Later, at Buffy's house…
"Formal. I need something formal. Ugh. Where is it?" Buffy was digging through the back of her closet, and it wasn't pretty. Overalls, jumpers, miniskirts. Ick. She knew she had a formal dress in there somewhere. "How does Spike know of anywhere formal?"
As she mused to herself, Buffy found the dress she was looking for. It was light pink and strapless with a beaded bodice and silk skirt. She had gotten the dress, along with matching heels and purse, from her father when she graduated from high school. Call it a "sorry" gift for not being able to come to the ceremony. Luckily, it still fit relatively well.
Buffy hung the dress up and set the shoes and purse near it. There. She was set. Now, what was she going to tell Dawn and the gang?
"Dawn!" Buffy called downstairs. "I'm going to be gone tomorrow night from 9 until late. I'm going… to the Bronze." That wasn't so hard.
"Cool!" Dawn yelled back. "Me and Willow are going tomorrow too!" Busted.
"I mean… I'm going to be out late… patrolling."
"Whatever."
Buffy changed into her pajamas and crawled into bed. She slept fitfully that night.