Consequences

Rated M

Author's Note: So, I am really sorry I have disappeared for the last month. I had classes, two jobs and then on Sunday, my aunt who was fighting a battle of leukemia passed away. This week has already proven to be really difficult - she was like a mother to me as my family is very close. My mom and other aunt aren't taking it all that well either, so needless to say, this week is a trial. I have been writing to keep my mind off things so this may not be the best chapter ever.

Thanks to those who reviewed the last chapter, and I hope you continue to review. The reviews really do keep me wanting to write, so the more you review, the more I want to give you more - just throwing that out there. So, without further ado, I give you the next installment of this lovely web.

Chapter Nine

The bile began to rise in his mouth at the sight of them from the front seat of his black SUV. What was transpiring couldn't be happening. There was no way his girl would be making out with that lame excuse for a man. No, his woman was sweet, innocent and ever-faithful. His clenched hands turned white as they gripped the grey steering wheel in front of him. Fury filled his eyes as he watched her from across the parking ramp. She got into her car leaving the man staring at the retreating car.

This must be stopped. He had to follow her. They had much to discuss. His car slowly revved past the man still standing in the parking lot. All he wanted to do was wipe that stupid smirk off his face, but he knew better. She wouldn't like it.

It wasn't in his nature. She thought better of him.

Letting his mind clear, he trailed slowly behind her car.

Deep breaths, he kept telling himself. There has to be an explanation for her treachery.

That kiss was simply a scheme to anger him. He was supposed to see. She wanted him to be jealous, that was it. Like his mood, the grey sky starting spitting droplets on his car. His tires splashed up puddles as he drove the familiar streets.

This wasn't the first time he followed her and he had an inkling where she was going. Their favorite eatery and bar. That was an unsatisfactory place to confront her.

But he wanted to. Now must not be the time. Apparently, she had to talk to her friend. Why couldn't she talk to him? His mind continued to race with questions.

How could she be unfaithful to him? Hadn't he given her everything?

He shook his head back and fourth trying to clear his head. She pulled into the parking lot and he followed. Her tiny car slipped into a parking lot and he slowed to get a glimpse of her.

As she stepped out, he sucked in his breath. Her presence still stunned him. God had never made such a more beautiful creature. He had to remind himself why he was here.

She was with another man. A man, that was not him. This cut deep. He was bruised over her deceitfulness. He wanted to confront her, but he sped up his engine and pulled his car out of the parking lot.

Someday, soon, he would get up the gumption confront her, but today was not the day.

Serena continued to fume as she drove down the street towards Lita's bar. While she was parked at a stop light, the dark clouds on the street began shooting out tiny spurts of clear water.

"Great. Just great." She said as she watched the water fall onto her hood. "It must be my lucky day."

She huffed as the light turned green. Stepping on the gas, she shot forward as fast as possible, hoping that she'd get to Lita's before the rain turned ugly. There was a lot she needed to get off her chest and she preferred sitting with Lita dry.

Damp didn't suit her.

Pulling into the parking lot, she sighed relief. The water wasn't coming down any harder. Actually, it looked like it was going to stop any second now. That she could handle. Grabbing her purse she flung the door open and got out of her car.

As she adjusted her tank top, a black SUV slowed down and sped up, driving away. Shaking her head in confusion, she shut the door to her car.

People in this town were definitely getting weirder. After being outside for two seconds, Serena could already feel the wetness encompass her entire body. Even raining, the mugginess didn't go away like it sometimes did.

If only it could be February. No, it simply had to be the end of May. At least she had one thing to look forward to. School would be out soon. Then, she could spend her summer gorging out on food that would help her baby grow.

Her baby. That still sounded so unreal to her.

Darien's baby. That thought made her roll her eyes and she remembered the infuriating argument they had just had. How could one man make her blood boil so fast in more than one way?

Why couldn't she be lucky like Mina? Mina's one night stands always ended. That's what a one night stand was, Serena tried to tell herself.

Now her one night stand was going to turn into eighteen plus years of hormones going on the fritz every time that beautiful man came into her presence.

And it would be a lot. Serena knew he'd take her to court for shared custody if she didn't agree to it.

Only meeting Darien for the second time she already knew he was stubborn.

Jackass.

All she wanted to do was punch him every moment she thought about him. At least, that is what she kept trying to tell herself.

However, her memory was burned with his kiss. Not to mention their first encounter. Her heart began to race at just the thought of him.

What was he doing to her? Just the idea of him kissing her left her gasping for breath. What she wouldn't give for a drink.

Now, she cursed the baby slowly growing inside her. Opening the door to the bar and stepping inside, she placed her hands on her lower stomach area.

"If it wasn't for you, kiddo, I would go up to that bar and drink myself into a stupor."

"Serena, I thought you grew out of talking to yourself. Remember what people used to say back in high school going down the halls?" Lita smiled in front of her.

Startled, Serena jumped back and her hands flung up. "Oh goodness Lita, you scared me! Don't do that." Serena placed her hands on her hips. "And I was not talking to myself. I was talking to my baby, so that so does not count."

Lita chuckled. "Now if you would have had that same excuse back in high school. I was just leaving. Ken's here now, so I figured I could use a night off."

Serena's eyes narrowed. "Ken is here and you are taking a night off? That's not like you."

Rolling her eyes, Lita groaned at her. "Serena, you know I do take a night off every once in awhile. Even if it seems I live in this bar."

"But you do technically live in this bar."

"Above it, is not in it."

"Whatever, same dif. Anyways, the day off is not what I meant. Ken is here. You never take nights off when he is here."

A blush began to creep up into Lita's cheeks. "Ken is perfectly capable of running the bar by himself. I trust him."

"I think he is capable of a lot more than running this bar…"

"Serena!" Lita smacked her in astonishment.

"What? I'm just stating a fact. Why don't you just tell him how you feel already?"

"How I feel? I don't feel anything. We work together that's it." Lita said, trying to avoid Serena's eyes.

"Uh-huh. Sure. I'll drop it for now though, since he's here and all." Serena watched as Lita let out a relieved breath. "Since you have the night off, we should hang out upstairs. I have so much to tell you."

"Sounds good to me."

The two girls exited the front door and walked around to the back where steps led up to a door that was slightly hidden from public view. Lita pulled out her key and swung open the door to her loft apartment.

The word artist came to mind every time Serena stepped into her friend's comfortable apartment. The walls were splashed in green and the one room was wide open. Lita's place was simply beautiful. Over on the right was a low bed that looked like it sat on the floor. A white comforter and pillows decorated it and were immaculately made. On the other side of the same area was a plush red couch with a flatscreen tv directly across from it sat on a black wooden stand. The kitchen area had a small black wooden table and chairs that matched all the cupboards. Clean was an understatement to how Lita lived. She liked order in her place.

Serena sat down on one of the wooden kitchen chairs as Lita went towards the fridge.

"Are you hungry? I have some leftover chicken cordon bleu from last night."

Serena's stomach grumbled. "Oh Lita, that sounds wonderful. I haven't eaten in a few hours."

"That's a lifetime in Serena time." She pulled out the dishes and began to dish the food up onto bake-able dishes. One thing Serena loved about Lita's leftovers, she could never microwave her food. A cook did not use those retched machines, Lita always said. As they waited for the meal to cook, Lita sat down across from Serena at the rectangular table.

"So, what is it you wanted to talk to me about?"

Serena sighed and thought about how to word what was on her mind. Easier said than done. It wasn't like she had non-conflicted emotions.

Nope, her emotions were rolling around in her stomach and heart trying to ascertain exactly what it was she was feeling. Lust was definitely an emotion. It seemed to be overpowering every single different emotion that panged at her.

Well, she couldn't keep Lita in the dark. Lita was after all, her best friend. And she could really use a friend's honest opinion on the situation.

"I reacquainted myself with my baby daddy today." There it was out. She just wasn't going to let on that he had reacquainted himself with Serena too, in more of a ravaging way.

Okay. So the kiss wasn't exactly ravaging, but he was rude, and arrogant and completely in her opinion unwelcome to helping her with the baby that was growing inside her.

"You did?" Was all Lita asked, making it harder for Serena to drop the subject. That two word question was all Serena needed to know that her friend wanted the whole dish. It was inevitable. Serena would have to tell her the whole sordid tale.

Even the part about her being a floozy. And had she not just proven in that parking ramp that she was a floozy? Her actions spoke it that way.

As Lita sat down across from her on the table, Serena told her the whole story starting from her sitting on the couch minding her own business to kissing Darien in the parking ramp before coming here.

Lita laughed at the end of Serena's huffy explosion.

"Lita, I do not find any of this funny at all." Serena glared at her friend, and tapped her fingers in exasperation.

"Oh, Serena, if only you could be on the outside looking in. The whole thing is rather amusing. But, in all honesty, isn't it wonderful that you found the father to your baby? That means your child doesn't have to grow up fatherless."

"He will never be father material," Serena hissed, narrowing her eyes in defense.

"Well, I think you should give him a chance to make what he did right. I mean, he did apologize, did he not?"

"That's not the point."

"What's the point then?"

"Lita, he alluded to the fact that I was a tramp!"

"Well…"

"I'm not a tramp! And you know it. I had maybe one or two boyfriends before Seiya. And Well, Seiya I dated for years. I lived with the man for pete's sake!"

Lita stood up and walked over to the oven to check on their meals. She pulled down the door and turned back to Serena. "I never said you were a tramp, but look at it from his point of view. He didn't really know you when he slept with you. Then, your sister doesn't give you the greatest of images." Serena began to protest and Lita continued over her squeaks. "I am not saying that Mina is a bad girl, she just likes having fun. Nothing wrong with having fun, but look at that from a decent man's position."

Serena let out a frustrated breath of air and began to calm down. "I guess you are right in that sense, but it doesn't excuse him calling his sister's roommate – me – terrible things without meeting me. What gives him the right to pass judgement?"

"It's simple. He's a protective older brother. What if Mina was living with a pregnant woman who you were told had a one night stand with this child's father? Wouldn't you have the same rash reaction?"

Why did she always come over to Lita's? Why did Lita always have to make so much sense? Of course she would have reacted in a bad manner. Mina didn't need to be around such influences. And of course, like always, Lita was right. Not that Darien had to know that.

If he was really serious about making amends he was going to have to work for it.

"I guess, I would have reacted the same way. But still Lita, I am not like that. This happened one time, and I wasn't smart one time. Now I am going to have a baby with a rude man who I can't seem to stop wanting to ravage myself. I am in deep. Way too deep."

Lita passed a plate over to Serena, and sat hers down on the place setting across from it. Sitting down she smiled and winked. "But being in deep is such fun."

Soon, Serena knew, she would find out how fun deep really is.

End Chapter Nine

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