**Author's Note** Much thanks again to everyone who's reviewed so far. I
love you all! Cool ideas too. might just have to use some of them too.
hehe (and yes, of course, I'll give you credit for the ideas). This
chapter is up early ESPECIALLY for you guys! Keep reviewing, and enjoy the
chapter! It's a little on the long side, but I wanted to get it all in.
Chapter 3 - New Faces
As the girls got unpacked, they engaged in the basic get-to-know-you chit chat. Buffy told the two of them about Riley, and they both seemed eager to meet him, for different reasons of course. In the back of her mind, Buffy almost thought Cordelia was serious about trying to steal him away, and that Riley would buy into it.
The three girls all went together to dinner that night joined by Riley and friends, and Xander. They did the basic introductions first, of course
"So, Willow, did you pick a major yet?"
"Oh, Will? She's had her major picked since playgroup." said Xander with a smirk. Willow ignored his remark, holding back a laugh.
"Yeah, I'm pre-med."
"Wow." was all Cordelia could reply with, too busy scanning the cafeteria for the nearest hottie.
"She's quite the brain, you know," Xander stuck in, taking a moment out from playing with his food. "I never woulda graduated without her help."
"Hey Ri, we gotta go! Practice in 10. Don't wanna be late for coach first chance of the year," Graham said after checking his wrist watch.
"Okay." He turned to Buffy. "I'll call you later?"
"Mmmhmm." she replied as he leaned down to kiss her goodbye.
"Damn, I gotta go do," Cordelia declared, jumping up. "Welcome back Seniors party at Kappa Omega tonight."
"But you're not a senior." Willow said. Cordelia smiled knowingly.
"No. but I got a personal invite today from their party chair," she answered with a grin, and left.
"Actually, we were gunna go take a walk around campus, see where our classes are for tomorrow," Willow said, obviously meaning her and Xander. "You wanna come Buffy?"
"Wish I could. I've gotta head over to the rec center for tryouts at eight."
"For what?" Xander asked.
"Cheerleading."
"I'm sure you'll make it, so don't be nervous," Willow told her.
"Don't worry. I'm not," Buffy replied with a confident smile.
"Good job, Buffy," she said to herself. " 'No, I'm fine. don't need you to walk me to the stupid rec center. I can find it on my own.' Sure you can. Can't even find where I am on the stupid map." With her eyes down, she couldn't exactly where she was walking, so she bumped into someone, literally, dropping her sports duffel in the process.
The stranger's hand instantly went for the strap, lifting it up for her. "You should probably watch where you're going more carefully, luv. Worse things than me to bump into on campus." a sweet as butter british accent drawled.
"I'm so sorry," she said, reaching for her bag, which he refused to give up. Her eyes scanned him over. He had on black jeans, a fitted black t- shirt that showed off perfectly toned abs, and a calf length black leather duster. Then her gaze found his face, and she swore she'd never seen anything like him before in her life: cheekbones so defined that they could cut glass, hair bleached whiter than the sand on the beach the last time she'd been to Grand Cayman, a smirk on his lips that conveyed mystery and playfulness, but above all, the most amazing blue eyes she'd ever seen.
"Let me guess," he said, bringing an already lit cigarette to his lips and inhaling, "freshman." She smiled shyly, almost in fear.
"Is it that obvious?"
"So, what building on this maze of a campus are you off to find tonite?"
"The rec center. Mind pointing me in the right direction?"
"Down this path to the end, hang a right and it'll be down about 30 meters on your left. Want me to show you the way?" He eyed the little girl before him as he did every other girl: as his prey. He hadn't gained the rep he had without it. Of course he'd had a few one night stands in his time at Sunnydale, but that's how it was when the girls would literally throw themselves at him as if he were a famous rock star. He, however, much like any jungle cat, was much more interested in the chase. This one in front of him though, would almost count as two slashes on his bed post. She was truly exquisite: golden blonde hair that fell past her shoulders, a petite frame, but she actually looked rather spry for someone of her size. Most of all though, he was pulled in by the innocence mixed with an obvious fire in her gorgeous hazel eyes.
"No thanks. I'm sure I can find it now, but thanks for the help," she told him, reclaiming her bag. He shrugged, playing it off as nothing, but inside he was even more intrigued. She turned him down? Well this was going to be more fun than he thought.
"Suit yourself pet. Be seeing you." he added, and with that he'd walked past her, and he was gone. She didn't have time to give the gorgeous blonde guy another thought. If she didn't run, she was going to be late for tryouts and then all of her and Riley's plans would be shot.
She found the center, right where he said it would be, and then the right room, changed quickly in the bathroom into her old high school uniform and made it out just in time for a quick warm up.
"Okay girls, line up!" One of the girls in the Sunnydale University uniform called out. All the girls, including Buffy, did as they were told. The girls who were returning were on the other side of the room, behind their leader. "Okay! I'm Harmony, you're captain for the year," the extremely perky blonde with a perfect smile told the crowd. "I know all of you have signed in already, and that'll make this a little faster. We have room for six of you this year, so obviously, some of you aren't going to make it. So everyone try their best and we'll have the best squad EVER this year!" There was applause and some cheering from the peanut gallery. Buffy looked down the line and counted twenty girls trying out, and suddenly her calm turned into a stomach full of butterflies.
The girls started with the group routine first, then onto a few basket tosses and tumbling exercises, and then finally moved onto the solo routines. Buffy was pretty sure that she'd nailed hers and had the judges approval, but she'd have to wait till the next day to be sure.
Buffy said goodbye to the few girls she'd gotten to talking to and headed back to the dorm, which she actually found in five minutes. Willow was already back, covering her new text books and trying to pick out an outfit for the next day.
"Hey! How'd it go?" Willow asked, quickly abandoning her project.
"Not bad, I'm pretty sure I made it, but won't know until tomorrow. How bout you?"
"Good, we found all of our classes, and the library, the gym and a few other places. Meet anybody neat at tryouts?"
"Not really, well, not AT tryouts. Sorta met this guy on the way. He gave me directions to the R.C." Buffy climbed up onto her made bed and sat down cross legged.
"What's with that look?" Willow asked, noticing Buffy's dreaminess.
"What? Oh, nothing. Just thinking about the guy I met. Very. I dunno."
"Oooh! Do tell!" Willow exclaimed, climbing up clumsily after her so that they could sit face to face.
"I dunno. There was just something about him. Bleached blonde hair, sharp features, british accent."
"Super mysterious blue eyes?" Willow guessed as if getting the last piece to a puzzle.
"You know him?"
"Yeah! Well, no. but I've seen him at the Bronze the past two years. I'm guessing he's a junior, but I can't be sure."
"The Bronze?"
"Oh, that's pretty much the only club to hang out in around here, so everyone shows their face there sooner or later."
"Sounds fun."
"Oooh! Wanna check it out this weekend?"
"Sure! Gunna need some down time after the first week of classes, I'm sure."
"I'm getting kind of tired though, and I got that 830 class tomorrow. Should we wait for Cordelia?"
"Do you REALLY think she'll be back before dawn?" Willow laughed.
"Good point." The two changed into their PJ's and were out before they knew it.
**Author's Note** Sorry again that it was so long! Hope you like it. Stay tuned for the next chapter: My Hero? Please keep R&R ing!!
Chapter 3 - New Faces
As the girls got unpacked, they engaged in the basic get-to-know-you chit chat. Buffy told the two of them about Riley, and they both seemed eager to meet him, for different reasons of course. In the back of her mind, Buffy almost thought Cordelia was serious about trying to steal him away, and that Riley would buy into it.
The three girls all went together to dinner that night joined by Riley and friends, and Xander. They did the basic introductions first, of course
"So, Willow, did you pick a major yet?"
"Oh, Will? She's had her major picked since playgroup." said Xander with a smirk. Willow ignored his remark, holding back a laugh.
"Yeah, I'm pre-med."
"Wow." was all Cordelia could reply with, too busy scanning the cafeteria for the nearest hottie.
"She's quite the brain, you know," Xander stuck in, taking a moment out from playing with his food. "I never woulda graduated without her help."
"Hey Ri, we gotta go! Practice in 10. Don't wanna be late for coach first chance of the year," Graham said after checking his wrist watch.
"Okay." He turned to Buffy. "I'll call you later?"
"Mmmhmm." she replied as he leaned down to kiss her goodbye.
"Damn, I gotta go do," Cordelia declared, jumping up. "Welcome back Seniors party at Kappa Omega tonight."
"But you're not a senior." Willow said. Cordelia smiled knowingly.
"No. but I got a personal invite today from their party chair," she answered with a grin, and left.
"Actually, we were gunna go take a walk around campus, see where our classes are for tomorrow," Willow said, obviously meaning her and Xander. "You wanna come Buffy?"
"Wish I could. I've gotta head over to the rec center for tryouts at eight."
"For what?" Xander asked.
"Cheerleading."
"I'm sure you'll make it, so don't be nervous," Willow told her.
"Don't worry. I'm not," Buffy replied with a confident smile.
"Good job, Buffy," she said to herself. " 'No, I'm fine. don't need you to walk me to the stupid rec center. I can find it on my own.' Sure you can. Can't even find where I am on the stupid map." With her eyes down, she couldn't exactly where she was walking, so she bumped into someone, literally, dropping her sports duffel in the process.
The stranger's hand instantly went for the strap, lifting it up for her. "You should probably watch where you're going more carefully, luv. Worse things than me to bump into on campus." a sweet as butter british accent drawled.
"I'm so sorry," she said, reaching for her bag, which he refused to give up. Her eyes scanned him over. He had on black jeans, a fitted black t- shirt that showed off perfectly toned abs, and a calf length black leather duster. Then her gaze found his face, and she swore she'd never seen anything like him before in her life: cheekbones so defined that they could cut glass, hair bleached whiter than the sand on the beach the last time she'd been to Grand Cayman, a smirk on his lips that conveyed mystery and playfulness, but above all, the most amazing blue eyes she'd ever seen.
"Let me guess," he said, bringing an already lit cigarette to his lips and inhaling, "freshman." She smiled shyly, almost in fear.
"Is it that obvious?"
"So, what building on this maze of a campus are you off to find tonite?"
"The rec center. Mind pointing me in the right direction?"
"Down this path to the end, hang a right and it'll be down about 30 meters on your left. Want me to show you the way?" He eyed the little girl before him as he did every other girl: as his prey. He hadn't gained the rep he had without it. Of course he'd had a few one night stands in his time at Sunnydale, but that's how it was when the girls would literally throw themselves at him as if he were a famous rock star. He, however, much like any jungle cat, was much more interested in the chase. This one in front of him though, would almost count as two slashes on his bed post. She was truly exquisite: golden blonde hair that fell past her shoulders, a petite frame, but she actually looked rather spry for someone of her size. Most of all though, he was pulled in by the innocence mixed with an obvious fire in her gorgeous hazel eyes.
"No thanks. I'm sure I can find it now, but thanks for the help," she told him, reclaiming her bag. He shrugged, playing it off as nothing, but inside he was even more intrigued. She turned him down? Well this was going to be more fun than he thought.
"Suit yourself pet. Be seeing you." he added, and with that he'd walked past her, and he was gone. She didn't have time to give the gorgeous blonde guy another thought. If she didn't run, she was going to be late for tryouts and then all of her and Riley's plans would be shot.
She found the center, right where he said it would be, and then the right room, changed quickly in the bathroom into her old high school uniform and made it out just in time for a quick warm up.
"Okay girls, line up!" One of the girls in the Sunnydale University uniform called out. All the girls, including Buffy, did as they were told. The girls who were returning were on the other side of the room, behind their leader. "Okay! I'm Harmony, you're captain for the year," the extremely perky blonde with a perfect smile told the crowd. "I know all of you have signed in already, and that'll make this a little faster. We have room for six of you this year, so obviously, some of you aren't going to make it. So everyone try their best and we'll have the best squad EVER this year!" There was applause and some cheering from the peanut gallery. Buffy looked down the line and counted twenty girls trying out, and suddenly her calm turned into a stomach full of butterflies.
The girls started with the group routine first, then onto a few basket tosses and tumbling exercises, and then finally moved onto the solo routines. Buffy was pretty sure that she'd nailed hers and had the judges approval, but she'd have to wait till the next day to be sure.
Buffy said goodbye to the few girls she'd gotten to talking to and headed back to the dorm, which she actually found in five minutes. Willow was already back, covering her new text books and trying to pick out an outfit for the next day.
"Hey! How'd it go?" Willow asked, quickly abandoning her project.
"Not bad, I'm pretty sure I made it, but won't know until tomorrow. How bout you?"
"Good, we found all of our classes, and the library, the gym and a few other places. Meet anybody neat at tryouts?"
"Not really, well, not AT tryouts. Sorta met this guy on the way. He gave me directions to the R.C." Buffy climbed up onto her made bed and sat down cross legged.
"What's with that look?" Willow asked, noticing Buffy's dreaminess.
"What? Oh, nothing. Just thinking about the guy I met. Very. I dunno."
"Oooh! Do tell!" Willow exclaimed, climbing up clumsily after her so that they could sit face to face.
"I dunno. There was just something about him. Bleached blonde hair, sharp features, british accent."
"Super mysterious blue eyes?" Willow guessed as if getting the last piece to a puzzle.
"You know him?"
"Yeah! Well, no. but I've seen him at the Bronze the past two years. I'm guessing he's a junior, but I can't be sure."
"The Bronze?"
"Oh, that's pretty much the only club to hang out in around here, so everyone shows their face there sooner or later."
"Sounds fun."
"Oooh! Wanna check it out this weekend?"
"Sure! Gunna need some down time after the first week of classes, I'm sure."
"I'm getting kind of tired though, and I got that 830 class tomorrow. Should we wait for Cordelia?"
"Do you REALLY think she'll be back before dawn?" Willow laughed.
"Good point." The two changed into their PJ's and were out before they knew it.
**Author's Note** Sorry again that it was so long! Hope you like it. Stay tuned for the next chapter: My Hero? Please keep R&R ing!!
