Chapter 4
She looked around her, bored at what she saw. Lita was in the corner with Ken and everyone else was with their partners, so she had nothing to do. Raye and Chad were talking to Darien and Serena was glad that he was out of her way. He was bothering her by just being there and Serena had the feeling that Raye had set it up that he would come, just for her. She had avoided him the whole time, resisting to even look at him. She knew that if she just looked at him, her resolve would go and she would faint or cry or do both at once. So she just stood in the corner and hoped that everyone would ignore her. Everything didn't go to plan as she had hoped. She had hoped that she could just come to the party for 10 minutes and then leave, but after 2 hours she gave up on that idea. Every time that she would creep closer to the door, Amy or Mina or Raye or Lita would come over to her and say that she absolutely had to do this or that or this that and the other. It was really annoying. The only good thing about the night so far was that Darien was ignoring her. That was a really good thing. She figured that if she stayed in the corner and kept quiet, he would think that no one liked her because she was too rude and ignore her. If she started talking to people, he might think that she was a pretty popular girl and then he might talk to her because he might have thought that she was just sick before. She actually did feel quite sick, but that was just because she hadn't slept for ages. She was really bored now and she really wanted to go home, but she knew that she was going to be pounced on by her friends if they saw her go near the door. So she just stood there and felt really lonely, basically not moving at all.
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Darien was annoyed. All night he had been trying to talk to Serena, but for some reason or another he had never been able to. Whenever he wasn't talking to anyone, she was. Whenever she was alone, he wasn't. Whenever he looked at her, he felt a strange feeling in his heart, a feeling that he'd never had before. He had a desire to know her, but she looked bored and never looked at him, as if she had absolutely no interest in him at all. When she had been talking to people, he hadn't wanted to interrupt, but now he wished that he had. Not that Raye and Chad were boring, but he just. He didn't know why, but he was uncomfortable talking to them when she was so close. "So Darien, what do you do at the hospital?" Chad asked him. Chad was finishing medical school and he was going to be a doctor in a hospital. "Well, I get to do doctory stuff," Darien answered, not really thinking. "What do you mean by that?" "Well, you just treat to people's injuries and diagnose them and stuff," Darien was starting to get bored. He hated talking about work. He hated it especially when he wanted to talk to Serena. He didn't know what spurred his eagerness to get to know the girl, just that he had to know her. "What do you mean by stuff?" Chad was really eager to know everything he could so he could get efficient as fast as he could. "Just stuff! It's the same as in a doctor's surgery," Darien said for about the tenth time that night. "Oh, are you sure?" "Yes Chad, I'm sure," Darien said, looking at Raye for help, but she seemed to be busy watching Serena out of the corner of her eye. He sighed and looked back at Chad, determined to get through the questions before the end of the party.
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She had no idea how long the party had been going on for, but she desperately wanted to end as much as she really wanted to talk to Darien. He was looking particularly handsome in the light of the room. He was dressed casually and he looked gorgeous. She had an urge to go over there and kiss him, but she knew now that he hated her. He had not looked at her once, as far as she could tell, so that meant that he was ignoring her. He wasn't coming over and talking to her, even when he wasn't talking to anyone. She couldn't go over and talk to him because she was feeling like she was going to faint just looking at him. The dream was haunting her when she looked at him, but for once she didn't care. She was in love with Darien and not seeing him hurt her just as much as seeing him and knowing she couldn't talk to him. She sighed. Lita came over to her then. "Hey Serena, having fun?" she asked. She knew that her friend wasn't having much fun but she still thought that she had to ask that to be polite. "Yeah, I guess so," Serena replied, noticing that Darien was now alone. It was like her friends had a plan to keep the two of them apart. She looked back to Lita and decided that their plan was for the best. After all she didn't want to talk to Darien; if she did she thought that she would faint.
"You guess so? That sounds like you're not having fun," Lita replied, a bit offended. "I'm having fun, it's just that I'm really tired," Serena felt like she was going to faint and vomit at the same time. He was coming towards her with a determined expression on his face. "Are you alright Serena? You look really pale," Lita led her out to an uncrowded spot. Serena had an idea. "I'm fine; I just need some fresh air. I'll be fine if I go outside." "Okay, I'll come with you," Lita said, literally holding her friend up and pushing her outside. Serena had quietly fainted after she had said she would be fine. Lita took her outside and laid her down on her side. She had no idea why Serena had fainted, but she knew that it was just the strain that she was under. Raye had told her about the dreams that Serena had been having and so she had some idea of what was happening to her friend, but even Raye didn't know the whole story. Only Serena knew the whole story and she didn't have to tell anyone if she didn't want to. Darien came outside and saw Lita. He didn't see Serena on the ground until a second later. "Lita, what's happened here?" he asked, going to see what was wrong with Serena, "Did she just collapse or something?" "Um. yeah. She'll be fine, she's just really tired and she's under a bit of stress. She'll be fine," Lita said uncomfortably. She had hoped that nobody had seen them come out here, but obviously Darien had. He had looked as if he had wanted to talk to Serena all night, but for some reason Raye had not wanted to allow him to speak to her. Now, when Serena awoke, she would have to speak to him. Darien checked Serena out and decided that she was okay; she had just fainted from tiredness. She looked as if she was having a troubled sleep and she looked like she was having trouble breathing. "I don't get it, she's fine but she looks like she is having trouble breathing. Do you know if she has asthma?" Darien asked Lita who was standing back. "No she doesn't have asthma, she doesn't have anything wrong with her, she's really healthy," Lita replied, trying to catch Raye's attention. She wasn't succeeding very well. "Then why is she having trouble breathing?" he mumbled to himself as Lita finally caught Raye's attention. Raye came outside and joined Lita and Darien. "Did she faint?" she asked as she came outside. "Yeah, but she looks like she's having trouble breathing and it's bothering me a lot," Darien told her. "Oh. I wouldn't worry about that. It happens sometimes. I know how to deal with this, so why don't you go inside and let me deal with this. She gets really embarrassed about it," Raye explained to Darien, basically pushing him back inside. He went without a protest, but he was really curious. What was wrong with Serena that Raye knew about, but he didn't? He was supposed to be a doctor and know all about illnesses, and she was a lawyer who didn't know much about diseases. It was probably just something that Serena had told Raye that wasn't easily diagnosable. It was understandable. Raye was one of her best friends and she said that Serena got embarrassed easily. He decided that he would walk Serena home. He sat down to wait for her.
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When Serena woke up the party was just finishing. She had tears pouring down her cheeks and she was gasping for breath. Raye was sitting next to her, and somehow she was outside. "What happened?" she asked Raye as she sat up. "You fainted. Lita managed to bring you outside, but Darien came too. Lita managed to get me out here and I managed to make him go inside, but I think that he's going to want to walk you home to check that you're all right. I'm sorry, but it was the best that I could do," Raye said, but something in her expression told Serena that Raye was glad that they were walking home together. "Thanks for covering for me Raye," Serena said as she got unsteadily to her feet, "I'll see you tomorrow." "Yeah, see you tomorrow Serena," Raye replied, watching her friend walk inside.
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As soon as she walked inside Darien came up to her. She almost fainted again, but she didn't. She held herself upright and made sure she ignored him. It didn't work. "Hi, I'm Darien. I came to your apartment the other day for Raye, remember? Are you okay now? You fainted before and you seemed fine to me, but you looked really sick. I'm a doctor, so if you need any tests done or anything, I can help you," he said all in a rush. He couldn't believe that he was talking to her at last. She was looking away, but she still seemed to be beautiful. "I was wondering if you would like to walk back to the apartment building with me. It might be a good idea in case you faint again." She looked at him then. "I-I can walk by myself thank you. I need to be by myself for a while. Thanks for asking though," she answered as she walked out of the room. "Wait!" he called and he rushed out after her.
End of Chapter 4.
She looked around her, bored at what she saw. Lita was in the corner with Ken and everyone else was with their partners, so she had nothing to do. Raye and Chad were talking to Darien and Serena was glad that he was out of her way. He was bothering her by just being there and Serena had the feeling that Raye had set it up that he would come, just for her. She had avoided him the whole time, resisting to even look at him. She knew that if she just looked at him, her resolve would go and she would faint or cry or do both at once. So she just stood in the corner and hoped that everyone would ignore her. Everything didn't go to plan as she had hoped. She had hoped that she could just come to the party for 10 minutes and then leave, but after 2 hours she gave up on that idea. Every time that she would creep closer to the door, Amy or Mina or Raye or Lita would come over to her and say that she absolutely had to do this or that or this that and the other. It was really annoying. The only good thing about the night so far was that Darien was ignoring her. That was a really good thing. She figured that if she stayed in the corner and kept quiet, he would think that no one liked her because she was too rude and ignore her. If she started talking to people, he might think that she was a pretty popular girl and then he might talk to her because he might have thought that she was just sick before. She actually did feel quite sick, but that was just because she hadn't slept for ages. She was really bored now and she really wanted to go home, but she knew that she was going to be pounced on by her friends if they saw her go near the door. So she just stood there and felt really lonely, basically not moving at all.
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Darien was annoyed. All night he had been trying to talk to Serena, but for some reason or another he had never been able to. Whenever he wasn't talking to anyone, she was. Whenever she was alone, he wasn't. Whenever he looked at her, he felt a strange feeling in his heart, a feeling that he'd never had before. He had a desire to know her, but she looked bored and never looked at him, as if she had absolutely no interest in him at all. When she had been talking to people, he hadn't wanted to interrupt, but now he wished that he had. Not that Raye and Chad were boring, but he just. He didn't know why, but he was uncomfortable talking to them when she was so close. "So Darien, what do you do at the hospital?" Chad asked him. Chad was finishing medical school and he was going to be a doctor in a hospital. "Well, I get to do doctory stuff," Darien answered, not really thinking. "What do you mean by that?" "Well, you just treat to people's injuries and diagnose them and stuff," Darien was starting to get bored. He hated talking about work. He hated it especially when he wanted to talk to Serena. He didn't know what spurred his eagerness to get to know the girl, just that he had to know her. "What do you mean by stuff?" Chad was really eager to know everything he could so he could get efficient as fast as he could. "Just stuff! It's the same as in a doctor's surgery," Darien said for about the tenth time that night. "Oh, are you sure?" "Yes Chad, I'm sure," Darien said, looking at Raye for help, but she seemed to be busy watching Serena out of the corner of her eye. He sighed and looked back at Chad, determined to get through the questions before the end of the party.
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She had no idea how long the party had been going on for, but she desperately wanted to end as much as she really wanted to talk to Darien. He was looking particularly handsome in the light of the room. He was dressed casually and he looked gorgeous. She had an urge to go over there and kiss him, but she knew now that he hated her. He had not looked at her once, as far as she could tell, so that meant that he was ignoring her. He wasn't coming over and talking to her, even when he wasn't talking to anyone. She couldn't go over and talk to him because she was feeling like she was going to faint just looking at him. The dream was haunting her when she looked at him, but for once she didn't care. She was in love with Darien and not seeing him hurt her just as much as seeing him and knowing she couldn't talk to him. She sighed. Lita came over to her then. "Hey Serena, having fun?" she asked. She knew that her friend wasn't having much fun but she still thought that she had to ask that to be polite. "Yeah, I guess so," Serena replied, noticing that Darien was now alone. It was like her friends had a plan to keep the two of them apart. She looked back to Lita and decided that their plan was for the best. After all she didn't want to talk to Darien; if she did she thought that she would faint.
"You guess so? That sounds like you're not having fun," Lita replied, a bit offended. "I'm having fun, it's just that I'm really tired," Serena felt like she was going to faint and vomit at the same time. He was coming towards her with a determined expression on his face. "Are you alright Serena? You look really pale," Lita led her out to an uncrowded spot. Serena had an idea. "I'm fine; I just need some fresh air. I'll be fine if I go outside." "Okay, I'll come with you," Lita said, literally holding her friend up and pushing her outside. Serena had quietly fainted after she had said she would be fine. Lita took her outside and laid her down on her side. She had no idea why Serena had fainted, but she knew that it was just the strain that she was under. Raye had told her about the dreams that Serena had been having and so she had some idea of what was happening to her friend, but even Raye didn't know the whole story. Only Serena knew the whole story and she didn't have to tell anyone if she didn't want to. Darien came outside and saw Lita. He didn't see Serena on the ground until a second later. "Lita, what's happened here?" he asked, going to see what was wrong with Serena, "Did she just collapse or something?" "Um. yeah. She'll be fine, she's just really tired and she's under a bit of stress. She'll be fine," Lita said uncomfortably. She had hoped that nobody had seen them come out here, but obviously Darien had. He had looked as if he had wanted to talk to Serena all night, but for some reason Raye had not wanted to allow him to speak to her. Now, when Serena awoke, she would have to speak to him. Darien checked Serena out and decided that she was okay; she had just fainted from tiredness. She looked as if she was having a troubled sleep and she looked like she was having trouble breathing. "I don't get it, she's fine but she looks like she is having trouble breathing. Do you know if she has asthma?" Darien asked Lita who was standing back. "No she doesn't have asthma, she doesn't have anything wrong with her, she's really healthy," Lita replied, trying to catch Raye's attention. She wasn't succeeding very well. "Then why is she having trouble breathing?" he mumbled to himself as Lita finally caught Raye's attention. Raye came outside and joined Lita and Darien. "Did she faint?" she asked as she came outside. "Yeah, but she looks like she's having trouble breathing and it's bothering me a lot," Darien told her. "Oh. I wouldn't worry about that. It happens sometimes. I know how to deal with this, so why don't you go inside and let me deal with this. She gets really embarrassed about it," Raye explained to Darien, basically pushing him back inside. He went without a protest, but he was really curious. What was wrong with Serena that Raye knew about, but he didn't? He was supposed to be a doctor and know all about illnesses, and she was a lawyer who didn't know much about diseases. It was probably just something that Serena had told Raye that wasn't easily diagnosable. It was understandable. Raye was one of her best friends and she said that Serena got embarrassed easily. He decided that he would walk Serena home. He sat down to wait for her.
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When Serena woke up the party was just finishing. She had tears pouring down her cheeks and she was gasping for breath. Raye was sitting next to her, and somehow she was outside. "What happened?" she asked Raye as she sat up. "You fainted. Lita managed to bring you outside, but Darien came too. Lita managed to get me out here and I managed to make him go inside, but I think that he's going to want to walk you home to check that you're all right. I'm sorry, but it was the best that I could do," Raye said, but something in her expression told Serena that Raye was glad that they were walking home together. "Thanks for covering for me Raye," Serena said as she got unsteadily to her feet, "I'll see you tomorrow." "Yeah, see you tomorrow Serena," Raye replied, watching her friend walk inside.
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As soon as she walked inside Darien came up to her. She almost fainted again, but she didn't. She held herself upright and made sure she ignored him. It didn't work. "Hi, I'm Darien. I came to your apartment the other day for Raye, remember? Are you okay now? You fainted before and you seemed fine to me, but you looked really sick. I'm a doctor, so if you need any tests done or anything, I can help you," he said all in a rush. He couldn't believe that he was talking to her at last. She was looking away, but she still seemed to be beautiful. "I was wondering if you would like to walk back to the apartment building with me. It might be a good idea in case you faint again." She looked at him then. "I-I can walk by myself thank you. I need to be by myself for a while. Thanks for asking though," she answered as she walked out of the room. "Wait!" he called and he rushed out after her.
End of Chapter 4.