Disclaimer: Same thing as always…
Author's notes: It makes me so happy when you all review me! Well… I just thought about it but this next chapter has to do with Christmas… well… ish… I'll try to make the next one more about the holidays, just 'cause I'm in a Christmas mood. Enjoy!
Chapter 10
"I forgot how fast winter comes…" she said shivering as she closed the door of her car. Fall was coming to an end and winter would soon start. Everyone was gearing up for the first snow. Some people already had their whole winter suit on: knit hat, scarf, leather gloves – one person even had winter boots. It was weird how one day you could wear a sweater and the next need a jacket. 'Guess that's what they mean by an Indian summer… in this case, it'd be an Indian fall…' she thought.
Darien had his shades on, as to avoid being stared at by onlookers who recognize him. "Ready to eat?" he asked, flashing Serena her favourite smile.
"I was born ready," she smiled back.
"This way then," he said waiting for her on the driver's side. She quickly strode to him. As she neared, Darien softly grabbed her hand and gently led her to him. It caught her off guard. She turned around to look at him, but he was already inches from her. He kissed her tenderly on the lips, making onlookers smile at what a cute couple they made. Darien broke away. "You're beautiful…" he said giving her a crooked smile. Serena blushed and looked at the pavement. Darien's smile widened as he noticed her embarrassment. 'God she's beautiful…'
They made their way through a small crowd, walking hand in hand into a quaint little restaurant. Not a lot of people were in it since it wasn't exactly lunch time or dinner time. "Two please," Darien said to the hostess, as he took off his sunglasses. Serena noticed that the hostess was staring at him with a little more than affectionate eyes. She definitely recognized him and she was definitely trying hard to get noticed. Serena didn't mind; she was the one who would be eating with him, not her.
"The waitress will come shortly to take your orders," she said, leading them to a table on the side and giving them their menus.
"Thank you," replied Darien, flashing her one of his multi-billionaire smiles. She blushed before walking away. Serena stared curiously at him from the top of her menu. 'Doesn't he notice them?' she asked herself, observing his calm and collected movement.
After a few minutes, the waitress made her entrance. She too was standing slightly taller than she should. "Are you ready to order?" she asked with one of those fake plastic smiles. And that wasn't the only thing that was plastic.
Serena was too busy analyzing this bimbo to notice that Darien was staring at her with a raised eyebrow. "Ahem…" The sound came from Darien. Serena turned to look at him.
"Oh… oh… right… I'll have…" Serena was too busy thinking about these women fawning over Darien that she hadn't even picked a dish. 'Shit, shit, shit…' She picked the first thing that she saw. "I'll have this," she said pointing at a random number. The waitress bent over to see.
"The liver covered in garlic sauce?" the waitress asked.
"Huh? What?" 'Shit. I hate liver… and garlic… why didn't I just read the menu when I had the chance?'
Darien was looking at her, repressing a smile. "We'll both have the seafood alfredo," Darien said, smiling at the waitress.
"R-right…" she answered, composing herself. It looked like she was about to faint. Serena frowned. 'Ok. Calm down. I'M with him remember, Serena?' she thought to herself. "Anything to drink?"
"Two cokes, please," he replied, still smiling. 'Why is he smiling like that? He's not helping her case…' she thought in frustration.
"Ok great!" she said, still standing there, eyeing Darien.
Serena noticed her lingering there. "That'll be all," she said curtly. The waitress turned around briskly, as if she didn't know Serena was there, and flashed her a deathly look before walking away. "Well… do you think she'll spit in my food?" she asked Darien, placing the napkin on her lap. He was looking at her with a large smile.
"You're adorable Serena," he said, simply.
"Apparently you are too, according to them," Serena said, gesturing towards the kitchen doors. "Do you not know what effect you have on people? I mean they're probably gushing about you in the kitchen right now."
"Really. I have an effect on people?" he asked, leaning over the table.
"Mmhm… Well not people. More like girls and women everywhere. You must've noticed something!" she exclaimed, grabbing some butter for her bread.
Darien smiled back. "You're not jealous of them are you?"
Serena looked up from munching her bread. "Well… it's kinda hard not to be when you're giving them all these signals…" she replied, her mouth a bit filled.
Darien stared at her, clearly interested. "Signals?"
Serena looked at him dumbfounded. 'He can't be serious!' "Yes! Smiles mostly…"
He chuckled. "I'm supposed to smile like that all the time. It's a force of habit. On TV, on camera… It's how I get my deals sealed. It also helps when the customer's a woman…" Serena glared at him. Darien chuckled again. "Serena…" he started, grabbing her hand across the table. "When I smile for all these people, it's not because I want to, it's because I have to; like I said, it became a habit. When I smile for you, it's because you make me smile."
Her eyes softened at his words. Her fingers shifted to interlace his and she began caressing the skin surrounding his thumb. She smiled as she took a bite out of her buttered bread. The waitress frowned at the sight of their intimate moment as she brought them their cokes. She humphed as Serena muttered a small thank you.
Serena found herself absorbed in Darien's eyes; they were so… captivating, so… mysterious. She still had so much to discover about him, little did she know how much or how dark were his secrets. 'If you only knew…' Darien thought. 'I hate keeping you in the dark about this Serena… But it's better this way. At least for now…' he thought as he gazed into her innocent eyes.
The food was exquisite, even if she had an inkling that the waitress spat in her food. And Darien was… just Darien; the Darien that you wouldn't see on TV, the Darien that wasn't absorbed with work all the time, the Darien that only Serena was able to bring out. Serena felt like she was in a dream. She was sitting with Darien Shields. THE Darien Shields. And, he loved her. She of course loved him since the day she fell in her pool even though she hadn't known it yet. But she would have never thought that Darien Shields would fall for her. HER out of all the girls in this restaurant, in the city, in THE WORLD.
She excused herself to go the bathroom. As she looked at herself in the mirror, she knew that she was privileged, no, lucky. Lucky that she had him, but even more lucky because he loved her.
It still came as a shock that Darien Shields was still with her. It was all so surreal. She was deeply, head over heels, crazy in love with him. But how did she really know that he was? I mean he's said it, but would he love her for a week? A month? A year? Everyone knows that Darien Shields wasn't the settling down type. Serena pondered this with sad eyes. Even if it did end tomorrow or in an hour, she would still be in love with him. She had never felt like she did now, not even with Seiya. There was a fire in her heart that only burned for Darien and she knew that it would be hard to extinguish. Her heart pounded in her chest as the thought of Darien waiting for her at the table crossed her mind. It definitely wasn't plain old love. It was LOVE. In the end, all she could do was hope that this dream would never end.
She walked out to join the man of her dreams. He flashed her that smile she knew so well. He left a hefty tip at the table as she buttoned her jacket. "You shouldn't you know… she was kinda grouchy…" Serena said.
"It's the least I could do to mend her broken heart," he replied a bit sarcastically. They walked out and Darien headed for the car.
"How 'bout we take a walk?" Serena asked.
"It's cold," he replied simply.
"It's not that cold. Besides, you told me we were going to spend Sunday evening MY way, remember?" She smiled knowingly.
"You're right, I did. I am a man of my word. We'll walk," he said, putting his arm around her waist. Serena suddenly felt warmer.
--
It was already getting darker due to daylight savings time. They were both walking in silence, enjoying the feel of New York City as the holidays neared. Occasionally, Darien wouldn't be able to resist her and he would quickly steal a kiss. "So… this is how you spend Sunday evening?" Darien asked her.
"Sometimes… I'm usually with Mina though," she replied.
"Am I a good replacement?" he asked smoothly.
Serena smiled. "The best."
Darien grabbed her right hand and slipped it into his left pocket. He intertwined his fingers with hers. Serena blushed. "You know Serena… I've never been this close to someone… I don't mean physically, more emotionally. The way I act around you is different, kinda new to me… like this," he said, gently squeezing her pocketed hand. "It may not mean anything to you, but to me… to me it feels like… heaven or at least something close to it. Like… like I've been running for miles and miles and I've finally crossed the finish line. Just that feeling… that second of realization that I made it… And that you're there waiting for me…" He finished and turned to look at Serena's expression. They stopped walking. She was in complete awe. "You think I'm crazy don't you?" he asked, slipping her hand out of his pocket, but still holding it.
"Yup…" She faced him. He flinched. She smiled. "But that would mean that I am too…" He lifted his eyes to look at her. She obviously felt the same. He slowly bent down and kissed her in the middle of the sidewalk. People would curse as they avoided the couple, but it didn't matter to them. Serena moved onto her tiptoes to give more ardour to the kiss. She had her arms on his shoulders now.
"Look Ma! It's snowing!" screamed a little kid at the corner.
Serena and Darien separated from their kiss. Snow flakes were coming down on them as they looked into each other's eyes. Serena had the brightest idea. "C'mon," she said as she pulled Darien's arm.
"Where are you taking me?" he asked.
"It's a surprise!" Serena said ecstatically. Darien followed closely behind her.
--
"Hurry!" Serena shouted running through the park with Darien not too far behind her.
"The suspense is killing me Serena!" he screamed at her.
"Don't worry we're almost there." She finally came to a stop. They were in Central Park and the sun was just about done setting. The street lights were turning on. Soon, so would Central Park.
Darien looked around him. They were in a dark and secluded area. One would think that it was calling for danger. Nothing but the wind could be heard. The trees were covered lightly with the fallen snow. A single bench could be made out in the small cleared space. 'Why would anyone come here?' he thought to himself. "Serena? What are we doing here?"
"You'll see," Serena said. She could hear the worry in his voice, but this place was special to her. It was a place where she was able to think. There were lots of memories here, some she regretted, and some she'll never forget. It was a place where she could escape the hustle and bustle of the city, a place where she could dream.
A few seconds later, the lights came on in the park. Lights on certain trees could be seen from afar. Finally, her spot lit up. Suddenly, the bench was crystal clear as lights of all sorts adorning the bushes and trees lit the tiny section up. There were other places like this around the lake but this was her favourite. The silence made it beautiful. She closed her eyes as she listened to the sound of the wind.
"Wow…" she heard Darien mutter. "I never thought such a place existed." He paused. "I should go out more often." He smirked and looked at Serena who was a few feet in front of him with her eyes closed. 'She looks so peaceful…'
Serena, sensing that he was looking at her, decided to come out of her trance. "I used to come here all the time. My dad brought me here when I was a kid. He and mom shared their first kiss on that bench." She pointed to it. "I think that's what started my obsession with this place. I never knew my mom… she died right after I was born. I always felt like I had a stronger connection with her here, like I knew that she was watching over me… When I was rebellious… I'd come here to escape, to think. I thought of this place as some sort of protection, that she'd protect me." She paused. "When I was little I always thought that this place was magical. The lights would mesmerize me every time, like a special force brought them to life." She giggled. "Silly, huh?"
Darien stepped closer to her. "Of course, all kids are silly." He led her to the bench, knowing that there was more to her story. He cleaned off the snow and they both sat in silence.
"As I got older, I'd picture my first kiss," she continued. "'Just like mommy and daddy' I'd say. And then it happened. With… Seiya," she looked at the ground.
"Serena… you don't need to tell me anything," Darien said softly, knowing that this was a touchy subject.
"No… it's ok. I mean I told Andrew already… you should know too."
Darien smiled softly to urge her on. "I thought it was special back then… If I only knew what the outcome of all of it was, if I hadn't been so gullible, so… in love…" She looked up to see Darien's expression. There was no hate or annoyance, just affection. She continued her cruel story and watched as Darien's expression changed to hatred for Seiya. "You know that saying 'Love blinds'?" He nodded. "I always thought I was the perfect example for it. But then, he showed up, out of nowhere, in your office, and it was as if I was in high school again. All these pent up emotions. Things I wanted to say, things I wanted to tell him. But then, he told me that it wasn't all a lie, that he did love me, that he still loved me. I was so confused Darien. I was confused between the both you. When you were both around, I felt like there were two different Serenas. I was so torn between you two. I already had feelings for you by then and I couldn't ignore them. I tried convincing myself that it was just a silly little crush, that maybe I should give Seiya another chance. But it was impossible. Everywhere I looked, everywhere I turned; you were there" She paused. "Seiya lost his chance... I'm all yours, Darien…"
Darien gave her a small smile. "Thank you for telling me all this. I know it's hard for you to talk about it. Come here." With that, she leaned into his chest as he wrapped his arms around her frail body. He breathed in the scent of her hair. 'Mmm…' "I still can't believe you told Andrew," he finally said.
She laughed. "He's a good friend. He cares a lot about you."
"I feel the same about him. We've been through a lot together."
"Really? Like what?" she asked, trying not to sound too curious.
This was his chance. He could tell her, right there. The whole truth about his past. But he didn't. "It's getting late, how 'bout we head back to your place?" he asked getting up.
There it was again. She felt that earlier today, after he talked to Andrew. That feeling of him closing up on her, like he was hiding something. He became cold, distant, but only for a split second. She didn't want to push him further though. She would wait, just like he waited for her. "Sure," she answered uneasy.
--
They walked hand in hand in silence back to the car. It wasn't one of those awkward silences. It was more like the 'we don't have to talk to be comfortable' silences. As they neared it though, they noticed a crowd of people around it. "Damn it…" Darien muttered. Serena saw them too. It was the faithful paparazzi. "Those damn girls ratted me out!" he said with irritation.
"I told you not to give her that much…" Serena remarked.
"Very funny. Think we can take 'em?" he asked her playfully, pointing to the crowd.
"How 'bout we take a cab instead?" she replied smiling.
He nodded and hailed an oncoming taxi. Just then, all the cameras shifted to where they were. They all started shouting his name and taking pictures galore. Some of them were getting closer and the couple entered the cab just in time. They quickly sped off as Darien gave the driver the address.
--
They arrived home to another wave of cameras. Serena was shocked by how many people worked for the tabloids and magazines. Were they always going to be around? Waiting for them to come home, to go out? They hurried into the building. Daniel wasn't at his desk and James was patiently waiting in the elevator. Serena and Darien quickly walked into the waiting lift. James smiled at both of them during the whole ride up.
Serena couldn't help feel guilty about the whole situation. There never used to be that many people around the building. There'd be the occasional photographer or two – she never knew for who though because back then she never knew Darien lived next to her – but not dozens. She knew that her presence created a new buzz. Everyone would want to know who she was and what she was doing with Darien. She felt like part of it was her fault. Even though Darien was used to be in the public eye, she knew that the tabloids were becoming a bigger burden.
DING!
"Pent house!" James said. The couple waved goodbye at him and walked into Serena's apartment.
"Darien?"
"Hm?" he groaned. He was also preoccupied with his thoughts. 'The tabloids are so damn annoying these days. Don't they have somewhere else to be? Or someone else to bother?'
"Is it always going to be like that?"
"Like what?"
"The cameras, the people waiting everywhere…"
"It's been like that most of my life. Just recently it's been a lot more… aggravating."
"It's 'cause of me, isn't it?" Serena asked cautiously. She waited for his answer. Darien knew that she was partially the cause of this new wave of photographers, but he couldn't blame her for it. She was just an innocent passerby who got swooped up into the storm.
"No, Serena. This has nothing to do with you. It's all about me. You have no reason to feel guilty. If there's anyone who should be blamed, it's me. It's my fault that you're all over the news."
Serena looked up. She felt relieved that Darien didn't blame her for anything, but also sorry that he had to deal with this every day. It still didn't completely wipe away the guilt. "But I'm the one who gave you suggestions, who pressured you to get the company back on track. I brought the spotlight back on you. The community center-"
"Was a great idea," he said cutting her off. He turned and grabbed her shoulders. "I know you feel responsible for this, but I'm the one who made all those decisions." She tried to protest, but he shushed her. "I don't regret any of it because they all brought me closer to you." He smiled as he noticed the instant flush of her cheeks. "So, they can take all the pictures they want because they'll be a constant reminder of how I got to you." Before she could say anything, he bent down and kissed her. Serena melted into his body as the fire in her heart shone more brightly. The kiss grew more passionate as she leaned in closer. He cupped her face in his hands, his senses whirling around him. She broke away slowly. "I'm glad a camera flash makes you think of me," she said in a whisper, teasing him.
"Mmmm… If you only knew what about you…" he said with a devious smile.
"Hmmm… I think I can figure it out…" she said unbuttoning her jacket.
Darien grinned as he proceeded to take his own attire off.
--
They didn't make it to her bedroom. They ended up on the couch. Serena was lying under the couch blanket with Darien behind her. He was gently kissing her shoulder, while his other hand caressed the length of her arm. Serena's heart was pounding in her chest and she could feel Darien's on her back. She felt radiant, tired also, but that was beside the point. She shivered every time Darien's fingers would hit the right nerve and he would smile on her ear as he did so. Serena had no idea what time it was and she liked it that way. It made it seem like time didn't exist at all or that they had all the time in the world just staying in each other's arms like this. She turned to lie on her back. Darien was staring at her with affectionate eyes. She lifted her hand to gently caress the skin of his jaw. Darien kept observing her features: her soft blue eyes filled with love and desire, her delicate nose, her perfect tender lips… Just looking at her face made him wild. He never thought that he would one day fall in love, much less that the love of his life lived next door to him. He smiled at the thought.
"What?" Serena asked.
"I was just thinking that I never knew you existed, yet you were two feet away from my apartment."
"Well, you can thank the noodle I tripped on that day for that…" Serena said reminiscing as well.
"If I had known I had a beautiful girl living next to me, I'd have noticed you earlier," he said smirking.
"Oh I'm sure…" Serena said rolling her eyes. "Would you have felt the same way?"
Darien understood what she meant. He wasn't exactly looking for love back then. He was a bachelor and he used his title to pursue fickle women, not that there was much pursuing to do. They'd flock like birds to him, but as he looked at Serena, he knew that she would have never looked at him like those women did. "You know Serena… When I met you, I knew you were different than the others. I found it strange that you didn't have any desire to be with me, even though you knew who I was. As I got closer to you, I felt different. My heart felt different. So yeah… I think I would've felt the same. If I met you a year from now, or ten years from now, or even in a future lifetime, I'd know that you're the only one I'm supposed to be with."
Serena stared into his eyes; so sincere… so truthful… "I love you," she uttered.
"I love you too…" he replied smiling. "You have no idea how much…" he said softly as he kissed her gently before she fell asleep.
Darien watched as her chest rose and fell with a slow rhythm. She felt so delicate in his arms. She was incredibly beautiful, so much that not even the word was enough to describe her beauty. As he watched her slumber, he couldn't help but think about the plaguing sound of his father's voice in his head. 'A month!' He kept hearing. 'A month for what? Why couldn't I just tell her? I had the perfect opportunity today! It could've been so easy. But how could I? I'm a murderer. A murderer no one knows about. But wouldn't she understand? Wouldn't she love me enough to ignore that fact? Or maybe hate would consume her… or fear? Hate I can stand, but not fear. Maybe Drew's right… I should tell her. The earlier the better. How can I though? She'd be so hurt. She'd think I'm a liar, that the company comes above everything and that I'd clearly do anything to be on top. Even kill. I wouldn't be able to see her hurt. She wouldn't be able to stand it, not again.'
Darien ran his fingers through his hair in frustration. 'UGH! Why did I have to be such a fool?! Why did my dad have to be involved so deeply?! What if I tell her and she ends up like mom? They're still around somewhere, lurking the shadows, looking for my father… It hurts so much that I have to hide everything from her. What am I going to do?! In a month, my father'll arrange my wedding. I can't leave Serena now… she'll be devastated. But in a month… maybe it'll be believable if I decide to go overseas. I'll leave Drew to take care of things here. I'll live with Michelle on an island and leave Serena to live a fulfilling life, away from me… I'll pretend that I don't have feelings for her. She'll be safe…'
He drifted off to sleep thinking about how much he loved her and how much it would hurt when he would have to leave her.
--
Serena awoke to the sound of pans falling. She rubbed her eyes and almost forgot where she was. She sat up and found that Darien was already dressed in a classy business suit. "Ugh…" she groaned. "Remind me never to sleep on the couch ever again…" she told Darien as she rubbed her neck.
"Sorry… I didn't wanna wake you so abruptly…" he said, holding up the pan.
"What are you doing anyways?" she asked, still half asleep.
"I thought I'd show you how eggs were done," he answered smirking.
"You're never gonna let that go are you?"
"Never," he replied. He proceeded to make scrambled eggs and toast.
"Why are you dressed so… spiffily?"
He looked at her incredulously. "In case you haven't noticed… it's Monday."
"So?" she asked, completely clueless.
"What do people do on Mondays?" he asked tauntingly.
"They… make breakfast?" she asked confused.
He laughed. "No, they go to work. And you're not an exception. Just because you're dating the big boss doesn't mean you get to slack off. Go and get ready or we'll be late for the big meeting."
"We have a meeting?" she wasn't exactly in the mood to go out. She wrapped the blanket around her and took a bite out of her toast.
"Yup, Drew called me bright and early today. Seems pretty important."
"I wonder what it's about…"
"You'll see, you have 10 minutes."
"Ten minutes?!" She quickly ate the remainder of her breakfast and ran to take a shower. She then ran to her closet. Darien followed her and leaned on the door frame. She was in a towel, deciding what to wear. She was about to slip it off until she noticed Darien grinning from eye to eye. "Do you mind?" she asked.
"It's not like I haven't seen you naked before…" he replied.
'Hmm… so that's what you want. After I wake up with a massive neck ache and then rush me to get dressed… I'll show you,' she thought. She walked sexily towards him and he straightened up. She grabbed him behind the head and slowly moved her hand to the collar of his shirt. She pulled him close and kissed him with all the passion she could find. She quickly pulled away against his will – and hers – and moved her mouth up to his ear. "I want you…" she whispered in a sultry manner. Darien gulped. "I want you to let me get dressed in peace!" she finished as she gently shoved him out of her way and closed her closet doors in his face.
"Well… someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed today…"
"I heard that!"
Darien chuckled.
--
They arrived at the offices. Serena was still grouchy about her having to dress Speedy Gonzales style. She opted for a simple outfit: black dress pants and a white poofy sleeved button down t-shirt. The sound of her heels reflected her irritation. They walked into the elevators and she started to take her jacket off. "Need any help?" Darien asked in her ear so that she was the only one who could hear. He wrapped his arms around Serena, much to the rest of the workers' dismay. Serena felt slightly better now. She liked being the object of Darien's affection.
They got off on the last floor as usual and Serena was feeling slightly frisky. She pulled him out of the elevator and kissed him. She moved backwards towards his office. They entered his office and shut the door. He picked Serena up and put her on his desk. There was something very sexy about doing it in office… Wait. Let me rephrase that. There was something very sexy about doing it with DARIEN in HIS office. Serena let her coat fall off and Darien quickly took his off and threw it to where his couch was. "OUCH!"
Serena and Darien both looked at the couch. Andrew was sitting there. "Good morning guys! I can tell that you're looking well… both of you…" he said awkwardly. He looked at the couple: Serena had her legs wrapped around Darien and her hands were on the buttons of his shirt, and Darien had his hands under Serena's shirt. Serena blushed furiously as she unscrambled herself from Darien.
Darien frowned. "You're about to be unwell…" he said dangerously.
"I just saved you from being really late for the meeting!" Andrew remarked.
"We weren't going to be that late, Drew."
"Ah… a quickie huh," he said grinning.
'Oh. My. God…' Serena thought, flushing red as a tomato, still sitting on the desk.
"Don't worry Serena, there's nothing to be embarrassed about. You're two young souls, just trying to express themselves sexually-" Andrew continued. Serena frowned questioningly.
"Why were you here in the first place, Drew?" Darien asked, his passion floating away.
"I'm always here on Mondays, Dare! Heck I'm here every morning!" Andrew answered offended.
"Well… I'd advise you against it in the future," Darien said crossing his arms.
"One weekend with Serena and already you're sending me away!" Andrew said sarcastically.
Darien smiled; he couldn't stay mad at his best friend for long. "What's the meeting about anyway?" he asked casually.
"All I can say is that it's really important," he replied with a grin.
"Right, which means it probably isn't."
"I'll see you guys in Meeting Room A." Andrew walked to the doorway. "Don't be too late now," he grinned and strode away, closing the door behind him.
Darien turned to look at the blonde beauty sitting on his desk. "Now… where were we?" he asked, smiling seductively. He cupped her face with his hands and kissed her deeply. She covered his strong hands with her delicate ones and broke the kiss, before hopping off the desk. "Maybe we can continue this later…" she said smiling sexily. "I'm curious about this meeting…"
"You're driving me crazy, Serena!"
"I know…" she cooed innocently before going to the elevator.
--
Serena wasn't sure which floor she was on, but it was one that she definitely had never been on. Meeting Room A was obviously the first one there. Its walls were made of clear glass and the seats were already filled with people. They were exchanging glances as they noticed that Serena and Darien were walking hand in hand. Serena took an empty seat, near the head of the table, across from Andrew.
"Good morning everyone," Darien interrupted in a business-like voice. He watched as he noticed that the head of each department was sitting in this meeting. It wasn't common. Usually, only a select few would be there in order to reinforce a deal. This was peculiar. "I'm not quite sure what this meeting's about so I'll let Andrew-"
They heard the elevator doors open. Darien thought that some head of department was missing, but it turned out to be someone he never thought would show his face again. Darien's jaw tightened as he saw the figure he grew to hate stride along the corridor. He was looking at him with hard eyes and the other person looked at him in the same way, as if to challenge him. 'What is he doing here?' he thought. 'I could break his face right now…' Andrew who was facing the corridor could see why Darien's reaction had changed so quickly. He too wasn't fond of this person. It didn't help that they were enemies either.
As she saw the expressions of her friends change, she decided to turn around. She had her back to the door and couldn't see what the silence was about. She turned to look at the figure that used to haunt her. It couldn't be. Not again.
The figure knew that all eyes were on him. He knew he wasn't welcome here, but he just couldn't leave things like they were. He had to try. He walked through the doorway. "Hope I'm not interrupting something…" he said. "Information downstairs told me I would find you here." He was clearly looking at Serena, but to everyone else it was as if he was talking to Darien.
"Of course. Please take a seat; this shouldn't take long," Darien said through clenched teeth. 'At least, I hope it doesn't… The sooner I get outta here, the sooner I can break your face. I can't believe he has the nerve to show his face here!'
He conveniently took one beside Serena's, smiling while doing so. "It's good to see you again Serena."
Serena gulped.
--
Author's notes: Who is this person? Someone from Serena/Darien's past? How does Darien/Serena know him and what does he/she have against him? I'll write the chapter quickly I hope! Sorry for the cliffhanger… Happy holidays again! Keep reviewing!