87WW - Food/cooking could be worked into a one shot.
Blueeyeddevil06 thank you for being my beta and my friend
Darien was looking forward to school today and not for the regular reasons. Today, he would get to sit by his girlfriend. After years of secretly pining after Serena, he asked her out. They had the perfect date on Friday. He even got to kiss her goodnight. He still smiled thinking about it.
Now, it was Monday, and he was going to get to see her at school for the first time as her boyfriend. Darien was very pleased.
He met Serena outside of the school. She looked beautiful, and he walked her to her first class. Darien then headed off to his first hour. He smirked when he made it through the door and sat down before the bell rang. It was timed perfectly.
When he met her for lunch, Serena managed to shock him. She smiled sweetly at him and said, "I brought you lunch. My mom watched me carefully while I made it. I know I'm not the best cook, but she assured me that I did everything right."
Darien stared at her and willed himself not to cry. He had been six when his parents died. Objectively, he knew his mother must have made him lunches, but this was the first time anyone had made him lunch in his memory. Well, one he didn't have to pay for.
He coughed to hide the fact that he was choked up and opened it up. It was perfect. He ate the entire thing. It was delicious, and he couldn't get over how incredibly happy it made him. She was the sweetest woman in the world to think to do something like that for him.
He chatted with everyone after they all finished eating and walked her to class. After school, he went to Serena's locker to walk with her to the Arcade. As he was walking up he heard Mina crying.
Serena looked sadly at him and told him she needed to skip the Arcade to have a private talk with Mina. He was really disappointed that she wouldn't be coming with him, but he nodded and headed out.
Serena laughed when she woke up on Monday morning. She didn't even hit the snooze button on her alarm clock. She was excited to go to school for the first time. After dressing and spending a lot of time on her hair and makeup, she decided she was ready and stepped out of her house.
Darien hadn't mentioned a time to pick her up at her place, but since they usually ran into each other, literally, she figured she would just start walking. To her surprise, she made it to school, and he was out front waiting for her. Holding in her shock over the fact that he didn't walk her to school, she smiled at him and walked up to him.
When he silently walked her to her class and headed off to his own, she decided she wasn't going to read anything into it. She had hoped he would tell her she looked beautiful. She did spend extra time getting ready, but she knew he wasn't very outspoken. She just decided to let it go. Surely that was all it was.
When lunch came, she was excited to bring him the bento she packed for him the night before. She handed it over to him and said, "I brought you lunch. My mom watched me carefully while I made it. I know I'm not the best cook, but she assured me that I did everything right."
She waited for his reaction. He just nodded and began eating it. She tried to sneak looks at him to see if he enjoyed it, but she couldn't tell. What if it wasn't good?
Mina gave her a questioning look, and Serena shrugged her shoulders. She didn't know what to make of what happened. Well, she was starting to suspect that she knew exactly what was going on. She just didn't want to face it, at all.
When lunch ended, Mina walked with Serena to her next class. Mina said, "I'm sure he liked it."
"He didn't walk me to school, comment that I was pretty, talk to me when he walked me to class, or say he liked the bento I packed him. I spent a lot of time getting ready today." She sighed. "On their own. it's nothing, but…"
"But all together, they don't look good."
Serena shook her head, "No. I spent a lot of time on that lunch, and he didn't even thank me. What am I supposed to think?"
Mina hugged Serena, "I'm so sorry."
"I thought the date had gone so well. He even kissed me when it was over. Maybe it was something I said when we talked on the phone this weekend. Shoot. Now that's going to be bugging me all day." She sighed and walked into her class.
By the time school was over, Serena was distraught. She walked up to Mina and said, "I may have figured it out. I was talking about going to a festival with him months from now. What was I thinking!? He hates those! That, and maybe he doesn't see us together that far in the future, and I freaked him out." She frowned. "He's going to break up with me after school, isn't he?"
"Did he meet you outside of any of your classes today? I know he has physics in the classroom across from you."
Serena slowly shook her head. "No, he didn't."
Mina looked at her sadly, "Well, maybe we are reading into everything."
Serena slouched, "He didn't even smile when I gave him the bento. Everything else could just be that he's quiet. But, how should I take that?"
"So, what do you want to do?"
"Hide from him until we've been dating a week. I've loved him for so long. I just really don't want it to be over."
"That won't work, but you can hide from him today." Mina looked up. "He's coming. Play along."
Mina proceeded to start crying and told Darien she needed to borrow Serena.
Serena deflated when she watched his reaction. He just nodded, said of course, and walked away. She spun to face her locker so no one would see her cry.
Serena checked her phone for the tenth time and flopped on her bed. "Nothing."
"Well, maybe he wants to-"
"Mina, he has said a handful of words to me today." She huffed and said, "You were right. I can't keep hiding from him. So help me pick out an outfit."
"What does it need to say?"
Serena shrugged, "It's a breakup outfit. I will not be dumped wearing my school uniform. Not cool. I will just run and change after school tomorrow. Any suggestions on what I should be going for?"
"How about, 'I'm hot and I can have another boyfriend in a second.'"
Serena nodded, "Perfect. We just don't have to let on that I have been in love with him for years, and it's tearing me apart."
"Waterproof mascara would do the best to help you keep that to yourself."
The next morning, Serena woke up on time again. Today, it was with a heavy heart. She sighed, got out of bed, and spent extra time on her makeup. She needed to have all of her dignity when she went into this. She made sure to use waterproof mascara and no eyeliner. She didn't want to look like a raccoon.
She packed the outfit she and Mina had picked out in her bag and walked out the door. Darien wasn't there, again.
She tried not to let it sting that he never called her last night. She had given up and texted him goodnight. She didn't receive a text back.
She walked up to school and saw that he was waiting for her out front. She put on a fake smile and walked up to him.
He said, "I was in bed before you sent that text."
"No problem. I understand." completely. She sighed and let him silently walk her to her first class. She already knew it, but Mina was right. She wouldn't be able to drag this out for a week.
Serena blinked back tears. She had wanted this so badly, and she was finally dating him. It sucked that she was miserable. She did manage to get out, "Oh, and about that festival. I know you hate them. I… I wouldn't really expect you to go."
"Oh, okay."
Serena let her eyes drift shut for a second. They arrived at her class and she said, "See you at lunch."
"See you then." He then walked away.
She tried not to be overly dramatic, but it wasn't working. She knew she would be seeing him walk away from her for good.
Between classes, she found Mina and said, "Shoot! What is our group going to do?"
"What do you mean?"
"When he breaks up with me, are we really going to sit together after that?" She groaned, "I didn't think this through. Crap." She looked sadly at Mina, "I… I guess I could find some other group."
Mina rolled her eyes, "No way! I'm coming with you. All of the girls will."
"No! You won't be able to sit with Kunzite then. I know you like him, and he flirts with you."
Mina rolled her eyes. "I can flirt with him after school. Trust me." She then winked.
"Or-"
"Don't you say it. I'm not letting you sit with the man you love after he breaks your heart!"
Serena deflated, "Thanks."
Lunch was absolute torture for Serena. Darien bought himself lunch and smiled and laughed. The guys kept shooting her sad looks. She let out a dark chuckle, even Jadeite realized it was over. She didn't think he noticed anything other than Raye. And that was why she knew Mina was wrong. She would need to sit with another group. Pretty soon the girls would all be dating friends of Darien's.
When class was out, Serena made a beeline for the locker room and quickly changed out of her uniform. She checked everything in the mirror and touched up her lip gloss. She nodded at her reflection and headed out to have her heart broken.
Darien was waiting outside of school for her, and she sighed. Now was the time.
She walked up to him and he said, "You changed out of your uniform."
She nodded, "Some things just need a wardrobe change."
He shrugged, and turned to walk off. He said, "So, milkshake?"
"Sure." She figured why not? She could get dumped while drinking a milkshake. It would give her something to distract herself from her desire to cry. Sheesh, she was already almost in tears.
Darien picked out a booth, and she sat across from him facing the entrance. He then ordered her a milkshake and a coffee for himself.
Serena watched their friends walk in and look at her sadly. Kunzite actually visibly sighed as they all sat down at a different booth.
Andrew sat the coffee in front of Darien and set her milkshake in front of her. She noticed it had two cherries. She looked at him and gave him a weak smile, "Thank you. It means a lot." He nodded back.
Darien looked up at her, "A second cherry? It's not that big of a deal."
"It's what it represents, actually."
"And, what's that?"
"Support, comfort. Pick one."
"Something's wrong? You didn't tell me." he frowned.
She rolled her eyes, "You have to be kidding me, right?"
"No."
"Yes, something is wrong." She paused. "You know what. I'm doing this. Forget sitting here waiting for it to happen." She looked him in the eyes, and tried to gather strength. "So, we're breaking up. There! I said it. Now you don't have to do it."
She looked at her milkshake and sighed. She then picked up her bag and walked out of the Arcade. The girls ran out of the Arcade after her.
Serena walked over to the park, sat on a bench, and collapsed in tears. The girls all sat next to her, and Lita rubbed her back.
"I… I love him and he-"
Amy sighed, "Oh, Serena. Maybe he'll come around. I don't know why he would ever want to break up with you."
Serena choked out, "I ended it. I couldn't stand the waiting anymore."
Mina gave her a fond smile, "You're so strong. I'm impressed. You didn't wait and let him break up with you on his terms."
"I don't feel strong."
Raye shrugged, "That doesn't change the fact that you are. You're also human and hurting."
"Thank you, girls."
Serena heard them gasp, and she looked up to see Darien running towards her. She looked back at them and said, "You can head back to the Arcade. I'll talk to him. There's nothing he can say to me that could hurt anymore than this."
They nodded and walked off to give her some privacy with Darien.
She sat up and dried her eyes. Now was not the time to be a mess. Darien sat down next to her, and she noticed his hands were shaking. She was confused over what had gotten him so upset. She stared at her hands and waited for him to talk.
She finally gave up and said, "What're you doing here?" Serena looked up at him and noticed there were tears in his eyes. "Why…?"
"Did everyone think I was breaking up with you?!" He huffed, "How?"
"It's pretty obvious. Michelle from math class even said she was sorry to see that we were breaking up." She looked back down at her hands. "It's why Andrew gave me two cherries, ones I didn't even get to enjoy."
"It seems like everyone knew except me."
She looked up at him startled, "How did you not know? Wait… what...?" she was so confused.
"I had no intention of breaking up with you."
"You didn't? Why? You really want to be in that kind of relationship? One where it doesn't even seem you want to be with me?"
She saw tears surface in his eyes. "You weren't happy?"
"What the actual fuck are you talking about?!"
A tear slipped down his cheek, "I was happy. I didn't know you weren't."
Serena stood up and stomped her foot. "Bullshit! Am I being pranked right now, or are you just cruel?" She pointed her finger at him and said, "My heart can't take this crap from you!" She started counting off on her fingers, "One, you don't even walk me to school. Fine, I thought maybe you just didn't do things like that. Two, I show up after waking up on time so that I can spend extra time on my makeup and hair and you say nothing. Again fine, maybe you don't notice stuff like that. Three, you walk me to my first hour class and barely say anything. Again fine, maybe you were distracted by class. Four!" Serena choked back a sob and dried her eyes. "I spent thirty minutes making that bento for you Sunday night to make it perfect! And, you didn't even thank me. You didn't even smile. Again fine, I can assume it was bad. You are a terrible liar, and maybe you knew you couldn't tell me it was good. Five, you didn't even care that Mina pulled me away from you after school." She let out a dark chuckle, "Of course, she did it because I couldn't take you breaking up with me right then. Six, you didn't call or text me the whole night. When I finally gave up waiting, it turns out you were already asleep in bed. Those things on their own were fine, but as bad as I am at math, I can add all of that up."
She held up her hand to stop him from talking. "Just do me a favor and tell me what I did wrong. I…" She closed her eyes. "I need... to know what I did or said. I can't take not knowing what I did that led to my broken heart." A tear leaked down her cheek.
"I didn't even know."
She looked at him with confusion and hurt all over her face. "You didn't know I had already fallen for you? Don't worry I won't-"
"No! Yes." He sighed, "That wasn't what I meant. You love me?"
"I love you." She gave a watery smile. "It still feels good to say that to you. Wh-"
He surged forward, kissed her, and held onto her. "I didn't even know what I was doing wrong. I thought I was wearing my heart on my sleeve. I was sure that you could see me start to cry when you gave me that bento. No one has made me one before, that I remember. I assume my mother did, but I can't be sure. I didn't say thank you, because I couldn't talk around the lump in my throat. It was delicious. It made me so happy. Serena, I was so in love with you already, and that only made me fall so much deeper."
"You love me? I thought…"
He shook his head, "Apparently, I absolutely suck at showing you how I feel."
She gave a small chuckle, "So then, why did I break up with you? Oh! And, I walked out on that amazing milkshake!"
"I'll buy you a new one." He pulled her closer and kissed the top of her head. "That is if you'll end this break up."
She looked up and smiled at him, "I would love to."
Later that night, Kunzite called Darien and laid out, in a very detailed list, how to be a better boyfriend.
Serena smiled when Darien was waiting outside of her house to walk her to school the next day.