DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN SAILOR MOON, OR DARIA, OR MTV.
Darien Shields paced back and forth on the carpet of his apartment. He hadn't spoken to Serena since she'd unexpectedly run out of the Crown that Friday and to be quite honest he was beginning to worry. Now normally Darien was a very cool and collected guy, but when it came to Serena this wasn't always the case. Sure sometimes he didn't express his feelings for her in the warmest way but if he thought there was something wrong with her, or wasn't sure if she was okay…he'd worry instantly. And right now- he was worried.
Just then he heard a pattern of knocks and slaps on the door that sounded like the beat to the Mexican Hat Dance. He lifted his head and smiled as he quickly walked to the door and opened it. There she was- blonde, beautiful, and perfectly okay. –What the hell? Then why was she making him worry so much. And in practically less than three seconds, Darien became very agitated.
"Serena, where the hell have you been? I worried about you!" said Darien confronting her. She looked up at him innocently and said softly "Can I come in?" Darien sighed and stepped aside letting her in the apartment. Serena walked well into the living room without sitting down. Darien closed the door behind her, and then took a few steps toward Serena. He chose to stay a good four feet away from her.
Serena exhaled deeply, took a moment, and began her speech. "Look, I'm sorry. Friday I had something really and completely important to do that I forgot about. I was running late and I just had to go. It was really earth shatteringly important- but it's nothing you need to worry about. I should have told you that and I'm sorry-I really am. So just please forgive me, okay?"
Darien looked at Serena. He saw the sincerity in her eyes and although he got the slight feeling that there was something she just wasn't telling him, he forgave her. "Okay, just try not to keep things from me alright?" "Not a problem!" Serena said smiling widely. She ran up and threw her arms around his neck.
Darien wrapped his arms around her waist and kissed her gently. She kissed him back with a little more force. Darien reached up to lightly stroke her face. Things were just about to get romantic when there was a knock at the door. They simultaneously broke their kiss. He dropped his head and arms in playful frustration, making Serena smile and went to answer the door.
The apartment entrance opened and there stood Andrew. "Drew, I'm kind of in the middle of something right now." "Yeah Dare, but a bunch of us are going to that new club and I thought we'd do some good old fashioned college partying." Andrew explained. "That's all fine, well, and good, but like I said I'm in the middle of something" Darien replied stressing the words 'in the middle of something'.
But Andrew being the typical best friend refusing to take no for an answer just said "Dare for all of us please put down the books! You need to be a normal college guy and get some R&R. For God's sake what are you studying that's so important?" "What am I studying?" Darien said under his breath barely audible. He hung his head and pushed the apartment door wide open. Andrew looked into the apartment and saw Serena sitting on the couch with her jacket off looking right at him. "Hi Serena." He said sheepishly feeling just a bit dumb. "Hi Drew." Serena said in a way to let him Darien obviously wasn't studying while she waved lightly.
Trying desperately to save his dignity Andrew just turned to Darien and said "You know…I'm just gonna get out of here, because…you've obviously got…better things to do…no pun intended." Darien chuckled slightly and closed the door as Andrew left. Then he jogged over to the couch where Serena was and eased his body on top of hers kissing her the whole time. Serena laughed quietly, wrapped her arms around him, and used one hand to continuously run her hands through his hair.
Darien used his hands to do some light exploring. The night progressed and the two lovers continued their innocent make out session until Darien's phone rang and he got up to answer it reluctantly. It was a wrong number and as he turned back to Serena's direction he saw her putting on her jacket and preparing to leave.
He successfully hid his disappointment as he heard her say "It's getting late. I should go." "Yeah…that's probably a good idea. Do you want a ride?" he asked praying she'd say yes. "Umm…no. I think I can walk it." She told him. "Alright well…what are you doing Friday?"
"When Friday?" Serena said mentally trying to schedule her day. "How about Friday afternoon, say one o'clock? I mean I don't have classes and it's a teacher workday so we can spend the day together." He suggested. "I can't" Serena said sadly. "If we did anything it would have to be late Friday night. I'm busy on Fridays, you know that." "Why is that?" Darien asked suddenly curious. "We almost never have dates Friday night because you almost always have something else already planned." "Yes. What's your point?" Serena asked beginning to feel aggravated. "What do you do? What's so important you can't give it up just once?" Darien asked feeling a bit mistreated.
Serena couldn't believe this. Her Darien was actually complaining about what she didn't do for him. And were her ears deceiving her or was he accusing her of something? "Look. You're the one who studies nonstop constantly day in and day out, and when you're not studying- you're working. But do I complain? No. Never. Not once. I realize you're going after your dream and these things are important to you, but I hate to break it to you Dare- you are a smart guy. You don't need to study thirty-six trillion hours a day. You can take a break once in a while. You spend all of your time on things sooo much more important than me, and you just expect me to just drop whatever I do to spend time together when it's convenient for you!"
Darien heard her say she realized he was going after his dream- but did she really? He spoke trying to make things clear to her "Serena, I'm going to be a doctor and that requires a lot of hard work and dedication…" Serena cut him off. "Don't talk down to me. Just don't." she said firmly, clearly upset. Darien closed his eyes, ran his fingers through his hair, and took a step toward her. Serena took a large step back and said angrily "Don't bother. I'll let myself out. I know how busy you are working" With that she left the apartment slamming the door behind her.
Almost a week had passed and Serena had spent it avoiding Darien. She didn't go to the crown. She didn't take his calls, and she didn't let the scouts try to talk her into seeing him. Serena Tskinuno was verifiably pissed. What was worse was how both Gohan and Videl seemed to be ignoring her calls. The reason Serena never had dates with Darien and basically turned him down every Friday was because she was with Gohan and Videl every Friday night. It was the weekly annual G.S.V. movie night. Every Friday night they'd gather at one of the others houses and watch movies. They'd talk, laugh, and reminisce while having so much fun. They'd done it ever since the middle of sixth grade and Serena's moving hadn't changed that (or much less anything else in their friendship for that matter).
But this Friday, Gohan's mom had called Serena to cancel it saying Gohan was in trouble or something. Serena found this odd because given Cherie's friendship with Serena's mother it had become apparently clear that no matter what Gohan did (including torching the living room rug a few years back) she'd never barred him their Friday movie night. Needless to say Serena wasn't having the best week. Ami noticed Serena's strange behavior and asked "Are you okay?" Serena merely smiled a small smile and nodded her head yes. She then mumbled something about being late for dinner and ran off.
The weekend was pretty boring. She slept in Saturday and went to church with her family on Sunday. Monday however, was a different. When Serena woke up Monday morning she was actually on time. She had time to eat a full a breakfast and just as she was preparing to walk- yes walk not run- to school her mom gave her cell phone back! This day was really starting to look up.
When Serena got to school she was in a really good mood. She stayed awake in class and waited until lunch to actually eat her lunch. When Lita asked what was up, Serena simply said that she'd had a crappy week and her luck was finally returning back to normal. As the final bell of the day rang Serena exited the school with Mina, Lita, and Ami. They were almost off campus when a familiar voice called to Serena from behind "Girl! Don't act like you don't hear me!" Serena stopped dead in her tracks and turned around. Her jaw dropped, eyes went wide, she screamed at the top of her lungs, and took off running in the direction of the voice.
Sure enough Serena, Videl, and Gohan found themselves in a three way hug. "So that's why you wouldn't return my calls?" Serena asked the both of them. "It was Del's idea. We wanted to surprise you!" Gohan explained. The group did some last minute thirty second catching up. No really, it was only thirty seconds because Lita, Mina, and Ami performed the whole passive aggressive clearing of the throat to remind Serena they were still there. "Sorry guys! I'm just so excited! Ami, Lita, Mina, I have some people I want you to meet…"
The whole introductions took place and it was all very nice full of simple gestures of friendship, but from a distance it didn't look that way. In fact, as Darien sat watching Serena run screaming to jump up into the arms of another guy all he could think was just how not innocent it looked. He thought he'd show up at Serena's school to apologize and give her a nice surprise- sort of a peace offering gesture, but to him it seemed like he was the one getting surprised. He leaned against the school gate (he of course was the only one who didn't realize how good he looked doing it) and waited for Serena to turn his direction which she did moments later.
Serena finished giving the basic first name introductions (no details) and began to lead her friends out of the school yard, with the girls on her left and Videl and Gohan to her right. Gohan leaned into her ear and whispered playfully "What the hell are you wearing?" She looked up at him, smiled for a moment and whispered back as disdainfully as she could "They call it…a school uniform!" Immediately Videl turned to her and whispered in utter mock shock "No!" Serena looked back at her with as much seriousness as she could muster and said "Yes". (She used her serious face to match it.) Gohan knowingly stated the painfully obvious and said "You know we didn't have those at Smith." Serena looked back at Gohan and attempted her best 'Daria' impression yet "I know smartass."
Serena, Videl, and Gohan had been carrying on this three part conversation without the scouts even knowing. They had almost forgotten the girls were there until Mina said "Uh Serena?" "Yeah?" Serena said imitating her friend's uncertain tone of voice. "Darien's here and he looks kind of pissed off!" Serena looked straight ahead and saw him. Though she'd been mad and avoided him she couldn't deny the fact that when she saw him and he did surprise things like this for her- Serena's heart would skip a beat- again and again and again.
Or at least it did until she finally noticed the pissed off look on his face and then all she could think was 'Great- what did I do now?' But all Videl and Gohan could think was 'Who and what is a Darien and what does he want with Serena?'
Uh Oh! Looks like there might be some trouble in paradise! Keep reading to find out PLEASE! I NEED MY READERS! AND MY REVIEWERS! I tried to make this chapter a little longer hope you like it. I wanted to thank all of my reviewers! Moon queen, Chibi Pyro, Princess Serena and everyone I didn't get the chance to personally reply to! Please keep writing what you think! The more reviews I get the easier it is to write this stuff because it feeds my creativity and inspiration levels-LITERALLY! I'll try to Update soon but band camp starts next week (yes I'm a band geek get your laughs out now!) and it may take longer and I promise you this…as a compromise the longer it takes me to update the longer my chapters will be okay? Sounds fair right? I agree! Plus the whole (Raven, Eddie, Chelsea-Danny, Sam, and Tucker) type friendship will be extremely visible in chapter four! Love you! Muah!