Moving On: Sleepover
"You'll be fine Serena, as long as you keep saying it to yourself," she smoothed out the wrinkles in her school uniform. She took one last breath and one more look over in at herself in her full length mirror. She opened her door to see her younger brother Sammy standing outside her door. "What do YOU want?" she asked.
"Hey, mom sent me up here, there's some guy here, says he wants to bring you to school. And, he's got a wicked awesome car!" Sammy explained. Serena's right eyebrow went up as she shut her bedroom door. She grabbed a light coat with her books that Darien had dropped off yesterday and went to the door. Darien was standing there with his hands in his varsity jacket, hair messy, but with gel in it. Darien turned to Serena and his mouth twisted itself into a trademark smirk.
"Morning, you ready for school?" he asked her. Serena nodded shut the door behind her.
"What are you doing here?" she hissed.
"I thought I would be a good Samaritan and bring you to school. Why?"
"You have to stop just showing up! It makes my family too suspicious!"
"Then give me your number," he winked. Serena sighed and walked down to his car. She climbed in, and he put the keys in the ignition. "You're invited, to a party at my house on Friday," he told her. Darien started the car and sped off, Serena grasping the sides of her seat. "I would really like it if you were to go."
"I will think about it," Serena answered. "I don't know what I have going on."
"You are going to the football game, right?"
"Yeah, probably," Serena shrugged.
"Well then, what's a little partying afterward?" Serena didn't answer, she would go, but only for ten minutes. Darien pulled into the school parking lot and parked his car under the shade of a tree. He sat there with Serena for a few minutes. A crowd of people were gravitating towards his car. "Serena, be careful, they're people here who would want to hurt you."
"And you inviting me to your parties is going to stop them?"
"At least I would be there watching you," he opened his door and got out, and began talking to Andrew. Serena sat there a little longer and then got out of Darien's car.
"Hey Serena," a voice came form behind her. It was Amy, and she was standing next to a boy with brown hair and a varsity jacket on. "Are you all right? Someone said you ran out of the building!"
"Yeah, I just, didn't feel well. First day anxiety," Serena covered, sparing a glance at Darien. "Did I miss anything important?"
"Not really, just going over the rules and such. You're still welcome to sit with Lita and I at lunch," Amy offered.
"Thanks, I have to go, and apologize to Mrs. Ferguson," Serena waved bye and headed for the school. Again as she headed across school grounds, she heard whispers about her, but this time they had another persons name attached.
"Yeah, that's the girl that Darien's going after supposedly, I wonder what happened to Ann?"
"She ran out yesterday! After Darien raped her!"
"Parties at Darien's? More like party ON Darien." She pretended not to hear and pushed open the doors, heading for her locker. After getting a few books, she went to the art classroom, except Mrs. Ferguson wasn't there. No one was there. So, she headed to the back of the classroom and sat down where she had sat before. She didn't understand Darien, what was his deal? Was he just being friendly or being a flirt? Serena laid her head into her hands as a bell rang and students began filing in. She thought Darien sat next to her, so she didn't bother to look, another mistake.
"Please stand for the pledge of allegiance," the announcer said. Serena did as she was told, and noticed Darien sitting a few seats ahead of her with a red head. She scowled in jealousy, but then turned to her new partner. She gasped, he had white hair! He was tall, but not as muscled as Darien. He looked older though and his hair was longer. He turned to looked at her, and smiled. She blushed, he had caught her looking, studying him! The announcer said some stuff about how to sign up for clubs and such, but Serena didn't listen. When they were over, Mrs. Ferguson entered the room with a piece of paper in her hands, and handed it to Serena.
"Welcome class, to your second day of school," she picked up a piece of chalk. Serena looked at the piece of paper, it was a detention slip, for leaving school! She had it today, after school until five forty five. She let out a sigh.
"Tough break, you could have had a suspension," the boy next to her whispered. Startled, Serena let out a noise.
"Miss. Tsukino, do you have a question?" Mrs. Ferguson turned to her. Serena shook her head no, and Mrs. Ferguson continued writing on the board. Serena looked at Darien, who was sending a very stolid look her way. She gasped and looked back to her partner, who was smiling.
"So you're the new girl, huh?"
"Yeah, that would be me," Serena answered with nervous laughter.
"I am Diamond," he told her. His voice was higher then Darien's, and not so powerful. Serena shook her head, she shouldn't be comparing boys to Darien, no matter how nice he was being! "Your name?"
"Serena," she told him. She took out a pen and notebook to copy down the notes from the board. She didn't talk any longer with Diamond, preferring silence. When the bell rang, she gathered her things and headed out. She stopped at her locker first, and Darien came up and leaned against another locker, on the side of her.
"What was that about?"
"What was what about?"
"Stay away from Diamond, he's one of those people I told you about," Darien said very sternly.
"Oh, I really didn't get that vibe, because he was actually very COURTEOUS towards me," Serena turned to face Darien. "And besides, you're not my babysitter!" Serena turned back to her locker. "Why do you even bother to do all these things for me?" Serena turned around and asked, but just then a girl came up to Darien.
"Hey Dare, we'll have to sit together some other time," she ran a finger down his chest. She was the red head from before, and she was a little too close to Darien for Serena's liking, despite the fact that Darien was an acquaintance only. "How about Friday night?"
"Ann, I am having a party, you know that!" Darien told her.
"I meant after that, silly," she giggled.
"I don't know," Darien told her. "How about I get back to you on that?" And with that, and a murderous look at Serena, she walked away. "So, stay away from Diamond, okay?"
"How about I get back to you on that?" Serena retorted, closing her locker and walking off.
Serena's day went better, she ate with Amy and Lita, and had no more encounters with Darien. Now, she was headed home after detention. The sun was going down as Serena kicked at a stone, heading to the left towards her house. She heard car tires and looked behind to see Darien pulling up. "You want a ride home?"
"I don't know," Serena answered. "My house is only like one more block from here, how far is Ann's?"
"You know, for a girl who doesn't heed my advice and talks with men named Diamond, you're pretty brave with an answer like that. Come out to dinner with me?"
"Where, the diner again?"
"No, my house," Darien answered. "I can cook." Serena stopped walking and Darien stopped his car. Over to Darien's house? Darien cooking for her?
"What about your mom and dad?"
"They went to Europe for a couple of weeks, why do you think I have all the parties?"
"Oh," Serena answered. Darien's house, just her and sexy Darien. With his dark hair, blue eyes, and beautiful body... "Urgh! Serena stop thinking like that!" she scolded herself in her mind. But after thoughts like that, she wasn't going to say no. "Okay, I guess, I just have to call my mom and tell her-." Darien handed her a cell phone and she dialed her home phone number. The answering machine picked up. "Hey mom, I am heading over to a friend's house," she halted. Darien was making frantic motions at her.
"Tell her you're spending the night!"
"What?" Serena yelled.
"Just do it!"
"And I am spending the night," Serena said quickly. "Love you bye!" she hung up. "What do you mean I am spending the night?"
"I don't want to drive you home late at night, I live outside of the town," he told her. "Get in."
"How do I know you're not going to take me to your house and rape me?"
"However tantalizing the thought is, I prefer to follow the law. Plus I want the feeling to be mutual," he snickered. Serena crossed her arms and looked out the window as Darien turned onto a hill that went up into the mountains. "What do you like to eat?"
"Just about everything."
"Good, I hate picky eaters," Darien laughed.
"If you're just going to make fun of me, turn around and bring me home!"
"All right, all right, I will stop," he replied. He turned into a long winding driveway and pulled up to a huge house. It was half stone, half siding, and had big columns that held up the deck. Serena's mouth dropped, how much money did Darien's family have? "Impressed? This is what happens when your father owns five law firms," Darien parked his car in the garage. Serena followed him into the huge house and looked at all the paintings and antiques.
"I can't believe your parents let you stay home alone," Serena looked out at a huge pool, with a hot tub near by.
"Yeah, but when they want to go places on their own, and big boy Darien can't tag along," he laughed. He threw his gym bag on the floor and walked into the kitchen. "Listen, I have to take a shower, I am going to put food on the oven, just make sure nothing blows up or lights on fire, okay?" With that he threw pots on the stove, emptied some packages into them, added water, and headed upstairs. Serena continued to explore his house. There was a nice living room, with expensive looking furniture and a fire place, and a huge dining room with a chandelier. She went back into the kitchen, and saw steam coming out of one of the pots. Serena began to panic, something was on fire!
"Darien!" she called for him. "DARIEN!" she screamed louder running up the stairs. She looked around, and saw a light under a door and heard water running. "DARIEN! SOMETHING IS ON FIRE!" she yelled through. She heard scrambling, and Darien came out with a towel around his waist. She pointed downstairs. They both ran down, Darien a few paces ahead of Serena. He ran into the kitchen, and halted, Serena nearly knocking into him. "See, look at the smoke!"
"Serena," he had a bewildered look on his face. "It's boiling," he lifted up the pot top and the steam evaporated. "Don't you remember home ec?"
"Yes...well, sorta," she shrugged. Darien began to laugh, a melodious laugh that filled the whole kitchen. Serena turned a shade of red as he put the top back on the pot and walked up to stand beside her.
"If you'll excuse me, the shower is still running, and I need to get some clothes on," he whispered, as if there were people listening. Serena became very aware of her situation, a half naked Darien standing within a foot of her proximity, and it was doing very weird things to her. "Unless you would prefer it this way?"
"No, no, that's quite all right," Serena backed away from him. Serena closed her eyes and sniffed the air, spices. She had her head down, so Darien couldn't see her sniffing him. Darien walked past her and up the stairs. "Oh. My. Gosh," Serena mumbled. "Why don't you just follow him right up there you little whore!" she said aloud. She ran a hand through her hair and sat down at the table. Darien came down a moment later, in shorts and his shirt hung over his shoulder. He turned off the stove and put everything in bowls and got out two forks, cups, and plates.
"What do you want to drink?"
"Water would be great," Serena yelled. Darien moved everything out to the table and set it out.
"Do you always take girls to your house and cook for them?" Serena asked, spooning food onto her plate.
"Only new ones that constantly taunt me."
"Ann?"
"Ann has never been to my house with just me, Miss. Jealous."
"I am not jealous! What would I have to be jealous of? She's got nasty hair, her flirting techniques are old, and she doesn't have a nice figure!" Serena rattled off.
"You're right, you don't have anything to be jealous of," Darien answered. Serena blushed, why did Darien constantly make her paint herself red? "What do you want to do after this?"
"Oh, the possibilities," Serena thought. She shook her head to try to banish those thoughts, and eventually just shrugged. "Not my house."
"You want to watch a movie? We can go skinny dipping," he joked.
"Choice one please," Serena answered. So after she helped him pick up the dishes and put them into the dish washer, Darien led her upstairs to a room with a huge couch and a big screen television. "What are we going to watch?"
"Surprise," he told her. Serena waited on the couch as he fiddled around with the DVD player. On came...the Ring?
"I am not watching this!" Serena pointed to the television.
"Aw, come on, scared?"
"Yes!"
"Don't worry, I am right here!" Darien sat down beside her. "It's not that bad!"
"Turn it off!" Serena yelled, clutching onto Darien for dear life. Darien just kept laughing at her, like he had the whole movie. "You're such a jerk!"
"All right, all right," he stopped it. "You're such a baby!"
"I am going to have nightmares for weeks!" Serena exclaimed. She curled up into a ball and closed her eyes tight.
"Serena," Darien's soothing voice came.
"Don't talk to me, don't touch me," she whimpered. Darien reached out and enveloped her in his arms. Serena didn't know how to react, so she sat there, in Darien's lap.
"Come on, we'll get you something to wear, time for bed," he joked around. "And we can leave the light ON in the guest room." He got up from the couch, lifting her in the process. Serena rested her head on his chest and relaxed slightly. Darien smelled so nice. Resting on his body was nice. All of a sudden she felt his arms retreat, and she fell onto something soft. She opened her eyes, and was sitting on a bed. She was a computer that was turned off to her right, and a football on a stand next to it. She deducted this was Darien's room.
"And how many girls have been in this bed?"
"A few," Darien shrugged and threw a t-shirt at her. "You going to change right here? Because I won't protest."
"I am so sick of your sexual innuendo," Serena got up. She felt Darien's hand push her back onto his bed. She stared up at him shocked. "Darien?" A smirk covered his face. He sat down onto the bed next to her. Serena became very tense. "Are you all right?"
"I just need to know something," he answered,.
"Well, what?" Darien leaned over like he was going to whisper something, but stopped inches from her face. Serena's eyes were wide open and she licked her lips in anticipation. "What do you want to know?" Darien leaned in closer, and began kissing her. And, sadly, Serena responded. She couldn't help it, Darien was hot. The moment was perfect, seared into her mind forever. But as soon as it started, it was over.
"Your room is down the hall way, the first left you get to," Darien got up and walked out the door. Serena quickly followed him.
"Do you know?" she shouted down the hall way. Darien turned around, a questioning look on his face. "Because I do."
"Know what?"
"The answer," Serena looked down to the ground. Darien walked towards her put his hands on her shoulders.
"Uh-huh," he lowered his head and started kissing her again. He lifted her up and walked back to his room. Carefully he lay down on his bed and put Serena's head on the pillow. He took off his shirt and Serena lifted off her school uniform vest, kicking off her shoes. Darien began unbuttoning her white collared shirt.
"Wait," Serena halted him. "I can't do this, I am sorry Darien, but I can't," Serena cried. Darien looked at her and wiped away the tears.
"It's all right," he whispered. "Maybe some other time," he told her.
"But, can you just hold me, because I want to be with you! Even when you're being a jerk," Serena told him. Darien wrapped Serena in his embrace and she laid her head on his chest.