Chapter 3

Friday Morning

"Serena," Luna tugged the bed sheets back with her teeth, "You can't just sleep all day and avoid your problems."

"But…he….doesn't….LOVE ME!" Serena erupted into fresh tears, yanking the comforter back, "What AM I going to tell Raye?"

"You're going to tell her the truth." Luna insisted impatiently, "Gosh Serena, you're taking this way harder than I expected."

--

Darien rounded the corner, preparing himself for the onslaught. To tell the truth, he often enjoyed his morning spar with Serena. He glanced at his watch. She should be rounding the corner in THREE….TWO….ONE…

She appeared down the street as expected, clutching her school satchel and racing to catch the late bell.

WHUMP! She ran straight into his chest dropping her satchel on the ground, papers flying into the air! His chest was more toned than she had expected. .

"Late again, I see Meatball Head," he teased, "Up late with your boyfriend?"

"Leave me alone, Darien," she muttered back, half-assed, struggling to get it together to pick up her class notes which were scattered all over the ground.

Her lack of her usual fight caught him off guard and he decided to help her, "What's wrong, Meatball Head, your boyfriend dump you?" Okay, well he had tried being nice.

"Sort of," she answered glumly, "So I guess I won't be meeting you and Raye on Saturday. You win; I am just a Meatball Head."

His eyes widened in surprise. "Well if you need help carrying your books to class…" he offered kindly but she shook her head.

"No thank you, Darien. I'll get over it."

Wow, what was the matter with her? "Well, take care of yourself, Serena." Was all he could offer as she walked away. Suddenly he wasn't in the mood to irritate her.

"Wow," she thought bemusedly, "He called me Serena."

--

"So are you going to tell Raye the truth?" Luna asked Serena that afternoon as they sat waiting for the other Scouts at the Arcade.

"I guess," Serena consented unwillingly, absentmindedly drenching a lone fry in ketchup.

"Wow, Meatball Head, you still look awful." Darien commented with a smirk on his way to see Andrew at the counter. He had an ulterior motive today. He was going to find out the name of the bastard who had dumped Serena.

She shook a fist, a little of her old fight back, "So I see you're back to calling me Meatball Head, jerk!"

"Hey Serena!" The girls called to her brightly, settling down in their usual booth.

"You're looking better," Ami commented.

"So I hear you have something to say to me…hmmm?" Raye asked, helping herself to Serena's French fries.

"Who told you that?" Serena pulled the fries out of her reach, "Did Darien tell you?"

Raye grinned. Her plan had worked. There was something up. "Darien didn't tell me anything," she responded placidly, "But now that you've confessed…"

Darien smiled to himself as he sipped his coffee at the counter. One good thing about being Tuxedo Mask was his super-sensitive hearing.

"Oh for heaven's sakes, Serena, just tell her the truth!" Luna hissed.

Serena hung her head in defeat, "Fine Raye, you win. I never had a date with Tuxedo Mask."

Raye laughed outright in triumph. Lucky for Darien, for at that moment he choked and spit out his coffee.

"You alright?" Andrew asked him curiously, "Too strong?"

So Serena had lied about having a date with Tuxedo Mask. He smiled, his ego blowing up like a balloon. So girls fantasized over dating Tuxedo Mask, him.

"So Serena fantasizes about you." A little voice in his head spoke up but he banished it instantly.

"You look a little flushed, Darien." Andrew commented.

He explained it away, "Coffee, it's a little hot."

"Thinking about anyone in particular?"

Darien ruffled in his pocket for his wallet, "Nah, I don't feel so well. Better go home and get some rest."

"Hey Darien, come sit with us!" Raye called to him from the booth where the girls sat but he couldn't get himself to look in their direction. He might see her. He doubled his step to get out of the Arcade as fast as possible.

Why was he feeling this way? He couldn't possibly like her, Serena the crybaby, the Meatball Head?

He'd prove to himself that he didn't like her. He'd play a trick on her. He'd come to her house that night as Tuxedo Mask. He'd romance her and get it out of his system. Prove to himself and to her that they were in no way, shape or form attracted to one another.

Darien smiled. And at least he'd have a laugh about it the next day. Her friends would never EVER believe she went on a date with Tuxedo Mask! I mean, please.