Hello my lovelies!

Hope you don't mind my calling you that :P but you're reviews are so heartening, and I always feel bad when I take so long sighs

This is just a re-post I had to change the ending of this chapter so that I could take the story in the right direction. (right meaning way I've finally decided to go) So, if you've already read this chapter you can pretty much skim to the end.

I don't own Sailor moon! (no duh)

Chapter nine

That evening the duo was not only too tired to practice lines, but so distracted by their thoughts that they could hardly maintain a conversation, and so shortly after arriving "home" they went their separate ways.

In the guest room, Usagi's mind was in a state of complete and utter turmoil.

He danced with me! But why? Why did he do it? Was it some kind of joke? She wondered second guessing her earlier assumption that he hadn't known who she was. Did he enjoy it as much as I did? That thought brought a blush to her fair cheeks as she remembered the way that they were dancing with barely a space between them. Heh, stupid question girl… you know he liked it…but it will it happen again?

Sighing slightly she laid back on the bed, her head cushioned by the pillow as she stared up at the ceiling, her mind guiding silent fingers as they unconsciously retraced the pattern of his fingertips over the outline of her body. Until her breathing slowed and eye-lids shut as she finally drifted into sleep.

Darien was not so lucky; sleep seemed to elude him as he desperately tried to figure out who the mysterious girl could be, but every time he thought he was getting closer a name eluded him. It was strange, but the more he thought about it, the more he felt that he should know her, and bizarrely it had something to do with the way she had smelled. Yet unable to identify the exact source of that familiar smell, he decided to give up and take a shower, hoping it would relax him enough so that he would be able to catch at least a few hours of sleep before the drive back to the school.

The next morning Usagi was decidedly tight lipped about the previous nights dancing, and refused to answer her room-mates inquiries into what she had done that night after he had left the table.

Darien, not too sure what to make of her refusal to speak found his thoughts turning back to the mysterious dancer, and wondered if his room mate had also met someone, except he had a vastly different outcome in mind than the one he experienced.

"is something wrong?" Usagi, now dressed as Brandon asked noticing the dark scowl on the drivers face.

"it's nothing" he replied, turning on the radio.

Usagi sighed, she could tell that he was preoccupied with thoughts of something, and so having nothing else to do but pull out her copy of Romeo and Juliet in order to continue memorizing her lines.

The distant atmosphere between the room-mates continued over the next few days. In public they seemed the same as always, joking with each other, playing basket ball, and basically acting as if nothing had changed, but in the confines of their room, things were different.

Usagi no longer bound her chest flat at night, and often removed the tape the instant she was away from prying eyes, opting to wear a baggy sweatshirt instead so that if anyone came in unexpectedly they wouldn't be able to notice the difference. Darien too was different, he was careful about changing completely in the bathroom, and no longer chattered on about girls. In fact, Darien didn't say much about girls to anyone anymore, as his thoughts would consistently return to the mysterious woman in the club, and the way that she had masterfully seduced him with nothing more than a single dance.

The distance between them could not last forever as they were both working on Romeo and Juliet and the practices were becoming more and more frequent.

"Ah Brandon, Darien just the people I was looking for" Mme. Beaufleur gushed as they entered the theatre for rehersal.

The room mates shared a glance as the essentric teacher continued,

"Darien, you must help your roommate with his lines. Every night, for at least an hour you shall don the mantle that is the great lover Romeo, and with the words of the great playwright seduce your lady"

Darien raised an eye-brow as Usagi stifled a giggle, if only she knew how true her words were

"um.. shouldn't she practice with Jordan?" the raven haired man inquired.

"Non!" the drama teacher exclaimed clapping her hands for emphasis, "you are to be the understudy, and must know the lines. Besides, Romeo and Juliet must not be overly familiar, it will ruin the atmosphere"

Usagi rolled her eyes wondering how practicing lines with the real Romeo could do such a thing, after all they were actors, and as such should be able to keep up the required fronts.

"uhh, okay" Darien uncertainly agreed praying hard that nothing would happen to Jordan.

"Wonderful!" the woman commented flicking her hand in dismissal as she turned to the blonde "Now Brandon you must remember to be girl-ish, your footsteps light, motions graceful. No plodding, and jerkiness, you are the belle of the ball, most beautiful woman in all Verona."

"Brandon" nodded in understanding, "most of all, you are desperately in love, but afraid at the same time, he is your enemy! Now, go!"

The girl-uh-boy scuttled off to the stage where Jordan was already waiting.

"From the top!" the director roared in a most unlady-like fashion as the actors took their places to once again go over the fateful ball scene.

Later that evening, Darien, Tony, Greg and 'Brandon' all stumbled out of the theatre, thankful that they had finally been set free.

"gawd I thought I'd die of hunger" Usagi/Brandon groaned as her stomach rumbled loudly in protest to its empty state.

"so did I, she was totally insane tonight" Greg agreed as they meandered into the cafeteria, thankful that there was still food available despite the fact that dinner was over nearly two hours ago.

"here you go dears" the old cafeteria woman stated as she handed over their plates, "I was told to keep something hot for the likes of you"

The group said their thanks, trying hard to stare in dismay at the oddly coloured purple mush in their bowls.

Still not daring to speculate as to what the purple was they ate in silence, too tired for conversation but the silence didn't last long, as soon Andrew stormed into the room waving a poster.

"Ah! There you all are" he greeted with a smile, "I have some news, they've finally scheduled the annual Halloween ball."

The boys just stared before Greg broke the silence,

"really?" greg questioned

"Yes, and best of all, they drew our floor name, so we don't have to decorate!" 

"you mean, we don't have to hang streamers?" Tony asked in amazement

"no"
"no, countless hours of sweeping?"

"nope"

"HALLELUJIAH!"

Andrew laughed, "yep, instead we get to "discuss ideas" with the girls and order people around"

"all right!" Greg exclaimed grinning broadly.

"yea, that's right, and you guys better hurry up, there is a floor meeting in like… oh five minutes"

The guys all nodded their comprehension as a totally baffled Usagi whispered

"Girls? Halloween ball?"

"yea Brandon" Darien began emphasising her male identity, "it's an annual event and a real big deal. You don't know how many of us have had parents who met at one of these events"

"oh my god" she breathed resting her hand on her cheek as she massaged her temple.

"yep, you better be ready to flirt"

I hate filler chapters, but alas… they are necessary.

Thanks to everyone who reviews, much appreciated

galene

next chapter is ¾ of the way done. It should appear within the next couple of days!