Author: Crystalline Serenity
Email: sailorpluto1031@yahoo.com
Rating: PG

Andrew sat there, his mouth agape. Serena just looked down at her lap with a single tear running
   down her face. "Andrew, thanks for bringing me to the movies. I really appreciate it." Serena got up.
   "I'm going home," she said quietly. "Okay, let me get my car," Andrew said, standing. "No, Andrew,
   that's okay. I'll walk." Serena walked out of the theatre with Andrew trailing behind her. "Andrew, I
   said it was okay." Serena turned around to face him. "I know, but it wouldn't feel right if I didn't at
   least walk you, or drive you home." Serena sighed. "Okay. Can you take me to the park? Please?"
   Andrew's heart almost broke at the sad look on her face and the monotone in her voice. "Sure,
   Serena, let's go." Andrew led Serena into his car, then got in and drove off. 

   Darien was in the park, staring into the lake. This day had been rough for him and he needed to take
   a break. He had a predicament at work and it took up the whole day to get the problem fixed.
   Now he just wanted to sit back, close his eyes, and relax...
   He heard a car roll up behind him, in the park's parking lot. He heard a car door open and a quiet
   voice was murmuring something. The car drove off and he noticed soft, even footsteps on the grass. A girl
   with long blonde hair, about down to the back of her knees, walked in front of him to a large willow
   tree and sat down. Darien opened his eyes to see the girl sit down, partially concealed by the tree's
   long branches and leaves. He peered closer and realized who it was, sitting there, partly crying, and
   partly silent under the tree. *Serena?! What's wrong with her...* he thought to himself. He got up
   from the bench he was sitting on and walked toward her.

   *Who's in here?* Serena thought looking up. *Darien!* Serena wiped away the tears on her face
   and buried her face on her knees. "Serena," Darien muttered. "Serena? Is that you?" Darien walked
   closer to her, clearing away the branches from his path as he went along. he found her. "Serena-"
   "Darien, please. I just want to rest. Please, don't tease me. Just... go," Serena said on the verge of
   more tears. "Serena, I just want to help, with whatever you're going through. I have to make it up to
   you for teasing you all the time. I promise I won't hurt you anymore, Serena. Just let me help. I care
   about you, I don't want to see you hurt," he said, sitting down by her. Serena looked at him in
   wonder. "What? You don't want to see me hurt?! Then how come all the time I see you, you hurt
   me?! How come? Why do you laugh when I cry? That hurts. Why do you tease me everyday? Why
   do you go out of your way to make me feel bad?! It's because of you, right now, that I'm crying.
   You! And do you even know why I even let it get to me, Darien? Do you?" Darien looked down,
   ashamed that he hurt her so much. He never wanted to actually hurt her. "No, I don't, Serena," he
   said, almost inaudibly. "Because," Serena said, now crying. 

"Because I love you."

   Darien's face flooded with shock. *She what?! How could she...* Darien looked at Serena who was
   now standing. "Darien," she said, "I don't want to be hurt anymore. I know that you probably can't
   help it when you tease me. So I don't want to see you ever, EVER again," Serena said still crying.
   "You have caused me most of the pain in my life. In the eight months that I have known you, you've
   cause me even more pain than all the people I've known in my entire life, put together. Goodbye,
   Darien. Just remember, I love you." Serena ran out of the tree, the branches smacking her arms, as if to
   remind her of what she was feeling. "SERENA! WAIT!" Darien followed her trying to catch up with
   her. *I love you too,* he thought, still running. 



   Serena finally arrived at her house and slammed the door behind her. "Serena?" her mom asked
   when she heard the door. "Serena, you're home early. What happened?" Serena looked at her
   mother. "Nothing..." She walked past her mom and walked upstairs. 

   Serena took off her shoes and lay down on her bed, staring up at the ceiling. She stayed like this for
   over ten minutes. "Serena!" her mom called from downstairs, "you have a visitor!" Serena rolled over
   on her bed and ignored her mother. "Serena!" Elaine called again. After she called Serena again to
   receive no response, she sent Serena's visitor to her room. "Just go in," she said kindly.

   Serena was facing the window when she heard her bedroom door open behind her. "Go away.
   Leave me alone," she said from underneath her pillow. "Serena," the voice said quietly behind her.
   *Wha..* Serena took the pillow off her bed and looked behind her. "Darien! What are you doing in
   my house?! In my room! Get out! I told you I don't want to see your face! Get out!" Serena was
   crying and yelling at the same time. "Serena, please just--" Serena got up off her bed and pushed
   Darien to the door. "Leave me alone." She pushed him out and shut the door behind her. She slid
   down the door and covered her face with her hands. Outside, Darien did the same.

   "Elaine! Who is that man in Serena's bedroom??" Ken asked angrily. "He's just a friend, Ken,"
   Elaine said, busy fixing dinner. Ken huffed his shoulders and walked off.

   Serena stood up and opened her door to go downstairs and eat dinner. "Ah! Darien! I told you to
   get out of here!" she said. "Serena! Let me explain!" "Out!" "Serena... just... I… love you too…" he said in an undertone.

   Serena stared at Darien, incredulity obvious in her eyes. "No you don't love me. Get out of my house. I
   don't even know..." Serena didn't finish her sentence. Instead, she was sobbing silently. "Serena, please... I'm
   serious." Serena looked up at Darien with tears on her face. "Why are you doing this?" she asked
   softly. Darien walked closer to her and put his hands on her face gently. He stared past her, deep in
   thought. "Serena... I'm sorry that I've hurt you so... I was just trying to hide what I really felt for you.
   I'm not exactly the type of person to fall in love. And when I did... I just... was scared. So I shut off my
   emotions to you, and I'm sorry for that. I know I've caused you pain, pain that you didn't deserve.
   You're the most wonderful person that I know. And I've been in love with you since the first time you
   spoke to me. And it scared me. I didn't want to be hurt again, like I was hurt so many years ago. I
   was alone, Serena, and I got used to it. But now... now I don't want to be alone anymore. And I
   hope you can acquit my apology. Because I love you so much that it hurts when you're not near
   me." Darien looked down at Serena. "I'm sorry I hurt you." He placed a gentle kiss on her cheek and
   left her room. 

    Serena stood in disbelief as she heard the front door close. *He loves me...* Serena thought to her
   self. "Serena! Come downstairs and eat your dinner!" Ken called from the bottom of the stairs.
   Serena wiped the tears off her face and walked downstairs.

   "Serena, who was that man in your bedroom?" Ken asked suspiciously. "It was... a friend," Serena
   said tiredly. An unnoticeable smile appeared on her face at the thought of Darien. But, Ken instantly
   noticed it and fumed. "What were you two doing up there for so long?!" he pressed. Serena sat
   staring at her food with boredom written on her face. She shrugged. "Mom... I'm really not that     
   hungry..." "Ha! Serena not hungry?!" Sammy said, just now walking into the room. "The world's     
   coming to an end!!!" he screamed hysterically. "Oh shut up, Samuel!" Serena said. Sammy's face       
   drooped in anger. "Don't call me that!!!" he whined. Serena rolled her eyes up to the ceiling and stood up. "Excuse me,   
   I'm going for a walk."
   "Okay, Serena," Elaine said, "be back by nine." "She is NOT going to go see that boy. I won't stand
   for it! No boys Serena! You hear me? You're staying home and finishing your dinner! I--" Ken was
   cut off by the sound of the front door closing. He sighed in defeat. "Ken, Serena can take care of
   herself, you know. And that young man here earlier is probably a good influence on her..." "I don't like
   him," Ken said, cutting his wife off. Elaine sighed.

   Serena walked along the familiar path in the rose garden stopping once in a while to pick a blossom.
   She came around to her favorite bush, probably the most beautiful one, in her conviction. It was well
   tended, and the blossoms were exquisite in every way. No petal had a cinnamon edge and the red was the
   deepest crimson she had ever seen. It was the only rosebush that she never picked from, they were too
   resplendent. * I wonder who tends these roses,* she thought to her self. Just then she heard rustling on
   the other side of the bush. She walked around to see who or what was there. She was surprised at
   what she found. "Good evening, Darien." Darien looked up from clipping stray twigs from the bush.
   "Serena!" he nearly screamed. "Are these your roses?" she asked quietly. "Yea..." he said running a
   hand through his hair. "They're gorgeous," she whispered. "Thanks... Serena." The two stood in
   maladroit reticence for a long while.
   "Darien, I--"
   "Serena, I--"
   They spoke contemporaneously.
   "You go."
   "You go."

   "Serena..." Darien said first. "About what I said. I really meant it..." Serena looked down. "Darien...
   do you? I mean.. if you do... I could forget everything that you've said to me... if you really care
   about me... I can," Serena said wistfully. "I do care about you, Serena. Probably more than you'll
   ever know. I know that nothing I do can possibly do will make up for every terrible thing I've done to
   you, but--" "There is one thing, Darien," Serena said shyly. Darien looked at her in wonder. "You
   could... kiss me..." Darien smiled at her. He walked closer to her and wrapped his arms about her
   waist. "Serena, I love you," he said. "I love you too, Darien." Darien bent over and gave Serena a
   gentle, passionate kiss. Serena wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed back, just as much.

   Darien was holding Serena on the front porch. "I had a great time tonight, Darien. Thank you,"
   Serena said smiling up at him. "I had a great time too," he replied. "Serena!!! Get inside the house!
   NOW!" a masculine voice yelled from inside. "Oh brother," Serena said looking behind her to see a
   face peeking outside from the curtains. Darien hid a smile. "I'll see you tomorrow, Serena." "Okay."
   She brought her hands up behind his neck and gave him a long kiss. "I love you." "I love you too,
   Serena," Darien grinned. He stepped off the open porch and walked out into the night. Serena opened the
   door and walked inside. "DADDY!!!!!!!!" she yelled angrily. 

    "Daddy, please don't spy on me anymore. It's so embarrassing!" Serena said, walking aimlessly up the
   stairs.  I'm in love with him." She turned back and continued to walk up the
   stairs. Ken overheard her last words. "Gaaaaah! In love! I-" "Ken," Elaine said behind him. Ken turned around to see his wife waving a spatula at his face. 

   Darien smiled to himself as he walked into his apartment. He took off his shoes and laid them at the
   door. He went into his kitchen to make some dinner when the phone rang. He picked it up.

   "Hello?"
   "Hi, Darien," a hushed voice said on the end of the line.
   "Serena," he said smiling to himself, "how did you get my number??"
   He could almost perceive her blushing when she spoke. "I was looking through Andrew's phone book one
   day..." she said inaudibly.
   "Oh I see."
   "Darien, will you be at the arcade tomorrow?"
   "Aren't I always?" he uttered.
   "Right. Well, we could do something tomorrow..? If you want?" she said quietly once again.
   "Sure, Serena, I'd love to. Noon okay for you?"
   "Ya!" she said squealing. Dairen laughed.
   "I love you, Serena."
   "I love you too, Darien. Goodnight."

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