~Almost Like Falling in Love~By: Meatball HeadE-mail: pomprincess@hotmail.com
Rating: PG
Hey everyone!  Here is yet another short story, and a Darien and Serena
romance, as I am apt to write.  This is a nice sweet one in which Iactually 
got the idea by myself, and the poetry laced through the story is minetoo.  
If you want to read Serena's poem from beginning to end you will haveto do 
some scrolling (it's in three sections).  I used the pieces where Ithought 
they were appropriate.  I am really happy with all of the positiveresponse 
I have been getting with Misleading Identities.  I know it is almostover 
(one more chapter to go!), but thanks to all of those wonderful fanswho 
actually wrote to tell me how much they liked it.  I will try to getanother 
multi-part fic out as soon as possible, but for now I don't have anyideas 
which will last more than one story.  So PLEASE send me your ideas, Iwill 
definitely mention you in the author's notes.  PLEASE.  Ok, I'm off my 
"please help me" kick now, I promise.  This is another first-seasonromance 
(I'll soon get out stuff that is set during Sailor Moon R nad the DoomTree 
series).  Read and enjoy!  And Hamham, thanks for the advice.  I triedto 
take it...Standard disclaimers apply here as always.
	Serena sat at her desk in school, her head propped up on the palm ofher 
hand, staring out the window.  It was a glorious spring day, a day fullof 
sunshine and birdsong.  The sun sparkled on the sidewalk, leaves were 
beginning to unfurl on the trees, and early flowers were in bloom inthe 
flowerbeds, a wild mixture of white and purple.  It was the perfect dayto 
share with someone special.  In Serena's daydream, at least, thatsomeone 
could be anyone, even the most unattainable guy she had ever met.  Blueeyes 
sparkled at her as he offered her a flower.  Black hair blew in thegentle 
breeze which carried the soft scent of fresh earth and wild crocuses...
	"SERENA TSUKINO!"  Miss Haruna's furious yell broke Serena out of her 
lovely dream and brought her back to earth and the last period of an 
excruciatingly long school day.  "Are you listening to me?"
	"Uh...yes, Miss Haruna?"
	"Good.  For anyone ELSE who didn't catch that,"  the class snickered. 
Serena could feel her ears and cheeks turning pink.  "I said that thelocal 
paper is offering a poetry contest.  I want all of you to enter.  thepoetry 
can be any length, on any subject, no restrictions at all.  You don'thave 
to use your own name on the entry form if you don't want, but in thatcase 
please attach a slip of paper that tells me who wrote it.  I want themfirst 
thing tomorrow."  The bell rang, finally bringing an end to the schoolday.  
"You are all excused."
	Dragging her feet, Serena left the classroom.  'Poetry!  That's notfair!  
I don't know how to write poetry!  I can't spell, and I probablycouldn't 
rhyme two words if I tried.  And what am I supposed to write aboutanyway?'
	"Hey Serena!"  Lita smiled down at her friend.  She didn't receive an 
answer right away.  "A penny for your thoughts."
	"Oh, Lita, I'm sorry.  I've been ignoring you for the past fiveminutes!  
it's just that dumb poetry assignment..."
	"Oh yeah, I got that too.  I think it will be so hard!"
	"What do you mean, Lita?"  Asked Ami, joining them in the hall.  "I am
really looking forward to writing it!  The prize is a $100 giftcertificate 
to the mall, plus the winning entry gets published in the paper! Imagine 
all I could get with $100 dollars!  A new computer program maybe..."
	"Easy for YOU to say Ami.  My language arts grade is riding on this,and 
I've never tried writing poetry!  I'll fail the class if I don't dowell on 
this.  I'm doomed."
	"Don't be so gloomy, Serena!"  Lita admonished.  "You've never tried, 
right?  Maybe this could end up being something you are really goodat."
	"Yeah right, Lita."	"Well, don't knock it 'till you try it!"
	"Fine.  But if I fail this class I'm blaming you guys."
	"If you blamed us every time you failed a class, where would that getus?"  
Lita asked playfully.
	"LITA!"  Serena chased her giggling friends down the street, her hair 
blowing like gold streamers in the warm wind.
	Darien sat on a stool in the arcade, drinking coffee and reading the 
newspaper.  'A poetry contest...that sounds interesting...'  Notlifting his 
eyes from the paper, Darien walked out the door.
	"Ouch!"  When he lowered his eyes he saw a very angry face topped bytwo 
golden buns.  "Watch where you're going Meatball Head!"
	Her brown-haired friend restrained her.  Darien was sure she had beengoing 
to hit him.	"Actually Darien, I'm afraid that one was your fault."  A girl with
long pale hair caught up in a red bow walked from behind him and patted
Serena on 
the arm.  "Maybe you should watch where YOU'RE going.  Come on Serena."
	"No...actaully if I wasn't such a klutz maybe it wouldn't havehappened.  
I'm sorry."  She smiled an apologetic smile at Darien.  Her eyes were 
thoughtful as she brushed the dirt off her skirt and walked into thearcade 
chattering with her friends.
	Darien stared uncomprehendingly after her.  'Meatball Head? Apologizing?  
That's not like her.'  He shook his head and headed home.
	Mina watched Serena carefully.  The girl's eyes were thoughtful. "Serena, 
if you don't eat that ice cream now, it's going to melt!"
	"You know what?  You have it, Mina.  I think I should go home and workon 
my poem.  See you all later!"  With those words Serena left herfriends.  
She had not noticed the amazed expresions on their faces when shewillingly 
opted to do homework.  It didn't matter anyway.  She had just gotten 
inspiration on what to write about.
	Almost since the day she had met him, Serena had thought Darien wasthe 
cutest guy she had ever met.  She daydreamed about him in class, andher 
dreams at night were full of him too.  She always wanted to tell himwhat 
she felt, but he made her so angry-plus he didn't see her as anythingother 
than a kid.  A stupid klutzy kid.  'But maybe I can express what I feelin a 
poem.  He won't know that I wrote it, and maybe then he'll understandmy 
feelings.  At least I will understand them.  I'm not so sure what'sgoing on 
between us, but maybe this will help me understand.'
	Sitting down at her desk Serena took out a pen and a sheet of paper. After 
a moment of thinking, she scribbled down the first name that came toher  
"Daniella Caromini".  That sounded mature enough.  Slowly, painfully,the 
words came to her.  She used a dictionary to check her spelling so thatno 
one would see what she had written.  She dragged the dusty oldtypewriter 
out of the garage and typed up her poem.  She was at work until threein the 
morning.  Her mother was worried and asked her if she had a fever. Luna was 
so happy that she looked as if she was smiling.  Sandy was convincedhis 
sister had been kidnapped by aliens and replaced with a substitute. Serena 
ignored them all and wrote deep into the night.
	Finally, it was ready.  The next day at school, Miss Haruna walkedaround 
collecting the assignments.  She passed right by Serena's desk without stopping.
	"Wait Miss Haruna.  What about me?"
	The teacher slowly and incredulously turned around.  "YOU did your 
HOMEWORK?  But this is a momentous occasion!  I'll read it to theclass..."
	"No, Miss Haruna.  Please don't."
	The young teacher didn't understand why Serena sounded so hesitant. But 
she took up the paper, noting that it was typed.  Not like serenaTsukino at 
all.  Of course, she probably just wanted that shopping spree...
	Three days had passed since Darien had seen Serena and her friendsoutside 
the arcade.  That day, he sat at the counter just as was his habit,sipping 
coffee and reading the paper.
	"Hey, did you hear?  The winner of the contest has been announced. her 
poetry is GREAT.  But no one knows her.  Do YOU know anyone namedDaniella 
Caromini?"
	Darien shook his head.  he found the right page and began to read the 
simple short poem titled "Almost Like Falling in Love"**********
I see your face, you look at me,That smile of yours that melts my heart.
A child is all I think you seeBut I can't bear when we're apart.
Those eyes of yours are the deepest blue,They sparkle like the stars above.
I lose myself when I look at you,And it almost feels like falling in love...
**********	Darien looked up, startled.  For some reason that simple little piece
of poetry had touched his heart.
	"Yeah, I know what you mean."  Andrew said.  "She must really lovewhoever 
she was writing about.  Well, gotta be off...oh, there are Serena andher 
friends."	"Hey Andrew!  Hey Darien-shut your mouth before you even begin to
insult me.  So, who won the contest?  I haven't seen the paper yet."
	"She's in a really good mood."  Darien whispered aside to his friendRaye 
who was with them.
	"Yeah, her teacher gave her an 'A' on some poem she had to write.  Ithink 
it saved our Meatball Head from failing."
	Meanwhile Andrew was talking to Serena.  "Some girl named Daniella 
Caromini...What's wrong Serena?"  Her face had become a pasty white. "Do 
you know her?"	"Well...no, I don't KNOW her."
	"No, no you don't"  Ami added in as quickly as she could.
	"Nope, not at all." Mina replied.
	"No, I don't think she does..."  Said Lita, although her eyes werebright, 
as if she had a secret she didn't want to share.
	Confused, Raye and Darien looked at each other.  Suddenly Raye's face 
dawned with understanding.  "Oh..Daniella CAROMINI...yeah...I'm sureI've 
heard that name somewhere before..."  Oddly, Serena's face became even 
paler.  "I'm not sure exactly where though..." Raye finished off,grinning 
slyly at a very relieved Meatball Head.
	"Well, we must be going, bye everyone!"  Cheerfully but urgently thegirls 
pushed each other out the door.
	Darien looked at Andrew.  "What was THAT all about?"
	Shrugging his shoulders Andrew replied "Beats me.  maybe too muchsugar?.."
	Darien looked back at the poem and noticed a post office box numbernext to 
it.  "I think I'll write her a letter.  Just to tell her how much Iliked 
her poem...For some reason I feel like I know this girl.  Though Iwould 
definitely remember if I met anyone named Daniella Caromini..."
	Serena stopped at the post office on her way home from school the nextday. 
  Apparently, there had been a PO box provided for the winner of thecontest 
in case he/she received too much mail.  When she had stopped at the 
newspaper office earlier to pick up her prize, the editor had explainedthat 
it was often necessary for the winners of such contests.
	Serena had finally given in and told her friends about the poem, whichled 
to the discovery of her false name, which, of course, led to the rather
painful admission that the poem had been about Darien.  Her friends had
promised not to tell him her secret.
	Opening the box with the key she had also been given, she saw fiveletters, 
and all of them were for her!  Well, they were addressed to Daniella 
Caromini, but she was still happy.  She had never gotten so much of hervery 
own mail before.  She looked through them.  One letter, in a plainwhite 
envelope, had a stamp with a red rose on it and was from...
	"Oh my lord!"  Serena shreiked, causing everyone in the office to lookup 
at her to make sure she was all right.  After convincing them that shewas, 
she ran home to enjoy her hard earned reward.	Dear Darien,
	Thank you so much for writing to me.  I am very happy you liked 	mypoem...
	Darien looked up from the letter in his hands to see Andrew leaningover 
his shoulder reading as well.  "Hey!  This is private correspondence!" He 
joked, although he knew it was very difficult to hide many things fromhis 
best frind.	"So, she wrote you back huh?"
	"Sure looks like it.  I guess she liked my letter enough to become 
interested in knowing me."	"You'll write back, of course?"
	"Of course.  I still have the feeling I know her.  She has thesereally 
deep feelings, like no one I can think of, but she's...oh I don'tknow!"
	Andrew grinned at him.  "Hate to say it buddy, but I have a feelingshe's 
taken.  Once that guy of hers realized how much she loved him...well,they 
are probably a very happy couple by now."
	"Well she wrote me, so I am going to write back.  I'm not in it tofind a 
girlfriend.  This girl just...interests me.  That's all."
	"Right."  Andrew stated in a deeply mocking voice.  Darien shook hishead 
and left the arcade to compose his reply in peace.
	Several weeks had gone by since Serena's poem had been published inthe 
paper.  Most of the correspondence had died down, but the whiteenvelopes 
with rose stamps arrived as regularly as clockwork, always on the dayafter 
she sent a reply.  Serena cherished the letters, keeping them all in abox 
in her room, under the bed where Sammy couldn't find them.  After theyhad 
gotten past formalities the two had realy begun getting to know eackother.  
'Only he thinks he is getting to know someone named DaniellaCaromini...'  
Thought a slightly saddened Serena as she opened the latest letter.
	Over the last couple of weeks, Serena had learned many things aboutDarien 
that she had never known.  He had told her that he had been orphanedvery 
young and had no memory of anything before the fateful car crash thatkilled 
his parents.  He had shared with her the details of his old modelingjob, 
even of his first love, something that she found painful but extremely 
interesting.  Sad stories, funny stories, romantic stories, back andforth 
they painted their dreams on paper and sent them by mail to the oneperson 
they thought would understand.
	For days, the girls had been teasing Serena about telling him who shewas.  
Ami and raye were certain that he was completely in love with heralready, 
the way they found him staring at her letters, even walking along thestreet 
reading them.  Serena still wasn't sure abou it though.  She had ahorrible 
feeling that once he found out who he had been sharing his secrets withhe 
would shut his defenses tighter than before, and never let her through.
	Scanning over the last letter she gasped, re-reading a group ofsentences 
that had caught her eyes.
	Will you please meet me?  I feel like I know you already, but I 	wouldlove 
to put a face with a name.  Please come to the Fifth 	Street Cafe at6:00 on 
April 16th and let me treat you to 	dinner...
	Serena looked at her calendar.  It was already the 15th of April!  Shehad 
very little time to decide what to do.  Picking up the phone she calledAmi, 
Lita, Mina, and even Raye.  After long conversations with all of them,she 
finally decided that she would go.
	The next day Serena used part of her gift certificate to buy a newoutfit.  
Not a really fancy outfit, just a short denim skirt and a pale pinktank top 
with a rose on it.  She put on some pink lipstick and a little bit ofblush. 
  As she left her heart was beating so loudly she swore everyone in the
house could hear it.**********Perhaps the time will come someday
When I'll take off my mask and let you see
That I'd give you my heart if you would stay
Because of everything you've come to mean to me.I pray tonight that when I dream
My heart will soar with yours above.You are as perfect as you seem
And it almost feels like falling in love...**********
	Looking into the window of the Fifth Street Cafe Serena saw Dariensiting 
at a little table with two chairs, leaning back in a relaxed fashionand 
drinking a cup of coffee.
	'He looks so great...Who was I kidding when I decided to come?  He'llleave 
the moment he realizes he's been writing to me the whole time.  Oh WHYdid I 
let Raye talk me into this?  I shouldn't have come...No.  I can't dothis!"  
But Serena reralized she couldn't just leave him there either.  Takinga 
deep breath she walked into the cafe.
	"Hey there Meatball Head!"  She stuck her tongue out at him beforeplopping 
down in the other chair by the small table.  "That seat is taken."
	"You waiting for someone?"
	"Yeah."  His eyes warmed at the mention of...her, she realized, butshe 
didn't say anything about it.
	Instead she calmly stated,  "Well if she shows up, I'll leave, OK?"
	"Not if.  When."
	"When, then.  Come on Darien, can I please stay?  I'm kind of hungry 
anyway..."  Before he could stop her, she had called over one of the 
waitresses and ordered a big chocolate shake.
	Serena noticed him looking at his watch every couple of minutes.  'I'mso 
sorry I can't make your dream girl appear for you.  You don't even knowhow 
much I would do to make you smile...This isn't fair to you.  I'm so 
sorry...'  Outwardly, though, she kept her face cheerful as shechattered at 
him happily.
	Finally, though, he stood up with a lot of pain in his eyes.  "She'snot 
coming.  She's two hours late."
	Even though she was hurt at his pain, her heart was rejoicing at the 
thought that he had waited two hours just to see her...even if hedidn't know it.
	Darien had understood when the letter came that told him she had notbeen 
able to meet him and that she was sorry.  He had sent her a photo awhile 
ago, and asked for one back, but she replied that she didn't want tosend 
one.  He had been disappointed to say the least.  'Did she avoidmeeting me 
because she is self-conscious about her looks or something?  Doesn'tshe 
realize it doesn't matter to me anymore?  I think I'd be in love withher 
even if she was bald and weighed 300 pounds...'
	More than anything, Darien just wanted to meet his mysterious girl. The 
girl, he was forced to admit, that had made her way into his heartuntil she 
was all he could think about.  Andrew had mentioned that he had beenacting 
distant lately.  It was true, Darien realized.  He spent even more time
alone, reading and re-reading her letters.  He felt as if he knew her,even 
if he had no idea what she looked like.
	Darien checked his mail to find another letter on her customary pink 
stationary.	Dear Darien,
	I am so very sorry I couldn't meet you.  I know I've already 	saidthis, 
and you have said that you forgive me.  Still I feel 	like I owe you a 
personal apology...please meet me tonight at 	eight at the FairviewPark.  I 
promise I'll be there this 	time...
	It had taken Serena all of the courage to write the letter she hadsent off 
that morning.  She knew she wasn't being fair to Darien.  'I have toend 
this deception right now.  He can't go on thinking he has found thegirl of 
his dreams just to find out it was me all along.  But maybe now...I'llhave 
a chance with him.  But I have to go in either case.  He deserves the truth.'
	Still, her steps were hesitant as she walked into the first fringe of 
trees.  Some inner sense led her through the small park until she sawDarien 
sitting on a bench.  Taking a deep breath and fingering the letter shehad 
brought for verification she stepped out of the bushes.  Darien turnedhis head.
	"Oh, it's you, Meatball Head.  Every time I am waiting for someone youshow 
up instead."	"Please listen to me, Darien.  It took me a lot of courage to come
here tonight.  Just...listen to me for once.  Please."  Realizing there wasno 
way back, Serena pulled out his letter from behind her back.  She couldtell 
he recognized it by the way his eyes widened.  "I wrote that poem,Darien.  
I used the false name so no one would laugh at me."  She could almostsee 
him gasp, finally comprehending.  "The poem...it was about you.  I camehere 
tonight to apologize for lying to you for so long.  But I feel like Iknow 
you almost as well as myself.  I also came here to ask...if you...would
maybe...give me a chance."
	Serena had been looking down during her small speech, scared to lookup and 
see his shock.  Suddenly she could feel a pair of hands on hershoulders.  
Raising her head, she saw his face looking at her.  "It was you all along..."
	"Oh, Darien, I'm sorry, I..."
	Before she could finish her sentence he pulled her very close to himand 
kissed her.  She savored the first moment his arms enfolded her, losingthe 
train of all conscious thought.  When they finally pulled apart, shesmiled 
at him tentatively.  "Was that a yes?"
	His smiling eyes answered for her.  She pulled even closer to him and 
wrapped her arms around his neck.  "Almost like falling in love..." She 
whispered more to herself than him.  Who knew a few words could be so powerful?
	"Almost?"	"Well..."
	"You know, as I read those letters I camer to know a girl who was so 
perfect for me I almost thought I had imagined her.  I fell in lovewith the 
girl in the letters, not caring whether she was pretty or ugly, smartor 
dumb, not caring about anything but knowing her.  And now I find outthe 
perfect girl has been right under my nose the whole time.  I'm sorry, 
Serena.  Sorry that I didn't realize that I loved you earlier."  Hepulled 
her back, seeing the happiness in her big blue eyes.  "I love youSerena 
Tsukino.  And now that I have found you, I will never let you go."
	Serena's answer was only to hug him.  He felt something soakingthrough his 
shirt.  "Serena, ary you crying?"	"Uh-huh."
	"Why?  Did I say something to make you cry?"
	"No.  I've just never been so happy...I love you too Darien.  So much. I'm 
so glad I can finally tell you that after all this time."
	This time Darien was the one who didn't say anything.  But the waythey 
stood together in the moonlight was enough for Serena to know what hewas 
feeling.  'Because sometimes,'  she thought, giving him a soft kiss, 
"actions speak louder than words.'**********My heart and soul are yours to keep,
So hold them tight, don't let them go,I'm in your arms when I'm asleep
And when I wake, you're there, I know.
When you hold me close my dreams come true,
Your touch sends me up to the clouds above.The one I'll always want is you
And it almost feels like falling in love.**********
So, how is my latest installment into the world of Darien and Serena 
romance?  I'm rather proud of this one, actually.  Please, though,write and 
tell me what you think!