Hello everyone! Nearly seven years later and I am finally revising (and hopefully completing) More Than You Think! Just to clarify: I am a huuuuge Darien/Serena fan but if you are familiar with this story, well, I'm not too sure how it will end. Please bear with me and things should be ok. The standard disclaimer applies. I've left the old chappies up but you really shouldn't read them. Does anyone know if my reviews disappear if I delete that chapter? Anyway, the story line might change and there will probably be disrepencies. Let me know if you like the changes, or have any suggestions for what I do next!
Title: More than You Think
Author: Renegade
Date: December 27, 2001
REVISED: OCTOBER 19, 2008
Serena's hands fumbled as she searched for her keys. She gave her bag a quick shake and heard them jingle, zoning in on the corner from which the noise came.
Aha!, thought Serena as she withdrew the keys to Darien's apartment. She smiled triumphantly, making a mental note to buy herself-- or rather, to have Darien buy her-- a smaller bag tomorrow. Huge bags may be useful but they made finding things a real pain. Besides, there was a pink bag sitting at the mall that had her name on it.
The key slid into the lock and clicked open almost silently. She let herself in, taking care to slip off her shoes at the front door. She picked up her silver heels and placed them inside-- oddly, right next to a pair of Darien's shoes. How strange, thought Serena, as she glanced around the dark, empty living room. These were the shoes he wore everyday. The two had made dinner plans but Darien never showed up. And since no one had picked up the phone at his apartment, she figured he must have gotten too caught up in his work to keep track of the time. She came to his place with the intention of surprising him with a homecooked meal. Could he have fallen asleep?
Her ears perked up when she heard a sound. It sounded like movement. Wrestling. Fear overtook Serena as she prayed to God that he wasn't hurt, that he wasn't fighting. I would have felt him transform, she rationalized.
"Darien?," called out Serena. "You there, baby?"
Her hands started to sweat as she crept through the apartment and toward the sound. It was coming from the bedroom. The movement was fast. Rough. It sounded painful. She called out to her boyfriend once more before she heard it-- a deep groan from Darien.
Serena quickened her pace, worried about her boyfriend. Her train of thought was quickly cut short once she threw upon the bedroom door. She was horrified.
Against the wall was Darien, the length of his naked body pressed up against a well-endowed blonde. A thin sheen of sweat covered both of their bodies; it was obvious that they had both been at it for a while. Serena grimaced. The blonde was nude with the exception of a pair of five-inch stilettos. So that's where her shoes are, thought Serena sardonically. What a cheap slut.
The pair had yet to notice that Serena had walked into the room. She saw Darien's body tense, preparing to reach the same heights as the bosom blonde. "Tell me how bad you want it, baby. Tell me that you want it. I've never felt so tight a--"
"Asshole!" screamed Serena. The blonde opened her eyes in shock and flew off the wall, untangling herself from Darien's body. Darien, unable to stop his momentum, finished in what must have been his most anticlimatic experience ever. His face was one of horror, embarrassment, and surprise as he stared woefully at his flaccid member. He looked up.
"Serena?" he said, completely shocked.
"What the hell do you think you're doing, Darien?" screamed Serena, visibly shaking with anger. She was ten seconds away from whipping out her transformation brooch, wanting nothing more than to moondust the man before her.
"What are you doing here?"
Serena saw red. Was that really all he could consider?
"What am I doing here? What type of question is that? Do you even have a brain, Darien? Look at yourself!"
"Sere… I-I…"
"You what, Darien? I-I-I" mimicked Serena, her voice dripping with sarcasm. Out of the corner of her eye she saw the other woman crawling on the floor, searching for her clothes. She rolled her eyes. "I really can't believe you."
"Look, baby, let me just explain..." started Darien.
"Explain!? Honestly? You know what, Darien?" asked Serena, without waiting for an answer. "We are over. Done. Finito. Fuck destiny, Darien. Go fuck yourself." She paused. "Oh wait-- you're already fucking that slut there."
She stormed out of the room and out of the apartment, smashing whatever she could on her way out. As soon as the elevator arrived, she ran into it, frantically pushing the button to the lobby.
"I have to get out of here. I have to keep calm. I can't-- I just can't let Darien see me cry..."
The doors opened and Serena stepped out, her vision blurry from the tears pooling in her eyes. The doorman glanced up from his newspaper and looked at her in surprise. But, by the time he had opened his mouth to speak, Serena had already run out, barefoot since she had left her shoes upstairs in her haste to get out.
Tears streamed down her cheeks as her feet pounded the pavement. She had to get away. She didn't stop running until she was halfway home, and noticed her hair and clothes were soaked.
It was raining. It was actually pouring. Serena almost laughed out loud. "You've got to be kidding me," said Serena aloud, to nobody in particular. "Aren't I so pathetic?" she screamed. "HOW CLICHE IS IT THAT, OF ALL DAYS, IT'S RAINING RIGHT NOW?" She looked around and noticed a few people looking at her. "IT WAS FREAKING BRIGHT AND SUNNY WHEN I WENT TO THAT GODDAMNED APARTMENT!"
Suddenly, lighting struck and Serena jumped. Her nerves calmed as her hysteria was replaced with fear. She was terrifed of lightning and wanted nothing more than to be home.
She ran the rest of the way home and quickly opened her door. She needed to be with family, with the people who loved her, respected her, and could make it all go away. "Mom? Dad? Sammy?" called out Serena to no response. "Where is everyone?" pondered the teen.
Walking into the kitchen, she didn't care that her hair was dripping and making a mess. On the table was a note and a cellphone.
( Hi honey! I hope you didn't forget that we're taking Sammy to look at some summer camps. We will probably be back in a few days. Dinner's in the fridge and I left some money on the table. Take care of yourself and don't hesitate to call us. I left my cellphone at home for you to use. Love you! )
Serena's shoulders slumped in disappointment. She was in disbelief. It was the worst day of her life and everyone was gone. She felt abandoned.
And then she remembered her guardian. "Luna!" called Serena, as she ran up her stairs. She stopped on it's landing once she remembered Luna was out with Artemis. She smiled bitterly. Did everybody have someone to be with except her?
Slowly, she dropped herself onto the floor.
"What about the girls?" wondered Serena. She called Amy, only to receive an answering machine. Mina, Rei, and Lita were probably with their boyfriends. It was, after all, a Friday night.
"Seems like everyone has somebody except me…" whispered a sober teenager.
Huddled in the corner, Serena wrapped her arms around her knees and let her emotions wash over her. Her boyfriend of two years, her prince, her future had cheated on her. What would happen now? How could she compete with someone older, prettier, and more mature? She cried-- not her usual, ear-piercing wailing, but instead a series of heart-wrenching, tear-wracking sobs. She felt lost.
Hours later, she woke up shivering. She had cried herself to sleep on the floor. "I'm all alone…" whispered Serena. A dark wave grew over her as she began to think bitterly. "No one appreciate me. Everyone thinks I'm so weak. My parents, my friends... they're always lecturing me, aren't they?" Serena looked back on everything she had done in her life. The girls were always lecturing her to be a better student, a better leader, a better person. "I'm never good enough..."
She stopped. What was she thinking? Her friends were only trying to push her to do better. "This is that bastard's fault," concluded Serena. "He underestimates me, doesn't appreciate me. Am I not pretty enough? Experienced enough? I'll show him," she thought, a sly smile growing on her face. "You'll be sorry, Darien Shields," said Serena, grinning. "I'm so much more than you think…"
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