Chapter 8. Herbie Goes to Sunnydale. Long, just for you guys. Enjoy it.
Buffy releases Xander and he just looks at her confused, bewildered, and all other words that are synonyms to that. It was the best kiss ever in his life because it was from her. The girl that lives across the street that has stolen his heart since the day she moved in. The girl that kissed him in the middle of the street for no reason at all.
"Buffy," says Xander coming out of his thoughts. Buffy caresses his face and looks at him with wide eyes. She then puts her finger on his lips.
"Shhh," says Buffy. "Goodnight." Buffy walks off leaving Xander in the middle of the street. Xander nods his head and as he is about to turn, he sees Spike in front of his house with an unlighted cigarette in his mouth. He looks in shock at what he saw, but decides not to smoke and heads into his house.
The next day, Buffy gets ready for her morning run, but before, she heads over to her parents, who are in the kitchen.
"Is there some way that you could wear longer shorts while you are doing your, whatever it is you do?" asks Giles when he sees his daughter in very small, tight shorts and a small tank top.
"Sorry, dad," says Buffy. "Nope. Look, I've looked at all the rules and regulations and if you guys would look at them you can see that I'm going to be safe."
"Buffy, what is this?" asks Joyce as she takes the paper Buffy has in her hands.
"It's about the racing scholarship."
"Buffy, we've talked about this and we said it is much too dangerous." Joyce puts the paper down and heads into the dinning table, with her bagel and coffee.
"But, mom…" Buffy follows her mother into the dining room. Giles picks up the paper and reads through it and then follows the two into the dining room. "It's just a couple of simple races and Xander's dad says he'll sponsor me. What better sponsor than a mechanic?"
"It says here that you are allowed to have a partner," says Giles as he enters the room, with the paper in hand. Buffy looks at him.
"Yeah," replies Buffy.
"Who is your partner?"
"Um, I haven't thought that far ahead. Why are you asking?"
"Just wondering."
"Well, I have an idea."
"What's that?" asks Joyce looking up at her daughter.
"Um, you guys can test the car for yourself that it's safe and well prepared for a race," says Buffy.
"Buffy…"
"Please."
"Alright, we'll test the car, but we are not promising anything."
"Thank you, mom. Thank you, dad." She hugs both of them and heads out for her run.
In Xander's house, Xander is on his bed and he watches Buffy come out of her house to take her run. He sighs and gets up. His mother knocks on the door and comes in.
"You okay?" asks Xander's mom, Fred. Xander looks at her. "Looks like something is bothering you."
"It's nothing," replies Xander. "I'm fine." Xander walks over to Fred and kisses her on the cheek as he heads to the bathroom.
"You know you can tell me anything." Fred goes over to the bathroom door. "Alexander. I know you. Talk to me." Xander opens the door and looks at Fred. "What happened?"
"I'm in love." Fred looks at him confused for second.
"That doesn't sound bad." Xander looks at her and then enters his room. Fred follows him in. Xander sits down on his bed and looks out the window towards Buffy's house. "Oh, I see." Fred understands now.
"She kissed me last night and I liked it. I don't know how she feels about it and that car wants us to get together."
"Huh?"
"Never mind. There are signs everywhere that tells us to get together, but she won't. She held back and last night, she didn't."
"Oh, Xander. I knew this was going to happen. I told her that she shouldn't lead you on and she is."
"Why did you tell her that?"
"Because I didn't want you to get hurt. And now you're in love."
"I need to talk her. I need to know if this is for real."
"You should know. I know you want it so badly. I hope you're not disappointed." Fred caresses Xander's face as she gets up and leaves his room. Xander changes clothes and fixes himself up to look real good. He looks out the window and sees Buffy stretching outside her house.
Xander runs downstairs and out his door. He crosses the street as fast as he could and then composes himself when he gets to her sidewalk. He walks over to where she is. She is bent over, her butt facing him and Xander was trying not to look at it. When she gets up, she is startled to see Xander behind her.
"Xander," says Buffy. "You startled me."
"We need to talk," says Xander.
"Xander…"
"This is something serious and I…" Buffy stops him by kissing him on the lips once again. Xander is surprised again.
"Come inside. I'll need to take a shower, then we talk."
"Okay." Buffy leads him into the house and up to her room. Her parents had left the house while she was out for her run.
After Buffy exits her bathroom, she heads to her room, where Xander is sitting on her bed. She is wearing a white, tank top and some jeans. Her hair is wet and combed back and she shyly walks over to Xander.
"I have a couple things I want to tell you first," says Buffy as she pulls her desk chair out and sits on it, facing Xander. Buffy takes a deep breath. "Since the day I moved here, I've always looked through this window and into yours and the moment I saw you for the first time, I was in love with you." Xander's eyes widen at her words. "It was just a childhood crush and I guess I told myself it would never happen."
"Buffy…"
"No, let me finish please. When I saw you at school, I always wanted to come over to you and say hi or something witty, but my popularity group wouldn't allow it. I know I could have done it when I let Willow into our group because she was everyone's study buddy, but that's when I met Spike." Buffy moves her chair closer to the bed towards Xander. "Then when I saw you at the mechanics, I almost didn't recognize you."
"It's the suit." Buffy smiles and nods her head.
"I'm stupid. I treated you real bad like if I didn't know you, but then I got to know you and I fell in love with you all over again."
"Wow. And you're not stupid." Xander caresses her cheek and then the doorbell rings. Buffy closes her eyes and pretends she doesn't hear the doorbell. It rings again and again. "This person is not impatient." Xander says this sarcastically.
"I'll be back." Buffy heads down the stairs and opens the door. She rolls her eyes when she sees who it is. "Spike."
"Are we over?" asks Spike. "Cause we need to talk about this."
"I don't have time for this now," says Buffy as she tries to close the door on him. He pushes it open.
"Make time. Buffy, this is our relationship and you seem to be the only one who doesn't care."
"I don't care, really. I wasn't at the Bronze humping some new girl from behind on the second floor."
"You saw that…I mean that wasn't me."
"Get out." Spike rolls his eyes at her and heads to the door.
"I just like to tell you one thing. Since you got that car, you've been acting differently and you've been hanging around that mechanic guy. You haven't been a little saint either, have you? I bet you…"
"Don't even finish that sentence, Spike," says Xander coming down stairs.
"See," says Spike. "I knew it."
"Spike, we're through, okay?" says Buffy. "And you can have your stupid necklace." Buffy pulls the necklace out of her pocket and throws it into his face and he catches it. He then leaves without saying a word.
"Wait a minute," says Xander as Buffy closes the door. "The necklace."
"What about it?" asks Buffy.
"He didn't give you the necklace."
"Yes, he did."
"No, he didn't. Willow gave it to you. I told her to. A heart shaped locket with your birthstone and your name engraved on it." Buffy's eyes widen that he knew the specifics of the locket. "It was your birthday present from me."
"Oh my gosh, he lied to me." Buffy quickly opens the door and catches Spike walking back to his house. "Spike!"
"What do you want?" he asks. She walks up to him and punches him in the nose. She then takes her necklace back. "You bloody broke my nose." Buffy walks back to Xander, who puts the necklace on her. Then she turns to him and kisses him on the lips.
"Wait," says Xander. "There's something I have to tell you?"
"What?" asks Buffy. Xander gives her a sad expression. Buffy starts to get worried.
"I'm in love with you, too." Xander smiles then he kisses her back.