AN: This chapter was also rewritten, so please read through it and tell me what you think. If you've read my first drafts of this chapter tell me which one you liked best. Thank you.

Disclaimer: All rights to Sailor Moon reserved to Naoko Takeuchi.

With the pressure of his thumb, Malcolm lowered the volume of the song that had been blasting from the speakers. He gave Darien a fleeting sideways glance and noticed the lopsided smile playing on his friend's lips, just before he directed his gaze back onto the road. Malcolm grinned at what he saw, highly amused by Darien's unusual action; he was staring intently in the rearview mirror.

"Care to explain," Malcolm flicked another glance at the dark haired man.

Hearing the amusement in his friend's voice, Darien frowned. "It's nothing."

"Who is she?" Malcolm had decided to look back just to find out what had caught Darien's attention. Spotting the scruffy looking blonde, Malcolm became more puzzled.

Darien contemplated the question and couldn't help but smile. "I don't know," he replied seriously. Never once in his life did he feel as out of sorts as he did when he spoke with the blonde woman. Names, Darien thought wryly. He knew how to greet a person and make an introduction—hell, he'd grown up in the business industry; but somehow propriety had eluded him today. Then again, this was not one of the normal circumstances he would have met anybody, and most certainly not a person of importance.

The perplexed expression on Darien's face was not lost to Malcolm, and he chuckled. "You didn't get a name?"

"Nope," Darien answered and then he grabbed hold of his emotions again and forced an uninterested look.

Coming to an empty parking space, Malcolm skillfully maneuvered the car into place and turned off the engine. Pulling out his keys, he turned to give Darien his full attention. "That's a first; it's not like you to be so forgetful. Anyways, what happened?"

Darien shrugged and got out of the car, "I got into a little accident; it's nothing serious." He walked around the car to lean up against the back; shoving his hands into his pant pockets, Darien waited as Malcolm pulled out his backpack and locked the car.

"All right," Malcolm thought to play along, "Is that why your bike looked so trashed; you were involved in a 'little' accident?" He scowled at Darien. "And will you get off my car?"

His shoulders shook with mirth at the white haired man's surly tone and Darien moved to follow him, "Yeah, I'll need a ride this afternoon, so when's your last class?"

"If you're asking for a ride, the answer's yes," Malcolm laughed, deciding to let go of the previous topic, "But unless you have class before three this afternoon, I can't help you."

"That's okay," Darien caught up to his friend and raised an elbow to rest on Malcolm's shoulder, "You can take me home and I'll just take my beamer back for my six o'clock class tonight."

"I thought we were going clubbing tonight," Malcolm gave a questioning look to Darien.

He had forgotten about that. Sighing, Darien nodded, "We will." There was no way he was going to back on his word, since it was he who had suggested it the other night. But damn, he really didn't feel like going out at all tonight. "Where are the rest of the guys anyways? It's—what—ten now?" He raised his wrist to look at the time on his watch.

"Almost eleven, dickhead," Malcolm rolled his eyes, and shrugged Darien's elbow off him, "And get the hell off me, it's hot enough as it is."

Moving himself away from Malcolm, Darien stopped beside him at the crosswalk. "You know what I mean," he said, "Where the hell are they?"

"Weren't you paying any attention last night?" Malcolm shot Darien a curious expression.

"Not particularly." In honest truth, he thought he might have been too drunk to remember.

His dry retort won a smile from Malcolm. "As I thought," he said smugly, "You were probably too busy thinking about getting into Mina's pants—Hey!" Darien gave him a good punch in the arm.

The mention of Darien's long-term girlfriend was a mistake on Malcolm's part. After high school, Mina left to Paris on a medical program while Darien stayed behind to earn his business degree and run the family business. Due to this separation, their relationship had become strained.

"You were saying?" There was a deceptively sweet note in Darien's tone. Malcolm cringed at his words.

"I was saying that if you had been paying attention, you would have heard all of their schedules last night." Malcolm told him matter-of-factly.

"Well," Darien barked, "Where the hell are they?"

"Hmph," Malcolm grinned, "Should've paid attention now, shouldn't we?"

The fierce scowl from Darien got a quick answer from Malcolm, "All right, jeez," a hassled Malcolm explained, "James doesn't have class until twelve this afternoon, you know what a lazy ass he is, and Zachary already had class starting at eight—or was it that he wanted to come to school early to have a word with his professors?—whatever. Anyways, as for Andrew and Nathan, they both are taking the day off, but they're supposed to have class at eleven as well."

When Darien raised his brows questioningly, Malcolm replied, "Hangovers."

Darien chuckled, "And I thought I was wasted this mourning."

"Maybe we shouldn't have anymore liquor the night before we go off to school," Malcolm suggested with a conspiratorial look to Darien.

"Nah," they both denied at once, and then they laughed.

Unbeknownst the two striking men, a crowd had formed to watch them walk up the stairs to one of the University buildings. The audience was in awe at the laughter that came from the pair. Girls primped and licked their lips in attempt to catch one of their attentions, and men stared enviously at the two. For, of course, they were the hottest catch in all of Japan.

Serena sighed as she propped her chin in the palm of her hand lounging over the pink counter in the Sweet Dreams Bakery. For the past afternoon, she had found herself pondering her strange encounter with the man named Chiba. She couldn't help but remember his face…and his breathtaking smile. In honest truth, her heart had fluttered at the sight of his sexy lips quirking up in amusement, and she was damned furious with herself for it.

She wished he would have died. Damn it and she had been so scared too, but now she was furious. She kept screaming at herself because it wasn't he who was making her mad, it was herself and her lack of discipline. Boy was the man arrogant, but she had fallen under his charms anyway.

Ha, and he had expected her to move out of the way for him. That was obscene! He didn't make any sense at all, and she was becoming too confused for her liking—she always liked to be in control of her emotions and situations, since this afternoon, all seemed to be getting out of hand for her

But then again, she argued, for a man with such arrogance and pride, he had humbled himself by apologizing to her. Well…he didn't out right say "I'm sorry", but she knew what he implied. And she didn't know what to think anymore.

She hadn't attracted much attention like she thought she would when she walked into one of the University buildings. In fact, no one spared her a glance, and she was greatly relieved. But when she entered her first class, she received the full blast of just how welcomed she was at the University.

"You're late," Professor Shimbo, her psychology teacher, told her with a sneer. "What is your name?"

He was looking down his nose at her, Serena noticed, and she thought to give as good as she got, "My name is Tsukino Usagi, sir," she replied rudely, tossing up her head, "And I know I'm late."

"Ah…Ms. Tsukino," The middle aged man frowned down at her. "Our most peculiar freshman starting here this semester," he said to the rows of students watching them, "I heard of your financial problems, Ms. Tsukino," he cupped one hand to his mouth as though to whisper that last part to her, but he rasped it out so loudly, the class snickered. "I hope you know that tardiness is not tolerated here at Akita University, please take a seat and do not ever disturb my class again, if you're late do not bother coming at all. Those are my words to you if you're hoping to get through this school year unscathed." He looked highly pleased with himself when he was finished with his lecture.

"Osaka!" The professor shouted, after looking down at his attendance sheet.

A girl with shoulder length brown hair stood up. "Yes, sir," she stuttered. Serena could easily see the girl was trembling with fright.

"Take a seat next to Osaka, Tsukino," Professor Shimbo smirked, "I think you two will have a lot in common."

Serena had always thought she was very respectful to her elders, but this man did not deserve her kindness at all. Giving him a cold glare she replied, "I wonder just how much a professor makes to make him think he can treat people of middle class like shit; must be a lot."

She didn't have much of a distance to walk, since the girl standing up sat exactly in the front of the class, but she did get to see the look on her classmates faces. They all wore cocky grins, and Serena itched to beat the crap out of them all. She was very capable of doing it; it was just that she knew she would get kicked out of the damn school and would probably have to pay for everyone's medical bills and so she refrained from doing so.

As she sat down, Osaka, the girl with curly shoulder-length hair, turned to her and whispered, "Is it true? You're from middle class?" Her eyes were wide with curiosity, Serena noticed, and not of disgust.

Sighing, Serena shook her head as Professor Shimbo began addressing the class once again. "No," she answered the girl, and was surprised when she looked disappointed.

"Oh," Osaka said with a hint of regret in her voice.

Feeling a bit guilty, Serena decided to tell her the full truth. "I'm from low class, not middle."

Osaka's eyes widened again, and then she managed a weak smile. "I'm Molly," she extended her hand for Serena to shake.

A genuine smile curved her lips at the friendly gesture, "Hi Molly, I'm Usagi, but everyone calls me Serena."

The girl nodded, "Usagi, if you don't mind me asking, how did you get into Akita, anyway?"

"I guess you didn't get it," Serena chuckled softly so not to interrupt the Professor's lecture on the curriculum for the semester. "Call me Serena. And to answer your question, my parent's paid for me to get in."

Molly raised a quizzical brow. "I'm afraid I don't get it."

A soft understanding smile stretched across Serena's face. "I didn't expect you to."

They sat in silence for a long minute; just listening to their instructor go on about the needed materials for the class such as books and folders, until Molly thought that Serena was never going to explain.

"I-I'm also from low class too," Molly admitted shyly, looking down at her laptop.

"Oh, Molly," Serena said soothingly, "It's nothing to be ashamed of."

"I know, but Serena, however you got in here, don't mess up your chances. We're with Japan's finest, and you don't want to make a spectacle of yourself."

A dark frown settled across Serena's forehead. "How did you get in, Molly," she asked in a tone that concealed her suspicions.

"A scholarship," Molly replied proudly now, "I worked very hard to get where I am, you see. You're very lucky, Serena, that your parents were able to pay for you to get into this University, while others, like me, had to pull off perfect A's to attend."

The set-down was there in her voice, Serena could detect it. It was in the way she straightened her shoulders with importance and in the way she bared her head up high. A sick feeling washed over Serena as she stared down at this girl. They both had probably shared the same childhood being both from lower class. They had gone through the same hardships, the same discriminations and stereotypes…and yet they were completely different.

Serena's eyes lowered menacingly, ready to put the girl in her place, "You think you know me, but you don't, girly. My parents might have blown off their life's savings to get me into this damn school, but that doesn't mean I'm a brainless street rat. I had good grades too—top of my class to be exact, but you don't see me flaunting my intelligence do you? I could have gotten a scholarship too, you know, I could have come here, but I didn't want to. Why would I want to fit myself into such an image of superficiality? Why would you?"

Molly became rigid in her seat. The hurt in her eyes was apparent to Serena, but she couldn't bring herself to care. Forcing a stony expression on her face, Serena turned her attention back to Professor Shimbo.

When the class was over, Serena collected her things and shuffled out the door with the rest of the students. Her next class wouldn't start until 1:30, and that was an hour away, so Serena decided to look around campus and maybe find a library so she could sit down and relax. Libraries were always such quiet places; at least there she knew she wouldn't be disturbed.

Just as she started walking down the hall from her first class, someone began tugging on her white (though now black from her fall on the road) button-down shirt.

It was Molly.

Placing her hands on her hips Serena smiled, not wanting the brunette to see her irritation. "Yes?"

The silly girl bowed her head, "I'm sorry."

"Yes, I'm sure you are," Serena said sweetly and was about to turn away when Molly grabbed onto her shirt sleeve.

"I'm serious, Serena," the girl looked up at her with glazed white eyes. "And you were right. I'm such a fake. It's just that I want to be somebody. I've lived a terrible life of poverty; at times going hungry and cold with no money to pay for food or even proper clothing for the winter and nights. As a child hearing such wondrous things about the world around me and yet not being able to travel there. And so I set a goal for myself to become wealthy and to get away from that horrible life, and I guess I kind of just shoved my self-respect out of the way to get where I wanted to be. I'm so sorry; I was talking out of spite when I said those things to you."

Lifting a hand to rest on her shoulder, Serena smiled warmly, "It's okay; I know what you mean. I've been through all of that myself—except, of course, I never felt compelled to prove myself in any other way than be, well, me. And you shouldn't too. Try to live up to something that you're not, I mean. You can always set high standards for yourself, but you don't need to look down on others." Molly lifted her head to look up at Serena with glassy eyes and was taken aback by the blonde's easy acceptation of her apology. "Hey," Serena beamed with joy, "Wanna join me in the library—I mean you don't have class yet do you?"

Molly tried to stifle her laughter, "No, I don't have class for another hour."

Taking her new friend's hand in hers, Serena was ecstatic, "Good, let's go!" And she skipped all the way down the hall, half dragging a bemused Molly behind her. "By the way," Serena cast a glance over her shoulder at her new friend, "Where is it?"

"You've met Chiba?" Serena nearly tackled down her brunette companion as she cupped a hand over her mouth.

"Not too loud," Serena hissed as she sat back down in her chair.

Molly gave her a sheepish grin, "Sorry," she blushed.

After Molly gave Serena the directions to the library, they settled quietly into a corner of the old building. Libraries were usually dull and grey, this one was no different. At the top of the high ceiling was a glass sunroof that allowed light to poor into the dusty room. Rows and rows of wooden bookshelves stretched from wall to wall, with only a single aisle splitting them into two sets on each side. In the very center was a group of cherry-red oak desks with matching sets of four chairs. Each desk had a stand for a dictionary and a tiny lamp.

"So who is he anyway?" Serena asked, leaning back in her chair. She did her best to sound indifferent, when really she was quite fascinated. Glancing up the staircase to the second floor—where Molly explained had all the computers, though nobody used them because everybody carried their own laptops—by their table, she looked to see if anybody was listening.

Brown eyes opened wide at Serena's question. "You mean you're not kidding?" Molly whispered as she leant forward on her elbows.

At Serena's look of irritation, Molly became quick and informative. "Well, you've heard of the Chiba family right? The ones who own—"

"No shit!" Serena nearly shouted, slamming the palm of her hands on the desk; that name, she knew that name, it was very well known. "You can't possibly mean—"

Nodding her head, Molly finished, "Yes, Senior Chiba is the heir to the entire business and fortune."

Feeling light-headed at that information, Serena closed her eyes and laid her head back. Everything was making sense now. It was no wonder he had appeared so cool and sophisticated—he was none other than Chiba Darien. At birth he was the world's richest infant, worth more than one billion dollars because of the immense wealth of his family's businesses and investments! His arrogant answers, his handsome face—she wondered if any part of it was still real, she doubted it though, he probably got quite a surgeon to scope that face—everything about him was making sense to her now! No wonder why nobody in the cars dared honk at them on the road, no wonder why he had expected her to move out of his way when he was speeding down the road…hah!

Okay, so he was mister hotshot on campus, that still didn't change anything, Serena thought bitterly. The last time she checked Japan already had an emperor, so Chiba was no better than she, an ordinary civilian, albeit, a very powerful one.

"Oh Serena, don't you get it?" Molly looked forlorn.

Opening one eye, Serena stared intently at her friend from across the table. "Not really," she replied truthfully.

Sparing a quick glance over her shoulder at the rest of the occupants in the library, Molly turned back to Serena with a look of sheer terror. "We're in jeopardy!"

Rolling her eyes skyward Serena let her disgust show. "Oh please, Molly," she groaned, "Don't tell me you live in fear of that man—"

"It's not like that." Molly's expression implored for Serena to remain silent and hear her out. "Think about it," she gripped her armrests with such strength that her knuckles turned white. "Family's like his hold very dear places in this school, besides the fact that they have positions on the Akita school board, they give very generous donations to the University. And that means that their kids, such as Chiba, pretty much have free reign over the campus. If they want to be late to class, the teachers will let them slide, if they are displeased with certain instructors, you better expect a new professor teaching class the next day, and most disturbingly is that if they don't particularly care for a student, well…he or she is a goner too!"

Fury rose in Serena until she was shaking with it. "No," she said in a deadly quite tone.

"Yes!" Molly continued nodding her head emphatically. "For students like you and I, we don't stand a chance. As long as we don't get in Chiba's way, or any of his other friend's way we'll be fine. That really isn't a problem anyway," Molly shrugged, her disposition lightening, "I mean they don't even spare us a glance when passing down the halls, why would they bother giving us the time of day to allow us to upset them."

"So how was Akita University, huh?" Serena's co-worker, Lita, at Sweet Dream's Bakery asked as she came up behind the seemingly troubled blonde.

Registering that she had let her mind wander off on her once again, Serena straightened from her position lounging over the counter. Stretching her arms high above her head, Serena turned to greet her childhood friend. Lita and she had gone through grade school together, and were planning to attend a community college together too after high school, but due to certain circumstances, Serena was unable to do so and ended up at Akita University.

It was all her parents' fault of course. She couldn't believed they had used their entire life's savings (including her own) to get her into the University. She couldn't let the money go to waste, however. Her parents had already paid for a whole year's worth of education, and there was no way of retrieving that money, and so she really didn't have a choice. But now she had to have two jobs just to make payment for their small two room apartment. Along with her job at Sweet Dreams Bakery, she worked as a waitress at Cup of Tea, a pub that served tea, coffee, smoothies/milkshakes, and other sweet snacks. And despite all of the hours she put in overtime, she never made enough.

"Let me tell you, Akita is not as great as one by think. Going to school with rich spoiled girls and guys is not what I may call fun." Serena made a face and Lita laughed.

Wrapping her arms around the petite blonde, Lita gave her a reassuring smile, "My poor baby, you'll get through it!"

Wrinkling her nose, Serena removed Lita's arms. "I'm so not feeling touchy-touchy right now, so two words: get off."

"Whoa, talk about serious issues," Lita retorted gruffly, "What's your problem?" She moved to lean against the counter beside Serena. Giving her hair a toss over the shoulder, Lita looked to the glass doors and then back to Serena. Business was unusually slow today.

"Nothing."

The quick curt reply roused curiosity in Lita. Being friends since the age of ten, there's specific traits you pick up and learn to understand. Serena's flippant but defensive tone was definitely setting off signs in the brunettes head, and they were saying that something was indeed bothering her friend.

Giving Serena a stern look, Lita said in a no-nonsense voice, "Alright, tell me what happened."

A startled laugh came from Serena as she studied Lita's expression. It was the one she usually wore when she was about to go into a fight. "I can't believe you," Serena laughed, "I said nothing was wrong."

Folding her arms across her chest, Lita frowned down at the girl who was trying desperately to evade the topic. "No, Serena," Lita shook her head, "I can't believe you."

Their gazes locked for a long moment.

Sighing, Serena gave up. "You're the most intimidating person I've ever met," she commented dryly.

Laughing, Lita shook her head. "Stop stalling, smart one."

With a final glare to Lita, Serena began her long tale. "I nearly got ran over by a motorcycle, but it turned just before it hit me and it went crashing to the ground. I fell from my bike in shock and watched as the motorcycle driver flew to the ground. I was so scared, I thought he died, but he didn't. And it turns out that he's Chiba Mamoru, heir to, well, billions! Do you know what that means? It means I'm dead meat! But then again he didn't strike me as cruel and snobby so I don't think he'll do what Molly said he'd do and expel me—"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, slow down," Lita was completely taken aback by Serena's outburst. "You almost got ran over by a motorcycle—wait, you met Chiba Mamoru—huh, who's Molly, and why would you get expelled?"

Serena pushed her hands through her hair in aggravation. "See," she said contemptuously, "this is why I didn't want to tell you; I knew you were going to be all up in my face about—"

"Calm down, Serena," Lita rolled her eyes, "I was just asking. If you'd make a little more sense, maybe I wouldn't be questioning you."

Grumbling to herself, Serena glowered at the pretty brunette with flashing emerald eyes. "Fine."

And she began recounting her tale…in much greater detail. When she finished, Lita was both perplex and infuriated.

With slit-like eyes, Lita proclaimed, "If they kick you out of school I'll kick rich-boy's ass."

Touched by her friend's loyalty, Serena smiled. After recounting her day, she felt much relieved, all her frustration and anger was fast fading. "Thanks, Lita, I always knew I could count on you."

A serious frown came across Lita's face as she shoved her hands into the pockets of her pink apron, "I'm serious, Serena; they can't do that. Expel you, I mean. Come on, wasn't it his fault for the accident?"

The smile on Serena's face faltered. She nodded in answer, "Yeah…I guess so…but we—I mean, I don't think it'd do me any good dragging on that incident. Nobody was hurt and—"

"See," Lita broke in, "That's your problem, Serena. You're way too nice for your own good! Grow a back bone!"

"Hey," Serena shouted in defense, crossing her arms over her chest, "I do have a back bone; it's just that…er…I don't want to be a nuisance."

Lita groaned and shot Serena disgusted look, "A nuisance? Serena, you could have been killed! You should at least make him pay for your clothes!"

That was another thing about Serena, Lita knew. The silly girl's pride would never allow her to accept money from another person. She didn't want to be a charity case, Serena argued whenever the issue of money came up. That was understandable. It really was. But in this case, Lita shook her head, this wasn't charity money. Serena deserved the money.

"It's okay, Lita," Serena reassured her friend, "If I'm not bothered by it, then you shouldn't be either."

"Well if you're not gonna look after yourself," Lita responded angrily, throwing up her hands in the air, "I will."

With her head in her hands, Serena gave a low grunt. "You'll end up killing me, is what your protection is gonna do."

Rubbing the back of her neck to ease the tension, Serena lifted her head to give Lita a searching stare. The brunette's face was flushed from anger; her eyes reflected her furry like the shine of a freshly sharpened dagger but the color of murky green. Her long nose was held high, nostrils flared. Firm pink lips were tightly shut in her violent mood. The loose strands falling for her high ponytail framed her face and gave her a warrior-princess like appearance that flashed a don't-mess-with-me sign across her. "Promise me, Lita." Serena said softly; her heart swelling at the loyalty of her friend.

"It depends," Lita huffed, blowing at her bangs, "what it is you want me to promise."

"Promise me you won't try to go to Akita—promise me you won't confront Chiba—promise me you won't take my problems on as though they're yours. Please, Lita, promise me that."

Her voice trembled. It was not lost to Lita. Looking down into beseeching sapphire blue eyes, Lita nodded. "Fine."

"We saw you with Chiba the other day."

Serena looked up from her book to the group of people that had formed in front of her table. Two guys had decided to sit down at the two seats a cross from her, while a girl pulled the vacant chair beside her to straddle it backwards. Three more girls stood, staring distastefully down at Serena.

Class didn't start for at least another half hour for Serena, and so she had decided to take a lunch break in the provided cafeteria room in the University. What had been a few lovely quiet minutes of peace to herself, soon dissipated at the arrival of the group of unwanted classmates.

It was the girl who was sitting that had spoken. With her head cocked to the side, the red head smiled slyly. "Well?" She demanded, her hands gripping the back of the seat in front of her chest.

"Did we interrupt you?" One of the guys laughed as he grabbed her book from out of her hand.

"Oh…" the second guy chipped in, "Reading, I see. Don't tell me it's a sappy romance. What's it called…Paradise? What the hell? You're reading an English book—what for, I'm in your class, and I know for sure the Professor didn't assign it?"

Irritated, Serena opened her mouth to reply but before she could, the girl sitting beside her pulled on her hair. "I asked you a question, Tsukino."

Her anger began to wax at the uninvited group of idiots at her table. Snatching the book from the jeering teenage boys, Serena turned her attention to the girl sitting beside her. "You didn't ask me anything, smart one. If you want an answer learn how to ask a question. Now, I'd appreciate it if you would leave me—"

Serena caught the red-head's hand as it moved to slap her. Stunned, the girl gaped opened-mouth at the grip Serena had on her hand. At the same time, Serena just about had it with the girl. "Nice try," Serena said in a menacing voice, "But next time I'll break your wrist."

"Fuck you," The girl shouted as she tried to pull her hand out of Serena's grip.

"I'll pass on that," Serena let go of her hand and began to collect her things.

As Serena began walking away, one of the guys shouted after her, "You're nothing but trash. You don't belong here, get it? If you stay any longer, you'll regret it."

Her hands clenched into fists at her side. Serena had stopped walking. She turned around to look at the scrawny boy who had snatched her book. "We'll see about that," she sneered. With as much courage as she could muster, Serena walked a strong steady pace with her head held up high.

"I saw what you did to Chiba's bike," the red-head continued to call at her retreating back in the cafeteria, "Just wait and see, Tsukino. You'll be expelled before you know it; just drop out. You're wasting your time and money here. Once you've messed up with Chiba, you're out. That's the way it goes."

It was a long walk from the back of the Akita cafeteria to the exit; as Serena continued passed tables, students turned to stare, icily, tauntingly, at her. When she was out in the breezeway, Serena headed directly to her next class. A burning furry was growing deep inside her.

Serena ran down the hallway of the first floor of building A of Akita University trying to find the nearest staircase. She had just dismissed herself from class just as the bell rung for the session to begin. When Professor Yamaguchi, asked why on earth she had to pick that particular moment to be excused from class, Serena had answered, she needed to shit badly. Although the class chuckled at her answer, she got what she wanted. Molly had looked at her with surprise since the two had just went to the restroom ten minutes before the class had started, and so she sent Serena a questioning look that was answered with a shake of the blonde's head, meaning she did not want to talk about it.

Red hot anger coursed through her. She replayed the scene in the cafeteria in her head and felt the flames in her belly roar. The red head, whom Molly had identified for her by the name of Reizei, had mentioned Chiba specifically in her warning. What was she trying to imply? Serena wondered. Was she really endangered of being expelled? It was ridiculous! Serena shouted to herself.

One man could not go about the school removing people that displeased him—he was ruining the lives' of people by doing so; it was cruel, unjust—downright evil! She could not believe that once Chiba decided not to like a person, the whole school would shun that person too, following suit. It was outrageous of the special privileges he had. And that was why Serena was now running. She wanted to break free, to rid herself of the bitterness inside her, to be alone and just…for once…scream.

Minutes later after climbing ten flights of stairs (she did not have the patience of waiting for the elevators) she found herself on top the Building A's rooftop. Her heart was beating, sweat beaded her forehead, and yet, she found it all the more exhilarating. And so she thought to herself, let the battle of wills begin. She ran to the railing that enclosed the rooftop.

"I will not be afraid! Come rain or wind I will prevail. Through insult and injury I'll become stronger. I can take all of their crap! I can do it. They're just rich—no wait, their Daddies were rich, and that'll get them no where in life. I won't let them bully me, I'll get through this school year and I'll be fine. I will not be expelled. Chiba may be spoiled, selfish, inconsiderate, mean, self-centered, and arrogant, but that doesn't mean he can do anything he pleases! Not to me. I won't let him. I hate you Akita! I hate you Chiba! I hate everyone of you rich—" Serena clutched the railing. Breathing in hard as she tried to calm her pulsing heart. Her chest was falling and rising with every breath she took and released.

And then she heard his voice, "I'm sorry you feel that way, but I think you'll be glad to no that I don't return the same sentiment." There was an amused lilt in Chiba's voice.

End Notes: I changed this chapter somewhat, and added and fixed a lot of things. I hoped you enjoyed this one better than the old one. Please review and tell me.