Disclaimer: Don't own Sailor Moon

Chapter 1: What's in the mirror

Some people look at the world as their playground, a place to be themselves, to laugh, to have fun, to enjoy the life given to them, for others, its hell on earth.

Serena continued to walk down the sidewalk trying to be on time to class, but for some reason she moved slower today than she did before. She rubbed her left arm and held it close to her as she walked. It stung her like a million bees, or like someone burning her flesh with a lighter.

She looked around to make sure that no one was around and then proceeded to roll up her sleeve. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 cuts to be exact, laid upon her arm still. They were fresh and looked like they could burst at any minute with the blood that was nearly visible. Serena starred at her arm for a while and then rolled down her pink sweater so that no one could see. She swung her backpack over her other shoulder and proceeded to school.

School is definitely like a stage. Everyone plays a part even when they don't know their playing it. They where their masks, and pretend that they're someone else for the 5 periods during school. That's what Serena did. On the outside, Serena played the blonde popular "it" girl at school. She was adored by everyone.

She had the fashion sense, the money, the looks, and most of all social status. Every girl in the school wanted to be her as she walked down the hallway with the rest of her friends around her, or as Travis Jr. High liked to call them, the popular girls. Each one wore something pink, their shoes high, and their hair always down swinging from side to side as they all walked. This so called group had 5 girls in it.

First there was Rei, a spiritual girl at home, but at school far from religious. She had practically dated every guy in the 12th grade, but was a nice girl. She had dark black hair that she wore in ringlets with blonde highlights and deep brown eyes in which she put heavy mascara over. Her skin was ivory and was so flawless that she could have been the spoke person for an acne commercial. Then there was Lita. The blunt one in the group, who was never afraid to say what was on her mind, which was almost intimidating to some people, but for her friends she was the one to win the friendly award. Her hair was wavy and brown and her eyes a forest green.

Next in line was Amy, a fairly short girl, but her grades in school towered over her height. Even though she was one of the smartest people in school, she still belonged to the "it" group. She had short black hair that flipped out and blue eyes which matched her hair until she died it again Senior year. Last but not least was Mina, a girl with long blonde hair like Serena. Some considered Mina to be almost like Serena's shadow, but had her own social life non the less.

Mina was Serena's cousin on her mothers side, and no matter how much they fought, somehow they would always seem to laugh in the end. Mina was one of the only people who knew what Serena went through. She was there when she cried and when she bled, but at school it was different. As I said before everyone, yes everyone, played a role at school, even if it meant throwing away their real personality.

"Hey Sere" Rei said as she walked down the hall with yet another guy on her side.

"Hey Rei, at it again I see" Serena said as she put the rest of her books into the locker.

"Shh… don't tell" Rei said teasingly before she made it past the corner. As soon as Serena was about to shut her locker she felt someone's presence. She closed her door to see Mike standing there, basically a one night guy as she called him.

"So babe, can I um… take you out some time" He said rubbing his hand up and down her back trying to be smooth.

"Um… I don't think so" Serena said putting her lock on and leaving him behind.

"Oh come on you know you want me" Mike shouted as Serena only looked back to shoot him the finger. She proceeded to walk down the hall busy of chatter and gossip until she ran into Mina.

"Hey Mina" Serena said as Mina shut her locker.

"Hey, you on your way to class?" Mina said trying to hold her books up with one arm.

"I guess so" Serena said scratching her head in annoyance of thinking about another boring class. Her sleeve fell slightly with her movement as Mina had a glimpse of her arm. Mina was quiet for a moment as she tried to comprehend her cousin's actions.

"What's wrong Mina?" Serena said putting her arm back down, not even realizing that her cousin had just seen what she had been trying to hide. Mina snapped out of her thinking and looked back at her cousin.

"Nothing, lets just get to class"

"Now if you multiply the binomials together…" Mr. Johanson continued to blabber on to the class about the boring lesson, with only the nerds and geeks raising their hands at the front of the classroom. Serena, Mina, and Rei all sat at the back of the classroom with the other popular people as they sat there bored out of their fucking minds.

"Hey Rei, what are you doing this Friday" Tommy, a guy that was part of the popular group at school asked as he eyed Rei in her seat.

"I don't know, why, want to go see a movie and maybe do something else…" Rei said biting down on her pencil seductively while smiling. Tommy smiled back as Rei turned back around in her chair.

"Mrs. Turner" Mr. Johanson said as Rei looked at the front of the class,

"Pay attention, and that goes for all of you back there" he said as the rest of them began to laugh.

"All of you detention after school" Mr. Johanson said, now irritated from the troublemakers at the back of the class.

The bell rang and they all proceeded to walk out to the hall for lunch.

"Detention, again" Darien said to Serena as they both walked out of class.

Darien had been one of Serena's closest friends since elementary. He had dark raven hair, midnight blue eyes, and a deep dark voice that could enchant any girl. Serena had always liked Darien, but being such close friends she never wanted to attempt anything with him, even though she wanted to, and secretly he did too. Even though they were such close friends, Darien never knew anything Serena did at home, AKA: Being a cutter.

"I know, I really have to stop getting into trouble, it will suck when I apply for college"

"Oh, don't worry, you'll get in. Nobody can turn you down" He said as Serena smiled. But she really had to shape it up. She was going to have to apply soon to colleges, and she didn't want to end up like her own mother. She wanted to make something of herself, to prove to everyone that she wasn't just some troubled youth that needed to be looked after all the time.

"Hey Dare," Serena said a little apprehensive of what she was asking him.

"Yeah"

"Could you maybe take me home after school today"

"Sure" Darien said looking at his long time friend.

"Thank you" She said giving him a kiss on the cheek, which he enjoyed.

"See you after school" She said as she continued to walk down the hall.

"Hey Sere, you want to go and smoke some weed after school" Ann said as she caught up with Serena who was making her way to class. Her brunette was hair wavy and wet with mousse, as she made her way closer to Serena. The closer she got, she could see her yellow stained teeth.

"No thanks Ann, I'll think I'll pass today"

"Oh suit yourself, more for us" She said as she went back over to the rest of the people in their circle in the corner. Serena shook her head, and looked at them, but she couldn't throw stones, she had hit as much weed as Ann had, and in her heart she wish she hadn't. Anne had fucked up long before in junior high and had gotten addicted to it. Lucky for Serena she had some, but hadn't gotten addicted to it, not like the other things in her life.

After school was over, Serena met Darien for him to drive her home. They laughed and talked in the car like they usually did. Only did Serena's smile fade as she looked at her glass door that showed her horrible domestic life.

She took a deep breath as she knew that she had to take off her mask and put on another one for she was about to walk into the house that she hated.

"Thanks Dare" She said as she gave him a hug. In the process her sleeve lifted up revealing her cuts. Darien looked at it for a while as she proceeded to open the door. He quickly took her arm and lifted up her sleeve. Serena quickly wanted to run out of the car, but his firm grip held her there with him.

"Serena, what… what happened" Darien managed to say as he saw all the cuts that were still red as fire on her arm.

"Nothing" She said with a smile pulling her sleeve back down.

"Serena don't give me that bull shit" He said to her as her smile quickly faded and she looked at him angrily. Not necessarily angry with him, but angry at herself that she had let him see her cuts.

"Nothing Darien, I told you" She got out of the car and slammed the door. Darien reacted quick and got out of the car to follow her up to her door.

"Serena you can't tell me that's nothing. Why didn't you come to me?" He said as her eyes began to water.

"You don't live in that god damn house Darien, ok. You don't deal with the shit I deal with. You have a fucking home to go to, I have a house, not a home. So don't yell at me for what I'm doing. I'm trying to keep myself going"

"Serena" He tried to say to calm her down, but instead she only slammed the door in his face. She closed her eyes as she leaned on the door, thinking about what she had done to one of her best friends. She opened them to find her mother in a silk robe with a martini glass in her hand, looking way past her limit.

"What are you doing home so early, shouldn't you be out there smoking" Her mother said coldly, not meaning to hurt her daughter, it was only the alcohol talking, but Serena didn't know that. Her mother's words only seemed to stab her deep in the heart leaving a wound that would never close. Serena ignored her mother and went to her room as a tear fell from her face.

Well it will get better. And yes, obviously there is going to be some romance between Serena and Darien, I just couldn't put a second genre. Forgive me. Hope you likes this. I'll update soon. Thanks for reading and don't forget to review.