Science class was tense. Buffy could *feel* the eyes, could hear the bits and pieces of quiet conversations that were aimed at her.

When the bell rang Angel draped an arm across her shoulders before walking her to gym class. And standing outside of the locker room, he didn't let her go until Cordelia tried to huff past them. "Cor," Angel's dark eyes dug into her. "Watch her for me? I don't want her to get as much as a bruise in there."

Cordelia turned back with a scowl. "Fine," she almost growled, and Angel released her.

Buffy's face flamed with humiliation as she walked past the cheerleader and quickly changed outfits. She was headed out when Harmony stopped her with a sneer. "Bet you think you've got it made with the way Angel's watching over you don't you Buffy?"

"Yeah," Cordy answered as she moved up beside Harmony and looked at Buffy. "He's taking care of her. But let me warn you Bug. Angel's willing to help you out right now, although I don't know why," she muttered with annoyance before turning back to her, "but if you're playing him for a fool, I wouldn't want to be you."

Buffy gave a stiff nod of acknowledgment and waited for Cordelia to walk past before calling her name and watching her turn back. "You know I don't want to be here anymore than you want me here. And I'm not apologizing for what I did at the game, or for having you wash cars... After what you guys did to me, I owe you a lot more, but anything other than that," she broke off with a shake of her head. "I didn't try to sabotage the dome, and I'm *not* interested in using the Fangs to get back at you. As for the rocks on the lawn... the Initiatives are the ones that put them there."

Cordy's eyes flashed gold before she turned away. A moment later, she strolled out without comment, and Buffy took a calming breath before walking out to find Angel waiting. Their eyes met, and he motioned for her to go first before following her to the bleachers.


She ran the ten laps with a scowl and tried to keep from thinking about the fact she was in pretty serious trouble before sitting on the bleachers with tired resignation. Last week they'd ran relay races, and she knew they'd be doing the same this week. The plan was she participated, but the teams running against hers would have to have someone run the course 2 times to make up for her one. It was embarrassing and not something she wanted to face tonight.

Angel sat down beside her, and she looked at him almost cautiously. He was watching the gym floor, and she frowned before sharply lifting her head when the lights went out and the room plunged into darkness.

"Alright class," Mr. Sullivan called. "Get in your teams and line up."

"Can you see?" Angel asked quietly.

"No," she answered just as quietly.

"Just sit it out until the lights come back on, Buffy," Ms. Jefferies told her.

"Sounds good to me," she answered with relief.

The lights were still off fifteen minutes later, and Buffy listened to the pounding feet as the class ran relays. She slid up a couple of bleachers and tried to make herself comfortable before rubbing at her forehead. If she was reading Angel right, he wanted to pretend to date her. Not that they'd had a chance to talk about it between science and gym class... but she was pretty sure that was what he had in mind. She frowned before giving a shake of her head. She hated her senior year.

Angel couldn't stop from looking at the bleachers where Buffy sat staring blindly across the gym. She seemed so unbelievably vulnerable... and he scowled at that before forcing his attention back to the race.

Thirty-five minutes later, the lights were still off, and she listened as her classmates headed for the locker rooms before slowly getting to her feet. A hand circled her forearm, and she made a startled sound. "Come on," Angel murmured before helping her to the gym floor and then to the door of the girl's locker room. "Cordy," he called loudly.

"What?" she snapped.

"Help her, would you?"

Quick steps came out of the darkness, and Buffy cringed as Angel released her and Cordelia started dragging her into the changing room.

She didn't even try to change clothes once she'd been left by her gym bag... just gathered everything up before carefully starting out of the room.

"Buffy." Angel stopped at her side a few seconds later.

"Don't you have to change?" she asked.

"I have," he answered before leading her away from the rest of the class and toward the doors that opened into the parking lot. A moment later, she found her back against the wall. "So... Friday night at the Blood Well?" he asked. "We can meet around ten... and I'll pick you up at the Bronze or your house if you want."

"You don't think they'll get over it?" she asked uneasily.

"No. I think they see you as..." he broke off with a frown.

"What?"

He scowled. "I think they see you as an easy way to get back at the Fangs... and believe me, it's not something you want to be seen as."

She took a breath. "So you want to go on a date Friday night?"

"For a start," he murmured before turning to look at a boy that was watching them and sliding into game face. The freshman left, and Angel turned back to Buffy with brown eyes that she couldn't see. "If we're dating, there will have to be more than one... and I want you to start wearing my coat." He hesitated. "Don't lie to me. I need to know the truth whatever it is... Are you seeing Luke... or any of the Freaks for that matter?"

"No," she hissed indignantly. "Luke was at the Bronze and asked me for a dance." She paused and shook her head before trying to make him understand. "They're *vampires*, Angel... why would you think I'd date any of them?"

He was silent for a long moment. "Alright," he said finally. "So we're dating?"

"If you think we have to," she stated slowly as she let it sink in.

"Then I'll meet you at the Bronze at 10?"

"Yeah."

"Good," he murmured as the bell rang and he led her the last couple of steps toward the doors leading to the parking lot. "Can you find your car?"

She pushed one of the doors open and looked outside. There wasn't a lot of moonlight, but there was enough. "Yeah," she answered quietly before walking outside and starting to look for her Jeep.


"What do you think Wills?" Buffy held out her arms and glanced at her friend. "Is it okay?"

"Yeah," Willow looked over Buffy's black jeans and tan turtle neck approvingly. "And the turtle neck is good... you know, sort of a teeth off the neck signal."

The blonde glanced at her guiltily, "Is it that obvious?"

"Well... you're going on a date with a vampire," Willow started slowly, "and you don't want an outfit that says 'suck my blood', at least not on the first date anyway." She smiled at her friend sheepishly.

"Yeah," Buffy murmured as she reached for her purse. It wasn't a real date, and it wasn't her choice of how to spend a Friday night, but if Angel was willing to go out on a limb for her, she could meet him halfway. And that meant a couple of hours at the Bronze with her friends before meeting Angel for their 'date'. She sighed, it was going to be a long night.


Angel glanced at his watch before looking back up at the Bronze expectantly. Buffy was supposed to meet him in about 5 minutes. He shifted and sighed as he glanced at some of the cars in the parking lot. He didn't recognize any of them, and he turned back to the door.

As much fun as he'd had with the idea of getting closer to Buffy, he'd never pictured it happening quite this way. No, in his fantasies she wasn't linked in any way to Luke... or the Freaky Fangs... or the rocks on their lawn. She was just... He frowned. He hadn't figured that part out yet, and he probably never would since she clearly held a grudge against him and his school. And yeah, he had to admit some responsibility for that, but he hadn't expected to *like* her. He growled softly before looking up as the door to the Bronze opened and Buffy came out. He called and waved as she looked over the lot before starting toward him.

"So," she started as she slid into the passenger seat. "Where to?"

"Blood Well... unless you want to grab something to eat," he asked as he looked at her questioningly.

"Um... no. I'm good."

"Same." A movement at the door caught his eye and he studied the guy that had just exited the Bronze and was staring at him. "Is Riley good too?"

"What?" she asked with surprise before looking over to where Riley was standing just outside of the Bronze's door. "Oh... Willow mentioned our date," she glanced at him, "and Riley's a little..."

"Protective?" he filled in as he gave her a smile that didn't reach his eyes.

"Yeah," she mumbled. "I guess you could say that."

He nodded and started the car. "Well, I guess I can understand that."


Buffy blinked and fought to stay awake as she looked over the bar she'd been in for the last three hours. Angel was on the dance floor with Cordelia for the third time, although to his credit he'd never asked her to dance, just been unable to turn the insistent brunette down when she'd asked. Spike sat across from her in game face, his gold eyes boring into her from almost the moment she'd walked into the club. She looked away from him and down at her watch. It was one am, and she sighed and glanced over the crowd again with a frown before looking up when a cup of coffee was placed in front of her.

"Thought you could use it," Angel stated apologetically as he sat down.

"And where's Cordelia?" she asked before she could stop herself. Great... now he probably thought she was jealous... and she wasn't, right?

"Bathroom, I think." He glanced that way before turning back to watch her eye her drink warily. "There's nothing in it... other than coffee," he assured before catching the look she was giving him and holding up his hands. "Hey, some of us like the stuff. Look at Spike... The guy's addicted to it."

She glanced into Spike's gold eyes and looked away with a scowl before picking up the cup and taking a sip. It was good, and she took another one before setting it back on the table.

"Would you like to dance?" he asked. She looked tired, and he felt guilty about dancing with Cordelia and leaving her with Spike. Tonight wasn't going like he'd hoped, or maybe he shouldn't have hoped for anything. "Come on." He held out a hand before tugging her onto the dance floor and sliding his arms around her waist. So far this was as close as they'd been, and the heat he could feel coming off of her intensified when she leaned into him, her cheek resting against his silk shirt.

Buffy sighed and closed her eyes. She was tired and this was comfortable. Cordelia had been all over him tonight. And even though this wasn't a real date, there wasn't anything wrong with making it look like it was... Her thoughts broke and shifted direction as she gave a grim smile. Ethan and Ripper's prank had caused her more than a few problems, but after what she'd done to their cars last night, they were paying for it. She'd found the 'essence of skunk' oil she'd used freshman year on Ethan's car and reapplied it to their cars last night. A slow satisfaction filled her at the thought of what they were dealing with even as she lightly nuzzled Angel's chest. Her eyes snapped open when he suddenly ducked down and lifted her into his arms as he continued to move flawlessly across the dance floor. She looked up with surprise, and he met her eyes with amusement. "I thought you were going to fall asleep."

"I can dance," she answered, uncomfortably aware of how easy it had been for him to pick her up.

"I know, but you don't have to."

She took a moment to glance at the teenagers on the dance floor. When she'd first arrived they'd watched her, and now they still did. The difference now though was she could detect jealousy in some of the girl's eyes... and why not, Angel was perfect... if you enjoyed getting drained of blood that was. She didn't, but the rest of him... well, she didn't have a problem with the rest of him. She rolled her eyes at her thoughts.

"So..." he started, "Cordy's having a party in a couple of weeks. Want to go?"

"She snorted, looked up. "Are you sure I'm invited?"

"Of course."

"Uh-huh," she murmured skeptically, and he laughed.

"Haven't you heard? I'm so much in demand she wouldn't turn us away."

She looked up and studied him thoughtfully. He was probably right. Somehow she doubted many girls, if any, would turn him away. "You know she'll be upset don't you?"

"She'll get over it."

Buffy frowned before burying her face into his neck. "Alright," she told him quietly.

He shivered at the unfamiliar warmth against his throat. "Okay... um... we'll plan on that," he murmured before tightly closing his eyes when she nuzzled even closer. "And how about another date here next Saturday night? We could meet at the Bronze at 10."

"If you think we should," she agreed tiredly.


There was loud music playing when she pulled into the school parking lot Sunday night, and she did her best not to look at the group of kids gathered around it as she stepped onto the gravel. Her name was called loudly and she turned in surprise to look toward the group before heading toward them.

Angel pushed away from the side of his car and wrapped arms around her waist before shifting back into his original spot. He continued his conversation with Doyle, and Buffy looked over the group of seniors cautiously. Cordelia, Harmony, and Dru were ignoring her. Spike was in game face. Lindsey glanced at her neutrally before returning to his conversation with Lilah.

Uncertain what to do, she stood for a couple of minutes before slowly relaxing back into Angel. His arms tightened in response, and she relaxed just a little more before looking up when Parker walked toward her. "So Buff," he started, "everyone's talking about your date with Angel Friday night, and I've got to tell you, he's a poor substitute for Luke. I mean, McCormick's a little too straight-laced to want to be with a human. Maybe you'd like to give me a try?"

Buffy snorted before narrowing her eyes. 'Straight-laced' reminded her a little too much of the 'kinky' rumors Ethan and Ripper had been spreading about her. "You've been talking to that weird nerdy guy at the Blood Well, haven't you?"

"Don't spend a lot of time talking to weird nerdy guys, Buff... but I'm interested. What would we have to talk about?"

"Nothing," Angel broke in coolly, "unless you really like talking to weird nerdy guys. And Buffy's with me... so why don't you leave her alone?"

Parker held up his hands. "The girl likes vamps, Angel... You can't blame me for trying, can you?"

"You tried," Angel stated. "Now get lost."

Parker scowled before turning to walk away, and Spike watched him go before turning to Buffy. "Your weird nerdy guy wouldn't happen to be named Jonathan, would he?"

Buffy shrugged. "I don't remember his name."

"And just what did he say about you?" the bleached blonde asked thoughtfully. "Oh yeah... something about you liking kinky sex."

"And just what does that mean, anyway?" Cordelia asked as she turned to give her a hard look.

Buffy looked at her curiously. She couldn't seriously have asked that question, could she? A moment later, she rolled her eyes and decided she wasn't about to talk about sex in front of the Blood Sucker senior class. "It means Ethan and Ripper put lice in my sleeping bag," she answered grimly.

Angel's eyes sparked with amusement. "I think she means they were giving her a hard time Cordy."

"I can't imagine why they don't like her," she growled before turning back to Harmony and Dru.


The week went by fast, and Buffy found herself at the Blood Well again. It was 1 am, and she sipped at her cold drink gratefully as she tried to cool off from the fast paced dance they'd finished.

A new song started, and she looked up with surprise when Angel got to his feet and held out his hand. "Come on," he urged before smiling when she didn't get up. "It'll be fun... and do you have any idea how bad it'll be for my reputation if I can't keep my date awake?"

She studied him before rolling her eyes and letting him pull her up. At least it was a slow song, she reasoned before following him to the dance floor.

It was the last song before the band went on break, and she started to peel herself away before looking up when he wouldn't let her. "Want to play a game of pool?"

She couldn't stop from grinning. "It's really bothering you that I won the last one isn't it?"

"That would be petty... " he told her with a smile.

"Riiigght," she drug out before pulling away. "Okay. I've got to go to the bathroom first though... so I'll meet you back there."

He nodded and watched her walk away with an uncertain frown. Ever since the Spring Fling, he'd tried to stay near her whenever he could, but things were quieting down now. He hesitated for a few seconds more before starting toward the game room to pick out a table.

"You look like you're having fun," Doyle stated with a smile as he walked away from the game he'd been playing with Lindsey and over to Angel.

"I am."

"You know everyone's watching you don't you? I even think some of the guys are a little jealous."

"You mean Jonathan and Andrew, right?" Angel asked curiously.

"Nope... not just them. If it helps any though I think most of them are just curious about how far you guys have gone."

Angel snorted before shaking his head. "If she were one of us, I'd have offered her my throat weeks ago..."

Doyle nodded. "I think everyone's pretty much figured that out. Including the girls," he added pointedly.

Angel shrugged and continued to arrange the pool balls. "It's not like I'm going steady with anyone. I haven't had a serious girlfriend since I broke up with Anne last year... and Gwen asked me to the Spring Fling. There weren't any strings attached as far as I know."

"And isn't that one of those pesky little details that need to be worked out ahead of time?" Lindsey spoke up with amusement before looking at Doyle. "How long do you think it'll be before Buffy gets the wrong idea and starts trying to stake a claim?"

Angel glanced up with a smile before giving a shake of his head. "If that was a detail Buffy and I had to work out ahead of time, I'm pretty sure the *suggestion* of any kind of claiming would have sent her running for the hills."


Buffy walked out of the bathroom and nearly ran into Spike. "What do you want?" she asked with irritation when he started following her back to the table.

"Just making sure you're okay pet. I mean, if something were to happen to you we might lose our chance for the dome... and we wouldn't want that would we?"

"I didn't put the gravel on your lawn," she stated quietly as she made her way to the table and took a sip of her drink when she got there.

He shrugged as he looked at her intently. "You and Angel look like you're getting pretty close."

Green eyes met gold for a long moment. "He's a vampire. I might like him, but it doesn't change what he is."

Spike nodded thoughtfully. "So you're really not dating Luke then?"

"No... I mean, I don't have anything against him, but he's a *vampire*," she stressed as if he were slow.

Spike smirked. "Angel's waiting pet."

She turned toward the game room and noticed the 3 guys leaning against a pool table watching her. "Give me his drink," she ordered, and Spike passed it over. A moment later, she was making her way through the crowd.


"How'd it go?" Willow asked.

Buffy sighed and ran a hand through her hair as she sat down for lunch break. "I think it's better. I mean, they're leaving me alone for the most part."

"And Angel?"

"He's," she shook her head and couldn't stop from giving a faint smile. "I don't know Will... he's a vampire."

"Who's a vampire?" Anya asked as she sat down with them.

"Angel," Willow answered.

The other blonde looked at Buffy with interest. "Isn't he the one you're dating?" Buffy nodded, and Anya made herself comfortable. "Honestly, I don't know how you're going to keep your hands off him, Buffy... I mean, I saw him at the Spring Fling, and the guy's gorgeous. I told everyone at the refreshment table if you didn't go after him, I would."

Buffy stared at her incredulously before speechlessly looking at Willow.

"She did say that," the redhead stated, "and in front of Xander. I was worried he was going to pass out for a while."

Anya rolled her eyes. "He got over it when I gave him a blow job in the parking lot."

Buffy and Willow exchanged glances before beginning to talk about the english test they'd have next period.


They played volleyball in gym Sunday night, and her relief at no longer having to run relays was replaced with frustration as she watched her teammates move with more speed than she could match. The taunts and challenges they threw at each other making her feel oddly left out. She was used to them running laps around her on the gym floor, but this wasn't a race... it was a game where 2 or 3 steps were about all the movement expected of you, and so far she hadn't even been able to touch the ball. She knew they were different, had already acknowledged it, but it still set her back on her heels whenever she was forced to confront it.

She had no idea Angel was having similar thoughts. The ball came at him, and he slammed it over the net with a speed that sent it to the floor for a point. Cordelia shouted her annoyance, and he grinned and gave a shrug as he waited for the serve. A thud signaled the ball was in play, and he watched it make an easy arc. Buffy moved toward it, and he lost track of the ball to watch her move with... human speed? He frowned at the easy way Cordelia took it away from her to send it over the net.

There wasn't any comparison, and he couldn't help but wonder if she just wasn't trying. When he decided she was, he felt a familiar longing start to build. Even though he was painfully aware that they were different, their differences still fascinated him. *She* fascinated him. He hit the ball almost absently and only realized after the fact that he'd sent it in an easy lob right to her. She tried to get under it, and he watched her scowl when Parker beat her to it.

What were the other differences? he wondered. What would it be like to have sex with her? And how did humans do that anyway without biting? Gods... she'd been so warm pressed against him when they'd danced... pressed against his throat when he'd picked her up. What would it feel like to be inside her? He screwed his eyes shut at the thought before opening them to watch her huff in annoyance as Parker took the ball away from her again.

He didn't notice the looks he was getting, the gleam in Harmony's eyes, or the speculative look Cordelia was giving him. He only vaguely noted Parker's laugh, and totally missed Spike's glare and Doyle's smirk. He did notice Harmony's awkward fall into him though as she tried for the ball and 'accidentally' landed heavily against his chest. Turning his attention back to his favorite human, his deep brown eyes locked with her unhappy green before the ball came toward him again, and he reluctantly turned his attention back to the game.


"Did you catch his scent?" Tara asked quietly as she and her best friend were changing clothes after gym.

"Oh yeah." Amy smiled before shaking her head. "Can you imagine being the one to turn him on like that?" She shook her head wistfully. "Whoever she is, she's lucky. Angel's a catch."

Buffy froze before glancing over the room. No one was looking her way, and she walked toward the two fashion-challenged sophomores. "Angel?" she asked quietly. "He um... had a scent?"

They looked at her uncertainly before making sure Cordelia wasn't paying attention. The brunette could, and would make their lives miserable if she thought they were befriending the blonde. "Well, yeah," Amy whispered with a smile. "He was practically in heat."

Buffy looked at them uneasily. "I... uh... didn't notice."

Tara shook her head. "It was hard to miss. I mean, I caught Ms. Jefferies eyeing him."

Amy's eyes got huge. "Oh my god... you're kidding, right?"

"I wish I was." She shuddered before giving Buffy a small smile. "You're so lucky Flutie made him your guide. I mean, the guy's gorgeous right?"

Buffy couldn't deny it. He was hot. Well... maybe not *hot* given that his body temperature was cooler than hers, but he could be a wet dream. She smiled at the girls and agreed before moving away to slide her gym clothes into her bag.


He was waiting when she walked out of the locker room, and she watched as he maneuvered through the girls surrounding him and came to her side with a smile. "Hey," he greeted. "You haven't forgotten about Cord's party Friday night, have you?"

She studied him with amusement before looking at the small cluster of girls. "No, but you know you're in demand don't you? I mean, it looks like you could have your choice of about any of the girls here."

He frowned and glanced at the girls before noticing Spike and Lindsey watching from several feet away. He scowled at his amused friends before turning back to Buffy. "If you're right, and I could have my choice... I'd say it's because you're good for my image."

"You mean because I was able to stay awake through our last date?" she teased quietly.

"It helped," he agreed.

Her eyes glinted with humor before turning more serious when she changed the subject. "You know she's going to be pissed if I show up at her party don't you?"

"She won't mind."

"Angel!" Cordelia's angry yell cut through their quiet conversation. "Parker took Harmony's book and won't give it back."

Angel rolled his eyes before giving Buffy a slight smile as he turned to head back toward the bleachers.


Friday night:

Buffy pulled into the parking lot of the Dairy Vein and looked at the bright neon signs in the large windows before turning to look at Angel curiously. "You want to get something to eat?"

He shrugged. "I thought we could get some ice cream before going to the party." He turned to her with a frown. "You eat ice cream don't you?"

"Well, yeah... but I didn't think you did."

He grinned. "I've been known to eat it once in a while." He opened the passenger's door, and Buffy followed suit. She could tell it was an ice cream shop due to the large neon sundaes and banana splits in the windows, but she'd never been there before. When Angel went to the door she hesitated slightly. "Um... do they serve..."

"Humans?"

"Yeah," she answered sheepishly and watched as his eyes lit with amusement.

"I think they'll be able to find something you like." He pulled the door open and Buffy walked in and glanced over the ice cream shop curiously. There was a younger couple in a corner booth sharing an extra-large malt, a middle-aged woman with a little girl who was happily eating a sundae as her mother looked through a few papers, and a guy off to her right she thought she'd seen before with a girl she didn't recognize. They were talking intently across the table and Buffy glanced away only to meet the curious blue eyes of the girl standing behind the counter.

"Hi Angel," the redhead turned away from her to greet him cheerfully. "What can I get you?"

"Not sure yet," he murmured before glancing at his date. "What would you like, Buff?"

"Umm... a chocolate malt?" she almost asked. "And I'd like it... blood free," she added awkwardly.

The redhead laughed softly. "Alright." She motioned to the large lit menus over her head. "I take it you want something from the human side."

Buffy glanced up and noticed for the first time that the menu on the right was labeled 'human side' and the one on the left 'vamp side'. She grinned in relief. "That would be good."

"What size?"

"Small's fine."

The redhead turned to Angel. "You want the usual?"

"Yeah." He pulled his wallet out and paid before turning to Buffy. "Smooth." He grinned mischievously.

"Hey... I'm in as much of a hurry to try blood as you are to eat a hamburger."

He winced. "Point taken."

The ice cream was delivered to the counter, and they took a bright red vinyl booth as Buffy eyed Angel's sundae suspiciously. It looked like a hot fudge sundae, and she looked up at him curiously.

"What?"

"I can't see any blood."

He leaned across the table. "Would you like to?"

"No."

He nodded and watched as she tried the malt before looking up with a faint smile. "It's good."

"I knew the vamp side was," he teased lightly, "didn't know about the human."

She grinned and stirred the thick malt with her straw before glancing over to see the girl that had been talking across the table was eating a hamburger. She frowned before pointing it out to Angel. "I didn't know you guys ate meat."

"She's human," he answered, and Buffy thoughtfully turned her attention back to her malt.