I Don't Belong
Prologue: An Unexpected Invitation
By Lady Starra
E-mail: ladystarra@angelfire.com
Rating: G-PG


	"Do we need anything else, Mom?" Serena Tsukino asked her mother 
as she put more items into the shopping cart.
	"Let's see." Irene Tsukino looked over her shopping list again. 
"No, that should do it, Serena."
	"Great! I can hardly wait! It seems like forever since I've had my 
favorite dinner!" Serena said with delight.
	"It has been a while, hasn't it? Maybe I should make it more 
often," Irene said.
	"Fine by me!" Serena replied.
	They paid for the groceries and headed for the car. After loading 
the bags in the trunk, they were off.
	"Serena, how is your schoolwork doing? Are these study sessions 
you're going to at Raye's temple any help?" Irene asked her daughter.
	"Oh, Mom! I don't think I'll EVER be able to understand math! 
What's the point of algebra anyway? Why can't all my classes be music or 
home ec?" Serena whined.
	"Serena, ALL of your schoolwork is important. You have to bring up 
your math grades if you expect to get into a good university, no matter 
which one you choose," Irene told her.
	"College is years away, Mom! Why can't I just..."
	Suddenly, they were startled by the noise of a loud bang. The car 
began to swerve, and Serena panicked.
	"AAHHH!" she shrieked.
	Irene was able to pull over to the side safely. She and Serena got 
out of the car to find that they'd gotten a flat tire.
	"Oh, no! This is awful! I don't know how to change a flat tire!" 
Irene said.
	"Well, don't look at me! I've never done it before, either. Now 
what are we gonna do? We could be stuck here for hours and we've got 
groceries in the car!" Serena replied.
	"I guess we should go find a pay phone and call your father," 
Irene sighed.

	At the same time, Darien Chiba was driving down the street on his 
motorcycle when he noticed a girl in a familiar blond hairstyle. She and 
another woman are stuck on the side of the road, the hazard lights on 
their car flashing.
	'Hey, that's Meatball Head,' he thought. 'Looks like she's in 
trouble. I guess I should help them out.'
	Serena and her mom were relieved when they saw someone on a 
motorcycle pull over next to them.
	"Thank goodness! Someone's here to help!" Serena said. However, 
her gladness faded when the young man turned off his motorcycle and took 
his helmet off.
	"Darien!?" she exclaimed.
	"Oh, is he someone you know, Serena?" Irene asked.
	"Uh..."
	"Hey, what's the problem here, Serena?" Darien asked, getting off 
the bike.
	"Darien, I told you, my name is not Meatball...wait a minute! What 
did you just call me?" she asked. Irene looked at her daughter as if she 
was crazy.
	"I called you Serena...didn't I?"
	What was all this? Darien NOT referring to her as Meatball Head? 
Something had to be wrong. Was it just because her mother was there and he 
didn't want to make himself look bad? Serena could think of no other 
reason!
	"We had a tire blowout," Irene told him.
	"I can help you out here. I take it you have a spare, right?" Darien 
asked.
	"Yes, in the trunk. Here, let us move the groceries to the back 
seat," Irene said. She and Serena moved the grocery bags in the car. She 
was so very irritated, and her mother didn't understand why. Perhaps...was 
this the college boy she was always complaining about? He didn't seem 
like such a bad guy.
	'Just great, why did Darien of all people have to be the one to 
save us? Now Mom's going to think he's this great person,' Serena 
thought. 'Oh, I can't stand him!'
	Within a matter of minutes, Darien had finished changing the tire 
successfully. He put the flat and the tire jack back where it belonged and 
closed the trunk.
	"There. All done," he said.
	"Thank you so much for helping us, young man. I think we owe you 
our gratitude," Irene said.
	"It was nothing, Mrs. Tsukino," Darien said.
	"Nonsense. I would really like to repay you. Since you and Serena 
are friends, why don't you join us for dinner tonight?" Irene said.
	"What?!" Serena cried.
	"It would be our pleasure, and I'm sure my husband would also like 
to thank you for saving him a trip down here!" Irene added.
	"Well..."
	"Mother, do we really have enough food to feed an extra person?" 
Serena said.
	"Yes, Serena, I'm sure we can manage it. I absolutely insist that 
he come over tonight. We're even having homemade chocolate pie tonight."
	Darien saw that Serena was vexed. Maybe he should show up for 
dinner, just because it was an excuse to be around her and annoy her 
some more. Oh, would she be irritated if her mother grew to like him! 
And hey, who was he to pass up a free meal?
	"Well, chocolate IS my favorite. I'd love to come to dinner, Mrs. 
Tsukino," Darien finally said.
	"HUH?!?" Serena cried.
	"Wonderful. Do you know where we live?" Irene asked.
	"Um...no, I don't."
	"It's the corner house on Sakura Avenue and Hagana Street, a block 
or two from the Sakura Shopping Center. Are you familiar with that?"
	"Yes, I'm sure I'll find it."
	"Good. We'll be expecting you at about 6:30 then."
	Mrs. Tsukino got into the car, and Serena just stood on the side 
of the road, giving Darien the evil eye. The way her cheeks were flushed 
was so adorable that he couldn't help smiling.
	"Well, I guess I'll see you tonight, Meatball Head!" he exclaimed.
	"OOOHHHH!" Serena fumed. She angrily got back into the car, and
 Darien smirked and headed home.
	"Mother! I cannot believe you just did that!" Serena wailed.
	"Did what?"
	"Invite Darien to dinner! He's been a thorn in my side from the 
day I met him! Not only that, but he's arrogant, rude and obnoxious! Not 
to mention PHONY! And he's always calling me Meatball Head!" Serena 
added.
	Irene couldn't believe it. Her daughter, not liking a young man as 
handsome as that? Well, that was a first!
	"Oh Serena, he helped us out of a bad situation. The least you can 
do is be glad he helped us.  He doesn't seem like such a bad guy," Irene 
said.
	"That's where the PHONY part comes into play!"
	"Serena, you're being immature. He is our dinner guest tonight, 
and I want you to be hospitable towards him. As a guest you will make 
him feel welcome, and that's an order, young lady," Irene Tsukino said 
firmly.
	"MOTHER! What have I done to deserve this? WHAT?!?"
	"I don't want to hear another word, Serena. It's a closed book."
	"OHHHHH!"
	Serena was livid. She was actually going to have to be nice to 
Darien. What a concept! Be "hospitable" to Darien of all people. DARIEN! 
It wasn't possible. Just the mention of his name was enough to make 
Serena clench her fists!
	'Oh, MAN! What am I going to do?'
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