"When Dawn Comes"
By Kimra
Part IX
Serena sat in class watching the back of Molly's head with intensity. She had arrived at school easily, disgustingly easily. The gates hadn't even been opened and she had been forced to sit and wait jumping at every pedestrian that passed her. Somehow afraid that it could have been Darien.
Molly turned around and grinned brightly at her, and Serena desperately tried to decipher the expression. She wanted to know exactly what it meant as if suspecting it had a deeper meaning. She was afraid her friend knew, but couldn't think how she would know, but then again she couldn't think how her friend wouldn't know.
"Miss Tsukino." Miss Haruna snapped from the front of the class, and Serena's searching gaze snapped onto the teacher. "Why where you away yesterday?"
A little hope swelled in Serena's chest that Molly had not gossiped about what ever had happened.
"I was sick miss." Serena replied as calmly as she could. She couldn't help that her heart had started a odd rhythm of uncertainty as she watched the teachers shifting expression.
"Convenient really? Don't you think?" Miss Haruna asked carefully, her hands shifting with papers on the desk, her eyes locked on the often errant student. Serena was completely at a lose to answer that question. She tried to think of why being sick would be convenient but could think of nothing, so she tried to decipher the teachers words. Obviously the teacher was not in a patient mood she continued with a snap. "I'd like to congratulate everyone who attempted the test yesterday."
Serena barely blinked at the teachers words, her mind registering that yes she had known there was an exam, and that no she didn't really care at that point. Lack of sleep did wonders for the amount you cared about things like school.
"And I'm in such a good mood I've decided anyone who sat the test has an instant pass!"
And that was her punishment. It could be worse. Serena rationalised, too tired and unstable to really care. There where squeaks about the room as the rest of the class registered they had, if nothing else, passed a test that had been extremely important to there grades.
Serena looked about the room for a second, licking her bottom lip in thought. Amy was sending her a sympathy look. Melvin was trying to beg the teacher for his proper mark, because of course he had known he had passed. She shuddered at the sight of him, mentally reminding herself that Darien wasn't the worst she could have done. Then pushing the thought away, disgusted with herself for it's existence once more.
She looked at her desk, her hands neatly folded on the table and considered absently that she should have started to protest by now. She would have any other day, but today it felt too trivial.
She looked up and met the teachers eyes, noticing the slight disappointment. The entire thing had been to bait her into tears of indignation after all. Serena knew her teacher that well at least. Others where starting to look at her, as if waiting for the explosion. Giving in with a sigh Serena began.
"But Miss Haruna, that's not fair!" Sure there's nothing really to protest, but everyone knows she only passed everyone else so my failure could feel that much worse. Serena gave another sigh and looked about, people still watched her expectantly. Did she respond already? Serena glanced at the teacher and realised she had missed what ever come back the teacher had made. The smug look on Miss Haruna's face didn't stir a muscle. I need sleep. Serena groaned out loud at that. Sleep, her ally all her life had abandoned her when she most wanted to escape the realm of reality, it was just about right, everything else seemed to be falling apart. "What ever." Serena grumbled folding her arms onto the desk and resting her head in them. Her eyes however didn't even close to allow her the illusion of sleep.
Someone must have yelled at her while she sat there, or maybe the teacher had gotten the point when she had failed to respond to the baiting. But she sat there ignoring it, staring at nothing until the lunch bell rang and the class began to disembark from the room. Serena did the only thing her mind could think of, she threw her belongings into her bag and charged out of the room in pursuit of her red headed friend. She barely heard Lita calling out something about having too much lunch before she caught up with her friend.
"Molly!" She gasped and grabbed at the girls arm, pulling her from the conversation she had been in the midst of.
"Oh, Serena." Molly replied delightedly.
How do I do this? Serena demanded of her own brain when she realised she hadn't planned what to do, just known what she wanted the outcome to be.
"Are you sitting with us for lunch?" Molly's delight seemed to double at the idea but Serena shook her head briskly.
"I was wondering if we could… talk?" Serena bit into her tongue feeling stupid. She had put just the right empyesis on the word that suddenly the girls around Molly where excusing themselves.
"Yeah sure." Molly chirped. "Can we stop at my locker?" Molly began her walk to the locker much more relaxed then the Serena that followed her.
How do I ask? What did I do the other night? What did you tell the others? Do you even know what happened? No, no. None of that's right. Start simple, if something happened she knows she'll get to it. She wracked her mind as they walked desperately trying to think of an attack plan.
"Hey great party the other night." Serena blurted out suddenly, feeling stupid for the abruptness of it but Molly being her usual happy self seemed not to notice it.
"Yeah…" Molly stopped and turned to face Serena her expression a little uncertain now. "Shame you couldn't stay for the night." Molly's expression was searching and Serena felt discomfort overpowering her thought process leaving her with a jumble of 'run away' thoughts and little else. Molly reconsidered something, turned and began for her locker once more. Serena was at a complete lose for a response and stood mutely as Molly pulled her overnight bag from the locker. "You left these." Molly added her eyes returning to Serena's searchingly.
Serena didn't want to say it, say she couldn't remember what happened. She would break down in tears or merely betray a weakness she would rather keep to herself, but she needed to know.
"So what did you tell everyone?" Serena asked abruptly, fearing her friends tendencies to gossiping.
"What?" Molly asked, looking blank, then an expression dawned and she smiled jokingly.
"I told them you go swept off your feet by some gorgeous guy in a secluded ally some time after midnight."
Serena didn't hear the joking tone at first, the colour from her face falling. But Molly's mirth filled giggles shook her into realisation.
"What's there to say?" Molly seemed agitated as she shoved the bag at Serena. "Justin took you home cause you weren't feeling very well."
"What's wrong?" Serena demanded, the words fell lifelessly past her in the face of her friends agitation.
"You didn't seem sick. I just thought you had a better offer. Like one of your new friends had decided to have a party on the same night and you didn't want to offend me. But then you didn't come yesterday… so I guess you where sick." Molly's expression shifted into apology. "And you left your bag, which you wouldn't have done if you where feeling well."
"Justin?" Serena murmured the name, her little brows tightening into a frown.
"Yeah, major hottie like him following you around the party like a lost puppy. I'm impressed. Though I didn't think you knew him very well, but then I haven't seen much of you lately." Molly's voice was growing weaker. Serena felt guilty, forgetting once more her own problems when she realised Molly was feeling left out again.
"I'm sorry Mol, I would have stayed, but I did feel really sick." She didn't want to lie she realised as the words left her mouth, rolling off her tongue to seal her to the lie until it would crumble. And the damage was done, and there would never be a way to reverse it. She should have trusted her best friend right then at that moment, but trust failed her when she needed it the most.
Justin. Her mind rolled the name around thoughtfully. He would be in their year, good looking by Molly's kindly standards left none of the male populace out, then again she had said he was a hottie, so she was looking for someone exceptional. Pride did not allow her to ask her friend who Justin was. Besides that might tip her off.
"You coming for lunch?" Molly asked perkily but Serena shook her head.
"Not today, maybe tomorrow. Okay?" Serena pushed her friend a little in the right direction watching until the red head had gone before her back went up against the locker. Her eyes skimmed the corridor to find it empty and she pressed her head back against the cool metal eye fluttering shut with exhaustion.
A shaking hand pushed strands of loose hair behind her ear, then pulled back. Her heart rate increasing at the contact. The fingers lingering on the side of her check before they withdrew completely.
Her eyes fluttered open and travelled the corridor, her head not moving. Nobody. She told herself sternly calming the irregular heart beats in her chest. Her eyes closed without permission once more.
Tingling pressure pushed in against her lips sending electricity through her body in sharp jolts that left her nerves buzzing.
Serena's eyes snapped open sharply her head swinging form side to side as she stared down the silent corridor. Her hand shifted to cover her lip to guard it and hold the strange feeling in at the same time. She knew she was shaking, her body refusing any command she tried to take over it.
She had no time to contemplate the moment before the bell rang for class to resume. It hadn't felt that long at all but she stumbled back to class.