"Trail of Fears"

"They both said yes!" cried Serena, running back toward the other girls. "I can't wait! This will be so fun!"

"How are you going to have time to do your homework this weekend if you're going on a nature hike?" Amy asked.

"If I have time, I'll do some homework, if I don't, then... Oh, well!" Serena answered, and Amy sighed.

"Just stop talking about it, Serena. You're getting on my nerves!" Raye shouted.

"Fine..." Serena became sullen, looking down at the concrete.

"Hey, I'm going to your house, Serena! I think Luna should be finished with her shot by now," Artemis announced and scampered off.

"Where's Chad today?" Serena asked.

"Oh, I think he and Grampa are making some good-luck charms inside," Raye answered.

"I forgot!" Mina exclaimed.

"Forgot what?" Amy glanced up from her homework.

"When I was my alter-ego last week, I promised one of my fans that I'd come back to see him!" Mina looked heart-broken.

"Was he cute?" Serena giggled.

"Totally! But he looked only four!" Mina answered.

"Let's set him up with Rini!" Serena exclaimed, and Mina burst out giggling.

"Would you please quiet down! I'm trying to give x in terms of y, then factor terms of y!" Amy said, glancing up once more.

"Huh?" Serena asked.

"Maybe if you did your math homework every once in a while, you'd understand!" Raye shouted at Serena.

"Oh, like I'm so sure you understood what she said!" Serena shot back.

"That's not the point!" Raye shouted. "Because I do my homework!"

"Haha! I knew it!" screamed Serena.

"Stop!!!" screamed Lita. "We're doing nothing but arguing, Amy is doing her homework, and Luna and Artemis aren't even here! Let's just all go home, okay?"

"Good idea! Raye, I'm not talking to you anymore! Go home!" Serena shouted.

"One, I live here! Why don't you go home? And, two, by telling me you aren't talking to me, you are talking to me!" Raye defended.

"x equals the square root of seven plus one times two talking... Argh!!!! You messed me up!" screamed Amy.

"Am not!" shouted back Serena.

"Am not messing me up?" asked Mina.

"No, she's messing me up!" screamed Amy.

"Mina?" asked Lita.

"Am too! I mean, are too!" Raye insisted.

"What?" asked Mina, sounding annoyed.

"No, Raye and Serena!" Amy shouted.

"Not you! Amy!" Lita answered.

"What????" asked Serena and Raye simultaneously.

"Enough!!" screamed Lita. "Everyone go home besides Raye, who, because she lives here, will stay here! Okay?"

"Fine! Be rude! I'm going to the arcade!" Serena stomped off, a single tear rolling down her left cheek.

"Well I'm not talking to you either!" Raye called after her.

Lita looked at her watch. "Sorry, guys, I've got to go! My dinner has to be taken out of the oven in ten minutes!! Bye!!" Lita ran down the steps Serena and scrambled down a few seconds earlier.

"I'll go meet Serena at the arcade!" Mina decided, then left, followed by Amy, who was lugging along her bookbag.

"I'd better get started on my chores!" Raye decided, and started raking up the leaves Serena had crunched once more.

"C'mon... Just a little to the left, and... No fair!" Darien cried out after the crane had grabbed the cape of Tuxedo Mask, then slipped out.

"Play again?" asked Andrew mockingly.

"I've spent five dollars trying to win something! I'm just no good at these crane-machines!" Darien sighed. Then, sarcastically, he added, "Where's Game-Machine Joe when you need him?

"Hi Darien! Hi Andrew!" Serena called as she walked into the arcade. "How much money did you raise with the contest?"

"Hi Serena!" Andrew and Darien answered together.

"A lot! Plus, it's bring in a little more business," Andrew answered cheerfully.

"Hey Serena!" called a female voice.

Serena, looked over, then spotted Aurora. "Hey Aurora!"

"Where's Luna?" asked Darien.

"She had to get her rabies shot today! And Artemis went to go see her!" Serena responded with a smile on her face, trying to not look at him.

She's not upset anymore! I guess I'm happy for her.. Oh, I wish so much I could tell her the truth, Darien thought, trying to keep a happy composure, not knowing Serena was only doing the same.