-Chapter 3-
A month later was another class day. I greatly enjoyed last month because I made a new friend, Darien, and my classes, thank God, were cut short so I could show my new friend around. But now it was back to listening to the evolution, which I don't believe in, and dead people and a bunch of numbers I can hardly understand... Why did God create schools? Aren't our parents supposed to teach us? Because when I'm dead and gone, I wanna have a word or two with God about this whole school thing. It's literally driving me up the wall!
In homeroom, another bold boy came up to me and, before he could even ask, I said no. "But, I haven't even asked you yet!"
"You're gonna ask me out, right?" I said in rebuttal, hoping he'd flee like the parasite he was. I saw Darien look my way. He didn't want me to say yes to this loser.
"Well, yeah..." the boy answered.
"No." I repeated. I hate having to repeat myself. Why can't people just listen the first time? Then none of us would have to waste our breath!
"Are you sure, Serena? I got a million girls lined up for the job." he said. Yeah, right.
"Well, I'm definitely not one of 'em." Oh! Burn's on you, pal!
"I'm like, one of the most popular guys in school! How in God's name could you turn down this opportunity?" he persisted.
Darien had finally had enough. He stood up with an angry look on his face and yelled, "Leave her alone! She said no!" Thank you, God, for sending Darien here! You've blessed me so well! Forget what I said about the school thing, okay?
"Oh, well would you look at that? Serena Tsukino has to have someone defend her! How weak!" The little fungus proceeded to laugh his ugly little head off. ALL RIGHT, THAT DID IT!
I, too, stood up and asked the boy if he knew what defense really was. He said yes. Heh heh heh... Sucker. I asked him if he knew another name for a lollipop. He said sucker. "Exactly." I growled. The next thing that hit the boy was my fist. I sunk my fist into his face and everyone can just forget about the whole "weaker sex" thing. Girls rule, buys drool, that's all I'm gonna say.
I waited by the door until the teacher walked in. She saw the helpless victim of my counterattack laying on the floor, his cheek slightly puffy and reddening. "He asked you out, wouldn't lay off, and you sucker punched him." she observed, as she had seen it a hundred times.
"Ayup." I answered, holding my hand out, my eyes pleading for a detention note. As she started writing, Darien came up to me and asked what I was doing. "Getting myself a free ride outta boy-ville." The teacher handed me the note and I walked toward the office.
Darien asked the teacher if he could go talk to me. She said, "Knock yourself out." He nodded and quickly caught up with me.
"What's up?" I asked him.
"Serena! You just KOd that kid!" he stated the obvious.
I stopped dead in my tracks. "I have my reasons."
"What reason could you possibly have for-"
"He touched me." I whispered, interrupting Darien as I did.
"What was that?" Darien asked, not having heard me.
"A year ago that 'innocent kid' touched me. I just paid him back today." I answered, knowing Darien would never do such a thing.
"Wait, where'd he touch you, Serena?" he asked, his eyes softening.
"He asked me out and when I turned him down he grabbed my breasts and asked if I was sure." I told him. Part of me was embarrassed, but part of me wanted him to know this.
"You never told me that, Serena. Has anyone else touched you?" Darien's eyes were suddenly filled with a protective wildness.
"Once, but it was an accident. Someone tripped and fell on me. They've already apologized about a million times." I said.
"Well, I'm sorry for what happened. I wish I could've been there to prevent it. But I promise I'll never touch you!" Darien assured me. WHOO! GO DARIEN!
I continued walking, and Darien caught up with me again, recovering from the shock he'd gotten when I told him what happened between me and that boy.
"How many times a day do you get harassed by these guys?" he asked, blushing.
I had no idea why he'd blush at a question like that, but I answered anyway, "At least twice."
"Oh. Do you...think if you had a boyfriend they'd stop?" he continued, still blushing.
I started to blush a little at the mention of a boyfriend, but I still answered him, "Probably."
"Well, if you want, we could pretend..." He blushed beyond belief and took a huge, nervous breath before continuing, "...to be a couple."
I felt like my face had steam coming out of it! How on earth was I supposed to prepare for that question? "W-Well..." I began, "It...certainly might...help." Could this be Darien's way of asking me out? Because it was working like a charm.
"So... Should I take that as a...yes?" he asked politely.
"U-Um... Y-Yeah, sure." Neither of us could really stop blushing after that little chat. But Darien was right. Perhaps if people thought I had a boyfriend, they would shut up and leave me alone. Or at least the boys, anyway. The girls would probably be even angrier at me because they thought I was dating one of the hottest, if not the hottest, guys/guy in school. Actually, few girls in this school had a boyfriend because of me. There's another reason they hate me so much.
"Hey, Serena?" Darien caught my attention, trying to slide into a different subject and release the weird atmosphere hanging over us.
"Hm?" Answer a question with a question. That's all I've learned from life. Isn't that just wonderful?
"Do you ever cuss?" he asked, no longer blushing.
"Nope. The only time I've ever cussed is when I was asking my mom what the cuss word meant. When I asked her what the F-word meant, she washed my mouth out with soap. Never said that word since then." I answered, my blush fading away.
"I never cuss either. I don't think it makes people look cool or older or more mature, it just makes them look like someone I don't wanna be friends with or hang out with." he said.
"That's what me and my family thinks, too." I told him. I would have to warn him about my father if he ever wanted to come to my house. My dad was boy-crazy. He never wanted me to date or get married. And children? Don't even mention it to him.
A random boy walked up to me and asked me if I wanted to go out with him.
Here was my chance! "Sorry, I'm taken." I said, my blush returning swiftly.
"Wha-? By who? You never date anyone!" he retorted.
I grabbed a speechless Darien's arm. "By Darien, duh! Haven't you heard the news? I finally picked a boyfriend!" I said, giggling. I was trying to seal the deal.
Meanwhile, Darien was about to pass out from embarrassment. He didn't actually think it would work!
The boy ran off, grunting to himself.
When I was sure he was gone, I sighed and said, "There. That should just about do it."
Darien asked what I meant.
"News travels fast around here. Soon that kid will tell his friends, and they'll tell their friends, and so on and so forth. Soon it'll be a rumor floating around the school." I explained.
Sure enough, when we got back to class, everyone swarmed us, asking if the rumors were true. We could only say yes.
The teacher wasn't among the swarm. She was right beside me. "You're pretending to be Darien's boyfriend so they'll leave you alone."
I blushed in response. She was good...
Then she smiled. She saw my blush. "You little fox! You really do wanna hook up with him, don't you?"
I blushed even worse than before. She was good... She went back to her desk laughing.
I was the first out of the crowd, then I fished Darien out of it.
That good ole teacher ordered everyone back to their seats so she could continue her lesson. I returned to my seat and Darien sat in his, right beside mine. We didn't exchange notes or anything. We already knew what the other was thinking. It was working.
Two boys were chatting next to me.
"Can you believe she's off-limits?" one asked the other.
"I know! It's like a horrible dream or a sweet nightmare!" the other answered.
YES! It was totally working!
The next class wasn't as bad. Biology was my favorite class, and luckily Darien chose that course. However, I already had a lab partner. There was only one person in the class who didn't have one: Amy. I didn't know Amy too well, but she didn't need a lab partner since she was the class genius.
Darien ended up having to be her lab partner anyway.
I hated every last bit of it! That Amy better keep her hands off him. I mean, I knew she didn't look interested, but looks could be deceiving. And girls were serious backstabbers. Boys think that if a girl dates their friend, the girl is automatically off-limits, whereas girl just think, 'Oh, goodie! He's up for grabs!'.
Today we had to dissect a flower. That wasn't really bad, but I knew we'd be getting to animals soon enough.
Me and my lab partner, who's a real jerk, tore off the sepals and petals. Then we moved to the anthers and stigma. We ended up fighting, for the millionth time this semester. Then we dissected the ovaries and other remaining parts.
Lunch finally came around. I tell you, the only thing worse than a woman hungry, is a woman scorned. And I was hungry. That's right, all you boys out there. I was a hungry woman. And in the cafeteria, even a nice girl would beat a girl down to get her food. I had no problem doing that. And my luck! Today was taco day! I loved Mexican food!
I pushed through the crowd and smacked my lips. I could smell the meat and its spiciness. I got like a hundred tacos and was on my way to find a seat next to Darien.
Darien was greeted with a plate being balanced on his head, held by a set of hands holding it so it wouldn't fall over. "Hey, Serena." he greeted back.
I slid the plate off his head and set it on the table so I could begin eating.
"Oh my God! Serena, how many tacos did you get?" he asked, laughing.
"Hey! At least I eat what I want. Most girls go on their dumb little diets and starve themselves by developing an eating disorder. I can try all I want, and I won't gain a single pound. So just let me enjoy my high metabolism while it lasts!" I fired back. He just laughed again. Hey, as long as he doesn't ask my weight, I'm good.
"Can I have one?" he asked teasingly. He reached out a hand.
"No!" I slapped his hand away.
"C'mon, give me a taco. Me want taco." he replied gruffly. I knew he was only playing.
"You don't get taco." I replied, also gruffly.
"Taco good." he persisted.
"Good for me, not good for you. You get fat on taco." I warned him.
"Then so will you!" He started cracking up.
"You want taco? Here taco!" I crammed a taco in his already open mouth. I didn't shove the whole thing in, nor did I push it in far enough to make him choke.
"Hrm hrm hrmhrm hrm..." he mumbled.
"You should know not to talk with food in your mouth." I said. Now it was my turn to laugh.
We spent the rest of our lunch making silly comments about our looks or our futures and how we were an 'official couple' now. Tsh! Yeah, right. I wish! Hopefully Darien did, too. So far his courtship was going well. If he didn't screw up, he might just be okay! Oh, and on our first date, he better take me to a Mexican restaurant!
We rode the same bus home. I'd had one of the best days ever with him! He and I sat next to each other. It wasn't because we had to, but we wanted to. Darien wanted to be near me and I wanted to be near him just as much. I blushed as I thought of an idea.
I snuggled up to Darien.
"What're you doing?" he asked. It didn't seem to bother him.
"Just in case anyone has any doubts." I answered. I closed my eyes, but didn't go to sleep.
It wasn't long before I felt Darien kiss the top of my hair. "What are you doing?" I asked.
"Just in case anyone has any doubts." he replied.