Chapter 3…
Darien hit the alarm clock right after he heard its shriek. Nancy's trick of always putting it set and right near his ears after he was asleep, always worked in waking him up at the right time. He groaned as he got out of bed the effects of the shrieking still echoed in his ears. Today was not a good day and it was already assumed with the way his head ached. He swore that he got up on the wrong side of the bed. Going to do his usual routine in the morning he headed towards the bathroom. After brushing his teeth he entered to the other side of the shower doors. Just as the water touched his skin the events of last night had hit him.
He was more angry now than confused as to why his mother suddenly was acting the way she was. The rush of water was gone after he turned the shower's knob. He took his time drying and was now on his way to getting dressed in his uniform. High School was really something else! There was such tough competition that he couldn't afford to slack off. Every class demanded that his grades stay at least a B before they kick him out of it.
The uniform was something else as well because the teachers expected their students to be well groomed and prepared when entering their classroom. The prep school that he attended was held in high standards all throughout the country so the staff made sure that students kept that reputation going. "Damn!" He cursed when he saw that he hadn't planned ahead and made sure that his Tie was prepared. For he couldn't have tied one if he tried hours. Great! He was starting to get late because he kept on making lousy knots. He gave up and grabbed his book bag and headed down the hall.
He stopped when he heard a quiet laughter coming from the bedroom of his mother. He kept on going ignoring it but stopped when he heard a loud thump. He rushed to see what it was and peeked in from the small opening of the door. His mother was tumbled over at the floor now hysterical with laughter. But there was something strange and painful in it. He shook his head in disgust while rushing to get to his chauffer. 'Jeez, what a drunk!' He thought to himself after stuffing his body inside the car. There was no way he would come back home to this. He decided that he would crash over at Serena's or at Andrew's; anywhere but this nutshell.
Mina put her bag inside and closed the door while my chauffer drove us home. I moved my gaze from the window to look at her but found her looking at her mirror seriously with so much attention while reapplying her mascara.
"Gosh Mina, I'm really flattered that you are trying to look good for me!" I tell her sarcastically.
"Shut up, Serena!" She shoots back, still going at it. "You're ruining my concentration!"
"Why can't you ever pay attention like that in class?" I ask half joking but all the more really wondering.
"Its not my fault that they don't have hot teachers who would have my full attention. Mr. Simmons has such a monotonous voice that I fall asleep in science class after his first sentence." She whined while she put her makeup away and took out a magazine. "Now, take this guy and have him teach a class, I'll make sure I pass with the highest grade."
I smirked looking to where she was pointing; the picture was of a guy with a well built and toned body. He didn't have a shirt on and his bare chest screamed attention. He had a basket ball in one hand and he was modeling for a new pair of Adidas sneakers. "Of course you would! HE would mark you right for answering that asexual reproduction is when you have babies from having sex."
She gave me a death glare and I laughed getting her at her weak spot. "So I didn't study or even look at the chapter but I read the question wrong! I thought they were asking for a sexual reproduction, honest!" (A/N By the way those who aren't familiar with biology; Asexual reproduction is reproduction that requires only one parent and Sexual reproduction, which I'm sure you all know but anyway, is the reproduction that requires two parents. The joke sounds lame if I have to explain it. Sigh! Let's go on)
"Even then, it isn't the definition of the term you 'thought' it was." I reply it matter-of-factly and I know that she is about to choke me.
"Are you going to help me or make fun of me!?!?" She demands nearly deafening me. I think of something else to say but realize that I was really on a roll today at smart mouthing her, so I stop. The car stops in front of the mansion and we get out. We walk quietly without saying anything to each other.
"By the way the stuff that I'll try to help you on is pretty difficult but you'll need to score high on this coming test. This is your last chance at improving your grades!" I tell her seriously but it feels like I'm lecturing her. I say the next thing that comes to mind as I entered through the front door and she is behind me lost in her magazine. "So, if you feel like you don't understand anything then let me know, okay?"
"What I don't understand is why we even have to learn this crap!" She mutters in between turning pages. I get angry at her statement and grab the magazine from her and throw it to the floor. "Hey!" She says annoyed.
"You know what's crap?" I ask her not wanting a reply and continue on. "That is crap!" I point to the magazine.
"I'm tired of you complaining all the time about how you hate school when both you and I know that you have the potential to be an honor student. And that every time there is a test coming up, you come to me and don't even pay attention and always claim that you studied!" To her its another lecture while she looks at the floor waiting for me to finish. I walk over to the where the magazine is and pick it up. "I know that you are going through a rough time with your parents divorcing but you can't just completely shut down like this! For just once, put this stuff away and try to do well, at least for me!" I hand her the magazine.
She looks at me with guilt in her eyes and hesitantly takes it, then stuffs it in her bag. I notice the silence in her after I mention the divorce between her parents. She entered this school year four months ago with the most pessimistic attitude I had ever seen in her. It was like she totally didn't care about anything anymore and is barely the Mina I knew. I feel horrible when she doesn't say anything for five whole minuets. I think of something to take her away from her thoughts.
"And if it does grab your attention while I'm explaining things then imagine me as the model in that picture." I feel silly telling her that but try to put enthusiasm into my words. "With a bare chest, hairy legs, big arms and arm pit hair. Yup! I can see myself in that form already." I say smiling after seeing a smile on Mina's face. We both flinch when we hear someone choke and were now coughing.
There stood Darien the whole time leaning on the wall, drinking coke and we had no clue that he was there. We stood over him while he composed of himself and cocked an eyebrow "Armpit hair?"
Mina giggled and I blushed. "Well, if it isn't arts and crafts boy!" I said trying to change the subject cause I felt like a total idiot. "Have you returned for the second session? I don't think I'll be able to help; Mina and I are going to study for the test tomorrow."
"So I've heard!" He says grinning, still noticing the embarrassment in my cheeks. "Don't worry, I'm not in the mood for that stuff, you guys go ahead and study."
"Before that, could we have a break to eat? I'm starving!" Mina is patting her belly.
"Sure, you guys wanna go out or have Susanne's homemade cooking?" I ask.
"Would it be okay if you guys went out?" Susanne asks from behind me. "My little Freddy has got the flu and I told him that I would come home early!"
"Susanne, why did you even come to work today?" I ask noticing the worry in her eyes. "You better hurry to him and please tell him I hope he feels better!" I say while I give her a shove towards the door.
We all stare at Susanne while she leaves feeling bad for her because she had no one to help take care of her kids. I turn to the two of them "I guess this means we're going out!"
Mina took a seat at a table and we followed her. The restaurant is at a quiet atmosphere and the waitress is getting our orders right away. We sit in silence waiting for our food to come.
"Umm…Mina?" Darien asks shattering the silence. "Don't mind me asking this…but why are your parents divorced?"
I look at Mina who stiffens at the question. I sense a need to help her out "Uh… Darien…I think that its best if you didn't ask her…"
"No, Serena." Mina says in a low voice "Everyone will ask questions that I want to avoid. But I'm bound to answer them any day now!"
I nod at her when I'm sure that she doesn't seem upset. The waitress brings our food and then is gone to serve new customers that enter. She picks at the food in front of her and starts out with a sigh. "Over summer vacation…my mom found out that my dad has been having an affair with another woman for about a year now.
Darien and I shoot glances at each other then turn back to her. "Life was hell in that house for the past few months because they would fight so much. That was until mom moved out and went to live with her parents two weeks ago. The court decided that I would live with dad and on the weekends I would be with mom. I hate going home because at times his girlfriend is over. And mom has changed so much! She goes out a lot to night clubs and has a new guy every day trying to get back at dad. But it's not like he cares at all what she does now."
"What I don't understand is if he has the guts to have an affair why did he keep it from her for so long?" Darien asked
"I don't know! He's never around much anyway and I just have this suspicion that he thought he could get away with it. I mean mom trusted him a lot and I guess he thought that he could take an advantage of her trust. Or maybe he just fell out of love with her." She sighed once more, her food laid still untouched. She finally picked up the fork and began to eat. "Its hard to accept the way things are, for me. We are one happy family one minuet and just when I close my eyes we're all separated."
"But Mina, you know that you will always have your friends to be there for you." I reach out to put my hand on top of hers.
"I know!" She nods closing her eyes while I notice a tear drop from it. "By the way Serena?"
"Hmm?" I ask raising my head to look at her.
"Thanks for pushing me and not giving up on me!" She said with all sincerity.
"Is that so?" I ask while I pay the bill. "Well then don't thank me yet because I'm going to push you even harder this evening!"
Darien stays quite the rest of the way and follows us back to my house. It is so unlike him though but I think it had to do with what Mina said had happened between her parents. Mina left late as she could because just as I had promised her I was pushing until she understood. Darien stayed and was also done with his homework.
"Hey…uh…Serena?" He asked me timidly. It was the only thing he had said in hours to me.
"Yeah Darien?" I answer not looking up from my books.
"Would it be okay if I stayed over for a couple of days?" His voice is low and it takes me some time until I understand him. I glare at him for a long time. After he feels uncomfortable he asks "What?"
"Why are you acting like I'm some stranger you met twenty minuets ago?" I ask still annoyed with his request. "You really think you have to ask to stay over? This house is as much yours as it is mines!"
He only nods to let me know he was sorry. "But Darien?" I ask
"Yeah?"
"Won't your mom be worried?" I ask curiously seeing that he never would ask to stay over.
He stiffens at the question and looks down at the floor his voice dropping. "I don't think she will even remember."
"What?" I ask wondering if I heard right.
He leans his head against the sofa and sighs. "You remember how I told you that she isn't herself at all these days?"
"Yeah." I answer patiently waiting for his explanation.
"Well now she has picked up drinking." He says his voice rising in anger as he said the words.
"Are you serious?" I asked shocked
"Yup!" He says in a sad voice. "And when I tried to take it away from her, she…she slapped me."
I stared at him for a long time. "She wouldn't…" I trail off.
"Who knows what else she will do these days!" He mutters. "I'm tired Serena…if you will you excuse me…"
"Yeah, go ahead to bed!" I tell him and he leaves to the bedroom right next to mine. The mansion consisted of five guest bedrooms and one of them has officially become his room. He slept there every time we had a sleep over. His spare clothes were left in the closet and it was almost as if he lived there.
I sighed thinking of today that started out with Mina and ended with Darien. But his mom picking up alcohol and being violent was just out of the question of things to expect.
After putting my books away I head over to check on Darien. I slowly turn the knob and leave a small opening to the door to peek in. Darien is already asleep. I could hear his heavy breathing while his chest rises and falls in an even and peaceful pace. I wish things weren't the way they are between him and his mom. He had seemed so enthusiastic just yesterday planning out the perfect gift to her.
I close the door and head to my bed deciding that I should talk him into helping her because something must be gravely wrong. But such things are better said than done. Two days pass by and I don't have the guts to bring up the subject once again. He stays over for those two days for the most part being silent which is one side of Darien I could never get used to. The next morning it snows for the first time after the consistent freezing weather. It snows so much that School is canceled.
It is early in the morning and I sit near the fire place. Darien walks in all groggily and settles down next to me. I offer him some of my hot chocolate but he declines. He gets up to look out the window at the piles of snow that fall silently. "Serena, you remember last year how my mom told us that the best time to experience snow was at night?"
"Yeah." I say staring at my hot chocolate.
"Then when it got dark, we went out together and it wasn't really that dark because of the whiteness of everything. And we spent the rest of the time sleighing down the hill, making a snow man and the snow angels. It was great because no one else was there but us." He said turning away from the window to look at me.
"She was right, it is better at night time!" I say recollecting on the memories.
"I miss all of that!" He says his eyes now saddening. "What happened to those days?" He asks no one in general.
I don't know how to answer and decide to tell him how I feel about this whole thing. "You know what I think Darien?" He doesn't answer so I continue "I think that you shouldn't question her about why she is in a melancholy state but rather be with her and provide your comfort."
He gives me a look that says 'who asked you?' and says "I don't think I can…not after she has started drinking!"
I stare at him and look past his anger. I see a son who is worried that he is losing his mother. "You know Darien, you are so lucky that you have at least one parent that you are so close to. Someone that is there for you, understands you but most importantly loves you so much!"
He looks at me taken aback. "You were right when you said that I barely know my parents. But you know your mom and the way she has been is not who she really is. And I know that she has hurt you…but she must be hurt too for a deeper reason." I press his guilt in to him and it is visible in his eye.
He is in deep thought and doesn't say anything for a long time. "So, what should I do?" He finally asks.
"Go and be with her you idiot!" I tell him softly "Keep her company! She must be really lonely to turn to alcohol!"
He suddenly gets up and clenches his fists. I could see a new energy of motivation spread across his eyes. "I should really go home!" He says as he is almost out of the room.
"In this weather?" I asked surprised. But I don't think he hears me because he grabs his jacket and is already out the door.
The wind makes his nose turn a pinkish color but he doesn't care. The snow softens and it doesn't make it difficult for him to see anymore. He has a quiet and peaceful walk through the streets of pure whiteness. No one is really outside at the current time and barely a few cars drive by as he crosses. He remembers Serena's words. 'She really must be lonely!' He thinks to himself.
He suddenly remembers his mother's gentle and carefree smile that always seemed to comfort him. He sighed wishing his stubbornness hadn't gotten in the way. Strange things were happening and were happening a little too fast for him to really think about the things that mattered. What really mattered was his mother and he needed to be there for her through her pain.
He was too lost in thoughts to notice the commotion that took place near the Shield's estate. But it didn't take long because the first thing he saw were the police and the flashing of the ambulance near the driving lot of his house. He became worried at the sight in front of him and quickened into a jog to see what had happened.
When he entered the house, it was crowded with everyone stirring about a situation. He noticed his father talking to a few police officers looking like he was about to have a nervous breakdown. Darien tried to get through everyone to ask him why he suddenly was home and what was going on. But he stopped when he saw a body being strolled away covered with white sheets. The sheet had caught on to something while they were taking the body away. The sheet being pulled in another direction revealed a face.
The face was blue and it looked like the person was robbed of every bit of warmth in their body. The eyes were closed forever. His heart had stopped hoping that his thoughts wouldn't be true. But he had no doubt now recognizing the hair. That beautiful hair.
"MOM!?!" His shriek had stopped everything. Everyone now turned to the boy. It was as if time had stopped and there wasn't a single movement. The house was in utter silence just like the falling snow.
Police Autopsy
Name: Rosemarie Shield
Age: 38
Date of death: December 13
Time of death: 4:00 am
Time found: 7:30 am
Cause of death: Alcohol poisoning.
I'm really sorry you guys! I tried really hard to finish up to where I last left off. But everything that has been going on in my life really limited time for me. So what is going to happen is that I will update with four chapters at a time until my scheduling for updating is caught up with what it is suppose to be like chapter 25 and on every Friday. I hope you guys like this new version of the story…a few parts of the original plot are the same. Please review and let me know of your thoughts!
