Playing Matchmaker Lady Starra Alternate Address Rating:G-PG

Chapter 6: A Fair Match

Standard disclaimers apply.

I was glad I talked to Serena about Darien after all. Now that I had a pretty good idea what she was feeling, the rest of this little operation should be a piece of cake. However, another foolproof plan was in order.

Lita came by the arcade after she gave Serena her cooking lesson, and we filled each other in on the conversations we had with the prospective couple.

"Sounds to me like they're both ready to snap, Andrew," Lita said.

"Exactly. Which is why we need to get them alone together, and soon," I added.

"I know just how we can do it."

"How?"

Lita handed me a flyer. It was an announcement for the Juuban Spring Fair that was supposed to start tomorrow.

"We get them to the fair, and make sure they run into each other before ditching them," Lita said. "They'll go around looking for us, more than likely, but they'll forget about us soon enough."

"It's not a bad idea. I'm sure you won't have any trouble convincing Serena to go, but Darien...that might be a little tougher," I said.

"Since it's the fair's 25th anniversary, they're going to be be having a drawing for all kinds of cool prizes, like a stereo system and jetskiis. But, here's the bait...this guy I know at school, his dad is the manager of Tokyo Guitars. He said that they're one of the fair's sponsors, and they're giving away a brand-new guitar. Do you think that would get him there?" Lita asked.

"What kind of guitar?"

"He said, and I quote, 'A white electric Fender, fully loaded with its own case and a 3-year warranty.'"

"Oh, you had better BELIEVE Darien will be there!" I told her.

"Good. Now, how do we make sure they meet?"

"Let me think...the easiest way to lose a person...hey, I've got it! How 'bout the Mirror Maze?" I said.

"Perfect! Serena will definetely get lost in there, no doubt about it!" Lita replied.

"What time are you going to be there?" I asked. "We have to make sure they spend the whole day together."

"With Serena's sleeping habits, we'll be lucky if we're there by noon. Then again, if there's food, cotton candy and a stereo to give away, she'll be there early, I personally guarantee it," Lita said.

"I say, we get them in the maze first thing, and stay out of sight and watch them from a distance," I suggested.

"What if you can't get him to come?" Lita asked.

"He'll come. Trust me."

~ DARIEN ~

 It was a long day. I'd had two exams that day, one in physics and another in anatomy. I was called into work, and ended up having to fix a major problem that someone else caused. At least, for a while, I was able to keep my mind off of Serena. I couln't keep this up for much longer. I just couldn't avoid her anymore. I didn't realize how much I depended on seeing her everyday, how much I needed to hear her voice. I was suffering from major Serena withdrawl, and if I didn't do something soon I was definetely going to lose my mind. It was after 10:00 when I got home, and there were several messages from Andrew on my machine. I picked up the phone and dialed his number.

"Furuhata residence, Andrew here!"

"Andrew, it's me."

"Dar, where have you BEEN all night?" he cried.

"Sorry, I got called into work. What's up, dude?" I asked.

"Darien, do you have plans for tomorrow?" he asked me.

"Why?"

"The Juuban Spring Fair, of course!"

"Andrew, you KNOW how I feel about those things."

"Well, I guess you HAVEN'T heard, then."

"Heard what?" I asked, suddenly interested.

"Tokyo Guitars is giving away a brand-new Fender! Fully loaded with a 3-year warranty, including its own case!" he told me.

"Seriously?" I asked.

"Rita and I are going tomorrow. You should come check it out."

Hmm...the fair. If I knew Serena, she would definetely be there. I was suffering from not seeing her, and just the thought of running into her there brought my spirits up. Also, a new guitar would be nice...

"Well...I don't see why not. What time?"

~ ANDREW ~

 "Yes!" I said silently to myself after hanging up the phone. That was quite easy. Earlier, I had called Rita and filled her in on everything. She had been so busy with school lately, and I had been working so much and was so preoccupied with keeping tabs on Darien and Serena, that Rita and I hadn't seen much of each other. Finally, I told her what had been going on, and I got slammed, to say the least, for waiting so long to tell her about it. Still, she took it well, saying she would be more than glad to help us on our little mission.

I called Lita as soon as I hung up with Darien.

"Well, he's coming! Did you talk to the others?" I asked.

"Sure did! You can definetely count on Serena being there," Lita said.

"Listen, I got Rita to help us out, she's going to be there, too."

"That's good, because Chad wanted to take Raye to the fair, so she let him in on the plan. The more, the merrier."

"I guess that's okay. Just don't forget, you have to get Serena in there by eleven o'clock, and Darien, Rita and I will follow at 11:10," I reminded her.

"Roger that! Oh, and Chad says you've got a cell phone...make sure you bring it, so we can let you know as soon as we get Serena in the maze," Lita told me.

"Sounds good to me. See you tomorrow, Lita!"

~ SERENA ~

 To the amazement of my entire family, I was up and ready to leave the house by 9:30. I absolutely loved the Spring Fair. Food, fun and a chance to win a new stereo! I was absolutely ecstatic. Also, the thrill of going to the fair seemed to keep my mind off of Darien. I vaguely wondered if he would be there, but figured that a grown man like Darien probably had better things to do with his time. Raye got Chad to come with us, and he agreed to pick us up at the temple and take us there. I was at Raye's temple by 9:45, on time for a change, and we were off.

The fair was swarming with people. It had taken us forever just to find parking, get our tickets and get through the gate. The first thing we did when we got inside, was put our names in for the free prizes. They were also giving away a gorgeous white and silver guitar. 'I don't know what I'd do with that if I won it, I'm sure that Darien would love it...'

Darien. I wished I could see him, hear his voice, even if it was just to hear him tease me. But I couldn't let on to my friends how I was feeling. I had to keep a happy face at all times. Then, my senses picked up the smell of nearby food.

"Guys, look! Barbecued chicken and ribs! Ooh, and they have corn on the cob and baked potatoes and lemonade...I'm starved, let's get some lunch!" I exclaimed.

"No, wait!" Lita said, pulling me back.

"What? I wanna eat!"

"We have to go through the Mirror Maze first. It's tradition," Lita told me.

"Says who?" I grimaced.

"Come on, Meatball Head, it's just over here! Your stomach can hold off for just a few minutes!" Raye said as she and Lita took me by the arms.

"Hey, what's the hurry?" I asked.

"We gotta get there before the line gets too long! Hurry!" Lita said as we walked to the maze.

"Long line? We're practically the first ones!" I cried when we got there.

"Even better! Let's go!" Lita said.

When we went inside, we saw three different entrances to the maze.

"Perfect! Chad and I will go in one entrance, Ami, you and Lita can go in another, and Serena, you can go in the third," Raye said.

"By myself? But...I'll get lost in there!" I cried.

"It's just a kid's game, Meatball Brains! It isn't hard at all!" Raye bellowed.

"Go ahead, Serena, we'll give ya a head start!" Chad urged.

"Just think of barbecued chicken and lemonade as a reward when you get through," Amy said.

"Well...okay. I'll see you guys at the other end, then?"

"Yup!" they all chimed.

Slowly but surely, I walked into the maze.

~ ANDREW ~

 Just as we put our names in for the drawing, my cell phone rang. I had a pretty good idea who it was.

"Andrew here!" I answered.

"The rabbit has entered the maze!" came Lita's voice.

"Check!" I guessed she was using Chad's cell. I quickly hung up.

"Who was that?" Darien asked.

"Eh...wrong number!" I said. I winked at Rita, giving her the signal. She nodded.

"Hey, guys! Let's go to the Mirror Maze first!" she said.

"The Mirror Maze? Aw, that's for kids, Rita!" Darien complained.

"Mr. Chiba, would you dare to deny a beautiful lady her wish? The Mirror Maze is Rita's favorite!" I said.

"Yeah, well, what can I say, I'm a kid at heart. Let's go, you two!" Rita cried as she grabbed both our hands. We found the maze and went in, seeing the three different passageways.

"We should each go into a different one," Rita said. "Ready? I'll race you guys!"

"You're on!" I replied.

"You guys, this is dumb," Darien said.

"Lighten up, Dar! Where's your sense of adventure?" I asked him.

"Fine, I'll play along, but after this can we ditch the kiddie games and get some food already? I didn't have any breakfast!"

"Okay, okay! Geez, Darien, you're getting as bad as Serena!" I said. He flinched at that, but then glared at me.

"Ready...set...GO!" Rita cried, and Darien dashed through the passageway, as Rita and I "pretended" to do the same at ours. Stepping out as soon as we stepped in, we smiled at each other.

"He bought it," I said quietly, and we went to go meet the others outside.

~ SERENA ~

 "Lita! Amy! Raye! Chad! Where ARE you guys?!?" I began to curse myself for ever agreeing to this. 'I knew I would get lost! And I'm soooo hungry!' I thought pitifully. I kept running through the maze, and it felt like I'd been in there forever. Were WERE they?! I kept calling out to them, trying to find the end, but I kept finding dead ends and getting no response. I was beginning to panic.

"AMY! RAYE! LITA! ARE YOU THERE?!" I cried out again. I kept on running, when suddenly I felt myself crash into someone, and fell to the ground.

"Oh, I'm sorry! I didn't mean..."

I looked up, and was stunned to see who stood before me.

"D...Darien?"

~ DARIEN ~

 "AMY! RAYE! LITA! ARE YOU THERE?!"

I stopped dead in my tracks. Amy? Raye? Lita? That was Serena's voice! But...how? I began to run towards where I heard her voice, eager to see her again. Sure enough, when I rounded another corner of the maze, she crashed right into me, falling to the ground.

"Oh, I'm sorry! I didn't mean..."

She looked up at me, gasping.

"D...Darien?"

"Fancy meeting you here, Meatball Head," I greeted.

"Oh Darien, am I ever glad to see you!" she cried, standing up. It gave me a start. Did she just say what I thought she said? That was not her usual response to the dreaded nickname.

"Did I hear you right?" I asked.

"Darien, I can't find the others! I was convinced I was the only person in here. I was about to lose my mind!" she exclaimed, almost hysterically.

"Calm down, Serena. Andrew and Rita are in here somewhere too, they can't be far," I said.

"It feels like I've been in here forever. I'm surprised they haven't got a search party in here for me yet!" she said. "Well, let's get moving. The exit's got to be around here somewhere."

Inside, I felt VERY happy. I was with Serena, and she was glad to see me, and I was glad to see her. It took us a few more minutes, but we found the exit, and Serena breathed a sigh of relief.

"Phew! Thank God that's over!" she said as we exited the maze. However, there was no sign of Andrew, Rita, Chad, or Serena's friends.

"Maybe they're not out yet," Serena said. "Let's wait a few minutes."

Ten more minutes went by, and there was no sign of them.

"They must have found each other and went to go look for us," Serena said.

"This is too weird. What could be taking them so long?" I wondered. Then, Serena's stomach began growling.

"Ughhhh," she groaned. "I told them we should have eaten before we went in! I'm STARVING!" she cried. "I could be having chicken and corn on the cob and lemonade right now..."

"Yeah, I'm getting hungry myself," I said.

"Hey, the barbecue place is just next door, and we can still see the exit from there! Let's go!" she said, taking me by the wrist.

"Serena, wait!" Before I knew it we were in line for food, and I could feel my mouth watering at the smell of it. 'Well, I AM hungry, and we CAN see the exit from here. And I DID hope to run into her today...'

"Barbecued chicken, corn on the cob, baked potato and a lemonade, please!" she said happily when we reached the front of the line.

"I'll have the same, but with ribs," I said.

Serena began searching her wallet for her money, but I swiftly paid the cashier with a 20.

"Darien, you don't have to..."

"Don't worry about it, Meatball Head," I said. "My treat."

"Uh...thanks."

~ ANDREW ~

 Finally, they came out of the maze, and together!

"YES!" Lita and Raye exclaimed, giving each other a high-five.

"Ha, worked like a charm," I said.

"Can anyone hear what they're saying?" Raye asked.

Barely, we could make out, "Maybe they're not out yet. Let's wait a few minutes."

"No! Don't do that! Go off together! Have fun!" Lita said.

"Shhh, quiet, Lita! Do you want to give us away?" Raye scolded her.

A few more minutes went by, and they hadn't moved.

"I hope they don't stand there waiting for us all day," Amy said.

"Dudes, they can't stay there forever, ya know," Chad said.

"Especially with Serena's appetite," Raye muttered. As soon as she said that, Serena grabbed Darien by the wrist and led him to the food stand next to the maze.

"Hey, guess you were right, Raye. There they go!"

~ SERENA ~

 "Darien, I...haven't really seen you lately," I said gently before biting into my chicken.

"Well, I've been really busy. I just had two major tests in school yesterday, it's taken up all of my time," he said.

"Oh...I see. It's just, well...whenever I DID see you, you just seemed so sad, you know?"

"Don't worry about me, Serena. I'm fine now, really," he assured me.

"Darien...I meant what I said, you know."

"About what?"

"About you coming to the play. Thank you...for coming to watch me," I said. He smiled, and suddenly I felt like I was going to melt into a puddle. He had such a gorgeous smile. No wonder all the girls in his school were crazy for him.

"I was glad to come, Serena. I meant to tell you...that you did really well. Even though, I have to admit I was a little shocked. You were so different," he said.

"Well, it's all part of show business, I guess, but it was so much work! All those lines, all that singing and changing costumes! I would hate to see what it's like on Broadway!" I laughed.

"By the way...how DID you change costumes so fast during that song, Serena?" he asked me.

Uh-oh...

"Um, well...that's...a secret. Hee-hee."

"I see. Well, anyway, you did a good job."

"Thank you. And Darien...I'm sorry."

"For what?"

"For...saying those things to you the other night. After the concert. I shouldn't have been so rude and...I'm sorry. And...I really liked your song a lot."

~ DARIEN ~

 I was stunned by her words. Yes, Raye had told me the same thing, but it was different, actually hearing Serena say it herself. It was complete confirmation that she didn't hate me. "Well...thanks, Serena. Maybe...you should come to some of our gigs more often," I said.

I saw her blush slightly. "I'd like that..."

We kept chatting as we ate, and I began to relax more, enjoying her company as much as I could. Had it only been a matter of two weeks ago, when I was sure that she was nothing but a silly little schoolgirl whose main purpose in life was to eat and sleep? None of that seemed to have ever existed now. Now, I was seeing a beautiful, caring, and, well, talented girl, who was sitting with me, talking with me, and didn't hate me. It was incredible. She looked so beautiful, even with smudged barbecue sauce on her cheek.

"Serena...you have barbecue sauce on your face."

"Huh? Oh...how embarassing..."

"Let me get it for you."

I took a napkin and wiped her stained cheek, then using my thumb to get the last of it off. Her face was so soft, so...kissable. However, I resisted temptation and took my hand from her face.

"Th...thanks," she said, almost nervously. "So...we're done eating, what now?"

"Oh, man! Serena, have you been watching the exit?" I asked, suddenly remembering Andrew and the others.

"Oh, no...I forgot all about it! They probably figured we met up and went looking for them," she said.

"We'd better go find them, so they don't worry about us. Come on."

~ ANDREW ~

 "Oh, he's wiping the sauce from her cheek! That is so sweet!" Rita cooed.

"Ahhh," Raye and Lita sighed, and Amy rolled her eyes.

"Man, I never thought I'd see this. Bachelor Darien, in love? Wait until Craig hears about this!" Chad laughed.

"Look, they're getting up!" Amy said.

"All right, team. Time for the disguises. Everyone got their gear?"

"Check!" they all said, pulling out their baseball caps and sunglasses and putting them on.

"Here's the plan, everyone. Rita and I will stay behind them. Chad and Raye, take position far off to their right, Lita and Amy to their left. Everyone got their radios?"

"Check!"

"Know your call signs?"

"Check!"

"All right, then. Let's rock 'n roll!"

~ DARIEN ~

 We walked around the fair for a good hour, and still, there was no trace of Andrew, Rita, Amy, Raye, Lita or Chad. We must have done a good three laps around the fairgrounds, and still they were nowhere to be found. I tried to call Andrew's cell phone, but the idiot had it turned off. Either we just kept missing them, or they had disappeared off the face of the earth.

"I wish we would have thought of a place to meet in case we got separated," I sighed.

"Hmm...hey, I know! We can meet up with them at the prize drawing! There's no way they'd miss that!" Serena exclaimed.

"Not a bad idea. Hey, that starts in...ten minutes! We'd better go now!" Quickly, I grabbed her hand and we began running where the prizes were being given out.

~ ANDREW ~

 Suddenly, we saw Darien take Serena's hand and start running in another direction.

"Cupid 2 to Cupid 1! Now in pursuit of the couple in question!" we heard Chad say over the radio.

"Cupid 1 here, copy that, Cupid 2! Cupid 3, you with us?" I responded.

Lita responded, "Cupid 3 here, roger that, Cupid 1! They're enroute to the prize drawing!"

~ SERENA ~

 They were just about to announce the winners when we got there.

"See them yet?" Darien asked.

"Nope. They have to be here SOMEWHERE!"

Just then, the announcer spoke.

"Welcome all, to Juuban's 25th Annual Spring Fair!" the speakers boomed. "In honor of the fair's 25th anniversary we are giving out three prizes daily until the fair is over. Today, we have these prizes to give out: a pair of brand-new Kawasaki jetskiis, a new Sony sound system, and a new 5-string Fender electric guitar, supplied by Tokyo guitars!"

Hoots, hollers and applause came from the crowd.

"Now, the moment of truth!" the announcer went on. "The winner of the Kawasaki jetskiis is..." He pulled out a name from the huge bin. "Patricia Haruna!"

"Miss H?!?" I cried. I could not believe it.

"You know her?" Darien asked me as Miss Haruna gladly accepted her prize.

"She's one of my teachers," I said. "Well, at least she'll be in a good mood on Monday!"

~ ANDREW ~

 We followed them to where they were announcing the prize winners. They had already announced the first winner when we arrived, and we met up with each other in the back of the crowd, trying to hide ourselves between two large trees.

"Do you see them?" Amy asked everyone.

"There's hordes of people out there! How are we gonna find them afterwards?" Lita asked.

"We'll find them, Serena's hairstyle will stand out like a weed in a bed of flowers," Raye said.

Just then, the man on the stage pulled a single name card from the tons of others.

"The winner of the Sony sound system is...Raye Hino!"

Raye gasped. "Me? ME?! All right!" she said.

"Whoa, Raye, babe! Wait!" Chad exclaimed, pulling her back.

"Don't you DARE go up on that stage!" Lita said.

"What? Why?" she asked.

"Raye, if you go up there, Darien and Serena will see you!" I told her. "You've gotta stay here!"

"But...but...the STEREO!" she said, looking genuinely upset.

"Sorry, Raye, but you can't!" I said. "Please Raye, it could spoil everything!"

"Oh...THIS ISN'T FAIR!"

~ DARIEN ~

 Serena and I looked around as we heard Raye's name get called.

"We're sure to find them now!" she said.

There was a moment of silence, until the announcer spoke again.

"Raye Hino? Are you out there?"

More silence. The announcer shrugged.

"Win some, lose some, eh, folks?" he said, taking out another name. "The winner of the stereo...take two...is...Darien Chiba!"

I was surprised. Also, a little disappointed. No new guitar for me.

"All right, Darien!" Serena cried.

I walked on the stage to accept my prize. Unfortunately, the one I had at home was better, and the one at my office was just like it. I had a good mind to give it to Raye anyway, maybe even Serena. I stood next to Serena's teacher, the other prize winner, and I saw Serena wink and give me a "V is for Victory" sign.

"And our final prize, folks! The brand-new Fender guitar!" He pulled out the final name.

"And the lucky winner is...Serena Tsukino!"

I saw Serena's face go from happy to stunned. She walked up on stage, and they handed her the gorgeous instrument, her face a bright red. Even then, she was beautiful.

"Congratulations, Miss Tsukino!" the announcer said. "Tell us, do you play at all?"

"Well...no, not really. But," she said over the microphone, now looking at me, "I know someone else who plays great."

I felt myself blush slightly.

After our brief moment of glory, she turned to face me. "Darien...here. You'd have more use for this than I would," she said, holding the guitar out to me.

"Uh...thanks, Serena. In that case...you can have my stereo. I already have one just like it," I told her.

"Really?" she exclaimed. "Wow, when Raye finds out they called her name first, she'll have a fit!" Serena laughed.

So we wouldn't have to carry our prizes around all day, we were told we could pick them up at the main security desk at the front of the fairgrounds whenever we were ready to leave. Then, we once again took off to look for the others.

"Where could they be?!?" Serena cried. "I'm starting to get worried, Darien. And they are probably worried sick about us."

"Hey, don't worry, Serena, I'm sure they're fine. We just have to keep..."

"Oh, wow!"

Suddenly, she ran towards one of the midway games.

"Serena! Where are you going?"

I followed her to a darts game where the prizes were large stuffed bunny rabbits.

"Ooh, they're so cute! I just HAVE to get one!" she squealed in delight. I couldn't help but smile at her enthusiasm.

"It takes twelve hits to win a big one, miss," the carnival worker said.

"Twelve hits! That's impossible! Let me try six first."

With all her might, Serena attempted to hit the balloons with the darts, but failed. I laughed.

"Allow me," I said, pulling out some money. "Twelve darts, please."

"Come on, Darien, there is no WAY you'll get all twelve!" she said.

Heh heh heh. Little does she know the advantages of having an alter ego, whose specialty just happens to be hitting things right on the mark. Smiling, I began throwing darts, hitting every target. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see her staring in shock, her eyes wide. When the last dart found its target, I heard a group of people behind me start clapping, and I jumped slightly. Where did THEY come from?

"We have a winner, folks!"

The man working the booth swiftly took down a large, beige-colored bunny with pink ears and a pink bow around its neck. After handing it to me, I gave it to Serena.

"Your prize, mi'lady," I said, smiling.

"Darien, that was amazing! Thank you!" she said, and to my surprise, threw her arms around my neck and hugged me, the bunny still in her hand.

A little stunned, I hugged her back, wrapping my arms around her waist. 'How nicely we fit together,' I thought.

"You're welcome, Serena."

We stayed like that for a moment, before she slowly unraveled her arms from me. "This bunny is going to be my favorite from now on," she said. "Thank you so much!"

"Any time, Serena."

"I guess now...we keep looking for the others?"

"Yeah, I suppose. Where to now?"

~ ANDREW ~

 Rita and I smiled as Darien handed her the huge bunny, and she smiled and gave him a big hug. I took Rita's hand as we watched them stay like that for a moment. I have to say I was VERY proud of myself at that moment. Of course, I couldn't take all the credit. The fair WAS Lita's idea. And what a marvelous idea it had been.

We continued to follow them around. We assumed they were still looking for us, but every so often they would stop, and usually it was at a place that sold sweets. Darien had bought Serena a caramel apple, some cotton candy and a popsicle, even though every time she tried to pay for it herself.

"He's certainly being quite the gentleman," Rita said.

"You DO NOT know what a reward this is for me, Rita. For two weeks I've been killing myself trying to get them to see their true feelings, and it's been no picnic, I'll tell you that much! I am definitely quitting the matchmaking business after this!"

She only laughed and hugged me.

~ SERENA ~

 I was having a great time. Every time I wanted to buy myself some food, Darien always ended up paying for it. I kept telling him not to, but he insisted. Almost as if we were on a date... I came out of my thoughts when something caught my eye...the bumper cars. Those were my favorite when I was younger. This could be fun...

"Hey Darien, all this walking around is starting to kill me. Let's relax and go on the bumper cars!" I said, taking his hand.

"Serena...shouldn't we look for the others?" he asked me.

"Darien, I came here today to have FUN! I'm sure they're all right, besides, we need to take a break! Let's go!"

We got in line for the ride, and when we were let in, I immediately raced over to a pink two-person car and put on the seatbelt, with my stuffed rabbit buckled in next to me. Darien jumped into a blue one-seater and gave me a determined look.

"I'll get you good, Meatball Head!" he said.

"Ha! Not if I get you first!"

~ DARIEN ~

 I smiled at her. She looked simply adorable, sitting in that little pink car with her bunny rabbit strapped in next to her. At that moment, I wished I'd brought a camera. They gave us the go-ahead to start moving around, and the war was on. Serena managed to crash into me first.

"That," she said, "is for calling me Meatball Head!"

Heh heh. Two could play this game.

Driving around a little more, I rammed her in the side of her bumper car.

"That is for hitting me with your shoe!" I retorted.

"Humph! Oh, yeah?" she said, backing away and making her way around the track once more before slamming into me again. "Well, THAT is for calling me a hyena!" she spat, sticking out her tongue.

"This isn't over yet, Meatball Head!" I shouted.

"Catch me if you can!!!" she cried, driving off.

"Why you..."

It went on like that the entire time. We would crash each into other, then follow with some kind of avenging statement. It was fun. It was lots of fun. Unfortunately for me, Serena had the last laugh. I looked around for her, and all of a sudden she crashed in right behind me. It was the hardest hit she'd given me.

"And THAT, Mr. Chiba," she stated, "is for being the most confusing man I have EVER met!"

"HUH?!"

As soon as I had responded, the buzzer rang and our time was up. We got out of our cars and walked towards the exit, and once we were out, I gently took Serena by the arm. "Serena...what did you mean by THAT?" I asked her.

She paused.

"Well, it's just, sometimes...I can't figure you out. A week ago, I was sure you hated me. I mean, I even thought you...came to the play...just to laugh at me if I klutzed out or something," she said, her head hanging down.

I was stunned. Did she really think that?

"But...I've been having such a good time today, and I feel so happy, being here with you now...I just don't understand it," she finished. I lifted her chin to look into her eyes.

"Serena," I said softly, "I don't hate you, and I don't think I ever have. And I'm just as clueless about all of this as you are. But...I would...like to be...friends."

She looked up at me, smiling.

"I think I can handle that."

The rest of the day was magic. After the bumper cars, I convinced Serena to ride the Cyclone, a roller coaster that she said she always managed to avoid each year. She said she was "afraid of her bunny getting lost" or that "it would mess up her hair." I didn't let her out of it, though. She screamed and wailed on the entire ride, but feeling her cling to me with all her might was worth it. We browsed some of the booths, and I smiled as she swooned over little glass trinkets and small porcelain bunnies, and how she drank in the sweet smells coming from the candlemaking booth. When it started to get dark and dinnertime rolled around, we stopped and got sandwiches and ate under a tree, watching the sun go down. The glow of the sunset illuminated her face, making her look more beautiful than I ever remembered seeing her. I could honestly say, that this was the most wonderful day of my life.

Out of the blue, Serena said, "Darien? Can I ask you something?"

"What is it, Serena?

"Um...about what happened...at the pool party..."

Uh-oh...

~ SERENA ~

 I couldn't remember being happier in my entire lifetime. In the back of my mind, I knew Lita and the others were still out there somewhere, but I was glad we'd lost them. Otherwise, Darien and I wouldn't have had such a perfect day together. Everything felt so right, and when I was with him, I felt so safe and warm, just like in the pool...

Oh, God. That again. Suddenly, I felt like it was something that had to be brought up. I had to know why...

"Darien? Can I ask you something?" I said.

"What is it, Serena?"

"Um...about what happened...at the pool party..."

He sighed.

"Oh...that."

I could tell that it was something he'd been trying to forget about, just as I had. But it had to be discussed, as much as we didn't want to.

"What...I mean...why did you...well, why did you?" I asked.

"I...don't know, Serena. I mean, it was the weirdest thing.

One minute we were fighting, and the next...I just don't know," he said.

"I didn't understand it, either. But at the time it seemed so...so..."

"Right?"

I gulped. "Exactly."

After an uncomfortable silence, he said something I didn't expect.

"Do you even know how beautiful you are?"

I looked up at him, stunned. He only smiled, and took my hand as he helped me up.

"Come on, Serena. I don't think this day can get any more perfect. Let's go find the others."

~ ANDREW ~

 "Cupid 3 to Cupid 1!"

"Cupid 1 here, go ahead, Cupid 3."

"They've been together all day, and they still haven't kissed!

How much longer do we have to keep this up?!" came Lita's frustrated voice.

"Give them a little more time! They're getting close, I can FEEL it!" I replied.

"Cupid 2 here!"

"Go ahead, Cupid 2!"

"Targets have finished dinner and are walking by the Arboretum!" Chad said over the radio.

"Anything interesting to report, Cupid 2?"

"They're holding hands, dude!"

Finally!

"Copy that, Cupid 2! Cupid 3, we're there! Over and out."

~ DARIEN ~

When I gave her my hand to help her up, it just didn't want to let go. We walked hand-in-hand, and soon we were right next to the Arboretum. There were couples dancing there, set up as sort of a place to unwind and relax. Suddenly, I got a bold idea.

"Serena...do you want to dance?" I asked.

Surprised, she looked up at me.

"Well...I don't really know..."

"Come on, it'll be fun," I said as I led her under the Arboretum.

"Darien, wait..."

I pretended not to hear her. I took her to the middle of the dance floor, and put my arms around her waist. "Just put your arms around me, Serena, go ahead."

She complied, looking a little nervous.

"Just relax. All we are going to do, is move side to side. Just move to the music, and you'll be fine."

She nodded, and I pulled her closer to me, as her arms wrapped tightly around my neck. I began to dance the first steps, and she soon caught on, as we both moved to the music. It was glorious, dancing with Serena, holding her so very close and breathing in her sweet scent. We forgot the people around us, only focusing on each other, as I felt myself begin to ache for more of her. Her skin was too inviting, her scent too intoxicating, to ignore. Ever so slowly, I began to lower my lips to her warm neck...

~ SERENA ~

 My heartbeat went on warp speed when I felt his warm breath on my neck. Part of me thought it was too soon, that I should stop him, but the other part of me wanted it too badly. When I felt him softly kiss my neck, I responded by twirling my fingers in his hair, holding him even tighter. The tender kiss was followed by another one, and then another, and another, slowly working their way to my earlobes, ending at my temples. I began to quiver slightly, wanting so much for him to do the same to my lips. I could barely make out the lyrics of the song that was playing...

 When I fall in love

It will be forever

Or I'll never fall in love

In a restless world like this is

Love is ended before it's begun

And too many moonlight kisses

Seem to cool in the warmth of the sun

When I give my life

It will be completely

Or I'll never give my life...

We had stopped dancing, and were now alone in the corner of the dance floor. He began to whisper in my ear. "Serena...I know this sounds outrageous...but...I think I'm falling in love with you. I've been fighting this for so long, but I just can't anymore. I avoided you last week, because I was afraid to fall in love with you, but the more I stayed away, the more I was hurting. I need you. I love you, Serena. I love everything about you, inside and out. I know I've been a jerk, but I want to make up for every moment of pain I've given you. I love you..."

Tears fell from my eyes, staining his shirt as I weeped silently, at his shocking words. 'He loves me. Darien loves me,' were the words that rang through my ears.

"Darien," I whispered, "I'll forgive you anything. I love you too, Darien. I love you too..."

Finally, we gazed at each other. He wiped away my tears before cupping my face in his hands, and I could see his deep blue eyes ready to pool over themselves. Finally, our faces began to inch towards each other, until our lips touched gently. The kisses were soft at first, then slowly, he deepened them, as I felt his tongue slowly caressing mine. I kissed him back with everything in me, all of the emotions that both of us had kept locked up, pouring out in that one kiss. I was in heaven. Kissing the man I had just had the most wonderful day with, this man who is in love with me. This man that I love.

 And the moment I can feel that

You feel that way too

Is when I'll fall in love with you.

~ ANDREW ~

 No words could express the triumph I felt at that moment. Watching them dance, Darien whispering into Serena's ear, Serena starting to cry, and finally the sight of them kissing with more love and feeling than either of them had ever known, made me want to do backflips. The six of us stood there together, smiling widely at our two friends, contemplating whether to make our next move yet or not.

"Mission complete," I said.

"What now?" Lita asked.

"Picture time!" Raye said, pulling out a small disposable camera she'd brought with her.

"Oh, this is gonna be GOOD!" Chad exclaimed, pulling out a tiny camcorder from his backpack.

"Well, let's go, gang," I said. "And lose the disguises. It's time to come clean."

~ DARIEN ~

 When I finally told Serena my feelings for her, and we kissed for the very first time, I felt like a huge boulder had been lifted off my shoulders. Hearing her say she loved me too made me the happiest man alive. I don't know how long we stood there, just kissing and holding each other...but it was ended all too soon. A sudden flash of light came and went, followed by someone's loud whistle. Serena and I came out of our trance, stunned to see what was going on around us.

There stood Andrew, Rita, Amy, Lita, Raye and Chad, looking at us with huge grins on their faces. Raye held up a camera, flashing away at us, with Chad holding up a camcorder and getting us on tape. Lita was whistling and hooting at us enthusiastically, while Amy, Rita and Andrew clapped their hands, drawing the attention of every person there to us.

"Come on, guys! I want to get more shots of that kiss...go on, don't mind us!" Raye said.

Serena and I blushed a bright crimson.

"It sure took you guys long enough! We were starting to get tired following you around this place!" Lita said.

"HUH?!?" Serena and I cried. What on earth were they talking about?

"You know, you could have saved us AND yourselves a whole lot of grief if you weren't so stubborn and would've just kissed at the pool party like you were gonna do!" Andrew said.

"You SAW that?" we cried.

"Well, of COURSE, I saw you, Darien! Who do you think fixed it so you would end up on the same team?" Andrew told us.

"WHAT?!?!" was our next response.

"It's about time you two kissed and made up. We've sure got our work cut out for us, don't we, guys?" Lita said.

Then, I realized what was going on. Andrew and Rita luring me into the maze, Serena and I running into each other, and us not being able to find the others all day long. We were set up! I shot an annoyed glare at Andrew before yelling at him.

"Andrew Motoki Furuhata, YOU have got some explaining to do!"

Lady S

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