Runaway
The Discovery
In New York, two months later...
Darien blinked as he looked at the massive crowds. He'd always heard that New
York was busy, but he'd never imagined this. He sighed with relief when he saw
a Starbucks that, amazingly, looked fairly empty. Walking inside, Darien ordered
a latte and sat down at a small table. For the millionth time over the last
year, he reached into his breast pocket and pulled out the letter Serena had
left behind. *Where are you, Sere?* He begged silently. *Don't you know how
much I miss you? How much I NEED you?*
He finished drinking his coffee and stood to go. When he reached the door, a
tiny, black-haired girl collided with him.
"Kami Sama, I'm sorry," the girl apologized profoundly in a slightly sultry
voice. When she looked up, Darien realized that she was a lot older than he
had originally thought, probably only a few years younger then him. And hey,
she'd spoken Japanese. Maybe he knew her from Tokyo. Then she took her dark
sunglasses off so she could actually see her victim.
*Serena?* His mind screamed as he saw the crystalline, moonbeam colored eyes
that he had never managed to forget.
"Serena!" he croaked.
* * *
Serena's eyes widened with shock and disbelief. Darien Shields, the only man
she had ever loved, the only man she had ever *hated,* was standing before her
with a look of incredulity. Hastily, she jammed her shades back on her face
to cover her eyes. *Maybe he hadn't noticed.*
"Serena," he choked out. *Okay, maybe he had.*
"Uh, uh, speak no Englais." Serena stammered. *It's over.*
A strangely calm voice inside of her said. He had already seen the betraying
color that had spread across her half-covered face.
"Stop lying, Sere." Darien whispered, his face ghostly white. He shook his +
head in shock.
"Uh, excuse-moi." She faltered, trying desperately to recall the little French
she had learned. "Je mappelle--Um--Je mappelle...Latrisha!" Serena finally
said triumphantly. She searched for the right words. "Pardon moi, monsieur,
demo onegai lassieur moi passer. Gomen nasai."
*Baka!* She hissed inwardly as she realized that all of her French had been
mixed in with Japanese. *Kuso.*
* * *
Darien tried not to smile. He'd taken French since elementary school-he was,
in fact, fluent-and it was almost amusing to listen to his Meatball-Head
destroy the language.
Serena, noticing by his readable face that she was not fooling him in the
slightest, used her advantage of his un-expectation to bolt past him and out
the door.
"Serena!" Darien shouted. He had finally found her again, there was no way
he could lose her now. He pushed through the door of the coffeehouse and ran
out into the street. He looked all around, but couldn't see her anywhere. *Duh.*
He had been looking for her blonde meatballs-force of habit, he supposed.
Finally, he caught sight of her short black hair as she flew down the street,
already too far away to catch. *I'll never let you go again, Sere.* He vowed.
*I will find you if it's the last thing I ever do-I swear it.*
The Discovery
In New York, two months later...
Darien blinked as he looked at the massive crowds. He'd always heard that New
York was busy, but he'd never imagined this. He sighed with relief when he saw
a Starbucks that, amazingly, looked fairly empty. Walking inside, Darien ordered
a latte and sat down at a small table. For the millionth time over the last
year, he reached into his breast pocket and pulled out the letter Serena had
left behind. *Where are you, Sere?* He begged silently. *Don't you know how
much I miss you? How much I NEED you?*
He finished drinking his coffee and stood to go. When he reached the door, a
tiny, black-haired girl collided with him.
"Kami Sama, I'm sorry," the girl apologized profoundly in a slightly sultry
voice. When she looked up, Darien realized that she was a lot older than he
had originally thought, probably only a few years younger then him. And hey,
she'd spoken Japanese. Maybe he knew her from Tokyo. Then she took her dark
sunglasses off so she could actually see her victim.
*Serena?* His mind screamed as he saw the crystalline, moonbeam colored eyes
that he had never managed to forget.
"Serena!" he croaked.
* * *
Serena's eyes widened with shock and disbelief. Darien Shields, the only man
she had ever loved, the only man she had ever *hated,* was standing before her
with a look of incredulity. Hastily, she jammed her shades back on her face
to cover her eyes. *Maybe he hadn't noticed.*
"Serena," he choked out. *Okay, maybe he had.*
"Uh, uh, speak no Englais." Serena stammered. *It's over.*
A strangely calm voice inside of her said. He had already seen the betraying
color that had spread across her half-covered face.
"Stop lying, Sere." Darien whispered, his face ghostly white. He shook his +
head in shock.
"Uh, excuse-moi." She faltered, trying desperately to recall the little French
she had learned. "Je mappelle--Um--Je mappelle...Latrisha!" Serena finally
said triumphantly. She searched for the right words. "Pardon moi, monsieur,
demo onegai lassieur moi passer. Gomen nasai."
*Baka!* She hissed inwardly as she realized that all of her French had been
mixed in with Japanese. *Kuso.*
* * *
Darien tried not to smile. He'd taken French since elementary school-he was,
in fact, fluent-and it was almost amusing to listen to his Meatball-Head
destroy the language.
Serena, noticing by his readable face that she was not fooling him in the
slightest, used her advantage of his un-expectation to bolt past him and out
the door.
"Serena!" Darien shouted. He had finally found her again, there was no way
he could lose her now. He pushed through the door of the coffeehouse and ran
out into the street. He looked all around, but couldn't see her anywhere. *Duh.*
He had been looking for her blonde meatballs-force of habit, he supposed.
Finally, he caught sight of her short black hair as she flew down the street,
already too far away to catch. *I'll never let you go again, Sere.* He vowed.
*I will find you if it's the last thing I ever do-I swear it.*