AN: thanks to all who reviewed, I feel very happy.
Jennifer Wand: thank you very much for your critique. I actually began this story as an original, but I ended up viewing it more as a real-life type sailor moon circumstance. I don't know why. I tried in this chapter to make Serena sound less serious. I know she's a very light-hearted jovial character, but I also feel that she, like most 16 year-olds, goes through a period of 'awareness' by which they discover more about themselves and others. Hope you like this chapter!
Koldy: kool is nice J
Fiy-chan: I hope you enjoy the following chapters.
Forever his: whew glad I got the order right.
Aurora: lol, thanks for your review. No, she's not actually fat but she sort of embodies all the extra stress that she has (about school, home, etc) as being fat on her. Since she can't control all the outside things in her life, she tries to control her shape. Like most girls her age, she's MUCH more aware of her form and wants it too look the way she envisions perfection.
On with the tale!
The Friendly Stalker
It was frightfully freezing as I stepped outside. The sun nestled still beneath dawn's cover, and my body wished for the warmth of my bed. Taking a deep breath, I choked on the frigid air. How does Dare do this every day? I wondered.
My steps were wide and bouncy, and it didn't take long for the blood to begin pumping through my veins. I began around my block, touring the streets and alleys where I had lived my whole life; cracked sidewalks reminisced first experiences on bikes, skateboards…boyfriends. Through my heavy layers, I felt a warmth rush to my cheeks. It was not caused by the exercise. An eternity passed (though in truth, it was only ten minutes) and the pleasant sensation of muscles pumping and blood flowing left. My lungs began to burn and my shins and sides exploding in cramps. This was not as easy as those fitness people preached.
Still though, I pushed on. Come now, Serena. Ten more minutes, I pleaded with myself. My body ignored me. Finally, I could take it no more. I slowed to a quick walk. My head felt heavy and hunger pangs from the previous night attacked suddenly and with full ferocity. I wanted nothing more then to return home and settle in a steamy shower. No longer paying any attention, I was surprised to see myself before my door so quickly.
"The cold is a great enticer," I huffed past breathless lips.
Racing up the stairs, I discarded my heavy winter garments and embraced the pulsating tiles of my glorious bathroom floor. Letting the water warm, I threw a quick glance into the mirror; strange. Suddenly my mind saw things it hadn't envisioned before. There was a slight curvature along my arms and legs, proof of my preliminary run. Though still rather winded, I felt a surge of self-confidence, the likes which had become an unknown to me these past months. My lips curved into a genuine smile. "Yay."
By the time I emerged from the house, the sun had revoked its duvet, tiny filters of warmth floating down. Somehow, mum had managed to sleep through my morning barrage and I felt the fleeting urge to close the blinds. Nonchalance replaced the urge and I released a bitter laugh. "Your own fault, mum." My whispers were for no one.
Knapsack weighing less heavily on my shoulders, (due to the fact that my books were 'conveniently' forgotten on my desk) I shrugged and pulled out my bike, queerly eager to begin my day. I began to pedal.
The grounds for Berkley High were covered in a moss of hormone driven imbeciles. I grinned; that one had come from Darien on a particularly crabby day. My decent "s'cuse me" and "move please" were met with rude grunts and sneer's. Securing my bike in its rack, I turned only to bump into something.
"My god, Serena. Doth mine eyes deceive? You're on time!" I rolled my eyes at the gaping blond.
"Actually Min, I'm early." Her mouth remained in a frozen mock. Giggling at her childish antics, I sprang forth, catching her off guard. "MORNING!" I yelled in a sing-songy voice. We laughed blissfully as we both tumbled to the frozen dirt.
"Ow, Sere you cow!" I let the comment slide; sticking my tongue out quickly before she threw me off and stood. "Now my pants are all wet!" she chided me comically as she tries desperately to remove the stubborn ice from her slim legs. Mina and I had met the first day of middle school. She immediately integrated Molly and I into her rather prosperous group of friends. She was as beautiful as she was flighty, and we both suffered our own ditzy endings. Her goal was to one day become a great actress and found joy in playing the drama queen. It would be annoying if she weren't so funny.
"So," she began, changing her tone rather seriously. "Who is he?" I froze.
"Huh?" curiosity seeped over my impending nervousness. Though I was certainly not ashamed of my relationship with Dare (who would be?) there was the slight problem of daddykins. Were he ever to find out…since I loved my man with all his parts, we had decided to keep our relationship secret. This meant not telling a soul. Unfortunately, my bosom sisters fell into that category. Mina simply tapped her foot impatiently.
"Puh-leaze Serena, what do you take me for, some kind of fool?" Nothing. I said nothing. She continued, not missing a beat. "You were supposed to go see a movie with us yesterday, 'member? Molly called us ALL up, boyfriends included. Now you know how hard it is to disrupt their sports schedules. Anyway, we tried and tried to get a hold of you. Do you know what your mum said?" I pulled myself up, my legs registering the cold of cement.
"Umm..," my cover was about to be blown.
"SHE said you were out with your tutor, what's his name…Darien? She said you wanted some extra study time, and she didn't know when you would be back." Her eyes narrowed. I shrugged. "I thought you said nothing was going on between you and your Uni teach?" My toes are very interesting I discovered as she spoke. I watched them waggle unsympathetically from underneath the thick material of my boots. I sucked at lying.
"T-there's not." She did not look convinced. I tried again. "Is it really so hard to believe that I was studying? I mean, I have an SAT coming soon…and you know how bad I am at math…and," she held up her hand and shook her head furiously. Long blond locks whipped my face and I took a step back.
"Serena, you would rather pluck all the hair from your body with razor sharp spiders than do anything with math." Pausing long enough to stare at me penetratingly, she waggled her finger. "Some one's lying!" Before I had a chance to reply, the toll of a bell sounded across the frozen terrain.
"Oops! Bell, gotta jet." I winked graciously her way and sped off, leaving her sputtering irate yells to my back.
"SERENA TSUKINO! Don't you…" they faded into the background noise as I found myself resolutely inside the building. Not daring to slow down, I dodged the large clumps expertly and found my way up the staircase and into homeroom.
Plumping my tired body into my desk, my stomach gurgled indignantly at its constant disregard. Remembering the lunch I had grabbed on my way out, I reached into my trusty sack and retrieved a sandwich, packed full of unknown leftovers. Sinking my teeth happily into its delectable goodness, I felt the room begin to crowd as one by one, languid students flowed through the door. Licking my fingers contently, my stomach quit its aching, contently busied with its reward.
I opened my eyes and caught a shadow lying across my bureau. I paused my movement, casting my gaze upwards. My eyes met with dark (brown?) orbs, orbs that stared intently my way. Gulping loudly, I raised an eyebrow.
"Um, hi?" the strange man smirked playfully at my stupor. I failed to see the comedy. Casting a furtive glance around the room, I noticed my usual tormentors had not yet entered. I returned to his face, suspicion lacing my visage. "What do you want?" He sat in the desk in front of me, turning back nonchalantly.
"You're not as ugly as you seem;" my eyes narrowed even further. And the day began to rot.
"Are you always so charming, or is it only me that is blessed with this displeasure?" I wanted to swipe the smirk right off his handsome face. He chuckled. I gasped; just then, he looked so much like Darien…
"Just lucky, I suppose." Ignoring his comment, I removed a book from my back, flipping irately through the pages. He was silent for so long I was sure he left. Peeking over the pages, I was surprised he was still there. A voice crackled through the intercom, demanding the attention of all.
"Homeroom will be extended today into a full class. This is to be treated with the same value as any other class which means students are expected to remain on school premises until…" the rest was cut off by 'ooga chuka's' and other boisterous screams. I dare to admit my voice joined the mass'. Zipping my bag once more, I stood, slinging it over my shoulder.
"Where are you going?" the weird guy asked, strangely surprised I was leaving. I tensed my brows together.
"Did you miss the announcement? No morning class for me!" He stood, stepping closer to me.
"You didn't answer my question. Where are you going?" I kept walking. He followed me; out the class, down the hall, and stairs until I stopped just in front of the lobby.
"Would you please stop following me?" He shrugged. ARG!
"Not until you answer my question." Men. Sneaking past the office, I eased out the main doors. I sighed.
"Freedom!"
"I wasn't aware you were imprisoned." Why was he following me, why? Choosing to ignore him, I skipped down the steps, eager to enjoy my ninety minutes of freedom. My pace was steady, somewhat slow and extremely relaxed. I breathed the fresh Klondike air and covered a yawn with a sleeve-covered hand. He spoke, breaking my mindless concentration. "Soo, where are we going?" We? Since when do WE speak French? I halted my march.
"I," I emphasized by pointing to my chest. "Am going to the arcade." I shrugged in his direction. "As for you, I suppose you'll be going your own way." He raised his eyebrows mockingly.
"Now, now. That wouldn't be any fun, would it?" He was like a leech. No, he was a leech. I groaned.
The walk to the arcade was non-eventful, and the chatter between us two strangers waggled at a bare minimum. We sat at a booth (actually, I sat, he followed, I growled, he laughed.) Then, the most incredulous thing occurred. He offered his name.
"Seiya, Seiya Kou." I nodded slowly. He smirked, pointing his finger my way. "Now you say your name…" I hid a smile.
"Serena."
"Is there any more to that name?" I rolled my eyes and shrugged.
"Not as of yet." He seemed to ponder my response for a moment, as if weighing it on some personal scale. I hated to admit it, but perhaps I had misjudged his character. Sending him a friendly glance, I took the opportunity to study his appearance. I tried to hold back the blush from my cheeks. This boy was fine!
Now now, before I get some sort of mental attack from the Powers That Be, let me remind myself that I am completely and totally devoted to my man. However, I am a young, healthy teenage girl with hormones. Needless to say any tall, muscular guy with amazingly blue eyes and shaggy chestnut hair would make my heart thump. He grinned.
"Are you a little warm?" That only succeeded in making me turn more crimson. He seemed to enjoy my torture. Cruel, cruel nature. I tried to be nonchalant as I removed my coat, setting the heavy fabric beside me. Glancing back up at him, I stuck out my tongue.
"No…" He chuckled. Seiya seemed to find many things funny. I laughed to. "So," I started, twirling the straw in my glass of water. "Do you follow every stranger you insult in homeroom?" He shrugged and took a bite from his burger. I didn't remember the food being brought over…
"Well, it's not as if there was much else to do." I slumped back, crossing my arms.
"Oh, thanks." He grinned at me again, winking as he sipped from my glass. I narrowed my eyes.
"You misunderstand me; I would much rather choose to be in the company of your beauty that some stuffy ol' classroom." Red flag! Red flag! Calling all emergency crews into Serena's brain!
I blinked. Did he just try to flirt with me?
The rest of our meal went quickly, with little to say. Every so often, he would offer some information about himself; his favourite colours, best friends, his junior high experiences and other conversational material. Mostly I just sat and nodded, sipping on my water. When our 90 minutes were up, we headed back to the school, rejuvenated by the arcades atmosphere. I found myself actually enjoying our dialogue, giggling and laughing along with him. By the time we returned to school and waved our goodbyes, the majority of my suspicion of his intentions had disappeared.
The next few days passed much as normal, heading from class to class, procrastinating all the math review I knew awaited for me and before I knew it, Friday had arrived.
Berkley has this tradition; at the end of the first week of the New Year, a spirit day was declared. Everyone dressed in school colours, fanciful outfits and classes were all but cancelled. It was a day I dreaded, mostly because for the past three years, I had forgotten and had to endure even more humiliation from the school's ensemble.
My stomach grumbled impatiently as I entered through the gates, having not yet been fulfilled as it usually was. I was getting better at ignoring its complaints.
"Serena! Serena!" I turned at Molly's voice, slipping a bright grin onto my tiered face. Running up to her, we enveloped one another in a hug. Not allowing me to escape her embrace, she began lugging me down the stairs to where the lunchroom overlooked the quad. "You've gotta see this hun, you've gotta see!" she pulled excitedly and I laughed at her tirade.
Fanatical posters and streamers hung from the walls, ceilings, everything in sight. It almost felt like drowning in a pool of crimson, yellow and black. We ran through the halls, our group growing larger as we bumped into Lita, Ami and Rei, all of which mumbled animated vocabulary suiting whatever it was I was to see. Suddenly they all stopped. Their was an angry mob before the café doors and after several attempts, they managed to lead me under the steaming masses.
What I saw could only be described in one word; karma.
Guy Pearson circulated the disaster, completely dumbstruck. Number 1 on the football, soccer, basket ball and any other jock related retail, number 1 on the social scale, number nothing on the nice list. He lived to tease, not only tease, but also torture all those he deemed unworthy. Unfortunately, I often fell into that category.
My eyes traced the outline of what might at one time have been his pride and joy, his bat-mobile. Now, it was a pile of frozen water, toilette paper and shaving cream. How it even managed to get in the cafeteria, I'll never know.
"Tsk, tsk, what a mess," I turned to the now familiar voice.
"Hey Seiya," I waved. My friends looked at me oddly. Lita raised an eyebrow.
"Whatever happened to our ditzy jock hater?" I shrugged and grinned. He returned my smile.
"What a shame, what a shame indeed," he motioned to the centre where the now downtrodden teen collapsed on his knees, muttering something about his parents and his funeral. I cast Seiya a look of suspicion.
"I thought you and Guy hang out," he shrugged.
"You don't always like everyone you hang out with." He winked. "He should watch where he leaves his keys." They he turned and walked off. I was speechless. Who would have thought?
The rest of the day didn't meet up to its earlier climax, although it was great fun to watch the sputtering youth explain to Daddy Warbucks just how his classic BMW ended up in a high school cafeteria. I only laugh because I love.
Darien picked me up at my normal time, and I sighed a breath of relief. This mix of exercise and lack of nutrition may be slimming my waist, but it was wasting my energy. I had been jogging/walking every morning before school, not to mention my twenty-minute dash to get there on time. I cast him a sleepy grin and settled into the warm plush seats.
"Meatball head, don't be getting any drool on the upholstery." I stuck out my tongue. He kissed me. I smiled.
"Good day to you too," he chuckled. Revving the engine, he pulled out of his parking place and headed the few blocks to the library.
"So anything new going on?" he asked. I thought for a moment.
"Guy Pearson's car got toilette papered in the lunchroom today," I grinned at the memory.
"You don't seem to bothered by that," I shrugged once more, throwing my hands up to the air.
"I can't control the universe, hun. It does as it sees fit." He raised an eyebrow. I pouted. "What? He's mean. He deserved it." Darien sighed exasperatingly. I giggled to myself. Bugging him was so much fun!
"Dare I ask what else?" I pondered for a moment.
"Well, Domino FINALY asked Molly to be his girlfriend," I paused for a moment, blushing as I remembered the cute details. "He got her a ring and everything! Molly couldn't land on earth all day." Darien smiled at me, pulling into a parking place.
"You're such a romantic, Sere." Giggling once more, I sighed.
"That's why you love me!" He rolled his eyes, but didn't deny. Helping me with my bag, we went into the quiet library.
"So, Andrew said he saw you at the arcade a few days ago with someone," I glanced up startled. Andrew was there? I wonder why he didn't come say hi? It took me a moment to register the hidden jealousy in Dare's tone. I hid my grin.
"Most likely." Darien tried to maintain his cool exterior. I could see him sweat inside. Oh, Serena, you sadistic child you.
"New friend?"
"Something like that." He was starting to get annoyed, and I knew it was time to stop the games. Seeing him jealous was fun, dealing with an angry jealous boyfriend was not. "He's just some guy I met in homeroom. He followed me out to the arcade; we struck up a conversation, then nothing." He looked at me confused.
"Followed you?" I nodded.
"I know. Creepy. But he's actually a really nice guy. Play's sports a lot, but he's not conceded…" the muscles in his arm tensed as the compliments flowed from my lips. "He's good friend material." Then I placed a kiss on his cheek and sauntered up the stairs, pulling him along. "C'mon, my finals next week. Let's get crackin'!"
We didn't study much, but I did learn to what extent a couple can carry on before security kicks you out.
"I guess I should drop you home?" His voice was husky, and I felt myself blush darker. He clutched the steering wheel, trying to cool his emotions. He was always like that, always in control, always. I wish I could be like him.
I wasn't looking forward to going home. I was spending the weekend at Pa's, and didn't feel like fighting with him about boys and me. After all, their was only one of which he should be weary, and he was paying me to see him. I grinned evilly.
"Darien," I cooed, tracing my finger along his thigh. His muscle quivered lightly beneath my touch. "It's a Friday night…no need to go home early." He covered my fingers with his hand, removing them from his leg.
"Serena," he groaned. I giggled once more, enjoying his torture. He calls me names, I do this, it's a fair trade. Sighing, I removed my hand from his and reached across, pulling his seatbelt shut.
"I suppose you're right, let's go." I buckled myself also and watched as he moved discomfited in his seat. We drove in silence, the radio blasting his favourite nineties dark metal. After a few minutes, he pulled into the parkway of his condo. I raised my eyebrow. He shrugged
"I feet like watching a movie." I chortled. He helped me from his car, giving me only the briefest minute to call Daddykiens with an excuse. We barely made it into the elevator before we were all over each other. Somewhere in the back of my mind, I thought perhaps we should wait until we were behind closed doors, and windows, and everything. But the brain seems to quiet itself in moments of extreme passion.
We knocked around noisily in the hallway to his penthouse room, his hands banging impatiently at the handle until it sprung open. We all but fell through the door. His lips never left me, the entrance closed with a shove from his foot. We had all night, and we were going to use it.
Next time: Gah! Final's, tests, pranks! Seiya deems a little more friendly than necessary and Serena gets into a colossal dispute with her closest kin. As if tat's not enough, has her father perhaps learned the truth of Darien's intentions? Stay tuned to find out!