IMPORTANT NOTE! Before you all kill me for taking such a long time to update, let me tell you a few things. A couple of months ago I had to travel to another country to study. I am now back at home, my diploma on my hand. Now, I'm updating all my stories at one time, so if you read more than one, you'll have plenty to read. I'll be trying to update frequently though I'm starting a new job next week. I promise I'll finish every single one of my stories, and I even have more in my mind some of which I've already started writing. Thanks for sticking up with me!

Summary: Ray is with Andrew, but she likes Nathan, who likes Amy, who likes Jason, who likes Lita, who likes Zach, who likes Serena; but Darien likes Serena, and she likes him back, but he is with Beryl, who's the ex of best friend Kevin, who's obsessed with Serena, but loves Mina, and Mina likes Darien, but loves Kevin and won't admit it; and Andrew likes Susan, who is Serena's very young aunt. At the end, who would be the luckiest?

Disclaimer: SM is not mine… I'm not that lucky…

XI. Dates and Mothers Don't Mix

"Darien dear!" A sweet voice said a bit from afar.

"Mother…" Darien said between clenched teeth and a forced smile as he was enveloped into a hug, ignoring Hotaru's hushed comments of

"killmekillme, pleeease!"

"Hotaru, darling." Their mother said stopping a moment to look at her from head to toe with her piercing blue eyes.

"Mooom." Hotaru said smiling mischievously.

When Darien picked her up at her friends that morning he almost had a heart attack. She was dressed all in black, for starters. Her hair looked as if she had not known what a comb was for the last decade, her pale face looked even paler as she had overloaded herself with black makeup, even in her lips.

Her shirt looked as if she had owned it since she was five, and no, it did not looked old, but it was too tight, TOO MUCH, in Darien's opinion, not to mention a bit short too.

But when he almost flipped was when he looked at her extremely short skirt. It should be illegal to wear those clothing. Yeah, girls, like the flower meatball head girl, looked nice in them, but NOT his baby sister…definitely NOT his sister. And the boots, which looked like if she had taken them from the army, didn't help with the look.

Yet, here he was with her dressed like if she went to one of the Adam's Family parties, picking up their 'elegance-before-all' mother, because of time.

"What on earth is she wearing?"

And yet, it seemed, he was going to be blamed because of this wardrobe disaster. Why couldn't she simply wear that hideous yellow shirt she loved so much?

"Don't you like my new look, Mommy?" Hotaru said before he could answer, "Everybody said they loved it." she said in a very sweet voice…a too sweet voice.

"Don't worry, Mother…" Darien said glaring down at the girl, "this is NOT her normal dressing."

"Good. No daughter of mine will be dressing like this." Patricia Shields said, moving her long brown, almost red, hair out of her way with her hand.

"Now I'm her daughter…" Hotaru muttered glaring at the floor.

Though Patricia didn't hear, Darien did. He knew how his sister was feeling, many times he had felt the same way…and still did. So, he placed his hand on her shoulder reassuringly and smiled when she looked up. Hotaru smiled back at him.

"Well, Darien? I'm tired. Travelling always makes me tired. I would like to go now. There is too much people here for my liking." She said motioning to a young man that was standing nearby carrying all her bags.

"C'mon." Darien said, leading the way to his car.

"Mother, how long do you plan on staying?" Hotaru asked the same question he had on his mind. There were just TOO many bags. "Not that I want you to go, of course. I'm just slightly…curious." Hotaru said in the tone she used while around her parents, which was the 'elegant and distinct tone of a young lady'.

"Do not worry, Darling. Just a couple of weeks."

"Weeks!" Both Darien and Hotaru explained at the same time, stopping in their tracks.

OoO

The door of the cozy living room of the girl's house opened and a bang was heard as a very happy blond got in and, literally, threw herself in the sofa.

"Very girlish." A voice said from the other couch.

"Oh, hush Ray."

"Yeah, yeah. Aren't you supposed to be at work Serena?" Ray asked raising a brow and looking at her blond friend.

"Aren't you supposed to be at school, Ray?" Serena asked looking down at her raven haired friend who was munching on an apple in one of the bean bags while reading one of her precious magazines.

"Friday. Free day. You?" She answered turning a page and looking quite relaxed in her sweats and large t-shirt, her hair up in a messy bum.

"Got out early. I want to take Rini to the park today. Wanna join?"

"No thanks, got plans for tonight."

"Oh, is it the Andrew guy again?"

"You know, it would be nicer if you just called him Andrew. And yes…tonight might be the night." She said at last in a whisper and blushing deeply.

"The night?" Serena asked lying down on the sofa, until it hit her, "Wait! You mean THE night, like THE night you're going to…"

"Yes, we might have se-"

"Don't! Rini can hear you. She's upstairs. Just call it…THE."

"That just sounds so lame."

"I know, but how can you have THE when you have only had a couple of dates?"

"You sound like we are having tea…illegal tea." Ray muttered.

"So?"

"Well, why not?" Ray said shrugging, "if the mood is right, and I feel well…it might just happen you know." She said giving Rena a shy smile, an un-normal gesture from Ray.

"Maybe…but Ray, it'll be your first time…don't you want it to be…special?"

"Oh, c'mon Rena. How old are you? That's not normal now. I mean…if you love the guy-"

"and do you love him?"

"wha-" Ray looked at her shocked, "I-I don't know."

"Then go, have a great time…but think before acting…that's what you've told me many times, remember?"

"I'll think about it." Ray said as both young woman watched Rini come around with her doll Lucy in her arms, making a beeline towards her sister.

OoO

"Don't go too far!" Serena yelled after her little sister as she took a sit on the bench at the park. She had been playing with her for some time, but she was now tired and Rini was tired of the swings and wanted to go play with other kids there.

"Serena?" A familiar voice said. She turned back and was surprised at whom it was.

"Lu!" She said chocked standing up at seeing her old friend. "I can't believe it! What are you doing here?!"

"I'm living here now! Wow, you've grown!" the older woman said hugging Serena.

"Oh, I would like you to meet someone." She said, "Serena, meet my daughter, Diana."

"Wow, she's beautiful, Lu."

"She's like her Mom." Lu said, "Wow, it's been long since I've been called that. I got the pet name Luna a time ago."

"Luna?" Serena said smiling, "It's kind of catchy."

"Yeah…so, how are your mom and dad? And your little brother? He was so adorable!" Luna asked, after sitting besides Serena and leaving her daughter at the sand box.

"Adorable for you, maybe. He's fine, busy with school and girls now." She said smiling. "Mom…"

"Rena!" Rini interrupted her, running towards her. "Can I've some ice cream? Please?!"

"Who's this?" Luna asked smiling down at the little girl.

"Luna, this is my sister, Rini. Rini, this is a friend of mine." Rena said smiling down at her baby sister.

"Nice to meet you." Rini said smiling at her.

"Well, nice to meet you too, small lady." Luna said smiling.

"Mrs. Irene must be very happy, as well as Mr. Ken. I remember you were all very close to each other." Luna said smiling, looking to where her daughter was.

"You wanted ice cream, Rini?" Serena said taking some money from her pocket and giving it to the child. There was an ice stand a few feet away. She waited for the child to be out of hear range before answering her friend. "Mom died giving birth to Rini." Serena whispered, "Ken never got over it…he died a couple of years ago."

"Oh, my!" Luna looked shocked, not knowing what to say. "Serena…I'm so sorry."

"Don't worry. Mom was happy. We're happy. Sammy is a great help and though he's only 13 he's a great help with Rini. Rini is a great girl, and I've got great friends helping me."

"I'm happy to know everything is well, but here is my number in case you ever need something you know you can trust me." Luna said handing her a paper where she had written her number, "I actually live a couple of blocks from here."

"Thanks Luna…actually…do you work?"

"What?"

"You know, a fulltime job?"

"Need a sitter? Or a job as a sitter?"

"The first."

"There's my address."

OoO

The four sat there, looking at each other in an awkward silence.

Zach and Jason had gone and picked their 'dates' and took them to a very classy restaurant. Though Zach had had trouble convincing Jason to go with him, he had agreed at the end. The same could be said with Lita.

"So…" Zach started trying to break the ice, "You're studying medicine?" he asked Amy.

"Actually," Lita started, "she is taking two careers at the time."

"Really?" Jason asked.

Amy just blushed.

"Yeah." Lita answered, "She's studying medicine and fashion."

Zach looked surprised at her. "That's…unusual."

"Yes, well…I liked them both." Amy whispered blushing fiercely, eyeing Jason and blushing even more, though he seemed more interested in Lita who seemed rather bored.

Oblivious to the two 'couples', the Shields entered the restaurant. Their mother seemed to be talking about the nice restaurant that Darien had picked and what a good idea she had had on eating out.

Hotaru was looking as miserable as ever, wearing a puffy pink skirt and white light sweater with pink flats. She had only a bit of lip gloss and had let her hair down, a nice small diadem adorning it. It was evident she felt awkward in her attire. Darien was looking desperate trying to ignore both his mother and sister.

As they were lead to their table they spotted four people who looked rather miserable…and where going to be even more miserable now.

"Oh, Darien dear! Look who's here. Zachary." Patricia said going directly towards their table.

"Zachary, child. You've grown!" Patricia said looking at the others in the table. Jason." She greeted. Both men chocked, and Zach blushed at being called child.

"Mrs. Shields." One said after the other rising from their sits to greet the woman.

"Oh, such formalities after I've known the both of you since you were scrawny little boys." She said, "And your friends are?"

"Amy Anderson." Amy said timidly, giving her a small smile. Patricia just raised an eyebrow at her.

"Lita Moreno." The brunette said confidentially, smiling at her.

"Moreno? You're Latin American?"

"My mother was from Guatemala and my father from Honduras." She said smiling.

"Oh." The woman said looking at her with disdain. "You're…appearance would say otherwise."

"Mother." Darien whispered harshly from the back. "Zach, Jason." He greeted his friends who glared at him, though it wasn't his fault.

"What?" The woman asked, "It's true."

"Hey guys!" Hotaru greeted catching up with her mother and brother. Jason and Zach turned to look at her and had to hold their laughter. Hotaru never wore pink. EVER.

"Hotaru!" Patricia scolded hearing her daughter's greeting, "That's not a proper greeting from a proper young lady. 'Hello, gentleman', or a 'How are you, Mr. Zack and Mr. Jason' would be rather proper from a girl your age." She started, at which Lita and Amy looked at each other, Jason and Zach both grinned at Hotaru, while said girl and Darien rolled their eyes.

"And it's only been a day." Darien muttered under his breath. "Mother, our table is waiting."

"Oh, why don't we join them?" Patricia said.

"Mom, they're on a date." Hotaru pointed out. At to which Zach and Jason both nodded.

"Oh, nonsense. A date is for two, not four." She said before giving instructions to a waiter to 'add another table'.

"Sorry, guys." Darien whispered, presenting himself and his sister to the two young women.

"You'll pay later." Zach whispered.

"Nice dress." Jason whispered to Hotaru.

"Oh, hush." She said taking the sit farthest from her mother.

"So" Patricia began, oblivious to all the groans in the table and the rolled eyes, "Ms. Amy, Ms. Lita. How did you met with these fine gentlemen?"

OoO

"…could do much better." Ray said as she sat besides Andrew at their apartment.

"Yeah." He agreed doing patterns with his finger on Ray's arm. He suddenly moved forward and gave her a small peck on her lips.

Ray responded, deepening the kiss and smiling at him once they broke apart. The talk she and Serena had had fresh in her mind. Am I ready?

Andrew looked at her and smiled, moving to give her butterfly kisses all over her face which made her smile, moving down to her neck. She placed her hands on his head and started leaning more on the sofa, while he placed his hands on her legs and started to go all the way up. Thankfully, for her, she had decided to wear a simple jean and a light sweater as they had gone to watch a soccer match.

Am I really ready?

Just as things started to hit up, there was a knock at the door, which saved Ray from telling Andrew to stop.

"Who could it be?" Andrew asked grumpily he moved to open the door, but the person let himself inside.

"Drew! Bro! Are you here?!" a man yelled, entering the room.

Ray looked at him, dark brown hair and blue eyes. He was as tall as Andrew and rather handsome.

"Oh, sorry. Didn't know you had company." He said getting a light blush.

"That's ok." Ray whispered.

"Ray, my brother Nathan. Nathan, this is Ray Lawrence."

"Lawrence? You don't happen to be the daughter of…"
"Yes, but I'd rather not talk about it." Ray said, lost in Nathan's blue eyes.

"Well, nice to meet you."

She could only nod oblivious to the slight blush that crept through her cheeks.

OoO

The five young girls lay around on the living room, each one of them in the spot they liked best in the room. It was not often that the five friends, or more likely, sisters had the opportunity to just sit and relax on each other's silence. Bongo, of course, was in the middle of them all chewing one of Mina's old shoes.

"I've never had such a…unique date before." Lita started breaking the silence.

"I had never been more uncomfortable in my life!" Stated Amy still blushing.

"Tell me…I still can't believe his brother interrupted everything." Ray said with a sigh, though if it was of relief or frustration none knew.

"Well, we had a pretty night, didn't we, Rena?" Mina asked as her friend nodded.

"Yeah, we did. I really enjoyed the movie and pizza night."

"Though having pizza with tuna was a bad idea." Mina stated as she belched and blushed. "Sorry." She said with a shy grin as all her friends laughed.

"Well, it was a crazy night for you. I'm just happy I got a sitter for Rini." Serena said as she stretched and made herself more comfortable on the sofa. "Who knows, maybe tomorrow it will be an ordinary day as well."