Staring longingly out the window of the fourth floor apartment, she saw Darien open the car door of his sleek black BMW for his beautiful girlfriend, Beryl. Donned in a short, tight red halter dress, and wearing excess makeup, Jewel gave Darien a smile, making Serena cringe at the very sight. Every time they went out, she couldn't help, but feel her heart shattering into a million pieces as she watched them depart. However, she was unable to remove herself from the view, as hard as she tried. Seeing Beryl wave to her, Serena waved back, while giving her a meek smile. Moving quickly away from the window, she placed her back against the hard surface of the wall, embarrassed to have been caught spying on the couple by her enemy. When she heard the door close and the car pull away into the night, she slid down against the wall, tears cascading down her delicate face.


"Hey Meatball Head!" Darien greeted her the next morning in the kitchen. He was whistling a happy tune, unknowingly driving Serena in a more depressed mood than she was in when she first woke up. Serena decided that it was the most annoying sound she ever heard.

She slowly looked up at him, briefly absorbing his strong, handsome face. Straightening her back, which was killing her since she cried herself to sleep on the floor the night before, she spewed, "I told you to stop calling me that years ago Darien. How would you like it if I called you names you…you baka!" She stared at him, her eyes threatening retaliation if he dared to respond with some hurtful comment. Didn't he cause her enough pain?

"Touché! I think someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning. What happened, did you get another bad grade on a test?" he asked, unable to resist mentioning the sour topic to his roommate. He couldn't explain it, but he loved getting a rise of out the spitfire in front of him. It was quite entertaining in his eyes to see the blond female turn red and yell rude remarks at the top of her lungs.

Throwing him a death glare, she quickly stood up, slamming the cup of orange juice onto the wooden table for emphasis. The liquid splattered onto the table and floor, barely missing hitting Darien. Then she stormed towards her room, throwing her door close as loud and violent as she could. Who was he to make fun of her and her grades! She couldn't help it if she wasn't as smart as Ami or any of her other friends for that matter.

Standing still from shock, Darien couldn't believe Serena's reaction. He never seen her so upset from a little comment he made. He had said worst things to her that made her respond back with biting words, but this was the first time he saw her storm out without throwing a comeback remark. Walking cautiously towards her door, he knocked softly, listening for any sounds to reveal how Serena was feeling. "Serena…" he asked hesitantly, not looking forward to the confrontation. The only sound he heard was the chirping of the birds outside the windowsill. Shaking his head, he headed out for his morning run, hoping that Serena would cool down by the time he returned.

The clicking sound of the front door closing brought relief to Serena. Reaching for the cell phone in her purse, she pressed number one on her speed dial. After she hung up, she quickly changed out of her pajamas and into a pink shirt and a white shorts. Looking into the mirror, she glanced at the gloomy face staring back at her. She swept her hair into a high ponytail and put on tennis shoes before leaving the apartment. Before she knew it, she stood outside the arcade with many random impeding thoughts in her head. Entering, she walked slowly to a booth and took a seat, waiting for her friend to join her.

"Hey Serena!" exclaimed Andrew with a smile.

Serena plastered on a smile at the sound of his cheerful voice.

"How's it going?" asked Andrew a few minutes later as he placed a sundae on the table. He started working on making one of his favorite and regular customers a sundae as soon as she entered his parents' establishment.

Not wanting to be pounded with questions if she told him the truth, she shrugged, "You know, same old same old. You?" She hoped the drama class she took last semester made her joyful facade believable.

"The usual." He took a seat across from her. "It's been pretty quiet today, but hopefully business will pick up in the afternoon."

"So who are you meeting here today? The rest of the girls?" Andrew queried, running his hand through his hair. He was use to seeing Serena with her four closest companions and every once in a while another girl with red, wavy shoulder length hair.

Regret entered Serena's eyes before it disappeared as quickly as it surfaced. She wished that she could go back in time when she had a crush on the handsome person in front of her but that was a long time ago before… She pushed the thought in the back of her mind before she could complete the depressingly horrific memory. "No, just one of the girls today," supplying Andrew with another smile, hoping that the person she called would arrive soon so she wouldn't have to endure a conversation she wasn't in the mood for as much as she had come to love Andrew like an older brother.

Casting a sideway glance at the glass door, she noticed her long awaited friend stride towards her. Looking in the same direction Serena did, Andrew moved out of his seat before stating with a wink, "I'll let you two girls catch up on some gossip."

Releasing an exasperated sigh, Rei slid in where Andrew sat. "What makes you think that all we do is gossip? We could be talking about creating a revolution that will make the earth a better place for mankind." She threw him daggers with her intense eyes.

Raising his hand in submission, "I give up. I was just trying to make a comment before making an exit. I didn't mean anything by it, I swear." He never could understand women and their erratic behavior. The two female friends were no exception.

"Well, if you're really sorry, you could join our cause by dressing up as Sailor V and passing out fliers about ending wars," Serena suggested, reaching into her purse to retrieve a nonexistent flier. She suppressed the smile threatening to form on her lips. Luckily for her, she noticed the mischievous sparkle in her raven-haired friend, not missing a beat in playing along.

"Wh-What?" Andrew's face scrunched up in shock as he began backpedaling away from the two teenagers, almost bumping into a nearby table. "Unfortunately, I have to work to pay my way through college. It's the plight of a poor college student." What man in his right man would ever dress up as Sailor V or any female? Did he give them any indication that he would ever do such a thing, no matter the cause?

Unable to hold their laughter, Rei and Serena bent over laughing and pointing at a shocked Andrew. Before leaving them, he threw them a towel he had in his back pocket. "You girls are evil," he pouted, feigning sadness. "Picking on a poor, innocent victim. I'm going to go before you play another cruel practical joke on me." He couldn't believe how susceptible he was to fall for such an obvious prank. Fortunately for the girls, he wasn't the vengeful type, although the thought of spitting in their food the next time they ordered briefly entered his mind.

"I would believe you if your lips weren't curling up into a smile, Andrew. But I guess we forgive you for being so gullible and overdramatic," winked Serena, smiling genuinely for the first time all day before giving Rei a high five. God, it was fun teasing him. She didn't know why the bantering between her and Darien couldn't be as playful as it was between her and Andrew. Cursing herself for even thinking of that twit, she tried to banish all thoughts of Darien from her mind.

"So Serena, what's wrong? I rushed here as soon as I could," she waited patiently, looking worried about her crestfallen friend. Even though Serena was able to fool Andrew, Rei knew that underneath the happy-go-lucky façade, she was hurting inside.

"Nothing's wrong. I just wanted some company while visiting our favorite hangout," Serena lied, knowing that her friend wouldn't fall for it.

Leaning in, Rei admonished, "That's bull and you know it. Now I want to know what's wrong and I won't stop probing until you tell me." Softening her voice at the sight of tears evading crystal blue eyes, "Serena, what's wrong?" she repeated gently. Although it was slightly selfish, she couldn't help but feel honored that Serena called her and not the other girls.

Looking away at the concerned face, she looked down at her folded hands. "Like I said before, nothing's wrong unless you count the fact that I'm such a pathetic weakling." Furiously wiping away the tears that escaped, she continued shakily, "Why do I have to get so emotional over a person who hardly recognizes that I even exist?"

"Serena," Rei walked and sat next to her golden haired friend. "We can't control who we like or love. Besides, Darien notices you." The frown on Serena's lips deepened. In an attempt to lift up the depressed girl's feelings, she hesitantly teased, "How could he not when you're such a klutz and a crybaby."

Normally Serena would adamantly deny those insults and scream at Rei relentlessly, but she didn't have the mental strength to do so. It was also obvious that Rei wanted to lift her spirits in a unique method. "Yeah, he sees me as a little sister that he enjoys picking on when he's not too busy spending time with his gorgeous girlfriend." Realizing that this is not the place to have a private conversation, she wiped her face once more. "Do you mind talking about this somewhere else?"

Shaking her head from side to side, Rei followed Serena. The untouched, liquefying sundae was forgotten. Walking silently, they found themselves in front of the park. Finding an empty seat on a bench, they continued their discussion. The blonde relayed what happened earlier that day and the previous night.

"Look, maybe the best thing is to do right now is try to avoid your roommate as much as possible, until you can control your emotions." Placing a hand on her friend's arm, she added gently, "Maybe the best thing to do is try to find someone else. I know that it's hard, but the only way to get over someone is by finding someone else. I'm sure one of the other girls or I know someone you could date."

The mention of her other friends made Serena feel guilty. She hadn't confessed her feelings for Darien to anyone else besides Rei. Hell, it took Serena months before she admitted her emotions to herself. Serena couldn't help but find it vaguely amusing that she turned to Rei, her number two sparring partner.

"I'm not so sure about that," Serena sighed, tucking a strand of hair behind her ears. "I don't think I'm ready to date yet." Besides, thought Serena, am I that pathetic and desperate that I need to be set up on blind dates by my friends?

Rei squeezed Serena's arm, showing her understanding, but nudged, "I honestly think that it's for the best. You're sixteen. This is the time where you should be dating instead of staying home waiting while others are dating."

Serena knew by others, Rei meant Darien, but she didn't know if she had the courage to date. Before she had a chance to kindly refuse her friend once more, she noticed a tall, masculine figure approaching them a few meters away. She felt her muscle go taut. Standing up abruptly, she gave Rei a tentative look. "I'll consider it. Thanks for the talk. Sorry, but I got to go," she mumbled quickly before running away.

Feeling her heart pound erratically against her chest, she quickened her pace. She needed to escape. Run. She foolishly hoped that somehow he didn't see her. Didn't see the slumped figure sitting on the bench. Within a few moments, she felt a familiar hand grasping hers.

The immediate contact of his warm flesh on her skin caused her petite body to flush. Unable to look into his eyes and frustrated that she had little control over her body whenever he was near, she furiously pulled her body forward. When that failed, she tried twisting her hand free, but nothing seemed to work. It was only then did she realize it was useless trying to flee from the scene and beyond pointless attempting to ignore the intense gaze directed towards her as she defiantly stared in the opposite direction.

Amused by her determination and stubbornness, his lips curved into a subtle smile, but his eyes darkened with concern. He desperately wanted to ask her what was wrong, but feared that she would respond negatively towards his futile attempt at discovering what plagued her. Instead, he pulled her into a strong embrace. At first she weakly tried to shove him off of her, but quickly crumpled as she began to sob silently. Noticing her downward descent, he was able to stop her from falling. Only when he scooped her up into her arms did she press her face against his lean chest, thoroughly damping his already moist shirt. Carrying her carefully in his arms, he walked to their apartment. When he finally looked down at his cargo, clear blue eyes were fluttering close.

About fifteen minutes later and struggling to open the door while carrying someone, he gently tucked Serena into bed. The crease in his forehead lessened as the tears stopped and he heard her breathing softly. He quietly pulled the door closed, leaving a small opening to ensure he was able to hear her if she needed anything.

Although it was still early, Darien collapsed onto the soft chocolate leather couch. He reached for the remote and turned on the television, lowering the volume to ensure he wouldn't accidentally interrupt Serena's slumber. Carelessly flipping through the channels, his mind wandered back to Serena. He couldn't help but contemplate what caused her to react un-Serena like. She was usually annoyingly cheerful with a positive outlook on life and people. It baffled his mind that something or someone wounded her deeply. Clenching his fist, he promised that if someone hurt her, he would confront that person to ensure that there wouldn't be a repeat performance. No one was going to injure her on his watch.


The next morning, Serena delicately cracked the bedroom door opened. Peering out, she tiredly made her way into the kitchen when she didn't see Darien. Upon getting the necessary items to make her breakfast, her stomach growled loudly. Cursing under her breath, she continued with her task. As she turned to retrieve a bowl from the cabinet, she stumbled into a firm body of the person who had awoken from the location on the couch. Without uttering a sound, she sidestepped past him and gathered a bowl and spoon. Placing the items on the table, she poured the milk and then dumped some cereal into the bowl.

"You know," Darien began teasingly, "you're suppose to pour the cereal in first and then the milk."

"But my way allows me to gradually add more cereal otherwise it would get soggy quicker," she mumbled with her mouth full, unaware of a trail of milk dripping down her chin.

"Not if you eat as fast as you normally do," he laughed.

Grumbling, she retorted, "If I wasn't so hungry, I would wipe that smile off your smug face." Ironically, at the same moment she finally felt the cold liquid trailing down her face. She wiped away the milk before continuing. "And by the way, don't sneak up on me like that ever again. You could give me a heart attack," she pointed her finger accusingly at him. She poured more cereal into her bowl.

She smiled contently after devouring the rest of the content hastily. Lifting her head, she watched him struggle internally, as if he wanted to say something, but wasn't sure if he should.

Running a hand through his hair nervously, he stated seriously, "Listen…if you ever need a listening ear, I'm here for you." Feeling self-conscious, he shrugged, waiting for her response.

"Thanks," Serena replied, momentarily looking into his concerned eyes before standing up to wash the dishes. As much as she appreciated his concern, it further discombobulated her feelings for him.

Darien watched dishearteningly as his roommate retracted back to her hiding place. Although they weren't close, Darien couldn't help, but feel a little hurt by Serena's unwillingness to share her troubles with him. Sighing disconcertingly, he went to find something to eat.

The rest of the day was uneventful. Both individuals pretended as if today was another ordinary day.


Beryl glimpsed at herself in front of the living room mirror. She was delighted that she was back to dressing and looking like her normal self. When she and Darien celebrated their anniversary the previous week, her well-intentioned friends gave her a sexy makeover. Instead of kindly refusing their offer, she grudgingly submitted to their request and was their human size Barbie doll. How she was able to let Darien see her dressed ridiculously provocative, let alone spend the entire evening with her without mockery, was beyond her.

Her lips curved upwards as she remembered seeing the surprised look hidden beneath twinkling eyes, which she wouldn't have noticed if it wasn't for the fact that they were in a two-year relationship and had been friends a year prior. She knew he deeply valued a person's inner beauty, however, being a loyal and endearing boyfriend, he told her she looked beautiful nonetheless.

Noticing the grin on her face, Darien implored, "What are you thinking about?" as he approached Beryl. He tucked a rich red tendril behind her ear before intertwining his hand with hers.

Unwilling and slightly flustered that she was thinking of the person before her, she dismissed his question casually. "Oh, nothing in particular. Just random thoughts."

Nodding his head in understanding, he asked, "Ready to head out?"

Widening her smile, she quipped, "Always."

He grabbed his jacket laying on the couch before holding the door open for her.


One month later

"How 'bout a roommate's night in?" Darien suggested. "It feels like an eternality since I had the chance to relax and enjoy life." He folded his hands behind his head and leaned back against the couch. "It's great to have midterms over and done with. Now my teachers can go back to making my life somewhat less miserable."

"Wow! I never thought I would hear the day the one and only Darien, King of Nerds, say anything negative about school," Serena taunted. "Where's my camera? I should document this historic day." Her eyes mockingly searched for the equipment.

"If I'm the King of Nerds, then you're the Queen of Klutzy Dorks," he countered, a hint of amusement resonating in his voice.

"Are you jealous of my natural ability to fall at any given time and place?" she reproved, without any heat. Fortunately, ever since that incident, their sometimes vicious banter were now usually replaced with playfulness.

"No, I like being able to walk straight and tall without stumbling, running into people, and hurting myself." Then added as an afterthought. " Or others for that matter." He waved his hands dismissively. "Anyways, stop changing topics. You haven't answered my question."

Serena remained silent. Aware that she was about to make up some excuse, he goaded, "We'll order whatever food you want. It's on me. So yes or no on the movie slash pig out on junk food night?"

It was obvious she wouldn't be able to find a valid excuse to get out of this roommate bonding pastime. "Only if I get to choose the movie," she persuaded with a hopeful gleam in her eyes.

"Wait a minute," he disputed. "I'm already letting you choose the food and I graciously offered to pay for it and in return you want me to let you choose the movie also? Now, how is that fair?" He lips turned into an irresistible pout.

Not falling for his ploy, she crossed her arms. "In that case Darien, you enjoy a night out with just you and your ego."

Throwing up his hands in defeat, he stood up. "You win. Let's go to the video store."

Directing a smug gaze towards Darien, Serena skipped out of the apartment. Darien shook his head in defeat and amusement at how easily she was able to get her way.

They later returned with two movies, a medium supreme pizza, a liter of Pepsi, a gallon of butter pecan ice cream, sour cream and onion chips, a bag of cookies, and two bars of snickers.

"How is it medically possible that someone of your stature can consume an enormous amount of food without gaining any weight?" he asked her quizzically. His gaze fell on her face and wandered down her body, completely baffled by Serena's high metabolism.

"It runs in the family with the exception of my father," she informed him, flushing profusely at his innocent observation. Her words brought back memories and emotions that she constantly tried to contain. Casting her eyes downwardly, she suppressed the tears that were threatening to escape.

Darien flinched inwardly, aware of the painful topic he indirectly brought up.

Changing topics, Darien placed the various contents onto the living room table while politely asking, "Which movie do you want to watch first?"

He heard her reply from where she was in the kitchen as he placed the dvd into the dvd player and turned on the television. The sweet smell of buttery popcorn and crackling, popping noises filled the apartment. Serena soon returned carrying two cups and a large bowl of popcorn. Sitting on the carpet with their backs against the couch, he fast-forwarded the commercials to the beginning scene of the first movie. Time seemed to whiz by for Serena who had a difficult time focusing on both movies when Darien fell asleep on her shoulder halfway through the first film. His head nestled on her left shoulder. She was thankful that she no longer cared for Darien as anything more than a friend. Although it took her six weeks, she finally moved on with the help of her friends.

A sharp numbing pain on her shoulder as the ending credits rolled up the scene brought her out of her thoughts. Not having the heart to wake him, she unconsciously bit her lips in contemplation. She studied him, wondering if she should wake him so her entire body wouldn't turn numb as well. As if he sensed her thoughts, his midnight blue eyes opened. He turned his head towards her face. When they both noticed how close in proximity their lips were, both stared at the other, unable to move.

Clearing her throat, Serena suggested, "Maybe we should clean this mess up tomorrow. I'm exhausted." She pushed herself off the carpet and massaged her sore shoulder.

Realizing that he was the reason she had a sore shoulder, he gave her an apologetic nod. Then he expressed, "Sorry about falling asleep during the movie."

"It's alright. After all, I did choose two chick flicks. Sorry. I love movies as much as I love comic books. I tend to forget…" she started, but amended when Darien raised an eyebrow, "I disregard the fact that not everyone has the same interest in movies as I do."

"I guess we just have to watch an action film filled with blood and gore and a horror film the next time we have a movie night," he said pleasantly, noticing that Serena's study sessions with Amy improved her vocabulary.

Unsuccessfully trying to hide her repulsion at bloody movies, she stuttered, "Nothing too bloody or scary though, if you don't mind."

"Or else you might have nightmares?" he teasingly laughed, his midnight blue eyes filled with mirth.

She glared at him impertinently. "The only nightmares I have are the ones where you make appearances," she winked wickedly as Darien made a gesture as if he was stabbed in the heart.

Rolling her eyes at him, she said with warmth, "Thanks for tonight," and strolled away.