WHOMAHGOSH! I'm still revising. If anyone still reads these…I'm doing my best to revise this next week. A big thanks to those of you who encourage me to continue.

Last Time:

She listened attentively and wiped the bit of fog off of her glasses. She was actually really excited to get dancing again, but she didn't have a routine.

Blond hair whipped around in anticipation as the melodic ringing of the bell signaled the entrance of the person who she appreciated greatly for considerin-

"YOU!"

Can't Stop the Music

Chapter 4

Not You Again!

revised 1/16/08

This had to be some sick joke.

Serena inaudibly groaned as a subtle pounding formed at the back of her eyelids. She closed her eyes in exasperation and tucked a wayward strand of hair behind her ear.

If this situation was a joke, then the jerk by the door had to be the punch line. A cool gaze inspected him through her dark lashes as inconspicuously as possible. Surprisingly, he didn't look any better than her. Judging by the tense way he was carrying himself, it looked like he was ready to hightail it out of there as fast as his long, sinewy jean clad legs could carry him.

Wait.

What?

Andrew dug his finger into his collar. Was it just him, or had it gotten a tad bit tense in his arcade? He cautiously avoided standing too close to the blonde glaring daggers at the ketchup stain on his apron.

Serena wanted to do much worse than glare at the blonde man. The napkin in her hand had been ripped to shreds in her relentless wrath, and Andrew had a feeling he was next.

"This had better be your idea of a sense of humor or, so help me, I'll kill you." The feel of her hands wringing around his scrawny neck was so tempting, her fingers were twitching.

Andrew's brows furrowed as he stood between the ebony-haired rock and the blond hard place. "Do you two knoweach other? Darien? Serena?"

The two people in question leveled twin glares in his direction. He voiced his question again but received no physical response. Instead, the temperature in the room dropped so harshly he chanced a glance at the thermostat.

First it was hot enough to fry an egg on his back and now he could ice skate across the floor. Who were these people, Jason and Freddy?

Andrew directed his gaze toward Serena. She seemed to be contemplating something intensely. Her bottom lip was always the victim of a thoughtless nibbling habit when she thought too hard.

So Darien was the guy's name. Serena tucked the bit of info away for storage in case she ever got tired of using insults in its place. To top it all of, Darien had regained his composure and had replaced his look of nauseated shock with that smirk that made her want to be sick all over his hideous jacket.

Prat.

The subtle pounding behind her eyes was now a full fledged migraine and she mentally went about calling him every curse word she could think of and more. Lita would be proud and disappointed in her at the same time. The teen swallowed the bile rising in the back of her throat and stretched her arms nonchalantly above her head.

"Are you following me around, creep? It's funny cause, somehow, I never pinned you as the stalking type. I guess you never judge a book by its cover after all."

Darien's whole demeanor changed as his pride bubbled to the surface. Did she just...?

Startling blue eyes darkened to almost black as he bent to fully appraise her from head to toe.

"And you're looking particularly mousy today. Enlighten me, meatball head, when was the last time you actually picked up a book that didn't have pictures in it?" Darien feigned interest while Serena stewed over the direct insult to her intelligence. Of course she read more than Sailor V comics! How dare he?!

Andrew was a bit perplexed and tried not to look like he was hiding behind the counter, 'cause he wasn't. How did these two not only meet, but form such a volatile bond?

Serena, speechless in her rage, sighed in defeat knowing this round had gone to him. Her forefingers went up to message her still throbbing temples. Why, oh why, did men have to be such pains?

"Tell me anything, Andrew. Just please don't tell me he's the reason you woke me up so early in the damn morning."

Andrew chuckled uneasily at the not-so-bubbly girl's mood. Darien folded his arms and leaned casually across the nearest counter. "Yeah, Andrew. Do tell."

"Well actually-" Once again, two pairs of ominous glares caused his speech to die on his lips. "Yes." He nervously scratched the back of his head hoping it was still attached to his shoulders when this was over with.

The sound of Serena's head hitting the counter was the first thing he heard. She then started groaning about breakfast and how God must be laughing at her. Her rant was interrupted when Andrew cleared his throat and gestured toward Darien, Satan himself.

"Darien is looking for a new salsa partner. I told him about you and, as you can see, here we are!" His smile faltered when neither of the room occupants moved from their sullen positions.

The silence, though unbearable, was not necessarily a bad thing. Serena didn't have many other choices this late in the game and looked like she might be considering being Darien's partner! That is, until Darien opened his fat mouth.

"You can't expect me to dance with that bowlegged brat." Darien narrowed his eyes to match his superior tone.

"But, if I need someone to hold my towel I'll call you."

Andrew slapped his forehead and waited for the explosion that was sure to come. Serena's stool could be heard scraping the floor as she stood up angrily.

Serena may be civilized and calm on most days but he was plucking her last nerve. Her gaze turned icy as she stepped closer to him; noses practically touching as his hot breath fogging her thick glasses.

"What. did. you. just. say?" Her words game out in a menacing growl.

He smiled like that bastard he was before repeating his earlier words. "I said If I need someone to hold my towel I'll call you."

Serena backed up before she did something drastic. Normally she would have cried at a comment like this but her pride was at stake. So she did the one the he did understand.

She punched him.

Again.

It was a strange sight to see. A hot-tempered blonde was sitting in the corner while Andrew tried to calm a dark haired man long enough to put ice on his newest black eye.

He knew he never should have come! Every time he got involved with Andrew things like this happened. Darien's eyes closed as a vengeful growl escaped his throat when a group of teens passing by snickered.

Stupid teens.

It figures he would get this eye just before Andrew opened the arcade. Darien now had to sit and hide his face behind his bangs.

His reputation was bound to be shot.

"I hate you, Andrew. Not only was I wounded by that animal-"

Serena chose to make her presence known again by making a guttural noise in the back of her throat. His oh-so-subtle reply was to ignore her and continue.

"-but now everyone will know! Now I know why I stay away from your ideas! They always end up making melook bad."

He hissed the last sentence through his teeth hoping not to be overheard. Serena took her chance while his mouth was shut.

"In order for that to happen you would need to look good in the first place." She giggled at her joke before hopping off her stool in the corner. She felt much better and realized she might need to vent more often.

Darien's blood boiled at the sight of her.

"I'll get you for this Meatball head." He tried to follow her movements with his good eye since the other one was slowly swelling shut. For such a small girl, she had a mean left hook.

Serena tensed at the horrid nickname.

"I suggest you keep your mouth closed before I make that swell shut too."

She kept her back turned, trying to her back a menacing growl. Darien knew he had hit a nerve when he mentioned her hair. Disregarding her threat, he shifted the ice pack on his eye.

"I guess you don't need that dance instructor as much as you claimed." He stood telling Andrew good-bye before taking his leave.

Serena was seeing red. All her control snapped when he was out of sight.

"How COULD you, Andrew? How could you think I would even give a pompous ass like HIM the time of day to teach me anything!" Her breath was labored as the arcade grew deathly silent.

"I need some air. I'll...see you later." She stormed out and the arcade resumed their usual activities.

Andrew did feel bad about the situation. Darien handled the entire thing the wrong way, and the blonde knew he was going to need help on this mission.

The perfect person was just a phone call away. With a wicked grin, Andrew grabbed the phone behind the counter and dialed for his sister.

"Hello, Mina? It's an emergency."

Darien sighed in frustration while letting the hot water travel down his body in tiny rivulets. The suds traveled slowly down his taut, tan skin while he washed his troubles away.

'What a high-strung brat!'

He stepped out of the shower and quickly wrapped a fluffy towel around his waist. Serena was the last thing he wanted on his mind while in the shower. He shivered unconsciously at the thought.

Meanwhile, on the other side of town, Serena aimlessly wandered the streets until it grew dark and the stars could be seen. Her blonde hair shone under the lights streaming down from various windows.

She knew she wasn't the best dancer in the world, but Darien made her feel 10 times worse.

"Arrogant idiot."

Her foot kicked a pebble as a lone tear traveled down her face. Though she had appeared angry, his callous words echoed through her mind as she strolled along.

He had acted as if he wasn't in a jam himself. She had let him sit there and turn her into the squabbling young girl with a deafening screech. She had let him. The thought struck her so hard that she froze in her tracks.

He was trying to break her spirit, make her feel sorry for herself. But, she wasn't going to let him push her around like everyone else did. If anything...

She was going to make him pay for it.

And what better time than the present?

The ding-dong of his doorbell stopped him in his tracks before Darien could get any clothes on. Slightly damp, he padded along slowly hoping whoever it was would get the point and leave. To his chagrin, the ringing only became more persistent.

"I'm coming! God, don't knock down my door..."

When his door swung open he was met by a startling pair of familiar blue eyes. His own dark blue orbs narrowed as a petite blonde head stormed right by his imposing figure. Her annoying feminine drawl floated out of his living room.

"I don't know who you think you are, but I'm not up for your idiotic games! I desperately need a teacher and you, quite conveniently might I add, need a partner."

Serena marched back and forth continuing her rant. "So listen here you pain in my pigtails! Either you take my offer and teach me or I'll...I'll..."

Although his face remained neutral, Darien's eyes smirked with male pride as her gaze followed every droplet of water down his sinewy muscles and across the plains of his flat stomach.

"Towel!"

She tried to compose her frazzled nerves as she squeaked that same word over and over again. It came out as more of a gargled mantra with every step he took.

His breath fanned out across her neck as she kept her eyes trained on one drop of water that was stubbornly making its way down the smoothness of his skin.

The angry blonde hated to admit it, but oh how she wished she were that lucky little droplet.

It rolled and caressed his flesh as it descended lower and lower until the towel quickly absorbed it into its fluffy depths. Her skin took on a cherry hue when all she could think about was what was under the towel.

"See something you like?"

Only then did she regain a bit of her sense.

"Put on some clothes you flaming idiot!"

Darien came back slightly less cocky but still basking in the glory of his stupid male pride. Serena had already found a seat to recover from the surprise attack on her eyes. He smiled that stupid grin of his before striking up a conversation.

"You make a good point, Meatball. You know, about the partner thing."

Serena's mouth floundered open a moment before she realized how ridiculous she must look. She idly played with a piece of her hair while staring at a piece of lint on his (expensive!) couch. The silence dragged on as until Serena could find an eloquent response.

"Huh?"

'Good going, Sere'

That annoying part of her mind the had no life had found it's way into her thoughts. His agreement was a hell of a shocker after complaining about her skills, or lack thereof, in dance.

"I mean, you'll...do it?"

Her voice was incredulous, and she dropped her occupied piece of hair. The smile he responded with was positively wicked, and, for half of a millisecond, Serena thought of screaming bloody murder and hightailing it the heck outta there.

Instead she decided to set some things straight. Her lip found itself the victim of pearly white teeth as she thought about how to words her next few sentences. "I only have one request."

His eyebrow rose slightly. "Name it. I can't guarantee I'll agree to it, though." He smiled the same smile that didn't quite reach his eyes.

A long and hard train of thought brought only one thing to mind. A wicked gleam flecked with a bit of embarrassment caught his casual gaze.

"Never, and I repeat, never go around with a towel on anymore. I don't think I can take it."

Darien let a short bark of laughter before shaking her hand.

"Deal...Meatball head."