Author: Shadow

Disclaimer: I, Shadow, do hereby state that Sailor Moon, sadly, belongs to Naoko only!

Summary: Serena Winston is fresh out of high school and on her way to the Pittsburgh Institute of Art. With a chance to start anew, will she find a chance to fall in love, even if he's her professor?

WOW! This is so much different then my normal. It won't be sci-fi related at all! Read my other stories too!!! And if it sounds bad, it is because I'm trying to stray from blood, guts and Goths. I've gotten comments on the Goth part…so this is for you!

Book One: Memoirs Of The Broken Hearted

Chapter Seven: Yesterday Seems So Far Away

Serena sat in the park by herself, her blonde hair pulled up in a ponytail, while she, herself was bundled up in a green Good Luck Bear care bear hoodie and a pair of black jean flares. She smiled as she saw the trees starting to die. The brilliant greens turning orange, yellow, purple, red and brown signaling that fall was on its way. It was already September after all.

Serena heard the thumping of feet in the quiet empty park as a jogger headed her way. She looked over and saw non other than Darien running her way. She took the time to look him over. His shaggy black hair desperately needed a hair cut as it clung to his forehead from sweat, his dark blue eyes still friendly even though no one was around and his full, luscious lips were parted as he panted from his run. The typical white ear buds were in his ears, connected to the iPod strapped to his arm.

"Even in a gray sweat suit, you're still gorgeous Mr. Shields." Serena mused quietly.

Darien stopped in front of Serena, pulling out his ear buds and tossing them over his shoulder. "Good morning Serena. How are you doing?"

"I'm doing fine. I just wanted to come out and see all the changing fall colors. I like this time of the year…" Serena looked around smiling. "The summer green leaves are fading into the beautiful multi-color fall leaves. It's neat to see. I see you're getting out for your morning jog huh?"

"Yup, every morning. Weekends included, mind if I sit next to you?"

She shook her head and scooted over on the bench to give his broader body more room.

"So how are your classes going?" He leaned back wiping sweat off of his brow.

"Really good. I like them. Andrew actually makes math interesting. I really don't like math. I always did badly in high school. In fact, in high school the only thing I really did well at was music." Serena said as she looked up at him, only to see that he was looking at her intently.

"Really? Well, music is a no brainer with how well you sing. I really enjoy having you in class. Though it has made things stressful with Beryl. She just can't get over how I chose you over her." He laughed a bit shaking his head.

Serena cocked her head to the side. "Are you and Beryl dating?"

Darien sat up straighter, looking like she had slapped him. "What?" he started laughing "God no! I don't get involved romantically with my students at all. I don't care if they're eighteen or eighty. If you thought I meant stressful as in stressful in our relationship…" he just shook his head, still chuckling. "I meant stressful as in she keeps hounding me to reconsider, even re-audition. But I won't. I know that you deserve that spot. It was meant for someone with your vivacious innocence. Beryl turns it into a burlesque show almost. I'm sure if we let her, she would do a major strip tease."

Darien ran a hand through his hair smiling and shaking his head "the songs that she chooses are songs like "Dirty" by Christina Aguilara or something of the likes. Little skirts, tight shirts." He shook his head and sighed. "I was praying that someone new and better would come along. Serena…" Darien turned to her once again and smiled "you answered my prayers. You sing bright and energetic songs, while I'm sure you could easily turn and sing something slower. You glow when you sing; I can see the passion that you exude when you are up there. I can only imagine you and your four best friends up on stage pulling the whole spice girls thing dancing and singing while everyone out there in the audience hoots and whistles." He laughed almost sadly "But I guess you're the only one with the drive to continue to sing."

"Yeah…Amy wants to design video games, Rei wants to be an interior decorator, Mina, who is still in high school, wants to design clothes and Lita is a culinary student here. I'm the only one chasing our dream. We used to sit around, designing CD covers on paper, writing lyrics. We had our other friends and older siblings write the music and play it for us. We were our towns Spice Girls; I was Sailor Moon, Lita was Sailor Jupiter, Rei was Sailor Mars, Amy was Sailor Mercury and Mina was Sailor Venus and together we were the "Sailor Scouts" protectors of the freedom of music with our back up band the Sailor Stars. It was childish, but it was a true dream, ever since we were really little. We made our debut our pre-school's talent show singing Guns and Roses "sweet child of mine". We were a hit and ever since then we were little local celebrities."

Serena laughed and shoved her hands in her hoodie pockets. "We sang at Bar Mitzvahs, Bot Mitzvahs, weddings, anniversaries, graduation, birthdays…we even sang at Lita's eight grade dance. Amy, Rei and I were in seventh grade and Mina was in the sixth grade for that one. The only time Mina was really never part of the band was up until first grade when we met her." She sighed and looked up at Darien. "Stupid huh?"

"No not stupid. I gave up my musical dream to make my parents happy, so I know the pain of not being able to live out the life you want. I was in a band with my best friend, your math teacher, Andrew. We met in the seventh grade when he moved here, and it was not a friendly meeting. I had accidentally tripped in the cafeteria one day at school and my lunch flew and hit him in the side of the face." Darien laughed and shook his head. "God he was pissed. He stood up and saw that I was the one. He launched himself at me and we ended up tussling on the ground. The teachers were finally able to pull us apart three black eyes, two bloody noses and two sets of busted lips later. I was used to fighting, he wasn't so I only had one black eye, and he had two." He laughed again shaking his head. "We had time to learn to get along in suspension. Since then, thick as thieves. Our eighth grade year I found out that he could play the key board and I told him I could play the electric guitar. We formed our band "The Midnight Masquerade" and we played rock slash electronica style music, kind of like Orgy with their song "Blue Monday". We actually won the battle of the bands our junior year of high school. But as we neared our senior year my parents rode me hard about college and how music was silly. Well, in a way I showed them, I became a music teacher. And as for Andrew, he came from a military family. His dad wanted him to join the Marines. Andrew ran as fast as he could to get to college to stay out of boot camp and became a math professor."

"Wow…" Serena licked her lips then smiled "I can't imagine that you are over thirty like most of the young professors are."

"I'm not, not yet at least. I graduated high school years before I should've. My parents wanted me to become a doctor. I wanted nothing to do with that. I'm actually only twenty-seven. I graduated when I was sixteen and Andrew was only seventeen."

"Damn…" Serena cocked her head to the side looking very impressed.

"Yeah…" Darien chuckled. "My parents have been teaching me and trying to get me to study my ass off my entire life, I rebelled and became a musician, which is something I still love. I can't even really stand the sight of seeing someone cut up in person. I was there when my older sister gave birth. My parents didn't want to be anywhere near her because I was fifteen and she was seventeen. A teen mother, my parents were so ashamed. I was the only one who really supported my sister. I was even there when they cut her open to perform the C-section operation…but I passed out."

"Wussy. Anyways, I should let you get going there teach. I need to meet Lita and the others for lunch." Serena said standing.

"Yeah. I'll see you in class on Monday Serena. Take care." Darien said as he replaced his ear buds and continued to run.