Harmony.
When Buffy arrived at the boy’s house, she could see that the party was already in full swing. Music blared noisily from unknown speakers and people were bunched together, talking and laughing, some with red plastic cups in their hands. Of course they were late, Cordelia insisted on going home to change her outfit for the party. Willow, who was driving, reluctantly agreed, knowing that she wouldn’t have heard the end of it if she didn’t. But the moment they were out of the car, Buffy found herself all alone. She knew both girls had made a bee line straight to their men and she couldn’t help but feel a slight tingle herself. Stepping inside the crowded doorway, she scanned the crowd, looking for Spike. However she couldn’t see him anywhere. Just as she was about to give up, she spotted Riley out of the corner of her eye.
“Riley!” Buffy gushed with relief. His familiar face soothed her some.
“Hey Buffy,” he greeted her, his voice light.
“Looks like the parties in full swing.”
“Yeah, you’re telling me. Tell you the truth I have no idea who half of these people are.”
Buffy laughed at that.
“Want a drink?” he asked her. Something to calm her nerves would be good or, something to give her courage.
“Ah, yeah a drink would be great. Got any tequila?”
“Say no more,” he replied. Riley swiftly made his way to the bar and moments later he was back, handing her a glass of tequila and orange juice.
“Thanks.” Buffy toasted the glass into the air before taking a sip. The orange juice and tequila caressed her tongue as she swallowed, the familiar burn forming at the back of her throat.
“So, how did you like your song?”
“It was beautiful,” she gushed.
“That it was,” Faith interjected, coming up from behind, seemingly out of nowhere from the crowd and wrapping her arms around Riley.
“I have to wonder why you never sing to me,” she cooed, looking up at Riley, her eyes dancing with mischief.
“Well babe that’s cause I can’t sing. Besides, you know you’re the most beautiful thing in the whole world to me,” he replied sweetly as Faith lent up to kiss him.
“I’ll leave you guys to it,” Buffy blushed, feeling bad for interrupting the couple. ”Do you know where I could find Spike?” they broke away briefly.
“Yeah, just seen him, he is in his room getting ready. I’m sure he wouldn’t mind if you go up there to see him.” Riley nodded knowingly.
“Thanks Riley,” she replied, turning away but not fast enough to miss the couple locking lips once more as she headed up the stairs.
“You behave B,” Faith called out after her. Buffy turned around and poked her tongue out playfully at her friend, Faith of course just laughed and turned back to Riley.
It didn’t take Buffy long to reach Spike’s room. As she approached the closed door she could hear muffled noises coming from inside. She started to wonder whether he was talking to himself when she heard a loud thud. Panicked, she swung open the door she was confronted with Spike laying on the floor with Harmony, half naked, laying on top of him, their lips locked.
“Oh god,” Buffy whispered as her glass fell from her hands, shattering on impact. Both faces immediately snapped to her. It was Harmony that first spoke.
“If you don’t mind, we’re in the middle of something,” her voice came out like venom. The words seemed to snap Spike out of his stupor however as he tried to push Harmony off him. He managed to get loose, tossing Harmony a side and scrambled up to Buffy. Harmony grinned at herself, her face smug as she re-adjusted her shirt.
“Buffy it’s not what it looks like, please luv believe that. She threw herself on me. I was trying to push her away when you walked in,” his eyes were pleading as Buffy’s stung with tears. Pushing the hurt down, she morphed it to anger, directing it straight at Spike.
“Oh please, like your gods gift,” she hissed, finally finding her legs and walking off down the hall. She didn’t get far when she felt Spike grab her around the arm. He was careful not to grab her too hard as he didn’t want to frighten her.
“Buffy I’m telling the truth.”
“Was it all just a big joke to get me to trust you? To feel for you so you and your buddies could have a big laugh later, poor stupid little Buffy?” Buffy could feel her voice rising, threatening to crack but with all the noise coming from downstairs, people didn’t blink twice.
“No luv, it’s not a joke. I really do care about you,” Spike ran his hand though his hair, frustrated. ”She walked into my room while I was getting dressed, I told her to sod off but she just jumped me like a wild animal.”
“I’ve heard enough,” Buffy whispered turning once again to the stairs. Spike turned her back to face him but Buffy yanked her arm free.
“Don’t touch me, just stay the hell away from me I have better things to do with my time then to waste it on you,” she spat ,storming off down the stairs and faded into the party, her mind fixated on the bottle of tequila down at the bar.
Buffy and Faith had been sitting at the bar slowly doing shot after shot for the last hour and a half. The brief periods where they did leave, it wasn’t far only to dance to a song that caught Buffy’s attention. Unlike Buffy, Faith could hold her liquor pretty well. She was watching Buffy well though and when they come to sit down from dancing again, Faith seized the chance.
“So come on B, what’s going on? I mean you’re not actually the drinking kind,” Buffy looked up at her friend, swaying slightly even though she was seated on a stool.
“He, him, I. Walked in and he’s with her… that dumb blonde.” She spat.
“He who? And what blonde?” If Buffy hadn’t been so drunk, Faith would have been amused.
“Him!” she yelled slightly swing around to point at Spike, only to have her hand smack him right in the face. Buffy collapsed into a fit of giggles, slumping into the bar.
“Thanks for that luv,” Spike murmured, remaining still. Riley had just found Spike up in his room and had brought him down to help find out what was going on. Riley was none too pleased with the present situation. Finally, Buffy’s giggles subsided enough for her to speak.
“You deserved it,” she retorted, her tone cold and flat. Buffy tipped the shot glass up to her mouth, disappointed when she found it empty. She made a sour face and shoved the shot glass back to Faith. Spike looked at Faith who lightly nodded her head.
“Okay luv, I think you have had just about enough,” he said putting his arms under hers lifting her off the chair. Buffy wiggled from his grasp.
“I’m not talking to you remember? Now just buzz off Mr kisses face,” she replied, stumbling through the crowd and before she realized it, up the stairs. Spike was right behind her and he almost laughed when Buffy pushed his door open and stumbled into the room. He got to the door just as Buffy threw herself on his bed.
“Good bed just got to stop everything spinning,” Buffy mumbled her eyes heavy. It wasn’t long before she fell asleep. Spike smiled, covering her with a blanket and removing her shoes before shutting the door and making himself comfortable on the computer chair.
Buffy awoke the next morning with her head pounding. Reluctantly, she opened her eyes, trying to figure out where she was and what happened the night before. She tried re-tracing her steps in her head, remembering being at the Bronze, coming to the party and coming to look for Spike. She gazed up at the ceiling; the images came back so clearly now, her walking into Spike’s room finding a half naked Harmony all over Spike. Spike trying to apologize but instead she chose to drown her sorrows in a bottle of tequila. Buffy rolled her head to the side, groaning before spotting Spike asleep in his computer chair. How on earth did she end up in Spike’s bed??
She sat up silently, looking over at Spike, not daring to breathe. She pondered for a moment on how Spike was able to sleep in the computer chair before sliding out of the bed and silently picking up her shoes, quickly slipping them on. She glanced at Spike again; contemplating that he might have actually been telling her the truth.
Then, an all too familiar voice filled her head, instantly flattening her hope in one fatal swoop.
‘Get real Buffy, like he would be interested in you. Like anyone would be interested in you,’ Parker’s voice rang in her ears as she bolted out the door, not even bothering to look back. Her cheeks burned with embarrassment and her eyes stung with tears as the devil in her chastised her all the way back to her dorm.
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