Hey everyone.

This is short story from Lita's POV.  It's the first time I've ever 
attempted to write about her...so any feedback would be great.  Big
thanks to my editor, Adularia.  She's the reason I sound halfway 
decent.  I really appreciate all of her hard work.

As always, Sailor Moon isn't mine.  And the story was inspired by 
"Acid" a song by Emm Gryner.

Thanks for reading.
~December

Lightening Acid

"Wow, look at that cute guy!  He looks just like-"

"Your old boyfriend," my friends said in unison, as if this was a 
common occurance.  Well, okay, it was.

If you asked my friends, they would tell you that I was obssessed 
with my ex-boyfriend, Freddy.  They would only would be partily right.  
I have a broken heart and I have issues surrounding it...but Freddy 
isn't the cause.  Freddy's just the mask and the excuse.  The real 
person who wounded me...his name is Mike.

We met that night I lost my parents.  He was among the people at the 
airport...he had lost his sister, the last of his family.  We ended up
crying in each others arms in the airport...after my rage had gotten 
the best of me and I had punched out about three of the airport 
personnel.  He called me a "spitfire"...I'm not quite sure what he meant, 
but I embraced that word with pride.

Well that night we both decided we needed each other for the long haul...
but he lived halfway around the world!  So, we became pen pals.  We wrote
long, involved letters to each other, about our lives and losses.  Our
joy and pain.  His tendency to push people away, my tendency to get into
fights.  Ha.  I think at one point he was keeping a running tally of all
of the schools that I got kicked out of.  Mike was my friend...I'm not 
quite sure when he became more.

In looking back, maybe it was around that first birthday without my
parents.  We had been communicating via mail and I had mentioned how it 
would be so hard that year, not having my parents...or even a gift from 
them.  Well, on my birthday arrived a package.  Surprised, I opened it
...and found a pair of beautiful rose earrings and a note...from Mike, 
wishing me a Happy Birthday and telling me he was there for me.  I put 
them on immediately...and I haven't taken them off since.

After that, we sent presents back and forth all the time.  Birthday, 
Christmas...and on the anniversary of the plane crash.

At some point, I noticed and became frustrated with the emotion I was 
feeling about Mike.  And it was scary, because I told Mike everything...
even more than I told my best friend Ken.  But I couldn't talk to Mike 
about this.  So in came the substitute.  I don't even remember where I dug 
Freddy up from, but he had all the characteristics I wanted.  He was older, 
like Mike.  He was...okay he wasn't tall like Mike, but they had a similar 
build.  He had the same hair color as Mike.  And, in the beginning at least, 
I had convinced myself that he doted on me.  He also thought I was older than 
I really was.

I never told Mike about Freddy.  I mean, how could I without getting into
the "other" subject that I couldn't talk to Mike about?  But things were
fine, for about six months or so.

Then, that night happened.  It was a rainy Tuesday night...that night still
haunts me.  Ken only knows it as the night that Freddy broke up with me.
Oh, Freddy breaking up with me didn't help my mood, but that wasn't 
why I was a wreck.  You see, I had just gotten a letter from Mike.

Normally that would make me happy, I know.  But in this letter he said he
had fallen in love...with someone who wasn't me.  I can still see the words
in my head...

"Lita, you won't believe this, but I met her.  The girl that I can finally
open up to.  Her name is Emmalena...but I call her Emm.  She's beautiful.
She's kind. She can cook.  She's an amazing housekeeper. She's everything 
I ever wanted.  And I think she needs me.  I feel full for the first time
since I lost Mom and Sherri.  

I still can't believe it.  It's like something out of the movies.  You 
know, that shot...that scene when the hero gets the girl he deserves.

Li, this is serious.  We're going to get married.  (At least we will as
soon as I get up the nerve to "pop" the question.)   Heck, it must be
serious, I'm getting sappy.  Don't tell your guy friend Ken about this.
As much as I love Emm, being this sappy is definitely a blow to the 
manhood..."

I remember being angry at first.  "If SHE'S the girl you can open up to,
what the hell was I?  I was there during the rough times...at least by
letter.  Where was she?  Does she know about me and all I've done for
you?"  And then I started crying.

I probably would have been crying all night, but I had to meet Freddy
in the park.  It was raining and I had an unbrella, but I didn't care.
The only thing I did care about was that letter...which I re-folded with
care and put in a safe place before I left.

The scene in the park wasn't pretty.  Freddy had found out how old I really
was and he was coldly furious.  After calling me tons of names, which I
really didn't hear, he dumped me.  I remember dropping my umbrella and 
standing in the rain, thinking, "There must be something wrong with me.
Mike saw it and even Freddy...Freddy agrees.  Crap!"

I was so upset, I didn't notice that I wasn't getting wet anymore.  When 
I finally realized that, I turned around to see my best friend Ken, 
holding an umbrella over my head.

Ken's a great guy.  We'll never be more than good friends.  I just honestly
don't see anyone replacing Mike in my heart...but at my lowest, there he
was.  And I'm glad...because, again, I couldn't talk to Mike about this.

Three months later an invitation came.  I knew it was a wedding invitation,
based on the outside alone.  I wanted to burn it.  To rip it to shreads.
To somehow destroy it and the wedding...but I would want Mike to be happy.

So, again, through tears, I did the hardest thing I've ever done. I wrote,
"Return to sender" on the envelope and dropped it back in the mail.  I
never heard from Mike again...although I still see him in every cute guy that
walks by.

I look over at my friends around the table.  I think they are the reason
I'm still sane...though that would surprise you if you have ever seen our
normal antics.  They give me something to do, something to be a part of,
something to protect.  And they see value in me, especially Serena.

I've never told them about Mike.  Sometimes I wonder if it would help
to talk about it.  I know I could use their support...but I don't think
they'd understand.  So I don't say anything...except my standard line.

As I turn back to the window, I realize it is diffent this time.  The guy
does actually look like an older version of my old "boyfriend"...if Mike
can honestly ever be labelled that way.  At the very least Mike was a 
former boy friend.

"You okay, Lita?"

"Yeah.  Hey, there's this new recipe I want to try out...and I need guinea
pigs.  Would you like to come by tonight and-"

"Would I ever!  I love your food, Lita!"

"Just save some for the rest of us, Meatball Head!"

"Look pyro-"

Just another day. 

-end-