Um….hey there. God it's been forever. Believe me, I've just had a lot going on. Deaths, vacations, school…you get the picture. Let's just hope I haven't been to long out of practice. Onegai Kami don't let me have forgotten how to do this!!
-deep breath- ----well, here goes nothing. I now present to you…..(drum roll)….Chapter 3 of "falling in fifth gear." –lightning strikes- ---- I hope that's not a bad omen…-
: ?
Disclaimer stands
Picture of the type of car they're driving can be found here…no telling how long the link will actually exist so if it doesn't work it was probably taken down. This is a lot more beat up than I would have you imagine, (Darien takes care of his autos!) plus it's the wrong color…just use some imagination.
"JESUS, LOOK OUT FOR THAT TREE!!"
Serena swerved back onto the road and slammed on the break. Darien made a grunt-like sound as he was flung forward into his seatbelt. With closed eyes, and nearly hyperventilating his lungs out, he slowly returned to sitting upright in the seat with a frown on his face. Serena just chewed her bottom lip nervously while her eyebrows furrowed with worry. He looked like he was trying his hardest not to blow up in her face.
"I didn't mean it," she sputtered, "I didn't even know that thing was there!" At first it seemed he would respond civilly, but his voice quickly rose in volume.
"That's why you DON'T TAKE TURNS AT 40 MILES AN HOUR!!!" He finished with a yell, gesturing wildly at the rode in front of them, "We already went over this!"
"Well, I'm sorry but that doesn't mean I can just automatically get it right, okay!!" she yelled back, "It's not like I'm trying to mess up on purpose, jeez!"
Darien just sighed and shook his head, "This isn't getting you anywhere."
"Well I'm sorry it seems so pointless to you." She muttered bitterly as she threw the car into park, "maybe Andrew's right, this was a bad idea." Darien looked at her long and hard.
"Giving up already Meatball head?" he asked her disbelievingly, "even I thought you'd last longer than 2 hours."
She huffed indignantly. "I'm not giving up, I just thought you were."
"I don't give up on anything, now get this car going, and turn around…again." Serena smiled.
"Sure Darien," she chirped as she put it into drive, "but don't call me meatball head." She finished as she purposefully turned around fast enough to throw him against the side of the car.
"Woah!" he cried. Serena just smiled. "Very funny meatball head, just practice those turns for a while." The blonde groaned loudly.
"Aren't we going to do anything fun today?" Darien cocked an eyebrow.
"It's driving meatball head, what were you expecting?"
"I just figured it would be something different than learning about the different types of turns for hours. And don't call me that." She replied.
"Well, that's what we're doing today, and considering that I'm giving you my time and car to learn to drive, I believe I'll call you whatever I want." He said smugly.
She huffed again but didn't argue. Silence followed for a few minutes as she came to a stop sign for a turn.
"So…where did you learn so much about cars?" He asked.
"Various places and ways," she answered without thinking, "books, guy friends, helping my dad in the garage…"
"Did you just say books? And here I was thinking you couldn't even read." He teased.
"Grr, WHY do you always have to pick a fight with me?!" She cried.
"Because you're cute when you're angry…" The blue-eyed man blurted. Immediately his eyes doubled in size.
Serena glanced at him quickly, "What'd you say?" She asked, surprised.
"Absolutely nothing." He said, "maybe it's about time we head on home; I think we've done enough for today."
"Sure." She whispered, unsurely. Carefully Serena pulled over and stopped the car, both got out and walked around the car, passing each other without so much as a look at one another.
Silence consumed the air in the car on the way back to the apartments. Darien was silently scolding himself, while Serena was thinking about all that had happened that day.
"I'm sorry that I'm so bad at driving," She suddenly spurted, "I know that teaching a meatball head like me something this dumb is the last thing you want to do with your afternoon." Darien woke violently from his thoughts.
"Don't worry about it." He assured her. "You'll get better." Cautiously the man drove into his garage and parked the Acura where he had taken it from earlier that day. Both exited the car at the same time, but he just couldn't turn to face her. Had he really blurted that out right in front of her? Did he really just come out and tell her that he loved it when her face got so flushed and her lips got so pouty when she was angry? Okay, so maybe he hadn't used so many words, but he'd said it essentially, right? God, what was she thinking now? In a flash he turned around to find out, but to his amazement she was far across the room already, looking at what appeared to be his convertible corvette. Making his way along the rows he came up behind her and placed his hand on her shoulder, causing her to jump sky high.
"I didn't touch it I swear!" she swore. Darien chuckled.
"I just came to see what you were looking at, Meatball head."
"Well it's a Convertible Corvette obviously. If you don't know that then I can't help you."
"That's not what I meant, you show off." The blonde's eyebrows shot up and her face lit with a smile.
"Is the almighty, brainiac, personality = 0, Darien admitting that I the awesome, bold, beautiful Serena actually knows something?" she teased.
"Well I wouldn't go so far as to say all that." He teased back. "Why don't you get in?" he asked.
"Ha! Very funny Darien. Did I ever tell you your sense of humor sucks?"
"No I mean it, jump in. You're just lucky I left the top down."
Serena knew better than to argue. "Okay!" She cried as she jumped right into the back seat. Darien gave her a funny look.
"The back seat meatball head? Are you trying to tell me something?" He almost purred as he leaned on the side of the car. He had to admit, she looked damn good sitting right there in that oh so short skirt, with that long golden hair, creamy legs, and…okay get a hold of yourself Darien! He yelled at himself mentally.
"No, it's just my older friend Amara used to tell me the best way to get to know a new car is to, first, find someone to help you get to know the back seat." She smiled wickedly at him.
If he had had a drink at that moment he would've spit it out all over the car.
"What!?" he demanded. She rolled her eyes at him.
"Two can play that game buster." She said dismissively. The boy's eye's darkened, so she liked to tease did she? She was right about one thing: 2 –can- play that game. And he was a more than willing player. He flashed a quirky smile and cocked his head to the side.
"So you like to play, huh?" He asked her.
"Yeah, Darien, I like to play." She replied with a deep breath, only half listening, as she leaned back to enjoy the feeling of leather beneath her. Swiftly he swung his legs into the car and slid down beside her.
"So what do you know about the game?" he asked with a smile.
"Say what?" she looked at him in surprise.
"What-do-you-know-about-the-game?" he repeated, placing an arm behind her.
"Um…enough." she answered, backing away a little; Darien followed her inch for inch.
"Elaborate." He stated as he pinned her shoulders against the inside walls of the car and then slid his hands down to rest on either side of her hips. Slowly he began moving closer, until their faces were a mere 2 inches apart.
"I-I might if I knew what that word m-meant." She stuttered. He chuckled at how quickly she was thrown off guard, it was kind of cute…and sexy. Slowly he moved forward again until he was a mere centimeter away, he frowned; she wasn't stopping him. And there he was, practically on top of her, staring into her gazing eyes. His heart was pounding, demanding for more with each beat.
"Darien?" she ventured, unsure. He pushed past her mouth until they were cheek to cheek and he whispered into her ear.
"Don't play games you can't win Serena." He pulled back from her and gave a small smile. "Let's get you home."