leostorm- thank you so much, i'm so glad you like it

kelley- glad you like it so far... he is fun to make as a teacher isn't he lol

disclaimer: the poem does belong to me...i wrote it in like two seconds to go with this...ignore it, lol...and pretend it's good ;) please

Buffy walked into her Creative Writing class and looked around for Willow. She was waving for Buffy to come over, and Buffy smiled at her before hurrying across the front of the room and up the stairs to the seats they had sat in yesterday.

"How did your poem turn out?" Willow asked.

"Um... Okay," Buffy said.

"I'm sure it's great," Willow said. "I always liked your writing."

"The only thing you ever read was the story I wrote when I was six," she said, smiling.

"It was a very touching story."

"It was about a boy who broke his friend's crayon," Buffy laughed.

"It brought back memories," Willow said. "Now hush, class is starting."

"I hope you all completed your assignments," Spike said, closing the door behind him as he walked inside just as the bell rang. "But, if not, it will be forgotten for it's only your first day and not a big project."

Maybe I could say I didn't do it, Buffy thought.

"Alright..." he said. "Why don't we start with Miss Summers?"

"Me?" Buffy whispered, and Willow gave her an encouraging smile.

"Yeah you, stand up."

Buffy swallowed, and stood up, gripping her paper. Too late to use an excuse, she thought. He knows you have it now.

"Go ahead," Spike said, leaning on his desk.

Buffy coughed.

"Your love is what kept me strong,

Through the rough times I've been through.

When I needed a shoulder to cry on,

I knew I could always count on you.

You're the person I can count on,

To catch me before I fall.

I know you'll always be there,

And help me through it all.

Some people doubted our love,

And said we wouldn't last.

But we've stayed together for two years now,

And my heart's still beating fast.

This poem is for you my love,

The one that brightens my day.

And forever do I hope,

It'll always be that way."

As she finished, the class broke out in applause and Buffy could feel her cheeks redden. She had never read anything aloud to anyone before. Especially nothing she wrote herself. She didn't think it to be any good, but Spike had other views.

"Very good Miss Summers," he said. "You may sit down."

Buffy smiled and took her seat.

The bell rang signaling the end of class, and Buffy gathered her books and stood up, waiting for Willow. The two were the last ones in the classroom, and as they were walking down the stairs, Spike called Buffy's name. She stopped, and turned to face him.

"I'll see you at lunch," Willow said, before smiling at her friend and disappearing.

"What's up?" Buffy asked, walking over to Spike who stood in front of his desk.

"I wanted to talk to you about your writing," he said.

Buffy laughed. "Oh, that. Yeah, I'm sorry. I tried..."

"No, no, no," he said. "You misinterpreted luv. It was very good. Impressing. I didn't know you had such talent. But then again, we have just met."

"I like to write," Buffy said. "But I haven't lately... I've just been busy with Riley."

"Riley?"

"My fiance," she said. Why did I tell him that? Now he thinks I'm not interested... No, Buffy. You're engaged! That's why you told him, cause you are. Duh. Not like you were gonna have a chance with Spike.

"Fiance? But you can't be more then 19," he said.

"I'm not. But, I love him. And he's not rushing me into anything, which I appreciate. He's really good to me."

"As long as he treats you right, it shouldn't matter, eh pet?" he said. "Back to your writing... Did you ever think of getting any published?"

"Published? Um... I've thought, more so... Dreamed. But it would never happen," she said, then looked down to her watch. "Oh, I have to go. I'm sorry."

"'s quite alright luv," he said. "My class should be starting soon as well. Wouldn't want you to be late."

"No, wouldn't want that," Buffy said, before turning to leave.

"You know Buffy," he said, catching her attention. "If you really want something, if you put your mind and your heart into it, your dream, it can come true."

Buffy nodded, but didn't turn to look at him. She waited a minute before starting to walk again and once outside of the room, stopped.

Not when you have Riley as a fiance... she thought.

---------

Buffy sat on Willow's bed, fiddling with the sheets beneath her. Riley had gone off to work and wasn't coming home until later that night, so Buffy had decided to go over to her friend's. She thought that maybe they could talk about things that were on her mind...

"Hey Wills?" Buffy said, yelling to her friend who was in the bathroom.

"Yeah?"

"Can I tell you something?" she asked. "It's sort of... A problem."

Willow stuck her head out of the bathroom. "Are you okay?"

"Not that kind of problem..." Buffy said. "I think I... Well, I think I have a crush on Spike."

Willow's jaw dropped, and she left the bathroom to sit by Buffy. "Are-Are you sure? I-I mean he's our teacher."

"You say that like I don't know," Buffy said.

"You're engaged!" Willow pointed out. "You can't be thinking of other men... Can you?"

"No... Yes. I don't know. But I can't help my feelings. I'm not saying I'm in love with the man, that's just... Too much. But he is pretty hot isn't he?"

Willow smiled. "Yes, he is good looking. Hey, don't give me that look, I'm not engaged."

Buffy shook her head and stood up, pacing back and forth. "I know Will, and I feel horrible. Riley has never cheated on me, and never even looked at another woman. And here I am having bad thoughts about my teacher. My teacher. I'm such a bad person."

"No, you're not. Don't say that. J-Just because your mind likes to... Explore, doesn't make you a bad person. You're just attracted to the opposite sex. That, that is uncontrollable. Riley will understand."

"Riley can not find out about this!" Buffy said, sitting back down. "Will, you can't tell a single soul. Not even Xander."

"Not even Xander? How big is this crush?" Willow asked, raising an eyebrow.

Buffy sighed. "Promise?"

Willow nodded. "Your secrets safe with me."