"Tell me about that one time." Darien slumped against the tree. He just wanted her to come back out of her fragile state, and relax.
"I am not going to tell you." She mumbled
"Come on...you said you needed to get some stuff off you chest so get it out. I am not judging." He ran his hand down her back to comfort her.
"You're going to laugh."
"Try me." He ordered.
She pressed her lops against each other, as her cheeks started to tingle and become warm.
"Come on...I swear on my parents."
She turned to him in shock.
"I will not laugh."
"When you put it on your parents, I guess I kind of have too." She did a little push off the ground and closer to the tree, so she could rest her back like Darien was doing. His arm pressed up against hers. She released a quick exhale, and a deep sigh.
"Come on...it's not like it was Melvin!" Darien teased. Then his mind started racing of all the times they were together. Then his face became stoic. "It..it wasn't Melvin right?
Serena forced a chuckle. "No not Melvin...and not Andrew either." She added abruptly. She scratched her ear and turned away. "It was actually you."
"I am sorry what?"
"You heard what I said Darien."
"No, I didn't." He moved in closer to her. "You turned away. There were kids." He was lying. He just needed to hear it one more time.
"You really didn't hear me?" Serena turned to him.
"I promise I didn't hear it." He lied again. He really needed this confirmation for himself.
She rolled her eyes. "Fine. I will say it again." She looked down at the ground, to avoid seeing his expression. "It was you, okay? And it was not so much just one thing you did, it was multiple times because of multiple reasons. But you are the only other person that made me feel like that okay?"
There was a moment of silence.
"But not the you, that would make me cry and so mad with all the crappy things you said to me, that made me feel so self conscious about myself." She pointed out.
"Those were not my proudest moments, and I-"
"It is all in the past, Darien, it's okay I am over those fights, and that things we said to each other. We have to be, if we are sitting here right?" She interrupted.
"So... what did I do... to give you those butterflies?" He inquired.
"Really?"
"Yes, because I was really bad towards you, I would hope you weren't just into toxic men."
Serena gave an understanding nod. "Only difference is I knew you were not 'toxic.'" She did air quotations with her fingers. "Andrew would never be friends with a person that was toxic. Rita would never put up with someone like that either. I guess that is why they shunned off my ex so quickly." She let that comment sink in, and her whole body started to ache, as realization came crashing down her. She started to rub her neck.
"Are you okay?" Darien asked as he placed his hand on her shoulder and started gently massaging her. "Does that feel better?" He knew he probably crossed every boundary here, but to feel her actually relax was worth it.
She started to calm down. "I always knew you had a soft spot." She smiled. "I remember that one time you babysat Jordan. The way you smiled when you played with him. I think at one point you laughed and I was shocked that the laugh came from you." She exhaled. "I couldn't help but think how handsome you looked holding him. How you loved him, protected him."
He blushed. She thought he was handsome.
"You were always so protective of my friends too. Though your tone was brash, and could have been nicer. I knew you meant well. You pushed me to be better, without really knowing you did. My goals were always to prove you wrong, and maybe I never actually did, but it made me a better person." She took a quick pause to catch her breath. "Obviously not as great as you."
His face now cherry red.
"For god sakes you were going to be a doctor to help people. Kids at that. There is no way you could heartless and want to do that." She couldn't help but gush. "I don't know. That side of you...the side that you that people only get to see if they really pay attention" She put her hand over her heart in hopes it calmed the beating. "I think that is why it mattered so much to me what you thought about me." She stopped herself, as she realized what she was saying. Her heart started to race. He hadn't said anything, but all she could feel was embarrassment, that she let all that out, to him of all people.
"Look at the time." Serena checked the watch on her wrist. "I really should find the girls." She pulled herself away from him. "I am sure they are worried I haven't called or anything."
"Wait... you're just going to leave like that?" Darien asked thrown off by her sudden attempt to leave. "Did I do something? I am sorry about the massage."
She pushed herself on to her feet. "Darien... no... it is not that at all." She scratched her forehead. "I mean...I am sure you have so much studying and I am just boring you." She couldn't risk herself humiliating herself anymore.
"But... I like... I mean.. " He couldn't get out that he wanted her stay. Again not sure if what he would say would scare her away.
Darien looked around still confused, as Serena dusted dirt off her clothes. "I don't think I will have any stains." She looked over her shoulder to check that back of her skirt. "Here let me help you up." She put her hand out.
"Serena, I enjoyed talking to you, and you aren't bothering me at all." He tried to adjust himself.
"Come on let me help you up."
Darien gave her hand the side eye. He didn't want to get up, because then she would leave.
"Come on, I can help you up." She shook her hand out for him to see. "it's the least I could do, I really needed to get that all off my chest, and I really appreciate this, I just don't wanna keep the girls waiting." She knew they weren't waiting.
And Darien could feel she wanted to go, and he knew he shouldn't force her to stay. He felt defeated.
"Okay..." He groaned, grabbed her hand and he felt her give a big tug at his arm. She pulled him up and slamming him into her. He quickly put one around waist, to keep her from falling back. "Are you okay?" He asked concerned.
"I am fine..." She chuckled. "I didn't fall like you thought I would." She looked up at him with a big smirk.
His face remaining stoic as their eyes locked.
She thought about turning away, but for some reason she couldn't.
He felt her heart pounding as they stood there belly to belly. He just hoped she didn't feel his stomach flip. What was he supposed to do now? He didn't want her to pull away, but standing there just like that was not going to be any less awkward. But he could look into her blue eyes all day, if she really let him.
"Darien..." She whispered. Turning her head to break his eye contact. "I should really go..." Her voice cracked.
"To see the girls...?" He suggested.
"Ummmm..." She tucked her hair behind her eye, still avoiding his gaze.
"What is it? Are they even waiting for you?"
"I am not sure..." Serena just shrugged both her shoulders, finally looking up at him again.
"Are you...th...thinking about what to do about him?" He held his breath for her answer.
She looked back up at him. "For the first time in a long time...I wasn't, until you brought him up."
Darien scolded himself internally for mentioning him.
"It was kind of nice actually, even though it was just a few minutes" Serena explained.
"You called him your ex earlier... does that mean you made your decision about him?"
She continued to look up at Darien, not answering.
"You deserve better than him, you know?" Darien whispered.
"I am just trying to process everything, and ..." She tried to find the right words to say.
"Your mind is all over the place, trying to figure out what to say?
"Yes." She responded.
"You're feeling like you palms are sweaty?"
She nodded.
"The park is spinning?"
She bit her lower lip.
"Like your heart is beating a million beats per minute? And your stomach just flipped?" He added.
"Darien..." She tried to push herself away from him, only to feel his free hand connecting with the other behind her back to pull her in closer.
"Serena...let me take you on a date."
"Darien, if this is because of what I just confessed to you and everythin-"
"I want to take you out tonight." He cut her off. "Because I want to show you what a night out with someone you want to be with really looks like."
She paused and replayed what she just heard, not sure if that was just a moment she made up in her head. She took a small step back, break the hold Darien had on her.
"Serena...?" Darien asked concerned. Her face was blank but he could see she was thinking about something.
"Are you serious?" She finally asked.
"Serious about what? Taking you out on a date?" He nodded yes.
"No that part...wanting to be with me?" She was still confused. "We hadn't talked in years...and..."
"Serena, if you wanna say no..." Darien took a step back.
She just shook her head.
"Got it." Darien bent down to grab his books and his bad.
Serena could see the spark leave his eyes.
And then she realized what he meant. "Wait...no..."
"Its fine Serena...you are fresh out of a relationship. I should have waited."
"No Darien, it is not that at all..."
He stood up with his things in his hands, staring back at her.
"I wasn't saying no Darien. I was saying no to me saying no."
He tried to math the words she said in his head. A double negative. "You're saying yes?"
"Do you want me to say no?" Serena tried to clarify.
"No. No. I am going to show you an amazing night. I promise. I will pick you up at 730. Tomorrow."
"Okay." Serena couldn't help but laugh at his excitement.
"This is going to be great."