How To Catch A Guy
Serena Style
Author's Notes:
Yeah, I'm back, after only a little under a month from my last update. I'm super sorry those frequent submissions were too good to last very long. I was in a writing whirl, which has now turned into a writing rut. In fact, I started this chapter just today, funny isn't it? Maybe I'll be able to get it out quickly. Today is Monday, July 29th, incase you're wondering, and I'd like to start keeping tabs on my writing habits. Almost like that Aunt Rose who visits, ya know...ya watch out for white pants and all by keeping a calendar and junk, well....writing frenzies only happen so often for me I guess... ohwell. Anywayz... I'll letcha get on with the story. I've finally figured out the TRUE reason why they have author's notes in here anywayz.... it's to make the story seem Longer! hehe..
well...that's the case for me anyhoo. welp..lata ppl.
Standard Disclaimer Applies :( damnit!
I do not own Sailor Moon, nor am I the heir to the Sailor Moon fortune Naoko Takuchi left (which I highly doubt even exists...so I rest my case) Don't sue me, I'm poor. :) This story most DEFINITELY came from ME though. That's right, not you, not Merl the scary guy that steals little children, which every mother has nightmares about...ME! (If you haven't heard of Merl, then you've been sheltered, severely SHELTERED! Around here, we call him Hester, the child molester....but that's just in hickville. Have a nice day though, and don't try to think about Merl too much. He may feel flattered.
ReCaP:
"You really are a life-safer." Darien merely shrugged at the praise Andrew directed toward him. "I feel like it's my fault you were trapped in the bathroom. I forgot to tell you not to close it all the way. The door gets stuck." I managed a slight nod and turned to look out the window at the sky. I would never tell a soul what had just happened between Darien and I. No one would ever know.... My heart shattered into a million pieces and I was afraid I wouldn't be able to piece it back together, even with time.
Chapter 10
Misery Knows Misery
Several days of pounding pavement got me nowhere, until Andrew made a few calls and suddenly, POOF! And yes, poof! Why poof, you may ask? Well...'poof' my new residence was found. A few telephone calls from Andrew, my lifesaver, and I suddenly have a stable place to live, without being woken up at ungodly hours with screams or crashes, (which those scenes like the one where Charlotte had carelessly tossed expensive exotic art around the tiny front room, occurred weekly, I know have learned). Anything that was all mine, was paradise. Things were looking up, except the one part of my life that I wanted to be hitting new highs. It was hitting all-time lows. Of course, I'm talking about my love life. I'd busied myself in disappearing when I knew Darien and Charlotte would be making their presences known, and ended up with the bar tender knowing my name and preference of drink. Many lonely nights reading books on Botany and so on, drinking Coronas or munching on cinnamon apple rice cakes.
But back to pretending as if my life doesn't suck. Then when I was finally moved in to the place, I went into a frenzy of decorating and had Seiya ship my belongings to me. He even helped me unpack along with Andrew and Raye. Mina was nowhere to be seen, and I assumed she didn't want to talk to me anymore, after my explosions directed mostly to Charlotte. There was no patience for her in my blood, I'm sorry! Well...okay, so I'm not the least bit sorry for my actions toward that insufferable witch, but it's all her fault!
After unlocking the several safeguards on my door, I slipped into my quiet and cool apartment, thankful for my forgetfulness, involving turning up the temperature on the air conditioner before I left for work. I'm back to studying plants again, only this time, I'm classifying and categorizing different plants found in the biome we live in right now. The pay isn't bad, plus I still have a few modeling jobs here and there when I have the time, or want to have some fun. Strolling into my room I changed into my exercise outfit, consisting of short navy blue sweat shorts and an ice blue baby tee. Thin blue socks covered my feet as I made my way back into the living room, and began stretching.
My phone rang and I rushed to get it from my position on the floor, my yoga mat crunching with my movements.
"Hello?" I grabbed a glass of juice from the fridge and leaned against the kitchen counter, figuring I needed a break from my exercise.
"Sere, I'm having a get together this Saturday. You know, kind of just like a barbeque or dinner party, outside. I was wondering if you'd be able to come." It was Raye. Her and Chad had built a fabulous house just out of town and had been hosting parties for several months. Apparently, I had just come back at the right time. There was no stopping the smile that spread across my face and I replied that I'd come if she'd give me a list of things to bring. I slipped the list I had jotted down onto the fridge and made a mental note to go shopping tomorrow. Today was Thursday, and if I did everything in good time, I wouldn't be late for the barbeque. The conversation was short, but I didn't mind, she probably had a million things to do before the party. Today hadn't gone as well as I had hoped. I was mentally exhausted but physically felt as if I could run a marathon and still have enough energy to do some shopping. Both are very tiring, so I labeled them energy zappers. After I finished my exercises and found there was nothing on TV worth watching, I changed into a black pleated mini skirt and a tan sleeveless blouse with matching tan pumps before grabbing my purse and deciding to go shopping for a little bit. It clears my mind and I needed an escape. The night's air was nice and cool as it caressed my exposed skin, a perfect temperature for just strolling through the park or getting ice cream. Not hot enough to make you sweat, but not cool enough to require a jacket. There's no one to go crazy over my presence in this town anymore, and the comforting part of it is, that I do not have to listen to men gush about my body, or women gush about how much they loved the clothes I modeled in Vogue of Cosmo. Mitch has called me a few times, but it's not usually about business. He complains that London misses me, and that there is nothing for me in this drab little city. Sometimes I silently agree, but I can't leave again. As much as I'd like to admit that I don't love Darien, it's thrown in my face everyday when I see him or Charlotte walking by. He's the tie that holds me here, but no one else beside myself knows that. My friends think that I'm happy living here, going to work and visiting with them everyday. Sometimes my mind can take a break from the thoughts of Darien, when I take Fiona with me to get ice cream or to the park, but when I go home, I'm haunted by the memories of my younger years, the fighting, then the rescue before my breakdown, the swim and the motorcycle ride.
I'm a little tired after hitting a few shops and buying some clothes I'll never need, but think are nice, so I lugged the bags into a nearby cafe. One of the waitresses led me to a booth and I thanked her before tossing my bags in. She wasn't a homely girl, but nothing you would call pretty either. Her chocolate brown hair was in wild curls that she tried to hide in a bun, but it was apparent it was very thick and rather out of control at times. Brown eyes with the knowledge a girl so young should not possess gazed down at me from her standing position and I was a little shocked at the feeling she gave off. Although she tried to hide it, the girl had something bothering her, putting a dark cloud over her head and she was trying to cover it up with fake rays of sunshine. Misery knows misery.
"What can I get for you to drink?" I dismissed the sadness that was evident to me, I asked for a tall caramel twist with extra caramel syrup.
She returned with my drink and then took my food order. After my food was served, I didn't see her until the bill arrived. I paid and left before returning to my apartment. The answering machine was blinking, which was odd considering that no one ever left a message. Seiya hated answering machines and so did Andrew. The girls always visited me while I was working or called when I was home during my lunch break. Red button still blinking; I stashed my newly purchased items in my room and came back. It was blinking again, definitely not my imagination. Maybe it was broken.....
Finally deciding to just press the button, I was not prepared to hear what came through the speaker.
"Sere- Serena? It's Darien, give me a call back or meet me tomorrow at the park at noon. You know the place." then there was the click and I could only stare at the device. Seriously doubting my own sanity, I replayed the message twice and felt my heart squeeze at the sound of his voice. At first he'd called me Sere, but he sounded unsure and I felt a slight pain in my stomach. Uncertainty consumed my being and I realized too late that fatigue had a detrimental effect on my mind. I crashed on the couch, only able to slip out of my shoes before I surrendered to the dream world.
The next day wasn't much out of the ordinary. After work I bought what I needed for the food I would take to the party and spent that night and the next afternoon fixing the dishes. Andrew picked me up and we rode out to Raye's house together. Idle chatter picked up once we arrived and the meal was laid out on one large table on their patio. Think of it as a buffet line, only more wine and fattening foods. I hugged some of the girls when I arrived, noticing that the children weren't present. Raye told me that Chad had taken Greg on a ride in his new buggy/go cart. Darien and Charlotte were sitting in the rocker and I waved to Darien before grabbing a beer from the cooler. Andrew sat beside me in some available patio furniture which had been relocated to the lawn. We talked about how great things had been going, and he warned me playfully that if I left again, he'd chase after me. The others soon joined in the conversation and I laughed at the fake stern looks. My friends are really wonderful people. Charlotte pleaded a headache shortly after the dinner was ready and Darien took her home before returning alone. Chad and Greg had returned just as the food had been uncovered and we all sat around drinking, eating and having a good time. There were no bugs out now and I was grateful it was fall. My simple fitted jeans and black tee shirt weren't enough to keep me warm, so I was glad that I had brought a cream sweater robe to chase away the chills. As I was retrieving said item of clothing from Andrew's car, Darien was turning back into the driveway and parked next to Andrew. I quickly pulled the sweater on and turned to go back to the party.
"Hey Serena, where are you going in such a hurry?" I froze in my hurry and spun to face him.
"Ken was in the middle of a great story. I didn't want to miss it." I supplied.
"Oh." He walked beside me around to the back and I received a few curious glances when we arrived together. Strange…it was almost as if they were insinuating that Darien and I were involved. I wish.
**********
The pounding on my door stirred me from my sleep and I stumbled toward the loud noise, intending to kill the person on the other side of the protective piece of wood. Throwing open the door I opened my mouth to scream at the reason my sleep was being interrupted, but the words stuck in my throat. It was Darien. Looking as handsome as ever, standing right there, two steps away from me; the Adonis of my desire.
"What are you doing here?" I couldn't help but ask, hoping my morning breath wouldn't be detected.
"Can I come in?" he asked instead, completely ignoring my question. I gave him an odd look before shrugging mentally and opening the door wider for him to enter.
"Will you just hang on for about twenty minutes while I jump in the shower?" I asked and hurried away from him, hiding the morning breath by the distance.
"Alright. I'm in no rush." he replied and settled down on what had been my bed last night. Twenty minutes, a shower, and a strong toothpaste later, I was buttoning up my blue fitted dress shirt, trying to hide the skimpy lacey white undershirt. Unfortunately, I forgot that this shirt didn't have buttons past my bust line, so I ended up giving up on finding anything more suitable and instead choosing a pair of my favorite, comfortable, Tommy Hilfiger black pants. After what seemed like a lifetime of searching, I finally found a pair of comfortable blue stilettos and tugged my hair into a ponytail, the drying locks curling slightly. Five minutes after that, I was finishing the jewelry selection and my makeup had been completed. Checking the clock I grabbed my purse and laptop bag before going out to face my vice.
"Alright, sorry to make you wait, but I feel so much better after that shower." I dropped my bags onto an empty chair and sat down on the other side of the couch; opposite of his perfect form.
"I don't know what made me want to come here to talk to you." He confessed and I couldn't help but smile slightly.
"Well, why don't you just say what's on your mind, and we can go from there?" It was not a good idea to pat him on the shoulder as if he were a young boy, so I caught my hand before it could touch him. 'No touching! Bad Serena Bad!' He nodded before running a hand through his hair, a nervous habit I had learned about years before. "Do you want something to drink?" The purpose of offering a beverage was to get his mind off his problems. Don't think I'm crazy. It's not hard to tell when something is bothering him. When a patient of his died, the first one of his patients to die, he refused coffee and candy bars. Sleep had become the better part of his days until several of us helped him see that it wasn't his fault the man had died. Darien never refuses chocolate.
"Do you have any coffee?" he asked before running a hand through his hair again. His nervousness is setting off alarm bells in my head. I grimace at the thought of the dark liquid he lives off of.
"No, but I have Starbuck's double shot espressos. Would you like that instead?" I started to get up and he nodded his head before the fidgety habit returned. That man will turn bald before he's forty if he keeps it up. With two cans in hand, I returned from the kitchen moments later and sat down beside him. He took one from my hand before opening it and sipping the strong drink. I set mine on the table and gave him as much attention as I could divert toward him. His body heat was enough to make me dizzy, but the cologne he was wearing was doing the trick just fine. The warmth made me think back to when I had felt so safe and warm with him at the gazebo. It felt perfect. Ever so slowly, he drew his arm around my shoulders and I snapped out of my reverie, semiconscious of the movement. Was this for real? I thought his arm was just my imagination.
"Serena, I want you to answer me truthfully, no matter what, alright?" his midnight blue orbs stared directly into mine, trapping me in their penetrating gaze. I wouldn't lie to him, even if I wanted to.
"Alright." I whispered, my voice uncertain.
"What brought you back?" The question wasn't hard to answer, but the only problem that I encountered was 'how' I was going to answer it.
"I…"
"You said you would answer me truthfully." he reminded me, trying to prompt an answer from me. Closing my eyes and sucking in a breath, I resumed eye contact and sighed.
"I know I did. But Darien, are you sure you want the answer?"
"Of course." There it was: my death order. Why doesn't EVERYONE just command me to jump in a hand basket and go to hell with the rest of my life? Down the toilet just seems too much of a cliché phrase to me, plus it's disgusting and impractical. You flush dead pet goldfish down the toilet, not objects or ideas. "Serena…" His hands were now on either side of my face, forcing me to look nowhere but at him. Straight in the eyes, his eyes; my only weakness.
"You."
Well there you have it. The end of chapter 10.
Serena Style
Author's Notes:
Yeah, I'm back, after only a little under a month from my last update. I'm super sorry those frequent submissions were too good to last very long. I was in a writing whirl, which has now turned into a writing rut. In fact, I started this chapter just today, funny isn't it? Maybe I'll be able to get it out quickly. Today is Monday, July 29th, incase you're wondering, and I'd like to start keeping tabs on my writing habits. Almost like that Aunt Rose who visits, ya know...ya watch out for white pants and all by keeping a calendar and junk, well....writing frenzies only happen so often for me I guess... ohwell. Anywayz... I'll letcha get on with the story. I've finally figured out the TRUE reason why they have author's notes in here anywayz.... it's to make the story seem Longer! hehe..
well...that's the case for me anyhoo. welp..lata ppl.
Standard Disclaimer Applies :( damnit!
I do not own Sailor Moon, nor am I the heir to the Sailor Moon fortune Naoko Takuchi left (which I highly doubt even exists...so I rest my case) Don't sue me, I'm poor. :) This story most DEFINITELY came from ME though. That's right, not you, not Merl the scary guy that steals little children, which every mother has nightmares about...ME! (If you haven't heard of Merl, then you've been sheltered, severely SHELTERED! Around here, we call him Hester, the child molester....but that's just in hickville. Have a nice day though, and don't try to think about Merl too much. He may feel flattered.
ReCaP:
"You really are a life-safer." Darien merely shrugged at the praise Andrew directed toward him. "I feel like it's my fault you were trapped in the bathroom. I forgot to tell you not to close it all the way. The door gets stuck." I managed a slight nod and turned to look out the window at the sky. I would never tell a soul what had just happened between Darien and I. No one would ever know.... My heart shattered into a million pieces and I was afraid I wouldn't be able to piece it back together, even with time.
Chapter 10
Misery Knows Misery
Several days of pounding pavement got me nowhere, until Andrew made a few calls and suddenly, POOF! And yes, poof! Why poof, you may ask? Well...'poof' my new residence was found. A few telephone calls from Andrew, my lifesaver, and I suddenly have a stable place to live, without being woken up at ungodly hours with screams or crashes, (which those scenes like the one where Charlotte had carelessly tossed expensive exotic art around the tiny front room, occurred weekly, I know have learned). Anything that was all mine, was paradise. Things were looking up, except the one part of my life that I wanted to be hitting new highs. It was hitting all-time lows. Of course, I'm talking about my love life. I'd busied myself in disappearing when I knew Darien and Charlotte would be making their presences known, and ended up with the bar tender knowing my name and preference of drink. Many lonely nights reading books on Botany and so on, drinking Coronas or munching on cinnamon apple rice cakes.
But back to pretending as if my life doesn't suck. Then when I was finally moved in to the place, I went into a frenzy of decorating and had Seiya ship my belongings to me. He even helped me unpack along with Andrew and Raye. Mina was nowhere to be seen, and I assumed she didn't want to talk to me anymore, after my explosions directed mostly to Charlotte. There was no patience for her in my blood, I'm sorry! Well...okay, so I'm not the least bit sorry for my actions toward that insufferable witch, but it's all her fault!
After unlocking the several safeguards on my door, I slipped into my quiet and cool apartment, thankful for my forgetfulness, involving turning up the temperature on the air conditioner before I left for work. I'm back to studying plants again, only this time, I'm classifying and categorizing different plants found in the biome we live in right now. The pay isn't bad, plus I still have a few modeling jobs here and there when I have the time, or want to have some fun. Strolling into my room I changed into my exercise outfit, consisting of short navy blue sweat shorts and an ice blue baby tee. Thin blue socks covered my feet as I made my way back into the living room, and began stretching.
My phone rang and I rushed to get it from my position on the floor, my yoga mat crunching with my movements.
"Hello?" I grabbed a glass of juice from the fridge and leaned against the kitchen counter, figuring I needed a break from my exercise.
"Sere, I'm having a get together this Saturday. You know, kind of just like a barbeque or dinner party, outside. I was wondering if you'd be able to come." It was Raye. Her and Chad had built a fabulous house just out of town and had been hosting parties for several months. Apparently, I had just come back at the right time. There was no stopping the smile that spread across my face and I replied that I'd come if she'd give me a list of things to bring. I slipped the list I had jotted down onto the fridge and made a mental note to go shopping tomorrow. Today was Thursday, and if I did everything in good time, I wouldn't be late for the barbeque. The conversation was short, but I didn't mind, she probably had a million things to do before the party. Today hadn't gone as well as I had hoped. I was mentally exhausted but physically felt as if I could run a marathon and still have enough energy to do some shopping. Both are very tiring, so I labeled them energy zappers. After I finished my exercises and found there was nothing on TV worth watching, I changed into a black pleated mini skirt and a tan sleeveless blouse with matching tan pumps before grabbing my purse and deciding to go shopping for a little bit. It clears my mind and I needed an escape. The night's air was nice and cool as it caressed my exposed skin, a perfect temperature for just strolling through the park or getting ice cream. Not hot enough to make you sweat, but not cool enough to require a jacket. There's no one to go crazy over my presence in this town anymore, and the comforting part of it is, that I do not have to listen to men gush about my body, or women gush about how much they loved the clothes I modeled in Vogue of Cosmo. Mitch has called me a few times, but it's not usually about business. He complains that London misses me, and that there is nothing for me in this drab little city. Sometimes I silently agree, but I can't leave again. As much as I'd like to admit that I don't love Darien, it's thrown in my face everyday when I see him or Charlotte walking by. He's the tie that holds me here, but no one else beside myself knows that. My friends think that I'm happy living here, going to work and visiting with them everyday. Sometimes my mind can take a break from the thoughts of Darien, when I take Fiona with me to get ice cream or to the park, but when I go home, I'm haunted by the memories of my younger years, the fighting, then the rescue before my breakdown, the swim and the motorcycle ride.
I'm a little tired after hitting a few shops and buying some clothes I'll never need, but think are nice, so I lugged the bags into a nearby cafe. One of the waitresses led me to a booth and I thanked her before tossing my bags in. She wasn't a homely girl, but nothing you would call pretty either. Her chocolate brown hair was in wild curls that she tried to hide in a bun, but it was apparent it was very thick and rather out of control at times. Brown eyes with the knowledge a girl so young should not possess gazed down at me from her standing position and I was a little shocked at the feeling she gave off. Although she tried to hide it, the girl had something bothering her, putting a dark cloud over her head and she was trying to cover it up with fake rays of sunshine. Misery knows misery.
"What can I get for you to drink?" I dismissed the sadness that was evident to me, I asked for a tall caramel twist with extra caramel syrup.
She returned with my drink and then took my food order. After my food was served, I didn't see her until the bill arrived. I paid and left before returning to my apartment. The answering machine was blinking, which was odd considering that no one ever left a message. Seiya hated answering machines and so did Andrew. The girls always visited me while I was working or called when I was home during my lunch break. Red button still blinking; I stashed my newly purchased items in my room and came back. It was blinking again, definitely not my imagination. Maybe it was broken.....
Finally deciding to just press the button, I was not prepared to hear what came through the speaker.
"Sere- Serena? It's Darien, give me a call back or meet me tomorrow at the park at noon. You know the place." then there was the click and I could only stare at the device. Seriously doubting my own sanity, I replayed the message twice and felt my heart squeeze at the sound of his voice. At first he'd called me Sere, but he sounded unsure and I felt a slight pain in my stomach. Uncertainty consumed my being and I realized too late that fatigue had a detrimental effect on my mind. I crashed on the couch, only able to slip out of my shoes before I surrendered to the dream world.
The next day wasn't much out of the ordinary. After work I bought what I needed for the food I would take to the party and spent that night and the next afternoon fixing the dishes. Andrew picked me up and we rode out to Raye's house together. Idle chatter picked up once we arrived and the meal was laid out on one large table on their patio. Think of it as a buffet line, only more wine and fattening foods. I hugged some of the girls when I arrived, noticing that the children weren't present. Raye told me that Chad had taken Greg on a ride in his new buggy/go cart. Darien and Charlotte were sitting in the rocker and I waved to Darien before grabbing a beer from the cooler. Andrew sat beside me in some available patio furniture which had been relocated to the lawn. We talked about how great things had been going, and he warned me playfully that if I left again, he'd chase after me. The others soon joined in the conversation and I laughed at the fake stern looks. My friends are really wonderful people. Charlotte pleaded a headache shortly after the dinner was ready and Darien took her home before returning alone. Chad and Greg had returned just as the food had been uncovered and we all sat around drinking, eating and having a good time. There were no bugs out now and I was grateful it was fall. My simple fitted jeans and black tee shirt weren't enough to keep me warm, so I was glad that I had brought a cream sweater robe to chase away the chills. As I was retrieving said item of clothing from Andrew's car, Darien was turning back into the driveway and parked next to Andrew. I quickly pulled the sweater on and turned to go back to the party.
"Hey Serena, where are you going in such a hurry?" I froze in my hurry and spun to face him.
"Ken was in the middle of a great story. I didn't want to miss it." I supplied.
"Oh." He walked beside me around to the back and I received a few curious glances when we arrived together. Strange…it was almost as if they were insinuating that Darien and I were involved. I wish.
**********
The pounding on my door stirred me from my sleep and I stumbled toward the loud noise, intending to kill the person on the other side of the protective piece of wood. Throwing open the door I opened my mouth to scream at the reason my sleep was being interrupted, but the words stuck in my throat. It was Darien. Looking as handsome as ever, standing right there, two steps away from me; the Adonis of my desire.
"What are you doing here?" I couldn't help but ask, hoping my morning breath wouldn't be detected.
"Can I come in?" he asked instead, completely ignoring my question. I gave him an odd look before shrugging mentally and opening the door wider for him to enter.
"Will you just hang on for about twenty minutes while I jump in the shower?" I asked and hurried away from him, hiding the morning breath by the distance.
"Alright. I'm in no rush." he replied and settled down on what had been my bed last night. Twenty minutes, a shower, and a strong toothpaste later, I was buttoning up my blue fitted dress shirt, trying to hide the skimpy lacey white undershirt. Unfortunately, I forgot that this shirt didn't have buttons past my bust line, so I ended up giving up on finding anything more suitable and instead choosing a pair of my favorite, comfortable, Tommy Hilfiger black pants. After what seemed like a lifetime of searching, I finally found a pair of comfortable blue stilettos and tugged my hair into a ponytail, the drying locks curling slightly. Five minutes after that, I was finishing the jewelry selection and my makeup had been completed. Checking the clock I grabbed my purse and laptop bag before going out to face my vice.
"Alright, sorry to make you wait, but I feel so much better after that shower." I dropped my bags onto an empty chair and sat down on the other side of the couch; opposite of his perfect form.
"I don't know what made me want to come here to talk to you." He confessed and I couldn't help but smile slightly.
"Well, why don't you just say what's on your mind, and we can go from there?" It was not a good idea to pat him on the shoulder as if he were a young boy, so I caught my hand before it could touch him. 'No touching! Bad Serena Bad!' He nodded before running a hand through his hair, a nervous habit I had learned about years before. "Do you want something to drink?" The purpose of offering a beverage was to get his mind off his problems. Don't think I'm crazy. It's not hard to tell when something is bothering him. When a patient of his died, the first one of his patients to die, he refused coffee and candy bars. Sleep had become the better part of his days until several of us helped him see that it wasn't his fault the man had died. Darien never refuses chocolate.
"Do you have any coffee?" he asked before running a hand through his hair again. His nervousness is setting off alarm bells in my head. I grimace at the thought of the dark liquid he lives off of.
"No, but I have Starbuck's double shot espressos. Would you like that instead?" I started to get up and he nodded his head before the fidgety habit returned. That man will turn bald before he's forty if he keeps it up. With two cans in hand, I returned from the kitchen moments later and sat down beside him. He took one from my hand before opening it and sipping the strong drink. I set mine on the table and gave him as much attention as I could divert toward him. His body heat was enough to make me dizzy, but the cologne he was wearing was doing the trick just fine. The warmth made me think back to when I had felt so safe and warm with him at the gazebo. It felt perfect. Ever so slowly, he drew his arm around my shoulders and I snapped out of my reverie, semiconscious of the movement. Was this for real? I thought his arm was just my imagination.
"Serena, I want you to answer me truthfully, no matter what, alright?" his midnight blue orbs stared directly into mine, trapping me in their penetrating gaze. I wouldn't lie to him, even if I wanted to.
"Alright." I whispered, my voice uncertain.
"What brought you back?" The question wasn't hard to answer, but the only problem that I encountered was 'how' I was going to answer it.
"I…"
"You said you would answer me truthfully." he reminded me, trying to prompt an answer from me. Closing my eyes and sucking in a breath, I resumed eye contact and sighed.
"I know I did. But Darien, are you sure you want the answer?"
"Of course." There it was: my death order. Why doesn't EVERYONE just command me to jump in a hand basket and go to hell with the rest of my life? Down the toilet just seems too much of a cliché phrase to me, plus it's disgusting and impractical. You flush dead pet goldfish down the toilet, not objects or ideas. "Serena…" His hands were now on either side of my face, forcing me to look nowhere but at him. Straight in the eyes, his eyes; my only weakness.
"You."
Well there you have it. The end of chapter 10.