Try me - part 1
By Henra
HenraM@tuxedomask.com
PG rated
Disclaimer…No, I don't own Sailor Moon. I'm just using the
characters.
Okay. Go read part one now. ^__^ =Henra.
Part one
**************
Serena Kansie looked at the stuff in her hands. A bag of chips,
a bottle of water, and a pack of candy…Just my luck that I ran out of
things to eat at my last day in the dorm. Tomorrow, I'll be living in a
house with new roommates…
Then, she sighed. Her hands started to get a little sweaty.
She sighed again and decided to concentrate on her shopping. I have
food for tonight…that's the chips. She cringed when she imagined how
her mother would've reacted if she knew. I have the water…and…oh…I
need milk.
Just for tonight…tomorrow, I would be at the new house…and
Mina would be gone. At that thought, Serena fought not to cry again.
She already cried two times today. Where's milk?
Her eyes caught on a big board hanged from the ceiling on
top of her. It read, "Aisle 4 - bread, wheat, cereals, crackers." She
looked toward the board's left, and found another board that said,
"Aisle 5 - milk, ice cream, yogurt, fast foods."
"Ah-ha. There we go," Serena murmured to herself, and
started to walk out of the aisle she was in.
She reached the aisle 5, and started to glance inside the
glass doors for milk as she walked along.
Yogurt, yogurt, yogurt…more yogurt. Then, she spotted a
carton of milk. Her eyes moved over a little bit farther, and she saw
more kinds of milk. Her eyes were wide and confused. I never thought
there would be only…SO many different kinds of milk! God…what did Mina
use to buy?
Serena sighed. She glanced at every single kind of milk there
was. Some were in boxes, with two gallons packed inside; some were just
one gallon of milk in a bottle by itself; and some were little cartons
with a small amount of milk. I'll buy bigger ones after I completely
moved in the house. She looked at the stuff she was holding in her
hands. Glancing around, Serena put them down against the glass door
near where she was standing. Then, eyes on the carton, she pulled
open the glass door in front of her, and felt a wave of cool air brush
against her face.
She was ready to grab a carton of milk, when she noticed the
expiration date printed on it. That's…the day after tomorrow. She
sighed, and her eyes darted behind the carton that she was about to
grab. I'm not going to finish it tomorrow morning anyway…so I might
as well as pick a carton with expiration as late as possible. Her
eyes moved down. Monday… Her eyes moved farther down. Next, next
week… She smiled in satisfaction. This was the one. Uh-oh. She
then realized something. The carton that she had her eyes on was…
way inside the 'cooler'. Serena looked around, looking for someone
to ask how she could get it. No one was in the aisle that she was in.
Then, an idea popped into her head. Serena inhaled deeply and
tucked a strand of blonde hair behind her ear. And, glancing around one
last time, she opened the glass door wide and stepped into the 'cooler.'
Inside, it was pretty dark, she could see the milk only by
borrowing the light that came through from the outside of the glass
door. She spotted the carton that she had wanted. Nonfat, late
expiration date, you, this carton of milk, are mine. Serena walked
carefully around the piled boxes beside her, ignoring the cold air
slipping through her thin shirt, and reached her destined carton of
milk.
She wrapped her fingers around the body of the carton, and
gave it a lift.
It didn't budge.
Serena looked down at the carton, and frowned. "What the…"
She tried to lift it again. It still didn't move. "Okay…
this is totally weird."
She glanced around, and tried to find another carton with
the same expiration date. To her annoyance, the others' dates were
all too early. I guess that was the only one left. Serena sighed to
herself. It was getting colder by the minute. She looked toward her
left, and her gaze landed on a stand-alone bottle of milk, and she was
about to grab it when she realized that it was a low-fat kind of milk.
She always drank the nonfat kind. She sighed. Looks like I
have to buy two gallons of milk today. Her gaze fixed on the box
next to the low-fat bottles of milk, and she was glad when she spotted
'nonfat' printed on one of the boxes.
She looked at the box. She couldn't see any e.d. She wondered
if the two bottles inside the wrapped box's expiration dates were the
same as the carton of milk that wouldn't budge. Well, there's only
one way to find out. She leaned over, and placed a hand on the box,
with the other, she tried to open the cardboard box.
A small guilt went through her as she worked on getting the
box open. I am going to buy this thing if the expiration date is okay…
if there is one printed on the bottles. She told herself, shrugging
off the guilt, If not…then… She decided not to think ahead.
Then, a warm rush of air blasted from behind her, and Serena
turned her head around, still leaned over low, eyes wide as she
stared at the guy standing outside, hand holding on to the glass
door.
"Oh, my…" she murmured. She took notice of the green apron
he was wearing, and knew that he worked in the supermarket. She
cringed inwardly, wondering how the situation must've looked to him.
"What the hell doing you think you are doing?" He barked.
His midnight blue eyes flashed down at her, accusing and angry. He
looked about her age…maybe a little bit older.
Serena straightened up, turned fully around, and licked her
lips. "I was…just getting the milk." She racked her brain for anything
to say, to make the situation look better.
His gaze flickered from her to the box that she had been
working on just a few seconds ago, and then it came back to her again.
"Yeah, but does getting the milk require OPENING the box here in the
store? And…why in the world are you INSIDE, for god's sake?"
"I…" She then closed her mouth, realizing that she had no
idea how to defend herself.
"Look, here, missy, if you had planned to buy that milk, then
be my guest, go ahead and buy it. But if you did not, and just were
opening the perfectly SEALED box for no reason at all…for fun,
whatever--to annoy the store…you still need to buy it."
Serena was about to go ahead and say "I'll buy it" but she
closed her mouth when she fully registered his words. She narrowed
her eyes at him. "Missy? For fun? Why would I do it for fun?"
He rolled his eyes. "I don't know," he replied. "Now, why
don't you just pick up the box and go to the counter?"
Serena was about to retort with a biting remark, but then she
felt a shiver going through her. She was getting cold. She crossed her
arms over her chest. "Could you please move out of the way so I can
get out of here?"
"Sure…wouldn't want you to freeze. Otherwise, who would pay
for that opened box of milk?" He stepped aside, although still holding
the door.
Serena stepped out, and sighed peacefully when she felt the
warmth of the air surrounding her. He was still holding open the glass
door, and was now looking at her. "Aren't you going to bring that
box out, too?"
"Look," Serena began, feeling anger rising in her body. "I
didn't even finish opening the box…so it's not opened. And since it's
not opened, I don't have to pay for it."
"So, what you're saying is, if I hadn't come at that moment
and caught you, you would've 'finished' opening the box, correct?" He
slammed the door shut.
Serena silently counted to five before she reacted. "Even if
I had opened it, I still would've bought it."
"Really?" The tone was beyond sarcastic.
"Yes."
"So, if you knew you still would've bought it--why did you
even try to open the box in the first place?"
"I…" Serena bit her lip, not about to tell him that she was
trying to find the expiration date. "To see something."
His midnight blue eyes narrowed, and he crossed his arms. "Oh
really? And what were you trying to see?"
"Now that's none of your business, is it?"
He smirked, but his eyes held her gaze, amused. "I don't
believe you. Okay, so--fine, maybe you were trying to see something,
but after you finished opening it, and saw it…you would've left the
box there, new but opened."
Serena glared at him. "Look, why are you even saying this? I
did not open the box!"
"Still. You need to buy it."
"ExCUSE me?"
"Look, I have no idea what you did back there, okay? So, in
precaution, I ask you to buy the milk."
Serena didn't answer, her gaze burning into his.
Then, he abruptly turned away. "Are you going to buy the
milk or not?" His voice was sharp.
Serena still stared at him, then she snapped out of it. "Why?
I don't want it, and you sure as hell cannot force me."
He turned back to look at her again. "No?"
"No," she replied firmly, crossing her arms over her chest.
"Fine." He narrowed his eyes. "You say the box is not opened,
and if it's not--you can pass this one, but don't you dare do it again.
But if it is--then, you better get the milk and go to the counter."
Then, he opened the glass door and stepped inside. Serena moved away a
little, not wanting to feel the cold air again. She watched him as he
bent over to look at the box she had been fumbling with before. He
seemed to take a long time checking.
Serena rolled her eyes. What was this guy's problem? It was
just a box of milk. Five bucks. Big deal.
He stepped out, and closed the door firmly behind him.
She looked at him, a smug smile on her face as she looked
at him. "So? Was I right? The box is NOT opened."
He shrugged. "So it's not. And it better not be anytime
soon…unless it's in your home." He started to walk away.
Serena's jaw hit the floor. No way in hell was he going to
walk away just like that. Not after the way he had treated her.
"Well?" she cried out to him.
He stopped walking. He turned around slowly, his eyes
seemed piercing blue for a second when he looked at her, but then
they changed to their normal coolness. "Well what?"
"You found out that the box is not opened…yet you had yelled
at me like that. Aren't you even going to apologize?" She didn't bother
to hide the annoyance on her face.
"Apologize?" He raised his chin a little, looking at her, a
smirk pasted on his face. "Why should I? I was just doing my job."
"Oh? And does your job include totally biting out remarks
to me like that?"
"Hey, try to imagine it in my place, yeah? I was just walking
down the aisle, checking to see if everything's fine, when I see this
dark figure INSIDE the cool room, bending over, hands fumbling with
the supposedly SEALED opening part of a box of milk. What do you think
the first thought that ran through my head was?"
Serena swallowed. From that description, even though she
hated to admit it--the situation then was not exactly a pretty picture.
"Well…" she stuttered, "Do you think maybe when you asked 'What are
you doing' you could've said a little BIT more nicely?"
"I did ask you that…nicely. Except I added an additional
word with 'the' after 'what'."
She rolled her eyes.
"Anyway, since there's no problem now that I can see--"
"Clearly," Serena interrupted.
He narrowed his eyes. "So is it okay if I go back to work?"
"No. You owe my an apology." Serena was surprised at her own
determined voice.
"I already explained the situation to you, missy," he replied,
sighing. He was getting pretty exasperated.
"Listen, okay--whatever your rotten name is. I do NOT
appreciate people calling me missy, all right?"
"Whatever. And now you listen--I need to go back to work. So
if you'll excuse me--"
"Apologize first."
"No." His gaze on her sharpened. "I don't need to. I was doing
my job."
"Yeah, your job. But maybe I could get the store manager and
ask him or her if it is in the 'job' to have you treat a shopper
harshly, just because she was trying to get something which was in
the far back of the cool room, and was, well, okay--trying to get
open a box of milk, but did NOT succeed--"
"All right, just stop, okay! God! Sorry! There, I said it."
He put up his hands, and slowly stepped away from her. "Why do you keep
pushing it? But anyway--I apologize. Could you please leave me alone
now?"
Serena felt her cheeks flush, but refused to flinch. "I'll
be glad to leave a scum like you."
"Scum? Who do you think you are, missy?" A scowl appeared on
his face.
"I am NOT missy!" she practically screamed. Then, she
silently counted to ten, and felt herself gradually calming down.
When she looked up, he was still there, smirking at her. "I'll be
going."
"Oh, please--do not let me keep you." His voice was sugary
sweet but dripping with sarcasm.
Serena barely remembered to grab her bag of chips, water,
and candy before she stomped away.
Now I know which market I should NOT come often.
"Mina?" No one was home. Serena tossed her keys on her bed,
and stared at her friend's well-made, empty bed.
She sighed sadly. Our last minutes together here, and she's
not even home.
Just then, a sound from the door made her look up. A
blonde-haired head popped in, followed by a body. Mina Lallap glanced
around, and her sapphire eyes landed on Serena. She closed the door,
broke in a run across the big room, and grabbed Serena in a hug.
Serena clutched her best friend, and could feel tears
gathering in her eyes. "I'm going to miss you so much, Mina…"
"Me, too. I mean, I-I'm going to miss you," Mina replied, a
tear sliding down her cheek, landing on the back of Serena's midriff.
"Write to me, okay?"
Serena felt her nod.
"Where were you?" Mina asked, her voice muffled.
"I went to the super market."
"What? Why?"
"I need food for tonight and tomorrow. Where were YOU?"
"I had to make a long-distance call from downstairs to my
mother."
"What time do you have to go again?"
Mina gently released Serena and stared at her in the face.
"7:30. I said that a million times already."
"I know. Well, you don't need to eat dinner here tonight…but
I do."
"What did you buy for dinner?"
Serena smiled through her tears. "A bag of chips."
"What?" Mina's eyes widened, and she grabbed her friend's
elbow. "You do know that your mother is going to keel over when she
hears this, right?"
"No, she isn't. Because no one is going to tell her," Serena
answered, giving Mina a wink.
Mina rolled her eyes and groaned. She fell down on top of
Serena's bed. "I'm going to miss this room."
Serena looked around. The pictures that used to hang up on
the walls were gone; the beautiful blue pattern wallpaper was gone.
The furniture were rid of any personal stuff, standing there looking
ready to be used once again. Moving boxes for herself were placed on
the wall beside the big window, and the luggage for Mina were sitting
right beside them.
"It's not going to be fun in the new house…" Serena said
quietly.
Mina looked at her friend, smiling sadly. "You're just saying
that. I'm sure it'll be fun, once you get to know your roommates."
"I only met Raye…and she seems okay…a little fiery-tempered,
but still friendly. Chad…geez, the guy's a total rock star wannabe.
But, he doesn't seem difficult to live with. There's still another
guy--um, Darren? Darryl? No, wait…Darien. He didn't show up when Raye
and Chad interviewed me for a new roommate. So I don't know what he's
like."
"You're going to be fine, okay, Sere? I'll always come back
and visit you from London," Mina told her friend.
Serena remained silent.
"Look, stop, okay? This is our last--" Mina threw a glance
toward her watch, "forty-five minutes together, and I don't want to
waste it mourning over our parting."
Serena's eyes became brighter. "What do you wanna do?"
"Well, what do you say we--" Mina sat up, and crossed her
legs. "tell each other, for the last time, our deepest secrets for this
month."
Serena smiled. It was a game they played each month, she had
to tell Mina all her hidden secrets for the past 30 days, and Mina had
to tell Serena HER deepest secrets. Sometimes both of them had really
nothing to tell, but sometimes--they learned something very important
about each other.
Serena stifled a small sob. She was going to miss Mina sooo
much.
"Wait a minute, wait a minute. You totally argued with this
guy, he went sarcastic and callous to you, and you went harsh and…hard
on him. BUT, now you're saying that he's cute?" Mina exclaimed,
holding up a finger.
Serena smiled, grabbing Mina's finger and yanking it down on
the bed. "Yeah. He was pretty cute. Although his eyes had flashed--
anger toward me, they were still sooo…so gorgeous. And his hair--so
black, and thick, and…tousled…real…GORGEOUS."
"See, now there's something I know I'm going to miss a LOT.
You and your descriptions of guys," Mina said cheerfully.
Serena's face dropped. She looked away.
"Hey, Sere…" Mina put an arm around her.
"I'm sorry, Min. It's just that…I'm REALLY going to miss
you." Serena couldn't hold back anymore, and she began to cry.
Mina watched her best friend, and felt tears streaming down
her own cheeks. She embraced Serena, holding her tightly. "Don't cry,
don't cry. It's okay…you're making me cry. And--and you KNOW I'm not
the crying type."
Serena broke away and gently wiped away her tears. "You're
right, you're right." She breathed deeply. "I'm sorry."
"So…" Mina began, determined to get herself and Serena out
of this crying mode, "You think he's cute, but you still hate him?"
"Of course!" Serena exclaimed, wiping away the last of her
tears. "I really despise him. He could've went a LITTLE bit softer on
me. He could've asked before he shouted in my ears. Honestly, his eyes
were glaring, and soo…angered. I could even hear this breathing, heavy
and fast. It was like, like--he thought I was a thief or something.
When I turned around and saw him standing there, I could've swear that
it looked like he had wanted to grab me and pin me to the floor or
something."
Mina laughed. "Sounds so like your dream guy."
"Haha, very funny, Min. I hope I never will see him again."
"You probably won't. This is a pretty big city. Unless, of
course--you go to that supermarket again."
Serena's eyes widened. "Of course not! I wouldn't be caught
dead going there again! And you know, Min--YOU suggested me going
there."
Mina held up her hands, suppressing laughter. "Hey--how was I
suppose to know that you would end up trying to rip open a milk box,
and a guy catching you right on the spot? I recommended the store to
you because it has some cheap stuff."
"Yeah. Whatever."
Suddenly, Mina's watch began to beep. She held up her left
wrist, and squinted at it. "Oh, no…" she murmured, a sad expression
coming over her face.
Serena knew. "7:30?"
Mina glanced up, her eyes full of sorrow. "Yeah," she replied
softly.
"Just gimme a long hug before you go. And do not forget to
write me. I'll give you the number for the house as soon as I can."
Serena reached out and hugged her best friend.
"You have my address, right?"
"Yeah. And you have mine--the new one, correct?"
"Correct."
They stayed still, hugging each other, crying silently, until
her watch beeped again. "What the--" She clicked it off, annoyed. But
she knew it was really time for her to go now. She had set another
alarm at 7:40 because somehow she knew that she would not able to make
out of the dorm by 7:30. She couldn't help but smile. She had been
right.
"I really have to go now. That alarm beeped 7:40," Mina said.
Serena let go, and stared at Mina through watery eyes. "I'll
walk you down."
"No. There's really no need. It would be…be best if we said
our goodbyes right here," Mina said, biting her bottom lip.
Serena knew what her friend was thinking. If she walked with
her down, they would waste more time crying, and Mina might miss her
plane. It happened before. So she nodded numbly, and whispered, "Well…
bye, Min."
A loud sob escaped Mina's throat. "Good-bye, Sere." Her voice
cracked at the name.
Tears poured out of Serena's eyes, but she didn't even bother
to wipe them away. "I'll see you again…someday."
"Bye," Mina whispered before she turned and grabbed her
luggage, which consisted of a large suitcase and a duffel bag. She put
on her summer jacket, and gave Serena a last smile by the door. "Love
you, girlfriend."
That was all she needed to break into a cry. "Love you, too,"
she choked out, wrapping her arms around herself.
Mina bit her lip, and opened the door. She rolled the suitcase
with her left hand, and carried the duffel bag with the right. She kept
going toward the elevator, not looking back, not able to look at her
friend's tear-stained face once more. She was leaving. She was leaving
the city. She was leaving the country, leaving all her friends…and
leaving…her best, best, best friend.
She sighed heavily, tears blurring her vision as she heard the
small 'ding' of the elevator. She looked toward the direction of the
dorm once more. Serena was standing there, clutching the necklace she
was wearing.
Mina couldn't help but smile. She had a same one. Except on
the pendant of her necklace, there was a small, carefully carved
"Friends", while on Serena's it was a "Best." She mouthed a "Bye" to
Serena, and, when the elevator door opened, she walked in, rolling her
suitcase.
Serena closed the door, numbly yet shakily, and then walked
lifelessly toward her bed. She fell on it, warm tears flowing down her
face. She grabbed the plastic bag that was lying down beside her bed.
She opened it, and pulled out the bag of chips.
Hope you have chips as good as these in London, Mina. I know
you love them. Serena thought as she tore open the bag, and popped a
chip in her mouth.
When she opened her eyes that morning, the first thing that
Serena did was glance over at Mina's bed. She was always the one who
woke Mina up everyday for class. But now…her best friend's bed was
empty.
In a flash, everything pushed its way back into her mind, and
Serena closed her eyes. Her eyes felt dry and tired. She put a hand to
her cheek, and found some dried trails of tears.
Serena sighed. She flipped open the covers, and got off the
bed. She had told Raye that she would be moving some stuff in at 10:40.
She glanced at her watch, which was sitting on the floor by her feet.
Her eyes widened. 10 already?
Quickly, Serena grabbed the clothes that she had already
prepared yesterday night, and went in the bathroom. She took a cool
shower. With a towel wrapped around her, she brushed her teeth, combed
her hair, and then took off the towel and put on a pair of loose black
jeans, and a tight red short-sleeved shirt.
Once she was out of the bathroom, she took a good look around
the, what used to be a cozy and friendly, but now lifeless and dull,
dorm. She sighed. She and Mina had shared so many fun nights here
talking and eating away with each other.
She made her bed, and put on her watch. She opened the drapes,
and sunshine lighted its way in. She stuffed her oversized nightshirt
in her backpack, and then went to the bathroom again to put in her
shampoo, body wash, and other toiletries. She stepped out of the
bathroom. No personal stuff left.
She took another good look around the dorm, and sighed. She
glanced at her left wrist, but found no watch. Serena smiled to
herself and went over and picked up the watch that was still sitting
by the bed. She put it on while she stuffed her feet into a pair of
running shoes.
She glanced at the moving boxes. She walked over to the
phone, and dialed Raye's number.
"Hello?"
Serena cleared her throat. "Hi, Raye…it's Serena."
"Oh, hi!"
"Um, I'll be coming over to move some stuff in right about
now, is that okay?"
"Of course! Do you need any help?"
Serena couldn't help but smile. "No, but thank you, anyway."
"All right, then. See you in a few."
"Right. Bye." She hanged up the phone, sighing to herself.
"Well."
She grabbed her small backpack, and dropped her car keys
inside. She checked for the dorm keys, and then pulled a strap over her
shoulder, walking toward the boxes. She put her hands on the two
edges of the biggest of the three, and began to drag it toward the door.
"Whoa! You need any help with that?" Raye Caseley exclaimed,
staring at the big box that Serena was dragging in.
"Thanks, but, I can handle it," Serena replied, flashing a
small smile at Raye. She held up the box with a small grunt, shifting
weight from one foot to another for balance.
"Well, your room is all cleaned up and ready for you to move
in," Raye said, grinning.
"Thank you."
Raye nodded. She glanced at the box again, and then at
Serena's new room upstairs. "Serena, I don't care what you say, you
can not drag that heavy big old thing up the stairs all by yourself.
Let me help." With that, she walked to the other side of the box, and
placed her hands under it, holding it with all her might.
Serena flashed her an appreciative smile. "Thanks." She let
her hands loosen the grip on the box a little bit, and approached the
stairs sideways, with Raye on the other side.
When they reached the top, they both put the box down at the
same time, and blew out huge breaths of air. Raye looked at Serena,
grinning. "And you thought you could drag that all the way up here?"
Serena smiled back, and shrugged. "I figured it wouldn't
take that much energy." She inhaled deeply, and started going
downstairs again. "I still have two more in the car, but they are much
lighter, and I can do it by myself."
"That's what you said last time," Raye reminded her, following
her downstairs into the living room.
"Well, this time it's for definite." Serena walked out of
the front door toward her parked car by the road.
Raye smiled after her, and then went to the kitchen to
continue to sip her soda.
A few minutes later, Serena came in again, carrying another
box in her hands.
"All done?"
Serena glanced at Raye, who was stretched out on the sofa,
watching TV. She smiled, and nodded. "Yep. I'm going upstairs to
unpack some stuff, all right?"
"Okay. But maybe before that, you should lie down for a
while. You look exhausted," Raye said, studying Serena's face.
Serena smiled again, wiped some sweat off her neck with
her hands, and then went upstairs.
Raye turned back toward the TV, and then looked at the clock.
Where the hell is the other two?
Serena put her hands on her lips, and surveyed her new room.
She couldn't help but smile. The room actually was starting to look
like an actual ROOM with a person living in it, rather than the dull,
blank space that she had saw when she first walked in with Raye and
Chad while they were showing her around.
The room already provided the furniture, which was why the cost
had been a little high, but Serena liked it that way, since she did not
want to bother going out and buy more stuff. She glanced around again,
taking in everything carefully. Desk, check; drapes, check; bed,
check; sheets…Serena looked at her boxes…she needed to put them on
later.
Uh-oh. No mirror. She suddenly thought.
She walked toward the biggest moving box, and fished around
for the big mirror that used to hang on the wall beside her bed in the
dorm. Her hands touched the glassy material, and she pulled it out.
Walking toward the wall beside the desk, She looked at the oval-shaped,
golden-framed mirror, and then glanced at the wall to see a spot to
hang it on.
Then, she realized something. She needed a nail, and a hammer.
Sighing, Serena walked out of her bedroom, careful to close
the door after her, and walked downstairs.
"Raye?" Serena called out, walking into the living room.
Raye opened her closed eyes, and turned her head around.
"Yeah?"
"Do you have, like," Serena glanced around, "a hammer and a
nail?"
Raye wrinkled her nose. "Why would you need those?"
"I need to put up a mirror, and there's no way I can put it
up without a nail and a hammer," Serena replied, half-smiling.
"Oh." Raye frowned slightly, darting her eyes around. "I'm
not sure. I'm not exactly Ms. Toolman. Still, I think either Chad or
Darien has to have something like that around here." Her eyes landed
on the kitchen cabinets. "I'll go look for them in the cabinets."
"Oh, no!" Serena quickly said, taking a step toward Raye
before she could stand up. "I gave you enough trouble already, I can
do it myself. That is…if you don't mind me messing around with your
stuff…"
Raye shook her head. "Of course not. And, Serena…? You're not
giving me any trouble."
Serena looked at the raven-haired girl, and smiled. "Thanks,
Raye." She walked in the kitchen, making her way around a basketball
on the floor. Standing in the kitchen, she put her hands on her hips
and glanced around. Which cabinet?
She pulled open one by the fridge, and it was filled with
food. She opened the one beneath it, and that was filled with paper
cups, napkins, plates, etc. She stood up, and walked across to the
cabinets by that side. She opened the top…nope. She opened the bottom
one, and caught a glimpse of what she thought were tools. Serena
kneeled down, and stuck her head inside the cabinet, trying to pick
out a hammer and some nails in the darkness.
In the living room, Raye laughed suddenly when someone in
the TV show she was watching made a joke. She pushed away a strand of
dark hair by her eyes, and then pushed the volume-increasing button.
The sound of a slamming door startled her. Raye turned
around, and when she saw who it was, she rolled her eyes. "Where
the hell were you?"
The dark-haired man's blue eyes flashed annoyance. "What's it
to you, cousin?"
Raye rolled her eyes again, sighing. "Whatever. Anyway,
Serena's here."
His brows knotted together. "Serena who?"
"You know--our new roommate, the one that you didn't even
bother to show to meet the other day," Raye replied flatly.
"Oh. Well, we got someone to pay the rent now, right? So
why are you still so worked up over that?"
"I'm not worked up. I just thought that you maybe could've
showed just a LITTLE more warmth toward the girl that we will be
living with for a long time."
"You know, Raye," he sat down on the sofa beside her, "If
I were to say anything about a new roommate, it's that I'm really not
that excited about it being a girl."
"Well, I am. You have no idea how it is for me to be living
with King of Mock and King of Rock at the same time," Raye said,
leaning against a soft cushion.
He just grinned.
"Oh, Serena's in the kitchen right now, looking for some
hammer and nails. By the way, Darien--where are the hammer and the
nails?"
Darien Caseley frowned. "I don't have a hammer or any sort
of nails in the house."
"I know you don't, but do you know where they are?"
"I never use them."
"Well, then, fine--do you know where CHAD put them?" Raye
asked, exasperated.
"In the close somewhere, figuring him."
"Closet?" Raye stood up, the cushion on her lap falling
to the floor. "Great. I thought he had put it in the kitchen somewhere,
and Serena's over there looking for it right now." With that, she
turned to the kitchen entrance.
"Serena?" Raye called out, glancing around the kitchen as she
stepped inside.
"Yeah, Raye?" Serena's voice was muffled, with her head being
inside the cabinet.
Raye smiled at the picture Serena made. "Um, I'm really
sorry--I don't think it's in the cabinets somewhere."
Serena pulled her head out, stood up, and looked at Raye.
"Oh, no wonder. Well then, where are they?"
"Darien says that Chad put them in the closet."
Serena raised an eyebrow. "Darien?"
"Yeah, he's home. Come out and meet him," Raye said
casually, smiling.
Serena shrugged. "Yeah, sure. But which closet contains the
tools? Don't tell me that I have to look for them one by one. I've
seen how many closets this house has."
Raye grinned, leading the way out of the kitchen. "I'll ask him
to be more specific."
Darien was sitting on the sofa, so when Serena and Raye came
out, his profile was the first thing that Serena saw. She frowned,
taking a step warily toward him, following Raye. He looks sort of
familiar.
"Darien, which closet is it that the hammer and the nails
are in?" Raye asked, standing by the sofa, looking down at him.
He shrugged, eyes still on the TV screen. "Check the one
that's NOT in a bedroom."
Raye glanced upstairs, then shooting a look at Serena.
Meanwhile, Serena suddenly had a very uneasy feeling about the
young man just several feet away from her. There was something very
familiar about that shade of his hair…
Just then, Darien stood up, stretching. He looked at Raye,
somehow not noticing Serena behind her. "I'm going up."
"Hello?" Raye said, irritated, stepping aside a little.
"This is Serena? Aren't you even going to say hi to her?" She was
really annoyed with her cousin now.
Darien's eyes shifted to Serena, turning around fully to
face her.
Serena gasped, immediately realizing who it was.
"YOU!?!" They both cried at the same time.
"You two met before?" Raye asked, eyes darting back and forth
between Serena and Darien, who were glaring at each other.
"Unfortunately, yes," Darien replied, his eyes not moving from
Serena's face.
Serena narrowed her blue eyes, crossing her arms over her
chest.
"How…how did you meet?" Raye asked, fighting off a small smile
at how her cousin looked right at that instant. She had never seen him
look so pissed off…and yet never seen him so intense, even though he was
doing a pretty good job at covering his emotions.
Both Serena and Darien didn't answer her, they were two busy
glaring at each other.
"So…" Darien began, his voice and face cool, "You are the new
roommie."
"Looks like it," Serena replied, her voice cold.
"Well…just do me one favor, will you? Try not to open anything
that's supposed to be SEALED in this house, okay?"
Serena felt a growl in her throat. "And you do me a favor, too,
can you? Try not to act so callous and stubborn, okay?"
He smiled coolly. "Sorry, no can do. I'm like that."
"All right, listen, you two--" Raye began, before Serena had
any chance to retort, "Whatever happened before between you--forget
about it, okay? We're going to be living together, so you need to at
least act civil to each other."
"Boy, do I wish that I went to some sort of acting academy
before," Serena remarked.
Darien's gaze sharpened. "I'm going upstairs."
"I'm going after you," Raye replied, following close behind
her cousin, a curious expression on her face.
Serena stared after the two, feeling her heart drop. Great.
God, I wish I were still living in the dorm right now! She looked out
the windows sadly, her heart twisting in sorrow. And do I wish that
Mina was still here.
"You were mean, Darien. Face it," Raye told him after she
brought the story out of his mouth.
"What? No, I wasn't, Raye. SHE was the one who was INSIDE the
room, fumbling around in a closed box of milk, trying to OPEN it from
where I could see, and I was being MEAN? Hell, no." Darien made a point
of making a loud noise when he pulled a chair to sit down.
"Look, I agree with Serena. She had been right when she had
said that she DIDN'T open the box, and so DIDN'T need to buy the milk.
And you kept insisting."
"I was doing my job. How could I even guess what she was
doing? She could be wrecking the merchandise on purpose, for all I
could tell."
Raye rolled her eyes. "Darien! Does Serena look like the
sort of girl who will make trouble on purpose?" She exclaimed.
Suddenly an image of her flashed before Darien's mind. He
had to admit that she didn't look like that…that she looked very
innocent…and beautiful…and…
He cleared his throat, raising his voice again. "Maybe not,
okay? But again, how was I suppose to know?"
"Whatever. But, listen--we are roommates now. Serena's
helping pay the rent, and so don't you even think about replacing
her."
Darien didn't say anything. He WASN'T thinking about replacing
her, but Raye didn't have to know that. In fact, it would be the best
if Raye knew how much he didn't like her.
"Anyway, I know how you can be, Darien. But I've lived
through it. Only Serena's new, and I'm sure she won't be used to your
attitude any time soon. So be nice to her, okay?"
"What ABOUT my attitude?" Darien asked, glaring at Raye.
Raye shook her head, waving a hand in the air. "Never mind."
"As long as she doesn't make any kind of trouble in this
house, I'll be cool to her," Darien said.
"Good. Oh--what do you wanna eat tonight?"
"I don't know. Pizza?"
Raye shrugged. "Okay. I'll tell Serena, so she can join us."
She gave him a look.
Darien tried to look casual. "Whatever. Be sure to tell Chad,
too."
He couldn't help but smile at the expression on his cousin's
face. He knew she liked Chad as much as he liked Serena.
"You tell Chad yourself, since he's your friend." Raye opened
the bedroom door. "Although why is way beyond me," she mumbled as she
walked out.
Darien closed the door after her, and sat down on his bed
with a thump. Dammit, Lita. Why did you have to move out so suddenly?
**************
What did you think, guys? Boring? Dull?
Email me at HenraM@tuxedomask.com
And visit my website at http://www6.ewebcity.com/moonieround
^_^ =Henra.
By Henra
HenraM@tuxedomask.com
PG rated
Disclaimer…No, I don't own Sailor Moon. I'm just using the
characters.
Okay. Go read part one now. ^__^ =Henra.
Part one
**************
Serena Kansie looked at the stuff in her hands. A bag of chips,
a bottle of water, and a pack of candy…Just my luck that I ran out of
things to eat at my last day in the dorm. Tomorrow, I'll be living in a
house with new roommates…
Then, she sighed. Her hands started to get a little sweaty.
She sighed again and decided to concentrate on her shopping. I have
food for tonight…that's the chips. She cringed when she imagined how
her mother would've reacted if she knew. I have the water…and…oh…I
need milk.
Just for tonight…tomorrow, I would be at the new house…and
Mina would be gone. At that thought, Serena fought not to cry again.
She already cried two times today. Where's milk?
Her eyes caught on a big board hanged from the ceiling on
top of her. It read, "Aisle 4 - bread, wheat, cereals, crackers." She
looked toward the board's left, and found another board that said,
"Aisle 5 - milk, ice cream, yogurt, fast foods."
"Ah-ha. There we go," Serena murmured to herself, and
started to walk out of the aisle she was in.
She reached the aisle 5, and started to glance inside the
glass doors for milk as she walked along.
Yogurt, yogurt, yogurt…more yogurt. Then, she spotted a
carton of milk. Her eyes moved over a little bit farther, and she saw
more kinds of milk. Her eyes were wide and confused. I never thought
there would be only…SO many different kinds of milk! God…what did Mina
use to buy?
Serena sighed. She glanced at every single kind of milk there
was. Some were in boxes, with two gallons packed inside; some were just
one gallon of milk in a bottle by itself; and some were little cartons
with a small amount of milk. I'll buy bigger ones after I completely
moved in the house. She looked at the stuff she was holding in her
hands. Glancing around, Serena put them down against the glass door
near where she was standing. Then, eyes on the carton, she pulled
open the glass door in front of her, and felt a wave of cool air brush
against her face.
She was ready to grab a carton of milk, when she noticed the
expiration date printed on it. That's…the day after tomorrow. She
sighed, and her eyes darted behind the carton that she was about to
grab. I'm not going to finish it tomorrow morning anyway…so I might
as well as pick a carton with expiration as late as possible. Her
eyes moved down. Monday… Her eyes moved farther down. Next, next
week… She smiled in satisfaction. This was the one. Uh-oh. She
then realized something. The carton that she had her eyes on was…
way inside the 'cooler'. Serena looked around, looking for someone
to ask how she could get it. No one was in the aisle that she was in.
Then, an idea popped into her head. Serena inhaled deeply and
tucked a strand of blonde hair behind her ear. And, glancing around one
last time, she opened the glass door wide and stepped into the 'cooler.'
Inside, it was pretty dark, she could see the milk only by
borrowing the light that came through from the outside of the glass
door. She spotted the carton that she had wanted. Nonfat, late
expiration date, you, this carton of milk, are mine. Serena walked
carefully around the piled boxes beside her, ignoring the cold air
slipping through her thin shirt, and reached her destined carton of
milk.
She wrapped her fingers around the body of the carton, and
gave it a lift.
It didn't budge.
Serena looked down at the carton, and frowned. "What the…"
She tried to lift it again. It still didn't move. "Okay…
this is totally weird."
She glanced around, and tried to find another carton with
the same expiration date. To her annoyance, the others' dates were
all too early. I guess that was the only one left. Serena sighed to
herself. It was getting colder by the minute. She looked toward her
left, and her gaze landed on a stand-alone bottle of milk, and she was
about to grab it when she realized that it was a low-fat kind of milk.
She always drank the nonfat kind. She sighed. Looks like I
have to buy two gallons of milk today. Her gaze fixed on the box
next to the low-fat bottles of milk, and she was glad when she spotted
'nonfat' printed on one of the boxes.
She looked at the box. She couldn't see any e.d. She wondered
if the two bottles inside the wrapped box's expiration dates were the
same as the carton of milk that wouldn't budge. Well, there's only
one way to find out. She leaned over, and placed a hand on the box,
with the other, she tried to open the cardboard box.
A small guilt went through her as she worked on getting the
box open. I am going to buy this thing if the expiration date is okay…
if there is one printed on the bottles. She told herself, shrugging
off the guilt, If not…then… She decided not to think ahead.
Then, a warm rush of air blasted from behind her, and Serena
turned her head around, still leaned over low, eyes wide as she
stared at the guy standing outside, hand holding on to the glass
door.
"Oh, my…" she murmured. She took notice of the green apron
he was wearing, and knew that he worked in the supermarket. She
cringed inwardly, wondering how the situation must've looked to him.
"What the hell doing you think you are doing?" He barked.
His midnight blue eyes flashed down at her, accusing and angry. He
looked about her age…maybe a little bit older.
Serena straightened up, turned fully around, and licked her
lips. "I was…just getting the milk." She racked her brain for anything
to say, to make the situation look better.
His gaze flickered from her to the box that she had been
working on just a few seconds ago, and then it came back to her again.
"Yeah, but does getting the milk require OPENING the box here in the
store? And…why in the world are you INSIDE, for god's sake?"
"I…" She then closed her mouth, realizing that she had no
idea how to defend herself.
"Look, here, missy, if you had planned to buy that milk, then
be my guest, go ahead and buy it. But if you did not, and just were
opening the perfectly SEALED box for no reason at all…for fun,
whatever--to annoy the store…you still need to buy it."
Serena was about to go ahead and say "I'll buy it" but she
closed her mouth when she fully registered his words. She narrowed
her eyes at him. "Missy? For fun? Why would I do it for fun?"
He rolled his eyes. "I don't know," he replied. "Now, why
don't you just pick up the box and go to the counter?"
Serena was about to retort with a biting remark, but then she
felt a shiver going through her. She was getting cold. She crossed her
arms over her chest. "Could you please move out of the way so I can
get out of here?"
"Sure…wouldn't want you to freeze. Otherwise, who would pay
for that opened box of milk?" He stepped aside, although still holding
the door.
Serena stepped out, and sighed peacefully when she felt the
warmth of the air surrounding her. He was still holding open the glass
door, and was now looking at her. "Aren't you going to bring that
box out, too?"
"Look," Serena began, feeling anger rising in her body. "I
didn't even finish opening the box…so it's not opened. And since it's
not opened, I don't have to pay for it."
"So, what you're saying is, if I hadn't come at that moment
and caught you, you would've 'finished' opening the box, correct?" He
slammed the door shut.
Serena silently counted to five before she reacted. "Even if
I had opened it, I still would've bought it."
"Really?" The tone was beyond sarcastic.
"Yes."
"So, if you knew you still would've bought it--why did you
even try to open the box in the first place?"
"I…" Serena bit her lip, not about to tell him that she was
trying to find the expiration date. "To see something."
His midnight blue eyes narrowed, and he crossed his arms. "Oh
really? And what were you trying to see?"
"Now that's none of your business, is it?"
He smirked, but his eyes held her gaze, amused. "I don't
believe you. Okay, so--fine, maybe you were trying to see something,
but after you finished opening it, and saw it…you would've left the
box there, new but opened."
Serena glared at him. "Look, why are you even saying this? I
did not open the box!"
"Still. You need to buy it."
"ExCUSE me?"
"Look, I have no idea what you did back there, okay? So, in
precaution, I ask you to buy the milk."
Serena didn't answer, her gaze burning into his.
Then, he abruptly turned away. "Are you going to buy the
milk or not?" His voice was sharp.
Serena still stared at him, then she snapped out of it. "Why?
I don't want it, and you sure as hell cannot force me."
He turned back to look at her again. "No?"
"No," she replied firmly, crossing her arms over her chest.
"Fine." He narrowed his eyes. "You say the box is not opened,
and if it's not--you can pass this one, but don't you dare do it again.
But if it is--then, you better get the milk and go to the counter."
Then, he opened the glass door and stepped inside. Serena moved away a
little, not wanting to feel the cold air again. She watched him as he
bent over to look at the box she had been fumbling with before. He
seemed to take a long time checking.
Serena rolled her eyes. What was this guy's problem? It was
just a box of milk. Five bucks. Big deal.
He stepped out, and closed the door firmly behind him.
She looked at him, a smug smile on her face as she looked
at him. "So? Was I right? The box is NOT opened."
He shrugged. "So it's not. And it better not be anytime
soon…unless it's in your home." He started to walk away.
Serena's jaw hit the floor. No way in hell was he going to
walk away just like that. Not after the way he had treated her.
"Well?" she cried out to him.
He stopped walking. He turned around slowly, his eyes
seemed piercing blue for a second when he looked at her, but then
they changed to their normal coolness. "Well what?"
"You found out that the box is not opened…yet you had yelled
at me like that. Aren't you even going to apologize?" She didn't bother
to hide the annoyance on her face.
"Apologize?" He raised his chin a little, looking at her, a
smirk pasted on his face. "Why should I? I was just doing my job."
"Oh? And does your job include totally biting out remarks
to me like that?"
"Hey, try to imagine it in my place, yeah? I was just walking
down the aisle, checking to see if everything's fine, when I see this
dark figure INSIDE the cool room, bending over, hands fumbling with
the supposedly SEALED opening part of a box of milk. What do you think
the first thought that ran through my head was?"
Serena swallowed. From that description, even though she
hated to admit it--the situation then was not exactly a pretty picture.
"Well…" she stuttered, "Do you think maybe when you asked 'What are
you doing' you could've said a little BIT more nicely?"
"I did ask you that…nicely. Except I added an additional
word with 'the' after 'what'."
She rolled her eyes.
"Anyway, since there's no problem now that I can see--"
"Clearly," Serena interrupted.
He narrowed his eyes. "So is it okay if I go back to work?"
"No. You owe my an apology." Serena was surprised at her own
determined voice.
"I already explained the situation to you, missy," he replied,
sighing. He was getting pretty exasperated.
"Listen, okay--whatever your rotten name is. I do NOT
appreciate people calling me missy, all right?"
"Whatever. And now you listen--I need to go back to work. So
if you'll excuse me--"
"Apologize first."
"No." His gaze on her sharpened. "I don't need to. I was doing
my job."
"Yeah, your job. But maybe I could get the store manager and
ask him or her if it is in the 'job' to have you treat a shopper
harshly, just because she was trying to get something which was in
the far back of the cool room, and was, well, okay--trying to get
open a box of milk, but did NOT succeed--"
"All right, just stop, okay! God! Sorry! There, I said it."
He put up his hands, and slowly stepped away from her. "Why do you keep
pushing it? But anyway--I apologize. Could you please leave me alone
now?"
Serena felt her cheeks flush, but refused to flinch. "I'll
be glad to leave a scum like you."
"Scum? Who do you think you are, missy?" A scowl appeared on
his face.
"I am NOT missy!" she practically screamed. Then, she
silently counted to ten, and felt herself gradually calming down.
When she looked up, he was still there, smirking at her. "I'll be
going."
"Oh, please--do not let me keep you." His voice was sugary
sweet but dripping with sarcasm.
Serena barely remembered to grab her bag of chips, water,
and candy before she stomped away.
Now I know which market I should NOT come often.
"Mina?" No one was home. Serena tossed her keys on her bed,
and stared at her friend's well-made, empty bed.
She sighed sadly. Our last minutes together here, and she's
not even home.
Just then, a sound from the door made her look up. A
blonde-haired head popped in, followed by a body. Mina Lallap glanced
around, and her sapphire eyes landed on Serena. She closed the door,
broke in a run across the big room, and grabbed Serena in a hug.
Serena clutched her best friend, and could feel tears
gathering in her eyes. "I'm going to miss you so much, Mina…"
"Me, too. I mean, I-I'm going to miss you," Mina replied, a
tear sliding down her cheek, landing on the back of Serena's midriff.
"Write to me, okay?"
Serena felt her nod.
"Where were you?" Mina asked, her voice muffled.
"I went to the super market."
"What? Why?"
"I need food for tonight and tomorrow. Where were YOU?"
"I had to make a long-distance call from downstairs to my
mother."
"What time do you have to go again?"
Mina gently released Serena and stared at her in the face.
"7:30. I said that a million times already."
"I know. Well, you don't need to eat dinner here tonight…but
I do."
"What did you buy for dinner?"
Serena smiled through her tears. "A bag of chips."
"What?" Mina's eyes widened, and she grabbed her friend's
elbow. "You do know that your mother is going to keel over when she
hears this, right?"
"No, she isn't. Because no one is going to tell her," Serena
answered, giving Mina a wink.
Mina rolled her eyes and groaned. She fell down on top of
Serena's bed. "I'm going to miss this room."
Serena looked around. The pictures that used to hang up on
the walls were gone; the beautiful blue pattern wallpaper was gone.
The furniture were rid of any personal stuff, standing there looking
ready to be used once again. Moving boxes for herself were placed on
the wall beside the big window, and the luggage for Mina were sitting
right beside them.
"It's not going to be fun in the new house…" Serena said
quietly.
Mina looked at her friend, smiling sadly. "You're just saying
that. I'm sure it'll be fun, once you get to know your roommates."
"I only met Raye…and she seems okay…a little fiery-tempered,
but still friendly. Chad…geez, the guy's a total rock star wannabe.
But, he doesn't seem difficult to live with. There's still another
guy--um, Darren? Darryl? No, wait…Darien. He didn't show up when Raye
and Chad interviewed me for a new roommate. So I don't know what he's
like."
"You're going to be fine, okay, Sere? I'll always come back
and visit you from London," Mina told her friend.
Serena remained silent.
"Look, stop, okay? This is our last--" Mina threw a glance
toward her watch, "forty-five minutes together, and I don't want to
waste it mourning over our parting."
Serena's eyes became brighter. "What do you wanna do?"
"Well, what do you say we--" Mina sat up, and crossed her
legs. "tell each other, for the last time, our deepest secrets for this
month."
Serena smiled. It was a game they played each month, she had
to tell Mina all her hidden secrets for the past 30 days, and Mina had
to tell Serena HER deepest secrets. Sometimes both of them had really
nothing to tell, but sometimes--they learned something very important
about each other.
Serena stifled a small sob. She was going to miss Mina sooo
much.
"Wait a minute, wait a minute. You totally argued with this
guy, he went sarcastic and callous to you, and you went harsh and…hard
on him. BUT, now you're saying that he's cute?" Mina exclaimed,
holding up a finger.
Serena smiled, grabbing Mina's finger and yanking it down on
the bed. "Yeah. He was pretty cute. Although his eyes had flashed--
anger toward me, they were still sooo…so gorgeous. And his hair--so
black, and thick, and…tousled…real…GORGEOUS."
"See, now there's something I know I'm going to miss a LOT.
You and your descriptions of guys," Mina said cheerfully.
Serena's face dropped. She looked away.
"Hey, Sere…" Mina put an arm around her.
"I'm sorry, Min. It's just that…I'm REALLY going to miss
you." Serena couldn't hold back anymore, and she began to cry.
Mina watched her best friend, and felt tears streaming down
her own cheeks. She embraced Serena, holding her tightly. "Don't cry,
don't cry. It's okay…you're making me cry. And--and you KNOW I'm not
the crying type."
Serena broke away and gently wiped away her tears. "You're
right, you're right." She breathed deeply. "I'm sorry."
"So…" Mina began, determined to get herself and Serena out
of this crying mode, "You think he's cute, but you still hate him?"
"Of course!" Serena exclaimed, wiping away the last of her
tears. "I really despise him. He could've went a LITTLE bit softer on
me. He could've asked before he shouted in my ears. Honestly, his eyes
were glaring, and soo…angered. I could even hear this breathing, heavy
and fast. It was like, like--he thought I was a thief or something.
When I turned around and saw him standing there, I could've swear that
it looked like he had wanted to grab me and pin me to the floor or
something."
Mina laughed. "Sounds so like your dream guy."
"Haha, very funny, Min. I hope I never will see him again."
"You probably won't. This is a pretty big city. Unless, of
course--you go to that supermarket again."
Serena's eyes widened. "Of course not! I wouldn't be caught
dead going there again! And you know, Min--YOU suggested me going
there."
Mina held up her hands, suppressing laughter. "Hey--how was I
suppose to know that you would end up trying to rip open a milk box,
and a guy catching you right on the spot? I recommended the store to
you because it has some cheap stuff."
"Yeah. Whatever."
Suddenly, Mina's watch began to beep. She held up her left
wrist, and squinted at it. "Oh, no…" she murmured, a sad expression
coming over her face.
Serena knew. "7:30?"
Mina glanced up, her eyes full of sorrow. "Yeah," she replied
softly.
"Just gimme a long hug before you go. And do not forget to
write me. I'll give you the number for the house as soon as I can."
Serena reached out and hugged her best friend.
"You have my address, right?"
"Yeah. And you have mine--the new one, correct?"
"Correct."
They stayed still, hugging each other, crying silently, until
her watch beeped again. "What the--" She clicked it off, annoyed. But
she knew it was really time for her to go now. She had set another
alarm at 7:40 because somehow she knew that she would not able to make
out of the dorm by 7:30. She couldn't help but smile. She had been
right.
"I really have to go now. That alarm beeped 7:40," Mina said.
Serena let go, and stared at Mina through watery eyes. "I'll
walk you down."
"No. There's really no need. It would be…be best if we said
our goodbyes right here," Mina said, biting her bottom lip.
Serena knew what her friend was thinking. If she walked with
her down, they would waste more time crying, and Mina might miss her
plane. It happened before. So she nodded numbly, and whispered, "Well…
bye, Min."
A loud sob escaped Mina's throat. "Good-bye, Sere." Her voice
cracked at the name.
Tears poured out of Serena's eyes, but she didn't even bother
to wipe them away. "I'll see you again…someday."
"Bye," Mina whispered before she turned and grabbed her
luggage, which consisted of a large suitcase and a duffel bag. She put
on her summer jacket, and gave Serena a last smile by the door. "Love
you, girlfriend."
That was all she needed to break into a cry. "Love you, too,"
she choked out, wrapping her arms around herself.
Mina bit her lip, and opened the door. She rolled the suitcase
with her left hand, and carried the duffel bag with the right. She kept
going toward the elevator, not looking back, not able to look at her
friend's tear-stained face once more. She was leaving. She was leaving
the city. She was leaving the country, leaving all her friends…and
leaving…her best, best, best friend.
She sighed heavily, tears blurring her vision as she heard the
small 'ding' of the elevator. She looked toward the direction of the
dorm once more. Serena was standing there, clutching the necklace she
was wearing.
Mina couldn't help but smile. She had a same one. Except on
the pendant of her necklace, there was a small, carefully carved
"Friends", while on Serena's it was a "Best." She mouthed a "Bye" to
Serena, and, when the elevator door opened, she walked in, rolling her
suitcase.
Serena closed the door, numbly yet shakily, and then walked
lifelessly toward her bed. She fell on it, warm tears flowing down her
face. She grabbed the plastic bag that was lying down beside her bed.
She opened it, and pulled out the bag of chips.
Hope you have chips as good as these in London, Mina. I know
you love them. Serena thought as she tore open the bag, and popped a
chip in her mouth.
When she opened her eyes that morning, the first thing that
Serena did was glance over at Mina's bed. She was always the one who
woke Mina up everyday for class. But now…her best friend's bed was
empty.
In a flash, everything pushed its way back into her mind, and
Serena closed her eyes. Her eyes felt dry and tired. She put a hand to
her cheek, and found some dried trails of tears.
Serena sighed. She flipped open the covers, and got off the
bed. She had told Raye that she would be moving some stuff in at 10:40.
She glanced at her watch, which was sitting on the floor by her feet.
Her eyes widened. 10 already?
Quickly, Serena grabbed the clothes that she had already
prepared yesterday night, and went in the bathroom. She took a cool
shower. With a towel wrapped around her, she brushed her teeth, combed
her hair, and then took off the towel and put on a pair of loose black
jeans, and a tight red short-sleeved shirt.
Once she was out of the bathroom, she took a good look around
the, what used to be a cozy and friendly, but now lifeless and dull,
dorm. She sighed. She and Mina had shared so many fun nights here
talking and eating away with each other.
She made her bed, and put on her watch. She opened the drapes,
and sunshine lighted its way in. She stuffed her oversized nightshirt
in her backpack, and then went to the bathroom again to put in her
shampoo, body wash, and other toiletries. She stepped out of the
bathroom. No personal stuff left.
She took another good look around the dorm, and sighed. She
glanced at her left wrist, but found no watch. Serena smiled to
herself and went over and picked up the watch that was still sitting
by the bed. She put it on while she stuffed her feet into a pair of
running shoes.
She glanced at the moving boxes. She walked over to the
phone, and dialed Raye's number.
"Hello?"
Serena cleared her throat. "Hi, Raye…it's Serena."
"Oh, hi!"
"Um, I'll be coming over to move some stuff in right about
now, is that okay?"
"Of course! Do you need any help?"
Serena couldn't help but smile. "No, but thank you, anyway."
"All right, then. See you in a few."
"Right. Bye." She hanged up the phone, sighing to herself.
"Well."
She grabbed her small backpack, and dropped her car keys
inside. She checked for the dorm keys, and then pulled a strap over her
shoulder, walking toward the boxes. She put her hands on the two
edges of the biggest of the three, and began to drag it toward the door.
"Whoa! You need any help with that?" Raye Caseley exclaimed,
staring at the big box that Serena was dragging in.
"Thanks, but, I can handle it," Serena replied, flashing a
small smile at Raye. She held up the box with a small grunt, shifting
weight from one foot to another for balance.
"Well, your room is all cleaned up and ready for you to move
in," Raye said, grinning.
"Thank you."
Raye nodded. She glanced at the box again, and then at
Serena's new room upstairs. "Serena, I don't care what you say, you
can not drag that heavy big old thing up the stairs all by yourself.
Let me help." With that, she walked to the other side of the box, and
placed her hands under it, holding it with all her might.
Serena flashed her an appreciative smile. "Thanks." She let
her hands loosen the grip on the box a little bit, and approached the
stairs sideways, with Raye on the other side.
When they reached the top, they both put the box down at the
same time, and blew out huge breaths of air. Raye looked at Serena,
grinning. "And you thought you could drag that all the way up here?"
Serena smiled back, and shrugged. "I figured it wouldn't
take that much energy." She inhaled deeply, and started going
downstairs again. "I still have two more in the car, but they are much
lighter, and I can do it by myself."
"That's what you said last time," Raye reminded her, following
her downstairs into the living room.
"Well, this time it's for definite." Serena walked out of
the front door toward her parked car by the road.
Raye smiled after her, and then went to the kitchen to
continue to sip her soda.
A few minutes later, Serena came in again, carrying another
box in her hands.
"All done?"
Serena glanced at Raye, who was stretched out on the sofa,
watching TV. She smiled, and nodded. "Yep. I'm going upstairs to
unpack some stuff, all right?"
"Okay. But maybe before that, you should lie down for a
while. You look exhausted," Raye said, studying Serena's face.
Serena smiled again, wiped some sweat off her neck with
her hands, and then went upstairs.
Raye turned back toward the TV, and then looked at the clock.
Where the hell is the other two?
Serena put her hands on her lips, and surveyed her new room.
She couldn't help but smile. The room actually was starting to look
like an actual ROOM with a person living in it, rather than the dull,
blank space that she had saw when she first walked in with Raye and
Chad while they were showing her around.
The room already provided the furniture, which was why the cost
had been a little high, but Serena liked it that way, since she did not
want to bother going out and buy more stuff. She glanced around again,
taking in everything carefully. Desk, check; drapes, check; bed,
check; sheets…Serena looked at her boxes…she needed to put them on
later.
Uh-oh. No mirror. She suddenly thought.
She walked toward the biggest moving box, and fished around
for the big mirror that used to hang on the wall beside her bed in the
dorm. Her hands touched the glassy material, and she pulled it out.
Walking toward the wall beside the desk, She looked at the oval-shaped,
golden-framed mirror, and then glanced at the wall to see a spot to
hang it on.
Then, she realized something. She needed a nail, and a hammer.
Sighing, Serena walked out of her bedroom, careful to close
the door after her, and walked downstairs.
"Raye?" Serena called out, walking into the living room.
Raye opened her closed eyes, and turned her head around.
"Yeah?"
"Do you have, like," Serena glanced around, "a hammer and a
nail?"
Raye wrinkled her nose. "Why would you need those?"
"I need to put up a mirror, and there's no way I can put it
up without a nail and a hammer," Serena replied, half-smiling.
"Oh." Raye frowned slightly, darting her eyes around. "I'm
not sure. I'm not exactly Ms. Toolman. Still, I think either Chad or
Darien has to have something like that around here." Her eyes landed
on the kitchen cabinets. "I'll go look for them in the cabinets."
"Oh, no!" Serena quickly said, taking a step toward Raye
before she could stand up. "I gave you enough trouble already, I can
do it myself. That is…if you don't mind me messing around with your
stuff…"
Raye shook her head. "Of course not. And, Serena…? You're not
giving me any trouble."
Serena looked at the raven-haired girl, and smiled. "Thanks,
Raye." She walked in the kitchen, making her way around a basketball
on the floor. Standing in the kitchen, she put her hands on her hips
and glanced around. Which cabinet?
She pulled open one by the fridge, and it was filled with
food. She opened the one beneath it, and that was filled with paper
cups, napkins, plates, etc. She stood up, and walked across to the
cabinets by that side. She opened the top…nope. She opened the bottom
one, and caught a glimpse of what she thought were tools. Serena
kneeled down, and stuck her head inside the cabinet, trying to pick
out a hammer and some nails in the darkness.
In the living room, Raye laughed suddenly when someone in
the TV show she was watching made a joke. She pushed away a strand of
dark hair by her eyes, and then pushed the volume-increasing button.
The sound of a slamming door startled her. Raye turned
around, and when she saw who it was, she rolled her eyes. "Where
the hell were you?"
The dark-haired man's blue eyes flashed annoyance. "What's it
to you, cousin?"
Raye rolled her eyes again, sighing. "Whatever. Anyway,
Serena's here."
His brows knotted together. "Serena who?"
"You know--our new roommate, the one that you didn't even
bother to show to meet the other day," Raye replied flatly.
"Oh. Well, we got someone to pay the rent now, right? So
why are you still so worked up over that?"
"I'm not worked up. I just thought that you maybe could've
showed just a LITTLE more warmth toward the girl that we will be
living with for a long time."
"You know, Raye," he sat down on the sofa beside her, "If
I were to say anything about a new roommate, it's that I'm really not
that excited about it being a girl."
"Well, I am. You have no idea how it is for me to be living
with King of Mock and King of Rock at the same time," Raye said,
leaning against a soft cushion.
He just grinned.
"Oh, Serena's in the kitchen right now, looking for some
hammer and nails. By the way, Darien--where are the hammer and the
nails?"
Darien Caseley frowned. "I don't have a hammer or any sort
of nails in the house."
"I know you don't, but do you know where they are?"
"I never use them."
"Well, then, fine--do you know where CHAD put them?" Raye
asked, exasperated.
"In the close somewhere, figuring him."
"Closet?" Raye stood up, the cushion on her lap falling
to the floor. "Great. I thought he had put it in the kitchen somewhere,
and Serena's over there looking for it right now." With that, she
turned to the kitchen entrance.
"Serena?" Raye called out, glancing around the kitchen as she
stepped inside.
"Yeah, Raye?" Serena's voice was muffled, with her head being
inside the cabinet.
Raye smiled at the picture Serena made. "Um, I'm really
sorry--I don't think it's in the cabinets somewhere."
Serena pulled her head out, stood up, and looked at Raye.
"Oh, no wonder. Well then, where are they?"
"Darien says that Chad put them in the closet."
Serena raised an eyebrow. "Darien?"
"Yeah, he's home. Come out and meet him," Raye said
casually, smiling.
Serena shrugged. "Yeah, sure. But which closet contains the
tools? Don't tell me that I have to look for them one by one. I've
seen how many closets this house has."
Raye grinned, leading the way out of the kitchen. "I'll ask him
to be more specific."
Darien was sitting on the sofa, so when Serena and Raye came
out, his profile was the first thing that Serena saw. She frowned,
taking a step warily toward him, following Raye. He looks sort of
familiar.
"Darien, which closet is it that the hammer and the nails
are in?" Raye asked, standing by the sofa, looking down at him.
He shrugged, eyes still on the TV screen. "Check the one
that's NOT in a bedroom."
Raye glanced upstairs, then shooting a look at Serena.
Meanwhile, Serena suddenly had a very uneasy feeling about the
young man just several feet away from her. There was something very
familiar about that shade of his hair…
Just then, Darien stood up, stretching. He looked at Raye,
somehow not noticing Serena behind her. "I'm going up."
"Hello?" Raye said, irritated, stepping aside a little.
"This is Serena? Aren't you even going to say hi to her?" She was
really annoyed with her cousin now.
Darien's eyes shifted to Serena, turning around fully to
face her.
Serena gasped, immediately realizing who it was.
"YOU!?!" They both cried at the same time.
"You two met before?" Raye asked, eyes darting back and forth
between Serena and Darien, who were glaring at each other.
"Unfortunately, yes," Darien replied, his eyes not moving from
Serena's face.
Serena narrowed her blue eyes, crossing her arms over her
chest.
"How…how did you meet?" Raye asked, fighting off a small smile
at how her cousin looked right at that instant. She had never seen him
look so pissed off…and yet never seen him so intense, even though he was
doing a pretty good job at covering his emotions.
Both Serena and Darien didn't answer her, they were two busy
glaring at each other.
"So…" Darien began, his voice and face cool, "You are the new
roommie."
"Looks like it," Serena replied, her voice cold.
"Well…just do me one favor, will you? Try not to open anything
that's supposed to be SEALED in this house, okay?"
Serena felt a growl in her throat. "And you do me a favor, too,
can you? Try not to act so callous and stubborn, okay?"
He smiled coolly. "Sorry, no can do. I'm like that."
"All right, listen, you two--" Raye began, before Serena had
any chance to retort, "Whatever happened before between you--forget
about it, okay? We're going to be living together, so you need to at
least act civil to each other."
"Boy, do I wish that I went to some sort of acting academy
before," Serena remarked.
Darien's gaze sharpened. "I'm going upstairs."
"I'm going after you," Raye replied, following close behind
her cousin, a curious expression on her face.
Serena stared after the two, feeling her heart drop. Great.
God, I wish I were still living in the dorm right now! She looked out
the windows sadly, her heart twisting in sorrow. And do I wish that
Mina was still here.
"You were mean, Darien. Face it," Raye told him after she
brought the story out of his mouth.
"What? No, I wasn't, Raye. SHE was the one who was INSIDE the
room, fumbling around in a closed box of milk, trying to OPEN it from
where I could see, and I was being MEAN? Hell, no." Darien made a point
of making a loud noise when he pulled a chair to sit down.
"Look, I agree with Serena. She had been right when she had
said that she DIDN'T open the box, and so DIDN'T need to buy the milk.
And you kept insisting."
"I was doing my job. How could I even guess what she was
doing? She could be wrecking the merchandise on purpose, for all I
could tell."
Raye rolled her eyes. "Darien! Does Serena look like the
sort of girl who will make trouble on purpose?" She exclaimed.
Suddenly an image of her flashed before Darien's mind. He
had to admit that she didn't look like that…that she looked very
innocent…and beautiful…and…
He cleared his throat, raising his voice again. "Maybe not,
okay? But again, how was I suppose to know?"
"Whatever. But, listen--we are roommates now. Serena's
helping pay the rent, and so don't you even think about replacing
her."
Darien didn't say anything. He WASN'T thinking about replacing
her, but Raye didn't have to know that. In fact, it would be the best
if Raye knew how much he didn't like her.
"Anyway, I know how you can be, Darien. But I've lived
through it. Only Serena's new, and I'm sure she won't be used to your
attitude any time soon. So be nice to her, okay?"
"What ABOUT my attitude?" Darien asked, glaring at Raye.
Raye shook her head, waving a hand in the air. "Never mind."
"As long as she doesn't make any kind of trouble in this
house, I'll be cool to her," Darien said.
"Good. Oh--what do you wanna eat tonight?"
"I don't know. Pizza?"
Raye shrugged. "Okay. I'll tell Serena, so she can join us."
She gave him a look.
Darien tried to look casual. "Whatever. Be sure to tell Chad,
too."
He couldn't help but smile at the expression on his cousin's
face. He knew she liked Chad as much as he liked Serena.
"You tell Chad yourself, since he's your friend." Raye opened
the bedroom door. "Although why is way beyond me," she mumbled as she
walked out.
Darien closed the door after her, and sat down on his bed
with a thump. Dammit, Lita. Why did you have to move out so suddenly?
**************
What did you think, guys? Boring? Dull?
Email me at HenraM@tuxedomask.com
And visit my website at http://www6.ewebcity.com/moonieround
^_^ =Henra.