*More Than Friends*

Chapter 2

by sg

"Hi." He said, stepping closer.

"David, how'd you find out my address?" Serena asked, startled by the sudden appearance of him.

"A friend." He replied, his eyes piercing into hers.

"Why . . . are you here?" Serena asked, blinking and turning away. He shouldn't be here! she thought. If my parents ever find out, I'm dead! Now how am I supposed to get rid of him without hurting his feelings?

"I came to see you, of course." David answered, showing his white teeth. Serena sighed and turned to look at him. "You mind?" He asked, stepping further into the house.

Serena didn't know what to answer. If she'd say yes, she'd hurt his feelings. He was sensitive enough for that t happen. But if she would let him in, not only will Katie find out, but her parents too! She put a hand in front of him, blocking his way. "You do mind?"

"Umm. . . " Her mind was thinking, while a car was driving by. The next moment, she found David's hand resting on her cheeck, bringing her face forward, close to her lips. She felt his hot breath on her face. But before he reached his goal, Serena jerked away, running into the house. Oh no, she thought, if I'm correct, that was Darien driving in that car! If he saw us . . . oh no . . .

"S -sorry." David whispered. Serena was too lost in her own thoughts she didn't quite hear what he said. She turned around.

"Y -you gotta go, bye!" Serena said, closing the door right in front of him. Suddenly, she didn't care if she hurt his feelings or not; as long as Darien hadn't seen them like that, she would be fine. Otherwise, she wouldn't forgive herself.

She had that crush on him ever since seventh grade; then it slowly grew more into love, only she's been too scared to ask him if he liked her or something because if he'd say no, she'd probably . . . die. So she kept it a secret from him for three whole years. Now she was so attached to him, she didn't feel any love for anyone else (but her parents, of course; there's gotta be some kind of love for them). Now that she knew he liked her, she had no idea what to do because she had said she hated him ever since they met.

Serena quickly ran up the stairs and grabbed the phone. She punched in seven numbers then waited until she picked up the phone. "Hello?"

"Katie, you still there?" Serena asked hastily.

"Uh, yeah. Sorry, I haven't le -- "

"It's alright, you don't have to." Serena cut her friend off. "On the other thought, I'd really like to be alone."

"Okay . . . are you alright?" Katie asked, worry showing through her voice.

"Yeah, I'm fine." Serena gave a fake laugh. If she would have to fake that laugh forever, she'd rather die! she thought. "See you later."

After that, she punched in another number, which she had memorized three years ago. "Uh, hi?"

"Serena?"

"How'd you know?"

"Heh, I'd know your voice anywhere." He replied, giving a giggle.

"Umm, Darien, umm --" Serena started, but was cut off by Darien.

"What? You wanna tell me how your first kiss felt like? Sorry, I don't wanna know."

"No!" Serena exclaimed, unaware of how loud she was. "I never kissed him!"

"Are you saying I need glasses or something?" Darien replied. "I don't wanna know. 'Bye."

"Wait --" But there was a click and the tone returned. Great, she thought.

Darien, driving in his car, put the cellphone back down. Why would she call me? he wondered. But he already knew the answer to his question.

"Okay." Serena took a deep breath and picked up the phone. It was still early, about seven o'clock in the morning. Her parents were normally gone and she was home alone. She dialed the seven numbers carefully, slowly. Closing her eyes, she brought it up to her ear.

It rung a few times, then there was a voice on the other line; a tired voice.

"H -h -hi." Serena managed. She was stiff! Her throwt was dry!

"What do you want, Serena?" He spat.

"Darien, I -I wanted to ask if . . . well, if I could . . . come over? Or . . . . " Serena asked. She felt dizzy. She was at Darien's apartment just once before, but she could still remember the address and the road perfectly.

"Why?"

"We seriously need to talk."

"Well talk."

"Not through the phone." Serena begged, "Please?"

"Do you know the way here?" He asked, sighing deeply.

"Umm. . . I don't have the car at the moment." She replied, unsure if he would pick her up or let her walk.

"Well, why don't I drive over?"

"Umm . . . " She thought for a moment. Her parents just left about thirty minutes ago and shouldn't be back until that night. She didn't care so much if Darien came over. Just as long as the guy is Darien. "O -okay. Just -- talk. Right?"

"Well, if that's what you want."

"Alright. I'll be waiting. 'Bye." She hung up. Her voice been a whisper ever since she picked up that phone! She was so nervous and unsure. But they really needed to talk. A talk that shouldn't be disturbed.

"'Bye."

Now what? When he'd be here, she thought, what will I say? How will we start the talk? What will happen? What will it lead to? How will we end up at the end? What will change and what will stay the same? What am I going to say? What am I going to talk to him about?

Did I make a mistake?

No, she couldn't make a mistake. Anything with Darien isn't a mistake, she thought. But she'd have to see what would she say to him.

"First of all, calm down." Serena instructed herself after finding something casual to wear. She was walking down the staird after there was a ring at the door.

She opened it. "Hi." He walked in. If he felt same about her, she thought, how did he feel after seeing her almost lip -to -lip with a guy he didn't even know? "Thanks. Thanks for coming. Sit down in the living room, please. I'll be right there."

Darien walked into the big room he thought was the living room. There, he sat down on the couch. The television was on, and some kind of show was blarring out of it. Serena came hurrying in.

"Do . . . you want a drink or something?" She asked, feeling a little more sure about the whole thing.

"I came here to talk, not to drink." That was kind of cold, she thought.

"Oh . . . okay." She sat down beside him slowly.

"So what is it?"

"Be more serious would you?!" Serena exclaimed, raising her voice. "I'm nervous about the whole thing! And you're not helping!"

"Sorry." Darien's voice softened. "Alright, what did you want to talk about?"

"Us." She replied, taking a breath and sending it deep into her lungs.

"Alright. What about 'us'?"

"Well . . . " Serena hadn't had the time to think about what she would actually say and how she would do it.

"Is it about . . . lesse . . . us going out, feelings, etcetra?" He asked, smiling at her, trying to keep his giggling to himself.

"Not funny!" She burst herself. "Anyway . . . . "

"Listening. . . . "

"Stop!" Serena shouted, not laughing nor smiling anymore. She groaned and stood up. "Just forget it! Get out." She pointed at the door which he obviously didn't see because it was behind the living room door. "Go. I shouldn't have called at all!"

Darien raised himself off the couch reluctantly. "Don't hate me for this," he chuckled then looked at her. "but I'll ask again: will you go out with me? Wait -- "

How could she say yes after all those things she said?

He continued, "just forget all the bad things that happened with y -- us, alright? Please?"

Serena felt uneasy. Now what? Okay, she told herself, "Alright."

"Alright as in you will goout with me?" Darien said, that same expression not leaving his face. Serena nodded her head slowly, with a decision of better not looking at him. "Thanks," He said, took two steps towards her, brought his hand to cup her cheek and gently kissed her. It was Serena's first kiss, which she did not want to end. But Darien ended it reluctantly and left with no other word.

As soon as the door was closed, Serena flet dizzy at what just happened: she had enough strength to even let him come over! Usually she was as shy as. . . as who knows what. She let her body fall onto the couch; then she hugged herself and squealed happily, not only from what had happened, but also from her first kiss.

Early Monday morning Serena was awaken by her mother's shouts from downstairs for her to get up. She was so obsessed with Darien last night, she went to bed very late for a school night -- or more correctly, for her parents who allowed her to be up no later than midnight on weekends. Ten p. m. was for the school days. But Serena always stayed up later than that . . . secretly, of course.

Serena reluctantly removed her blanket and walked over to the bathroom. The good thing was that there were two bathrooms, one downstairs and one upstairs so Serena wouldn't have to go all the way downstairs. There she took a quick cold shower, brushed her teeth and hair which she kept dry, changed her clothes, put on a little makeup, and hopped down the stairs, almost fully awake.

"'Morning, Mom, Dad."

"Good morning, Serena," Her mother replied. Her father replied with groans that were supposed to be a morning greeting beneathe that Monday newspaper.

Serena walked over to her locker after chatting with her friends which became an every day thing. She opened it and grabbed some books for the next few periods.

She was startled by the noise made by someone hitting against a locker near hers, she almost shut her locker on her fingers. "God, don't scare me like that!" She sighed, seeing Darien by her locker. Then she looked at him suspiciously. "Since when did you start stopping by my locker?"

"Since now." He replied nonchalantly.

"Well, I have to go to class." Serena replied, still trying to get used to him coming up to her locker . . . every day? "So, see ya."

"Ohh come on, class starts in five minutes." Darien said, catching her hand and pulling her back towards him. "You're not gonna sit in that boring classroom for five minutes?" It was more of a statement than a question.

"Well, I could always try!" She replied, certainly joking.

"Le -- " He was cut off by a blonde guy who stood right next to him already. "Hey, Andrew!"

"Hey, Dar, who's the girl?" Andrew asked. "This is the tenth grade wing, don't you know? Ours is on the third floor."

"Andrew, I know!" Darien replied through clenched teeth. "Anyway, this is Serena." He changed back to his normal tone.

"Hi." She replied calmly.

"So what kind of a friend is she, Darien?" Andrew put an arm around Darien's shoulders for a prop.

"Tell you later," He shook Andrew's arm off. Then spoke in a whisper, "Shut up and leave." He gave Andrew his evil look.

And just like that, Andrew left. "Just like a pet," Darien laughed, loking back at his best friend.

"So, what was that?"

"Oh nothing. I gotta get back to my wing or else I'll be late. See ya." Darien left, trotting down the aisle full of tenth grade students.

"Okay . . . . "

The next six classes were extremely boring. The next and last class was P.E., where she would obviously meet up with Darien since they're in the same class. She changed into her gym clothing and walked into the gym nonchalantly where she was surprised by her two friends, Mina and Lita.

"Hi!!" They squealed at once.

"I heard about you and Darien." Mina said, smiling at Serena. "So, tell us."

"H -how'd you know?"

"Ohh. . . .school rumours." Lita replied, shaking her head.

"Excuse me!" Came a growl behind Serena. Then a 'wait!' of a male voice.

"Oh s- sorry." Serena said, letting a girl with long, dark hair through, who was walking with . . . Darien? "H- hey, Darien."

"Oh hi, Serena." Darien replied, pulling away from the girl.

"Who's that?" The girl made a face, while looking up and down Serena.

"Oh, this is Serena." Darien replied. No need to say more, he decided. "Serena, this is Raye."

"Hi." Serena said, but Raye totally ignored her. She walked passed her, trying to drag Darien behind. In a corner she stopped and started talking with him. It looked like a serious talk, Serena thought, but she couldn't hear them very well except their voices.

"Is that 'Serena' the girl who everyone's talking about?" Raye asked sarcastically.

"What are you talking about?" Darien replied, showing fake perplexion on his face.

Raye scowled. "I heard you're going out with her, Darien."

Great, he thought. He had nothing to say on that comment. But there was a question he could ask. "You jealous, Raye?"

Raye looked at Serena, her eyes searching her. Serena was watching the two still, even after Lita and Mina left out of boredness. What are they talking about? Serena wondered. Why is she looking at me like that? If that Raye is the Raye everyone talks about, than I don't even wanna see that bitch.

"No. What did you find in her anyway?" Raye replied, focusing her eyes back on Darien after Serena left.

"Raye, listen. I already told you that I don't wanna go out with -- " Darien started but Raye walked away, in the direction of Serena.

Serena saw Raye approaching. What does she want from me? Serena asked herself a question that would be answered.

"Listen, you slut, what are you doing with Darien, because he's more than a boyfriend to me. You hop from guy to guy, and I see you already hopped from lil' tenth grade schoolboys to seniors?" With that and a scrunched up face, Raye left, surprised to see that Darien was no where to be seen.

Did she say she was his . . . girlfriend? Serena's face showed confusion.