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The Boyfriend and his Professor

Serena sat at the dinner table poking her fork at the loose peas on her plate. She didn't like peas in the first place but the thoughts running through her mind about Andrew made her dislike them even more. Ann was happily munching down her dinner without regard to manners and her family members at the table. Soon Serena sighed and stood from her chair with a look of defeat in her eyes. "Daddy, mom, may I be excused from the table?" Ken looked at his daughter in surprise then nodded in agreement. She picked up her plate, cleaned it off, then slowly slinked up to her bedroom. The white door swung open easily when she pushed it into the pink and white room that was her sanctuary. Her room, her personal space. With a labored movements Serena threw herself onto her bed and pressed her face into the soft cloud that was her pillow, and allowed a tear to escape the confines of her eyes. "Diamond's probably right… Andy's too far away, there are too many women around him… they're all smarter than me and most likely more beautiful.

Needless to say Serena felt absolutely depressed, had Diamond not said a word she most likely would have enjoyed her day and would be talking to Andrew on the phone now. The tears really began to flow then. Should she forget about Andrew and accept Diamond's offer for a date? Should she hold in there and hope that Andrew did in fact feel the same way about her? She wasn't sure, and there really wasn't anyone to talk to about it, she knew her father would talk about it but she didn't want to complicate him with such thoughts. Just as she slightly sat up to wipe her eyes her cell phone rang with Andrew's ring tone. "Great…" She rolled her eyes then picked up the phone and with a deep breath continued. "Hello?"

Andrew paused for a brief moment on the other end and contemplated his options to start the conversation. A few things were off this evening, first, Serena hadn't called him at her normal time, second she sounded… sad and flat, as though someone had deeply hurt her feelings. The third thing amiss was that she'd answered the phone so impersonally, it worried him. "Hey Sere… is something the matter? You sound somewhat… sad."

"Oh, well then, I'm sorry! I'll get off the phone…" Serena went to pull the phone away from her ear so she could push the "end call" button but paused when she heard Andrew's protests on the other side. "What?" She asked helplessly.

"Serena! Is there something wrong? Seriously… why do I feel like I've done something to upset you?" Serena couldn't help but smile slightly at his concerned tone. He was always so sensitive to her moods, which clearly hadn't changed. "Did you have a bad first day? You always enjoy the first day of school."

"My day was okay I guess… I talked to Diamond today… he's still trying to get me to go out with him." She said in a quiet tone, she wanted him to protest, to say something that would discourage the idea instead he remained quietly waiting for her to finish. "I don't know. He just gets to me you know? He always puts these thoughts in my head that make me rethink my life and everyone in it…"

"He said something about me… didn't he?" Andrew's voice sounded tight and almost angry. Was it possible that he was angry because whatever Diamond could have said would be true? "What did he say to you Serena?" She could definitely tell he was angry.

"He… was just saying that… that… you were going to turn into your professor and…" Serena's voice dropped off as she thought about how to tell him about the rest of the conversation without giving her feelings away. This wasn't the time to tell Andrew about how she felt but at the same time she wanted to, she wanted to tell him so badly. "Just… never mind okay?"

"No! This isn't a never mind moment… you know Diamond's always got to you why do you talk to him? All he's ever tried to do is pull you into his claws so he could get you into his bed… maybe even the back seat of his car... well, I won't let him do that Serena. Whatever it is that upset you forget it. I've been on the fence about telling you something but I'm not going to hold back anymore because it's obvious that you're letting him influence you. I love you Serena, I want you to be my girlfriend. Before you answer, I want you to know that this in no way changes our friendship…" Andrew's words made Serena's heart sing with joy. He did lover her, and he wanted to be with her.

"Oh… Andy! You have NO idea how happy this makes me… I didn't want to tell you how I felt because I was so scared and… well…" Serena paused. "I love you too!" Her voice was overly joyful as she revealed her feelings and then began giggling. "So… we're officially dating now?"

"If you agree to let me be your boyfriend… all the women around here don't hold a candle to you, you're all I talk about. I swear Doctor Shields is sick of hearing about you… he listens to me jabber on about you though." Andrew smiled into the phone and lay on his bed then looked at a picture of his new girlfriend. The picture was recently taken and had been a gift to him from her when he went back to Shieldston. She was the most beautiful woman he'd ever met and her heart was bigger than any other person in the world. She was also innocent in her thoughts and actions, despite the fact that occasionally she could throw around some entendre's that would make even the most wicked people blush a little.

"Of course I agree! That's all I've wanted for a long time. I've been thinking about us being together and I'm so excited about this…" Serena was absolutely giddy as she bounced slightly on her bed and looked in the mirror. Andrew had actually asked her to be his girlfriend, she'd accepted, she was his girlfriend now! His special someone to hug and kiss… and maybe even… Serena shuddered at the thought of her and Andrew in bed together.

"I'll admit I've been thinking about us too… and just for the record, I can read you like a book Serena. You're eye tell all, always have." Andrew chuckled then grew quiet for a moment before adding something else. "So, when I come home for break you and I will be spending some quality time together right? We don't need to drag Ann everywhere?"

"Right, just the two of us…" Serena smiled secretly. Surely they'd spend time watching movies together in his apartment. Serena always thought it was funny that he maintained his own apartment in town despite the fact that he was only there roughly three months out of the year. Serena loved Andrew's apartment. It was above his family's business so he got it practically rent free. Alone in Andrew's apartment… the two of them dating… Serena grinned at the possibilities.

"Anyways, I need to get off the phone here, Doctor Shields asked me to prepare for tomorrow's lesson so we could go on a mini field trip tomorrow so I want to be well rested for that. I'm his best student you know?" Serena could hear the joy in his voice and could picture the large smile on his face. He was certainly proud to be Doctor Shields' student. "Oh… I want you to be especially careful around town too. That serial killer struck again yesterday in the city to your east. It's likely this person will make the rounds yet again and come to where you are so… promise me you won't go anywhere alone? Please? Doctor Shields is working with the police in the area profiling this guy… or girl, and he lets me in on some of the details of the case… this is serious okay?" Serena nodded silently. Whoever this serial killer was he or she, was extremely good. From what she'd heard the murders were done in fairly public places, and the person never left any clues as to who he or she was. It was almost as if the killer was a ghost.

"I promise Andy, I won't go anywhere alone. Love you… bye." Serena waited for his reply then hung up the phone with a large smile spread over her face. Why was it that a simple question and answer had lightened her day? "Oh… Andy." She hugged her favorite pillow as if she were hugging her new boyfriend.

Serena sat at the lunch table next to Molly and Melvin and watched them smile at one another. Their body language spoke volumes of the conversation they'd had the day before and Serena couldn't help but feel proud and responsible for the whole thing. "So, you two talked yesterday?" She smiled and flashed her blue eyes from one person to the next.

"Yes… we did. We've decided it would be best for the two of us to date." Molly then smiled and took Melvin's hand into hers with a slight squeeze. Molly's green eyes seemed to sparkle with the possibilities that lay in the future, hope truly was the best thing in the world… hope and love. Apparently they had found both much like Serena in her relationship with Andrew. "Now to get you into the dating scene."

"Oh… I'm in the dating scene." Serena smiled at her friend's surprised look and shook her head lightly. "Andrew and I talked last night… we're officially dating now! Isn't that exciting?" Molly could see the excitement in Serena's eyes and nodded in agreement. The redhead always marveled at Serena's ability to switch from mood to mood seamlessly. The blonde truly was amazing and Andrew was lucky to have won her over so effortlessly. The one thing that always irked Molly was that Serena and Andrew always reminded her of siblings not lovers, that however, was obviously wrong.

"What are you going to do about Diamond then? He obviously thinks you're his…" Serena frowned then fingered the lip of her milk carton. Diamond was pretty persistent… it was possible he would cause problems. On the other hand, perhaps he wouldn't. Serena looked up and shrugged with indifference at the thought.

"So what? I'm not and I'm pretty sure he knows it. Plus… It's not Diamond I'm worried about… it's Daddy. I know he likes Andy but I'm still his little girl and he may not want me to date yet. I'm going to have to talk to him about it before I really jump into this huh?" Her voice dropped off leaving the last few words as a mumble. Serena knew her father loved her but that was exactly why he would deny her this small victory. She was too young to be dating, especially someone three years her elder. No matter what he had been in the past Andrew could become her father's nemesis.

The day wore on and once again Serena could feel a dark cloud over her head. What if her father didn't approve… worse yet, what if he did? What sort of pressure would Andrew be under? The whole thing worried her until she got home that night and looked at her father with her question in her eyes. "Is there something you need to talk to me about honey?" Ken set his paper aside and smiled.

"Yes… Andy and I talked on the phone last night and… well… we decided to start dating… I just wanted to tell you because I want to know how you feel about the whole thing." Serena held her breath as her father took a deep breath and leaned forward so he could be closer to her.

"I think, it's about time you two came clean with your feelings. Honestly I was wondering when you two were going to start dating." Ken's words made Serena smile, he really did know her. With an exuberant motion she threw her arms around him and kissed his cheek.

"Thank you for being so great Daddy!" Ken hugged her in return but with more meaning that she expected. It was a hug meant to comfort her. "What's wrong?"

"Well… I… Okay, honey. I do have some bad news." Ken frowned then put his daughter at arms length. "My doctor found that I have a heart condition and we don't know… how severe it is. Your mother doesn't know and she thinks I only went in for a physical but… this is more serious. I'm worried that I'm not going to be around all that long." Serena jumped out of his arms and looked at him with anger and fear in her eyes. Ken could see her questions but chose only to pull her into a loving embrace. "You have Andrew honey, don't worry about me."

"But Daddy! How can I be happy when I know you're sick? I'm going to take care of you… I promise." Serena squeezed her father's chest then looked into his watery brown eyes, a sign that he wasn't so sure she could be.

"Don't worry honey… I'll be fine, and you're not allowed to take care of me. Parents are meant to care for children, not the other way around darling." Despite his words he knew she would be there for him when it was time. She was the only one he could count on, not even his wife would stay with him through that sort of issue. Marriage was meant for thick and thin but Ken knew Ilene was a woman who liked her world to be happy, she would sooner leave him then feel like she was suffering unnecessarily.

"Okay Daddy… I'm going to go and make a phone call right now." Serena hugged her father once more then rushed upstairs to call Andrew. She wanted to cry, she wanted to scream, but most of all she wanted to be comforted. Once in her room she rushed to her purse, grabbed her phone, then speed dialed Andrew hoping that he was available to talk.

"Hey Serena!" Andrew sounded a little on edge when he answered the phone, as if he were in an important meeting. Serena knitted her brow then looked into her mirror as if to check her appearance, in reality she was searching her own eyes for her feelings.

"Andy… I need someone to talk to… really badly." Serena breathed and waited for him to respond, he was silently breathing on the other end then suddenly answered her.

"Um… okay then. I'm listening." Andrew looked at his professor who was leaning back in his black leather office chair. The moment the phone hand rang Andrew regretted not turning it off. Why, now of all times, did Serena have to call? He was in the middle of speaking with Dr. Shields about his future in the world of psychology. The twenty five year old professor had locked his deep blue eyes on Andrew's the moment the phone had sounded and was now carefully watching his expressions, something Andrew wasn't comfortable with.

"She can wait." Serena heard a deep yet silky voice say nonchalantly. Serena was wise enough to know who would say such a thing and swallowed with some difficulty before blinking a few times.

"Is that… Dr. Shields?" Her voice was shaky when she thought that she had interrupted an important meeting between teacher and student. From what she'd heard of the man Dr. Shields had a short temper when it came to disrespect and answering the phone in the middle of a meeting was distasteful and rude.

"Yeah… I'll talk to you later okay Sere? Love you bye." Andrew waited for a response then hung up and looked at his professor with weary eyes. "Sorry about that she's…"

"She's what? More important than your career? I seriously doubt that Andrew. " Andrew avoided the man's eyes and sighed knowing that his mind was set. "Well, you might as well tell me about her." Andrew looked at his professor with surprise. Why would his teacher want to know anything about Serena?

"Well… she's my girlfriend. We just started dating yesterday but we've been friends since I was nine. She's a senior in high school…" Andrew then stopped as a strange glint came into the man's eyes and he leaned forward.

"No, I mean tell me ABOUT her. You're on your way to becoming a psychologist, don't you think you can give me better information on her than just her stats? However, if you must only tell me about her stats I will listen. What's her name?" Andrew looked at his professor with caution. The taller man wan now leaning on his knees, his eyebrow length black hair lightly shading his deep blue eyes thus hiding them from clear sight.

"Um… her name is Serena she's a blonde, like me, she has blue eyes, her parents are married and she was a sister who is one year younger than she is. Her eyes glitter when she's happy and she's always so… cheery. I always feel like… I don't know, like the whole world is happy when she's around, partially because she sees the good in everything. Her laugh is addicting and sweet…" Andrew talked on about his girlfriend unaware of the fact that his professor was truly listening. After he'd finished he looked at the man in the chair and smiled weakly. "Sorry… I went on a little incessantly didn't I?"

"A bit but you know, so far as I can tell you're quite taken with this girl. Which is interesting to me. I've never been taken with any woman so the idea of love is a little foreign to me. I'm too objective I imagine." Andrew nodded politely then stood to take his leave. His professor remained seated and smiled. "I'll see you in class tomorrow." With that Andrew left the room the doctor's eyes following him out. "Interesting… a bubbly, optimistic girl. Hmm… Andrew, Andrew, Andrew. What have you gotten yourself into?" Dr. Shields then stood and gathered his belongings leaving the university office empty and lonely looking at the end of the dark hallway.