__Surprise, Surprise__
By Crystal Austin
"Ah, come on, Willow. This'll be fun. I mean, one whole night without boyfriends OR parents!" cried Buffy jubilantly. "But, I must admit that my mom has been acting kinda weird lately. Ah, well. It's probably nothing."
"Yeah. I'll admit, it's nice having an old fashioned sleepover," said Willow.
"Okay, then. Girls, if we're all ready, shall we go?" said Cordelia, at whose house they were staying at that night.
***
"This request on 'Nightlife' is from Margaret to Simon. Simon, she says that she's glad that she finally met the real you, and she wants to spend the rest of her life with you. She hopes that everyone else will accept what you two share. She picked this song because she said it reminded her of how she felt before she found out what you were like inside."
Feels like I've been locked up tight,
For a century of lonely nights,
Waiting for someone to release me.
"What an odd dedication!" said Cordy. "But, I like the song."
You're lickin' your lips and blowin' kisses my way
But that don't mean I'm gonna give it away
Baby, baby, baby (baby, baby, baby)
Oh oo Oh oo Oh
(My body's saying, let's go)
Oh oo Oh oo Oh
(But my heart is saying, no no)
The three girls were in Cordy's Camaro Z 28 on their way up to San Francisco. Cordelia had heard about a new nightclub, and they were going to go check it out.
If you wanna be with me
Baby, there's a price to pay
I'm a genie in a bottle
Ya gotta rub me the right way, honey,
If you wanna be with me
I can make your wish come true
Ya gotta make a big impression
Gotta like what I do
(I'm a genie in a bottle, Baby
Gotta rub me the right way, Honey
I'm a genie in a bottle, Baby
Come, come, come on, and let me out)
The music's fading; the lights down low
Just one more dance, and then we're gonna go
Waiting for someone
Who needs me
Hormones racing at the speed of light
But that don't mean it's gotta be tonight
Baby, baby, baby (baby, baby, baby)
Cordelia turned up the volume, rolled down the windows, and gunned
the motor as they drove down the freeway.
Oh oo Oh oo Oh
(My body's saying, let's go)
Oh oo Oh oo Oh
(But my heart is saying, no, no)
If you wanna be with me
Baby, there's a price to pay
I'm a genie in a bottle
Ya gotta rub me the right way
If you wanna be with me
I can make your wish come true
Just come and set me free baby
And I'll be with you
(I'm a genie in a bottle, Baby
Gotta rub me the right way, Honey
I'm a genie in a bottle, Baby
Come, come, come on and let me out)
Oh oo Oh oo Oh
(My body's saying, let's go)
Oh oo Oh oo Oh
(But my heart is saying, no, no)
***
They drove into the parking lot to the ending strains of the song.
If you wanna be with me
Baby, there's a price to pay
I'm a genie in a bottle
Ya gotta rub me the right way
If you wanna be with me
I can make your wish come true
Ya gotta make a big impression
Gotta like what I do
If you wanna be with me
Baby, there's a price to pay
I'm a genie in a bottle
Ya gotta rub me the right way
If you wanna be with me
I can make your wish come true
Just come and set me free baby
And I'll be with you
(I'm a genie in a bottle, baby
Come, come, come on and let me out.)
They all got out, and walked into the club. They were quite a sight to behold for any of the single guys there, as well as some soon-to-be single guys. They were wearing similar dresses- Cordelia's was royal purple, Willow's was forest green, and Buffy's was cerulean blue. Willow fingered her filagree gold necklace, (given to her by Xander on her Sweet
Sixteen), nervously.
"Relax, Willow. Remember, we're here to flirt. Not ONE word about Xander, Oz, or even Angel tonight. Okay?"
"Of course, Cordy. Now, what is *that* over there?"
'Gee, Buffy. It looks like a delightful specimen of the male sex."
"I agree. And, said hottie is heading this way, and he's looking *right* at you, Willow." Willow blushed self-consciously.
"Hi. My name's Derrick. What's yours?"
"W-Willow."
"Well, Willow, would you like to dance?"
"I-uh-I-uh."
"What she means to say is that she'd love to," said Buffy, letting Derrick steer her friend out onto the dance floor.
***
Cordelia snagged a booth while Buffy went to get something to drink for the three of them. As she walked back to her friend, Cordelia looked at the plate in her hands.
"*What* is *that*?"
"What? This? Oh, it's key lime pie."
Cordelia looked at her other friend out on the dance floor. "She seems to be having a good time, huh, Buffy?"
"She sure is," said Buffy, laughing. She abruptly stopped, mid-laugh. "Ohmigod, Cordy. "Tell me I'm *not* seeing what I *think* I'm seeing!"
"Huh?" said Cordy, turning to look at what Buffy was talking about. "Um, Buffy, I hate to say this-"
"Then don't."
"But that *is* your mom down there, dancing with Giles."
"Ohmigod, ohmigod, ohmigod! I thought she had said she had a meeting tonight."
"She did, Buffy- a date with Giles, apparently," Cordy said, smiling.
"Hey! This isn't funny!" Buffy protested.
Then, a thought occured to her. "Cordy, stay here. I'll be right back."
***
Willow walked back to the table, a big smile on her face. "Ya know, Cordy. I'm really glad you convinced me to come with you guys. Oh, where's Buffy?"
"Right here," she said, with her mom and Watcher in tow.
"Giles!? Mrs. Summers? Hi, how are you?"
"Oh, just fine, Willow," said Joyce, a little nervously.
Buffy and Cordelia moved so that Joyce and Rupert could sit down. As soon as they did, Buffy said, "Now, Mom. I know what *your* middle name is, so, Giles, what's yours?"
"Um, Buffy, where are you going with this?" asked Willow, puzzled.
"You'll see. Oh, and Mom, Margaret is a weird name. Now, Giles?"
"It's Simon."
"So it *was* your dedication we heard on the way up here! Now, why the dedication in the first place, *MOM*?"
"I think I can answer that one, Buffy. Your mother and I are engaged."
"WHAT?! So *that's* why the high weirdness factor?"
"Yes. We've been engaged three months now, and just decided to go out for the night."
"Yeah, well I sure hope that this doesn't mean I have to patrol tonight, does it?"
Giles chuckled. No, you won't have to-"
"Buuuttt?"
"But, you will need to make it up."
"Oh, well, I guess things won't change."
(I'm a genie in a bottle, baby
Come, come, come on and let me out)
* * *