Here's Chapter 15! Enjoy everyone!

The week passed quickly, much to my disappointment. My period ended after about four days, but my nervousness and irritation continued into Friday. I had no idea what Mina was planning, but I had discussed it with Raye, and she insisted that I should trust my sister, whatever it was! The only thing I had left to do was inform Darien, and make up a plausible excuse for "Ren's" absence. As I rounded the corner of the stairs leading to the dormitories, I caught sight of him at the top. Well, I thought, here goes nothing!

Just as I began to ascend the stairs, however, I was shoved aside by a hard body. I looked up to see the platinum blonde hair, and impossibly vivid violet eyes of Lucas Diamond. He stood in front of me, an infuriating sneer gracing his features, and I frowned. He snickered, and shook his head, before heading back down the stairs again.

"Asshole…" I muttered under my breath as I resumed my climb.

"What did you say?" he called from below me. I rolled my eyes, and turned back to face him.

"I'm sorry," I replied, with mock sincerity. "I don't repeat myself!" I glared at him, but I smiled sweetly. "It's not my fault you're deaf as a post!"

That maddening grin left his face as quickly as if I had slapped it off, and I admit, I took a bit of pleasure in it. That pleasure left quickly, however, as he came towards me, taking the stairs two at a time. Immediately, I realized my mistake. He had bumped into me on purpose, hoping to rouse me, and I had instead managed to piss him off. I resisted the urge to wince, instantly remembering the punch to the jaw that I had taken a few days previous. The bruise had faded to a sick yellow, but I had no desire to get another one… Suddenly, however, my view of Diamond racing to deliver my death blows was obscured by a tall figure.

"What's your problem?" A deep, and decidedly masculine voice asked, and I breathed a sigh of relief. Jarod had come to save the day.

"It's not you, so get out of my way!" Diamond growled.

"If it's Ren, then it is my problem," Jarod said, his voice dangerous. He glanced down at the stairs below us, and then raised his eyes to back to Diamond "It looked to me like you started it."

"And what are you going to do?" Diamond scoffed. "Finish it?"

Jarod moved forward angrily, but I caught his arm. "Let's go," I said quietly. A crowd was beginning to gather at the top and bottom of the stairwell. I blushed under their scrutinizing gaze.

"Awww, your wittle girlfriend is gonna' lead you away!" Diamond laughed.

Jarod started forward again, but I caught him and began to drag him away, ignoring Diamond's jeering cackles at our backs. I managed to push past the people at the top of the stairwell, but I could still feel their stares even as I stalked down the hall.

When we got back to our room, I slammed the door shut and began to pace.

"I don't know what is worse Jarod! You sticking up for me, or me dragging you away!" I exclaimed, letting out a frustrated sigh. Jarod scowled at me from his position atop his bed.

"I saved you from an ass beating!" He said dully.

"Yeah, you saved me from an ass beating, but you also made me look like a fool out there!" I nearly shouted. I paused and proceeded to lower my voice. "Look, you can't keep protecting me," I insisted. "Everyone is going to think something is up if you keep refusing to let me fight my own battles."

"That guy would have creamed you!" Jarod argued, his voice getting louder. "I'm not going to stand by and watch that jerk wail on a-"

"Stop!" I interrupted, throwing my hand up for emphasis. "I know what you were trying to do, and I'm glad you did it, but if you don't start letting me take care of my business, the rest of the guys are going to know something's wrong- or they're going to think we're in love…" Jarod's mouth dropped open at my last suggestion, and I had to laugh.

"Look," I began, my voice much softer this time. "It's really sweet that you want to make sure I don't get hurt, and it was great that you rescued me this time- the last thing I need is a face full of bruises right now-but no more! Okay?" I asked hopefully. After a moment's hesitation, he finally smiled and nodded. His smile faded quickly however, and he looked at me, his face full of concern.

"You really think we looked like a couple?" He asked.

I laughed again. "You really want me to answer that?"

But before he could say anything, there was a knock at our door, and Darien poked his head in. "Everything all right in here? I heard about the stairwell…" he glanced at me. "You okay?"

"I'm fine," I assured him. "I actually needed to talk to you."

"Oh, really?" he asked, coming inside and closing the door behind him. "What about?"

"I need a favor," I began, and he nodded assent. I took a deep breath, trying to calm the butterflies raging in my stomach, and finally plunged forward. "My sister is coming in tomorrow, but I have detention with Ms. Haruna. I tried to call and tell her not to come, but I can't get a hold of her and she's leaving really early tomorrow. I was wondering if you could show her around…" I trailed off.

He stared at me, surprise evident in his face. "Well," he said hesitantly, "I guess I could… But what did you do? I mean, Haruna loves you! I'm sure if you talked to her you could get out of it. I think she'd understand…"

"Believe me," I assured him, "I did try already, but she's really mad at me. She, uh, caught me trying to ditch first period today, and I couldn't convince her to let me go with a warning." I struggled to keep a straight face, and succeeded. I was getting better at this lying stuff at a rate that was almost disturbing.

He leveled me with a steady gaze, and for a moment I was afraid he wasn't going to buy it, but then he smiled. "Sure," he agreed finally, "I'll show your sister around for you- but I'm sure she's going to want to see you too-so maybe we could swing by and say 'hi' before she leaves!"

I frowned, knowing that wouldn't be a very good idea. "As much as I want to see her, I don't think Ms. Haruna would dig visitors."

"Yeah man," Jarod piped up. "You know Haruna, she's way too by-the-book for that!"

"Besides," I said, gulping a little. "I have other motives for leaving you alone with my sister."

"Oh yeah?" he wondered. "What are they?"

"She's bringing along my cousin," I replied, and suddenly my throat dried up. "Serena's coming with her," I croaked.

Suddenly, Darien's suspicious demeanor melted away, and he beamed at me. "Seriously?" He asked excitedly. "I'm going to get to see her?"

"He is?" Jarod squeaked, whirling towards me.

"Yeah," I affirmed, smiling weakly at Jarod. "Imagine that?"

"She'll really be here?" Darien asked eagerly. "You're not messing with me?"

"Yeah, she'll be here for the whole day. I'll just have to see them another time," I answered, struggling to keep my voice normal.

"Are you sure you don't want me to talk to Haruna? I mean, she likes me too, and if I say something, she might just-"

"No," I interrupted him. "I shouldn't have ditched first period, and she is really ticked at me. I'll see them next time, but for now I want to make sure they're in reliable hands."

Darien looked as if Christmas had come early, and I had to resist jumping up and down. He really was excited to see Serena, and tomorrow he'd finally see me the way I wanted him to! Yet, I was scared to death. There was so many ways this thing could go wrong, and by the look on Jarod's face, I could tell he was thinking the same thing.

Later on that night, I called Mina to try and see if I could finally weasel some details out of her. She answered on the third ring, in that cheery voice I missed so much.

"Hello?"

I smiled with relief as some of the nervousness built up from the previous hours went away. "Hey, it's me."

"Oh, hey you!" She answered happily. "You all ready for the big day tomorrow?"

"Well, I would be more ready if I knew what was going on," I answered sarcastically. "But if you're asking if everything's set, then yes, I'm ready."

"Oh you are testy!" Mina said sweetly, and I gritted my teeth. I hated how maddeningly calm she was! "But I'm glad you're prepared. All we need is a place to transform you. Do you have any options?"

"Well, my dorm room's out!" I answered softly, glancing around the hallway to make sure I was by myself. "I mean, I can't go in as a boy and come out in a dress, now can I?"

"No," she agreed, and I once again rolled my eyes at her lack of concern for the situation. "I suppose that wouldn't do. What about Darien's sister? Can we use her place?"

I thought about it, and decided Raye wouldn't mind. "Yeah, we probably could, but we'd have to be really careful. I can't have too many girls wondering why Ren Johnson is sneaking into Raye's dorm. Believe me, we've dealt with enough gossip already!"

"Okay, then we'll use Raye's room and we'll be subtle. Stop sweating this Serena, I'm bringing in the experts!" Mina reassured me, but I still felt the strong grip of fear.

"I don't think I'll relax until this thing is over," I said honestly, clutching my oversized sweatshirt tighter. "I'll see you tomorrow morning okay?"

"Yeah," Mina agreed. "Be up around seven or so, and let Raye know we're coming that early too. I don't want to raise too much suspicion, and I want to have enough time to get you ready." She paused. "Darien's going to show us around, right?"

"Yeah," I answered. "His friends are even coming along," I muttered.

"Really?" she asked, her voice sounding very intrigued. "Are his friends cute?"

"Ask Lita," I replied. "She'll tell you."

"Oh man!" Mina squealed. "I can't wait till tomorrow!"

"Oh yeah," I mumbled. "I'm on pins and needles."

The next morning came a little too soon for my liking. My alarm went off at six o'clock, and I opened my eyes to see Jarod sitting up as well.

"You going to get ready?" He asked sleepily.

"Yeah," I answered. "I'm going to shower first though, you think you could watch the bathroom for me? I doubt anyone would be up this early today, but I don't want to take chances."

"Sure, I'll keep an ear out."

"Thanks," I said, smiling a little.

He waved me off as if to say "no problem," and I hurried to grab my shower basket. I tiptoed down the hallway silently, and I didn't relax until I was in the bathroom. I undressed and showered quickly, using some of the perfumed soap I had stashed in the bottom of one of my drawers. I emerged from the shower smelling like peaches, and I gloried in the scent! God, it felt good to smell like a girl again! It had been killing me to use Old Spice every morning, but Mina had swore to me it would be more effective than Peach Blossom.

I smiled to myself and began to dry off. I had shaved again, and it was awesome having smooth legs for the first time in three weeks. I even began humming to myself. This was going to be a stressful day, but for the moment I was enjoying the perks of being a girl.

I dressed quickly, pulling on a pair of sweatpants and a hooded sweatshirt. I had no idea what Mina had planned for me to wear, but as I reached for my watch, I realized I was going to find out in about five minutes. I sighed and dashed out the door, signaled to Jarod that I was leaving for Raye's, and headed down the hallway as quietly as I could. I stopped by Darien's room on the way, and I couldn't resist taking a peek inside. I opened the door quietly, wincing at the slight creak as I pushed it further, and found him curled up in his bed covers. He looked beautiful lying there, his black hair unruly, his bare back exposed, and his Adonis face absolutely serene. One arm was cast out from his side, as if reaching for someone, and for one thrilling moment I imagined myself beneath it, snuggling into his warmth…

Whoa, Serena! My mind chastised quickly. No more naughty thoughts! Mina and the girls are probably outside now, remember?

I did remember, but I remained a moment longer-and in that moment I wished it all was over. I wished Darien knew who I was and wanted to be with me, so I could jump in that bed beside him and he wouldn't think twice about pulling me close. I sighed and tore my gaze from my sleeping dream-man. I silently pulled the door shut, and headed down the stairs. I knew I was probably going to have to run across the massive driveway, but I needed to cool down anyway. As I headed down the gravel road, I saw Mina's green Civic parked on the side of the highway and I rejoiced. I was going to see my sister and my friends, and for the first time that morning, the fact that my girl-self was going to be making an appearance at Madison was the last thing on my mind.

Mina met me just as I passed through the gates of Madison, and enveloped me in a tight hug. She looked so pretty in her dark blue jeans and red cashmere sweater, but it was her smell that I took in. She always smelled like lilacs, and for a moment, I felt like I was home again. Then, however, she pulled away, and Lita and Amy fell upon me, showering me with hugs and kisses. I laughed happily and returned their embraces, only to step back and realize they too, were lovely as ever.

"I can't believe you guys are really here!" I finally managed breathlessly. "I missed you guys so much! I thought I wouldn't see you until I got back!"

"Oh pooh!" Lita hushed, her green eyes sparkling. "We wouldn't abandon you, especially with the promise of seeing those hot guys from the café!" She teased.

"Lita's just kidding," Amy amended, linking her arm through mine. "We really only came to see you, and to provide… support."

"And by the looks of you," Mina said with a grin, "I think you're going to need a lot of it!"

"Thanks a lot," I answered sarcastically.

"Oh no," Mina broke in. "You make a very handsome boy dear sister, but I want to turn you into a girl that will knock Darien's socks off!"

"And how are we going to do that?" I asked.

"Get me to your friend's place, and you'll find out!" She answered, and pushed me towards the car.

I was about to protest, but I saw the look on her face, and finally gave in reluctantly. I got in the backseat with Lita, and as soon as Mina started the car, I directed her to the guest parking lot. We got a look from the gatekeeper because of the early hour, but he finally nodded assent and placed a sticker in Mina's window.

"You have to be out of here byten tonight," he explained gruffly. "That's lockdown. If you're late, you won't be able to get your car out, and you won't be able to stay on campus."

"Okay, got it," Mina answered, and rolled her eyes when he turned his back. "Real charmer, isn't he?" She asked sarcastically as we drove away from the booth. I smiled weakly in response.

As soon as we got out of the car, we headed across campus towards the girls' school. Mina, Lita, and Amy were all very impressed by the vastness of Madison, but I assured them that we were only seeing a small part of the school.

"My dormitory is over there," I said, pointing towards the large brick building. "I stay on the third floor."

"Do you share a room with anyone?" Lita asked.

"Yeah, I room with one of the boys from the café actually."

Lita whistled low. "You've been a good girl, right?"

My mouth dropped open, and I blushed fiercely. "Yes, I've been a good girl! I'm after Darien, remember?" Lita grinned at my response, and I shook my head, chuckling a little. "Besides, Jarod has a girlfriend, and we happen to be heading to her dormitory right now!"

Amy and Mina laughed, and it was Lita's turn to blush. "Guess I better cool it with the sex jokes, huh?" She asked.

I giggled. "You might want to," I admitted.

We reached Raye's building a few moments later, and were up the stairs in no time. When we reached Raye's room, I motioned for the girls to be as quiet as possible. I lifted my hand, and knocked softly three times. A minute later, I heard the lock turn, and Raye's face appeared in the doorway. She looked a little disheveled, but wide awake.

"Hey you!" she whispered excitedly. "Come in!"

"Hey!" I answered, pushing the door open and giving her a hug. I turned to my companions who stood sheepishly in the doorway. "Raye, this is Mina, Lita, and Amy. You guys, this is my friend Raye."

"Hi!" They exclaimed softly, smiling as Raye motioned for them to come inside.

"Welcome!" Raye said, closing the door behind them. "It's nice to meet you all. Come on to my room, Molly's still asleep!"

We nodded and followed Raye to her bedroom. Surprisingly, it looked a lot like Darien's room, with it's red and black motif, but unlike Darien's walls-which were bare-Raye's were covered with exquisite framed photographs. Cityscapes, country sides, portraits of people waiting for buses, hailing taxis, and a picture of a couple locked in a passionate embrace on a rainy street. I moved to each one, tracing the contours of the figures with my eyes. Almost all the pictures were black and white photos, and I found myself admiring the infrared photographs the most. A large picture of a tree on a hillside caught my eye. The moon was behind it, rising into the night sky. A solitary figure stood underneath the tree, a mere shadow in the glorious scene, but it was a haunting image. The figure was gazing at the moon, its head lifted, peering into the sky as if searching for someone…

"They're beautiful, aren't they?" Raye asked.

I turned around, startled, and found Raye and the girls staring at me.

"Yes," I answered, a little shaken. "Especially this one," I murmured, pointing at the picture in front of me. "It's so lonely, full of expectation… Did you take them?" I asked.

"No, Darien did," She replied, smiling at my shocked expression. She moved next to me and stared at the picture. "This one he created in photo-shop. The moonscape background was taken with normal black and white film, and he used a special contrast filter to make the white stand out against the dark. The tree and figure were taken on a hillside with the infrared. Later, he put it all together on the computer," she paused, and turned to look at me. "He said he saw it in one of his dreams." She explained, and a small smile teased her full lips. "My brother is really talented."

I laughed. "That's the understatement of the century! Is this what he's majoring in?"

Raye appeared sad for the first time that moment. "No. Darien's going into medicine at Harvard. I'm afraid photography would never be an acceptable profession with my father," she said, sighing. "Still, Darien will always have his hobbies, and I'll always be his biggest fan."

"Well, looks like he's gained another groupie," Lita joked, and we all laughed a little.

"So!" Raye finally exclaimed, clapping her hands together. "What's the plan?"

Mina grinned and stepped forward. "Well," she began, "I want to turn Ren back into Serena!"

"Can you do that?" Raye asked, appearing as uncertain as I felt.

"I think so," Mina admitted. "With Lita and Amy's help of course!"

"But what about my hair?" I asked. "He's going to wonder why I cut it!"

"Oh ye of little faith," Lita scolded, clucking her tongue. She reached into her bag and pulled out a handful of long blonde hairs. My eyes widened and my mouth dropped open. "Hair extensions anyone?" She asked teasingly.

Oh my God.