Chapter 2: Chapter 2

I stared out the window to look at the plane; it was heading toward America… to my new life. I stopped looking at the plane and now stared at my own reflection…into my own eyes…..

I was starting to feel defeat, second thoughts and I wanted to turn around and go back to the palace, I could see my shimmering eyes ready to break forth tears, what are my choices

If I stayed…. Nothing would change they would all doubt me…never feel confident in me….. They would talk about me, when they didn't think I was there

If I went……… they would hate me…. I didn't even leave a letter, they have no clue where I am……… they would resent me, but hopefully see how much they needed me...

I didn't know how long it would take for me to return, how long it would take for me to figure when I wanted to return….. To be there Princess ….there Queen…, if I wanted it at all…

All I know is that I need to do this…..

'All passengers boarding flight 12_Amer_09 please board now'

I stepped on the plane and took my seat and buckled my belt…. I watched the flight attendant close the door and the plane had begun to back away… I couldn't change my mind… I was leaving and when I returned I hope that they could find it in their hearts to forgive me for leaving and finally…. TO See ME…… the ME I became for them....

I dozed off looking at the pen pal letter from my friend I had in America, he said that he would met me at the airport and I could stay with him till I got on my feet…. I told him not to ask too many questions that I would answer them in time …

having a pen pal would paid off, though I hated the assignment in school… Aaron and I have been pen pals for 9 yrs, since I was 10… it was a part of my school project to write to an American school, which was the hardest thing I had done up until then… but I'm thankful because now I not only knew how to write English, but speak and read it as well….

Before I closed my eyes for my plane ride I whispered in the air……. Darien I love you, please forgive me… please don't forget me, please love me forever…. I want to be the strong women you need……With that I fell asleep…..

18 HRS later

Madame…? Madame…?

"Please stop mom… I need more sleep…. It's only been??"… My eyes had caught the eye of the attendant, who was looking at me with a smile,

"Madame, we've landed. It's time to un-board the plane."

I looked out the window and I saw the terminal and it was a new unique place…. Oh my god I was there…. Or I'm here…. AMERICA

"Madame you really need to exit the plane."

Before she could finish, I jumped up pushed passed the attendant, and ran to pick up my luggage .I ran toward the signs…. THIS WAY TO LUGGAGE CLAIM…I found my luggage picked it up and headed toward the street where Aaron said he would look for me, we had exchange pictures for years… we watched each other grow up

SERENA! SERENA!

He ran towards me and embraced me into a great big hug, spun me around, and put be back on the ground again. I stared at him and gave him the biggest smile ( I could see he could tell that I was holding back tears, his face went from happy to questioning)

"Serena are you okay???"

I nodded.. "Yes Aaron just a little tired from the plane trip"

"Well let's catch a cab and we will go to my apartment and then maybe some food? What do you think?"

"Yeah sounds good!"

He waived down a cab and looked around

"Serena?"

"YES?"

"Where is the rest of your luggage?"

"This is it!!!…. I thought that I should just get what I needed while I was here!"… (yeah that sounds good)

He gave me a weird look and then shrugged his shouldesr but he had a look of puzzlement on his face, we got in and were driven to his apartment in Manhattan and were escorted out of the cab to a big sky raise and it was beautiful!!!

"Aaron?"

"Yes?"

"Is this where you live?"

"Yes! My dad owns the whole building and so I get to live here as a perk!!!"

We went to the 31st floor and as the doors opened… it opened into his apartment…which was different, Darien's loft wasn't like that his elevator opened to a hallway…

I entered and amazed….. It was as big as my house.

"Wow!! Aaron this is amazing!"

"Well, Serena this is my home and as long as you need it to be, it's your home too!!"

I looked at him in amazement…I knew he meant what he said and it was from his heart….I felt warm and whole inside

"Thanks Aaron, you're a great friend. I don't know how I can even begin to thank you!!!"

"Well….. How about you tell me what's going on? I know I promised I would not ask questions but this was what I got in the mail this morning!"

He slid a paper over the counter where we sat together… it was a counter with barstools and it looked into his kitchen, nothing like at home.. But I glanced at the paper…. The head line said Princess Changed Mind…. Peace on hold… World holds its breath…. I read the article and was surprised that it sounded so good, it seemed like everyone was impressed with the fact that I had stood up and said the honest truth of my heart… and the rest of the article stated that now with the signing behind closed doors that the world was waiting for Peace …

I put down the paper and I held my eyes to the shining marble the covered the counter and I sighed and I began to cry and I cried and Aaron let me do so… it must have been like 10 minutes and then he said

"It looks like that Princess knows what she's doing? What do you think?"

"Aaron, you know that I'm the Princess… you Know that article is about me…."

"Yes Serena… I know…. My Question is that this is not a bad article. The world is proud to have a princess that will not settle for less than honest, pure intentions… so again, what's going on?"

"Aaron… I ran away… I had to" … I just began to see Darien's face as I told the world I wasn't going to sign SERENITY, it was anger…. Not love…. I could hear his voice so Harsh and the bitterness of his voice that called me a child… a selfish child… how I needed to grow up"

"Serena…Why? What made you come here…To America… far from Tokyo … far from your family, friends, fiancé?"

I looked at him and new that if I lied that I would be on the first plan back to Japan and so I told him.

I told him everything.. That I tried so hard not to embarrasses Darien, my country, my friends, and my family and how I had let Darien take charge and take over all of the affairs and how I felt so confused about all the political talk and I felt useless… I told him I wasn't a pretty face to just sit there… I told him how I overheard Darien and the scouts talking about me… I told him that I needed to get away to become the princess and queen that this world needed….

I told him everything!! And it felt soooo good. I looked at him and he had the largest smile on his face

"Why are you smiling? I mean isn't it all horrible?"

"Serena, I'm smiling because your heart is so pure and I know that's why you're made to be the ruler of this world.."

"Huh? Didn't you hear anything I said???..."

"Serena, don't you see? Your friends and family wanted the world to see them as they thought the world needed to see them, which is image building."

I felt a little confused… "But I don't understand"

"They were being untrue to themselves … you care so much about other people that you're willing to sacrifice everything for them, including yourself…and even then Serena you had to be even truer for your people and not sign that document because you saw past the Glitter and the Glam. Your friends shed blood over SERENITY. That pretty, quiet Princess, was not what they needed, it wasn't what the world needed… you gave them Truth … and Serena.. The world is happy about it"

He held up the News Paper

"They Love you Serena….I know you came here to make yourself better for them but what about your wants? You have the heart to be a great Queen. Is that what you really came here to become?… A better Queen…? then go back because you have already accomplished that."

I was confused… I thought I knew why I was here. I ran because I wanted to become something better for them but now I sit here and I'm told something so different….. I've already proved my worth to be Queen then what was it?

I had to look deep but there it was…. I doubted myself…. I doubted whether I could do this… I needed confidence… I need to be the leader… and it disgusted me to know that those who were close to me…. doubted me… they doubted my abilities….my heart….my judgment….I looked at Aaron and I spoke

"I need to prove to myself that I could be Queen ! . I'm the one that will serve my people and I can't doubt myself and I can't stand how they doubt me, even if the world doesn't, but I want to be confident and not just gorgeous, I want to know what's going on when we are in the world council meetings. I NEED THIS FOR ME!! I NEED THIS FOR MY WORLD!! I NEED THIS SO I CAN BE THE LEADER AND NOT THE FOLLOWER"

"You amaze me Princess"

"Why?"

"Because you are more mature in your decisions then you give yourself credit for. Wiser beyond your years"

He touched my face and lifted my chin and stared in my eyes and I blushed because only Darien has ever held my face like this

"You're going to become this Queen YOU want to be FOR YOU "

He let my face go

"The first thing we need to work on is confidence.. Stop holding your head down… always look me in the eyes… I'm your equal …but stay humble..".

I shook my head and looked him steady in his eyes and he smiled

"So Miss Serena what are your plans on doing this???"

"I want to enroll in college, but Aaron, I have to do this without the world knowing where I'm at and not come looking for me… they would just take me back and force me to hate being there .. I don't want that… I want to stay here and complete this HERE not in Japan…"

"How is this going to be possible?"

"I have to change my appearance and enroll in school before someone finds out that I am Princess Serena and not just a Serena, and then I need to get a job and get my own place. Even though yours is nice I need to stand on my own feet. We have to keep this a secret, Aaron at all cost and until I am ready to go back… not until then… DEAL???"

"Deal Serena! But I hope you know what you're doing? This could get rough! And school Serena, I mean you told me in our letters that you're a C average student…"

"You're funny Aaron…. you forget I lived in Japan… a C over there is like an A plus here."

"Thanks Serena you make me feel that much smarter next to you!"

"I know!!"

TO BE CONTINUED...

This chapter doesn't involve Darien and the scouts but it's about the discovery the Serena needs to find herself wanting to do these changes for HER and not everyone else… So this chapter is dedicated to HER…. LEAVE REVEIWS… YOU see those BRIGHT GREEN LETTERS.. YUP!! Just click on it and leave your REVIEWS…