I'm sorry for not writing for a long time! However, I won't be submitting any more chapters until my spring break in April due to time. Look out; I'll be putting in a cliffhanger to tempt you come back to this story.

Chapter 13: Friendship

Darien woke feeling as if he had slight asthma. He opened his eyes to find a mass of gold hair on his chest. Serena was sleeping, her head on his chest. He slowly got up and laid her on his bed. Glancing at her face he smiled. She was so adorable. He went into the kitchen and started cooking.

Serena woke to the smell of roses. She stretched and breathed in deeply the smell of her pillow, the source of the rose smell. Then she sat up, remembering. She was in Darien's bed and the sound of something frying in the next room. She cautiously opened the door and peeked in the direction of the kitchen, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes.

Darien chuckled as he saw Serena come in wiping the sleep from her eyes.

"Hey Odango, want some breakfast?"

She glared at him but sat down at the table.

"When will you ever stop calling me that?"

She couldn't stay angry for long, for she soon gobbled up the breakfast.

"How do you cook so well?"

"Well, I just followed the directions of one of my cookbooks."

"So that was the source of good food! I was wondering how you could manage to cook something so good!"

Darien chuckled.

"Thank you for taking care of me Odango."

His teasing voice caused Serena to look up and start to glare at him. What she found was Darien looking at her intensely with an unknown raw emotion.

"I-I think I'll go now!"

She jumped up and rushed to the door. Darien caught her arm before she left. The look was gone and he was smiling. Serena relaxed, since the look was gone, and smiled brightly.

"Thanks for the breakfast!"

Darien stared after her retreating figure from his doorway.

Serena chatted happily away with her friends. Her friends didn't know what was making her so happy but continued their plan.

"Serena, are you ready for the Christmas party?"

Serena responded enthusiastically to Mina.

"Nope! But don't worry, I will be. I still need to buy the perfect gifts for everyone!"

The girls giggled along with Serena, but their minds were on something other than presents.

"Aw come' on Darien! It'll be fun. I'm inviting the Chad, Ken, Greg, and…"?

Darien cocked an eyebrow.

"And?"

"The girls."

"Meaning?"

"Serena will be there too."

Darien had no answer to this. He drank his bitter black coffee silently. Andrew chose this as his moment to shine.

"This could be your chance. If you two just said it already there wouldn't be any of this suffering!"

"You don't understand! She's too young! Her father will murder me!"

"Still, you'll come?"

Andrew put on his begging face. Darien grumbled and paid for his coffee.

"Fine," he said as he left," I'll come."

Andrew smiled wickedly, Operation Lover Plan C was on its way.