Chapter 22:
Mina was actually the last one to go to sleep that night and the first one to wake up that morning despite her tiredness. Her thoughts returning to Malachite's unfaithfulness and all the tears that consumed her and all the comfort food that she had consumed.
But what really ate at her insides was her harsh back lashing at Serena. She could tell that she had deeply affected her blonde comrade at arms with her harsh words and treatment that was unfairly ravished upon her.
It was like she was channeling a much nastier and meaner Raye. But Raye however, after having fought and/or argued with Serena for so long even before they had meet Mina, knew when to back off when Raye knew she pushed her just a little too hard or too far.
That morning at breakfast no matter how hard Mina tried to ignore Serena or how much her insides were churning in her stomach she couldn't bare to make up and say sorry.
Mina knew that she was partly to blame with the Michael dig, she had after all set them up but she knew that she had made some valid points and that Serena had serious issues to sort through. And she will never realize them if Mina went out of Raye and Lita's bedroom and apologized to Serena who was currently bumming around in the lounge.
Actually making herself useful for once as she cleaned up after the havoc the four girls created last night before starting on her last minute homework and assignments which wasn't a lot because Darien had helped her the previous night.
Mina cringed at the memory that enfolded at that unforgettable breakfast, just a couple of hours earlier on. Mina had tactlessly lashed out again at Serena as she was more than happily devouring Lita's world class waffles with strawberries when she asked Lita how she and Ken were going and if they gone past 2nd base yet.
She had seen the confused face that Serena sported when she looked at Lita questioningly and the brunette some what shame facedly admitted that she and Ken had started going out soon after Serena and Michael had hooked up.
Mina also noticed with a certain degree of glee when Serena's face contorted up in hurt and disinclined congratulations. She had then hurried away and locked her self in the bathroom from which a radiant freshly –showered Raye emerged.
The raven head picked up on the tension filled room and sighed before rubbing her forehead in a sure sign that no matter what they said, she was going to get a headache.
"What exactly happened after I left last night?"
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The sun was just reaching its zenith when Serena decided to go on a walk; away from the stifling atmosphere that she reluctantly called her dorm. Mina was still locked up in Lita's room after Raye's verbal bashing when she heard what Mina had said and done to Serena.
Serena's first instinct was to go to Darien's apartment or innocently sit in one of his lectures that she knew that he had in a couple of hours. Suddenly the thought of Beryl came rushing through the head.
"Surely she must have kept him occupied last night," Serena muttered distastefully to herself as she kicked a loose stone down the pathway.
Not predicting as she suddenly lurched forward when said stone and lame foot tripped up over each other. Serena closed her eyes, unwilling to see the ground rush up to meet the rest of her so far un-bruised body.
Serena's eyes automatically snapped open when she felt someone grab her hastily around her waist, preventing her from hitting the cement with a painful smack.
She heard her savior laugh behind her quietly as he placed her back on her two feet, "Still not over the klutz attacks eh, meatball head?"
Serena gasped sharply as she spun around sharply to promptly land on her arse. His mouth twisted into a smirk above her showing her, his amusement.
She took this opportunity to promptly check out her looming adversary as she squinted away from the bright rays of light that was directly in her eyes.
He was more then dressed up then normal as he wore a simple polo shirt with a charcoal jacket and black slacks. The jacket really pronouncing his broad shoulders.
"You just gonna let me sit here all day?" Serena said with a pout.
Darien automatically reached out his hand to pull up the slightly flushed blonde up. Truth be told, he was admiring the view he had when he was standing above her. He had the perfect advantage view of Serena's low cut V top revealed more than what she originally thought.
Serena noticed with only bit of shock that she was in deed standing outside of Darien's apartment building as she brushed herself off and brushed off invisible dust from her navy blue track pants which clung to her shapely behind.
Darien let out a low growl of warning, already feeling the affects that the woman standing in front of him produced.
Serena; however was in inner conflict. Half of her, the sane rational part that Mina was trying to crack into both late last night and then this morning urged her not to engage herself into any activities with the devilish handsome man who was looking straight into her soul.
Her mind and Serena knew that she had to figure this entire thing out, reassess what she wanted and if she really needed it before something even more drastic happened.
Though her heart and body urged her to give into her more primal desires and take him right there. She was more than ready for him and as she could plainly see that he was very eager to help her out.
"You and Seiya?" Darien asked snapping Serena out of her trance and inner battle.
"Over for good, he intends to marry Ann and make her a semi decent woman if not, decent mother at least, to his child," Serena said reflectively.
Then she blurted something out without much thought that caused Darien to flounder around a bit, "You and Beryl?"
"Uh... Serena..."
"What? Oh I'm sorry I didn't mean it like that... um," Serena rambled.
"It's alright," Darien reassured as he ran his eyes over her pert body.
He didn't know why he was so relieved when Serena had declared that Seiya and her were over for good and had no hope in ever getting back together considering that he was getting married to Ann, which everybody knew was the biggest slut and easy fuck out there.... well maybe Beryl was first but Ann came a close second.
As Serena took a hesitant step forwards, aching to run her hands through his wild hair and over his shoulders and back. She held in a moan of desire as she visualized all the naughty things she wanted to do to him, all the things that she was depriving herself of.
Darien heard her stifled moan and raised an eyebrow as he gathered her in his arms and dipped his head, lowering himself closer to him as his lips meet the softness of her lips.
Serena's arms wrapped around his neck, pulling him closer to her as she opened his mouth to let him slip inside his sensuous tongue as he dueled tenderly with her own tongue.
He pulled back slightly as he ran his tongue over her lips that tasted like strawberries no doubt because of her lip gloss, before he nibbled on her soft, rosy pink engorged lips.
She groaned as she slid a leg between Darien's giving them more pelvic to pelvic contact. Darien could feel her smile across his lips when she felt the extent of his arousal for her.
He broke away from her suddenly when he remembered where he was going before he 'saved' Serena from falling flat on her face which failed when she fell straight on her butt.
"Wait... Serena," Darien said as he tried to avert her lips as she reached up to recapture his lips in between her teeth.
He pushed her away suddenly, jerking her out of her lust fogged mind before hurriedly wrapping his arms around her again except this time keeping a more respectable space. "Serena, as much as I would love to drag you up to my apartment and continue to consume you, I can't. I'm going to be late for a really important lecture,"
"A lecturer going to a lecture?" Serena teased with an easy going smile as she indiscreetly tried to wiggle her way out of his firm hold.
Darien smiled tightly as he increased his hold on her before she could wrench herself and flee, something that she wasn't totally uncommon for lately, "You can always join me if you have nothing else to do,"
"Err, not exactly dressed for a lecture, Darien," Serena said with a sweep of her hand as she indicated her trackies and top.
"Easy, just run up to my apartment and change, it will also give me time to freshen up," Darien added with a sly wink.
Serena smiled as she mused over his attempts as he immediately ushered her into his apartment building and up to the elevator before finally admitting defeat.
She will definitely rearrange her priorities after today, but this one day she had free she was sure on hell bent on enjoying it and damn Mina or anyone else who might ruin it for her.
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Ann laughed heart hardly, not bothering to cover herself up from the true self. Alan already seen her in all her highs and lows and now after 22 years of knowing each other it was just a bit late to go back to be the blushing virgin.
They had spent a whole day of just catching up and chilling out at Ann's apartment (after going at it 3 more times) they were now snuggled up to each other on her ratty couch, empty Chinese cartoons surrounded them and the out dated radio blared at them.
"And that folks was Maroon 5- She will be loved, up next we have the very best Usher with Confession part II," Ann listened half heartedly as she shifted away from Alan's wondering hands with a mock glare.
You would think that with the money that Ann earned from working at The Dance club that she would live and have much better appliances and furniture but what most people didn't know but most suspected was that she blew it all on illegal drugs and alcohol before the week was even up.
These are my confessions
Just when I thought I said all I can say
My chick on the side said she got one on the way
These are my confessions
Man I'm throwed and I don't know what to do
I guess I gotta give you part 2 of my confessions
If I'm gonna tell it then I gotta tell it all
Damn near cried when I got that phone call
I'm so thrown and I don't know what to do
But to give to you part 2 of my confessions.
The song triggered something inside of Ann. It reminded her of the situation she was in with Seiya and now Alan. So far she had managed to avoid the whole 'baby' issue with Alan, it wasn't like she was ashamed of the life growing inside of her, it was more an matter of what Alan's reaction might be and how hurt he would be.... possibly even disgusted.
Ann knew deep down that the more she procrastinated about telling Alan, the longer they spent together, the more he would hurt when he did find out the truth. It was better to nip it in the bud before it could bloom.
Now this gon' be the hardest thing I think I ever had to do
Got me talkin' to myself askin' how I'm gon' tell you
'Bout that chick on part 1 I told ya I was creepin' with, creepin' with
Say she's 3 months pregnant and she's keepin' it
First thing that came to mind was you
Second thing was how do I know if it's mine and is it true
Third thing was me wishin' that I never did what I did
How I ain't ready for no kid and bye bye to our relationship
"Alan, there is something I need to tell you.... and it's fairly important," Ann trailed away uncertainly, thinking back on all the events that passed them by this day. Did she really want to ruin it now? Did she want to admit the truth to him, the only person who she felt she could really relate to.
"What is it?" Alan asked softly as he brushed away her dark hair from her seemingly innocent face, swiveling around so he could see her clearly.
"You can tell me," He coaxed as he saw Ann rapidly retreat back to her shell, his hand rubbing her back reassuringly, sending little tingles right down to her toes that only made her want to cry in remorse.
Sitting here stuck on stupid, trying to figure out
When, what and how I'mma let this come out of my mouth
See it ain't gonna' be easy
But I need to stop thinkin', contemplatin'
Be a man and get it over with (over with)
I'm ridin' in my whip
Racin' to her place
Talkin' to myself
Preparin' to tell her to her face
She opened the door and didn't wanna come near me
I said one second baby
Please hear me
Ann suddenly lifted her head up from the security and shelter of his neck when she heard the front door open and close with a considerably loud bang and then Seiya's voice ring out.
"Ann? I brought some baby books with me! I was in the book store today and I just couldn't believe the titles I mean 'What to expect when expecting?' C'mon can they be just a little bit more original?" Seiya rambled on as he held the stack load of books above his head only to stop dramatically when he saw the intimate position she was currently in.
"Seiya! What are you doing here? Well apart from the books," Ann said stating the obvious. "How did you get in?" She said as she jumped off the couch and off the comfortable position she was in, thanking whatever higher being that was out there that she was luckily wearing clothes.
These are my confessions
Just when I thought I said all I can say
My chick on the side said she got one on the way
These are my confessions
Man I'm thrown and I don't know what to do
I guess I gotta give you part 2
Confessions
If I'm gonna tell it then I gotta tell it all
Damn near cried when I got that phone call
I'm so thrown and I don't know what to do
But to give you part 2 of my confessions
"Umm... The door was unlocked?" Seiya said almost questioningly as he stared past Ann at the man who was lounging on the couch without a care in the word.
Seiya could see that the man was no doubt handsome both in his looks and attitude. Though he could also decipher with a growing unease that his body language that portrayed that he didn't give two fucks who the man who just walked into Ann's apartment waving books over his head like a mad man was but his body language also portrayed certain protectiveness towards Ann.
Like he was a coiled tiger waiting for her to be harmed so he could leap up and attack Seiya.
"Sorry didn't know that you had company over," Seiya mumbled as he broke his concentration line when Alan suddenly looked up.
Ann looked between her 'step brother' and new fiancé worriedly already feeling the tension rise, "Seiya, this is my step brother Alan, Alan this is Seiya,"
This is far the hardest thing I think I ever had to do
To tell you, the woman I love
That I'm having a baby by a woman that I barely even know
And hopefully you'll give me another chance
This ain't about my career
This ain't about my life
It's about us,
Please.
"Her fiancé," Seiya quickly supplied when Alan didn't even acknowledge him. Relieved to find out that he was Ann's step brother not a lover that she had been hiding from him.
Seiya's declaration quickly snapped Alan to attention as he looked at Ann sharply, rising of the couch his face flickering between shock and hurt between settling in the middle with a mask of indifference.
"Congratulations," Alan bit out as he turned his icy cold exterior onto Seiya.
"Thanks, were also expecting but I guess Ann already told you all about that!" Seiya said a little unnerved by his cold glaze.
Ann's mouth closed and opened like a fish as she stared at Seiya dumbfound. She was going to wring his neck! Ann held her stomach suddenly as she was about to be sick, her shoulders trembling as she stood in the middle of Alan and Seiya.
"I'm afraid she's left out some MAJOR details since we've talked," Alan's voice just as cold and unwelcoming as his eyes.
These are my confessions
Just when I thought I said all I can say
My chick on the side said she got one on the way
These are my confessions
Man I'm thrown and I don't know what to do
I guess I gotta give you part 2
Confessions
If I'm gonna tell it then I gotta tell it all
Damn near cried when I got that phone call
I'm so thrown and I don't know what to do
But to give you part 2 of my confessions.
"Uh.... about that Ann, the reason I came over was to ask you when you wanted to go out to buy your engagement ring?" Seiya asked oblivious to the fact that he had long ago stuck his foot in his mouth.
"It seems like you two need to talk, so I'll just let myself out," Alan said hearing enough as he slipped past both Seiya and Ann who made no move to stop him.
"Step sister my ass," Alan threw back the words that Ann uttered when he first appeared on her door step only earlier this morning when he passed her.
As Ann heard the front door band shut behind him, she sunk to the floor in heart wrenching sobs as the only man she truly loved in a world where love was evasive and artificial walk out of her door and possibly even out of her life for good.
"And that folks was Usher with Confessions part 2!" Ann had the radio drown as she was suddenly pitched into a wave of darkness.
I've noticed that I haven't gotten as many reviews as I have before and I limited it down to 3 possibilities: a) I've become a sucker writer and nobody likes to read 'Under the Covers' no more!! b) reviewers are becoming lazier and not reviewing or c) all of the above.
Either way my point is review!! And make me just a tiny bit happier!!