Author's Note: This is a very confusing chapter, if I do say so myself. Too many people, you know? I won't be doing that again any time soon. But hey, it's an update. ...And after re-reading this chapter, I feel a little less sorry for dropping outta highschool. Oh, the drama.

"And then she hands me her mp3-player."

Cordelia grinned at her best friend. She was talking about Faith's latest 'weird thing'. Over the past few weeks, Cordelia Chase had seen a whole different side of her co-captain. Before Faith's arrival, Buffy breezed through life with absolutely no trouble at all. She had the perfect boyfriend, the good looks, the okay grades, the nice family... She had it all really. Yet, Cordelia found that Buffy didn't seem a hundred percent happy. Everything just seemed too... easy. Nothing could get under Buffy's skin. Her blonde friend seemed happy, but there was never any fire really. Cordelia knew that there was a fiery side to Buffy, but it hardly ever came out. It always stayed under the surface.

Faith changed all that. At first, Cordelia was surprised. She didn't immediately link Buffy's new behavior with the new girl. A stranger would think that Buffy was now less happy, more aggrevated. And in a way, Cordelia supposed Buffy was aggrevated. But it was a good thing. It was a healthy thing. Buffy was being more herself. It wasn't normal for a girl to skip through life day in day out. Buffy was a very kind and nice person, of that Cordelia had no doubt. But to be that way 24/7 just creeped her out.

Cordelia took a sip of her Evian, still grinning.

"And then what?" She asked.

Buffy stared blankly in front of her, apparently reliving the moment.

"And then... I mean... She hates me! I hate her! It was freaky, Cordy!" She stammered. "I think she might be sick."

"And you care?" The brunette asked slyly.

Buffy opened her mouth, about to answer, but then looked at her friend. She scrunched up her face in distaste.

"No!" She shook her head almost violently. "No! Ofcourse not. It's just..."

"There's something off about that girl."

Buffy and Cordelia looked at Angel. They had forgotten he was at their table.

"And I'm pretty sure she's gay." He continued, pushing away his empty tray.

Cordelia laughed at Buffy's almost terrified look. Lana, who was sitting across from Buffy, next to Cordelia, choked on her salad. Angel looked up, confused.

"What?" He asked. "Don't tell me you haven't noticed."

Cordelia grinned at Lana blushing wildly, Buffy still looking scared to death and the defensive Angel. Faith had definitely shaken things up, she thought. Speaking of which, she spotted Faith standing a few tables away.

"Oh? Just because she doesn't swoon every time you pass by, she's gay? She's bisexual. She told me. And she'd tell anyone else who has the balls to ask." She rolled her eyes. "Faith, over here!"

The girl in question turned around and smiled. She gestured for someone to follow her and Cordelia cringed to see Xander and Willow walking with Faith. The brunette cheerleader didn't really have a problem with the redhead, to her surprise. She wasn't as geeky as Cordelia initially thought she was. But that boy!

"Hey, 'sup Cordy?" Faith grinned and sat next to Cordelia. "Thanks for the holler. This fuckin cafeteria is always packed. And the food ain't even that good."

Willow and Xander also sat themselves at the table, still looking slightly uncomfortable, despite the recently frequent mixing of the two 'cliques'. Angel glared at the clumsy skateboarder and Xander looked away, flushed. Cordelia raised an eyebrow at the exchange.

"Hey Faith." She glared at Angel. "It was my pleasure." Cordelia frowned at her own actions. Why was she glaring at Angel?

Buffy squirmed in her seat as Angel protectively placed an arm around her, still glaring at Xander. She glanced up shyly at Faith and caught her winking at Lana. Buffy glared at Lana.

Willow, for her part, looked upon the scene in wonderment. Strange, strange things were going on in front of her very eyes. Angel was glaring at Xander. Cordelia was glaring at Angel. Buffy was glaring at Lana, who was blushing and smiling coyly at Faith. It was quite a sight to see. She was the only one without wiggy drama going on, she realized. She looked around the strange table once more and then shrugged. She didn't mind.

"So..." Lana said. "Have you made up your mind about Harmony's party yet, Faith?"

Buffy looked up, interested.

"Ahh... I dunno. You guys up for it?" Faith turned towards Willow and Xander. They both blushed a little. Faith always did that. Since the 'popular' group of Sunnydale High seemed to be quite fond of her, she was always invited to all sorts of things. She would always include Willow and Xander. When asked her opinion on something, she would frequently drag one of the two in the conversation, naturally catching them completely offguard.

"Well..." Willow started. "Um. I'm not really sure if the two of us are invited." She carefully stated.

"Don't be ridiculous, Willow." Cordelia said. "I'm sure Harmony would be glad to have you over. It's him I'm worried about." She nodded at Xander.

"Cordy!" Buffy chastised. Angel stared at his girlfriend in shock.

"Jeez, it was just a joke, Buffy..." Cordelia answered unconvincingly.

Xander uncomfortably shifted in his seat.

"What's wrong with you Buffy?" Angel demanded. "Why are you defending him?"

Faith quirked an eyebrow at Angel's behavior and curiously watched Buffy. Xander continued feeling extremely uncomfortable.

"Xander is a nice guy, Angel! What's wrong with you? Overprotective much?"

Angel looked at Cordelia for help. Cordelia looked at Xander, looked back at Angel and then sighed.

"Ugh. He may be annoying as hell and have absolutely no sense of style...But I guess he's not too bad." She admitted.

Xander nearly fell off his chair in shock. Faith chuckled.

"What? I can't believe you guys! This is messed up! Everyone's just fawning over Faith! Suddenly everything Faith does is cool. Everything she says, everyone she hangs out with! It's stupid!" He stood up angrily.

"Hey!" Lana cried out to everyone's surprise. Angel stared at all of them in disbelief. He turned to Buffy and held out his hand.

"Buffy?" He gestured for her to come with him.

Faith snorted in disgust and checked if Willow and Xander were done eating.

"Fuck that, jackass." She snorted. "You guys ready to dump this whiney-ass bitch?"

The two nodded mutely and stood up.

"I'll see you later, Cor. Lana, we'll definitely be at the party." She mockingly smirked one more time at Angel and then walked away.

Willow and Xander awkwardly said their goodbyes and left after her. Angel sighed in relief.

"I thought those losers would never leave. That Faith is such a fucking slut." He spat.

"She is not!" Lana almost screamed. She abruptly stood up and ran away.

Cordelia shrugged.

"If Faith's a loser, Angel, what does that make you? Look around you, honey." She clucked with her tongue and stood up. "Buffy, I'll see you in class. Sorry, but your boyfriend is just being a pain."

Angel scowled menacingly at the brunette cheerleader. The little blonde looked at him once more, and then also stood.

"No, I'm going with you, Cordy. I don't have a boyfriend."