Author: eday69
Rating: NC-17
Feedback: Yep I love it. Please leave feedback on the Class of 99 thread on the Kitten Board.
Distribution: Anyone can have it if they want. Summary: Willow is new in school and in the band, Tara is a cheerleader. Stuff happens.
Disclaimer: Buffy the Vampire Slayer characters are the property of Joss Whedon/Mutant Enemy.
Author's Note: Hi All, I'm back with my latest piece. I haven't been in High school in forever, but I took most of the scenes from my own experiences so it should be half way decent...maybe. I hope you enjoy.

Tara opened the heavy metal doors to the school and was greeted with the smell of pencil shavings and teenagers. She looked around trying to locate her friends, and they didn't disappoint. Planted firmly around the table they had designated as their own since freshman year, sat most of the varsity cheerleading squad. Tara made her way over to the table, thinking they all must look like clones. She supposed that was the point, they were all instructed to wear their uniforms on the first day of school. Buffy, Cordelia and Anya, her three best friends, all sat around the table chatting as she approached.

"Hey Tara!" Buffy greeted when she caught sight of the blond.

"Hey guys." Tara did a small wave, threw her backpack down on the table and sat.

"It's so great being a senior this year, we rule the school." Buffy said and puffed out her chest.

The other girls chuckled. "We've been seniors all of 5 minutes Buff." Cordelia retorted as she checked her make up in her pocket mirror.

"I don't know, I just have a good feeling about this year you know." Buffy tried to explain.

"Uh, I don't know why. I would give anything to not be here." Anya said with a groan. "My first class is Government, I mean seriously, how do they expect me to stay awake in that class?"

Tara glanced at the clock to see how long they had before first bell, then she noticed her. She was walking through the same doors Tara had come in moments before. Her fiery, just below the shoulders, wavy red hair shimmered with gold streaks as the florescent lights hit it just right. She was wearing a tight black t-shirt that said something in white letters Tara couldn't make out. Her jeans were tight too and fit perfectly around her hips. Her flat stomach seemed to peek out slightly between her shirt and jeans. Tara was sure she was new at the school, she would have remembered such a gorgeous woman before. The girl seemed to glance around the lunch room before finding what she was looking for and continued walking. She had turned now and Tara got a wonderful view of her back side, which was perfect in every way. Tara found her eyes following the redhead as the girl sat down 5 tables away and began talking with two guys, seemingly her friends.

"Tara!" Tara was brought out of her stare by Cordelia.

"What?"

"I asked what's your first class?"

"Oh..uh.." Tara grabbed her schedule out of her bag and looked at it. She had long since memorized her class schedule, but being flustered over the goddess that just came in she couldn't remember a single class. "World Lit."

"Eww that sucks, I hate English." Buffy said.

"You hate anything that isn't gym." Anya remarked.

"No it's cool, I got Mr. Anderson again this year, it's actually the only class I'm looking forward to." Tara replied, her eyes seeking out the redhead again. "Do you guys know who the redhead is? I think she's new." She asked pointing out the girl of her dreams.

The three blondes all turned to look where Tara was pointing.

"I don't know some band geek." Cordelia said.

"How do you know?" Tara questioned, miffed that Cordelia had called the girl a geek.

"Um, she's sitting at the band table Tara." Buffy said in her uh-duh voice.

Buffy was right, the girl was planted firmly at the band table. Tara sighed, how could such a beauty be such a geek. Maybe she isn't really in band and just friends of these guys. No probably not the case, she wouldn't know them if she wasn't in band, but maybe... Tara's thoughts were cut short as the first bell rang and students started shuffling around gathering their bags and making their way to their first class. Maybe she'll be in one of my classes. Tara thought as she made her way down the halls.

Tara was disappointed, the redhead hadn't been in any of her classes before lunch. She found Cordelia and Anya waiting at their table at lunch.

"Where's Buffy?" Tara questioned.

"Right here." Buffy said from behind Tara causing her to jump a little.

"Let's go."

The girls made their way across the street to the grocery store.

"This is so cool we get off campus." Buffy remarked as they all slowly walked through the strip mall.

"Buffy we've had off campus since Freshman year." Tara said.

"I know, but now we're seniors now so it's much much cooler." Buffy explained.

"I can't believe we have practice so much, it's cutting into my social time." Cordelia whined.

"Cordy, you know why we have to practice so much, Homecoming is um...coming soon and we have to settle on a sweet routine. After that we won't have to practice as much." Tara said. She was the captain of the cheerleading squad. She actually didn't want the position, but all the girls figured she would be the best. She actually ran against Cordelia and won on popular vote. Tara was always a little shy, but being a cheerleader had helped her come out of her shell a little. While Cordelia had said no hard feelings, Tara ever so often would get the feeling Cordelia was a little jealous that she won. Tara pushed the girls hard, but it was worth it, they were one of the top squads in the 5A division, last year, and this year looked promising.

Each girl grabbed a salad and water, except Buffy who opted for some fried chicken and chips.

"I can't believe you eat that crap." Tara remarked on their way back to campus with their food.

"Hey it's not my fault I have a super quick metabolism." Buffy defended her food choice.

"Even if I did, I wouldn't eat that crap." Tara teased back.

As they walked across the street Tara noticed a flash of red out of the corner of her eye. She looked over and there she was, the redhead from that morning. She was sitting under a tree sipping on an energy drink, surrounded by guys. She recognized the two guys she had seen the redhead with that morning. One of them was Oz, who was in her Physics class, the other was Xander, whom Tara had known since Elementary school. While they went to every school together since they were little, they were never friends, but knew of each other. Two other guys sat with the redhead, Tara recognized them, but didn't know their names. Who wouldn't want to sit around her she is so hot. Tara was lost in her own thoughts and almost ran into Anya who had stopped to find a spot to sit. They chose a spot close to the school, which turned out to be a bad decision, as some guys decided to play Frisbee close by.

"Ugh rude much." Buffy said as she glared at Alex and Evan as the Frisbee flew by her head. The boys didn't notice the evil stares they were getting until the Frisbee flew and landed in Cordelias lap.

"Hey sorry about that." Evan said as he ran over to retrieve the plastic disk. He glanced over at Tara. "Hey."

"Hi Evan." Tara politely replied.

"So...um...would you like to go out sometime?" Evan nervously asked as she ran his fingers through his dark hair.

"No thanks, still gay." Tara replied. He turned to Anya. "How about you?"

"Ew, as if." Anya said with a disgusted look on her face. He turned to the other two blonds and seeing their look he left, getting ribbed by Alex along the way.

"Tare, seriously you are going to need a date for homecoming, you need to start thinking of some eligible chicks to take." Cordelia said.

Tara momentarily thought of her and the redhead going to homecoming together, dancing in each others arms. She shook the thought from her mind. Like that's going to happen, she's probably straight, in band and has a truck load of guys just waiting for her.

"Yeah I don't know, I just haven't found a girl that is right you know. There's no spark, no chemistry."

"Ugh don't remind me of Chemistry, I have that class next." Buffy groaned and leaned back in the grass.

"You don't need love, just go out and get laid." Anya said.

Tara frowned. "I'm not that type of girl Anya, I'm a romantic. I want to sweep a girl off her feet, or have her sweep me. To fall head over heels in love with someone, that's what I want."

"Yeah you're a hopeless romantic if I ever saw one." Buffy said just as the bell was ringing.

Tara was looking forward to the rest of the day, hoping beyond hope the redhead would be in one of her classes. She hoped in vain as the day neared it's end and she hadn't had another glimpse of the redheaded beauty. After her last class Tara ran out to her car and grabbed her stereo. She had made several mix tapes hoping they could decide on one for the routine. The quicker they found a song the quicker they could get the routine nailed. The squad had access to the lunch room after school on Monday, Wednesday and Thursdays. Tara quickly set everything up and started warming up as the rest of the girls started arriving and also warming up.

Being captain was a difficult task. Trying to get 10 girls to shut up and actually practice was a huge problem, but Tara did her best and with the help of Mrs. Flanders the art teacher in charge of the squad, the team finally got down to business. They ended up picking a song, but hardly had time to practice any moves. Cordelia spent the remaining time showing off moves she had picked up at a cheerleader camp her parents sent her to over the summer. Before she knew it, it was 4:30 and practice was over. The girls were dismissed and Tara started packing up her things.

As she packed her things, she noticed music coming from down the hall. It sounded like a piano, it was weird someone would be here this late. She walked down the hallway toward the band room, she had actually never been down that hall much. It held the band room, a closet and the back entrance from the drama department. All of which Tara was not interested in. She recognized the song that was being played, but she had never heard it on a piano. She turned and peeked through the door frame and saw her redhead sitting at the piano playing. The room looked like some sort of back room, with lockers and instruments carelessly thrown about. In the middle sat a piano on wheels the redhead now sat at. The girl seemed to have messed up, she grimaced a bit and stopped playing. When she turned to see Tara she almost fell off her bench.

"Holy crap, you scared me." She said.

"Sorry, I just heard you playing. It was beautiful." Tara said still amazed that song could sound so awesome on the piano.

"Thanks" The redhead said as she looked down, almost embarrassed by the compliment.

"Forty Six and 2 right?" Tara asked.

"Yeah, how'd you know?"

"Tool's one of my favorite bands, I've never heard it on the piano though."

"Yeah I was just messing around. I thought I was the only one here."

"Oh well, I had practice and I heard you playing." Tara continued to stare at the gorgeous redhead. "I like your shirt." She said not wanting to end their conversation.

The girl looked down at the shirt she had on, which said ‘Schrodinger's cat is dead'. "Oh um...thanks. There's more on the back." She said as she turned around on the bench, and moved her hair to the side. Tara noticed her long smooth neck and had and overwhelmingly strong urge to kiss it. She shook the thoughts from her head and read the back of the girls shirt. ‘Schrodinger's cat is not dead'. Tara chuckled.

"That's funny. I'm Tara by the way."

"Willow." The girl said turning back around on the bench. They were too far away for a hand shake so Tara had to imagine what the other girls skin felt like.

"So do you know any other pieces besides Tool?" Tara again said not wanting to end the conversation.

"Oh yeah, see if you can guess this one." Willow said as she started playing. She played a few lines and turned toward Tara and raised an eyebrow.

Tara thought she was going to die at the sultry look Willow gave her. She felt her legs grow weak under her gaze.

"That's easy, Moonlight Sonata."

"Impressive." Willow stated smiling a coy smile. "Try this one." She said and again turned to start playing.

The song was beautiful, but Tara couldn't place it. She wasn't sure she had ever heard it. Willow finished and turned toward her.

"I have no clue." Tara smiled.

"Good, cuz it's one I wrote."

"You wrote that?" Tara asked impressed not for the first time that day.

"Yeah, just messing around one day and it just came out."

"I assume you are in band, since you are here, what do you play?"

"I'm on the drum line, I play the toms."

So it was true, the gorgeous redhead was a band geek. That was something that would never fly in their school. Jocks and band geeks didn't get along. Tara had never ventured outside of her cheerleader friends, and now she was beginning to regret it. It's not that she had any animosity toward people whose interests were in other areas, she just never had reason to get to know them...until now.

"Willow! I didn't realize you were still here." A man said from another door that led into the backroom.

"Sorry Dr. C, I was just playing around."

"No, no problem at all, you are quite a prodigy Willow, but I'm afraid we need to lock up for the night. You and you friend will need to leave."

"Oh I was just leaving." Tara said, startled by the presence of the teacher, she quickly made her way from the band hall. She breathed a sigh of relief when she was back in the lunch room. For some reason she felt really out of place there, it was foreign to her and the way Willow was talking drum line and toms, she had no idea what she was saying. It'll probably never work anyway she's straight.