Mutant Enemy Television, Inc. owns pretty much everything within the Angel/Buffy universe. My use is in no way meant to challenge any established copyrights. This piece is not intended for any profit on the part of the writer, nor is it meant to detract from the commercial viability of the aforementioned or any other copyright. Any similarity to any events or persons, either real or fictional, is unintended.

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IX – All Work and No Play…

"Don't look now, but Dave is right behind us," Simone said with a giggle.

"We're in a hallway walking to lunch," Janna pointed out. "There are lots of guys right behind us." Although none of them are matching our strides and pace, Janna noted with surprise, wondering how she had been able to pick up on that in a hall full of teenagers rushing toward their afternoon feeding. It's almost like he's stalking us.

The two girls fell right into line, Simone immediately injecting herself into a conversation with Sara Wabash and Jenny DiCarlo while Janna leaned back against the wall.

"Hey," Dave said amiably as he moved up through line and next to her. Tommy Morelli almost looked like he was going to say something about Dave cutting in front of him in the line, but a surprisingly intimidating sideways stare from the social outcast instantly made the captain of the chess team think better of voicing any complaints. Simone kept blathering away, though Jana knew from experience that her friend's concentration was focused almost exclusively on whatever happened between Janna and Dave.

"Hey," Janna muttered, completely unsure of what to say next. Okay, so I've stared down werewolves and even killed a few vampires, but put me face to face with a hot but pathetically unpopular guy, and I still fall apart every bit as much as I used to.

"You hear about Rob Goebel's party after the game Friday night?" he asked.

"Yup."

"Wondering if you wanted to go with me," Dave continued, setting Janna's nerves on edge. Something about the situation seemed almost surreal. This is wrong, she decided, wondering if maybe she was dreaming… or having another vision. Even as she doubted the reality of the conversation, she tried to pinpoint what it was that seemed out of place. Dave's next words helped her pinpoint exactly what it was. "Of course, if you'd prefer to stand there and not answer, I'll feel free to just make up a response for you," he joked.

He's way too confident, Janna realized. She took a mental step back and looked at the situation objectively, realizing immediately that there was no one in the school who would be insane enough to ask someone out in the middle of the lunch line, right there for everyone to see when he got shot down. That's just not the way it works. Especially if you're solidly on the outside of even the fringe cliques.

"I, umm… I don't know."

"You already have plans?"

"Well, not really, I don't think."

"You working Friday night?"

"Nope."

"Then it sounds like you're available, and it should be a blast. How about I pick you up at about nine?"

"I, uhh… Okay." The suddenness of the conversation's conclusion baffled the young slayer. How the hell did that happen? Dave was already walking away, wandering off to wherever it was that the unpopular kids sat in the cafeteria, and several students were looking at Janna as if she had three heads.

"See, I told you he likes you," Simone said once Dave was out of earshot, abandoning her less interesting gabfest with Sara and Jenny.

"That was weird," Janna muttered.

"Well, he's weird," Simone pointed out. "But what exactly do you mean?"

"Asking me in the hot lunch line?"

"Yeah, not very romantic." Janna wanted to shake Simone, to get her to understand that Dave had just broken what amounted to a high school taboo – everyone knew you don't ask someone out for the first time when there was an audience. Of course, Simone's the type who's always dreamed of having an audience in that kind of a situation, either so everyone can know right away what popular guy asked her out, or so she could shoot an unworthy guy down in front of all his peers.

"Forget it," Janna muttered.

"So I guess you'll be at the party, then," Simone said with a girly giggle that forced Janna to struggle against her gag reflex.

"Yeah, I guess so."

"Out of curiosity, how long has it been since you had a date?"

"Dunno," Janna mumbled, struck by the difficulty of answering such a simple question. How long has it been? she asked herself. Not since last year… at the prom. She had gone to the prom with Josh Bonner, but that had been more a friends thing than an actual date. They were both in the volleyball club and had spent time as lab partners in chem. lab. Beyond that, though, there had not been much of a connection. At least not a romantic one, anyway. But Dave… there's no connection at all. If there's anything, it would have to be considered romantic. Or at least that must be his goal. So that's, like, a real date. Janna's nerves were suddenly on edge as she considered a thousand questions – What are my parents going to say? Will they be happy I'm going out at all, or will they be all suspicious because I've never so much as mentioned Dave's name? Or even worse, will they recognize his name? Should I just not mention him at all and restrict myself to talking about the party? What is Xander going to say when I tell him I'm going to a party instead of going on rounds? What will Graham say, especially if he wants me to work late at the Magic Shop on Friday? Despite all of her legitimate questions and concerns, one thought dominated all the others – What in the world am I going to wear?

To be continued………………………………………