Buffy stormed through the cemetery, her younger sister trailing behind her.
"I can't believe you just made out with Spike. Was it like totally awesome?" Dawn questioned curiously, struggling to step in line beside her older sister.
"Can we not talk about this? As in never" Buffy snapped, keeping her focus ahead of her.
"Oh come on Buffy. I bet it was amazing" Dawn gushed.
"It was nothing and if you tell anyone… you're gonna be so dead" Buffy threated, stopping in front of Dawn to give her the best intimidating death stare she could muster.
"Yeah yeah" Dawn rolled her eyes, unphased by the slayer's attempt to scare her.
"I mean it Dawn. Don't" Buffy demanded desperately, grabbing a hold of Dawn's forearms.
"Fine I won't tell anyone" Dawn promised before feeling Buffy's hands remove their grip on her. "But.. . you have to answer my question" Dawn added.
"And what question is that?" Buffy enquired with her hands on her hips.
"What was it like?" Dawn asked.
Buffy sighed "It was the most repulsive disgusting degrading thing I have ever experienced in my life. Happy now?"
"You're such a liar. If it was so bad then why did you kiss him a second time?" Dawn laughed, bumping past her shocked sister to make her way to the exit of the cemetery.
"Hey" Buffy called out, whipping around in the direction Dawn had started walking" "You were supposed to be asleep" Buffy yelled before running after her.
When Buffy and Dawn arrived home, Xander and Willow were waiting for them in the living room. Buffy could hear and smell that her mother was making dinner in the kitchen.
"Hey guys" Buffy and Dawn greeted simultaneously.
"Hey Buff. Dawn. I was wondering where you both went off to" Xander exclaimed.
"We were at Spike's" Dawn answered happily.
"Dawn, go help mom with dinner" Buffy commanded. Dawn grudgingly went to the kitchen, leaving Buffy alone with her friends.
"Something bad happen with captain peroxide?" Xander wondered, remembering how worried Buffy was when Dawn had informed her about Spike's fixation.
"No. I mean, you know just the usual" Buffy answered flippantly. She didn't want to give them too much information on what was really going on between her and Spike.
"So is it true, is he really in love with you like Dawn said?" Willow asked, obviously giving away the fact that Xander had told her about what Dawn had shared.
"He seems to think so… I know there's nothing to worry about what with the chip in his head but Will, do you think you can do like an uninvited spell on the house?"
"Sure Buffy no problem" Willow assured her.
"I just don't want him coming over whenever he wants" Buffy clarified.
"You don't have to explain to us Buffy we've got your back" Xander told her.
"Good. I'll tell mom not to let him in. She kinda liked having him over. Someone to talk to" Buffy suddenly realised how close he had become to her family and how much his company meant to them. She had no idea how to tell her mother why Spike won't be allowed in anymore. She couldn't tell her the truth. That the real reason is she's afraid to love another vampire again.
"Yeah well she won't be happy to know it was all just an effort to get into her daughter's pants" Xander announced.
"Xander" Willow gasped, slapping him on the arm.
"What it's true" Xander shrugged.
Buffy decided the best course of action would be to avoid Spike. Her attraction to him was wrong and she knew it. If she got close to him again there'd be no stopping her from kissing or doing other naughty things to him and she couldn't allow that to happen.
Over the next few nights she patrolled a fare distance away from Spike's crypt, sticking to the outskirts of the cemetery and the alley ways of Sunnydale. So far her plan was working and she hadn't managed to run into Spike which relieved her to no end. Still her mind kept playing that kiss over and over again.
She had been invited to a college party at her school tonight that would be the perfect distraction to take her mind off Spike and hopefully meet someone nice and normal.
So when Buffy arrived home from slaying she showered and dressed in her most tight fitting black pants and gold shimmering top. She did her hair and makeup perfectly and headed out to meet the rest of the scobby gang.
Buffy was having a great time and had just finished dancing with Xander when she spotted Ben in the distance. She had talked to him before at the bronze and at the hospital. He had taken care of her mother and Dawn. Ben was definitely boyfriend material. Cute, reliable, caring everything Buffy thought she needed. She walked over to where he was standing and leaned against a pillar doing her best to poke out her chest and appear sexy as she looked around the room.
"Buffy" Ben called out.
"Oh Ben I didn't even know you were here and again with the non-medical clothing" Buffy smiled pointing to his clothing.
"Actually these are orthopaedic pants" Ben informed her. Buffy stared blankly into Ben's face.
"Man that sounded so much funnier in my head" Ben complained
Buffy nervously giggled then realising he was making a joke forced herself to laugh even harder.
Spike had followed the slayer's scent from her home to this overly themed Hawaiian party. He searched the area for Buffy hearing her fake hysterical laughter through the crowd. He moved in the direction of her voice to find her flirting with some boy. He had seen him before, chatting up Buffy at the bronze. He was just another captain cardboard type that she would date for a year then he'd hurt her and bail. 'Won't this girl ever learn' Spike thought.
He waited for Ben to walk away from Buffy before he slinked up towards her. Her body was facing a different direction when she felt Spike beside her.
"Spike" Buffy said through gritted teeth turning to face him
"Surprised to see me Buffy since you've been doing your best to avoid me" Spike grinned cheekily.
He knew. He always knew. Buffy remained calm keeping her composure and folding her arms protectively over her chest.
"You having fun pet trolling for your next ex. I gotta say you could do better" Spike told her his eyes glancing around the room at the college boys.
"But you already know that don't you luv. You felt it" Spike whispered seductively moving in closer to her.
"Leave me alone Spike. I don't want to be with you" Buffy pushed at his chest with one hand causing him to jolt back a little.
"You sure about that honey cause the other night…"
"Get away from me" Buffy demanded exaggerating each word.
Spike gave up and nodded backing away from the slayer but not completely out of the picture. He watched and listened as the boy came back to Buffy. They continued flirting and he gave her his number. Spike could see Buffy hesitate at first but after a few moments she gladly accepted the piece of paper. 'That bitch' Spike thought angrily.
Spike prowled the room on the lookout for a good looking bird he could chat up that would give the slayer a run for her money. But what was he thinking the slayer was perfection he'd doubt he could find a woman who could hold a candle up to her.
Suddenly a very fetching brunette girl in a short pink dress came heading his way.
"Have you seen Warren" she called out to the people in front of her. They all shook their heads in response.
"And who are you, darling" Spike asked the brunette.
"I'm April I'm looking for my fella" the brunette answered cheerfully.
"Maybe you just found him" Spike told her confidently.
"Really where" April questioned excitedly.
He looked over to Buffy and noticed her staring at him. He could see the seething jealous radiating from her stare as she took in the view of him talking to another woman.
Then Buffy remembered she was supposed to be talking to Ben and snapped back into the conversation tearing her eyes away from Spike and the hottie he was getting friendly with.
Spike learned into April's ear "Right here pet. I can make you come so hard you won't even remember your own name let alone Warren's. I'm the only man you'll ever need sweetheart"
April growled in anger, picking Spike off the ground and holding him above her head.
"That would be wrong. You are not my boyfriend" April yelled throwing Spike out through the venue's large glass windows.
''Bloody hell you threw me out a window…. what's that about" Spike yelled from outside the building, puzzled by what had just happened.
''You do not make those suggestions to me I have a boyfriend…. Warren is my boyfriend'' April stated.
Spike glanced at Buffy who was still inside with Ben. She was looking at him with her eyes wide and mouth gaping open.
'Bloody perfect' Spike thought extremely annoyed.
Drawing his attention back to the girl who threw him out the window Spike scolded.
'You know what my bleeding sympathies to Warren'
Spike stormed off heading for his crypt. Being rejected and kicked about by Buffy was one thing but to have some random girl add to the torture was just uncalled for. Spike was beginning to wonder if he had a sign across his chest with the words whipping boy.