Chapter 1: How we met
The weekend had arrived once again, and as usual I casually headed in the direction of my best friend Andrew's house. I would often pay him an impromptu visit whenever I had nothing else better to do with my spare time. Andrew was the kind of guy who would always come up with something interesting for us to occupy our time. We would always enjoy playing a healthy round of basketball, our favorite pastime. I was fifteen at the time, as too was Andrew.
When I finally reached his front gate; I took in the scene before me. Andrew stood on the veranda talking to a girl, for that matter, a very young girl. I suddenly grew curious as to who this mysterious child might be. In all my time I had been friends with Andrew, never once had I seen her before.
"Hey Andrew," I yelled catching the familiar raised eyebrow that seemed to be his signature pose.
I quickened my pace as I walked towards them both climbing the three stone steps in two easy strides; I pride myself for being quite tall for my age. I smiled as they turned to face me. Andrew's customary beaming smile greeted me while the little girl just gaped at me with curious eyes. I had to admit I too also felt the same curiosity about her.
"Who's she?" I asked casually leaning against a veranda wall sliding my hands into the pockets of my jeans waiting for an explanation.
I noticed a light blush grace her cheeks as she grew a little timid in my presence. I couldn't help but smile at her shyness towards me presence. I was amazed by her dazzling blue eyes. She looked absolutely adorable with her cheeks tinted in that cute crimson shade.
"She's my new next door neighbor, Serena Lewis," he said smiling at the blushing girl. "Yeah, but I gotta admit, she's a cute kid." Andrew added earning himself a playful slap on the arm from young Serena.
"I'm not a kid, Andrew!" She protested pouting while playfully slapping his arm once more feigning anger as those amazing azure-blue eyes glistened like jeweled orbs.
"How old are you again Sere?" he asked as if he was prompting an actress to remember her lines.
"Ten…" she said emphatically rising to her full height, what little of it there was for a little girl to claim.
"I rest my case." Andrew retorted as he laughing at her playfully.
I stood there staring incredulously at him and to my chagrin I felt envious of my best friend. I was never one to display my emotions freely, not even when I was a child.
"How about we all play together?" Serena proposed with genuine enthusiasm.
"Look shrimp, I came here to see Andrew, not 'play' with some little girl." I said a little too harshly than I intended. Serena glared at me; her cheeks now flushed with anger.
"Well, that's just too bad for you then, cause' he was talking to me first!" She spat like a disgruntled kitten taking Andrew's hand in her own proving she wasn't about to let him go with out a fight.
"Why don't you beat it kid? … Andrew and I have more important things to do other than to entertain some little girl!" I countered feeling my annoyance rise rapidly within me.
"We do?" Andrew inquired bemusedly.
"Of course we do." I said in an agitated tone.
"Well, that's just too bad for you isn't it, he's already agreed to play with me first!" Serena said triumphantly staring at me defiantly, and then back at Andrew as if he were some sort of hero. She looked up at Andrew with expectant eyes. I could tell she was used to getting whatever she wanted with those amazing eyes. I had to concede that even I almost relented to those magnetic baby-blues, almost. "Andrew… didn't you promise to play a game with me?" she asked fixing Andrew with her best enchanting smile.
"Well, he's not going to play with you runt … He's playing ball with me, okay?" I barked.
"No he's not!" she fired back with a scowl.
"Yes he is." I retorted. Yes, this argument was a little childish, but I couldn't help myself. I have pride you know so I couldn't just let this go.
"No he's not!" I threw back.
"Yes he is!" she said clenching those little fists that almost made me laugh at how cute she looked.
"How about we just cut a deal?" Andrew interrupted lifting his hands in a gesture of placation clearly feeling uncomfortable with the situation.
"Say how about I and my buddy, Darien over here play ball for a while, and you can be our cheerleader! … After that we can all play cards or something, how about that, Sere?" he said relieved to have come up with some sort of plan.
We stared at him indecorously and after a minute or so that seemed to last an eternity before we reluctantly accepted his suggestion. She had openly cheered for Andrew during the entire game; I made sure I won just to spite her and this won me another pout and though she was annoyed with me I enjoyed her cute angry little face turning red while her eyes shone like sapphires.
six years later
The next time Serena Lewis and I met was after my twenty-first birthday. At the tender age of sixteen, to me she was merely a gangly teenager on a collision course with her hormones. I on the other hand was studying hard in college doing my major in accounting… yes, I said accounting … what did you expect? … Did you think it would be something fancy, say like law, or pre-med? I'm sorry if I disappoint your outrageous fantasies about me … do you think me some kind of knight in shining armor, perhaps a surgeon? Maybe you think my talents lie in something like a career as a tough sexy lawyer, sorry to disappoint! Alas, I am but a simple accountant and a very good one at that. Now back to my story.
On that very day; Andrew had invited me to check out where he worked. He had been employed as a waiter at some new diner that conveniently just happened to be connected to an arcade. I had some spare time on my hands, and what better way to kill some time than to accept his invitation and indulge myself with the simple pleasures of a cup of freshly made coffee.
I walked along the sidewalk just minding my own business lost in my peaceful thoughts when out of nowhere; I was struck by a blur of golden lightning. Before I knew it, I lay flat on my back with something, excuse me, rather someone on top of me. A certain someone blushed profusely as she climbed unsteadily to her feet mumbling an apology. I didn't exactly care for such conventions as was common place when somebody knocks you off your feet before you know what hit you. I was prepared to righteously chastise my unwitting assailant. At least that was until I caught a glimpse of her hypnotic face. I almost lost myself within the depths of her expansive sapphire-blue orbs that had fixed themselves intently upon mine.
Meanwhile, my own penetrating dark orbs shamelessly slid down her curvaceous body. I drank in the sight of her low cut tight-fitting black tank-top that hugged her full breasts just a little too well. If that wasn't enough, my eyes seemingly of their own accord drifted down her statuesque form towards her grey plaid mini skirt that accentuated her rounded hips and showed off her lush legs to perfection. My greedy eyes lingered for a few seconds longer than necessary before I reluctantly dragged them back to her stunning eyes … her skin looked so supple, touchable, and oh god I wanted to touch her, but held back. I opened my mouth to speak struggling to say something, anything would do, but no words came out. My jaw seemed ready to drop off I was sure, for I felt my cheeks burn and felt extremely uncomfortable due to the awkwardness of our situation.
She giggled lightly; she found my reaction towards her quite amusing. However, I felt the embarrassment was all I could bare and clamped my mouth shut. It wasn't too long before a surge of hot fury replaced my sense of discomfort. I convinced myself it was she who had been at fault for clumsily running into me in the first place. It was extremely rude of her to laugh at my expense. She made a fool of me, before we had a chance to introduce ourselves.
Suddenly, regaining my composure to reprimand this … 'klutzy woman,' I scowled.
"What nerve you have little girl; first you knock me to the ground, which I might add hurt a lot, and now you're laughing at me. Kids these days so god-damn disrespectful," I blurted belligerently.
"Hey! I didn't run into you on purpose … it was an accident, and I've already said earlier that I was sorry, but you were too busy checking out my boobs to notice … Shit, old people these days … So god-damn perverted." She countered folding her arms under her breasts almost causing me to forget why I was angry with her in the first place. Damn these woman and their useful tools of distraction.
"I resent that! I'm not old!" I replied while climbing to my feet dusting myself off attempting unsuccessfully to recover my dignity.
"And I'm no kid!" she said curling her small hands into fists.
"I'm not a pervert either!" I defended tilting my jaw defiantly upwards.
"And I'm not disrespectful!" She retorted.
"My god, you're insufferable," I snapped back.
In that moment, part of me just wanted to turn my back while I still could. Simply leave her standing there and end this petty argument. But another part of me demanded I stay and continue the petty skirmish, sad to say it was the most exciting thing that had happened to me in months.
"Well no one asked you to tolerate me," she replied folding her arms across her chest, sizing me up with a look of distaste etched on her soft features. "Anyways, you really should lighten up, like I said, it was an accident." She continued.
"Whatever it was, it was an inconvenience." I said unable to stop myself. I didn't take her sarcasm all that well.
"Oh my god, I didn't realize!" she said in a blistering tone. "Please don't allow a large inconvenience like me to hold you up." She said sharpening her words like icy spears and hurling them as hard as she could.
"Thank you, I will take you up on that." I retorted rather smugly as I calmly walked confidently away.
I had eventually entered the diner. I found the establishment was well set up. I quickly found myself a table by a window that ran floor to ceiling. Sitting myself comfortably in the cushioned chair I let out a long breath I hadn't realized I'd held back. I didn't have too long to wait before a tall familiar figure clad in a waiter's uniform greeted me with a broad smile. Andrew arched his eyebrows quizzically as his features took on an amused expression that dragged a reluctant grin from me. He sat down before me placing a large mug of freshly percolated black coffee, no sugar, before me. What's with all the disgusted looks I happen to think coffee is more efficient when it's strong and not tainted by sweetener. You people need to toughen up. Back to the story.
"I figured you'd order this." He said grinning while reclining in his chair.
"Ah …You know me too well. Aren't you supposed to be working?" I teased.
"The key word in that sentence being, 'supposed;' why don't you try serving ungratefully impatient people and their bratty hyperactive children all morning and tell me what I'm supposed to be doing. As long as I'm not caught I'm not 'supposed' to be doing anything
"Lazy bum," I quipped lightly in a jocular tone.
"A tired lazy bum," He retorted his lips tilted upwards in a smug smirk. "Shit! There she is!" he exclaimed unexpectedly as his voice made me jump and I quickly scanned the diner not knowing what to expect; I just stared at Andrew blankly.
"Who's there?" I asked in a curious tone.
"Serena and her luscious friends; she promised to introduce me to one of the hotties today. She thinks we'll hit it off pretty well." Andrew's eyes shone with an unearthly glow as he pondered the possibilities of such an introduction.
"Ok you me the Serena, as in your kid next door neighbor Serena! I didn't know you were a cradle snatcher!" I said flatly while taking a sip from my coffee mug.
"Oh come on Darien, they aren't that much younger than us, and I can definitely vouch for her. She's not a kid anymore, trust me!" Andrew assured me as he eyed off the girl behind me, I scoffed, seriously doubting if his annoying little next door neighbor could be anything other than a precocious little brat. Boy was I proven wrong!
"Hey Andrew, who's your friend?" inquired the familiar voice behind me, but try as I might, I just couldn't place where and when I'd heard it before.
I shrugged the feeling off and lifted my eyes to find myself face to face with the rude little girl who had earlier collided with me. My cheeks immediately flushed with anger. Of course, now everything made perfect sense. Annoying little neighbor next door equals clumsy annoying, yet quite tempting young woman. Funny how I didn't make these connections sooner.
"Don't tell me this jerk is your friend, Andrew?" She spat out disdainfully; rude little thing isn't she?
"Yup, my best friend to be exact, don't tell me your still holding that childhood grudge Sere?" Andrew inquired giving me a light pat on the shoulder, boosting my confidence tenfold.
"No, its not six years ago I'm talking about Andrew, though I can see he hasn't changed since. It's more like ten minutes ago when I accidentally bumped into him and he decided to act like a perverted jerk!" Serena said in an outraged tone.
"I WASN'T BEING PERVERTED AT ALL!" I retaliated. "I was merely checking to see if you had hurt yourself after the collision. You see where good intentions get you, Andrew? I'll tell you, you're berated and yelled at for no reason. This will be the last time I concern myself over anybody else's expense." I said sarcastically.
"Yeah, whatever, make up all the excuses you want, because it won't help you one bit. You were checking me out, and I do know when someone's checking me out!" she pointed out bluntly taking a seat next to Andrew while her friends joined our table. She quickly averted her eyes, turning her attention once again to Andrew.
"Andrew, allow me to introduce to you my friends Mina, Lita, Rei and Amy." She said in a very different tone than the one she had used to address me only moments ago.
I sat patiently while the girls greeted Andrew, as I waited for an introduction. When I received none I decided to take matters into my own hands.
"I'll introduce myself since this rude little girl refuses to acknowledge my presence. I'm Darien McKinnon, pleased to meet you four beautiful young ladies." I said in a relatively smooth tone making sure she took note of the fact I didn't include her in my complementary addressing. It was all I could do not to burst out laughing, for the expression on her face was truly priceless. Her face resembled a radish, and I found the whole situation thoroughly amusing. The encounter was oddly shocking, because I have never spoken so freely to women before, but this Serena girl seemed to ignite a passion within that I thought I'd locked away securely a long time ago. Despite myself; I couldn't help but react to everything she said to me.
"They don't want to meet scum like you!" she hissed.
"Speak for your self Serena!" The raven haired girl bellowed, much to my amusement. Serena's verbal onslaught intensified as did her ire.
"Hi, I'm Rei Casey and the pleasures all mine." She said in a sultry voice extending her hand and I gave it a firm business like shake. I know you were probably expecting me to stare intently into her eyes and penetrate her soul with my dark indigo orbs causing her entire body to shudder from the heat generated between us. Then I would ever so slowly, bring her small supple hand to my lips and plant a small, but promising kiss on the back of her hand. Sparks of electricity would pulse through her body causing her to melt like chocolate in the palm of my hand. Yes, expecting something along those lines, right? The truth is I'm not as suave or debonair as most of you might think me, but what can I say?
This Rei girl didn't seem to mind all that much though, as she seemed pretty intent to never let my captive hand go. I had to forcefully wrench it free; she threw me a disappointed look from under heavy eyelids. Apparently, I had some sort of effect on her; how I caused it I have no idea. My attention returned to the piqued blonde sitting before me. She glared menacingly at both of us, causing me to shift uncomfortably in my seat as her piercing stare cut through us like a well honed laser beam.
"First me, and now my friends; will you stop at nothing to get some ass," she seethed under her breath.
"Excuse me, but I never knew politeness was a covert means of getting into someone's pants. Thank you for the info." I countered flatly adding to her state of exasperation.
"You weren't being polite; you were being a sleaze!" she accused.
"Oh and how am I being a sleaze, squirt, by shaking someone's hand?" I said coldly.
"It's not only the way you shook her hand; it was the look you gave her. It was that 'you'd look some much better tossed across my bed,' look." She said narrowing her eyes.
"What?" I said half choking on a mouthful of coffee then belched to punctuate my feelings on her ludicrous statement. If anything; her friend was giving me the, 'I want to fuck you, look.'
"Serena! … He wasn't looking at me that way! Besides, even if he were I wouldn't mind." Rei added surreptitiously as she rested her hand upon my thigh.
I suddenly felt my eyes about jump out of their sockets as the result of this unexpected contact. This was extremely uncomfortable for an inexperienced guy like me. Yes, I said inexperienced; you can stop laughing now.
Abruptly, I felt an intense desire to extricate myself from this woman's obvious flirtations and Serena's attempts to lash out at me. Albeit, I'll admit some part of me still wanted to stay to be amused by the offended blonde, but that was until I felt Rei's touch. Enough was enough; I pressed my lips firmly together, and masked my emotions, pulled out my wallet and paid for the coffee, leaving Andrew a tip by way of thanks for his patients. I noticed Serena looking at me intently as if she were trying to read my thoughts; I narrowed my eyes and glared at her frostily.
"It was nice getting to know you young ladies, but I think I've had enough... coffee for today. Good day!" I said roughly pushing Rei's hand away. Serena's expressive eyes revealed the guilt she felt at that moment as the realization struck her that it was Rei, not I who was doing a 'coming onto' number. I simply shrugged it off, and left the diner with no intentions of seeing any of those brats again, damn kids…
Not a minute later, I heard somebody call my name. I stopped and a feeling of resignation swept over me. I sighed dejectedly, and turned only to have a golden thunderbolt crash into me, yet again. I was grateful for my quick reflexes saving us both from crashing to the pavement, as we had done before. I discovered to my utter amazement that I was holding a distraught Serena in my arms.
"You really should look where you're going kid." I said bluntly, albeit the case I was reluctant to let her go.
"It wasn't my fault; I didn't expect you to suddenly stop like that!" She countered pushing herself away from me.
"Forget it. I'm not in the mood for arguments, I've had enough for one day, and so would you please explain to me why you were calling my name." I asked calmly.
"I just wanted to apologize," she said timidly, causing my heart to skip a beat; I blame it on the hormones … what else could it be; damn hormones messing with the brain. I couldn't ignore how adorable she looked at that moment as her shyness presented a different side of her nature.
"Well then, let's hear it." I said in a gentler tone, than the ones I had used before. It was odd she was even effecting my tone in voice, everything about her effected me and the more it did the more fear kicked in. Mind you I am not afraid of her per say I am more afraid that she was already becoming something important in my life, I hardly knew her so it was mildly frightening.
"Aren't you going to apologize too?" She huffed crossing her arms over her chest childishly. I couldn't help myself; I loved how she flaunted her emotions for the whole world to see, and not giving a damn what people thought of her. I envied that about her. I wanted to, I really did want to laugh, smile and like Serena express my emotions, but my mind locked my feelings deep within my heart. I would always frown, and rarely smiled, even if I wanted to more than anything in the world.
"Fine," I spat venomously ready to attack if she provoked me. "If it will get you off my case, I'll comply. I'm sorry for insulting you, kid." I said guardedly.
"You're really quite shy, aren't you?" She inquired; her voice soft with concern taking me completely off guard. She had a knack for disarming me.
"How do you figure that?" I asked in an astonished tone. No ones ever called me shy before: hard-headed, stubborn, resentful, ungrateful, harsh… The list goes on trust me, but never have I been called shy…
"It's your face and your eyes. Your face expresses one thing while your eyes another. Even though you do a good job of putting on a mask; I could see the softness in your eyes when you looked at me just now, you really are sorry aren't you, Darien?" She said with absolute sincerity.
At this point I was beyond amazed by this petite girl; how on earth could she figure me out so well in such a short period of time? I mean, I would hardly call myself the shy type, just well guarded. I was furious because she could so easily read my emotions better than anybody else ever had. What infuriated me more than this was that half of me didn't mind at all.
"Well I'm sorry as well, I guess I was too quick to judge, and when Rei started hitting on you I just got angry I guess, for some reason. I can't really explain why, I just got angry." She said as her heart opened before me like a beautifully bound book. I was about to explain to her that she was jealous but my mouth said something completely different.
"I accept." I had no idea what the hell was wrong with me. I didn't want to accept an olive branch, I just wanted to rant and bicker with her, but my mouth spoke as if it were a separate entity refusing to listen to a god-damn thing my brain was telling it. I put it down to annoying hormones. Why the hell did they have to kick in at full speed right now? Why with her?
"I… I accept too." She stuttered slightly as a full blush grew upon her cheeks as she bowed her head to avoid eye contact with me.
"Do you have anything important to do right now?" 'What the hell are you doing Darien? You don't want to spend more time with her. What happened to all that logic?' I asked myself. Yet again I felt like a doll in the hands of a ventriloquist. I decided to just give up; there was no use fighting against the powerful forces unleashed within. She shook her head in response. "I'll walk you home if you'd like." And that was all it took. She looked up at me with a genuine smile on her face. From then on I was a 'goner' to her charms.
We started dating not long after that encounter, and I did my best to open up to her as much as possible. It was hard for me to express my feelings about her, but I tried my best. The months rolled by as we dated regularly; I would do anything and everything with in my power to see her beautiful face light up with her magical smile. I did all I could to make her utterly happy, and very soon my life depended on her. I lived and breathed her twenty four seven. Anybody with eyes could see I was clearly smitten with her.
I remember the day I proposed to her on her seventeenth birthday; it was the first romantic thing I had ever done for any girl I had been involved with in all my life. And if you've ever met me before there are very few romantic bones in my body, close to none.
I started the day by sending her seventeen red roses that had been especially delivered to her door that morning. I included a card wishing her a happy seventeenth birthday. I then surprised her by turning up at her school having prepared a picnic lunch, and presented her with the first of many presents. I bought her a cute white bunny; she adores bunnies so much. The smile that lit up her face caused my heart to do summersaults, whilst she held the soft toy under one arm and very expensive bottle of perfume might I add, in her free hand.
After this I had arranged a party for her at my apartment. I invited all her friends and family. If any of you knew me well; you'd know how much of an obsessive compulsive I am when it comes to my apartment some might call me a neat freak, but nonetheless I was more than happy to have the party at my place. She would truly appreciate the effort to make her day extra special. We enjoyed ourselves and everyone mingled and partook of the food and drink. Serena and I danced to the music and we danced solo just before Lita brought in the cake alight with seventeen silver candles. We sang happy birthday and everyone gave her their gifts; I waited until all the presents were placed on the table that had been expressly set aside for this purpose before presenting her with another large gift box. She squealed with delight when she held the white gown fashioned from quality silk against her lovely body. I had it especially made and imported from Japan for her prom. Might I also add this very beautiful gown made her look like an imperial goddess. After the party, I took her for a walk in our favorite park. I had pre-arranged for a specially trained swan to glide upon the mirror surface of the lake towards us with a white gold necklace around its neck. Hanging on the necklace was a diamond engagement ring, thanks to my father's credit card. I tried not to chuckle when she told me she thought the swan had stolen the necklace from some unlucky woman; Serena was about to seek its owner when I knelt before her on one knee and asked her to marry me.
At first I didn't know what to make of her reaction. I mean Serena didn't exactly answer as such; she simply collapsed into my arms. I carried my unconscious girlfriend, she hadn't agreed yet, all the way to my apartment before I got my answer; it was worth it in the end. You probably already know that she accepted since we're now married. We were engaged for twelve months before we were married. It was an elaborate wedding held two weeks after her eighteenth birthday. Serena had actually wanted us to wait another two years before marrying me, but I couldn't wait that long to have her as my bride. After a lot of persuasion; she finally agreed. Maybe she was right. Perhaps we were too young, because a year afterwards our problems had begun.
