Serena retired to her room. She had spent a long time sneaking around
until she had finally decided it was pointless. She had enlisted Jared's
help, and had finally managed to smuggle Raye's "I am the Great Goddess
Raye, Bow Before Me" sign and her ruby necklace with a torch-emblem into
her room. After making sure that Raye would be able to see the Secret
Santa letter and present, she retired back to her own room.
Done!
Serena proudly marched back to her room, only to see the door open. She frowned. She stepped inside and was astonished. The entire room was filled with red roses. Rose petals were scattered on her neatly made bed. Roses piled on her dresser. Bouquets of roses were temporarily fixed to the walls. Garlands of roses were draped about her bed and everywhere.
And the wardrobe door was open. Serena approached the wardrobe (is that what it's called? You know, the tall thing that you hang dresses in?) and gasped. There, hanging in there, was a brand new, soft rose-pink dress. It was specially designed so that her shoulders were bared, her neckline was swooping, but did not show too much, and a soft rose-pink silk shawl accompanied it, to drape about her shoulders.
A note said: Wear this tonight and I'll know that you figured out this was a gift from your Secret Santa and not some disgusting jerk who wants you to think he's romantic.
Serena smiled to herself. The dress itself was stunning. She didn't even have to put it on. She had spied it earlier while window-shopping, and had even got inside to try it on, but it was way too expensive. Her Secret Santa had obviously spent a lot of money on it. She felt the soft, shimmering material between her fingers and sighed with pleasure.
Well, such an important gift definitely deserved an audience, she decided. She would wear it that night like the note requested. She cast about for a suitable necklace to wear with it. She suddenly remembered the string of pearls she got for her eighteenth birthday. They were a light pink in color, and would fit now. She looked through her room and finally unearthed the string of pearls in the case her father had given her.
She glanced down at her watch. There were still a couple of hours before the ball. She had some free time. Immediately, she ran a couple of rooms over, and invited her friends to go to the movies with her. Mina was busy, but Raye, Lita, and Amy were happy to go. The spent 2 hours watching an interesting movie, and headed on back home to prepare for the ball.
Serena went to her room straight away. After a hot shower and a long time spent in front of a blow dryer, she donned the beautiful pink gown. She put on her pearl necklace, and proceeded to do her hair. She put them up in her trademark "meatballs" and draped small garlands of pink roses around them. In between them, an intricately designed silver chain was placed. It draped in front of her bangs, the light, small, silver crescent moon dangling over her forehead. It gave her a rather exotic look.
She examined herself one last time. For a reason unknown to herself, she slipped her rose dagger into one of her meatballs, hiding its sheath, so it looked like an ordinary rose. To cover her sudden bout of foolishness, she sprayed a watered-down version of the too-strong perfume of roses. After she got home, she had put a little water in it to take away some of the smell.
She examined herself one last time, and smiled. Perfect. Although she felt vaguely overdressed, the Pre-Christmas Balls (always held the several nights before Christmas) was very formal. Her mother had almost killed her last time because she hadn't dressed up enough. Almost everyone else, though they had shown up in casual clothes, had changed so as not to be at the brunt of Elaine Moone's temper.
She walked downstairs slowly, aware that some of her friends were still in their rooms, while others were downstairs already. She took a deep breath, and stepped into the room, surveying it quickly for her pink little bunny, and found it immediately. She swept across the room gracefully; thanks to the prose and proper posture lessons her mother had made her take when she was younger.
Darien was there already, and seemed determined to keep the atmosphere pleasant ash e pulled out her chair for her. She thanked him pleasantly. There was an uncomfortable silence as the food began to come on, but soon, they were too busy eating to notice. Serena did notice uncomfortably that Darien seemed to be staring at her pretty often, unaware that she was staring at him, too. They were enjoying the delicious food, when a large BOOM engulfed her senses. Serena had only a moment to look up before the whole world exploded.
When she awoke, it was dark. It took a while for her eyes to adjust.
"You're awake," a ragged voice said.
"Darien?" she asked weakly, finding her voice hoarse. She cleared her throat. "What's going on?"
"I assume a bomb went off. Whatever it is, your whole house came falling down. Luckily, some slabs of stone managed to fall on top of each other. We're in a small air bubble or something of the sort."
"Will the air run out?" Serena asked, panicked now.
"No," Darien reassured her. "We're on the surface somewhat, and there's a couple of cracks letting in air. We just have to wait until rescue squads come, and then we can yell to get their attention."
"Is there no other way out?" Serena asked in a small voice.
"If we push off one of the slabs of stone, the other ones will fall on top of us," Darien said in a grim voice.
Serena tried to calm herself down by breathing deeply, but unfortunately, it wasn't working. "Why would anyone bomb our house?" she murmured, thoughtful. The train of thought was cut off when they heard noises from outside.
"HELP!" both yelled simultaneously. "GET US OUT OF HERE."
There was a silent murmur, before an eerily familiar voice spoke. "Who is it?"
"It's me, Darien Shields, and Serena Moone is with me," Darien shouted.
There was another silent discussion. "Hold on," the voice said. "We'll get you out."
There were grunts, as the slabs of stone slowly began to be lifted off simultaneously. However it also dislodged a lot of dust and dirt, causing them to cough, and cover their face for a while. When a series of clunks signified that the slabs of stone had been removed, both Serena and Darien waved away the dust and looked up into .
. the eyes of Beryl and Demando.
To be continued .
Done!
Serena proudly marched back to her room, only to see the door open. She frowned. She stepped inside and was astonished. The entire room was filled with red roses. Rose petals were scattered on her neatly made bed. Roses piled on her dresser. Bouquets of roses were temporarily fixed to the walls. Garlands of roses were draped about her bed and everywhere.
And the wardrobe door was open. Serena approached the wardrobe (is that what it's called? You know, the tall thing that you hang dresses in?) and gasped. There, hanging in there, was a brand new, soft rose-pink dress. It was specially designed so that her shoulders were bared, her neckline was swooping, but did not show too much, and a soft rose-pink silk shawl accompanied it, to drape about her shoulders.
A note said: Wear this tonight and I'll know that you figured out this was a gift from your Secret Santa and not some disgusting jerk who wants you to think he's romantic.
Serena smiled to herself. The dress itself was stunning. She didn't even have to put it on. She had spied it earlier while window-shopping, and had even got inside to try it on, but it was way too expensive. Her Secret Santa had obviously spent a lot of money on it. She felt the soft, shimmering material between her fingers and sighed with pleasure.
Well, such an important gift definitely deserved an audience, she decided. She would wear it that night like the note requested. She cast about for a suitable necklace to wear with it. She suddenly remembered the string of pearls she got for her eighteenth birthday. They were a light pink in color, and would fit now. She looked through her room and finally unearthed the string of pearls in the case her father had given her.
She glanced down at her watch. There were still a couple of hours before the ball. She had some free time. Immediately, she ran a couple of rooms over, and invited her friends to go to the movies with her. Mina was busy, but Raye, Lita, and Amy were happy to go. The spent 2 hours watching an interesting movie, and headed on back home to prepare for the ball.
Serena went to her room straight away. After a hot shower and a long time spent in front of a blow dryer, she donned the beautiful pink gown. She put on her pearl necklace, and proceeded to do her hair. She put them up in her trademark "meatballs" and draped small garlands of pink roses around them. In between them, an intricately designed silver chain was placed. It draped in front of her bangs, the light, small, silver crescent moon dangling over her forehead. It gave her a rather exotic look.
She examined herself one last time. For a reason unknown to herself, she slipped her rose dagger into one of her meatballs, hiding its sheath, so it looked like an ordinary rose. To cover her sudden bout of foolishness, she sprayed a watered-down version of the too-strong perfume of roses. After she got home, she had put a little water in it to take away some of the smell.
She examined herself one last time, and smiled. Perfect. Although she felt vaguely overdressed, the Pre-Christmas Balls (always held the several nights before Christmas) was very formal. Her mother had almost killed her last time because she hadn't dressed up enough. Almost everyone else, though they had shown up in casual clothes, had changed so as not to be at the brunt of Elaine Moone's temper.
She walked downstairs slowly, aware that some of her friends were still in their rooms, while others were downstairs already. She took a deep breath, and stepped into the room, surveying it quickly for her pink little bunny, and found it immediately. She swept across the room gracefully; thanks to the prose and proper posture lessons her mother had made her take when she was younger.
Darien was there already, and seemed determined to keep the atmosphere pleasant ash e pulled out her chair for her. She thanked him pleasantly. There was an uncomfortable silence as the food began to come on, but soon, they were too busy eating to notice. Serena did notice uncomfortably that Darien seemed to be staring at her pretty often, unaware that she was staring at him, too. They were enjoying the delicious food, when a large BOOM engulfed her senses. Serena had only a moment to look up before the whole world exploded.
When she awoke, it was dark. It took a while for her eyes to adjust.
"You're awake," a ragged voice said.
"Darien?" she asked weakly, finding her voice hoarse. She cleared her throat. "What's going on?"
"I assume a bomb went off. Whatever it is, your whole house came falling down. Luckily, some slabs of stone managed to fall on top of each other. We're in a small air bubble or something of the sort."
"Will the air run out?" Serena asked, panicked now.
"No," Darien reassured her. "We're on the surface somewhat, and there's a couple of cracks letting in air. We just have to wait until rescue squads come, and then we can yell to get their attention."
"Is there no other way out?" Serena asked in a small voice.
"If we push off one of the slabs of stone, the other ones will fall on top of us," Darien said in a grim voice.
Serena tried to calm herself down by breathing deeply, but unfortunately, it wasn't working. "Why would anyone bomb our house?" she murmured, thoughtful. The train of thought was cut off when they heard noises from outside.
"HELP!" both yelled simultaneously. "GET US OUT OF HERE."
There was a silent murmur, before an eerily familiar voice spoke. "Who is it?"
"It's me, Darien Shields, and Serena Moone is with me," Darien shouted.
There was another silent discussion. "Hold on," the voice said. "We'll get you out."
There were grunts, as the slabs of stone slowly began to be lifted off simultaneously. However it also dislodged a lot of dust and dirt, causing them to cough, and cover their face for a while. When a series of clunks signified that the slabs of stone had been removed, both Serena and Darien waved away the dust and looked up into .
. the eyes of Beryl and Demando.
To be continued .