Serena looked up at her white. 'Ms. Tsukino' was written across it in red. She just framed the boarder with the alphabet boarder that she got from the local craft store. She turned around to look at the 20 little desks in her classroom. School would be starting in a week and half. She walked over to her desk where there was a stack of journals sitting next to her class list. She sat down, grabbed a sharpie and started writing their names on it.
"Knock, knock!" A deep voice said from the door.
Serena looked up. "Andrew? Mina? What are you guys doing here?"
"Hey!" Another male voice shouted!"I'm here too!"
Serena looked at Mina. She just stood there smiling. It was a very uncomfortable smile.
"Darien? Too what do I owe this pleasure...?"
There a minute of awkward silence as he walked in with a big brown box that he placed on one of the empty desks.
"Please be careful with the name tags! I worked hard on those!"
"The name tags are fine, Serena!" Mina scolded. "Be nice and besides we are here because Darien has decided to make a generous donation to your classroom...! She smirked at Serena as her body straightened from the news.
"What?" Serena was a little confused.
"Just trying to help you with your first dilemma in life." He smiled at her and shrugged.
"So...get off your ass and help us move some boxes! Okay?" Andrew placed a box down next to Darien's.
Serena got up from her seat.
"Actually Drew, I figure we can grab the boxes and let the girls dig through them."
"Sounds like a plan to me!" Mina stated.
"Of course it would!" Andrew protested. "Any chance you get from not having to do any hard labor!"
"But that is why you love me so much!" She smirked at him."Remember when you used to do all these little tasks for me without complaining?" She threw her arms around his shoulders and kissed his cheeks.
"Yeah...and that is where I messed up!" Andrew jokingly rolled his eyes. "Set up false expectations." He looked at his best friend.
"Don't look at me!" Darien walked away laughing."Hurry up!"
Andrew sighed and rolled his eyes. He then walked out behind Darien leaving Mina and Serena. Serena let out a chuckle. She then opened one of the boxes, while Mina opened the other. "So are you going to pretend like this isn't super sweet and thoughtful of him? Where do you want these books?"
"I never said it wasn't." Serena put the crayon boxes down. "Over on that book shelf."
"Any order?"Mina kneeled by the bookshelf. "You could at least say thank you!"
"I didn't get the chance too! You guys wouldn't stop talking over me. And any order is fine." Serena looked deeper into the boxes. "Feel like some of these items I may not use. Wonder if he will mind if I gave it to another classroom."
"Not at all..." Darien said coming from behind the girls. "I just threw a few things together that I thought you would need. I'm not really sure what they teach in grade school anymore." He put the box down.
"Seriously, all I remember from elementary school is coloring and naps..."Andrew casually said.
"Drew because that is all you did!" Darien swatted his arm. "Is that the last one?"
"What can I say? I run an arcade. School was never my first choice. And yes."
"Great! Serena did you need any help setting up?"
"I'm actually kind of hungry. I was going to finish this all tomorrow. Just leave it there." She walked over to her desk to grab her purse. "Did you guys eat already? Ray is out with Chad tonight, and eating alone doesn't sound too appealing..."
"Actually Sere...Drew and I were going to go on a date. We've been so busy it has been a minute..."Her facial expression read she felt bad.
"But...Darien is free!" Andrew butted in. Mina elbowed him. "What?" He played dumb. Then looked at Darien.
He looked back at Andrew. Then Mina. Then Serena. She just stood there. He looked back at Andrew who was giving him the 'hurry up and do it' look. He caught the hint. "So Sere...what do you say? Would you now grace me with your presence tonight for dinner?"
She smiled awkwardly. He did just go out of his way to help her with classroom. "Sure...but nothing to fancy!" They all started to walk to the school parking lot. "I'm a teacher on a budget! How did you guys get here?"
"We took our car." Mina answered before anyone else could. "So Sere you will have to drive Darien home after."
"Good luck Darien!" Andrew gave him a the scared look. "She is worse than Mina when it comes to driving." He stuck his tongue out at her.
"I am not!" Serena screamed. "I have a perfect driving record thank you!"
"You know in my experience anytime a female uses that excuse..."Darien looked nervously at Mina and Andrew. "I am closer to my death."
"Oh..,yeah? And how many times have you heard that excuse from another female!?" Mina shouted.
"My thoughts exactly!" Serena shouted from her side of the car.
"Drew help me here! I am being outnumbered"
"You are on your own on this one. Don't think I forgot what happened earlier." Andrew turned on the car. "Have a good night!"
Darien rolled up his window. "Ready?"
"Yup. Do you have you seatbelt on?" Serena turned on her car and started driving. She took a sharp turn causing Darien to dramatically shift from his seat. "Told you to buckle up!" She stopped abruptly at a stop."People never listen to me."
"I am so driving back when we are done. " Darien held on to the door. "If I live."
"Stop the dramatics! Dare..."
"I am not being dramatic. If you drive after I eat... I might throw up!"
"Psh..." Serena rolled her eyes at Darien as they waited at a stop light.
"Where are we going anyways?"
"To this little cafe my mom and dad took me too when I would come visit them. I think it opened while you were away for school." She had focused on her driving. It took another ten minutes before they arrived at the little cafe.
"This has to be the worst parking I have ever seen in my life!"
"Listen! Next time you drive then!"
"So you're saying we will be doing this again?" Darien smiled at her. "I will gladly drive!"
Serena chuckled softly and shook her head. Darien held the door opened for her. She walked through. They grabbed a table by the window.
"This is so pretty! Remember when we used to just people watch?" Serena tried to stop that sentence but it was too late. Last thing she wanted was for them to get into a fight because of something down memory lane. She looked at her napkin.
Darien observed her. "Yeah I remember. Especially at the park." He played with his utensils. "We had some good times just people watching."
Serena took a sip from her cup. "Yeah..."
"Look Sere...about last time we talked."
"Darien we don't have too bring it up."
"No I want to apologize."
"For what?" She looked Darien in his eyes and suddenly he was swept away in how blue they were.
"For everything." Was all he could say.
She smiled. " Water under the bridge at this point. And besides I should really just be thanking you for everything you did for my class." The moment was becoming to intense for her and she wasn't sure if she was ready for it.
Darien had so much more to say, but he figured right now wasn't the time. "Hey, it is the least I can do. Children are the future they say."
"And who would have thought they would be getting taught by someone like me." She tried to lighten the moment.
"You will do amazing."
Serena just smiled at him. "Thanks...now on to this menu. I am starving..."
Darien chuckled. 'guess some things don't change.'
