Note: Sorry guys, I know that this has been a long time in coming, but I've
had truly heinous computer problems this summer. I mean, really, don't
even get me started. Let's just say that my stupid sister has been
officially forbidden to download N'Sync picture files, especially those
that come with a virus. Anyway, I had this done up to Part Five, but now
I basically have to rewrite the chapters I lost. College visits have
also been taking up my time. Stupid college. I used to be all meticulous
and I'd organize all the college mail I received into nice neat little
piles. But now, I just throw everything away. I think I'm just not gonna
go. Except, of course, then my parents would disown me. Both sets of them.
That's not a particularly pleasant option either. Anyone else going through
the process? Care to vent? E-mail me! Anyway, here's Part Two. Enjoy.
Don't worry. Darien WILL appear...just not in this chapter.
Disclaimer: Nope, still don't own Sailormoon. Again, if I happen to mention any name
brand products/franchises -- don't own those either.
Damaged
By Emme
8/28/02
Part Two
Monday mornings surely had its origins in Hell, Serena decided as she
groggily pulled her insanely huge calculus book from her locker, taking extra
care not to drop it on the bent head of poor Valerie Wise lest it cause severe
and very permanent brain damage. She added the book to the already burgeoning
pile precariously balanced on her hip. She cast a look at the small mirror on
the locker door and groaned as she saw the dark circles under her eyes.
She was completely drained. Of course, it didn't help that she had hardly slept
a wink last night.
She sighed and kicked her locker shut. The nightmares were back again.
The horrifying and gruesome nightmares of crunching metal, squealing tires, and
panicked screams. They were probably caused by the stress of the damned semester
exams next week. Andrew had stubbornly refused to let her take some sleeping pills
despite her fervent protests. Not that she could blame him after what happened last
year. Instead, her poor deluded brother had insisted that a warm mug of milk would
cure her insomnia. She had downed the contents of the offered mug reluctantly.
Still, the end result was that she had a total of two minutes of sleep in preparation
for a day in which she had just about a million tests.
Nope, definitely not the best start at all. She doubted that even the
Wheaties that Drew had practically jammed down her throat this morning would be
able to save her day. "Breakfast of Champions, my ass," she muttered darkly.
"Ooookaaaaayy, and you're talking to yourself again. Remember what I told
you about that?"
Serena turned around and met the laughing amethyst eyes of her exotic
raven-haired friend. Raye Madison looked immaculate as usual in a red and gray
checkered sweater vest and gray pleated skirt. Obnoxiously white knee highs and
shiny black preppy shoes completed the outfit. Her usual flowing hair was tied
back in a demure ponytail topped off with a red bow. All in all, the outfit was
reminescent of Raye's private school days.
"Whatever. Do you have concealer on you?" She asked, dismissing Raye's
comment.
"Stupid question. Here," she said fishing the bottle out of her purse.
"Although you're really better off asking for Mina's or Amy's. Mine's too dark
for you."
"I don't care, let me use it anyway. Besides, I don't see those two until
third period."
Serena bent towards the mirror again, looking at Raye's reflection as she
attempted to cover up her raccoon eyes. She looked Raye up and down and smirked.
"You do know that you go to a public school now, don't you?" She turned back
around and handed Raye the bottle.
Raye just shrugged and brushed her bangs out her face. "Old habits die
hard. And besides, doesn't this outfit just scream Class President?" Raye
twirled and struck a pose, her nose straight up into the air.
The discovery of the nasty drug habits of the former Senior Class President
and his Vice President had resulted in their immediate removal from office, as well
as from the school. Now elections had to be held again to fill the spot of the
defaulting leader, and her ambitious friend was sure it had her name on it.
(AN: Oh yeah, it happened.)
Serena decided to stop Raye's antics. "Not if Jake Harrison has anything
to say about it, President Madison," she said as she unceremoniously unloaded half
her books into Raye's arms. She fought an urge to laugh as indignation crossed her
friend's features at the mere mention of the cocky star quarterback.
Raye had never taken to the 6'2" blonde with the Californian good looks since
she transferred midway through Junior year in an effort to, in her own words, "piss my
father off." Serena had always suspected it had something to do with the fact that
upon meeting her, Jake had asked Raye if he could take her to the janitor's closet and
do ungodly things to her. It was really just a guess though. Anyway, Raye had
punched him out with due promptness and had left him to sport a fairly impressive
shiner for the next few weeks.
Despite knocking out the veritable god of Whitman Heights High, Raye had still
managed to score with the student body due to the killer combination of her super model
good looks, her cherry red BMW Z3 Roadster, her rock star ex, and her high profile father.
Being one of her best friends certainly hadn't hurt Raye's reputation either.
"That ass," Raye scoffed. "Football victories do not a president make...and
do I look like your damn bookbag?"
Serena pointedly ignored the question. "You forgot to mention the fact that
he also won the State Championship."
Raye glared at her, her amethyst eyes flaring in annoyance. "The football
team won the Championship, not him. It was a collective effort. Teamwork. All that
moron did was throw the ball at someone."
Serena didn't think it was prudent to tell Raye right then and there that the
role of the quarterback wasn't that trivial.
Instead, she laughed. "Chill out Raye, I'm just messing with you," she said as
they pushed their way through the masses. "And besides, you're right. Football
victories themselves don't do shit. Popularity is all that matters." She shifted
her books as they walked. "And you and Harrison are both equal in that regard.
He's got his athleticism, and you have, well, that certain je ne sais quoi."
"Yeah? Well, I also have intelligence and substance," Raye stated triumphantly.
Serena stopped and turned to look at Raye. "Sweetie," she said slowly and
gently as if she were talking to a five-year old, "first, Jake is in the top quarter
of the class. Second, this is high school. No one cares about substance."
With that, she turned heel and sashayed into first period calc. Raye shook
her head and followed a second later.
***************
"Un-believ-able," Lita Malone drew out as she and Serena stared at the
couple that was currently making out across the hall. The two girls were leaning
against Serena's locker, looking on goggle-eyed at the make-out fest. Now,
it really wasn't the making out part that peaked Lita's interest. Puh-leaze. This was
high school. People were like jack-rabbits on steroids. Nope, it was the specific
individuals participating who drew Lita's attention.
"Damn, Ames." Serena said, shaking her head in the shared disbelief.
"I hear ya." Lita rubbed her eyes vigorously and looked again. "Nope,"
she said, "Not a mirage. They're still there."
"Do you think somebody slipped us something?" Serena asked seriously,
shifting against the locker and swiveling her head toward Lita. "Acid or
something?" She nodded her head to her left. "Kyle Westrik's locker's right
there. He could've broken into mine and slipped something somewhere."
Lita arched her brow. "Uh-huh." She said, looking at Serena as if she
were crazy. "I know Westrik's a pothead, but don't you think that that's a
little extreme. Besides, I doubt he has enough working brain cells to
orchestrate a break-in." She straightened up against the locker and looked at
Serena. "Let's just face facts Sere," she said, sniffling, "Our little Amy is
growing up."
"You two dateless losers, don't make fun of Amy."
Serena and Lita both turned around at the voice. Mina Riley stood there,
hands on her hips. "I, personally, think that that she and Zack make the perfect
couple. Well, besides me and Keith, of course," the blond said with a toss of her
golden hair.
"We're not making fun of Amy, Mina," Lita protested. "We've just merely
been stuck dumb by Amy's incredible endurance." She took Mina by the shoulders
and turned her toward Amy and Zack. "Look, time them. I doubt either of them
has taken a breath in the last minute or so."
Serena poked Lita in the side. "Well, you know, they ARE the swim
captains," she said, leaning in and ignoring Mina pointedly.
"God swimming must do wonders." Lita looked at Serena in mock seriousness.
"We ought to join up."
Mina sighed in exasperation. "Oh, just leave her alone." She took a quick
glance at the clock. "Anyway, lets go to lunch. I'm starving and I can hear
the pizza calling my name. So come on." She took both Serena and Lita by the elbows
and physically pulled them down the hall through the throngs of people.
"Where's Raye?" Lita asked, looking around.
"Right here." Raye had taken Mina's lead and was dragging both Amy and
Zach down the hall, berating them all the while for their little display. Though
both looked slightly disgruntled, Zach was significantly more so as he was being
led by his ears.
"God you guys, we're in a public forum. You can't do that. There are
fourteen year-olds about," Raye was ranting. "Not to mention teachers. Plus,
what about simple human decency? People don't need to see two people practically
devouring each other."
Ahead, Lita swallowed a giggle at this last remark. In all seriousness
though, Lita knew, as the rest of her tight-knit group of friends knew, that Zach
Crane had done wonders for their normally reserved friend. The two had met at the
end of their sophomore year when Amy, in a rare mood of impulsiveness, had sneaked
off to the school's pool after hours to collect herself after an equally rare fight
with her mother. Zach had walked in on her when he'd come back to the pool to get
some extra practice in. They'd started talking and eventually became friends.
After convincing her to join the swim team and spending more time with her, Zach's
feelings had eventually grown more serious...which was why they were in their
current pridicament.
zach was really a perfect foil for Amy. They were both deeply intelligent
people; but whereas Amy was more shy and reserved, Zach was more outgoing. He'd
been able to coax Amy out of the shell she'd hidden herself in all of her life
-- a feat even her friends had been unable to accomplish.
Zach finally detached himself and Amy. "Chill Raye," he said, casting a
sly look at Amy, "We just got a little...uh...carried away."
Amy blushed all the way to her roots. "Zach!" She whispered sharply.
They all settled into their regular spots outside as Mina dashed away for
her beloved pizza.
"So how was that history test, Sere?" Amy asked as she took a bite of her
sandwich.
Serena blanched, not wanting to disappoint Amy. Afterall, the other girl
had seriously worked hard tutoring her on the particulars of the Civil War. She
swallowed hard. "It was okay, I guess," she said quietly. "There were a couple
things that were completely over my head, but I think I passed."
Amy smiled warmly at her. "I'm sure you did. If you need help in
anything else, just ask."
Serena managed a weak smile and nod back. In truth, she had barely taken
the time to understand the questions. She just hadn't found the strength to care.
She had zipped through the test, answering all the questions she could and b.s'ing
all the others -- something she really couldn't afford to do with her less than
spectacular GPA.
Mina came racing back just then, her eyes sparkling with laughter and two
boxes of pizza in hand. Judging from the tall, platinum-haired hockey player
chasing furiously after the blond, she guessed that one of the boxes belonged to Keith.
Mina looked around her group, desperately seeking some form of shelter. She
found it in Zach. Grabbing Amy's bewildered boyfriend, she placed him in between
her and her own imposing boyfriend.
"Mina, give that back...or else," Keith warned, mischief sparkling in his
slate gray eyes.
"Or else what?" Mina called back cheekily.
The two males exchanged a look. A split second later, Zack twisted away,
leaving Mina wide open for attack. Not wasting a beat, Keith immediately picked
her up effortlessly and threw her over his shoulder. Mina practically shrieked
with laughter as she suddenly found herself upside down.
Serena looked around her at her friends. They were cheerfully egging Keith on,
fully engaged in the moment. Everyone was happy and carefree. She wished she could be
too. In the past, she would have joined in on the fun; but now, she couldn't help but
feel like an outsider.
She felt so alone.
had truly heinous computer problems this summer. I mean, really, don't
even get me started. Let's just say that my stupid sister has been
officially forbidden to download N'Sync picture files, especially those
that come with a virus. Anyway, I had this done up to Part Five, but now
I basically have to rewrite the chapters I lost. College visits have
also been taking up my time. Stupid college. I used to be all meticulous
and I'd organize all the college mail I received into nice neat little
piles. But now, I just throw everything away. I think I'm just not gonna
go. Except, of course, then my parents would disown me. Both sets of them.
That's not a particularly pleasant option either. Anyone else going through
the process? Care to vent? E-mail me! Anyway, here's Part Two. Enjoy.
Don't worry. Darien WILL appear...just not in this chapter.
Disclaimer: Nope, still don't own Sailormoon. Again, if I happen to mention any name
brand products/franchises -- don't own those either.
Damaged
By Emme
8/28/02
Part Two
Monday mornings surely had its origins in Hell, Serena decided as she
groggily pulled her insanely huge calculus book from her locker, taking extra
care not to drop it on the bent head of poor Valerie Wise lest it cause severe
and very permanent brain damage. She added the book to the already burgeoning
pile precariously balanced on her hip. She cast a look at the small mirror on
the locker door and groaned as she saw the dark circles under her eyes.
She was completely drained. Of course, it didn't help that she had hardly slept
a wink last night.
She sighed and kicked her locker shut. The nightmares were back again.
The horrifying and gruesome nightmares of crunching metal, squealing tires, and
panicked screams. They were probably caused by the stress of the damned semester
exams next week. Andrew had stubbornly refused to let her take some sleeping pills
despite her fervent protests. Not that she could blame him after what happened last
year. Instead, her poor deluded brother had insisted that a warm mug of milk would
cure her insomnia. She had downed the contents of the offered mug reluctantly.
Still, the end result was that she had a total of two minutes of sleep in preparation
for a day in which she had just about a million tests.
Nope, definitely not the best start at all. She doubted that even the
Wheaties that Drew had practically jammed down her throat this morning would be
able to save her day. "Breakfast of Champions, my ass," she muttered darkly.
"Ooookaaaaayy, and you're talking to yourself again. Remember what I told
you about that?"
Serena turned around and met the laughing amethyst eyes of her exotic
raven-haired friend. Raye Madison looked immaculate as usual in a red and gray
checkered sweater vest and gray pleated skirt. Obnoxiously white knee highs and
shiny black preppy shoes completed the outfit. Her usual flowing hair was tied
back in a demure ponytail topped off with a red bow. All in all, the outfit was
reminescent of Raye's private school days.
"Whatever. Do you have concealer on you?" She asked, dismissing Raye's
comment.
"Stupid question. Here," she said fishing the bottle out of her purse.
"Although you're really better off asking for Mina's or Amy's. Mine's too dark
for you."
"I don't care, let me use it anyway. Besides, I don't see those two until
third period."
Serena bent towards the mirror again, looking at Raye's reflection as she
attempted to cover up her raccoon eyes. She looked Raye up and down and smirked.
"You do know that you go to a public school now, don't you?" She turned back
around and handed Raye the bottle.
Raye just shrugged and brushed her bangs out her face. "Old habits die
hard. And besides, doesn't this outfit just scream Class President?" Raye
twirled and struck a pose, her nose straight up into the air.
The discovery of the nasty drug habits of the former Senior Class President
and his Vice President had resulted in their immediate removal from office, as well
as from the school. Now elections had to be held again to fill the spot of the
defaulting leader, and her ambitious friend was sure it had her name on it.
(AN: Oh yeah, it happened.)
Serena decided to stop Raye's antics. "Not if Jake Harrison has anything
to say about it, President Madison," she said as she unceremoniously unloaded half
her books into Raye's arms. She fought an urge to laugh as indignation crossed her
friend's features at the mere mention of the cocky star quarterback.
Raye had never taken to the 6'2" blonde with the Californian good looks since
she transferred midway through Junior year in an effort to, in her own words, "piss my
father off." Serena had always suspected it had something to do with the fact that
upon meeting her, Jake had asked Raye if he could take her to the janitor's closet and
do ungodly things to her. It was really just a guess though. Anyway, Raye had
punched him out with due promptness and had left him to sport a fairly impressive
shiner for the next few weeks.
Despite knocking out the veritable god of Whitman Heights High, Raye had still
managed to score with the student body due to the killer combination of her super model
good looks, her cherry red BMW Z3 Roadster, her rock star ex, and her high profile father.
Being one of her best friends certainly hadn't hurt Raye's reputation either.
"That ass," Raye scoffed. "Football victories do not a president make...and
do I look like your damn bookbag?"
Serena pointedly ignored the question. "You forgot to mention the fact that
he also won the State Championship."
Raye glared at her, her amethyst eyes flaring in annoyance. "The football
team won the Championship, not him. It was a collective effort. Teamwork. All that
moron did was throw the ball at someone."
Serena didn't think it was prudent to tell Raye right then and there that the
role of the quarterback wasn't that trivial.
Instead, she laughed. "Chill out Raye, I'm just messing with you," she said as
they pushed their way through the masses. "And besides, you're right. Football
victories themselves don't do shit. Popularity is all that matters." She shifted
her books as they walked. "And you and Harrison are both equal in that regard.
He's got his athleticism, and you have, well, that certain je ne sais quoi."
"Yeah? Well, I also have intelligence and substance," Raye stated triumphantly.
Serena stopped and turned to look at Raye. "Sweetie," she said slowly and
gently as if she were talking to a five-year old, "first, Jake is in the top quarter
of the class. Second, this is high school. No one cares about substance."
With that, she turned heel and sashayed into first period calc. Raye shook
her head and followed a second later.
***************
"Un-believ-able," Lita Malone drew out as she and Serena stared at the
couple that was currently making out across the hall. The two girls were leaning
against Serena's locker, looking on goggle-eyed at the make-out fest. Now,
it really wasn't the making out part that peaked Lita's interest. Puh-leaze. This was
high school. People were like jack-rabbits on steroids. Nope, it was the specific
individuals participating who drew Lita's attention.
"Damn, Ames." Serena said, shaking her head in the shared disbelief.
"I hear ya." Lita rubbed her eyes vigorously and looked again. "Nope,"
she said, "Not a mirage. They're still there."
"Do you think somebody slipped us something?" Serena asked seriously,
shifting against the locker and swiveling her head toward Lita. "Acid or
something?" She nodded her head to her left. "Kyle Westrik's locker's right
there. He could've broken into mine and slipped something somewhere."
Lita arched her brow. "Uh-huh." She said, looking at Serena as if she
were crazy. "I know Westrik's a pothead, but don't you think that that's a
little extreme. Besides, I doubt he has enough working brain cells to
orchestrate a break-in." She straightened up against the locker and looked at
Serena. "Let's just face facts Sere," she said, sniffling, "Our little Amy is
growing up."
"You two dateless losers, don't make fun of Amy."
Serena and Lita both turned around at the voice. Mina Riley stood there,
hands on her hips. "I, personally, think that that she and Zack make the perfect
couple. Well, besides me and Keith, of course," the blond said with a toss of her
golden hair.
"We're not making fun of Amy, Mina," Lita protested. "We've just merely
been stuck dumb by Amy's incredible endurance." She took Mina by the shoulders
and turned her toward Amy and Zack. "Look, time them. I doubt either of them
has taken a breath in the last minute or so."
Serena poked Lita in the side. "Well, you know, they ARE the swim
captains," she said, leaning in and ignoring Mina pointedly.
"God swimming must do wonders." Lita looked at Serena in mock seriousness.
"We ought to join up."
Mina sighed in exasperation. "Oh, just leave her alone." She took a quick
glance at the clock. "Anyway, lets go to lunch. I'm starving and I can hear
the pizza calling my name. So come on." She took both Serena and Lita by the elbows
and physically pulled them down the hall through the throngs of people.
"Where's Raye?" Lita asked, looking around.
"Right here." Raye had taken Mina's lead and was dragging both Amy and
Zach down the hall, berating them all the while for their little display. Though
both looked slightly disgruntled, Zach was significantly more so as he was being
led by his ears.
"God you guys, we're in a public forum. You can't do that. There are
fourteen year-olds about," Raye was ranting. "Not to mention teachers. Plus,
what about simple human decency? People don't need to see two people practically
devouring each other."
Ahead, Lita swallowed a giggle at this last remark. In all seriousness
though, Lita knew, as the rest of her tight-knit group of friends knew, that Zach
Crane had done wonders for their normally reserved friend. The two had met at the
end of their sophomore year when Amy, in a rare mood of impulsiveness, had sneaked
off to the school's pool after hours to collect herself after an equally rare fight
with her mother. Zach had walked in on her when he'd come back to the pool to get
some extra practice in. They'd started talking and eventually became friends.
After convincing her to join the swim team and spending more time with her, Zach's
feelings had eventually grown more serious...which was why they were in their
current pridicament.
zach was really a perfect foil for Amy. They were both deeply intelligent
people; but whereas Amy was more shy and reserved, Zach was more outgoing. He'd
been able to coax Amy out of the shell she'd hidden herself in all of her life
-- a feat even her friends had been unable to accomplish.
Zach finally detached himself and Amy. "Chill Raye," he said, casting a
sly look at Amy, "We just got a little...uh...carried away."
Amy blushed all the way to her roots. "Zach!" She whispered sharply.
They all settled into their regular spots outside as Mina dashed away for
her beloved pizza.
"So how was that history test, Sere?" Amy asked as she took a bite of her
sandwich.
Serena blanched, not wanting to disappoint Amy. Afterall, the other girl
had seriously worked hard tutoring her on the particulars of the Civil War. She
swallowed hard. "It was okay, I guess," she said quietly. "There were a couple
things that were completely over my head, but I think I passed."
Amy smiled warmly at her. "I'm sure you did. If you need help in
anything else, just ask."
Serena managed a weak smile and nod back. In truth, she had barely taken
the time to understand the questions. She just hadn't found the strength to care.
She had zipped through the test, answering all the questions she could and b.s'ing
all the others -- something she really couldn't afford to do with her less than
spectacular GPA.
Mina came racing back just then, her eyes sparkling with laughter and two
boxes of pizza in hand. Judging from the tall, platinum-haired hockey player
chasing furiously after the blond, she guessed that one of the boxes belonged to Keith.
Mina looked around her group, desperately seeking some form of shelter. She
found it in Zach. Grabbing Amy's bewildered boyfriend, she placed him in between
her and her own imposing boyfriend.
"Mina, give that back...or else," Keith warned, mischief sparkling in his
slate gray eyes.
"Or else what?" Mina called back cheekily.
The two males exchanged a look. A split second later, Zack twisted away,
leaving Mina wide open for attack. Not wasting a beat, Keith immediately picked
her up effortlessly and threw her over his shoulder. Mina practically shrieked
with laughter as she suddenly found herself upside down.
Serena looked around her at her friends. They were cheerfully egging Keith on,
fully engaged in the moment. Everyone was happy and carefree. She wished she could be
too. In the past, she would have joined in on the fun; but now, she couldn't help but
feel like an outsider.
She felt so alone.