Ch.14: Sizzling Dinner

When Sunlight meets Moonlight

Ch.14: Sizzling Dinner

" That's…that's horrible, Serena." Darien murmured. " But, I don't get the note at the bottom. She got mad at you for the tattoo…how come she seemed so remorseful at the end?"

Serena lifted her head up, tears shining. " Miss Ireland really was a good person deep inside. Years ago, she must have had her own dreams, too. Dreams of meeting her prince and living happily ever after. She and Dad used to talk about when sunlight meets moonlight before they had me. Miss Ireland had this sunny approach to her, while Dad had this concealed, deep personality that had its own light. They had this inside joke about Miss Ireland, sunlight meeting Dad, moonlight. I guess things went too fast. Miss Ireland…I guess, the way Dad put it, had a hard life and in the end wanted me to live a future she always dreamed about." Serena mumbled.

Darien frowned. " That doesn't make sense." He declared.

" Yeah, I guess. Dad made it more clearer. Guess Miss Ireland just wanted to say something nice to me because she was scared off death in front of her and wanted so much to believe in heaven. Maybe she thought at last note of forgiveness would erase all the appalling past." Serena smirked. She was back to herself again.

" Better?" Darien whispered, seeing the strength coming back into her face.

" Yeah. A little. I used to feel so strong about this, I never cried over this. I always worried too much about the little things to care about such a big thing in my past." Serena frowned at the memory.

" Like what little things?" Darien asked, settling on the willow trunk.

" Oh, things like fitting in, how others felt about what happened with my mom, everyone knew about that." Serena stated matter-of-factly. " That's why I never had much friends. To the girls I was a slut and to the guys I just wasn't a fun person to be around. In fact, I've tried many interesting ways to fit in, but in the end I didn't and I guess a big part of me just doesn't care…although small part of me will always be concerned."

" Yeah? Well, your probably didn't go through some of the things I went through!" Darien chuckled deep in his throat remembering his past antics in junior high.

" You think? I bet you dinner that my past experiences are more fascinating and weird than yours!" Serena grinned, another challenge issued.

" Deal. So it started…" Darien's voice started with his own story of humiliations of his puberty years.

Two hours later, Serena was rolling on the grass laughing from Darien's actions of trying to fit in. She had to admit they were more humiliating than hers. From trying to kiss the most popular girl but ending up landing a kiss on her boyfriend to trying to sneak into a party that ended up being a girl's slumber party, he shared it all. " Fine, fine! You win!" Serena gasped through her laughter.

" Yeah? Buy me dinner now!" Darien winked, at the red faced blonde.

Serena sat up quickly remembering her bet. " Grr. Fine. Where do you want to go?" she asked, standing up and dusting off her ruby dress.

" You just said dinner, nothing about buying it. You cook me a full course dinner tonight, and no pre-cooked, canned, or boxed stuff!" Darien warned. He stood too, and together they began walking towards Serena's dorm.

" Where were you?" Lita screeched when the two laughing teens walked into the door.

" Er. What? Oh my god!" Serena gasped as remembered that she left Lita at the shop. " I am so so sorry!" Serena apologized endlessly.

Lita was adamant though. " Why did you leave anyways?" she frowned.

Serena looked down at the floor. She felt tears forming as she remembered what happened. " Who am I kidding? Darien has Raye. Plus, if I don't want to get hurt, I have to stay away from him." She thought sadly. She looked into Darien's dark sapphire eyes. She felt a warm rush spread through her body. Serena felt confidence and strength wash through her. " Since when am I so weak? I am Serena Tenor and if Raye wants Darien, well she can't have him. I still have a seduction job to do!" she grinned.

" What's so funny?" Lita nudged Serena in the stomach.

" Oof. Nothing. I'm sorry I left you, lets go shopping tommorow. But right now, I have to make Darien dinner…can you hel-" Serena began.

" Uh uh uh." Darien shook his index finger at her. " You cook it. Only you Serena." He reminded her.

Serena hung her head. " Lita?" she whined.

Lita smiled back at her friend, trying to act pitiful. " Sorry pal. This is what you get for ditching me! Retribution always comes back!" she teased. " In fact, I'll leave you guys alone. I have a date tonight."

" With who?" Serena turned her dismal look into one of interest. To her surprise, Lita blushed.

" Ken." She whispered.

Serena frowned. " But…but…you told me…" her voice faded off as she tried to find the right words to say.

Lita turned even a deeper crimson blush. " I'll tell you when I get back. Do I look okay?" she spun around. Her pale pink dress swirled around her in a frenzy of sparkles and satin. Her curled hair bounced from the band of pink roses holding it up. Her eyes twinkled a deep green filled with happiness and her pink rose earrings glittered like the rose pendant on her kneck.

" Great!" Serena gave her thumbs up.

" Well, going to go now! See you later!" Lita chirped, as she picked up her purse and knee-length cream leather jacket and waltzed out the door.

" Lita, what's going on with you today?" Serena thought worriedly as she stared at the closed door long after Lita left.

" Hey, hey!" Darien snapped his fingers in front of Serena's face. " Remember the dinner?" he asked impatient.

" Right." Serena broke out of her trance. Serena walked into the kitchen with an evil idea in her head.

" Ready yet?" Darien inquired staring at the television. " It's been over an hour!" he complained.

" Done!" Serena sang. She brought out two plates loaded with pasta and mash potatoes.

" You cooked this yourself?" he seemed impressed sitting down.

" Yea-ah." Serena sat down quickly, across from Darien. She put a mouthful of mash potatoes into her mouth. She began chewing and stared at Darien in interest. He hadn't touched his plate yet. " You going to eat?" she asked.

" Uh. Yeah." He frowned as he stared at the much too dark red pasta sauce. " He picked up a fork and twirled the spaghetti onto it.

Serena watched curiously as he took a bite and swallow. His face turned a bright red and he began coughing. He was gasping for dear life and reached for his water.

" What'd you put in it?" Darien wheezed. He stared at the water oddly.

" For your dish? Just a few diced small red peppers, Tabasco sauce, horseradish, some of Lita's famous hot sauce, etc. Oh and that was salt water. I figured it would help your sore throat." She finished, smiling innocently.

" Why you…" Darien threatened. But first he finished Serena's water.

" You okay?" Serena stared at Darien, slumped in his chair. His eyes were closed and he didn't reply. " Darien?" she whispered. She walked over to his side and poked him. * doik * He still didn't move. " DARIEN!" she screeched in his ear. Arms snaked around her and dragged her to the ground.

" Women! Lower your voice!" Darien muttered, as he pinned Serena down on the wooden floor.

" Women? I'll teach you!" she frowned. She tried to lift her leg or something up to move Darien.

He smirked back at her. He got her pinned down. Legs wrapped around her legs, holding them down and arms holding down her waist. " You have no other way of freeing your-" he stopped as a forehead came in contact with his. " Oww!" he cried as he jerked back.

" I win!" Serena cried in glee.

" You little minx!" he cursed as he chased her around the living room, trying to catch her.

" You can't catch meee!" Serena sang as she expertly jumped over the couches. " Couch, jump. Chair, jump. Stool, jump. Bed, jump. Balcony railing??" Serena shrieked as half her body flew over the balcony. Once again arms snaked around her waist.

" Committing suicide?" Darien whispered into her ear, as he held her close.

Serena felt tears coming to her eyes. She tried to blink them away but they just kept sliding down her cheeks.

" Serena! Serena, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to." Darien tried desperately to make things right again. Serena still wouldn't look at him, but he felt her tears through his shirt. " Serena? Honest. I would never mean to hurt you in anyway." He whispered, as he put a hand gently under her chin and lifted her tear-streaked face to meet his.

" Honest?" Serena asked softly. " It wasn't a cruel joke? Like the other boys?" she croaked, tears came faster.

" No, no, no. Never." Darien assusred her.

" Why not?" Serena wiped her nose.

Darien thought it over, but his smoothness had left him. " Be-because they didn't love you and didn't care. But I do." Darien sputtered out the first thing that popped into his head.

" What?" Serena said more awake now.

" I….I…I…" Darien stuttered.

" You…you…you..?" Serena nodded for him to go on.

Darien frowned at her. " Goodness women! I'm trying to say I love you and all you can do is mock me?" he glared at her.

Serena smiled. " You love me?" she whispered.

Darien blushed. " Yeah." He suddenly remembered what happened with Cassandra. His eyes darkened and his breath came quicker.

" I love you too." Serena whispered into his ear, dashing all his past concerns away. Their eyes meet, then their lips.

Darien pulled away as reality suddenly struck him. " But-but the challenge! I'll lose my reputation if I didn't continue it for my last year." He moaned. Serena pulled away too, but with a grin on her face.

" Darien you know you treated all these girls horrible. I think you should pay for it." Serena grinned mischievously into Darien's nervous face.

To be Cont'd……………..

AN- Now more romance eh buds? What idea does Serena have?? ^_- Please REVIEW!! Oh, and The Ghost of Us and Red Evenelopes will have new chapters uploaded in a few days! I wrote them but just need to proofread and post! [ oh, you'll LOVE The next chapter! I'm so excited!! I have the best ideaaa! Guess I'm over my writer's block neh?]