Plain and Simple:
part 3
"Is everything ready?" Andrew asked Lita and Raye.
"Our part is taken care of," Lita answered. "Amy and Mina are working on the lights, and Greg and Ken are hooking up the stereo."
"Did you write the note?" Raye asked Andrew.
"Yeah. Now all we need are our two special guests," he grinned. 'This had better work.'
"Are you sure we're supposed to go back to the arcade?" Serena asked Darien uncertainly.
They stood outside the arcade door. The lights were off. Darien peered in the window. "I can't see anyone."
Serena opened the door. "Well, it's unlocked."
They walked in, surrounded by darkness.
"Ouch!" Serena yelped as she ran into a table and flew forward.
Darien quickly pulled her back. "Stay close to me," he told her, grasping her hand.
They maneuvered their way to the counter. On it sat a lone envelope engulfed in a ray of
light that streamed in through the window. Serena picked it up.
"I thought this was the end?" Darien said.
She ripped open the envelope. Inside was a letter.
"To the winners," she read aloud. "Congratulations on being the first to solve all the clues! Place all of your collected items in the box. Then enjoy your party and wait for the others to arrive."
"First thing's first," Darien stated. "Everything goes in the box." He took the cassette and figurine out of his pocket and place them in a small box sitting on the counter.
Serena took off the ring and set it in the box. She hesitantly unclasped the star locket, then gently wrapped it in a handkerchief and put it in the box. She instantly felt like a piece of her was missing. "So, what about that party?"
As if by magic, the room lit up. Strings of white lights hung from wall to wall.
Serena and Darien stared at each other in wonder. What was going on?
Mina and Amy giggled quietly.
"Well, the lights worked," Amy said, "but what about the music?"
"Lita and Raye are taking care of it," Mina replied.
"The lights totally threw them off guard!" Lita said gleefully to Raye, handing her the cassette Darien had put in the box.
"Only thing missing is the mood music." Raye popped the cassette into the stereo. "This better work," she added, pushing the Play button.
"Ok, this is a bit weird," Serena whispered to Darien. "How did these lights turn on by themselves?"
"Magic, of course," Darien answered innocently.
She gave him a sidelong glance. "Ha ha, very funny. Hey, I wonder what we're supposed to be doing at this party."
No sooner were her words spoken than a song filled the air, playing from speakers
strategically hidden around the room.
Serena just glanced around suspiciously, but Darien was intrigued.
"May I have this dance?" he asked her, bowing.
She accepted his offer and took his outstretched hand. He led her over to the middle of the arcade, which he assumed was their makeshift dance floor.
Serena was mumbling to herself.
"What was that?" Darien asked her.
Her face turned red. "I'm trying... to remember... how to dance," she answered in a tiny voice.
"Is that all?" Darien chuckled. "I thought you might be having second doubts."
"How can I, when I never had any first doubts?"
Darien pulled Serena close to him, then placed her hands round his neck.
He wrapped his arms around her waist. "Good answer," he whispered. "Just follow my lead."
He gently swayed to the music, Serena following.
"See, it's not so hard," he told her.
"You're right," she smiled. She laid her head on his chest.
Darien took a step back from surprise, almost toppling over. He quickly caught his balance and stared down at Serena, who didn't notice anything. 'If only I could make her mine.'
Neither noticed the volume of the music growing louder.
Dancing in the dark,
Middle of the night,
Taking your heart
And holding it tight.
Emotional touch,
Touching my skin,
And asking you to do
What you've been doing all over again.
It's a beautiful thing,
Don't think I can keep it all in.
I just gotta let you know
What it is that won't let me go.
It's your love.
It just does something to me.
It sends a shock right through me.
I can't get enough.
And if you wonder
About the spell I'm under,
It's your love.
Serena glanced up at Darien, and their eyes locked. She always lost herself in his eyes.
"Um, Serena..." Darien started nervously. "I need to tell you something." He paused.
"What is it?" she prompted, raising her head anxiously.
"It's nothing. It's just that, I, well... I..."
'Love you and I want you to love me back,' he finished in his head.
Serena was still staring intensely into his eyes. 'I can always read his emotions in his eyes,' she thought. 'The only problem is that they'll never show any emotion for me.' She stopped denying the fact that she had feelings for him. The feelings scared her. They were much stronger than anything she had felt before.
'Is this what it's like to be in love?' she asked herself in wonder.
Better than I was,
More than I am.
And all of this happened
By taking your hand.
And who I am now
Is who I wanted to be.
Now that we're together,
I'm stronger than ever.
I'm happy and free.
It's a beautiful thing,
don't think I can keep it all in.
If you ask me why I changed,
All I gotta do is say your sweet name.
It's your love.
It just does something to me.
It sends a shock right through me.
I can't get enough.
And if you wonder
About the spell I'm under,
It's your love.
Whatever doubts Serena had about her feelings for Darien were gone. She loved him, no questions asked. In reality, questions were being screamed in her head.
'When did your feelings toward him change? How can you love someone who is so horrible to you? Do you really expect him to feel the same way?'
Serena ignored all of them, especially that last one. 'I have to tell him,' she decided. 'Tonight. He has to know how I feel.'
Darien was having the same thought. 'I need to tell her. I can't go on laughing and
smiling and pretending the feelings aren't there. I'll tell her tonight.'
He pulled Serena closer to him. She snuggled into his arms.
'This feels so right, so new, yet so familiar.' Darien looked down at the angel in his arms. 'It's time to tell her. I'll never get up the nerve again.'
"Serena?" he whispered so softly that he wasn't sure if he had actually spoken aloud or not.
She opened her eyes a crack. She didn't remember closing them. 'Did he just say my name?' She turned her gaze to his face.
Their eyes locked.
"Serena, I need to say this... You have to know..."
'That you love me more than life itself?' Serena thought. "Yes?" she asked hopefully.
'She looks so trusting, and she was happy just to be my friend,' Darien recalled. 'I can't tell her I love her. It would ruin everything.' He looked down. "I just wanted to tell
you that you're a natural at dancing," he said quietly.
"Oh," she said, disappointed. "Thanks." She felt tears forming but she blinked them away. 'He doesn't love me. I must have been crazy to think he ever would. I can't tell him.'
Serena decided to ignore all of her feelings, even though they hurt. She forced a smile. "So, I wonder what our prize is going to be."
Darien looked up. "What? Oh. Well, whatever it is, it better be worth all of our hard work. We spent a lot of time figuring out those clues."
Serena laughed. "We? I figured out most of them by myself!"
Darien's eyes narrowed. "I helped too!"
"Yeah, helped us waste time!"
"Who's the one who had to stop for ice cream just to satisfy her whining?" he shot back.
By this time they were both shouting and glaring at each other.
"This looks bad," Lita bit her lip.
"Nowhere in the plan did it say shouting would occur," Ken added nervously.
"Everything was going so great," Andrew frowned.
"Guys, don't worry!" Mina broke in. "Give them a few minutes. Everything will work out. I know it will."
"You have no right to call me whiny! You're just a stupid jerk!" Serena screamed.
"I'm no jerk, but I must be stupid for ever wanting to be friends with you!" Darien regretted the words as soon as they left his mouth.
"And I believed you were different, that you changed," Serena shouted, bitter tears falling from her eyes.
"You never thought anything like that!" he shouted back.
"I did, and I wish so much that it were true!"
"Why?"
"Because I love you!" she screamed.
Everyone gasped.
Darien gaped at her, shocked. 'Did she just say...'
"What did you say?"
"I didn't stutter," she answered evenly, watching him.
"You... You love... Me?" he asked in disbelief.
"I just wanted to tell you," she said softly, tears still streaming from her eyes. "I don't expect you to say anything. I just couldn't keep it from you anymore." She smiled
sadly, then started sobbing.
Darien rushed over to her. "What's wrong?" he asked, placing his hands on her shoulders.
She looked up at him, surprised that he was still there. "I know you'll never feel the same way."
"Serena," Darien started.
"You don't have to say anything. I understand if you don't want to be friends now."
"Serena, wait a minute," Darien protested.
"Don't worry about me. Hey, why would you? It's not like you-"
She stopped talking when he covered her mouth with his hand.
He gently brushed her tears away and told her softly, "Serena, don't cry. I hate to see you upset."
"Why do you care?" she asked him curiously, sniffing.
"Because." He looked at her beautiful face, how sad she was. She gave him the courage to continue. "Because... I love you too."
"What?" she gasped. Then her eyes filled with tears again. "That's a cruel joke, Darien." She looked down.
"No, Serena!" he raised her chin so she would look at him. "I meant every word."
"You did? But how...? Why did...?" she stuttered.
"Love needs no explanation," he told her, taking her into his arms.
"I still don't believe this... I mean, how did this -"
Serena was cut off when Darien kissed her. She instantly melted at his touch. She wrapped her arms around his neck, running her fingers through his soft hair. 'This is the way it should always be,' she decided.
Darien hugged her closer, kissing her again. 'I can't believe she loves me! Life can't get more perfect than this.'
They swayed together, the music still playing in the background.
It's a beautiful thing,
Don't think I can keep it all in.
I just gotta let you know
What it is that won't let me go.
It's your love.
It just does something to me.
It sends a shock right through me.
I can't get enough.
And if you wonder
About the spell I'm under,
It's your love.
They never took their eyes off of each other.
"How did this happen?" Darien whispered happily.
"Pure luck?" Serena suggested. "But it feels like it was meant to happen. Like destiny."
"You think we were destined to fall in love?" Darien thought a moment, then added, "Well, I did know there was something special about you from the moment I first saw you. We must be meant to be." He hugged her. "I love you, you know."
"I know." Serena thought back to a conversation she overheard between the girls and Andrew the day before. "Plain and simple," she whispered.
"What was that?" Darien asked her.
She smiled. "I love you, plain and simple."
"Plain and simple?"
"Yes." She kissed him. "Always and forever."
"I like the sound of that," he said, picking her up and twirling her around.
Everyone watched Serena and Darien laugh as they twirled in circles.
"That was too perfect," Mina sighed.
"All I can say is that it's about time," Raye snorted. She looked at the couple and smiled for her best friend.
"That was close," Ken said. "When they started fighting, I thought it was the end."
"They look so happy together," Amy observed. Greg smiled at her. She blushed, taking his outstretched hand.
"I can't believe it worked!" Lita exclaimed.
"I can," Andrew beamed. "They're the perfect couple. I knew the plan would be a success."
Darien and Serena overheard Andrew's last comment.
"Was their plan a success?" Darien whispered to Serena, hugging her tight.
She giggled. "You better believe it."
They kissed again, only one of many they would share in the future.