"When Dawn Comes"
By Kimra
Part VI
Serena had an advantage over the cat as she made a mad dash to the arcade. She didn't have to worry about random cars not been able to see her over the bonnets, so she could take the roads with much less caution, though caution was still used. She didn't have to worry about house pets that where bigger and meaner then her, though she doubted with Luna in a rage anything would be stupid enough to cross her.
It were those little advantages that had her plunging through the arcade doors in a very short time. Her eyes grazed the café quickly, searching for signs of the feline but unable to see it. Maybe I beat her.
"Hey Serena!" Lita's voice shouted across the arcade.
Shit. She hadn't had time to consider any of the draw backs to storming into the arcade. She hadn't even noticed it was after school hours. She glanced once more to try and find Luna, failed, and turned her eyes up to Lita. Little voices in her head chimed the need for an immediate retreat. She still wasn't composed, she couldn't face her friends, not yet, a real shower would have helped, but the stupid cat, she had dashed off on her own vendettas.
"Why weren't you at school today?" Lita demanded from her booth across the room, allowing everyone in the arcade to hear. Serena scanned under the benches, she was sure she wouldn't have gotten there before Luna, so where was she?
"You don't look ill." Amy casually observed. Serena looked up again, and took proper note of the group assembled in the booth. Amy was sitting in the far corner, though she was looking over her lowered textbook at Serena with a quizzical expression. Lita was lazing back into her chair, eyes hungry for a story that obviously had to be told, after all Serena never missed school, well not often anyway. Raye was-
Serena's breath caught her eyes skimming the body next to Raye's, dreading the moment of truth but unable to stop the progression they made across his body to his eyes. No she hadn't had time to think about the consequences of going to the arcade at all. Raye was standing by the booth, hanging off Darien's arm, barely paying attention to Serena as she batted her eyes pointlessly. It was pointless only because Darien's eyes were fixed on Serena.
"Oh, well." Serena began, feeling nervous and decidedly wrong under his intense gaze. She couldn't read it, though beyond the first glance she refused to meet his eyes again, his expression was as closed as it always was. "I, was a bit sick this morn-" Her head whipped around at the sudden eruption of hissing noises and fixed on the cat that was darting out from beneath one of the tables. "Luna!" Serena screeched sighting the cats assault. Her beautiful, dignified jet black cat was lunging, claws unsheathed straight for Darien.
But what do I care? She demanded of herself and all attempts to stop the cat faded in her bitterness. She would intervene only if the cat was about to shout something in her rage, after all maybe he deserved to be savaged by her fuming guardian. She certainly felt resentment towards him at that moment. He looked too calm, too collected, even as the cat lunged at him.
She watched in slow motion as Luna was jerked out of the air before Darien. For a second she was confused, then her eyes flicked to where the hissing cat was being held at arm's length from Raye.
"What do you think you're doing Kitty Cat?" Raye demanded in her imperious voice. "Attacking my boyfriend?" The second line came out as a hiss, but everything in the arcade had stopped to witness the rabid cats attack so it travelled with crystal clarity through the complex to Serena.
Without a thought her eyes jumped to his, locking immediately. Worry, fear, betrayal, emotions she knew she couldn't hide from her expressions fluctuated with alarming speed. She had betrayed Raye and it felt like the worst of her mornings crimes. She had betrayed her best friend. Raye had been mooning over Darien for ages, she'd managed to get a date with him, probably more, Serena had always been loath to ask and had always blocked it out of her hearing when the priestess bragged.
Now she was staring into his eyes, his cold eyes that betrayed no emotions if he where feeling any and she was desperately searching for a reason to look away. It came oddly enough with the silence that had settled through the arcade. Serena wretched her eyes from his and looked about. The abrupt silence seemed wrong until her eyes once more came across her feline guardian who had stopped mid hiss, her eyes that little bit more dangerous but her body uncertain.
"Oh gods!" Serena shouted and ran across the room, yanking Luna out of Raye's hold. All she knew was she had to keep Luna from the others until she'd gotten her sworn to secrecy. "Shit!" Serena shouted, not meaning for the word to come out but unable to take it back as it bounced through the arcade. Everyone who had ever met her stared with open shock. "What do you think your doing!" She hissed at the cat, abruptly aware of his closeness, she had breached the distance between them unthinkingly.
She had never been so acutely aware of anything in her life. The soft fragrance of roses drifting from him, the searing gaze settled on her averted face, the simple warmth his body radiated. She hated her betraying mind for noticing him. Why can't I just ignore him? She demanded as she started to back away from him.
"I, I had to find her. I've been chasing her all afternoon." Her voice was getting weaker, the tears hiding behind magically induced brightness where threatening to fall, and not even the Luna Pen would hold them back.
He stepped forwards and she immediately recoiled. One foot slipped on the smooth floor in her rush and she released the cat to grab at the booths chair trying desperately not to hit the ground. A small terrified screech escaped her lips but she had herself under control in less then a second. She looked about at the crowd who were still paying attention to the scene.
With an 'ep' she realised he had taken another step closer. She wanted to recoil but her back was pressed against the side of the booth. It left her with two choices, even as her wonderful cat bravely sat in the gap between them. She could make a break for the door, but something told her she wouldn't get there, and from the way he had advanced she would have to pass him to get out, or she could sit down at the booth, leaving her open for further entrapment. However anything was better then being near him at that exact moment. So she slid into the spot opposite Amy. Luna quickly pounced onto the table next to Serena glaring bay fully at Darien, daring him to test her predatory skills.
"So," Lita began from her seat beside Amy "you took the day of school and chased Luna about?" Lita's eyebrow cocked in suspicion. "Was Molly's party that good huh?" The question drained the colour from Serena's face.
Damn, whatever the Luna pens doing it's not doing it well enough. Unconsciously her eyes flicked up to Darien and back to the table, trying to determine what his expression had been, but it didn't help, she couldn't even guess.
"Molly's party?" Raye asked brashly as she pulled into the bench next to Lita.
Serena felt the cords of inevitable drawing to snapping point, trying to keep her head from smacking into the table. Three girls on one side, one on the other, and a man still standing by the booth apparently paying attention to the conversation. There was no hope at all that he would go away. He had always made it his job to make her life hell. Why would he stop now? She groaned at herself even as he slid into the space next to her.
Luna, being a lot more loveable to Serena then usual, made it extremely clear that if he didn't sit on the very edge of the bench chair she would tare him to shreds. Serena twisted her fingers into the cat's fur in gratitude.
"Your cat's almost as much of a danger as you are Meatball head." Darien drawled from his cautious seat by her side. There was a gap, large enough to fit one maybe two (small) people into but she still felt like she was far too close to him.
"Shut up creep." She hissed in reply, her eyes fixed on the Senshi across from her, who where fixated with Luna.
"So how'd the party go?" Lita asked surrendering her scrutiny of the guardian. The other two looked up at her remembering the conversation.
"Err… oh it was good. Pretty boring really." Serena gave a little laugh her fingers digging into Luna's fur a bit more for comfort. The expectant gazes of her friends told her she hadn't done the scene half as much justice as she usually would. She forced her mind into action, trying to recall every detail before that fateful drink. She could remember most of it, but she couldn't figure out what she would usually say.
"Where there any hot boys there?" Lita demanded after a long pause. Serena's eyes snapped up onto Lita's green ones quickly. She felt trapped.
"I don't know Lita. Is Melvin your type?" Serena jeered back harshly trying to prevent the conversation from happening. Lita broke into laughter, missing the animosity, Amy closed her book and Raye looked like she was thinking hard. "Gesh, come on!" Serena snapped, her eyes skimming to Darien. Is he getting closer? Her heart hammered, she couldn't tell, it just felt like the distance was being breached, but Luna hadn't taken her eyes from him and Serena trusted the cat. "The only guys there where from school!" Lita's eyes sparkled with mischief. Why doesn't he go away? Serena was trying to be normal, but with him, so close, and so many undetermined emotions she couldn't give the conversation the attention it needed to act like herself.
"But some of the guys at school are cute!" Lita cried with delight, leaning across the table to grab at Serena's shirt collar. Luna hissed and swiped her claws at Lita's arm in a reflexive instinct. Lita jerked back before damage could be done, a baffled look on her face. "Shesh Luna, what's up with you girl?" Lita rubbed her arm, where the claws would have landed, her eyes slitted a little as she stared at the cat.
Feigning innocence in a very cat like manner Luna gave a soft mew, and settled onto the table. Her eyes returned to Darien who seemed to be staring straight back at her.
"Hey everyone. What'll it be?" Andrew leaned into the booth and his eyes fell on the cat. "Err… isn't that a bit unhygienic guys?" He was used to the cat by now, but it didn't stop him from being a bit concerned when it took up residence on the table. After all, it was an eatery, and cats weren't exactly known for cleanliness.
"Yeah Luna!" Raye snapped. "Get off the table." She made a shooing motion towards the cat. Luna glared at the fire Senshi then jumped down onto the seat directly between her charge and the enemy.
"Receptive little thing isn't she?" Darien queried his eyes still fixed on the cat. Luna bared her teeth once more, no longer in the sight range of the other senshi. Protectively Serena scooped the cat onto her lap. She didn't think for a moment that Luna was going to do anything rash now, but there was a dark glint in Darien's eyes that made her fear for her friend.
"Leave her alone jerk." Serena hissed at him, still averting her eyes from him.
"Guys?" Andrew asked quickly trying to get the attention of everyone in the booth, and dismembering a possible fight before it could begin. "What do you want?" He flashed them all a bright smile. Lita sighed a little and Serena found herself completely unmoved.
It's nerves. With him sitting there like that. How can I think of anything else? Serena fidgeted with the Luna pen not noticing Amy's eyes fixed on it in deep contemplation.
"Oh Andrew, can I have a chocolate milkshake, and some cherry pie?" Lita bashed her eyelids as best she could and was rewarded with a giant smile from Andrew.
"Sure." He replied calmly, scribbling something on his notepad. "Amy?"
"Nothing for me." Amy replied with a timid smile of her own.
"Just some tea." Raye interrupted before Andrew could ask. Eye's turned to Serena expectantly and she felt her stomach growl at the possibility of food.
"Uh… nothing for me thanks, I'm not very hungry." Serena knew there was no way around saying it, buying the food and just letting it sit there would have been just as much of a give away and this way she didn't have to pay for it.
"Are you dying Serena?" Raye demanded from her seat, though there was an honest look of worry in her eyes. Serena gritted her teeth a little in self agitation.
"No. I just woke up feeling sick." She growled almost under her breath. It was a war to keep her eyes from flicking to him, in a vein attempt to gage his reaction, but she managed. She did notice an immediate tensing in the air, but it did nothing to affect her.
"Won't be long." Andrew declared and disappeared from the booth.
"So give!" Lita shouted in excitement still obviously not deterred by Serena's lack of appetite, from the look in her eyes that had made her more intrigued.
Raye seemed a bit more interested now. "And why weren't we invited to this party?"
Serena stared at Raye for a moment, feverishly wishing the three had been able to come as well. It would have turned out differently then, she knew that much. Amy wouldn't have let her near a drink, Raye would have occupied every guy at the party's attention, and Lita would have stood over her shoulder like a private bodyguard.
"I was invited, but I needed to study more for today's test." Amy admitted a little sheepishly.
Lita groaned. "You passed a party over for study time?"
"But your in the class, weren't you invited?" Amy retorted, trying to take the focus off herself.
"Not everyone in the year got invited." Lita snapped with annoyance. "And I don't really know Molly that well." She added trying to sound less annoyed. Serena knew at least, she had always known. Molly was, like many other students, afraid of Lita, so she hadn't invited her.
"And you don't even go to our school." Serena stated bluntly with a little glare at her fiery friend. She immediately felt the worse for having glared at the friend she had most acutely betrayed. Raye flicked her hair absently and instead of retaliating smiled flirtatiously with Darien. Serena blocked the image out and turned back to Lita and Amy.
"So where there any cute guys there?" Lita's eyes had a mischief filled sparkle to them that worried Serena a little.
"Not unless you count Melvin as cute." Serena retorted. Raye, who had met the boy on occasions snickered at the idea. Amy looked a little ashamed of her friends but remained quite.
"Oh yeah?" The sparkle got brighter. "So where'd you get the hickey?" Lita pointed to the exposed part of Serena's neck in triumph her expression smug.
Serena's hand snapped to cover where she assumed Lita was pointing, her face drained of any colour. Her three friends where looking at her with predatory eyes, the man next to her was as undefinable as ever. She couldn't help her breathing quickening at the realisation that they had seen something she would have rather kept hidden for an eternity.
She could feel her friends beginning to close in on her, preparing to trap her. How obvious is it? Are there marks? The question's returned, after all she didn't know anything, didn't know what kind of thing to look for. But she knew what a hicky was, and she needed to see exactly how obvious it was.
She lunged across the seat trying to push Darien out of her way. "Fucken move!" She shouted at him her voice breaking, it would take so little time for them to trap her completely, and niceties, especially to him where beyond her at that moment. He slipped from the seat less then a second after she had begun to push him, letting her dash past him, the cat quick on her trail.
The other girls watched surprised as the sound of the arcade toilets door locking sounded through the room. No one would have thought she even knew words like that, and her panic had been blaringly obvious.
Raye made a sound of disappointment as she threw herself back into the seat. "Way to go Darien." She didn't even look to see his expression.
"What?" He choked out.
"You let her get away, now we'll never hear about whoever he is." Raye snapped, a little agitated at the opportunity lost.
"We almost had her too." Lita muttered in equal disappointment.
"Next time it would be more strategically sound if Lita boxed her in… err sat next to her." Amy added a little airily, as if she had known Serena would break such a fast retreat.
"Should we wait for her?" Raye looked at the locked door sceptically.
"Nahh. We have a meeting this afternoon right?" Lita smiled, a wicked gleam in her eyes as she cracked her knuckles.