"Guys this is not going to work." Serena scolded them as they walked down the hall of her house.
"Oh come on...Mina can be very convincing." Lita argued.
"Yeah...they never say no to me!" Mina rationed.
"That was before every happened. They have been extra crazy since I snuck out to the library." She motioned her fingers in quotations.
"Don't blame us. Blame lover boy!" Lita started to get loud.
"Shhhhh..." Mina put her index finger to her mouth. "This won't work if they hear you numb nut!"
"Who are you calling a numb nut?!"
"Shut up!"
They three reached the bottom of the stairs. They adjusted their shirts and Mina ran her finger through her hair. She straightened her posture and walked into the kitchen where Serena's parents were sipping on some tea. She smiled at them as Serena and Lita followed behind.
"Girls..."Ken asked abruptly. "Do you need something."
"Well..Sir...and Ma'am." Mina bowed. "We were wondering if maybe...we can go get a milk shake at the arcade?" Her smile widened.
"And then go back to my house!" Lita added.
Ken and Irene looked at each other. Then back to the girls. "No."
"Awwww...come on dad and mom! I promise we will be safe!" Serena pleaded.
"Honey it is not you we don't trust it is everyone else out there." Irene tried to explain.
"We still have no idea who attacked you. They are still out there." Ken removed his glasses. "Who knows just lurking behind a bush."
"We won't let her out of our site sir. In fact we will order the drinks now, so it will be ready by the time we get there and then we will just go straight to my house."
All three girls nodded in unison. Their smiles were from ear to ear.
"No..."Ken said again pulling up his newspaper to cover his face.
"Dad..."
"Serena. We are only trying to protect you. We cannot have you getting hurt again"
"Or worse killed!"
"But you cannot trap me here forever dad." She sat down next to her parents. "Please I will be safe." She looked at him with big puppy dog eyes.
"Serena..."
"Sir, I promise I will keep her safe. And we will call you when we get to the arcade and then when we get to my house!"
"Girls why can't you stay here?" Irene questions. "We would feel so much more comfortable with her here."
"But maaaaaammm."
"What Serena? What is there that we don't have."
"Mom... please?"
"We promise we will keep her safe." The two girls stood behind Serena.
Ken looked at Irene. Irene tilted her head. "What do you think honey?"
Serena smiled at her dad.
"Fine."
The three girl jumped for joy!
"But it is to the arcade and back to Mina's house! No stops!"
"An no short cuts." Irene added.
"And no snack runs after you get there! Take whatever snacks we have here that you may want later."
"Promise! I love you guys!" Serena kissed both her parents. "Let's go pack!"
With that they all three ran out of the kitchen and up the stairs. They sounded like a herd of horses. Irene looked at Ken.
"I know...I am a little nervous too."
"But they promised." Irene tried to convince herself.
Before they knew it the girls were all shouting bye to them and walking out the door.
"I can't believe they said yes!"
"I told you I am very convincing!"
"I gotta say Mina...today was not your best work!" Lita interrupted.
"Excuse me?" Mina turned to Mina surprised. Acting was going to be her major and she thought she was the best at it.
"Serena did most the work. She did the puppy eyes, and begging!"
"Hey I volleyed the ball up and she spiked it!" Mina stuck her tongue out.
"Well...I am out that is all that matters. I could not stay another day in that house." Serena took a big whiff of fresh air. She wasn't going to ruin the moment but she did feel incomplete with out Amy and Raye. Raye was not invited and Amy could not choose between the girls so she just stayed home.
"Well let's get to the arcade and then head home!" Mina said picking up her pace.
Sitting at the bar of the arcade, Raye swirled her her milkshake straw.
"Where are all your friends?" A deep male voice asked from behind her.
"Oh hey Darien..." Raye looked up and then back to her drink. "Amy is studying."
"And the other two?"
"Are with Serena." She licked her lips. They were sweet from the chocolate shake. She didn't even like chocolate but today she wanted one for whatever reason.
"She's still not talking to you?"
Raye just shrugged her shoulder and shook her head. "I kinda thought we would have settled it by now."
"Well...did you apologize?" Andrew came from the back of the arcade to interrupt. "Either of you?"
Darien just stayed straight faced. He wasn't sure what he knew or what she knew.
"Don't worry Raye you figure it out... Serena is too sweet to hold a grudge for too much longer." Darien put his hand on Raye's shoulder.
"Well...well...well..." Lita came through the door, arms crossed and with a smirk. "Guys isn't this just a sweetest site?"
Right behind her was none other than Mina and then Serena. Darien popped up from his seat. He hadn't seen her since that night outside her house. She had old bruises, but nothing new that he could see. Her eyes caught his and she looked away.
"Guys why don't we just grab that seat over there." Serena pointed to the booth.
"Yeah Leets I will order and you two go sit." Mina offered.
"Why do we have to tip toe around these two?" Lita argued.
"Lita stop. Come on." Serena starting walking over to the table.
"You're despicable. She shows nothing but loyalty to you and instead of reaching out to apologize and maybe...just maybe come to the sleepover you come on a date with him." She looked Darien up and down.
"Lita come on." Mina tried to make her stop.
"No she needs to hear this." Lita tilted her head. "Ask your lover boy who's window he has been sitting out side of these last few weeks?" She smirked. "One hint. Not yours."
"Andrew we will take three chocolate shakes to go." Mina said grabbing Lita's arm towards the table.
Andrew looked at the four in front of him. He was trying to understand everything that just unfolded in front of him. "Come right up Mina." Was all he could say.
Raye looked at her shake. Nodded her head. She wasn't sure how she as feeling. Andrew placed the three shakes down. The girls came up to grab it. They smiled at Andrew and headed out.
"So...you were outside her window?" Andrew started to question.
"Look I needed to talk to her."
"About?"
"It doesn't matter." He put his cup down and scooted himself forward closer to the counter. "She didn't want to talk to me."
"Was it because of me?" Raye finally spoke up.
"It's fine Raye. It doesn't matter." Darien threw his hands up.
"You always loved her...didn't you?"
Andrew stood on the other side of the counter. Serious face. Wanting to hear his answer. His arms were folded. He knew the answer. He just needed him to admit out loud.
"It really doesn't matter."
"Yes it does." Andrew argued.
"Why?"
"Just answer the damn question!" Raye slammed her hand down.
"Fine. Yes I do love her okay? Since my first real interaction with her." Darien released a breath as if suddenly the weight of the world was off his shoulder. "Not the day she threw the paper at my head. But she is sooo my opposite and-"
"You wondered how it could possibly work?" Raye nodded. "She loves you too you know?"
"Pshhhhh." Darien rolled his eyes.
"I am serious." Raye turned to him. "You forget how well I know her."
Darien just poured another packet of sugar in his coffee.
"I am serious. I know I wasn't the best friend to her...But I did spend a lot of time with her." Raye smiled at him. "The way she looked at you when she walked in, the way her face sank when she saw me... She was hurt Darien."
"Hurt? She had no reason to feel hurt. We aren't dating" Darien turned to Raye. "And she rejected me."
"But you guys did date. Or whatever you guys call what you two did..." Andrew shook his head. "And she would never do that to Raye...no matter how messed up she is to her. Serena is loyal."
"Guys it really doesn't matter."
"It does matter because if we don't fix this... you two will both be miserable."
"Nothing new in my life." Darien shrugged. Picked up his coffee and took a sip.
Just then Raye jumped from her seat. She grabbed her head.
"Raye are you okay?"
"No! We need to go!"
"What?" Darien looked confused. "Go where?"
"Mina and Lita transformed." Raye blurted out, forgetting Andrew was standing right there.
"Transformed?" Andrew tried to play off the fact he figured out the girls were the scouts a long time ago.
"Something's wrong!" Raye grabbed her purse, pulled out her wand, and she was out the door.
"Dare...Serena is with th-" Before he could finish that sentences Darien was out the door.