"You, pet?" Spike asked, disbelief in his eyes. Faith raised her eyebrows in surprise as well, making Buffy a little uncomfortable.
"Why?" she asked, standing up for herself. "Something wrong with the given situation, or does the eye-bulging not count as a confused factor?"
Spike chuckled. "Nothing, nothing," he answered, waving away the issue.
"No, it's definitely a something," she countered.
"It's just," Faith started, trying to be the mediator between the two, "Angel usually doesn't go for the…" She tried to think of a word, looking to Spike for help.
"He likes blonde bimbos, love," he drawled, enjoying the shocked look on Buffy's face. "Easy to shag, no money to make sure what goes on under the covers stays under the covers, and -- "
"No money?" Buffy almost yelled, not believing what Spike was telling her. "What, so it's the whole grade benefactor that gets discussed, instead?" she asked sarcastically.
"They're the ones that want the sodding poof," Spike answered, not noticing the change in her nature. "It's not about grades or money."
"Anyone with eyes can see that, B," Faith backed up.
"It's not 'B'," Buffy snapped. "It's Buffy." Faith put her hands up in a surrender.
Buffy sighed and ran a hand through her hair. "Sorry," she mumbled, looking at the floor. "I don't like it when people assume. You know what they say about people who assume."
Spike and Faith stared at her with blank eyes.
Anya spoke up in the background. "It only makes an 'ass' out of 'you' and 'me'."
"Thanks," Buffy said slowly, eyes shifting towards Anya who didn't look up. Her attention turned back to Spike. "So what's this I hear about Angel?"
He looked at her and smirked, amusement clearly written on his face. "Calling him Angel already, huh?"
"Just answer the question," she said with a tired look.
Faith walked up to her. "I'll tell you everything I know about your teacher while we walk to the dorm."
"That would be great," she answered. Sighing loudly, Buffy opened the door and walked outside with Faith. "I am so completely lost right now."
"I would be, too," she laughed.
"So how does Spike know Angel?"
Faith chuckled. "They're like inseparable brothers. Only they hate each other." She paused. "A lot, actually."
"Interesting."
"Very."
The two walked across the UC lawn towards the dorms. Faith showed her a round for a little bit before the two had to go their separate ways.
She sat on an outdoor bench and looked inside of the coffee shop.
They must be making millions alone every year, she realized, watching as dozens of college students (and some who could pass for college students) walked in and out of the shop.
"Those capitalist pigs," she whispered to herself in astonishment.
"A communist…I see," a voice echoed behind her. Buffy turned away from the Starbucks and looked up at a smirking Angel.
"I prefer the term 'socialist,' if you don't mind," Buffy replied with a smile as Angel took a seat besides her.
He laughed as Buffy tightened the coat around her.
I wanted to talk to him.
I just didn't know what to talk to him about.
She looked up at Angel and smiled. "I met Spike."
He groaned. "I'm sorry."
Buffy laughed. "He's not so bad."
"Then you really haven't met him."
A small insecurity sparked inside her heart, wondering if she had never really met Angel, either.
"Coffee?" he offered. She couldn't refuse. The couple
not couple…just pair
entered the shop slowly. Angel looked over to Buffy as they reached the counter and took both of their orders.
"So what high school did you come from?" Angel concentrated on her the whole time, talking to her face, her eyes…as if she was all that mattered. She smiled.
"I came from good old Sunnydale High."
Angel smied. "I used to teach high school," he said, leaning back in his chair. "Eleventh grade. Had to get so many hours in to do what I really wanted."
"Become a college professor?"
"Better -- keep up with the coolness."
Buffy laughed and wrapped her hands around her Starbucks coffee cup, relaxing. The warmth penetrated through her fingertips and into the depths of her body, keeping her naturally in tune with herself when talking with Angel. It was easy this way. No nervousness, no anything…just conversation.
"Are you from around here?" Angel asked.
"Yep. Born and bred Sunnydale-ian. You?"
Angel shook his head. "My mother's from Spain. My father met her in London. He's from Ireland. Don't ask," he added, taking in Buffy's confused face. "I just call it fate."
Buffy leaned closer into her seat as she took in all that Angel told her. Angel was raised in England for a while before coming to the US at age thirteen. That was how he met Spike, or William the Bloody. "A harmless nickname we used on him," he explained. "Wrote the most horrific poetry."
"I'll have to read it sometime," she answered. "It can't be that bad."
"Oh, trust me," Angel laughed, stretching back in his seat, "it's that bad."
"You guys must be good friends, then."
"We're pretty close. He's like a brother to me. An annoying, childish, little brother."
Buffy smiled wearily, recalling the conversation she had with Spike just a few hours ago. Angel didn't seem like the type of person who would sleep with his students. He couldn't be that type. She would have never allowed herself to fall for that type of jerk.
Smart girls fall the hardest, though, she reminded herself. It was such a small possibility that Angel was like that.
He did give Cordelia a once over.
But what guy wouldn't?
Buffy shook her head. "Shut up," she mumbled to herself, quietly.
Angel looked at her. "Excuse me?"
Her head shot up and stared at him with wide eyes. "Um…just reciting some classic literature?"
He chuckled. "Yeah? Who?"
Buffy instantly brought the coffee to her mouth. She pointed to it with a smile as she drank.
"Ah, I see," Angel laughed. "Can't talk with your mouth full."
She nodded in response, making Angel laugh even more. The entire section of costumers stared at the couple
the PAIR!
as Angel kept laughing and Buffy almost spit out her coffee in spite of herself.
"He is so amazing, you guys," Buffy said for almost the twentieth time that hour. "I mean it. I really mean it."
"Yeah, we get the point, Buff," Xander said, rolling his eyes at Willow. "We got the point about, oh…I'd say an hour ago."
"Did I mention his father's Irish?"
"Yes!" both Willow and Xander shrieked. "We know his whole life history here!" Xander added.
Buffy sighed as the trio turned a corner on the campus. "I just can't help it. You'll see. When you two fall in love --" she got a smirk from Willow and stopped mid-sentence. "I mean, when Xander falls in love, we'll see who's making fun of who."
"Trust me guys," Xander said, opening the door to the reference office, "when I fall in love, every single inch of hell will freeze ov--"
He stopped and looked at the woman at the information booth. She was talking to a sandy blond man Buffy recognized from her psychology and English class. Both girls noticed the way Xander was looking at her.
"When all what freezes over?" Willow pressed.
Xander didn't seem to hear her. He swallowed once, then twice, before running a hand through his hair.
"I'm pretty sure her name is Anya," Buffy said, stressing her name. "Aaaan-yaaa."
"Yeah, well, I'm going to sit over there. While you two talk to her. Over there."
Buffy giggled and took Willow's arm, leading her up to the register.
"Ah, it's Blondie yet again," Anya said. "How may I waste my life for you this time?"
Willow shot Buffy a freaked out look before staring straight at Anya. "Do you get paid for this?"
"I wish."
Willow nodded. "Figures."
"We were wondering if you could check for any open rooms on the same level as mine," Buffy asked. "I know it's a lot, but --"
"What was your name again? Bunny something?" Anya walked over to the computer. "Bunny Bloomers?"
Willow choked in her laugh. Buffy shot her a look. "It's Buffy. Buffy Summers."
"Yeah. Would make a great strip club, though. Buffy's Bloomers -- open from nine to five."
"I'll think about it when I get the chance," Buffy answered sarcastically.
"You know," Anya drawled, "the only reason I'm doing this for you is because I need something from you in return."
Willow eyed her worriedly. "Nothing to do with Buffy's Bloomers, right?"
"I like your friend." Anya nodded her head in Xander's direction, who in turn instantly turned away and walked out of the UC's office.
"You like Xander?" Willow said childishly.
"He's cute." She shrugged. "So introduce us."
"Well," Buffy answered, looking from Anya to Xander through the glass. "What are you doing next week? Saturday night?"
"I'm free now."
"Great. Me and Wills will set it up."
Anya's eyebrows lowered. "Who's Will? Buffy Bloomer's pleasure-partner in crime?"
Buffy closed her eyes as Willow chuckled. "Something like that," Willow answered.
