Author's Note:

Hi all! I'm back but not with an original piece. Sorry about that, but this is what I came up with recently so I thought I'd share my ideas on Darien and Serena's first meeting. This will be a VERY short story. Two chapters probably - maybe three at most. This is in BOTH perspectives this time. The first title You Got Me comes from Colbie Caillat's song and it is the beloved Serena's perspective. The second I Just Haven't Met You Yet comes from the amazing Michael Buble and Darien finally gets to speak/think! They're not directly related to either song, but I like them. Sooooooo enjoy!

FP

You Got Me

You know that feeling you get the first day of school? It's all butterflies of anticipation and anxiety. Every term of new classes I'd get that feeling and I still don't know if it is a nice feeling or if it is just plain annoying.

The beginning of my sophomore year is no different. I mean it isn't nearly as bad as the first day of freshman year. Freshman year butterflies are the worst, as least for me because mainly I had butterflies of anxiety and that part I KNOW I don't like. That part is annoying. My main concern is AP Composition. That's the one I think I'm most nervous about. It's my 'college level' course and I don't know how well I'll do seeing as I'm not in college and all.

But if Amy has been doing AP classes since 8th grade I certainly can now, right? I guess that isn't a good example to make myself feel better. Amy being a genius and me being… well, not quite up to her standards. She'll always be thirty steps ahead in the intelligence department, but I accepted that the second I met her in 6th grade and she used the word 'augmentation' in regular conversation. I mean, that word isn't that bad now, but to my 6th grade self- and most 6th graders – it was a bit intense.

Anyway, I can't help these thoughts as I get ready for my first day of class. I got up extra early too. It's six o'clock for God's sake!

Okay, fine, maybe the bus comes at six thirty and six o'clock is actually probably late for most people, but for me I think this is a record. Come the second week of class I'll be rolling out of bed at around six twenty and running after the bus in my pjs…

I really, really hope that doesn't happen. I've done it a couple times but I obviously try not to. Kids in high school really don't care much about that stuff though. Most of them are just as tired so they're half asleep on the bus. The perky ones annoy the crap out of me. I mean, how on EARTH can you be perky at six thirty in the morning? I don't think even Gandhi liked six thirty in the morning and Gandhi pretty much likes anything.

That's not really the point though. What if I fail? What if I make no new friends? I like my old ones but people say networking is important even in high school. I hate networking. What kind of term is that anyway? Probably a term that a bunch of pod business people came up with to bug the crap out of the rest of us regular folks. Folks is a weird word. You know what else is weird? Where is my purple skirt? I was planning on wearing that. It is essential. I even have a shirt that matches it well- it is white but with these rainbow trees. It fulfills all of the ROYGBIV except the V so the purple skirt is perfect! Where is it?

"MOM!" I ran out of the room and knocked on my parents' door. "MOM!"

"What, Serena?" Her voice came from downstairs. "Don't be so loud, your dad has the day off today. Let him relax for once."

"Where's my purple skirt?" I whisper-yelled to her.

She gave me a look, looking up at me from downstairs. "How should I know if you don't?"

"You always do." I said with a smile hoping it looked innocent and pathetic enough to make her look.

It was. I'm great at this kind of thing. Probably because I kind of am innocent and pathetic… a majority of the time.

As she went on the search I put on the rainbow tree shirt and looked at my reflection. My pigtails were a little droopy. Never good. This is my signature do; I can't ruin its reputation. So I had something to occupy the ten minutes it took my mom to find the skirt… from under my dresser.

"Really, Serena. You have to be a bit more organized. This place is a dump." She gave the room a thorough, sour look.

"It isn't that bad." I didn't think so at least. If you look around from a third perspective I suppose it could be, but it just appears that way because of all the clutter from really sentimental stuff. Plus it is my room, why can't I do what I want with it?

"You have about five minutes." My mom said as she left the room.

Well, it was decent timing. My pigtails were up and perky with these really cute red clips I'd gotten for my last birthday.

As I waited in the darkness, completely alone at the bus stop, I wondered what the day would bring- what the new school year would be like. Probably the same as always was my conclusion. What could really happen?

As we'd done the previous year, Amy, Lita, Ray, Mina, and I all sat down on the west side of the school. This time we were upgraded to the third floor instead of the freshman fourth floor- thank God! Come two more years we'll never worry about stairs again.

"Wait… What do I have third period?" Mina asked as she stared at the ceiling trying to think.

"Composition with us, duh." I answered while pulling on her ponytail a bit.

"Ouch! See, this is why putting your hair up is never a good idea, but it is cute, right? I bumped it!" She said pointing to the obvious bump on top of her head.

I tried to suppress my laugh. Bumping it is just weird in my opinion, but Mina got really into it this past month when she saw some celebrity do it. She showed me the picture and I don't think it looked good on them either. But Mina is cute, as always.

"It is adorable, Min." Amy replied kindly, always the nice one. Ray sat against the locker with her eyes closed as she got the last couple minutes of rest while Lita just kept looking through a book. The time eventually passed and the bell rang indicating Ray's nap time was over.

"See you guys later!" I waved and hopped away with a smile. Good start so far.

My first two periods passed in a blur. It was actually relatively boring, but that is to be expected since that's always the most awkward day. We of course played lots and lots of ice breakers which broke a litttttllleee bit of the awkward glacier between my classmates and me. I had to come up with an interesting fact and an adjective that started with the same letter as my first name but after first period I had it down to a T. It is no surprise that I nearly ran to third period, the class I'd have with all four of my best friends! Sure, it'll be hard but we have Amy to help us. I'm surprised she hasn't already taken it.

"How were your first two periods?" Amy asked as I sat next to her. The rest of the girls hadn't made it yet.

"Okay, boring. You?"

"Same as usual. I already have two books to read by the end of the week."

Yeah, I couldn't relate to that since my classes just played icebreakers all period. Guess my day is better than it could've been.

Slowly people came in, filling up the class with the usually noises of chit-chatter. Ray came in a few minutes after us, Lita strolled in as the bell rang and finally Mina took her seat a while after the teacher started talking. All she had to do was give an innocent smile as though that never happens and Mr. Gradin gave her a brief smile and continued talking.

"He's kinda cute." Mina whispered from behind me and I looked to see who she was looking at- Mr. Gradin. I rolled my eyes. Out of any of us Mina would notice something like that. But I agreed. He definitely had something going for him.

My daydreaming was interrupted when I heard Mr. Gradin's voice say, "Alright, so everyone get up!" in a cheery way that warned me another ice breaker was eminent.

"What is my adjective?" Amy said in a panicked way.

"Really? You can't come up with one?" I was incredulous. She had the biggest vocabulary of any of us.

"I can come up with really weird ones. What's a good, non-loser A adjective?"

"How about amicable? It describes you; it is smart, but not too hard for people to understand." She smiled at my response and nodded.

"How about we pretend we don't know each other?" I suggested as soon as I noticed that everyone, including Lita, Mina, and Ray had partnered up with others to greet people with their adjective.

"Sounds good." Amy said relieved. "I hate ice breakers."

"Tell me about it. I've been playing them all day."

"I'm amicable Amy!" She shook my hand and we giggled.

"Amicable? Wow, that's a good adjective. You must be brilliant for coming up with it."

"It was my friend's suggestion actually." Amy giggled.

"She must be something. Well, I'm Silly Serena."

"Silly? That's really cute." Amy replied with a smile.

"And true." I replied and then Amy was swept off by someone else. I stood awkwardly for a moment. Then I felt a tap on my shoulder. I turned to see a pair of midnight eyes glowing down upon me. That is literally the only way I can describe it. They glowed. Down upon me because I'm so much shorter than the bearer of those lovely midnight orbs.

Holy crap. I'm pretty sure he's got to be in the top ten most beautiful people I've seen list. If not number one. His smile was only marginally crooked, but I swear it made him sexier than anyone I'd ever seen. His black hair was a little on the long-ish side but it didn't droop on his face like that kind of hair does on other guys. Instead it just appeared voluminous. Like something out of a really, really insanely sexy shampoo commercial. Probably one in which a hot model was in the shower with him shampooing it… Though that'd be a bit of an inappropriate commercial I suppose.

But, man, I wish I were shampooing his hair now.

"Hi!" he said brightly with a smile extending his hand. It took me a second to get my head straight and extend my own for a shake. His skin was even soft- probably because the model washed him too… Oh, god, Serena! What are you thinking?

I think I really did a head shake to clear my befuddled mind.

"Hi! I'm Silly Serena!" My voice was a bit on the high side and by 'a bit' I mean that no little girl has anything on my squeaky voice-box. He laughed a bit, but I'm not sure if that is at my ridiculous voice or because of the name. Hopefully the name.

"I'm Daring Darien." He replied, smile still intact.

I wonder what he dares to do. Does he dare let a complete stranger shampoo his hair? Probably not unless he is completely insane or a complete womanizer.

"Anything, dare me." He said and I was confused for a second… Then I realized I voiced my thought aloud… Not all of it thank god! Just "What do you dare do?"

He wants me to dare him? I fail at dares! That's why I prefer people to say truth in truth and dare. I can't come up with dares.

"I really don't have one." I replied with a ridiculous giggle. He smiled – how nice, he's not making fun of how completely little girl I'm being.

Instead he leaned over. Oh my God he smells good.

"Honestly?" He whispered conspiratorially. "I'm glad you don't. I actually don't like dares that much I just couldn't come up with another adjective."

I laughed although I was kind of depressed that he leaned away once he was done with his remark. The next thing I knew he was swept away, giving me a quick wave goodbye. Others approached me as well, but I was in a trance the rest of class. I just kept looking over at the beautiful midnight eyed boy, wondering why I'd never had a class with him before. Wondering if I'd be coherent next time we met.

By the end of class I could probably be president of his fan club. I saw how he really liked to run his hands through his hair- it wasn't a 'I'm vein and trying to voluminize my hair' kind of thing. It was more out of habit, something to do with empty hands. Mainly he was approached by others which made me feel a little special because he's the one that approached me. He saw me look at him towards the end of class but he didn't seem to think much of it, he just smiled. I was glad when he did because if I were him I'd probably think I'm a complete creep, but I was mainly pretty discrete about my creeping. At least I hope I was.

When we sat back down I was no longer interested in anything to do with Mr. Gradin. He no longer appealed to me on any level. The only person I cared to think about was Darling Darien. I thought for a second before laughing at myself. I'm a complete idiot. Get your head on straight Tsukino! You're not boy crazy! But I didn't fool myself, I dawdled at the end of class so that Darien would leave before me and so I could get a little more time to look at him. He had a nice back too…

"Serena?" Ray snapped her fingers in front of my face as we walked out of class. "What's wrong with you?"

Darien got out of view so I grounded myself back to Earth. "Nothing, sorry. Just spacing out."

"Tell me about it." Ray said with a huff. "Can you believe we have to write a paper already?"

"What?" I asked, really interested. I didn't hear this part.

She looked at me funny. "Didn't you hear anything Mr. Gradin said?"

I shook my head and she rolled her eyes. "Read the schedule."

"Where are the girls?" I took notice of their absence. Ray gave me another evil look.

"Are you high?" She actually sounded serious.

"No!" I slapped her arm. "Idiot."

"You're one to talk. Go off to class and pay attention this time, Sere. See yea tonight!"

I waved her bye and walked absent-mindedly to my last period, day dreaming the whole way there of a really, really inappropriate shampoo commercial.

If only.

Haven't Met You Yet

It was five thirty when the alarm rang, but I was awake about ten minutes beforehand as usual. I had plenty of time to shower and get ready as was my regular routine. I hate being late or rushed, everything about a rushed morning taints the rest of the day. How someone can get ready in under an hour is beyond me. It isn't as though I do my hair or anything, but a good day starts off with a good morning.

I tend to get a bit disorganized with my things during the summer so I need the time to find what I want to wear and the last minute school supplies I hadn't packed. My uncle wouldn't be up for another three hours at least, the lucky bastard. I like early mornings but an occasional late one would do some good. My body doesn't even allow for such a thing. I think the latest I've slept in is 10 and that's on a crazy day where I'm up until four in the morning, usually chatting up Drew about his girl problems – he has a lot of those.

Every morning when I have the house practically to myself I get a better feeling as to why I wake up so early. This place isn't the cheeriest of all places, not like Drew's place. His house is full of light and not just because of the lamps- we have plenty of those. It is filled with family portraits and little knickknacks the family had acquired over the years, even some stuff I'd given them. I love going over there and seeing those ugly paintings or drawings I'd made in middle school that Mrs. Masen insisted I'd give to her because I planned to throw them away. At the time I thought it was stupid but as I get older I feel more and more appreciative of her. She makes me feel like I have a family.

Don't get me wrong, my uncle's put up plenty of portraits. And by that I mean portraits. They're really awkward. It is basically either of him or me in really intense poses that make us look like Victorian royalty. I don't get why he likes it.

So I suppose I get why I like to get up early, the earlier I get up the early I get to leave the house, even if I have to stand outside waiting for the bus for a little bit. Even if it is below zero outside, it's warmer than this frozen tundra.

When I'm leaving I hear my uncle all the way from upstairs moaning. For God's sake, yesterday was Sunday! I thought that was the day of rest, but I guess my uncle has no day of rest.

I meet up with Drew in front of the third floor lockers on the East side of the school, as usual. The floor is different since we're sophomores but I'm pretty sure we'll forever be meeting on the East side.

"Morning, man." I greeted Drew when he strolled in. No wonder he has so many girl problems- his baby blues can sparkle in the morning and he's dressier than… I don't know, someone dressy.

"Sup." He greets with a smile and punches my arm. "Excited for the first day?"

"Should be decent, probably going to get my ass kicked this year."

"No kidding." He rolled his eyes but it didn't come off in a mean way- I don't think Drew has a mean bone in his body. It was just playful. "Dude, that's why you don't take all APs. I'm taking just Comp with you and I can already foresee it kicking my ass. You're insane; I don't know why I'm friends with you."

"Because one day I'll employ you, you lazy ass." I slapped the side of his head and he laughed.

"Probably true." Then we heard Mindy greet us from the side, an admirer of mine actually. I'm not too interested; she has this really airy voice that I hate. Airy people are annoying. I tried to act as nonchalant as possible as to not attract her attention but anything I said seemed to be drop-dead hilarious on this fine morning. I swear when I said "Hi," she giggled. What kind of girl does that?

An airy one I suppose.

"So, what's your schedule like this year, Darey?" She was blinking her eyelashes way too much for my liking. And she called me Darey. What the hell is that? You can't just nickname people when you barely know them, especially stupid airy-people nicknames.

I shrugged. "Euro, calc, composition, then chem." I replied. I didn't add what level because she'd probably find it either funny or really praise-worthy and I prefer no reaction.

"Oh!" God! Her voice just went up five octaves. "Which comp class? Third period right? AP?"

Fuck.

"Yup, that'd be the one. Drew here is in it too!" I was actually enthusiastic about that one! Maybe she'd jump at Drew.

"Yay! We have a class together!" She apparently didn't care if Drew was there or not because she just gave him a brief smile then turned her full attention back to me and did this weird jump – kind of to the side. It was weird but I just smiled along, hoping she'd be on her way soon.

Saved by the bell.

"See you later Mindy!" and I gave a quick wave to a thoroughly amused Drew. He gave a mock-Mindy wave bye- aka very airy and girly. That girl put the cliché back in high school girls.

My classes kicked off well enough. European history seemed to be really intense but I think it should be interesting. American history isn't too colorful but when it comes to Europe it is like a rainbow. I had a really quirky teacher for calc. He kind of looks like Mussolini but his personality is nothing alike to the famed fascist. He seems to think everything is absolutely hilarious because whenever a student said something he'd laugh like Santa Clause. A bit weird, but we'll see how that goes.

When I got into the Comp room I scanned the room for Drew, hoping to cling to him and be in deep conversation when Mindy came looking for me. Maybe she wouldn't, but come on she's definitely coming for me. I'm not naïve enough to believe she wouldn't.

He wasn't there yet. There were only two girls there, one of them seemed half asleep. Her hair was really weird, it was like - are those pigtails? Or what? I don't even know. I don't really care but I'm just sitting here completely bored, we got out of calc early so there's plenty of time to waste analyzing strangers. She is actually really pretty. I don't think I've seen that big of eyes on anyone outside of cartoons before. They're not abnormal or anything, but they definitely catch the eye. Her friend had similar eyes too actually – though a darker blue – but for some reason the blonde appealed to me more. I think it's the weird hair. I'm a sucker for weird.

Before long the class was full, Drew included. And thank God, Mindy not there. She came in about a minute after the bell rang at the same time as this blonde bombshell Mina, I'd met her briefly last year. Mindy didn't have time to chat me up since the teacher started talking.

Before long we were off with those dumb ice breakers that teachers think actually break ice. I guess it works a bit, but I find the tradition a bit ridiculous. We'll get to know our neighbors on our own terms eventually, leave well enough alone. I've never really been one to be extremely outgoing with strangers. I'm not shy by any means, but extending that first hand always makes me too anxious. But seeing Drew occupied and Mindy heading straight for me had me singing a different tune.

Blonde pigtails should be interesting, even if she's talking to that other girl- she's definitely her friend so they don't need introducing. Oh, and perfect timing someone grabbed the dark eyed friend! My lucky day.

I tap her on the shoulder and see Mindy give up her hunt from my peripheral vision. Yes, lucky day. At first pigtails' brows were furrowed but she quickly broke out into a smile that made me instantly comfortable. She was nice already! And she smelled amazing – what was it? A little sweet but a little floral. Whatever it is it is working for me.

Then she spoke… Wow, she puts Mindy to shame.

"Hi!" Her voice was practically at a different frequency. Maybe she's just nervous around strangers; I don't think a voice like that is natural. "Hi!" She repeated and I just smiled a little uncomfortably until her voice lowered to that of a normal person and she giggled a little and said "I'm Silly Serena!" This time my smile and even a small laugh were genuine, silly is just such a cute adjective to describe yourself. I can imagine her being silly.

"I'm Daring Darien." I know how lame that is, but that's seriously the only adjective that comes to mind. Drew calls me Dare sometimes so maybe I'm daring? Yeah… I don't think so either.

"So, what do you dare do?" She questioned and it seemed a rather suggestive question, she raised her eyebrows a bit that suggested a different kind of dare. But maybe that's my ridiculous guy imagination – probably because of her perfume... Maybe not?

"Anything, dare me." I played along seeing where exactly she'd take this. Interesting conundrum already, this Serena. She thought about it for a while then shrugged and laughed.

"I really don't have one."

That's kind of disappointing. I almost said that, but I didn't. That'd be a weird thing to say so I just smiled. And I do like her honesty. I leaned over, mainly because my body had been pushing forward since I'd caught the scent of her perfume but I pretended it's to tell her my 'secret'.

"Honestly? I'm glad you don't. I actually don't like dares that much I just couldn't come up with another adjective." She seemed to find that charming, at least that's what I got from her laugh. Or maybe she just thinks I'm stupid. You never know. I should probably lean away now either way. I hope she didn't notice that linger and think I'm creepy.

Before she could say anything else I felt a tap on my shoulder. I sighed in relief when I saw it wasn't Mindy and I waved a regretful goodbye to Silly Serena as she too found a new ice-breaker partner, one that stole away the lovely scent. For some reason, even as I talked to others in the class I just couldn't stop glancing over at her. Her hair was so silly. It smelled amazing- as I discovered the source when I'd leaned over- but it was so silly. I just can't pinpoint what it is exactly. They're not really pigtails. And the girl that wore them… pretty interesting. She was almost flirting for a second but then she became all confused then straight-forward. Weird, that's pretty much the only way to describe her. And silly. And really good-smelling. If good-smelling was an adjective she should use it for all icebreakers because it is so true.