Chapter 8

Backroom

When they got to the bar, Spike went straight to the backroom and joined a poker game that was going on.

Andrew didn't drink so much but the girls would have preferred beer breath over the onion any day.

At first Buffy and Anya tried to stay away from the alcoholic beverages but after an hour, Willy was serving them up by the dozen.

After about six beers and a plate of Buffalo wings, Buffy went to join Spike in the backroom.

She kicked the door open and took a swig of the beer in her hand, "Nice hand there Spike"

Spike glared at her, "You need somethin' luv?"

"Came to play"

A few of the other players raised their eyebrows at him; this really was not a game that she should get in to.

"Sorry pet, man's game"

Buffy frowned, "I want to play"

Spike sighed, got up and led her to a small couch along the wall, "Listen this is no game, and you can't just bloody waltz in 'ere like you own the place, this area back 'ere is not for little girls like you, Willy shoulda stopped you from comin' in" he pulled the door open and called for Willy.

Willy of course came running as soon as he heard his name, "What's up guys?"

Spike pointed to Buffy, "You let 'er in, you get 'er out Now! We got a game goin' on in 'ere and can't be havin' no distractions." He went back to his seat.

Willy glanced at the card table then back at Buffy, "I'm sorry but you have got to leave"

Buffy stood up and glared at Spike, "You can't kick me out!"

Spike didn't even turn around, "Not me luv, but 'e can"

Willy backed away so Buffy could leave the room but she didn't budge.

Buffy took another swig of her beer emptying the bottle and threw at the wall, nearly hitting Spike in the head, and stomped out of the room.

A Guy not like Red

While Buffy was trying to get in to a card game in the backroom, Anya and Andrew were sharing an onion flower and drinking beer.

Andrew was in his usual cheerful mood, which was unusual because he was gothic, he got a conversation started with Anya who also seemed to be having a good time.

"So how did you come to be a Slayer?"

Anya found it odd that he would want to talk about that but answered anyways, "Well, the slayers are all about breaking guys hearts as you know, and the way you get in is usually by suffering from a terrible break up. Before I moved here I was dating this really good-looking guy named Red Dobson, he was a quarterback and student body president and a real dick head. We were dating for two years and tried to make it three by having a long distance relationship while he was away at college, well for spring break I went up there to surprise him and found out that he had been cheating on me with two other girls, and neither of them knew about it. I was horrified; meanwhile he had the nerve to break up with me saying that it was not right for me to just come up there with out even calling him first. It really crushed me, he had been a total sweetheart when we were going out, a real gentleman but after he left for collage it was like he was too good for me. So when Cecily and Buffy learned about it they invited me to be a Slayer and now I'm working to beat Buffy's high record." There were tears in her eyes and she reached for a napkin.

Andrew felt bad for her, here everyone thought that the Slayers just did this stuff for fun but there was actually some meaning behind it. They were all girls that had had their hearts broken in a terrible way and this was how they were dealing with it. Taking it out on every guy that falls for them.

He put an arm around her and pulled her close for a hug. Anya leaned against him, tears still rolling down her cheeks.

Now this made Andrew think, he wanted to tell her that between the day at the auto repair shop and now he had fallen in love with her, but in her present state he didn't think she would want to hear that.

But he decided to take a chance, "What if you met another guy, one that really loved you, not like the Red guy, cause that's not love, but what if this guy really likes you and wants to be with you but he's not sure if you would ever love him back, because you're a Slayer and you would be required to dump him before you fell in love, would you give up being a Slayer?"

Anya sat up, oh my god! Is he in love with me? Would I dump my friends for him? What do I say? Oh god! Well do I like him too? Of course I can't cause he is the one that I am supposed to dump for the bet, while Buffy is working Spike I am supposed to be working Andrew. If I do like him then that's just proving Cece's point. Buffy might kill me for ruining this. Well I have this fish hooked but should I really reel him in? She looked at him.

Andrew had been smiling before she spilled the beans on her past but now he seemed serious.

Anya smiled at him, "Maybe" lets reel this baby in. "I might, I'm not like Buffy and Cecily, I still think love is a wonderful thing, and...you can't tell them what we talked about okay...I think maybe if the right guy came I might turn in my Slay gear, why are you the guy who really likes me and is not like...Red?"