Disclaimers: the usual please!
Hurt Before*Break Through*
*Wants to break thought the fear
Erasing the scars from within*
When Serena came home that evening she felt unusually satisfied. It wasn't because she knew that Darien would be free again, no, it was because she saw her sweet revenge coming. Darien had hurt her, and now his turn was coming around. At that moment she didn't pity him one bit, not that she ever would, she did not sympathize with his pain either. At that moment Serena decided to move on, even if Darien was to be dumped. She realized that she'd never have a chance with him, so it was better to give up and to find someone who truly liked her, and gave her attention not by criticizing but my cherishing her.
Once Serena decided to move on with her life and stopped dreaming about Darien turning into a real prince charming (that didn't take long after his being so jerky at the General Meeting), she gained a new kind of confidence. Confident as she was, she started to answer more of Darien's remarks (which resumed just a few days after her having talked to Michelle), and more rudely than ever before.
December had arrived a week before, and with that snow and darkness soon followed. Serena gave up wearing dresses, and tired on some really comfortable black denim with her baby blue sweater, and her white winter jacket.
She rushed into the Diamond and Shields headquarters, running from the cold. As she stepped into the elevator she noticed that she would have to share it with Darien.
"You're wearing pants today," he noted coolly.
"What? Do you have any problems with that?" was what she said.
"No, no, it looks more respectable than those ugly dresses that you usually wear," he told off rather sincerely in his indifferent tone. It was probably meant was a compliment, but what woman— no, what person could accept that as a compliment? Exactly, Serena saw that as an offence.
"Oh," Serena commented disinterested, facing the elevator doors, "Have you suddenly started to respect me because I'm wearing pants?"
"Respect you?" he questioned raising one of his eyebrows, "What does that have to do with anything? I only said that you look more respectable."
"I see, not even pants will do then? It's a pity to know that while our society is evolving, you are still stuck in the Dark Ages," she retorted.
"What are you trying to imply?" he asked, maybe he felt affected for he turned to face her now, making eye contact with those deep sky eyes. "That I do not respect you because you're a woman?"
"Precisely," she snapped as the elevator doors opened and she hurried out, not hearing something he said about not trusting shrinks. He stood there a few seconds longer that usual with a Mona Lisa smile on his lips.
Perhaps it was the snow that made Serena's heart harden a little, but it was a change of state that her career had been waiting for. Finally, she'd stop taking crap, and realize that she didn't want to do a secretary's job, that her Diamond and Shields couldn't just get way with having her working for two people and giving her a paycheck of one person. Nope, no can do! Her job that to counsel stressed out workers, and she had plenty of those coming to her. So when she finally found that Mr. Diamond was free, she decided to put forth her decision. Like her father said: the world is a jungle and its inhabitants are all beasts.
"Mr. Diamond," she started after having sat down by his desk, "I came to discuss with you my job."
"Go ahead, Serena," he said calmly.
"Well, you hired me as a secretary and part time counselor. I am a psychologist, and I feel as if I should abstain from secretary work and focus on counseling the workers of this company. I have had to cut from my breaks, lunches, and even stay after hours to have sessions, because I do other work during the day. I would therefore like to ask for a position to counsel full time."
"Counseling full time!" she heard Darien's voice behind her.
Serena turned toward the intruder. 'Don't you ever learn to knock?' she thought, but did not dare to speak out loud, in case that might ruin her chances of that promotion she was asking for.
"Yes, Mr. Shields," she said instead, quite firmly. "It's wonderful that you company decided to get a counselor, it would do much good for the people working here, but if I'm going to help then I'll have to work full time. I have more than twenty-five people waiting to have a session with me this week. Fifteen minute chats won't do, I have to get to know the people, write reports… and I get worn out by working overtime almost everyday.
"Say, Miss Moone," Darien started skeptically, "How do you get worn out by chatting to people?"
"They chat; I don't," she corrected him looking at those stern opaque blue eyes. "I listen to what my patients say. Listen, meaning that I hear, then process the information, and try to advice then when they ask for it. I try to ask the right questions, to understand them, to make them talk it out, and to make them feel better without giving them false phrases. I have to think about what I say so as not to offend people. It takes a lot of concentration to do this, Mr. Shields; I actually have to remember that other people have feelings because people like you cannot be bothered to care. Or what do you say, Mr. Shields, don't you ever get tired from talking to people on the phone all day? Or writing your emails and reports?"
"Please don't mind Darien," Diamond told her, "I understand your concerns, and will arrange that you get your own working space and make you officially the counselor. I'll talk to Amara tomorrow, and maybe next week you'll be able to move into your new office."
Lara1786: *sigh* I'm really sorry I made you cry, but I mean give his a break… he's a man, and he was about to get some when that little twit walked in on him and ruined all his plans… of course he was frustrated *kidding* I swear that from chapter 8 on, things can only get better!
daisy31, serena79, Namiko-Daughter of Sekhmet, aurora: Thank you! I'm happy that you're still here! Anyway, school starts tomorrow, but I'll keep updating it was often, I'm writing the next to last chapter by hand now so don't worry.
lizc: *blush* Thank you! although my sis tells me that this cannot be good for my ego. *I'm better than she is!—Hang on there… she doesn't write fan fics… oh yea, oh well*
nishikaze: yes, aren't The Corrs just great? Although I didn't really like the new songs in their Best of Album… I've read "closer", and I really liked it! It was short and good, and it is very real. Thanks for the tip! That what I did with this one today, and what I'll do with the next chapter *I typed them in yesterday , so…* And I'll remember to write Hotaru the right way next time! Thanks, a lot!
Moonlightshadows: ever heard that song "Moonlight Shadow" by Mike Oldfield? Yes, I have it stuck in my head so, the whole day I've been going "carried away by the moon light shadow…"! It's a really sad song thou, I fell in love with it when I head it on the radio a few years ago.
Anyway, Nope I've decided that I shall not downl—ahem I mean rent Secretary when it comes on DVD, instead I'll be drooling over Matt Damon when I watch Stuck on You. Heh! *drool… poodle* I wuv Matt Damon!