Chapter 3. Tell Them That I Love You.
Meanwhile at school, Buffy keeps avoiding Riley. He seems to notice this and after their class, he quickly collects the papers he needed to collect and then hurries off to catch up to her.
"Buffy?" calls Riley as he struggles to get through some crowds. Buffy rolls her eyes and stops. She turns around. "Are you okay?"
"No, I'm not," says Buffy with a nervous look. "But I need to talk to you."
"Okay." Riley leads the way to some chairs nearby. "What is it?"
"I'm a horrible person."
"Buffy, no, you're not. Why would you think that?"
"Because what I'm about to tell you is not good news."
"Buffy, just tell me. I can handle it."
"I…need you to go patrolling for me tonight." Riley looks at her strangely.
"What?"
"Please."
"That's what you wanted to tell me? That's why you think you are such a horrible person?" Buffy nods her head. "Okay then. I'll go patrolling for you tonight."
"Thank you so much. I'm just not up to it tonight." Buffy stands up and so does Riley. "I'll see you at Giles' after. Bye." Riley sees her leave quickly. He nods his head.
"I'll never understand women." He mumbles to himself as he heads the opposite way Buffy was going.
"So, who you'd pick?" says Willow surprising Buffy. Buffy takes a deep breath.
"Xander," replies Buffy.
"Ah, man," says Willow. "I was rooting for Riley."
"Willow. You'd go against your best friend."
"I'm kidding."
"So, how did it go?"
"It went great. I told him I loved him and he was thrilled."
"And?"
"And Anya came in. And I left."
"Oh. What about Riley? I just saw you talking to him. Have you told him yet?"
"No." Buffy walks faster, but Willow catches up.
"Buffy."
"I know, Willow, but it's hard."
"That's life."
"Gee, thanks, Willow."
"It's true. If everything were easy, everyone would be with the perfect person and everyone would be living happily ever after."
"I'm going to tell him. Soon."
"Right."
"I will, I promise."
Later that day, Buffy paces back and forth in her living room. She occasionally looks out her window and then continues to walk back and forth. Her mother comes into the room.
"Honey?" says Joyce. Buffy gets startled. "Are you okay?"
"Yes, mom, I'm fine," replies Buffy with a fake smile.
"Are you waiting for someone?"
"Yes."
"Riley?"
"No." Buffy bows her head and sits down on the sofa.
"Then who?" Her mother walks over to her daughter and sits down next to her.
"Xander." Buffy looks up at her mom. Joyce looks at her daughter a little puzzled.
"Did you invite him for dinner?"
"No."
"Buffy, where is this conversation going? Could you speed it up and say what you want to say?"
"I'm in love with Xander." Joyce is surprised at her daughter's proclamation.
"Since when?"
"Since yesterday."
"Buffy, you're with Riley."
"I know and he is great, but…"
"You want to be with Xander."
"I'm a strange person."
"That you are." Buffy looks at the phone. "Why don't you go over to Xander's and invite him over for dinner?"
"I don't know if I can face him. I haven't told Riley yet and I saw him and blanked out."
"Maybe if you do it together."
"Riley might hurt Xander. I think I need to do it myself." Buffy gets up and grabs her jacket. "I'm going to go find him."
"Good luck." Buffy leaves the house and heads over to the cemetery. As she was about to enter, someone stops her. She turns around and realizes that it's Xander. He quickly pulls her close to him and kisses her passionately.
Across the cemetery, Spike is walking around and heading to his crypt. He then sees a couple making out just outside of the cemetery. Spike shakes his head and walks over to the couple. He starts to mumble to himself 'idiot teenagers, they don't know any better.'
"Hey, you two, move it along," says Spike as he is about to push them away from the cemetery. The girl turns around and Spike is shocked to see Buffy. "Slayer and…" Buffy moves away from Xander and Spike is surprised to him kissing Buffy. "Whelp?"
"Spike, go to your crypt," says Buffy.
"What the bleeding hell is going on here? You're not acting like yourself. I don't think you're Buffy." Spike grabs her and Xander pushes Spike away from her. Spike's chip goes off when he grabbed Buffy and she almost falls.
"Get your hands off her!" says Xander. Buffy then goes over to Spike and punches him in the nose. He falls back a little and grabs his nose.
"Yeah, it's you, my mistake," says Spike as he walks away. Buffy nods her head and turns to face Xander.
"So, did you tell Riley?" asks Xander to Buffy. Buffy avoids his gaze and starts to walk away.
"Gee, it's getting late, we should get to Giles'," says Buffy. Xander catches up to her.
"Buffy?" She bows her head. Xander sighs and passes his hand through his hair. "You didn't tell him."
"I was going to, but…" Buffy grabs Xander's hands and holds them close. "I will tell him."
"Anya knows."
"You told her."
"She kind of figured it out."
"Really?"
"She's not as dumb as she looks, Buffy."
"I didn't say anything."
"I don't want you to go back on this. I really don't. I need to know that you'll tell him."
"He's going to meet me at Giles'. I'll tell him there." The two then walk over to Giles' apartment. When they arrived, Giles is surprised that Buffy came from patrol so early.
"I didn't go on patrol," says Buffy.
"You didn't?" says Giles as he takes off his glasses. "Why not?"
"I have poison ivy." Buffy lifts her shirt sleeve up to show him.
"Oh, are you feeling alright?"
"Didn't affect me too bad. I really didn't feel up to it. I sent Riley. He's going to meet us here after."
"Alright then." Giles then looks at Xander, who is looking at Buffy. "Xander, what brings you here?"
"Just keeping the Buff comfortable…I mean company," replies Xander with a smile.
Then someone else knocks on the door. It's too early for Riley. Giles goes over and opens it. Willow and Tara come in.
"What are you guys doing here?" asks Buffy.
"Just wanting to get an update of what's up," says Willow with a smile. The two Wicca's head over to the sofa and sit. Buffy glares at Willow and Xander smiles at her.
"Pretty much the same," says Giles. "Perhaps Riley might have some news after his patrol."