The Black Tie Affair

By: afallenblackrose

Author's Notes: At this rate, I'm pretty sure I'll be posting a new chapter every other day. Except on weekends, that is and that is because of the fact that my first and last classes of the day are extremely boring. So to keep myself entertained I continue writing this fanfic. Hope you guys enjoy! Thanks to madorno81, SerentiyMoonGoddess, and StarryNight101 for reviewing the first chapter. And big thanks goes out to acie913 for being the first to review and for betaing this chapter for me! =)

Part Two:

The Invitation

Serena spent the first two days of her engagement nursing a broken heart. She should have been happy. She was going to be getting married. But… She had been in love with Darien for three years….

Serena threw a Kleenex at her garbage can with as much force as possible. She sounded so idiotic and cliché. She needed to get over this; she needed something to distract her. And what would be better than her own wedding? There was a lot to do and she was going to need help.

She reached for the phone and dialed her best friend's number.

"Serena, I was just about to call you! Did you see the news?! Dar -"

"Mina, Seiya asked me to marry him," she interrupted.

"What?!"

"And I said yes," Serena held the phone away from her ear as Mina began to squeal.

"Oh my God! Are you serious?! When did this happen?! How did he do it? Tell me everything!"

"Well, he took me to a fancy restaurant two nights ago and after dinner he ordered champagne…."

"Oh, wow," Mina breathed. "He is such a romantic. But two nights ago, Serena, why are you calling me just now?"

"I was shocked and really, I still can't believe this."

"Serena, you know I love you, right?"

"Of course I do, Mina."

"Just remember that, because as your best friend, I have to ask you this. Did you say yes to Seiya, because of the rumor in the news that Darien is getting married?"

Serena took in a sharp breath. She should have known that she wouldn't be able to get anything past Mina.

"If I say yes, does that make me a bad person?" She whispered into the phone.

"Of course not, Serena, but you need to know that if that's your only reason for saying yes –"

"It's not. I love Seiya, Mina, I really do, and maybe I've been stringing him along while I waited for Darien to realize he's really in love with me, but not anymore. Obviously, Darien doesn't even remember me or else he would have called –"

"But Serena, that's just it! Darien –"

"Don't Mina. I'm over it, I have to be. I'm getting married. Darien is getting married. We've both moved on. So are you going to be my maid of honor or am I going to have to call Raye?"

"Of course I'll be your maid of honor, Ren. But I really think you need to know…." Mina took a breath. Should she really tell Serena that Darien wasn't getting married? She had a feeling even if she did, Serena wouldn't believe her.

"What do I need to know, Mina?"

"Darien's address in Los Angeles, so you can send him an invitation," she quickly answered. Serena wouldn't believe her, but if Darien came and told her himself, she had to believe him, right?

"Oh, of course, do you know it?"

"Er… I don't, but Andrew definitely does. Why don't you give him a call? I'm sure he'll be happy to give it to you."

"Okay, I'll do that."

***

A month later…

Darien had just walked through the door of his apartment complex after a long day at work when the doorman ran up to him holding something in his hand.

"Mr. Shields, you have mail from Japan," he said with a smile upon his face.

Darien raised an eyebrow, mail from Japan? He hadn't received any piece of mail from Japan since he'd lived here in the past three years. What could it possibly be, and the more important question: who was it from?

"Thank you, Carlos," he replied as the doorman handed him the envelope. He frowned as he saw how fancy it was and as his eyes scanned over the envelope he saw it, his name written on the front in an elegant script.

Mr. Darien Shields

His frown deepened as he saw there was no return address on the envelope. He flipped it over and carefully opened it. Inside was a card of some sort with the same elegant script from the front. Darien's heart was beating rapidly now, he could hear it in his ears.

With ease he slipped the card out. And as he read it, he felt his heart stop beating.

You are cordially invited to the wedding of:

Ms. Serena Carter

and

Mr. Seiya Slater

On the thirtieth day of June in the year 2010.

His vision began to blur. Darien didn't want to believe what he was seeing. His Serena, his angel, was getting married? This couldn't be right.

"Is it good news, sir?" Carlos asked.

"Not really, excuse me, I have to make a call," Darien replied as he walked past him to the elevators.

During the ride up to his apartment, he had convinced himself that this was all a joke. That Serena was mocking him about his "marriage" announcement.

But a part of him wasn't holding his breath.

He unlocked the door to his apartment as quickly as he possibly could. Once inside he rushed to the phone and dialed a number he should have dialed sooner.

"Hello," Andrew's voice answered.

"Andrew, it's Darien," he replied.

"Darien! Man, is it good to hear from you! How've you been?"

"I've been better. Listen, I got this letter in the mail and was wondering if you knew anything about it."

"Letter? What let- Oh, you're talking about the invitation. Yeah, I know about it."

"So it's real? She's really getting married to this Seiya character then?"

"Yes, Darien, she is," Andrew replied.

"Damn it!" Darien exclaimed. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"Because she specifically asked me not to," Andrew calmly said.

"She asked you?"

"Yes, when she came in here to ask for your address. Listen Darien, I don't understand why you're so mad. No one has really heard from you, especially Serena. What did you expect her to do? Sit around and wait for you? She moved on, man, you should too."

Darien sighed in defeat, "I know, but I don't think I can."

"Then I suggest you RSVP no, Darien. She's happy, you know? Let her – hey, Mina, what do you think you're doing?"

"Andrew?"

"No, Darien, this is Mina," a feminine voice said.

"Mina? What happened to Andrew?" Darien asked confused. Mina was Serena's best friend, what was she doing at Andrew's?

"Andrew happily gave over the phone to me. I need to talk to you about Serena."

"What about Serena?"

"Darien, you've known for a while, well at least I hope you have, that Serena has had a crush on you for the longest time."

"What?" Darien asked confused. Serena had a crush on him? But then….

"Yes, for years. I think you need to know something. The night Serena agreed to marry Seiya was also the day your 'marriage' announcement came out."

Darien felt like his world had stopped moving.

"So, wait, I'm not sure if I understand you. Are you saying that Serena is marrying Seiya, because she thinks I'm getting married?"

"Yes."

"But how can you be sure, Mina?"

"You know Serena tells me everything. Besides she didn't tell me about her engagement until two days after it happened."

Darien frowned, "But hasn't she seen the news, recently? I'm not getting married."

"I tried to tell her but she wouldn't let me finish. That's why you got the invitation, Darien. I figured, if she won't listen to me, she'll have to believe you."

"But she hasn't seen me in three years. Why would she believe me?"

"Because," Mina drawled lazily as if he should already know the answer, "after you tell her that, I'm hoping you would have enough sense to tell her not to marry Seiya."

"And why would I do that, Mina?" Darien asked annoyed that Mina was telling him what to do. Things he knew he had to do if he wanted any chance of being with Serena.

"You and I both know why, Darien. The same reason why you were so outraged that Serena was getting married."

"Okay, Mina, thanks."

"Not a problem, Darien."

"Tell Andrew, I'll call him when I have the flight information figured out."

"Flight information? You're coming here now?"

"Obviously, I have to tell her before she convinces herself that she really does love Seiya."

"So, I'll see you soon then?" Mina asked.

"Yes, you will, oh, and Mina?"

"Yeah?"

"Don't tell Serena I'm coming. I want to surprise her."

"My lips are sealed."

Darien hung up the phone but begun dialing again. He had to book a flight. He had a wedding to stop.

***

"Mina, what do you think you're doing?" Andrew asked, overhearing the rest of the phone conversation.

"Making sure two people who do love each other end up together. Darien and Serena are meant for each other. They just need a certain push to realize it."

Author's Notes: Okay, who honestly thought I was going to have Mina not interfere with Serena's love life? And sorry for not putting an address on Darien's letter. I'm not creative enough to come up with one and with my luck it would be an actual place. Anyway, reviews are always appreciated.