The Courtship of Buffy Summers

The next morning greets Buffy with birds chirping and blue skies showcasing a bright sun. She slowly flutters her eyes open and looks out the window, a big smile spreading across her face. She quickly jumps out of bed and rushes to her closet. Today she’s going to tell Faith the good news and she is slightly nervous.


She hasn’t done much dating in her time, and certainly not with another girl. The latter part doesn’t matter to her, but she is a little confused about some things. ‘How am I supposed to act? Do I wait for her to open the car door for me or just go ahead and do it?’ Those types of thoughts are dragging her down a little this morning. But she refuses to let them get in the way of being in a good mood.


She decides to doll up a little bit for Faith. ‘I hope she’ll notice,’ she thinks and slips on the purple, lavender-ish dress. Having showered last night she decides to go ahead and get ready since she woke up a little later then she would have liked. She does her hair, putting it up in a nice bun, and uses a beret with a pink flower to keep her bangs back. Then she does her make-up which is taking longer then she wants.


‘I need to leave in five minutes, dammit ’ Her curiosity is struck when she hears the doorbell ring. Her mother yells out that she’ll get the door but Buffy still wants to know who it is. ‘But the make-up is more important,’ she decides and puts on her eye shadow.


“Buffy ” she hears her mother yell from downstairs. “Honey, someone’s at the door for you ” ‘It’s probably Willow. She said something about walking to school together. But I thought we were going to meet on the corner?’ she thinks and puts on the finishing touches. She slips on her shoes and grabs her bag and runs downstairs. She almost falls when she stops cold near the bottom when she sees who exactly is at the door.


“‘Morning B, you look nice today,” Faith says and eyes her up and down. She’s standing in the doorway, leaning against the door jam with a small smirk on her face because of the blonde’s shocked expression. There’s an awkward pause as Buffy stares at her, but then the blonde seems to realize she was complimented and snaps out of her little mystification.


“Thanks, you look good too,” she says and glances down at the younger girl’s body. She’s wearing her usual clothes: dark skintight jeans, dark t-shirt under a dark jean jacket. It’s practically her uniform. Then Buffy realizes something she should have thought of a few minutes ago. Her eyebrows knit together a little bit and she stands up a little straighter. “Not to be rude, but what are you doing here? And how do you know I live here?” She watches Faith’s smile drop just a tiny little bit. ‘I hope I didn’t say that too harshly, I think I did. Way to make her feel good Buffy, God you’re dumb’.


“I know I said we’d meet at school but I thought I’d pick you up. And you’re the biggest news in this town since the new water cooler was put in at the bank, everyone at school knows where you live.” There’s silence between them for a few seconds and Faith seems to be getting nervous which is strange for her. “Look, if you don’t wanna ride I’ll just go.” Buffy practically jumps down the last three steps and smiles really wide.


“I would really like a ride. I’m just being blonde today I guess.” She smiles a sweet smile and it seems to put Faith at ease. She finally notices her mother standing in the doorway to the dining room and she smiles at her. “Faith, this is my mom. Mom, this is Faith. She’s the one taking me to the carnival this Friday. If you still want to go,” she quickly adds and looks at the taller girl. Faith’s smile brightens and she nods her head.


“Definitely still wanna go,” she says and then looks over at Buffy’s mom. “It’s nice to meet you Mrs. Summers.” She offers her hand for the woman to take and Joyce smiles and shakes Faith’s hand.


“It’s nice to meet you too. Now this car, is it safe? I don’t mean to sound untrusting but I just need to make sure that my baby is going to be safe.” Buffy’s cheeks flush crimson with embarrassment at that. Faith doesn’t even try to fight her smile when she sees it. Then she focuses her attention back to Joyce and gets very serious. She’s dealt with these types of parents before, the ones that are fiercely protective of their daughters. She sees it a lot with divorced parents who win the custody battle. All they have left is their children and they’ll kill to keep them safe and sound.


“You don’t have a thing to worry about Mrs. Summers. It’s not much of a looker, but she runs pretty good. I got her a couple weeks ago from my uncle and he’s had her for years.” ‘Understatement of the year,’ Buffy thinks as she looks outside at the bucket of bolts parked in front of her house. Rust stains, peeled paint, duck tape holding the tailgate up, worn tires and a crappy muffler, this truck has it all. “The only thing that doesn’t work is the air conditioning.” So with Joyce firmly reassured that everything will be fine the two girls say their goodbyes and head out. Faith opens the door for Buffy, and the blonde smiles.


“Thank you, but you didn’t have to do it.” She’s nervous and also feeling a little flirtatious She was so damn shocked to see Faith at the front door that she never go to fully appreciate the fact that Faith was checking her out. If her brain hadn’t been in a haze she would have made a couple of double entendres, maybe even call attention to the look on Faith’s face when she was eyeing the blonde up and down.


“My pleasure, B,” Faith says and shuts the door when Buffy is seated comfortably. Her plan is working better then she hoped. She’s been around girls enough to know what they like. And surprising them with a free ride to school is always a nice surprise. She does feel a little bad for lying to Mrs. Summers since she seems so nice. She didn’t get the truck from her uncle, she stole it the last time she went to L.A. It was dumped on purpose, she knows that. She spent an good half hour disposing of the drugs she found under the passenger seat. She hops into the diver seat and starts up the engine. Buffy’s eyes widen in surprise.


“Jeez, doesn’t this thing have a muffler?” she asks and tries not to act too snobby about the noise. But Faith just smiles and tells her it’s about ready to fall off. “Well, at least it gets you from point A to point B.” Faith agrees and puts the truck into drive and slowly eases out onto the road. “So, did you have a particular time you wanted to pick me up on Friday? ‘Cause any time will work for me. Well, I have to be home by eleven so no later then that.” Faith smiles and stops at the stop sign and glances over at the blonde.


“Gates open at five, how ‘bout I pick you up at six? We can grab some dinner on the way there.” Buffy watches as Faith steers the truck to the right. She doesn’t know why but she really wants to feel Faith’s hands. They look so soft and she wants to find out just what they’ll feel like against her skin. ‘Woe there Buffy. No fantasizing of any kind until after the second date,’ she chastises herself.


“That sounds great. So, what’s your hardest class this year? I have trig, it’s pretty hard. If it weren’t for Willow I’d still be weeks behind.” ‘Stop babbling you idiot ’ “Have you met Willow? If you haven’t you should. She’s really nice. A little shy and she talks down about herself a lot, but she’s super nice.” She chances a glance at Faith and looks away when she sees the other girl trying not to smile.


“I’ve seen her around. Everyone knows who she is ‘cause she’s the big brain.” Buffy can’t help but notice the tense tone of Faith’s voice. “Helped me with some chemistry home work last semester, that’s the hardest class I’ve had this year.” This is said much more relaxed. Buffy nods her head and doesn’t say a word.


‘We’re almost there so if you could just keep your trap shut maybe you won’t embarrass yourself again. Oh look, there’s the school.’ Faith pulls into the parking lot and parks in ‘her spot’. It’s not official or anything but everyone knows not to park there if they still want a working car at the end of the day.


“Well B, this was nice, we’ll have to do it again,” Faith says and shuts off the truck. Then she eyes Buffy up and down and a small smile appears on her face. “You look wicked in that dress but word of caution wear some jeans or somethin on Friday. Just trust me, ok?” Buffy isn’t sure what to say so she just nods her head. Then Faith opens the driver door and hops out and Buffy follows suite. “See ya later.” She walks off to join her friends.


“Yeah, see ya,” Buffy yells after her. ‘Well that was weird. Why doesn’t she want me to wear a dress or skirt? I was going to wear a skirt but whatever. I can wear jeans and still look feminine. I don’t have to be all Butch Cassidy like her. Ok, that was mean. I don’t want to be mean because she’s been so nice. Whatever Buffy, get a hold of yourself. She’s only doing all of this to get in your pants,’ she argued with herself. ‘Sure sign of insanity.’


Her first two classes went by rather quickly, mostly because she wasn’t paying attention and at lunch she found herself in the library with Willow and Xander. She mostly listened as they went on and on about their plans for the weekend, Friday being the day after tomorrow. She doesn’t really know what to think about her date. Sure Faith seems sweet and nice and everything she usually looks for in a prospective date, but it could all be an act. Faith could be with her friends right now laughing at how girly Buffy is being and bragging about how easy it’s going to be to ‘hit that’.


“Guys, I need some advice,” she blurts out, interrupting Xander’s rant about some comic book. Neither girl had been listening to that one. They both look over at her with anticipation and Buffy takes a deep breath and lets it out slowly. “I have this friend.” Willow and Xander look at each other with a ‘friend meaning her’ type of look.


“Ok, so no friend, it’s me but for now I’ll refer to myself as a friend. So, I have this friend and she got asked out by someone and they seem really nice and sweet, and this morning they showed up at her door and gave her a ride to school, and they even took the time to reassure her mother that the car is safe. But the person who asked her out has a bad reputation according to everyone at the school they go to. And my friend doesn’t know what to think.” Willow looks a little excited while Xander looks...disappointed.


“A date? You have a date for this weekend? So that’s why you don’t want to go to the Bronze. That’s great Buffy, three weeks here and someone’s already sweeping you off your feet,” the redhead babbles and then calms down when she realizes how over the top she’s being. She looks around a little embarrassed and then looks back at Buffy. “So, who’s the lucky guy?” This is the part that Buffy wanted to avoid, that’s why she went for the ‘I have a friend’ story.


“No guy,” she says and Willow looks confused and Xander looks...hopeful. “It’s Faith. Faith asked me out yesterday. And I said yes.” She could tell they are both going to freak out by the way their jaws are hanging open and breathing seems to be an issue. “But she’s been so sweet. And the things that people say about her, they could just be rumors. I mean, she hangs out with the ‘tough crowd’ and all of them are probably misunderstood.” She was met with silence that she was afraid to break.


“Yeah but Buffy,” Willow is the one who breaks it. She has a concerned look on her face and Buffy is a little uncomfortable with this conversation already. “She has this reputation for a reason. Sure she doesn’t usually ask people out on dates, she’s more of a one-night-stand person. She picks girls up in the Bronze and takes them home but she doesn’t date. And I don’t want to sound mean or anything but she’s probably trying to date you because of a bet or something. Her friends do that sometimes.” ‘A bet, I’m a bet? No, it can’t be. Faith wouldn’t do that to any other girl. It’s just wrong. Only guys are that perverted.’ But she wasn’t sure and doubt was starting to cloud her mind.


“I have to go,” she says and hops off the table she was sitting on. “I’m fine, don’t worry. I just need to clear my head.” She grabs her bag and jacket and rushes out of the room. She needs to find Faith. She might look insane but she wants an honest answer and she’s going to get one. She found Faith sitting outside in the quad laughing and joking around with her friends. She seemed at peace and Buffy almost turned around and walked away because Faith looks so happy. ‘But I can’t let that get in my way. I will not be made a fool of.’ So she marches up to the group and they all stop what they’re doing and look over at her and she’s never felt more out of place in her life.


“Can I talk to you for a minute?” she asks looking into Faith’s eyes. The brunette can tell that something is wrong. Anyone with a brain and see that. Faith hops down off the rail she was sitting on and walks off with Buffy. They walk to a deserted part of the outdoor area where their conversation will go unheard, but not unseen. “Why did you ask me out?” Anger is in her voice even though she’s trying to fight against it.


“‘Cause I wanted to,” Faith says and gets a little defiant. But she quickly realizes she’s not going to calm the blonde down with that type of tone when she sees that Buffy is just getting more and more upset.


“So it wasn’t because you and your friends made a bet? What you have a week to get into my pants or something or you’re out twenty bucks? Is that it?” ‘Maybe that was a little too harsh. I mean, I don’t know for sure it was because of a bet, I’m just going off of what Willow said.’


“No it’s not because of a bet. I don’t do shit like that. I asked you out ‘cause I think you’re hot. Honestly didn’t think I stood a chance and I’m sorta lookin forward to taking you out on Friday. And believe me that is a big deal ‘cause I don’t date. Who told you it was a bet?” ‘She thinks I’m hot?’ Buffy can’t help but blush a little but she fights against it. “B, who told you me askin you out was a bet?” ‘I can’t tell her the truth, what if she beats Willow up?’ So instead of saying something she casts a guilty glance towards Cordelia and her goons and lets Faith come to her own conclusions.


“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t believe stuff like that, but I don’t know you and you don’t have the best reputation.” Faith glares at the Queen C and then looks over at Buffy with a somewhat surprised look on her face. “I know I seemed like a bitch just now and I’m sorry but...I just don’t want to be made a fool of.” Faith wants to reach out and caress Buffy’s face but she knows it’ll be too much, they haven’t even gone out on their date yet.


“Don’t worry about it. You won’t look like a fool. And don’t listen to the shit these people have to say, it’s all lies. I gotta go, so I’ll see you later ok?” Buffy nods her head yes and says goodbye and Faith leaves. She watches as Faith walks up the stairs and out of sight. She doesn’t have a good feeling about what the brunette is going to do. The look in Faith’s eyes was intense and angry and Buffy hopes to never see it again or be the cause of it. ‘She’s just pissed because she thought someone was spreading rumors. Besides most of what I heard came from Cordelia so she has this coming.’