2002 Valentine's Special: Waiting for You
Part 2: What is Love?
By: Ghostwriter
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'Why the long face, Serena?' Andrew asked lightly, concern with Serena's moody demeanor. The blond just slouched onto the counter. 'No, nothing much. Can you give me something with alcohol in it? I need something to shake me up,' Serena mumbled. The others had already left and she was only one left at the arcade. It was nearing closing time and there weren't many customers in the arcade anymore.
'Sorry, Sere. I'll get sued if I serve you alcohol,' Andrew said. 'But here, try this,' he said as he slid a mug across the counter to her. Serena, in her depressed state, took a sip of the mug's contents. Inspiration struck her instantly as the liquid flowed down her throat.
She placed the mug down and asked hesitantly, 'Andrew, What is Love?' Andrew cast a glance at her before answering. 'Some say we live to know Love.'
'Is love that wonderful?' Serena questioned, to no one in particular as she took another sip of her drink.
Andrew laughed. 'Don't you know there is a saying? You don't marry someone you can live with. You marry someone you can't live without.'
Serena pondered for a moment. She still isn't sure of her feelings towards Darien yet. She thought again and asked, 'Andrew, how do you know whether you love that person or not?'
Andrew contemplated the question. 'I personally believe that when you say you love a person, it means he or she is more important to you than life itself. You will want to know their every joy and be there to kiss their tears away. To be in their presence is a blessing itself. You would rather die than to let harm befall that person.'
'Oh,' was all Serena was able to say. She didn't know that Love is so deep. She still doesn't know if she can classify her feelings towards Darien as Love. The way Andrew described Love was so wonderful, enchanting as though it only exist in a higher realm.
'What is the difference between love and a crush?' Serena ventured to ask.
Andrew laughed again as he replace the glasses into its holder above them. 'A crush is just a passing wind; easily forgotten where else Love can never be forgotten. But then again, there are many types of love, love between friends, between teacher and student, between relatives and love between friends. But love between lovers is supposedly to be so wonderful that when you are together, you feel as though you are complete, whole. Why are you asking all these questions?'
'Uh – you know, growing up, hormones, stuff…' Serena laughed uneasily studying the mug she held. The color looks just like Darien's jacket, she mused distractedly. 'Tell me Andrew, what is a guy's dream girl?'
'Well…the standards change as you grow older you see,' Andrew began but Serena cut in, 'Andrew, what is a guy your age's dream girl?'
'Oh, kind, understanding, intelligent, humorous, courageous, long golden blonde hair, baby blue eyes, beautiful,' Andrew's eyes grew hazy as he listed them out.
'Just like Mina,' Serena finished for him. Andrew instantly grew shades redder. 'How do you know?' he whispered to her.
'Hehe…pretty obvious, you practically painted her picture with your description,' Serena said jokingly. 'It could have been you,' Andrew joked back. 'I could have a huge admiration for you.'
Serena shook her head. 'I'm not intelligent, humorous or courageous. I'm a fourteen year old wailing crybaby who klutzes all the time and couldn't even pass an elementary math test plus I'm a living health hazard that doesn't have a fashion sense.' There were tears in her liquid blue eyes. She gulped down some of her drink to calm herself down.
Andrew was visibly shocked by Serena's description of herself. 'Sere, you're not that bad. Look, you're beautiful and you're maturing. Everyone goes through that stage. You shouldn't think of yourself that way. You're only sixteen. You'll grow up and I'm sure by the time you're eighteen, you'll have all the guys falling at your feet,' he tried to console the girl.
'Oh yeah? Why doesn't Mina, Lita, Rei or Amy klutzes around like me?' Serena challenged. 'Besides, it wasn't me who said all that. It was your best friend, Darien Shields,' she shot back. She cradled her head in her arms and began to cry softly.
Andrew walked out from behind the counter and sat beside the young girl. She looked so beautiful, so fragile. Andrew put an arm around Serena. 'Don't worry Sere, Darien didn't mean all that. Besides, since when did Darien's opinion matter to you?'
'It does!' Serena cried through her tears. 'Since I fell head over heels in love with him!'
Andrew was really stunned beyond words at the revelation. He did not really trust himself to speak at the moment. 'Since when have you realized you love Darien? Don't you think you are a bit too young to be that serious about him? Maybe it's just a crush?' he suggested.
'Oh Andrew, I don't know,' Serena wailed as she flung her arms around him. It was lucky for them that the arcade was already empty by then. 'I always thought I hated him and because of that I – I like to bicker with him all that time. I thought I hated every thing about him, from the way he teases him to the horrible green jacket he wears. But for the past few months, I can't get him out of my mind! When I start to eat a sickeningly sweet sundae, I remember him teasing me about it. When I fall down, I wish he was there to cushion me. When I get my results back, I remember him taunting me if the marks are low but making a note to show it to him if they are high.'
'I felt something when I saw him with that – that girlfriend of his. It was as though I want to kill her, oh Andrew, the feeling was so strong. I wanted to tear them apart on the spot. But they look so right together, I don't have the heart. It was as though they are a match made in heaven. I wanted to run away because I can't stand seeing them together like that. Yet, I want to be close to him, to hear his laughter and see his smile.'
'I can't stop thinking about him. I try to busy myself with chores, homework, activities, just to forget him. But at the end of the day, when I'm so tired, and all my defenses are down, he comes to me in my dreams. I can't get him out of my head! I try to avoid him but I forever bump into him on the streets and here. What should I do?' Serena implored to Andrew.
Andrew didn't know what to say. It sounded as though Serena has really got it bad for Darien. Serena had stopped crying and was sniffling and wiping her face with some tissues. 'Anyway, thanks for listening to me. I've got to go now, It's getting late,' she sniffled and blew her nose. 'By the way, what was it you gave me?' she asked as she pointed out at the mug.
'Uh – Coffee…and that's Darien's favorite mug.' Andrew braced himself to expect an outburst of some kind. Instead, Serena just stared at the mug. Oh, I forgot. She's got it big for him now, Andrew thought.
'Can I keep it?' Serena asked, still staring at the cup. 'I'll pay for it.'
'No need, you can just take it. Here, let me clean it up first.' Andrew grabbed the mug and quickly ran to the sink behind the counter to rinse it. Toweling it dry, he took a paper bag from the top shelf of the cupboard behind him and placed the treasured mug into it. 'Here you go.'
'Thanks Andrew,' Serena said and she turned to go. 'And Andrew,' she said turning back. 'Promise me you won't tell me what we talked about tonight? I don't want the relationship between us to change.'
'Sure. You have my word,' Andrew pledge solemnly. He drew a cross on his chest with his finger. 'Cross my heart.'
'Thanks Drew. Bye.' With that, she stepped out into the cool night air.
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Darien maneuvered in his new convertible around the streets of New York. He stopped at a red light and glanced out of the window. In front of him, he saw a blond with two buns on her head and long pigtails trailing behind her. She was walking from the direction of The Crown Arcade. It doesn't take a genius to tell that she is upset from the way she clutched that paper bag she held in her hands.
Darien cast a glance at the clock in his dashboard. It read 10:30 pm. What the hell does Andrew think he is doing letting her walk alone this late at night? Darien cursed. Anything can happen to her! The light turned green and Darien shifted gears and speeded up till he pulled up beside the girl.
'Meat – Serena!' Darien called as he cruised alongside the forlorn figure. He got no response so he tried again. 'Serena!' Again, the form remained mute, absorbed in her thoughts. Impatient, Darien yelled. 'MEATBALL HEAD!'
'Huh?' Serena snapped out of her trance at the sound of Darien's voice. She turned to see a Darien looking out of his car window at her. 'What do you want?' she asked shakily. It's a bit shocking to be thinking of someone and he appears of you the minute you turn your head.
'Do you want a lift? It's pretty dangerous to be out here alone this late at night,' Darien offered. 'Err – No, thanks, my house is quite near,' Serena politely declined. Darien raised an eyebrow. 'Meatball Head, if it's pretty near, why don't you let me drop you off. I'm going that way anyway,' he reasoned.
Serena swallowed nervously. Should she? What would she say to Darien if she accepts the ride? 'Err – Really, I can walk,' Serena said, starting to feel the waves of panic washing over her. 'My house is that way,' she blurted out pointing in the opposite direction.
Darien narrowed his eyes. Serena obviously isn't a very good liar and she was really reluctant to let him drive her back. 'Don't worry, I was making a U-turn,' he replied simply. 'Look, are you afraid of me or something? I don't bite, you know,' he stated, starting to lose his temper.
No matter how much they say love can change people, some things can never be changed. Like how easily Serena gets mad at Darien. 'Scared of you? Why should I be scared of you?' she demanded.
'Then prove it,' Darien taunted. 'Get in to the car and show me where your house is.'
'Fine,' Serena stomped and got into the black BMW. She glared at him, 'Happy?'
Darien only shook his head as he drove off.
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Disclaimer: I'm a ghost and a ghosts can't really own anything beside their thoughts. So don't sue because there is no way you can sue a dead person. Thank you.
Hey People!
How is every enjoying this so far? Encouraged to write faster by the reviews, I have churned out this chapter as fast as my fingers can type. Come on, tell me. You see, it really is true that reviews makes a writer write faster. So keep them coming in ok?
Ok, in this fic, the girls are 16 and Darien and Andrew is 21. Darien is not a pre-med student and his profession and interest will be revealed in later chapters. Lol…you'll be pleasantly surprised at the end. By the way, I can't decide to make this fic short or long, so review me and tell me what you think. My mail box is pretty empty.
I'll post up on chapter for every 15 reviews I get. I'll check. If I hit a lot of reviews in one shot, I'll post a lot of chapters in one shot also. So, get your friends to read and review my story and we all can get on with the story, ne? I know this is wicked, but hey, I enjoy communicating with my fellow writers and readers.
Please hit the 30 mark soon so the third chapter can come out. I'm dying to post it! Oops – I think I just let it slip that I have already written it? Hehe….Ahhh! Don't kill me…I'm already a ghost! You can't kill a ghost!
Haunts of Love,
GHOSTWRITER…