Like Other Girls...

“So, the bint doesn’t fancy a step or two?” Spike asked with a smirk as he set the drinks down at the table, obviously having overheard the two girls talking. Buffy sneered at him, then undid the lacy straps to her wings. “Sure you don’t mind flashing the rest of us pet?”

Buffy glared at him once more, the glitter she’d adorned under Faith’s orders creating an oddly intimidating glint in her eye, then smiled. Spike’s fake British accent had always been a bit of an annoyance to her, it was too Americanized to not be fake, but now it served as a nice way to insult. “Wanker.” And with that she turned and walked out to the dance floor with the others.

Spike, of course, was left with a gaping mouth, having never heard her use anything more than crude American curses at him, or his real name. Tara looked a little surprised herself, though more amused than anything. “Well, you -were- being rude Spike.”

~

“What’s with Spike?” Faith asked as Buffy squirmed a little, trying to keep her skirt down. Willow was doing her best not to be noticed and have fun at the same time, quite a fete to achieve, if she’d achieved it. There were at least some people staring, but their gazes wandered between all three girls at least.

“He was being an ass, and I turned his accent against him.” Buffy said proudly, then started dancing with Jesse, to his delight.

“Ponce!” Jesse snorted out derisively in response, in hopes that him siding with her would encourage more closeness. She giggled. “Oh… er… I’m trying to do the accent thing to be authentic.”

“No it’s that… nevermind.” Buffy giggled more, then squirmed to keep her skirt down again. Looking over her shoulder, she noticed Faith watching with a smug smile. “Faith, think you would mind giving us a cheer?”

“If you’ll give us a proper dance, ‘Feathered Innocence.’” Faith teased, using the stripper name she’d given to Buffy. It made the other girl wrinkle her nose in distaste. “Come now, I’ll bet ya could do a rite wonderful striptease.”

“Pushing awefully hard, aren’t you Faith?” Buffy said with a bit of a glare, still dancing close to a very content Jesse. He had a nice view down her meager shirt. The brunette only rolled her eyes and spun Willow around unexpectedly, right into an approaching Tara and Spike. The blonde nuisance caught them both with a grin, the girls blushing and flustered. Buffy instantly separated from Jesse to check on them, the boy following with a pout. “Are you two okay?”

“Yeah… just startled. I lost my balance from spinning so fast. Should be used to it, she always does that. It’s kinda fun sometimes, but not when you run into people. I’m kinda clumsy like that. Are you okay Tara, I’m really sorry. I didn’t mean to run into you like that.” Willow babbled out turning red under her makeup, and Tara smiled and nodded shyly, patting the girl’s shoulder. “Er… thanks Spike.”

“Not a problem.” Spike smiled and shrugged, making Tara and Buffy look at him strangely. “What?”

“You’re weird.” Buffy said simply, then went back to dancing, as did the others. She smiled, noting Tara’s blush any time Willow looked at her, and the same reaction. It was adorable. They were too shy to admit anything to each other, even if they were admitting it to themselves. She wondered if Faith had figured it out yet, she’d seen it herself right off the bat. Faith knew Willow better, and would know how to get the two’s heads out of their asses better than she.

~

Faith was sitting directly next to Jesse, and threw a napkin over his lap as she sat watching the others dance with him. His eyes stayed mostly on Buffy, only occasionally straying to their leather-clad, redheaded friend. She watched the blonde with a small frown, curious. Buffy was bitchy and stuck up, but she seemed loyal to this little circle of friends, even after having met them so recently. Maybe that was just the popular girl side of her bubbling to the surface. She had to admit that there was something charming about the girl, though she’d never admit it out loud. At least it was someone to argue with.

“B’ll kill ya if she sees that pokin out at her when she comes back, not to mention her sister. Almost worth seein the expression on Red’s face, though…” Faith grumbled to him, rolling her eyes at first, then grinning as she imagined the shocked and embarrassed expression on their old friend’s face. Maybe she shouldn’t have mentioned anything.

“Thanks.” He said very embarrassed, folding his hands strategically in his lap and scooting into the table, blushing lightly. He looked at her and a small grin started to tug at the corners of his lips before he shook his head and rubbed his eyes with a hand. “Er… I… Nice choice of costume for Buffster. She looks hot.”

“Yeah, she’s got a bod for strippin.” Faith chuckled. “I guess B’s not that bad… even if there’s too much preppy girl in her. Just… don’t expect me to go getting all friendly like with her, okay? I won’t kick her ass or anything, but we’re not best buds, alright?”

He chuckled and nodded. Watching as Buffy and the others finally headed back over to the table, Buffy tugging at her tiny skirt the entire way. He continued laughing. “What’s so funny?” Willow asked cheerfully, curious.

“Oh… um…” he looked at Faith, then at Buffy, then around the table to find something to excuse his laughter.

“B. Her skirt was fine when she started walkin back. She just wants to draw attention to it now.” Faith claimed with that same smug smile as before, Buffy sticking her tongue out childishly. “That an offer, B?”

“You wish, F.” Buffy grumbled, then smiled. “Or should I start calling you Candy or Bambi now?”

“You can call me anything ya want girlfriend. I’ll still be callin ya Feathers.” Faith said with a wicked grin. “Ya know ya love it.”

“Oh of course Faithy. I’d love anything you wanna call me. I need you, I worship you. Let me be yours.” Buffy deadpanned in a toneless voice, rolling her eyes. Tara giggled lightly under her breath, making Spike smile and roll his eyes a little. Willow was trying her best not to laugh, and Jesse seemed confused.

“Sure.” Faith jumped up and offered her hand to Buffy, a sexy smile across her lips and eyebrows giving a single waggle. “Where to? Come on, I’m horny, let’s get at it.”

“Ewe! Faith, that’s gross.” Buffy batted her away, making them all laugh, except of course for the confused Jesse. “I do -not- want to hear about your current state of hormonal levels, okay?”

“That mean ya didn’t wanna hear me sayin I was horny?” Faith asked, feigning ignorance, making Willow roll her eyes. “Red’ll tell ya, girlfriend. Ya -always- know when I’m horny, cause I don’t care who hears it.”

“I’m sure your neighbors can attest to that.” Someone said behind them, and Faith turned with a glower and low growl in her throat. She had to admit, Cordelia wasn’t the most terrible person in school. Queen yes, bitchiest, no. Darla had that on her easy. The little snob stood there with a smug grin, her arms folded and layers upon layers of an expensive replica of a 1700s gown flowing around her. Faith briefly wondered how she could move before wondering how long it would take Darla to squirm away from the beating she was about to get. “If not the entire street.”

Buffy stood and adjusted her skirt, necessary this time, and strode over next the Faith, giving Darla the once over. “How would you know? Trying that hard to get that close to her bed?”

“Don’t need to be close to her bed to hear that one and her grunt-mates.” Darla said with a sickeningly sweet smile. “Hm… I suppose that you’re either this new girl, Buffy, or whatever new slut friend of the street she’s dragged in here with her.”

“Option one… and I suppose two as well tonight.” Buffy looked down at her outfit with a tolerant grin. “I have to pick my bets and agreements more carefully. However… I do seem to be fairing better than you.”

Darla looked confused for only a brief moment before she laughed. “How so, Bunny?”

“That’s Feathered Innocence thank you very much.” She said proudly, a smirk playing across her red lips. “And how I’m fairing better than you is one, I can move without fearing the weight and interference of twenty pounds of material… and two, as soon as Faith gets over her little shock, I’m not the one that’s going to be punched.”

“Er… yeah…” Faith said, looking at Buffy strangely. What the hell was going on?

“Faith… why don’t you come over here… and unclench your fist.” Tara said gently, watching all three girls carefully. Spike only folded his arms and watched with a look of disinterest. The only thing he had to worry about was Tara, as his girlfriend she was his responsibility, though hitting another girl didn’t seem very much like an option.

“Hm… now, let me see… dyed hair… manicured nails… and cared for skin… however… present company taken into account… and what I’ve been told…” Darla circled Buffy, slowly, due mostly to her weighty costume. Her own long blond hair was held up in a display of curls and pins. “… well, you were probably popular at your last school, and did something stupid before you left thus dropping you down to their status… and you’re just used to them now. Which of course means… your even more of a loser than Faith.”

Buffy scowled, her cheek twitching. “I’ll have you know, amateur, that my choice to be friends with Willow, Faith, and Jesse, has absolutely nothing to do with popularity. If I -wanted- to be a social butterfly and be the proper little popular brat, then I am quite capable of that. However, the three of them are far more interesting than anyone within your spectrum of so called friends. After having known you for only three minutes, I can already say that not once have any of them ever been there for you when you really needed them, emotionally, and that if anything ever happened to you, you’d either get false sympathy and backstabbing, or the old fashioned drop ‘em and laugh.”

Faith, having walked back over to Tara, just to see how the bitch battle went, looked shocked. “What happened? How did Darla strike a nerve?”

“I’ll explain later.” Tara whispered, staring as well.

“And from that pathetic little speech, it would sound as if I’m right.” Darla looked self-satisfied, though she’d flinched slightly under the potential truth of Buffy’s words.

“And from that dress… let me make my assessment…” Buffy looked suddenly colder than she usually did, and began pacing in circles around Darla. “Hm… smells of parental influence. Father or mother though… oh, mother I see. Neat, manicured nails. Not fancy or over the top though… government I’m guessing… possibly a very high priced lawyer? If she were a doctor your nails would reflect the same style as your own works…. Now… so far we’ve got a well off mother… no escort… and an over elaborate costume for a cheesy high school dance at a local club. I’m assuming that this is yet another of many pay offs for the lack of affection…” Buffy sniffed the air experimentally. “Hmm… foreign perfume… That tells me that….”

“Buffy, that’s enough.” Tara interjected. Buffy stopped short and looked at her sister, then at the girl standing stiffly and glaring at her in a way that was trying its best not to look affected.

“Tara…” Buffy tried.

“That’s enough. Dismiss her so that we can go on about the dance and have fun.” Tara sighed and shook her head.

“Get lost.” Buffy grumbled to Darla, stalking back to the table. The snob looked about to protest at being treated so, and start in on another round of trying to humiliate them, but abruptly turned on her heel and struggled away in her dresses. Buffy looked at the group’s stunned faces then grabbed Jesse’s arm. “Let’s dance.”

“Spike, why don’t you go for a smoke, you haven’t had one all night.” Tara suggested, and he was surprised. She’d wanted him to quit. However, the opportunity wouldn’t happen again likely, so he dashed off. Faith and Willow stared at the shy girl, who huddled in on herself slightly. “I hate it when she does that.”

“Gonna explain now Blondie?” Faith asked with a frown. She hated being confused.

“Well… er… B- Buffy was…. In our last school… er… imagine Cordelia and Darla mixed, and that was Buffy.” Tara began. Willow looked shocked, and Faith just nodded. “Then at the beginning of this year, first day at the school even, she’s tearing down some poor girl she’s never even met before. The kid’s dad had just died, and she was doing that same kind of assessment… the girl started crying terribly, she wasn’t in school again for two weeks, had a break down. Well, it really freaked Buffy out, and she started noticing how people shied away from her a lot, and that her friends didn’t notice an ounce that something was wrong with her other than she wasn’t as mean to the geeks. Xander… well, he took Buffy aside when he noticed she was particularly down, and suggested that maybe she try to make herself over. If she could be friends with a guy like him, then she wasn’t a total loss. That’s when she started mixing school cliques. Well, about two weeks after she started doing that, quite successfully, a fire broke out in the gym, her and another girl taking the blame for it. So we’re here.”

“She and some other chick started a fire at your old school?” Faith looked a little impressed. “Oh shit, that’s why Darla Dear got to her. She really did do something, just not what the blond bitch thought.”

“D- don’t tell Buffy I t- told you. Okay?” Tara pleaded. Willow nodded and rubbed her shoulder, glaring at Faith to agree.

“Yeah, sure Blondie. Won’t tell a soul. Damn, didn’t think B had it in her to go pyro.” She laughed slightly, then looked up at Buffy and Jesse coming back, as was Spike. “Hey bleach boy, I’m wonderin one thing. How the fuck did ya snag a sweet chick like Tara? I mean… she’s nice, she’s gentle, she’s absolutely nothin like ya. How the fuck would someone like -you- get her to go out with ya?”

“Trying to take her away from me, git?” Spike asked with a raised brow, leaning on one leg more than the other and looking bored.

“Don’t bother Faith. I’ve never been able to figure it out, and I was around for it.” Buffy groaned good naturedly. She seemed to be in a better mood at least.

“So whadya say, B? Wanna show those sluts how to really dance? Or can’t ya keep up with me.” Faith asked with a wicked grin.

“I can keep up with you any day, Bambi.” Buffy said, getting up from her seat and tugging at her skirt to keep it down. “Can you keep up with me?”

“So long as ya don’t start losin clothes, Feathers.” Faith joked as the walked out to the dance floor, still bantering. Tara looked at Jesse, Spike, and Willow, then grabbed the redhead’s arm and dragged her to the dance floor again. Spike sat with Jesse, and frowned.

“Eh… let ‘em have their fun. Girls…” He snorted, then sipped at the drink Tara had left behind.

TBC