Disclaimer: Do you like to see me in pain? I-I-I-I (sobs) I don't own Sailor Moon or Strictly Ballroom!(runs off into a remote part of the galaxy)

Can't Stop the Music

Chapter 2

Betrayal

(Chapter revised: 12/31/06)

Raye.

Time seemed to slow as Darien came face to face with the girl he had been so worried about. The world faded and everyone disappeared except for those shocked violet eyes. His hands were so tightly clenched his knuckles were stark white.

How could she?

After all they hard work they had done, the bruises and sprains they collected. She just runs off at the drop of a hat to Diamond of all people! What excuse would she give him when this was over? Raye knew about they strong rivalry he had with Diamond. Now he could only stand and watch as Diamond wrapped a possessive arm around her waist. He thought he saw a flash of something in her eyes but it was gone as soon as he blinked. Just the thought of another man touching her made Darien sick to his stomach.

He could only scoff mentally as he looked at her. This must have been Raye's way of saying it was over. This competition was the end of the laughter, the tears, the music, and the dancing. No longer would he hear shouts of 'stupid' or 'you dropped me!' echo through the room. Wouldn't she miss him? Didn't that mean anything to her?

The studio heard him before they actually saw him. No one could have missed the sound of loud footsteps echoing in the hall or the sound of Bud the janitor's buckets being moved by an unknown force down the steps. Or maybe it was the muffled curses they heard after the buckets abuse. There was a brief fear that ran through the room until they saw the man causing all the noise enter looking more disheveled than angry. All gazes were directed to the rusty bucket clinging desperately to the dark-haired dancer's right foot.

Someone in the corner chuckled softly, but it died a quick death in their throat as a glare that could kill was sent their way. Darien scowled when he saw the entire room had their attention on him. Partners had stopped in the middle of dips and the music was still softly wafting through the aged speakers in the corner of the room. Darien gave a feral growl when a hand descended onto his shoulder.

"Whoa buddy what the hell is wrong with you?"

Andrew. Darien breathed slowly calming his errant emotions. His dark bangs kept his eyes hidden from the person who could read him like a book. Andrew was confused. Darien had went to competition while he was, otherwise, indisposed. What had happened to cause this reaction? Darien shifted uneasily from foot to foot, avoiding his questioning eyes. How the heck would he live it down if his friend knew what he did? Andrew was the first to tell him his relationship wouldn't last long.

Darien had gracefully given him the bird before telling him to shove off. Now he wishes he hadn't been so foolish as to think the man he had known since diapers would be jealous of him. Andrew was the one to break to break the silence-

With his obnoxious laughter.

He watched as the blond clutched his sides to futilely contain the sound coming from his big, fat mouth. The rest of the room exchanged confused glances. Few shrugged it off as men and their antics while others thought it was just a mental condition. Andrew's laughter subsided into a few random chuckles as he wiped the tears of mirth form his eyes.

"It was Raye wasn't it?"

He received a gruff murmur from the male. Now maybe he would get some respect from the fool in front of him. It was enough that half the studio knew his business he didn't need the whole continent to know he had been dumped at a ballroom dance competition of all places!

"Hot damn, I knew it! Chad owes me fifty bucks!"

Darien raised a dark brow. "You bet with Chad about Raye and me? Why would do a thing like that, and why the hell did you bet with Chad of all people?" He threw his long arms into the air. "He still lives with his mother rent free!"

If Andrew heard a word he said he didn't show it. More questions just came flying to his dismay and everyone else sick, twisted amusement. "Where's they trophy? Who does she date now? Is she single? Kidding, kidding! Who-" He was cut off by the slamming of a door and the sound of heels on the hardwood floor. Darien looked at the floor wondering why it had forsaken him and not swallowed him whole.

"Hello, Darien."

Darien's mind seemed to go blank except for the quick moments of the competition.

"The judges would like to pick you all, but I'm afraid there can only be one winner!" There is was. The confidence he had, had during the dance wavered right after he saw Raye. He couldn't look any more un-macho in front of her today. Then again, who was less macho than the pixie she had chosen over him?

The whole room waited on baited breath. A baby cried in the distance. A lion quickly devoured its prey in the heart of the grasslands. All of this happened as he watched the announcer open the envelope. The scene went through my mind like slow motion. "And the winner is……Diamond and his beautiful partner Raye Hino! Congratulations winners and the best of luck next year for all of the others."

Except those weren't the words he expected to hear.

Darien blinked slowly. He would have laughed at the horror barely being concealed on his partners face if hadn't gone blind with rage at seeing Raye hug a man that wasn't him. Ignoring his partner's pleas, he stormed out of the room. He only wondered for a second if she would find a ride home alright. He needed time to think about this.

A long time.

He realized he had not acknowledged Raye's greeting while drowning in his own thoughts. A flattering flushed darkened his tan skin making his blue eyes more vivid than usual.

"Raye," he replied laconically. He didn't know if he wanted to hug her or yell at her for what she did. The latter was looking startlingly better. "Come back to gloat? Or did you just come back to retrieve the knife still wedged in between my shoulder blades?" He felt a surge of anger at the wounded look in her eyes.

"Darien it was nothing personal, I swear! I didn't know how much I wanted him until he was up for grabs! I never meant to hurt you. You just…" She left the sentence unfinished, but somewhere in his conscience he knew. That didn't stop the pain from clouding his mind. "What Raye? Not blond enough?"

"I resemble that comment," Andrew yelled from wherever he was hiding. The studio girls were kind enough to give him enough bruised shins to last a while.

"Did I not love you well enough? Finish your sentence, Miss Hino." His face was red but not from embarrassment. "Was I not rich enough? Was the SEX bad? I don't remember you ever complaining!"

The people around them started talking in hushed whispers. He knew the sex and money would start many of the more gossipy girls. His sexual prowess was well established despite the angry comment. All that mattered was her reason for her recent betrayal. She stomped one pedicured foot harshly.

"Dammit, it wasn't any of that! You don't follow the rules! You never win because moves are too risky! You do routines we don't practice and skip steps that judges look for! That's not what I'm looking for in the relationship. I need more than you are willing to give up." Her chest heaved with her rant. An emotion Darien had never seen blazed in her eyes. Was that passion? His comment was barely a whisper and Raye had to strain her ears to hear it.

"But was it ever the love?"

Raye looked stunned before she regained her resolve. If she was going to be free to love she had to make him aware.

"I would have said 'no' earlier, but know I'm not so sure, Darien."

She gazed at him sadly, violet eyes darkening with her emotions. She let out a breath she didn't know she was holding. "Let me ask you a question, Darien. You ask me if it was the love. You say you love me, but were you ever in love with me?" She watched Darien's eyes widen and his brows disappear into the fringe of his hair. Was he in-

No. He wouldn't have this turned back on him. "What's the difference? Love, in love they're both the same!" She just shook her head sympathy lingering in her eyes.

"You still don't understand, do you?" she gave a dry, humorless laugh. He looked consfused when she made a clucking sound and shook her head. "Fine. You want to know what I want, Darien? I want someone who can love me more than dance or himself. I'm tired of being held back and being put second! I want Diamond to come here right now and take me away from all of this! Away from…" She paused and her voice had a little more strength to it.

"Away from you."

"I want to be loved like I deserve to be. I found that with Diamond. You need to understand. I loved you Darien. I really did. But if you can't love me back…then I need to move on." She walked up him and placed her hands on the sides of his face. His first instinct was to lean into the caress, but he jerked away as if stung. Raye would not be turned away. She leaned up and brushed her lips against his and gave her one last kiss.

Sweet. Chaste. Filled with every emotion she could put into it. Everything she felt. Everything…

But love.

"Goodbye, Darien.

The rapidly darkening sky cast of blanket of colors across the town. Vibrant reds and oranges overlapped and mingled with the subdued pinks and yellows above a certain ebony-haired man. He cursed the sky and pouted. He mentally wondered why the sky didn't match his emotions like they did in all those sappy love novels he found hidden under Andrew's mattress.

Not that he read them or anything!

With the stars as his silent witness there was really nothing left to do but wander the streets. Not a safe thing to do in the middle of the night wearing a dark blue silk shirt and tight black dance pants but who cares. He wandered humming a tune with words long forgotten. What were the words to the blasted song, and when had they gotten stuck in his head? That's when he heard it. Soft music floating gently down to his open ears. A small sign stood proudly above the doorway across the street from the forlorn man.

School for Musical Advancement.

Music. A hopeful spark went through me. Where there's music there's dancing. Nothing got his mind off of things quite like dancing. Most of his fellow dancers at his own studio had ordered him to go home and get some rest. One girl had even offered to buy him a tub of Ben and Jerry's cookie dough ice cream to get him through the night! He quickly crossed the street and found himself standing before the glass door of the school.

Then it struck him.

It wasn't exactly daytime and the last time he checked 2 AM was not a normal hour for people to be out and about. There is no way the door was unlocked for any creep, himself excluded, to walk in and rob the place. The music struck him as odd. If no one was there why were the lights and music on? Maybe they needed time alone just like him. He couldn't just invade their privacy like that. The door was looked fo a reason after all.

He leaned his forehead against the cool glass surface of the door. Warm puffs of air clouded the clean surface as he exhaled slowly. He made little squiggles and laughed at his childish antics. Using the handle for support, he leaned back to examine the stars that had chased the breathtaking sunset away-

And fell flat on his back. The door swung shut as Darien sat up dazed. Why was the door left unlocked like that? Hoping the music really was another he neared the stairs to hear the music. Cha Cha? That same old feeling coursed through his veins. Surprisingly anxious, he took the steps two at a time to get to the source of the music unaware of the soft voice barely heard above the music.

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1-2 cha cha cha. Cross body lead, damn!"

Serena flopped to the floor in an ungraceful heap. She had been told to close up by Mrs. Morales and had decided to stay behind a little later. A little later turned into-. She groaned as she peeked through long black lashes to the clock on the wall.

2 AM.

She didn't even stay up till this hour for food!

Her stomach whined in agreement as she rested her weary feet. Her strappy shoes were scuffed and worn after nearly twisting her ankle twice. Her morale was severely low and she wished she hadn't passed up the chance to grab a bite with a few of the friendlier dancers. Another angry growl for her stomach interrupted her musing. Hours had passed and she was still far from getting the new and complex rhythm right before recital. She blew her bangs out of her face.

She was glad she was alone for she must have made quite a sight drenched in sweat and stumbling over her two small feet. She grabbed her towel wiping away most of the sweat and stared dejectedly at the small radio still playing her music. Her mind replayed her earlier class spat with a certain nemesis.

'What's the matter? Poor little Serena can't keep up?'

The words had echoed through the room hours after the owner herself had cockily left the building.

A new wave of determination spread through her at those words. He limbs felt loose and her feet felt light as a feather. What did they know? Cicita had been dancing longer than Serena and for some reason still hadn't been moved up to the next class level. Imagine the look on her face if Serena made it there first! The image of Cicita shocking daggers and spewing fire was entertaining to say the least.

She stood up with a new strength to her and turned the music up so it filled the whole room with its wonderful melody.

Her lids lowered as her lashes grazed her soft cheeks. Maybe she was approaching the dance wrong. Perhaps the feeling had to come before the moves themselves. She heard the soft beat of the drums and swayed her hips. One hip would jerk harder when the beat was emphasized. Guitars and maracas where still in the back round as she let her feet speak for the drums and her hips be the guitar. The horns carried her body through the routine the class had been learning all afternoon. As the song went into a log drum and horn duet she leapt off the path of routine and used the moves she thought looked best in the break.

This was fun. This was the dancing that made her smile when she was alone in her room dancing to please no one but herself. Her mirthful smile turned into giggles as her dancing took a wild turn into random spins and leaps. When she fell to the floor dizzy the giggles turned into full out laughs. The music came to a stop as her CD ceased to play.

A clapping sound broke her out of her euphoria.

She froze like a deer caught in headlights as the clapping died down. Serena expected it to be some pervert off of the streets who had come to have his dirty way with her. She expected him to have a leery grin on his face and lord knows what in his pants. She shuddered. What she didn't expect was for her own blue hued eyes to meet with another beautiful pair of cerulean eyes. She blushed and turned her eyes to the floor.

She tried to hide the perusal of her eyes as they traveled up his well muscled legs covered in black pants. Her stare landed on his crotch and she quickly tore her eyes away by going further up. She prayed he couldn't see her reaction behind her thick bangs as she devoured the sight of him in a shirt the matched his eyes so well and clung to him in places Serena could bear to ponder over for too long. When she finally realized her gawking had not been short she looked back into his eyes and he was…

-smirking. He was giving her a look that plainly said she had been caught eyeing his goodies and for far too long. Desperately in need something to do to be away from the strange man she rushed over to the corner to turn off her music. She now was aware that he had been clapping for her after she danced.

How much had he seen? She felt naked and violated at being seen in a moment of freedom in front of a complete stranger. The feeling that it was her fault for staying and not locking up in case someone did see the window crossed her mind. She didn't even realize he was speaking to her over her panicking personality. Be polite to the pretty killer, Sere. You never know when he could snap and slice you up into little pieces for his piranha collection after he hangs your hair above his bed with the rest of the missing girls.

She wondered if she would live if she jumped out of the third story.

Darien eyed the nervous female wondering why she kept looking from him to the window a few feet away. He shrugged it off as nothing as focused his attention back o the petite blond. "You're pretty good, but you lost both your form and footing a lot. I'm sure someone has told you about you rhythm plenty of times. Atrocious!" He closed the distance between them and took the stance as her partner. His hands wandered into territory she wasn't comfortable with as he adjusted her footing with his cool hands on her bare legs. The goosebumps were immediate.

He felt her stiffen under his guidance not used to people not following his dance direction. He may not follow the rules, but he did know what he was talking about. He raised one brow innocently wondering why she looked she feverishly red. Serena clenched and unclenched her hands by her sides. Why was he still touching her?

"I don't know who you think you are, but if you don't remove your hands right now I'll be forced to remove them for you. Painfully."

The words came out tense and clipped and he realized his need to fox incorrect posture was not familiar to the girl he had never met before. She growled when his did not move. He lifted his hands in a placating gestured and back up a few feet. Even Serena was a little surprised. She did not feel totally safe with this stranger but knew the chances of him being a killer who knew dance posture and was correcting it before dawn were very slim.

Darien felt a little stung to be rejected by two girls in one day. Technically two since it was morning now. "Relax. I was just trying to help you out. You have little potential from what I've seen anyway." He gave her glare that could have killed her right there and she was hit with the full force of his wonderful eyes. She shock her head as if to rid it of her impure thoughts. This guy was attractive, but his attitude killed it for her. The last the she needed was another Cicita to make her so-called life miserable.

She gave him her best unladylike snort before picking up her things and dignity to leave. Her pigtails still shimmered under the moonlight filtering in through the windows. She was barely out of the classroom before she felt him grip her wrist in his solid hold. "Wait."

"Let me go." Her voice was low and dangerous. Cicita's teasing she could take for she put up with it three times a week. This man was a different story. She didn't know a thing about him and yet he judged her like a familiar. She tried to ignore the feeling that swept through her whenever his skin made contact with hers. He noticed her shiver and was afraid he had scared her with his entrance and treatment. He ran his free hand through his unruly locks.

"Don't be mad. I didn't mean for it to come out like it did. Am I forgiven, meatball head?"

Her resolve to not be nice to the man dissolved was final shriek and she was ready to accept his apology when her new 'nickname' registered. "Meatball head? Meatball head?!" Her body shock with astounding rage and she struggled to control the urge to either cry or break his neck. How dare he? First he insults her then he gives her the most idiotic nickname she had ever heard. Meatball head, indeed! She wondered if she could get away with hiding his body in the dumpster downstairs until he just shrugged his shoulders aloofly.

"If anyone is the rude one it's you. You haven't even told me your name. Besides, it fits you!" He poked one round bun as if expecting something to leap out and say 'surprise!'.

"How did get your hair to do that anyway? Haven't you ever heard of normal pigtails, Meatball head?" She sputtered choking on her rage before she noticed she hadn't told him her name. She almost apologized but stopped herself. He came in uninvited and accosted her! Why should she tell a complete peeping tom she doesn't know her name? The rage returned full force.

"It fits me? You come in her dictating me like the freaking King of Sheba, touching me like some perv, telling me I'm rude for not giving my name, and then call me meatball head because you think it fits me?" Her eyes narrowed. He nodded his head looking at her like she was slow.

"Yes…"

So Serena did the sensible thing.

She poked him in the chest with one pointy nail. "Let me tell you something, your majesty. I came here to practice my dancing alone until you snuck in her and ruined everything. You may have thought you were HELPING, but believe it or not I don't need your two cents added on to the million dollar deposit I have already! So why don't you do me a favor and go. play. in. traffic! Each word was punctuated with another painful poke in the chest. He may have been a head taller than her, but she'd be damned if he pushed her around on top of his horse.

This was interesting. Instead of being thoroughly chastised or offended he was intrigued. This girl was obviously off of her rocker to think she could scare him into submission with that face of hers. She didn't know who he was and complained of hi touching her, but that did not stop her from poking him full or little holes. He leaned down, his warm lips a hair's breadth from her own cupid bow mouth. Unconsciously she closed her eyes when his warm breath fanned across her face. Was this weird man going to kiss her?

"Dinner."

"What?" Serena's eyes snapped open. Her mind was a haze of hormones as she struggled to comprehend what the hell he was talking about. Dinner, with him? She still didn't even know his name and he wanted to have dinner. She shocked him by rapping her fist across his forehead. "Hello is anyone there?" She continued to knock hoping for an answer until he grabbed the hand to stop her from knocking him unconscious.

"You, me, and dinner tomorrow at 6." He released her small hands from his iron clad grip. She held back her anger at his presumptuousness and sniffed huffily at the power with which he had held her in place. Didn't he think of anyone but himself?

"Take offense, I would never want to be seen anywhere with you in public." He chuckled darkly before leaning down seductively whisper in her ear.

"Who said it was at a restaurant?"

His hand had somehow found its way to her backside when he distracted me with that evil, evil voice of his. He left a quick peck on her unsuspecting cheek and sowly made his way to the exit. That cheeky bastard! She stormed out calling after him and caught him before he went down the steps. "Excuse me." Her voice was a sultry timbre she hadn't even heard herself. He paused and she could practically feel the smirk radiating off of him as she tapped him on the shoulder and waited for him to turn around.

He turned around as if expecting what was coming next. "Couldn't wait until tomorrow?" He flashed that stupid smile while she cursed her stupid stomach for having butterflies whenever he looked at her with those eyes in his stupid head.

Her smile was saccharine sweet as she drew closer to him. Her voice came out as more of a purr when she spoke. "Mmm, something like that."

Didn't his mother ever tell him to expect the unexpected?

Sorry this was a little late! Family came over and I just couldn't concentrate like I wanted to. Sadly, with school and exams coming up I might not be able to update as often as I would like. Be on the lookout for the next update!

Love to you All!