CHAPTER SEVEN

Serena had successfully eluded her friends when it was time to go home. She said a hasty goodbye giving the excuse that she would miss her train if she continued to loiter and made a run for the open gates.

Once she arrived home she quickly ran to her room after saying a quick hello to Aunt Jenny who was in the kitchen. She wanted to get a head start on her studying by organizing her books before helping Aunt Jenny with dinner. Serena was ashamed to admit it but her textbooks were still in their pristine condition as she did not open her books more than the required amount. She organized her textbooks into subjects and laid them out in a row on her study table according to which one she wanted to study first. Serena stood back and admired her handy work with a smile before changing out of her uniform and going downstairs to help Aunt Jenny.

"You don't have to help me, my dear. I don't want you to feel like to you have to help," smiled Aunt Jenny.

"No, I want to. I really do genuinely like doing things in the kitchen. Besides, you and Uncle Kevin have been really generous in letting us stay here. It's the least I can do after everything," said Serena.

"Oh, well, alright dear. I do like having you around!"

Serena helped with the dishwashing and the preparing of the ingredients. She stayed away from the actual cooking as anything she makes turns out to be a real disaster.

While they were talking and getting to know each other, Nate and Uncle Kevin came home and waited for dinner to be served. Serena noted that it was already six o'clock and yet Darien had not arrived. She knew this for a fact because she would look out every time the door opened and closed. I wonder where he is, she thought.

"Don't worry about Darien. He usually shows up right before dinner at six thirty," said Aunt Jenny.

Serena must have been too transparent in her actions for Aunt Jenny to have noticed. The last thing she wanted was awkwardness between her and Darien's parents. They really were lovely people which is why she could not, for the life of her, fathom how they had produced such a cold son like Darien.

"I don't know what you mean. I was just checking to see if dad had come back."
Aunt Jenny gave her a warm, knowing smile. She took Serena's hands and led her to the small table in the kitchen away from the hearing distance of Uncle Kevin and Nate.

"Do you like Darien, Serena?" asked Aunt Jenny while looking her in the eyes.

Serena blushed. "No. What made you think that?" she denied.

"It's okay to like him, Serena. In fact, I love it that you like him. I see the way you look at him."

Serena tried to deny it. But all Aunt Jenny did was pat her hand until Serena succumbed and finally admitted it. When she did Aunt Jenny gave the funniest squeal of excitement that Serena had ever heard. Then she proceeded to hug Serena in the tightest embrace that she had ever experienced.

"I knew it! I knew it! Oh, Serena! Thank you, thank you so much for liking my son!" Aunt Jenny looked like she had just won the lottery.

For the next half hour Aunt Jenny grilled her on how she came to like Darien, what was it about Darien that she liked and to top it all off, when would she like to marry Darien so that she can finally experience the happiness of being a grandmother. At this Serena could only laugh nervously. Who knew Darien's mother could be such a dreamer? Serena really did not have the heart to tell her how Darien really felt.

While Aunt Jenny was happily dreaming away, Darien walked in to the kitchen.

"Mom, I'm home," he said startling his mother out of her fantasy.

"Hi," Serena said meekly and stood up to set the table in the dining room.

"Oh, hello dear. Go get dressed so we can eat. Seriously, my son, you really need to tell us where you go after school," Aunt Jenny said.

Darien shrugged and left to change.

The dinner was amazing! Aunt Jenny really was a great cook, almost as good as Serena's father. And the atmosphere was even better. Even though her own father was not present, Serena still felt incredibly comfortable with everyone. It was a very enjoyable meal indeed. Even though Darien was not actively conversing with everyone, Aunt Jenny, Uncle Kevin and Nate more than made up for it. It was interesting watching and listening to them. Serena was experiencing what a normal family was like.

"Serena, dear, what you like for snacks while you're studying?" Aunt Jenny asked while the two of them were washing the dishes.

"Really, Aunt Jenny, you don't have to do that," she said.

"I don't mind. I never get to do it anyway. It will be a first for me."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, both Darien and Nate are very clever so they don't stay up late studying. In fact, I don't think I have ever seen Darien study."

Serena looked at her in shock. This just confirmed it. Serena was now convinced that Darien was not human at all.

Aunt Jenny ushered her out of the kitchen and told her that she will bring up the snacks and a surprise in about an hour.

When Serena was back in her room, she decided that Math would be a good subject to begin with. She opened the textbook and looked at the problems on the page. And kept looking and looking.

"No definitely not Maths first. Let's try biology."

But it was the same thing. It went on and on for all the textbooks that she picked up. She just did not understand where she was supposed to begin with. At this stage she was proving to everyone that her efforts will be for nothing. Not only would she be humiliated yet again in front of the school, but her teacher, Mr Sparks, will also be dragged in.

Just as she was about to give up, there came a knock on her door. Aunt Jenny walked in with a bowl of various fruits diced and a glass of milk.

"Oh, wow, Aunt Jenny. Thank you so much," Serena exclaimed with great relief.

"And I have something else to show you."

Aunt Jenny gave her what looked like a photo album.

"Its photos of Darien," Aunt Jenny explained.

Serena squealed in delight. She had been dying to see these photos and could not quite figure out how to ask. Thank God for Aunt Jenny. However, when Serena opened the album she was confused. She was convinced that Aunt Jenny must be playing a joke on her. All Serena saw were photos of this very beautiful little girl in every pose imaginable.

"Aunt Jenny?"

"That's Darien, dear"

Serena gaped. Aunt Jenny then explained that when she had been pregnant with Darien she had been absolutely convinced that she was having a baby girl. As a consequence all the clothes and toys that she bought were all for girls. So she did the unthinkable and dressed Darien as a girl until he was discovered in kindergarten when his class had gone swimming and all his friends saw that he was a boy and not a girl. Darien had been teased the rest of the year.

"I think that was the reason why he is so withdrawn now," Aunt Jenny said sadly.

So the great Darien had a secret so big that if it were to get out the whole world would collapse around her. Suddenly, a very sadistic plan formulated itself in her head. She laughed diabolically. This ought to be good!