Chapter Three:
No matter how much I tried to do that weekend I could not get my mind off the reunion or the look I had received from Lita. **Why would she do something like that? She can't remember can she? I mean there is no way she can ** I had spent most of the day with thoughts similar to those and I knew that it was time to get my head off of that. So I went back to Elizabeth's asked if I could borrow her boom box so that I could listen to it while I worked. She agreed and showed me where it was.
"Are you sure you don't want any help at the house?" She asked walking with me to the door.
"No, you and Eric have already done enough. I mean you've had the power, water, and heating and air turned back on that is more that enough. And you don't need to be doing anything since you close to your due date." Her feet had begun to swell badly and she seemed tired I knew that she didn't need to be doing anything.
"Ok, I think I'll go take a nap or something." She said about to close the door, but stopped. "Sere, this came for you today in the mail. I wanted to open it but I didn't. But I who knows where you are?"
I took the envelope from her hand and looked at that writing. "I don't know, no knows your address. The school only knows that I was coming to Georgia. I'll save it for later, once I've had a shower so that I don't smudge anything. I'll let you know whom it is from and what it is about. Go take your nap now. Call me if you need anything."
"I will, you know I'm glad that you decided to take the house."
I smiled as I walked back to the house. Since I had most of the house cleaned by now I had decided to stay there, for the rest of my time in Georgia. I would have stayed there with Elizabeth but considering Eric and I had been into it once since I had got there I thought it best that I stay somewhere else. That way Elizabeth could have some peace before she was due. And seeing that Eric was home all the time now what with Elizabeth being so close to delivering.
Once back at the house I finished up the kitchen. "Whew.only one room left, the living room. Yeah." I moved the CD player to the living room and looked for a CD. " Hard choice, who do I want to listen to?" I flipped through my case and I found one at the very back. I took it out lovingly as I placed it in the player, hit play and turned it up. I couldn't help but smile as the music started and I remembered the day that we had made it. It was a collection of all of our favorite songs from when we were growing up; there were only six copies of this particular CD in the world. I wondered if the others still had theirs. I let the music play as I worked, occasionally singing along. It felt good to let the memories come forward from the back of my mind and wash over me, all the good times and bad flowed together as I worked and before I knew it I was through with the living room. I had thought about repainting the house, but once it was all cleaned I realized that it didn't need to be painted at all. I realized then that the player was repeating the CD. "When did I hit the repeat button? I don't think I did." I shrugged it off, thinking that I didn't remember hitting the button while I was cleaning up. I turned it off, unplugged it and went upstairs. Since I hadn't had the phones hooked up yet and went up stairs planning on calling Elizabeth. I pulled my cell phone from my bag and the letter fell to the floor, I picked it up as the phone rang a few times and was answered.
"Hello?" It was Eric just my luck.
"Is Elizabeth awake?" I asked politely.
"Yes I'll get her." He sat the phone down or took her the phone I'm not sure which. "Yes Sere?"
"How are you feeling?"
"Better."
"Anyway, I wanted to tell you that I would bring your radio back to you in a little while."
"Oh no problem, you can keep it there if you like since you don't have a TV or anything else there yet. Did you forget what tonight is?"
"Really thanks. Tonight? What is tonight?"
"Serena! Tonight is the reunion."
"Crap! I had forgotten that."
"Well than you had better get ready, are the girls meeting you there or are you meeting at the hotel?"
"Umm, hotel I think. Do you think you could call one of them for me and find out while I get a shower."
"Sure no problem." With we hung up. I plugged the radio back in and turned it up so that I could hear it through the house, the letter for the moment forgotten lay on the bed beside it. I raced to the shower and was in there long enough to get done what needed to be done. That was a real quick shower. With that done, next was deciding what to wear that was going to be the fun part. I pulled out both outfits and looked them over; the dress was in my opinion way to nice for this so I decided to wear the pants suit. I called Elizabeth to see what she had found out "They were going to be meeting you at my house but I gave them directions to yours so they are going to be there in.I'd say about thirty to forty-five minutes. You will be ready right?"
"Yes I'll be ready but I've got to go if I want to be ready. I'll tell you about it later." We hung up and I set about getting ready, light make up first then my hair, if I knew how the style would effect them I might have put it up into the style that I used to wear, but since I didn't and Missy deserved a mommy that was happy, I French-braided the top part and curled the bottom part. With all that done I got dressed. "Well, here goes nothing." Since I still had about 15 minutes before they were to showed up I sat down on the bed and remembered the letter, I picked it up and looked it over, I didn't know if I should read it now or not, but went ahead and did. The handwriting looked familiar but I couldn't place. The envelope opened easily enough and I pulled out the folded paper.
~*~*~*~
The Letter
~*~*~*~
Serena,
I'm not real sure what I should say or how I should say it. Umm.I guess I should tell you that you aren't alone in this, although I don't know if you believe me or not. Maybe I shouldn't have even written you this, but I had to let you know that you weren't alone.
~*~*~*~
End
~*~*~*~
I just stared at the short note in my hand. It was weird but I really didn't know what to think so I put it behind me, **Maybe it is from Elizabeth. **
Just then I heard a knock at the front door and basically jumped out of my skinned. "Coming!" I yelled down as I went down the stairs, the music forgotten for the moment. I opened the door to see the girls there with their husbands. "I hope I didn't keep you standing out here long, please come in." I said embarrassed. Ray was in a knee-length red dress that sparkled a little when she walked. Ami was in a baby blue pants suite, Mina in an orange dress that reached to the floor and Lita in a mid-length hunter green dress.
They came into the house with his and hellos. I showed them the living room where they could sit down. "I'll be down in a minute I need to grab my purse. And turn the radio off. Oh my god I totally forgot about it." I apologized as I hurriedly left the room, and started upstairs. I didn't know any one had followed me until I was in my room and heard the door shut. I whirled around not knowing who it could be and there was Lita, her back to the door, looking at me like it was the first time she had ever seen me.
"Oh.umm.hi Lita, is something the matter?" I tried to sound indifferent, but the truth was I was beginning to get worried.
"No everything is fine."
"Then why are you up here?"
"Serena, may I ask you something?" I nodded not really knowing what to say.
"Will we ever be like that again?"
I was taken back by her words and didn't know what to say. "Like what Lita? I'm no sure I know what you mean." I hated playing stupid but I wasn't real sure if I was playing stupid or not. I knew I could continue the part of just meeting them for the first time and that they were Elizabeth's friends. How long had I played the part of an airhead and klutz?
"Maybe I was wrong." I heard her mumble. "I didn't mean to bother you, but I thought you might know something about someone." I don't think that I have ever seen Lita so upset, I did the only thing I could think of I hugged her.
"Lita. Maybe one day we will. I don't know." My words and actions surprised her I could tell because she tensed up and then relaxed and returned my hug. "Oh Serena. What am I going to do?"
"First of all 'we' are not going to cry, we'll mess our make-up up." I was trying to make her laugh, it worked a little, "and they don't need to know that we were crying."
"Your right." We were now looking each other over to see if the other had changed.
"How long have you remembered?" I finally asked.
"Umm.well that's kind of hard to explain, see I've always had weird dreams but the other night I guess, it all just clicked." I nodded in understanding of the clicking part. Then I noticed the time.
"We need to be going, now." I said quickly turning the CD player off and grabbing my purse and going to the door. "We'll talk later, and try to figure this stuff out, ok?"
"Yeah sure Sere." With that we both went quickly down the stairs and into the living room. Of course Ray said something as we walked in.
"What were you two doing?" **God she still has that temper. **
I tried my best to look embarrassed and I guess I did a good job. "I.umm.well.I got locked in my bedroom, the house being old and everything it locked behind me and I couldn't get it opened, but we finally did." I could hear a muffled giggle coming from someone, I was guessing it was Lita, but I wasn't real sure.
"Oh.well then we had better be going." With that we all walked out of the room, with me locking the door behind us. Once outside I realized that someone else was there. I was about to say something when Lita apparently noticed it to and said something before I could. "Don't worry he stayed in the car, he didn't think that we would be that long."
"Oh." Was all I could say. I noticed that there was three cars so I guess that they must have rode together. I didn't want to put anyone out so I told them that I would drive. I slide into my camero and was about to drive off when I heard a tap on the passenger side window, I looked over and had to grin, but I was able to hold it back as I rolled the window down. ** He still looks good after all these years. ** "Darien right?" I was still trying to play the part hoping I was able to fool him.
"Yeah." He smiled easily. "Do you think I could ride with you the other cars are kind of full."
"Yeah sure." **What am I doing? Well it's not like I don't know him. That's true but you don't know what he has become. That doesn't matter he's probably the same person. ** I was arguing with myself. What was I thinking? I'll tell you what I thinking. I was thinking that the love of my life was in my car and there was nothing I could do about it but savior the moment however long it might be. We didn't talk on the way, I didn't know what to say, I thought of many things to say but none of them would have been right.
We pulled into the parking lot of the hotel behind the others. We had decided to go in together. Once we got out of the car I saw Lita grin and I thought she was going to ask something. So before she could say anything I just shock my head, apparently she knew what it meant and sighed. We were both happy that the other knew, but we wished that the others knew also, it wasn't right with that everyone knowing. At that time I wasn't even sure why everyone had forgotten.
The hall was decorated beautifully. There were silver and gold streamers, stars that glittered hung from the ceiling. And there were balloons everywhere. As we walked in everyone smiled, it was the theme from our senior prom, a walk in the heavens. It really brought back memories. We signed in and the music started. Soft and low to begin with, I heard Lita whisper softly as she walked past with Nick, "Dance and enjoy it." That brought a smile to my lips as I felt a soft tap on my shoulder. "May I have this dance?" I nodded as I accepted his hand. We began to dance in time with the music. I glanced up at him as the song began to play that had played for the King and Queen at our prom. To my surprise he had a far look in his eyes, and I had a gut feeling that I knew why. I glanced around at the others and saw Lita doing the same, our eyes met we both nodded. This could be for the better or this could be for the worse. We had to wait it out and see. We continued to dance as if nothing had happened. I had my head resting on his chest; I didn't want to see his eyes when he remembered everything. I didn't want to see what emotion ran across his face. I felt his arms tighten around my waist a little and smiled. "Serena?" He whispered.
"Yes Darien?" I had to act like I didn't know what had happened that anything had happened at all. I could tell that he wanted confirmation that it was real, that they were alive, that I remembered most of all. I didn't know how to respond to him, just like I didn't know how to respond to Lita when she talked to me earlier. ** Will I always be this confused? **
"How have you been?" I could tell in his voice that my answer wasn't what he wanted. And that he didn't want to scare me.
"Pretty good." How else do you respond to someone who thinks that you don't remember anything? Tell him it's all a lie? That he is crazy? Or hold him and beg him never to leave you? I know which one I wanted to do.
He brought one of his hands up to my chin and gently forced me to look up at him. I knew that if he looked into my eyes that he would see the truth. Instead of asking anything he just smiled and moved his hand as the song came to an end. "I think your fan club is coming." I looked in the direction that he was looking and saw that Lita was trying to hold them back nine people back and it wasn't working so well.
"I think it may be yours also." I watched as Nick made his way to Lita and picked her up, thoroughly stopping her from stopping anyone. The next thing you heard across the hall was" Nick! IF YOU DON'T PUT ME DOWN RIHGT NOW YOU WILL BE SORRY LATER!" She stressed the will as they began to walk over to where I was standing with Darien. He, I could tell, wanted to bust out laughing, but was holding back.
"Serena." was all I heard as my friends surrounded me. Nick had set Lita down and the men where crowded around Darien. He looked helpless I could only guess how I looked. There were a hundred questions flying around me, some directed at me others at each other. There was so much noise I couldn't hear myself think. That's pretty bad if you ask me. Finally I couldn't handle it anymore. Working with children, noisy children at that is one thing, but grown adults come on.
I cleared my throat although it did no good. "Everyone hush, NOW!" Well it got their attention and they did hush. By this time the men had joined the group that was around me. And I couldn't help but feel embarrassed; I could feel a slight blush creep onto my cheeks. "Thank you. Hi everyone. How are you? One at a time please, not all at once." At this there were a few giggles some coming from me. ** You know come to think of it this is not the place to have this discussion. We had better go somewhere else. But where? The park is out; well we'll just go back to the house. ** I barely heard their answers as I was thinking. "You know we had better go somewhere else. You never know."
"Yeah that sounds good." This came from Zander. So with that we exited the hall and went to the cars, Darien rode with me once again. They had decided to follow me so I lead the way back to what would soon be my house. The way there was once again filled with silence, I had a million and one questions, but I didn't think it would be right to ask them, and Darien didn't seem to want to talk I didn't know what else to do, and I couldn't stand the silence any longer, so I turned on the radio, I would have put a CD in but I didn't feel like having him look for it.
Once at the house I lead the way back to the living room where they all sat down and made themselves comfortable. I wanted to change, but I didn't since, I knew they probably weren't comfortable either. There was a long silence between us, none knew what to say or if they did they didn't want to break the silence. Silence is one thing but this silence was horrible. "That's it. I can't take this silence any longer. When you want to talk I'll be upstairs in my room." I don't know why I said that but the silence was killing me and if they weren't going to talk well by god, I was going to do something other than just sit there. So I walked out of the room and upstairs. Leaving them in a stunned silence behind me. I didn't change cloths I just sat down and turned the CD player on. Music usually helps me think but it wasn't doing anything this time, I just let it play not really caring. Soon there was a knock on the door I didn't feel like getting up so I just told who ever it was to come in.
The door opened and every one was standing there. I wanted to laugh at the looks on their face. But I didn't, although it might have lightened the mood some. "Well are you just going to stand there or are you going to come in?" I asked while I sat up on the bed. They all came in and looked around.
"Where are we supposed to sit?"
"Well I was going to tell you could sit on the bed, but since you asked, you can sit on the floor Ray." The look on her face was well I don't know what it was. I just laughed and threw her a pillow. Luckily for me she knew I was joking and laughed and came to sit by me.
It seemed that that was what was needed to break the uneasy silence between us. And we once again fell into an easy companionship. It was good to have my friends back and be able to actually talk to some one again. The ten of us talked long into the night about what we had been doing and how our lives had changed. We talked of things past, things present, and things yet to come. I don't remember who was the first to doze off, which means it was probably me. I remember Ray saying that her and Nick needed to go get Missy and that the three of them would stop by tomorrow. I said goodnight as they left the room. The rest followed shortly after.
I slept so good that night. For reason I could only guess, either being back in the house that I grew up in, having my friends once again and seeing them happy, or just being happy. Who knows it was probably a combination of them all. I woke up to the smell of some one cooking in the kitchen; it smelled real good so I knew that had to be what woke me up. I stumbled out of bed, and was at the door when I realized that I was still in the suite form the night before. " What did I do sleep in my cloths?" I changed directions and went to the closet. I changed into a soft pink top and a pair of denim shorts. Ran a brush through my hair quickly and went down stairs. I stopped at the base of the stairs, and peeked into the kitchen.
No matter how much I tried to do that weekend I could not get my mind off the reunion or the look I had received from Lita. **Why would she do something like that? She can't remember can she? I mean there is no way she can ** I had spent most of the day with thoughts similar to those and I knew that it was time to get my head off of that. So I went back to Elizabeth's asked if I could borrow her boom box so that I could listen to it while I worked. She agreed and showed me where it was.
"Are you sure you don't want any help at the house?" She asked walking with me to the door.
"No, you and Eric have already done enough. I mean you've had the power, water, and heating and air turned back on that is more that enough. And you don't need to be doing anything since you close to your due date." Her feet had begun to swell badly and she seemed tired I knew that she didn't need to be doing anything.
"Ok, I think I'll go take a nap or something." She said about to close the door, but stopped. "Sere, this came for you today in the mail. I wanted to open it but I didn't. But I who knows where you are?"
I took the envelope from her hand and looked at that writing. "I don't know, no knows your address. The school only knows that I was coming to Georgia. I'll save it for later, once I've had a shower so that I don't smudge anything. I'll let you know whom it is from and what it is about. Go take your nap now. Call me if you need anything."
"I will, you know I'm glad that you decided to take the house."
I smiled as I walked back to the house. Since I had most of the house cleaned by now I had decided to stay there, for the rest of my time in Georgia. I would have stayed there with Elizabeth but considering Eric and I had been into it once since I had got there I thought it best that I stay somewhere else. That way Elizabeth could have some peace before she was due. And seeing that Eric was home all the time now what with Elizabeth being so close to delivering.
Once back at the house I finished up the kitchen. "Whew.only one room left, the living room. Yeah." I moved the CD player to the living room and looked for a CD. " Hard choice, who do I want to listen to?" I flipped through my case and I found one at the very back. I took it out lovingly as I placed it in the player, hit play and turned it up. I couldn't help but smile as the music started and I remembered the day that we had made it. It was a collection of all of our favorite songs from when we were growing up; there were only six copies of this particular CD in the world. I wondered if the others still had theirs. I let the music play as I worked, occasionally singing along. It felt good to let the memories come forward from the back of my mind and wash over me, all the good times and bad flowed together as I worked and before I knew it I was through with the living room. I had thought about repainting the house, but once it was all cleaned I realized that it didn't need to be painted at all. I realized then that the player was repeating the CD. "When did I hit the repeat button? I don't think I did." I shrugged it off, thinking that I didn't remember hitting the button while I was cleaning up. I turned it off, unplugged it and went upstairs. Since I hadn't had the phones hooked up yet and went up stairs planning on calling Elizabeth. I pulled my cell phone from my bag and the letter fell to the floor, I picked it up as the phone rang a few times and was answered.
"Hello?" It was Eric just my luck.
"Is Elizabeth awake?" I asked politely.
"Yes I'll get her." He sat the phone down or took her the phone I'm not sure which. "Yes Sere?"
"How are you feeling?"
"Better."
"Anyway, I wanted to tell you that I would bring your radio back to you in a little while."
"Oh no problem, you can keep it there if you like since you don't have a TV or anything else there yet. Did you forget what tonight is?"
"Really thanks. Tonight? What is tonight?"
"Serena! Tonight is the reunion."
"Crap! I had forgotten that."
"Well than you had better get ready, are the girls meeting you there or are you meeting at the hotel?"
"Umm, hotel I think. Do you think you could call one of them for me and find out while I get a shower."
"Sure no problem." With we hung up. I plugged the radio back in and turned it up so that I could hear it through the house, the letter for the moment forgotten lay on the bed beside it. I raced to the shower and was in there long enough to get done what needed to be done. That was a real quick shower. With that done, next was deciding what to wear that was going to be the fun part. I pulled out both outfits and looked them over; the dress was in my opinion way to nice for this so I decided to wear the pants suit. I called Elizabeth to see what she had found out "They were going to be meeting you at my house but I gave them directions to yours so they are going to be there in.I'd say about thirty to forty-five minutes. You will be ready right?"
"Yes I'll be ready but I've got to go if I want to be ready. I'll tell you about it later." We hung up and I set about getting ready, light make up first then my hair, if I knew how the style would effect them I might have put it up into the style that I used to wear, but since I didn't and Missy deserved a mommy that was happy, I French-braided the top part and curled the bottom part. With all that done I got dressed. "Well, here goes nothing." Since I still had about 15 minutes before they were to showed up I sat down on the bed and remembered the letter, I picked it up and looked it over, I didn't know if I should read it now or not, but went ahead and did. The handwriting looked familiar but I couldn't place. The envelope opened easily enough and I pulled out the folded paper.
~*~*~*~
The Letter
~*~*~*~
Serena,
I'm not real sure what I should say or how I should say it. Umm.I guess I should tell you that you aren't alone in this, although I don't know if you believe me or not. Maybe I shouldn't have even written you this, but I had to let you know that you weren't alone.
~*~*~*~
End
~*~*~*~
I just stared at the short note in my hand. It was weird but I really didn't know what to think so I put it behind me, **Maybe it is from Elizabeth. **
Just then I heard a knock at the front door and basically jumped out of my skinned. "Coming!" I yelled down as I went down the stairs, the music forgotten for the moment. I opened the door to see the girls there with their husbands. "I hope I didn't keep you standing out here long, please come in." I said embarrassed. Ray was in a knee-length red dress that sparkled a little when she walked. Ami was in a baby blue pants suite, Mina in an orange dress that reached to the floor and Lita in a mid-length hunter green dress.
They came into the house with his and hellos. I showed them the living room where they could sit down. "I'll be down in a minute I need to grab my purse. And turn the radio off. Oh my god I totally forgot about it." I apologized as I hurriedly left the room, and started upstairs. I didn't know any one had followed me until I was in my room and heard the door shut. I whirled around not knowing who it could be and there was Lita, her back to the door, looking at me like it was the first time she had ever seen me.
"Oh.umm.hi Lita, is something the matter?" I tried to sound indifferent, but the truth was I was beginning to get worried.
"No everything is fine."
"Then why are you up here?"
"Serena, may I ask you something?" I nodded not really knowing what to say.
"Will we ever be like that again?"
I was taken back by her words and didn't know what to say. "Like what Lita? I'm no sure I know what you mean." I hated playing stupid but I wasn't real sure if I was playing stupid or not. I knew I could continue the part of just meeting them for the first time and that they were Elizabeth's friends. How long had I played the part of an airhead and klutz?
"Maybe I was wrong." I heard her mumble. "I didn't mean to bother you, but I thought you might know something about someone." I don't think that I have ever seen Lita so upset, I did the only thing I could think of I hugged her.
"Lita. Maybe one day we will. I don't know." My words and actions surprised her I could tell because she tensed up and then relaxed and returned my hug. "Oh Serena. What am I going to do?"
"First of all 'we' are not going to cry, we'll mess our make-up up." I was trying to make her laugh, it worked a little, "and they don't need to know that we were crying."
"Your right." We were now looking each other over to see if the other had changed.
"How long have you remembered?" I finally asked.
"Umm.well that's kind of hard to explain, see I've always had weird dreams but the other night I guess, it all just clicked." I nodded in understanding of the clicking part. Then I noticed the time.
"We need to be going, now." I said quickly turning the CD player off and grabbing my purse and going to the door. "We'll talk later, and try to figure this stuff out, ok?"
"Yeah sure Sere." With that we both went quickly down the stairs and into the living room. Of course Ray said something as we walked in.
"What were you two doing?" **God she still has that temper. **
I tried my best to look embarrassed and I guess I did a good job. "I.umm.well.I got locked in my bedroom, the house being old and everything it locked behind me and I couldn't get it opened, but we finally did." I could hear a muffled giggle coming from someone, I was guessing it was Lita, but I wasn't real sure.
"Oh.well then we had better be going." With that we all walked out of the room, with me locking the door behind us. Once outside I realized that someone else was there. I was about to say something when Lita apparently noticed it to and said something before I could. "Don't worry he stayed in the car, he didn't think that we would be that long."
"Oh." Was all I could say. I noticed that there was three cars so I guess that they must have rode together. I didn't want to put anyone out so I told them that I would drive. I slide into my camero and was about to drive off when I heard a tap on the passenger side window, I looked over and had to grin, but I was able to hold it back as I rolled the window down. ** He still looks good after all these years. ** "Darien right?" I was still trying to play the part hoping I was able to fool him.
"Yeah." He smiled easily. "Do you think I could ride with you the other cars are kind of full."
"Yeah sure." **What am I doing? Well it's not like I don't know him. That's true but you don't know what he has become. That doesn't matter he's probably the same person. ** I was arguing with myself. What was I thinking? I'll tell you what I thinking. I was thinking that the love of my life was in my car and there was nothing I could do about it but savior the moment however long it might be. We didn't talk on the way, I didn't know what to say, I thought of many things to say but none of them would have been right.
We pulled into the parking lot of the hotel behind the others. We had decided to go in together. Once we got out of the car I saw Lita grin and I thought she was going to ask something. So before she could say anything I just shock my head, apparently she knew what it meant and sighed. We were both happy that the other knew, but we wished that the others knew also, it wasn't right with that everyone knowing. At that time I wasn't even sure why everyone had forgotten.
The hall was decorated beautifully. There were silver and gold streamers, stars that glittered hung from the ceiling. And there were balloons everywhere. As we walked in everyone smiled, it was the theme from our senior prom, a walk in the heavens. It really brought back memories. We signed in and the music started. Soft and low to begin with, I heard Lita whisper softly as she walked past with Nick, "Dance and enjoy it." That brought a smile to my lips as I felt a soft tap on my shoulder. "May I have this dance?" I nodded as I accepted his hand. We began to dance in time with the music. I glanced up at him as the song began to play that had played for the King and Queen at our prom. To my surprise he had a far look in his eyes, and I had a gut feeling that I knew why. I glanced around at the others and saw Lita doing the same, our eyes met we both nodded. This could be for the better or this could be for the worse. We had to wait it out and see. We continued to dance as if nothing had happened. I had my head resting on his chest; I didn't want to see his eyes when he remembered everything. I didn't want to see what emotion ran across his face. I felt his arms tighten around my waist a little and smiled. "Serena?" He whispered.
"Yes Darien?" I had to act like I didn't know what had happened that anything had happened at all. I could tell that he wanted confirmation that it was real, that they were alive, that I remembered most of all. I didn't know how to respond to him, just like I didn't know how to respond to Lita when she talked to me earlier. ** Will I always be this confused? **
"How have you been?" I could tell in his voice that my answer wasn't what he wanted. And that he didn't want to scare me.
"Pretty good." How else do you respond to someone who thinks that you don't remember anything? Tell him it's all a lie? That he is crazy? Or hold him and beg him never to leave you? I know which one I wanted to do.
He brought one of his hands up to my chin and gently forced me to look up at him. I knew that if he looked into my eyes that he would see the truth. Instead of asking anything he just smiled and moved his hand as the song came to an end. "I think your fan club is coming." I looked in the direction that he was looking and saw that Lita was trying to hold them back nine people back and it wasn't working so well.
"I think it may be yours also." I watched as Nick made his way to Lita and picked her up, thoroughly stopping her from stopping anyone. The next thing you heard across the hall was" Nick! IF YOU DON'T PUT ME DOWN RIHGT NOW YOU WILL BE SORRY LATER!" She stressed the will as they began to walk over to where I was standing with Darien. He, I could tell, wanted to bust out laughing, but was holding back.
"Serena." was all I heard as my friends surrounded me. Nick had set Lita down and the men where crowded around Darien. He looked helpless I could only guess how I looked. There were a hundred questions flying around me, some directed at me others at each other. There was so much noise I couldn't hear myself think. That's pretty bad if you ask me. Finally I couldn't handle it anymore. Working with children, noisy children at that is one thing, but grown adults come on.
I cleared my throat although it did no good. "Everyone hush, NOW!" Well it got their attention and they did hush. By this time the men had joined the group that was around me. And I couldn't help but feel embarrassed; I could feel a slight blush creep onto my cheeks. "Thank you. Hi everyone. How are you? One at a time please, not all at once." At this there were a few giggles some coming from me. ** You know come to think of it this is not the place to have this discussion. We had better go somewhere else. But where? The park is out; well we'll just go back to the house. ** I barely heard their answers as I was thinking. "You know we had better go somewhere else. You never know."
"Yeah that sounds good." This came from Zander. So with that we exited the hall and went to the cars, Darien rode with me once again. They had decided to follow me so I lead the way back to what would soon be my house. The way there was once again filled with silence, I had a million and one questions, but I didn't think it would be right to ask them, and Darien didn't seem to want to talk I didn't know what else to do, and I couldn't stand the silence any longer, so I turned on the radio, I would have put a CD in but I didn't feel like having him look for it.
Once at the house I lead the way back to the living room where they all sat down and made themselves comfortable. I wanted to change, but I didn't since, I knew they probably weren't comfortable either. There was a long silence between us, none knew what to say or if they did they didn't want to break the silence. Silence is one thing but this silence was horrible. "That's it. I can't take this silence any longer. When you want to talk I'll be upstairs in my room." I don't know why I said that but the silence was killing me and if they weren't going to talk well by god, I was going to do something other than just sit there. So I walked out of the room and upstairs. Leaving them in a stunned silence behind me. I didn't change cloths I just sat down and turned the CD player on. Music usually helps me think but it wasn't doing anything this time, I just let it play not really caring. Soon there was a knock on the door I didn't feel like getting up so I just told who ever it was to come in.
The door opened and every one was standing there. I wanted to laugh at the looks on their face. But I didn't, although it might have lightened the mood some. "Well are you just going to stand there or are you going to come in?" I asked while I sat up on the bed. They all came in and looked around.
"Where are we supposed to sit?"
"Well I was going to tell you could sit on the bed, but since you asked, you can sit on the floor Ray." The look on her face was well I don't know what it was. I just laughed and threw her a pillow. Luckily for me she knew I was joking and laughed and came to sit by me.
It seemed that that was what was needed to break the uneasy silence between us. And we once again fell into an easy companionship. It was good to have my friends back and be able to actually talk to some one again. The ten of us talked long into the night about what we had been doing and how our lives had changed. We talked of things past, things present, and things yet to come. I don't remember who was the first to doze off, which means it was probably me. I remember Ray saying that her and Nick needed to go get Missy and that the three of them would stop by tomorrow. I said goodnight as they left the room. The rest followed shortly after.
I slept so good that night. For reason I could only guess, either being back in the house that I grew up in, having my friends once again and seeing them happy, or just being happy. Who knows it was probably a combination of them all. I woke up to the smell of some one cooking in the kitchen; it smelled real good so I knew that had to be what woke me up. I stumbled out of bed, and was at the door when I realized that I was still in the suite form the night before. " What did I do sleep in my cloths?" I changed directions and went to the closet. I changed into a soft pink top and a pair of denim shorts. Ran a brush through my hair quickly and went down stairs. I stopped at the base of the stairs, and peeked into the kitchen.