Chapter Two

She stood outside and sighed, wondering what to do for the weekend. All four girls had their own thing to do, except for Serena. 'Raye has to help grandpa at the temple for a little bit and I'm not allowed to go there and hang out with her. Amy is tutoring kids. Lita is teaching people how to cook. Mina has her singing lessons, and her cousins are coming over. I didn't even go to the Crown Arcade for a whole week! I just need some time off. I'm just going to put school off to the side for a day. Raye's probably coming back soon since she's my room mate.' Serena thought, happily. She practically skipped to the arcade. People thought that she was very childish for her age from what people were seeing. But, she didn't care what other people thought because, it didn't even matter. Besides, you can only be young once, right?

She stood in front of the automatic doors so the doors could open for her. She stood there, amazed. About thirty people were there and most of them were crowding around one table. She walked in, and sat on the red swivel chair. Serena smiled. She knew that Andrew always worked very hard. Every time she goes in the arcade, she always sees him wiping cups.

"Hey Andrew!" She practically shouted. He jumped, and almost dropped his glass coffee cup. Andrew looked at her, and smiled.

"Aha, hey Serena! Wow, I haven't seen you here in awhile. I mean… I see you at school everyday, but yeah! Anyway, what's up?" He put the coffee cup on the counter, put the white towel near the sink, and leaned over the counter a bit.

"Oh… nothing much. I just got back from school actually."

"Really? Everything okay? Complicating for a first year?"

"Yeah actually! It's just so hectic… anyway, guess what!"

"What?" He asked curiously.

"Well… I auditioned for Snow White and… I GOT THE PART!" She said, proudly.

"Whoa… a-are you serious!" He said, with a serious tone in his voice. His eyes just grew farley large.

"Is… that a bad thing? Anyway, I'm just so excited, I can't wait to start! It was so weird because, I auditioned today and… the drama teacher said that I got the part."

"I'm really happy that you got the part! It's just that… Beryl auditioned for Snow White…"

"And…?"

"Well… apparently Darien is Prince Charming."

"WHAT?" She shrieked. Everyone turned around from their conversations, and looked at Serena oddly. Again, Serena just didn't care about what people thought. She knew that people were looking at her, with strange faces. She was just so surprised that Darien, of all people, got the part of Prince Charming! First of all, he's the most popular guy in college, and Beryl is going out with him! 'Shouldn't they have chosen Beryl instead of me? Oh man… I'm so dead! She's going to totally kick my butt! What am I going to do, what am I going to do!' She asked herself that question thousands of times in a split second.

"Not so loud Serena! But… you didn't know!"

She stood up, slammed both of her fists onto the counter and replied, "No! Other people don't get to know till Monday! I thought that I was the only one that knew first!"

"Well… I guess that Darien was the first to know. Oh man… Beryl is going to be so mad now…" He said worriedly, while looking up at the ceiling and rolling his eyes. He leaned to the left, looked over Serena's shoulder, and slightly squinted his eyes. With a group of people surrounding at a table, he saw Beryl, sitting really close next to Darien. She sat on his left side, holding his left hand tightly, as if someone else was going to steal him away. Could it actually happen?

Beryl was just laughing with the whole crowd, so it looked like she was easy to get along with. But, with all the gossip that has been going on in the first couple of months, it really seems like Beryl was just a player, a wannabe, etc. Serena doesn't know who she is, and they have never even spoken one word to each other. Even though she has heard things about Beryl, she wouldn't talk about her at all. She doesn't even know the girl.

"I… I just have to quit. I just have to!" She sat down stubbornly and crossed her arms.

"No, don't Serena. Just… give it a try okay? And yeah… good thing Beryl isn't Snow White! She's sucks at acting! Besides, she spends WAY too much time with Darien. I mean, doesn't the girl do anything else? No offense to Darien but, seriously. Every time I see him, she's always with him. I barely even know him anymore."

"But… you guys are still best friends though, right?"

"Well, I don't know about that," He picked up a glass coffee cup, and started wiping inside of it. "I mean… we may be room mates and all but, I usually see him in the room but then, as soon as I turn around, he's out the door."

"Whoa… is he that busy?"

"Well, I guess. It's the girls that are so attached to him."

She turned around, and looked over her right shoulder and saw Darien, laughing. It wasn't a fake laugh, it was a real laugh. Next, he smiled. And that's what caught Serena's attention. She blushed lightly, but it was barely visible. He is kind of cute… she thought. Serena shook her head lightly, turned her head around, and looked down at her lap. What am I thinking…? I don't even know him.

Darien got up, and started walking towards the counter. He sat down on the red swivel chair, one chair away from Serena. Serena turned her head to the right, and looked at him in awe.

"Hey Andrew, can I get water?"

"Water? You always drink coffee whenever you come here though." He said, still wiping cups.

"Oh, it's for Beryl."

"Oh, okay. Just hang on a sec." Andrew turned around, picked up a cup, and turned on the water tap. Darien was just looking around, looking at the pictures on the wall. He then looked at his left, and saw a girl looking at him, with her mouth slightly opened. Serena didn't even notice what she was doing. She was just in a daydream.

"Uh… hey." Darien said, slightly narrowing his eyes, wondering if she was paying attention to him. She shook her head faintly, and was somewhat embarrassed. She finally responded, "U-uh-um… h-hey."

"Do you go to the university that is just right around the corner from here?" He asked, while leaning forward to her direction a little bit.

"Uh, yeah. It's my first year there. I've seen you around a lot."

"Oh… I haven't seen you around there, what classes do you take?" Serena's watch started to beep. She immediately looked at it, and forgot that she was supposed to be back at the college by five-thirty. Oh no… Raye's going to get so angry! I forgot we had to study! Geez, time goes by so fast! "Sorry but, I have to go. A friend is waiting for me back at the college. By the way, my name is Serena."

"Serena? That's a nice name. My name is Darien." He said, smoothly.

"Well… I guess, I'll see you around." She practically ran through the automatic doors, leaving Darien wondering about her even more. Darien turned his body around, put his elbows on the counter, and looked at Andrew.

"So yeah, she's new here huh." He said, while rubbing his hands.

"Yeah, She's really nice too. Seriously, this is the first time you guys have met?" Andrew asked.

"Well, she says that she has seen me around a lot. But yeah, I guess you can say that. Anyway, do you know who has the part of Snow White?"

"Oh, I do but, you're just going to have to wait till Monday, just like everyone else." He said, mysteriously.

"How come you can't just tell me now? Beryl is really starting to annoy me, she always says, 'I TOTALLY KNOW I GOT THE PART!' and so on." Darien ran his fingers through his soft, raven black hair.

"Well… apparently its--"

"DARIEN! WHERE'S MY WATER!" Beryl barked, while suspending their conversation. She stomped all the way to the counter and sat right next to Darien. Darien cupped his cheek with his hand, and let out a sigh.

"Oh, sorry. Andrew, can I have a cup of water?" He sounded tired.

"Sorry about that, here ya go." He picked up the glass cup that had water in it, and put it on the counter. Beryl grabbed it and waited for Darien to respond.

"Honey, can you hold this for me?" She said, in her sweet voice.

"Sure." He took hold of the cup of water, and watched Beryl walk in front of him. She left him with her drink, and was waiting at the table for it.

"Dude, seriously! You shouldn't listen to her like that, she's got arms, she should use them!" Darien scrunched his face a little bit.

"Well, it's okay. It was just a little favour."

"C'mon Dare, you always say that you can't wait to break up with her, but you never do it. I suggest you do it pretty soon ya know."

"Sorry Drew, but I hate hurting people. I'll just wait till she breaks up with me."

"WHAT!" He barked, "Darien, get out of your shell and start something new, take chances for goodness sake! I recommend that you should break up with her. Ever since you two were an item, everything has changed. Do you actually love her?"

"Well, not as much as I used to I guess…"

"That wasn't the answer I was looking for, 'Well, not as much as I used to I guess…'" He said in a certain way trying to mock him, "That means that you don't have that much interest in her anymore!" Andrew said, while slightly raising his voice.

"DARIEN! I'M WAITING!" Beryl yelled from a far distance. Darien turned his head around, and began to say, "I'll be right there!" He turned around and said, "K, I gotta go now. I'll see you later tonight. Don't forget, we have to study for the test okay?"

"K yeah, whatever." He said stubbornly. Darien walked fast to the table. He handed her her glass of water, and she smiled.

"Thanks honey."

"Yeah, no problem." How can I do it without making her cry? He asked himself, sadly.

"See ya later Andrew."

"Later." They both waved as Darien and Beryl exited the Crown Arcade. Beryl hung onto Darien's left arm, and she let out a sigh of happiness. She looked up at him; he had a puzzled look on his face. Beryl wanted to know what was going on but, she didn't want to be so inquisitive. She finally broke the silence. "So… are we doing anything today?" She asked, while rubbing his arm to release the tension.

"Sorry Beryl, I can't. I have to study for a big test on Monday." She frowned.

"You always study though… take some time off so you can be with me!" She smiled.

"I have since you came in my life Beryl." She stopped in her tracks, and looked at him. He looked back, wondering what she was doing. "What's… that supposed to mean?" She asked snobbishly while crossing her pale arms.

"I have to be honest Beryl… when you came in my life, you have made me so happy. It's just that… I really need some time on my own."

"So… you're saying that I'm clingy?"

"Well-"

"And, annoying, stupid, pale, bitchy, and --"

"No no Beryl, I didn't say that!" He said while walking towards her. She just didn't want to listen to what he was going to say so she ran in the opposite direction and he didn't bother to run after her. She was just always like that.

He walked to the university. The gentle cold breeze made him feel so calm, and relaxed. The blue sky just made him happy. Nature just made him so… over joyed. Darien was the type that always worried about people when something was wrong, and he hates being mean to people. He just didn't feel comfortable that Beryl over reacted when he didn't say what she thought he said.

"What's the answer Serena?" Raye asked, while sitting on the couch and flipping through her text book to find more arduous math questions.

"Ugh! I know this one, I know this one!" Serena said, while walking back and forth around the room, and hitting her head gently with both of her hands.

"C'mon Serena, I know you know this. THINK!" Raye said, putting more pressure on her meat-ball head friend. Serena collapsed on the couch; spreading out her arms and legs. "UGH! I don't know it!" Serena said, while putting both of her hands on her forehead.

"Don't worry Serena, I don't even know the answer either… even though it's in the back of the text book." Raye slammed the text book shut, put it on her right side, and crossed her arms. Serena sat in a slumped position and began to say, "Okay I have to admit it. Math isn't my greatest subject, we need help! The test is tomorrow and we don't even know how to do this!"

"WELL! I have a good reason miss I-don't-know-how-to-do-math! Okay, even though I don't understand this question, doesn't mean that I'm not TRYING in this subject! FIRST of all, Grandpa was sick, and I couldn't leave his side. And, as for YOU missy, what have you been doing?" Raye bursted out. "Okay, I admit it! I stink at math!"

"Yeah, you do." Raye smirked.

"Shut up! OH! I know! Andrew is really smart in math! I know he can help me!" Serena stood up, started walking towards the door but, stumbled over her feet. As soon as she touched the door knob, Raye said, "SERENA! What if he's studying for his test?"

"Oh well, he always has time for me." She smiled. Serena opened the door, and walked out. Raye let out a sigh and thought, "What a meat-ball head."

Hey you guys! Wow, it took me awhile to write this one. I WAS going to keep going but, I thought I'd just stop here. Heh heh heh. Well anyway, I hope that you guys liked this one, and I hope you review! It means a lot to me. Smiles

-Andrea