Author's Notes: Hi! This is the revised edition of this chapter, all thanks
to my editor Sarah for helping sort all this out, thanks Sarah! Now on with
our story!
The Right choice
The apartment wasn't exactly ready, but it was getting there. Twinkling foil outlined the shapes of the letters spelling 'Happy Birthday' on a banner sticking to the wall with duck tape. A white tablecloth was neatly spread out on the table, with plastic cups and plates. Serena was finally turning fifteen. They all hoped she would reach the maturity level that they had set for her from the very start. It was still hard to believe that this klutzy and whiny teenager was to be the queen of Crystal Tokyo. The girl still couldn't walk a whole block without falling flat on her face, and she spent her weekly allowance playing Sailor V games and pigging out on chocolate milkshakes in the arcade. Much hadn't changed about her, if anything at all, but today, today was a new day. "The banner is a little low on the left". Amy teased at Darien's lack of decorating skills. Several of the brightly balloons had popped and he couldn't bake a cake to save his life. Darien shifted it slightly higher, trying to match the other side's length. "How's this"? He asked as he shifted the balloon once more. "Perfect". Amy answered, repositioning her head to get a view of the banner from a different angle. "We're almost done, just need to pick the music". Amy leant over the table and shuffled through the c.d cases on it, searching for Serena's favourite, Eminem, Ludacris and all those other so called rap artists. In Amy's opinion, rap was just a bunch of non- rhyming sounds and words carelessly put together, if you think about it, you really can't spell 'crap' without spelling 'rap'. Amy sighed almost reluctantly and inserted a c.d into the stereo case. Her index finger draped over the play button and suddenly the room overflowed with the sound of prepubescent voices. "All right, were done". Amy declared with another heap of air. Darien walked over to her side and a smile planted itself across his face. "Feels good, doesn't it"? He asked, amused at how difficult it had been to properly decorate the place. "Now about your present......." Amy trailed off noticing Darien's woeful grin. "What's wrong"? She questioned, obviously concerned. Darien looked at her sadly." Nothing, I just can't believe I forgot her birthday". He answered glumly, he couldn't help the disappointment her felt for himself. "Darien, don't worry, you probably had a lot on your mind". "Yeah", he stated quietly. "Lately she and I have been really distant ". Amy looked at his sad expression and reached her hand out to touch his, in a comforting manor" Why is that Darien"? "I just...it's just not the same as it was before". He ran his hand through his thick dark hair and sat down on the couch beside Amy. Amy smiled at him, and encouraged him to go on. Darien smiled glumly back at her "It's been tough, you know having your life decisions chosen for you. It tough that the universe depends on your everlasting alliance with another person". He finished. "I think your very lucky, Darien. If you have to spend your life with another person, it might as well be with your true love. And you do love her." Amy told him, her face still bearing an encouraging smile. "Yeah". He responded dryly. "Come on Amy" He said as he walked to the front door of the house. Amy followed him out the door after turning off the stereo, leaving the room silent. The ride to the mall was quiet as well, neither said a word, finally as Darien was parking the car, Amy spoke. "So what are you thinking of getting her?" Darien began as he stepped out of the vehicle. "I thought maybe you'd have an idea". "Well, I don't". Amy mumbled under her breath, her normally calm voice filled with a hint of frustration. "Well I know a couple of her favourite stores here, that should help some" .Amy said as she smiled frustratingly at Darien. Darien smiled back at her "Don't worry, lets find something together" he said as he threaded her arm though his. Amy looked gratefully at Darien "Thanks, that's very nice of you" She said sarcastically. "No problem" he replied casually strolling through the front of the shopping center as if they were old friends. They walked into the mall, scattered conversations and mild laughter could be heard before they even fully entered. People everywhere, massively spread about the place. Many teenage girls around Amy's age carrying oversized bags filled with accessories and clothes of all kinds. Others were merely enjoying their lunch at the food court ignoring the call of the mall. The couple strolled into Body Shop, one of the many stores on Serena's list. Inside were manikins modelling tight tank tops and jean mini skirts along with leather boots and fake jewellery, very casual but still on the cool side. Amy and Darien walked through the mall, smiling at the scene before them. Their hands still casually strung into each other's "Where do we start". Darien asked noticing the many ensembles displayed on the hangers. "Well..." Amy began. "Serena likes what everyone else does, tight, slinky blouses and such" Amy finished with a tint of annoyance in her voice. Darien stared at her from the corner of his eye, studying her facial expressions. "All right...how about that over there". Darien pointed at a pink top with a silver bunny on it reading "Playgirl" on it in greyish-whitish letters on a white shirt. "She would love this, but for her birthday I think she'd want something extra special". For an hour or so they went through clothes and shoes and shops and shops, until finally they sat on a bench to rest their sore feet from their shopping expedition . Darien sat down and turned his back so he was looking directly into Amy's face. "You know, maybe I could just give her a bouquet of red roses". He announced, his . "She is always complaining that I never give her flowers anyway." he murmured to himself as he turned himself away form her wondering eyes. They both got up and went to what seemed the last resort. It was a very nice yet fancy jewelry store where prices were meant to be set for middle aged business men. Darien was only eighteen and not rich but he was determined to find the perfect gift. "There" he said, tapping on the glass surface at a genuinely gold bracelet decorated with tiny moons and roses. Amy glanced at the bracelet, thinking that it would be perfect for Serena ."That's pretty" she gasped as she saw it was perfectly flawless. It was perfect, it was a perfect thin gold bracelet with gold and silver moon and roses with all colours of the rainbow clearly seen in the roses. Amy and Darien glanced at each other and shared a mutual glance "Should we?" Darien asked as he glanced at Amy. Amy smiled brightly at him "Yeah, why don't we" Darien unhooked his arm off arm of Amy guilty and followed Amy into the jeweler store. The store looked like a quite expensive store, it had stone granite bench running around the store with glass placed strategically through the granite tope giving the causal buyer a good opportunity to look for their favorite pieces of jewelry. The walked through the store and approached the nearest part of the bench that was closest to them. A clerk on the far side of the walked over towards them and smiled brightly at his customers. Darien cleared his throat and chose his next words very closely. "I saw a bracelet in the window that I would like to see" The clerk brushed a strand of his gelled black hair off his dark eyes "Sure, I'll get it for you. Which one is it?" Throughout this exchange, Amy kept quiet observing the behavior between those two. The clerk moved over to the window that Amy and Darien looked at before, opened the glass cabinet up with a silver key and took out 3 bracelets. The first bracelet that he laid down on the black velvet was a very pleasant bracelet. It was a silver bracelet entwined with gold and had sprinkles of rubies around it. The second bracelet that was laid down was a white silver bangle with diamonds and emeralds around it. The third one was the one that Amy and Darien had seen in the window, it was gold with crescent moon and tiny roses. "This would look wonderful on your girlfriend's wrist", said the clerk directing his index finger towards Amy. "Here, why don't you try it on"? The clerk gave Darien the bracelet and he began to move towards Amy. She gracefully slipped the piece onto her wrist as it sparkled in the bright lights. They looked at each other for a moment, and he held her gaze briefly, but the moment was broken with the raspy voice of the clerk. "I'll take it". Darien handed his a visa card and went over to the counter.
"Right choice indeed" the clerk grinned at him, pleased by his quick sale. Amy walked to the front of the store, and waited for Darien to complete his purchase.
The Right choice
The apartment wasn't exactly ready, but it was getting there. Twinkling foil outlined the shapes of the letters spelling 'Happy Birthday' on a banner sticking to the wall with duck tape. A white tablecloth was neatly spread out on the table, with plastic cups and plates. Serena was finally turning fifteen. They all hoped she would reach the maturity level that they had set for her from the very start. It was still hard to believe that this klutzy and whiny teenager was to be the queen of Crystal Tokyo. The girl still couldn't walk a whole block without falling flat on her face, and she spent her weekly allowance playing Sailor V games and pigging out on chocolate milkshakes in the arcade. Much hadn't changed about her, if anything at all, but today, today was a new day. "The banner is a little low on the left". Amy teased at Darien's lack of decorating skills. Several of the brightly balloons had popped and he couldn't bake a cake to save his life. Darien shifted it slightly higher, trying to match the other side's length. "How's this"? He asked as he shifted the balloon once more. "Perfect". Amy answered, repositioning her head to get a view of the banner from a different angle. "We're almost done, just need to pick the music". Amy leant over the table and shuffled through the c.d cases on it, searching for Serena's favourite, Eminem, Ludacris and all those other so called rap artists. In Amy's opinion, rap was just a bunch of non- rhyming sounds and words carelessly put together, if you think about it, you really can't spell 'crap' without spelling 'rap'. Amy sighed almost reluctantly and inserted a c.d into the stereo case. Her index finger draped over the play button and suddenly the room overflowed with the sound of prepubescent voices. "All right, were done". Amy declared with another heap of air. Darien walked over to her side and a smile planted itself across his face. "Feels good, doesn't it"? He asked, amused at how difficult it had been to properly decorate the place. "Now about your present......." Amy trailed off noticing Darien's woeful grin. "What's wrong"? She questioned, obviously concerned. Darien looked at her sadly." Nothing, I just can't believe I forgot her birthday". He answered glumly, he couldn't help the disappointment her felt for himself. "Darien, don't worry, you probably had a lot on your mind". "Yeah", he stated quietly. "Lately she and I have been really distant ". Amy looked at his sad expression and reached her hand out to touch his, in a comforting manor" Why is that Darien"? "I just...it's just not the same as it was before". He ran his hand through his thick dark hair and sat down on the couch beside Amy. Amy smiled at him, and encouraged him to go on. Darien smiled glumly back at her "It's been tough, you know having your life decisions chosen for you. It tough that the universe depends on your everlasting alliance with another person". He finished. "I think your very lucky, Darien. If you have to spend your life with another person, it might as well be with your true love. And you do love her." Amy told him, her face still bearing an encouraging smile. "Yeah". He responded dryly. "Come on Amy" He said as he walked to the front door of the house. Amy followed him out the door after turning off the stereo, leaving the room silent. The ride to the mall was quiet as well, neither said a word, finally as Darien was parking the car, Amy spoke. "So what are you thinking of getting her?" Darien began as he stepped out of the vehicle. "I thought maybe you'd have an idea". "Well, I don't". Amy mumbled under her breath, her normally calm voice filled with a hint of frustration. "Well I know a couple of her favourite stores here, that should help some" .Amy said as she smiled frustratingly at Darien. Darien smiled back at her "Don't worry, lets find something together" he said as he threaded her arm though his. Amy looked gratefully at Darien "Thanks, that's very nice of you" She said sarcastically. "No problem" he replied casually strolling through the front of the shopping center as if they were old friends. They walked into the mall, scattered conversations and mild laughter could be heard before they even fully entered. People everywhere, massively spread about the place. Many teenage girls around Amy's age carrying oversized bags filled with accessories and clothes of all kinds. Others were merely enjoying their lunch at the food court ignoring the call of the mall. The couple strolled into Body Shop, one of the many stores on Serena's list. Inside were manikins modelling tight tank tops and jean mini skirts along with leather boots and fake jewellery, very casual but still on the cool side. Amy and Darien walked through the mall, smiling at the scene before them. Their hands still casually strung into each other's "Where do we start". Darien asked noticing the many ensembles displayed on the hangers. "Well..." Amy began. "Serena likes what everyone else does, tight, slinky blouses and such" Amy finished with a tint of annoyance in her voice. Darien stared at her from the corner of his eye, studying her facial expressions. "All right...how about that over there". Darien pointed at a pink top with a silver bunny on it reading "Playgirl" on it in greyish-whitish letters on a white shirt. "She would love this, but for her birthday I think she'd want something extra special". For an hour or so they went through clothes and shoes and shops and shops, until finally they sat on a bench to rest their sore feet from their shopping expedition . Darien sat down and turned his back so he was looking directly into Amy's face. "You know, maybe I could just give her a bouquet of red roses". He announced, his . "She is always complaining that I never give her flowers anyway." he murmured to himself as he turned himself away form her wondering eyes. They both got up and went to what seemed the last resort. It was a very nice yet fancy jewelry store where prices were meant to be set for middle aged business men. Darien was only eighteen and not rich but he was determined to find the perfect gift. "There" he said, tapping on the glass surface at a genuinely gold bracelet decorated with tiny moons and roses. Amy glanced at the bracelet, thinking that it would be perfect for Serena ."That's pretty" she gasped as she saw it was perfectly flawless. It was perfect, it was a perfect thin gold bracelet with gold and silver moon and roses with all colours of the rainbow clearly seen in the roses. Amy and Darien glanced at each other and shared a mutual glance "Should we?" Darien asked as he glanced at Amy. Amy smiled brightly at him "Yeah, why don't we" Darien unhooked his arm off arm of Amy guilty and followed Amy into the jeweler store. The store looked like a quite expensive store, it had stone granite bench running around the store with glass placed strategically through the granite tope giving the causal buyer a good opportunity to look for their favorite pieces of jewelry. The walked through the store and approached the nearest part of the bench that was closest to them. A clerk on the far side of the walked over towards them and smiled brightly at his customers. Darien cleared his throat and chose his next words very closely. "I saw a bracelet in the window that I would like to see" The clerk brushed a strand of his gelled black hair off his dark eyes "Sure, I'll get it for you. Which one is it?" Throughout this exchange, Amy kept quiet observing the behavior between those two. The clerk moved over to the window that Amy and Darien looked at before, opened the glass cabinet up with a silver key and took out 3 bracelets. The first bracelet that he laid down on the black velvet was a very pleasant bracelet. It was a silver bracelet entwined with gold and had sprinkles of rubies around it. The second bracelet that was laid down was a white silver bangle with diamonds and emeralds around it. The third one was the one that Amy and Darien had seen in the window, it was gold with crescent moon and tiny roses. "This would look wonderful on your girlfriend's wrist", said the clerk directing his index finger towards Amy. "Here, why don't you try it on"? The clerk gave Darien the bracelet and he began to move towards Amy. She gracefully slipped the piece onto her wrist as it sparkled in the bright lights. They looked at each other for a moment, and he held her gaze briefly, but the moment was broken with the raspy voice of the clerk. "I'll take it". Darien handed his a visa card and went over to the counter.
"Right choice indeed" the clerk grinned at him, pleased by his quick sale. Amy walked to the front of the store, and waited for Darien to complete his purchase.