Chapter 60
Buffy usually ate lunch near the school with her friends Xander, Willow, and Jessis. But on Monday September 24th she waited for an old friend. Buffy called this old friend and asked if he could stop by today, Buffy didn't tell her mother. Buffy had dated Owen Pike briefly in Los Angelas, back when she was a junior and he was a senior. Joyce had considered him a bad influence, he was older than Buffy and she started smoking after dating Pike. It didn't help that he was accussed of burning down their highschool gym. The fire department said it had been a gang attack and Pike was never charged with anything, but the rumors continued. After receiving a warning from two ghosts Buffy remembered other rumors. Maybe Pike could provide some answers. Pike arrived and he and Buffy went to talk in private.
Pike: I take it your mother doesn't like me talking to you.
Buffy: She doesn't know.
Pike: Probably for the best. Want a ciggarette?
Buffy: Thanks, I need to know about that night.
Pike: Are you sure?
Buffy: Yeah, I'm sure.
Pike: What do you remember?
Buffy: Some people attacked the prom. They set fire to the place. I don't remember much else, but I remember that you saved me.
Pike: That's about right. The cops said they were a gang on drugs. They set the fire, fire inspector confirmed it, but some blamed me anyway. I wasn't exactly on the honor roll, but I'd like to think I'd stop short of mass murder. Anyway you fell when everyone was fleeing. So I went back for you.
Buffy: Is there anymore to the story?
Pike: I'm sure those loons all had backstories that drove them to do it. I just don't know any of their backstories.
Buffy: Were their faces deformed, cause I remember they looked hideous.
Pike: I guess fire does that to human flesh.
Buffy: I thought I saw that before the fire.
Pike: I didn't notice, I guess I was too focused on the fire and trying to make sure we got out alive, both of us.
Buffy: I heard rumors after the fire. The ones who started the fire were rumored to have died before that night, even buried.
Pike: I don't know what to tell you. I can tell you about that night, at least what I remember. But details on who, or what they were, I'm probably the wrong guy to ask about that.