~*AN*~
Sorry it's been a while since I've updated, had to take a road trip. Anyway, I hope this chapter goes well with everyone.
~*Chapter X: Show Time*~
"Okay girls, that's a wrap!" called out Jason from the stage. "Remember, bright and early tomorrow morning for the show, do not be late!!" he added, going backstage to take care of some technical problems. I had finally finished altering all the gowns to each and every girl's body type. It took us two whole days of practicing and stitching, but we got everything together and were eagerly anticipating the show now. I looked up just in time to catch the girls wave good bye to me as they left the building.
"See you tomorrow!" I called back, still smiling no matter how tired I was. Today we changed up the theme of my show and decided to give each model individual looks instead of all being regal. Now all that was left was to work on the lighting, which would be Jason's job. "It's finally done with," I whispered, mainly to myself as I got up and stretched.
"Not yet, but all that is left to do is for you to go home and relax for the big day," replied Jason, startling me back into my seat. "Sorry," he added, laughing at the glare I gave him.
"That's not funny, you know I'm edgy right now!" I yelled at him. It has been a long day and I have been sitting on the same stool for over six hours straight. I rubbed my back and stood back up to finish my stretch.
"You have an appointment with the masseuse at the hotel in half an hour, so if I were you, I'd get a move on," said Jason quietly as he picked up all the supplies that I had thrown about the dressing room.
"No I don't," I replied, stuffing some of my personal supplies into my tote bag.
"You do now, I just called it in this morning," Jason told me, pushing me towards the exit slowly. "Why don't you and Keith order up some room service and have a nice night alone to unwind," he suggested as he opened the door and led me out towards the car. "I'll take care of everything and you can come early tomorrow morning just to make sure it's the you like," he added before I could even get a word in.
"Fine," I said, giving in as I hopped into the car and started the engine. "But make sure if you have any doubt about what kind of lighting effect I want, call me at once!" I told him with a stern tone in my voice. I have been worried sick about my fashion show lately, I keep thinking that something bad is going to happen or that something may go wrong during the show.
"Don't worry, I will ring you if there are any problems, you have my word," Jason told me reassuringly. He smiled at me as I sighed and switched the gear in drive and took off.
"See you tomorrow!" I called out loudly, taking off before he could acknowledge it and say anything in response. On my way home, I dropped by my parent's house and pick up Keith. Before we left, I told my parents to make sure they arrived early to the show tomorrow and took off towards the hotel.
Just like Jason had directed, we ordered some room service and found a movie on the satellite to watch while we ate. After that, I made sure Keith washed up and then tucked him into bed before starting a nice warm bubble bath for myself. While letting my muscles relax in the warm water, I thought of how the show might turn out. At the last minute, I reached for my cell phone and gave Jason a call to switch out some ideas that had just popped into my head. I thought the lighting should be a little livelier with each gown so that it would stand out more so the viewer's could see certain aspects of my designs.
After getting lectured at by Jason, I hung up and got out of the bath after rinsing my hair and got into bed. Setting my alarm for 6am, I drifted into sleep easily.
~Next Morning~
"Sere!!" I heard a voice yelling from the living room as I slowly got up out of bed. Grabbing my robe, I went out to see who was here so early.
"What?" I bit back, a little grumpy form being awoken so unexpectedly.
"Excuse me, I come to call you before you're late to your own fashion show, and you have the nerve to gripe me out?" asked Jason, standing there in his suit staring at me.
"Oh my god! What time is it?" I yelled, running into my bedroom and looking at my clock. It was already 6:30 and I was supposed to arrive at the building in half an hour! I ran back out and told Jason to get Keith ready while I hurried and tried to make myself presentable for the show. I slipped into a knee length black skirt and a lavender colored top before putting on a blazer that matched the skirt. Wrapping my hair up into a bun, I slid into a pair of Charles David two-inch high heels. Grabbing my briefcase, I hurried back out to see the boys both dressed and waiting for me impatiently. "I know, I know! Sorry!" I shouted, running out the open door and heading for the elevator.
"What happened?" asked Jason as he put Keith into the back seat and we both got into the car quickly and took off towards downtown where the show was being held.
"I don't know, I set my alarm for 6 o'clock last night before going to bed and it never rang this morning!" I replied frantically. If I showed up late, what would the critics think? I cringed inwardly, hoping that everything would go smoothly today.
"Don't worry, I called ahead and let them know to get started," said Jason, gripping my hand tightly. I tightened the grip even harder, hoping that things would be okay. When we pulled into the driveway, I bolted out of my seat and ran into the dressing area to get started on the girls and make sure everyone had the right look I was aiming for. While I was helping the make-up artist touch up the first model, I saw Keith and Jason walk up to me slowly.
"I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to leave you two behind but I needed to make sure for myself that things were going fine without me," I replied in a quick breath as I helped another model zip up the back of her gown. "Why don't you two go out and take a seat while I work, it's going to get busy real quick back here," I told them, fixing Keith's hair and kissing him lightly.
"Have fun Mama!" he replied, hugging me and returning my kiss.
"Yeah, and remember to have fun, don't worry too much," Jason said, emphasizing on the 'fun' part of his sentence. I was so nervous that my eyes were jetting back and forth even as I spoke with him and Keith.
"Okay, I'll see you after the show okay?" I said, ushering them out towards the seating area, which was already beginning to fill up. Outside I heard the crowds yelling as the celebrities began arriving at the front entrance. Pushing any thoughts of being scared to the back of my mind, I went back to helping the models into their gowns and making sure they had the right accessories on.
~Fashion Show~
"Welcome ladies and gentlemen, today is the day of the fashion show which we have all been waiting for!" the announcer said, welcoming all the guests into the seating area. "Outside, we have a few important people showing up, so lets go take a look!" he said, heading over to the entrance and watching which cars pulled up.
A few singers showed up and had their pictures taken, then came the designers of Moon light Fashions along with the president of the company. Finally, at the end of the arrivals, a dark tinted limo pulls up and catches all the attention for a short while.
"Ah, here we have the notorious chief executive officer of Shields Corporation," the host announced as the limo door was opened. "Since hearing about his appearance at this fashion show, everyone in Tokyo has been anticipating the arrival and discovery of his identity," he said, as the crowds got quiet waiting for the person to step out. Slowly, Darien Shields stepped out of the limo and greeted everyone with his dashing smile and charm. Suddenly, women and girls started screaming as everyone started talking all at once.
"Hello," said Darien courteously as a few reporters tried to get an interview. "Sorry, but I'm afraid I cannot make any comments at the moment," he replied quickly as his bodyguard ushered him quickly into the seating area. 'This is such a nightmare,' he thought, taking a look around to see if he could recognize any of the faces surrounding him.
~Andrew~
'Great, Darien just arrived' thought Andrew, walking around to find Sere's parents and helping them to the private seating area designated for Moonlight Fashions.
"Andrew!" called out Sere's father, Ken. "Over here!" he waved his arm in the air to get Andrew's attention. Hurrying over, Andrew guiding them along the guests who were standing about and finally got them situated beside Jason and Keith.
"There you are, we thought you were lost in the crowd!" replied Jason, smiling as he greeted Mr. And Mrs. Tsukino. Keith hopped out of his seat and hugged them both excitedly. "Thanks for finding them Andrew," said Jason as he signaled for Andrew to take one of the empty seats beside Keith.
"This must be Sere's seat," said Andrew, looking down at the chair with a lilac colored ribbon surrounding it. He smiled knowing that even though she knew that she would not be sitting with the entire crowd, she still insisted on having a chair especially reserved for her to let everyone know that the guest of honor's family and friend were in the same vicinity.
~Show Room~
The seating area was beautifully decorated, pillars were at every corner of the room and white lace had been draped from pillar to pillar, creating the feeling of being inside a tent. The ceiling had tiny little light fixtures that from under the lace resembled starlight in the dimly lit room. Sere had decided since all the main lighting would be shining on the stage, the area over the crowd should look like the night sky. The design and theme set a very romantic and dream like mood for the fashion show, which was her main goal. There was a set of stairs where the models would descend from to make their appearance at the back of the stage in front of a display that looked like a ballroom from a castle during the Victorian era of England.
"Okay, if you would all please kindly find your seats, we shall begin the show," announced a woman over the speakers as the lights dimmed down and the spotlight lit up the main stage. Suddenly, some slow music was heard throughout the room and a model appeared at the top of the stairs.
The line of gowns totaled up to be a set of ten gowns, each of different style and color. The first had been a slim fitting black spaghetti strapped gown with a short train that followed it, entwined with pearls on top of a layer of ice blue ribbon at the top of the bodice and at the ankle of the gown. The second gown was a pale yellow halter type, attached at the neck that showed a considerable amount in the back; the gown reached down past the ankle and was brought out by pink diamonds that surrounded its neckline and waistline with a matching lace wrap.
After that came a sky blue satin two-piece gown that touched the floor, the top was a corset type bodice with yellow colored crystals sewn into the top and bottom; the skirt of the gown faded from the light sky blue to the darker sky blue gradually, strings of ribbon wrapped about the gown and held up parts of the front and the back lightly brushed the floor. Directly after that came a light pink gown that hung off the shoulder with long sleeves made of sheer lace; directly below the chest had a long ribbon at the center that reached the floor, beneath it the gown was a split that separated that gown into two layers, sheer lace on top of pure silk that reached just below the ankles.
The next to appear was a forest green gown that hugged the body tightly; the chest and back were both low v-cut with ruby studs embedded into the seams. It was velvet material, short in the front followed by a lengthy train that trailed behind it when walking. Taking place of that gown was a tight fitting dark red gown that was made of satin. It was backless, but was held together by strands of ribbon. The front of the gown revealed little to the eye, the square shaped design covered the chest nicely, but looking down you could see long slits all around the gown from mid thigh down that revealed the legs every step of the way.
A gown lavender in color came next, it hugged the body perfectly as was made of a thick satin that hung over the body firmly. Two straps wrapped around the shoulder with sleeves made of a lighter material. One sleeve reached down to the right hand ring finger and was attached to a beautiful sapphire ring while the other sleeve was just a strap with strands of dark blue mesh and ribbon hanging from it. Following that gown came one that was silver sheer lace atop black silk, it was sleeveless with a dipping front covered by the silver lace. The back of the gown was v-shaped and reached just the bottom of the waistline with strands of beads hanging from one side to the other. Just to the end of the gown, the skirts spread out into a bell shape almost with a layer of silver mesh underneath.
Still to come, a layered gown made of thin sheer fabrics in a glowing pink and ice blue appeared on stage. The gown was held together on the left side by one strap that was knotted together by strips of the gown material. The material hung perfectly on the body and flowed down to the floor with a rather long train that was attached to the left hand middle finger so it would be lifted off the ground. Cuts of diamonds were sewn along the top of the gown, from strap on left arm side to below the right arm. Below the gown on the right hand side, tattered edges of the gown revealed the two layers to clear view. Last but not least, a maroon colored gown come out. It too was a tube design but instead of the two-piece like seen earlier it was a complete gown. Around the waistline two lines of white pearls wrapped around and met at the front. At the back of the gown there was a large bow with ruffles flowing down to the knee in white and maroon. A rim of white ribbon decorated the top and bottom of the gown with rhinestones along the hem.
When all the gowns were displayed thoroughly, all the models once again came onto the stage and stood in two straight lines smiling brightly. With that said, I slowly stepped off the staircase and walked toward the center of the stage where the girls were waiting for me. I was wearing the same gown I had designed for myself to wear to this very show. It was a white evening gown made of pure silk with a lace trimming around the gown edge, instead of the customary top design I chose to go with the tube design with tiny beads of pearls and quarter carat diamonds sewn into the top of the gown. The skirt of the gown fell just above the mid calf and got longer towards the back as it ruffled behind me as I walked down the runway. I smiled proudly, making sure I didn't trip in the two-inch high heels, which I had also designed to match my gown. The crowd all stood up and were clapping loudly, which made me blush in embarrassment. I smiled and curtsied to thank them all for attending my fashion show.
"There you have it ladies and gentlemen, the entire line of gowns designed by the one and only, Serena Moon!" said the announcer.
'Serena?' thought Darien, reverting his attention to the stage to see the designer. 'Could it possibly be her?' he wondered, paying close attention to every woman that was on stage. Then suddenly his eyes focused in on the person in the center; there standing before her very eyes was the girl who left him all those years ago.
"Thank you, I am very grateful that you all had the time to attend and hope that everyone likes the designs I have made for this years line of winter gowns," I said, smiling and grabbing hold of the girls' hands. We all took a bow and waved before walking off stage towards the back to celebrate the success of the show.
~Back Stage~
"We did it!" the models all called out happily as they all huddled in towards me and we all hugged one another tightly.
"It was all because of you girls, thank you so much!" I replied, laughing as they popped open a bottle of champagne.
"Congratulations Ms. Moon," said a voice from behind me. I turned around thinking that it was Andrew or Jason only to be met by the eyes of none other than Darien Shields.
"Thank you," I replied curtly before stepping aside and walking over to my assistant and told him to look for my family at once.
"What? No hello, long time no see?" he asked, grabbing hold of my arm and spinning me back around to face him.
"Why, you act like you are someone important to me," I answered him, glaring back at him with fire in my eyes. 'Andrew, Jason, where are you guys when I need you most?' I thought, praying that they would show up to relieve me of having to deal with Darien any further.
"Like hell I'm not, you just up and left me!" yelled Darien, pressing me against a nearby wall. I searched frantically around to see if anyone had noticed the scene Darien was causing between the two of us.
"Let her go Darien!" cried Andrew, walking up to us and pulling Darien's arms away from me. I quickly got behind Andrew to get away from Darien while the two guys eyed one another.
"What do you think you're doing?" asked Darien, trying to walk around Andrew but was only stopped by Jason, who stood between him and myself. I looked up thankfully at him as he took my hand to reassure me that he wouldn't let Darien touch me again.
"We're protecting Sere from the likes of you, that's what we're doing," replied Jason, eyes glazing over seriously.
"What the hell are you two talking about? I'm not going to hurt her," laughed Darien, not understanding why the guys were so protective of me.
"Right, that's what caused her to run off the first place," bit out Andrew, catching his mistake the moment it left his mouth. 'Sorry,' he mouthed to me apologetically.
"What? I didn't do anything, she just ran away from me, from everyone who loved her!" argued Darien, furious that he was the only one who had no idea of what was going on.
"It's okay guys. I think it's about time I let him know the truth," I managed to whisper, stepping out from behind Andrew. "I took off because of you and Raye," I told him coldly.
"What about Raye and I?" he asked, confused still. I laughed, knowing he knew full well what happened that night.
"Don't play dumb. I saw everything," was my reply.
"Saw what? What the hell is going on here?!" he yelled angrily.
"If you are going to play dumb, then so be it," I stated before continuing. "I saw Raye kiss you the night of my graduation party, and I saw how you didn't mind it either," I finished.
"What? You saw that?" stuttered Darien in shock. "I... It's not what you think Serena," he began trying to make an excuse. "She kissed me, I didn't do anything!" he cried in defense, yet I could only laugh.
"That's why you liked it? That's why you didn't push her away? Is that why you kissed her back with just as much passion?" I asked him accusingly. I couldn't believe the crap I was hearing. Excuses! There all lies! I turned away, hurt that he could lie to my face even now. "I have had enough of your lies. I don't want to have anything to do with you anymore. You are nothing but a faint memory of my past," I stated, turning to leave.
"NO, it's not like that! Please let me explain!" pleaded Darien trying to grab me before I could walk away. Of course the guys stepped in to block his path before he could make any sudden movements.
"Mama, what's going on?" asked my son as he and my parents showed up just as I was leaving. My parents looked at everyone questioning and I only shook my head to signal that everything was fine.
"Mama? What the hell, you have a kid too?" called out Darien, now more at a lost for words than before when he first saw me.
"Yes I do, and I'm very happy with my life now so you should just leave us all alone," I said stoically as I swooped down and picked Keith up. I could see the hurt look in his eyes as I turned to leave, but that didn't matter to me anymore. My parents and I all left the building and headed back to their house, where the girls had planned a party in honor of the fashion show. I'm not quite sure how long it was before Jason and Andrew showed up, but they didn't get to the house until a little while later than I did.
~The Boys~
"Why are you stopping me? I just want to talk to her," yelled Darien, pushing against both Andrew and Jason's arms. He was beginning to get sick and tired of the two men holding him back from following Serena. When on earth did she have a kid? That boy looked about four or five years old already.
"Darien, you just need to leave her be. You've done enough to her as it is," replied Andrew, glaring at him angrily.
"I don't know you, but I know that Sere has been deeply hurt because of your actions. So now I will ask you nicely. Can't you see that she's finally happy again? Why won't you let her live her life in peace?" said Jason, eyes softening a bit when he thought about all the pain and suffering Sere had gone through over the years.
"I just want to explain that I didn't mean to hurt her and that I still do love her very much so!" argued Darien, not understanding why they were accusing him of hurting Serena when all he ever did was want to protect her.
"You just don't understand do you? You and Raye both betrayed her, she can never forgive you for that," stated Andrew sternly. "After all she had to go through in one night, her life changed forever because of how hurt she was from what you two had done," he said, looking away for a short moment.
"Either way, we're telling you this here and now. If you refuse to leave Sere alone, we'll be forced to take legal actions," added Jason as he looked at Andrew, hinting that it was time to get back to Serena. "Good day Mr. Shields," he bid farewell before turning to leave with Andrew following shortly behind.
Darien stood there quietly, trying to understand what all had happened to Serena that she was so brokenhearted over. All that had happened was a kiss between himself and Raye. What could have brought so much hurt into her life? Then he recalled hearing Serena tell him that she saw him kiss Raye back. 'That must be it!' he thought, mentally slapping himself since he had forgotten everything after all these years. He really did betray her that night, it was him who broke her heart. 'What have I done?' he asked himself, ashamed of what took place that night. "If only I had pushed her away before anything could happen," he muttered, turning and leaving in the opposite direction as the others.
~*AN*~
That's all for now! Until next time, don't forget to review please!
Sorry it's been a while since I've updated, had to take a road trip. Anyway, I hope this chapter goes well with everyone.
~*Chapter X: Show Time*~
"Okay girls, that's a wrap!" called out Jason from the stage. "Remember, bright and early tomorrow morning for the show, do not be late!!" he added, going backstage to take care of some technical problems. I had finally finished altering all the gowns to each and every girl's body type. It took us two whole days of practicing and stitching, but we got everything together and were eagerly anticipating the show now. I looked up just in time to catch the girls wave good bye to me as they left the building.
"See you tomorrow!" I called back, still smiling no matter how tired I was. Today we changed up the theme of my show and decided to give each model individual looks instead of all being regal. Now all that was left was to work on the lighting, which would be Jason's job. "It's finally done with," I whispered, mainly to myself as I got up and stretched.
"Not yet, but all that is left to do is for you to go home and relax for the big day," replied Jason, startling me back into my seat. "Sorry," he added, laughing at the glare I gave him.
"That's not funny, you know I'm edgy right now!" I yelled at him. It has been a long day and I have been sitting on the same stool for over six hours straight. I rubbed my back and stood back up to finish my stretch.
"You have an appointment with the masseuse at the hotel in half an hour, so if I were you, I'd get a move on," said Jason quietly as he picked up all the supplies that I had thrown about the dressing room.
"No I don't," I replied, stuffing some of my personal supplies into my tote bag.
"You do now, I just called it in this morning," Jason told me, pushing me towards the exit slowly. "Why don't you and Keith order up some room service and have a nice night alone to unwind," he suggested as he opened the door and led me out towards the car. "I'll take care of everything and you can come early tomorrow morning just to make sure it's the you like," he added before I could even get a word in.
"Fine," I said, giving in as I hopped into the car and started the engine. "But make sure if you have any doubt about what kind of lighting effect I want, call me at once!" I told him with a stern tone in my voice. I have been worried sick about my fashion show lately, I keep thinking that something bad is going to happen or that something may go wrong during the show.
"Don't worry, I will ring you if there are any problems, you have my word," Jason told me reassuringly. He smiled at me as I sighed and switched the gear in drive and took off.
"See you tomorrow!" I called out loudly, taking off before he could acknowledge it and say anything in response. On my way home, I dropped by my parent's house and pick up Keith. Before we left, I told my parents to make sure they arrived early to the show tomorrow and took off towards the hotel.
Just like Jason had directed, we ordered some room service and found a movie on the satellite to watch while we ate. After that, I made sure Keith washed up and then tucked him into bed before starting a nice warm bubble bath for myself. While letting my muscles relax in the warm water, I thought of how the show might turn out. At the last minute, I reached for my cell phone and gave Jason a call to switch out some ideas that had just popped into my head. I thought the lighting should be a little livelier with each gown so that it would stand out more so the viewer's could see certain aspects of my designs.
After getting lectured at by Jason, I hung up and got out of the bath after rinsing my hair and got into bed. Setting my alarm for 6am, I drifted into sleep easily.
~Next Morning~
"Sere!!" I heard a voice yelling from the living room as I slowly got up out of bed. Grabbing my robe, I went out to see who was here so early.
"What?" I bit back, a little grumpy form being awoken so unexpectedly.
"Excuse me, I come to call you before you're late to your own fashion show, and you have the nerve to gripe me out?" asked Jason, standing there in his suit staring at me.
"Oh my god! What time is it?" I yelled, running into my bedroom and looking at my clock. It was already 6:30 and I was supposed to arrive at the building in half an hour! I ran back out and told Jason to get Keith ready while I hurried and tried to make myself presentable for the show. I slipped into a knee length black skirt and a lavender colored top before putting on a blazer that matched the skirt. Wrapping my hair up into a bun, I slid into a pair of Charles David two-inch high heels. Grabbing my briefcase, I hurried back out to see the boys both dressed and waiting for me impatiently. "I know, I know! Sorry!" I shouted, running out the open door and heading for the elevator.
"What happened?" asked Jason as he put Keith into the back seat and we both got into the car quickly and took off towards downtown where the show was being held.
"I don't know, I set my alarm for 6 o'clock last night before going to bed and it never rang this morning!" I replied frantically. If I showed up late, what would the critics think? I cringed inwardly, hoping that everything would go smoothly today.
"Don't worry, I called ahead and let them know to get started," said Jason, gripping my hand tightly. I tightened the grip even harder, hoping that things would be okay. When we pulled into the driveway, I bolted out of my seat and ran into the dressing area to get started on the girls and make sure everyone had the right look I was aiming for. While I was helping the make-up artist touch up the first model, I saw Keith and Jason walk up to me slowly.
"I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to leave you two behind but I needed to make sure for myself that things were going fine without me," I replied in a quick breath as I helped another model zip up the back of her gown. "Why don't you two go out and take a seat while I work, it's going to get busy real quick back here," I told them, fixing Keith's hair and kissing him lightly.
"Have fun Mama!" he replied, hugging me and returning my kiss.
"Yeah, and remember to have fun, don't worry too much," Jason said, emphasizing on the 'fun' part of his sentence. I was so nervous that my eyes were jetting back and forth even as I spoke with him and Keith.
"Okay, I'll see you after the show okay?" I said, ushering them out towards the seating area, which was already beginning to fill up. Outside I heard the crowds yelling as the celebrities began arriving at the front entrance. Pushing any thoughts of being scared to the back of my mind, I went back to helping the models into their gowns and making sure they had the right accessories on.
~Fashion Show~
"Welcome ladies and gentlemen, today is the day of the fashion show which we have all been waiting for!" the announcer said, welcoming all the guests into the seating area. "Outside, we have a few important people showing up, so lets go take a look!" he said, heading over to the entrance and watching which cars pulled up.
A few singers showed up and had their pictures taken, then came the designers of Moon light Fashions along with the president of the company. Finally, at the end of the arrivals, a dark tinted limo pulls up and catches all the attention for a short while.
"Ah, here we have the notorious chief executive officer of Shields Corporation," the host announced as the limo door was opened. "Since hearing about his appearance at this fashion show, everyone in Tokyo has been anticipating the arrival and discovery of his identity," he said, as the crowds got quiet waiting for the person to step out. Slowly, Darien Shields stepped out of the limo and greeted everyone with his dashing smile and charm. Suddenly, women and girls started screaming as everyone started talking all at once.
"Hello," said Darien courteously as a few reporters tried to get an interview. "Sorry, but I'm afraid I cannot make any comments at the moment," he replied quickly as his bodyguard ushered him quickly into the seating area. 'This is such a nightmare,' he thought, taking a look around to see if he could recognize any of the faces surrounding him.
~Andrew~
'Great, Darien just arrived' thought Andrew, walking around to find Sere's parents and helping them to the private seating area designated for Moonlight Fashions.
"Andrew!" called out Sere's father, Ken. "Over here!" he waved his arm in the air to get Andrew's attention. Hurrying over, Andrew guiding them along the guests who were standing about and finally got them situated beside Jason and Keith.
"There you are, we thought you were lost in the crowd!" replied Jason, smiling as he greeted Mr. And Mrs. Tsukino. Keith hopped out of his seat and hugged them both excitedly. "Thanks for finding them Andrew," said Jason as he signaled for Andrew to take one of the empty seats beside Keith.
"This must be Sere's seat," said Andrew, looking down at the chair with a lilac colored ribbon surrounding it. He smiled knowing that even though she knew that she would not be sitting with the entire crowd, she still insisted on having a chair especially reserved for her to let everyone know that the guest of honor's family and friend were in the same vicinity.
~Show Room~
The seating area was beautifully decorated, pillars were at every corner of the room and white lace had been draped from pillar to pillar, creating the feeling of being inside a tent. The ceiling had tiny little light fixtures that from under the lace resembled starlight in the dimly lit room. Sere had decided since all the main lighting would be shining on the stage, the area over the crowd should look like the night sky. The design and theme set a very romantic and dream like mood for the fashion show, which was her main goal. There was a set of stairs where the models would descend from to make their appearance at the back of the stage in front of a display that looked like a ballroom from a castle during the Victorian era of England.
"Okay, if you would all please kindly find your seats, we shall begin the show," announced a woman over the speakers as the lights dimmed down and the spotlight lit up the main stage. Suddenly, some slow music was heard throughout the room and a model appeared at the top of the stairs.
The line of gowns totaled up to be a set of ten gowns, each of different style and color. The first had been a slim fitting black spaghetti strapped gown with a short train that followed it, entwined with pearls on top of a layer of ice blue ribbon at the top of the bodice and at the ankle of the gown. The second gown was a pale yellow halter type, attached at the neck that showed a considerable amount in the back; the gown reached down past the ankle and was brought out by pink diamonds that surrounded its neckline and waistline with a matching lace wrap.
After that came a sky blue satin two-piece gown that touched the floor, the top was a corset type bodice with yellow colored crystals sewn into the top and bottom; the skirt of the gown faded from the light sky blue to the darker sky blue gradually, strings of ribbon wrapped about the gown and held up parts of the front and the back lightly brushed the floor. Directly after that came a light pink gown that hung off the shoulder with long sleeves made of sheer lace; directly below the chest had a long ribbon at the center that reached the floor, beneath it the gown was a split that separated that gown into two layers, sheer lace on top of pure silk that reached just below the ankles.
The next to appear was a forest green gown that hugged the body tightly; the chest and back were both low v-cut with ruby studs embedded into the seams. It was velvet material, short in the front followed by a lengthy train that trailed behind it when walking. Taking place of that gown was a tight fitting dark red gown that was made of satin. It was backless, but was held together by strands of ribbon. The front of the gown revealed little to the eye, the square shaped design covered the chest nicely, but looking down you could see long slits all around the gown from mid thigh down that revealed the legs every step of the way.
A gown lavender in color came next, it hugged the body perfectly as was made of a thick satin that hung over the body firmly. Two straps wrapped around the shoulder with sleeves made of a lighter material. One sleeve reached down to the right hand ring finger and was attached to a beautiful sapphire ring while the other sleeve was just a strap with strands of dark blue mesh and ribbon hanging from it. Following that gown came one that was silver sheer lace atop black silk, it was sleeveless with a dipping front covered by the silver lace. The back of the gown was v-shaped and reached just the bottom of the waistline with strands of beads hanging from one side to the other. Just to the end of the gown, the skirts spread out into a bell shape almost with a layer of silver mesh underneath.
Still to come, a layered gown made of thin sheer fabrics in a glowing pink and ice blue appeared on stage. The gown was held together on the left side by one strap that was knotted together by strips of the gown material. The material hung perfectly on the body and flowed down to the floor with a rather long train that was attached to the left hand middle finger so it would be lifted off the ground. Cuts of diamonds were sewn along the top of the gown, from strap on left arm side to below the right arm. Below the gown on the right hand side, tattered edges of the gown revealed the two layers to clear view. Last but not least, a maroon colored gown come out. It too was a tube design but instead of the two-piece like seen earlier it was a complete gown. Around the waistline two lines of white pearls wrapped around and met at the front. At the back of the gown there was a large bow with ruffles flowing down to the knee in white and maroon. A rim of white ribbon decorated the top and bottom of the gown with rhinestones along the hem.
When all the gowns were displayed thoroughly, all the models once again came onto the stage and stood in two straight lines smiling brightly. With that said, I slowly stepped off the staircase and walked toward the center of the stage where the girls were waiting for me. I was wearing the same gown I had designed for myself to wear to this very show. It was a white evening gown made of pure silk with a lace trimming around the gown edge, instead of the customary top design I chose to go with the tube design with tiny beads of pearls and quarter carat diamonds sewn into the top of the gown. The skirt of the gown fell just above the mid calf and got longer towards the back as it ruffled behind me as I walked down the runway. I smiled proudly, making sure I didn't trip in the two-inch high heels, which I had also designed to match my gown. The crowd all stood up and were clapping loudly, which made me blush in embarrassment. I smiled and curtsied to thank them all for attending my fashion show.
"There you have it ladies and gentlemen, the entire line of gowns designed by the one and only, Serena Moon!" said the announcer.
'Serena?' thought Darien, reverting his attention to the stage to see the designer. 'Could it possibly be her?' he wondered, paying close attention to every woman that was on stage. Then suddenly his eyes focused in on the person in the center; there standing before her very eyes was the girl who left him all those years ago.
"Thank you, I am very grateful that you all had the time to attend and hope that everyone likes the designs I have made for this years line of winter gowns," I said, smiling and grabbing hold of the girls' hands. We all took a bow and waved before walking off stage towards the back to celebrate the success of the show.
~Back Stage~
"We did it!" the models all called out happily as they all huddled in towards me and we all hugged one another tightly.
"It was all because of you girls, thank you so much!" I replied, laughing as they popped open a bottle of champagne.
"Congratulations Ms. Moon," said a voice from behind me. I turned around thinking that it was Andrew or Jason only to be met by the eyes of none other than Darien Shields.
"Thank you," I replied curtly before stepping aside and walking over to my assistant and told him to look for my family at once.
"What? No hello, long time no see?" he asked, grabbing hold of my arm and spinning me back around to face him.
"Why, you act like you are someone important to me," I answered him, glaring back at him with fire in my eyes. 'Andrew, Jason, where are you guys when I need you most?' I thought, praying that they would show up to relieve me of having to deal with Darien any further.
"Like hell I'm not, you just up and left me!" yelled Darien, pressing me against a nearby wall. I searched frantically around to see if anyone had noticed the scene Darien was causing between the two of us.
"Let her go Darien!" cried Andrew, walking up to us and pulling Darien's arms away from me. I quickly got behind Andrew to get away from Darien while the two guys eyed one another.
"What do you think you're doing?" asked Darien, trying to walk around Andrew but was only stopped by Jason, who stood between him and myself. I looked up thankfully at him as he took my hand to reassure me that he wouldn't let Darien touch me again.
"We're protecting Sere from the likes of you, that's what we're doing," replied Jason, eyes glazing over seriously.
"What the hell are you two talking about? I'm not going to hurt her," laughed Darien, not understanding why the guys were so protective of me.
"Right, that's what caused her to run off the first place," bit out Andrew, catching his mistake the moment it left his mouth. 'Sorry,' he mouthed to me apologetically.
"What? I didn't do anything, she just ran away from me, from everyone who loved her!" argued Darien, furious that he was the only one who had no idea of what was going on.
"It's okay guys. I think it's about time I let him know the truth," I managed to whisper, stepping out from behind Andrew. "I took off because of you and Raye," I told him coldly.
"What about Raye and I?" he asked, confused still. I laughed, knowing he knew full well what happened that night.
"Don't play dumb. I saw everything," was my reply.
"Saw what? What the hell is going on here?!" he yelled angrily.
"If you are going to play dumb, then so be it," I stated before continuing. "I saw Raye kiss you the night of my graduation party, and I saw how you didn't mind it either," I finished.
"What? You saw that?" stuttered Darien in shock. "I... It's not what you think Serena," he began trying to make an excuse. "She kissed me, I didn't do anything!" he cried in defense, yet I could only laugh.
"That's why you liked it? That's why you didn't push her away? Is that why you kissed her back with just as much passion?" I asked him accusingly. I couldn't believe the crap I was hearing. Excuses! There all lies! I turned away, hurt that he could lie to my face even now. "I have had enough of your lies. I don't want to have anything to do with you anymore. You are nothing but a faint memory of my past," I stated, turning to leave.
"NO, it's not like that! Please let me explain!" pleaded Darien trying to grab me before I could walk away. Of course the guys stepped in to block his path before he could make any sudden movements.
"Mama, what's going on?" asked my son as he and my parents showed up just as I was leaving. My parents looked at everyone questioning and I only shook my head to signal that everything was fine.
"Mama? What the hell, you have a kid too?" called out Darien, now more at a lost for words than before when he first saw me.
"Yes I do, and I'm very happy with my life now so you should just leave us all alone," I said stoically as I swooped down and picked Keith up. I could see the hurt look in his eyes as I turned to leave, but that didn't matter to me anymore. My parents and I all left the building and headed back to their house, where the girls had planned a party in honor of the fashion show. I'm not quite sure how long it was before Jason and Andrew showed up, but they didn't get to the house until a little while later than I did.
~The Boys~
"Why are you stopping me? I just want to talk to her," yelled Darien, pushing against both Andrew and Jason's arms. He was beginning to get sick and tired of the two men holding him back from following Serena. When on earth did she have a kid? That boy looked about four or five years old already.
"Darien, you just need to leave her be. You've done enough to her as it is," replied Andrew, glaring at him angrily.
"I don't know you, but I know that Sere has been deeply hurt because of your actions. So now I will ask you nicely. Can't you see that she's finally happy again? Why won't you let her live her life in peace?" said Jason, eyes softening a bit when he thought about all the pain and suffering Sere had gone through over the years.
"I just want to explain that I didn't mean to hurt her and that I still do love her very much so!" argued Darien, not understanding why they were accusing him of hurting Serena when all he ever did was want to protect her.
"You just don't understand do you? You and Raye both betrayed her, she can never forgive you for that," stated Andrew sternly. "After all she had to go through in one night, her life changed forever because of how hurt she was from what you two had done," he said, looking away for a short moment.
"Either way, we're telling you this here and now. If you refuse to leave Sere alone, we'll be forced to take legal actions," added Jason as he looked at Andrew, hinting that it was time to get back to Serena. "Good day Mr. Shields," he bid farewell before turning to leave with Andrew following shortly behind.
Darien stood there quietly, trying to understand what all had happened to Serena that she was so brokenhearted over. All that had happened was a kiss between himself and Raye. What could have brought so much hurt into her life? Then he recalled hearing Serena tell him that she saw him kiss Raye back. 'That must be it!' he thought, mentally slapping himself since he had forgotten everything after all these years. He really did betray her that night, it was him who broke her heart. 'What have I done?' he asked himself, ashamed of what took place that night. "If only I had pushed her away before anything could happen," he muttered, turning and leaving in the opposite direction as the others.
~*AN*~
That's all for now! Until next time, don't forget to review please!