Author's Note: This story is based on the true-life story of my friends, Caroline and Tean who had met this way and I've asked they're permission to write a story about them. It gets interesting later on. But you'll just have to wait. Now, if anyone decides to BITE off my story and revise it into their own, I will let the whole of FF.Net now what a sleazy author they are. Be warned: I read a lot. MUAHAHA! Got that? Good. =]
Disclaimer: Sailor moon –not mines. Story plot that I write –mines, that I base on how my two friend's met.
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We met in a Paddy Wagon
By Yamito-Hitori
Part 1: The paddy wagon incident
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Previous day...
"...Hey, hey, Catherine! Look at what she's wearing today! Who wears a skirt as long as that...?"
"...Look what the cat dragged in. It's Serena Tsukino..."
"...put a paper bag over her. Screw the head, get one that's life size to cover everything..."
"...what in the world was Serena thinking with that.. that horrid outfit..?"
It was a skirt. A plain black, red, and brown skirt. It wasn't like a Halloween costume or anything...
"...isn't she a little too late for Halloween..?"
Well, some people seemed to think so. I inhaled as I struggled to clear the voices out of my head, but I heard them all as I passed them. And it hurt. It hurt not being able to fit in to their "crowd". It wasn't as if I was the most major loner in Tsurin High. I had friends! Just not the kind of friends you would go and hang with or talk about boys with. They were more like the 'Hey-you-wanna-be-Project-partners-kinda-friend'. But I did have one true friend. Lita. Only that she didn't go to my school. I guess you could say, I choose to stay out of the spotlight... I really felt uncomfortable with attracting attention… It was more of a phobia to me… Finally, I arrived at my destination.
The restrooms.
I often fled here to escape the attention I received from what I wore, or how I looked, or what stupid thing I had said in class beforehand. This was my escape from hell. That, and my bedroom at home. I pitied myself in some ways. I truly thought that my second year in this All Girl's School would have made a difference. Usually, I thought people would pay more mind to incoming freshmen not focus their torturing words and stares upon a sophomore. I sighed as I took a seat in one of the stalls and immediately locked the door. I laid my head in hands.. and cried.
* .:. * .:. * .:. *
Next day..
To be curt and short, I would categorize myself in the "normal" people. But to many of the students I saw everyday, they would boot me down to the "geeks" or even "abnormal". I huffed at their immature judging. One day, they will look back and see that I had potential in me... and hopefully that potential that I think is there will take me somewhere down this road into a better life. But for now, I refuse to show my face in that horrible, horrible school! Let the gods condemn it and sink it into hell itself, where thy evil school and its minions shall vanish into its fiery depths. Never to be seen again.
If only...
But thankfully, Lita called me today and talked me into skipping school a few minutes ago. Well, I kind of morely agreed than was persuaded. so anyways, here we are on a bench in Juuban Park waiting for Lita's boyfriend to come and pick us up to go and ditch to his place.
To be irritatingly honest, we've been waiting for quite some time now that we had stopped by Dunk'n Donuts to get us a fresh box of ..well, donuts. It was almost half empty now so we both had stopped eating to save the rest for later when we got to John's place, Lita's current boyfriend. You'll see what I mean by 'current', later on..
"So how was your day yesterday, Serena? Any better?"
I shrugged. "Same as always, I guess. Teased and laughed at. At least they didn't come up to me this time and literally say that the new skirt I bought was Halloween-worthy."
Lita couldn't help but laugh. Ever since their younger years, Serena would always find a way to make things seem better than it actually was. And she gave her credit for that. Serena was one of the most optimistic people she had ever met in her entire lifetime, and she was glad to have become her friend. And somewhere along the line, Lita knew others would see the kindness and great personality her friend had.
She patted me on the back. "Girl, if you like it then you like it. It doesn't matter what other people think."
"It's not like I despised it.. Just that.. I'm afraid to get something that the girl's in the school will think is 'cute' and they'll start hating on me for it, instead." I explained. It was true. My sense of fashion changed over time, but I was too afraid that other people would judge me as a "wanna-be". So I never changed the style I wore ever since 4th grade.
I looked down at my clothes. I was wearing my school clothes today. Girls were required to wear their school uniforms for one day each week for a percentage of a grade in participation. It was a long blue skirt that reached my knees, folding over each other to overlap the previous. And a white and blue blouse that resembled a sailor's shirt with red bow in the middle.
Suddenly, I heard a ringing sound.
Lita searched through her purse and pulled out a cell phone. "Hello? ..Oh John, where are you? What's taking so long?.. huh? ...really?... Are you serious?! ... You've got to be kidding me!... fine, fine asswipe!" I glanced at her as she changed moods right before my eyes. Calm, Angry, but always ended up with: "...*sigh*, love you too... I'll see you then. Bye."
She placed the device back in her bag and let out an irritated breath. "John's car broke down."
I looked at her comfortingly. "Well, guess this means we're taking the bus, then?"
"That's what he suggested."
I stood up and picked the box of donuts up. "Then off we go!"
She smiled knowing full well that I would understand. And I did. John and her would always get into fights like that and make up for it soon after. They made such a cute couple, really they did. Sadly, I don't have a guy of my own that I could get angry at, hug, smile at, kiss.. much less one to disappoint me.
When we got to the bus stop, we both sat on the empty stone bench and chatted away once more. Lita was such an understanding person as well. Probably one of the reasons why we both connected than any other person did. Well, compared to those stuck up demonic bitches in Tsurin High. They're all the same...
Finally, the bus came into my view and looked about a block away. I took out my little black wallet from behind my pocket and rummaged for a dollar and two quarters.
Bus fare these days..
Last year it was only a dollar for adults. (We have to pay an adult's price and not a student's, or they'll suspect that we're not where we're suppose to be. In school.) They had raised it up by two quarters. What a rip off... but it was the only transportation we had now, so I guess we'll take the price and get on with it.
"Ready?" Lita asked as she pulled out her own money.
"Yep."
And then... the most coincidental and surely the most saddest thing that could ever happen, happened.
Just as the bus seemed like a mere fifty yards away.. a damned paddy wagon pulled over right in front of us, and the bus passed by knowing full well that we were not going to be its passengers today.
"Aw shit!" Lita cursed. "Of all the days th--"
"Excuse me ma'am." Said a voice as the man behind the clear window began to speak. He opened the passenger's side door of the white and blue van. Stepping out, he towered over us. "Aren't you two suppose to be in school right now?"
I stayed quiet as Lita tried to explain. "Well, I.. see, we we're just coming fr---"
"Get in the back!!" He shouted, cutting off my friend. Guess he didn't buy our story.. or at least the story Lita tried to explain. He stiffly pointed to the back of the van and we both helplessly marched towards it, with the man in the blue uniform following close by. We stopped and he opened the back door to reveal a few more people that they had caught earlier. Two girls and a guy.
Let me cut you off for a second, or you wont understand at all. This vehicle that we were being put in is called a Paddy Wagon. Other words when you are ditching: "Danger. Stay away." A paddy wagon is used to pick up stray students who aren't where they're suppose to be in. In this case, it's me and my friend, Lita. After some time, the students are deposited back into school with awaiting monitors at the front gates.
"Inside ladies, I don't have all day."
I shook my head in irritation as I got in and took a seat in the very back near the little window that connected the back and the front where the driver and stout man was. Lita took a seat across from me and gave me an apologetic look.
"Sorry, Serena. We wouldn't have been here if I hadn't asked you to come along with me."
"It's okay," I told her. "It was my choice. Don't blame yourself."
She gave me a smile. "Well then it's John's fault for not finding a way to pick us up."
I returned her gesture with a slightly saddened yet amused smile. I looked around. It wasn't as if I hadn't heard of the 'paddy wagon' before, yet it was my first time riding it…
* .:. * .:. * .:. *
We've been in this damned stuffy van for almost an hour now, and the stout looking man had only managed to catch two more students. A guy and a girl that was caught together. A couple, it seemed.
"I'm bored out of my mind!" Lita complained.
"You're not the only one." One of the earlier two girls joined in. We've been here earlier than you."
"You two came together?" Lita asked.
"Us and him. Our friend, Kenjuu." The other girl explained. Lita turned her head to see the guy next to her raise his hand slightly to let her know.
"Ohh.." Lita said. "And what's with you guys?" She asked the couple.
"Wanted to go out and spend the day together. Too bad Mr. Pillsbury doughcop had to pick us up."
"Aw, how sad.." Lita sympathized. "I was going to spend my day with my boyfriend, too. Along with my beautiful friend here of course." She lifted a hand towards me as a gesture. "Her name's Serena."
"Hey." The crowd said simultaneously.
"Hey." I replied, a bit bashfully.
And then the stupid old fool of a man's voice came piercing through our conversation outside the van, near the back door.
"Hey you!!" He yelled. It seemed that he was about to catch another stray student. Though it seemed that the man's voice sounded a little more irritated and rough.
"Stop right there!" Then silence. It resumed after a mere few seconds.
"Dont you run... Don't you DARE run!! Don't you do it!! I swear to god, DON'T YOU DARE DO IT!! ---STOP BOY!! --- GET YOUR ASS BACK HERE!! DON'T MAKE ME RUN AFTER YOU!!! ---DON'T YOU DARE MAKE ME COME AFTER YOU!!!"
Then a bit more silence. "Yeah, that's right!! Get your unruly ass down here --Come here!!"
"Man, what the hell's your problem??" Came a calm complaint. A different voice, a male's, and I figured it was the new recruit.
Then with a burst of air, the back doors swung open and a young man came into everyone's view with the fat man behind him, scowling madly with anger.
Briefly, our eyes crossed paths as he looked at me then continued on to scan the rest of the van.
"Aw, shit." The young man suddenly said, amused, as he looked around the inside of the van. "We got girls, we got guys.. we got a party going on in here!"
"Get in!!" The man in blue said as he shoved the guy in and closed the door with a SLAM!
The young man got in with a grunt, and then the whole area fell silent. It was pretty dark in everyone's point of view since the only source of light was that small little window I mentioned earlier that connected us from the police. We were full now in the van, and I wonderedif they would start dropping us off one by one. I glanced at the new student in the van who sat all the way across, near the front of the door, and found him still observing the people inside.
He was a bit lean on the hips, i noted when he first came in but it wasn't something that would bother me. I mean, if it would bother me at all.. or wait, if the event ever came up that it should bother me-- nevermind. Anyways, I looked up to find a mop of black hair atop his head and raven black bangs that fell near his eyes. And just as those eyes turned to direct itself to me, I averted my gaze and fixated myself into looking out the small window.
With a quick stop and a couple of switching glances, the door opened once more and a girl stood in front of the damned man again. She looked a bit younger than me, probably a freshman in some high school, or then again, maybe she ditched middle school. It could happen.
"Allright," The man spoke once more. "Some of you need to make room for the last recruit for the day." He turned to the young man I did not know and decided to pick on him instead. "You! Sit on the floor!"
"Me? Man, why me??"
The stout man gave him a stern look and the young man stood up as the new girl sat in his previous seat. Much to my surprise, though, he had come to sit in the back.
Right in the middle of Lita and I.
He turned to me as the door shut closed. "What's up?" He greeted.
"H-hi.." I said.
"Keep quiet back there!" The woman in the driver's seat spoke out after a long while. I looked at the window and saw the stout man peering. He smirked and turned back to the road.
I bit my lip as the first thing in my mind came to me. We were now headed back to school... I was not going back to school!! "Hey, wanna let me out? I'll give you a donut."
At first he ignored me, but I persisted. "It's fresh."
Surprisingly, the man turned. "You got any glazed?"
Sadly, I remembered I had taken the last glazed donut before the bus came and left the rest for John and Lita. "I got Jelly and Chocolate..?"
My hoping was crushed as the guy turned his back to me and said a stiff, "No."
There goes my freedom... But I tried. I really did. Which was pretty brave if you compared me to my social and school problems. I sighed and set the box down, catching the young man's eyes at the same time.
"What?" I asked.
"Nothing." He replied with a smirk playing upon his lips. "What's y—"
And once more, out of the blue, the man in the passenger's side, decided to open his mouth. "You!" He said and glared at the young man I was talking to. "Sit in the front!"
"Man, what the hell?!"
"I don't care what you think! Sit in the front!!"
"Man," The young man mumbled and made his way near the door. "I'm trying to get my game on here.." and sat down once more.
"Damn kid." The man cursed and returned to face the road.
* .:. * .:. * .:. *
Finally, after a long while, everyone was dropped off. The young man that gave off a sense of rebelliousness in him was dropped off first. Then the couple. Then the two girls and the guy. Then the girl they had last picked up (who did happen to be in middle school). Finally, Lita was second to last. And unfortunately, I was the last. Two school monitors were waiting for me at Tsurin High and I was taken in, only to recieve detention for that day as punishment. All in all, I would have said that I hated today, but it was just so hard to. I met a few new people in the van, and I was glad they didn't treat me like the girls in my school did. But mostly, because a guy, that young guy, had talked to me. Has hell frozen over? A guy talked to me. Little old me. I blushed at the thought. Unfortunately, it seemed as if that was the last I'd see of him...
…I was wrong.
* .:. * .:. * .:. *
Author's Note: Liked it? Teehee, my friend only told me her love story three times, and it was pretty short so I added a bit more (convos and such) to make it longer. Damn, I'll need to lengthen everything to make this story longer. So for now, wait until I update, mkayz?
R+R would be greatly appreciated!!! =]
Chapter Finished on: 8:12 p / 12.23.03
Ch. Last update: 8:12 p / 12.23.03