Serena blew a raspberry in Rini's belly as she carried her in to the arcade.
"Stop Serena you are tickling me!" The little girl cried.
"That is the whole point my little one!" She went in to do it again, only to be stopped by two little hands on her face. She bobbed her head left and bobbed it right, just fast enough to avoid the little hands and get to her stomach again.
"Stop. Stop!" Rini said laughing so hard she about to cry.
"Okay..okay that was the last one I promise."
She watched as Rini pulled her school uniform back down over her stomach and then fix her hair.
"I lied. This will be the last one!" Serena blew another raspberry and the little girl laughed and cried even harder.
Serena laughed as she listened to Rini laugh. She loved hearing her little laugh. All the innocence and happiness. She made the first turn towards her friends booth and suddenly her laugh stopped and her smile faded.
There at the counter Darien sat with some girl with auburn hair, and black dress suit. From her reflection up top she could see her small nose and high cheek bones. They were going over something in his textbook. She tried to look away but the site of whoever this was stroking is hand took her back to the day he drove past her and her friends with Andrew's sister on his motorcycle. She swears she felt her heart rip that day. She just stared and look at them. Who was this girl? Had he told her about him? Did he really have to tell her about her?
"Look Serena." Was the phrase that broke her trance.
She looked to Rini. She was pointing at Serena's friends sitting at the big booth. They were waving at them.
"Oh." She put on a fake smile. "Let's go to them." She let out sigh.
"Is that Darien?"
"Yeah. But let's not bother him." Serena moved by them swiftly but not so quick he would notice them. "He is busy studying. You know how he gets when you brea his concentration." She let out a fake chuckle.
Once at the booth she scooted Rini in and then sunk in the seat next to her. She wanted her back to face him so she would not be tempted to look. She did not want to get Lita or Rini all riled up.
The next day hummed along as he fixed his hair. He heard a little knock on the door. He looked at his watch. 'Hmmm she's early...' He though to himself. He shrugged his shoulder, and headed out of the bathroom. There was another knock on the door.
"Coming!" He yelled as he started to shimmy towards the door. He had a huge smile across face. He smelled his breath and fixed his hair one more time. Then finally he opened the door, just have his smile fade away.
"Ugh... Hey Dare." Sammy stood at the door hold Rini's little hand with a weirded look on his face.
"Umm." He cleared his throat. "Sammy. Where is Serena?"
"She said she wasn't feeling good!" Rini answered for him.
"Yeah she asked mom originally, but she couldn't and I am headed over to a friends, that is why I am a little early." He pulled Rini's hand forward to and her off to Darien. "Sorry if that ruined any of your plans."
"No it is completely fine." He looked at Sammy confused still.
"This was not really apart of my plan."
"Thanks for bringing her. Have at your friend's house Sammy" Darien reached out and grabbed Rini's tiny hand and closed the door as Sammy walked away. "I wonder if she is okay?"
"Huh?" Rini asked looking at Darien with a smile.
"Is Serena okay? Did she say what was wrong with her?" Darien asked the little girl as she took off her shoes.
"Just a belly ache. Probably from all the junk she ate at the arcade."
Darien looked at Serena confused. "When did she go to the arcade?"
"Yesterday. We met up with the girls." Rini hopped off to the livingroom. "So what are we going to do today, since it is just you and me?" She smirked.
Darien walked over to the livingroom. "I am not sure. What do you want to do? And Rini...I was there to yesterday. Why didn't you say hi?"
Rini just shrugged. "You were reading a book with that pretty lady and Serena didn't want to bother you. Can we please go the park and get toys?"
"Oh..." Darien was confused why Serena didn't say hi. "Sure whatever you want to do. But maybe we will stop and get Serena some soup too. What do you think?"
"Yay!" Rini jumped up and ran over to her to her shoes and Darien followed right behind her. "Don't forget your credit card!" She yelled as he rolled his eyes. She was so much like her Serena.
Serena sat on her couch, eating ice cream and flipping through the channels. Nothing was worth watching and eventually she gave up. She threw the remote down, covered the ice cream and got up to take it to the kitchen. Just as she approached the threshold she heard a little knock on the door. She turned around and faced the door. She didn't hear anything. "Maybe they will go away." She turned back to the kitchen. The knock came again. She threw her head back and sighed.
She dragged her feet to the door. "I am coming!"
She finally got to the door and with great annoyance opened the door.
"Well I guess you're feeling better?" Darien looked at her with Rini's hand in one hand and a thing of soup in the other. Then he looked down at the tub of ice cream in her hand that was not holding on to the door.
Serena put the the tub behind her back. "What are you guys doing here? I thought Sammy or mom was bringing Rini home."
"Well that was the plan, but I figured since you were not feeling well we would get you some soup." He explained.
"Are you feeling better?" Rini asked with a smile walking into the house.
Darien followed behind her as Serena move slightly to the side.
"I guess you can come in." She said under her breath.
She shut the door and rolled her eyes. The two walked into the kitchen and she followed close behind.
"Rini are you hungry?" Serena asked as she threw the ice cream into the freezer.
"No we ate at the arcade." She hopped into a chair.
"Speaking of arcade Sere...do you think that's the food that got you sick?" Darien asked trying to fake his concern. "I mean if it is I should really call Andrew. Don't want him not prepared for people calling and yelling at him."
"I am not sure." Serena avoided eye contact.
"Well what else could it be?" He questioned.
"Darien I don't know okay. I am going up to my room to get a hair tie." She headed towards the exit. "Rini finish whatever you are doing and I will get you all cleaned up. You have been at the park and you know mom's rule about sitting on the couch after being outside."
"Awww..." Rini threw her arms down then crossed them.
"Rini...?" Serena scolded.
"Okay..."
Rini watched as she walked out of the kitchen.
"Rini you sit here for a minute I will be right back." Darien walked out as well leaving Rini to sit there.
He met Serena at the stairway just as she was half way up. "You want to tell me what is really the issue?"
"What are you talking about Darien?"
"You are obviously not sick." Darien pointed out.
"I am feeling better is that an issue?" Serena took another step up, but stopped as Darien put his hand on hers.
"I am not dumb. Tell me what is wrong?"
"There is nothing wrong. Just go study or something, I will take care of Rini."
It took just a second but Darien lightly chuckled. "Study."
"Yeah go!" She shooed him with her free hand.
Darien slowly walked around the stair railing and headed up the stairs. Still one hand touching Serena's. She just watched him. She took her hand away his and crossed her arms.
"You look so cute when you are jealous you know that?" He smiled.
Serena looked up at the ceiling. Let out a sarcastic laugh. "What makes you think for one second I am jealous."
"Because you are." He walked one step closer to her.
She rolled her eyes. "Why do I feel like that brings you some sort of joy? Me possibly being jealous."
He laughed. "First of all I do not find joy in you being this mad at me. I said you were cute." He ran one hand down her cheek.
She turned away.
"I was only studying." He whispered. "She was just a classmate."
"And you were just giving Andrew's sister a ride." She took one more step up.
Darien let out a sigh. He put both hands on her small waist. Took one step up.
"Don't touch me."
"Serena." He rested his forehead on hers. She didn't move. She just didn't look at him. "I am sorry I did that. I was so stupid and I will make that up to you a million times over." He kissed her forehead. "But yesterday I was just studying."
Serena let out a deep breath. "I hate this!" She walked up the stairs and walked to her room.
Rini peaked out of the kitchen when she heard the yelling. She watched as Darien followed her up.
"Serena..." Darien called. "Talk to me here!"
"And say what Darien? I hate what you did. And I tried to move forward but then little things bring me right back? Hmmmm"
Darien scratched his head. "I mean that is a start..."
She looked at him annoyed.
"Babe! I am trying to fix every thing that I did wrong." He grabbed both her hands from her side and brought them to his lips. "But I cannot read your mind. You need to talk to me."
"How Darien? I am not even sure what I can say to you!" Serena pulled her hands back.
"Why?"
"Because...what is this?"
Darien looked at her confused.
"See you don't even know!"
"Know what?" Darien looked grabbed one hand again. "That I love you." He let go of her hands and put both hands around her face. "And I love being with you." He kissed her. "That is all that matters."
"I hate you."
He kissed her again. "No you don't."
One more miss in and she finally kissed him back. Then a little creak broke her out of her trance.
"Darien?"
"Hmmm..."
"Where is Rini?" She pushed him off her. "You left her down stairs with ice cream! Ahhh what am I going to do with the both of you?" She ran down stairs as he watched.
"I love you too." He wiped his lips and followed.