Life of Experience

Part Three


Next day, Xander sat on the stairs to the school entrance waiting for Jesse. He wanted to go to school early before Mr. Giles noticed him and offered to take him there. He didn’t want the man to see the lovely purple color around his left eye. No success though. Mr. Giles caught him and he had to lie. He told him that he hit himself with a baseball bat yesterday and didn’t want to bother him. Nonetheless, Mr. Giles wasn’t convinced and Xander knew the man was thinking that Spike had something to do with it, but his guardian didn’t question him. Something that Xander had appreciated.

“Hey, Xan-man!”

He heard Jesse calling him. As he turned, Xander observed the way the blond boy flinched. His friend's cheerful eyes turned into worried ones. Jesse sat beside him looking at his injured eye all fretful. “What happened, Xan?”

Xander shrugged. “Nothing, just fell.”

“You fell straight on your left eye?” Jesse asked with a raised brow.

“Yes! I did!” Xander retorted with irritation.

Jesse looked at him in a disapproving silence. Xander figured what his friend was thinking. It was something about Xander shouldn't hide anything from him. They were best buds. And Xander knew that his friend didn’t believe his answer.

He sighed. “Can we talk about something else please?”

“Alright,” Jesse muttered seeming to not like ‘avoidy-Xander’. “So how’s the new home?”

“It was huge, Jess! My room is even bigger than both my old house and yours!” Xander had never been so excited in his life. He liked the way Jesse’s eyes lightened with the same excitement as his.

“Cool!” Jesse exclaimed. “So, we're hanging at your place after school!”

Xander nodded fast, glad that his friend stopped asking him about his eye.

******

Spike sat with his mates, Oz, Devon and Parker in the high school yard. They were discussing their list of songs for tonight’s playing at the Bronze. Being the most popular band in school, they had to choose carefully. Devon Carter was tall, blond, handsome, always showing his belly and slightly dense. He was yapping about the right song that would match the tone of his ‘astonishing’ voice, and was sure that he would return home with a fine bird. The lad was all talk. Spike knew he only shagged Faith, the whore of the school, who almost shagged every boy in the campus.

Parker Abrams was also tall, and not to forget a thin, dark headed trouble maker. He was their leader; he taught Spike how to smoke and how to ride a motorcycle. Parker shagged almost all the chits of the Sunnydale high, ~ he would have one every night, ~ Spike thought dryly. Parker was the drummer of their little band. He was also the bloke you go for if you wanna get down. Spike could remember the many occasions he and Parker had sneaked into stripper clubs.

Daniel Osborn, or Oz, on the other hand, was the shortest, quietest, calmest boy of them all. He never spoke two sentences at a time. Oz was the guitarist of their group. Also, he had a steady girlfriend, Tara. She was a beautiful blond girl with the shyest smile ever. Spike thought that no one could blush as deep as her. Personally, Spike liked Oz the best even though he was very calm and silent and Spike was nothing like that. But there was something about Oz that says he’s a bloke you could depend on in the toughest times, which was something he failed to find with Parker and Devon.

Spike lit his cigarette and listened to Devon’s prattle. He smirked when Parker smoothly shushed him down with one of his witty remarks. Sometimes, Devon’s ego would get too annoying for Spike’s benefit. Spike was also a singer in their little group. He played the guitar, which was why he didn’t get to be in the center of the stage. Because if he took the lead, what would Devon do? Prattle-boy was not good with musical instruments. The only thing he was good at was singing. But if Devon wouldn’t learn to use any instrument soon, he would be kicked out of the band. They wouldn’t lose a thing since Spike knew how to sing.

Parker chuckled after he shut Devon up and turned towards Spike and Oz. “Anyway, kiddos, tonight's party at Harmony Jones’, her parents left to visit whomever relative they had somewhere in California. So … after our gig, we’ll have us a real good time, well, except for Oz since his goody gal couldn’t stay up on a school night.” He eyed the spiky headed boy with sympathy. “Unless you wanted to cheat on her with a better looking girl,” his brow rose as he suggested it.

Oz smiled and shook his head.

“Oh c’mon, she won’t figure it out,” Parker tried to convince him.

“Sorry man,” Oz apologized. “I’m actually not going there. Figured I’d do some studying tonight, helps getting into college.”

“Oh man you disgust me!” Devon cried out with a screwed up face.

Spike blew away smoke and held his cigarette away from his face. “Oh shut up, Blather Boy, ‘t least he got a bird, which I can’t say ‘bout you,” he said with a smirk.

“Oh really?” Devon scoffed. “What about you Mr. I-Shagged-Every-Chit-In-Britain, is that what you really did? Or were you just hiding your little fag ass at a gay club?”

Spike growled and would have kicked the shit out of the other boy if it wasn't for Oz who held him in place.

Parker shook his head. “Guys chill, you’re just stressed out coz you haven't been laid in months.” He turned towards Spike, “Don’t worry, English, we all know how Harmony likes you. I’m sure you’ll have some tonight.”

Spike’s lips twisted in disgust. “I hate that bint. Don’t want anything to do with her.”

“Is that it or is it for the fact that she doesn’t have a penis?” Devon muttered.

Spike growled again and was about to head towards the taller boy but Oz kept his hold of him firm. “I’ll have you know that I shagged older women in Briton and English girls are better in bed than stupid yanks!” Spike snapped at Devon who waved him off and left.

Parker’s eyes shined with pleasure at the information and wished for some 'English chicks' at their school. He believed Spike because he was as bad as him. They both smoke and listen to Sex Pistols. Of course Spike had done it before! He turned and went looking for his new striking bitch, Kennedy.

Spike cursed and jerked away from Oz’s grip. Devon was right. He was a virgin. He never shagged anyone before. It wasn’t like he never had luck getting a girl to sleep with him. All girls liked him. The problem was little Spike. He didn’t seem to enjoy the blessings of a naked girl.

Oz batted his shoulder. “It’s gonna be okay, man. I’m sure tonight will be it.” Spike smiled at his best mate. The only one whom he told about his dilemma was Oz. He knew he won’t mock him or make less of his manhood.

*******

“Wow!” Jesse exclaimed as he and Xander got out of the kitchen into the lobby.

“I know!” Xander agreed with him. They discovered ever single room downstairs. Xander didn’t have time to do it yesterday after the Spike fiasco. He even slept hungry so Mr. Giles wouldn't see his bruised face. Now that they finished with downstairs, it was time to head upstairs.

The front door opened. Xander turned excitedly thinking that it was Mr. Giles and lunch would be served. Unfortunately, it was Spike. Xander’s smile faded and he turned away. Jesse noticed and eyed Spike wearily.

“Well, well,” Spike’s annoying voice dropped on Xander’s ear like a bullet. “Look what we have here. Droopy Boy and Droopy Boy Two.”

“Get lost, Spike.” Xander hissed angrily, trying to hide his face.

Spike grabbed his shoulder and spun him around. He gazed at his face. “Well, you look like shit.”

Xander jerked away. “Oh, really?!” he couldn’t help but yell.

Spike wasn’t bothered. “Hope you hadn’t told daddy dearest …"

"You did that to him?" Jesse shouted angrily at the older boy.

Spike gave an amused grin. "Well, look at that, sticking up for your little friend, eh? Being all manly I see?"

Jesse scowled. "How dare you hurt him like that?"

"Jess, let it go," Xander spoke tiredly.

Jesse looked at him in disbelief. "But …"

"Be a bigger person, buddy. You're more mature than him."

Spike grimaced. "Hey, who are you calling immature you son of a …!"

Spike immediately stopped when they heard the front door open. They watched as Mr. Giles came in. The older man looked at the situation in front of him. "Is everything alright?" he asked blinking.

Xander and Spike grinned and answered together. "Yeah, everything's fine."

Mr. Giles just raised an eyebrow then looked at Spike. "Uh … William, could we talk privately please?" He inclined his head towards the living room and Spike just nodded. "Yeah, sure Pops."

The punk looking boy went straight ahead to the living room and Mr. Giles smiled at Jesse, "Good afternoon, Jesse."

"You too, Mr. G!" Jesse replied.

Mr. Giles nodded and then followed Spike.

******

"Why did you hit him, Will?" his father's voice was firm and he had a hard look in his eyes.

Spike looked bored. "I dunno what you're talking 'bout."

Irritation filled Rupert's eyes. "That big bruise in his eye area, I am certain it was your deed!" Now his father's voice was getting louder.

"And why is that?" Spike retorted.

"Because I know you!"

Spike stared at his old man for a minute. "No, you don't," he muttered so low that his father didn't catch it.

"I beg you pardon?" Pops was blinking now.

The boy shook his head and looked away. "Nothing, nothing important."

The hard look returned to his father's eyes again. "Listen to me carefully, young man. If you hurt a single hair on that boy's head again you won't be pleased with what I'm going to do with you."

Spike's head shot up. "Why do you care about him so much?" he yelled.

"Because he's the son of my closest friend, and I promised Ethan that I would take good care of him."

Spike was angry. No, he was beyond rage. His father was willing to protect and care for a strange boy while he never asked about him. All what Rupert cared about were his grades. Never asked about his friends, never asked about his band, never asked if his football team had won or not and never even cared if he came home late. That didn't mean that Rupert was neglecting him. Sometimes Pops could be such a pain in the arse whenever he started to talk about valuable books, the importance of education or criticizing Spike's friends. Not like his father actually knew them well. He never thought about getting to know his son's chums.

It was not like Spike wanted him to supervise every single thing in his life. His father made quite an effort to make sure he got the best grades for a fine college. Pops wanted him to befriend the school geeks, because they were his chance to attend the best university. Whenever Spike got a bad grade, his father would blame it on his friends. He would go like; 'they're not good for you' and 'they're the reason why you're in big trouble', which would lead Spike to get grounded. Although his father was never that careful about his punishments, he would forget that he punished Spike the next day, therefore, the blond would be free as a bird.

It was not like he wanted his Pops to ground him for being late. The blond didn't want his father to ground him at all. He just wanted him to be cool. He wanted him to be someone he would like to spend time with, someone fun. Wanted him to be like his friends' fathers. Oz's father always listened to him playing with the guitar. Devon's father always watched soccer games with him. Parker's father got the Play Boy channel for his son and watched it with him. So why couldn't Rupert Giles be interested in stuff he liked?

"Are you paying attention, young man?"

Spike looked at his father.

"Never touch him," Rupert warned.

The boy huffed and headed towards the door before his father's firm hand held his arm stopping him. He turned towards the old man. "Let me go," he hissed.

"Give me an answer and I'll let you go."

"Okay I'll leave him alone, happy?"

The moment his arm was free, Spike hurried out. He found the two losers sitting on the stairs. He eyed Xander coldly then went up the steps. He could hear their voices downstairs.

"Hey, Mr. G, we're starving."

"Oh, then I'm off to make lunch. Would you two like to give me a hand?"

"Sure!" came two excited voices.

Spike cursed. That bloody perfect boy! He was sure his Pops was all fluffy inside.

*****