Hey everyone!! Thanks for the comments! They really pushed me to finish this chapter lol. Please leave more if you want the next chapter! =)
Disclaimer: I don't own Sailormoon.
Darien hung up the phone and sulked into the leather chair. He couldn't believe he had just agreed to Beryl's father's company celebration, but he had no other choice. Before he could even refuse, his mother somehow knew how to appear on the other line at the right time and persuade Darien to go. He went to the gym early to run off his annoyance as a result.
The next morning, Serena decided to give her family a call. She was homesick and wanted to hear her mother's voice. After they finished their conversation, she heard her brother's voice in the background and wanted to talk to Sammy.
"Hey meatball head."
"Be nice now Sammy!" Serena's mother scolded at Sammy in the background. She felt a terrible pang of homesickness in her stomach as she remember the times they quarreled.
"Hey Sammy, do you miss me?"
"No"
"What?! You don't miss me?"
"I always don't miss you."
Serena's 12 year old brother was so honest. When Serena was with him at home, she couldn't stand him sometimes. She knows he can't help being the way he is but then again, who was to say she was the best sister herself? At this time, she wish she was more patient and more loving when she was at home. She realized she took her family for granted and it made her sad to think that. She didn't think of Sammy much, but after she heard his voice in the background as she called her mom, she really began to miss him.
After they hung up, Serena soon realized that Sammy was growing. He recently got accepted into the junior league's soccer team, grew another two inches, and as a reward for his good grades his parents got him a new computer. She missed her home life a lot and she missed Sammy even if he didn't miss her.
She put her cellphone away in her purse, left, and headed for her class.
[There she goes again..]
Without Serena noticing it, Darien's eyes were lost, and gazed at who he believed to be earth's most exotic creature. He saw her walking across the campus and it seemed as if even the winds wanted to be around her, blowing her beautiful tresses of blond hair in musical waves. His heart must've skipped a beat because he forgot to breathe again.
"Hey Darien!" A sandy-blond haired young man around 25 years of age slapped his best friend from childhood on the back.
Darien's thoughts were abruptly interrupted with a slight shock. After he saw that it was his friend, Andrew, he gave a sigh of relief.
"Oy.. don't scare me like that!" He shifted his attention to his friend, yet he peaked to see if she had already gone. She was..
Sigh.
"What's the matter? Premed classmates still begging you to work with them on projects again?"
"Nah, they already got the point that I have my own projects to work on. Besides I don't know what I could do to help them anyway. I'm not even specializing in cosmetic surgery."
"Haha I was kidding. I didn't know you were that popular with the students Darien! Hehe, any cute girls you're willing to introduce me to?"
"You?" Darien laughed. "You can have Beryl."
"Pass. Not my type. Heard she invited you to her dad's party though."
"Yeah, my mother literally had to force me to go. Said it was a family obligation. Looks like I'll have to skip hiking with you and the group."
Andrew nodded. "How sad. Anyway, guess who joined the trip?"
"Who? Zoicite? Hope she's not following you around again."
"Nope, thank goodness! One of Michiru's friends actually and I think her name starts with an S."
Come to think of it, Darien's seen Michiru and Serena at a restaurant before. Could Serena be the one?"
"Serena?"
"Yeah! I can't believe I forgot. How'd you know?"
"I saw her eating with Michiru once and she's in my guitar class."
"Oh, well Michiru said Serena felt homesick and insisted she join us, so yeah, looks like she'll be replacing you."
"Hm." Darien mumbled some words of Andrew being lucky but before Andrew asked what he was saying, Zoicite and Beryl appeared from the steps."
"Gahhh…Darien, I gotta run!" Andrew quickly adjusted his cap and ran to his car. If he could, he was going to avoid Zoicite at all costs.
Zoicite ran behind Andrew. "Hey Andrew!! Where are you going??" She called to him.
Andrew was already far ahead and pretended he hadn't heard.
"Rats! Gone again!" Zoicite pouted.
Beryl set her eyes on Darien. She eyed at his tall build and her dark red lips set in a curt smile and she walked over to him.
"So.."
Darien had to take a step back after a whiff of her heavy perfume. It was intoxicating but he tried to be polite.
"I'm glad you're coming with me tonight."
"Oh, ah don't mention it." Darien tried to smile.
"You know what Darien? I'm beginning to like you more and more." Beryl gave her coy smile again and tried to come closer. Her look suddenly became different. She gazed at him more seductively, changing her body language, exposing more of her cleavage.
Darien gulped and tried to look at something else. The trees, the building, the people walking by, or the pole in the corner.
Oh he couldn't believe he was going to spend the whole weekend with her! What in the world could he give up to go hiking with Serena instead?
Miraculously, Darien's friends, Michiru suddenly appeared with a laughing Haruka. They waved at Darien.
"Hey man, what's up?" Haruka noticed that two other ladies were beside Darien, a flaming red headed girl and a dark blond one. Michiru gave Darien a quick hug and Haruka noticed red-headed one glare at Michiru as she took a step back to give them space. She had the scariest and darkest eyes Haruka's ever seen.
"How are you Darien? We haven't seen you in awhile and we heard. It's too bad you can't go hiking with us this weekend." Michiru said.
"Yeah, sorry. Something important came up but don't worry, there'll always next time." Darien winked. Beryl clenched her fists and jealousy begin to brew in her vains at their interaction. There was absolutely nothing between Darien and Michiru and they were just good acquaintances. Michiru is Haruka's girlfriend and they'be been together ever since Darien could remember, but Beryl didn't know yet and just couldn't tolerate any female being near Darien at the moment. After all, Michiru did destroy her opportunity to get closer to Darien.
"Oh, let me introduce you two to Beryl and Zoicite. Beryl is a family friend and Zoicite is her friend. They both just transferred here at the beginning of the semester from Hokkaido. Beryl and Zoicite, these are my friends, Michiru and Haruka. Michiru is a concert violinist and Haruka races."
As they shook hands, Michiru sensed a very powerful rage behind Beryl's plastered smile. Michiru smiled back and knew that she was not an ordinary girl. She and Haruka both always had mysterious sixth senses like that. They sometimes even read each other's thoughts without saying anything, but sometimes Haruka worried about Michiru because Michiru has a tendency to be righteous all the time.
"Andrew told me that you were going to attend a business party in Hokkaido." Haruka said to Darien.
"Yeah, in fact Beryl's father is hosting a celebration for the grand opening of his chain hotels and invited me to join them."
Haruka and Michiru immediately knew that Beryl's family held some power, but they didn't know why if that was a good or bad thing.
"You know what.." Beryl said. "I change my mind. Let's go hiking, Darien."
Michiru eyed at Beryl.
"Of course, if it's alright with Michiru and Haruka," Beryl gave Michiru the same smile again. There was shocking lightning emitting from both girls.
""Perfectly alright with us." Michiru answered with the same velocity.
"What?" Darien wasn't sure if he heard right.
"Dad always has these parties and he's going to have another one in a few months if his other franchise stores do well, but I've never been hiking before and I would love to go. I'm sure daddy won't mind."
"Oh yes, let's all go together!" Zoicite piped in. She was excited because she knew Andrew was going to be there too.
---
"Hello?" Serena picked up her cellphone when she walked out of class.
"Serena!!! It's Mina!!!"
"Oh Mina!!! What a nice surprised! I thought you'd be too busy with your photographer to give little ol' me a call." Serena joked playfully.
"Oh, don't be jealous of my photographer silly girl. Modeling isn't going to be forever. One day I'm going to grow wrinkly and old too."
Serena laughed out loud. Oh, how she missed Mina and their laughter. Mina was just as beautiful and rich as the students here, but she had what they all lacked: modesty, humor, and fun.
"Well, guess what! My model shot is going to be in the mountains this weekend because we're sporting next season's ski wear. I thought we should hang out while I'm around your area."
"Wow! What a coincidence! I'm going to be camping there this weekend!"
"Really! How perfect! I thought I was going to be all alone up there with my agents and camera crew too. You know how that goes. THEY'RE BORING WHEN IT COMES TO HAVING FUN!"
"Wonderful, I can't believe I'm going to see you again so soon! You'll get to meet my friends Andrew, Michiru, and Haruka!"
"Andrew? THE Andrew Furuhata from your school?"
"Yep. How do you know him?"
"SERENA! How do I know him? How could anyone not know him? Hehe he did a model shoot with me some months ago but it was just a favor. He's not really into modeling, I think. I have the biggest crush on him. Ahh he's so cute!"
"Hehe, Looks like we'll have an interesting trip." Serena said thoughtfully, not even scratching the surface of "how interesting" it was going to be.