Chapter Thirty-nine

A Date?

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"So what do you want to do Andrew?" Serena asked.

"Not sure." He answered.

"I could get some late dinner together." Yella suggested.

"Sure. You want any help?" He offered.

"Sure, thanks." He and Yella walked towards the kitchen when Serena pulled her aunt aside. "Oh, I'll be in there in a minute."

"Okay."

"What's up Serena?"

"Do you like him?"

"What?"
"Do you like Andrew?"
"That's the reason you invited him isn't it?"

"Never."

"I'm going to go help him now."
"Fine. But if you do like him, you should ask him out."

"I'll think about it."

"Okay. I'm going to bed. I'm whipped. I'll see you in the morning."

"Okay, night."

"Night." She said to Yella. "NIGHT ANDREW." She yelled through the closed door.

"Night Serena." He yelled back to her.

She ran up the stairs and went to her room.

"So how are you?" Andrew asked.

"Fine. You?"

"Fine."
"What do you want to eat?"

"What do you have?"

"We have stuff for burgers, sandwiches, hot dogs, grilled cheese."

"Grilled cheese sounds good."

"Then I'll make some." She said pulling out a pan from the cupboard.

"Where's the bread?"

"Over there." She said pointing to a counter while she got the pan on the oven and the butter and cheese out.

"Do you want to go out sometime?" Andrew asked while they ate.

"What, oh sure. I'd love to." She said, surprised by the sudden question. "I think if neither of us were going to say something tonight, Serena and the girls were going to play matchmaker."
"I'm guessing that's part of the reason that I was invited tonight." Andrew laughed.

"It's all because of the girls that Serena and Darien are dating. They have fun playing matchmaker. It's kinda like their hobby." She laughed.

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"Do you want to go out sometime?" Serena heard Andrew ask.

Yes, I knew that's all they needed. Serena silently cheered at the top of the steps.

"I think if neither of us was going to say something tonight, Serena and the girls were going to play matchmaker."

Hey…well then again it is true.

"I'm guessing that's part of the reason that I was invited tonight."

You got that right Andrew.

"It's all because of the girls that Serena and Darien are dating. They have fun playing matchmaker. It's kinda like their hobby."

"Kinda like", more like is our hobby. She laughed to herself as she left for her room.

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"Coming." Serena yelled down the stairs towards the door. "I'll be there in a minute." She said trying to get to it after the doorbell went off again. The doorbell had been going off for a few minutes now, waking her from her afternoon nap. "Yah?" She asked yawning as she opened the door.

"Nice to see you too." Laughed the voice at the door.

"Oh, sorry Darien. I was napping."

"In that case I'm sorry."
"Nah, its okay. I fell asleep almost immediately after Yella left…four hours ago. It's about time I got up."

"Where'd she go that she's been gone for four hours?" Darien asked taking a seat on the couch.

"Date. Want anything?"

"Sure, got any hot chocolate? And a date? With who?"

"Yah we do. Yes a date, and with Andrew." She said walking into the kitchen.

"I'll take one then. When did this happen?"

"Last night." She said before starting the microwave.

"So they hit it off I guess." He said when she came back out.

"No, they were ready to kill each other last night so they decided to go on a date."

"Oh, that makes perfect since."

"Yup." She laughed. "So how was back to school?"

"Boring. It'll be more exciting when you come back though. I'm hoping they don't change your classes."

"Yah, I don't want them to put me into classes for slower people. Maybe I can just do what everyone else is doing and then each week get some work that I missed."

"That could work."

…DING…

"Be right back." She said getting up and heading towards the kitchen again.

"So how do you think Andrew and Yella are getting along?"
"They seemed to be hitting it off last night. I'm guessing pretty well." She said.

"He was really upset about the whole break-up. I don't care how much he says it was mutual, he was really torn up."

"I'm glad he's moving on though. He can't just live in the past." She said walking out with two mugs of hot chocolate.

"Yah. I was trying to cheer him up. He was trying to cheer me up. It wasn't working out to well." He laughed.

"Why was he trying to cheer you up?"

"Why do you think?"
"Oh, yah. I just try to block that out, so I forget sometimes." She laughed.

"I think we all just want to block that part of our lives out of our heads."

"Yah. After the trial, that will be possible too."

"Yah. It'll just be a thing in the past."

"You know it. So what do you want to do?"

"What do you mean?"
"You obviously came over here for something."

"Nothing particular. Just to see you. I'm happy just doing this." He said pulling her closer to him.
"This is my favorite pastime." She laughed.

"Mine too." He said placing the mug on the coffee table.

They just lay like that for a while, talking about nonsense until Yella came home.

"Hey. Took you long enough to come back." Serena joked.

"I made sure it took a long time just so I'd come home late. How are you Darien?"
"I'm fine. How was your date?"

"Good. Andrew is really nice."

"Yah, he is." Serena agreed.

"So what have you two been doing?"
"This." Darien answered.

"Sounds like fun. I'm going to go make dinner. Darien, will you be staying?"

"Nah, I should get going so I can get my homework done. First day back and we get loaded." He laughed.

"Okay. See you later then." She said walking towards the kitchen.

"Bye."

"You going now then?" Serena asked.

"Yah, do you want me to pick you and Yella up tomorrow morning?"
"You driving?"

"No, but I can walk by here, it's on my way to school."

"Sure. That'd be fine."
"Okay, I'll see you later, love."
"Bye muffin." She said before they shared a goodbye kiss.

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"So, do you guys have another date planned?" Serena asked as she set the table.

"No. We really hit it off though."

"You really like him don't you?"

"Yah, I really do."

"That's good. So what do you think I'm going to have to do about all the school I missed?"

"Not sure. We'll deal with it tomorrow when we talk with your principal."
"Okay. Darien is going to stop by tomorrow morning on his way. I figured we could walk with him."

"That's fine." She said sitting down to eat.

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"So Mr. O'Brian, what do you suggest?" Yella asked.

"You are completely against summer school."

"I only want to use that as a last resort." Serena said.

"You have friends that go here correct?"

"Yah. Nine really good ones. One is in my math class and five are in my study hall."

"Then why don't you try and do the work that the teachers are teaching right now. Then after school you can go to a different class and try to get some of the work done. As of right now, that's pretty much all we can do." He sighed.

"All of my friends have their strong subjects. I'm sure I can make it work." Serena said with confidence.

"Okay. I'm sure you can. If you have any difficulties, just let me know."

"Will do. Thank you so much." Serena said.

"So when should she return to school?" Yella asked.

"Tomorrow if she'd like. Or even if your stuff is here, today if you really want to." He said looking at Serena.

"What hour is it right now?"

"Second will be ending here in about five minutes."

"My backpack is still in my locker. If I can just get my locker combination, I'll go now."

"Okay. Go ahead. I'll let your teachers know the arrangements."

"Thank you again Mr. O'Brian."

"Anytime and welcome back Serena."

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"Serena?" Darien asked as he walked into his math class.

"That's me." She said with a grin.

"What are you doing here?"

"Learning. I'm starting today. We're just going to do what I said yesterday. Everyday after school I'm going to go to a class and get some work or learn a lesson or something."

"Oh, okay."
…RING…

"First class, here we come." She laughed.