Serena had to smile at the scene that greeted her as she rubbed the sleep from her eyes and stepped into the living room Sunday morning. Evidence of last night's girls' night in slumber party was everywhere, including the girls themselves.

Instead of getting just two action movies, Serena had decided to get all six Star Wars Episodes.

The other girls had all watched a movie here, a movie there, no one really ever completing all six. So they watched. Shauna had wanted to watch them in order, one through six, but Melody, with her grandfather, surprisingly being a Star Wars fanatic, had insisted they watch it in order that they were made, saying that supposedly that's how it was meant to go.

Even though they did this, Serena doubted any of them actually made it through the entire marathon. Somewhere around Episode VI, Serena herself had wandered into her bedroom to change her shirt but never really emerged till now. The other girls must have dozed off sometime after that as Serena could now see.

Melody was lying on the couch facing straight up, clutching a pillow to her stomach while Shauna was curled up inside her sleeping bag she had dragged from Serena's room. Dawn was snoring quietly on the floor, her blanket wrapped snugly around her. The TV was still on, stuck on the DVD main screen. Serena walked over to switch it off, noting that the others had gotten to Episode II.

Serena turned off the TV and took out the disc from the player, replacing it inside the cover. She heard Shauna shuffle around before settling down again and grinned. Last night had been crazy with all the revelations and realizations but it had been nice to be able to share her concerns with her friends and then relax for once.

Their little party hadn't completely erased Ash from her mind, but it had helped lessen the hurt and confusion as well as temporarily allow her to forget.

A light knocking sounded on the front door and Serena paused in her cleanup of the coffee table where crumbs and empty bags and dishes lay around. Closing the front of her robe, Serena walked up and peered through the peephole.

Interesting, Serena thought as she flung open the door with a wry smile, one eyebrow raised.

"Why good morning. Mr. Luc."

Lucas grinned and rubbed the back of his neck with the hand not holding a bouquet of multi-colored flowers. "Hey Serena. And um. Just call me Lucas so uh...is she here? Dawn i mean.

"Sure. Your princess is snoring away on the floor," Serena said, ushering the photographer into the hallway. She asked him to wait as she got Dawn, respecting the fact that neither Shauna or Melody might want a guy they didn't know to see them in their sleepwear.

As Lucas waited patiently by the door, Serena shook Dawn awake.

"You have a visitor. At the door."

"Who's it?" Dawn asked groggily, sitting up.

Serena told her to go see for herself. With a large yawn, Dawn used her blanket like a shawl and lumbered into the hallway, eyes half closed. Moments later, she ran back into the living room emitting an earsplitting shriek then headed into her bedroom, door slamming loudly.

Shauna and Melody both jumped up, eyes wide and hair mussed up, looking around for signs of danger or injury while Serena could see Lucas staring woundedly at his bouquet which seemed to droop along with him.

"Whas happening?" Shauna exclaimed, trying to climb out of her sleeping bag.

"Is someone hurt?" Melody asked, rubbing her eyes.

"No. That was Dawn."

Shauna and Melody stared at her.

"Hold on. Let me go take care of Lucas first then I'll explain."

"Lucas's here? As in her new BF?"

Serena nodded then headed to the BF who was still looking like an abused puppy. He raised his eyes towards her as Serena approached.

"She ran away from me," he said miserably.

Serena fought the urge to laugh. Keeping a straight face, she managed to say, "Don't take offense. She's just shy that you saw her in her pajamas."

Shauna shuffled up behind Serena, sleeping bag draped over her head and wrapped tightly around her body.

"So you're Lucas huh?"

He nodded.

Shauna gave him an appraising stare. "Hm. Not bad. Can't believe you made her wait two years."

"Who are you?"

"Shauna, Cousin of the guy who you punched last night."

"And I'm the girl who he kissed," Melody said sneaking up behind the others. "Hello Lucas. Nice to formally meet you. I'm Melody. Sorry our first meeting was under such stressful circumstances."

Lucas stared at them, looking like he a mouse trapped in a corner by three cheerily grinning tigers and Serena couldn't help but let out a small giggle. She didn't know why she felt so inclined to teasing Dawn's new boyfriend but it was fun. Perhaps it was because Dawn was like a sister to her.

Whatever it was, seeing a nervous bead of sweat trickle down the side of Lucas's face finally made Serena realize that ganging up on the guy and potentially causing him to run away and break the relationship barely before it began would not be ideal for any of them. Dawn would be heartbroken and then proceed to kill them all.

"Alright, let's give him some space girls," Serena said.

Shauna and Melody shrugged and took a few steps back yet still didn't take their eyes off Lucas.

"So, what are you intentions?" Shauna said, tilting her head but not looking the least bit intimidating with only her face peeking out from her thick sleeping bag-blanket.

Despite this, Lucas still looked a little thrown off. "Intentions?"

"You know, are you going for a steady relationship or is this just a fling? Because you know, if you hurt our Dawn, you're really only digging your own grave. I know people who know people."

"Stop threatening him!"

Dawn finally sailed into the hallway, grabbed Serena's sleeping bag and dragged her back. "You loser," she said rolling her eyes. "What are you, my father?"

"Someone needs to get his background check. Serena here was just confusing him."

"Actually the confusion started when you ran away screaming," Serena explained. "Lucas seems to think he's a disease now."

"Oh!" Dawn's eyes widened and she let Shauna go. She turned to Lucas. "Lucas I was in my pajamas! What did you expect?"

"I was sort of hoping for a kiss?"

"Told ya he likes your lips," Shauna said in a loud whisper causing Dawn to shoot her a glare.

Serena now took Shauna by the elbow, at least, she thought it was her elbow – it was hard to be sure with the sleeping bag – and pulled her away down to the bedroom with Melody following. "Let's give them their privacy."

"Yeah yeah," Shauna said flopping onto Serena's bed and Melody shut the door behind her. Melody sat down at the desk chair while Serena perched on the edge of the bed.

They sat around discussing plans for the day when Serena suddenly remembered something.

"Oh No!"

Shauna rolled over to look at her. "What's wrong?"

"Calem!"

"What about him?"

"I made a date with him remember?"

"Wasn't it for today?"

Serena nodded and frantically looked towards her alarm clock. "Shoot! He's picking me up in half an hour! I can't believe I forgot!" She jumped off the bed and flung open the closet door, groaning. "Ugh. I wish I could just go in sweats."

Melody walked over. "Okay look calm down. You are not going to go to a date in sweats. I'll help you out."

As Melody and Serena browsed through Serena's selection of clothing, Shauna watched them silently, pondering something while still rolled up in her sleeping bag. Serena tossed off her robe.

"Hey Sere?"

"Mmhmm," came the response as Serena hurriedly took off her shirt, accepting the one Melody handed her.

"I was thinking."

Serena pulled the shirt on. "'Bout what?"

"Well. If you forgot about your date with Calem because you were so caught up with the issue with Ash...then doesn't that mean... Calem might not be the one?"

Serena's tugged her shirt straight and looked over. "What?"

Shauna sat up, letting the sleeping bag slide off her frame. "You're not even excited about this."

"What? Of course I am! I mean, I'm getting to date a model! I'm lucky. You said so yourself!"

"I know. But you're not supposed to want to wear sweats on a date. You're supposed to want to look good from the get go."

"Aren't you the one who said I'm supposed to be with a guy from my past?"

"Yeah but...well. I'm just saying. He might not be the one. There's been other guys who've shown up this week who are from your past."

Serena gasped. "You don't mean –"

"No. Well. I'm not sure. But...just think about it okay?"

Serena just stared as Shauna slid off the bed and padded over to the bathroom to wash up. Melody, who had listened to the exchange between the two in silence now said she needed to make a call to her grandfather and slipped into the hallway leaving Serena to finish getting dressed and wonder what her friend meant.

.........

We now head over to Calem. Who was now waiting patiently for Serena while she completed the finish touches of her hair and makeup.

He drove them to an restaurant and paid. And now they were headed to the park for a little early afternoon stroll. He had complimented her on the outfit Melody had picked out.

What more could she want in a guy? He was perfect.

But not for her, Serena realized sadly and finally understood what Shauna had been hinting at earlier.

Calem was great but he wasn't the type of great that made Serena's heart flutter and stomach clench.

He wasn't the type of great that made Serena start getting ready two hours early for the date instead of half an hour early before because she forgot.

He was the type of great that you looked for in a friend. A simple conversation companion that you needed every once in awhile.

But boyfriend? Soulmate?

No.

It wasn't this male model that made Serena's insides twist. It was that stupid Alvin Ketter now known as Ash Ketchum.

Now that she didn't have Star Wars or her friends to distract her with their silly jokes, Serena couldn't get her mind away from the stupid fool no matter how hard she tried.

All throughout the meal, Serena felt like she was being rude towards Calem as she nodded politely towards him, only half-listening to the words coming from his mouth because her mind was off creating fantasies of her and Ash being on a date together.

Even now, as Calem talked about his upcoming photo shoot for some clothing company while they walked along in the park, Serena's mind wondered what it would be like to be here with Ash and her traitorous heart dared to skip a beat at the thought.

"So what do you think?"

"Huh?"

Serena stopped walking and realized she hadn't heard a word Calem had said for the past minute or so. She shook her head. "I'm sorry. You were saying?"

"Oh. Don't worry about it. You obviously had something important on your mind."

Important? Oh the irony of life, Serena thought sardonically.

Calem shot her an understanding smile and continued walking and Serena knew what she had to do. It wouldn't be fair otherwise.

"Calem?"

He turned to face her, still smiling. Seeing the somber look on her face, however, made the grin fade into a look of concern.

"What's wrong?" he asked, stepping closer.

Serena let out a heavy sigh and looked straight into his eyes. "I'm sorry."

"Oh." Was all Calem could say.

"I just...it's just that...well. There's someone I can't stop thinking about," she admitted

Soon as the words escaped, she felt relieved. As though vocalizing her feelings was the key to the release of all her tension. She continued, "I just want you to know, however, that you've been a wonderful date. Last night I had a wonderful time and today too. But, I don't think I can see you as anything more than a friend."

"If you don't mind me asking, would I have a chance later in the future?"

Serena shook her head sadly. "Probably not. If it doesn't work out with this guy, then I'm probably not meant for love."

Calem came towards her. "Don't say that. You're a matchmaker and you'll find your match sure enough. If this guy doesn't see the treasure in front of him, then he's a loser. I'm going to be brave and say that if it doesn't work out, I will come back even though you think it won't work out. I won't let you be alone."

Serena grinned at Calem's cheeky smile. "Thanks for understanding Calem."

"He's a lucky one, this guy who's captured your heart. I wish you all the best."

"Thank you."

She was going to need all the best for the way her heart had turned so quickly. Love really was a funny thing. But now, experiencing the gut-wrenching pain at the thought of actually having fallen for a ridiculous guy. Serena didn't find love to be humorous at all. In fact, the funny part was all in the irony.

Stupid heart.

Stupid man.

Stupid love.