"It's a…thing. To help raise money." Willow tugged on Xander's hand, pulling him toward the counter. "You signed up for it, how can you not know what it is?"

"Um…because I'm me?" He tugged his arm free. "Look, Wills, I'm all for helping the homeless, not that we have any in Sunnydale, but why do I have to bowl to do it?"

"It's not for the homeless, Xander." Willow repressed the sigh with practiced ease. "It's for the families of the people who were killed in the big church fire. You remember that, don't you?"

He nodded. "Okay, Wills. I give. I'll bowl."

Her smile was all the reward he could have asked for. Taking her hand in his, Xander started off toward the counter again. They were almost to the line when Cordelia and her flock of sheep stepped in front of them.

"I can't believe we have to do this." Harmony sighed, scrunching her nose up in distaste. "They let just anybody in." Her quick glance at Xander and Willow told them exactly who she was talking about.

"Well, it's for a good cause, and I figure I should get a start on my charity work. It's big in the best social circles." Cordelia looked around, her eyes not even noticing the two standing behind her. "But, God. The shoes. I mean, can't they at least make them in semi-fashionable colors?"

Xander pulled Willow away from the line, despite her protests. "Xander, what are you doing? We can't bowl in our shoes; we have to have the ones that haven't been outside. It's like a bowling law."

"Relax, we're just getting away from the Stepford Wives. We'll go back in a minute or two. I want to talk to you. About something important."

Her heart raced at his words. Something important? "Oh. Okay." She let him lead her to the room full of all the lockers and sit her down on one of the long benches. No one else was in the room. For a long moment, she was sure her heart was going to burst as his brown eyes searched hers. "What…" she cleared her throat, trying not to sound like an adolescent boy whose voice was cracking. "What is it, Xander?"

"I need to know something that only you can tell me. And I need you to tell me the truth. Will you promise me that you'll do that Willow? No matter what?"

She nodded, trying to catch her breath. "Of course, Xander. I always tell you the truth." Except for that little lie right there.

"Will, I need to know, do you…do you…do you think maybe that…that Donna likes me?"

The breath she had been holding seemed to leave her all at once. "Donna?"

"Donna Moore. You know her, she's in your Health class."

"Right. Donna." She bit her lower lip in an attempt to stop her tears. "Well, I think she's nice and she's smart…"

"So no go, right?" He shrugged, pretending like it didn't matter. "Because I don't attract that kind of girl, right? Well, actually I guess I don't attract any kind of girl, so it doesn't matter. I'm sorry I asked."

"No. No, Xander, you're wrong. I think she does. I think that she likes you, because you're funny and you're smart, even though you pretend not to be. And you're caring and sweet. And you're handsome." Her smile trembled, but she spoke from the heart. "And any girl who didn't like you would have to be blind or stupid. And Donna's not either of those things. So, I'm sure that she'd be thrilled to know you like her."

Xander's smile was worth every heart wrenching moment the words had cost her. "Really, Wills?"

"Would I lie to my best friend?"

"Nah." He pulled her to him and hugged her tightly. "You're the best, Wills. I'm lucky to have you."

She nodded, hoping he wouldn't hear the sadness in her voice. "Thanks Xander."

Willow stood at the counter, surveying the selection of shoes left. The clerk held out a pair. "Last one in your size, miss."

"Thanks." She stepped aside so that Xander could get his, trying not to draw attention to herself as she sniffed the air, inhaling the scent of the air freshener they used on each pair of returned shoes. Something about the smell just made her think strangely…

"Ready, Will?" Xander held up his shoes, his smile breaking her out of her thoughts. Well, sort of out of her thoughts.

The smell of the spray, coupled with Xander's impishly sexy smile caused a warm feeling in her stomach. "Yeah." She followed him down to their lane, watching him walk with undisguised affection. Why couldn't he notice her? Why did he have to notice every girl other than her?

They were in the lane at the farthest end of the building, somewhat secluded from everyone else. Willow sat down and kicked off her outside shoes, watching as Xander did the same. Taking a deep breath, she inhaled the smoke and sweat that seemed to permeate the air before slipping one of the bowling shoes on her foot.

The warm feeling slid south of her stomach. Watching Xander as he wrestled with the shoe, determined not to untie it, sent shivers of excitement up her spine. There was no way she was going to make it through this. Bowling, she was good at, but between the unaccustomed feel of the shoes and the proximity of the boy she loved, her knees were weak and trembly. And her arms couldn't support a pencil, much less a bowling ball.

Cramming his foot in the rest of the way, Xander smiled at Willow. "Shall we bowl, my lady?"

"You…you have to find a ball first." Her heart was pounding and she couldn't help but press her thighs tightly together, as if to trap the tension building between them. A hot flush covered her cheeks as she realized what was happening to her. "Oh no."

"You okay, Wills?"

She nodded rapidly, struggling to control her breathing. She was getting excited. By Xander. And this stupid setting. What kind of strange person was she? Just because some new, soft leather was encasing her foot and the room smelled all sweaty and heated and Xander kept looking at her, well that was no reason whatsoever for her body to start being all tingly and, she glanced down, noticing her body responding to her thoughts, betraying.

"I got you a ball, Willow. You want to try it? It's pretty light." Xander's forehead was crinkled with worry. Willow was not acting like herself all of a sudden. Her face was flushed and she was breathing fast. "You okay? You aren't having a heart attack or anything, are you?" He set the ball on the ground and knelt by her knees. "Willow?"

Clenching her teeth, Willow took a deep breath and forced herself to look at her best friend. Friend. That was the key word. Focus. Think about Donna. He likes Donna. Her heart rate slowed and she managed a weak smile. "Sorry. I'm okay. Really." She tried not to think about his hand on her leg, about the heat burning through the denim of her jeans. "Just…all the smoke and stuff. I'm fine now."

Xander narrowed his eyes, not sure if he believed her. "You sure?"

"Positive, Xander." She smiled and held out her hands. "Let me try the weight of the ball."

He picked it up off the floor and handed it to her, doubt still on his face. She took it and nodded, giving him a huge smile. Mollified, he stood and walked back to the racks, trying to find a bowling ball for himself.

After the first game, they were both giggling uncontrollably. They'd managed to knock down a few pins between them, but more importantly, they'd been having a wonderful time. Xander was about to get up and start the second game when a voice startled them both.

"We're supposed to share the lane with you, is that all right?"

Willow looked up to see Donna Moore and one of her friends standing nearby. She nodded. "Sure. Let me move our stuff."

"I can do it, Wills." Xander set his ball down and quickly gathered his things, dumping them next to Willow's on their side of the lane. "Are you guys doing the money-raising thing too?"

Donna nodded and smiled. "Yeah. Although I'm not a very good bowler. Are you?"

"Sure." Xander stepped forward. "I could help you maybe. Give you a few pointers."

"Won't your…girlfriend mind?" The soft chuckle that accompanied the word girlfriend sent a sharp pain through Willow's heart.

"Willow? Oh, she's not my girlfriend. She's just a pal. Besides, we were finished, weren't we Wills?"

She got off the seat by the scoreboard and nodded. "Yeah. I was just heading home." Sinking onto the bench, she dug her things out from under Xander's and proceeded to untie her bowling shoes. "You guys have fun." Changing her mind, she just grabbed her things and walked away.

Xander smiled in her direction, never even seeing her. He focused his attention on the older girl beside him and began giving her pointers on how to win at bowling.

Carefully balancing the two sodas, Xander started down the stairs to the lane when he heard voices drifting towards him. "It's nice and all that you have a puppy dog, Donna, but the older guys will be here soon and they're going to not be thrilled with Junior hanging around."

"I know, but he's so cute. And the look on Rosenberg's face was priceless. Cordelia was right; the way to hurt that girl is through him. If I didn't think he'd become a leech, I'd kiss him in front of her just to see her crumble."

"I don't know. Willow's always been nice to me. She helped me pass Science."

"That's because she's a geek. And all geeks are good for is being used. You're nice to her when you have to be and normal to her the rest of the time. And she'll forget all about the insults when you're nice to her, since it's such a novelty that anyone actually talks to her."

Xander felt the anger building inside him as he listened, his hands clenching slightly, causing dribbles of soda to run down the sides of the cup.

"I mean, look at Harris. He's supposed to be her best friend and he dumps her the minute a prettier girl, or let's be honest any other girl, comes along."

The anger faded, quickly replaced by shame. Was he no better than these jerks that hurt Willow for sport? Was he no better than the people that he and Willow professed not to like? Had he become his greatest enemy?

He looked around, wondering who else had heard. He saw Willow sitting a ways away, her head buried in a book. He'd forgotten. He'd completely forgotten that his mother was their ride. She couldn't have left without getting in a lot of trouble - and getting him in even more. So she'd been sitting in the bowling alley waiting for him.

There were times when Alexander Harris really hated himself.

Shaking his head, he walked back to the lane where Donna and her friend were now waiting. Their faces showed no sign of guilt or knowledge that he might have overheard their conversation. Good.

"About time, Xander. I was beginning to think you'd forgotten all about me." Donna's smile was sweet. But where Willow smile was a natural sweetness, Donna's was like saccharine.

"I couldn't do that." He smiled back. "If I forgot to come back, how could I give you your drinks?" He held out his hands, as if to give them the cups, then dropped his wrists at the last minute, sending a spray of soda over both girls.

Dropping the cups, he ignored their sputtered cries of indignation. Grabbing his stuff, he started up the stairs and headed for his best friend.

Willow watched everything, trying so hard not to smile as he stood up for her. Everyone thought that he didn't care what happened to her, but she knew better.

And eventually he would too.

He stopped by her table. "Hey."

"Hey." She met his eyes with her own, hoping they were slightly cool instead of shining with happiness like she knew they were. "No more bowling?"

"No." He touched the back of the seat opposite her. "Can I join you?"

Willow nodded and he sat across from her. "You know, I think you were wrong about Donna liking me."

"I don't know. She seemed to like you. Although I don't know that she likes you very much now." Willow nodded to where Donna was starting to storm towards them, anger flashing in her eyes.

"Shall we go?"

Willow nodded, laughing aloud. Grabbing her things, she took Xander's hand and followed him out into the night. They ran for several blocks until they were too exhausted from running and laughing to go much further. Looking down at her feet, Willow cried out. "Xander! We still have on our bowling shoes!"

"Well, you seemed to like them so much," he shrugged. "Want to get ice cream?" He tilted his head in the direction of the parlor not too far away. "We can call my mom from there and get a ride home."

Willow nodded, tightening her grip on Xander's hand as he led the way. The bowling shoes felt good on her feet and she was growing used to the warm feeling in her stomach. Looking at Xander through her lashes, she smiled. It was probably a good thing to get used to, since she was pretty sure it would be around as long as Xander was.