Chapter 4

"Buffy! Wait up!", a voice cried from behind. Buffy turned around. Willow was running toward her, dodging people who were walking in the school hall with Xander following after her from behind.

" Hey guys!", Buffy smiled. "Where were you guys? I was looking for you everywhere!", she exclaimed.

Willow stopped in front of her, catching her breath. "Same here." Xander finally arrived, gasping for breath.

"God, Willow you should try out for the track team. They could sure use you.", Xander said, jokingly.

Willow ignored him. "Buffy, want to have a study session today after school?", she asked. "You, know with the big history test tomorrow, we could study for it together."

"Me too!", Xander poked in.

Willow rolled her eyes. "Duh, you're the one who suggested it."

"I love to guys, but I can't.", Buffy said apologetically.

"Why?"

"I have to tutor Spike today after school.", she replied, grimacing at his name.

"What?!?", Willow and Xander both turned to her. "Why didn't you tell us this before?", Willow asked.

"Well, I guess I kind of forgot about it.", Buffy shrugged.

"Buffy, this is Spike we're talking about. Did you forget about our endless days of torture that were caused by him? And now you say that you're tutoring him and you say it so causally.", Willow said, looking at her best friend as if a second head had grown.

"I dunno. Don't make such a big deal about it guys. My mom's making me do this and I have no choice. Faith really freaked out yesterday.", Buffy sighed.

Xander and Willow glance at each other. "Okay, Buff. Sorry.", Xander replied.

"Yeah.", Willow agreed.

"Look, I'll see you guys later.", Buffy said.

" Yeah, sure bye." They watched as Buffy disappeared in the crowd of students.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~~*~

"Spike, are you alright, man?", Angel asked, waving his hand over Spike's face.

"What-huh?", Spike, who was staring at Drusilla and her new boy toy together, tore his eyes from them and turned to Angel.

"Dude, are you okay?", Angel asked, a bit concerned.

"Yeah, just thinking about something.", he replied.

Angel turned his head toward the direction, Spike was staring at. It was Drusilla and her boyfriend. "Look, you gotta stop thinking about her."

"Don't you think I want to? I can't.", Spike said.

Angel gave him a sympathetic look. "Well, I got to go. I promised Mr. Kameron that I go see him in class early today. After being late to his class 5 days straight, I don't want to make him more pissed off, then lately. Later."

Spike nodded. "Yeah, okay.", he watched Angel run off in the hall. School was over in one more period, and he was not looking forward to it. Three words. Buffy. Tutor. Die from boredom. Well that was 5 words wasn't it? But that was exactly how he felt.

He took one last glance at Drusilla and walked away to his last class.

~*~**~*~*~~*~*~*~~*~*~*~

Buffy looked at her watch once more, wondering if her watch was fast. Spike was exactly supposed to pick her up 15 minutes ago. 'Maybe he stood me up' Some people were still hanging around the school, but it looked a lot emptier. She sighed. She shoulda known better than agree to do this. She was supposed to be waiting for Spike after school for his tutor session.

" Waiting for me, pet?", a British accented voice said from behind her.

Buffy turned around, to found herself faced with Spike. "Uh, yeah."

Spike smirked at her. He walked past her, leaving her behind. "Hey, wait aren't you going to fill me in on why you were late.", Buffy said, getting a little annoyed.

Spike walked into the parking lot, with Buffy following behind him. "Don't have to explain anything to you." He unlocked his car door. Buffy was going to say something back, but her mouth was gaping at his vehicle.

"Don't tell me this hunk of metal is your car.", Buffy said.

"Hey! That's a classic if you didn't know. She's more valuable then you are, princess.", Spike defended, and got into his car. Buffy glared at him .

The car ride was mostly silent. No one said anything. Buffy looked out the car window, watching trees and houses pass by. The car finally pulled up into a small, cozy-looking house with a maple tree in the front. Spike turned off the engine. " Home, Sweet, Home", he muttered loud enough for Buffy to hear.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~~*

Buffy let out a frustrated sigh, really irritated. "Okay, clearly, you haven't read 'Wuthering Heights', at all."

Spike, who was staring at his walls with a bored expression pasted on his face, said, "Damn Right."

"You say it like its something to be proud of. THE TEST IS IN THREE DAYS!!", she cried, hoping to get the message through to his head.

Spike gave a blank star. "So?"

"What part do you not understand? 'The test' part or 'in three days'?"

"Pet, there's no need to raise your voice."

Buffy boiled inside, almost ready to kill the bleached-blonde smartass. "You know you're not even trying, or are you just plain STUPID?"

"I am not stupid!", Spike said getting up from his seat. "Just because I didn't read one bloody book doesn't make me."

"Also you were completely clueless on the math. No wonder you're getting held back."

Spike clenched his jaw. "Look, I really appreciate your help-well not really- but I didn't ask for it. My bloody uncle-", he was interrupted.

"Does it look like I give a damn?", Buffy asked surprised at the words that fell out of her mouth. "If you had been doing your work and studying, we both wouldn't be here."

Spike, who was ready rip out her throat, said "Then leave. I don't want you here, and clearly you don't want to be here. Why stay?"

Buffy glared at him. "Asshole."

"Silly Bint."

"Bleach-wonder."

"Geek."

"Stupid."

"Bitch.". Buffy had enough, at that point. She grabbed her jacket and left the room, slamming the door hard.

Giles, who was downstairs, heard all the yelling and a final slam. "Well, that didn't go well.", he muttered to himself. Buffy walked past him, completely unaware oh his presence, and went out the front door.