The Substitute 
by Jaide

Disclaimer: Not mine, don't sue.



Part Two





Day 2- Tuesday 






Buffy was a little nervous about going to class today. She'd have to be on her best behavior. Unless Angel gave her friends anymore punishments, then she could be Hell for him. It really payed off to date the teacher!!

When she got to class, she noticed the desks had been rearranged. Everyone was standing about, no one was seated. Raising her eyes to the board, she saw what was scribbled in nice handwriting:

New seating chart, stay standing please!

She walked over to Scott who was examining a weird looking plant on the counter. "Hey Scott, what's the up?" 

"Oh, Buffy, hi. Just checkin' out this...plant, I guess you would call it." He turned to her and smiled.

Angel walked into the room and noticed Scott and Buffy smiling at each other. In his opinion, they shouldn't be standing that close. He cleared his throat.

"All right students, sit down where I tell you to." Angel had planned his seating chart wisely. The desks were in a similar fashion to the old rows, but this chart placed one desk on either side of his, right up against it in the back of the room.

Willow still sat in the front row, in the very center. He knew she was a good student and would love to be there. Cordelia and Xander sat right next to each other in the third row. He placed Scott in the front, left corner, opposite of Buffy who was in the last row, against Angel's desk, in the right corner. Larry was placed in the other desk. 

Buffy raised a skeptical eyebrow at Angel when he told her where to sit. He ignored her and continued on with the arrangement.

Xander had to admit to himself, Angel could be okay. He'd knowingly placed him next to his girlfriend, and right in an area he would be blended in. 

The discussion of the black plague was continued. Willow answered most of the trivial questions, but was even stumped by a few. Angel called on Buffy for an easy question, the same with Xander. But when he asked some of the really, drilling questions, he called on Larry and Scott. Scott surprised him a few times by getting them correct.

Buffy smiled triumphantly from the back of the room when he did. Angel just shot a few glares her way. "Tomorrow we will be discussing the French Revolutionary War and how it affected everyone. Read pages 117 to 125 tonight and answer questions 1 through 5 at the end of the chapter. Complete sentences and in ink. Due tomorrow. You are excused when the bell rings."

Everyone gathered their bags and chatted while the last minutes ticked by. Angel noticed Buffy scribbling on a piece of paper. 

RRRRRIIIIIIINNNNNNNGGGGGGG!!!!!!!!!

The bell sounded and everyone headed towards the door. Angel noticed one of the lights was burnt out in the ceiling. He'd have to replace that. No windows were sometimes a pain, but with them, it would be deadly.

Buffy gathered her bag and dropped a folded piece of paper on Angel's desk as she walked out. She flashed him a smile and left with her friends.

Angel smiled back and reached for the note. He started to open it.

"Mr. Giles?" he looked up, startled.

Scott stood there, holding his books in one hand, bag slung over his shoulder. "Yes, sir?"

He answered, a bit rudely. "I was just wondering, if I'd done something really wrong today? I mean, I know I passed notes or whatever, but, that's not really a crime, is it?"

Angel was a little taken aback by his directness. "No, uh, I.....Well, that is to say... No, it's not a crime, and I'm not mad at you. Excuse me if I seem rude, but, I think I was a little unfair to you."

"Could we start on a clean slate?" Scott asked.

Angel had to give the boy props. He was more mature than he seemed. No wonder Buffy liked him. He ignored the jealousy that coursed through his veins. "Yes, I think that would be a good idea."

Scott stuck out his hand, and Angel shook it firmly, maybe even a little too hard. Scott pulled his hand backed in, and rubbed it unconsciously. "Thanx."

Angel shook his head as he left, then turned his attention back to Buffy's note. He unfolded the paper and read it in his mind:

Angel, Mr. Giles, whatever,


Interesting seating assignment, but thanx for being easier on Xander. But PLEASE be nice to Scott. He's just a friend, I swear. Don't go all over protective on me, k? Anyway, I know you have a free when I happen to have Literature. (That's in 6th period.) Think you can get me out of it? We have a test today, and I REALLY didn't study. I was slaying, remember? Just use those little yellow slips, drop it off at the office, and they'll give it to me. Make it out so I go to the library or something. If you do I will be sooooo grateful, I can't even tell you. Plus, I think I need help on that assignment you gave us. I am soooo not good at History. 

Love ya lots, 

Buffy

Angel smiled at the ending. He loved that girl more than he ever thought was possible. He searched his desk for the yellow slips. He wrote her name and class, but paused at the location to go to. She'd said library, but instead, he wrote classroom B - 3. Under teacher, he put Mr. Giles (T). The T was for teacher, instead of L for librarian. He smiled faintly to himself.

Buffy sat impatiently in 6th period before the bell rang. She hoped Angel would send her a pass. Just then, the teacher walked in. Buffy tried to see if she had any yellow slips on her books. She couldn't tell. Buffy held her breath. If she took this test, she'd fail! The teacher set down her books and picked up a yellow slip. She slowly headed down the aisle and stopped in front of Buffy. She handed her the paper and turned back to her desk. Buffy breathed a sigh of relief.

Gathering her things, she glanced at the slip. Expecting to see the library scribbled on it, she saw it was meant for her to go to classroom B-3. That was Angel's room.

Puzzled, but grateful, she wandered through the halls and came to the basement steps. It was darker than usual since no one else was around. She came to his class room and went inside. She didn't see him, so she sat down in the teacher's chair. 

Angel heard the door open from the back room. He'd been shelving a few spare history books. He peered into the main room in time to see Buffy taking a seat at his desk. He watched as she looked around the room, bored.

"Hey," he called gently, walking out. She turned and smiled.

"Thanx for bailing me out. I really would've flunked."

He laughed. "That's why, I'm going to tutor you. Take a seat at your own desk."

He motioned to the one next to his. Buffy took her seat and faced him. He sat down and shuffled some papers. "Now, what is this test on?"

"Umm, everything we've learned so far."

Angel tilted his head to the side. "And what have you learned so far?"

Buffy shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know, that's why I'll fail." Angel rolled his eyes. This was going to be a long day.





Later at The Bronze





Buffy sat around by her friends, Willow was talking with Oz, Xander was glaring at Cordy, and even Amy the witch was there, swirling her malt with her mind.

Angel walked in and looked around. He flashed Buffy a lopsided grin and walked swiftly over to her.

Scott was sitting by himself at a table when he caught site of his substitute teacher. It was awkward to see a school teacher at The Bronze, but what he did next was even more awkward. He watched as Mr. Giles strode to a table, Buffy Summers' table, and planted a kiss on her lips before standing behind her. He then draped his arms over her shoulders. By now, Scott's mouth hung open. 

Buffy was chatting with Angel about the rest of her say when Scott Hope came to the table, staring at Angel. He looked a little pale. He cleared his throat and everyone looked up.

Any smart person in Angel's position would have backed away from Buffy, but he figured he'd been caught anyway. Besides, he didn't mind showing people how much he loved the girl in front of him.

"Hey Scott," Angel called. He sounded casual and calm.

"Uh, hello, Mr. Giles," he replied, still staring at Angel's hands around Buffy's own arms. "Umm, well, this is a little strange."

Amy looked up from her place at the table. She hadn't noticed Angel walking in. Now she did. "Ooookaaay, what's goin' on?"

Buffy sighed. Willow was stunned. Xander smirked, and Cordelia didn't seem to care.

It was Angel who spoke. "I'm here with my girlfriend, what's wrong with that?" 

"Well, you're a teacher. Buffy's a student. That's a problem." Scott pulled up a chair to get more comfortable.

Buffy shook her head. "It's not a problem. Angel just took this job to, um, help through college. It's not a big deal. And he uh, skipped two grades in school so that's why he's so young. I think."

Angel nodded. "I've been dating this girl," he paused to kiss Buffy on the forehead. "For almost 18 months." 

Amy raised an eyebrow. "I didn't know you were dating anyone, Buffy."

Buffy smiled. "Now you do. But, we've been secretive about it, because if my mom ever found out......."

Scott nodded. "I get it. I can keep quiet."

"My mom thinks he's my history tutor, and he's in community college."

Amy smiled. "Wow, cool."

Xander spoke up. "Personally, I think..." He didn't have time to finish. Cordy and Willow both kicked him from under the table. Hard. He shut up.

Oz said, "I think it's very cool. They have a strong relationship."

Scott looked thoughtful. "So, that's why you were mad at me for passing notes to Buffy."

Angel looked down sheepishly. Buffy spoke up, "He gets really jealous."

Xander nodded his head in agreement. "I can relate to that," he muttered, earning another round of kicks.

Cordelia sipped her coke and turned to Scott. "How much trouble did you get in for passing notes?"

Scott smiled. "Some essay, and I had to hand over the note."

Angel looked up. "Forgot the essay, I'm sorry, I was harsh."

"Hey!" Xander exclaimed. "I had to turn in my essay, and all I did was fall out of my chair!"

Angel glared. Xander shut up. Scott looked confused.

"So, uh, Mr. Giles." Angel cut Scott off.

"We're not in school, and I'm...close to your age," Buffy rolled her eyes. "So you can call me Angel outside of the building."

"Angel, that's a nice name. How'd you get it?" Amy asked.

Angel bit his lip. "My grandmother named me. It's actually short for Angelus."

"Yeah, it means 'the one with the angelic face'" Willow offered.

"I like Angel better than Angelus," Buffy said, leaning into his arms.

Everyone nodded in agreement, except for Oz. "I dunno, Angelus is pretty cool."

Amy laughed. "Everyone here, except for me and Scott, have weird names."

"Yeah," Scott replied. "There's Buffy, Cordelia, Willow, Xander, Oz, and Angel or Angelus."

"Hey," Xander said. "My name is short for Alexander which is pretty normal!"

"Yeah, but your middle name is LaVelle!" Buffy exclaimed.

He just glared at her. Another night on the Hellmouth passed.