CHAPTER THREE

The next day Serena walked to school with her head hanging low. As the other student passed her by, she could hear the whispers and the stares that she was attracting. The whole neighborhood and she thought, the whole city knew exactly who she was. Her and her father had been the top news last night. Apparently the earthquake only registered 2.5 on the Richter scale. It was only their house that had collapsed. Apparently it was dues to cheap materials used on the house that had caused it to fall. She felt embarrassed. It was a relied when she finally spotted her friends just inside the school gate.

As she ran to her friends she started crying.

"It's okay, Serena. You'll get through this," reassured Raye.

"Yeah, Serena. Chin up. We'll be here every step of the way," added Mina.

"You guys are amazing," cried Serena and hugged each of them still sobbing.

As they were having a group hug, they heard from behind them someone clearing their throat very loudly.

"Do you mind moving. You're blocking the way."

They disengaged and turned to see who the rude person was. They were surprised to see that this person was none other than Darien Havers.

"Did you hear me? You are creating an obstacle making it difficult for others to get through," he repeated without a change of expression.

"Excuse me, rudest person ever, but cannot you see that we are having a delicate moment?" Serena pointed out. How she managed to find her voice in front of the object of her affection, she did not know. It must have been the combination of all that has happened to her since yesterday and this morning.

"Well can you not have your moment where human traffic might build up?" Darien suggested. He was really getting fed up with the simple minds of girls, particularly this one.

Serena peered around Darien. Sure enough there was a crowd behind them wondering what the hold up was.

"Well, I'm so sorry, Your Highness," Serena said indignantly.

Darien raised his eyebrows at that and gave them a haughty look as they moved out of the way.

"Hey, Meatball Head, next time have your sessions elsewhere," Darien called out.

Serena stopped in her tracks and turned to him. She could not believe what she just heard. She stomped right up to him.

"Meatball Head?!"

"Yeah, you heard me. Meatball Head."

"You jerk!"

With that Serena launched herself at him. Arms and legs were flying everywhere.

"What the f-" said Darien just as a foot connected with his shin.

By this time everyone had formed a circle around the. Andrew and the girls flew to their side and attempted to pry them apart. Darien was desperately trying to grab a hold of Serena's wrists but was failing miserably. Darien was very tall compared to the very petite form of Serena. She barely even reached his chin. It was this height that was serving Serena very well. She was able to reach places on his body to do harm. She let out all her frustrations on him. The rejection, her house crumbling, the news report and now the insult.

How could she have ever thought that this was guy was the most perfect human being? In one day all her thoughts of him vanished into thin air. But why was her heart still pounding? Serena put it down to adrenaline flowing through her body.

"I hate you, you jerk! You don't have an ounce of decency on your body!" she screamed and cried as her friends finally pulled her off of Darien.

"Calm down, Serena!" said Lita, as she carried a still flailing Serena out of Darien's reach.

The girls watched as Darien straightened his clothes and walked away with Andrew without another glance towards muttering something about crazy girls.

"Why did you hit him?" asked Raye when they were finally making their way to their first class of the day.

"I don't know. I guess it was the last straw after all that has happened," said Serena honestly.

The people in the corridors were pointing and whispering around them. News had travelled to the whole entire student body about what had happened. Some people were asking who Serena was that she dared do that to Darien.

"It's okay. I'm sure it will all blow away," assured Mina.

"Thanks. Anyway, can we please just change the subject? I don't want to talk about what happened anymore," she begged.

"Okay. Question, where are you and your dad going to be staying while your house gets fixed?" asked Amy.

Serena explained to them that last night they had stayed at the restaurant. While there, her dad had received a phone call from an old friend of his. Apparently this friend had seen the news last night. He immediately let her father know that they could stay with their family until their house could be fixed.

"That was nice of him. So when do you go?" asked Raye.

"Tonight. We'll go after I return from school," she replied.

"Maybe they'll have a cute son," suggested Mina.

Serena laughed. If only.