Title: Symbol of a Raven By: Mystical Angel Chapter: 5 Rating: PG Disclaimers: nothin new. Sailor Moon belongs to Naoko Takeuchi. Please tell me what you think of my story. I would like any kind of comments. If it totally sucks tell me so I am not torturing everyone. E-mail! Symbol of a Raven Chapter 5 "Serena dear, are you awake yet?" It was Serena's mother. "Dear, the mail came already and you have something, would you like to open it now? Sammy is very antsy. He wants to open it badly, do you want him to open it for you?" She said. "What is it? A letter? Or an elephant diguised as a gift?" Serena said sarcastically. "Well, someone is grumpy today. It's a package that was left on our door." She paused. "I'll leave it by your door. Okay? Serena? Go take a cold shower to wake you up, then go out and do something, that is unless you do not feel well. "I feel fine mom, sorry I am such a grouch. I stayed up too late last night. Just leave it by the door please." Serena groaned. There was a light thump by her door. Serena now intrested got out of her warm and comfortable bed. Serena's mother started to walk back towards the door of Serena's room. "Serena. A young man just stopped by, with another package. I'll leave it by the door." Serena stopped dead in her tracks. "Darien." Serena said aloud. "What Serena?" Her mother said again. "Oh, nothing." Serena's voice cracked. Her mother's footsteps died away after she walked down the stairs. Cautiously, Serena opened the door to find Sammy slowly and quietly cut the tape. "Sammy! Get out of here! Those are mine!" Sammy ran away frantically. There was one larger box and one small. There was only one card on the larger box. The small box was a box shaped like a small square that fit in her hand, while the larger box was notebook sized. Serena picked up both and took them into her room. There was Sammy's pocket knife still on the tape, so Serena kept on cutting the small package open. The box was shown after she unwrapped the brown paper. The box was green and filled to the top with tissue paper. Serena took off the lid and there was a small and untidy card in there. It read… Dear Serena, I would like you to have this, and would you like to go out with me on Monday night at seven? Love, Mike Serena opened the gift not knowing what to expect. There in the box was the ugliest charm that Serena had ever seen. It was a ying yang charm necklace. It was bright green and a hot matalic pink. "Ewww…gross. This guy deffinatly has absolutly no taste what so ever." Serena put the lid back on and threw the card away, and she also threw the gift on top of her dresser with a mirror above it. The second gift had a card attached to it and right before she opened the car, a bell rung. It was the telephone. She slid over the bed and answered the telephone. "Hello?" Serena asked. "Hi, Serena?" The voice asked. "This is she, may I ask who is calling?" Serena answered. "It's Lita, listen, you must have forgotten about Marie's brother, he is at the arcade, come one down. M He's getting kind of mad. Bring the pouch too." Lita said. "I'll come down, but I won't bring the pouch. It's not his, and Marie told me not to give it to anyone." "When did she tell you that?" "Oh, last night. I'll be right ther Lita, bye!" "No, but Serena, wait…" Serena hung up the phone right after she recognised her mistake. Serena walked to her dresser and put on a pair of jean shorts and a t-shirt, then some socks with pink bunny prints on them. The weather man said it would be a sunny and mild day, and boy was he right! It was hot, humid and sticky. There was no wind today, so biking to the arcade instead of walking sounded very good. Serena went back inside and picked up the garage door opener from the kitchen counter and went into the garage to get her bike out. That is when her father, who finally decided to get up, ran out the door to his Ford with a piece of toast hanging from his mouth. Her father pulled out from the driveway with lightening fast reflexes, or she hoped at least. At the sight of her father late she thought of how Mr. Raquelle would feel if she was really late. Serena jumped up on her bike and pedaled as quickly as she could. Serena saw Mr. Raquelle waiting very impatiently for Serena inside of the arcade. When he had spotted her he picked up his wrist and pointed at his watch. Serena pedaled the last few yards into the parking lot of the arcade and literally jumped off her bike and locked it up then she ran as fast as her legs could carry to the open doors of the arcade, but wait, didn't the arcade have airconditioning? BAM! Serena slamed against the clean doors of the arcade and slowly slid down them like a bug or a bird that just ran into a window. Serena then fell to the pavement uncontiously. The last thing Serena remembered was shadows above her and Andrew's voice saying something to someone, and the someone laughed. "I knew I should not have washed those windows this morning." It was only a few minutes after Serena's black out when she regained contiousness. A hand was gently slapping Serena face; Serena shook her head back and forth and placed her hand on the hand that was on her face. She opened her eyes slowly to see Darien's face above hers. "Ahhhhhhhh!" Serena screamed. She bounced upwards and fell off the table backwards, she landed on her back with a thud. She heard someone snickering, it was a guy's voice, but she could not see who's it was, because it was behind her. Darien, Andrew, Lita, and Mina covered over her like a citadel as groaned and rubbed her head in pain. "Serena, how many fingers am I holding up?" Andrew asked. "Don't bother Andrew, she cannot count." Said the snickering voice. It was none other than Raye. "Five?" Serena said still grasping her head. "Close enough. Darien, help me pick her up and put her back on the table." Andrew grabbed Serena's upper half and Darien supported her bottom half. They gently rested her on the table and Andrew went to get something cold to drink for Serena. "Are you alright Serena?" Asked Rita. Rita had arrived just as Serena had crashed into the glass doors. "Yeah, I'm okay. I was in a rush and I hadn't noticed that Andrew washed the doors." "Oh, okay! Good! Then you'll come to my pool party tomorrow?" "Rita!" Andrew yelled. "What?" "Oh, I would love to come!" Serena said all better all of a sudden. "Oh good. I'm going to have some really delicious foods there, and there is water volleyball, water basketball. And even water football!" "Oh, no more football." Serena groaned. She put her hand on her forehead and laid back down on the table. Everyone laughed, except for Rita and Mr. Raquelle. "I am glad that you are not hurt Ms. Tsukino, may I now have my belongings?" Mr. Raquelle said holding out his hand. "No sir, you may not. I have it, but I saw something last night that told me not to give it to you." "That's a criminal offense young lady! You'll hear from the court! If that is how I am suppose to get it, then fine!" Mr. Raquelle left the arcade with a huff and slammed the glass doors after it shut on his butt. "He can't seriously do that, can he?" "Yeah he can, but he will only be able to get it if it was in Marie's will." Lita said. "But don't let it bother you. Are you going to wear your blue or white swimsuit?" "Well my white one is a little too showy, so I think I am going to wear my blue one. How about you? Light or dark green?" "Dark, deffinatly." The girls giggled at this. "Has anyone seen Darien? He was here a minute ago. I wonder where he left to?" Andrew said. Serena suddenly went quiet and became very still. She knew what happened to him. He became bashful and left so he could avoid her. After last night Serena felt the same way. But she wanted him to be here with her and everyone else. Just because she was here does not mean that he had to run away from her. Trying to cheer up, so no one would know, she asked more questions about tomorrows party. "Rita, what's tomorrow's weather, who else is going to be there?" "The weather is going to be just like today, and all of our friends, and as few other people whom you do not know." "This is going to be so much fun!" "Come on Serena! We are going to be late for Rita's party!" Squealed Raye. "Turn off the fire Raye. I can't find my blue swimsuit." "So go with your white one and wear something over it dubmy." Raye said. "But I don't want to wear the white one. Mom, bought it for me, and I think it is really ugly and it shows too much of my fat stomach and I have never even tried it on. So I do not know if it even fits." "Serena, just try it on so we can go already!" "Fine, but I am not…" "You will wear it!" Raye yelled. In a few minutes Serena walked out of her room with her swimsiut on and a pair of shorts and her sandals. She had no shirt on, just her top of her swimsuit ws shown. The straps on her top criss crossed below her neck, and the white of her suit accesented against her tan skin showing her shoulders and well built upper part of her body. Her hair was down and it curled into cork screws at the very tips of her hair. "How can you say that it is ugly? It looks gorgious on you!" "Thanks." Serena blushed. The girls decided that they would walk to Rita's home instead of ride in a car. As they walked there were a few guys on the other side of the street, that since it was far away they thought that the guys were really hot, but in actuality it was none other than Andrew and Darien. (But they don't know that yet.) Lita was the first out of the four to notice the guys on the other street, she stoped and looked in their direction and said nothing, but the other girls kept on walking as if nothing was wrong, no one was missing, or anything unusual was about to happen. Lita abruptly stopped as she saw figures on the other side of the street walking on the same direction as Mina, Lita, Serena, Raye, and Amy were. She saw that there were two guys, older obviously because they were very tall, in trunks, and heading the same way. 'They must be going to Rita's pool party.' Lita thought. She squealed and jumped up and down catching the other's attention. "Lita, what are you doing just standing there like an idiot, jumping up and down like that?" Raye asked annoyed. "Look on the other side of the street and tell me what exactly you see, and what material they are wearing and what direction they are walking in." Lita had hearts in her eyes which indicated a couple of guys. The girls turned their bodies sround and saw the two guys looking at them. Raye had huge hearts in her eyes as she swooned around in a circle. One of the guys had pointed at them and the other guy waved. Serena who also had hearts in her eyes realised who it was and the hearts disapeared like that. She was now afraid. She saw Darien and Andrew walking towards them. Darien looking nervous and Andrew looking happy-go-lucky as always. Serena did not break her afraid gaze from his nervous eyes, his head suddenly drooped and her gaze or trance was broken. Serena's eyes had suddenly become very interested in the gravel on the sidewalk, how it was all broken up into tiny pieces and how the isty bitsy stones were either separated or together… Her thoughts trailed off ! ! as the two guys walked up to the four girls. Lita, who had just realised that the guys were their friends groaned and cried out… "Why? Why me?" Lita covered her face in her hands and pretended to cry. Andrew looked totally confused and Darien…well lets just say that he was still looking at the ground while he walked. Serena was the same exact way. "What's Lita's problem?" Andrew asked. Mina and Raye looked at each other and laughed. Lita cried some more, but this time even louder. "Oh nothing that concerns you." Raye said. Mina and Raye laughed harder, Amy even giggled at the comment. But Serena stayed quiet, and Darien continued to look at the ground silently. "Why are you so quiet all of a sudden Serena?" Mina asked. Serena looked up and looked like she had no idea what she was saying. "Wow Serena, I had no idea that you would have the gusts to wear something like that. It's so, so…um…what's the word?" Andrew paused. "I have no idea what I am saying, but all I know is that it looks great on you." Andrew chuckled. Serena looked at him and flushed a deep red. "Lets walk together everyone, we are all going to the same place are we not?" Lita, by now stopped crying and walked side by side to Andrew with huge hearts in her eyes as if she were dilusional or something. Darien and Serena walked on opposite sides of the group and remained silent. 'Hey, what am I doing?' Serena asked herself. 'I should not be silent all because Darien is here. I should be having fun, and laugh, and be gay, not that I am, but I should be happy, not scared or nervous or something.' Serena immediately perked up and shot her hand up into the air and yelled out. "Yeah! I should be happy! That's it, yes, yes, yes!" After her announcement she swung her arm back down. Everyo! ! ne, even Darien glared at her like she was mad. "Oops, did I say that aloud? He. He, he. Ignore me, please." Serena said abashed. Serena's head fell down as she walked a little slower behind everyone. He face was completely red, and hot. Totally embarassed she fled up to catch everyone as the heat from her face dissappeared entirely. As they walked Serena snuck glances at Darien, and once he did the same thing so they made eye contact, just briefly though. Andrew had begun to suspect that something was up. Neither Serena nor Darien had ever been this quiet, and for Serena it was deffinately not normal. The only time that he had ever heard Serena be quiet for more than 10 minutes was when she made a bet with Darien that she could not talk for more than a day. But it turned out that she heard some "juicy" gossip from Raye and cracked, she ended up having to give Darien two weeks worth of allowance ($20.00). It was originally agreed to have been three weeks worth of allowance, but light hearted Darien (yeah, right! ! ) said he would take not more than two weeks worth. So Darien… 'that's what's wrong!' Andrew had a grin on his face, which is highly unusual. "There's something going on between you two isn't there?" Andrew accussed. "Like what? You never told me anything Darien, and that goes for you too Serena. So what's up? Spill the beans you too." Andrew had gotten them into his trap, but now how were they supose to get themselves out of the trap? Serena's eyes went wide and Darien looked up from the white line of chalk he was following with his eyes. Serena was about to protest when Darien acting like nothing was wrong said something that saved both their hides. "No, nothings wrong, I think I left my teapot on the stove. I do not know what is wrong with Meatball Head though." "DON'T CALL ME MEATBALL HEAD!" Serena screamed between her clutched teeth. Everyone winced and Andrew remained silent. For most of the way Serena vowed not to look at Darien again, but every now and again she would sneek a glance, and she also caught Darien sneeking glances as well, though she never mentioned it. She always caught it out of the corner of her left eye, and for some reason she would smile inside of herself and wonder what he was thinking of. Was it about her? Was it about the aquared situation that happen just a few nights ago, or was he thinking of the same thing? Wondering what she was thinking of, or maybe how she felt about him. Or how he felt about her? She smiled at the thought but stayed silent and kept her distance. She knew that she had other thngs to worry about instead of what he was thinking about. "Whatever happened to the guy who threatened a charge against you Serena?" Andrew asked. "Huh? What? Oh yeah, he has not called or the court has not sent a letter yet or anything, so I have no idea what is going to happen." Serena chewed her lip. 'It was like he could read my mind or something. I wonder if he really can? How else would he know that anything was up between Darien and myself?' Serena thought. "That's strange, do you think that he might not win the case? Like what if there was no proof that he was left the pouch thing. Or is he actually not even her brother? Not only that he is not her brother, but an escaped criminal who knows something you don't and he wants the pouch for his own devious plan, or…" Andrew was cut off by a hand that was placed on his shoulder. "I highly doubt that Andrew, but nice try." Lita said. "Yeah, I guess you are right." Andrew sighed. "But hey, it could happen." Serena was in her own world wishing that she were in Darien's arms in the cool water of Rita's pool, and he was whispering sweet nothings into her ear, and 'Hey! Where on Earth did that come from? Okay, get a grip!' Serena thought. "Serena watch out!" Someone yelled. "Huh? Hello! Where did that pole come from?" Everyone laughed. "Rita's house is in the doorway Serena, if you are having trouble that's okay, we understand. Just take one step at a time. Okay?" Serena glared at Andrew for making the rude comment. "Honestly Andrew, I think you have been hanging around Darien too much." Lita fell on the floor laughing. Darien did not even protest at her comment which made everyone turn and look. He also did not notice the pole and walked straight into it. He gripped his head after the big thunk. "Darien? You have been hanging around Serena too much. It's like as if you kissed her and all her tragedy's rubbed off onto you." This was just too much for the laughing Lita, she laughed so hard her face was turning red, and she had tears in her eyes. Darien and Serena in unison yelled so loud at Andrew that you could hear it over the blasting music from inside and down the block. "WHAT THE HECK DO YOU MEAN!" They yelled. Andrew covered his ears in pain; Darien grunted (like all men do. Have you ever noticed that?) and Serena crossed her arms, and got so mad and embarrassed, because he had no idea how right he was. Lita was blaring out laughter so hard that she now could not breathe. Mina looked over her, eyes wide and mouth agape, and looked like she was really solicitous. Andrew shook his head and turned and picked up the laughing Lita and everyone went inside. When inside Rita looked as if both Lita and Andrew were crazy. To Andrew it looked more like a kill. A time bomb, set for kill, if Andrew ever set his hands on another girl. "If looks could kill Andrew, if looks could kill." Rita pointed her finger at Andrew and went to greet her new guests. The party slowly went by, but to everyone there it was fun, and eventful. There was food (much to Serena's delight) and pool activities, like water volleyball, water basketball. And there was yet to play water football (much to Serena's dislike). It was very funny how there was this one guy who had been pestering Serena all day, and he had been put on Serena's team with two guys she did not know, Lita, Raye, Amy (Rita made her play), and Mina. Their opponents were the other people at the party, some Serena also did not know. The game was complicated to Serena of cousre. It was not normal football therfore there was also different rules to be played by. There was a net on opposite sides of the pool, and you score a touch down by throwing the ball into the net. The ball was a special kind of ball that held water, and whenever you threw it to someone it would release the water onto the person. And then the rules were pretty much the same. Serena's opposing team had the ! ! first kick-off of the game. Only the kick-off was held with a girl on a guy's shoulder and they would try to kick the ball that way. Of course Rita just so happened to be on Andrew's shoulders. ( J ) Amy caught the ball and threw it mindlessly to the opponent's team member. No one could really blame her though. It's not her fault that she is not that athletic. Same with Serena. Serena still caught Darien looking at her, and when they had once again made eye contact she blushed, and of course Darien grinned. She thought that the world would be over. He looked just too darn cute in his rose printed trunks. 'Gosh does he look hot, with that bod, and those trunks. Yeah baby! Why am I starting to sound like Austin Powers?' Serena wondered. Just as she was thinking in her own little la la land the football came flying into the air and SPLAT! It landed on her head. Serena's upper body had not been in the water recently so the water was extremely cold all of a! ! sudden. The ball bounced off her head and Darien, who happened to be the closest person near by, jumped for the ball and nocked right into Serena, who went flying sideways, dragging Darien with her into the water. As they fell Serena's body turned and they Serena ended up on top of Darien when they fell into the water. When they emerged the game resumed playing and Serena's hair (which had been down at the party) was wrapped around them like vines and clung to Darien's body. Serena who was pretty mad splashed Darien with all her might. He just took it and laughed as the water hit him in the face and stung his eyes. 'I'm just not having a good time with football lately.' Serena thought. She wipped off her eyes with her hands and left the pool to get her brush. 'If I do not brush it now, I will have to cut it tomorrow.' She thought. 'And I do not want my hair cut.' Serena spent the rest of the time sunbathing with Mina and Amy. The rest of the guests did as they p! ! leased. The party ended at about six at night, when the sun was just about to begin setting. It was a beautiful time right then. Serena was still bathing under the bright yellow circle, when Lita came up squealing. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ e-mail!!!! milky_way173@ix.netcom.com