Fangs and Velvet Dresses

Buffy looked lost at the teacher in front of her. She was speaking in a bland monotone, something about the Black Plague and how it was a brand of germ warfare. That was a curious thing about the American mind: everything is warfare.

"…if you look at the map on page 63 you can trace the spread of the disease…"

A frantic rustling as the teenagers around her as they pulled their books out of their bags. Buffy stared at her empty desk and then quickly around the room. The teacher hadn't noticed her predicament. It seemed like no one had noticed. Part of her was glad to finally be someone that nobody noticed – but then again she didn't want to be so unnoticeable that she failed history.

Another shuffling, this one close, behind her. She turned to see a gorgeous, black haired girl. The girl was smiling at her with perfectly straight, white teeth. Buffy's heart began to race in her chest.

"Here," the girl said. She pushed a textbook into the gap between them and pointed to a map near the top of the page.

Buffy returned her smile in a way she hoped looked grateful. Mostly it came off as nervous shock. Buffy was not unaccustomed to being surrounded by beautiful women. Being from LA it was almost like a requirement to enter the city. This was different. Perfume wafted across Buffy's desk.

"Thanks," she breathed.

The teacher began speaking again, but before Buffy could tune her attention back to the class the bell thrilled. The mystery girl pulled her book back and stood, offering a hand.

"Hi," she said. "I'm Cordelia."

Cordelia. She looked like a Cordelia. Like someone who should have a multi-syllable name that no one else would have. Now standing she could see that Cordelia had the body to match her face. Her waist was small, but her chest was not. She was tall, taller than Buffy, but didn't seem to take up any space.

The silence had stretched just a little too long. "I'm Buffy," she said, far too quickly.

The girl didn't seem to notice. Instead she slipped her thin arm through Buffy's and directed her towards the front door. "If your looking for a textbook of your very own," she said with a smirk. "There's probably a few in the Library."

Buffy allowed herself to be dragged along the corridor. The Library, that would make sense. Where else would the books be other than the Library? She was a little ashamed that she hadn't thought to go there herself. Great first day, Buff. This had to work, this new school and this new life. Buffy didn't think she could stand the disappointed look on her Mom's face again.

Not that it was entirely her fault. That gym was full of vampires after all. What else was a girl to do other than set the place on fire?

"Oh, great," she said after a moment. Then realised something. "Where would that be?"

"I'll show you."

Buffy's heart jumped. Cordelia was going to take her there. That meant that she would get to spend more time with her. Something she suddenly found herself very happy about. This girl just seemed so nice, and if the way that everyone was looking at her was anything to go by then she was definitely high up on the social food chain. Somewhere that Buffy very must desired to be.

"You transferred from Hemery, right? In LA?"

Of course she knew that Buffy was new. This wasn't a school big enough to hide a new student. "Yeah."

Cordelia slipped her arm free. Buffy immediately missed the warmth. It was short lived though, because Cordelia immediately turned to put both her hands onto Buffy's forearm. "Oh! I would kill to live in LA. Being that close to that many shoes… why'd you come here?"

Because apparently killing means you have to leave LA. Buffy scrambled for an answer. "Because… my Mom moved… is the reason. I mean we both moved. But my Mom… she wanted to."

They turned down another corridor. Cordelia was beaming at her. It was magical.

"Well, you'll be okay here," she continued. "If you hang with me and mine, you'll be accepted in no time."

Buffy couldn't help the smile. This couldn't have been easier. Not only was this gorgeous creature spending time with her, but here she was, adopting her right into the inner circle. The spell that Cordelia cast around her was intoxicating.

"Of curse we do have to test your coolness factor."

Oh.

"You're from LA, so you can skip the written."

The written? Buffy didn't even care that Cordelia wasn't making sense. At this point she was willing to do whatever this girl asked her too. Anything to not be alone. Anything to remain close to this girl.

"Vamp…"

Buffy's attention snapped to the present.

"Nail polish."

Oh. Buffy took a small breath, studying the face looking so hopefully at her. She wondered what kind of answers that Cordelia was looking for. Vamp nail polish, like black? "Over…?"

Cordelia's face broke into a wide smile. Correct answer. Buffy let out a breath.

"So over. James Spader."

This one was easy. "He needs to call me."

"Trendy but tasty. John Tesh."

"The Devil."

Cordelia patted her arm. "That one was a gimme, but you passed!"

They rounded another corner. Cordelia slowed and the wide, friendly smile turned suddenly nasty. Her eyes had focused in on a red-headed girl leaning over the water fountain. This girl was dressed in a grey-green dress over a white shirt. Not Buffy's style but also not hideous.

"Willow! Nice dress."

Buffy raised an eyebrow and glanced sideways at her new found friend. The red head stood and wiped a drip of water from the corner of her mouth. She was cute, with a heart shaped face and wide green eyes.

"Good to know you've seen the softer side of Sears."

The new girl's, Willow, face fell. She looked down at herself, suddenly confused "My Mom picked it out."

Cordelia rolled her eyes, hard. It caused a twinge in Buffy's stomach. Disgust? Arousal? Both caused a desire to pin Cordelia against the wall. Buffy sucked in a breath of air and shook her head. Calm down.

"No wonder you're such a guy-magnet. Are you done?"

"Oh."

Willow's voice was so small that Buffy became suddenly sure that Willow was someone to protect. She stepped away without another word, looking very stubbornly everywhere except at Buffy. Cordelia stepped up to the water fountain, flashing her brilliant smile back over her shoulder.

"You wanna fit in here, the first rule is 'know your losers'. Once you can identify them all by sight, they're a lot easier to avoid."

Cordelia bent to take a sip of the water and Buffy's eyes were dragged from Willow's retreating figure to the curve of Cordelia's rear end in her leather skirt. A small seed of dislike had settled itself in Buffy's stomach. Yet there was something else. Something more swirling around in there.

It would be easy. So easy. To take Cordelia and make it so she could never bully again. Nothing permanent, of course, but one good threat and Buffy was sure that Willow would never look like that at Cordelia ever again. She would bet that her hand would fit very easily around Cordelia's neck. It wasn't very wide. And Cordelia was all slim, with no muscle.

No… that was definitely arousal.