Title: Through the Camera and Into the Picture
Part 1:1
By: Ami D'Aqua
Email: ami_daqua@hotmail.com
Series: Sailor Moon
Rating: PG-12
Summary: Serena is a "Wedding Paparazzi"; in fact she's the best one around! Her life consists basically of sneaking about photographing weddings, until she meets Lord Darien. Will she dare to change her life style and actually let him in?
Author's Note: I got a bit of a long writer's block on Missing Life, so do forgive and I'll forgive you for not wanting to read it anymore. Got inspired by a wedding.
Disclaimers: don't own etc, etc .yeah you know the rest.
¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤ ¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤ The Wedding: Raye and Chad ¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤ ¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤
Chick Bride! Oh baby! Serena jumped as she read a note from her boss; she was to go to the famous Raye Hino's wedding! It was to be a huge public event and the world's most famous magazines and other media were going to be there. Serena, of all others that worked for Chick Bride was to go to the wedding! Of course it wasn't the first superstar, or royal wedding she'd photographed, and it was much more fun when she sneaked into such parties, but Mina's note was a proof that she was a good photographer and critic- one more reason for her to believe that she could succeed as a free lance fashion reporter without ever having attended a course on journalism.
The day was warm; the cathedral crowded; the people excitedly envious. Serena discretely drew away from the crowd of journalists and photographers and wandered among the guests occasionally take pictures of a few well dressed or horribly dressed people. She finally came close enough to the cathedral door to enter. The wedding was still two hours off, but Serena stepped inside decidedly.
She has spent a month researching the cathedral, studying its balconies and views. The purpose of this tremendous work was to find a place where she could get the best view of the whole ceremony, and especially the bride and the groom. These were to be some of her best wedding pictures!
She quietly slipped up the staircase to the second floor. Now she dedicated her time to find the stair which lead to the organ floor. That was not a terribly hard task, as there were only two doors around the U-shaped balcony of this neo-gothic cathedral. She walked across the empty balcony with rows of benches to the door. She knew that the second door, just above the altar was only for the priests. She was more familiar with churches than the average photographer. Once in front of the door, she pressed the old, yet shiny brass handle; the door was locked. She pulled a pin off her hair and put it thought the keyhole. Life experience had taught her how to unlock things with nothing more than a hair pin. This lock was not especially difficult- it was quite easy; only took less than a minute to unlock! - After all it was several centuries old.
She opened the door and climbed the stairs up to a smaller balcony with a humongous golden organ on the opposite end of the altar going from wall to wall. This ensured her that the organist would certainly not see her lurking about with her cameras. She smiled; this didn't give her an adrenaline kick like when she had to sneak into churches, cathedrals, gardens to obtain pictures of royal or celebrity weddings. She thought of Mina, her boss, that she was right when she called Serena for a "wedding paparazzi", although she personally preferred to call herself a "wedding photographer at her own rights".
She studied her view when the journalists started to arrive and hour after she had installed herself at her outlook point. She took a few practice pictures on the journalists, mainly to be sure that her view of the cathedral was clear, and accidentally caught one of the world's most famous photographers picking his nose. She would save that picture and patiently waited the rest of the hour, until the guests appeared.
As her wristwatch ticked closed and closer to midday on that heavenly Sunday, Serena took her position along the balcony and prepared herself to see the world through limited, zoomed glass lenses. The first guests made their appearances; some elegantly dressed and others extravagantly. She took pictures and smiled producing a small block from her fitting, diluted blue blazer. Without looking down, she wrote down keywords: "peacock", "penguin", "bad hair-day" and many others. From time to time she removed the camera off her eyes, and changed the film roll. She had her best views of the arriving people down an instinct now, and it was about time for the groom made his entrance.
"Water combed hair, yet unshaved- might set the fashion!" She took a few shots of him and searched the standing crowd through her camera. She passed an old lady with a horrible peach dress, and blue haired elegantly dressed young woman, and right beside her was the most dashing vision! A very handsome, utterly well dressed man with striking hair. so black that it gave deep blue reflections. She lost herself for a few minutes engrossed with photographing the man. It was very rare to see a so well dressed man, quite extraordinary actually. His clothes were definitely of dire material and exquisite tailor-ship, however, the suit itself was a classical tuxedo with no modern fashion additions. It had a certain distinction that differed from the mass fabricated ones: it fitted him perfectly, the costure was excellent, and it was so well ironed! These were little details that only people interested in the subject could notice; the untrained eyes only thought of his costume as a normal, old fashioned, boring tuxedo.
The organ sounded! Serena instinctively swept the camera from the gentleman to the door. She had not even noticed when the organist had arrived, she felt lucky that he didn't see her. But obviously, she knew quite well that the organist as well as anyone else from church was so very occupied with his own meditations that he would scarcely have noticed her. But the organ played on, and her camera was waiting for the bride.
A beautiful raved headed woman entered the cathedral. The dress reminded Serena of the Rococo Period, with a skirt of an outrageous diameter decorated with pink roses and peals. The dress, a corset, lifted her burst very well matched the skirt but perhaps the also had diamonds embroidered too. The junction of the shoulders and the arms were decorated with satin flowers; her hair done up in a complicated style and carrying a glittering tiara and an embroidered veil that covered her face. On her neck rested an expensive, but in Serena's opinion quite inadequate, all diamond necklace.
Every detail of the bride's entrance was perfectly captured in the two dimensions of Serena's film rolls. She admitted that Raye's voice was heavenly, and was proud of owning all her CDs, but the singer needed a desperate fashion advice- especially if she was marrying into a noble family. Amidst her contemplation Serena captured the exchange of ring and the kiss and the earlier parts of the lengthened Catholic wedding ceremony.
Meanwhile, two stories down a gentleman could not contain the effects of boredom produced by the priest when he uttered his all too familiar discourse. He turned to observing the ancient architecture of the Cathedral (which he had done many, many times considering the amount of weddings he was invited to). He carefully worked his way up from the ground, passing stain glass windows, up to the second floor, around the baroque balcony, the golden organ, and finally the smaller balcony towards the dome-shaped, painted ceiling- what was that up there?
The instantly forgot to admire the building and focused of the dark white figure on the organ balcony. A female figure, with blond tanned hair like bright wheat fields in the end of June. She had an instrument that was big enough to cover so much of her face that he could only spot her shut, focused, pouty lips- a photographer. As he deduced that, as elbow poked him on his side bring his attention back to the ceremony, but not before he decided on what to do to satisfy his curiosity.
Serena clicked and clicked as the bride and groom kissed, more passionately than she could accept in the house of God. She caught them waving at the guests, and Raye especially giving her attention to cameras of all sorts, thrilled at all the attention that she and her husband were receiving. Chad Hino only smiled looking at his wife tenderly. The organ began to play again, the guests rose, and the couple turned to the priest for formalities. Click! And Serena brought down her camera, feeling as if she was being watched.
She did not have time to bother or find out who was watching her. She was in a hurry to go down, away from the organist before the sound stopped. When she reached the floor below she blended with the crowd of people, and politely she leaned against a wall waiting for the people to disperse. Once the last person disappeared down the stairs, she turned to the mirror just beside her.
The gentleman climbed the stairs carefully, and as he slowly moved up he saw the photographer facing a mirror straightening her hair, and giving her reflection a nod of approval. She quickly walked to one of the figurines of saints, kneeled down and prayed. He watched her silhouette as he reached the top of the stairs: she lifted her head and opened her deep summer-sky blue eyes to the saint. "Forgive me God," was what he head her say earnestly.
"Hi," he said as she arouse from the kneeling position.
"Hello!" she answered with a shock of surprise turning her eyes to his deep blue Oceanus eyes.
"I saw you taking pictures from up there, earlier," he stated lifting his head showing 'up there'. "Isn't it quite far away to get good pictures?"
Serena smiled. "It's the best place for pictures; no heads or pushing and pulling. And a zoom that can detect how close your shave is from 5o meters away helps a great deal!" she explained patting her camera bag. "I'm Tsukino. - Serena- a free lance journalist on an expedition for Chic Bride magazine." She said giving him her hand for him to shake.
"Darien Chiba," he smiled kissing her hand gently with his eyes never leaving hers. "Enchanted."
"Old fashioned, are we?" she commented satirically at the man. "The 11th Earl of Shields, indeed!"
Darien smiled at the curious beauty before him. Soon, too soon, she made her apologies in a stressed tone. She had to secure a place for herself before any of the other journalists did. After all, she wasn't dressed to climb any trees that day! Darien watched her descend the stairway. Elegant toilette; simple, fitting, and modest with a well tailored blazer. The material was not very dire, but of good quality. It was well sewn, signaling that it was handmade, but not a designer's wear, yet nothing that could be seen by the untrained eye. Darien went down the stairs before the couple was finished with the formalities.
As Darien made his way out of the church he saw Serena again, kneeling on the august entrance stairs with her camera ready and dozens and dozens of other journalists behind her. He blended with the guests lined up by the entrance ready to throw rice at the newly married couple. They made their grand exit and the nosy crowd of journalists stirred- but all Darien bothered to look at was the woman that saw the world through the lens of a still picture camera. The limo carrying the couple was swallowed by fans and Serena was standing on the stairs with her camera packed away along with some other journalists. Darien walked over to her.
"So when do we have the pleasure of seeing your pictures?"
"Oh, in the Next issue of Chic Bride- I guess in two weeks- but you don't want to see them," she assured walking by him down the stairs.
"Are you so bad?" he joked.
"Oh no! The pictures are a master piece! If you neglect to read the subtext, that is!" she answered him as they now walked down the street.
"You're so confident that you sound conceited!" He exclaimed glancing at her.
Serena laughed, making her face glitter. "Men are always threatened by the sight of a confident woman, which is why they call her conceited. Besides, I was always under the impression that *peers* spoke in that fashion, but I guess it's a stereo type, hey?"
Darien laughed a little and nodded rather agreeing with her. They were in front of a BMW of the newest model.
"Nice car," Serena noted nodding at the baby, "I guess I'll see you at the party, if either of us is not too busy!"
"You're got a car around here?" he asked curiously.
"Car?" she replied shocked. Then she quickly added, "I'll take a taxi; haven't saved up for a car yet- don't think ever will: it's much quicker to take the tram or bus. Cars are always stuck at traffic lights or jams, you know!"
Darien agreed and opened the passenger's door for her. "Hop in with me, you won't find many taxis around here today!"
Serena didn't refuse, she knew the value of money, and not even pennies were allowed to slip away unnecessarily. They chatted away pleasantly as Darien drove to the party. Serena revealed that Chic Bride was not interested in the party, but she was lucky that the invitation included it for she could then sell the pictures to gossip magazines. Darien was well entertained and he told her about his job as an economist and owner of one of the nation's most important companies. Darien had parked, and was out of the car before he noticed that time actually existed.
"Then if you never get invitations to parties, how do you get the pictures then?" he asked her after having passed the guard.
"Well, just like this, most of the times!" she said smiling at him brightly. "And sometimes I forge invitations- but that's very time consuming."
"So how do I know you don't have a fake invitation?"
"With the exception of guards, I don't lie."
"Oh," he nodded.
"Well," she smiled anticipating and ending, "You have to go around chatting non-sense, and I have to make my living!"
Darien laughed. "Yes, I will go about my duties, Sir!"
"That is Ma'am- no, Miss!"
Shoot here, and picture there. The champagne is good, but not too much Serena or you'll get drunk. When does the food come? I'm starved! Gee, that dress is ugly- picture! Come on, baby, next time try something discrete on! Oh, food! Pretty couple- click! Here comes the cake- highlight of the evening, just hang on a little, Sere, then you're out of here.
Oh no! Not her! Someone save me- uh hullo Ann-Finally! I though I'd never be away from her. Hey, there's Serena, photographing! I wish you a happy marriage, Chad; hope she'll keep her promise. Yes, she's very pretty. God, doesn't she ever get tired of that camera? - I know she's never cared about her image, but since Greg showed up everything changed. - She's by the drinks, I'm going to her-Beryl.*damn* I didn't know you were invited!- She's taking pictures again- Sure I'll sit by you!- Darien, you have to learn to say no. The cake, she's still taking pictures.Finally! God, she's going away, I've got to catch up!
Serena headed out as soon as the couple went away for their Honey Moon. She went over to ask the guard to phone for a taxi.
"Do you think they'll be happy?" Darien surprised her.
"I think so," Serena said seriously, "I think it will last a long, long time."
"I certainly hope so- where are you heading to?"
"Home."
"That's where I'm going too! You can hop in with me!"
Serena laughed nervously- what did he want? "Why, what a coincidence, right? But you're certainly not driving me way!"
"It doesn't matter; I just thought I'd save you some money."
"It's okay, it's much more fun for you to stay here-"
"Here? I'd do anything go get away from here. Any party with Ann and Beryl is a torture for me!"
"All right then," she agreed sweetly, "But I'm not sure you know that part of town."
"I grew up here, you know," he said walking with her to the car. "And there are always maps, if I don't find your place. Now where is it?"
Serena told him her street, and sat in the car. Darien started it, and drove. Out of the wedding party. They were at first silent until Darien's curiosity broke the silence.
"So," he started looking at the road, "Do you have a boyfriend?"
"Goodness, no!" Serena said surprised. She smiled looking at Darien who faced her for a second or two, "Never had one!"
"I don't believe you," he concluded automatically. She was too beautiful.
"Why should you not believe me?" She demanded annoyed. "I mean I've been on dates and such, but nobody really thought-"
"What do you mean nobody thought?"
"Oh, never mind," she begged and then quickly asked, "Do you see someone yourself?"
"Nah," he laughed, "Everyone thinks I'm still not over my last girlfriend, but I just haven't met the right person yet."
"What makes you say that there is a right person?"
"I don't know," Darien said, "You don't think there is one?"
"No, I don't even think there is A person!"
"That's a very optimistic view!"
"But when you think about it," Serena went on, "The whole philosophy of that there is a right person seems unreasonable. How are two people to meet in the first place? There are Lord knows how many people on this earth! So the two people might never meet."
"Seems like you've thought about this before," he remarked interested.
"Yeah, I'm really stupid sometimes," she admitted embarrassed. "I always think of there things- that's because me biggest wish- oh, there I go again! Never mind!"
"You say 'never mind' way too many times."
"I just babble to much; have a hard time controlling my tongue. You know sometimes I get these klutz attacks! Well, I babble about stupid things, and- it's lucky I'm not walking, 'cause I'd trip!" Serena laughed.
Darien slowed his car down, and eventually stopped it. The building was gray with well done graffiti on it. Serena noticed that she was home, she opened the door.
"Hey, Tsukino," Darien said as Serena was about to get out, "I'd like to talk to you some more, so I'm wondering what you number is."
"You'll be talking to my answer machine most of the time but if you really want it." Serena gave him her number and closed his car door. She walked a few meters gracefully before she tripped and fell oh her bum. She stood up again; Darien's car was still there. "What did I say?" she shouted happily to him before walking into her building.
¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤ ¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤ Well.I kinda like this one, ya know! Tell moi what u think! Ami the Apprentice of the Mercury Princess
Summary: Serena is a "Wedding Paparazzi"; in fact she's the best one around! Her life consists basically of sneaking about photographing weddings, until she meets Lord Darien. Will she dare to change her life style and actually let him in?
Author's Note: I got a bit of a long writer's block on Missing Life, so do forgive and I'll forgive you for not wanting to read it anymore. Got inspired by a wedding.
Disclaimers: don't own etc, etc .yeah you know the rest.
¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤ ¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤ The Wedding: Raye and Chad ¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤ ¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤
Chick Bride! Oh baby! Serena jumped as she read a note from her boss; she was to go to the famous Raye Hino's wedding! It was to be a huge public event and the world's most famous magazines and other media were going to be there. Serena, of all others that worked for Chick Bride was to go to the wedding! Of course it wasn't the first superstar, or royal wedding she'd photographed, and it was much more fun when she sneaked into such parties, but Mina's note was a proof that she was a good photographer and critic- one more reason for her to believe that she could succeed as a free lance fashion reporter without ever having attended a course on journalism.
The day was warm; the cathedral crowded; the people excitedly envious. Serena discretely drew away from the crowd of journalists and photographers and wandered among the guests occasionally take pictures of a few well dressed or horribly dressed people. She finally came close enough to the cathedral door to enter. The wedding was still two hours off, but Serena stepped inside decidedly.
She has spent a month researching the cathedral, studying its balconies and views. The purpose of this tremendous work was to find a place where she could get the best view of the whole ceremony, and especially the bride and the groom. These were to be some of her best wedding pictures!
She quietly slipped up the staircase to the second floor. Now she dedicated her time to find the stair which lead to the organ floor. That was not a terribly hard task, as there were only two doors around the U-shaped balcony of this neo-gothic cathedral. She walked across the empty balcony with rows of benches to the door. She knew that the second door, just above the altar was only for the priests. She was more familiar with churches than the average photographer. Once in front of the door, she pressed the old, yet shiny brass handle; the door was locked. She pulled a pin off her hair and put it thought the keyhole. Life experience had taught her how to unlock things with nothing more than a hair pin. This lock was not especially difficult- it was quite easy; only took less than a minute to unlock! - After all it was several centuries old.
She opened the door and climbed the stairs up to a smaller balcony with a humongous golden organ on the opposite end of the altar going from wall to wall. This ensured her that the organist would certainly not see her lurking about with her cameras. She smiled; this didn't give her an adrenaline kick like when she had to sneak into churches, cathedrals, gardens to obtain pictures of royal or celebrity weddings. She thought of Mina, her boss, that she was right when she called Serena for a "wedding paparazzi", although she personally preferred to call herself a "wedding photographer at her own rights".
She studied her view when the journalists started to arrive and hour after she had installed herself at her outlook point. She took a few practice pictures on the journalists, mainly to be sure that her view of the cathedral was clear, and accidentally caught one of the world's most famous photographers picking his nose. She would save that picture and patiently waited the rest of the hour, until the guests appeared.
As her wristwatch ticked closed and closer to midday on that heavenly Sunday, Serena took her position along the balcony and prepared herself to see the world through limited, zoomed glass lenses. The first guests made their appearances; some elegantly dressed and others extravagantly. She took pictures and smiled producing a small block from her fitting, diluted blue blazer. Without looking down, she wrote down keywords: "peacock", "penguin", "bad hair-day" and many others. From time to time she removed the camera off her eyes, and changed the film roll. She had her best views of the arriving people down an instinct now, and it was about time for the groom made his entrance.
"Water combed hair, yet unshaved- might set the fashion!" She took a few shots of him and searched the standing crowd through her camera. She passed an old lady with a horrible peach dress, and blue haired elegantly dressed young woman, and right beside her was the most dashing vision! A very handsome, utterly well dressed man with striking hair. so black that it gave deep blue reflections. She lost herself for a few minutes engrossed with photographing the man. It was very rare to see a so well dressed man, quite extraordinary actually. His clothes were definitely of dire material and exquisite tailor-ship, however, the suit itself was a classical tuxedo with no modern fashion additions. It had a certain distinction that differed from the mass fabricated ones: it fitted him perfectly, the costure was excellent, and it was so well ironed! These were little details that only people interested in the subject could notice; the untrained eyes only thought of his costume as a normal, old fashioned, boring tuxedo.
The organ sounded! Serena instinctively swept the camera from the gentleman to the door. She had not even noticed when the organist had arrived, she felt lucky that he didn't see her. But obviously, she knew quite well that the organist as well as anyone else from church was so very occupied with his own meditations that he would scarcely have noticed her. But the organ played on, and her camera was waiting for the bride.
A beautiful raved headed woman entered the cathedral. The dress reminded Serena of the Rococo Period, with a skirt of an outrageous diameter decorated with pink roses and peals. The dress, a corset, lifted her burst very well matched the skirt but perhaps the also had diamonds embroidered too. The junction of the shoulders and the arms were decorated with satin flowers; her hair done up in a complicated style and carrying a glittering tiara and an embroidered veil that covered her face. On her neck rested an expensive, but in Serena's opinion quite inadequate, all diamond necklace.
Every detail of the bride's entrance was perfectly captured in the two dimensions of Serena's film rolls. She admitted that Raye's voice was heavenly, and was proud of owning all her CDs, but the singer needed a desperate fashion advice- especially if she was marrying into a noble family. Amidst her contemplation Serena captured the exchange of ring and the kiss and the earlier parts of the lengthened Catholic wedding ceremony.
Meanwhile, two stories down a gentleman could not contain the effects of boredom produced by the priest when he uttered his all too familiar discourse. He turned to observing the ancient architecture of the Cathedral (which he had done many, many times considering the amount of weddings he was invited to). He carefully worked his way up from the ground, passing stain glass windows, up to the second floor, around the baroque balcony, the golden organ, and finally the smaller balcony towards the dome-shaped, painted ceiling- what was that up there?
The instantly forgot to admire the building and focused of the dark white figure on the organ balcony. A female figure, with blond tanned hair like bright wheat fields in the end of June. She had an instrument that was big enough to cover so much of her face that he could only spot her shut, focused, pouty lips- a photographer. As he deduced that, as elbow poked him on his side bring his attention back to the ceremony, but not before he decided on what to do to satisfy his curiosity.
Serena clicked and clicked as the bride and groom kissed, more passionately than she could accept in the house of God. She caught them waving at the guests, and Raye especially giving her attention to cameras of all sorts, thrilled at all the attention that she and her husband were receiving. Chad Hino only smiled looking at his wife tenderly. The organ began to play again, the guests rose, and the couple turned to the priest for formalities. Click! And Serena brought down her camera, feeling as if she was being watched.
She did not have time to bother or find out who was watching her. She was in a hurry to go down, away from the organist before the sound stopped. When she reached the floor below she blended with the crowd of people, and politely she leaned against a wall waiting for the people to disperse. Once the last person disappeared down the stairs, she turned to the mirror just beside her.
The gentleman climbed the stairs carefully, and as he slowly moved up he saw the photographer facing a mirror straightening her hair, and giving her reflection a nod of approval. She quickly walked to one of the figurines of saints, kneeled down and prayed. He watched her silhouette as he reached the top of the stairs: she lifted her head and opened her deep summer-sky blue eyes to the saint. "Forgive me God," was what he head her say earnestly.
"Hi," he said as she arouse from the kneeling position.
"Hello!" she answered with a shock of surprise turning her eyes to his deep blue Oceanus eyes.
"I saw you taking pictures from up there, earlier," he stated lifting his head showing 'up there'. "Isn't it quite far away to get good pictures?"
Serena smiled. "It's the best place for pictures; no heads or pushing and pulling. And a zoom that can detect how close your shave is from 5o meters away helps a great deal!" she explained patting her camera bag. "I'm Tsukino. - Serena- a free lance journalist on an expedition for Chic Bride magazine." She said giving him her hand for him to shake.
"Darien Chiba," he smiled kissing her hand gently with his eyes never leaving hers. "Enchanted."
"Old fashioned, are we?" she commented satirically at the man. "The 11th Earl of Shields, indeed!"
Darien smiled at the curious beauty before him. Soon, too soon, she made her apologies in a stressed tone. She had to secure a place for herself before any of the other journalists did. After all, she wasn't dressed to climb any trees that day! Darien watched her descend the stairway. Elegant toilette; simple, fitting, and modest with a well tailored blazer. The material was not very dire, but of good quality. It was well sewn, signaling that it was handmade, but not a designer's wear, yet nothing that could be seen by the untrained eye. Darien went down the stairs before the couple was finished with the formalities.
As Darien made his way out of the church he saw Serena again, kneeling on the august entrance stairs with her camera ready and dozens and dozens of other journalists behind her. He blended with the guests lined up by the entrance ready to throw rice at the newly married couple. They made their grand exit and the nosy crowd of journalists stirred- but all Darien bothered to look at was the woman that saw the world through the lens of a still picture camera. The limo carrying the couple was swallowed by fans and Serena was standing on the stairs with her camera packed away along with some other journalists. Darien walked over to her.
"So when do we have the pleasure of seeing your pictures?"
"Oh, in the Next issue of Chic Bride- I guess in two weeks- but you don't want to see them," she assured walking by him down the stairs.
"Are you so bad?" he joked.
"Oh no! The pictures are a master piece! If you neglect to read the subtext, that is!" she answered him as they now walked down the street.
"You're so confident that you sound conceited!" He exclaimed glancing at her.
Serena laughed, making her face glitter. "Men are always threatened by the sight of a confident woman, which is why they call her conceited. Besides, I was always under the impression that *peers* spoke in that fashion, but I guess it's a stereo type, hey?"
Darien laughed a little and nodded rather agreeing with her. They were in front of a BMW of the newest model.
"Nice car," Serena noted nodding at the baby, "I guess I'll see you at the party, if either of us is not too busy!"
"You're got a car around here?" he asked curiously.
"Car?" she replied shocked. Then she quickly added, "I'll take a taxi; haven't saved up for a car yet- don't think ever will: it's much quicker to take the tram or bus. Cars are always stuck at traffic lights or jams, you know!"
Darien agreed and opened the passenger's door for her. "Hop in with me, you won't find many taxis around here today!"
Serena didn't refuse, she knew the value of money, and not even pennies were allowed to slip away unnecessarily. They chatted away pleasantly as Darien drove to the party. Serena revealed that Chic Bride was not interested in the party, but she was lucky that the invitation included it for she could then sell the pictures to gossip magazines. Darien was well entertained and he told her about his job as an economist and owner of one of the nation's most important companies. Darien had parked, and was out of the car before he noticed that time actually existed.
"Then if you never get invitations to parties, how do you get the pictures then?" he asked her after having passed the guard.
"Well, just like this, most of the times!" she said smiling at him brightly. "And sometimes I forge invitations- but that's very time consuming."
"So how do I know you don't have a fake invitation?"
"With the exception of guards, I don't lie."
"Oh," he nodded.
"Well," she smiled anticipating and ending, "You have to go around chatting non-sense, and I have to make my living!"
Darien laughed. "Yes, I will go about my duties, Sir!"
"That is Ma'am- no, Miss!"
Shoot here, and picture there. The champagne is good, but not too much Serena or you'll get drunk. When does the food come? I'm starved! Gee, that dress is ugly- picture! Come on, baby, next time try something discrete on! Oh, food! Pretty couple- click! Here comes the cake- highlight of the evening, just hang on a little, Sere, then you're out of here.
Oh no! Not her! Someone save me- uh hullo Ann-Finally! I though I'd never be away from her. Hey, there's Serena, photographing! I wish you a happy marriage, Chad; hope she'll keep her promise. Yes, she's very pretty. God, doesn't she ever get tired of that camera? - I know she's never cared about her image, but since Greg showed up everything changed. - She's by the drinks, I'm going to her-Beryl.*damn* I didn't know you were invited!- She's taking pictures again- Sure I'll sit by you!- Darien, you have to learn to say no. The cake, she's still taking pictures.Finally! God, she's going away, I've got to catch up!
Serena headed out as soon as the couple went away for their Honey Moon. She went over to ask the guard to phone for a taxi.
"Do you think they'll be happy?" Darien surprised her.
"I think so," Serena said seriously, "I think it will last a long, long time."
"I certainly hope so- where are you heading to?"
"Home."
"That's where I'm going too! You can hop in with me!"
Serena laughed nervously- what did he want? "Why, what a coincidence, right? But you're certainly not driving me way!"
"It doesn't matter; I just thought I'd save you some money."
"It's okay, it's much more fun for you to stay here-"
"Here? I'd do anything go get away from here. Any party with Ann and Beryl is a torture for me!"
"All right then," she agreed sweetly, "But I'm not sure you know that part of town."
"I grew up here, you know," he said walking with her to the car. "And there are always maps, if I don't find your place. Now where is it?"
Serena told him her street, and sat in the car. Darien started it, and drove. Out of the wedding party. They were at first silent until Darien's curiosity broke the silence.
"So," he started looking at the road, "Do you have a boyfriend?"
"Goodness, no!" Serena said surprised. She smiled looking at Darien who faced her for a second or two, "Never had one!"
"I don't believe you," he concluded automatically. She was too beautiful.
"Why should you not believe me?" She demanded annoyed. "I mean I've been on dates and such, but nobody really thought-"
"What do you mean nobody thought?"
"Oh, never mind," she begged and then quickly asked, "Do you see someone yourself?"
"Nah," he laughed, "Everyone thinks I'm still not over my last girlfriend, but I just haven't met the right person yet."
"What makes you say that there is a right person?"
"I don't know," Darien said, "You don't think there is one?"
"No, I don't even think there is A person!"
"That's a very optimistic view!"
"But when you think about it," Serena went on, "The whole philosophy of that there is a right person seems unreasonable. How are two people to meet in the first place? There are Lord knows how many people on this earth! So the two people might never meet."
"Seems like you've thought about this before," he remarked interested.
"Yeah, I'm really stupid sometimes," she admitted embarrassed. "I always think of there things- that's because me biggest wish- oh, there I go again! Never mind!"
"You say 'never mind' way too many times."
"I just babble to much; have a hard time controlling my tongue. You know sometimes I get these klutz attacks! Well, I babble about stupid things, and- it's lucky I'm not walking, 'cause I'd trip!" Serena laughed.
Darien slowed his car down, and eventually stopped it. The building was gray with well done graffiti on it. Serena noticed that she was home, she opened the door.
"Hey, Tsukino," Darien said as Serena was about to get out, "I'd like to talk to you some more, so I'm wondering what you number is."
"You'll be talking to my answer machine most of the time but if you really want it." Serena gave him her number and closed his car door. She walked a few meters gracefully before she tripped and fell oh her bum. She stood up again; Darien's car was still there. "What did I say?" she shouted happily to him before walking into her building.
¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤ ¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤ Well.I kinda like this one, ya know! Tell moi what u think! Ami the Apprentice of the Mercury Princess