Chapter 2:

The Personals

by Selene

Disclaimers….and enjoy!!

Chapter 2:

Blind Fate

Darien stood on the cobble stone bridge as the misty air filled his lungs. The pale moonlight had a strange effect on Darien's thoughts as he starred onto the smooth lake's reflection. He almost felt like he could be Tuxedo Mask right now, as he held the red rose to his nose momentarily. It is like we are two separate people, he is the romantic guy and dashing hero; I can not be in the day. 'How will I recognize her?'

Darien plucked a rose petal and let it drop silently onto the lake causing gentle ripples. He leaned froward on the bridge's rails as a soft breeze passed over him. "It's almost show time," he smiled wryly to himself as he scanned the lakeside.

Serena ran swiftly down the grass hill, her long white skirt flying wildly on the wind. She breathed sharply, "Oh, I wish Raye didn't call another stupid fire meeting. She knows when there is evil around, Please! I barely made it to the lake."

She stopped reluctantly, as her side ached with pain. Her lungs were throbbing in her chest as she exhales, placing her long, slender arms on her knees or support. Instead of her hair in ponytails, Serena decided to leave it down, in curls, so she could look older. Standing upright, her pace increased as her pulse quickened from nervousness. She glanced at her watch, one minute to eight. Her small silver fleece shielded her from the gentle lakeside breezes.

'Where might he be, the man with the rose?' Serena stared dimly at the lake, until she noticed a red petal floating downwards, dancing on the water. 'Who did that?' She thought as her heart raced, Serena raised her blue eyes to the old bridge. She squinted and saw a lonely figure on the bridge. She whispered as she held the end of the skirt in her hand, "Can it be him?" Serena approached the solitary figure standing in the darkness. Darien felt restless, 'Now it is eight,' his mind wondered. He shut his eyes momentarily, and suddenly he felt a hand on his shoulder. 'I know that touch…'

That thought flashed instantly across his mind. Suddenly, the image of Serena played in his mind, "There's a bee on your back!" He heard her yell in that high pitched tone of hers. In the seconds that this delicate hand touched his shoulder, like an amateur, he felt his nerves rise before he turned around.

Serena looked closely at this man. 'Do I know him from somewhere,' she thought with this weird sensation of dejavu. 'I swear, by his profile he could almost pass for tux… God knows I've gawked at him. But that doesn't make sense. I can't keep comparing every guy with him.'

Her mind tried to focus on the date as her grip tightened on his slender shoulder. In one smooth motion, he spun around. Simultaneously, they gasped as their blue eyes interlocked with a look of surprise. For a moment Serena was short of breath as Darien looked down on her, mirroring her complete shock. The air between them was unmoved as the irony of the situation slowly sunk it.

"Darien?" Serena managed a small whisper. Her mind spun, 'But I can't stand being around this arrogant jerk. He wrote that ad!' Her eyes swam with confusion as they fell onto the pinned red rose on his heaving chest. Again, in complete disbelief, "You're the man with the rose!"

Stunned Darien subconsciously smoothed his shirt. He was at a loss. 'Meatball Head, you responded to this,' he thought with a slight cynicism. 'You are the one girl in Tokyo, in all of Tokyo that answered!' He shook his head, cemented to his spot on the bridge as he noticed how the wind flew mysteriously through her hair. He exhaled, "Meat…"

Serena cut him off sharply, "Don't call me that! Besides," she grinned slightly, "My hair isn't like that tonight."

"I noticed," he commented softly.

Serena wasn't sure if she should take that as an insult or a compliment. "Well," she spoke honestly, "I would like I you just called me by my name."

Darien paused for a moment. A flush of uncertainty crossed his dark eyes. Darien wiped his hair off his forehead, 'I always avoided saying her name.' "Okay, Serena," Darien shuddered inwardly at the sound of her name sounded suddenly beautiful to him. Still, serious he tried to shake off that unsettling feeling he got whenever he looked at her. "Serena, if you want to go home, I understand."

Serena blushed slightly at the way Darien said her name. She inched closer to Darien who looked even more handsome in the moonlight. "I'm all dressed up and we are both here, so why don't we give it a try. So what did you have in mind?"

He was about ready to say, "I'll take you home now," before her reply sunk in. 'She wants to stay with me? Oh boy, it must be the heat.' "Well," he cleared his throat as he touched her shoulder lightly to get her to face the lake. "I had rented a boat for…um…us."

'Wow, I've never seen cranky old Darien like this before! Maybe tonight won't be so bad after all. "Okay Darien, lead the way."

'She is so cute,' he thought absentmindedly, 'What was I just thinking? Darien, you are definitely loosing it.' "It's kind of rocky at the lake's edge," he said while walking off the bridge. "So be care… "

'Too late. Oh, I hate these shoes,' she thought stupidly as she felt herself fall. Serena gasped as she clenched her eyes closed ready to meet the rocky ground. Then she stopped. "What?" Serena felt Darien's arms surround her waist. Her eyelids fluttered open as Darien looked gently upon her face.

She almost didn't want to break the trance by uttering a few words. "You saved me."

For that moment time stopped. As suddenly as Darien caught Serena, the air between them became still. Snapping out of his reverie, Darien forced himself to help Serena stand. As the simple thought crossed his mind, 'I wanted to hold her.'

His tone was soft, "Your welcome."

Serena glanced up at him with a look he couldn't describe. She nodded slightly and was about to step forwards when she felt his large hand grabbed her wrist. Serena looked backwards with questioning eyes.

"Maybe, I should hold onto you until we get inside the boat." Darien's fingertips tingled as his hand encircled hers. Serena nodded with approval as they walked in a comfortable silence to the pale blue rowboat.

"Let me get in first," Darien moved cautiously into the rocking boat. He steadied the rocking boat. "Okay let me guide you in."

"Wow, I didn't fall into the water. What a miracle?" Serena grinned outwardly.

Darien couldn't help himself from laughing out loud. Serena looked at him strangely. 'I've never heard him laugh. He looked delicious when he smiled.' Serena thought wistfully.

Darien rowed with a smooth rhyme as Serena longingly watched his shoulders rock with the boat. Their conversation was light and playful. "Serena aren't you a little warm?" He asked suspiciously.

"What, I'm fine…" She answered hastily.

Darien grinned slightly and threw water at her face. The droplets tickled her nose, as she thought, 'Oh you want to play?' Serena stubbornly grabbed a handful of water and tossed it at Darien. He skillfully dodged the brunt of the water.

"That's not fair," Serena began to splash the calm lake into a quiet furry. She panted quietly as Darien laughed heartily, as dry as a pin drop.

"Serena, do you still want to play? You seem all wet." Serena growled with frustration, but she realized she was soaking wet as her dress clung to her skin. A cool breeze made her body quiver. Serena suddenly felt so foolish sitting in front of Darien. She blushed slightly.

Darien's eyes wandered over Serena without thinking. 'She looks like a lost lamb or something under the moonlight so familiar, those eyes, that long hair. Where have I seen them before?' He wandered aimlessly, before he realized he has stopped rowing and was just gawking. "Meatball Head…uh…I mean Serena, my house is nearby, once we get there, I'll get you a towel to dry off. Maybe I can make you something to eat."

Serena's eyes lit up. "Sure Darien, you know I have a big appetite."

Darien offered his jacket to keep her warm as he rowed them back to the shore.

~ to be continued….Selene (*