The Courtship of Buffy Summers

On Monday morning Buffy shows up at school around the same time as always. To everyone else this is just an average Monday, and Buffy looks like your average teenage girl, walking up the stairs to an average high school. But today is different because today she feels downright giddy. Now Buffy has been all types of giddy before. She’s been a little giddy, somewhat giddy, positively giddy, and outwardly giddy, but never downright giddy. The difference between all of them....well, I’m just a narrator, I don’t know everything, but downright giddy is what the main character of this story is feeling.


“Hey B,” she smiles when she hears Faith. She looks over to the left and sees Faith walk up to her and they fall into step. “So, I was wonderin if you wanted to eat lunch together.” Buffy looked over at her and smiled. Over the weekend she didn’t have any time to track down Faith’s phone number and call her because her mother planned a bunch of mother daughter bonding sessions, and the blonde has missed the sound of the brunette’s voice.


As happy as she is for the invite, and how sweet she thinks it is, she can’t help but feel conflicted about it. She was so busy over the weekend that she never got around to calling Willow and she feels mondo-guilty about it. She stops walking when they reach her locker and she starts to twist the lock according to the number combination. Faith can tell something isn’t right but she doesn’t press the issue.


“I would love to...but,” she pauses and takes out her history book. “I was so busy this weekend that I couldn’t call Willow and I promised I would and if I don’t have lunch with her she’ll feel rejected or something.” She thinks about asking Faith to join her for lunch but then decides against it. ‘I can’t talk about Faith with her sitting right there, it’ll be weird and uncomfortable’. But Faith is completely understanding and gives her a small, reassuring smile.


“Not a problem. How about we meet right here tomorrow? There’s this great little place a couple blocks away that I know you’ll love.” ‘A couple blocks from here? She wants me to illegally leave campus to eat somewhere else? Somewhere that’s not here?’ “Unless you don’t wanna leave campus.” Faith sounds a little confused. ‘Who wouldn’t wanna leave this dump for something better?’ And Buffy just smiles at her.


“Yeah, we can do that. Just as long as we don’t get caught. I don’t want to be labeled as a trouble maker my first month here. I’d rather wait until month two before the teachers label me as anything.” She smiles mischievously at Faith and the brunette girl just smiles back. “So, I’ll see you here tomorrow at the beginning of the lunch hour.” ‘Ok, what’s with the awkward silence? It’s like she doesn’t want to leave me or something. Maybe everyone is completely wrong about her. Maybe she does want to commit and I’m what she wants to commit to. Wait...did that sentence make any sense at all? I think I’m losing my mind.’


“Yeah, that you will. See you then.” And she walks off leaving our favorite blonde utterly confused. When the bell rings Buffy walks to her first class and purposely avoids the glares that Cordelia Chase is sending her way. Ever since the incident of the fake spiders and rats the young fashion diva has been on a tear trying to hunt down whoever did it. From the amused look on Buffy Summer’s face only seconds after the incident the Queen of Sunnydale High suspects the perky blonde had something to do with it but she is unsure.


Buffy takes her seat in the middle of the class. She usually tries to sit in the middle of every class but sometimes it’s hard to do if you have an assigned seat. Luckily this isn’t one of those classes and today she gets her way. ‘Wait...I didn’t know Faith was in this class,’ she thinks as she notices the dark haired girl who is currently sitting by the window and scribbling something on a piece of paper. She’s only two seats to Buffy’s right, surly the blonde would have noticed her before. ‘But maybe I didn’t because the only time I noticed her before the date was in the halls.’


“Well class,” the teacher says and almost all of the students pay attention to him. The only one not looking up at Mr. Seeder is Faith. “It looks like we have a student joining us. Everyone please give a warm welcome to Faith Lehane.” He stops talking and the students all look at the brunette girl and say ‘hi Faith’ but not all of them sound too happy about her being in the class, especially some of the girls and Buffy can’t help but notice that. “Faith, why don’t you stand up and tell us a little about yourself.” Faith looks up from her paper and looks at the teacher like he’s insane and he gives her a little glare. Then she catches Buffy’s eye and gives her a little wink. ‘What’s she up to?’ Buffy asks herself and watches as Faith stands up.


“Hi everyone, as you all know by now I’m Faith.” She gives a little wave and a fake smile, and her voice is that of a very enthusiastic prom decoration committee president. So she’s basically channeling Harmony Kendal right about now. “Tell a little about myself? Well, my mother was a Swedish prostitute, and my father was a Danish businessman just looking for a good time. My mom became a milk maid and saved up enough money to send me to America so I could get a good education and not end up like her. My favorite color is black, my favorite band is Godsmack, my favorite movie is The Wizard of Oz, yes this is my real hair color, and my favorite thing to do is dance.” Then she takes a little bow and sits back down.


‘Ok, so how much of that is made up and how much is true? ‘Cause all of her favorites is useful to me only if it’s true. I doubt that stuff about her parents is true because she winked at me before she stood up and started talking, a wink that like usually implies the winker is going to say a sarcastic comment or something and the winkee should pay special attention to it. Wait...did I really just use the word winkee? What is wrong with me? I don’t think a whole team of highly qualified psychologists could answer that question.’


“Well, wasn’t that....colorful,” the teacher says in a not so amused tone of voice and then turns to his lesson plan. Almost every student in that class tuned him out as he droned on and on about the Revolutionary War. Nobody but the geeks and goody-goodies cared about it, as long as they get a passing grade they’re fine with being ignorant to everything that has to do with American History.


Buffy glances over at the clock and tries not to outwardly groan when she sees that only fifteen minutes has passed. But then a welcomed distraction is placed on her desk in the form of a folded piece of binder paper. She looks over at Faith and the brunette gives her a little wink and then looks out the window. The blonde tries to silently unfold the note and prays the teacher doesn’t notice her for fear of being forced to read it out loud. And in some rather sloppy handwriting she reads to herself:


Hey B, what’s up? Not much over here. Just lookin out the window wishin I could sit closer to you. ‘Aw, how sweet,’ she thinks and keeps reading. So, how’s the bear doin? Did you name it yet? No, I’m not makin fun of you, if that’s what you’re thinkin, I’m just curious. So Buffy Summers, why don’t you tell me a little bit about yourself? ‘Hmm, she wants to know a little about me? I am so taking that as a good sign.’ She picks up her pen and in very girly handwriting she scribbles her response.


Not much is up, F, just wishing lunch time would hurry up and get here. The bear is doing fine, since she is a Care Bear she already has a name. I can’t remember it at the moment, but I’ll figure it out and get back to you. Tell a little bit about me, huh? Well, my mom and dad met in college and married after they graduated, and then had me. I grew up in Hemery, but my mom and I moved when she found out that my dad was cheating on her with his secretary. I’m a little glad that they’re divorced because all they ever did was fight.


My favorite color is yellow, I don’t have a favorite band, I don’t have a favorite movie but I like romantic comedies and dramas, no this is not my real hair color, and my favorite thing to do is shop. Yes, I do realize how much of a girly-girl I am. You still interested or has my girliness made you want to turn around and run the other way? It’s not like I have cooties...that I know of. What are cooties anyway?


She doesn’t bother signing it and she skillfully passes it to the kid on her right, who then gives it to the other kid, who then gives it to Faith. She watches out of the corner of her eye as Faith unfolds the paper and then reads. There are smiles at some parts, a serious look at one and a little chuckle at the end. All in all it was a good read, and Buffy is pleased with the way Faith reacted. And she can’t wait for Faith to finish writing her reply because passing notes back and forth with Faith is the most excitement she’s ever had in this class. When the note is finally handed to her almost forgets to be quiet as she unfolds it and quickly reads.


I think cooties is lice, but I’m not sure. ‘Gross.’ Oh well. Sorry about your parents, mine never got along either I know how it can be. Yellow is a good color to like, I’m just glad you didn’t say pink. How can you not have a favorite band? What kind of music do you listen to? Every great once in a while I’ll watch a romantic comedy or a drama, but I mostly watch action and horror. Surprise, surprise I know. We’re all shocked by that one.


‘She is so sarcastic, I bet it’s her first language.’ So what is your real hair color? I’m not seein any different colored roots. Are you a brunette? You’d make a sexy brunette. ‘Woe, I can’t believe she wrote that. So does she not think I’m sexy now?’ Don’t worry, B, you’re still sexy, I’m just sayin you’d look damn fine as a brunette, that’s all. Yes I’m still interested, no amount of girliness is gonna make me not interested. Unless you try to paint my truck a girly color, or tell me to change the way I dress. I like the way I am and nobody’s gonna change it. How much longer til lunch? I’m wicked starving.


Buffy decides not to write back since the teacher is now facing the class and asking questions about the lecture he just gave. The only students to raise their hands are the geeks and the goody-goodies. But Buffy wasn’t paying any attention whatsoever because when she wasn’t busy reading what Faith had to say or writing her response, she was thinking about Faith’s soft yet strong hands, and her incredibly soft lips. She’s been trying to avoid thinking about that seventeen second kiss because it sends chills down her spine in an oh so good way, and she doesn’t want to feel like that at school where people might catch on that the little angel looking girl is thinking impure thoughts.


Finally the bell sounded announcing a fifteen minute break. Lunch wouldn’t be until after the next class. Buffy was out the door before Faith, and she waited for her because she wanted to talk to her, tell her about how good of a time she had on Friday. But the brunette didn’t walk out of the class like everyone else. Buffy’s eyebrows furrow with concern and she looks around to make sure no one is watching before she sneaks a peak inside the classroom. Through the little window on the door she can see Mr. Seeder lecturing Faith, and Buffy can only assume it was about the little ‘tell us about yourself’ speech that Faith gave. ‘Well, he asked for it,’ she thinks and make her way towards her next class.


When lunch finally does roll around Buffy finds herself sitting in the library with Willow and Xander, wondering why the hell they always eat lunch in the library. It’s not like they’re avid readers or anything, so why do they spend a lot of their time here? She was about to verbally voice her concerns when Willow not so smoothly asks about Friday night with Faith. Buffy tries not to roll her eyes because the redhead is only concerned about her, and her well being, so she lets it go for now.


“Friday was great. We went to the fair, and went on the roller coaster, and the Ferris Wheel and ate horrible carnival food, and she won me one of those giant teddy bears.” While telling about her night she can’t stop the smile from creeping its way onto her lips. “We went into the house of mirrors and were in there for so long one of the carnies actually came in to shoo us away. And Faith is so funny, and sarcastic and she made me laugh almost the entire time. There were a couple of moments were if she laughed I probably would have cried and for not so good reasons.” ‘If she had laughed at me while we had that moment on the Ferris Wheel I definitely would have cried. Or hit her, either one.


“And she drove me home, and when we walked up to the front porch things were a little tense, and I almost started babbling.” ‘Oh, you mean like that thing you’re doing right now? If it were any more obvious that you’re crushing on her you’d have it written on your forehead. Ok, this whole talking to myself in third person needs to stop.’ “And then she kissed me, and the tension went away. And her lips are so soft and I almost kissed her again, but I didn’t want to come on too strong or anything.” When she finally stops talking she notices that Xander is literally drooling and Willow is looking a little concerned for her health.


“You ok? You need me to get an oxygen tank or something? I’ve babbled before Buffy, a lot, and for long periods of time, but I think you killed my record for most words spoken in two and a half minutes.” The small smile on the redhead’s face lets Buffy know that she’s just joking around. “So you’re date went good, that’s good.” Buffy gives her a suspicious look and she over compensates. “No really, it is good. We were all hoping for goodness. We didn’t want you to have a bad date, we just want you to be careful because Faith has hurt a lot of people. She makes promises that she doesn’t keep and there are a lot of girls at this school who would rather see her bruised and bloody and lying in a ditch somewhere, and I think I got my record back.” Buffy can’t help but get very irritated by what Willow just said.


“Look, I know I don’t know her, and I know she has this horrible reputation, but I didn’t get any of that when we were together. She was so sweet, and respectful, and the kiss only lasted seventeen seconds. I’m sure if she wanted more she would have made it last a little longer or at least used some tongue.” Both girls bite back the laughter as Xander loses his balance and falls to the floor. “Maybe she was like that with those other girls, but I’m just not getting that vibe from her. I’m not saying that she isn’t like that anymore, but the least you can do is give her a chance.” Willow and Xander exchange a look and Buffy wants to smack them both.


“Buff, everyone has given her every chance in the world to change. Faith likes to sleep around, this is common knowledge. Now I know you’re new and don’t understand because you haven’t seen how hurt most of the girls end up, but trust us when we tell you that it always ends bad. She’s just using you. You should get out before you get hurt.” Buffy stands up and grabs her bag. She’s not going to sit here and let them bad mouth the girl that she is developing a crush on. Not no way, not no how.


“How well do you two really know her? Maybe there’s a reason why she’s never gotten close to anyone. Maybe no one has cared enough to find out because they look at her and the way she acts and they just assume that she’s some slut bomb that they can have fun with. Well I’m not going to just sit here and listen to you two judge her when you obviously don’t know anything about her.” Buffy storms out of the library leaving Willow and Xander behind. They exchange another look and Willow’s expression is a sad one.


“I guess she’s going to have to learn the hard way,” she says and sighs. Xander just nods his head before he gives himself over to the Buffy on Faith fantasy running around inside of his mind. They’ve given every warning, spoken every cautionary word, but if the blonde is too stubborn to listen to them then she’ll just have to experience it for herself, because there seems to be no other way of getting through to her. In the meantime the two will hope for the best, at least Willow will be. Xander will be fighting against the hot girl on girl lovin fantasies that are going to be scampering through his brain for the next couple of weeks.