Hi everyone! This is my very first fanfic, so I have no idea how
this will turn out. Please, if you have any comments or anything, feel free
to e-mail me.
This is one of those fanfics that asks the question of "what if?" and
the twist in time is if Serena never became Sailor Moon again, after the
battle with Beryl...this is more of a sappy romantic story, where people
would find other people to love and cherish...and it takes place when
Serena is a whole whopping twenty years old. However, there are lots of
flashbacks, and you could say that this whole thing is a "Now and Then"
kind of story! Oh yeah...the scouts all attended the same school the last
few years they were in school. I hope you like it, because I loved writing
it!
Okay, I don't own any of the characters, but I own my story, okay?
I don't know who owns these characters, but they have my world of
respect because they created the best characters in existence!!!!! Please
don't sue; I'm just a girl who loves Sailor Moon and love.
*denotes thoughts
Eternally Yours - Pt 1
Crystal Heart
Serena sighed her twenty-year-old body onto her bed. Her hair
was in loose buns now, and the ponytails were mangled, having being
pulled many times in frustration. Her white collar button down shirt was
rumpled, and her jeans encased her long thin legs, which ended in bare
feet and hung off the bed slightly. Serena pulled the glasses from her eyes.
*Man, I haven't studied so much since the final for Bates's class!*
Her cat, "Mixy", was at the foot of the bed, looking at her.
Luna smiled and purred, satisfied. *She may not be a Sailor Scout
anymore, but she has become more responsible than anyone! If only she
knew how proud Queen Serenity would be, or how proud I am.*
But no, Luna would always be "Mixy" to Serena, the cat adopted
that fateful day when Serena stopped a bunch of boys from totally beating
her up.
That was a special day...because that was when Serena had met
some one who'd turn her life upside down with more frustration than she'd
ever had before...
(4 years ago)
A sixteen year old Serena walked slowly to the hospital.
Serena sighed. "A 30 on my last test?" she dejectedly opened up
the doorway to the hospital and entered the nurses wing, to grab a candy-
striper's uniform.
Nurse Nagoya looked at Serena and smiled...it was had been a
week since that pretty girl with the cute ponytails had started her volunteer
work at the hospital, and everyone seemed pleased with her. Though she
was a little slow and sometimes clumsy, Serena was always ready to cheer
someone up, and would continue to cheer people up until they started
laughing. Serena had brightened up the hospital quite a bit, and she
became everyone's caring sister.
"Serena!" Nurse Nagoya said.
Serena turned to focus her cheerful blue eyes on the nurse.
"Hmm?"
"There's a new patient in your wing today."
"Oh? Who left?"
"Sarah was feeling fine, so she checked out this morning."
"Oh..." Serena looked kinda sad. It was always hard to let go of a
patient, especially in Serena's case, because she always got to know her
patients so well. Her face had a determined look, all ready to win another
heart over. "So, who's the new victim?" she smiled, giving her mocking-
the-devil grin.
"Oh Serena, you know that all your patients love you," Nurse
Nagoya laughed. "The new patient in your wing is Darien Chiba, he was
injured in a motorcycle accident."
"Darien Chiba?" Serena spaced out for a moment...*wouldn't it be
so wonderful if he looked hot and we fell in love!*
"Um-hmm, and he's in room 132."
"Okay," said Serena, shaking the dream off. *Who am I kidding?
As IF! Like there's really a hot guy around HERE!*
Serena walked out of the nurses' lounge, and headed to her wing.
Serena had gotten through almost everyone in the hall, except for
the last room. *After I help this Darien-guy out, I'm leaving; I need to
drastically improve my grades, if I want to be a nurse! Yes, I have to work
harder if I ever want to graduate, so I guess I'll have to start working
harder.*
She smiled and she stepped in room 132. As she peeked over, a
young man a few years older than herself with deep blue eyes and dark
hair turned from looking at the skyline of Tokyo, and focused his eyes on
her.
*He's kinda cute...* "Hello, Darien, I'm Serena."
Darien looked at the girl that entered. She was pretty, with her
eyes shining the joy of the day, and her hair flashing the gold of the sun.
*Those ponytails...interesting hairdo...*
Serena entered the room a little more, coming to his bedside. "I
volunteer here at the hospital. You were brought in today because of a
motorcycle accident," she said, coming close, and instinctively placing her
warm small hand on Darien's larger one.
Darien looked at her hand and a thought came to him...*this
somehow feels so right, but I don't even know this girl! Who am I
kidding?*
Serena kept her eyes on Darien's confused ones, and she squeezed
his hand, somehow knowing that it comforted him.
Darien snapped out of his strange mood quickly, and shifted into
teasing gear, trying to get the girl to snap out of this awkward mood. "If
you don't mind my saying so, your hair looks a lot like meatballs..."
Serena all of a sudden jerked her head out of the strange feeling
she had, and said, "I come here, spending time that I could be using on
homework, to cheer you up and all you can say is that my hair looks like
meatballs?!?!"
"Well, yeah, Meatball head..."
Tears started filling up her eyes.
"Oh, don't cry, Meatball head, that just shows that you're such a
baby."
She stood up quickly, "Well, if that's the way you feel, I'm getting
out of here." She got up, feeling pain in her heart...she never was hit this
hard before! There was never a guy that she'd feel so sensitive about
except for this stranger.
She rushed out of the room, and into the hospital cafeteria, to
console herself with a coke.
(now)
A knock sounded at Serena's door. Serena got off her bed to open
the door to the apartment, letting her visitor in.
"Amy! What are you doing here? Don't you have a study session
with Greg?"
Amy smiled, "You've been working so hard lately, Serena, that I
don't usually see you unless I come by your apartment!"
Ami was tall as well, and beautiful; her short blue-black hair was
light and airy, and her sapphire eyes were glimmering in the moonlight of
the apartment.
"It's a little dark in here, don't you think?" she said, noting that the
only light on in the apartment was the one on the desk, by the huge
textbook of modern English.
Serena sighed drearily, "I don't know...I was at my desk all
afternoon until just a little while ago, and I guess I didn't really think about
turning on the lights." She walked to the light switch and flicked it up.
Her eyes slowly adjusted to the brightness of the room, and she held the
closet door for balance for a while.
"I know you want to be a nurse, Serena, but are you sure you
haven't been wearing yourself out too much?"
"I admit that four years ago, I wouldn't have survived this, but
now, well, I can, because I've been through this, many times, and as much
as I love fun, I think that I want to become a nurse even more."
"You're such a diligent student Serena; I admire your devotion, for
I think you are one of the most dedicated people I know now, but Serena, I
wish you'd have a little more fun!"
"When I first began studying, really studying hard, I was sixteen,
and I had sixteen years of wisdom to catch up with, and I'm still catching
up."
"No, Serena, you're there. Now you're just pushing yourself. Let's
have some fun tonight."
"My English exam IS tomorrow, Amy."
"And so is my biology final, but I've studied it all day, and I think I
need a break. Looking at you, you've been studying all day as well, so I
think we should take a break."
"Well..."
"I can't believe this; you taught me to have fun, and now, I'm the
one trying to get you to do so!"
"I don't know, Amy, life's just so intense right now."
"You've got to stop, Serena...stop and smell the roses."
*The roses...the roses...where I have I seen so many roses...when
have I heard of roses?* Serena scanned her memory. Roses were always
on her mind.
Amy sighed as she looked at Serena. Life was different now, so
different from the time when there was no Serena in her life...
(4 years ago)
The hallways were filling up with people at the special school, and
Amy felt herself being pushed from wall to wall. "Geez, I'll never get
anywhere!"
She hurried out of the school, anxious to find her mother, for they
were going to spend the afternoon together...*the only afternoon in the
week I ever get to see her without any interruptions...*
Dr. Anderson was a very busy doctor; it was no wonder, for she
was one of the best doctors in the world. Amy didn't see her too much,
and as a result, they didn't waste time arguing when they got time together,
and Amy grew quite independent. Amy cooked for herself, and knew the
whole Tokyo bus schedule.
She rushed down the hall, now worried that she might not be able
to get home in time to change out of her school uniform, and then get to
the hospital. A boy was walking carelessly out of a classroom when she
accidentally crashed right into him. Books were everywhere, and Amy got
down quickly to pick them up.
"Oh! I'm so sorry!" she mumbled quietly, almost to herself only,
quickly picking up her books, and running down the hall, her short blue-
black hair flying back.
Greg looked at his books around him, and said, "Geez, what's with
careless girls these days? They're everywhere!"
Amy stepped off the bus in front of the hospital, in a light blue t-
shirt, and khaki slacks. She carried a leather purse, and her hair was
pulled back with two light blue water droplet barrettes. She entered the
cafeteria, where her mother always met her for their weekly get-together.
But today, she felt different, for there was a girl in there that she had never
seen in the hospital before.
She had seen her at school, of course, but never anywhere else.
Serena...that was her name, wasn't it? Always late, and not exactly a
perfect student, and rumored to be a crybaby. But somehow, despite all
the rumors, Amy still liked her. Serena had that air about her, "Love me,
love everyone." And there was Serena, in tears, crying into a cup of coke!
Seeing that her mom was not yet there, Amy walked over to
Serena.
"Are you okay?" she asked quietly.
Serena looked up an the blue-haired girl in front of her. She was
Amy, the girl that had no friends....being too busy studying to get to know
people. Somehow, that did not throw Serena off. "Um, yeah, I guess so."
Amy seated herself opposite her. "Do you want to talk? My
mom's still working, and I'm waiting for her."
"Oh yeah, I've met Dr. Anderson; she's nice. She's your mother?
No wonder you're so smart!"
Amy blushed. Noticing Serena's attire, she asked, "Do you work
here?"
"I just started a week ago; I'm a volunteer; I want to be a nurse and
all."
"Oh really?"
"Yeah, but I don't think I have the spirit for it, you see, today..."
(now)
*Yes, life is definitely different now.* Amy snapped out of her
reverie to focus on Serena, who was still thinking... "Serena, are you
smelling the roses? Darien's roses?" Amy smiled as Serena started to turn
a rosy, healthy pink.
"You know Darien only gave me one rose in my whole life, and
that was only at the gardens we were at that one time, and we only were
there together because we bumped into each other. Other than that, well, I
have to admit, Darien is a very attractive guy, and when I was sixteen, I
was head over heels for his looks for a while, but other than that, well, no.
I quickly learned that he was not really the sweetest guy in the world; just
as well, because he still isn't."
"You don't know that anymore, Serena. He left two years ago to
study medicine at Johns Hopskins in the USA, for an exchange student
program. He's coming back soon, according to Greg, and we'll probably
see him, seeing that he knows you so well."
Serena shuddered. *Darien...* warm thoughts flowed to her mind,
the kiss, the wonderful day at the garden, before the night came and
everything stopped, and he started calling her meatball head again...these
warm feelings quickly crumbled. They were replaced by the numerous
times she had run into him, literally, and had been rebuked time after time,
being called meatball head. *Darien was a jerk, and he's only memory.*
She cleared the annoyance out of her mind, and laughed. "Well, if we plan
to have some fun, let's go now, because I am in the mood for some
Italian!"
Amy smiled and said, "Then let's get everyone else too, because
it'll be so much fun."
"All right! Girls' night out!" Serena smiled, as she picked up the
phone, and began dialing the number to Hikawa Shrine.
Raye pounded her fist into the papers at her desk. Her long black
hair, so black it was almost red somehow, was pulled back into a loose
ponytail, at the nape of her neck. Still, her bangs hung annoyingly in front
of her dark violet eyes. Her face was pale, but still very healthy.
*Papers, papers, and more papers!* Her mind screamed in
frustration.
Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the door to her room open
slowly, as Chad crept in. Sweet Chad, always been there since the first
time she saw him four years ago, when Grampa introduced him to the
temple.
"Raye," he began. "You have a phone call. I think it's Serena."
"Thank you, Chad," Raye brightened. She uncurled her long legs
from underneath her, and stood up, stretching. There were always papers
and more papers, but there were always friends, and they were always
there, ever since that day...
(4 years ago)
"Who is THIS?" she scorned, looking down at the strange boy in front of
her.
"I know, Raye, he looks kinda strange, but I think he could help
out a lot here at the temple. His name's Chad, and he has no where else to
go..." Grampa started.
"Oh really?" Raye looked at the boy again.
Raye may have been a little impatient with others at times, but she
was sensitive to the human spirit. *Something about this guy just seems
right...I guess he belongs here. Besides, Grampa likes him, and I guess
Grampa should have his way around here; it IS still his shrine.* "Well, all
right Grampa. I'll see if I can find a room for him around here."
Chad looked up at her and smiled meekly. Raye was certainly a
beautiful girl, with her long dark hair, cascading over those rich purple
eyes of hers. They looked like they could see through a human spirit, and
they probably could, based on all those rumors that he had heard.
All of a sudden, Grampa collapsed to the ground.
"Grampa! Oh no! Chad, help me get him to the hospital."
Raye entered the hospital cafeteria with Chad, thinking, *Oh
Grampa, your first stroke! What are we going to do?*
It was late afternoon, so the cafeteria was not too crowded. The
only people in the room were two girls, sitting at the table, one that was
wiping away tears, with long blonde hair in a funny hair style, and another
with a consoling look on her face, with short blue hair.
"Um Raye, I'll get back to the temple, okay? Why don't you sit
down? Take a break, and I'll just clean up there," Chad said, quietly.
Raye looked at Chad...*he's so nice! I can tell he already loves Grampa...*
"Um, sure." As they separated.
As Raye went near the center of the room, a feeling passed into her blood.
She knew these girls, didn't she? She took a second glance...well, of
course! The Hikawa shrine was visited by everyone! They were probably
two of the many visitors!
Feeling the urge to sit with them, she crept up slowly, hearing part
of their conversation. The blonde was talking at this moment. "...And I
just don't get it! I work so hard to help people, and the way this guy
repays me is by making fun of me!"
Raye spoke up, "Are you okay?"
The girls looked up, and the blonde stopped talking.
"Ummm...I'm Raye, I work at the Hikawa Shrine."
Serena looked at the girl wonderingly...*she looks so familiar!*
"Umm...sit down, Raye! I'm Serena, and this is Amy."
Raye sat down comfortably, and for some reason, she didn't feel at
all uncomfortable around these girls...*unlike others that I've met.*
They soon started the conversation up again, and somehow, though
Raye was annoyed with Serena's constant whining and crying, she felt an
urge to simply like her. Amy was quite strange, for looking at her, and her
habits, one would not think that she'd have such a compassionate heart, but
she did...and soon, Raye found herself talking about her Grampa to these
girls, that she'd only just met...
(now)
Raye snapped out of her memories to follow Chad out of her room
and to the kitchen, where she talked into the receiver, "Hello? Meat-ball
head?" she cheerfully said.
"Raye!" Serena frowned at the other end of the phone.
"What's up, Serena?"
"Italian. I've got a huge craving for spaghetti and meatballs right
now, and Amy's over, and she says we should all try to get together right
now, and go out for dinner. Can you? Or are you still studying your
religion for college exams?"
"I studied all afternoon. I need a break."
"Good, we'll meet at my apartment, so come on as soon as you
can."
"Great, be over in a few."
Raye hung up the phone and turned to Chad. "I'm going out."
Chad smiled. "It's 'bout time you did something other than
studying. Don't worry; I'll take care of everything tonight."
"Thank you so much, Chad."
He blushed. "It's nothing Raye. I wouldn't even be so healthy if it
weren't for the fact that Grampa took me in four years ago, and you taught
me what was right."
"But you've paid your debt now, Chad, and you're only staying
around because Grampa died two years ago..."
"You needed me to help, to be here..."
"Yes, but I don't want to deter you from your dream of being a
musician."
"I wanted to talk to you about that. I've given some serious
thought, Raye, and I've decided to stay here, and study religion with you."
"Really?" Raye felt her soul lightening.
"Yeah, I really love this place. It's like a home to me."
"It IS your home," Raye whispered softly.
"Of course. But you told Serena you'd be right over, so why don't
you have some fun now, and we'll talk about this later, okay?" Chad
smiled.
"Okay. Have a good evening, Chad."
"You too, Raye."
Lita stirred from her bed as the phone rang. She looked at the
clock by her bed. It was 5:00 pm. *So this person was not calling at an
insane hour; it just feels like it.* Lita picked the phone up. As she did so,
she flipped her long legs over the edge of the sofa and flung her limp
auburn ponytail over her shoulder. Her dark green eyes focused on the
living room.
"Yeah?" she spoke into the receiver.
"Lita! You've been sleeping? I'm sorry!"
Lita smiled. Only one person could sense that much by the tone of
her voice, and only one person could make Lita calm even though she was
woken up from a nice nap. "It's okay, Serena. It was time I woke up
anyway; I've got a final in economics tomorrow to study for."
"Well, everyone's been studying so hard, I was thinking we could
all go out for Italian. Amy's here, and Raye's on her way. I still have to
call Mina, but please?"
Lita smiled. How could she turn this down? "Sure! I'll be over in
five minutes."
Lita hung up the receiver, and she went to grab her purse in the closet.
She stepped out the door, and smiled as she thought of the fact that Serena
always knew how to make depressing things just go, like Ken...
(4 years ago)
Lita sat at the gazebo to Tokyo park, one sunny afternoon with her
current boyfriend, a tall blond with dark brown eyes. She was happy, and
reflected lightly the time she was here the other time, in a storm, when
Ken had bailed her out after she was dumped profusely.
And here was William again, at that same gazebo with her. He had
called her again, to start up the relationship again, and Lita happily sat
next to him, as if she didn't even know that William had dumped her only
two months before...after all, he was with her now. He had been going out
with her for a week now, and she was happy.
All of a sudden, William spoke up. "Lita..."
Lita turned her happy face to look at him. "Yeah?"
"Lita...my ex-girlfriend Renee wants to get back together with
me...I kind of want to get back together with her as well."
Lita looked up at his face, her smile vanishing... "You mean,
Renee, the girl you dumped me for before?"
"Yeah."
"You told me, when you came back to me, that you didn't care for
her anymore."
"Lita, I..."
"William!"
He ran off the gazebo.
This time, the weather was still sunny, and Lita wished for storm
clouds, the huge storm that had disrupted the sky the last time William had
left her there. The rain could give an excuse for her face to be moist. And
the thunder could take away some of her anger.
She pounded her fist against a beam of the gazebo and cringed back as she
heard a small crack from her wrist as it met the wood. She drew her hand
back, and cried as she started to massage her wrist. She looked down at it,
and started crying.
All of a sudden, someone had placed their hand on her wrist, and
was tying a scarf about it. Lita looked up, and smiled pathetically through
the tears as she met Ken's brown eyes.
"Thank you, Ken..." She didn't know what to say...Ken was
always there for her, and after he saved her from the rain the first time
William had dumped her, she hardly expected him to do so again.
But he was there, standing next to her, holding her wrist lightly,
and saying something. "Let's go to the hospital and make sure it's all
right."
Lita sighed as she entered the now crowded hospital cafeteria. Her
wrist was wrapped a few times in bandages, which were going to be taken
off soon enough when her wrist healed; as it turned out, her wrist was
sprained, but the doctors said that it'd be okay.
She had sent Ken home after he made sure that she was all
right...*he should not waste so much time on a girl like me...he ought to
have a more caring friend...*
The hospital cafeteria tables were mostly crowded, but one caught
her eye, for there were a group of girls that she seemed to just like
instantly.
She recognized two of them...Serena and Amy, two girls that went
to her school. *I didn't know they were friends! I just didn't see them as
the type that would be so. But then again, it just seems right that they ARE
friends!*
She walked to the table, smiling, and wanting to join them.
Serena saw the tall girl come up, a girl that she had been wanting
to know for a while...
"Hey Lita! Come join us here!"
Lita was startled at the Serena's invitation, for she didn't expect it;
the rumors around school were that Lita was to be an outcast...for she was
a bully, and was not to have any friends. Stunned, she plopped down in
the last seat, in her dark green shirt and jeans.
"Well, Lita, you might know me, but in case you don't I'm Serena,
and these are my friends..."
(now)
Mina grumbled as she sipped some more coffee...she'd been up the
past 30 hours, and was so ready to sleep. Her hair was a golden mess, and
her bow was crooked, and low down her back. There were bags under her
blue eyes, and her face was worn and thin. She didn't care about her
sociology final tomorrow. Suddenly, the phone rang, and she went to pick
it up.
"Mina's not here now, but would you please call back in, say, next
year?" she mumbled.
"Hello? Mina? You okay?" Serena's concerned voice came on the
line.
Mina suddenly smiled a little. "Serena? That you? I haven't heard
from you for days now! You've been studying too hard."
"Mina...it sounds like you haven't been slacking off either."
"Yeah, but at least in the past 30 hours I did more than just study."
"You drank coffee too?"
Mina scanned her memory for something she DID do other than
study...there wasn't much to find.
"Earth to Mina! I called to ask if you wanted to join all of us for
dinner. We're having Italian, and I know you love that lasagna!"
"Well, I suppose I could take some time off sociology."
"Future gym teachers are entitled to having fun as well."
"True."
"Then come to my apartment as soon as you can, 'kay? Bye!"
There was a cheerful click and Mina hung up.
Serena...always one to make things right, even when things were
all wrong...
(4 years ago)
"Sailor V! Wait up!"
A tall blonde turned her masked face to a little girl, holding a
picture. The blue eyes under the mask lit up and as she smiled, "What do
you wish, little lady?"
"Can you please sign my picture? Pretty please?"
*Mmmm...can't resist making a little girl smile,* Mina thought.
She kneeled down and took the picutre, and took out a Sailor V pen. She
signed, "To my little friend, Peace to the world, Sailor V."
Mina got up, as the girl's eyes glowed, and she said, "Thanks a lot,
Sailor V!"
Mina sighed as the girl ran away to show her mother. Life was
always on the go, maybe it was time to concentrate on her studies; to settle
down in one city...*I think the police should be able to handle crime from
now on. I've worked so hard all these years, maybe it's time to put the
mask away for a while!*
She looked at her watch and said, "Oh shoot! I have to visit mom
at the hospital!"
Mina arrived, worn out, into the now semi-crowded cafeteria.
She now wore an orange and pink flower-print dress, and now gave
serious thought to her musings earlier that day.
As she walked through, she saw a group of girls sitting at a table,
now in laughter and now in seriousness, as they talked about different
things.
*Mom's still a little sick, but I guess she'll be able to get out soon,*
she thought. *But what is the fate of Sailor V? I just really want to do
what I want to do now. I don't want to fight crime; I want to have a
normal life.*
The group of girls came into her mind again, and somehow, she
felt like she wanted to talk with them about it. And so, being an out-going
person, she went to the group of girls, and said, "Umm, pardon me, but
may I sit here with you guys?"
The girls looked up. The girl with two ponytails looked at her and
smiled comfortingly, "Sure, we're all new to this table."
And the rest of the girls laughed.
"Well, I'm Serena, and these are my new friends, Amy, Raye, and
Lita."
(now)
Dinner was a success, and they had lots of heart to heart, but the
true pouring of frustrations came when they all arrived at Serena's
apartment after.
Serena was plopped on the couch with Amy and Mina, and Raye
took a kitchen chair. Lita was sitting in the love seat.
"I don't get it, though, I mean, I've spent the last how many years
studying for this final, so I guess I should be ready to graduate from the
nursing academy, but I'm so scared!"
"Serena...you've always been a nurse to our hearts. I don't think
you could possibly fail now; you've even studied. You ARE ready, and
I'm sure that Tokyo hospital will be glad to have you as a nurse," Lita said.
"Yeah, and besides, I remember that when we all first met, it was
IN a hospital, and you were afraid of not being cut out for being a nurse.
But you proved that wrong, didn't you?" Mina asked.
"Do you remember, at the end of that conversation, who you left us
for all worried about? And how you immediately went to ease that
conscience of yours?"
"Well, yes..."
(4 years ago)
"And so, there I was, in the middle of the street, tripped over a
crack in the sidewalk!" Serena said, laughingly.
The girls all giggled.
"Oh, it's so nice to be here!" Amy said. "I don't usually hang out
with friends!"
"I have to say; we don't look like we all just met today!" Mina
said.
"Yeah! I've told you guys so much, I feel like I've known you
forever!" Raye smiled.
"Hmm..." Lita said. The girls all nodded in amazement at the
quick acquaintances.
"We ought to just meet some other time together and just have
fun," Serena suggested.
"Well, how about we meet tomorrow evening at the Tokyo Park?
We can go out for pizza and then just go shopping, hang out and stuff."
Mina said.
"Yeah..." they all agreed.
As they were agreeing, a tall woman with glasses and wavy long
blue hair came up. "Amy?"
"Oh hi Mom! These are my new friends; I met them today, right
here!"
"It's nice to know that you're finally getting to know other people
that don't exist in those books of yours!"
Amy blushed.
"Hi, Dr. Anderson," Serena said.
"Oh, hi Serena!" she looked at Serena, beaming. Then she turned
to Amy, "I'm so sorry, but the guy in 132 needed some more help fixing
that cast than I thought, and the next thing I knew, I had spent two hours
helping him. Well, we can still eat dinner and catch a movie, so why don't
we go now?"
"Sure, Mom," Amy said. "Well..."
No one had noticed that Serena's face had gone pale... "Dr.
Anderson, did you say room 132?"
"Yes; you probably met him; he's in your wing."
A sudden urgency overtook Serena and she said, "I'll see you guys
tomorrow night, but I've got to do a few things." She ran out of the room.
As she left, the girls suddenly understood, "It's that Darien guy,
isn't it? I bet Serena feels guilty," Raye sighed, getting up, "I ought to go
too; Chad's probably wondering where I am. I'll see you guys tomorrow."
Lita and Mina both nodded, and feeling the time they got up to
leave too. Amy and her mother left immediately after Serena rushed off.
(now)
"It was Darien..." Serena said quietly.
"It WAS Darien, and you did a good job by visiting him
immediately, and it showed that you cared," Amy said.
"Did I ever tell you what happened that night, though?"
(4 years ago)
Serena entered the room quietly, seeing his shadow contrasting the
quilt of colors behind him, out the window. The sunset was magnificent
sight, and she drew her breath in, at the same time drawing the attention of
the patient.
Darien turned around to face the girl, and he saw the sunset's colors
in her eyes, as they seemed to melt into her every existence...but no...there
really were tears in her eyes as she came close to him.
"Darien, I'm so sorry I lost my temper earlier. Are you all right? I
heard from Dr. Anderson, and..." she sat in the chair by his bed.
He looked at her, and suddenly, he felt something inside him
sting...he couldn't let her cry... "Please my little princess, don't cry," he
said, taking her hand.
Her hand was cold this time, and she felt his warm hands radiating
the heat back into it. *My little princess...*
Her tears stopped forming, and she looked into his eyes, now
pleading and begging, as if she was the only one that had any power over
him. She suddenly moved closer, and the scene seemed to change around
her...
~~~~~~~~~~~
The soft music played in the background as she felt being carried
out to the balcony. His eyes were hidden underneath a mask, but the
undoubtable expression in those blue eyes were of admiration and longing.
"Who are you?" she asked.
"I am the one that loves only you."
He held her closed, pulling her towards him, and she combed her
hands through his thick dark hair, and resting them around his neck. Their
lips met, and all the warmth she ever knew was surpassed by many
hundreds of times. As the long kiss ended, she opened her eyes to see...
~~~~~~~~~~~
"Darien?!?!"
Serena looked around her, she was in his arms, in the middle of the
hospital room, sitting on his bed. She broke away quickly.
"Ewww..." she cringed. "Did I just let you kiss me?"
Darien looked away. Finally, he turned to her and said a flat
"Yes."
She pushed him away and said, "How dare you take advantage of a
teenage girl like that!"
She got up, and rushed away.
Darien looked after her, his fingers brushing his lips...*the kiss of a
princess...* he shook his head. *I must be kidding myself...come on, she's
meat-ball head! How princess-like can she get?*
And yet, the beauty of the coming night seemed to lose its
enchantment.
(now)
"You kissed Darien?" Raye exclaimed. "Oh my god, Serena!
Your never told us this before! That's SO wonderful! No wonder he
always showed you a special part in his heart, then!"
"I don't think teasing me qualifies for that."
"You know, there's a thin line between love and hate..." Amy
began, smiling.
"You're one to talk! You may be a brain, and you may study all
those books to become a doctor, therefore knowing things like that, but tell
us," Serena paused, "Tell us how your crush on Greg began, Amy!"
(4 years ago)
Amy and her mom entered the house, laughing. It was midnight
now, and Amy wanted to study a little more for her chemistry test the next
day.
She went happily into her room, glad at what a happy day this had
been...she had met her friends, she had a great time with her mom, and her
mom was ecstatic about her having new friends.
Amy went to her book bag, releasing her hair from the barrettes.
As she picked it up, a book fell out of the unzipped top, and opened right
to the middle page. Amy picked up the notebook, noticing that writing
was definitely not hers.
*So whose is it? I don't think I put anyone else's book in my bag.
After school, I ran to my locker, and stuffed all the books in my hands into
my bag. Wait a second...according to the label, this is Greg
Urawa's...whoever he is. I guess he probably the guy that I bumped into in
the hall...I remember, I dropped my books, and so did he, and I just got up
and left. Well, I'll have to return it to him tomorrow. Hmmm...Greg, what
a nice name. I wonder if I ever met him...the name sounds kind of
familiar.*
The next morning, Amy got to school extra-early, to seek out
Greg's schedule in the school office. That way, if he didn't go to her
regular school, she could still have time to go to her supplementary school
to obtain his schedule.
But, as she walked into the office, a tall brown-haired boy with
blue eyes stood at the counter, talking to the secretary, saying, "But I need
her schedule if I plan to return this to her."
"Well, I'm sorry, but the counseling office has all the schedules;
they need to be copied for the parent-teacher conferences."
"So where could I find her?"
"Well, I guess you'll have to make do, because I don't know an
Amy Anderson."
Amy startled as she realized that notebook he held in his hands was
her Physics notebook. She walked up to him, and said, "Umm..."
The boy turned around, focusing on the meek little girl in front of
him. "Yeah?"
"You're looking for Amy Anderson?"
The boy looked at her again; she was somewhat pretty, but not all
that interesting-looking, though her hair WAS remarkably beautiful,
smooth ripples cascading about her sweet face. "Yes, do you know her?
She dropped this yesterday when we bumped in the hall."
"Well, yeah..."
"And what a ditz, too! She didn't even say sorry! She just
continued running down the hall, didn't even mumble a pardon!" he said.
Amy's face changed now, and her eyes were clouded over with an
air of anger. "Well..." she began, finding words to see, but finding that she
didn't want to talk to this boy anymore.
"Amy, Greg, what are you doing here?" Principal Joku entered.
"Well, it's just as good you both ARE here! Come to my office; I was
thinking of sending someone to find you during class today, but this is
even better!"
Amy looked at the boy next to her...he had an embarrassed look on
his face, and looked at the ground, and she looked, surprised, at him.
*He's Greg Urawa? No, maybe he's just another Greg.*
They entered the principal's office, and sat down in the seats he
pointed to. He started speaking, "Well, I guess you know each other; Amy
Anderson, Greg Urawa."
Both blushed even more, for their worst nightmare happened; he
WAS Greg, and she was carrying his writing notebook, which she had
thought was so well done, which she had read all night, and had wanted to
discuss the things in it with him. She was Amy, the ditz, and he had
insulted her more than anything!
The principal continued. "Amy's the top student in our school, and
tied for first in the state in the state exams. She tied with you, Greg."
Amy started. *I tied with this creepo? Ugh.*
"Greg's from out of Tokyo. After traveling almost all his life, his
family is finally staying here. And so, he's attending out school until
graduation, like the rest. The reason why asked you two in here is because
there is a program for those studying to be doctors at the college, and they
have asked for two students in our school. Seeing that Greg doesn't know
many people, I thought that as well as being an intellectual exercise, you
could get to know each other; you probably have a lot in common.
Anyway, the program emphasizes a lot of partner research, so you two will
have to work very hard together in order to do well in this course;
requirements include many hours together in the library, and you both will
be able to get out of class for this program, under the conditions you finish
your other courses in your own time. Do all this, and you will not only get
the credits this year for school, but you will also get premed credit, so
once you graduate, you will have already completed nearly all college
training, and half of the premed course."
Amy's eyes sparkled. *This would be such a great thing for me!
Mom will be so proud!* But as she looked at Greg, she got somewhat
discouraged. *But to work with this guy everyday, knowing he hates me?
Well...*
"So what do you say?" the principal looked at them.
Amy weighed her dreams and thoughts. *I don't like this Greg
guy, but I want that to do that program...I suppose I could handle seeing
him for the rest of my years at Crossroads...after all, this is the middle of
junior year.*
"I'd be glad to do the program, Principal Joku," she smiled.
Greg looked at her, startled at her prompt reply. He wanted this
badly too, but working with a girl that he had insulted very harshly, well,
it was going to be tense. *The next one and a half years, every day facing
her...*
He looked at Principal Joku and nodded his head.
"Great! Then it's settled! You'll start next Monday by going to the
Tokyo University instead of school in the morning."
(now)
"Amy! THAT'S how you met Greg?" Lita laughed.
Amy colored. "Well, yes, and we're still in the program together
now, aren't we?"
"And you have a huge crush on him!" Mina smiled.
"Greg is a very special person to me, and I don't really know how
he feels for me anyway."
"Yeah..." Raye sighed, drawing the attentions of the others.
"Then again, Serena and Amy weren't the only ones who started
off an a queer foot..." Lita left off.
"If you're thinking me and Chad...well, you're just plain wrong! I
never had that feeling for him, or anyone!"
(4 years ago)
Raye sat up late that night, sitting in front of her fire, watching it
for any changes. But now, she felt a new warmth...one that did not flood
of evil, but was bursting with good. She felt comfortable now, and for
some reason, knowing that something made the world all right...and
something in her was warm too. Perhaps it was feeling of having a great
group of friends to hang out with...who knew, but Raye was much more
calm when she went to bed that night, after finding a room for Chad. The
next day, she would visit Grampa in the hospital again, and maybe Serena
would be there too, so that they could talk...maybe go to Tokyo Park
together.
A knock was at the door to her room, and Raye walked to it,
rubbing her eyes.
"Raye?"
"Chad? What are you doing up?"
"Oh, just checking to see how things are. Are you okay Raye?"
"I'm fine."
"Are you sure?" Chad placed his hand on her arm, stroking in
comfortingly.
Raye started to cry, and she drew near Chad as he placed his arms
about her. She felt safe...beyond the feeling she had with her
friends...*he's the one that will walk through fire for me...it seems he
already has.*
Immediately, her smile vanished as realization of the moment
came. She pushed him out the door and slid the door shut. "Go away,
Chad!"
(now)
"I never heard about that!" Amy smiled.
Raye was red with embarrassment. "I never let him that close to
me again," she sighed. "There are the moments...but I usually remember
by that time."
"Hmm..." Mina said. "Why don't you just let yourself go? You
obviously care for him..."
"And you don't care for Andrew? Do you know how much you
really care for HIM?" Raye snapped back.
(4 years ago)
Mina walked down the street in the afternoon sunshine, looking for
something to keep her mind off the question that she wanted to answer.
Things were never as simple as they seemed...*why are all the difficult
decisions the ones that impact your life the most?*
Did she love being Sailor V? *Yes, I do love making kids smile,
and being an idol for people, but there has to be more than that! I want to
do something without the mask...I want to help people when I'm not in the
costume...and I want to be me, not a super heroine. Maybe I SHOULD
pull out; I could be a teacher, or something like that; that way, I could still
help little kids, and have them admire me, but I won't have to hide behind
a mask.*
She sighed. *I want to be a normal person for once...I want to be
able to sleep through the night, in my own home, and maybe even with a
husband, eventually. What am I saying? I'm only sixteen, and there is no
guy in my life that would care to like me!*
Her discussion with her new friends just a few days ago was very
profitable to her, for they all said good things. And it was agreed between
all that even though essentially Mina was to make the decision herself, that
it would be nice if she got back into school, for high school was a
challenge, and junior year was halfway over; if she didn't go to school,
Mina might end up in knots; having tutors was nice, but she wanted to see
her friends everyday, and have that bad lunch food, and laugh at teachers.
As she sighed in relief of having support, she was passing by the Crown
Game Center, and out walked a tall boy with dark blond hair and warm
blue eyes. She wasn't really looking, so she walked right into him.
"Oh, I'm so sorry!" Mina backed away.
The boy looked at her and smiled. "No problem. Hey...you look
kinda familiar...are you Mina Morrison?"
"Um...well, actually, I am."
"Geez, you look even prettier in person," the young man blushed
back a step.
Mina started slightly under his gaze, and backed away, looking at
the Crown Game Center. "So, um, this is where you work?"
"Yeah...gotta get that money for college."
"Yeah..." Mina sighed. Money was the least of her worries now.
"Well, I guess I have to get back to work..." he started.
"Well, all right, see you some time, okay?" with that, Mina kept
walking. *What in the world was that? I don't even know him, but he's
soooo, well, so, HIM! HE'S HOT!!!! What am I saying? I caught his eye
because I'm Mina Morrison, Sailor V actress. Who doesn't want to know
an actress?*
With that, she put more concentration in her step, as she walked
further down the road, toward the hospital.
(now)
"Oh...project!" Serena squealed. "This I can work with...I DO
know Andrew rather well..."
"Don't you dare! Besides, he doesn't like me that way!"
"How do you know?" Lita asked.
"Oh, and aren't you always perceptive of relationships?" Mina said
sarcastically.
"What do you mean?"
"She DOES have a point, Lita," Amy began. "After all this
foolishness with Ken..."
"KEN?"
(4 years ago)
"Lita!"
Lita turned around, as the sun curved about her face adorably. Ken
drew in his breath.
"Hey! What's up, Ken? I only see you once a month or so...I just
saw you a few days ago; what's wrong?"
"Oh, no. I just wanted to see how you were doing and all."
"Well, that's nice of you."
"Is your wrist okay?"
"Yeah, of course!"
"Do you think you could cook dinner all by yourself tonight, with
only one useful wrist?"
"Well, I was thinking of buying something for dinner..."
"I'm sure my mom won't mind if you come to dinner at our
house..."
"Really?"
"I know her cooking isn't as good as yours..."
Lita smirked. Ken's mother cooked very well...better than she did,
and Lita sighed over the small joke that Ken unintentionally said.
"I'd love to join you for dinner, but I just remembered; I'm getting
together with some of my friends tonight; I'll only be able to make it for a
little."
"Oh, that's okay. We eat early anyway; my sis has a drawing class
tonight."
"Oh...well, then if it's no trouble to your mom..."
"Um..." Ken blushed. "Well it was kind of her idea."
"Oh, so I guess she's already assumed I'd eat with you guys."
"Yeah," Ken looked at the ground.
"What time should I be there? I've got to get to class now; wait a
second; shouldn't YOU be in school as well? Your lunch hour is gonna
end soon!"
"Don't worry. Come over at 5:30, 'kay?"
"Sure, bye Ken."
As he left, Lita smiled. *Now there's a guy that I'll always have.*
(now)
"And you will always have him, and he will always have you. He's
your "rainy day man." We all have our own, and Ken is yours," Raye
smiled.
"I never saw it coming..." Lita began.
"Well, today's been a huge reality check. We've been talking about
life, and we never saw love coming into play," Mina said.
"Yeah, and we all seem to know about everyone else's love lives
but our own!" Raye laughed.
"So, what do we do with this info?" Serena asked.
"Get us some guys?" Lita smiled.
"Oh no...Darien and I have a complicated past. When he left two
years ago, we were not on totally friendly terms...he was still calling me
Meatball head, and didn't he know I hated it. I know it sounds ridiculous
that I'm holding onto that image of him, but I don't think I'll change my
mind so easily."
"Oh?" Lita's eyebrows rose. "Did you know that Darien's coming
back in two or three days?"
"Yes, but that makes no difference! He's not interested in me that
way! Besides, why are we just sitting here like this? I mean, I have to
study, really."
"Fine, Serena. Have fun studying, but don't blame us if you find
yourself in an awkward situation with Darien. He's probably missed
you..."
"Yeah, right, and I missed being called Meatball Head," Serena
rolled her eyes. "Don't you guys have finals to study for? Get out!"
The girls laughed, and said their goodbyes, leaving Serena to study
her English, wondering at the definition of the word "denial".
A day later, in the sunny afternoon, Mina walked happily down the
sidewalk, and went into the Arcade to find Andrew.
"Hello, Mina! How are you?" Andrew asked, casually.
Mina smiled and said, "I aced my sociology final!" She jumped.
"I'm impressed," Andrew said. "My break's in a few minutes. Do
you want to get something in the cafe next door?"
"Well, sure!" Mina said.
"Great. Just wait a second, and we'll be on our way."
Mina smiled, and sat down at the bench outside of the Arcade. As
she sat, she thought about what the girls had said the night before...that
Andrew and her...*ha! Like it'd ever happen! We've always been only
friends, and nothing more, right?*
She was so lost in thought that she didn't notice Andrew come up
behind her, and place his hand on her shoulder. The warmth seeped
through her uniform, and she started up, turning around swiftly, twisting
the wrist behind Andrew's back, an instinct she had learned as Sailor V
that she had never quite been able to let go of. Andrew said, "Okay, I'm
sorry I surprised you!"
Mina smiled and blushed as she said, "Oh...sorry Andrew!" She let
his wrist go, as he massaged it.
"That's the last time I try doing anything like that to you!" he laughed.
"I've known you for four years, and I never once remembered that you
were Sailor V, crime fighter and TV actress, before being Mina Morrison,
future gym-teacher!" he smiled. "Geez, I mean, I met you when I believed
you were the famous actress, but you're one of my best friends now, Mina,
like a sister!"
"Are you okay?"
"Yeah, it swells a little, but it'll be fine."
"I'm really sorry."
"Yeah, well let's go to the cafe now. I have something important to
say!"
"Oh?"
"Yeah, so let's get going!"
They walked happily down the street together, and Mina laughed at
how Andrew was so nice about this. It also occurred to her that Andrew
was right...despite her first suspicions of him being nice to her because she
was Sailor V, he was NOT like that; he had known Mina, not the actress.
Andrew was always there, and Andrew always loved to make her smile.
He had gotten into a very special part of her heart, and she loved to share
laughter with him, and she was there to share in his pains, as he was there
for her. She liked Andrew a lot, and, Mina realized, as she saw Andrew's
smiling profile beside her, that this was what she wanted, that he was the
one that had captured her heart.
(3 years ago)
"Mina?"
"Hmm? Hey! What's up, Andrew?"
"I was just wondering how you were...you looked pensive when
you were passing by, and I thought something was wrong..."
"Everybody thinks I look fine! I didn't look sad, did I?"
"Well, are you?"
"Actually, there IS something."
"Do you want to talk about it? Because, you know, that I'm always
here for you."
"Hm?" her eyes were lost in huge pools of blue sadness.
"I just said that I was always here for you..."
Mina burst into tears, and Andrew took her into his arms and held
her.
"My mom is in the hospital again, and I'm not sure if she's coming
out this time..." Mina cried.
"She's been in the hospital before..."
"But this time, it's worse. Andrew...they think she has brain
cancer."
"Oh, Mina," he held her against his body. She had come to be so
important to him in the past year, and now, well, he realized just how
much her happiness meant to him.
"The doctors are checking it out more right now, and I'll know
what I'll have to do later..."
"Mina, I don't know what to say. I hope she'll be all right, but I
don't know what will happen."
"I know..."
"Mina, I want you to know that I'm here, and if you need someone
to talk to, to cry on, well, Mina, I'm here, and I'll always be here, like a
brother."
"Yeah, Andrew...thank you so much."
"I know what will you cheer you up. I'll tell my boss I want to take
the rest of the day off, and we'll go for a walk, when you can talk to me,
and I can talk to you, and after, we'll have some lasagna."
"Andrew! I don't want to take you from work!"
"Don't worry. The last time I took time from work was when
Darien was in that motorcycle accident a year ago! Believe me, I can do
this."
"Are you sure?"
"I want to, Mina. So let me."
"Well, all right."
Andrew turned to go back in the store, but Mina suddenly said,
"Andrew?"
He turned, and smiled, and said, "What?"
"The only people who know about this are Serena and them, and
the doctors. Please, Andrew, don't tell anyone else."
"I wasn't planning on it," Andrew smiled.
"Thank you."
A week later, Mina ran into the arcade and yelled, "Andrew?" She
was happy and effervescent.
Andrew came around the corner from the back room and smiled,
"She's all right, isn't she?"
"Yes!" she said, happily, as she ran into his arms and gave him a
huge hug. "It was just a little disease. I mean, sure, it's still a disease, but
it's easily treatable, and she'll be out and well before we know it!" she said
into the fabric of his shirtsleeve, a few tears of happiness bleeding into the
fibers.
He held her at arms' length and said, "You look like you're about to fly,
Mina!" he said.
"I feel like the weight of the world is off my shoulders."
"I knew you were going to be all right."
"I'm so happy, Andrew; I don't know what I would have done
without her."
"I'm happy for you."
"Andrew, thank you so much for helping me through this...this
whole past week, you've been a sweetheart, and I just want to say that I
probably wouldn't have gone through the whole thing if it weren't for
you."
"Mina, you mean a lot to me, and I was just taking care for you, as
any brother would have done."
"Well, thank you for loving me, then!" she said, happily. "You're
the first I told, so I have to find Serena and them. But I thought you ought
to be the first to know, because you really ARE my best friend now."
He smiled. "Well, you're my best friend, Mina Morrison, and I
hope we'll still be close after this..."
"Of course! I can't leave a sweet guy like you in the dust!" she
gave him another hug. "Well, I hafta book it if I want to find my friends,
so I guess this is bye!"
"I'll see you some time, Mina!"
"Of course! Bye Andrew!" she shouted as she rounded the corner
out the door.
(now)
*I love him!*
Mina started back in her inner amusement of this revelation, and as she
watched him, she imagined herself sinking into his arms, and telling him
what she just realized.
"...and so, here we are!" he smiled. Seeing that Mina looked
spaced out, he tilted his head at an inquiring angle and said, "Mina? Are
you all right?"
"Yeah," she said, breathlessly. *I've never been so fine in my life,
Andrew! I'm so totally in love with you!* But then, reality kicked in as
she remembered his words...*he thinks I'm his sister!* Suddenly, her face
fell, and that did not escape Andrew's notice.
"Mina? You okay?"
"Yeah, sure!"
"You don't look happy..."
*He's too perceptive,* she thought to herself, and smiled. She
turned to him, and said, "I'm happy, Andrew! I should be able to know my
own feelings!"
He put both hands up and said, "Okay, okay! Now let's go in," he
said, pulling open the door for her.
*He's such a gentleman!* Mina smiled, and entered the café.
He brought her to a booth, and they sat down opposite to her. A
waitress came, and both ordered cokes. As she left, Andrew leaned in a
little closer.
"Now I can tell you..."
"I have something important to tell you, too, Andrew..." Mina said.
*Best to tell him now, I mean, if he rejects me now, I wouldn't have had
all that time to believe in the some crazy dream...* "But I'll let you go
first. However, I will tell you my important thing after you say yours."
"Mina...the reason why I wanted to talk to you was because I have
something very important to say, and I thought that you, as my closest,
should know it first."
Mina's heart fluttered and she met Andrew's eyes, breathing in
slowly. *Could he possibly mean...*
"Mina, I..."
Mina urged him on, "Yeah?"
"I've been finally able to accomplish my dream! The University of
Michigan in America has accepted me to their medical school, and I'll be
going there in a few weeks to begin in the summer session, on my road to
being a doctor..."
"Andrew...I..." Mina tried to hide the hurt...*he's leaving me!*
"I'm so proud of you!" *Of course, I'm proud of him! But he's leaving
me! Oh! Why did I have to realize I loved him! A few weeks? A few
weeks, and he's out of my life?* "How long will you be in America?"
"For the next several years...I'm going to study medicine there, and
then get my Ph.D. there too. By the time I come back, I'll be all old and
gray, but I'll have the med degree and Ph.D, and I'll finally be a doctor,
like I always wanted!"
Mina frowned inwardly. *I should be happy for him!* "I'm so
happy!"
"Yeah, Darien had the jump on me when he started his studies
earlier and then when he left two years ago...I had to earn my money and
study more; Darien's such a bookworm and all...but look at me, hogging
all the conversation. It's your turn. What did you want to say, Mina?"
Mina started. *Well, I can't tell him now! I don't want him to
spend his last few weeks in Japan having unpleasant feelings, and fearing
me!* "You know, it was probably something very small, because I can't
recollect right now..."
"I think you can..." he said, looking into her eyes.
*No, Andrew, don't do that!* Her mind screamed. Mina got up,
and said, "You know what? I'm meeting my friends soon, so I have to
leave, but when I remember, I'll be sure to tell you! Bye, Andrew!"
And Mina ran away.
Raye looked at Mina and asked, "Are you serious?"
"Yeah..." she sniffed. "He's leaving in a few weeks, and he won't
come back for years!"
"I'm so sorry, Mina," she said, taking her into her arms, and
holding her. "It must be so hard...I mean, if Chad had actually decided to
leave here..." A sudden sun rose in her head as she realized what she was
saying...*If Chad were to leave...I'd die!*
Raye heaved a huge sigh of relief as she remembered him saying
that he wished to study religion with her...however, he still had not talked
to her about it...both of them being busy during the morning, too busy to
talk.
But now, Raye realized how much she valued him, and how
important he had come to be for the shrine, as well as her.
(2 years ago)
"Raye!"
Raye ran into the kitchen, robe wrapped about her shoulders
loosely. "What is it, Chad?" looking about the kitchen for him.
"It's Grampa..."
Raye looked at the floor, where she found him, next to Grampa.
"Oh no..." she fell to the floor, panicking. She felt for a pulse, and found
none. She listened for breathing, and heard no breath.
She turned to Chad and said, "How long has he been like this?"
"He just fell."
"Call an ambulance."
"I just did."
"Okay, let's do some CPR. You've got the heart, I'll get the lungs."
They continued this for five minutes...
"Raye," Chad whispered.
"No, he's not dead!" she continued breathing into Grampa, but to
no avail.
In another five minutes, an ambulance had arrived, and Grampa
still had not stirred. In another two minutes, the men pronounced him
dead, having died of a stroke.
In another few hours, Grampa was cremated, and his ashes were
ceremoniously thrown into the lake nearby, with only Raye and Chad
there.
As they stood by the moonlit lake, silent tears fell from her eyes,
an unnatural occurrence. Chad put his hand on her shoulder, and she
turned, burying her face into his robes.
Chad was wordless, but he put his arms protectively around her. "I
know he meant a lot to you, Raye...I loved him too..."
"I'm glad you're here, Chad, because you were Grampa's favorite
guy!"
"He was mine..." They stood there, silent in sadness.
Finally, Raye composed herself, and stood away from him, turning
to face the lake again. "Chad, I...if you weren't here, I'd..."
"I know, Raye, you need me here at the Temple, and I'll be here to
make sure things will run smoothly."
"But your career..."
"My career can wait a while. Don't worry; I'll take care of it
eventually, but now, I've got more important things to think about," he
said, looking at her.
She turned to him, saying, "Thank you so much."
"Your Grampa talked to me a while after his first stroke. He was
very worried about you, but I told him I'd take care of you."
"And you already have been, Chad. I can't thank you enough for
being here, helping Grampa, and now, helping me."
"It's not a duty to me, Raye, so don't talk of it like that. I want to
be here for you, and I don't need you pitying whatever you think I'm doing
to my life."
"You talk so lightly of it, Chad, but running the temple between
the two of us will be very hard..."
"I know, but leaving you here by yourself is not going to be easy
for you, OR me...Raye, I care about this temple, and I care about you."
Raye looked into his eyes, and found truth.
"Thank you..." she whispered, as she fell into his arms, holding
him tight.
(now)
*And now, he's given up his music career for this temple, and me!
I mean, sure religion's a great way of life, but he always wanted to be a
musician...maybe I should let him go...* She felt a pain come into her
heart. *But, "If you love something, you set it free..." so, I'll let him go. I
don't care what he says...he's never serious about what he says.* She
thought, trying to convince herself of that. She was doing the right thing,
and it was time Chad looked to his future, and not stay in this past. He
was going to be a great musician.
She looked back to Mina, who was smiling through her tears.
"You've realized something, haven't you, Raye?"
"Yeah..."
"Well, don't let him go..."
"Actually..."
That evening, Amy walked down the halls, joyfully skipping
alongside Greg.
"Can you believe it, Greg? We've finally got the premed credit,
and we're on our way to med school, while people our age are going to be
only in their junior year in college next year!"
"Yeah..." Greg smiled.
"What's wrong Greg?" Amy said, looking at his clouded face.
Amy's heart always did wrench when she saw Greg like this, with
that struggling look on his face...
(1 year ago)
"Greg?"
"Hmm?"
"Are you all right? You look so tired, and sad!"
"It's nothing, I suppose."
"You may say it's nothing, but your eyes say that you're facing the
hugest decision in you life."
"Because I think I am..."
"Do you want to talk about it?"
"Well, actually, yeah..."
"So what is it?"
"My old girlfriend Cassie is here, and she wants a reconciliation."
Amy's face grew extremely pale at that moment. *NO!!!! * She
composed herself on the inside, and thought it over. *I don't want Greg to
go back to Cassie...from what he's told me, she never deserved him...she
may have been beautiful, but she never deserved such a caring, and
intelligent person. Greg wouldn't want Cassie. He'd want someone to take
care for him, someone who encouraged him to reach for the stars, and
someone to be there to explain things to him when he needed it, in case he
actually needs something explained...* Then, it hit her like an icicle down
her spine. *He needs me!*
Amy's head was spinning, and Greg reached over to take her arm.
"Amy? You okay?"
"Yeah..." Amy said. *He needs me...does that mean I need him?*
She recollected all the times they had spent together in the library,
studying together, and explaining things to each other...the whole time
wasn't all devoted to books, either. They talked, all the time, and the
things they talked about! She told him secrets that she'd only tell her
closest friends, and Greg was her best friend. He was there to comfort her
when stress had taken its toll, and he was there when sadness had invaded
her life. However, if he were to ever leave her...if he were to go back to
Cassie, she couldn't bear it! She'd lose his friendship! She'd lose the bond
they had. *I'd lose HIM!* If she lost all that, if she lost all those times, if
she lost HIM, she would be so lost! She had pulled his strength so many
times, and cried into his shoulder in frustration many times...she didn't
want to lose him, and as she thought about it, she realized...*I love him!*
"I love him!"
"What?"
Amy blushed. "Nothing..."
"Who do you love, Amy?"
"I love Einstein! I was just thinking about his theories again and
all. You know me."
"Look, maybe I shouldn't tell you about Cassie..."
"Oh! No...I DO want to hear about her...it's just that my mind
wandered from Cassie to Einstein. You know; my mind wanders so much
and all."
"Yeah..."
"About Cassie..." Amy began. "I think..." *Tell him you love him,
and that you don't want him to go back to Cassie. Tell him to go to you!*
"You should give it a try..." *Amy, you spineless WIMP!*
"You're saying that I should give her a chance?"
*No! Tell him no! Tell him the truth!* "Yeah, I mean, she's
probably changed, and realized a few things..." *No!*
"Well, Amy, I trust your opinion a lot..."
"And I'm telling you to go back. You know me! I know what's
good for you!"
"Yeah Amy. Well, I guess I'll give her a call."
"For sure. Tell me how things turn out."
"I will. Bye Amy!"
Amy stood, looking at his running figure. *Amy...you are so
ridiculous! Why didn't you tell him?*
*It wouldn't have worked out anyway.*
(now)
"What IS wrong, Greg?"
"Well, you know how I've been going with Cassie for a year now,
ever since we got back together..."
"Yeah..." *How could I possibly forget?!*
"The truth is, I think Cassie is expecting a proposal soon..."
"A PROPOSAL? Mr. Urawa, you are still 20 years old!"
"Amy..."
"Okay, sorry, I just keep on thinking you're the Greg who I met in
the principal's office! We've known each other for some time now, Greg."
"Yeah...four long years of putting up with each other...I wonder
how we did it?" Greg looked into her eyes.
*We loved each other, Greg. That's how.* "I don't know...so are
you proposing soon?"
"Well..."
"Do you love her?"
"I'm not sure..."
"What do you mean?"
"There's someone else in my mind, whom I always liked a lot too,
but she doesn't know how I feel about her..."
*Back stabber! He's causing these feelings me, and yet, he's got a
girl on verge of marrying him, and another girl on his mind. No, Mr.
Urawa, three girls is way too much.* "Well, then you have a problem,"
Amy said, coldly.
"I was wondering..."
"Sorry, Greg," she said his name bitingly. "I have to go meet my
mom for dinner. Good bye."
Amy stormed off down the halls.
Serena opened her apartment door to a crying Amy. She was about
to go to sleep, to catch up on all the nights she had decided to stay up and
rough it. It was worth it, though. She passed all her finals with flying
colors. *I'm going to be a nurse!!!!*
"Amy! What's wrong?"
Amy sobbed her whole story out, and in the end, Serena quietly
said, "You don't know who the mysterious girl is, she could be you!"
"Then why would he talk on about her in the third person?"
"Amy..." a knock on the door gave Serena a rescue, and she opened
it to Raye and Mina, who were also crying a little. "And where's Lita?"
Serena asked, to the air.
At that moment, Lita was oblivious to these matters.
She was walking in Tokyo park, and was at this point, stopped
under the gazebo...the setting for many of the most emotional scenes of
her life.
"My whole life could be traced, just by watching the scenes at this
gazebo," she said, to no one in particular. She smiled, recollecting her
long life of disappointments, each always followed by a long period of
peace and acceptance, and ash she thought about it...each time, Ken had
been there, as she had always been there for her.
*Are they right? I mean, he is always there for me, so is it possible
that he might...no! Of course not! Why would he? I mean, we've been
friends since childhood, and he would never want to see me any other
way...I mean, he never told me, but what else? I'm a sister. I can't be
anything else. I mean, that vow...*
(5 years ago)
Lita was sitting at the gazebo in the park, in the rain, thinking over
her first break-up with William. Why did he have to dump me?
"Lita?"
Lita looked up to see a wonderful sight, always there when it was
stormy, or difficult. "Ken!"
"You're always here when you're depressed; I've noticed," Ken
said. "I heard about you and William..."
"Yeah..." Lita sighed heavily. "You know, I thought I knew him,
that he liked me as much as I liked him."
"He isn't worth it, Lita. You're a much better person than him."
"Than why isn't he the one suffering? He's the one who dumped
me!"
"Lita..." he said, pulling her into his arms. Lita broke into tears.
"Why, Ken?"
"I don't know, Lita. Life's very strange, and we don't really get to
choose what happens. The only things that we do get to choose is how to
deal with it."
"And you've chosen to help me deal with this kind of thing many
times..." she started to smile. "Thank you, Ken..."
"I'll always be here for you, and you'll always know that you're
never alone, and that you've got a best friend, or brother, ready to take you
into his arms, and let you cry in them."
"I know this doesn't mean much, because it's never happened
before, but Ken, when you are faced with a this kind of thing, I'll be here
for you too."
(now)
*And if I was to tell him about these feelings, well, we'd never be
able to deal with it! I mean, who would we go to if this failed?*
"Lita?"
Lita turned in full surprise to focus her eyes on the young man who
stood down the path. "William?"
"Lita, I'm so glad to see you!" William said, holding out his arms.
Lita walked slowly to him, and carefully held out her hand instead.
"Why are you back?"
"Oh, just a nice day to go out for a walk...I was hoping I'd see you
here."
"And how is Renee?"
"She and I broke up a long time ago."
"Really?"
"Look, Lita, I know we've had a shaky past, but I've really missed
you; do you want to give it one more shot?"
"William...I..."
Raye cried into her pillow that night. She couldn't sleep. Not after
she just let Chad walk away from her life. She could remember it...
She had looked at him across the dinner table with the slightly
tragic look in her eyes. It did not go unnoticed by Chad.
"Raye, what's wrong?"
"Chad, I've been thinking, and I've decided that I'll be all right; I
want you to go study your music. I insist on it."
Chad looked, confused, at Raye. "Raye, we've already discussed
this; I'm going to stay at the temple, and study religion with you."
"No, Chad, you deserve better than that. I'm not going to let this
temple drag you down, and I can manage by myself. If not, I can find
another worker!"
"Raye..."
"Chad, you have to go. I want you to go; I don't want you to give
up something you love, for this temple."
"Raye...I..."
"Good, conversation finished. You will start your musical studies
at the college the next session...which is next fall."
Dinner had then been silent.
Raye now regretted every word of her conversation. She should
never have let him go! She should have told him that she loved him, that
she was incomplete without him, but she was an idiot.
*Good job, clutz!*
A few days after the revelations, Serena sat in a chair at her father's
company ball, watching the dancers fly by. It was growing to be a long,
boring evening, as all her father's company's balls were only for lovebirds
and sappy romantics who thought that they could find someone.
Why did she come? *I came because everyone else was coming!
But no one seems to be having a good time!* Amy was dancing with
another man, who had just asked her to dance, and Greg was in another
corner of the room, watching her, and talking to a beautiful girl beside
him, who must be Cassie.
Cassie looked very pretty, but as Serena looked back to Amy, she
decided that Amy looked INFINITELY prettier. She had a silk dress on,
in a shade of light blue so light it was almost white, with an off-the-
shoulder collar, revealing thin ivory shoulders. It was like seeing a
Georgia peach, but in Japan, in the evening, and without the darned hoops
in the skirts. The light dress's waistline hugged her thin body, in a light
blue ribbon, of a deeper shade of blue. Her light skirts flowed with layer-
like quality to her feet, where her satin light blue high heels gracefully
stepped around. Amy's hair was beautifully combed, and clipped back
with water-drop sapphire barrettes. Her face was pale, but the rose of
excitement bloomed in her cheeks, and she talked enthusiastically with her
companion. Her eyes, however were not to be distinguished, for they were
hidden behind the sapphire-studded mask she wore. *I hate
masquerades!* Serena thought. *You can't always recognize people; and
when you can't, it's hard to tell if you're dancing with a perfect stranger or
not!*
Mina danced by with Andrew, a smile on her lips, and Serena
noticed, artificial. *She's dying inside!* She was beautiful as well,
wearing a dark sunshine color spaghetti strap gown, done with a regency
style waist, with the waistline up right below her breast. A gold cord
wove around her at this spot, and from the center of her front, the cloth
opened to a lighter shade of gold, which gave a bountiful amount of
golden silk cloud. Mina's hair was pulled back in the princess style she
always wore, but clipped with a gold sun clip instead of the usual pink
bow. She wore a gold chain around her neck, with an amber droplet as the
charm. Her mask was a concoction of gold glitter, and though no one
could see her eyes, Serena thought it was for the better, because if Andrew
actually saw Mina's eyes, he'd see how depressed she really was.
Raye was dancing with Chad, and her movements indicated that
she was feeling full of regret. *She doesn't want to let go...I wouldn't
either, bit she's probably wiser, I only hope she knows what she's doing...*
However, she looked gorgeous. Her red satin sleeveless was a
shimmering wave of romance, and it enveloped her slim figure nicely.
Her dark hair was flew about her in a dark mass, long and shiny. She wore
ruby earrings, which twinkled through her hair. Her mask was studded
with ruby rhinestones.
And, then, there was Lita, dancing away with William...*how can
she just forget about Ken?* She wore a neat concoction...her dress had a
low collar, and would have been considered sleeveless, had it not been for
the black chiffon sleeves. The dark green velvet flowed elegantly down to
her feet, and she looked especially tall, with her dark green velvet high
heels. Her auburn hair was up, in a ponytail, winding down her back, and
her pink rose earrings sparkled in the lights of the room. Ken saw in the
corner, watching her sadly, with a beautiful girl on his arm, whom he was
not paying any attention to.
*Poor girls! Oh! I'm so lucky I don't have a guy like that tugging
at my heart strings! And I'm really glad I gave up on Andrew a long time
ago. And what is with Lita? Going back to William? I admit, he's still
very nice, but he's no Ken!*
Serena didn't look bad herself. She wore a pretty gown, with white
spaghetti straps, gold thread-embroidered bodice to right below her breast,
where a cord of pearls surrounded, and a flowing skirt of many layers of
silk and chiffon gracefully floated about her. A necklace of pearls
surrounded her white throat, and matching pearls studded her hair, which
was done up in buns and ponytails...though this time, the buns were
surrounded by little rings of white rosebuds, and covered by white lace
caps. She wore white mask, embroidered with gold design, and her pearl
earrings glowed in the moonlight, as she sat by the window to the gardens,
looking helplessly out. *I wish I never came to this depressing evening.
Everyone's so depressed about this guy or the other, and I'm the only sane
one, and what's more, there isn't a single guy here I'd want to dance with!
In all my life, though there have been many hot guys, there's been almost
no one that I have actually even considered going out with for more than
once second!*
As she was looking out the window to the gardens though, she thought
back to the past, about the one and only guy that DID stick out in her
memory, and who claimed her thoughts for that fleeting moment after one
second...and the next second...and the one after that...
(3 years ago)
Serena walked down the garden aisle, taking in the early summer
air...the roses were blooming at Tokyo park, and she was so glad she
decided to take the day off hospital volunteer work to do this; she hadn't
been the rose garden since she was nine, and then, Sammy had whined so
much all the joy was almost spoiled. This time, it was only her, so nothing
could possibly burst her bubble.
"Hey Meatball head!"
*Almost nothing.* "Darien! I have a name. It's Serena. S-E-R-E-
N-A. Suh-ree-nah. Let's say it together."
"Aw, Meatball head, still sore about the name, are you?"
"No, CROWHEAD!" she retorted.
"Getting harsh are we? Well, how about I make amends by giving
you this..." he held out a perfect red rose. It was almost in full bloom,
with all the petals in satin perfection. It wasn't bruised, or ruined in any
way.
Serena melted on the spot. "It's so beautiful, Crow- I mean
Darien! Is it really for me?"
"I saw you here, and thought you might like it..."
"Speaking of being here, why ARE you here?" Serena said, taking
the rose, her nose among the petals.
*She looks beautiful...* Darien thought. He shook himself of the
feeling, and started to walk down the walkway with her. "Roses are my
favorite flower," Darien shrugged.
"You too?" Serena was surprised.
"Yeah, I visit the rose gardens every year at this time!"
"Oh, this is my first time here in a long time."
"Then you don't know the prettiest spots?"
"No...could you...show me?" Serena began, uncertainly. Darien
had never seemed so kind, and the rose wove a spell over her, allowing
herself to be a little more crazy than usual as to ask him such a question.
"Well, I'll forget you're Meatball head this afternoon, and show
you, because I love roses, and I'd like to show you around..."
"Would you really?" Serena's face lit up. "I'd love it if you
would!"
"Of course, I will, M-Serena."
"Thank you, Cr-Darien," she laughed back.
"Now come on!" Darien said, taking her hand in his and dragging
farther into the garden.
"My parents are going to have a fit that I've come in an hour past
dinner, but I won't mind their lecture. Thank you so much for everything,
Darien, for the tour of the rose garden, the dinner, and the motorcycle ride
home; I haven't had so much fun in a long time."
"I've noticed you have been studying a lot."
"I've had to," Serena sighed. "But summer's here, so I think I'll
have a little more fun and free time now."
"Well, on any account, Serena, I had a great time too. I've always
loved the rose garden, but now, when I think of it, I'll remember you as
well, and the one day in all of eternity we were nice to each other."
"So tomorrow, we're back to Crowhead and...Meatball Head?" she
inquired, a little sadly.
"Well..."
Serena started to think. *What am I saying? What would I do if
Darien was actually my friend? What could we possibly do? This thing
with having fun with each other only happened because we both loved
roses...we don't have anything else in common! He's what...three or four
years older than me! We have absolutely nothing in common! How could
we actually try at a friendship? No, though I think that this has been the
best evening, and though last year, I dreamt of such a thing happening, I'm
smarter now, and I know he's a college boy, and he'll be bound to meet
someone more attractive anyway. This way, if I stop it now, I won't get
hurt.* "Of course we'll be Crowhead and Meatball head! I wouldn't have
it any other way! I mean, like we'd actually be friends?! As if!" she said,
smilingly.
Darien laughed artificially. *That has to be the equivalent of a slap
in the face! * "Yeah! I mean, who else would I tease?"
"And who else would I hate?"
*Hate?* Darien heard the word, echoing a billion times in his
head. *She probably didn't mean that in a serious sense, did she?* All of
a sudden, on a sudden impulse, he gathered her in his arms, and whispered
into her ear, "You'll never hate me, my princess, because you never have."
Serena caught her breath. *What is he doing? Dad's almost surely
at the window now!* However, as she leaned back in his arms, she looked
into his eyes, eyes that had captivated her the first time she had seen him.
*My prince...*
The dream of so long ago came back...*It's funny how it's only
with him that it comes back to me!* She wound her arms around his neck,
and he leaned down. Their lips met, and Serena felt herself floating.
At that moment she heard the front door swing open. "What the
heck are you doing with my daughter?" Serena's father demanded.
Serena woke up from this long day's dream and realized it couldn't
have been real. She stepped away from Darien, and to sever ties with this
forever existing illusion, she pushed him back. "What do you think you're
doing? Leave here at once, Crowhead," she said, unfeelingly, as she
walked up the sidewalk to greet her father. "Sorry I'm late, daddy," she
whispered, as tears started to form in her eyes.
Her dad just looked after her, as she went up the stairs to her room.
Darien stood outside, confused, and relieved that Serena was smart
enough to end this strange and long day. The shove was a little excessive,
but it served him right, living in a dream! It was obvious she never really
cared for him, so it was just as well she acquainted him with that fact now.
However, as he rode away on his motorcycle, he didn't see the pale
tear-imprinted face at the window upstairs, peeking through the curtains,
sheltering herself from pain in the darkness.
She looked at the rose, and sighed, a few more tears coming out of
the corners of her eyes.
(now)
As if on cue, she suddenly saw a white rose, perfected to the very last
petal, as Darien's red one had been, right before her eyes. She smiled as
she took it from its owner, and looked at him carefully.
He was tall, with dark black hair, and wore a tuxedo which showed
off his well-structured body. He obviously had worked out. His eyes
were covered by a mask of white, and his mouth was curled into a smile.
"Milady," he bowed before her.
"Are you talking to me?" she asked, tilting her head.
"Of course!"
Serena was taken off guard, and Darien completely slipped her
mind, as she said, "Good evening."
"Would you give me the honor of your hand in this dance?"
She gave him her hand, which was wrapped in a long white
dancing glove, and said, "Of course."
He guided her out to the floor, and the minute they stepped out
there, Serena forgot where she was, and all she could see was the
mysterious stranger.
*Stupid mask!* Serena was in a daze...*who are you, my
handsome prince? Prince? Hmm...* She felt herself in his arms, but she
stiffened in his grasp, and her face, though smiling, was also tensed.
After the dance, he led her out to the balcony, and they stood,
looking at the stars. She sighed back into him, and felt his arms around
her shoulders. She shivered slightly at his touch, and she stepped a little
away from him, as she casually remarked, "I think that the moon's the
most beautiful thing in the sky."
"In the sky, it may be, but it's not so beautiful, when you compare
it to other things, like your eyes."
Serena felt herself blush, and she said to her admirer, reprovingly,
"Darien, do you have any idea who you're talking to?"
As she turned around, she found that Darien had vanished, if he
really WAS Darien. In his place, another white rose lay on the floor, and
Serena picked it up, and frowned.
Mina walked up to Lita and nudged her a little. "Did you see that
guy Serena snagged? He's really cute, and he only came in half an hour
ago! Yet, she immediately got him!"
"Well, she doesn't waste her time, but I think I know that person,
Mina..."
Amy walked to them. "That person that Serena went out there
with...wasn't that..."
"Darien?" Raye completed for her.
"Actually..." Lita began.
"It..." Amy sighed.
"Might..." Mina looked dazed.
"Have been!" Raye said, smiling. "I think that he's fallen for her,
finally!" she said, triumphantly.
"But Serena doesn't look like she enjoyed the attention, and she's
stalking over here with a confused and slightly angry look on her face.
Turn around you guys!" Lita said.
"So I said, 'who cares about meatballs? We have Serena, don't
we?' Ha!" Raye was saying.
The group laughed nervously as Serena approached them, with two
white roses in her hand. "You guys, I think I'm a little tired. Do you guys
want to leave?"
"Well..." Lita began.
"Actually, I wouldn't mind leaving," Raye said. She was obviously
glad at the chance to leave this sad moment in time; she didn't want to
dance any more with Chad, lest she wanted to burst into tears!
"I think I want to leave too," Amy began, looking at Greg, who
was still dancing with Cassie, but still looking at Amy. "I don't think I'm
enjoying myself too much."
"Yeah..." Mina mumbled. Every time she was with Andrew, it was
getting harder to say good bye.
"You know, if you leave, it'll get boring for me too, so I guess we
could leave right now," Lita said, looking at William, who was standing
beside her.
They all went to Serena's apartment afterwards, and as Serena
bustled about in sweats, making tea and mumbling, "I'm Meatball Head,
he's Crowhead...I'm Meatball Head, he's Crowhead. He had no right to
change that."
"Serena, I saw you dancing with Darien tonight," began Lita,
smiling at Mina.
"Yeah, Crowhead and I resumed our bickering and stuff; the usual
mocking tones, and stuff."
"But Serena, you weren't crying, and he wasn't laughing," Raye
said.
"What did you do? Whip out the spy gear on me?"
"No, Serena, but we hope you know that it didn't look like he was
about to tease you to death," Amy smiled.
"No, he wasn't, but you know he's gonna do it when I see him
again, of course, because that's what our relationship is like, and if he gets
some silly idea of moonlight and roses, then I think he should just find
another girl, because I am all about being teased, and if he can't handle the
fact that teasing mortifies me and I want it to stay that way, he's got to find
another girl to start acting all nice to!"
"Serena, are you listening to yourself?" Mina asked. "You have a
chance at a real relationship! Don't bow out because...because...Serena,
what IS wrong with Darien?"
"What's wrong? There's plenty wrong," she began. "Darien's
mean, and he teases me too much."
"He SEEMED mean a long time ago, and he teased you back
THEN. He's probably different now."
"I don't know what in the world could ever give you THAT
impression. I mean, he probably decided to act charming tonight only to
confuse me!" *And it's working!*
"I think it's romantic," Amy asked.
"No, it's not romantic, and if I liked a girl, being a jerk is not the
way to recommend myself to her," Serena promptly replied.
"Are you sure the problem lies in Darien? You DO cause some of
the tension yourself."
"Look, I don't like the idea of a relationship, okay? I'm still only
twenty, and when I really want to seriously give myself into a trapping
relationship with someone else, I'll go for it. Not now. I've done lots of
maturing, and I've decided that relationships aren't the kind of things that
you can just jump into and fall in love with. All those years I was crazy
about guys, well, I wasn't in love with them. I liked their looks, and I was
in love with love, not them. I don't need complication clouding my life,
especially now, seeing that there are things I don't understand, besides
Darien."
Serena grumbled as her alarm clock went off. She looked at the
clock. It was 6:30. She wanted to go for that morning jog she normally
took now. So, she slowly slid out of bed and got on some jogging
clothes...a pink sweatshirt and some white leggings. She also didn't bother
with her meatball head hair style; she put it all up in a ponytail.
She then wandered out of her apartment complex, and started in the
direction of the park.
She had to get out, and she had to think...about her life, about what
she had stood for the past years, and about what was going on with Darien.
She jogged into the park, and smiled as she waved at the daily
joggers whom usually greeted her. She started on her own route, and went
in the direction of the rose garden.
She jogged through the rows of roses, which she always thought
were beautiful, but her mind wasn't really on the roses. It was
concentrated on the mysterious topic of Darien.
What ABOUT Darien? He left two years ago, and he was a jerk.
There was only one time when he WASN'T a jerk, and that was when we
went into this garden and that was also three years ago...old news. Things
have changed.
She hadn't bothered with relationships or anything after that. There
was no reason to bother. Why did she need a guy to take up her time and
thoughts when she had so much to worry about right now? There was
certainly enough to worry about without dragging a guy into the matter.
But she sighed. That day WAS wonderful, up to the part when she
slapped him. She still had no idea why she did so, but she always told
herself that he was asking for it, since he DID kiss her.
But she liked it.
She shook her head of these thoughts as she realized it was 8:00
and she had jogged about two times around the lake in the middle of the
park...which was the equivalent of 5 miles.
She sighed, resigned and ran back to her apartment building.
As she walked down to find something sitting on her doormat to
her apartment. She furrowed her forehead and looked stepped back
slightly in surprise as she realized that it was another white rose.
*That makes three...geez! Will you leave me alone, Darien?* She
frowned. Her mind screamed no to this romantic gesture, but her heart
started to beat harder.
Raye smiled as she went into the kitchen to get her breakfast when
she found Chad sitting, pensive, at the table.
"What's up?" she asked, cheerfully.
"I thought about it last night Raye, after I got back from the ball. I
decided I don't want to study music anymore. I think I like my life as it is.
I don't care what you say Raye; you need me here, and I like to be here,
and I don't want to leave. I want to stay, because I love the temple, and
I..."
"Chad...I told you; I'm not ready to drag you down."
"You won't be. If anything, you'll..." he broke off, slightly
embarrassed.
"I'll what?" Raye asked, her heart pounding in her chest.
"You'll...you'll...Raye, I have something to tell you."
"And what is that?" Raye barely managed to choke out of her dry
throat.
"Raye...I have some...feelings for you, and I think they are very
strong...what I'm trying to say, is, well, that I am in love with you."
Raye could not speak. Warmth rushed into her pale cheeks.
"I know you probably didn't want to hear that, but I've stayed here
so long, and I've wanted to tell you for so long, I had to do it."
Raye started to cry. "Chad...well, I...I..."
"I'll leave if this really has hurt you."
"No! I um..."
Chad looked at Raye carefully, and took her hands in his. "Look at
me, Raye. What are you trying to say?"
Raye looked up, into Chad's eyes...beautiful, deep as the sea of
Japan, and as sparkling as snow on Mount Fuji. She couldn't look away,
not now, and she silently admitted, "I love you too, Chad."
Serena walked into the hospital after taking a shower and getting
dressed for work. She was now a nursing assistant at the hospital, and she
greeted Nurse Nagoya happily. "What's new?"
"There's a new doctor in the hospital."
"Really?" Serena sighed, exasperated, confused, as she found a
white rose in the pocket of her nurse jacket. *There's the fourth one...dang
it Darien! Why don't you try talking to me? Since when did you try
charming me off my feet, and since when did I actually start falling for
sappy romantic gestures?*
Nurse Nagoya smiled; she had seen the young man who had come
in earlier to ask to put the rose in Serena Tsukino's jacket. He was very
handsome, and he seemed nice enough. And also, Nurse Nagoya realized
as he left, he was very much in love with Serena, and he was perfect.
Nurse Nagoya, however, straightened her face, not wanting to tell
Serena something she'd have to find out for herself, and said, "His name's
Darien...Darien Chiba. I met him earlier."
Serena, at that name, almost fainted...losing color so fast she
looked like a ghost.
"Darien?" she asked, half in a daze and half panicked.
"Yes, and he's going to be introduced to everyone at the staff
meeting, which we have to leave for right now."
Serena panicked. *Should I go straighten up for him? Look
dazzling, and say something about last night? Geez, Darien, only you
would take so much pleasure in driving me crazy.*
"Come on Serena," Nurse Nagoya took her arm, and led her to the
door of the office. "We have to go to the meeting room now."
Serena entered quietly, and avoided eye contact with anyone in the
room...specifically the one person she was most scared of.
She went and sat at the back of the room, while Nurse Nagoya sat
near the front. Another nurse in training looked at Serena. "Did you see
the new doc? He's a hottie!"
*Don't I know it? Of course he would be as handsome as he was
two years ago!*
"May I have your attention please?" Dr. Anderson said. Amy's
mother was now the best doctor in the hospital, and therefore head doctor.
Dr. Anderson continued. "I'd like to present our new doctor, who
has studied medicine in Tokyo for 4 years, and 2 years in the best medical
school in the world, Johns Hopskins," she said with lots of pride. "And I
know him from an unfortunate previous accident which brought him to the
hospital. But obviously he's better now. May I present to you Darien
Chiba, M.D."
Serena looked at the floor, and refused to look up. She wasn't
looking up, because she knew he was looking for her in the audience.
"I'd like to present our staff to you; you know who I am," she
smiled.
Dr. Anderson skimmed down the major names of each department,
including Nurse Nagoya, head nurse. "And now, there are also nurses in
training. We have very accomplished young ladies. Our most helpful, the
lead nurse in training, also one of our most loved staff, is our ace student,
who has studied so hard, she has skipped a whole two grades in nursing
school, because she has so much knowledge of helping people. She also
knows the best techniques to keep people calm. She's just finished up her
last year in nursing school, and she's only twenty years old! We all call
her a miracle worker, but she likes to be called..." Serena's heart beat hard.
She HAD skipped two grades (having been through 2 summers of college
studies!), and she felt that pit in her stomach just fall lower. "Serena
Tsukino. I'm not quite sure, but I think she was YOUR assistant nurse
when you visited!"
The girl next to her nudged her, and Serena stood up and looked at
Dr. Anderson, and smiled nervously, as she turned her eyes to look at
Darien Chiba.
HE was breathtakingly handsome. He was still tall, with that air of
mysteriousness and charm which he had possessed so long ago. He was
also stronger, and had more of a solid look to him than before. And he
was smiling. At her.
Serena opened her mouth to welcome him like the others who Dr.
Anderson, and at that moment, she decided she would show him that his
presence did not bother her. She put her head a notch higher and
welcomed warmly, "Hello Dr. Chiba. It's nice to have you on the staff
here, and I'm sure you'll love it here."
He looked at her with an unreadable expression. His eyes were
calm blue, and met hers with a blank look. *I hate blank looks!* Serena
could read NOTHING from blank looks.
She shuffled in her tennis shoes as Dr. Anderson ended the staff
meeting. Serena started to leave the room with her friend when she heard
Dr. Anderson call her name, "Serena! Wait a minute. I need to talk to
you."
Serena looked to her friend and smiled, "I'll see you later Karen.
And remember; Billy wants his blankie when you feed him; it was not fun
cleaning up after he spit those carrots all over the place."
Karen laughed at the inside joke, and Serena turned around to find
the room now empty except for her, Dr. Anderson, and Dr. Darien.
"What did you want to talk to me about?" Serena asked.
"Serena, since you always show the new staff around the hospital, I
want you to take Darien around the hospital, and show him everything and
everyone."
Serena's heart stopped. No, it was one thing to act perfectly fine
for one or two sentences while welcoming, but to spend the day taking
him around the hospital?
"I've already told Nurse Nagoya you'd be doing this for the whole
day, so your duties are already reassigned to Karen and the others. Why
don't you show Darien around today and you guys can get to know each
other? You WILL be working with each other, after all, since you both
are assigned the same wing."
"Well, all right..." Serena said, calming herself.
"Great!" Dr. Anderson said. "I've got to go do bypass surgery right
now, so I've got to go. Have fun!"
Serena smiled as the doctor walked out the room. She then turned
to Darien, who was looking at her appreciatively. "Hello Serena."
"Darien..."
"It's been a while, hasn't it?"
"Considering I saw you last night, no. Come on," Serena said,
"This is large hospital, and we've got lots to cover."
She left, and Darien followed her, with a smile which she did not
turn around to see.
To be continued
Copyright Crystal Heart 1997
Well, what do you think? E-mail me comments.
Crisinti@hotmail.com
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