Hey! Sorry I left this story alone for so long. I won't say it was an accident, I sorta lost hope for it. Then the other day I was reading through it and fell back in love with the whole idea. So hope I didn't totally lose you all!"


What About Love?

Chapter 2


Serena earned her nightly pay of 150 and then 50 extra, in tips. She now had the money she needed for her rent and a little extra to put some food in their fridge. Placing the money in her back pocket, she walked up side the 'Laine' and headed to the bus stop. When a horn was beeped on the other side of the street, Serena jumped out of her skin. Across the street Darien stood a smirk on his face. He nodded his head in a 'come here' jester and got back in the car. She ran quickly to the car and got in the passengers side.
"Hey." She shut the door and Darien started the engine. "What are you doing here?"
"Picking you up." Serena rolled her eyes.
"Yea, got that. I mean...how'd you know where I was?" She raised a suspicious eyebrow at him.
"Andrew." He said with a shrug. She nodded and a silence fell over them. It was one of them silences where its uncomfortable, yet familiar, so you didn't mind it.
"So..." He glanced over quickly before looking back at the road.
"So..." She mocked him, having nothing else to say. "You didn't have to pick me up."
"I know," He turned the wheel, maneuvering around a corner. "I wanted to."
"Okay..." She held out the word, stressing it. A few minutes more of silence, Darien pulled up to the restaurant where Andrew and Brad where. She went to open her door, but the hand on her arm stopped her.
"Hold on a minute." She moved her arm from the door and sat back in the seat.
"Yea?" She asked figuring he wanted to talk.
"I want to...make you a business deal..." Her face scrunched up and she stared at her hands. From the corner of her eye she could see him staring at her, watching her emotions. "I had an interesting talk with Andrew today. We caught up on old times and then we talked about...you. Andrew mentioned some interesting things." His grip seemed to tighten on the steering wheel. "He mentioned that you were a little...low on money and that you and Brad needed-"
"He had NO right. To tell you any of that." She gripped her fists in her lap and her nails dug into her palms.
"He was only trying to help."
"I don't need help." Serena's pride was strong. She held strong.
"You do. I want to be the one to help you. I want to offer you something. It will be more of a loan then me just giving you money. You'll have to pay me back in time. But there will be no strings attached. I want to-" Serena cut in once again.
"I am not your charity case, Darien. Damn it! You have only been back in town for less than 24 hours. I don't need some one to run to my rescue every time I fall. I hate that." She folded her arms across her chest and slumped in her seat.
"I've been here for three days." Darien said swiftly.
"What?" Serena shook her head.
"You said I had only been here less than 24 hours...it's been three days."
"Oh."
"Yea..." He took a deep breath and grabbed her chin, making her face him. "So you won't take the money?"
"No, I won't. I can't." She had more reasons than he knew, but they weren't meant to be said. What seemed like disappointment filled his eyes and he let go of her chin.
"Okay." He shut off the car and stepped out of it. Serena followed the suit, then stared at him over the car.
"I feel as if I should apologize." He stared at her.
"You shouldn't." She stared at him for another second, then walked away from the car, the low beep of the doors locking, signaling Darien's follow.
---
"Hey! Cheater." Serena huffed and folded her arms over her chest as Andrew moved five spaces and landed on the free sparking space. "Nope. I get the money." He laughed evilly before taking the money, full of multiple 500 hundreds and other bills. He was winning anyway. Serena was down to her five places and 3 hundred dollars. "Chea-ter!" Brad said with a small laugh, taking his mom's side. He didn't want Andy to have to money either. He always sat by his mother when her and uncle Andy played this game. They were fun to watch.
"Ah. I see I am being bombarded by my enemies. It's only fair to ask the other player in this. Darien? What do you think?"
Darien glanced around, from Brad and Serena to Andrew and back. Brad and Serena pleaded with their eyes and he looked down at this own stock. He had 2 utilities and the four railroads plus all the light blue places. He had a good amount of money, and didn't care who took the pot. But one more look at Brad and Serena, had him saying,
"Cheater." Andrews face fell and Brad and Serena smiled triumphantly. Serena wasn't really sure how Darien had joined her and Andrews weekly game of monopoly. He had followed her in the building then upstairs. Andrew and Darien had shared a few words and Brad had stared at Darien from his chair in front of the television.
Serena had taken Darien over to the chair and introduced the two. The seemed to click pretty well. Darien had the boy laughing before 5 minutes of talking to him.
"Serena, your turn." Darien's voice snapped her back to the present and she picked up the dice. The free parking money was back in the middle and Andrew had a pout on his face. She rolled the dice and got a eight. Moving her spaces she landed right on the Free Parking spot.
"Ha!" She cried out in victory.
"Cheater!" Andrew mocked from earlier.
"Nuh-huh." She stuck out her tongue and hugged the money.
"Brad? You think mommy was cheating?" The boy shook his head and looked at Darien.
"Da-re?" Brad asked using Darien's newly found nickname.
"No, I don't think she did either." Andrew threw his hands up in surrender.
---
Four days after the big monopoly game, which Serena won, Darien walked into Andrew's diner and took his old seat at the bar seats. This place seemed no different than when he was a teenager. Groups of girls stood of to one side, or at a certain table. A few male teenagers stood randomly around the diner or in the arcade upstairs. A few couples sat at some of the tables. Little kids sat eating their food quietly, or being really loud and trying to get away from their parents. The only big difference from then and now was there had always been a very loud argument between him and a certain meatball head. He really missed arguing with Serena. That might sound weird, but it was the only real thing he had before they became friends...and then there was Marc.
"Hey stranger." A voice said behind him. He turned around and saw Serena standing behind the bar.
"Hey meatball head." Serena stopped from cleaning a glass and stared at him.
"I came not believe you would even dare to call me that. Jerk." Serena Scowled and touched her short, straight hair. "My hair isn't even long enough for them anymore. Idiot."
"Well isn't that a shame." He threw back sarcastically. Serena opened her mouth to retort, before stopping. She stared at him oddly before laughing a little.
"I can't believe we were actually just arguing. It was kinda like we were young again." She laughed and he smiled. He really had no intention of calling her 'meatball head'. It just sort of slipped out. He watched Serena walk away and he couldn't help but smile. She really wasn't much different than she was 6 years ago. She seemed as happy and outgoing as when she was 16. Before she meet Marc.
Marc had been a mistake they both made. He had been home visiting for a while and had invited a friend from his work in the U.S. over. That was his first mistake. Darien had actually come home that time for another reason. He was going to tell the woman he loved, about his feelings. Then Marc entered the picture.
Serena seemed infatuated with Marc the moment she meet him, and Marc took it all in. He showered her with flowers and candy. Took her out on dates. She seemed so happy that Darien couldn't imagine ruining it for her. That was his second mistake.
Darien never realized what an ass Marc could be. He never realized how much he could, and would, hurt Serena. But he let Serena, his best friend and the only person he had loved, slip away.
Marc and Serena married three months after they had been dating. Darien tried to tell her it was to soon but then she had blown up on him and keep asking why he was never happy for her. Why he just couldn't say congratulations and leave it. So he had. He told her congratulations and kissed her cheek before walking away from her. That was his third mistake.
But now he was back. Back to do what, he wasn't sure. He wasn't in love with her anymore, that was for sure. He just wanted to be around his best friend again, to fix his mistakes.
"Da-re!" Darien turned his head to see Brad walking, sort of, towards him. The boy took the seat next to him and pushed a paper at him. "Lo-ok..." The boy swallowed. "how...w-ell...I d-id in...sch-oo-l" It was his spelling test and he had a 100 percent on it.
"That's really great, little buddy." He rubbed the kids hair, and then was taken back when Brad threw his arms around Darien's neck.
"Th-anks" He said and then let go of his neck. Darien sat him down and the boy went back upstairs. Glancing over, he saw Serena watching him. She caught his gaze and smiled. He smiled back and then stood from him seat. Saluting her, he head for the door and he had reached the handle, when a loud thump was heard above them and Serena looked panicked. Setting down her paper and pen, she ran up the stairs, Darien following behind.
Brad was lying in the middle of the floor, his head in Andrew's lap. The boy's body was twitching madly and Serena hollered for Darien to call 911, before rushing to his side.


Ah! Poor Brad!

Later,
ChibiMangaAngel