The Double Dating Disaster
Chapter 1: Show Time!
Lady Nakosha

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Author's Note: Another revised version of one of my long, forgotten stories. I hope that you enjoy it!

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"Exactly, what are you doing?"

Serena snapped her head up in shock as a guilty expression crept over her features. "If you must know, I'm looking at a bag."

Darien's brows rose in disbelief. "An empty bag?"

"…Err…maybe…"

"Yeah right." Lighting-fast, Darien grabbed the bag from behind her and peered inside at the contents. "What is this stuff?"

"I told you it was nothing. Girl stuff," Serena admitted weakly as she snatched it back and hugged it protectively to her chest. "Besides, what are you doing? Spying on me, I bet, you stalker!"

Serena smiled sweetly as Darien's cheeks heated up. "I was just—who are you to ask when you…well, in any case, I was not spying on you. I mean if I had been—that's just ridiculous. Obviously, I have better things to do than spy on you."

Usagi sniffed. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"It just means that since you're my girlfriend"—at Serena's look, he quickly amended—"my GIRL friend, you know—"

Serena was enjoying herself too much to help him along. "Your girlfriend? It's honestly okay that you want to date me. Or go on a date with me. I'm sure it won't affect our friendship."

Darien sighed. "No, I don't want to date you, you're just my girlfrien—friend that's a girl—"

"You don't think that I'm attractive enough to date?" Serena asked, feigning horror.

Darien hadn't caught onto her sarcasm. "You're—who wouldn't want… I mean you're know…"

"You think I'm fat!" Serena inwardly smiled, if he wasn't such an idiot sometimes, he would realize that I'm only kidding…

"Serena, I don't think you're fat. Besides, how is that relevant to anything?"

Usagi's eyes gleamed. "Oh, it's relevant."

"Why don't you just buy me some pizza?" Serena asked, satisfied.

"Sure. Okay. I'm buying." Darien agreed quickly, jumping at the chance to terminate their awkward conversation.

Serena smiled brightly. "Alright. It's a date!"

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"Honestly. I can't believe we—no—I—buy an entire pizza and you—oh, you—"

"—Don't even! I already told you, I was really—"

"—That stupid thing cost me, like, twenty dollars—"

"—Ha! You big baby, more like seven dollars—"

"—I buy pizza for both of us and YOU eat ALL of it!" Darien snapped incredulously as he unlocked the car door and slid inside. Serena pulled her own door open and slammed it closed. "You may not be fat, but you're definitely a pig!" Darien exclaimed.

"I did not eat that whole pizza on my own," Serena scoffed.

"Right and it just disappeared?" Darien deadpanned.

Serena sarcastically batted her eyelashes flirtatiously. In a mock-breathless voice, she murmured, "It's possible, darling."

Darien rolled his eyes and shook his head as he started the ignition. "Sometimes, I don't know why I put up with you."

"Sometimes I wonder the same thing."

"Do you really?" Mamoru asked, curious.

"For the sake of this argument, yes."

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"So...Serena. When are you going to set me up with your best-friend, Darien?" Mina asked casually as she busied herself by putting the dishes away.

Serena shot her an amused look. The girl had never been modest about her outrageous crush on her long time friend, Darien. "I want to tell you tomorrow, but—"

Mina dropped the dish in her hands and grabbed Serena's elbows. "Really? Are you kidding me? Serena, tell me you aren't joking!" She squealed excitedly, barely registering that she had dropped one of her better plates. Mina stopped mid-squeal. "Wait, why the 'but'?"

Serena resisted the urge to roll her eyes at her friend's idiotic behavior. He wasn't that great. For goodness's sake, he was just a guy.

An immature one too, Serena silently added, her mind flashbacking to the night before. "By the 'but,' I meant I want to tell you tomorrow, but I knew that you'd react like this."

"So there is no 'but'?"

Usagi sighed, knowing what her answer would cause. "There is no 'but.'"

The loud screech of eagerness that erupted from Mina hardly fazed Serena. She was used to her friend's melodramatic antics. "What time are we leaving tomorrow?"

Serena looked at her, confused. "Huh?"

Mina patiently stacked the dish in the drying rack and wiped her hands on the cloth draped over the chair beside her. "What time are the guys picking us up tomorrow?"

Usagi's hand stopped mid-wipe. "Wait. We?"

Mina laughed. "Yes, silly. I can't go out with him alone!" Mina admitted as a spark of brilliance shot through her. "I'll go with Darien and you'll go with Andy!"

Serena made a sound that sounded something between a gruff laugh and a raspy cough. "Excuse me, double date? Mina, don't you remember how much I hate double dates? Especially after the Diamond fiasco"—collective shudder from the two girls—"that you set me up on."

"But I just want you to be happy." Mina pouted, sniffing for extra emphasis.

What was the point of arguing? Like Serena, when Mina put her mind on something, nothing could stop her from getting it. "Fine. I'll go. But at the first sign that the date is about to take a fatal turn towards the worst, I'm bailing."

Mina made relieved noises. "Good! Now we have to get our outfits ready for tomorrow—oh, no!" Mina's eyes widened in disbelief.

"What's wrong?" Serena asked worriedly.

"I have absolutely nothing to wear tomorrow, that's what's wrong!" Mina slapped her hand on her knee. "An emergency trip to the mall has been put into effect! Starting now; let's go, Serena!"

Serena giggled. "That's your idea of an emergency?"

Mina was silent for a moment. "So it's not that much of a catastrophe, but we still need to go shopping!"

Serena smiled. "Any excuse to go shopping is good enough for me!"

Both girls fell to the floor in a heap as a case of the giggles consumed them.

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"I'm so nervous," Mina said as she nervously plucked at the silver beaded necklace that Serena had lent to her.

Serena laughed. "Don't be. Darien really isn't worth your stress." Serena laughed. "But I promise he'll be nice, nevertheless."

Considering the fact that I threatened him, Serena mentally reminded herself.

"Still. What happens if I make a fool of myself?"

"You won't," Usagi reassured her.

Mina asked, "Do I look all right?" Mina glanced at Serena and looked her over. "God, he's going to see you and forget all about me because you look so stunning."

Serena blushed furiously. "I do not."

Mina giggled. "Yeah—well—Andrew is going to be completely blown away by you. I told him you were pretty… but I didn't do you any justice!"

Serena's cheeks turned a deeper shade of red. Her sun-kissed blond hair was piled atop her head, tendrils of hair escaping the silver clasp. Her eyes normally glowed cerulean blue, but the color of her eyes had darkened to a dark blue from her anticipation of the night to come. Her dress was elegant because of its simplicity, off the shoulder and reaching just below her knees.

Serena admitted that she looked better than she usually did.

Mina's gray dress was longer than Serena's, falling to the floor in soft folds. Mina dug her nails into the soft flesh of her palm as she shivered in nervousness; it was surprising that she was even cold to begin with, considering to her dress was long sleeved, reaching past her wrists. The dress clung to her like a second skin, the steep neckline revealing her generous cleavage. She had curled her hair, letting it fall to her shoulders, and curl around her face.

"We both look great, huh?" Mina asked as they checked themselves out in the giant full-length mirror.

Serena blew their reflections a kiss. "Fabulous."

The sound of a car driving up into the driveway broke their line of thoughts. Mina's nervousness returned. "Okay, they're here. Are we ready? Did we make sure that—"

Serena rubbed her friend's back. "Settle down, sweetie, it's just a date. I'll be here the whole time and when you need a break, just give me the signal and we'll go to the bathroom."

Mina grinned weakly. "I just want this to work out so badly."

Serena smiled softly, what it felt like to want someone so badly was lost on her. She had yet to find someone to even like! "I know, Mina, I know."

Mina dragged in a deep breath. "Alright. I'm ready—"

The doorbell chimed throughout the entire house. "—To stay home. I'm definitely not ready… not anymore, at least…"

Serena seized her by the shoulders. "Mina. We're ready. We're going. They should be the one's shaking in their boots. You need to relax just a little, okay? Darien likes his women cool and laid-back." She joked, trying to ease the tension.

"Oh, great, thanks for that tip."

"Not a problem. Anything that helps."

Mina gave Usagi a small smile. "Alright. It's show time."

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In case you didn't notice, ALL DISCLAIMERS APPLY.