Ch. 8

Dawn ran off to class while Buffy began to fill out forms.

"Wow." Buffy's eyes widened at the amount of paperwork to be done. "There's at least a half an inch of papers.

"I know," Mrs. Daravich said sympathetically. "It's just so that we can better administer to Dawn's needs."

"Okay," Buffy said, pulling the first form to her. She bagan to fill them out as Mrs. Daravich began to ask questions.

"So, Miss Summers-"

"Oh, god, please; it's Buffy. Miss Summers is so...."

"I get it. You have a lovely, charming daughter, Buffy."

Buffy inhaled quickly and choked on the gum she'd been chewing. "No, Dawn's not my.... I mean, she's my-" Buffy placed a hand on her chest and cleared her throat. "We're sisters. Our mom died a few years back and my dad's.... not around."

"Oh, I'm so sorry. I thought you seemed young for a mother." Mrs. Daravich apologized about five more times before she said, "If you'll let me know a bit about Dawn academically, then I can begin to schedule classes for her. Would she do well in honors courses?"

"Maybe history. Not English or math."

"What type of math was she taking last?"

"Algebra, I think."

"One or two?"

"Oh, she'll only want one math class."

"No, no- algebra one or two?"

"Um- two."

"What language?"

Buffy hesitated. Frowning, she didn't know if the woman was joking. "We speak English."

"What class- you know, Spanish, French, Latin...."

"Oh, right- she's been through two years of French. Sorry, we've been a little off lately- it's a thing."

"That's all right, Buffy. All I need to know now is what science she last completed."

"Chemistry, but only barely."

"Would Dawn be happier in physics or Marine Biology?"

"Marine Bio, probably." Buffy had finished half the papers by this point- most had been signing and not much else. She flipped the page and began reading through a student insurance form. Laughing to herself, she signed up for it without hesitation: with trouble following Buffy the way it always seemed to, she'd need all the insurance- and assurance- she could get.