Disclaimers: Sailor Moon does not belong to me.
---^_^------^_^------^_^------^_^------^_^------^_^------^_^---
Hard Times
Chapter Four
The Return of a Goddess
---^_^------^_^------^_^------^_^------^_^------^_^------^_^---
It had been almost two months since Serena had run away from
her past life and had come to live with Madame Joanna. Even Serena
called her `Madame', although Joanna said that it made her feel
old. It just seemed right. Over a couple of days of living with
Madame Joanna, Serena had finally allowed Arthur to call her Miss
Serena. All was going well for Serena, except....
"Madame Joanna, why haven't you told me your story? You
promised that you would tell it to me the day after I came to live
with you but you've been putting it off ever since. Please tell
me." Serena implored when they were eating lunch that day.
"Alright my dear, I'll tell you right after we finish our
lunch. We can take a walk in the gardens." Joanna said in-between
bites of a turkey sandwich that she was eating.
After lunch Joanna and Serena were walking out among Madame
Joanna's gardens. All sorts of flowers surrounded them. The most
common flower that was found though, were the roses. White roses.
red roses, yellow roses, pink roses, some in pots, some on shrubs.
And the scent was intoxicating. Joanna and Serena were walking
along a path that was lined with stones covered in moss when Joanna
started to talk.
"I was born in California. My parents weren't rich but we
weren't poor either. I went to a public school." Joanna began. "It was when I was in the sixth grade that it happened. My parents went bankrupt. My dad had bet all of our money on a horse race and his horse lost. It was a pretty stupid thing to do. When he lost the race he ran away and never came home again.
"A week after he ran away the bank called and told us. We had
to sell our house and move to a small apartment with one bedroom,
a tiny kitchen, and a small family room. My mom got a job as a
waitress and I still went to school. In the eighth grade I was
able to get a job as a busgirl at McDonald's.
"Then in the eleventh grade my mom got sick. By then I was a
clerk at McDonald's and got a bigger pay. But it wasn't enough to
pay mom's medical bills, regular bills, and the rent each month.
The doctors understood and said that I could pay the bills when I
was rich. For at that time I was very good at business affairs so
they had a hunch that I would become a rich business woman.
Anyway, my mom stayed in the hospital until after my graduation.
The day after my graduation she called me and told me that she had
managed to save a bit for college for me and how I could get it.
Then she passed away." Here Joanna stopped walking and dabbed at
her eyes. Obviously the pain was still fresh. Then she began
again.
"So I went to college, mainly on a scholarship. I majored in business and law. During college I had quit my job at McDonald's
and had become a secretary at a successful business firm. After
college I was promoted. When I was thirty I gathered up all the
money I had and quit my job, like I had at McDonald's, and started
a small firm of my own. It soon grew and expanded until it was the
most successful firm in the United States.
"When I had started out at college I had met a guy who I
quickly became involved with. And by that I mean his girlfriend.
After my firm became a big success we were going to get married.
The day before the wedding I walked into his house to find him
kissing another woman. I fled in tears, my ex. chasing after me,
telling me `he could explain'. I broke off the wedding and never
saw him again." Here Serena gasped, completely understanding how
Joanna must have felt. *I felt the same way when I saw Darien and
Ann kissing.*
Joanna continued, "A couple months after I retired, as I like
to say, from my job and gave it to the vice president. By that
time I was a millionaire so I had no worries at all about money.
The president of my company today still comes to see me sometimes,
but not enough to ease the loneliness in my heart. I never had a
steady relationship with anyone after that. Sometimes it lasted
for more than a couple months but rarely. So I have no heir to
pass on all this wealth to. Serena," Joanna said, turning to
Serena, "I want you to be that heir. You have a pure heart and
since you are orphaned and have no definite future I want to make
that future definite. You have eased the loneliness in my heart
and I want you to be happy. And to do that you must go back to your
home. I will give you the necessary money to do so. Is something
wrong?" Joanna said, concerned. Serena had started to cry.
"No, it's just all your kindness, making me your heir and
giving me enough money to create a new life in Japan, and I haven't
done anything in return. I feel so un worthy." Serena said between
sobs.
"But I thought I already told you; you have repaid me in a way
that I could never match. You gave me company, love. And that can
never be matched." Joanna said trying to comfort her. "Now why
don't we go inside and have some dinner?" she suggested, leading
Serena to the front doors.
"Okay."
---^_^------^_^------^_^------^_^------^_^------^_^------^_^---
It was two weeks later from when Joanna had told Serena that
she was her heir. All the necessary arrangements had been made to
make it official. Serena's stuff had been packed in the two
suitcases that she had arrived with, along with some money from
Madame Joanna. Serena was now stepping off the airplane from
America and into the airport of Tokyo, Japan. *Aaahh. Home at
last.* she thought as she went to go get her suitcases.
---^_^------^_^------^_^------^_^------^_^------^_^------^_^---
It was the first day of school at Juuban. Amy, Raye, Lita,
and Mina sighed. They were all remembering the time when Serena
had been with them. The way her smiles lit up the entire area, how
she always could make someone feel good, and how much they had
mistreated her. They sighed again.
"I still can't believe what we did to her that day long ago."
Amy said to nobody in particular.
"I can't believe what Darien did to her." Raye said, fire in
her eyes.
"When I get my hands on that guy I'm gonna tear him limb from
limb." Lita said heatedly. Mina was silent. She blamed herself
the most for why Serena ran away. She had been the one who had
suggested that they join Ann's group. And because of this she
blamed herself the most.
They all entered their class together, still moping, Lita
still angry at Darien, as though it was completely his fault.
Their teacher was a little late coming to class. When she did get
there she had a small piece of paper in her hand. "Class, one of
our students from last year that unexpectedly has returned.
Please welcome Serena Tsukino." she told them all. Then she went
back outside and brought in a girl with long blonde hair done up in
the familiar odangos that Amy, Raye, Lita, and Mina had been so
used to seeing on their best friend before she ran away.
"SERENA!!!!!!!" they screamed and ran to hug their friend.
"Oh Serena, we're so sorry we treated you that way that day." Raye
told her best friend, tears streaming down her face. The others
nodded, tears running down their eyes too. "Can you ever forgive
us?" Mina asked.
"Oh guys! Of course I forgive you. I've missed you every day
I've been gone." Serena said, hugging them again.
"Excuse me ladies, but would you please return to your seats?
You can continue this after class. Serena, you may sit at your old
seat, since no one has taken it." the teacher told them. So
Serena, Amy, Raye, Lita, and Mina went back to their seats, each
impatient for the end of class.
At the end of class the five girls got together and hugged
once more.
"Okay Serena, you have to tell us where you went, what you
did, and where you stayed. Did you meet any guys? Tell me, tell
me!" Mina said enthusiastically, practically jumping up and down.
"Calm down Mina. Okay, first of all, I did not meet any guys,
except for the butler of this mansion that belongs to my friend,
Madame Joanna." Serena told Mina, but was cut off by Lita.
"Whoa, wait a second girl. What do you mean, `Madame' Joanna,
and `mansion', hmmm?" she asked, her eyes bright.
"Okay, okay. I'll tell you all about it, but not right now.
During lunch. And if we don't hurry we're gonna be late to our
next class and that is not the smartest thing to do on the first
day of school." Serena promised them, already rushing out the door.
The others quickly followed her.
Later that day at lunch, the entire gang had sat under the
tree that they had always sat under before they split up. "Okay
Serena, tell." Raye commanded as soon as they sat down.
"First I must have something from Lita's wonderful lunch and
then I shall tell all." Serena said, eyeing Lita's lunch bag.
"Here, have all you want, just tell us all about everything." Lita said, shoving her lunch under Serena's nose.
"So I can have the whole thing?" Serena asked, her eyes
sparkling in delight.
"YES! Just tell us before I strangle you!" Lita yelled
impatiently.
"Okay, jeez, don't have to yell Lita. I think I'll just have
this little bit of sushi and... aaahh, delicious. And now, on to
the tale." Serena said, patting her stomach.
"Okay, when I heard my family had died I just went into total
shock. Then I ran upstairs and cried in my room until I cried
myself to sleep. When I woke up I packed one suitcase with all of
my clothes, along with food, and the second with all my personal
things, my family's personal things, and then went to the bank and
got all of my and my family's money and headed straight for the
airport. When I got there I bought a ticket for America. The lady
next to me, Madame Joanna, asked me where I was going at so young
an age and then I told her everything. She invited me to live with
her. At first I said that I didn't want to impose she pointed out
to me that I really didn't have any other choice. Who would rent
me an apartment? And if I did find somebody who would rent me an
apartment where would I get the money to pay for it? So she convinced me. It was then that I learned that she was a millionaire. Her butler, Arthur, picked us up at the airport. He then took us to Madame Serena's mansion, or what I would call an estate. Her mansion was four stories, with a balcony on the top floor. And there were roses, stars, and moons all over the place. Roses were planted everywhere, stars and moons were everywhere in the house, although roses were the most common sight. I mean, it was like a palace. Even the servant's quarters had queen sized beds and there was a play room for the few kids of the servants. Oh, and I almost forgot, I got to sleep in the room with the
balcony. That place was paradise, except that it was so lonely.
Then, about two months after I had come to live there Madame Serena
convinced me to come back here and gave me some money to do help me
start anew. Plus, she made me her heir. That means I get that
huge place. Isn't that amazing?" Serena said as she ate the rest
of Lita's lunch. "So, what have you been doing this summer?" she
asked innocently, practically inhaling Lita's lunch.
"Nothing, except for moping around the place, either avoiding
Darien or criticizing him, and treating Ann like dirt." Mina said
with a casual air.
"Cool. I'm guessing Raye and Lita were the ones who were
criticizing Darien, and everybody treating Ann like dirt." Serena
guessed, finished with Lita's lunch and starting on her own.
"Actually, Amy was the one who was dissing Darien and the rest
of us were all avoiding him." Raye said, glancing at Amy, who was
blushing furiously.
"What???!!! The shy Amy? Critizing Darien? And Lita and
Raye avoiding him???? I don't believe my ears." Serena said in
disbelief.
"Actually, the night you left we all called Darien when we
went over to your house to apologize and when we found the note we
assumed that one of the `other people' were Darien. Amy didn't go
totally all out on him then but Raye and Mina did. I, for some reason, actually spoke to him with calmly, although I know that my
words had a great impact on him." Lita confessed.
"But you should have seen Amy when she did go all out on
Darien." Mina said, smiling, Amy blushing even more now. "When she
saw him walking down the street with Ann it just burst her bubble.
She went right up to him and smacked him. Ann looked ready to
kill, and Darien had a confused expression on his face. Then she
started yelling at him, telling him that it was all his fault that
you were gone and that he had no right to even show his face around
Tokyo anymore, much less with, and I quote, `a slimy, serpent-like
b**** like Ann'." Mina continued. At this Amy hid her face behind
one of her text books.
"Wow, I'm impressed Amy. I never knew that you would actually
swear, much less strike someone. I now have much less respect for
you." Serena said with mock sadness. "I had always thought of you
as the responsible and cool headed one of the group. But now that
you had sunk down to our level, I, I," Serena continued in the same
tone of mock sadness. Amy, however was taking her seriously.
"Listen, Serena, I'd understand if you wouldn't want to be my
friend any more." she said, getting up to go.
"Hey, where are you going? I was just gonna say that I think
we should celebrate. You have reached new levels of courage and I
actually really do respect you for that." Serena, this time real
concern in her voice.
"Oh." Amy said, blushing once again, and she sat down again.
Just then someone interrupted their little meeting.
"SERENA!" said Alan in disbelief. "I heard a rumor that you
were back but I never thought that it would be true! How are you?
Where did you go? Why did you go? Was it because of me? Oh,
Serena, I'm so sorry." Alan said to her.
"Whoa, Alan, slow down. I'm just fine. But thanks for
caring." she said to him.
Alan grinned. "You have no idea how much I care for you,
Serena." he said, a warm smile on his lips, but a look of longing
in his eyes. "So, what did you do while you were gone?" he asked,
changing the subject.
"I'll tell you after school. We can meet here. I don't want
to be late for my next class." Serena said, glancing at her
new watch. "Well, I'll see you after school. Come on gang. We
have a class to get to. See ya Alan!" she called as she and her
friends all ran to class.
"Good-bye my angel." Alan whispered as he watched her hurry to
her class, then he hurried to his own class.
---^_^------^_^------^_^------^_^------^_^------^_^------^_^---
"And so that is what I have been doing ever since I left."
Serena concluded, sipping her milkshake through a straw. She had
just finished telling Alan what she had told her friends at lunch
that day.
"Wow, that must be cool, being the heir to a millionaire."
Alan said, a little in awe. "I know that I'm beneath you and everything and that you would probably say no but, I was wondering,
if, um, maybeyou'dliketogooutwithmetoamoviethisFridayat7:00." he
said in one breath.
"Can you please say that again, a little more slowly this
time?" Serena asked Alan, giving him one of her radiant smiles.
"I was wondering if maybe you would like to go out with me to
a movie this Friday at abut 7:00." Alan said, staring into her blue
eyes.
"Okay. But only if we go to a romantic movie. I don't like
all those horror movies and there aren't a lot of comedies out
there, although if there is one I'd like to go to that one too."
she answered, watching to see what his reaction might be.
"You will? You honestly will go out with me, on a date, to
the movies?" Alan asked, a look of amazement on his face.
"Sure." Serena said, smiling again.
"Wow! I don't believe this! I'm going out with the prettiest
girl in Japan!" he said.
"Okay, well, I gotta get going. I still have to unpack all of
my stuff." Serena said, getting up to go.
"Oh, let me go with you and help you, please?" Alan begged
her, looking at her with puppy-eyes.
"Alright, but you'll only be there for a little while. I only
brought a little bit back from America." Serena said. They left
the arcade together, heading for Serena's apartment, which was only
a couple of blocks away. On their way out they met Darien and Ann.
"Serena?!" Ann said in shock. "I guess the rumors were true
then, at school, that you were back."
"Where have you been Serena? We seriously need to talk."
Darien said, not quite believing his eyes.
"Oh, sorry Darien, but I still have to unpack my stuff. We
can talk later, alright?" Serena said, brushing past him.
"Well maybe I can help." Darien suggested, desperate to get
a chance to talk with Serena.
"Sorry, but Alan's already helping me and I don't need three
people to unpack two suitcases. That's just too many." Serena
told him. "We can talk tomorrow. See you later, Darien." she
called as she and Alan walked towards Serena's apartment.
*I can't believe that Serena's back.* Darien thought as Ann
tugged him along inside the arcade. *There's so much we need to
talk about. Oh well, I'll see her tomorrow. I can talk to her
then.*
---^_^------^_^------^_^------^_^------^_^------^_^------^_^---
What does Darien have to talk to Serena about? Is this date with
Alan the start of a steady relationship? And how will Ann act now
that Serena's back in Tokyo? Find the answer to all these questions in the next chapter and possibly the chapter after that.
Ja ne minna
PinkPakRat
---^_^------^_^------^_^------^_^------^_^------^_^------^_^---
Hard Times
Chapter Four
The Return of a Goddess
---^_^------^_^------^_^------^_^------^_^------^_^------^_^---
It had been almost two months since Serena had run away from
her past life and had come to live with Madame Joanna. Even Serena
called her `Madame', although Joanna said that it made her feel
old. It just seemed right. Over a couple of days of living with
Madame Joanna, Serena had finally allowed Arthur to call her Miss
Serena. All was going well for Serena, except....
"Madame Joanna, why haven't you told me your story? You
promised that you would tell it to me the day after I came to live
with you but you've been putting it off ever since. Please tell
me." Serena implored when they were eating lunch that day.
"Alright my dear, I'll tell you right after we finish our
lunch. We can take a walk in the gardens." Joanna said in-between
bites of a turkey sandwich that she was eating.
After lunch Joanna and Serena were walking out among Madame
Joanna's gardens. All sorts of flowers surrounded them. The most
common flower that was found though, were the roses. White roses.
red roses, yellow roses, pink roses, some in pots, some on shrubs.
And the scent was intoxicating. Joanna and Serena were walking
along a path that was lined with stones covered in moss when Joanna
started to talk.
"I was born in California. My parents weren't rich but we
weren't poor either. I went to a public school." Joanna began. "It was when I was in the sixth grade that it happened. My parents went bankrupt. My dad had bet all of our money on a horse race and his horse lost. It was a pretty stupid thing to do. When he lost the race he ran away and never came home again.
"A week after he ran away the bank called and told us. We had
to sell our house and move to a small apartment with one bedroom,
a tiny kitchen, and a small family room. My mom got a job as a
waitress and I still went to school. In the eighth grade I was
able to get a job as a busgirl at McDonald's.
"Then in the eleventh grade my mom got sick. By then I was a
clerk at McDonald's and got a bigger pay. But it wasn't enough to
pay mom's medical bills, regular bills, and the rent each month.
The doctors understood and said that I could pay the bills when I
was rich. For at that time I was very good at business affairs so
they had a hunch that I would become a rich business woman.
Anyway, my mom stayed in the hospital until after my graduation.
The day after my graduation she called me and told me that she had
managed to save a bit for college for me and how I could get it.
Then she passed away." Here Joanna stopped walking and dabbed at
her eyes. Obviously the pain was still fresh. Then she began
again.
"So I went to college, mainly on a scholarship. I majored in business and law. During college I had quit my job at McDonald's
and had become a secretary at a successful business firm. After
college I was promoted. When I was thirty I gathered up all the
money I had and quit my job, like I had at McDonald's, and started
a small firm of my own. It soon grew and expanded until it was the
most successful firm in the United States.
"When I had started out at college I had met a guy who I
quickly became involved with. And by that I mean his girlfriend.
After my firm became a big success we were going to get married.
The day before the wedding I walked into his house to find him
kissing another woman. I fled in tears, my ex. chasing after me,
telling me `he could explain'. I broke off the wedding and never
saw him again." Here Serena gasped, completely understanding how
Joanna must have felt. *I felt the same way when I saw Darien and
Ann kissing.*
Joanna continued, "A couple months after I retired, as I like
to say, from my job and gave it to the vice president. By that
time I was a millionaire so I had no worries at all about money.
The president of my company today still comes to see me sometimes,
but not enough to ease the loneliness in my heart. I never had a
steady relationship with anyone after that. Sometimes it lasted
for more than a couple months but rarely. So I have no heir to
pass on all this wealth to. Serena," Joanna said, turning to
Serena, "I want you to be that heir. You have a pure heart and
since you are orphaned and have no definite future I want to make
that future definite. You have eased the loneliness in my heart
and I want you to be happy. And to do that you must go back to your
home. I will give you the necessary money to do so. Is something
wrong?" Joanna said, concerned. Serena had started to cry.
"No, it's just all your kindness, making me your heir and
giving me enough money to create a new life in Japan, and I haven't
done anything in return. I feel so un worthy." Serena said between
sobs.
"But I thought I already told you; you have repaid me in a way
that I could never match. You gave me company, love. And that can
never be matched." Joanna said trying to comfort her. "Now why
don't we go inside and have some dinner?" she suggested, leading
Serena to the front doors.
"Okay."
---^_^------^_^------^_^------^_^------^_^------^_^------^_^---
It was two weeks later from when Joanna had told Serena that
she was her heir. All the necessary arrangements had been made to
make it official. Serena's stuff had been packed in the two
suitcases that she had arrived with, along with some money from
Madame Joanna. Serena was now stepping off the airplane from
America and into the airport of Tokyo, Japan. *Aaahh. Home at
last.* she thought as she went to go get her suitcases.
---^_^------^_^------^_^------^_^------^_^------^_^------^_^---
It was the first day of school at Juuban. Amy, Raye, Lita,
and Mina sighed. They were all remembering the time when Serena
had been with them. The way her smiles lit up the entire area, how
she always could make someone feel good, and how much they had
mistreated her. They sighed again.
"I still can't believe what we did to her that day long ago."
Amy said to nobody in particular.
"I can't believe what Darien did to her." Raye said, fire in
her eyes.
"When I get my hands on that guy I'm gonna tear him limb from
limb." Lita said heatedly. Mina was silent. She blamed herself
the most for why Serena ran away. She had been the one who had
suggested that they join Ann's group. And because of this she
blamed herself the most.
They all entered their class together, still moping, Lita
still angry at Darien, as though it was completely his fault.
Their teacher was a little late coming to class. When she did get
there she had a small piece of paper in her hand. "Class, one of
our students from last year that unexpectedly has returned.
Please welcome Serena Tsukino." she told them all. Then she went
back outside and brought in a girl with long blonde hair done up in
the familiar odangos that Amy, Raye, Lita, and Mina had been so
used to seeing on their best friend before she ran away.
"SERENA!!!!!!!" they screamed and ran to hug their friend.
"Oh Serena, we're so sorry we treated you that way that day." Raye
told her best friend, tears streaming down her face. The others
nodded, tears running down their eyes too. "Can you ever forgive
us?" Mina asked.
"Oh guys! Of course I forgive you. I've missed you every day
I've been gone." Serena said, hugging them again.
"Excuse me ladies, but would you please return to your seats?
You can continue this after class. Serena, you may sit at your old
seat, since no one has taken it." the teacher told them. So
Serena, Amy, Raye, Lita, and Mina went back to their seats, each
impatient for the end of class.
At the end of class the five girls got together and hugged
once more.
"Okay Serena, you have to tell us where you went, what you
did, and where you stayed. Did you meet any guys? Tell me, tell
me!" Mina said enthusiastically, practically jumping up and down.
"Calm down Mina. Okay, first of all, I did not meet any guys,
except for the butler of this mansion that belongs to my friend,
Madame Joanna." Serena told Mina, but was cut off by Lita.
"Whoa, wait a second girl. What do you mean, `Madame' Joanna,
and `mansion', hmmm?" she asked, her eyes bright.
"Okay, okay. I'll tell you all about it, but not right now.
During lunch. And if we don't hurry we're gonna be late to our
next class and that is not the smartest thing to do on the first
day of school." Serena promised them, already rushing out the door.
The others quickly followed her.
Later that day at lunch, the entire gang had sat under the
tree that they had always sat under before they split up. "Okay
Serena, tell." Raye commanded as soon as they sat down.
"First I must have something from Lita's wonderful lunch and
then I shall tell all." Serena said, eyeing Lita's lunch bag.
"Here, have all you want, just tell us all about everything." Lita said, shoving her lunch under Serena's nose.
"So I can have the whole thing?" Serena asked, her eyes
sparkling in delight.
"YES! Just tell us before I strangle you!" Lita yelled
impatiently.
"Okay, jeez, don't have to yell Lita. I think I'll just have
this little bit of sushi and... aaahh, delicious. And now, on to
the tale." Serena said, patting her stomach.
"Okay, when I heard my family had died I just went into total
shock. Then I ran upstairs and cried in my room until I cried
myself to sleep. When I woke up I packed one suitcase with all of
my clothes, along with food, and the second with all my personal
things, my family's personal things, and then went to the bank and
got all of my and my family's money and headed straight for the
airport. When I got there I bought a ticket for America. The lady
next to me, Madame Joanna, asked me where I was going at so young
an age and then I told her everything. She invited me to live with
her. At first I said that I didn't want to impose she pointed out
to me that I really didn't have any other choice. Who would rent
me an apartment? And if I did find somebody who would rent me an
apartment where would I get the money to pay for it? So she convinced me. It was then that I learned that she was a millionaire. Her butler, Arthur, picked us up at the airport. He then took us to Madame Serena's mansion, or what I would call an estate. Her mansion was four stories, with a balcony on the top floor. And there were roses, stars, and moons all over the place. Roses were planted everywhere, stars and moons were everywhere in the house, although roses were the most common sight. I mean, it was like a palace. Even the servant's quarters had queen sized beds and there was a play room for the few kids of the servants. Oh, and I almost forgot, I got to sleep in the room with the
balcony. That place was paradise, except that it was so lonely.
Then, about two months after I had come to live there Madame Serena
convinced me to come back here and gave me some money to do help me
start anew. Plus, she made me her heir. That means I get that
huge place. Isn't that amazing?" Serena said as she ate the rest
of Lita's lunch. "So, what have you been doing this summer?" she
asked innocently, practically inhaling Lita's lunch.
"Nothing, except for moping around the place, either avoiding
Darien or criticizing him, and treating Ann like dirt." Mina said
with a casual air.
"Cool. I'm guessing Raye and Lita were the ones who were
criticizing Darien, and everybody treating Ann like dirt." Serena
guessed, finished with Lita's lunch and starting on her own.
"Actually, Amy was the one who was dissing Darien and the rest
of us were all avoiding him." Raye said, glancing at Amy, who was
blushing furiously.
"What???!!! The shy Amy? Critizing Darien? And Lita and
Raye avoiding him???? I don't believe my ears." Serena said in
disbelief.
"Actually, the night you left we all called Darien when we
went over to your house to apologize and when we found the note we
assumed that one of the `other people' were Darien. Amy didn't go
totally all out on him then but Raye and Mina did. I, for some reason, actually spoke to him with calmly, although I know that my
words had a great impact on him." Lita confessed.
"But you should have seen Amy when she did go all out on
Darien." Mina said, smiling, Amy blushing even more now. "When she
saw him walking down the street with Ann it just burst her bubble.
She went right up to him and smacked him. Ann looked ready to
kill, and Darien had a confused expression on his face. Then she
started yelling at him, telling him that it was all his fault that
you were gone and that he had no right to even show his face around
Tokyo anymore, much less with, and I quote, `a slimy, serpent-like
b**** like Ann'." Mina continued. At this Amy hid her face behind
one of her text books.
"Wow, I'm impressed Amy. I never knew that you would actually
swear, much less strike someone. I now have much less respect for
you." Serena said with mock sadness. "I had always thought of you
as the responsible and cool headed one of the group. But now that
you had sunk down to our level, I, I," Serena continued in the same
tone of mock sadness. Amy, however was taking her seriously.
"Listen, Serena, I'd understand if you wouldn't want to be my
friend any more." she said, getting up to go.
"Hey, where are you going? I was just gonna say that I think
we should celebrate. You have reached new levels of courage and I
actually really do respect you for that." Serena, this time real
concern in her voice.
"Oh." Amy said, blushing once again, and she sat down again.
Just then someone interrupted their little meeting.
"SERENA!" said Alan in disbelief. "I heard a rumor that you
were back but I never thought that it would be true! How are you?
Where did you go? Why did you go? Was it because of me? Oh,
Serena, I'm so sorry." Alan said to her.
"Whoa, Alan, slow down. I'm just fine. But thanks for
caring." she said to him.
Alan grinned. "You have no idea how much I care for you,
Serena." he said, a warm smile on his lips, but a look of longing
in his eyes. "So, what did you do while you were gone?" he asked,
changing the subject.
"I'll tell you after school. We can meet here. I don't want
to be late for my next class." Serena said, glancing at her
new watch. "Well, I'll see you after school. Come on gang. We
have a class to get to. See ya Alan!" she called as she and her
friends all ran to class.
"Good-bye my angel." Alan whispered as he watched her hurry to
her class, then he hurried to his own class.
---^_^------^_^------^_^------^_^------^_^------^_^------^_^---
"And so that is what I have been doing ever since I left."
Serena concluded, sipping her milkshake through a straw. She had
just finished telling Alan what she had told her friends at lunch
that day.
"Wow, that must be cool, being the heir to a millionaire."
Alan said, a little in awe. "I know that I'm beneath you and everything and that you would probably say no but, I was wondering,
if, um, maybeyou'dliketogooutwithmetoamoviethisFridayat7:00." he
said in one breath.
"Can you please say that again, a little more slowly this
time?" Serena asked Alan, giving him one of her radiant smiles.
"I was wondering if maybe you would like to go out with me to
a movie this Friday at abut 7:00." Alan said, staring into her blue
eyes.
"Okay. But only if we go to a romantic movie. I don't like
all those horror movies and there aren't a lot of comedies out
there, although if there is one I'd like to go to that one too."
she answered, watching to see what his reaction might be.
"You will? You honestly will go out with me, on a date, to
the movies?" Alan asked, a look of amazement on his face.
"Sure." Serena said, smiling again.
"Wow! I don't believe this! I'm going out with the prettiest
girl in Japan!" he said.
"Okay, well, I gotta get going. I still have to unpack all of
my stuff." Serena said, getting up to go.
"Oh, let me go with you and help you, please?" Alan begged
her, looking at her with puppy-eyes.
"Alright, but you'll only be there for a little while. I only
brought a little bit back from America." Serena said. They left
the arcade together, heading for Serena's apartment, which was only
a couple of blocks away. On their way out they met Darien and Ann.
"Serena?!" Ann said in shock. "I guess the rumors were true
then, at school, that you were back."
"Where have you been Serena? We seriously need to talk."
Darien said, not quite believing his eyes.
"Oh, sorry Darien, but I still have to unpack my stuff. We
can talk later, alright?" Serena said, brushing past him.
"Well maybe I can help." Darien suggested, desperate to get
a chance to talk with Serena.
"Sorry, but Alan's already helping me and I don't need three
people to unpack two suitcases. That's just too many." Serena
told him. "We can talk tomorrow. See you later, Darien." she
called as she and Alan walked towards Serena's apartment.
*I can't believe that Serena's back.* Darien thought as Ann
tugged him along inside the arcade. *There's so much we need to
talk about. Oh well, I'll see her tomorrow. I can talk to her
then.*
---^_^------^_^------^_^------^_^------^_^------^_^------^_^---
What does Darien have to talk to Serena about? Is this date with
Alan the start of a steady relationship? And how will Ann act now
that Serena's back in Tokyo? Find the answer to all these questions in the next chapter and possibly the chapter after that.
Ja ne minna
PinkPakRat