2002 Valentine's Special: Waiting for You

Part 9: Paparazzi Alert!

By: Ghostwriter

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            The phone rang, waking Serena from her deep slumber. Groggy with sleep, she picked up the pink plastic phone, in the shape of a bunny.

            'Serena speaking,' she murmured into the plastic receiver. 'Who ever you are, this better be good.'

            'SERENA!' Mina's voice flooded through the plastic piece. Serena winced at the shrillness of her voice. 'Mina, what possessed you to call me at such an ungodly hour?' Serena complained. 'And we don't even have school today!'

            'Serena, you bad girl, you didn't tell us you went on a date with Darien!' Mina squealed again.

            By this time, Serena was wide awake. 'What date?!'

            'You've been caught by candid camera or something,' Rei's voice came through, sounding thoroughly amused.

            'I don't get what you guys are talking about,' Serena cried, plopping down onto the pillows.

            'Good going Serena! Knock him dead!' Lita's voice came in the background.

            'Where are you guys?'

            Someone knocked on the door frantically. In fact, it sounded more like pounding. Serena covered the receiver with her hand and yelled, 'Who's it?'

            'It's me,' Luna called back.

            'Hang on,' Serena said, as she spoke into the phone. 'Guys, meet me at the arcade in thirty minutes, kay?'

            'Serena, we are at the arcade.'

            'Fine, stay there,' Serena snapped as she slammed the phone back on to its holder. 'Come in!'

            Luna burst into the room, her face glowing with happiness. Serena yawned, 'what is it, Luna?'

            'Look at this,' Luna said excitedly, thrusting the morning paper under Serena's nose.

            Serena opened her eyes long enough to scan the page absent-mindedly. Her eyes widened as she grabbed the paper with both hands.

            It was the entertainment section of the paper. Most of the pictures were from last night's ball. The thing that made Serena widened her eyes in shock was the picture of her dancing with Darien with a smaller picture of Henry and Danielle in the inset. The thing that shocked her even more was the caption beneath the picture.

            It read: Trouble seem to be brewing in model couple Darien and Danielle's paradise. Darien seems to be totally enamored of this mysterious blond beauty whereas Danielle seems to have captured the attentions of Henry Briscoe. Is the break up of the year coming right up?

            'Oh My God,' Serena said in daze.

            'Yup,' Luna said cheerily, 'this is definitely going to get his attention. Heck, it has gotten even the press's attention!'

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            Serena bounded out of the steps, enthusiastic to get to her friends. 'Bye, Aunt Setsuna,' she said merrily as she walked pass the sitting room.

            'I won't step out of the house if I were you, young lady,' Setsuna said calmly, as she sipped her tea. 'Why ever not?' Serena asked in bafflement.

            'Look out of the window.'

            Puzzled, Serena peered out of the French windows. Outside the magnificently wrought iron gates, there was an entourage of cars, waiting. 'Who are they?' she asked Setsuna.

            'Paparazzi.'

            'Oh, so Henry has already announced your engagement, and they're here to get an exclusive,' Serena deduced, her eyes twinkling merrily.

            Unperturbed, Setsuna bit into her biscuit, 'on the contrary, they have come for you.'

            'For me?'

            'Yes, surely you've already seen today's paper.'

            'Yes, but what has it got to do with this,' Serena asked, pointing at the long line of cars.

            Setsuna sighed. Her niece is so innocent in the ways of the world. 'Sit down,' she motioned for Serena to sit in the couch opposite her. 'Darien and Danielle is the model couple. The look good together, they have money; their careers are launching sky high, just perfect. They have the attention of every newspaper reporter in the fashion world.'

            'And last night, you were apparently over friendly with Mr. Shields. And of course, they,' Setsuna looked out of the window, 'won't miss out on the golden opportunity to pitch their sales to higher levels. My dear niece, you've just unwittingly became a third party.'

            'But I don't want to be a third party. No matter how much I like Darien, I don't like breaking people up!' Serena wailed, but immediately stopped when Setsuna stared at her in quiet amazement. 'Oops,' she said, clamping her hand to her mouth.

            'So, you do have a thing for Darien,' Setsuna said understandingly. 'Understandable, after all, he is handsome and from what I've heard, intelligent too.'

            'He should be,' Serena said proudly, but her face blanched when she remembered what his favorite subject is. 'He likes physics.'

            'Interesting subject,' Setsuna said mildly. 'I must talk to that young man one day. He must possess some invisible force to make my darling niece feel this way.'

            'But I don't want to be a third party,' Serena started again.  

            'Who says you are?' Setsuna asked. 'The paparazzi? If Darien believes them, then I don't think he is so intelligent after all.'

            'But what if he does?' Serena panicked at the thought. 'I mean, what if…'

            'Serena, was it Darien who asked you to dance?'

            'Yeah.'

            'Then he'll have no reason to be angry at you,' Setsuna assured the distressed girl. 'Think about it. It was that dance that caused this whole uproar. If he is to be angry at someone, he will be angry at himself.'

            'But aren't you angry with me?' Serena questioned, pointing at Henry's picture in the paper nearby.

            'Girl, I've been in the business since I'm fourteen, and thinking back, that's a pretty long time. If I'm to believe in this,' Setsuna said, picking up to the paper, 'then I'm not worthy of Henry's love.' She looked at the clock. 'I think it'll be better to call your friends to meet you here. You can't risk bumping into Darien – yet.'

            'You're right,' Serena agreed with resignation. She walked over to the phone and dialed Rei's cell phone number.

            'Erm, Rei? Can you come over to my place now? I'm a bit tied up at the moment. Uhuh – yeah, I've seen it. We'll talk later. Okay, Bye,' she said as she hung up the phone. She walked across the room and sat down, staring out of the windows at the well-kept lawns.

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            'Ok – Bye,' Rei said hastily and clamped the phone shut. 'Guys, we have to get over to Serena's place at once,' she whispered urgently.

            'Is she ill?' Amy asked worriedly. 'I can ask my mom to…'

            'No, I don't think she's ill. All she said was that she is pretty tied up. But she sounded extremely distressed.'

            'I guess she did read the paper,' Mina commented.

            'Serena better be alright or else,' Lita said, slamming her right fist into the palm of her left hand, 'I'll make sure Shields pay for this.'

            'Did I hear my name?'

            Everyone jumped and looked round to see Darien standing beside their table. 'Speak of the devil,' Lita muttered.

            'Have you seen Serena?' Darien continued, looking around for the golden blond. But the only blonde girl that remotely resembles Serena was Mina, with an expression of barely suppressed curiosity written all over her face. 'Yes?'

            'Why are you looking for her?' Rei demanded.

            'I sort of owe her something,' Darien replied sheepishly, raking his hand through his dark hair.

            'Would it be something to do with his?' Ami asked primly, handing him the paper.

            Darien took it, knowing what was there anyway. He nearly choked on his coffee this morning when he saw that picture and the caption that went with it. He was dreading the minute when Danielle finds out. She was still in ignorance, since she is most probably sleeping. (Ghost: Finally, someone that sleeps more than Serena! Yay!)

            'Serena is not here,' Lita snapped at him, as the four of them stood up and made their way towards the door.'

            'Do you know how I can find her?'

            'We won't tell you even if you hold a knife to our throats,' Lita said angrily. 'Which I doubt you're capable of doing,' she added with cool disdain. Lita is an expert in Tae-kwando, Karate-do, Judo and kickboxing. She hated the thought of someone hurting Serena. She was the first real friend she had when she came to New York and she just doesn't like anyone that hurt her friend in the slightest. Even though Serena always fought with Darien over petty things, it must be something big if Serena won't come to the arcade.

            Darien ran his fingers through his hair, a habit he has to show that is extremely frustrated. 'Won't it be better for all of us if I talk things over with Serena? I mean this is between Serena and I, and none of you are in it.'

            'He does have a point,' Amy agreed. Darien shot her a grateful look.

            'Fine,' Rei conceded. 'You're driving us to her house!' With that, the four girls turned and walk down the sidewalk.

            Darien gave a small chuckle before he cleared his throat. 'Ladies, my car is that side,' he called after them, pointing at the opposite direction.

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Disclaimer: You can put me into jail IF I say Sailor Moon belongs to me. But I think you should be in an asylum if you think I own it. Fine, for the real thick headed ones out there, Sailor Moon does not belong to me.

Hi!

            I'm back!'

            I'm so sorry guys! Sorry for not updating my fic for so darn long. Will you believe me if I said I had a major writers block? Heck, real sorry, but I was busy writing Pride and Prejudice, a Slam Dunk Story. I'm really sorry to have left this hanging for so darn long. Ok? Apology accepted? Oh yeah, mail and review…or else, I'll probably slack even longer the next time.

Ghostwriter…