Serena yawned and opened her eyes. When she saw the mess that 
surrounded her, she closed them again. It was like a tornado had swept 
through the house. Luckily, Serena thought glancing around the danger 
zone once again, she was not at her house. She was at Raye's.
	Serena remembered scraps of the events the night before. She 
stayed at the restaurant long enough to know that Darien was perplexed 
in her change of attitude. But she had to admit that  running up to 
some guy and kissing him smack on the lips in front of his best friend 
screaming I'm sooo happy and then returning to your seat as quietly as 
if nothing had happened was not what one expected.
	Serena smiled, the disaster momentarily forgotten. After 
receiving shrewd smiles from her friends, she could only glare and hope 
they didn't come up with some scheme to get her and Darien together. 
After the party, much to Darien surprise went with Mina and Raye making 
some hasty excuse about a homework paper. She was almost positive 
Darien had gone for it.
	Serena frowned. She really didn't know why Darien had suddenly 
had this change of heart towards her. He was a puzzle. It was only last 
week when he had knocked her down in the hallway and didn't even spare 
her a glance. And then, suddenly, he decides to play the prince in 
tarnished shining armor. This was definitely a puzzle, Serena decided, 
and she was going to make the pieces fit no matter how much reformation 
of the pieces she had to do. It wasn't everyday some nerd becomes the 
sparkle in the eye of the renowned jock.
	After a timely catlike stretch and a yawn, Serena got up. 
Surveying the wrappers, empty coke cans, paper plates, party hats, 
balloons barely floating, and the confetti scattered around in no 
particular pattern, Serena groaned. This was not going to be her day. 
	A few minutes after Serena started picking up the discarded 
dishes and scraps of confetti, she heard the distinct sound of Raye's 
exclamation that sounded a mixture of horror and regret. Serena smiled 
to herself. This was definitely payback for the last sleepover they had 
at her house. It was much worse than this.
	2o minutes later everyone was up and cleaning almost finished. 
Mina was slacking and Raye was in a temper. Serena kept cleaning, 
taunting Raye, and deceptively stepping on Mina's feet to get her to go 
faster.
	"Mina!!! If you don't pick up that coat this instant I swear I 
will-"
	"What's wrong Raye? Woke up on the wrong side of the sidewalk?"
	"This is the fastest I can go Raye!?! Do you know it's only 10:00 
in the morning? I'm missing two hours of beauty sleep!"
	"AAAAHHHHH!!!"
	"It's okay Raye, maybe next time you'll take better care of my 
house during a sleep over,"
	"Meatball head!! If you don't shut your mouth I'll make you into 
Meatballs!!"
	"Oh yeah?!?"
	"Yeah?"
	"Guys' really, its 10:00 in the morning. People are-"
	They were all cut off by the sound of the doorbell.
	Raye shot Mina and Serena warning glances. Then she strode to the 
door.
	Serena looked on curiously as Raye unlocked the seven locks on 
the door of her house. Who could be here this early in the morning? It 
couldn't be Raye's mom because she had went to work earlier in the 
morning.
	Serena winced thinking of the mess. They were all in for a big 
lecture from Raye's mom, whose temper was a lot shorter than Raye's.
	The sound of a masculine voice brought Serena attention back to 
the door. A guy?
	Serena followed Mina who was already half way to the door. 
	"Hi Raye, sorry for coming so early," this came from the male 
voice.
	"Oh sure. No problem Darien. Ummm? what are doing here?"
	Serena's eyes went wide with shock and a terrible sense of 
foreboding. Darien?!? What was he doing here? And now, when she was 
here? She had so much to do before he discovered her real self. She was 
still dressed in pajamas that consisted of a white tank top and blue 
pajama pants. Her hair was down, flowing down her back in her natural 
curls and waves. She didn't have her glasses on. He would find out 
everything if she didn't change right away.
	She was still listening to the conversation at the door while she 
searched frantically for her glasses.
	"Remember that homework assignment in science? Well, I was 
passing by when I remembered that I forgot to write it down and I 
remembered you telling me you live here so I decided it wouldn't hurt 
to ask,"
	"Well, umm.. sure but I have company over. I'll get it. You can 
come in if you like,"
	Serena stopped her frantic search. Come in?!?! Oh no!! She had to 
do something.
	"Raye!! You can't let 'im 'een dee house. You knoe I 'ave to fix 
up dee house before I let 'eeny one een!!," Serena exclaimed in her 
worse imitation Italian accent. She prayed that this would work.
	Mina, who had seen Serena frantically searching for the glasses 
that she now held in her hands, decided to play her hand at a little 
matchmaking. She knew that Serena didn't want anyone other than the 
people who knew he to see her in her fa硤e but Serena had kissed him 
last night. Did that not give him the right to have a little peek at 
the real Serena?
	"The house is fine," Mina replied as she walked to the door and 
opened it wider giving Darien a peek at what was hiding in the back.
	Serena's glare shot daggers at Mina's back. She would get her 
back very soon, no doubt about that. This was when Serena spotted the 
glasses behind Mina's back.
	All Darien saw was a flash of white and blue as Serena ran behind 
Mina, grabbed her glasses, put them on, and put her hair up in a bun, 
in a speed fast enough to challenge world records.
	Serena smiled in triumph. She couldn't hide her figure but at 
least her face was still dowdy. She looked at Mina who was trying not 
to glare at her and not quite succeeding. Then she looked at Raye who 
glancing worriedly from Serena to Mina.
	Darien was confused. He really didn't know why he came to Raye's 
house. He just had some kind of urge to come and blamed it on 
forgetting his science assignment. It couldn't do any harm. He could 
probably ask Raye a few questions about Serena and see why she had 
acted as if she had already known Serena.
	Darien looked at Mina who was looking at something to the side he 
couldn't quite see from his side of the door. He also saw Raye looking 
anxiously in that direction. Curious, Darien walked into the house.
	No one saw Darien enter. Their attention was riveted on the 
triumphant Serena in the corner.
When Raye saw Serena's eyes focus on an object behind her, she looked 
back. Darien was standing behind Serena, a perplexed frown placed on 
his handsome face.
	"What is Serena doing here Raye?" Darien asked, his voice mildly 
calm, not showing any of the confusion in his tone.
	Raye, who suddenly felt helpless, cast a futile glance asking for 
help to Mina.
	Mina, who had turned around when Darien asked the question, 
caught Raye look and decided to try her luck.
	"Oh, hi precious. Darien, you have met Serena haven't you? Of 
course you have, I you brought her to the arcade yesterday," Mina said 
as she sauntered toward Darien, her voice tantalizing, "Well, it seems 
that it was just so late last night when we got here, and when we saw 
that we had to bring Serena home this late at night, we were worried.
	"Raye said to me 'Now Mina, I can't take poor old Serena home 
this late on her birthday. Who know what can happen on the road' and I 
says back to her 'Well Raye, I guess the only thing to do is let her 
join our sleepover. She is such a nice girl' and so she stayed."
	Mina gave Darien a glamorous smile and winked at Raye.
	Darien didn't believe Mina for a minute. There was something they 
were hiding. He could only run his luck so much. The only way to find 
out the truth was to ask directly. There was an ounce of hope that was 
on his side, saying that Serena would tell him the truth.
	He lifted an eyebrow, cast an amused glance at Mina, and then 
looked toward Serena who seemed to be really interested in her blue 
fingernails.
	"Sorry Mina but I just can't find it in myself to believe you." 
He smiled inwardly when he saw Serena's head shoot up in worry and then 
quickly become devoid of any emotion, "So, I'll ask Serena what 
happened,"
	Serena, never loosing contact with his eyes, now looked toward 
Mina, who smiled helplessly at her and smiled as if saying "go for 
it,", then turned to Raye who, with furrowed brows, gave the same 
hopeless smile as Mina. 
	Serena closed her eyes for a brief moment. Then, she looked back 
at Darien. She caught his gaze as it traveled brazenly down her tank 
top and pajama pants. Serena winced. He must be wondering why I don't 
dress like a nerd when I go to bed, Serena thought.
	Gathering her courage, Serena smiled and looked more like she was 
going to war than giving an explanation.
	"Well, I don't think Mina's quote of Raye was quite accurate but 
the situation was correct. Raye didn't want me to go home because my 
mom was away on business and she didn't want me to be alone on my 
birthday."
	Serena saw that Darien didn't believe her but there was nothing 
she could do.
	Darien only smiled blandly and turned back to Raye who seemed on 
the verge of falling to the floor summoning the holy fire.
	He held in a laugh at the funny picture the three worried girls 
made.
	"Raye, can you get the science homework?"
	Raye seemed relieved at his change of subject and quickly nodded 
going in the direction of her room.
	Mina, who decided to give her attempt at matchmaking another try 
went with Raye.
	"I'll help Raye find it. Her rooms almost as bad as this room," 
was her excuse as she followed Raye down the hall.
	Darien was relieved to have all of them out of the room. It gave 
him a chance to talk to Serena privately.
	He watched as Serena closed the door and began to pick up pieces 
of discarded trash. It was oddly amusing to find her cleaning as if 
nothing he said had such a big impact only minutes ago. 
	"Serena-,"
	Serena paused briefly before she continued throwing away the 
trash.
	"Serena-," 
	This time, Serena merely turned and looked at him, not saying 
anything.
	"I don't know why you felt you have to hide things from me. Do 
you still not trust me after the way I have been acting the past few 
days?"
	Instantly angered, Serena stood up. She clenched her fists but 
her anger was uncontrollable.
	"You jerk!" She yelled, running up to him and punching her index 
finger into his chest, "How can you ask me that? I don't what the deal 
is here but I'm not one to be toyed with. How can you say I should be 
all trusting of you when until three days ago, you didn't even know I 
was alive? I remember one time you actually knocked me down in the hall 
and you didn't look down to apologize. I've been treated like the 
outcast I am because I chose to. I don't need some popular jock coming 
around trying to take me places that I have tried to avoid going all my 
life!"
	As if Serena suddenly remembered what she said, she clasped both 
hands over her mouth in shock. She had told him much more than he 
needed to know. Serena winced and removed her hands from her face. She 
still had enough time to cover up the mistake if he asked any questions 
about it.
	"Where the hell do you come off acting like this Serena? All I 
did was try and be nice to you. If  you hated me so much you wouldn't 
have come with me to the arcade. And what's all this about me making 
you go somewhere you don't want to go? What the hell is up with that? 
What the hell are you hiding from me?" Darien was angered by her words. 
He clenched and unclenched his fists, struggling to keep his anger in 
check. He wanted to strangle her not for her words but for the fact 
that they were right. He knew they were true but that wasn't what made 
him so mad. It was the guilt that echoed through his existence. The 
nagging guilt that reminded him ever so often of the hurt he was 
starting and would eventually have to cause. The quilt that told him 
that he would have to lie to her, convince that all the words she 
believed true were not and then betray her. 
	This thought brought an unexpected pang of anxiety in his 
stomach. He really was starting to wonder and care about this 
mysterious Serena. She was so? unpredictable. When she cried yesterday 
, he was caught off guard and felt just as affected by her tears as he 
was by her unexpected outburst this morning, helpless and something 
else?. Darien couldn't decipher this other feeling he was having about 
Serena.  But, anyone who had seen her around school wouldn't expect her 
to actually have these kinds of emotions. No one would guess that she 
was capable of crying or being angered. 
	"It's nothing Darien, just nothing," Serena's voice sounded 
awfully subdued and submissive. He didn't like this change either. Why 
couldn't the girl just choose a personality and stick with it. He was 
beginning to wonder how much of the real Serena he had seen that no one 
else had seen in the past two days.
	Raye, who was listening to the whole conversation from her room 
at Mina's insistence, decided now was the perfect time to enter.
	"Darien, I found the home work assignment," She made sure she was 
loud so that they could hear her.
	She heard Mina's uttered curse as she followed close behind. 
Well, Mina thought, this conversation made her want to play matchmaker 
even more. Darien had to feel something for Serena if he reacted this 
way to her. And Serena had to feel something for Darien if she revealed 
this much of her true self to him. Any other guy, Serena would have 
played it off, putting up her invisible shield making it impossible for 
anyone to penetrate. But somehow, Darien had gotten through and caught 
a brief glance of the real Serena.
	Mina wondered how much more Serena had shown him before. 
	Raye felt the waves of tension in the room and was almost happy 
that she wasn't there to support Serena. She was almost ready to yank 
Serena in to the room but Mina held her back saying that if was time 
for Serena to let out some of her real self. Reluctantly, Raye had 
agreed to stay back. But now, she was wondering if it was such a good 
Idea.
	It took a moment for each of them to acknowledge her. They stared 
at each other for a while before Darien turned to Raye. He gave her a 
brilliant smile, a smile that didn't reach his eyes and walked over to 
her to retrieve the homework assignment.
	"Thanks Raye, I really appreciate this," He said as he started 
toward the door. He gave looked at Serena, his hand paused on the 
doorknob. There was question and regret in his eyes. He turned to Raye, 
smiled again, and walked out of the open door, firmly closing it 
without looking back.
	Serena didn't realize tears were falling down her face until she 
saw a clear drop plummet to the ground and dissipate. Not bothering to 
wipe the tears, she looked up at her two friends who were clearly 
worried and wallowing in misery.
	Serena looked at them with despair in her watering eyes as fresh 
tears welled up and traveled along the path down her face. 
	"What's wrong with me? I never cry!!" The exclamation was 
somewhere between a sob and bewilderment. "I never cry over stupid 
little things like this. And now he has to come here and throw me off 
guard," Serena paced now, momentarily forgetting that her friends were 
there. 
	When she looked up again, she looked worse than before, the blank 
expression on her face telling.	"I don't know why he is doing this 
to me or affecting me this way. If it were anyone else, you guys know I 
wouldn't give a damn, but for some reason, Darien just has to be the 
one that actually gets to me. And now, I'm so lost I don't even know 
what to do anymore," Serena looked into each of her friends eyes 
somehow expecting to find some kind of answer.
	Mina ran to Serena and hugged her as Raye stood there, staring 
off into space, deep in thought.
	"Oh Serena!! It's all my fault! I wanted to play matchmaker and I 
let him in the house thinking that it would be no big deal!" She sobbed 
into Serena's hair, "And now you're upset because of him and I'm soo 
sorry,"
	Anger filled Raye's eyes. She firmly pried Mina out of Serena's 
arms and then looked at Serena. Her look of malice turned into that of 
sorrow and regret.
	She looked at Mina. 
"It's not your fault Mina, it's mine," she said and turned back 
to Serena, "Serena, I know it's my fault. I should have told him to go. 
I knew you were in here and I guess I was just trying to play 
matchmaker too. And I let him in and I'm soo sorry,"
	The pitiful smile Raye gave her made Serena all the more furious.
	She stepped back and glared at each of her friends.
	"You were right, you never should have played matchmaker but that 
isn't your fault at all. Just like it wasn't your fault that I kissed 
him last night or that I accepted his initiation for my birthday. None 
of it is any of your faults. The only one who's faulted is me. I was 
way out of control. I even snapped at him for nothing. I should have 
just accepted the fact that he was being nice to me, no questions asked 
but I ruined that too. Now everyone is either mad  or feeling sorry for 
me. And I'll tell you I'll take no pity!!! You understand?? None at 
all!!"
	And with that, Serena walked across the room, tears filling her 
eyes. After an attempt at searching blindly for her clothes, her tears 
blocking her vision, she stopped.
	With her head down, she closed her eyes.
"I won't cry anymore! I wont let anyone do that to me again," 
	She lifted her head up and turned around to face her friends. 
When she saw their faces, she felt her heart drop. They looked so 
miserable; their eyes open wide, regret written all over in a big red 
pen. When she saw then start to open their mouths, she stopped them, 
lifting her hand up to silence.
	She smiled then, a smile that almost reached her eyes. "Let's 
start over, Good Morning guys,"
	Raye and Mina looked at each other, questions in their eyes. They 
gave each other what passed for a smile as if saying "things are almost 
back to normal,". 
	Raye looked at Serena, then the room, then Mina.
	"Let's get back to work soldiers. Just because we didn't clean 
your house last year doesn't mean a thing Serena. Get to work Meatball 
head, and Mina, don't slack off this time or you'll be hearing my mouth 
form here to Africa," she said in a pleasant tone. 
	A genuine smile lit Serena's face as the three continued 
cleaning.