The sun was bright and the day was warm as a jovial Serena skipped in the direction of the Crown Arcade, where she could expect to find blissful refreshment in the form of a triple chocolate milkshake. She was a girl on a mission, skipping as quickly as she could, for as far as Serena was concerened, moments spent not sipping at milshakes were in fact, moments wasted. She rounded the corner, her heart thumping excitedly as her eyes targeted in on the arcade. With the front door now in view, she found the energy to breakout into a full blown skipping gait, getting ever closer. Something flashed red in her periphial vision. Momentarily distracted, she slowed to a slow skip and turned to get a proper look at the object that had caught her attention. It was a car. Though not only a car. It was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen. It was a Mercedes Benz version of the batmobile! It was red, sleek, shiny and incredibly lovable. Normally not one to care about or like cars at all, Serena strangely found herself skipping, very slowly, past the vehicle, her mouth hanging open. She couldn't seem to stop staring. SMACK. Upon hitting the arcade door, she was torn out of her delirium. She shook her head, clearing it of the fog that had set upon seeing the car. Holding her head low, she entered, knowing everyone would have seen her make a complete fool of herself. Closing the door behind her, head still down, she waited for the howl of laughter... nothing. For the taunt...nothing. For the greeting?... nothing. She looked up, confused, then upon looking around, confusion cleared. All eyes were on the car, parked adjacent to the window. Usagi even found herself staring once again, feeling the fog set in. Wowee, what a car she thought distractedly I wonder who could possibly tame such a wild beauty, let alone own it? It's so beautiful, I think I may be in... She felt a sudden nag at the back of her mind. There was a reason she was supposed to be here. She had come for something. Upon recall she felt like it was important. More important than air even. A MILKSHAKE! She had come here for a milkshake! oh how could she possibly have forgotten?! Storming over to the counter, suddenly furious with herself, she found Andrew and Darien just as entranced as the rest. Upon her arrival, Darien tore his eyes away and looked over at her.

"Meatball head," He acknowledged her. Andrew however had yet to notice her arrival. Banging the counter with a loud thud, Andrew started with a jump.

"Oh, hey Serena," he smiled at her kindly, his eyes flicking back to the car every few seconds "when did you get here? I didn't even see you come in..."

"Speaking of her coming in, I suddenly realised I have to leave." Darien stood, making room for Serena at the counter, who immediately sat down heavily

"No time for talk," she croaked "... need milkshake... chocolate...triple...fast" Finally feeling at peace, having ordered her drink, she looked back at Darien who was fumbling around in his pant pockets, looking for something.

"Arrgh, where did I put them?" he grumbled, now ravaging through the pockets of his jacket.

"Whatcha lookin for? a life?" Serena snickered, thinking about how clever she was. Darien didn't answer, instead he pulled out a shiny set of keys and jangled them in front of her face as if that were enough to put her in her place. Serena dismissed him with a cock of her eyebrow and a wave of her hand, thinking they were just regular house keys. Looking affronted, Darien walked toward the exit without speanking a word.

"Wait," Serena called after him, suddenly realising his keys couldn't have been just a regular set of house . But Darien hadn't heard her, or, if he had, he'd just kept on walking. She grabbed her freshly made milkshake and ran out after him.

"Why does that key have the Mercedes Benz logo on it?" she called out once more, suspisciously. Darien stopped, meters from the car and turned to face her

"Ah because, they unlock a Mercedes Benz..." He spoke slowly, as if speaking to a dumb child. Serena flushed.

"Well obviously," she snapped "I meant, what are YOU doing with them?!"

In answer, Darien strolled up to the vehicle quite casually and sat his hand on the bonnet of the red beast.

"Because it's mine" He said smugly, unable to hide his grin. He petted the car fondly, as if it were an animal, releasing a collective gasp from inside the arcade. Serena's Jaw dropped

"No waaay that is not your car! The truth please..." she managed to choke out, hesitantly stepping closer. Darien moved slowly, so that he now stood directly infront of Serena. Having noted this she wondered whether he was doing this to be closer to her. She shook her head, clearing her head of sucha ridiculous thought.

“It's the truth. It is my car. Someone came around this morning and dropped it off. Apparently I have a great uncle who died and wanted me to have it.” He laughed bouyantly as he spoke. His eyes on the otherhand, maintained their seriousness, watching her every move. Tingling slightly, Serena wondered whether he was now checking her out. Afterall, it seemed he couldn't take his eyes off her.

"Oh wow. AIEE" she cried out, feeling fuelled and happy as rushed forward to touch the car in all her excitement. Suddenly, the reasoning behind Darien's position in front of her and then his watchfulness became very clear. He had actually positioned himself BETWEEN herself and the car and within an instant of her moving, Darien had slid forward and blocked her from coming anywhere close to the car. He wasn't doing it to get closer to her, it was to push her away from his car!

"You shouldn't touch what you can't afford" He said, taking a defensive position infront of his baby. Serena couldn't tell if he were joking or not, but she felt herself puff up with indignition regardless.

"YOU'RE STUPID, AND YOUR CAR IS STUPID! YOU BOTH DESERVE EACHOTHER" she screamed, before storming back into the arcade. She shoved past all the admirers and found herself a seat in the corner, from where she could still watch Darien and the car. She slurped heavily on her milkshake eying the both of them closely. Now that Serena had gone, Darien turned back around to face his car and caressed it gently.

Serena mock gagged, still simmering from their petty argument. Unable to take her eyes of Darien, she noticed him bend in closer to the car, still tenderly stroking the paint. Was he whispering to it now? he's probably telling that beautiful car how much he loves her and how he'd do antything to protect her... she sooked angrily, clenching her fists together, mimicking the clenching that was taking place in her chest. It was partly anger, she knew that, but there was something more to it as well. Something she couldn't quite put her finger on. She froze. Darien had gone in for the kill and planted a kiss on the car.

"You better not have kissed that car Darien Chiba!" She snapped loudly suddenly at the door, she couldn't even recall getting out of her seat she had moved so fast. Darien jumped away from the car in surprise. He looked at Serena and then the car and then back at Serena.

"Whaaat?" he laughed nervously, looking incredibly uncomfortable "I didn't kiss the car. That would just be ridiculous... and weeeird" but Serena wasn't listening anymore

"You think just because your good looking you can go around kissing whoever and whatever you like. Well here's news for you jerkface. YOU CAN'T. She's not even your girlfriend and.. and she deserves better than that!" Serena had sure worked herself up. She took a sip from the milkshake that had yet to leave her hand to calm herself down. She was so furious she was on the verge of tears. Darien stood awkwardly in the middle of the road. Not daring to move closer to Serena, who looked fit to explode, or his car, which he suddenly felt strange being around.

"I... What?.. no it wasn't like that!.. I Just ..." He found himself stammering. He didn't know what to make of Serena's psycho reaction, or his own guilty response for that matter.

"Why don't you just make your relationship public and then you can... you can KISS HER ALL YOU WANT!" She didn't even wait to hear his reply before setting off at a jog towards her home, tears prickling in her eyes. She had at least made it too her room before the prickling of the eyes became an open tap, and the sobbing began.

That night, Serena couldn't sleep. She kept replaying the scene between herself, Darien and the car back and forth in her mind, trying to figure out exactly what had made her so upset. Often enough, Darien's teasing was enough to make her mad, furious even. But it was very rare that it was enough to make her cry.

So what if he likes the car more than me? Why should I care that he would want to touch and kiss that car in that nice looking way? He's never liked me and I've never liked him she silently affirmed, yet instead of making her feel better, this little train of thought pulled at the tears again and before she knew it, she was sobbing again.

"Serena, what happened this time?" Luna's voice asked from the window before prowling over to where Serena lay on her bed, head burried in her pillow. Luna nudged her in the head with her paw prompting Serena to look up.

"It's nothing... No, it's Darien. No, it's that ugly, stupid, amazing car" She blubbered between sobs "Of course he would fall head over heels for it. It's beautiful and smooth and shiny. Oh if I could I would rip out it's headlights with my bare hands!" She had gone hysterically angry again and Luna felt herself backing off towards the window incase things turned ugly. Suddenly Serena released a heavy sigh and she was not longer angry. Just sad.

"Oh but even I couldn't resist admiring her. It was all I could think about and see at first. No wonder Darien couldn't resist her.. I mean it.. " she was sobbing again " but it's not even just Darien. Andrew didn't even notice me when I came in and he's always the first to say hello. It was like I didn't even exist. Not too mention even the entire arcade couldn't look away. I guess I just have to accept that she's prettier and better than me in EVERY WAAAAY"

Luna sat transfixed as Serena wailed on and on about the car. She didn't so much care that no one was paying any attention to Serena, but more to the fact that everyone had paid that car so much attention. Something didn't feel right about this. Half way through another chapter of Serena's sob story, Luna snuck back out the window, searching for a quite spot to contemplate what she had just heard.