he knew her name, for she knew his as well.
"William..."
***
Around two in the morning, Spike and Dru were still dancing--er, more
like half-dancing half-making out. Willow watched them jealously, and
Buffy was asleep on the vinyl red seat next to her. She snored lightly.
Willow didn't have her car, but she supposed if she woke up Buffy and
asked for the keys she could drive herself home and have Buffy drive
herself home, despite the headache she'd probably have. Willow shook
her head.
She scooted out of the booth-like table and ordered a glass of
water from the bar. She carried it back to the table and woke Buffy
up.
"Unnnhh..." Buffy groaned. She opened her eyes and looked
blearily up at Willow. "Owwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww!" she clutched
at her head and allowed Willow to prop her up into a sitting position.
She groped at the glass of water, currently seeing double. Willow
helped her sip at the water. "Owwwwww..."
"Buffy?" Willow asked, putting an arm around her best friend
and helping her drink the water.
"Wha--owwww--at?" Buffy replied.
"Give me your keys," Willow said gently.
Buffy did as ordered, wincing. "Why?"
Willow tossed her head towards Spike and Dru. "My ride won't
be taking me home. So I'll drive you home and walk--"
"Don't be silly," Buffy shut her eyes until she felt all right
to speak again. "Drive yourself home and I'll drive myself home."
"Okay," Willow agreed. She helped Buffy out of The Bronze,
casting one last look at Spike and Dru. She shook her head, then
beat down her feelings and shoved them into a little corner of her
mind. She just felt attracted to Spike, that was all. In her
moment of weakness she had discovered Spike was an attractive guy.
"Where'd you park?"
"In the," Buffy paused, "in the back."
Willow nodded. "All right then," they slowly made it to
Buffy's car. Willow knew she'd be in trouble when she got home,
it was almost 2:45 a.m. now, but she'd go home anyway. She'd get
in much more trouble if she didn't come home until after the
library closed. Plus, she had much to think about, her not-feelings
for Spike, the unveiling of Angelus...she was now almost certain that
Dru was the woman with Angelus.
By the time she got back to her house, Willow was almost falling
asleep at the wheel. Buffy had fallen back asleep. Willow shook her
gently, and the girl opened her eyes. "Hi Wills..."
"Hi Buffy," Willow smiled. She motioned to her house. "I'm
home. I'll sit with you until you're awake enough to drive back."
"Mmmkay..." Buffy yawned and tried to stretch, almost smacking
Willow in the face. After a few moments, Buffy said, "I'm ready. I
can drive."
"All right," Willow got out and started up to her front door.
Buffy was in the driver seat now. "Take care, Buffy!"
"You too Wills," Buffy called back, yawning. Then she left.
***
About five hours later, Buffy, Willow, and Xander sat in their first
period classes. Xander had Trig with Willow, and Buffy was in
science. Spike should've been there, but...he wasn't. Buffy knew
that Spike never came home earlier in the morning, and Joyce was
worried about him. Buffy could actually care less. Screw what
she had thought yesterday about him! He was skipping class to...do
something with Drusilla, no doubt. And she had a good idea what they
were doing, and it made her sick to think that Spike, the very man who
had comforted her the night before, the very man who had gotten piss
drunk with her earlier in the morning, was skipping class to sleep
with some whore he'd picked up in The Bronze.
"Miss Summers?" the teacher rapped his hand on his desk. His
toupe slipped a little.
Buffy blinked rapidly and restrained herself from blurting out
a "huh?". Instead, she replied with, "Yes sir?"
"Would you mind telling us what's so entertaining that you had
to not pay attention to what is going to be on your midterm?" he asked.
The man had beady little eyes the color of burnt pine and smelled of
cigars and spoiled fruit. Not to mention he smelled like a wet dog
sometimes and badly needed a Tic-Tac more often than not. He was
almost completely bald except for a thin ring of hair that wrapped
around the back of his head and was nearly pitch black. His toupe
was brown.
"Yes sir, I would mind," Buffy answered.
"You're being pert," the man informed her.
"I know," Buffy told him offhandedly.
The man's left eye twitched, along with most of that side of
his face. "Then maybe you'll pay a visit to the assistant principal's
office."
"I wouldn't mind THAT, sir," Buffy smiled. "Mrs. Radner and I
are on very good terms. She gives me candy."
The class bubbled with chuckles and giggles. The man's face was
turning the color of a plum. "How would you like to take a pink piece
of paper to Mrs. Radner?"
"Mrs. Radner doesn't like pink," Buffy told him. "She likes blue
better."
The class erupted into raucous laughter.
"QUIET!" screamed the man. The class stopped abruptly. Nothing
was heard but a pair of high heeled feet and a pair of sandals making
their way down the hall. The clicking stopped, and Mrs. Radner's face
appeared in the tiny pane that passed for a window in the door. The man
glanced at Mrs. Radner and paled, his face losing its grape-like quality.
He shuffled over to the door and yanked it open, "Mrs. Radner, what a
pleasant surprise."
Buffy waved at Mrs. Radner, who was an old friend of Joyce's, and
she waved back. Behind Mrs. Radner stood a girl her age with black
hair and a tan, obviously from the south.
"Mr. Nealon, you have a new student," Mrs. Radner said. Then to
the girl behind her, "It's all right Cordelia, go on in."
Cordelia walked into the classroom with all the grace of a
banana. She slipped and fell onto the linoleum. The class simmered
with chuckles and giggles once more. Cordelia turned the color of a
strawberry and scrambled up, clutching her books to her chest as she
looked at Mr. Nealon. "Mr. Nealon...I-I'm Cordelia Chase..."
"Welcome to my class, Cordelia," Mr. Nealon said as pleasantly
as he could at the moment. Mrs. Radner nodded approvingly and left.
Mr. Nealon turned to look around in the classroom until he found an
empty seat. Aside from Spike's seat, who sat next to Buffy for the
mere reason that Mr. Nealon hated her and knew Buffy hated Spike,
there was an empty seat in front of Spike's. "Why don't you take the
seat in front of Buffy's partner's?"
Cordelia's eyes roved over the class, taking in the sight, and
her eyes finally fell on Buffy. Buffy smiled and motioned to the seat
in front of Spike's. Cordelia's eyes filled with gratitude as she made
her way over with relatively little trouble and slipped into the seat.
"God," Cordelia muttered. "Way to go, Cordy. Now everyone thinks you're
a dork. Not that they wouldn't've found out later but what the hell."
Buffy giggled. "I'm Buffy Summers."
"Cordelia Chase," Cordy replied tiredly. "I'm from Los Angeles."
"Welcome to Sunnydale," and Buffy gathered her books. The bell
chimed and she grinned, getting up and going over to Cordy. "What class
do you have next?"
"Um...history I think," Cordy said, fumbling in her pocket for her
schedule and dropping her books on their way out.
Buffy shook her head and helped Cordy pick up the books, "I have
history next too. With Ms. H."
Cordy handed Buffy her schedule, juggling her books. "I think I
have her too..."
"You do," Buffy smiled. "And then you have Trig with me after-
wards and P.E. with Will and Xander."
Cordelia arched an eyebrow. "Will and Xander?"
"My best friends," Buffy led Cordy to Ms. H's class. "They're
in this class with us." Willow and Xander waved to her from inside the
class. Buffy waved back and dragged Cordy in to them. "Guys, this is
Cordelia...Chase, was it?" Cordy nodded. "Cordelia Chase. This is
Willow Rosenberg, and Xander Harris."
"Hey...where's Spike?" Willow frowned. "He's always in
history. He loves to make fun of Ms. H."
"He never came home last night," Buffy replied, taking a seat on
the chair of the desk Xander was perched upon.
"What?!" Willow demanded, unbelieving. She sat on the desk next
to the one Xander and Buffy occupied. "You can't be serious...!"
"I am," Buffy yawned. Cordy stood awkwardly around them,
watching Xander.
"What'd you say your name was?" Cordy asked.
"I didn't," Xander smiled. "I'm Xander Harris."
"Cordelia Chase," she attempted to shake Xander's hand, in the
process dropping all her books, yet again. Their classmates and Ms. H
all turned to look, causing Cordy to turn strawberry red again.
With shaking hands, she grabbed at her books and papers but seemed to
drop more than she retrieved. Xander kneeled down and helped her pick
up the books and set them on the desk next to his, which happened to
be empty.
"You can sit here, Ms. H won't mind if I seat you," Xander
explained.
"Th-thanks," Cordy replied, raking her hands through her hair.
"First days are so stressful..."
"I know how you feel," Xander patted her back and Cordy looked
up at him.
"Xander's from Tahoe," Buffy explained. "He moved here in
sixth grade."
"Oh," Cordy said, taking her seat. Everyone filed into the
room and sat, Buffy went to her desk by the window with a backward
glance at Spike's desk, and Willow went to her seat by the door in
the front row.
Ms. H's real name was Ms. Hannigan, and she had long curly
blond hair. Her eyes were so brown they were almost black, and she
was tall and busty. She also kept a layer of flubber for insolation.
She taught history with a passion and sometimes went off on tangents,
but that was all right because everyone loved her class...except for
Spike. But then, Spike never liked any class.
"Ms. H!" a girl named Tara raised her hand. Tara was one of
Willow's friends, and was a lesbian. There was speculation that Tara
was in love with Willow. "Ms. H! Ms. H! We have a new student!"
"We do?" Ms. H looked up from her roll call. Her eyes landed
on Cordelia and she smiled. "Hello there, miss. Mrs. Radner didn't
tell me we were getting a new student today..."
"She came in Mr. Nealon's class," offered Buffy.
"Oh I see," Ms. Hannigan's smile widened. "Well, why don't you
come up here and introduce yourself?"
Cordelia's eyes went wide and she looked at Xander, who gave her
an encouraging look and nodded, whispering something to her. Cordy
sighed and got up slowly, carefully. She made her way up to the front
cautiously. "Okay..."
"I'm Ms. Allison Hannigan," she shook Cordy's hand. "Welcome
to my history class."
Cordy gave a small smile.
"What's your name, dear?" Ms. Hannigan asked.
"Cordelia," she replied. "Cordelia Chase."
Ms. Hannigan smiled some more. "Where'd you move from?"
"Los Angeles," Cordy said, her voice wavering. She had glanced
out at everyone, failing to locate any of the people she knew except
Xander. He gave her another encouraging smile. "M-my dad works for
Compaq..."
"How old are you?" Ms. H asked.
"S-seventeen," Cordy answered, looking at the ground.
"When's your birthday?" Ms. H pressed.
"April 10," Cordy whispered.
"I'm sorry, I didn't hear you?" Ms. H leaned closer.
"April 10," she blurted.
The class was practically falling asleep. Crickets were
recreating Beethoven's 7th Symphony. Ms. Hannigan noticed after a
few moments, then told Cordy she could take her seat once more. Then
she started on the lecture.
"Oh god," Cordelia slid down in her seat, her cheeks flaming red. "I can't
believe this...I'm such a dork."
Xander shook his head and put a friendly arm across the back of her seat.
His mouth twitched into a smile. "It's okay. First impressions are important,
but everyone'll see you're just an adorable seventeen-year-old from LA."
Cordelia leaned forward and buried her face in her arms. "Ugh."
***
After Ms. Hannigan's class, Xander, Willow, and Cordelia walked down to the
gym. Xander, ever the popular one, had to stop every two or three feet and
chat with one of his friends who'd stopped him. On the way, he showed
Cordelia where her locker was, and then they finally arrived at the gym.
Willow said bye to the pair and went to talk with Tara, who had trailed them
wordlessly. Xander was then handed the task of introducing Cordelia to people
and introducing her to the coach.
"Jesse, hey!" Xander called to the brown-haired boy.
"Xander!" he nodded to his friend in acknowledgement. "Who's the chick?"
"This is Cordelia Chase," Xander said, walking over with to the group of
boys Jesse was talking with. "Cordelia--"
"C-Cordy," she corrected softly. "Please, call m-me Cordy."
"Cordy," Xander nodded, smiling slightly, "this is another one of my best
friends, Jesse. That's Scott, James, Tony, and Josh. Guys, Cordy. Cordy,
guys."
"Hey Cordy." "Hi Cordy." "Sup?" "Yo." greeted Cordelia.
"Hi," she replied, edging halfway behind Xander.
"She's a bit shy," Xander said, then looked over his shoulder at her
affectionately. "Anyway, gotta go introduce her to Coach Miller. Be
back later."
He led Cordelia over to Coach Miller, who was an elderly, plump
man with silver hair and a good sense of humor that just emanated
friendliness. "Hey Coach," Xander grinned. "Got a new student for
you."
Coach Miller looked at Cordelia. "Hello, miss."
"Coach, this is Cordelia Chase. She just moved here from Los
Angeles," Xander gently put an arm around her shoulders to prevent
her from hiding behind him again. "Cordy, this is Coach Miller. He's
nice, you'll like him."
Cordelia attempted a smile but failed at it. Xander just patted her
back. "Maybe she could sit out today and just watch everyone, Coach."
"Perhaps," Coach Miller said contemplatively. "Harris, you sit out with
her too. Explain to her what's up."
Xander nodded and led Cordy over to one of the benches lining the
gymnasium. Coach Miller blew his whistle and yelled for everyone to
line up for roll call. "Aaron! Berger! Brendan! Carpenter! Chase!"
Coach Miller paused. "Chase? Who's Chase?"
"Over here, Coach," Xander called, motioning to Cordelia.
Coach Miller nodded and went through the rest of the roll call. Then
they started class.
***
Xander was telling Cordelia a humorous story about one winter in
Lake Tahoe where he and his friends built a snowman of the
principle of their school and about the consequences. Cordelia
laughed lightly, comfortable with Xander. Apparently, he was one
of the more popular students attending Sunnydale High, and Cordelia
couldn't blame everyone for liking him. He was just so...cool.
"Xander," Cordelia said, once she'd stopped laughing. "Do you have
a girlfriend?"
Xander shook his head. "Nope. Don't want one, really, all the girls
here are bitches or are like parking spaces--all the good ones are
taken. And even some of the rotten apples."
"I see," Cordelia replied. "I'm...sorry?"
"Don't be. And really, I'd like to have girls be my friends, not in
the touchy-feely way either. I mean, most of the good girls here
are my friends, and when we break up--the inevitable, I'm telling
you, it's gonna ruin our friendship. And I mean, I don't want that,
you know? And I speak from experience," Xander told her, gesturing
with his hands. "I mean, I used to take Willow to the dances in
eighth grade, and I strung her along on accident. And I dated Harmony,"
he pointed out the blond girl who just tripped and fell on her nose,
"real trier of the patience there. But she and I used to be pretty good
friends, and when I broke up with her last year she toilet papered my
house and put rotten eggs in my locker. Now we don't even speak to
each other."
"I'm sorry," Cordelia frowned. "That's awful."
"Yeah. But no great loss, actually. She was annoying," Xander stood
and stretched, looking at the clock on the gym wall. "Bell should be
ringing in a few. Want me to get your stuff?"
"No, I got it," Cordelia smiled. "Thank you though."
Cordelia got her belongings and sat back down as Xander did the same.
The bell rang, and Xander walked Cordelia to her next class. "See ya,"
he said, giving her a quick hug and hurrying off to his next class.
Xander and Cordelia had the last class of the day together, and Xander
was the only one Cordelia knew in there, aside from Scott whom she'd
met in gym. By the end of class, Xander and Cordelia had exchanged
phone numbers.
***
Buffy sat in Spike's room, his stereo blasting next to her. "How can he
listen to this crap?" Buffy muttered, turning the volume down and
turning her focus back to her homework. She figured Spike would be
coming in any second now--it was almost eleven p.m.--unless he'd been
arrested. Which Buffy hoped. But much to her dismay, she heard leaves
rustling outside his window and heard him grunt and curse. She shook her
head, reaching over and flipping the stereo and the lights off just before
Spike reached the window. The glass slid open and Buffy turned on the
lights.
Spike yelped and nearly fell out of the window. "Bloody hell, you stupid
bint! What the bleedin' hell are you tryin' to do, kill me?"
"Nice idea, but unfortunately no," Buffy set her homework in her chair as
she stood up. "I want to know where you've been since Willow and I left
you at the Bronze last night."
"None of your bloody business, Princess," Spike said 'princess' sneeringly
as he slid the window closed.
"I think it is, William," Buffy nodded. "Mom's been worried sick."
"Sorry 'bout your mum," Spike shrugged. "Now get the hell out of my room."
"No."
"Get. Out. Or else."
"Or else what? You're gonna make me?"
"Summat like that."
"...What did you say? Did you just say 'summat'?"
"Bloody bitch. Get outta my room, twerp."
"Make you feel manly to call me names?"
"Look, Buffy, I'm gonna tell you one more time. Then I'm going to tie you up
and carry you to soddin' room myself if you don't leave. Get out."
"Five questions, then I'll leave, I swear."
"Two."
"Four."
"Three."
"Deal."
"Okay, shoot. Hurry it up, I'm tired."
"Where'd you go after Will and I left?"
"With Dru."
"Who's Dru?"
"The ghost of Christmas past." He paused, then rolled his eyes. "The bird I was
dancin' with at the Bronze when you two left."
"Okay. Why were you gone all night and all day today?"
"'Cause I felt like it. Bye now."
Buffy narrowed her eyes, glaring at him. "You are *so* going to pay for this."
"Pay for what?" Spike raised his eyebrow.
"Being rude to me," Buffy turned and stormed out.
Spike rolled his eyes. "Bugger her." He stripped down to his boxers and shimmied
into bed.
***
Drusilla, the woman Spike had met at the Bronze and spent all night with, watched
Liam--Angelus, in his business--pace. "What's wrong, Liam?"
"You spent all *night* with *Spike*?" Liam demanded.
"Yes," Drusilla replied demurely. "Is there a problem with that?"
"*Yes*! He *lives* with Buffy! And you *know* I'm dating her! He's not stupid, he
can put two and two together and get four, Dru," Liam sighed and sat down next to
her, rubbing his forehead. The disorientation attacked him again and he took a
deep breath, trying to calm the room down and stabilize it. "Don't get in too tight
with him, Dru. If you do, he'll figure out you're connected with me and he knows
what I'm about, I know he does."
"My poor Liam," Drusilla's slender fingers stroked his hair and down his neck. "My
poor, poor baby..."
Liam looked at her and smiled, kissing her lightly. "You always know how to make
it better, Dru."
She grinned. "Let Mummy handle it."
"I will. Believe me, I will. I trust you."
PART: Two
AUTHOR: Arashi
RATED: PG
SUMMARY: AU. Everyone's human.
DISCLAIMER: Joss Whedon owns all except this fic. I'm only borrowing
the characters and settings and etc.
DEDICATION: To Kayla and Mae, my betas; Sun-chan, who's always been
supportive of me; MysLii, 'cause...well, she's just cool :P. And to
Jason, who would've made a better Dawn than Michelle Trachtenburg.
Also! To Kaylin, Jade, Angelus, and Spike's Babytalk for encouraging me
to continue!
FEEDBACK: Please?
NOTES: For those who watch SNL, you'll recognize at least one of
the last names. My apologies to Kevin Nealon and Gilda Radner. ^^
My apologies to Alyson Hannigan as well.
~* Buffy the High School Student *~
Spike, Willow, and Buffy had all had a few drinks. Spike and Buffy
were absolutely hammered, and Willow was a bit tipsy. At the moment,
Spike and Buffy were cutting lose to 100% Pure Love by Crystal
Waters. The rhythm came alive through all the sweaty bodies packed
onto the dance floor. Buffy and Spike were moving as if they were
one entity, and it made Willow jealous. 'It's just pity,' she
reasoned with herself. 'Spike feels sorry for her.'
The woman from the back room, or so it seemed to Willow,
approached the table. "Hello," she purred.
"H-hi," Willow answered, hiccoughing.
"Were you with that pretty blond boy and the blond girl?" she
asked. The woman had black hair, and her eyes seemed to match it.
She was thin, almost a little too thin, and the dress hugged her.
Willow nodded. "Who're you?"
"Call me Dru," the woman smiled.
"Okay, Dru," Willow hiccoughed again. The song changed, this
one was sultry but decently paced. (AN: Think 'Crush' and the music
playing in the background when Spike and Dru are there.)
Dru slid out onto the dance floor, reminding Willow of a snake,
and over to Buffy and Spike. She slipped in between the two. Spike
gazed at her for a moment, then waved Buffy off. Buffy pouted and
ran as best she could over to Willow. Immediately, Spike and Dru
began to rock their bodies in unison to the beat. Dru ran her hand
through Spike's hair and latched her hands behind his neck, eyes
never leaving his. Spike wrapped his arms around her waist. He didn't
know Dru's name, but he felt as if he'd known her for more than a
century.
"Drusilla," Spike hissed, lowering his mouth on his neck and
kissing it.
Drusilla grinned, black lips revealing pearly white teeth. She
didn't question how he knew her name, for she knew his as well.
"William..."
***
Around two in the morning, Spike and Dru were still dancing--er, more
like half-dancing half-making out. Willow watched them jealously, and
Buffy was asleep on the vinyl red seat next to her. She snored lightly.
Willow didn't have her car, but she supposed if she woke up Buffy and
asked for the keys she could drive herself home and have Buffy drive
herself home, despite the headache she'd probably have. Willow shook
her head.
She scooted out of the booth-like table and ordered a glass of
water from the bar. She carried it back to the table and woke Buffy
up.
"Unnnhh..." Buffy groaned. She opened her eyes and looked
blearily up at Willow. "Owwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww!" she clutched
at her head and allowed Willow to prop her up into a sitting position.
She groped at the glass of water, currently seeing double. Willow
helped her sip at the water. "Owwwwww..."
"Buffy?" Willow asked, putting an arm around her best friend
and helping her drink the water.
"Wha--owwww--at?" Buffy replied.
"Give me your keys," Willow said gently.
Buffy did as ordered, wincing. "Why?"
Willow tossed her head towards Spike and Dru. "My ride won't
be taking me home. So I'll drive you home and walk--"
"Don't be silly," Buffy shut her eyes until she felt all right
to speak again. "Drive yourself home and I'll drive myself home."
"Okay," Willow agreed. She helped Buffy out of The Bronze,
casting one last look at Spike and Dru. She shook her head, then
beat down her feelings and shoved them into a little corner of her
mind. She just felt attracted to Spike, that was all. In her
moment of weakness she had discovered Spike was an attractive guy.
"Where'd you park?"
"In the," Buffy paused, "in the back."
Willow nodded. "All right then," they slowly made it to
Buffy's car. Willow knew she'd be in trouble when she got home,
it was almost 2:45 a.m. now, but she'd go home anyway. She'd get
in much more trouble if she didn't come home until after the
library closed. Plus, she had much to think about, her not-feelings
for Spike, the unveiling of Angelus...she was now almost certain that
Dru was the woman with Angelus.
By the time she got back to her house, Willow was almost falling
asleep at the wheel. Buffy had fallen back asleep. Willow shook her
gently, and the girl opened her eyes. "Hi Wills..."
"Hi Buffy," Willow smiled. She motioned to her house. "I'm
home. I'll sit with you until you're awake enough to drive back."
"Mmmkay..." Buffy yawned and tried to stretch, almost smacking
Willow in the face. After a few moments, Buffy said, "I'm ready. I
can drive."
"All right," Willow got out and started up to her front door.
Buffy was in the driver seat now. "Take care, Buffy!"
"You too Wills," Buffy called back, yawning. Then she left.
***
About five hours later, Buffy, Willow, and Xander sat in their first
period classes. Xander had Trig with Willow, and Buffy was in
science. Spike should've been there, but...he wasn't. Buffy knew
that Spike never came home earlier in the morning, and Joyce was
worried about him. Buffy could actually care less. Screw what
she had thought yesterday about him! He was skipping class to...do
something with Drusilla, no doubt. And she had a good idea what they
were doing, and it made her sick to think that Spike, the very man who
had comforted her the night before, the very man who had gotten piss
drunk with her earlier in the morning, was skipping class to sleep
with some whore he'd picked up in The Bronze.
"Miss Summers?" the teacher rapped his hand on his desk. His
toupe slipped a little.
Buffy blinked rapidly and restrained herself from blurting out
a "huh?". Instead, she replied with, "Yes sir?"
"Would you mind telling us what's so entertaining that you had
to not pay attention to what is going to be on your midterm?" he asked.
The man had beady little eyes the color of burnt pine and smelled of
cigars and spoiled fruit. Not to mention he smelled like a wet dog
sometimes and badly needed a Tic-Tac more often than not. He was
almost completely bald except for a thin ring of hair that wrapped
around the back of his head and was nearly pitch black. His toupe
was brown.
"Yes sir, I would mind," Buffy answered.
"You're being pert," the man informed her.
"I know," Buffy told him offhandedly.
The man's left eye twitched, along with most of that side of
his face. "Then maybe you'll pay a visit to the assistant principal's
office."
"I wouldn't mind THAT, sir," Buffy smiled. "Mrs. Radner and I
are on very good terms. She gives me candy."
The class bubbled with chuckles and giggles. The man's face was
turning the color of a plum. "How would you like to take a pink piece
of paper to Mrs. Radner?"
"Mrs. Radner doesn't like pink," Buffy told him. "She likes blue
better."
The class erupted into raucous laughter.
"QUIET!" screamed the man. The class stopped abruptly. Nothing
was heard but a pair of high heeled feet and a pair of sandals making
their way down the hall. The clicking stopped, and Mrs. Radner's face
appeared in the tiny pane that passed for a window in the door. The man
glanced at Mrs. Radner and paled, his face losing its grape-like quality.
He shuffled over to the door and yanked it open, "Mrs. Radner, what a
pleasant surprise."
Buffy waved at Mrs. Radner, who was an old friend of Joyce's, and
she waved back. Behind Mrs. Radner stood a girl her age with black
hair and a tan, obviously from the south.
"Mr. Nealon, you have a new student," Mrs. Radner said. Then to
the girl behind her, "It's all right Cordelia, go on in."
Cordelia walked into the classroom with all the grace of a
banana. She slipped and fell onto the linoleum. The class simmered
with chuckles and giggles once more. Cordelia turned the color of a
strawberry and scrambled up, clutching her books to her chest as she
looked at Mr. Nealon. "Mr. Nealon...I-I'm Cordelia Chase..."
"Welcome to my class, Cordelia," Mr. Nealon said as pleasantly
as he could at the moment. Mrs. Radner nodded approvingly and left.
Mr. Nealon turned to look around in the classroom until he found an
empty seat. Aside from Spike's seat, who sat next to Buffy for the
mere reason that Mr. Nealon hated her and knew Buffy hated Spike,
there was an empty seat in front of Spike's. "Why don't you take the
seat in front of Buffy's partner's?"
Cordelia's eyes roved over the class, taking in the sight, and
her eyes finally fell on Buffy. Buffy smiled and motioned to the seat
in front of Spike's. Cordelia's eyes filled with gratitude as she made
her way over with relatively little trouble and slipped into the seat.
"God," Cordelia muttered. "Way to go, Cordy. Now everyone thinks you're
a dork. Not that they wouldn't've found out later but what the hell."
Buffy giggled. "I'm Buffy Summers."
"Cordelia Chase," Cordy replied tiredly. "I'm from Los Angeles."
"Welcome to Sunnydale," and Buffy gathered her books. The bell
chimed and she grinned, getting up and going over to Cordy. "What class
do you have next?"
"Um...history I think," Cordy said, fumbling in her pocket for her
schedule and dropping her books on their way out.
Buffy shook her head and helped Cordy pick up the books, "I have
history next too. With Ms. H."
Cordy handed Buffy her schedule, juggling her books. "I think I
have her too..."
"You do," Buffy smiled. "And then you have Trig with me after-
wards and P.E. with Will and Xander."
Cordelia arched an eyebrow. "Will and Xander?"
"My best friends," Buffy led Cordy to Ms. H's class. "They're
in this class with us." Willow and Xander waved to her from inside the
class. Buffy waved back and dragged Cordy in to them. "Guys, this is
Cordelia...Chase, was it?" Cordy nodded. "Cordelia Chase. This is
Willow Rosenberg, and Xander Harris."
"Hey...where's Spike?" Willow frowned. "He's always in
history. He loves to make fun of Ms. H."
"He never came home last night," Buffy replied, taking a seat on
the chair of the desk Xander was perched upon.
"What?!" Willow demanded, unbelieving. She sat on the desk next
to the one Xander and Buffy occupied. "You can't be serious...!"
"I am," Buffy yawned. Cordy stood awkwardly around them,
watching Xander.
"What'd you say your name was?" Cordy asked.
"I didn't," Xander smiled. "I'm Xander Harris."
"Cordelia Chase," she attempted to shake Xander's hand, in the
process dropping all her books, yet again. Their classmates and Ms. H
all turned to look, causing Cordy to turn strawberry red again.
With shaking hands, she grabbed at her books and papers but seemed to
drop more than she retrieved. Xander kneeled down and helped her pick
up the books and set them on the desk next to his, which happened to
be empty.
"You can sit here, Ms. H won't mind if I seat you," Xander
explained.
"Th-thanks," Cordy replied, raking her hands through her hair.
"First days are so stressful..."
"I know how you feel," Xander patted her back and Cordy looked
up at him.
"Xander's from Tahoe," Buffy explained. "He moved here in
sixth grade."
"Oh," Cordy said, taking her seat. Everyone filed into the
room and sat, Buffy went to her desk by the window with a backward
glance at Spike's desk, and Willow went to her seat by the door in
the front row.
Ms. H's real name was Ms. Hannigan, and she had long curly
blond hair. Her eyes were so brown they were almost black, and she
was tall and busty. She also kept a layer of flubber for insolation.
She taught history with a passion and sometimes went off on tangents,
but that was all right because everyone loved her class...except for
Spike. But then, Spike never liked any class.
"Ms. H!" a girl named Tara raised her hand. Tara was one of
Willow's friends, and was a lesbian. There was speculation that Tara
was in love with Willow. "Ms. H! Ms. H! We have a new student!"
"We do?" Ms. H looked up from her roll call. Her eyes landed
on Cordelia and she smiled. "Hello there, miss. Mrs. Radner didn't
tell me we were getting a new student today..."
"She came in Mr. Nealon's class," offered Buffy.
"Oh I see," Ms. Hannigan's smile widened. "Well, why don't you
come up here and introduce yourself?"
Cordelia's eyes went wide and she looked at Xander, who gave her
an encouraging look and nodded, whispering something to her. Cordy
sighed and got up slowly, carefully. She made her way up to the front
cautiously. "Okay..."
"I'm Ms. Allison Hannigan," she shook Cordy's hand. "Welcome
to my history class."
Cordy gave a small smile.
"What's your name, dear?" Ms. Hannigan asked.
"Cordelia," she replied. "Cordelia Chase."
Ms. Hannigan smiled some more. "Where'd you move from?"
"Los Angeles," Cordy said, her voice wavering. She had glanced
out at everyone, failing to locate any of the people she knew except
Xander. He gave her another encouraging smile. "M-my dad works for
Compaq..."
"How old are you?" Ms. H asked.
"S-seventeen," Cordy answered, looking at the ground.
"When's your birthday?" Ms. H pressed.
"April 10," Cordy whispered.
"I'm sorry, I didn't hear you?" Ms. H leaned closer.
"April 10," she blurted.
The class was practically falling asleep. Crickets were
recreating Beethoven's 7th Symphony. Ms. Hannigan noticed after a
few moments, then told Cordy she could take her seat once more. Then
she started on the lecture.
"Oh god," Cordelia slid down in her seat, her cheeks flaming red. "I can't
believe this...I'm such a dork."
Xander shook his head and put a friendly arm across the back of her seat.
His mouth twitched into a smile. "It's okay. First impressions are important,
but everyone'll see you're just an adorable seventeen-year-old from LA."
Cordelia leaned forward and buried her face in her arms. "Ugh."
***
After Ms. Hannigan's class, Xander, Willow, and Cordelia walked down to the
gym. Xander, ever the popular one, had to stop every two or three feet and
chat with one of his friends who'd stopped him. On the way, he showed
Cordelia where her locker was, and then they finally arrived at the gym.
Willow said bye to the pair and went to talk with Tara, who had trailed them
wordlessly. Xander was then handed the task of introducing Cordelia to people
and introducing her to the coach.
"Jesse, hey!" Xander called to the brown-haired boy.
"Xander!" he nodded to his friend in acknowledgement. "Who's the chick?"
"This is Cordelia Chase," Xander said, walking over with to the group of
boys Jesse was talking with. "Cordelia--"
"C-Cordy," she corrected softly. "Please, call m-me Cordy."
"Cordy," Xander nodded, smiling slightly, "this is another one of my best
friends, Jesse. That's Scott, James, Tony, and Josh. Guys, Cordy. Cordy,
guys."
"Hey Cordy." "Hi Cordy." "Sup?" "Yo." greeted Cordelia.
"Hi," she replied, edging halfway behind Xander.
"She's a bit shy," Xander said, then looked over his shoulder at her
affectionately. "Anyway, gotta go introduce her to Coach Miller. Be
back later."
He led Cordelia over to Coach Miller, who was an elderly, plump
man with silver hair and a good sense of humor that just emanated
friendliness. "Hey Coach," Xander grinned. "Got a new student for
you."
Coach Miller looked at Cordelia. "Hello, miss."
"Coach, this is Cordelia Chase. She just moved here from Los
Angeles," Xander gently put an arm around her shoulders to prevent
her from hiding behind him again. "Cordy, this is Coach Miller. He's
nice, you'll like him."
Cordelia attempted a smile but failed at it. Xander just patted her
back. "Maybe she could sit out today and just watch everyone, Coach."
"Perhaps," Coach Miller said contemplatively. "Harris, you sit out with
her too. Explain to her what's up."
Xander nodded and led Cordy over to one of the benches lining the
gymnasium. Coach Miller blew his whistle and yelled for everyone to
line up for roll call. "Aaron! Berger! Brendan! Carpenter! Chase!"
Coach Miller paused. "Chase? Who's Chase?"
"Over here, Coach," Xander called, motioning to Cordelia.
Coach Miller nodded and went through the rest of the roll call. Then
they started class.
***
Xander was telling Cordelia a humorous story about one winter in
Lake Tahoe where he and his friends built a snowman of the
principle of their school and about the consequences. Cordelia
laughed lightly, comfortable with Xander. Apparently, he was one
of the more popular students attending Sunnydale High, and Cordelia
couldn't blame everyone for liking him. He was just so...cool.
"Xander," Cordelia said, once she'd stopped laughing. "Do you have
a girlfriend?"
Xander shook his head. "Nope. Don't want one, really, all the girls
here are bitches or are like parking spaces--all the good ones are
taken. And even some of the rotten apples."
"I see," Cordelia replied. "I'm...sorry?"
"Don't be. And really, I'd like to have girls be my friends, not in
the touchy-feely way either. I mean, most of the good girls here
are my friends, and when we break up--the inevitable, I'm telling
you, it's gonna ruin our friendship. And I mean, I don't want that,
you know? And I speak from experience," Xander told her, gesturing
with his hands. "I mean, I used to take Willow to the dances in
eighth grade, and I strung her along on accident. And I dated Harmony,"
he pointed out the blond girl who just tripped and fell on her nose,
"real trier of the patience there. But she and I used to be pretty good
friends, and when I broke up with her last year she toilet papered my
house and put rotten eggs in my locker. Now we don't even speak to
each other."
"I'm sorry," Cordelia frowned. "That's awful."
"Yeah. But no great loss, actually. She was annoying," Xander stood
and stretched, looking at the clock on the gym wall. "Bell should be
ringing in a few. Want me to get your stuff?"
"No, I got it," Cordelia smiled. "Thank you though."
Cordelia got her belongings and sat back down as Xander did the same.
The bell rang, and Xander walked Cordelia to her next class. "See ya,"
he said, giving her a quick hug and hurrying off to his next class.
Xander and Cordelia had the last class of the day together, and Xander
was the only one Cordelia knew in there, aside from Scott whom she'd
met in gym. By the end of class, Xander and Cordelia had exchanged
phone numbers.
***
Buffy sat in Spike's room, his stereo blasting next to her. "How can he
listen to this crap?" Buffy muttered, turning the volume down and
turning her focus back to her homework. She figured Spike would be
coming in any second now--it was almost eleven p.m.--unless he'd been
arrested. Which Buffy hoped. But much to her dismay, she heard leaves
rustling outside his window and heard him grunt and curse. She shook her
head, reaching over and flipping the stereo and the lights off just before
Spike reached the window. The glass slid open and Buffy turned on the
lights.
Spike yelped and nearly fell out of the window. "Bloody hell, you stupid
bint! What the bleedin' hell are you tryin' to do, kill me?"
"Nice idea, but unfortunately no," Buffy set her homework in her chair as
she stood up. "I want to know where you've been since Willow and I left
you at the Bronze last night."
"None of your bloody business, Princess," Spike said 'princess' sneeringly
as he slid the window closed.
"I think it is, William," Buffy nodded. "Mom's been worried sick."
"Sorry 'bout your mum," Spike shrugged. "Now get the hell out of my room."
"No."
"Get. Out. Or else."
"Or else what? You're gonna make me?"
"Summat like that."
"...What did you say? Did you just say 'summat'?"
"Bloody bitch. Get outta my room, twerp."
"Make you feel manly to call me names?"
"Look, Buffy, I'm gonna tell you one more time. Then I'm going to tie you up
and carry you to soddin' room myself if you don't leave. Get out."
"Five questions, then I'll leave, I swear."
"Two."
"Four."
"Three."
"Deal."
"Okay, shoot. Hurry it up, I'm tired."
"Where'd you go after Will and I left?"
"With Dru."
"Who's Dru?"
"The ghost of Christmas past." He paused, then rolled his eyes. "The bird I was
dancin' with at the Bronze when you two left."
"Okay. Why were you gone all night and all day today?"
"'Cause I felt like it. Bye now."
Buffy narrowed her eyes, glaring at him. "You are *so* going to pay for this."
"Pay for what?" Spike raised his eyebrow.
"Being rude to me," Buffy turned and stormed out.
Spike rolled his eyes. "Bugger her." He stripped down to his boxers and shimmied
into bed.
***
Drusilla, the woman Spike had met at the Bronze and spent all night with, watched
Liam--Angelus, in his business--pace. "What's wrong, Liam?"
"You spent all *night* with *Spike*?" Liam demanded.
"Yes," Drusilla replied demurely. "Is there a problem with that?"
"*Yes*! He *lives* with Buffy! And you *know* I'm dating her! He's not stupid, he
can put two and two together and get four, Dru," Liam sighed and sat down next to
her, rubbing his forehead. The disorientation attacked him again and he took a
deep breath, trying to calm the room down and stabilize it. "Don't get in too tight
with him, Dru. If you do, he'll figure out you're connected with me and he knows
what I'm about, I know he does."
"My poor Liam," Drusilla's slender fingers stroked his hair and down his neck. "My
poor, poor baby..."
Liam looked at her and smiled, kissing her lightly. "You always know how to make
it better, Dru."
She grinned. "Let Mummy handle it."
"I will. Believe me, I will. I trust you."
