Chapter 9
One hour later the two blondes were standing once again in the middle of the now completely pink room, with the exception of the small portions of wall covered by the furniture. Of course.
“We did it.” Harmony announced.
“Yeah, and we only got our clothes completely ruined in the process.” Buffy half-mocked with a smile as she looked down at her jeans and jumper.
“It was worth it. Plus, this sweater is so last year.” Harmony noted, looking down on herself.
“Well, we better take a shower.” Buffy proposed as she began walking out of the room.
“You go first.”
Buffy froze.
“Huh?” ‘Harmony is offering me to go take a shower first?
“Yeah, I wanna stand here and watch the walls for a while.”
“O-Ok.” Buffy hesitated but eventually left the room.
After four hours the girls were bathed, dressed in their pyjamas and were sitting on the couch munching on Harmony’s chips as they watched a rented movie.
“Oh, God I just love this movie.” Harmony sighed, bringing the Kleenex to her nose and blowing it as the tears continued to fall.
Buffy just looked at her sideways as Celine Dion’s voice began to soar while the credits rolled. After much convincing, Buffy had accepted to rent Titanic and actually watch it for the umpteenth time.
“Jack so didn’t deserve to die.” Harmony pouted before taking a hand full of chips and popping them into her mouth.
Buffy shook her head and smiled. She tried to move only to realise that her legs had gone numb from sitting for three straight hours. Sighing, she settled down and waited for it to pass.
“I mean, that fat cow could have just shared the stupid door. You know, ten minutes for one, ten minutes for the other. *sniff* Stupid fat cow. Poor Leo!” And a new onslaught of tears tumbled from her already bloodshot eyes.
Buffy was about to comment something when a yawn interrupted her.
“We better get to bed.” Buffy realised, when she looked at her wristwatch and it read 1 am.
“You’re right.” Harmony sighed getting up and following the shorter blonde.
When they reached the entrance to Harmony’s room, the strong scent of fresh paint assaulted their noses.
“You can’t sleep here tonight. You’re gonna suffocate.”
“But I wanna sleep in my pink room.” Harmony pouted.
“You can sleep here tomorrow. Tonight you better bunk with me.” The words were out of Buffy’s mouth before she could stop them.
“Are you sure?”
“Yeah. My bed’s pretty big. It’s queen-sized.”
“Ok.” Harmony agreed a bit reluctantly as she stared back at the door to her bedroom.
After brushing their teeth the two went into Buffy’s room.
“Which side do you want?” Buffy asked when their reached her bed.
“Whatever.”
“Well, I have classes early tomorrow morning so I better take this one and you take the side that is up against the wall, ok?”
“Sure.”
The two climbed into bed and slid under the covers.
“Goodnight.” Buffy said.
“Night.”
Ten minutes later, just as Buffy was about to fall asleep…
“Buffy? Are you awake?”
“Yeah…” She mumbled.
“You’re not gay or anything, are you?”
Buffy froze for a second and then a smile took over her lips.
“No, Harmony. I’m not gay. You’re safe.”
“Good. Well, goodnight.”
“Goodnight.” Buffy sighed.
She would have never guessed it but Harmony could actually become someone she could stand and even get along with. She was actually sweet and-
A strange sound coming from behind her cut off her thoughts. Buffy frowned and a second later the sound was heard again. This time it was perfectly recognisable.
‘Great. She snores. Perfect.’ Buffy rolled her eyes and cursed the gods for one more sleepless night.
~+~
“So, are you nervous about tonight?” Willow asked from the other side of the line.
“A bit.” She admitted, smiling as she twirled the phone cord between her fingers.
“When is he going to pick you up?”
“In about an hour.” Buffy tried to repress a giggle. She was just so nervous. It was her first official date since… She shook her head and pushed back the memory that made her stomach twist. “Are you and Tara coming? It’s about time I meet you’re mysterious roommate.”
There was a moment of silence from the other side.
“Willow? You still there?”
“Yeah, yeah. I’m here.” Willow’s awkward voice was heard. “I was just… distracted.”
“Oh.” Buffy frowned a bit, but dismissed the occurrence and repeated: “So are you?”
“Am I what?” Willow still seemed a bit rattled.
“Go to the party.”
“Oh. Right, the party. Um… N-no, I don’t think so. Tara’s got this major assignment to do for Monday.”
“But she’s got the whole weekend. Come on, she’s allowed to have some fun. It’s Friday. Plus, I’m really curious to meet her. Every time we go out for coffee she never comes with you.”
“Well… S-she’s busy, you know.”
“Okay. If you say so.” Buffy agreed reluctantly. “I really wish you’d be there.”
“Yeah, me to.”
“So why don’t you come.” Buffy proposed cheerfully.
“I-I don’t know anyone there.”
“You know me.”
“You’ll be with Parker.” Willow pointed out.
“Yeah, but I can still be with you to.” Buffy insisted.
“Don’t worry about me. I can go to other parties.”
Buffy heard a sound in the background over the line.
“Well, I better leave you to get dressed.” Willow spoke.
“Yeah, right. Bye, Willow.”
“Call me later to dish?”
“You bet on it.”
“Night, Buffy.”
“Night.”
She set down the receiver and let out a deep sigh as her eyes drifted toward the series of outfits she had carefully lined up on the bed.
~+~
An hour and a half later the doorbell rang.
“Oh, my God. He’s here.” Buffy jumped and hopped out of her room, one shoe in hand the other on her left foot. “What do I do? Do I ask him up?”
Scanning the living room she found Harmony’s wet towel flung over the armchair, a bunch of glasses on the stained coffee table and…
‘Are those socks or underwear?’ Buffy wondered eyeing the mysterious item on the floor near the couch as she put her other shoe on and picked up her purse. ‘I don’t want to know.’ Buffy decided.
“That’s it. The apartment tour is officially being postponed for another day.”
Glancing at the sink stoked up with dirty pots, pans and dishes, she added:
“A day in which it doesn’t look like a bomb fell in our kitchen.” Buffy muttered before pressing the button on the speaker: “I’m coming.” She announced and waited for an answer.
There was silence on the other side.
“Hello? Parker? Are you-“
RING!
She jumped back when the doorbell rang again and she realised whoever was buzzing was on the other side of the door and not at the entrance of the building.
RING!
Before she could peek through the peephole the recognisable rattling of keys was heard and the door was open.
“Buffy. You’re home. Why didn’t you answer?” Harmony asked walking into the apartment carrying two large plastic bags with Chinese symbols marked in red.
‘Probably take-out. Figures.’ Buffy rolled her eyes inwardly as she watched her roommate place the bags on the counter before walking over to her bedroom.
“I was getting dressed.” Buffy replied as she was about to close the door but it came to an abrupt halt.
With a frown she turned around and was greeted by the bleached blonde, clad in black from head to toe and sporting a long duster.
“Forgot about me.” Spike said stepping into the apartment.
“How could I?” Buffy asked sarcastically between clenched teeth.
He stood in front of her and eyed her from head to toe. Awkwardly, Buffy hesitated between covering herself and standing her ground. She opted for the latter and added a raised chin into the mix plus an arched eyebrow.
“Going out, pet?” He asked, his eyes lingering on the cleavage the halter top had enhanced.
“Yes.” She replied sternly and a little annoyed, staring him down. “And please don’t call me that.”
His response was to simply continue to eye her and she eventually gave up and discretely crossed her arms over her chest. A smirk pulled his lips to one side as his gaze drifted from her now covered chest to her eyes.
“Spike! Come here. You have to see my room.” Harmony’s called from her bedroom.
“Comin’, luv.” He replied, his eyes lingering on Buffy for one last second before he turned and left.
“Yes, please go, get freaked out and blinded and then leave.” Buffy muttered quietly under her breath as she waited for a reaction.
“So, what do you think?” She heard Harmony question from her bedroom.
“Well, doesn’t much matter once the lights are down, now does it?” He practically purred and a high-pitch squeak was quickly preceded by the dull sound of two bodies falling onto a squeaking mattress.
“Oh, for Christ sake!” Buffy gasped, rolling her eyes as Harmony’s giggles carried through the open door into the living room.
Thankfully, there was a knock on the door at that exact moment.
“Parker! My lifesaver.” Buffy gasped.
Turning around she opened the door.
“Hey.” He greeted.
“Hey.” Buffy replied shyly.
“Hope you don’t mind. The door downstairs was left open so I came up.”
“No, i-it’s ok.” She stuttered.
“You look nice.” Parker complimented.
She instantly blushed and was about to reply when Harmony’s voice interrupted her:
“Hi. Parker, right?”
Parker’s gaze hovered just over Buffy’s shoulder as he nodded.
Buffy turned around to find Harmony and Spike coming from the hall.
“This is Spike.” She introduced and the two men shook hands.
Buffy frowned when she noted Spike’s slightly furrowed brow as he seemed to reluctantly shake Parker’s hand. Did they know each other?
“So you guys going out? Where to?” Harmony asked.
‘Somewhere far away where I don’t have to listen to you two boink like two bunnies in heat?’ Buffy’s mind offered, but her mouth settled for: “To a frat party.”
“Oh, the one on Alpha Delta Omega?”
“Alpha Gamma Omega.” Parker corrected.
“Whatever.” Harmony shrugged. “Well, have fun!” She smiled widely and waved.
“We will.” Buffy forced a grin on her lips.
Glad to finally be leaving, she turned around, turned the knob and left the apartment closely followed by Parker.
“Bye.” Parker waved. “Nice to meet you.”
Spike’s reply was a simple nod as he continued to stare fixedly at the departing young man.
“I guess we have the apartment all to ourselves.” Harmony leered, wrapping her arms around Spike’s shoulders and pressing her body against his.
But his attention seemed to be elsewhere; his eyes lingering on the now closed door.
“Spikey?” Harmony questioned.
“Huh?” He shook his head and looked down at the blonde hanging from his neck.
“I said we now have the apartment all to ourselves, don’t we?”
“Yeah, yeah we do.” He replied as he tried to focus his attention on the blonde in front of him.
“So, what are we gonna do?” She grinned mischievously up at him.
~+~
“Sorry about that.” Buffy said as the two entered the car.
“About what?” Parker asked.
“The apartment was a mess and Harmony and boink-boy.” At Parker’s frown she explained: “Spike.”
“Oh, it’s ok.”
“He’s just kind of a Neanderthal that way.”
Parker smiled.
“Do you know him?” Buffy asked as the car started moving.
“No. Why?” He answered.
“He just looked at you like he was trying to place you, or something.”
“Well, I don’t remember seeing him. And I’m pretty sure I would, you know, with the bleached hair and the out-to-murder-you outfit.” He retorted with a smile.
“I guess so.” She smiled back at him as they continued to drive away.
~+~
Within 10 minutes they were at the frat party.
The house was packed with beer-loving men and clad-in-nothing women, with a live band playing in the background.
“Wow, so this is what a frat party looks like.” Buffy observed, scanning the crowd.
“Cool, huh?” Parker asked, while Buffy’s eyes lingered for a moment on a major make-out scene performed by two girls while a small group of guys circled around them and cheered on, ignoring the boy passed out on the floor, in the middle of the living room.
“Yeah.” Buffy said a little hesitantly and Parker noticed.
“If you don’t feel comfortable we can just leave.” He offered with a sweet smile.
“No, no, I’m fine.” She insisted, putting on a wide grin.
“Ok. Let me just go say hi to some of the guys and I’ll be right back. Ok?”
“Ok.” Buffy replied.
“Be right back.” He reassured her once more.
Buffy stood back, observing the crowd. Five minutes later…
“Hey. Sorry it took so long.” Parker said a bit breathless as he pushed through the mob to reach her.
“It’s ok.”
“There’s this quiet place over at the office, if you want to be more comfortable.” Parker offered.
“Ok.” She agreed, letting him take her hand and lead her away.
They reached a more secluded part of the house. It looked like a small library or an office, with two or three stands filled with books lining the walls. There were just a few people in the room, hanging around, talking.
“There.” He pointed toward an empty couch.
They walked over and sat down on the leather.
“Much better.” Buffy said as the music from the other room drifted softly into the room making it possible to talk without shouting.
“I thought you’d like it.” Parker smiled. “So, tell me all about yourself, Buffy Summers.” He started up the conversation.
~+~
An hour later they still sat in the same couch, deep in conversation.
“It was really hard… losing my father.” Parker spoke gravely. “And the fact that we had so many things to say to each other but never really did, just makes it harder, you know?”
“I can’t even begin to imagine what it would be like losing a parent. I couldn’t even think about it all throughout the summer… because if I did I-I would just break down…” Buffy swallowed hard at the memory. “A-and I couldn’t. I had to be there… for Dawn.” Her gaze dropped to an unfocussed spot on her lap.
She closed her eyes when she felt his hand cup her cheek and leaned into his touch.
“It’s ok, Buffy. Just let it all out.”
“I’m sorry.” She sniffed, shaking her head lightly and brushing away the tears that threatened to fall. “I mean, you lost you’re father and I’m here-“
“Shhh…” He soothed her. “Don’t worry about it.” He insisted.
She inhaled deeply and murmured:
“Thanks.”
“You’re welcome.” He whispered back.
Slowly, they leaned closer to each other until their lips met and they kissed. His other hand came up so he was holding her face as the kiss grew deeper and more demanding. After a few seconds they parted, breathless.
Buffy’s eyes were wide in a mixture of excitement and fear. ‘What are you doing? What are you doing?’ Her mind shouted at her. ‘This is not you. You don’t-‘
“Do you wanna go somewhere? B-back to my place?” Parker’s question cut off her reasoning.
‘No!’ The part of her brain that remembered the bruises from the past shouted at her. ‘You’re gonna get hurt again.’ But before she could process all the conflicting emotions going on in her mind she heard herself whisper:
“Yes”
Without another word, he took her by the hand. The two exited the secluded office and were making their way through the crowded living room when:
“Buffy!”
She froze when she recognised the voice. Instinctively, she turned around to meet an overly cheerful Harmony with the ever black-clad Spike at her side.
“Harmony?” Buffy questioned with a frown.