Chapter 10
The New Year had started out cold and, as January progressed, it had only got colder. Buffy had found herself waking each morning to clear blue skies, but, unlike those she was used to in her native California, she soon remembered what she had learnt in her first year – blue skies in a British winter meant only one thing. It would be bitterly cold. It was now the end of January and things were showing no sign of improving.
Buffy sighed as she caught sight of yet another note trapped under her windscreen wiper, threatening to be blow away in the gale that whipped around the corner of the tall building, icy cold and biting even through her warm winter coat. There had been a note on her car every day in the weeks since term had started, but Buffy, true to her promise to her friend, had ignored each and every one of them. She hadn't even gone up to Spike's flat to explain why she couldn't come round. She knew that he would find a way through her carefully built armour and talk her into staying. He just seemed to have a knack for seeing through what she said to him.
You could just tell him the truth the little voice in the back of her head said.
What, the fact that I can't come round for tea anymore because I'm having problems with my relationship and I need to try and work them out instead of hiding round his house all the time? She asked herself.
That's not the truth I was talking about, the little voice said. I'm talking about the truth that you'd prefer to spend all your time with Spike rather than any time with Riley. That truth. The truth you won't let yourself admit.
With that Buffy pushed the little voice far down inside with a mental la, la, la – I'm not listening. That wasn't why she couldn't spend time with Spike right now. It was all about not avoiding Riley – not about spending too much time with Spike. Spending far too much time lying on his bed with him, teasing and flirting with each other the little voice whispered up from where it had been banished to in the depths of her mind.
She plucked the note from the windscreen and screwed it into a ball, not even reading it, already aware of what it said. She would explain when he came round, she decided. After all, he spent almost as much time at her flat as she did at his and, as he hadn't been round yet this term that meant that he should be appearing on her doorstep any day now. Then she would explain. She sighed, got into her car and drove home.
"Hiya! Anyone home?" Buffy called as she dumped her bag in her room before venturing downstairs to the living room.
Riley looked up from his position on the sofa.
"Just me – all the others are out." He said, getting up to envelope her in a hug.
Buffy frowned and pulled back from his arms. "Then how did you get in?" She asked.
"I've been here most of the day. I had some work to do, but I knew that you'd be back before everyone else, so I got Xander to let me in before he went out this morning and I've been working on your computer." He shrugged. "Knew that you'd be home anytime, so I stopped about five minutes ago. So, just you and me, all alone - thought we could do with some quality time together." He smiled down at her.
"So, you've been here for what," she looked at her watch, "five hours now, on your own. Working in my room, on my computer? Why didn't you just work from your own apartment – it's only upstairs. I could have come round when I finished classes you know."
Riley's face fell, "I thought that you would be pleased and pleasantly surprised, not pissed off!"
Buffy sighed as she realised that Willow had obviously still not had a chance to talk to him yet.
"I'm not pissed off Riley. I'm just..." she contemplated telling him what was on her mind, but chickened out. "Tired, that's all. I had a long day and was looking forward to a nice relaxing bath before I had to face anybody."
"If you have a bath, can I come and scrub your back?" He asked, suggestively.
"Riley! That's not the kind of bath I had in mind. I was talking about a hot, deep bath with lots of bubbles and on my own." She smiled up at him. "Look, I won't be long and I swear that the Buffy who comes out of the bath will be a much pleasanter Buffy than the one standing before you right now – okay?"
"Okay."
It was true as well, Buffy reflected as she dressed before heading back downstairs. Post-bath Buffy was a much more pleasant entity. Not to mention warmer she thought as she listened to the gale that howled round the exterior of the old building.
The house was busier now as the flat went through its usual evening routine. Xander had got an X-box for Christmas and Buffy had to laugh at the howls and cries of frustration coming from the sofa as he and Riley battled it out in some game or another. She followed the fabulous smells emanating from the kitchen to find Willow and Tara in the middle of cooking together. They smiled as she walked in and Willow offered her a spoon filled with the same stuff that was busy simmering in a pan on the stove.
"Here, try."
Buffy took the spoon and blew gently on the mixture before gingerly tasting it. It was quite hot and spicy, but truly delicious.
"Mmm, what is it?"
"Chicken Dopiaza." Tara explained. Seeing Buffy's look of confusion, she continued, "It's a type of curry. My brother bought me a book of Indian recipes for Christmas. Apparently he thought that that's all we'd be eating living up here in Manchester." Buffy still looked confused.
"You know," Willow prompted, "because Manchester is famous for its curries."
"Right. Er, tell me that this must be a guy thing, because I'm not really seeing the connection here." Buffy ventured.
Tara grinned, "It's a guy thing. I was just as confused as you are when he gave it to me. I mean, I know that you can get a great curry here and that there's Rusholme and the 'curry-mile' and everything, but how he got from that to the perfect gift for a sister being an Indian recipe book I just don't know! Anyway, we thought that it should be used so here we are, using it. Not bad for a first try, hey?"
"I'd say! You going to have any left over?" Buffy asked hopefully.
"Oh, definitely! The book only does recipes for 6 people so, once Oz gets back, that's enough for a family meal."
Willow caught the look that Buffy flashed her at this and smiled nervously.
"Oh, yeah. I haven't actually had a chance to have that little conversation. But I will, don't worry – as soon as I get the chance."
Buffy smiled at her friend, chuckling somewhat at her obvious anxiety. "I know you will, Will.
"So, is there anything I can do to help?" She said, changing the subject and preparing to lend a hand with the meal.
Oz arrived home just in time to sit down and eat the finished product. Between them the girls had managed to rustle up a veritable feast. Tara, who had masterminded the whole operation and, if they were being honest, was the only one who had any real idea of what each dish was, took those assembled round the table.
"This is Chicken Dopiaza, then this is Aloo Gobi – potatoes and cauliflower – here you have Cardamom Rice and then these are Chapattis." She lastly indicated the large pile of circular flat-breads on a plate in the centre of the table.
The table fell silent for a few minutes as the hungry students fell onto what was essentially free food with enthusiasm, to be replaced seconds later by moans of gratification as they tasted the delicious food.
Oz was the one who broke the quiet.
"Well, this seems like a good time to make my announcement. You aren't going to see much of me over the next few weeks."
"Like we see much of you already." Xander quipped.
"I'll ignore that comment. Anyway, I'm going to have band rehearsals every night this month for most of the night."
"Don't you have school work to do?" Buffy asked, hoping that she didn't sound too disappointed. No assignments meant no Spike, which meant that she wouldn't get a chance to explain why she was ignoring his notes.
"Nope. We have no more assignments until the end of February."
"Okay, I'll take the bait," Willow sighed. "So, Oz, why are you going to be rehearsing so much?" She asked in a pseudo-cheery voice.
"The Band has a gig on the last Monday of February!"
The table erupted into a multitude of questions.
"What...!"
"Where...?"
"Wow, that's great..."
"It's at a club called 'The Boardwalk' down on Little Peter's Street, at the far end of Whitworth Street. It's not very big and we're only the supporting act but hey, a gig."
"Who are you supporting?" asked Tara.
"A band called Slide Pheromone. None of you have probably ever heard of them. They're usually based somewhere down South but they're trying to get better known – I heard them over the summer when I was down in London. They're amazing!"
Buffy let the chatter flow around her, trying to focus on what was being said, but failing. It wasn't that she wasn't happy for her friend – it was great that the Band had got a proper gig at last, they were good and they deserved it, but her heart had dropped when she realised that she wouldn't see Spike until the end of February.
She looked across the table to where Willow was merrily chatting away to Oz, determined to get every last bit of information out of him about the gig and what they would be performing. Tara was playing mum and dishing out more food whilst Riley and Xander were talking about the intricacies of the game they had been playing earlier. Buffy was thankful that no one seemed to have noticed her sudden quiet. She didn't really want to have to explain the reason behind it and, after the thoughts that seemed to have come out of nowhere when she'd been standing outside his flat earlier, she didn't know if she actually could.
She wondered if she should just forget about her promise to Willow and go round and see Spike – explain to him what was going on. No. She firmly dispelled the idea That promise was made to Willow for a reason. We both know that if I get into the habit of hanging round at Spike's again I'll never sort out the problems with Riley and me.
She sighed inwardly, being with Spike was just so much easier than being with Riley, almost too easy and she knew that she wouldn't just be able to call in for five minutes to explain. She knew that if she went then she wouldn't want to leave. So she thought determinedly I just won't go. I'll just have to hope he understands. But she knew in her heart that it wouldn't be that easy.
The New Year had started out cold and, as January progressed, it had only got colder. Buffy had found herself waking each morning to clear blue skies, but, unlike those she was used to in her native California, she soon remembered what she had learnt in her first year – blue skies in a British winter meant only one thing. It would be bitterly cold. It was now the end of January and things were showing no sign of improving.
Buffy sighed as she caught sight of yet another note trapped under her windscreen wiper, threatening to be blow away in the gale that whipped around the corner of the tall building, icy cold and biting even through her warm winter coat. There had been a note on her car every day in the weeks since term had started, but Buffy, true to her promise to her friend, had ignored each and every one of them. She hadn't even gone up to Spike's flat to explain why she couldn't come round. She knew that he would find a way through her carefully built armour and talk her into staying. He just seemed to have a knack for seeing through what she said to him.
You could just tell him the truth the little voice in the back of her head said.
What, the fact that I can't come round for tea anymore because I'm having problems with my relationship and I need to try and work them out instead of hiding round his house all the time? She asked herself.
That's not the truth I was talking about, the little voice said. I'm talking about the truth that you'd prefer to spend all your time with Spike rather than any time with Riley. That truth. The truth you won't let yourself admit.
With that Buffy pushed the little voice far down inside with a mental la, la, la – I'm not listening. That wasn't why she couldn't spend time with Spike right now. It was all about not avoiding Riley – not about spending too much time with Spike. Spending far too much time lying on his bed with him, teasing and flirting with each other the little voice whispered up from where it had been banished to in the depths of her mind.
She plucked the note from the windscreen and screwed it into a ball, not even reading it, already aware of what it said. She would explain when he came round, she decided. After all, he spent almost as much time at her flat as she did at his and, as he hadn't been round yet this term that meant that he should be appearing on her doorstep any day now. Then she would explain. She sighed, got into her car and drove home.
"Hiya! Anyone home?" Buffy called as she dumped her bag in her room before venturing downstairs to the living room.
Riley looked up from his position on the sofa.
"Just me – all the others are out." He said, getting up to envelope her in a hug.
Buffy frowned and pulled back from his arms. "Then how did you get in?" She asked.
"I've been here most of the day. I had some work to do, but I knew that you'd be back before everyone else, so I got Xander to let me in before he went out this morning and I've been working on your computer." He shrugged. "Knew that you'd be home anytime, so I stopped about five minutes ago. So, just you and me, all alone - thought we could do with some quality time together." He smiled down at her.
"So, you've been here for what," she looked at her watch, "five hours now, on your own. Working in my room, on my computer? Why didn't you just work from your own apartment – it's only upstairs. I could have come round when I finished classes you know."
Riley's face fell, "I thought that you would be pleased and pleasantly surprised, not pissed off!"
Buffy sighed as she realised that Willow had obviously still not had a chance to talk to him yet.
"I'm not pissed off Riley. I'm just..." she contemplated telling him what was on her mind, but chickened out. "Tired, that's all. I had a long day and was looking forward to a nice relaxing bath before I had to face anybody."
"If you have a bath, can I come and scrub your back?" He asked, suggestively.
"Riley! That's not the kind of bath I had in mind. I was talking about a hot, deep bath with lots of bubbles and on my own." She smiled up at him. "Look, I won't be long and I swear that the Buffy who comes out of the bath will be a much pleasanter Buffy than the one standing before you right now – okay?"
"Okay."
It was true as well, Buffy reflected as she dressed before heading back downstairs. Post-bath Buffy was a much more pleasant entity. Not to mention warmer she thought as she listened to the gale that howled round the exterior of the old building.
The house was busier now as the flat went through its usual evening routine. Xander had got an X-box for Christmas and Buffy had to laugh at the howls and cries of frustration coming from the sofa as he and Riley battled it out in some game or another. She followed the fabulous smells emanating from the kitchen to find Willow and Tara in the middle of cooking together. They smiled as she walked in and Willow offered her a spoon filled with the same stuff that was busy simmering in a pan on the stove.
"Here, try."
Buffy took the spoon and blew gently on the mixture before gingerly tasting it. It was quite hot and spicy, but truly delicious.
"Mmm, what is it?"
"Chicken Dopiaza." Tara explained. Seeing Buffy's look of confusion, she continued, "It's a type of curry. My brother bought me a book of Indian recipes for Christmas. Apparently he thought that that's all we'd be eating living up here in Manchester." Buffy still looked confused.
"You know," Willow prompted, "because Manchester is famous for its curries."
"Right. Er, tell me that this must be a guy thing, because I'm not really seeing the connection here." Buffy ventured.
Tara grinned, "It's a guy thing. I was just as confused as you are when he gave it to me. I mean, I know that you can get a great curry here and that there's Rusholme and the 'curry-mile' and everything, but how he got from that to the perfect gift for a sister being an Indian recipe book I just don't know! Anyway, we thought that it should be used so here we are, using it. Not bad for a first try, hey?"
"I'd say! You going to have any left over?" Buffy asked hopefully.
"Oh, definitely! The book only does recipes for 6 people so, once Oz gets back, that's enough for a family meal."
Willow caught the look that Buffy flashed her at this and smiled nervously.
"Oh, yeah. I haven't actually had a chance to have that little conversation. But I will, don't worry – as soon as I get the chance."
Buffy smiled at her friend, chuckling somewhat at her obvious anxiety. "I know you will, Will.
"So, is there anything I can do to help?" She said, changing the subject and preparing to lend a hand with the meal.
Oz arrived home just in time to sit down and eat the finished product. Between them the girls had managed to rustle up a veritable feast. Tara, who had masterminded the whole operation and, if they were being honest, was the only one who had any real idea of what each dish was, took those assembled round the table.
"This is Chicken Dopiaza, then this is Aloo Gobi – potatoes and cauliflower – here you have Cardamom Rice and then these are Chapattis." She lastly indicated the large pile of circular flat-breads on a plate in the centre of the table.
The table fell silent for a few minutes as the hungry students fell onto what was essentially free food with enthusiasm, to be replaced seconds later by moans of gratification as they tasted the delicious food.
Oz was the one who broke the quiet.
"Well, this seems like a good time to make my announcement. You aren't going to see much of me over the next few weeks."
"Like we see much of you already." Xander quipped.
"I'll ignore that comment. Anyway, I'm going to have band rehearsals every night this month for most of the night."
"Don't you have school work to do?" Buffy asked, hoping that she didn't sound too disappointed. No assignments meant no Spike, which meant that she wouldn't get a chance to explain why she was ignoring his notes.
"Nope. We have no more assignments until the end of February."
"Okay, I'll take the bait," Willow sighed. "So, Oz, why are you going to be rehearsing so much?" She asked in a pseudo-cheery voice.
"The Band has a gig on the last Monday of February!"
The table erupted into a multitude of questions.
"What...!"
"Where...?"
"Wow, that's great..."
"It's at a club called 'The Boardwalk' down on Little Peter's Street, at the far end of Whitworth Street. It's not very big and we're only the supporting act but hey, a gig."
"Who are you supporting?" asked Tara.
"A band called Slide Pheromone. None of you have probably ever heard of them. They're usually based somewhere down South but they're trying to get better known – I heard them over the summer when I was down in London. They're amazing!"
Buffy let the chatter flow around her, trying to focus on what was being said, but failing. It wasn't that she wasn't happy for her friend – it was great that the Band had got a proper gig at last, they were good and they deserved it, but her heart had dropped when she realised that she wouldn't see Spike until the end of February.
She looked across the table to where Willow was merrily chatting away to Oz, determined to get every last bit of information out of him about the gig and what they would be performing. Tara was playing mum and dishing out more food whilst Riley and Xander were talking about the intricacies of the game they had been playing earlier. Buffy was thankful that no one seemed to have noticed her sudden quiet. She didn't really want to have to explain the reason behind it and, after the thoughts that seemed to have come out of nowhere when she'd been standing outside his flat earlier, she didn't know if she actually could.
She wondered if she should just forget about her promise to Willow and go round and see Spike – explain to him what was going on. No. She firmly dispelled the idea That promise was made to Willow for a reason. We both know that if I get into the habit of hanging round at Spike's again I'll never sort out the problems with Riley and me.
She sighed inwardly, being with Spike was just so much easier than being with Riley, almost too easy and she knew that she wouldn't just be able to call in for five minutes to explain. She knew that if she went then she wouldn't want to leave. So she thought determinedly I just won't go. I'll just have to hope he understands. But she knew in her heart that it wouldn't be that easy.