The Courtship of Buffy Summers

The perky blonde teenager walks down the sidewalk towards Sunnydale High. She’s in a great mood considering it’s a Monday. But this isn’t a normal Monday like all the others. This is the first day she’s going to see Faith since saying goodbye to her on Saturday. She can’t believe how attached she’s become to the charming brunette, but she has and she missed being with the leather clad girl.


But this Monday is also different for entirely different reasons. It’s her first day back at school since the dance. She already knows that practically everybody at school knows a little about what happened. Word got out because Harmony Kendall saw some of it. She doesn’t know exactly what happened though.


All she saw was Percy West pressing Buffy Summers against a locker, and they looked a little intimate, and then Faith showed up and completely freaked out, and beat the hell out of the basketball star. She felt it was her civic duty to tell Cordelia what happened, and when the brunette fashion diva got wind of what happened she told absolutely everybody. And how does Buffy know all of this? Because at least a hundred people called her over the weekend and asked her about it.


But she refused to answer their questions, and the only one she would talk to was Willow. The ginger girl didn’t call like everyone else. She made a personal appearance at Buffy’s house on Sunday afternoon, and the blonde filled her in on almost everything that happened. She didn’t tell Willow about the attempted rape. She didn’t even tell her mother about that. Nope, the only people who know that Percy tried to rape Buffy is Faith, Percy, and Buffy.


The fair haired girl stops when she sees the school. She watches as the students march up the stairs and head inside. Some kids hang out on the railings as they enjoy their little bit of freedom before it’s time for class, and for the weekend to officially come to an end. ‘You can do this, just stay calm. People are going to ask you about what happened but that’s ok. Just tell them you don’t want to talk about it and hopefully they’ll leave you alone.’


She lets out a small breath of relief when she spots Faith’s truck in its usual parking spot. But something’s different. Faith isn’t sitting in the driver’s seat. Instead it’s some totally hot guy who has his arm around Faith’s shoulders and she has her head on his chest. ‘I shouldn’t be upset. I told her I didn’t want to be exclusive so you can see whoever she wants. Just like I can see whoever I want, and she wouldn’t have the right to be mad.’ With that in mind she makes her way towards the school, and suddenly isn’t so glad to be back.


She can’t help but notice that everyone is looking at her as she walks by. It makes her feel naked despite the fact that she’s wearing jeans, a new blouse, and a lot of makeup to try and cover the bruises on her face. But nobody says anything to her. She turns around when she gets to the top of the stairs and looks down at Faith’s truck. She watches as Faith gives the guy a kiss on the cheek, then she gets out of the truck and he starts it and drives away. Even though she already told herself she shouldn’t be upset, she is, and she doesn’t want to be around Faith at the moment because she won’t be able to hide it.


“I’m surprised you had the courage to show your face,” she hears Cordelia say. The brunette girl and her band of followers get right in Buffy’s way and prevent her from going any further. “First you turn Percy down to go out with that slut bomb, then you get all snuggly with him at the dance and Faith’s practically rips him a new one. Hasn’t anyone told you that she’s a complete psycho-dyke?” Buffy thinks about just walking away and avoiding the confrontation, but she won’t. Not in front of all these people.


“I don’t have to explain anything to you. You obviously have no idea what really happened or you wouldn’t be at my throat. And if Faith is such a psycho then it’s pretty unsafe for you to be bothering me like this, don’t you think?” The taller girl pales slightly, and looks a little nervous. “Just leave me alone, Cordelia.” Buffy walks around the group of girls and into the school. But it’s even worst in there. Not only are people staring at her, but they’re whispering about her, and they’re not even trying to hide it.


She walks up to her locker and gets out the books she’s going to need for her first class. After she closes the door she stands there staring at a stain and wishing she hadn’t avoided Faith. Now she can’t prove it was on purpose, but as a small group of people are walking by the one closest to her bumps her with their shoulder and she’s pushed against the locker, smacking her hurt face on the hard metal and she drops her books. This draws even more attention, and some people start to laugh.


‘This day is going to just keep getting worst and worst isn’t it?’ she asks herself as she picks up her stuff. ‘You know with so many people watching me right now you’d think at least one of them would stop and help me.’ Proving once again that chivalry is dead. After she’s collected all her books off the floor she stands up and spots Faith walk in the big front doors of Sunnydale High. ‘That really took her a long time to walk from the parking lot. She probably stopped and talked with her friends first or something.’


She thinks about staying at her locker and waiting for the brunette girl to see her, but when the bell rings announcing that it’s time for everyone to scurry off to class, Buffy joins the rat race and is one of the first students in her seat. ‘God, why am I being such a freak? You told her you don’t want to be exclusive. She asked you to be her girlfriend and you totally turned her down. You’re the bitch in this situation so stop complaining.’


She tries as hard as she can to pay attention to what the teacher is lecturing about, but it’s useless. Now that she has Faith on her brain she can’t get her out. It’s been that way for a while actually. Whenever she starts thinking of the sweet, mysterious girl who’s been constantly surprising her with her many layers, everything else is put on the back burner to sit for a while because Buffy can’t think of anything else.


‘You know what I should do? I should go out on a date with someone else. I mean, why not? Faith obviously did it, and she trusts that person enough to borrow her truck. Which means she’s going to see him again. I wonder if I still have Kennedy’s phone number?’ With those thoughts in mind Buffy gets up from her seat when the bell rings, and heads to the library to spend her break with the two friends who have been a little ignored lately. She finds them sitting at the center table, like they always are, and she sits down next to Willow.


“Hey guys,” she says and puts her bag, and books down. “What’s up?” She looks from one teenager to the other and she notices that they’re trying not to look at her face. ‘I guess they don’t want to stare at me like the freak that I am.’ “You guys it’s ok, you can look if you want. Just don’t look for too long.” No matter how much makeup she puts on she can’t cover up the dark marks that Percy left.


“Does it still hurt?” Willow asks and looks over at the swinging doors when she hears one open. She sees Faith strolling in like she owns the place, but Faith always walks like that. The other too look over as well, and Buffy instantly tenses up. Willow notices, but Xander is too busy ogling Faith’s cleavage to notice anything else. ‘I here I thought I wouldn’t run into her until lunch. What am I going to say to her? How am I going to not act like a jealous freak?’ She doesn’t know but she has to try.


“Hey B,” Faith says when she gets to the table. “Red, Xand how you two been?” They both say they’ve been fine and they give each other some little looks like ‘what is she on?’ But the looks go ignored because as soon as Faith’s gaze locks with Buffy’s it’s all she can look at. She’s not looking at the bruises like everyone else, and she’s not checking out the blonde’s hot body like a lot of the guys do. Nope, she’s looking right into Buffy’s eyes and for the first time today Buffy feels like someone is finally looking at her and not her wounds.


“Hey,” Buffy says and looks away from the intense look Faith is giving her. “So, what did you do yesterday?” ‘Oh yeah, ‘cause you don’t sound so totally obvious. She’s going to know you’re jealous and she’s going to think you’re a freak.’ Faith sits on the table, and looks down at Buffy.


“Not much. Just hung out at home.” Buffy can’t stop the glare that crosses her face after Faith says that. ‘I know we said we weren’t going to be exclusive but she can at least tell me the truth.’ Faith notices the little look and her eyebrows furrow just a little bit. “You ok?” Buffy nods her head and makes the glare go away. But the red flags have already gone up in Faith’s mind. “Can I talk to you, uh, in private?” She gives Xander and Willow a little look and nods her head towards the door.


“Hey Xander, remember we told Ms. Calendar we’d help her download that new program onto the computers in the lab? Well, we don’t wanna be late. See ya latter Buffy.” The redhead grabs Xander by the wrist and practically drags in out of the library door. ‘Traitors,’ Buffy thinks and rolls her eyes a little.


“So, now that we’re alone,” Faith says and sits down in the chair next to Buffy. There are so many ways the blonde could interpret what Faith just said, but she knows better then to do that. “Will you tell me what that look was about?” Feeling frustrated at how casual Faith is being about all of this, Buffy sighs. She rubs her forehead a little to try and ward off the headache she knows she’s going to get.


“You don’t have to lie to me, Faith.” She looks over at the very confused brunette. She almost screams she’s getting so frustrated. It isn’t just Faith that’s making her this way. It’s everything that’s piling up. Her repressed jealousy, all the looks she’s been getting, what Cordelia said to her earlier, it’s starting to get to her.


“I know you were with someone I saw him drop you off this morning, and it’s ok. I was the one who said we shouldn’t be exclusive. So I have no right to get jealous. So you don’t have to lie to me about what you did last night.” Understanding hits Faith like a Mac truck and her eyes widen a little. ‘Eww, he’s my brother. She really thinks I had sex with him? That thought is so gross.’ She leans closer to the blonde and holds onto her hand.


“Buffy, it’s not like that at all. I swear I was at home all night. That guy you saw me with is my big brother. I haven’t been with anyone since I asked you out.” Buffy looks a little surprised, but it’s definitely a nice surprise. “Shocking I know.” That is said sarcastically. “But it’s true. I don’t want to be with anyone else.” ‘Ahh, she’s so damn sweet. Too bad Willow and Xander aren’t here to see this.’


“So, you have a brother?” ‘Are all the people in Faith’s family hot?’ “You never told me you had a brother.” She watches as Faith looks away and for some reason she knows that she isn’t going to get much out of the slightly younger girl on the subject. “How come I haven’t seen him around? I mean, I know I haven’t been in Sunnydale for very long, but I’ve seen a lot of people and I’d definitely remember him.” ‘Oh God, please tell I didn’t just say that.’ Faith looks over at her with a sly smile on her face.


“You think my brother’s hot?” she asks in a very teasing tone. A rosy pink blush spreads across Buffy’s cheeks, and Faith can’t resist the urge to tease her more. “Am I going to have to fight for you? ‘Cause I need to know now so I can go work out and buff up.” Buffy laughs a little and reaches out and gently squeezes one of Faith’s biceps.


“I don’t know you feel pretty strong to me. I think you can take him.” Faith tightens and relaxes her arm a couple of times and it makes Buffy smile. Then the bell rings and both girls sigh in frustration. ‘Can’t we have one moment of uninterrupted peace?’ “We better get to class.” Faith nods her head a little, but instead of getting up she leans over and gives Buffy a kiss on the lips. It doesn’t last too long but it’s exactly what both girls needed.


“I can’t believe you got so jealous,” Faith says and Buffy blushes a little. “Sorry, but this is definitely tease worthy for at least a day.” Buffy rolls her eyes and stands up. Before she can grab her bag Faith picks it up and slings it over her shoulder. ‘She’s going to walk me to class? Could she be any sweeter?’ The two walk to class and now that Faith is there to distract her Buffy doesn’t notice any of the looks the other kids are giving her. In her mind the day couldn’t be better then this.