A/N: I'm sorry for my lack of updates. But my muse and I just underwent a painfully traumatic separation and I only get to keep the inspiration for my other fic – Forget Me Not. Luckily, I've met someone new and things are going slowly but surely. So I'm trying to re-focus my energies on updating this story. Please review!

Chapter Three

Buffy sighed, grateful that she had reached the dining hall at last. She had no idea the place was so expansive! It made her wonder about what the Maitland property had been like in its heyday before it was turned into a school.

As she walked through the deserted front entrance, she admired the various paintings that graced the silk-covered walls and objets d' art littering the front hall. There was an enormous staircase with an ornately carved banister- like something out of Gone with the Wind that made her feel like she was stepping into the past.

Mom would love this. If she ever saw these paintings she'd be in heaven…

Buffy fought to control the tears that burned the insides of her eyelids. Even though it had been almost a year since Joyce's death, her wounds were still raw. As if by a chain reaction, memories of other past hurts surfaced; she began to painfully relive the day she had learnt of her parents' divorce. Her parents had told her they didn't love each other anymore. But listening to her mother's sobs at night and catching a few words of a conversation between her mother and a friend (which she wished hadn't overheard), Buffy knew it was her father who had 'fallen out of love'.

It was then that she learned that the male species couldn't really be trusted. Ever since then, the men in her life were one disappointing heartbreak after the other who always left her – Scott, Riley and Angel. But that was then- now she steered clear of intimate relationships with guys, and busied herself with taking care of Dawn and her not-so-good grades. She had no time to feel depressed.

But why was she letting her mind wander like this? She needed to get started on reading a couple chapters of Animal Farm for her Lit class the following day. With her usual determination, Buffy blocked out her memories and quickly headed down the corridor that led to the dining hall.

The huge room seemed like a clashing of the centuries. On the one hand, there were enormous stone fireplaces with marble mantels and carved goddesses, stone floors, a cavernous painted ceiling with cupids in the moulding and big sashed windows – right out of the 1800s. But instead of a long table of elegantly gowned ladies and frock-coated gentlemen, you had a roomful of teenagers in a melange of denim, sweatpants, T-shirts, halter tops, leather pants and … loud Hawaiian print shirts.

Buffy grinned as she saw Xander doing some kind of weird jig atop the table while Faith and Anya playfully waved money at him. As if sensing her presence, Willow looked away from Xander's antics and spotted her. She waved frantically and called out, "Over here Buffy!"

Buffy nodded and proceeded to weave her way through the throng of bustling students who swarmed around her with laden trays. Breathing a sigh of relief, she plunked down her tray, grateful that her lunch was still on it. As she sat down, Willow beamed at her, radiating such warmth and friendliness that only Willow Rosenberg could pull off without seeming creepily happy.

"So…how's it been?" asked Willow.

"Yeah, Buffster. How goes it?" Xander chimed in.

"Ok, I guess. Biology wasn't so bad and neither was Lit. But the History teacher was a total jerk!" Buffy replied, picking at her food.

"I see you've met the beloved Mr. Snyder. He's the most popular teacher – no other teacher commands such hatred and disgust. He truly is scum among men." said Xander in mock admiration as he hopped off the table and sat down.

"Scum doesn't even begin to cover it." said Fred, accompanied by Wesley, Gunn, Oz and Spike.

" So what are we doing for Halloween?" asked Benjie, taking out her Palm Pilot.

"Halloween's not for like two months. Chill out Benjie." said Faith.

"No can do. I've got plenty of things on my plate this year. I've got a few matchmakings, this year's charity project to organize; revamping socially challenged intellects… the list goes on." Benjie replied.

"Socially challenged intellects?" Buffy echoed.

"Geeks." Faith explained.

"So good to finally hear your acceptance of your position in the social hierarchy." said Cordelia as she approached their table.

Faith turned around and smiled sardonically, "Oh look … it's Satan in true form. Here to torment us…horns and all."

"Believe me, Sleep-Around-Sue; I'm the one being tormented. The fleeting moments spent in the presence of you losers is sure to leave me diseased." Cordelia retorted.

"What do you want Cordelia?" asked Benjie with an annoyed sigh.

"I just came over here to save Summers from being tainted by the likes of you. She needs to be with the real people in this school." Cordelia replied, not bothering to hide her disdain.

"The humanitarian things you do … don't you have a Nobel Prize by now?" asked Xander.

"So… are you coming Summers?" asked Cordelia, hand on her hips, eyebrow arched, foot tapping impatiently, ignoring Xander's remark.

"No thanks. I am with the 'real' people in this school." Buffy replied, her voice laced with disgust.

"You heard the lady. Your presence is clearly unwanted at this table." said Benjie, gesturing for her to leave.

"Suit yourself. May be we're better off without you Summers- seeing where your sentiments lie. Who knows what you'd be bringing into our circle? After all, if you lie with dogs…" Cordelia quipped, miffed at Buffy's blatant rejection.

" That's why I'm not friends with a rabid bitch like you." Buffy retorted.

" Go get it!" said Faith, tossing a ball of crumpled paper over Cordelia's head.

"You're the one who follows orders Faith. After all, whores like you aim to please. Promiscuity is a good look for you- you wear it well." Cordelia spat venomously.

"Your dad has no complaints. In fact, he's my best customer. At this rate, I'll be your step mom by Christmas and I'll be spreading lots of good cheer… really good cheer. Won't you be merry then…" Faith quipped, mock leering at the prospect, wiggling her left ring finger for good measure.

" Shut up you little –" Cordelia growled.

"Leave … before I snap your scrawny neck!" Wesley threatened, his voice dangerously low and his body tense as a tiger waiting to pounce.

Cordelia noted Wesley's fierce demeanour and wisely conceded defeat for the time being. She glared at Faith and stormed off in a huff.

"Whoa, Wes… I've never seen this side of you before. It's a total turn-on." Faith leered at her boyfriend.

"Well…" Wesley trailed off, the beginnings of a blush creeping up on him.

"Let's go find an empty closet and have hot…kinky…monkey…sex. I'm so freaking horny!" Faith declared, dragging Wesley out of the cafeteria.

Buffy frowned as she watched Faith's display. Even weirder, the group seemed to be unfazed.

" Did she just-" said Buffy.

"Yup." Willow replied.

"Do they always-" Buffy continued.

" All the time." Fred replied.

"Weird." Buffy remarked.

"I think it's hot. Makes me want to have spontaneous sex with Xander." Anya commented with a dreamy look.

"Ahn!" the table chorused.

"What?" asked Anya.

" I don't want to hear 'bout you and Harris bloody humping each other!" said Spike.

"You two are like rabbits- oops!" Willow added, gasping at her mistake.

" XANDER AND I ARE NOT LIKE RABBITS! RABBITS ARE EVIL SOUL-SUCKING CREATURES! WE JUST LIKE TO HAVE SEX EVERY SPARE MOMENT! "Anya yelled, freaking out at the mention of rabbits.

"Ok…" Buffy arched her eyebrow at the upset Anya.

"How about now Ahn?" Xander suggested, awkwardly pulling her out of the cafeteria, away from curious onlookers.

"Great! We can do that thing on page 114! "Anya replied exuberantly, her rabbit histrionics quickly forgotten.

"Traumatic childhood bunny incident." Fred explained to the bewildered Buffy.

" That explains it." Buffy nodded in understanding.

"Yeah…So what are we doing for Halloween?" Benjie asked.

"Anything that doesn't involve the description of or alluding to sex between Wesley, Faith, Xander and Anya." Fred replied.

"I second that." Gunn agreed.

"Then we'll 'ave to bloody leave them out of it." Spike remarked.

"I'm sure they can behave for one measly night." said Buffy with an uncertain chuckle.

" Those four? Behave?" asked Benjie.

"It's Halloween Buffy…costume night a.k.a Fantasy Night for Xander and Anya." Fred explained.

"It'd be easier to contact the mother ship than to get them to behave." said Gunn.

"Right up there with St. Cordelia." Willow quipped.