"Morning, Mom." Serena told her mother as she served her a plate of breakfast. "Morning, Sweetheart. Where's your sister, her breakfast is going to get cold." Her mother sat down across from her on the small wooden round table and dug in to her breakfast.

'How am I going to tell her about in-house today? Think, Serena, think.'

While they both ate breakfast Mina came down the stairs and took her place at the table. "Morning, Mom. Morning, Sis." Mina said with a sigh while trying to rub the sleep out of her eyes.

"Hey, Mina do you want to help me out with a project of mine?" Serena told her sister with telling eyes. Mina just nodded and continued with the food in front of her. After breakfast was cleared of each one of their plates, their mom gathered them up and stood up.

"Hey, girls my sister called me this morning and she asked if I could come over and help her out with the new baby. Would you girls like to come?" Their mother asked while washing the dishes.

"When are you going mom?" Mina asked getting up from the table.

"Maybe in a few weeks, I told her I would get back to her on it?" She continued.

"Well have fun mom, I have too much work, and I rather stay here and study." Serena finally spoke up.

"Well, that's okay dear, I don't mind. Besides I was planning on asking you guys to stay so that you could watch over the house while I'm gone." She said as she finished up with the dishes and started heading up the stairs.

"Hey, Serena what project where you talking about? Last time I checked we have every class together and I have no projects due." Mina eyed her sister suspiciously. "Mina I need your help. I have to go to in-house in about an hour with the teacher from hell and Andrew also needs me to clean his office. I won't have time." Serena said desperately. "So tell Andrew that you have in-house today and you can't go help him." Mina reasoned. "I can't because then he will step in and I'm already having problems keeping 'us' a secret." Serena shot back. "So how can I help you Serena?" She asked. "Well, Andrew isn't going to be in his office today, he has meetings all day. So you can sneak in and clean up so that he won't get suspicious and when he gets back he'll think that I have already came and gone." Mina looked at Serena from the staircase and just shook her head but agreed to help her.

In-House

He sat patiently on his black leather chair and reclined back on it. Staring at the only desk in the room that sat right in front of his big mahogany desk; he was lost in thought.

'Is she coming? She better get here in time?'

Then the door opened slowly to reveal Serena standing on the other side of it. Her golden locks flowed loosely down her sides and her head was bowed down as she walked towards him.

"I'm here." She said quietly. Almost at a whisper.

"I see." He said in a humorous tone. "Well, take a sit Ms. Moon." As he spoke he directed her to the seat with his hand. She followed his request and sat on the only desk available in the room. As she did Darien stood from his chair and walked around his desk to her.

"Well, Miss Moon you seem calmer than usual. Can I ask to what do I owe that change in you?" Darien spoke in an unusual husky tone that sent shivers down Serena's back.

"I have simply decided that it would be best if I just keep quiet around you. That way I can avoid all the problems with you." Serena said looking up at him for the first time since she entered the room.

"Well I'm glad you think this, but it is too late to get out of in-house today. Although I do hope you are serious about what you just said. But moving on to the matters at hand, shall we?" Darien walked over to the front of her desk and leaned on the front of his mahogany desk so that they were facing each other. "Well, Serena I feel that your grades might suffer if you keep acting up in my class. I hope that this is not what you want."

Serena's eyes widened at this statement. "You can't do that!" Serena hissed at him standing up from her desk. "And why not?" Darien retorted. "Because I always do all my work." She said triumphantly. "Well, if you did all your work you wouldn't be in this predicament. Or shall I remind you of the paper you still have not turned in." The mocking smile on his face was getting Serena furious. "As a matter of fact..." She cut herself off as she searched in her bag for the paper then handed to him with a smile. "This paper, Professor Shields?" He quickly grabbed the paper out of her hand and looked it over for a few minutes. "Well it seems good from what I've read but you won't get higher than a 'B', if that. Remember, it is three days late." Darien told her as he tossed the paper on top of a pile of documents on his desk. "I hate you, you are by far the worst person I have ever met. You are infuriating!" She yelled at him but his smirk only just grew. "And I hate that big mouth of yours but I know just how to shut it up." Darien said while grabbing onto the back of her head and kissing her roughly on the lips. His fingers laced through her golden locks keeping her close to him. Their lips molded in an instant; and with a shocked gasp Serena opened her mouth and gave Darien entrance. His free hand roamed down to her waist where it snaked its way around her to pull her closer, dragging her off the chair. He was in full control and he liked it. Suddenly he pulled away and smirked at her dazed face but did not release his hold on her, supporting her weight with his strong arms.

'That kiss was amazing.' Was the only thing that Serena could think of in her hazed head? Her lips still tingled with the taste and feel of his. She was blushing profusely and tried to clear her head before looking up at him and seeing the enormous smirk on his face. Anger grew in the pit of her stomach and she began pounding on his chest and wiggling to get free but his arms only held her tighter. "Let me go, you moron!" She squealed. "Calm down Serena it was just an innocent kiss. Besides why are you fighting you enjoyed it as much as me." Darien said as he tried to steal another kiss from her. She turned her face from his advances and pushed hard on his chest. "I did no such thing. " Serena retorted. "So then why did you respond to the kiss, Sere?" He sweetly replied to her. "I did not and don't call me Sere, to you its Ms. Moon." Finally he let go of his grasp on her and she started heading for the door. "Where are you going?" Darien asked. Turning around Serena faced him. "I'm leaving what does it look like?" "I didn't say you could leave?" He grabbed her wrist and pulled her towards him. "Let go Darien! I'm leaving we have nothing to talk about and please forget about that kiss because it never happened." She pulled her wrist free and walked out.

'She said my name. It sounds like music out of her ears. Why does that little brat tempt me so much?'