************ The Way We Weren't Part 9 Author: Usa Disclaimers in Part 1 ************ Rei looked at her watch. "Leave to Usagi to be late," she muttered. "She had to work today, remember?" Makoto said. "Don't start in on her already." Minako looked up from the magazine she was reading. If one noticed the cover, they would see her on it. "Usagi-chan is always fashionably late," she said with a smile. "Only you would think a half hour was fashionably late," Ami replied with a giggle. Mari looked on from afar as the girls chatted. *This is going to be fun, * she thought to herself. She took a deep breath and created some tears. "Mari-chan?" Makoto said, "Daijobou?" "I-I don't know what I said!" she cried. Rei put her arms around the distraught girl. "What happened?" "I ran into your friend, Usagi." The girls nodded. "She told me to stay away from Mamoru-kun or she would hurt me. I asked her why she hated me so much, and do you know what she said?" "Nani?" Ami asked. This didn't sound like Usagi at all, but then again, Mari wouldn't lie. "She said I stole him and her friends away. I didn't steal anyone! I would never be so cruel!"' Minako took her hand. "I'm sure it was all a misunderstanding. Usagi-chan should be here soon. We can ask her about it." Mari looked at them sadly. "Oh, well, I don't think she's coming..." "What do mean by that?" Rei wanted to know. "She said something." Mari sat down on the bench. "It's probably not my place to tell you, but she doesn't want to have anything to do with any of you." The four friends stared at Mari in shock. This was a joke, right? Usagi was standing behind one of the trees around them. "Gomen ne, minna. I wish it wasn't true, but it is..." Mari stood up quickly. "I have to go." Before they could respond, she was gone. "I knew it was too good to be true!" Rei exclaimed. "I'm not going to jump to any conclusion until I hear Usagi-chan's side of the story," Ami said. "Who's with me?" "I am!" Minako replied. Makoto nodded. "Me too! Rei-chan?" "Lets go." *************** Mari finally let out a laugh when she was far enough away. This was going to work out perfectly. Now she had to meet Mamoru and tell him her sob story. She arrived at Crown's five minutes later to see him chatting with his friend, Motoki. Mari put on her "game face" and headed in. Mamoru turned and immediately saw her demeanor. "Mari, daijobu?" he asked, rushing to her side. "Mamoru-kun, I had a horrible day!" "Tell me about it," he replied sitting her in the nearest booth. Motoki watched the two as they talked. He noticed that whenever Mamoru looked away, she would be grinning. However, the grin would be replaced by the saddest looking face when he looked at her again. He had always felt that Mamoru's relationship with Mari was wrong, but since they all thought Usagi was dead, it stands to reason Mamoru would fall for someone else. Speaking of Usagi, he really needed to pay her a visit.