Dawn scraped the last remnants of the peanut butter on to her toast. Another jar empty. She'd have to remind Buffy they needed more when she saw her. When. Dawn flicked through Seventeen as she nibbled her toast. She hadn't seen Buffy for nearly three days, except to say Hi, Bye or Where've you been? As if Buffy actually cared.
Last year was so different. She couldn't go anywhere without being hassled. Buffy was always watching her, demanding where she was going and who was she with. But Dawn was special then. How things had changed. Nobody even cared if Dawn was even around now.
Dawn shoved her magazine in her backpack, snatched her last piece of toast and ran towards the school bus.
The yellow sardine can was just turning the corner, leaving Dawn to walk alone.
I could just go back home, watch t.v. read, listen to a CD...or go see Spike, she thought.
"Hey Spike! What'ya doin?" Dawn sprawled on the comfiest of Spike's chairs. He was adjusting his leather coat. Dawn thought she should get a her own leather coat from the mall. She could be a cool rock chick, or a Spikegroupie. Hmm. Maybe not.
"Oh, Dawnie! Bad time. See a demon about a kitten. Or three." Spike gave Dawn a wink, and disappeared into the sewers.
Well, she couldn't stay here all day, That leather jacket was feeling very enticing all of a sudden.
*******************************************************
There it was, showcasing GothGirl's window, inviting her in. This would be Dawn's most daring acquisition yet. Better than the make-up, hair slides, silver top, even the jewellery. She could slip the jacket under her coat, remember the tag, and just walk out.
Dawn took a deep breath and walked in.
"Can I help you?" An assistant with several piercings was towering over her on five inch heels.
"Errrr....no.I'm err...just looking."
"Yeah, well, I'm here if you want to try anything on. OK?"
Dawn nodded. Damn. That was the jacket gone for today at least.
Maybe she'd grab a Coke and read.
"Betcha missed the jacket!"
Dawn turned to see a blond girl, her height, with a pale, almost non-descript face. She wore pale pink and was nervously twitching, clearly desperate to talk.
"I don't know what you're talking about!" said Dawn indignantly.
"I'll get you the jacket, that is, if you want it." The girl smiled showing her braces. "Do you want it?"
"Uh-huh," nodded Dawn.
"Wait in the restrooms and I'll meet you there in two minutes. OK?"
"Uh-huh."
Dawn reapplied her lipstick in the restrooms, and waited. The door swung open, and there was the pale girl wearing the jacket over her top and skirt.
"How did you.....?"
"It's easy. No one noticed me."
Dawn took the jacket and tried it on. She looked so cool, like Angel, like Spike, like a real Rock Chick. She loved it more than anything she'd ever owned.
"I'm Janatha."
"Dawn."
"Well, Dawn, you want some fun? Let's get the make-up, hair slides and CD s and we can party."
Janatha linked arms with Dawn and they went off to the shops.
"Are you missing school too?" asked Dawn. She was sure this Janatha was even younger than she was.
"School? I haven't been in like a year. Not since Mom got her new boyfriend. Not since Bethany got a new friend. Not since I ....er... oh look, don't ya just love Christina?"
Janatha held the Christina Aguilera CD, then she just openly put it in her pocket. Dawn couldn't believe how blatantly she was stealing.
"Not really." Dawn was scared. She could really get caught now, but Janatha didn't care.
"D'you want to get us a soda then?"
Dawn nodded and led the way to the restaurants. Janatha settled at a table, and Dawn dumped her backpack. She laid her new jacket over a chair and went to the nearest kiosk.
"Hey, what're you doing here?"
Dawn almost bumped into Willow and Tara, arm in arm, looking their happy glowing selves.
Dawn's head was almost beating itself on the pillar next to her. But no excuse came.
"I had a headache...I missed the bus...I needed to...chill?" They all sounded so lame, Dawn knew Willow knew she was lying.
Willow frowned. "You'll get Buffy into trouble if you don't go to school, you know. She has enough to worry about. Go back this afternoon, hey!"
"Sure."
Willow and Tara were leaving when Tara stopped.
"Hey Dawnie! Who's the other soda for?"
"Janatha."
"Who?"
"The girl over there with my bag." Janatha was gone. "Oh, she must be in the bathroom or something."
"Mind you don't get into trouble, Dawnie."
Willow and Tara set off laughing back in their own conversation. Dawn sat down with Janatha who had reappeared.
"Friends of yours?"
"Kind of. My sister's actually. I kinda hang around with her mostly. They live with us since Buffy er...went away for the err...summer."
"So you just hang around them?"
"I suppose."
"You could hang around with me instead. I do really cool things."
"Like stealing?"
"Like you don't?" Janatha stretched her legs and sipped her Coke. "You're just like me now Dawn. Haven't you realised? They aren't that interested in you. You must know you're being ignored. I can see it. I've known for a while."
"You've been spying on me?"
"Call it keeping an eye on you. We could be really good friends."
Dawn was scared but she didn't dare move.
"One day we'll be best friends. Soon."
End of Chapter One
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