TRUST ME
   By Aeris -> lucky.violet@mailcity.com

        Hiya, people! This is the fourth part to my series, "Trust Me".
Please tell me whether I should stick to my original plan, which would
take up about two more parts, or change the plan and cut the story
short, which means the story will end up in the next part: FIVE. So,
what?!?

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FOUR
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   "Hi, Serena!" said a bright voice.
   Serena's hands flew to her face. "MINA!!!"
   "I'm here!" Mina shouted, opening her arms for an embrace. The two
girls were entwined when Teresa entered the scene.
   "Hey, your voice even reached me!"
   Teresa found herself ignored by the two look-alikes, still wrapped
in a huge hug. "Serena, aren't you gonna introduce me to your friend?
Since it's obvious that you are really acquainted and that she's
probably gonna stay here anyway, then we might as well get to know each
other."
   Serena glanced up and looked at her cousin, surprised. "Oh, it's you."
   A huge sweatdrop appeared on the side of the brunette's forehead.
"You noticed only NOW?!?"
   Serena decided to ignore that. "Mina, this is my cousin Teresa.
Tori, this is Mina, my friend from Juuban."
   Teresa rolled her eyes. "Obviously."
   Serena looked at her friend's luggage. "Let's get those things
inside. You have GOT a LOT to tell me."
   The three of them helped each other carry in the extremely heavy
bags Mina had into the living room. After that, the three of them sat
on the sofa, listening to each other's stories. When Mina, who narrated
the last story, finished, there was a deep thoughtful look on Teresa's
face.
   "You sure left a big problem there, Buns," Teresa said.
   Serena buried her head in her hands. "I know."
   "You better fix this up at once, and make up with this Darien guy.
In a week, he's going to go crazy."
   She looked up with a firm look on her face. "He already is. If he
wasn't, he isn't gonna 'help' that flirt with her 'studies.'"
   "But that's not the point. The point is - "
   "The point is that I've wasted half my life with a man who deserves
neither me, nor my love. End of discussion. Mina, go up to your room
and fix your things. Tori, help me finish fixing our dinner." Serena
stood up. "Nobody ever talks about this again, understand?"
   Then she left the room.
   Mina looked helplessly at Teresa. Teresa just shrugged with a
confused look on her face. "I understand now why you're here, but I
can't do anything about this. She knows her mind. I'm sorry. But I'll
try."
   Silence overcame them.
   "TORI, THE DINNER!!!"

   The next day, at noon, Darien was still sleeping. He was awakened
only to the sound of a shrill voice. "Darien, wake up!!!"
   "Huh?"
   Who could it be? He lives with no one...
   "Darien, come on!"
   Wait, he's not in Japan. He's in a hotel! No one knows that he's in
the States except for... Serena? He opened an eye and saw a shimmer of
gold. "Serena..." he mumbled.
   "No, I'm NOT. Come on, there is no time to lose. You have got to do
something about Serena or else..."
   THAT woke him up.
   "You LOOK like Serena..." Darien mumbled, still half asleep.
   "It's Mina, silly," the girl giggled.
   He was now fully awake. He looked at the door, then at Mina. "How
did you - How - "
   She smiled at him slyly. "I have my ways... Anyway, let's get down
to business. Reenie is gone now, Darien. Save her. And there's only one
way. You MUST see her right away..."
   "I'm doing the best I can," he said quite defensively.
   "Oh?"
   "Yeah!"
   "I don't see any progress."
   "How would YOU know?"
   "Did it ever occur to you that I'm staying at Serena's now?"
   "Oh," Darien said sheepishly. "Anyway, do you have a better idea?"
   Mina leaned closer. "I have a plan..."

   At noon, somebody came up to Teresa's office.
   "Tell her that it's very important that I talk to her," the person
said.
   "What did you say your name was again?" the curious secretary asked.
   The person told her.
   "You know, I - I think that this is not a good idea at all," the
secretary said, shaking her head.
   "Tell her it's about Bunny Thompson."
   The secretary's eyes shot up.  "Bunny Thompson?"
   "Yep!"
   "Oh, all right," she gave up. "I'll tell her. Um, what did you say
your name was again?"
   "Grrr..."
   "Uh... Never mind. I'll just tell her..."
   The person began tapping a shoe in an impatient waiting position.
"I'm waiting..."
   "All RIGHT! I - " She waved a hand in dismissal. "Forget it." She
peeked through a door and shouted, "TORI!!! There's a Mina Aino waiting
here for you!"
   "Let her come in!"
   The secretary turned to her. "You heard her."
   Mina went inside, followed by a tall man.
   "Mina! Hi."
   "Hi," Mina said, taking a seat. Her companion remained silent.
   "And he is?" Teresa raised an eyebrow.
   "Chiba," the man spoke up. "Darien Chiba."
   "Serena's...Please be seated," Teresa said, acknowledging him.
"So... What do you want?"
   Mina took a deep breath. "See, it has something to do with Se - "
   "I know that enough," Teresa said, and watched in amusement as
Darien looked at Mina in surprise. "What about her?"
   Mina gulped. "I need your help to... uh, get them back together."
   "Mina, I already told you that I - "
   "No, she will not know that you have absolutely ANYthing to do with
our plan."
   Teresa nodded. That's because I wouldn't."
   "Come ON, Tori. You HAVE to help us. You know, Serena doesn't know
it yet, but... she's destroying her future with all this separation."
   "Oh, really? How would you know?"
   Mina's eyes widened. She looked at Darien uncertainly. Darien
nodded. "I think she's someone to trust."
   Teresa looked at the two of them in interest. "So. Are you going to
tell me or what?"
   Mina sighed. "Okay, I'll tell you. But I'm warning you. What I, I
mean WE are going to tell you is really... crazy. I don't think you'd
believe this, but you HAVE to. If you - "
   Teresa cut her off. "Enough intros. Get on with this already!"

   Teresa sat back on her chair. "Unbelievable..."
   Darien shook his head and whispered softly in Mina's direction. "I
told you she's never gonna believe it."
   Mina's eyes shot up. She was supposed to say something to shut
Darien up when Teresa beat her to it.
   "No, no. I-I do believe you. I know it's crazy, but," Teresa shook
her head. "I DO believe you."
   Mina choked down an imaginary lump. "Y-You do?"
   Teresa nodded. "Yes, I do believe you."
   Darien said, "See, Mina, I told you she's someone we can trust."
   Mina was bewildered, but decided to shrug it off. It won't do
anything, after all. At least, anything that would help their
situation.
   "So," Serena's cousin prompted. "What do you have in mind?"
   "What do you mean?" Mina asked.
   "A plan, stupid," Darien snapped.
   "Hey!" Mina exclaimed.
   Teresa looked expectantly at the two. "So..."
   Mina leaned closer to Teresa. "This is what we do..."
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        So? How was that? I really wanted to add a scene where Serena
shows up in the middle of the talk but... I guess that'd ruin my plan.
See, I have a plot. And I'd rather stick to it. If you want it to be cut
short, just email me. I guess that the number of mail I receive about
this will be my basis for cutting the original scheme up. Please email
me at lucky.violet@mailcity.com . Thanks!       -Aeris