Buffy episode Homecoming.
"Why is Buffy running for Homecoming Queen?" Cordelia asked Xander.
"From what Willow says, because she's mad at you. Apparently it's your fault she missed yearbook pictures. Remember when Willow asked you to remind Buffy, because she was sure Buffy had forgotten about them and then you got distracted by your campaign for Homecoming Queen?"
"Exactly, I got distracted, I didn't do it on purpose. If I thought she was really interested I wouldn't be so annoyed. But she's making everything about it a personal attack and trying to undermine me. And just because I got I distracted. It's petty."
"It's something different for Buffy to focus on. According to Willow, Scott asked Buffy to the dance and then dumped her the next day. So Buffy's bummed and is using the Homecoming Queen race as an excuse to not think about it."
"And she doesn't like me anyway so I make a convenient scapegoat."
"Yes and you don't like her either."
"No, but I don't undermine people anymore either. I used to and she once said she used to too. Reverting to being that kind of person is not a nice thing to see."
"I'm having problems with her and Willow assuming I should automatically support Buffy in this. I pointed out girlfriend trumps friends in some situations and this is one of them."
"Damn right girlfriend trumps, especially when it comes to our last Homecoming Dance and the race for Queen. Did you get a tux?"
"I borrowed my cousin Rigby's. We're pretty much the same size and it's a nice suit, more then I can afford without dipping into my savings."
"I look forward to dancing with you. You may look like a spazz at the Bronze, but I know you can waltz."
"I'll try not to disappoint you my Queen and even if you don't win, you know you'll always be my Queen." Xander told her. 'Yes, score! Cordy smile!' He thought.
A couple hours later he ran into Willow.
"Xander, could you help me? I can't make up my mind what dress I want to wear to the dance. I want something that will wow Oz. Could you come by and give me your opinion?"
"I don't know, Willow. It's not really my thing."
"Please, Xander." Willow gave him her best puppy dog eyes. "I really could use some help."
'Gods, I hate it when she gives me that look, makes me feel like if I say no then I'm actually kicking a puppy.'
"Alright, alright. Put away the puppy dog eyes. I'll come over and give you an opinion."
"Bring your tux, I heard you tell Cordelia you borrowed it from your cousin. It might need a little work to make it fit right and I can sow."
"Fine, I'll see you later."
Xander sat on Willow's bed while she changed into a dress behind a screen, bored and wondering why he'd actually agreed to help Willow with this.
'Its not like I know anything about clothes or fancy dresses.' He thought. 'I'd rather be at the Bronze. Of course it beats being at home.' He looked around Willow's room, curious. He hadn't even been over to her house in a few years. The bedroom looked the same as it had when they were kids and he'd come over to play.
Then Willow came out from behind the screen.
'Man, she's drowning in that dress and it makes her look even paler then usual. Does she really think that's going to wow Oz?'
'He looks so handsome.' Willow thought wistfully. 'I always thought it would me he'd take to the Homecoming Dance. Instead he's taking Cordelia, skank Queen. All he sees is her tits. He can't see the bitchy, mean person I know she still is under there. I love Oz, but why couldn't Xander have seen me as a girlfriend? He noticed Buffy, Faith, Cordelia and even Ampata, the life sucking mummy girl. But not me. Never me. Why didn't he ever see me?'
'You didn't do anything to catch his attention.' A voice whispered across the back of her mind. 'If you had, then he would have noticed you. You hid your feelings instead of acting on them. You let him get away.'
'And now it's too late.' Willow thought mournfully. 'He loves Cordelia. I've lost him to that bitch.'
'Ask him to dance.' The voice whispered. 'Let him see what he missed out on.'
Still not understanding it wasn't her own thoughts, Willow asked Xander to dance with her. "I want to make sure I remember how." She told him.
"Fine, I don't want to screw up either." Xander agreed.
'Look him in the eye.' The voice whispered. 'Let him see your feelings, share your feelings with him so he understands.'
Willow locked eyes with Xander. Xander frowned slightly. 'What's that in her eye? A dark spot?'
'Share your feelings with him.' The voice whispered and Willow did what the voice suggested and shared her feelings for Xander with him. Xander kissed her and it was everything she'd ever imagined it would be. Right up until Xander jerked back.
"What was that?!" He exclaimed. "I've got to go. See you at school tomorrow." And he left.
'I don't understand.' Willow thought. 'He kissed me. Now he's acting like he didn't want to. Am I a bad kisser? Oz never seemed to think so.' She sadly changed out of the overly long dress and into her nightclothes. She fell asleep still confused.
She wasn't the only one. 'Why did I do that? I've never wanted to kiss Willow before!' Xander thought. 'Why now? I wasn't even thinking about it, I just did it. It doesn't make any sense. And what was that dark spot in her eye? Was I seeing things? And am I just thinking about that to distract myself from kissing her? Because I'm sure I don't want to kiss Willow. So why did I?'
A question that would go unanswered for years.