A/N : Thanks to; SweetBitter, Faith95, BtVS-and-PotC-Fan, MsSpike, for the latest reviews. Hope you like the new chapter!
(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)
Chapter 3 - Fitting In
"Buffy!" Cordelia yelled as she chased after her friend, but Buffy was doing her famous 'storming away' walk, and in her straight skirt there was no way Cordy was going to catch her. Faith however had the advantage of wearing pants and got to her friend first.
"Hey B, what's with the wiggage?" the brunette asked, grabbing her friends arm to prevent her getting any further away.
"There is no wiggage" Buffy shot back, "It's just...it's just Angel!" she complained as Cordelia finally caught up to them.
"Well, without even asking, I get that it's Angel" she said, "I heard you yell from fifty yards back!"
In annoyance, Buffy sat down hard on the low wall to the side of her and, as a silent look passed between them, her two friends joined her, one either side on the wall.
"Okay, enough of this" Cordelia said sternly, "What happened with Angel over the Summer?"
With a deep sigh, Buffy answered.
"I don't know" she said quietly, "I just, he's not what I want anymore. I thought he was but, there's something missing these days and...besides all he ever wanted to do was get his hands and his lips on me and, there has to be more to life than just making out" she complained, earning a strange look from both her friends. Obviously they didn't agree with that particular statement.
"Don't take this the wrong way B, but if Angel was my guy, can't say as I'd be complaining much" Faith told her and Buffy sighed again.
"Well then, I guess we're just different" she told her friend and Cordelia was kind of feeling sorry for the blonde by now. This was not normal for her. Buffy was always happy and smiley, and she and Angel had seemed so right together for a while there, but if he wasn't what she wanted there was little point in them being together. Cordy put her arm around the other girls shoulders and told her it'd be fine, that she'd find another guy who she'd like better, or maybe she didn't even need a guy right now, to which Faith added maybe she needed several. Buffy laughed at that but still looked pained, and it hurt William to see it.
Through the window of the cafeteria he was watching the girl and her friends. He'd heard her yell at Angel as he'd taken a seat across the room and alone. Then Buffy had bolted for the door, quickly followed by her two brunette friends, William vaguely wondered where the red-head, Willow, was right now. It seemed to him that perhaps she and her boyfriend she'd mentioned were not like the rest of the group they hung around with.
As Buffy was comforted by her friends, and looking like she might cry, William felt sick. He'd been some of the cause of that, he was sure. But he would make it up to this girl, he'd treat her like a princess and one day she would be his, how hard could it be to win her over?
"Hey" a voice said to his left and William's eyes moved to see Willow and a boy with blue hair standing over him.
"Hello Willow" William half-smiled back and he thought perhaps she might have stayed and sat with him, but Xander called to the man that was apparently Oz and pulling on Willow's hand he went over to the table William had earlier been told to stay away from. There was a moment of talk and Oz sat down with the guys who pointed over at William. Angel said something that made all four laugh before Willow stood again, her face worried as she ran for the door. William watched through the window again as the red-head emerged outside and headed straight for Buffy and her friends. It gave him hope, knowing someone as sweet as Willow fitted into that world, because if she could do it, maybe there really was chance for him...
- - - - - - -
Lunch hour was over and so the bell told the students of Sunnydale High it was time for class again. The halls were full as William tried to make his way to his next class, passing by the lockers of the 'in-crowd' on his way through. He smiled at Buffy who turned to face the inside of her locker instead of him and his smile faded.
"Would you just go!" he heard her say, wondering for a second if she meant him but then he saw a girl with straight brown hair, stamping her foot beside the blonde, she had to be younger but not by much and a certain look he'd seen in her eyes was that same as that he'd seen earlier when Buffy was angry and upset, there was no doubt these two were sisters.
"Hey, everyone at the Bronze tonight?" Xander called generally to the group as he grabbed Cordelia's hand and they backed down the hall towards their next class.
"Yeah" "Sure" and "As always" came the three replies he actually heard over the general school noise. The Bronze was the local club and favourite haunt of the two gangs. They ruled there as much as they ruled the school.
'The Bronze?' William thought to himself, remembering passing by the single night-club on the way into town last week 'Well, I suppose I'm going out tonight...'
- - - - - - - -
It was past seven o'clock and William was standing in front of a full length mirror checking his outfit for the Bronze. He didn't have all that much in the way of 'casual clothes' and what he did have was not very suitable for an American night club. He didn't think he looked too bad in the black pants and mid-blue shirt he was currently wearing, but was he supposed to have the shirt tucked into his pants or not? And how many of his shirt buttons should he have undone? And what about shoes? Realising he was starting to seem very much like a girl, William decided to leave his clothes as they were and hope it was right.
"William!" his mother called, "I thought you were going out tonight!"
"I am, mother" he called back with annoyance, as he moved from his bedroom to the bathroom. He removed his glasses and took his contact lenses from the cabinet. He seldom wore them since he had a general squeamish-ness, especially about sticking his finger in his eye, but he figured he'd look better without the spectacles he usually wore, and Buffy was worth it.
After several minutes he emerged from the bathroom and hurried down the stairs where his mother waited.
"You look wonderful William" she told him with a smile and he blushed at the comment.
"I won't be late Mum" he promised as he slipped on a jacket and made for the front door.
"Have fun!" Anne called behind him as he stepped out into the crisp night air and took a deep breath. Now he was actually on his way to the Bronze he was getting nervous, but he soon realised the reception he got from the people there couldn't be any worse than that he'd gotten at school, his fellow students were, for the most part, not very welcoming to their new student. William took another deep breath and lengthened his strides, deciding the faster he got there the better, then the initial entrance would be over. He started to practice what he might say when he walked in, what he could say to Buffy and her friends, not knowing what had occurred and what was still occurring at the club down the road.
- - - - - - -
"Oh come on, B" Faith gave her friend a friendly shove as they sat side by side at the bar, "At least smile a little, look like you might be having a good time!"
Buffy pasted a huge fake grin on her face for a second and then let it go, "Happy now?" she asked with a sigh. Faith was about to answer when Xander and Cordelia came over.
"Will you two do something with Little Miss Yawn-fest here?" she said as she got up from her stool, jerking a thumb back at Buffy and carrying her drink in the other hand.
"What's up Buff?" Xander asked her as Faith walked away to find Angel, again.
"Nothing" she lied, there was no way she was telling one of Angel's best friends that he was her problem, "Just tired" she shrugged, picking up her drink and turning away. Cordy and Xander shared a look before both shrugging and going back to sucking face.
"Eeew, gross" Dawn complained as she walked past, but it didn't stop the pair from continuing, "Can I get a beer?" the fifteen year old asked the barman, earning an incredulous look from both him and her sister. Even Buffy and her friends weren't old enough to order alcohol, though it didn't stop them trying and succeeding sometimes. Dawn sighed with annoyance, "It was a joke" she said grumpily, "I'll have an orange juice, please"
Buffy stood up almost as soon as her sister sat down beside her. The last person she felt like spending time with right now was her annoying kid sister, but her mother always insisted that the littlest Summers be taken out with Buffy and her friends. Mostly no-one even paid attention to her.
"Hey, what's going on?" the blonde asked as she walked over to stand by Willow. The red-head's eyes never left her boyfriend as she answered.
"Pool tournament" came the answer as the blue haired boy lined up his shot "I'm kinda hoping Oz misses this shot" Willow admitted in a whisper "then he'll be out and I might actually get to dance with him" she giggled and Buffy couldn't help but smile, but it didn't last long before she frowned into her glass again. "You okay?" her friend checked, finally paying attention to something other than Oz.
"Yeah, I guess" Buffy shrugged non-commitally, still looking into the bottom of her glass, as if she'd find the answers to the worlds problems in there, or maybe just her own.
"'Cause y'know if you need to talk I..." Willow's offer of help, friendship, and support was cut short by her boyfriend arriving at her side.
"Looks like I'm out, baby" he told her, a hand on her arm "You wanna dance?"
"Sure" she grinned as a slow song came on and they walked out onto the dancefloor. In seconds Buffy saw them wrapped in each others arms and kissing deeply.
"Hey Xan, you're up!" Angel called, and Xander reluctantly took his lips off of Cordelia and came to play pool with his friends.
"You're gonna need some luck to beat Xander" Andrew told the leader of the gang. Angel shot a look at Buffy before smirking somewhat evilly.
"Maybe not luck" he shrugged, reaching out his hand and grabbing the wrist of the brunette girl next to him "I just need to have a little Faith" he smiled as he spun her round and smashed his lips on hers. She didn't protest at all, in fact she seemed to thoroughly enjoy herself.
Buffy slammed her glass down angrily and stormed off to the bathroom, Cordelia hot on her heels. The blonde felt sick, though she wasn't totally sure why. She hated the idea of Angel and Faith being that way together, but she knew she shouldn't care, since she didn't want him for herself either.
Buffy leaned over the sink and sighed in annoyance. What was wrong with her lately?
"Hey" she heard the voice of her friend as she came into the bathroom, "You okay?"
"I don't know" came Buffy's answer as she turned on the faucet and watched the water run, "I just...I am so completely over Angel" she assured her friend, "but he's just trying to make me look stupid and it's driving me crazy!"
"Are you sure that's all it is?" Cordelia asked carefully, "I mean, don't go nutso but you haven't seemed right all day"
"You wouldn't understand" Buffy shook her head as she washed her hands, straightened her hair in the mirror and pushed past Cordelia to exit the bathroom. With a sigh the brunette elected not to follow, but instead to re-apply the lipstick she'd recently smeared all over her boyfriend and no doubt would again as soon as the pool tournament was over and he either required a winner's reward or some kind of condolence.
Buffy headed back to the bar to get another drink. She sipped at a diet coke, smiling at Willow and Oz kissing on the dancefloor, rolling her eyes at her sister as she tried to get Andrew's attention - he was too interested in the pool game to notice, and grimacing as Angel passed by Faith, whispering something in her ear and making her laugh.
Cordelia came out of the bathroom shortly after Buffy and wandered over to the pool table where her boyfriend was being slowly but surely beaten by Angel. As he made the winning shot, the taller boy grinned and punched the air.
"Yes!" he laughed, as he slapped Xander on the back "Sorry man, looks like I win"
"Total luck, Angel" his friend protested "no way are you a better pool player than me!" he continued, but he soon realised his girlfriend standing beside him and his mind went away from pool completely.
"We should have a trophy or something for a prize..." Andrew suggested, looking around and Buffy, bored of the whole thing hopped off her stool to head for the dancefloor.
"My trophy is right here..." Angel smirked as she walked past and he grabbed at her arm, pulling her close to him.
"Hey, get your hands off me!" she yelled, pulling her arm away and taking a couple of steps back. Willow and Oz rejoined the group as the latest song ended and all eyes were on Buffy and Angel as she looked daggers at him.
"What about his trophy, Buff?" Xander asked with a shrug.
"I am a person" she reminded him and everyone else, with an angry edge to her voice "I am not a trophy!"
"Oh listen to little miss independence" Angel mocked, picking up his drink and gulping at it, annoyed and kind of bored of Buffy and her moods lately.
"Yes, I am independent" she told him forcefully, folding her arms over her chest "Which means I kiss who I want when I want"
"Oh yeah?" Angel countered lamely.
"Yeah" Buffy nodded, right in his face "I could kiss the next guy who walked through that door if I wanted to" she said, arm going out to gesture wildly toward the entrance.
"Be my guest" he smirked as a group of geeks came into the club and none of the gang could stifle the laughter that rose in their throats.
Buffy made a face that was somewhere between angry and disgusted, before looking at Angel like she might commit ex-boyfriend-ocide.
"Go for it, Summers" he encouraged her, and as everyone's eyes fixed on her she realised she could do this. She refused to look weak in front of her friends and the whole gang.
With more confidence than she felt she strode toward the entrance right as William walked in. Before he had a chance to blink, Buffy brought her hands up to his head and pulled him into a long kiss.
The gangs eyes went wide as they watched, and Angel seemed to get more and more angry at the sight of his so-called ex practically sucking the face off of the latest student of Sunnydale High.
To Be Continued...
A/N2 : Like it? Review please and let me know ;-)