The week was passing by in a blur as the world seemed to wiz around her. The talent show was less than three days away and things were getting pretty heavy. Not only did the teachers seemed to be piling on homework but midterms were here and almost done. Friday was just around the corner and none of the week had been spent with Spike who had recently declared his love for her. Not just that but it seemed all her friends were pressuring her to say it back.
It wasn’t that she didn’t love him, no. She loved him more than oxygen or so she thought. Love? What was it to a fourteen year old who was turning fifteen in a few days? Like hell if she knew. She knew she loved her parents but that came naturally. But loving someone else? Like her parents had before the split. Well, it just wasn’t that simple. Besides, what if it just ended? Did she want to hurt herself so early on in life?
She sighed, running a shaky hand through her blonde hair as she walked towards her next class, English which she would have with Mr. Giles who was like her second father really. He liked to scold her as much as her father did, that was for sure.
She turned down the hall to see Spike like she always did right before class. She smiled, thinking how wonderful it was to spend a few minuets with him. She began to walk confidently towards him when Drusilla showed up. Buffy faltered slightly, seeing Drusilla push herself up against Spike’s arm. She closed her eyes, berating herself for letting thoughts of cheating come into her head when she knew it was all her imagination. She took a deep breath and opened her eyes to be confronted with the image of Spike and Drusilla kissing.
She felt her throat constrict and her eyes sting. Her stomach began to do flips, the bad kind that made you want to throw up. She closed her eyes again and continued on, her hair falling into her face as she prepared herself to pass her so-called boyfriend and the raven haired beauty with him.
“So, does Buffy know you’re in the talent show yet?” Xander asked Spike. Spike shook his head with a smile. “This is so awesome. She’s gonna love it.”
“Xander, don’t turn into a girl on me, ok?” Xander chuckled, shrugging slightly.
“Sorry man. Cordelia’s rubbing off on me. She and Willow have just been going on about you two like no tomorrow. You know, you’re ruining my relationship. I have to be more romantic now because of you!” Spike smiled. “You’re going to have to give me some tips later. I have to go. See you after school.”
“Yea, bye Xander!” Spike turned to walk down the hall, remembering the certain blonde he would soon meet which caused a grin to form on his lips.
“Are you happy to see me?” purred a low voice from next to him. He looked over to find Drusilla pushing herself up against him. He cringed, looking away from her to see Buffy coming his way. A smile graced his lips as he watched her smile at him. He hadn’t held her in so long. “Well? Are you my white knight?” He looked back at Drusilla, his smile turning into a frown as he looked at her.
“What do you want Dru?” he asked, annoyed. She smiled up coyly up at him, running her finger nail across his cheek.
“Why, you, my prince. I want you,” she purred, bringing his lips down for a kiss. His eyes widened, his shoulders shooting up in shock as his hands flailed at this side of her head. He could hear the shouts of fellow class mates around him as he found he didn’t know what to do. It was true, he had thought of this happening so many times, thought of having Drusilla in his arms again but when he realized that Buffy was the one, the thoughts stopped and Drusilla became a thing of the past. But now, he stood here, Drusilla’s lips pressed against his own and his beloved Buffy standing only a few feet away, watching. And he hadn’t pushed her away.
“What the fuck is wrong with you, Crawford?” Angel.
Buffy walked into a hard male chest as she tried not to look at Spike. It would just hurt too much. She looked up, finding Angel standing in front of her. Unshed tears began to mount, ready to spill at any moment. Angel looked behind him, finding Drusilla and Spike lip locked. He cringed, although inside smiling happily at it. He pulled Buffy to him, hugging her and to act as a shield to the site. “What the fuck is wrong with you, Crawford?” he yelled.
Spike pulled away from Drusilla only to have her wrap her long, slender, pale arms around his waist. He stood, shell shocked as Buffy buried her head into Angel’s chest who held her to him. Buffy looked at up at Angel, pulling away before looking at Spike. She walked up to him, composed before staring him in the eye, cold, harsh. “Buffy- it- she - It was nothing!” She shook her head as she looked at him.
“I’m so glad I didn’t waste those three words on you,” she whispered before she walked past him and into her class room. Angel only stared at him, a smug smile upon his lips.
“You sure screwed this one up Crawford,” he stated before fallowing Buffy to give her the comfort she needed.
Talent Show Night
Buffy, Willow, and Xander stood to the side while Cordelia sang, all with a smile on their face as Cordelia belted out the notes perfectly after Xander went over it with her. She was pretty good when she wanted to be. Soon, she had finished and the crowd had burst into applause as she rushed off with a smile and jumped into the arms of her boyfriend. “Did you see that? What a thrill!”
“You were great! Perfect!” Xander stated with a smile. “And now, it’s our turn I do believe!” He smiled at Willow and Buffy who returned the smile with a small nervous one. Xander smiled, putting his arm around them. “Come on guys, it’ll be great! “ And with that, Xander pulled the two unreluctant girls out with him onto the stage where they began their scene. It was now that Spike came out and stood next to Cordelia who was watching.
“You’re here. I thought you’d skip out with the whole cheating on Buffy thing,” she stated coldly.
“I didn’t and you know it. I love her. What happened was a fluke. It’s never happening again.” Cordelia looked at him.
“And how do we know that? How does she know that? You’ve screwed up more than once so for your sake, I hope that you’re right or else you’re going to lose her to Angel who I happen to know is more than happy to take her off your hands,” she stated before turning and walking away. It was then that Oz joined him.
“Are you ready to win her back, man?” Oz asked with a half-smile. Spike looked at him, with a smile.
“Fuck yes,” he stated before walking away to get his guitar while Buffy, Xander, and Willow finished their scene.
“Right, thank your Jonathan for that great er- tuba-ing. Now, we have something special for you all. For our last performance, we have a young man performing for a young woman who was in this show. So, if Miss Summers would just come out here for a second, we can get started yes?” Giles stated while Xander started pushing Buffy out onto the stage. She walked on confused as she looked at Giles. He smiled, motioning her over. “Yes, before we have our last performance, I would like to wish Miss Summers here a happy fifteenth birthday!” The crowd applauded, causing Buffy to giggle and blush. Xander had put a stool towards the side of the stage where Giles motioned for her to sit down. “Right! Now, please welcome William Crawford who will be singing The Story So Far with Daniel Osbourne as accompany.”
With that, Giles vacated the stage as Buffy let out of small gasp while both Spike and Oz walked onto the stage. They both sat on stools, guitars on thighs as Spike pulled the microphone to his lips. “Right, so I wrote this song for Buffy Summers, it being her birthday and all. Here it goes.” He began to strum his guitar, Oz joining in a few chords later. “I can’t remember the time or place, or what you were wearing. It’s unclear about how we met, all I know it was the best conversa-“ Spike paused, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath.
“You alright man?” Oz asked. Spike shot a glance at Buffy who sat still, unsure of how to act.
“Yea. Change of plans. OK, it’s an E and A strand. Just fallow.” Oz nodded and Spike turned towards the crowd. A small smile appeared upon his lips as he started to strum his guitar again, a different tune flowing out into audience who started to look confused. Oz joined in, a little shaky at first but soon catching on to the tune. “Like Saturday night I’ll be gone. Like Saturday night I’ll be gone before you knew I was there,” he began. “So you wrote it down. I'm supposed to care. Even though it's never there, sorry if I'm not prepared. Is it hard to see the things you substitute for me and all my thoughts of you. It's eating me alive to leave you.” His voice, soft and subtle, began to flow in tune of the melody. He looked over at Buffy who sat, her eyes blank and her lips slack. “Maybe it's childish and maybe it's wrong but so is your blank stare in lieu of this song. Maybe it’s childish and maybe it’s wrong.
“And I don’t wanna be, don’t wanna be wrong. You’re leaving me, you’re leaving me in lieu of this song. Don’t wanna be, don’t wanna be wrong. You’re leaving me, you’re leaving me in lieu of this song,” Oz joined in, his voice matching with Spike’s as they both stuck the chords of the song.
“I’m breathing in your skin tonight. Quiet is my loudest cry. Wouldn’t wanna wake the eyes that make me melt inside and if it’s healthier to leave you be, may a sickness come and set me free. Kill me while I still believe that you were meant for me.” Buffy sat, unsure of how to react to what he was saying. “I’m finding my own words, my own little stage, my own epic drama, my own scripted page. I’ll send you the rough draft, I’ll seal it with tears, maybe you’ll read it and I’ll reappear. From the start it was shaky and the characters rash. A nice setting for heartache where emotions come last. All I have deep inside, to overcome this desire are friendly intentions and fair-weather smiles.” Tears began to brim at her eyes as she tried desperately to hold them and not let them spill. But he could tell. With one glance he would know. And how was she supposed to react. He hurt her. It was him who screwed up, not her so what was he trying to say?
“And I don’t wanna be, don’t wanna be wrong. You’re leaving me, you’re leaving me in lieu of this song. Don’t wanna be, don’t wanna be wrong. You’re leaving me in lieu of this song.” Spike closed his eyes as he began to strum the finale chords of the song, his mind rushing with thoughts of what would happen afterwards. “Like Saturday night I’ll be gone. Like Saturday night I’ll be gone. Like Saturday night I’ll be gone. Like Saturday night I’ll be gone before you knew that I was there.”
No sound. Nothing. Just the breathing of over five hundred people. He sat; his eyes open as he stared out into the crowd who stood, clapping loudly. He looked over at Buffy who still sat, starring at him unsure. As she felt the hundred pairs of eyes, she panicked, rushing off the stage behind the curtain, away. “Buffy!” Spike yelled, running after her.
Giles came out onto the stage with an awkward smile upon his face as Oz exited behind him. “Well, wasn’t that a nice little song. Now, if everyone would come out a take a finale bow. Thank you everyone for coming and a good night to you all.”
Buffy ran hard and fast, out of the school, into the parking lot, and turning left down an adjacent street with Spike fallowing only a few feet behind. He screamed out her name but she ignored them, not stopping but running. She quickly jumped over a bench in her way, running into the cemetery where she hoped to lose him somewhere between the head stones and crypts. She could still hear the song ringing in her ears. What did it mean? The refrain was stuck in her head. His voice was stuck in her head and all she could see were his eyes. His eyes staring at her relentlessly, begging for her to give some emotion, to give something.
Spike ran after her, zigzagging through the headstones, jumping over some while toppling over others. “Buffy, please!” She just wouldn’t listen, wouldn’t stop, wouldn’t see him. “Don’t –“ She stopped, turning around and glaring at him.
“Don’t what, William?” she yelled. “Leave you?” He nodded, closing his eyes as he collapsed to his knees. “Sorry, already have,” he ground out. He hung his head low, not bearing to look up at her. “What was that supposed to mean, huh? What? I’m trying very hard to figure out what the hell you’re saying to me but I can’t seem to get it!”
“I don’t know! I never know with you! All I know is that you’re everything, everything I ever wanted. All I know is that all I can think about is you. All I see is you. All I smell, all I taste, it’s all you!” He stood, holding her head in his hands, running his fingers through her hair. “And that song, the one I started, it just didn’t fit, fit us, fit what I was feeling for you. And it’s so true. Every time you look at me, I melt and I’d rather die than be away from you and I can’t bare the thought of you not here with me.”
”Then why did you kiss her,” she whispered, looking up at him.
“But I didn’t Buffy! I didn’t kiss her! She kissed me!” he stated exacerbated, pulling away from her, turning his back towards her only to turn back and look at her.
“It takes two to tango, Spike! You just couldn’t push her away.” He grabbed her head again, holding her, making her keep eye contact with him.
“If I could do it all over again, I wouldn’t have been so wrapped up in seeing you to notice what she was doing. I would have stopped her before she had the chance. That’s what happened. You can down that hall and all I could think, see, smell, taste, feel, was you and I just wanted so much to have you back in my arms, like now.” He pushed her hair back behind her ears, cupping her face in his palms. “You have no idea how much you affect me Summers.” A single tear rolled down her cheek as she closed her eyes, not bearing to look at him, to look at his deep blues and only see him and Drusilla together. “Just give me something. A crumb. The barest hint that there still might be a chance between us. I know I haven’t been the best and I know I’ve screwed up more than once. I know that you deserve so much better than what I have to give you. I know that I’m beneath you but if there’s a chance, I won’t give it up. Not for everything in the world.”
“I don’t know if I can,” she whispered, more tears running down her cheeks.
“It should have been like Saturday night you’ll be gone,” he whispered, before pressing his lips to hers in a firm, passionate kiss.
The Story So Far (C) New Found Glory
Rough Draft (C) Yellowcard