-Bring!
The elevator doors opened.
Serena stepped in and pushed ground.
She sighed while thinking to herself.
'I'm so glad to be out of there.'
Bring! The elevator doors opened once more and Serena stepped into the lobby; then continued her way outside.
It was a cool night and Serena shivered as the cool air touched her bare arms.
'I'd better hurry home, its getting late.' she thought to herself.
'Well tonight wasn't very fun. Not only did I have to see that creep, but I had to be locked in a bathroom with him. Pfft, to think I actually started falling for-'
Serena stopped and shook her head.
'What am I thinking. I can't even stand him, how could I like him. I'm just tired.'
She shivered.
'Brr, and really cold.'
She took off into a jog.
'I'd better get home before I catch pneumonia.'
-
The Party music was blasting louder than ever.
People were laughing and hollering to each other.
But all Darien could here was the sound of someone crying.
-himself.
People would laugh if they saw.
The always cool, calm, and collected Darien Shields crying.
No one would ever believe that.
Yet there he was, hunched over on the side of his bed,.
Tears streaming down his face.
He couldn't remember the last time he cried.
But the way she acted towards him.
How she feels about him…
His eyes scrunched shut. He couldn't think about it. It hurt to much.
And the tears-
He wanted them to stop. He needed them to stop.
He wiped his eyes on his sleeve and took a deep breath.
His hand reached up to touch his face.
Still wet.
It won't stop.
'Is this what happens when you don't cry for so long?' Darien wondered to himself. He laid back on his bed, tears still streaming down his face. He closed his eyes, hoping, maybe even praying he would find comfort in his dreams.
-
Serena awoke the next morning to the sound of herself coughing.
Her head ached, her nose was runny and she had a terrible cough.
She had gotten a cold from the chilly weather.
She moaned a very whiny moan and then she remembered her family was out of town. And no one would hear her and come to take care of her.
Her moan was wasted.
She looked at the clock. 11:15.
She gave a wide yawn and tolled out of bed.
She needed to get herself a warm bowl of soup and some medicine.
She walked over to her window and took a peek at the weather. Warm and sunny- perfect.
She stretched out her tired body.
A neighbor saw her through the window and gave a smile and a wave.
Serena waved and smiled back.
'Ow' Serena mentally groaned.
It hurt to smile.
Serena stepped over to her mirror to examine her mouth.
'maybe I have a cold sore.' she thought.
Serena was greeted by a bubbly blonde reflection. The same one that's usually there.
She looked at her mouth and went through the checklist.
Not dry, not chapped, not cracked at the corners, no visible cuts, swelling, bruising, or rash of any kind, and no cold sores.
She tried to smile again.
'Ow, it still hurts.'
She scowled at her reflection.
"Well this I just weird." She exasperated out loud.
Ring! Ring! Ring!
Serena gasped.
'Could that be him?'
She stepped over to her nightstand and picked up the phone.
"He- Hello?"
"Serena?"
"Oh, hi Raye."
"Boy, you left way too soon last night Serena, you missed all the excitement."
"What do you mean?"
"After you left last night, Darien locked himself in his bedroom for a few hours, and when he finally came out. He was screaming and throwing things. He kept screaming that the party was over and he wanted everyone out. He was throwing beer bottles on the floor- there was glass everywhere. Last thing I saw him do before I left was push over his stereo c.d. rack. I've never seen him like that before"
Serena sat silently, her mouth gaping.
"Serena? Are you there?"
"Yeah."
"What the heck did you do to him in that bathroom, Serena?"
"NOTHING!"
"Well you don't have to freak out. I was just kidding"
" …He was probably just drunk."
"Yeah maybe, Anyway, it was scary to see him like that. I hope he's okay."
"Yeah.. Um.. I got to go, I'm not feeling so well. I have a cold."
"Okay well call me when you feel better"
"uh-huh."
"Bye Serena."
"Bye"
Click.
Serena's heart sank.
She didn't know what to think. She needed to clear her thoughts. She needed a bath/
…
Serena smiled as the scent of lavender scented bubbles and warm water enveloped her.
'This is great.' She thought. 'No worries.'
She was calm and at peace- all up until a bubbled flouted up that was shaped like Darien's head. She grimaced.
'What's his problem anyway. He's just a spoiled brat. He has probably gotten everything he's ever wanted handed to him on a silver platter. With his nice apartment and expensive clothes. Pfft. He deserved what I said to him. After all, he had it coming.'
Serena was still confused about a few things.
Why Darien got so upset and why she had to continually try to convince herself that what she did was okay. Oh well, It was over now and she could enjoy her nice warm bath.
No worries.
-
clank
A beer bottle hit the floor.
Darien cracked open another and took a swig.
It was morning now, and he sat on his living room floor, amongst all the broken glass.
Darien never drank.
But all of a sudden he felt like now was as good as time as any.
"Good year." Darien said, admiring the expiration date on the beer bottle.
"Ya know."
Darien said to his couch.
"I don't even know why I got so upset over Sere-she-mushy-moo. It not like she's super tall, and she's too…too.. Bald. Yeah I like girls with hair…hair made of spaghetti…So I can eat it."
He swigged another sip.
"Never have to buy grocery's again."
He swigged it once more.
"And ya know, I never really felt like I wanted to be close to anyone else before. Emotionally speaking you understand. Well you know, since my parents went up and died on me. Ya know they never even left me a note. Like 'dear son we're going to go get in a car accident today and die. Have a nice life.' Pfft. How rude."
-
"This is driving me crazy!" Serena exclaimed, splashing her arms in the tub.
"Hmph."
She crossed her arms.
"Why do I have to be worried about a stupid brat like that."
She sighed.
"He's just a liar anyway."
Suddenly a thought struck her.
"He did this on purpose! He did that just so he could drive me crazy, OOH! I'm gonna go and give him a piece of my mind!."
She grabbed a towel and stepped out of the tub.
Dripping wet and fuming.
-
"Ya know"
Darien slurred as he spoke to the couch.
"You sure are a good listener. I really love you man. And no I'm not just saying that cause I'm drunk. I mean I really love you."
He lifted his beer bottle towards the couch in a toast.
"To you."
And then he passed out.
…
DING-DONG.
The chime awakened Darien from his unconsciousness.
"Huh? What? Oh."
Darien fumbled his way over to his end table.
He picked up the phone.
"Hello?"
DING-DONG.
"Oh."
Darien hung up the phone.
He stumbled his way over to the door.
-
DING! DONG!
'Ugh, what is taking him so long!'
DING-DONG!
Serena impatiently pushes the chimes again.
'Answer the door!'
Suddenly the door opens.
Serena's eyes look up to see a very disheveled Darien.
His hair is rumpled and a mess, his shirt is wrinkled and a few buttons are undone. His eyes are dark and tired.
"Darien."
"That the name of the game, now what do I win?"
"…Are you drunk?"
"Who me? Oh I'm just um.. Well… yes. And who just I might ask is… whoa I know you, your um… my bunny, here bunny bunny bunny."
"Darien! I am not an animal."
"No no of course not.. that's just always been my nickname for you. My little bunny."
She gasped .
"what…?"
"ya know, keeping your love a secret for so long you tend to make up a lot of stuff in your head. Like um…that thing I was-wait who are you again and do you want a drink?"
She shook her head and contemplated a moment.
'I don't know WHAT to think now…is he being HONEST because he's drunk or is he just being mad.'
"Ya know" He started, interrupting her train of thought. "you remind me of this girl I know."
"Do I?"
"Yes she - oh how rude of me Come right in."
She gave a weak smile. 'Serena you've really done it this time.' And walked inside. She took a seat on his couch as he sat in the recliner across from her.
"Would you like a drink?"
"Um you already offered and I said no"
"Oh yeah and um where was I?"
"You said I reminded you of someone.."
"Yes you do…" He seemed to stare off into space a moment.
"Darien?"
"Oh yeah right, um. Well you see. " He chuckled. "I'm in love with this girl."
"Are you…"
"I've admired her from afar for some time. But she never seemed to notice me, at least not in the way I would have liked."
"I see, May I ask you a question?"
"Shoot."
"Who is the girl?"
"Her name is Serena."
Her palms began to sweat.
She looked down.
Her eyes started to water.
She fiddled with her skirt nervously.
"Well maybe, she does like you in that way but you just never noticed."
"Pfft she hates me."
Serena's eyes snapped up.
"SHE DOES NOT!"
He looked at her questionably.
"Just what makes you say that?"
"Nothing..I'm terribly sorry I didn't mean to yell like that um, may I use your bathroom."
"sure, I have two actually….the door on one of them is busted but the other is down the hall and in through the bedroom."
"Right."
Serena got off the couch immediately and quickly paced her way to the bathroom.
She needed time to think.
She found a door at the end of the hall.
Assuming it led to the bedroom she turned the handle.
Light seeped into the dark room.
A nightstand and bed stood in front of her, indicating she was in the right place. She looked around for the bathroom.
To the left of the nightstand there was a door against the other wall. She sighed and walked towards it. She glanced at the nightstand on her way by.
She stopped dead in her tracks.
A silver picture frame sat on the nightstand. If she didn't know any better she could have sworn the girl in the photo looked like her.
She shut her eyes.
'Maybe your seeing things Serena, you only glanced after all, It could be any blonde in the photo. A quick glance can't tell a person anything'
She sighed,
'I guess only one way to find out.'
She sat on the bed and picked up the frame to look at it more closely.
Her eyes bulged.
Bright blue eyes, Long blonde pigtails, buns.
"It Is me."
He breath began to catch.
'Okay, okay, breath.. Whhheewww… Calm down Serena. Serena, Calm down… Just think this through, Okay. Darien. The guy whom you've hated since the day you met. And who you thought hated you really loves you. Heh see no big.. AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH! I need to get out of her now!'
Her mind was racing. She quickly set the picture back on the nightstand and raced out of the room.
She went through the living room, passed Darien, and straight to the door.
"I'm sorry Darien but I really have to go." she spat out on her way by him.
"But"
Slam! The door slammed shut behind her.
He looked at the door.
"Pfft. Bellboys can be so rude."
- (A/N) I got the chap up whew, Finally right? Whew I'm such a sucky sucky getting things updated quickly kind of a person.. Aghh…Tell me if you like and I'll try to write the next chap soon.
-sugar