"When Dawn Comes"
By Kimra
Part VII
Serena lent in close to the mirror stretching her neck towards the cool surface as she looked at one of the many hickey's that where alarmingly visible on her neck. Oh no, can't hide hickey's now can you? She glared at the Luna pen resting on the edge of the sink. Luna paced the bench before the mirror careful not to get in the way of Serena's inspection.
"What do you want to do?" The cat asked out of the blue, siting on the marble bench and curling her tail about her body. Serena looked blankly at the cat for a moment then sighed turning completely from her inspection as she tugged the collar of her shirt upwards.
"I want to go home before my mother breaks my door down. Go to sleep and wake up tomorrow, late for school without a memory of this entire event." She sighed wistfully her head thudding against the mirror surface in surrender. With another sigh she went to unlock the bathroom door.
"He'll be out there still." Luna warned casually and this time Serena's head struck against the door. She sighed in resignation.
"I'm not ready." She whispered into the wood all the while wondering how long she could lock herself in before they came and got her. "I just didn't want you to do anything rash." Serena turned clouded eyes to her guardian who looked back with sympathy.
"I'm sorry." Luna replied repentantly. "It's just when I realised what had happened, I just wanted to kill." The cats eyes darkened dangerously. "I still do." Luna added her tail flicking madly.
"Well don't okay?" Serena chided a little angrily before the cat would delve to far into thoughts of murder. She couldn't' help being a little angry, after all she was locking in the arcades dingy toilets with the man she most wanted to avoid somewhere on the other side of the barrier. "Let me figure this out. Then you can kill." Serena slumped to the floor, her back pressed against the solid door in reassurance that no one would intrude until she was ready to let them. She watched Luna with an imploring expression.
"What exactly do you have to figure out?" Luna asked, not unkindly, as she nimbly jumped to onto the tiles before Serena.
"I don't know exactly. I just need some time. To think. And stuff." She groaned at her own vagueness and slammed her palms against the tiles below her. "This is all that idiots fault! Why would he sleep with me anyway?" She didn't pause for responses nor did she raise her voice below a fierce whisper. "It's not like he likes me, its not like I'm pretty! His probably got hundreds of girls like Raye, ready to do anything for him." Anger flooded her body comfortably. It was easier to maintain the one pure emotion then allow the other conflicting ones to take hold. At least with the anger she knew what it was she was feeling. "Why couldn't she get drunk and sleep with him? She would have loved it! She would have pranced around all week bragging to everyone." She slumped again, her head burying into her trembling hands. If it had been anyone else, it wouldn't be as bad. If it had been some stranger… And she knew, maybe just maybe she would have been able to convince herself that there had been some form of love between them. But with Darien, she knew too well, knew how pathetic she was in his eyes and she had no chance to even pretend her actions had merit.
A soft head butted against her elbow and Serena peaked through her fingers at her company. Luna's eyes spoke volumes, what they said was of little importance, there was trust, loyalty, love, care and protectiveness rolled so snugly into the expression she couldn't distinguish one from the other but she understood what it all meant.
She felt the tiniest lifting of her spirit and gave the cat a shaky smile. Her guardian's opinion of her had not changed and no matter what happened she had that stability to fall back on. It was the only comfort she could hope for and everything she needed at that very moment.
Her fragile smile faded. "Don't tell them, Luna?" She pleaded her head resting once more into her folded arms. She glanced out of the corner of her eye when Luna hesitated. "Just let me figure this out." She couldn't prevent the resigned hopelessness from her voice, nor the new round of tears from trickling.
"So long as it doesn't effect the scouts. I wont tell." Luna replied calmly. Serena nodded her head, it was the most she could expect from her guardian.
I'll just have to make sure it doesn't effect the scouts. Serena told herself sternly and a frustrated sigh escaped her lips.
"We should probably go home, before your mother notices." Luna suggested from her seat beside Serena. Serena tilted her head and twisted her neck so she could see the door handle. It seemed at that moment to be the doorway to hell, and she wasn't sure she had the strength to walk thought it.
The question Serena is: Who do you fear more? Mother, or the Jerk. It was an unanswerable question but it rang through her head, prompting her to make some form of a decision. "I don't want to go out there." Serena confided, though Luna already knew it, she felt the need to say it aloud. Her hand absently rubbed her neck, the cause of her immediate problem. He did that. She had no doubt, and it jarred at her that she couldn't at least remember it.
"Serena." Luna warned wirily, slipping ever so slightly back into her usual role of the nagging guardian.
Serena looked back at her cat, her eyes hazed with the tears that continued to threaten, she needed to get away, go home and sleep, brush her teeth and shower but maybe not in that order.
Luna surrendered to Serena's tired expression and looked about the room. "The windows probably big enough for you." Luna encouraged, admonishing herself at the same time for even suggesting it. The window however did look large enough for the petite Serena, and Serena was more then physically capable of lifting herself through it after battling Youma.
Serena's eyes lifted to the window with a spark of hope and she got up slowly. She didn't know what had gotten into her guardian, but she was extremely thankful for the possibility of escape without confrontation. She realised she was delaying the inevitable, but as she levered herself through and out of the window she felt relief swamp her. The cat followed her out of the toilets, neither caring that the female arcade customers would be without the use of the toilets for a while.
"I just need time." Serena repeated as she began for home.