Time of My Life: Feelin' the Same Way (3/?)

Author: Doc

Dedicated to: the Group...you know who you are! Now get along! And in her own special category, Akay, cause you're my rock girl!

Feedback: repeat after me---YES, YES, OH GOD YES!

She finally made her way to the gym and quietly went in. She heard voices and followed them into the main gym where she saw Angel and Jill sitting on the bleachers. Jill looked pretty upset and Angel looked rather annoyed. She listened and tried to pick up their conversation.

"Angel, I just don't get it," she sobbed, "I thought we had a great time last night."

Angel sighed.

"Look Jill, it's just not working out. You'll find someone else, someone who..."

Buffy could tell Jill was fuming.

"You JERK!' she cut him off, 'I can't believe you're dumping me with an excuse like that."

She got up and stalked out of the gym, slamming the doors behind her. Angel rubbed his eyes, trying to make things clearer. Thank goodness that was over. There were more important things on his mind. He couldn't believe that he had asked Buffy out on a date. Were they ready for this? He had always loved her, but the way a brother loves a sister. But lately, he found himself staring at her and thinking about how beautiful she was. Her golden smile and her emerald eyes made him fall for her every time she walked into the room. He knew that, at one time, she had had feelings for him, but he wasn't sure about that now.

He sighed and looked up to find Buffy standing in front of him.

"Whatcha thinking about?"

"Oh, hey blondie. I thought you'd be having lunch."

"I needed to talk to you and Faith said she saw you come in here. With Jill."

"Checking up on me?"

He smiled at her and patted the bleachers next to him.

"Never. I was just asking if anybody had seen you."

"Well, I broke it off with Jill."

"Yeah, I heard."

"Oh no, you'd never check up on me."

She slapped his arm.

"Okay, OW!"

"You deserve it."

"I so do not."

"I didn't mean to hear. I thought you would have been by yourself but when I walked in ya'll were still talking."

"So, what did you need to talk to me about?"

Buffy bit her bottom lip and stared at her hands.

"Uh..."

"Buffy, you're chewing on your lip. Just tell me."

"I don't know. I mean, why did you ask me out on Saturday?"

He sighed and took her hand in his. She felt her face blush. He stared at their intertwined fingers for a long moment before he spoke, "Buffy, I've always loved you, and you know that. But lately, I've found myself...do you know how beautiful you are? I mean, your smile, it makes me...I don't know how or why or really even when, but I have feelings for you, I know that much, and I want to see if they're going to lead to something amazing for both of us."

He looked at her then and saw a tear roll down her cheek.

"Okay crying, not exactly the response I was looking for."

She laughed and wiped her cheek.

"No, um, you don't understand. That was a happy tear. Do you know how long I've wanted you to ask me out? I mean, when I look at you I see the little boy who came up and pulled my pigtail on the first day of kindergarten and made fun of my name, but then the longer I look, I see you. And I want so much to be the one who makes you smile and just to make you happy. I know you think I'm making too much out of this, but its how I feel and this morning when you asked me if I wanted to go out, I just couldn't breath. The world was spinning and it was surreal. I never thought you could have feelings for me. I mean who am I?"

Angel starred at the girl before him and realized that never before had he loved anyone as much as he loved this girl. He raised her chin to look at him, "You're my Bunny."

She smiled and hugged him. He held her tight and never wanted to let her go. The shrill screech of the bell interrupted the couple and Buffy laughed.

"Leave it to school to ruin a perfectly good moment."

They both got up to head to class. Angel took Buffy's hand again.

"Walk you to class?"

"Any time."

They decided to meet in the library after school so Buffy could give Angel a ride home. She walked in to find Giles sifting through a mountain of books.

"Hey, got books?"

Giles looked up and smiled at his stepdaughter.

"Yes, apparently. We got a new shipment in today and Principal Snyder has been on my case since 7 am this morning to get them cataloged and on the shelf. He's such an annoying little rodent. What are you up to this afternoon?"

"Angel's suppose to meet me in here. I'm giving him a ride home cause Judy is using his car today. You'll never guess what happened this morning Giles."

He looked up at her, in question.

"Angel asked me out on Saturday night. Like a date," she squealed as she let herself hear it one more time.

"Buffy, I'm so happy for you. I'm sure your mother will be very pleased to hear that news."

"Well, let me tell her, okay?"

"My lips are sealed."

"Oh, hey, that reminds me, I think I might be going over to Willow's tonight for a study session. We have a huge Government test tomorrow and the whole gang is going over there to study."

"Alright. Will Faith be joining you all?"

"No, she doesn't have Government this semester, she already had it."

"Oh, right. Are you going to be home for dinner?"

"No, tell Mom we're doing pizza at Will's. I'll be home by eleven."

Angel walked into the Library and smiled.

"Hey Giles. Nice books. Got anything good?"

"I got a few classics in. But mostly its just new text books."

"Fun stuff. Are you ready to go Buff?"

"Yea, lemme get my stuff out of the office."

She came back and the couple made their way out to the parking lot.

"So, are you going to Willow's tonight," Angel asked as he took Buffy's hand in his. She smiled, "Yeah. I majorly need to pass this test, because otherwise, I'm not going to graduate."

"Oh, you'll graduate, or my name isn't John Jacob Jingleheimerschmit."

"Your name isn't John Jacob whatever."

"Well, in that case, you're sunk. Nice knowing ya. I promise to write."

"Angel! Seriously! I have a C in Mrs. Ray's class right now, and if I don't bring up my grade, my parents are seriously going to have my ass."

"Well, with Willow helping, you'll be sure to pass. Just don't worry about it. In the meantime, let's go get a snack. I'm starving!"

"I swear! You're always hungry. What do you want?"

"Um, hmm," he pondered as they climbed into Buffy's car.

"How about, some ice cream. Let's go to the Creamery and get a sundae."

"Mmmmmmm, fattening!"

She cranked the engine and made her way into town.