Sorry for the long wait, everyone, but school's been a git, as per usual. Anyway, on with the chapter!

After All This Time

Chapter 10 - The Matchmaker

Serena left Lita and Raye's apartment feeling utterly dazed. She began walking home when she thought of something. She stopped walking and hastily fumbled around in her bag for her phone. She quickly ran through her contacts and found Raye's number. Serena knew how much Raye loved matchmaking. She was going to love this.

Serena waited anxiously for Raye to answer her phone.

"Hi," said Raye.

"Hey, Raye. Listen, where are you?" Serena asked hurriedly.

"I've just left my apartment. Why?" Raye answered.

"I just left your building. Meet me outside the doors in five minutes, OK?" Serena told her.

"OK, but -" Raye started uncertainly.

"Great!" Serena said, and then hung up, leaving Raye puzzled on the other end.

Just as she had promised, Raye arrived outside her building's doors within five minutes.

"What do you want?" Raye asked as Serena turned and smiled at her.

"How about we get a coffee at Andrew's place and I tell you?" Serena suggested, having calmed down a bit.

"Sure."

--------------------------------------------

Serena and Raye sat down in Andrew's cafe with two steaming mugs of cappuccino. Raye took a sip of hers and looked enquiringly at Serena.

"Right," she said, "what do you want?"

Serena paused. If Raye laughed, she was going to kill her.

"Well," she started slowly, "I know how much you like matchmaking, so I have a little job for you."

Raye smiled knowingly. "You want a date with Seiya, don't you?"

Serena nodded hastily. "I mean, yeah, I wouldn't mind..."

Raye laughed.

"Can you do that for me? Please?" Serena begged as Raye took an extra long drink.

"Well..." Raye said, taunting her friend, "I suppose."

Serena's eyes seemed to light up. "Thankyou sooo much, Raye, you're the best!"

Raye grinned arrogantly. "And don't I know it?"

They continued drinking their cappuccinos in the cafe, discussing ways to bring it up, and how to persuade Seiya to agree. Unfortunately for them, Andrew was listening to every word they said.

--------------------------------------------

Darien had just finished getting dressed into a pair of blue baggy jeans and a grey sweatshirt when he heard his phone go off. If it was Christine ringing him, he was going to wring her neck the next time he saw her.

He walked over to the coffee table where his mobile was, and picked it up, glancing at the name on the screen. He pressed the green 'Answer' button and put the phone to his ear.

"Andrew?" Darien said.

"Hey, Darien," Andrew said hurriedly. "Listen, I gotta tell you something."

"Is it important? I was gonna go and surprise Serena at her place with some flowers," Darien explained.

"It's about Serena, actually," Andrew said.

Darien braced himself for whatever Andrew was going to tell him.

"She wants a date with another guy."

Darien seemed to fall in slow motion into sitting on the chair behind him. Whatever he had expected Andrew to say, it certainly wasn't that.

"But..." Darien said despairingly. "I thought we were getting on again..."

Andrew sat down on the coffee table in front of his best friend.

"Ask her to come over, and you two can talk about it," Andrew suggested.

Darien nodded absent-mindedly and reached for his phone, which Andrew had nearly sat on.

As Darien searched through his contacts, Andrew saw himself out.

--------------------------------------------

Serena's mood could only get better as she sat opposite Raye in the cafe, while she watched Raye dial Seiya Jackson's number. Serena hadn't really had to exert herself trying to persuade her friend to grant her this favour. Raye had been entirely supportive and hadn't laughed or even giggled once.

Serena's eyes lit up more than a Christmas tree as Raye put the phone to her ear. Her phone was so loud that Serena could hear the dialling tone. On the plus side, that meant that she could hear his luxurious voice again. Indeed, when he picked up, there it was!

"Hello? Who is this?" could be heard from Raye's purple Samsung U600.

"Seiya? It's Raye," Raye said.

"Oh, hi, Raye. How did you get my number?" Serena heard Seiya ask.

"Um, Lita gave it to me," Raye answered. "I hope you don't mind."

"Oh, not at all," Seiya said kindly. "I just left Lita's place, in fact. So, what can I help you with?"

"Well," Raye smiled at Serena, "I suppose you remember mine and Lita's friend, Serena?"

"Of course." Serena beamed.

"Would you fancy taking her to dinner on Saturday night?" Raye blurted hastily.

"I would love to," Seiya replied enthusiastically. Serena's grin couldn't get wider. "How does eight sound, at ... the White Rose?"

Serena had to stifle her gasp as she nodded maddeningly. The White Rose was the most romantic restaurant that Serena had ever heard of...and Seiya Jackson wanted to take her there!

"Sounds great," Raye said happily. "Bye."

"Bye, Raye."

Raye hung up and stared in awe at Serena.

"The White Rose? Damn, you owe me big time!" Raye laughed.

Just then, Serena's phone started ringing. Serena reached for her bag and pressed the green 'Answer' button.

"Hello?"

--------------------------------------------

Darien anxiously waited as the phone kept on ringing. After what seemed a lifetime, Serena answered.

"Hello?" came her voice.

"Serena? It's Darien," he said solemnly.

"Hey, Darien, what's up?" Serena asked cheerfully.

"I need you to come over here," Darien said miserably.

"Is it really important? I'm having coffee with Raye," Serena said uncomfortably.

"Yeah, it's important. We need to talk."

Uh-oh! It's the legendary line with multiple meanings...but what will it mean this time? Find out in the next chapter!

QueenSerenity818 out.