Episode 5 - Double Date
DOUBLE DATE
TEASER
EXT. SUNNYDALE STREET - DAY
It is early morning. The streets are dead. We see a
black van pull up alongside the kerb. We see the back
of the van.
A figure exits the van and opens the back. He pulls
out a whole stack of pamphlets and carries them away,
exiting the frame. We see a loose pamphlet fly out of
the back of the van and we watch it fly down the
street, carried by the wind.
EXT. UC SUNNYDALE/CAMPUS LAWN - DAY
We follow the flying pamphlet as it brushes past the
feet of students walking to and fro. It blows out of
frame and instead, we TRACK Willow and Tara who have
entered the frame, walking to class. They stare at a
few students walking by, already in Halloween
costumes.
WILLOW
(excitedly)
We should do something Halloweeny
tonight.
TARA
What, you mean dress up and stuff?
WILLOW
Yeah. It would be fun. I mean, how
many more years can we do stuff like
this before, you know, people start
looking at us like we're all weird
and Trekky.
TARA
Are you sure there'd even be
costumes left? We're leaving it
kinda late.
WILLOW
Oh I'm sure we'll find something.
Come on! It's fun to dress up, you
know, be someone else for one night?
TARA
You love playing in costumes don't
you?
WILLOW
Well, you could say I've had a lot
of practice. Besides, we didn't do
anything last year and this would be
like our first real Halloween
together.
TARA
Oh I really don't think you'll find
it to be much different from any of
your other Halloweens.
WILLOW
Of course I will. Things are always
new and different when you're
around. I loved our first Christmas
together, our first Thanksgiving,
even our first cold which I gave you
last week, which I'm really sorry
about by the way.
(a beat, then holding
Tara's hand)
Tara, I love our first everythings.
The two smile.
CUT TO:
a shot behind the two as they continue walking to
class. In the foreground, we see the pamphlet,
stationary for a second, but then being blown out of
frame by another gust of wind.
INT. DAWN'S SCHOOL/HALLWAY - DAY
We TRACK the pamphlet as it enters the School, blowing
in from the outside. It settles near the feet of two
girls standing by their lockers.
PAN UP :
to reveal Dawn and her friend Lisa. Lisa is chewing
some gum, waiting, while Dawn is getting some books
out of her locker.
DAWN
I mean, it's like she doesn't even
see me, you know?
LISA
Little sis blind spots? Yeah, I know
the feeling.
DAWN
I'm like this actual person with
arms and legs and stuff and I can
figure things out myself. But she
treats me like I'm her pet or
something.
LISA
Did she at least toilet-train you?
DAWN
I'm serious. She acts like
everything bad that happens is her
problem. She can't see that other
people can actually, you know, help.
Lisa looks into Dawn's locker. We see a whole stack of
books crammed in there.
LISA
Whoa, check out all the books!
Dawn shuts her locker quickly.
LISA
We already have a library here you
know.
DAWN
It's nothing. Just books.. You see,
there's this specific thing that
Buffy does which is like her whole
life. I've just been reading up on
it so that, you know, I can show her
that I can be useful.
LISA
(surprised)
She must be some kinda big sis, for
you to go to all this trouble.
Dawn shrugs her shoulders and looks away.
DAWN
I just want her to see me.
MAN (O.S.)
(to Lisa)
Lisa, lose the gum.
The man walks away. Lisa gives the departing figure a
look then spits out the gum and throws it on the
ground. Dawn smiles.
DAWN
C'mon. We better get to class.
Dawn and Lisa exit. A delivery guy enters the frame.
ANGLE ON : GUM ON THE FLOOR
as the delivery guy steps on it. We TRACK his shoes as
he takes a few more steps before stepping on the
pamphlet. The pamphlet is now stuck on his shoe as he
exits the building.
EXT. OUTSIDE THE MAGIC BOX - DAY
We see a van pull up outside.
ANGLE : DELIVERY GUY'S SHOES
with the pamphlet still stuck to one of his shoes. We
TRACK his footsteps as he enters the shop.
INT. THE MAGIC BOX - DAY.
Very Halloweeny. All sorts of Halloween themed banners
and decorations adorn the shop. Xander is helping out
Anya hang up a banner. Giles goes forward to meet the
delivery guy who is carrying a package.
Giles signs for the package and thanks the delivery
guy. We see Giles head to the training room with the
package and the delivery guy head out the shop. Before
he exits, he notices the pamphlet on his shoe and
scrapes it off with his other foot.
INT. MAGIC BOX TRAINING ROOM - DAY
Buffy is warming up on the floor. Giles enters with
the package.
GILES
(re package)
Here Buffy, this is for you.
BUFFY
Oh Giles. You shouldn't have. And
here I am, with nothing to offer you
in return but my sarcastic wit.
GILES
In that case, feel free not to
reciprocate.
Giles hands the package to Buffy who begins opening it
excitedly. She digs in and takes out a book.
BUFFY
(reading the title,
dissapointed)
The History of Medieval England,
Volume One.
Buffy looks all around the book, inspecting it from
all angles.
BUFFY
(pouty)
Does this do anything else besides
being a really big book?
GILES
I'm afraid not. I thought with you
taking some time off college, it
would be wise for you to keep up
with some reading. We don't want you
falling behind when you do return to
your classes.
BUFFY
(unconvincingly)
Right. When I return.
Buffy puts down the book and continues to limber up. A
beat as Giles watches Buffy warm up.
GILES
Buffy, you should remember that the
slayer is only part of who you are.
I mean, spending all this time
training and dropping college..
BUFFY
No. I understand. There are other
things in life besides slaying. I'm
just putting things on hold for the
moment, at least until we deal with
this new evil. It's all temporary..
Anyway, I've got you to bring me
really big history books in
deceptively exciting packages.
GILES
If you don't think the book was a
good idea..
BUFFY
(taking the book and
holding it to her chest)
No. No. I love it. Thank you. I'll
totally be history gal, every spare
moment I get.
GILES
You bloody well be. Otherwise I'd
have to cancel the remaining volumes
which I've already paid for. There's
no way I'm returning my free mug.
Giles exits the training room.
BUFFY
(calling to Giles)
You'll see. I'll be all m'lord and
m'lady by the end of the week. And -
What? Wait a minute. Volumes?
INT. THE MAGIC BOX - DAY.
Giles walks to the counter. Xander is on a ladder
hanging a banner while Anya looks on.
XANDER
So, Giles. When you signed on to
fight the forces of evil, did ya
ever think that one day you'd find
yourself shamelessly cashing up by
exploiting its very existence?
GILES
I don't necessarily see those two
things as being mutually exclusive.
ANYA
Yes, and if this doesn't work out,
you can make a lateral move into TV
evangelism.
Giles leaves. Xander continues to work on the banner
while Anya looks on. She looks a little worried and is
playing with her engagement ring.
ANYA
So.. do you want do something
tonight.
XANDER
Like what?
ANYA
Oh.. I don't know, we could go out
somewhere and do something romantic.
We haven't done anything like that
for a while.
XANDER
An, it's Halloween.
ANYA
So?
XANDER
So, there's a reason why they don't
sell chocolates in demon-shaped
boxes.
ANYA
That was a joke at my expense,
wasn't it?
XANDER
What? No..
ANYA
I get it. First Willow, now you.
It's so easy to make fun of the ex-
demon.
XANDER
An..
ANYA
Well, I've had enough. Don't think
that this engagement ring is going
to make me go easy on you forever.
XANDER
But..
ANYA
Xander, this is the part where I
storm off but since I'm
contractually obliged to remain at
this counter, would you mind
terribly?
Xander looks befuddled, staring at Anya. Anya looks
away, ignoring him. Xander takes the hint and walks
away.
XANDER
(muttering to himself)
She's been going easy on me?
EXT. OUTSIDE THE MAGIC BOX - DAY
Xander exits the shop. He notices something sticking
to the bottom of his foot. He reaches down and
extracts the pamphlet.
ANGLE : PAMPHLET
There's a strange symbol, consisting primarily of a
star inside a circle. At the bottom it reads 'Your
Invitation for Four to the Halloween Ball, Lockridge
Mansion, 7pm - Dress Formal'
Xander looks at this for a beat, a plan coming to
mind. He puts the invitation in his coat pocket and
starts to walk away.
ANGLE ON : XANDER'S COAT POCKET
as we see the symbol glow eerily through the pocket.
BLACKOUT
END OF TEASER
CONTINUE TO ACT ONE