Sister, Sister (Book Five, BTVS)

chapter 2 - Real Me

I was wearing a tank-top and yoga pants, leaning over a short pedestal with both of my hands on it. 

Giles paced in front of me. "There is nothing but you. You are the center. And within you, there is the core of your being. Of what you are. Find it. Breathe into it. Focus inward. Let the world fall away... fall away... fall away."

I opened my eyes, leaning forward, going into a handstand, balancing on my hands on the pedestal.

The pedestal was about two feet high, and four inches square.

There was a table with crystals. A large flat crystal with three smaller crystals standing on end atop it.

I closed my eyes, beginning to remove one hand from the pedestal, bringing the one arm out parallel to the floor, so I was balancing on the other hand.

Giles circled around me, watching.

Dawn knocked over the crystals on the table, breaking the concentration.

I fell to the floor, gasping.

Giles stepped closer in alarm, seeing I was okay, looking at Dawn, pulling off his glasses in annoyance.

Dawn looked down on me. "Can we go now?"

I looked up in annoyance.

      •••••  

At home, I opened the fridge, taking out a carton of milk, sniffing at it, putting it on the counter.

Mom was drinking coffee.

Dawn opened a cabinet to get out a box of cereal.

I picked up a banana from a bowl of fruit, turning away, walking toward the cabinet, grabbing a bowl.

Mom and Dawn walked toward the counter.

Mom poured milk into her coffee cup.

Dawn opened the cereal box, sitting down.

Mom walked toward the cabinet.

I walked closer with a bowl, placing on the counter, moving the milk carton aside, picking up the banana again, turning away, peeling it, grabbing a knife from the kitchen drawer, turning back to the counter, preparing to cut the banana into the bowl, but finding the bowl missing. I looked around, seeing it sitting at Dawn's spot full of cereal, annoyed.

Dawn stood next to me with a spoon, smiling innocently.

I turned away to get another bowl.

Dawn picked up the carton of milk, pouring it into her bowl, sitting down to eat.

I returned with another bowl, reaching across Dawn for the cereal box, pouring it into her bowl, picking up the milk carton, finding it empty.

Dawn continued eating, pretending not to notice.

I gave Dawn a look.

"So, Zoey, what are your plans today?" Mom asked.

I turned to Mom. "Oh, actually, Buffy and I are gonna meet Giles at the Magic Box for supplies for our new and improved training sessions."

"Oh, that's great," Mom told me.

I walked past Mom toward the fridge. "Oh, yeah, I'm actually--"

"You can take Dawn shopping for back-to-school supplies," Mom told me.

Dawn put down her spoon, turning to Mom, preparing to argue.

I looked at Mom. "What?"

"Mom, I--I thought you were taking me," Dawn told her.