Chapter 2: Serena speaks her mind
Serena daydreamed as she wandered the streets on her way to the Rei's temple. She didn't really look where she was going, which caused her to fall over a foot sticking out on the path.
"Owww!" She cried as she got up. "What's wrong with yo…" She slowed her sentence as she saw Darien's face looking up at her. She smiled slightly and then remembered her talk with Luna.
"Oh, hey Darien…" She said quietly as she perched herself next to him. He looked at her troubled face and was immediately concerned.
"Serena, what's the matter?" He asked. She looked at him and tried to smile, but failed. SO many thoughts rushed through her head. Oh Darien, I love you, but think about the experiences we're missing out on… All the things we should be trying, seeing people only for the date to end up being a flop. We need these things. We can wait, we're still young. She wanted desperately to say all this and frowned, trying to figure out just how to say it properly. She sighed, Darien waited patiently beside her watching her all this time.
"Let's take a walk." Serena sighed. Slowly and silently they walked to the park, Serena waited until they got to a nice quiet spot.
"Darien, I've been thinking…" Darien held back a comment and waited. "It's just, well, I think we're missing out on a lot by seeing each other." Darien opened his mouth to speak, but Serena beat him to it. "We're so young and we shouldn't be setting ourselves up for the rest of out lives. There's so much ahead of us. I think we should take a break and try not to be tied down by each other." She refused to look at him even though they'd stopped walking. Tears were glistening in her eyes. This was so much easier in my head… Darien just looked at the side of Serena's head.
"Serena…" He tried to think of what to say. "We maybe young, but we're just the lucky one's. We'll have each other forever. I don't want failed relationships. I want you." Serena was deeply moved by this statement. She realized how wrong she'd been but she just couldn't go back now. She needed to do some things and Darien would hold her back. She turned to face him.
"I'm sorry Darien, but I need to experience life like a normal teenager. If we're right for each other, we'll get back together someday." She smiled at him slightly. "We'll be okay, and it's just for a while." Darien looked curiously at Serena's face, he felt she was hiding something, but as he searched and found nothing, he gave in.
"Serena…" He paused again. "If that's what you want…" He was very uncertain about all this.
"Hey, lighten up." She said, very unconvincingly. "Come with me over to Rei's, she'll love to know you back on the market." The sad attempt at a joke failed. Darien didn't smile, but followed Serena to Rei's.
Rei and Ami looked up from their conversation as Serena and Darien walked through the door to Rei's room.
"Hey Meatball Head," Rei said cheerfully. Ami called her greeting too. Both girl's gave each other a look as they noticed the sad faced Darien. Uh-Oh trouble in paradise. Rei thought to herself.
"What's up?" She asked almost casually. Serena smiled, but the force she put into it was obvious. This worried Ami.
"Serena," She said. "What's wrong?" She tried to catch Serena's gaze but she was doing a very good job of avoiding everyone's looks.
"Um, well." Serena felt so horrible. It just hurt so much. In an instant the emotion got so great inside her, she snapped, she felt like her normal, happy, self. She plopped down on the floor near Rei's bed and said cheerfully. "Well, Darien and I decided to take a break from each other. We're going to just see other people and not be so tied down for a while." She started feeling around under Rei's bed for a comic. Rei and Ami just looked at her in disbelief. Rei turned a suspicious eye on Darien.
"Whose idea is this?" She said with anger in her voice. Ami was more concerned with the fact that Serena had changed in a few seconds. From on the verge of breaking down, to normal. Darien shrugged; he was finding it hard to speak. He couldn't believe Serena had just broken up with him. It hurt; he understood how she felt when he told her he didn't love her.
"Her's," He muttered. "I just found out about it a few minutes ago." Ami and Rei both felt their mouths drop and they stared at Serena in disbelief. She was calmly looking back at them.
"Serena…" Rei was finding the shock was making it hard to talk. "I…is, this, uh, true?" Serena nodded, smiling.
"It's for the best." She claimed. Darien just looked even more sad.
"Oh, my gosh! She must be sick." Rei said, jumping up to feel Serena's forehead.
"I'm inclined to agree with Rei, this is very unlike Serena." Ami, agreed with a concerned look. Darien, who had slumped down the wall and was sitting, just watched Ami and Rei's attempts to get the truth out of Serena. Who just smiled and deflected all their questions. Eventually she stood up and claimed she had stuff to do. As she walked out Ami and Rei turned their attention to Darien.
"Hey, she'll get over this soon." Rei said casually. Darien just looked at her.
"It's so wrong, I just can't think of spending time without Serena." He said hollowly.
"Darien, Serena loves you. Maybe it's just pressure, from school and stuff." Ami said. Rei threw her a look.
"Since when has Serena cared about school that much?" Rei asked her skeptically. Ami shrugged.
"She made it sound like we we're holding each other back and we should see other people." Darien added to the conversation. Rei and Ami both looked skeptical at this comment.
"Who else would want to go out with that Meatball Head!" Rei said mockingly. Darien didn't smile, but Ami and Rei were making him feel better. He thought it over and maybe they were right, maybe Serena was just overwhelmed by her duties as a scout and a teen. He stayed and talked with Ami and Rei for that long afternoon and Rei didn't even give Serena and Darien's problem another thought. Serena will be running back to him in a day or two. Was her last thought on the matter.