Two young adults break into Sunnydale High at night. One of them is startled by a noise, but it turns out she's a vampire and kills her date.

Buffy is having a nightmare. She's experiencing visions of demons and vampires. Her mother calls her to get ready for her first day of school. Joyce drops her off at school, giving her less than enthusiastic advice.

Xander skateboards and crashes after spotting Buffy. Willow helps him and he begs her to help him with his math homework. Xander, Willow and their friend Jesse are excited about a new girl coming to their school.

Buffy visits Principal Flutie and he rips up her student file. After seeing her file that she burned down her gym, he begins to tape it back up.

Buffy bumps into Xander in the hallway. He helps her pick up her stuff and he finds her wooden stake.

Cordelia gives Buffy a coolness test to see if she can hang with her. Buffy passes, but Cordelia taunts Willow in the hallway instead. Cordelia invites Buffy to come to the popular club, the Bronze.

Buffy heads to the library to pick up her books and she meets Giles. He instead gives her a book about vampires. She doesn't want it and she leaves the library in a hurry.

A body is discovered in a girls' locker room.

Buffy seeks out Willow to be friendly and ask for help about school work. Willow is happy to tutor and hang with her. Jesse and Xander introduce themselves again to the new girl. Cordelia arrives to gossip about the dead body. Buffy investigates and finds his neck bitten.

Buffy runs to the library to tell Giles about the dead body. She's tired of fighting vampires and wants to give up the life since it cost her so much. Giles, on the other hand, reiterates her calling to fight evil. She is reluctant and walks away. Xander overhears their conversation from the book stacks.

Meanwhile underground in a temple, vampires are gathering and praying over a blood pool.

Buffy gets ready to go to the Bronze. Joyce is positive that things will work out for her and Buffy in the new town.

Angel surprises her and warns of an impending evil. He gives her a box containing a silver cross necklace.

The Bronze is the place to be as Buffy bumps into Willow at the bar. She reveals that she used to date Xander as a kid, but she doesn't date much. Buffy encourages Willow to try new things and not be afraid. She spots Giles in the bar and they chat about her destiny once again.

Jesse fails in his attempts to hit on Cordelia.

Giles challenges Buffy to search for a vampire in the Bronze. She spots someone, but worries once she realizes the vampire is talking to Willow. The man leads her to the back of the club. Buffy nearly stakes Cordelia by accident.

Jesse is hitting on Darla, the vampire girl from earlier in the episode.

The Master rises from the blood pool. Luke, his faithful servant, reveals the current date; the Master has been trapped in the crypt for many decades. He needs to feed.

The mysterious man leads Willow through the graveyard.

Xander confronts Buffy about being the Slayer. She needs his help to find Willow and save her.

The man leads Willow to a crypt. Darla arrives soon after and brings Jesse, he's been bit. Buffy arrives in time to stop the vampires from killing her friends. She stakes the male vampire and he dusts. The others run away in fear.

Darla and Buffy fight. Before Buffy attacks again, Luke arrives and fights Buffy. She's unable to stop him as he knocks her into a tomb. While Darla nears on Willow, Xander and Jesse, Luke moves in to bite Buffy.