Title: A Dance to Remember – Part 1
Author: Alicia Blade
E-mail: Kammi22@sprintmail.com
Rated G

Hey minna-chan! First off I’M SOOOO SORRY!!! I know I’ve been missing for awhile, but I’m back! This is another multi-parter and in a way is somewhat like Winning Love for those of you who have read it, but I have some VERY new ideas for this and I promise it will be sweet and sappy for all you die-hard romantics. So please give it a chance, whether you enjoyed Winning Love or not. Thanx!!!
This is a first season romance taking place before Darien and Serena realize their secret identities. There will be no action. Zilch. I will try to get out one or more chapters per week. Mark the key word there: TRY.
IMPORTANT: Well, to me at least… some people said they were having trouble opening Dreaming of a White Christmas because of the zipped file. If you had this problem PLEASE, I beg of you, e-mail me and I would be MORE than happy to send you a copy. It would be absolutely no trouble, and of course, there’s no obligation to ever talk to me again, but I was extremely proud of that story and want anyone and everyone to have the chance to read it. So don’t be shy and e-mail me. THANX!! Thanx a million times over and over and over again to Athena who is an awesome writer you all must read, Ray who has kept me inspired with my poetry and is a great friend, Edeet who is another great author and incredibly inspiring, Marie, yet another talented newcomer who constantly keeps me entertained with those annoying forwards, Sailor Walnut, AWESOME stories, Moonklutz- thanx so much for posting my fics and being such a great friend, and thanx a bunch to Patricia Dawson, Jade and Jennifer Wand for your great comments and support as well!
And lastly: PLEASE E-MAIL ME!!!!!!!!

~ A Dance to Remember ~

Part 1 – Saving A Broken Heart

Serena walked into the arcade, her head falling to her chest and her shoulders slumped over. Her two blonde pigtails scraped lightly against the tile floor with every step. With a sigh, she fell onto the stool and let her head fall onto the counter, warm tears ready to fall onto her hidden cheeks. Burying her head in her arms, she attempted to hold her body still as the racking sobs flooded her senses.
‘This isn’t fair. Why is life so unfair? All I wanted was to be completely happy, just for one night. With no youmas and no scouts and not having to worry about Zoicite or crystals or that mean Tuxedo Mask! Which, by the way, I cannot figure out for the life of me. I mean, he is quite simply the most confusing man ever… except maybe for that jerk Darien. But I don’t even want to think about him! What is wrong with me when it comes to Darien, anyway? He is so rude and obnoxious and conceited and… so why do I get that urge to throw myself into his arms whenever I see him? Oh, I absolutely hate emotions. And men. I hate men. Even Andrew’s not so perfect anymore. He has a girlfriend for goodness sakes! But did that stop him from being so nice and sweet to the point I could have sworn he was in love with me?! No! Andrew, Tuxedo Mask, Darien, but most of all, I hate Josh! I can’t believe what he did to me! I could have broken down crying in the middle of the whole school. This isn’t fair. Everything was going to be perfect…’

~ 1 week ago ~

"Hey… uh… Serena? Can I talk to you?" asked a tall boy with brown hair cut just above the ears and meaningful deep brown eyes.
"Huh? Me? Oh, uh, sure Josh!" Serena stood up from the stair and shyly walked away from her friends who had been eating lunch with her to follow Josh. He led her under a large oak tree and Serena could feel her heart beating rapidly.
"Well… um…" Josh stuttered, "I was just thinking… well, actually, I was hoping that maybe you would… uh… like to go to the Valentine’s Dance next Friday? Maybe… if you’re not going with anyone else or anything… if ya want…"
‘What?! Josh is asking ME out? The cutest, most popular guy in 10th grade is asking ME, little 9th grade Serena to the dance?! This is too good to be true!’
"Sure, Josh, I’d love to go!"
"Re…really?"
"Uh-huh!"
"Great! So then, I’ll pick you up around 6:30 or so?"
"That sounds great!"
"Okay, see ya around then."
"Yup! Bye!"

~ Half an hour ago ~

"Hey Josh, I’ve been looking all over for you!" Serena bounced happily to the guy standing facing away from her.
"Oh, hi Serena."
"Well, I was just wondering… do you know my address? I mean, so you can pick me up tonight?"
"Oh, well, Serena, I’ve been meaning to talk to you about that…"
Serena immediately detected the nervousness in his voice. "Josh? What’s wrong?"
"Um… it’s just that… I just remembered yesterday that I… uh… sorta asked out someone else…"
Serena was stunned. "You… you did what?"
"You see, I asked Jessica Bentley to the dance a couple weeks ago, and I just sorta forgot. So… I can’t take you. I’m sorry."
He turned and walked away, lost in the crowd of his snickering friends. With tears flowing into her eyes, Serena turned and ran from the building, grateful that school was over for the day.

~ Present ~

‘Jessica Bentley. I hate her. Why would he choose that snob over me anyway? Just because she’s pretty and tall and sophisticated and… and… everything that I’m not. Oh, who would want to go to the dance with me when they could go with her?’
"Hey Serena, what’s wrong?" asked a familiar friendly voice.
Slowly, the girl lifted her face to look up at Andrew. He gasped when he saw her red, puffy eyes.
"Serena? What happened? I’ve never seen you liked this…"
Serena sighed. "Oh Andrew, it’s awful! Absolutely awful!"
"What’s so awful, Meatball Head? The ice cream shop going out of business?"
Serena clenched her teeth and slammed her eyes shut as pain shot through her with every arrogant word. ‘Darien… that’s all I need right now. To know I’m even more of a loser.’ She let her head fall back onto her arms. Her muffled voice was heard, "Please, Darien, not now. I can’t deal with you now."
Andrew exchanged a worried glance with Darien who’s laughing had stopped as soon as he heard the true pain in her voice.
‘Meatball Head? What’s wrong? You’re never like this… If anyone hurt her I swear I’ll… wait a minute… why am I so protective all the sudden?’ Biting his lip, Darien cautiously sat down on the stool next to her, confusion whirling through his thoughts.
Andrew said, "Serena… what is it? Something’s really wrong, you’re never this sad. You can tell me… us."
Slowly, Serena lifted her eyes once more. She looked at Andrew for a few moments, and then at Darien. She pulled her eyes away quickly when she saw the worry in his blue eyes staring back at her.
"I… I… can’t tell you…" she concluded.
Darien felt his hand slowly reaching for her shoulder to comfort her, but he pulled back. ‘What am I thinking? You’d almost think I cared for her or something… but still… I can’t bear to see her cry like this…"
Andrew took notice of Darien pulling back his hand and seemed to realize exactly what was going through his mind. Finally, he reached out his own hand to comfort Serena.
"Hey… cheer up. Look, if you tell us, maybe there’s something we can do to help…"
Serena thought about it. She knew they couldn’t do anything to help… but still, it might help to tell someone… but Darien? Andrew, sure, he’s a good listener. But Darien might laugh at her…
She looked up immediately at Darien. He gasped at her dull blue eyes that were usually so happy and full of life. ‘Why is she looking at me? And why is she so sad? Oh, Serena, don’t cry…’
Closing her eyes, Serena told Darien and Andrew all about Josh and Jessica and the dance. "And I was so excited because for the first time, I thought I would be the prettiest girl with the cutest guy at the dance and everything would be perfect… but I’m not going to. I don’t think I’ll even go. People would just laugh at me anyway, going to the Valentine’s dance without a date! And I don’t think I could deal with Josh and Jessica going together. She hates me, I know it. She would probably taunt me and mock me since Josh chose her… oh it’s not fair! Why can’t I be gorgeous and smart and graceful? If only… never mind… like that would ever happen…" Serena mumbled the last few lines.
Andrew and Darien traded worried glances, each wondering what to do. It was now obvious to Andrew that Darien was just as concerned and just as eager to make Serena happy as he was. But what could they do?
"Serena, if only what? What could never happen?"
"If only… I could get a date. Someone mature and sophisticate and handsome… so that all the girls, even Jessica would be extremely jealous! Ha! Yeah right, though. Who like that would ever ask me to a dance anyway? Besides, the dance is tonight. Tough luck!" Serena sighed and closed her eyes, letting her head rest on her arms once more.
‘If only I knew who Tuxedo Mask was… I wonder if he would take me… yeah right! He’d be too concerned over those stupid rainbow crystals anyway… Give up Serena! This is going to be just another Friday night, all alone, playing Sailor V games at home…’
Meanwhile, Darien and Andrew were exchanging silent words with their eyes back and forth. Andrew asked, "Darien, why don’t YOU take her to the dance?"
"What? Are you crazy?"
"Why not? Don’t you want to help her?"
"Of course, but like she would say yes!"
"I bet she would! You are exactly what she described!"
"To other girls, maybe, but you know Serena hates me!"
"She does not hate you! Besides, right now she’s desperate!"
"And that’s exactly the state I want her to be in when I ask her out! How romantic."
"This is your chance to get her to like you!"
"Why would I want her to like me?"
"Don’t play games Darien! It is so obvious you like her!"
"WHAT?!"
"Look, do you want her to be happy or not?" "Of course I want her to be happy!"
"Then ask her to that dance!"
Darien bit his lip and looked over to Serena. Her head was tilted toward him, her eyes closed. He could see crystal tears falling over her cheeks and nearly felt his heart break. He opened his mouth to speak, but no words came out. He tried again… Nothing.
Serena opened her eyes suddenly and jumped off the stool, surprising both of them, though her frown was still apparent and pain evident in her eyes. "Well, thanks for listening. I’ll see you guys around." She slowly turned around and walked out of the arcade, her hair still dragging on the ground.
Darien and Andrew watched until she was gone. Darien felt close to tears and completely agitated every time he saw her pigtails touch the dirty floor.
‘That’s just not right! They should be soaring behind her! She should be laughing and skipping and smiling and…’
WHACK!
"Ow! What did you do that for Andrew?" Darien asked rubbing his shoulder. He turned to see Andrew glaring at him.
"What on Earth is wrong with you? Why didn’t you ask her to the dance! Didn’t you see how unhappy she was!?"
"Of course I saw! And it hurt me too, okay? But Andrew, be rational! Serena can’t stand me! She would never say yes if I asked her to a dance! She’d probably just laugh at me…" Darien let his shoulders sink a little with the last few lines, which he was convinced were true.
Andrew smacked him again.
"Ow! Hey, stop doing that!"
"No! Now you listen to me! Serena is not like that! She would never laugh at anyone! And you know that! Now Darien, I have never seen Serena that sad since I’ve known her, and if there’s anything I can do to make her her normal self again, I’ll do it! And right now, I know the only thing that is going to make her happy again is if someone like YOU asked her to that stupid dance! And don’t you dare try and tell me you don’t want to take her because I know you and I know that you never look at a girl like you look at her, and my good friend, you are sprung, okay? You like Serena a LOT more than you care to admit and I am telling you that if you ever want her to return your feelings you had better go after her right now and ask her to that stupid dance!"
Darien stared awestruck for a moment.
WHACK!
"Okay, okay, I’m going!" Rubbing his shoulder briefly, Darien stood and ran out of the arcade, immediately taking off in the direction he thought she’d taken.

‘I am such an idiot!’ thought Serena staring at the sidewalk through watery eyes. ‘I can’t believe I actually thought Darien would take me for a minute back there! Yeah right! Like a handsome, smart, college guy would go to a middle school dance with ME! In my dreams. Oh who cares? I don’t even like Darien… I think.’

‘There she is.’ Darien slowed down his pace and took a few breaths to calm his blood rate. His heart throbbed with pain at the sorry sight in front of him. He had an incredible urge to run up to Serena and purposely lift those two ponytails off the dirty pavement. He couldn’t stand that horrible thought of her being depressed… ‘But not for long… I hope.’
Taking another breath he walked quickly until he stood only a few feet behind her. He could hear her sigh. ‘I wonder what she’s thinking about… Josh maybe. Or Jessica. Maybe the dance. Maybe… me?’
He cleared his throat. She didn’t notice.
"Hey Serena!" he said as coolly as he could, though he was sure people could SEE the nervousness in his voice.
‘Huh? Was that…’ Serena turned around slowly to see Darien standing behind her. She gasped and stood up straight, quickly wiping her eyes with her sleeve.
"Oh… uh… hi Darien. Wha…what are you doing here…?" Idiot! The man can walk wherever he wants! It’s none of your business!’
"Actually… I was looking for you."
‘What? For me? But… why?’ "For me?"
"Yeah… you see… well, I was thinking that maybe… I mean, about this dance… um…"
"Yes?"
Darien cleared his throat again. ‘Oh God, how am I going to do this? What will she say? What will she think? What… What if she says no?’
‘But what if she says yes?’
"Darien?"
"Serena… I was thinking… if you want, I mean, if you don’t mind… I would… um… I was wondering… no, hoping, if maybe you’d like to… uh…" He looked up into her curious, confused, and oh-so-beautiful blue eyes and found new strength. "Go to the Valentine’s Dance with me."
‘There, I said it. Please don’t laugh. Please say yes. Please…’
‘Did… Darien just ask me to the dance? Could it be… for real?!’
"Darien…"
‘Uh-oh, that tone of voice doesn’t sound too good…’
"If this is a joke, I will never forgive you."
‘Joke?!’
He smiled a little, shyly and nervously. "I’m not kidding, Serena. If you really want to go, and you don’t mind going with me… then I would love to take you."
There was a moment of silence as the two stared into each other’s eyes, blue clashing with blue. Then Darien stumbled back as a force came crashing into him, smiling and squealing one word: "YES! Yes! Yes! Yes! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!"
Stunned and a bit more than awestruck, Darien slowly wrapped his arms around her, a surprised smile spreading across his lips. ‘She said yes… I can’t believe she said yes…’
When she had finally calmed down, Serena backed away, a becoming blush glowing on her cheeks, all signs of recent tears having completely vanished.
"So… uh… what’s the deal?" asked Darien slowly.
"Um… the dance goes from 7 to 10 and it is at Juuban Middle School, and it’s formal so where a tux if you have one. If not, I guess… um…"
"I have one."
"Great! So… um…"
"I’ll pick you up at 5 and take you out to dinner, okay?" Without allowing time for her to decline the offer, Darien continued, "Where do you live?"
"Oh… uh… 2202 N. Cherry Hill."
"Great, I’ll see ya later then…"
"Yup, bye!"
Darien unwilling let his arms dropped from her waist where they had been lingering previously. With a crooked smile, he turned and began walking away. About half way down the block, he turned to see Serena skipping toward home, two blonde streaks soaring behind her… not once touching the ground.

Darien strolled dazedly into the arcade, once again preoccupying the same stool he had deserted only minutes ago. Andrew looked at him with a raised eyebrow.
"So… did ya ask her?"
Darien looked up, taking his friend’s presence into account for the first time. "She… said yes…"
Andrew smiled knowingly. "What did I tell you? I knew she would say yes. Let me guess, she was extremely happy afterwards too!"
"Yeah…" Darien paused for a minute before a huge smile lit across his face. "I made her happy! I… she said yes! YES! Andrew, I’m taking Serena out! ME! And Serena! Meatball Head!"
Andrew laughed. "Yeah, yeah, I get the point. Now, uh, you’re not going in THAT are you?" he asked, sweeping his gaze over Darien’s jeans and casual green jacket.
"What?! Are you kidding? No way! I am going to be absolutely dashing tonight! And I am going to get reservations at the finest restaurant and then…"
"Woah, woah… you’re taking her out to dinner?!"
Darien nodded at him. "Didn’t I mention that already?"
"NO! Though I fail to see how you could have looked over that! Darien… don’t you get it? This has gone from you taking her to a dance to make her happy, and her going because she didn’t want to be lonely, to a REAL date! She is going out to dinner with you because she WANTS to go out with you! This is much bigger than a school dance now, bud."
Darien pondered over what Andrew had said. "You’re right. This… is like a real date… between a… couple. But… aren’t couples supposed to, like, be in love or something?"
"And you’re not in love with Serena?"
Darien thought over that single question all the way back to his apartment to get ready… for a date with Meatball Head.


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Sailor Moon doesn’t belong to me, but to the oh so wonderful Naoko Takeuchi and all those other companies.

God bless everyone in this new year!