Oh, mirror in the sky, what is love?
Can the child within my heart rise above?
Can I sail through the changing ocean tides?
Can I handle the seasons of my life?
Well, I've been afraid of changing
'Cause I've built my life around you
But time makes you bolder
Even children get older
And I'm getting older too
~ Fleetwood Mac ~
Chapter 4 - Landslide
"Hey Mom, could we talk for a bit?" Buffy stood at the doorway of the kitchen, leaning against one side of the frame.
Joyce smiled brightly, turning the red portable radio off before taking a seat at the counter. She patted the bar stool next to her. "Sure honey, what's up?"
Buffy bit her lower lip as she joined her mother, taking the other seat. "It's about the Study Abroad Program I was telling you about a couple of weeks ago."
"Oh, Buffy, I already told you that I didn't think it would be a good idea. I really don't like that you'll be far away in some strange foreign country all by yourself." Joyce frowned in disapproval.
"I know you…didn't want me to, but my professor said that this would actually be a very good experience for me since I'm doing so well, so I just kinda…umm…went ahead and submitted my application for a single semester abroad," she said the last part of her sentence with a mild cringe.
She watched her mother's expression range from shock to disappointment to anger in a few seconds and when it looked like she was about to voice her objection, Buffy hastily beat her to it and spoke first, "Mom, I totally know that you think I'm not...mature or responsible enough, but I've been doing well ever since we moved here, don't you think? No more starting fires, no more inappropriate boyfriends, and best of all, no more hanging out with badass girls who could totally beat up grown men.
"And I'm not even staying at the dorms, so you know, no worrying about evil influences from roommates or…or dorm mates rather, and even my GPA is within a healthy range, so really, I'm like a perfect model college student!" Before her mother could interrupt, Buffy gulped in a deep breath and gushed on.
"There are only a handful of students that will get picked for the program, so this will be definitely be good for me if I get lucky enough to even be selected, you know? I mean, I love you tons mom, but I hope you can understand that this is something I need to do for myself." She ended her speech with a pout and pleading puppy dog eyes at her mother.
Joyce sighed, wondering if maybe her daughter was right and she was being just a little bit of an overbearing mother. She knew Buffy had made great efforts to turn her life around, but she still couldn't help the nagging apprehension at the back of her mind. "I…I really don't know, Buffy…You'll be so far away from us and if anything happened to you, how…"
Just then, Dawn bounded in from the front door, skipping and humming, practically floating into the kitchen. Mother and older daughter turned their heads to stare at her in surprise.
"Hellooooo my dearest family," she greeted in a sing-song voice, dancing and spinning about in the kitchen.
"Well, hello to you too, pumpkin." Joyce smiled; glad to see at least one of her daughters in a good mood.
Buffy folded her arms and raised an amused eyebrow. "So I take it that it's been a good first week so far, huh?"
"Yeah, I'd definitely say so." Dawn grinned, grabbing the orange juice carton and pouring herself a big glass at the kitchen island facing her mom and sister.
"It wouldn't be because of the interesting classes now, would it?"
Joyce frowned but remained silent, curious as to what Buffy was trying to get at. Dawn moved in slow motion, taking her time to put the carton back in the fridge, her back against the older Summers women who were still watching her.
"I know he seems nice and all, but you really shouldn't hang out with Parker, Dawnie."
Dawn spun around before her sister even finished her sentence and shot daggers at her from across the kitchen island.
"It's none of your business, Buffy, and just because you can't seem to control yourself around other people, doesn't mean I'm that way too. Besides, it's not as if we're dating, we're just friends."
"Right, that's opposed to you being able to control yourself around nice and shiny pretty things in a store."
"Shut the hell up. You know I don't do that anymore. It was just a stupid phase!"
"Girls," Joyce warned. "Let's not do this. Buffy, I'm sure Dawn isn't dating this boy she's just met, and she understands the rules perfectly well enough to know better."
Buffy rolled her eyes, she knew Parker better than the rules. Ignoring her mother, she continued questioning Dawn, "But he's asked you out by now, hasn't he? And you've probably already said yes."
Dawn bit her lower lip but continued glowering at her older sister.
"Dawn," Joyce started gently, attempting to keep the peace while still finding out the truth. "Has he asked you out on a date?"
"Yes. But I told him I'd think about it, that's all!" She spat in clipped tones, barely containing her rage towards Buffy, with her jaw clenched angrily. She could've told one little white lie to her mother so she could go out on her first college date, but the plan was magnificently ruined now thanks to her older sister's meddlesome interference. She couldn't understand why Buffy had to ruin her life all the time just because she was having a hard time handling hers and miserably wondered what she'd done in her past life to deserve such a freak for a sister.
Joyce understood that Buffy was just trying to protect Dawn, but unfortunately, her youngest was at that precarious age between adolescence and adulthood where she thought she was mature enough to make her own decisions and judgments, and that no one else would know better.
Buffy started to say something about Parker and before long, both sisters were arguing loudly in the small kitchen. The mother of two sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose. She knew she had to put a lid on it before the drama between her daughters got out of hand.
The eldest Summers smiled as an idea started to form in her head, a resolution that would solve the problem with both her girls, at least temporarily. "Alright, the two of you," she called out firmly, "that's enough!"
Her daughters, who were both yelling at the same time, stopped in mid-sentence and turned their heads warily towards their mother.
"Okay, as much as I hate to admit this, the both of you are entering into the age of adulthood, and so this no-dating rule may not necessarily work now as well as I thought it would."
Dawn started to smile in hope, while Buffy's jaw dropped slightly in disbelief.
"So we're going to have a new rule in this home. One that I feel is probably fair enough for the both of you." She looked back and forth between her two offspring, her darling girls who were growing up much too fast for her liking.
"Great, let's hear it then." Dawn folded her arms, giving a smug look at Buffy before turning back to her mother.
"Well, instead of enforcing the no-dating policy, I think it's about time I become more…open-minded, shall we say? So with that in mind, I think it's only fair that Dawn can start dating…"
"Yes!" Dawn squealed. "What? No freaking way!" Buffy exclaimed. Both sisters expressed at the same time.
"Hold on, I'm not done yet. As I was saying, Dawn can only date…when Buffy starts dating as well."
There was a moment of silence, before Buffy's face broke into a wide grin. "Oh mom, you're an evil genius." She chuckled.
Joyce gave the slightest hint of a smile to her eldest. She knew Buffy well enough to know that since she was planning on going overseas to do her Study Abroad Program, the chances of her getting into a relationship at this point was highly unlikely.
All eyes turned to Dawn who wore a deadpan expression at this new rule. "Are you people kidding me? Why does everything, including what I want to do, have to be about Buffy? Urgh, this is so...idiotic and unfair!" The youngest Summers stomped out of the kitchen and went to her room, muttering furiously under her breath.
When they heard the bedroom door slam shut, Buffy smiled and shrugged, "So…looks like my chances of going for that program are pretty good now, huh?"
Joyce sighed but admitted to Buffy, "It was a tough call but yours was the lesser of two evils, I suppose."
Buffy raised her eyebrows and rolled her eyes, "Hey, as far as I'm concerned, you made the right choice, mom. I mean, at least my hormones weren't on parade."
While Oz and the rest of the band were busy preparing for their performance later, Willow got a table by a more private corner that was away from the crowds but still gave a good view of the stage. She was sipping on her rum and coke when she spotted Xander looking around. The red head waved at him when he turned towards her and he smiled in relief before walking over to her table.
"So, you decided to join us after all, huh?" She grinned knowingly, her green eyes twinkling with glee.
"Oz told you about the…umm….my...uh..." Xander ducked his head in mild embarrassment, one hand running through his hair before he tucked it into his jeans pocket.
"Your rather huge crush on Dawn?"
"Well, it's not that huge." Xander insisted while taking the seat next to her.
Willow raised a single eyebrow at him that read, seriously?
"Okay, fine," he admitted. "It's quite a major crush, but it's no biggie, really. I'm so used to crushing on a girl and then getting royally rejected by said girl that it doesn't really hurt my feelings much anymore. So y'know, it's fine, really."
"Geez, pathetic much?" Willow frowned and shook her head in a mixture of pity and disapproval.
"Hey!" Xander held up his palms in defense, "I know I said it doesn't really hurt my feelings much, but it doesn't mean that it doesn't hurt at all!"
Willow rolled her eyes. "What I mean is that I'm sure you're a total babe magnet, Xander. You shouldn't beat yourself up about it too much. You just need to learn how to be more confident and not to say the wrong things to a girl that you're trying to impress."
Xander snorted, "Yeah, see, that's the part I'm having trouble with."
"Well, don't worry too much about it buddy, I'll help you." She winked conspiratorially. "Buffy and Dawn will be here soon and I'll introduce you to them. Just leave the first part of it to me and you'll be golden."
A small smile escaped Xander and he nodded in gratitude. "Thanks, Willow."
Before Willow had a chance to say more, someone yelled her name from afar. They looked up to see the two sisters coming towards them.
Buffy was dressed in a cute little blue-gray strapless dress with a pair of silver ankle strap stilettos, while Dawn wore a black halter tank top with a red leather skirt that ended just above the knees and completed the look with a pair of black knee length boots. Xander was amazed at how different these two looked from each other now that they were walking side by side. He could see that at least from the outside, they were extreme polar opposites in almost every way.
Aside from outfit choices, Buffy was tan and petite in built. Her wavy blonde hair that fell just past her shoulders practically bounced with every step she took. And while her look seemed to be the epitome of a typical Cali girl, her younger sister couldn't have been furtherer from that identity.
If Buffy was the sun, then Dawn would be the moon. Her skin was fair to the point of being milky white and she was much taller despite being the younger of the two. Her straight brown hair was styled to one side, letting it fall over her left shoulder, flowing in a thick panel that ended just past her waist, Xander thought her look was reminiscent of an innocent, yet enigmatic femme fatale.
"Dawnie! Buffy!" Willow got up from her seat and hugged the girls excitedly. "Thanks for coming, my favorite singles ladies!"
"We wouldn't miss this for the world, Willow!" Dawn beamed, returning the hug. Her eyes glanced over at Xander and she bestowed a brief smile on him.
Xander grinned back and tried hard not to let the absolute happiness show too much on his face.