7-Diversion
Buffy Summers wanted answers and she wanted answers-NOW! At the moment, there was only one place where she could find those answers. She wanted to get them from the same guy who had tried to shove a book about vampires on her earlier that day. It was the same guy who just happened to be Sunnydale High's new librarian.
Rupert Giles.
* She knew right where to find him. She strode into the library, spotted her prey, and she moved in for the kill. "Okay? What's the sitch?" She walked up the stairs toward him.
Giles turned from the bookcase and looked at her curiously. "Sorry?"
She looked at him. "You heard about the dead guy, right? The dead guy in the locker?"
He nodded. "Yes."
"Well, it's the weirdest thing! He's got two little holes in his neck and all his blood's been drained. Isn't that bizarre? Aren't you just going, 'Ooooh.'?"
Giles paused. "I was afraid of this."
Buffy pouted. "Well, I wasn't! It's my first day. I was afraid that I'd be behind in all the classes, that I wouldn't make any friends, that I'd have last month's hair! I didn't think there would be vampires on campus! And.I don't care."
"Then.why are you here?"
Buffy hesitated. "To tell you that.I don't care. Which I don't, and.have now told you. So bye." She turned around and headed toward the stairs.
Giles took a step forward. "Will he rise again?"
She stopped and turned to face him. "Who?"
"The boy."
"No. He's just dead."
"Can you be sure?"
She looked at him. "To make you a vampire, they have to suck your blood and then you have to suck their blood. It's a whole big sucking thing. Mostly they'll just take all your blood and then you just die-and why am I still talking to you?" She went down the stairs.
"You have no idea what's going on, do you?" he asked her. "Do you think it's coincidence, your coming here? That boy was just the beginning."
Buffy turned to face him again, exasperated. "Oh, why can't you leave me alone?"
Giles started down the stairs toward her. "Because you are the Slayer! 'Into every generation, a Slayer is born. One girl, in all the world, a Chosen One. One born with the'-"
Buffy picked up the prophecy and said with him, "-'the strength and skill to hunt the vampires'-"
Giles stopped.
"-'to stop the spread of their evil'," Buffy continued, "blah, blah. I've heard it, okay?"
"I don't understand this attitude. You've accepted your duty, you've slain vampires before-"
"Well, I have both been there and done that. And I am moving on."
Giles looked at her, excited. "What do you know about this town?" He stood in the doorway to his office searching for something.
Buffy watched him, frowning with curiosity. "It's two hours on the freeway from Neiman Marcus."
He turned his head to look at her. "Dig a bit in the history of this place and you'll find there've been a steady stream of fairly odd occurrences. I believe this area is a center of mystical energy. Things gravitate toward it that you might not find elsewhere."
"Like vampires."
Buffy tried to move toward the exit, but Giles moved in front of her with a stack of books in his arm. He began to pile them one-by-one into her arms. "Like werewolves," he told her. "Zombies. Succubi, incubi.Everything you ever dreaded under your bed and told yourself couldn't be by the light of day."
Buffy looked at him as she balanced the books in her arms. "What, did you send away for the Time Life series?"
"Uh, yes."
"Did you get the free phone?"
"The calendar."
"Cool." She sighed as she gave him back the books. "Okay, first of all, I'm a Vampire Slayer. And secondly, I'm retired. Hey, I know! Why don't you kill them?"
He frowned. "I'm a Watcher. I haven't the skill."
"Oh, come on. Stake through the heart, a little sunlight-it's like falling off a log."
Giles tried to tell her how it was supposed to work. "The Slayer slays. The Watcher-"
"Watches?" Buffy asked helpfully.
"Yes." Then he shook his head. "Er, no! He-he trains her, he prepares her-"
Buffy glared at him. "Prepares me for what? For getting kicked out of school? Losing all my friends? Having to spend all my time fighting for my life and never getting to tell anyone because it might 'endanger' them? Go ahead! Prepare me."
They looked at each other.
Buffy turned and walked away. She stormed out of the library. Giles set the books onto the table and he went after her. In the stacks, someone emerged from behind the bookshelves.
It was Xander.
On his face was a mixture of excitement, amusement, and disbelief. In his hand, he held a copy of Theories In Trig, which was momentarily forgotten. He summed up everything he had just heard with one word.
"What?!" *
Buffy Summers-a Vampire Slayer?
Rupert Giles, librarian extraordinaire-a Watcher?
Xander was still trying to grasp what he had heard, so he had to say it one more time, and with more feeling.
"WHAT?!"
There was no one around to respond to him. He tried to come up with some rational explanation for what he had witnessed. Maybe Buffy was rehearsing for some kind of school play-some weird school play about a Vampire Slayer- and the librarian was helping her, Xander reassured himself. Or maybe they had been aware that he was there and they simply played some kind of joke on him.
Yeah, he decided. That's gotta be it, 'cause everyone knows there are no such things as vampires, let alone Vampire Slayers. Though if there were vampires, then, yeah, it made sense that there should be a Vampire Slayer 'cause the world would be a better place with one, right? And even if there were such things as vampires, what would they be doing in Sunnydale, of all places?
Xander found the book Willow had told him about. He had it in his hand and all he wanted to do was check it out and leave. Actually, that wasn't exactly true. He hated math, and Theories In Trig didn't offer him any form of excitement whatsoever. What did cause him excitement was a nice, quiet place alone with the new girl. Even if she was a dizzy blonde, he'd still enjoy getting himself dizzy with her. Anyone who thought they were a Slayer of vampires had to have some heavy issues, Xander thought to himself, but I am definitely willing to overlook that given the chance.
He came down the stairs slowly and approached the table where Giles had placed the stack of books he had been trying to shove onto Buffy. Looking through the books with curiosity, Xander soon discovered they were indeed books about vampires, demons, and incubi.What the hell was an incubi anyway? he wondered. He opened one of the books at random and immediately came to a provocative drawing of a naked female vampire preparing to bite a helpless victim under a trance.
"Ooh-chee-mama!" Xander exclaimed, taking in a deep breath. "I'm definitely checking out the wrong books! Willow's right. Books are fundamental, and, hey, I'm as mental as the next guy, lookin' for da fun!" He began to flip through the books pages. Searching for more graphic pictures.
There were plenty of pictures, he soon discovered, but some of them were horrific in nature. He didn't like those pictures, but the nude pictures more than made up for it. There were quite a few of them.
He held the book before him, turned it upside down, and then he said in disbelief, "Yeouch! That does NOT look right."
He was still looking through them when Rupert Giles returned. Xander looked at him and he saw that the librarian was in a foul mood.
"What-what are you doing there?" Giles demanded as he approached Xander.
Xander abruptly closed the book he was looking through and tried to look innocent. "Me?" he inquired innocently. "Oh, I'm just looking at.books! I'm an avid book reader. That's me!" He nodded with enthusiasm. "Xander- Mr. Book Reader-Harris. I'm not only a member of the Sunnydale High Book Club, I'm also a.a reader of the Sunnydale High Book Club."
Giles looked at him suspiciously. "That's quite odd, I can assure you."
Xander looked at him, puzzled. "Uh, what's odd?"
"I have a current list of-of all participating book clubs with this library, and your name does not appear on any of those lists."
Xander hesitated. "Oh. Right. Uh, that's 'cause I'm actually.a secret member." He grinned nervously and shrugged his shoulders. "You won't find my name on any list." He held up the book about the Succubi. It had more nude pictures in it than the other books did. "In fact, this book is at the top of our Secret Book Club list, and I'd really like to check it out."
Giles gave him a look.
Xander made a face and waved the book at him. "You-librarian. Me-student. Want book." He grunted for effect.
Giles snatched the book from his hand and he gathered up the other books. "These-these books are not to leave the library." He looked at Xander, and added, "Ever." He carried the books through a doorway and reappeared behind the counter. As he put the books beneath the counter, he said, "Now I-I will be happy to help you locate another book that is more to-to your liking."
Xander placed Theories In Trig on top of the counter. "I've found the book I need, but I really do like those particular books." He watched the librarian for a reaction. "You know, 'cause of the nasty demons, and vampires.and how to slay them. These are always good to know and learn."
Giles looked at him suspiciously. "Wh-what? Er, I mean.don't be ridiculous. They-they're only books on myths and legends. Nothing more than-than folklore, and nothing at all to concern yourself about." He picked up Theories In Trig. "Ah, yes. I'll-I'll just check this out for you." As he took out a ledger to write the book in, he said, "At least this book can be put to more productive use for you. However, I'm sorry to say that-that even though this book has a great deal of math illustrations, it does not have any graphic pictures for you to gawk at."
Xander looked disappointed. "Ah, you just spoiled my day." He shrugged, resigned to his fate. "Well, a man's gotta do what a man's gotta do. Willow told me to get this book so she can be my study buddy. And since she is the expert on this, I need all the help I can get." He regarded Giles with curiosity. "Don't you use a computer to scan books in and out of the library? It is a new era in which we live."
Giles frowned. "Er, computers are simply demons in boxes. I prefer the old-fashioned way, thank you." He pushed the ledger toward Xander and handed him a pen. "Sign here, please."
Xander signed.
Giles looked at the name the young boy had written. He looked at him. "Xander Harris? Is-is that short for Alexander?"
"It's just Xander," he replied. "Xander is me."
Giles took the pen and he closed the ledger. "You.mentioned that Willow is helping you with your math. Would that be-be Willow Rosenberg?"
Xander nodded his head. "'There can be only one'," he said, quoting from the Highlander films.
The reference went right over Giles' head and got lost. "Well, if anyone can help you at all, it-it most certainly would be Willow. She's a-a very bright, intelligent girl."
"Really?" Xander looked at him.
Giles nodded his head and smiled. "It's nice to see someone so eager to learn."
"Uh, yeah, I'll be sure to let her know that she has a fan club which you are President of." Then, he agreed, "But I guess that's Will for you. She does spend a lot of scary time in here with the books that live here."
"Yes, she does. In fact, she has even, er, volunteered to help me sort through the new books which arrive every so often."
"Oooh, that sounds like as much fun as having my teeth drilled during a trip to the dentist."
Giles looked at him. "It-it does? Er, you actually like going to the dentist?"
Xander just looked at him.
"Oh. I see. Sarcasm, was it?"
"Uh, yeah."
Giles nodded. "I see. If there's nothing else I can help you with, then have a good day. Enjoy the book."
"Gee, thanks." Xander paused. "Oh, and keep on watching out for things that go bump in the night."
Giles scowled at him.
Xander waved at him and left the library. He stepped into the hallway, convinced once again of the strangeness of library's and their keepers, as Jesse walked down the hall toward him. He was excited about something.
"Jesse, my man! What's up?" Xander asked.
Jesse stopped in front of him. "Paige just went into the men's room. And can you believe this? He left two of his friends outside to keep others from going in."
"Really? Did he bring a magazine in with him?" Xander paused in thought. "Hey, Jesse.can you create a diversion?"
Jesse grinned. "Sure. What's the deal, man?"
"I'm gonna have a few words with Paige about what he did. I'm gonna show him that Willow's hair-and Will herself for that matter-is off limits."
"All right, Xander-Man!" Jesse exclaimed. "Are you gonna give him a swirley?"
"Yeah! That's a plan."
They headed for the men's room, but they stopped at the corner to peer down the hall. Randall and Talbot were standing in front of the entrance as if they were royal guards. Someone both Xander and Jesse knew was trying desperately to gain entrance.
"Please!" Jonathan Levenson pleaded to the two bigger boys. "I-I really need to get in there."
"Go elsewhere," Randall told him.
Talbot aimed a thumb at the door. "'Cause if you go in there, you ain't coming back out."
Jonathan looked from one to the other. Then he hurried away down the hall.
Xander turned to Jesse. "Okay, my man! Do your thing."
Jesse grinned mischievously and rubbed his hands together. "This is gonna be fun."
Jesse stepped out into the hall. He walked over to the water fountain and drank from it. Casually, he filled his mouth with water and stepped back from the fountain. He put his hands to his throat as if he were choking and stumbled toward Talbot and Randall, who were both watching him with morbid curiosity.
Jesse looked at them pleadingly, his eyes wide as he grasped his throat with both hands.
"Hey, man," Randall said as he put a hand on Jesse's shoulder. "Are you choking?"
Talbot also leaned forward.
Jesse chose that moment to spit out his mouthful of water. The water sprayed both Talbot and Randall full in their faces.
"I CAN BREATHE!" Jesse exclaimed in mock relief.
He grinned at them and then he ran like hell. Talbot and Randall decided they didn't appreciate what Jesse had just done, so they chased after him.
Xander grinned, shook his head in wonder, and chuckled. He came around the corner, and walked into the men's room. Paige was standing at the sinks as he looked at his reflection in the mirror. Xander had the sudden impression that the big, bad bully was talking to himself in the mirror, but that didn't concern him at all. Maybe Paige had to talk to his image to gather courage so he could push other kids around.
Xander approached him and Paige began to turn his head.
"Hello, Har-" Paige began.
Xander interrupted him by bringing his fist into Paige's face. The bully stumbled back against the sinks and then he looked at Xander in surprise.
"What--?" Paige tried again.
However, Xander interrupted him a second time by grabbing a hold of his shirt and slamming him hard against the mirror over the sinks.
"What the hell is your problem, Harris?" Paige demanded, but he made no move to defend himself.
Xander glared at him. "Gee, you really think I have a problem?" He seemed to think about it. "Well, the truth is, Paige, I don't have a problem. Willow does though, doesn't she? And her problem is YOU. So if you think you need a problem, then let's do it this way. You're Willow's problem, so that makes me your problem."
Paige managed to look puzzled. "What are you talking about?"
"You know what I'm talking about." He slammed him against the mirror for good measure. "Leave Willow alone!"
"You're out of your friggin' tree, Harris!" Paige glared at him. "No one's picking on your girl friend."
Xander ignored the sarcasm. "Why did you take a strand of her hair?"
Paige regarded him with genuine anger. He was very angry with Willow for telling Xander about that, and now a lesson had to be made. "Hey," he said as he shoved Xander away from him, "just back off!"
"If you touch Willow again, I'm coming after you!" Xander exclaimed as he thrust an accusing finger into Paige's face.
Paige opened his mouth to say something but he was interrupted by a voice from the entrance of the men's room.
"What is going on here? Are you boys fighting?"
Xander and Paige turned their heads and they were surprised to see Principal Flutie standing there with his hands on his hips regarding them with a solemn expression on his face.
"You boys aren't fighting, are you?" he asked them. "Because we all know that fighting is an activity not allowed on school grounds unless, of course, you're on the wrestling team. However, even if you were on the wrestling team, I don't see a wrestling mat any where in this men's room, do you? So tell me honestly.were you fighting?"
"Fighting?" Xander asked innocently. He grinned widely and clapped Paige on the back hard. "Fighting! Oh, no. There's no fighting here. We're just.hanging out 'cause we're.we're pals!" He clapped Paige on the back again, a little harder.
Paige glared at him. "Yeah. That's right, Mr. Flutie. We're just two pals, hanging out."
Principal Flutie nodded his head thoughtfully, but he wasn't convinced. "Just two pals?" he inquired. "Hanging out in the men's room?" He regarded them. Then, he said, "I do recall, gentlemen, hearing a bell ring which-if I'm not mistaken-means that you should both be in a classroom somewhere instead of 'hanging out' in the men's room. Now correct me if I'm wrong, but I think we all know how right I am in this matter." He paused. "Am I right?"
Xander and Paige glanced at each other. They both nodded.
"You're right," Paige said respectfully.
Xander shrugged sheepishly. "Absolutely. Gee." He looked at his wrist as if he meant to look at a watch, which he didn't have. "The time just slipped past us."
"We should head to class now."
Flutie shrugged. "That's a fine idea, Virgil. Don't let me stop you boys from doing what's right."
Paige and Xander looked at one another.
Paige forced a smile that looked more like a grimace. "What we were discussing here.we're not finished."
Xander returned the grimace. "Right back at'cha!"
Paige glared at him. Then he casually walked around Principal Flutie and headed out the door. Xander intended to follow, but he was surprised when Flutie stepped into his path.
The Principal held up a hand. "Hold on there for just a moment, Alexander. I would really like a word with you if I could."
Xander hesitated. Then he shrugged. "Okay. Sure."
"Now I happen to know that most kids in this school think I'm a bit naïve. They think I don't know what's going on. But, Alex, I'm here to tell you that I do know what's going on." He nodded knowingly. "I really do."
Xander looked at him curiously. "Uh, what's going on?"
"I know a bully when I see one, Alex," Flutie began, "and I run a crusade against bullies. Did you know that when I was your age, I, too, was bullied? So you see, I take a lot of interest when I see a bully in my school. Oh, no, I couldn't defend myself against the bullies of my day, but I can do something about it now. Especially when I saw with my own two eyes a bully right here in this very room."
Xander let out a nervous chuckle as he shook his head. "Oh, no.you think I was bullying Paige? Uh, but really-"
"I know what I saw, Alex," Flutie interrupted, "and even though I do not approve of violence in any form whatsoever, I find it to be an act of nobility not common in kids these days."
Xander looked at him, puzzled. "Uh, huh, what? Nobility?"
"I heard what you said to Virgil when I walked in here."
"You.did?"
"Yes, I did. And I want you to know that I'm on your side. If Virgil Paige is bullying Willow, I want you to tell me." He watched Xander and waited.
Xander hesitated. "Well, uh, Mr. Flutie, I, uh, can't really say that Paige is bullying Willow or not. I haven't actually seen him do anything to Willow." And if I did, he thought to himself, I wouldn't tell you. I'd handle it myself.
Flutie regarded him for a moment. "First of all, Alex, let me confirm something here. We are talking about Willow Rosenberg, right? I do know this school has only one girl who goes by the name of Willow, but I just want to be clear on this."
Xander nodded reluctantly. "There's only one Willow I know."
"Secondly, Alex, don't play the hero. You might think you've gained the upper hand with Virgil, but he does have friends, you know." He paused. "I want you to talk to Willow and then I want you to convince her to come to me. If she is being bullied, I can help." He shrugged. "That is, after all, why I'm here."
Xander looked at him. "Okay. Uh, I'll talk to Willow."
"Good. That's all I ask. Now you should run off to class."
"Thanks. Sounds like fun." Xander headed for the door.
Flutie called after him. "I don't mean for you to actually 'run', Alex. Remember, there is to be no running through the halls of Sunnydale High."
Xander stepped out of the men's room and he walked to class. He wasn't in any hurry to get there anyway. Yet, as he walked, he began to wonder if Willow really was being bullied by Virgil Paige. One way or the other, he was bound and determined to find out. At least he could take comfort that Willow wasn't being bullied by vampires. Yeah, bullies that go bump in the night. He chuckled on his way to class.
**********************************
TO BE CONTINUED- - -
Buffy Summers wanted answers and she wanted answers-NOW! At the moment, there was only one place where she could find those answers. She wanted to get them from the same guy who had tried to shove a book about vampires on her earlier that day. It was the same guy who just happened to be Sunnydale High's new librarian.
Rupert Giles.
* She knew right where to find him. She strode into the library, spotted her prey, and she moved in for the kill. "Okay? What's the sitch?" She walked up the stairs toward him.
Giles turned from the bookcase and looked at her curiously. "Sorry?"
She looked at him. "You heard about the dead guy, right? The dead guy in the locker?"
He nodded. "Yes."
"Well, it's the weirdest thing! He's got two little holes in his neck and all his blood's been drained. Isn't that bizarre? Aren't you just going, 'Ooooh.'?"
Giles paused. "I was afraid of this."
Buffy pouted. "Well, I wasn't! It's my first day. I was afraid that I'd be behind in all the classes, that I wouldn't make any friends, that I'd have last month's hair! I didn't think there would be vampires on campus! And.I don't care."
"Then.why are you here?"
Buffy hesitated. "To tell you that.I don't care. Which I don't, and.have now told you. So bye." She turned around and headed toward the stairs.
Giles took a step forward. "Will he rise again?"
She stopped and turned to face him. "Who?"
"The boy."
"No. He's just dead."
"Can you be sure?"
She looked at him. "To make you a vampire, they have to suck your blood and then you have to suck their blood. It's a whole big sucking thing. Mostly they'll just take all your blood and then you just die-and why am I still talking to you?" She went down the stairs.
"You have no idea what's going on, do you?" he asked her. "Do you think it's coincidence, your coming here? That boy was just the beginning."
Buffy turned to face him again, exasperated. "Oh, why can't you leave me alone?"
Giles started down the stairs toward her. "Because you are the Slayer! 'Into every generation, a Slayer is born. One girl, in all the world, a Chosen One. One born with the'-"
Buffy picked up the prophecy and said with him, "-'the strength and skill to hunt the vampires'-"
Giles stopped.
"-'to stop the spread of their evil'," Buffy continued, "blah, blah. I've heard it, okay?"
"I don't understand this attitude. You've accepted your duty, you've slain vampires before-"
"Well, I have both been there and done that. And I am moving on."
Giles looked at her, excited. "What do you know about this town?" He stood in the doorway to his office searching for something.
Buffy watched him, frowning with curiosity. "It's two hours on the freeway from Neiman Marcus."
He turned his head to look at her. "Dig a bit in the history of this place and you'll find there've been a steady stream of fairly odd occurrences. I believe this area is a center of mystical energy. Things gravitate toward it that you might not find elsewhere."
"Like vampires."
Buffy tried to move toward the exit, but Giles moved in front of her with a stack of books in his arm. He began to pile them one-by-one into her arms. "Like werewolves," he told her. "Zombies. Succubi, incubi.Everything you ever dreaded under your bed and told yourself couldn't be by the light of day."
Buffy looked at him as she balanced the books in her arms. "What, did you send away for the Time Life series?"
"Uh, yes."
"Did you get the free phone?"
"The calendar."
"Cool." She sighed as she gave him back the books. "Okay, first of all, I'm a Vampire Slayer. And secondly, I'm retired. Hey, I know! Why don't you kill them?"
He frowned. "I'm a Watcher. I haven't the skill."
"Oh, come on. Stake through the heart, a little sunlight-it's like falling off a log."
Giles tried to tell her how it was supposed to work. "The Slayer slays. The Watcher-"
"Watches?" Buffy asked helpfully.
"Yes." Then he shook his head. "Er, no! He-he trains her, he prepares her-"
Buffy glared at him. "Prepares me for what? For getting kicked out of school? Losing all my friends? Having to spend all my time fighting for my life and never getting to tell anyone because it might 'endanger' them? Go ahead! Prepare me."
They looked at each other.
Buffy turned and walked away. She stormed out of the library. Giles set the books onto the table and he went after her. In the stacks, someone emerged from behind the bookshelves.
It was Xander.
On his face was a mixture of excitement, amusement, and disbelief. In his hand, he held a copy of Theories In Trig, which was momentarily forgotten. He summed up everything he had just heard with one word.
"What?!" *
Buffy Summers-a Vampire Slayer?
Rupert Giles, librarian extraordinaire-a Watcher?
Xander was still trying to grasp what he had heard, so he had to say it one more time, and with more feeling.
"WHAT?!"
There was no one around to respond to him. He tried to come up with some rational explanation for what he had witnessed. Maybe Buffy was rehearsing for some kind of school play-some weird school play about a Vampire Slayer- and the librarian was helping her, Xander reassured himself. Or maybe they had been aware that he was there and they simply played some kind of joke on him.
Yeah, he decided. That's gotta be it, 'cause everyone knows there are no such things as vampires, let alone Vampire Slayers. Though if there were vampires, then, yeah, it made sense that there should be a Vampire Slayer 'cause the world would be a better place with one, right? And even if there were such things as vampires, what would they be doing in Sunnydale, of all places?
Xander found the book Willow had told him about. He had it in his hand and all he wanted to do was check it out and leave. Actually, that wasn't exactly true. He hated math, and Theories In Trig didn't offer him any form of excitement whatsoever. What did cause him excitement was a nice, quiet place alone with the new girl. Even if she was a dizzy blonde, he'd still enjoy getting himself dizzy with her. Anyone who thought they were a Slayer of vampires had to have some heavy issues, Xander thought to himself, but I am definitely willing to overlook that given the chance.
He came down the stairs slowly and approached the table where Giles had placed the stack of books he had been trying to shove onto Buffy. Looking through the books with curiosity, Xander soon discovered they were indeed books about vampires, demons, and incubi.What the hell was an incubi anyway? he wondered. He opened one of the books at random and immediately came to a provocative drawing of a naked female vampire preparing to bite a helpless victim under a trance.
"Ooh-chee-mama!" Xander exclaimed, taking in a deep breath. "I'm definitely checking out the wrong books! Willow's right. Books are fundamental, and, hey, I'm as mental as the next guy, lookin' for da fun!" He began to flip through the books pages. Searching for more graphic pictures.
There were plenty of pictures, he soon discovered, but some of them were horrific in nature. He didn't like those pictures, but the nude pictures more than made up for it. There were quite a few of them.
He held the book before him, turned it upside down, and then he said in disbelief, "Yeouch! That does NOT look right."
He was still looking through them when Rupert Giles returned. Xander looked at him and he saw that the librarian was in a foul mood.
"What-what are you doing there?" Giles demanded as he approached Xander.
Xander abruptly closed the book he was looking through and tried to look innocent. "Me?" he inquired innocently. "Oh, I'm just looking at.books! I'm an avid book reader. That's me!" He nodded with enthusiasm. "Xander- Mr. Book Reader-Harris. I'm not only a member of the Sunnydale High Book Club, I'm also a.a reader of the Sunnydale High Book Club."
Giles looked at him suspiciously. "That's quite odd, I can assure you."
Xander looked at him, puzzled. "Uh, what's odd?"
"I have a current list of-of all participating book clubs with this library, and your name does not appear on any of those lists."
Xander hesitated. "Oh. Right. Uh, that's 'cause I'm actually.a secret member." He grinned nervously and shrugged his shoulders. "You won't find my name on any list." He held up the book about the Succubi. It had more nude pictures in it than the other books did. "In fact, this book is at the top of our Secret Book Club list, and I'd really like to check it out."
Giles gave him a look.
Xander made a face and waved the book at him. "You-librarian. Me-student. Want book." He grunted for effect.
Giles snatched the book from his hand and he gathered up the other books. "These-these books are not to leave the library." He looked at Xander, and added, "Ever." He carried the books through a doorway and reappeared behind the counter. As he put the books beneath the counter, he said, "Now I-I will be happy to help you locate another book that is more to-to your liking."
Xander placed Theories In Trig on top of the counter. "I've found the book I need, but I really do like those particular books." He watched the librarian for a reaction. "You know, 'cause of the nasty demons, and vampires.and how to slay them. These are always good to know and learn."
Giles looked at him suspiciously. "Wh-what? Er, I mean.don't be ridiculous. They-they're only books on myths and legends. Nothing more than-than folklore, and nothing at all to concern yourself about." He picked up Theories In Trig. "Ah, yes. I'll-I'll just check this out for you." As he took out a ledger to write the book in, he said, "At least this book can be put to more productive use for you. However, I'm sorry to say that-that even though this book has a great deal of math illustrations, it does not have any graphic pictures for you to gawk at."
Xander looked disappointed. "Ah, you just spoiled my day." He shrugged, resigned to his fate. "Well, a man's gotta do what a man's gotta do. Willow told me to get this book so she can be my study buddy. And since she is the expert on this, I need all the help I can get." He regarded Giles with curiosity. "Don't you use a computer to scan books in and out of the library? It is a new era in which we live."
Giles frowned. "Er, computers are simply demons in boxes. I prefer the old-fashioned way, thank you." He pushed the ledger toward Xander and handed him a pen. "Sign here, please."
Xander signed.
Giles looked at the name the young boy had written. He looked at him. "Xander Harris? Is-is that short for Alexander?"
"It's just Xander," he replied. "Xander is me."
Giles took the pen and he closed the ledger. "You.mentioned that Willow is helping you with your math. Would that be-be Willow Rosenberg?"
Xander nodded his head. "'There can be only one'," he said, quoting from the Highlander films.
The reference went right over Giles' head and got lost. "Well, if anyone can help you at all, it-it most certainly would be Willow. She's a-a very bright, intelligent girl."
"Really?" Xander looked at him.
Giles nodded his head and smiled. "It's nice to see someone so eager to learn."
"Uh, yeah, I'll be sure to let her know that she has a fan club which you are President of." Then, he agreed, "But I guess that's Will for you. She does spend a lot of scary time in here with the books that live here."
"Yes, she does. In fact, she has even, er, volunteered to help me sort through the new books which arrive every so often."
"Oooh, that sounds like as much fun as having my teeth drilled during a trip to the dentist."
Giles looked at him. "It-it does? Er, you actually like going to the dentist?"
Xander just looked at him.
"Oh. I see. Sarcasm, was it?"
"Uh, yeah."
Giles nodded. "I see. If there's nothing else I can help you with, then have a good day. Enjoy the book."
"Gee, thanks." Xander paused. "Oh, and keep on watching out for things that go bump in the night."
Giles scowled at him.
Xander waved at him and left the library. He stepped into the hallway, convinced once again of the strangeness of library's and their keepers, as Jesse walked down the hall toward him. He was excited about something.
"Jesse, my man! What's up?" Xander asked.
Jesse stopped in front of him. "Paige just went into the men's room. And can you believe this? He left two of his friends outside to keep others from going in."
"Really? Did he bring a magazine in with him?" Xander paused in thought. "Hey, Jesse.can you create a diversion?"
Jesse grinned. "Sure. What's the deal, man?"
"I'm gonna have a few words with Paige about what he did. I'm gonna show him that Willow's hair-and Will herself for that matter-is off limits."
"All right, Xander-Man!" Jesse exclaimed. "Are you gonna give him a swirley?"
"Yeah! That's a plan."
They headed for the men's room, but they stopped at the corner to peer down the hall. Randall and Talbot were standing in front of the entrance as if they were royal guards. Someone both Xander and Jesse knew was trying desperately to gain entrance.
"Please!" Jonathan Levenson pleaded to the two bigger boys. "I-I really need to get in there."
"Go elsewhere," Randall told him.
Talbot aimed a thumb at the door. "'Cause if you go in there, you ain't coming back out."
Jonathan looked from one to the other. Then he hurried away down the hall.
Xander turned to Jesse. "Okay, my man! Do your thing."
Jesse grinned mischievously and rubbed his hands together. "This is gonna be fun."
Jesse stepped out into the hall. He walked over to the water fountain and drank from it. Casually, he filled his mouth with water and stepped back from the fountain. He put his hands to his throat as if he were choking and stumbled toward Talbot and Randall, who were both watching him with morbid curiosity.
Jesse looked at them pleadingly, his eyes wide as he grasped his throat with both hands.
"Hey, man," Randall said as he put a hand on Jesse's shoulder. "Are you choking?"
Talbot also leaned forward.
Jesse chose that moment to spit out his mouthful of water. The water sprayed both Talbot and Randall full in their faces.
"I CAN BREATHE!" Jesse exclaimed in mock relief.
He grinned at them and then he ran like hell. Talbot and Randall decided they didn't appreciate what Jesse had just done, so they chased after him.
Xander grinned, shook his head in wonder, and chuckled. He came around the corner, and walked into the men's room. Paige was standing at the sinks as he looked at his reflection in the mirror. Xander had the sudden impression that the big, bad bully was talking to himself in the mirror, but that didn't concern him at all. Maybe Paige had to talk to his image to gather courage so he could push other kids around.
Xander approached him and Paige began to turn his head.
"Hello, Har-" Paige began.
Xander interrupted him by bringing his fist into Paige's face. The bully stumbled back against the sinks and then he looked at Xander in surprise.
"What--?" Paige tried again.
However, Xander interrupted him a second time by grabbing a hold of his shirt and slamming him hard against the mirror over the sinks.
"What the hell is your problem, Harris?" Paige demanded, but he made no move to defend himself.
Xander glared at him. "Gee, you really think I have a problem?" He seemed to think about it. "Well, the truth is, Paige, I don't have a problem. Willow does though, doesn't she? And her problem is YOU. So if you think you need a problem, then let's do it this way. You're Willow's problem, so that makes me your problem."
Paige managed to look puzzled. "What are you talking about?"
"You know what I'm talking about." He slammed him against the mirror for good measure. "Leave Willow alone!"
"You're out of your friggin' tree, Harris!" Paige glared at him. "No one's picking on your girl friend."
Xander ignored the sarcasm. "Why did you take a strand of her hair?"
Paige regarded him with genuine anger. He was very angry with Willow for telling Xander about that, and now a lesson had to be made. "Hey," he said as he shoved Xander away from him, "just back off!"
"If you touch Willow again, I'm coming after you!" Xander exclaimed as he thrust an accusing finger into Paige's face.
Paige opened his mouth to say something but he was interrupted by a voice from the entrance of the men's room.
"What is going on here? Are you boys fighting?"
Xander and Paige turned their heads and they were surprised to see Principal Flutie standing there with his hands on his hips regarding them with a solemn expression on his face.
"You boys aren't fighting, are you?" he asked them. "Because we all know that fighting is an activity not allowed on school grounds unless, of course, you're on the wrestling team. However, even if you were on the wrestling team, I don't see a wrestling mat any where in this men's room, do you? So tell me honestly.were you fighting?"
"Fighting?" Xander asked innocently. He grinned widely and clapped Paige on the back hard. "Fighting! Oh, no. There's no fighting here. We're just.hanging out 'cause we're.we're pals!" He clapped Paige on the back again, a little harder.
Paige glared at him. "Yeah. That's right, Mr. Flutie. We're just two pals, hanging out."
Principal Flutie nodded his head thoughtfully, but he wasn't convinced. "Just two pals?" he inquired. "Hanging out in the men's room?" He regarded them. Then, he said, "I do recall, gentlemen, hearing a bell ring which-if I'm not mistaken-means that you should both be in a classroom somewhere instead of 'hanging out' in the men's room. Now correct me if I'm wrong, but I think we all know how right I am in this matter." He paused. "Am I right?"
Xander and Paige glanced at each other. They both nodded.
"You're right," Paige said respectfully.
Xander shrugged sheepishly. "Absolutely. Gee." He looked at his wrist as if he meant to look at a watch, which he didn't have. "The time just slipped past us."
"We should head to class now."
Flutie shrugged. "That's a fine idea, Virgil. Don't let me stop you boys from doing what's right."
Paige and Xander looked at one another.
Paige forced a smile that looked more like a grimace. "What we were discussing here.we're not finished."
Xander returned the grimace. "Right back at'cha!"
Paige glared at him. Then he casually walked around Principal Flutie and headed out the door. Xander intended to follow, but he was surprised when Flutie stepped into his path.
The Principal held up a hand. "Hold on there for just a moment, Alexander. I would really like a word with you if I could."
Xander hesitated. Then he shrugged. "Okay. Sure."
"Now I happen to know that most kids in this school think I'm a bit naïve. They think I don't know what's going on. But, Alex, I'm here to tell you that I do know what's going on." He nodded knowingly. "I really do."
Xander looked at him curiously. "Uh, what's going on?"
"I know a bully when I see one, Alex," Flutie began, "and I run a crusade against bullies. Did you know that when I was your age, I, too, was bullied? So you see, I take a lot of interest when I see a bully in my school. Oh, no, I couldn't defend myself against the bullies of my day, but I can do something about it now. Especially when I saw with my own two eyes a bully right here in this very room."
Xander let out a nervous chuckle as he shook his head. "Oh, no.you think I was bullying Paige? Uh, but really-"
"I know what I saw, Alex," Flutie interrupted, "and even though I do not approve of violence in any form whatsoever, I find it to be an act of nobility not common in kids these days."
Xander looked at him, puzzled. "Uh, huh, what? Nobility?"
"I heard what you said to Virgil when I walked in here."
"You.did?"
"Yes, I did. And I want you to know that I'm on your side. If Virgil Paige is bullying Willow, I want you to tell me." He watched Xander and waited.
Xander hesitated. "Well, uh, Mr. Flutie, I, uh, can't really say that Paige is bullying Willow or not. I haven't actually seen him do anything to Willow." And if I did, he thought to himself, I wouldn't tell you. I'd handle it myself.
Flutie regarded him for a moment. "First of all, Alex, let me confirm something here. We are talking about Willow Rosenberg, right? I do know this school has only one girl who goes by the name of Willow, but I just want to be clear on this."
Xander nodded reluctantly. "There's only one Willow I know."
"Secondly, Alex, don't play the hero. You might think you've gained the upper hand with Virgil, but he does have friends, you know." He paused. "I want you to talk to Willow and then I want you to convince her to come to me. If she is being bullied, I can help." He shrugged. "That is, after all, why I'm here."
Xander looked at him. "Okay. Uh, I'll talk to Willow."
"Good. That's all I ask. Now you should run off to class."
"Thanks. Sounds like fun." Xander headed for the door.
Flutie called after him. "I don't mean for you to actually 'run', Alex. Remember, there is to be no running through the halls of Sunnydale High."
Xander stepped out of the men's room and he walked to class. He wasn't in any hurry to get there anyway. Yet, as he walked, he began to wonder if Willow really was being bullied by Virgil Paige. One way or the other, he was bound and determined to find out. At least he could take comfort that Willow wasn't being bullied by vampires. Yeah, bullies that go bump in the night. He chuckled on his way to class.
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TO BE CONTINUED- - -