Changing Lives by Mabel Marsters

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Chapter 24

Monday morning and Spike had barely slept. He was dreading the day as he didn’t know what Angel and Davey would do. Would they ignore him? Beat him up? He was glad he was having a ride in with Rupert. He followed him to the library when he got out of the car.

“You don’t need to wait here with me until start of class,” said Rupert.

“I know,” replied Spike, “but is it okay if I do?”

“Yes it is, Spike.” He put a hand on his nephew’s shoulder. “You’ll be all right.”

“Yeah.”

Spike started as he heard the bell. He picked up his knapsack and made his way to his history class with a sigh. As he stepped into the room it fell silent for a second or two before everyone started whispering and staring.

“Okay, so it was too much to hope that no one would know,” thought Spike, striding quickly to his seat at the back.

By the end of the lesson everyone was whispering about him again but for a different reason. He’d decided the best way to keep from thinking about everything too much without having a drink was to throw himself into the lesson. Even Mrs. Bernstein was shocked, especially since he seemed to know more about the subject than she did.

As he made his way to the library at lunchtime Angel and Davey blocked his path.

“Hi, Spike,” said Angel.

“Angel,” nodded Spike.

“Sorry about Friday.”

“Yeah, I bet,” replied Spike.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” asked Angel, stepping closer to him.

“Yer know exactly wot I mean,” said Spike. He sidestepped him and hurried past, heart in his mouth.

“Not my fault you’re a drunk and a thief!” shouted Angel after him before he and Davey walked off laughing.

Spike crashed through the doors to the library, shut them behind him and closed his eyes as he leant his back against them in relief.

* “That didn’t go too badly, Spike, still got all yer fingers and toes.” *

He opened his eyes to see Buffy, Willow, Oz and Xander staring at him.

* “Oh crap.” *

He stood there for a moment like a rabbit caught in a car’s headlights before putting his head down and going into Rupert’s small office.

“Hello, Spike, how did the morning go?” asked Rupert.

Spike didn’t answer - just sat down with a thump in the spare chair.

“As good as that?” he added.

Spike nodded.

“Why don’t you go and sit in the main library for your lunch? It’s a bit cramped in here.”

“Do I ‘ave to?” croaked Spike.

Rupert looked at him; he certainly looked stressed out.

“No, stay here if you prefer.”

“Thanks,” said Spike, pulling out his lunch. He opened a can of Coke and took a couple of sips. Rupert had insisted he only brought cans of soda to school so that he’d be sure Spike wasn’t adding alcohol to them.

Oooooo

The four friends all looked at each other after Spike had bolted past them.

“Didn’t look very happy,” said Xander, stating the obvious.

“It’s only because he got caught,” said Buffy, “He was perfectly happy on Friday.”

“Pretty harsh, Buffy,” said Willow mildly.

“It’s honest is what it is,” snapped Buffy, “Something Spike Norman doesn’t know about obviously. He told me in Mom’s gallery on Saturday that’s it’s not the first time he’s been in trouble with the police. He just looked me in the eye and told me,” she added, not quite getting her facts straight.

“Oh.” said Willow.

“Come on, let’s go get some lunch,” said Xander.

All, apart from Oz, got up.

“I’ll catch you guys later, just need to check something out,” said Oz.

“Do you want me to stay with?” asked Willow.

“No, it’s okay, won’t take long.”

“Okay,” said Willow and she followed Xander and Buffy out.

Oz quietly walked to the bookshelves at the back of the library, taking his bag with him.

Ooooooo

Spike heard Buffy and the others leave, and relaxed a little. Her shrill voice had carried to him and her words had stung. He took his iPod out of his bag, put the earphones in and turned it on.

“Can you go and sit in the main room if you’re listening to that, please? I hate hearing the bass coming through the headphones,” said Rupert.

“Wot?” said Spike, pulling one earphone out.

Rupert pointed to the other room.

“Okay,” said Spike. He picked up his bag and sat at the table vacated by Buffy and co., put his feet up on a chair, turned the volume up and closed his eyes, losing himself in the music.

He felt someone tap his feet. He quickly pulled them off the chair and opened his eyes expecting to see Rupert, but to his surprise it was Oz.

“Um, hi,” he said, looking up at the short stocky boy.

“You’ve got a good voice,” said Oz with a smile.

“Wot?” said Spike in confusion.

“You can sing,” said Oz, sitting down.

“Shit! I was singing?” exclaimed Spike, looking around to see if anyone else had heard.

“Yeah, you were. It’s okay, there’s only me here and Mr. Giles, of course.”

“Er, yer ‘air’s brown,” said Spike stupidly, “It was red the other week.” he added lamely.

“Yeah, it changes,” said Oz ,“Bit like yours, you letting yours grow out?” He pointed to Spike’s hair.

“Dunno, ‘aven’t decided yet,” said Spike, self consciously running a hand through his hair which was showing about a half inch of brown roots.

“Did you sing in England?” asked Oz.

“No, well, only once,” replied Spike, “It was at a Karaoke night, my mate and …er William spiked my drink with vodka before I had the nerve to get up hence the nickname.”

“But you’re good, better than Devon,” said Oz earnestly.

“Oh no.” said Spike, sitting up straighter suddenly realising where the conversation was heading, “No, I’m not interested in doing it again. Yer ‘eard about the weekend yeah?” Oz nodded. “Well I was….er…drinking a bit and well now I’m not and no way could I do that sober, mate, no way.”

“How about just practising?” said Oz, “Me and Devon can’t even stay in the same room at the moment, it’s boring just playing my guitar on my own.”

“Oh, I dunno,” said Spike, “I’m under ‘ouse arrest until I’m about sixty.”

“I could come to your place,” said Oz.

“Maybe…I’ll ‘ave to ask Rupert, okay?” said Spike doubtfully.

“You’ll be here tomorrow lunchtime?” asked Oz.

“I think I’ll be in ‘ere ‘til I graduate, mate,” sighed Spike.

“Okay,” said Oz, “I’ll see you tomorrow then.” He stood up and turned to leave.

“Oz?” said Spike.

“Yeah,” replied Oz, looking back.

“Don’t take this the wrong way but why are yer botherin’ with me?” said Spike.

“Huh?”

“Call me paranoid but no one speaks to me then Angel does and the git sets me up right and proper. Now you pop up from nowhere wanting to be my buddy,” said Spike bitterly.

“What do you mean Angel set you up?” asked Oz sitting back down.

“Long story.”

Oz looked at his watch, “Longer than thirty minutes?”

“No, not that long,” replied Spike and he told him all about what had happened.

“God, that’s so mean of him, but pretty typical Angel,” said Oz when Spike had finished telling him.

“Yeah but if I ‘adn't been drinking so much maybe I’d’ve seen through it, so it’s my fault the whole school thinks I’m a thief and a bleedin’ alcoholic.”

“Not the whole school. I don’t think you are so that’s the school minus one,” said Oz with a grin.

“That makes all the difference,” said Spike, starting to laugh with him.

The bell went for class and the two boys got up and walked out of the library.

“Oh, in answer to your question, I felt bad that I didn’t make more of an effort after seeing you the day of William’s memorial, or rather any effort at all. If I had maybe Angel wouldn’t have gotten his clutches into you,” said Oz, “listening to Buffy saying it served you right….”

“Yeah, I ‘eard ‘er,” interrupted Spike.

“…just got me thinking, and then when I heard you singing I had to come to talk to you,” continued Oz.

“Still not singing on stage but nice speech,” said Spike, “I’ll see what Rupert says about you coming over but I’m not sure whether being grounded means I can see anybody or not. He wants me to try ‘arder with my schoolwork too, which is fair enough.”

“Sure, we’ll see what he says. I’ll see you tomorrow at lunchtime.”

“Okay,” said Spike, “Thanks, Oz.”

“What for?”

“Believing me, I guess,” replied Spike and he headed off for English class feeling a bit happier.

His happiness lasted until he walked into the classroom. He was one of the last to arrive and had to squeeze past the desks to his seat. As he passed Buffy he accidentally knocked her schoolbag from where it was hanging on the back of the chair, its contents spilling to the floor. He bent down and started to pick up her belongings. When he saw her purse he picked it up but she snatched it from him, checking inside.

“I’ll have that, thank you,” she snapped, picking up her other things as fast as she could.

“I ‘aven’t touched it,” said Spike defensively when he saw her look inside it, “Was just ‘elpin’ pick it up for yer.”

“Yeah right,” said Buffy.

“Here,” he retorted, “Don’t forget this.” He held up a pen, “God knows I’ll be selling it to pay for my drinking if yer don’t take it back. Sod yer!” he threw it on her desk, stomped off and sat down.

His intentions of working harder in class failed miserably that afternoon; he spent most of the lesson looking out of the window. His attention was brought back into focus when a student came in and said that James Norman had to go to Principal Snyder’s office.

* “Christ, wot now?” *he flushed as he walked out of the classroom as once again his classmates’ eyes followed his progress.

He knocked on Snyder’s door.

“Enter.”

Spike walked in. He towered over the little bald man, but like most small men, Snyder was aggressive.

“Sit,” he snarled.

Spike did.

“I’ve just been talking to Mr. Giles; he’s told me all about your incident on Friday evening and about your drinking problem and I’m very disappointed in you, James.”

Snyder stood over Spike as he sat; it was the only way he could get to look down at the students.

“This is not the behaviour I want at Sunnydale High nor what I expected from William Pratt’s cousin.”

Spike said nothing.

“I’ve been looking at your class work,” continued Snyder.

“Uh oh,” thought Spike.

“…and to say it’s diabolical wouldn’t be an exaggeration, so I’ve discussed this with Mr. Giles and you are to have extra tutoring twice a week until your grade average improves by two points.”

“But I’ve already promised Rupert I’ll work harder,” said Spike.

“Did I ask you to speak?” said Snyder, leaning in closely to Spike’s face.

“No sir.”

“That is correct. You will be tutored in the library after school on Tuesdays and Thursdays.”

“God, I may as well move in there,” thought Spike dispiritedly.

“Be assured that I shall be watching you very closely and if you step out of line in this school by so much as an inch you won’t be graduating at all. The guidance counsellor will see you tomorrow morning. Our sympathy for the circumstances that brought you here will not excuse you from punishment should you fail to keep to these conditions. Understood, Mr. Norman?”

“Yes sir,” said Spike.

“Get back to class,” ordered Snyder.

Spike got up and walked slowly back to class praying that the bell for end of school would sound before he got back. For once his prayers were answered and he went outside and leant against Rupert’s car waiting for his lift home. He’d never been in more need of a drink.

Oooooo

“Tough day, huh?” asked Rupert as the pair got into the car.

“Yer could say that,” sighed Spike.

“Snyder pounced on you, I suppose?”

Spike nodded.

“Sorry about that. I had to tell him as it was all over the school anyway but I thought he’d just let me deal with it.”

“It’s okay, Rupert, I deserve it I reckon. I won’t cause you any more trouble.”

“I heard you talking to Daniel,” said Rupert.

“Daniel? Oh, Oz?” said Spike, remembering Oz’s name was Daniel Osborne.

“Yes, he seemed friendly.”

“Yeah, Oz’s okay.”

“Did I hear him say he would like to come round to the apartment?”

“Yeah, but I didn’t say he could. I told him I ‘ad to ask you first,” said Spike quickly, not wanting any more hassle that day.

“I know, Spike. It’s okay. I was just going to say it’s alright for him to come over if you want him to.”

“Oh great, thanks,” said Spike.

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