Serena floated around her classroom spraying her roses and smelling them Darien had sent her a bouquet every 3 days to make sure she always had a fresh batch in her classroom. Her classroom no longer needed the rose petal air fresher, as it was naturally filled with the rose scent.
She turned to water the ones closest to the door, when she saw Sieya walking towards her classroom. She let out a sigh, turned around and rolled her eyes. She hoped that he took the hint and would turn away, but it didn't.
"I see someone is overly apologizing." He walked in uninvited. "Pretty soon this room will be a rose garden."
Serena again rolled her eyes. Sprayed the roses. "Did you need something?"
"Why, yes?" He said with a smug smile, walking closer to Serena.
Her nose was starting to pick up the scent of his cologne. It wasn't the cheap cologne one would pick up at the drug store, but it definitely had a harsher scent than Darien's. She turned to him. "How can I help you? I am subbing all my breaks for the next two weeks."
He drew his hand to his chin. Rested that elbow on his crossed arm. "Hmmm extra classes? Are you struggling? You know Sere you could always just ask me if you needed help." He took a step closer. Licked his lip. "Unlike some people I am always there when you need me."
Serena tried to hide the disgust she was feeling. "Thanks Seiya, but I will manage." She took a step back.
"Well you know that offer always stands." He hung his arms down by his side, and put his hands in his pocket. "Look Serena, you know how I have always felt about you and you know that I have always been more than willing to come to your aid when needed."
"You never seem to let me forget." Serena said turning her back to him and, putting the spray bottle down.
"But I can't help but feel this friendship we have is just...so..."He took a step closer to Serena. She was frozen and now holding her breath. "One sided." He whispered.
Serena's face started to feel warm. "Ummm. Sieya..." She cleared her throat. She was getting flustered. "I am not sure what you mean?" She tried to take a step away but she was too close the table that the flowers sat on.
"You know what I mean. Friends go out to dinner..." He brought his hand up to stroke her hair, moved his face closer, took a deep breath. "Am-"
"I do hope I am not interrupting anything!" A deep voice called from the entrance of her classroom.
Serena snapped her head around to see Darien, Malachite and Mina standing there. "Guys..." Was all she could get out.
"Serena, we came to see if you wanted to go get dinner." Mina observed the situation. She could see the uncomfortable look on her face. "I know you said you be working late...but is everything okay?" Mina asked.
"Everything is fine. Mina how have you been? See you still have Malachite following you like a shadow."
Malachite took a step forward to be stopped by Mina's arm swinging in front of him.
"What is it we have here, dear prince." Seiya turned and took a few steps towards Darien who met him half way.
"Seiya, I think you should leave." Serena interrupted.
"Why Serena?" A smirk crossed his face as he turned to her. She was sheepishly standing on the other side of the desk at this point. "I see Darien decided to add more flowers to your collection." He turned back to Darien, who now stood up straight, chest sticking out. "If I had known that is all it would take to get your attention, I would have just done that. Instead of helping you get this job."
Serena heart dropped her her stomach. Mina did a long blink to help her process what she just heard.
"Let that sink in Prince Darien. She came to me while you guys were having issues." He chuckled, examined his nails.
"Seiya you need to leave now!" Serena shouted. Both Malachite and Darien's hands were both clenched into fists.
"Yes, your highness." He turned to her and bowed. "But I will see you tomorrow." With a little skip in his step, he walked out of the room. Leaving Darien and Serena staring at each other.
"Mal, maybe, you and I should step out to?" Mina suggested.
"You think that is wise?" Malachite observed the former lovers. Neither one moving, or blinking. He knew that Darien would intentionally harm Serena, but his anger could be felt across the room.
"Leave. That is an order." Darien demanded. He had clenched the rose stems so badly they were no longer straight.
"We will be right outside." Malachite warned, as he and Mina walked out with their heads hung. Mina closed the door behind them.
Serena finally broke eye contact and headed to her desk where she had stacks of paper waiting for her. She pulled out her seat. "If you are going to stand there all "macho" and angry you can leave to. I am too busy to go to dinner anyways."
"Don't you dare act like nothing just happened!" Darien threw the bouquet on the desk.
Serena looked up at him, crossed her arms across her desk. "I don't need to deal with you yelling at me. So if you are not going to calm down you can leave. Bye." She picked up a pen and tried to ignore him. Her heart was beating so fast she could hear the beats in her ears. Her face was flushed. She pretended to work for two minutes. When she could still feel Darien's presence she looked up again, to see him as still as a statue. "What do you want Darien, I have nothing to say. Thanks for the roses. Have a good night."
"You came to work this man, knowing he felt about you!"
"Darien, what I do right now does not require your approval. We are not together!" Her voice went up a level.
Outside Mina and Malachite stayed close to the door listening.
"But it does involve me!" He started to pace. "You ran to him, while we were still technically together. How did you do it? How did you convince him to help get you this job."
"The hell are you implying Darien?" She stood up from her desk. Both her hands flat on her desk, holding her up.
"A man like Seiya does not just do favors for himself. So what did you do?" He stopped to stare at her. She looked perfect. In a white blazer, pink shirt and white pencil shirt. Her hair was in perfect place. Light curls at the bottom. Her cheek and ears red.
"I DIDN'T DO ANYTHING!"
"Right...you didn't go to dinner with him? Coffee?"He scoffed.
"JUST LIKE YOU ALWAYS LEFT ME IN THE DARK, DARIEN, I DON'T HAVE TO EXPLAIN ANYTHING I DID WITH YOU?"
Mina bit her nails on the other side of the door. Their screaming was getting louder. She could hear them so clearing. Malachite tried to make her stop by holding her hand but she started on the other hand.
"THIS IS NOT THE SAME! YOU WANT TO GET LOUD I CAN GET LOUD TOO! I NEVER WENT BEHIND YOUR BACK TO A FORMER LOVER!"
"SEIYA IS NOT MY LOVER!"
"BUT. Was he?"
"Darien take it back.."Mina whispered outside.
Serena looked at her little hands on her desk. She must have been really nervous because they were leaving hand prints on her kids art work.
"Answer the damn question. Did you sleep with him to get this damn job?" Darien heart paused for a second. He was not sure why he asked that question, he didn't want to know the answer, but it was too late.
Serena shook her head.
"tell him 'no' Sere..."Mina begged with her ear pressed against the door. Her eyes were starting to tear.
"No answer? Or ashamed of what the answer is? He must have not been that great, considering he is in here begging for you attention."
"I want you to leave." Serena sat back in her seat. Rearranged her papers into a nice stack.
"Answer the damn question!" He demanded, swinging his arm and throwing one of the vases closes to him on the ground.
The sound of the glass shattering caused Mina and Malachite to barge in.
"What the hell is going on!?"Malachite shouted.
"Serena are you okay?" Mina went over to her friend cautiously stepping over the broken glass.
"I just want him to leave." She brushed them all off. Trying to ignore all the flowers on the ground.
"Not until you answer the damn question."
"Darien, you obviously have the answer set in your head, so no matter won't change it. So have a good night!" She dismissed him as she turned her attention to Mina. Her face too was begging for Serena to answer his question.
"It is a yes or no question!"
"LEAVE! MALACHITE you remove him now!"
"Don't you dare put your hands on me!"
"Darien, walk away." Malachite demanded calmly.
"Walk away? You don't boss me around."
"I am asking you." Malachite again, trying to hold his composure and not just drag Darien out. "As your friend. Walk. Away."
Darien threw both his hands up. Looked at Serena. "Fine. You want me out. I am leaving. Have a good life. I hope Seiya makes you happy. Good luck with the whole Ri-"
"Nope, you are not going to finish that sentences." He nudged Darien out and shut the door.
"The hell is your problem?" Darien said fixing out the wrinkles in his clothes. "You were about to say something you were going to regret for the rest of your life."
"You know what I regret Mal?" He started towards the exit door. "Her. But not anymore. She can be with that loser! I don't care anymore. I have women who will destroy galaxies for me! I never needed her! She can be with him!"
Malachite followed. "Darien, I know you are mad, but that is exactly what Seiya wanted. You keep acting like this, he wins!"
"Go a head it is not like she is much-"
"Again, I am going to stop you there." He cut him off. "You will not talk about our queen like."
"Newsflash. Malachite, she cannot be queen without me." He turned around with a smug smile. "So she is nothing."
"I am sorry to correct you Darien, she will be queen, whether you are married to her or not." He walked past him. "She will just be queen of the moon, leaving you here, on Earth to rule alone, missing her." He tossed his keys in the air. Caught it.
Darien watched as his friend continued to walk.
Back in the classroom. Serena held in her tears and started to clean up the glass. She swept everything into a pile.
"Here let me get another vase to save the roses." Mina suggested.
"No, we can just toss them all." She sniffed and wiped her nose. She bent down to sweep the flowers into a dust pan.
"Sere you love roses, and yeah some of them have glass but you can still save them. They are still in such good condition." Mina tried to convince her. She bent down next to her. "Why didn't you tell Darien that you did not sleep with Seiya and it was only a letter of recommendation."
"It's simple Mina," Serena got all the roses in the dust pan. Stood up and walked them over to the trash. "If he has to ask, then he already doubts me, my character and how much I ever loved him." She turned to Mina tears in her eyes. "And we all know how much I truly do."
"Serena."
Serena wiped her nose and the tear that slid down one cheek.
"I never slept with anyone."
"Other than Darien." Mina tried to complete.
"No. Not even Darien." She went to get her coat on as Mina stood there stunned and trying to comprehend what she just heard. "And I loved him since I was 14, why would I sleep with Seiya who I never ever, in a million years saw that way?"
"You and Darien... never?" Mina still could not believe what she had heard.
"Nope. " Serena grabbed her purse. "First he thought I was too young, and then he just got too busy, too tired, truth probably just too annoyed with me."
"I can't-"
"Wrap your head around it?" Serena completed her sentences. "Welp...it's the truth." She headed to the door. Turned to Mina who stood in her same spot. "Are you coming. I am sure you need a ride."