3rd Person's POV

Finally the field trip is over. Buffy, Willow and Xander sit together in the front row. A boy named Bobby squeezes in. Everyone inhales.

Xander smiles, "So tonight, you guys Bronze-bound?"

Willow sighs, "Didn't you get enough 'crowded and sweaty' at the Zoo?"

Buffy nods agreeing, "Yeah, that Reptile House was definitely working the not-so-fresh motif."

Kyle, Rhonda, Tor, Heidi, and Mick now the "HYENA PEOPLE" enter the bus. Kyle suddenly stops at Bobby, smiling darkly. Buffy and Willow sense trouble. Rhonda lifts Bobby's headphones, startling him.

"Hey, Bobby-- wanna go to the Bronze with us tonight?"

"Really-- me?"

Kyle smiles friendly, "Yeah, get there early and save us the table by the stage."

Bobby frowns, "But that means I'd have to get there by six thir... okay, thanks."

Rhonda lets the headphone snap back on his head as the Hyena People move confidently back to their reserved bus seats. Bobby now bounces his head with a private sense of acceptance.

Buffy grimaces, "Guess Shamu's found a new red rubber ball."

Lance enters the bus. His pants knee torn, limps to the back, hoping to find a seat. As he approaches, the Hyena People variously stretch out their legs or scoot to the aisle side of their seats, blocking Lance from sitting with them.

"Sorry, Lance."

The bus full of students crane their heads to see this. All are privately grateful it's not them receiving the icy cruelty of the So-shes.

"But... before..."

"Lance, look around. There's us- then there's you."

Rhonda pulls out a compact mirror and holds it up to Lance.

She smiles singing, "One of these things, Doesn't belong here..."

Kyle looks in the mirror then points.

"Oh yea-- see? It's the telephone pole with acne."

Tor, Heidi, and Mick burst out laughing at this, as Lance, humiliated, limps away.

Willow looks sadly, "That is so not okay."

Buffy turns back to see Xander snickering along with the Hyena People. She frowns then opens her mouth to say something until Xander looks away distracted.

Laney walks on the bus last once again. For some reason, this time Buffy thought she was a little different. Different energy.

Laney struts down the walkway and stops at Xander's seat. He sits with a smirk on his face as she leans down to his ear. Willow frowns deeply as she watches Laney's hand stroke against Xander's chest. She whispers into his ear and instantly interest sparks in his eyes. Buffy watches in horror and swears she hears a purr.

Standing up straight Laney smirks then looks at Buffy and Willow, "See you tonight."

Xander enters the club and surveys the crowd. Only he walks like a Rock Star-- greets a comely cheerleader with an unctuous kiss.

Buffy watches confused, "Guess now our group's got four."

Xander glides through the dance floor as the Cheerleader watches him go-- confusion and interest now splashed across her face. Xander moves to Buffy and Willow-- something's very different about him.

"I thought you didn't know Suzy Peterson?" Willow glances at him in question.

"I don't... But tonight, I just feel so alive, so confident-- I doubt any woman could deny..."

Then he locks eyes with Buffy. He smiles and moves to her.

"--My animal magnetism."

He leans into Buffy's ear, nibbles it. Willow's shocked.

Buffy pushes him away with a look of shock, "Have you been drinking your cologne?"

The Hyena people enter the Bronze. The crowd parts like the Red Sea as they walk to see the table by the dance floor where Bobby sits alone at an empty table, eating Nachos. He sees them and beams with delight.

"Bobby-- let's play Psychic Hotline. You try to guess why we're talking to you." Rhonda smiles widely.

Bobby frowns, "Cause I got here at 6:30 like you asked, to save the table for us?"

Kyle glares, "Us? You hang with us?"

Rhonda giggles, "Shouldn't you be hovering over a football stadium with a 'GOODYEAR' written on you?"

Bobby, completely deflated, takes his Nachos and quickly retreats.

Rhonda regards the table with contempt, "This tables munches."

Kyle shrugs then nods towards the balcony, "We'll check out the view."

And they desert the hard-won table, toward the stairs.

The gang are in mid-conversation. Xander leans confidentially into Buffy. Places one hand on the wall next to her head.

"...All my high school life, I've stood against the wall, one foot tucked under my butt, silently mouthing 'I love you' to every girl passing me by. But tonight..."

Xander puts his other hand on the other side of Buffy's head. Willow watches this, disbelieving.

"--It's different-- I feel different--"

He leans in a bit closer, "It's like I see better, hear better, smell better... taste better--"

Buffy frowns pushing him away again, "When did you become Peppy Le Pew?"

Suddenly, the Hyena people approach. Crowds part as they near them. Willow's immediately anxious.

"Uh-oh-- here come the winged monkeys."

The background noise of the Bronze fades, it's almost easy to hear the beating hearts of Xander and Buffy, like prey being stalked by a predator. Then the Hyena people lock eyes with Xander and stop. Instead of the trouble as expected, they regard Xander with an almost animal intensity, as if some primal connection is being made.

Then, without a word exchanged, the Hyena People move on through the parting crowd. It's a wicked mood moment, as Buffy and Willow watch their friend, bewildered.

"Uh what just happened?" Willow stutters watching the five walk away.

Xander waves his hand as if saying forget it, "Nothing we had a chat earlier. I handled it."

Buffy looks at him in surprise, "You? Xander... Alexander Harris?"

Xander doesn't answer as his eyes stare straight at the person walking into the club. He moves away from Buffy and crosses his arms over his chest nodding.

"Daddy like."

"Daddy what?" Buffy asks in disgust.

Laney walks in and again the crowd parts. Every guy stares in awe and every girl in hate. She makes her way through the wave of people as a spotlight shines down on her. Her sparkling silver dress hangs off shoulders and falls to show a little bit of cleavage. A silver shiny body chain is revealed along with a long slit going up the side. The dress stops mid thigh and shows off her long legs. Her clear heels click as she makes her way to the squad.

However before she can make it halfway, one guy has the balls to slap her butt. Her smirk wipes away within a second. Without hesitation, she whips around and grabs the guys neck. The guy struggles to breathe as his face reddens.

"Don't ever touch me again."

She lets go making him fall to the ground trying to catch his breath. He looks at her in fear as she smiles widely and creepily.

"Now get out of my sight."

The boy nods fearfully and quickly jumps up. Within a few seconds, he has disappeared out the door. Laney continues to make her way to the table. She walks right past Xander and ignores him, making him oddly enough smirk.

"Hey guys."

Buffy stares at her like she's crazy, "Are you insane? What the hell was that?"

Laney frowns suddenly getting angry, "What the hell do you mean? He slapped my ass, he was lucky I didn't kill him."

Buffy looks bewildered, "Are you okay Laney?"

Laney smiles again, "I'm fine. Better than ever."

Xander leans against the wall with his hands in his pockets as he doesn't try to hide the fact that his eyes roam her entire body.

"I'll say."

Laney glances over, "Oh I didn't even see you there."

"You know you did gorgeous."

Laney smirks, "My my aren't you cheeky."

Xander pushes himself off the wall and grips Laney's waist pulling her close to him. Willow frowns as she watches all space between the two disappear.

"You... me... dance."

Laney's eyes gleam lust as he pulls her to the dance floor. The slow sensual song playing makes it easy for the two to keep contact.

Buffy and Willow rub their eyes, look at each other, then look back at their friends dancing.

"What?"

~JUST FOR FUN~

Laney's Dress and Heels