Serena's POV
So I told Amy and the truth was, it helped. It felt good to know that someone cared about me, my mother and relatives sure as hell didn't. I know my siblings loved me but the fact that someone did care and would be willing to help me out made me feel a lot better, I liked Amy. We didn't do much expect talk and work on our homework, I had done a little research for the project earlier and printed it off and had it with me to bring to class so I just hoped Darien would do his part. I had a feeling that it wouldn't be that way.
"You shouldn't have to worry about Darien."
I smiled. "I'm used to him, he's a jerk and I've known that for years. It's not like he's going to come over to my place and see what I've gone through and change, I highly doubt something like that would happen, especially with Darien."
She snorted. "You are right, that is likely but he needs to learn his lesson that not everything in life is easy and he will find that out the hard way."
"All of them will find it out the hard way."
"You are right Serena, it's called Karma."
I smiled as she began packing up her things and she said," I'll see you tomorrow, if you want maybe we can grab lunch tomorrow."
"That'd be great."
"Don't worry Serena, you can call me if you need me."
"Thanks Amy, I will."
After she left, I closed the door and locked up the house and began to gather up my things and take them to my room. It had been a long night and I had another busy day tomorrow, it was close to eleven o'clock and I still needed to take a shower and head to bed. I worked tomorrow till nine and then the next night till ten. I worked at the local diner down the street serving and sometimes I closed up the place. Then, I came home, made sure my brother and sister were asleep, and then finished my home and either took a shower or went to bed. That was my life in a nutshell.
Darien's POV
Shit, I forgot to print off that stuff last night. Oh well, I can give it to her tomorrow when we work on our stuff. We had a test today and then that was it, it was a small pop quiz but I wasn't prepared for it. I was never prepared for tests, not in my lifetime.
I walked into English class book in hand hoping that maybe she wasn't there but alas she was, Serena was sitting in the back of the classroom engrossed in her current book. What a nerd.
"Serena?"
She looked up from her book and said," Yeah? Did you print that stuff off?"
"Nope, I forgot to do that. I'll bring it tomorrow."
She smiled. "Ok. Be sure that you do. We have to work on it tomorrow."
I nodded. "I will."
She returned to her book as I made my way over to see my seat seeing Andrew sitting down and said," She's such a nerd."
"She was the first one in the room."
I snorted. "Serena is such a dork. I can't believe she partnered her with me of all people in the room."
"Sucks to be you."
I nodded. "Sure does, are you going to Rei's party tonight?"
"Probably, folks are out of town and she's got a ton of booze. Should be a good time."
"I would hope."
He snorted. "So when are you and Serena supposed to work on the project?"
"Who knows."
"That is going to suck but it's not like anything is going to happen, she'll still be a nerd after we graduate."
I laughed knowing that would be the truth, she would still be a nerd after this and probably go to Azabuu or wherever she wanted to go as for me, I was heading to USC and was stoked about that, I was probably going to be in a fraternity like my dad. He graduated from USC and so did his father so it's a family affair. It's a big deal.
Serena's POV
By the end of the night, I was about ready to collapse. I felt emotionally exhausted and it didn't help matters that my mother showed up around the time I was leaving with her new boyfriend, he didn't seem to friendly so I needed to keep my distance. The last few hadn't stayed long but she did have one that was with her for a couple of years and he took his anger out on me.
It also didn't help that I was cornerned by Rei in the bathroom, she was making fun of me as usual and always liked it to rub it in my face that I would always be the nerdy girl and never make anything of myself but that's where she was wrong, I would make something of myself and prove everyone wrong. Prove that I could make my life out of nothing and put it into something, I could do it.
"So your finally home."
I grimaced as I brushed past her and uttered," Yes I'm home."
"About time. Your sister has been crying and yelling for the past hour for you."
"What does she want?"
"You."
I walked past her and down to my sister and brothers room, I could hear the two of them talking quietly so I knew he was trying to calm her down. I opened the door and walked into the room as Chibi smiled and ran over to me and I picked her up and asked," What's wrong?"
"We don't like mom's new boyfriend."
"Do we ever?"
He shrugged. "Nope but we really don't like him. He is really loud and yells constantly."
"Hurts my hears Serena."
"I'm sorry sweetie, try and get some sleep. I don't know if I'll be home tomorrow for supper but Mrs. Seiya will get it ready for the two of you."
"Okay. Goodnight Serena, I love you."
"I love you both."
I kissed both of them on the head and walked out of the room after turning on Chibi's nightlight and made my way into the kitchen when I hear my mother yell," Serena! Two beers!"
I opened the fridge and saw a twenty four pack of bud light and a twelve pack of coors light so I knew they were going to be here for awhile which I didn't need especially with the prospect Darien might come over here and work on our project.
I walked out to the living room and handed the beers to my mother who just nodded and said," Kenji, this is Serena."
"Hi."
He grunted so I took that as a hello, that's most of her boyfriends do. They usually yell and scream at her or they don't say anything at all. That's what my mother's life was like, sometimes I wished that my father was still alive and then everything would be okay. At least, it would better than this.
Serena's POV
I can do this, I don't need anyone's help. I can take care of my siblings, work two jobs and finish my senior year and be ready for NYU or Loyola Maraymount which was my second dream school, if I didn't get into either of them then I would possibly apply at Azabuu or UCSF. I arrived at school a little earlier than I had done in the past, I hoped Darien would have the stuff but I had a feeling that he might not, I had heard from Amy that Rei's parents were out of town and she was throwing a huge party so I had a feeling that he probably wouldn't even show up to school which would make my life easier.
"Hey Serena."
I jumped at the sound of Lita's voice and said," Oh hi Lita, I didn't hear you."
She smiled. "It's okay, you looked deep in thought."
"I probably was, did you want something?"
"I know your partners with Darien."
I nodded. "I am and it's been okay so far."
"Try not to let him bother you. I know he can be crude and mean but it's just the way he is and he'll get over himself someday."
"I know that and I won't let him get to me. It's not like him being around me is going to change him."
She snorted. "Nothing could change him, he is just going to have to grow up someday and grow up to his faults."
I smiled. "You are right but thanks Lita. I'll see you later."
"Your welcome."
Darien changing himself when he was around me, fat chance that would actually happen. He was in for a cruel reality check once he graduated from high school and entered into the real world, it was harder than it seemed. I was used to it and I could deal with it and I knew he couldn't.
When I made it into the room, he was already there and sitting in the back with his head on the desk and I figured he had a rough night which consisted of drinking and partying with the popular crowd.
He lifted his head and his eye caught mine and he nodded and rose from the desk with his notebook in his hand and moved closer to mine and he said," Lets get this over with. We are going to need to work on this stuff tonight, I can't tomorrow or for the next couple days."
I smiled. "Okay."
"We can't do it at mine because my parents are doing fixing up the dining room and living room so no one is allowed in there. How about your place?"
"That would be fine."
I prayed and hoped my mother wouldn't be home and my siblings would behave, I hoped that everything would be work out.
I pulled out a piece of paper as he waited and I wrote down my address and handed it to him and said," I get off work at five and then I'll be home, is that fine?"
He nodded. "I'll be over around then."
Darien would be at my house tonight. What in the hell was I thinking when I said that would be fine? I knew it wouldn't.
Darien's POV
So I was going over to Serena's house to work, that would be interesting. I had never been to her house and from the looks it wasn't close to where I lived. I didn't mind making the trip though but I just wanted to get this project over with so I could graduate. I was feeling a little buzzed from last night, I had a rough night at Rei's and that was just too much for me to handle. She was beginning to drive me insane, I love Rei don't get me wrong but sometimes she can be a handful.
"So I hear you have a date with Serena."
I snorted. "No, it's not a date. I wish I didn't even have to do this but I wanted to get this done as fast as possible. The quicker I get this done, the less time I have spend with her."
Andrew smiled. "True."
It was close to the end of the day and I was heading to cheerleading practice, we were doing pretty well with the exception of Amy who always made a point to crack jokes on me with Lita, I ignored her just as much as Mina was beginning to ignore. We were friends but not close or anything but I liked the girl, she was good person but I knew she was one of Serena's good friends and didn't like me for the fact that I cracked jokes on her all the time, whatever.
"Hey Darien."
I snorted as Lita made her way over to me and said," Hey Lita."
"How are you feeling?"
"A little better. You need something?"
"Mina wants to talk to you."
I sighed and said," thanks."
I walked over to Mina who was doing splits and said," You wanted to see me."
"Yeah, I know you are going over to Serena's tonight."
"Yeah I am."
"Don't make her life worse than it already is."
"What do you mean already?"
"You'll find out. It's not my place to tell you. "
"Alright, is that it?"
"That's it."
What in the hell is she talking about? What could possibly be so horrible about her life? I was bound to find out tonight.
Serrena's POV
I was hoping that my mother and her new squeeze would be gone, he was not my cup of tea but none of them were. They were usually loud, abusive, annoying, and like to drink booze like my mother. It was hard enough knowing that she was home and would be here for awhile, I would be mortified if she came home drunk while Darien was here. That would be enough for me to not show up to school.
"Is mama here?"
"No, she left and told us she wouldn't be back for awhile."
I breathed a sigh of relief and said," I have someone coming over tonight to work on our project."
Chibi giggled. "Amy?"
"No, sweetie not Amy but someone else. Will you two promise to behave for me please?"
The two nodded. "We will Serena."
"Good, now I will fix you two dinner before he comes over."
"Who is it Serena?"
"Darien."
"Isn't that the guy that makes fun of you?"
"Yes, he is but please don't say anything to him. I get teased enough of him already and I don't want to be teased anymore."
"We won't Serena."
I smiled knowing that they wouldn't and glad that mother wasn't around, I hoped everything work out.
Darien's POV
This place is a dump, she lives here. I was standing outside of Serena's house not sure if this was really it. It was a total dump, it looked like it hadn't had a paint job in a couple of years and the shades were drawn to make it look like she was asleep or didn't want anyone to look in. Just as I was about to leave, the shades were opened up and I saw her looking out the window and I shrugged and walked to the door and seconds later she opened the door and said," Hi Darien, come on in."
She opened the door and I looked around her place which was the complete oppisite of mine, it was small, dingy, and not a lot of open space. I looked into the living room to see her two siblings watching television.
"I thought I had the wrong place."
"No this is it."
I shrugged. "It's tiny."
She shrugged and said," I know, there isn't much room. We can do this in the dining room."
"Sounds fine to me."
I walked down the hall and into the another small room with a huge table and chairs and threw my stuff down and asked," I didn't know you had siblings."
"I do, they are younger than me."
"Where's your mom?"
She winced and that was the first time I knew and felt I hit a nerve, I quickly changed the subject and asked," So did you print your stuff?"
"I did, it's upstairs. Hold on, I'll go get it."
She rushed upstairs as I plopped down in one of the chairs and looked around the room, the walls were light blue and they were covered with paintings or pictures. Mostly of Serena and her siblings, I didn't even know she had any.
Seconds later, she came back into the room and we started to work on our stuff and she said," I know this isn't fun at all and trust me, I don't like it that much but the faster we get this done the better."
"Serena, I don't mean to pry but shouldn't your mother be home?"
She didn't say anything at all and I knew I hit a nerve, her face lost it's color and she folded her hands in her lap and then said," She's not here. She's never around, she comes around sometimes but it's only if she wants something. I work two jobs and take care of my siblings and try and be there for them. My mother is an alocholic. Always has been. It's been like since I met you Darien, I started working two jobs when I was a freshman."
"So, she never comes around."
She looked at me and said," Never. Sometimes she shows up with her boyfriends but that's it. My dad died when I was extremely young and my mother is a screw up and damaged her relationship with her parents and sister and by the time I was a freshman we were left fending for ourselves."
Suddenly, I felt like I had been punched in the stomach. I didn't know Serena's life was like this. Truth be told, I felt like a jerk.
