| Title : Hidden Meanings Chapter : Prologue Author : SilverRunningWater89 Stalk Her? : «email» magikalauthor101@yahoo.xom Rating : PG13 Summary : After 10 years, Serena has to go to the family reunion or else her mom will kill her (not literally). Serena agrees to go and ends up meeting her family's close friends and their son, Darien. But Serena has changed, and so has he. * = * = * = * = * = * = * = * = * = * = * = * = * = * = * = * = * = * = * = * = * = * = * = * = * = * = "Serena darling, this is Grandma Felice. It’s time for our little family and close friends’ reunion. I would like you to actually attend this one! Toodles!" Serena shut the answering machine off. Great, another reunion. She wasn’t even sure if she could make it because of her upcoming project. But knowing her mom, she would get extremely upset if Serena didn’t show up. Serena sighed, she remembered the last time she went, the Shield family was there with their son, Darien. He was a thin guy and quiet annoying. Tall with glasses, hair going in every direction, it was almost like he never owned a comb. Serena would tease him mercilessly about that, calling him the Hairless Wonder, when no one was around, or asked to borrow a comb, which she knew he didn’t have. He in turn would call her Meatball Head, after the odd form of her hair. Yes, those were the good old times. But that was 10 years ago. Hopefully 10 years made a difference to him because it sure did to her. Instead of being the thin girl with dorky glasses at the age of 14 and not matured in body, she was now medium height, her brilliant blue eyes wearing contacts and she had grow all the curves she needed. Her hair was usually let flowing down her back in curls. Occasionally, she put it up in her 'Meatball' hairstyle. At 24, Serena was a matured woman, very dedicated to her work. An accomplished interior designer with a degree in law and a request to join the FBI. That was her life, to be a super woman. She had joined the army after going to UC Berkeley, not before, had gotten a medal for doing a heroic deed and being dedicated and hard working. Her love life was not something she preferred to talk about. She would of rather think of it in the past. Of course, all the reporters following her wouldn't. Serena was an extremely well known interior designer. She might as well go to the family and friend reunion. She needed to meet up with her cousins Mina, Raye, Amy, and Lita. It would be good to see them. She would have kept in touch it she had their numbers. Serena started packing and got out three suitcases, in went some casual clothes, some nice clothes, business and jogging clothes. All her clothes fit into two suitcases. The last suitcase was for her pleasure, CD's, phone book, books, paper to think of new designs. That type of stuff. After packing, Serena called back Grandma Felice to let her know she was coming. "Oh goodie! I finally get to see my favorite granddaughter," Serena rolled her eyes, "I'm not your favorite," "It will be so nice to see you after a couple of years. I never see unless it's my birthday," Grandma Felice rambled on. "Grandma I have to go pack, bye." "Oh, you do that, pack something sexy, that Darien Shields will be a looker!" her grandma keep going. Serena sighed and hung up the phone. That’s how you deal with the old lady. Won't shut up until you hang up, even then she'll keep talking. Serena logged on the Internet and looked for some new furniture for her latest client. But what the old lady said to her got her thinking, That Darien Shields is a looker!… Her grandma did have good taste in men, and she remembered reading in a magazine about him being a Heartthrob, but they accompanied no picture. Then again, they didn't show a picture when they interviewed her also, and called her a Siren. She would just have to wait in see and decide for herself. Serena looked at her abnormally clean apartment. It was 10:00pm, she might as well retire for the day. She would have to be up early to drive to Massachusetts. Title : Hidden Meanings Chapter : One Author : SilverRunningWater89 Stalk Her? : «email» magikalauthor101@yahoo.xom Rating : PG13 Summary : After 10 years, Serena has to go to the family reunion or else her mom will kill her (not literally). Serena agrees to go and ends up meeting her family's close friends and their son, Darien. But Serena has changed, and so has he. * = * = * = * = * = * = * = * = * = * = * = * = * = * = * = * = * = * = * = * = * = * = * = * = * = * = RING! RING! RING! Serena groaned and stretched. Who the hell would call her this early? She glanced at the clock. It was 7 am. She would kill who ever that was on the phone. RING! Serena sauntered over to the phone. "Hello?" she answered groggily. "Serena! Sweetie!" "Grandma, it's 7 in the morning!" "Oh dear, were you up all night chasing guys?" "No, I was getting my beauty sleep," Serena grumbled. "Well, I just wanted to remind you that the reunion is in three days!" her grandmother continued cheerfully. "I know, bye," "...And you have to be there at 10am," "Ok, bye," "...And don't forget to pack something sexy," Click! Serena hung up. Why didn't that woman get the point of `bye'? Serena suddenly felt `wild'. Why not go on a shopping spree? She asked herself, You're rich enough. She walked into the bathroom and took a shower. When she got out, her hair was done in a simple bun and she had on sweats and a sweater. She was wearing sneakers and only lip gloss on her lips. She stepped into her corvette and drove off to the closest big mall. Serena walked past shops stopped in every other one. She had already bought five pants, six shirts, three jackets, four boots and shoes, two scarves, one hat, a lot of make up, one pair of gloves, and a set of pajama's which had little angels all over them and a spaghetti strap top that said Angel. She also bought pale blue slippers to match. So total, she already spent about 600 dollars. Damn. With all her heavy bags, she carried them to her car. All of a sudden, she bumped into something hard and fell backwards. "Oomph!" she shook her head clear. "I'm sorry," a deep voice said. "Can I help you," the man offered his hand and Serena took it. "Thanks," she muttered as she dusted herself off. When she was done, Serena looked at who she bumped into. His biceps, which could be seen through his white shirt, were evenly tan. His broad face and slick black hair made him look even hotter, but it was the eyes that captured Serena. His wonderfully deep sea blue eyes. "I'm Bunny," she held out her hand and he shook it. "Bunny eh?" "It's a nickname," she explained. "Well then, I'm Darry," "Pleasure," "Pleasure's all mine," he responded, kissing the back of hand. She blushed and giggled slightly, and Darry raised his eyebrows. Hasn't been courted much, he noted to himself. A beautiful lady like her should be. "Can I help you with your bags?" he offered and she nodded. "Yes please, thank you so much," he picked up some bags, and she picked up the rest, and they walked to her car. "Nice," he whistled. "Thanks," Bunny said, blushing again. "What is it that you do?" "I'm an interior designer," "Neat, would like to do my house?" Darry asked, hoping to see more of this beauty again. "I wouldn't want to impose..." "You wouldn't be," he assured her. " I have to redecorate my house anyway." "Well then I guess I'll have a look!" she said happily. "I think I can pencil you in sometime next week," "Great! Here's my number," he wrote it down on a piece of paper and handed it to her. "I'll call," he added and she smiled. "Well, I'm not gonna be here this weekend, but um, during the week I should be available. Here's my work number," Serena wrote it down on the same paper and ripped it in half. He looked at it. "Thanks," "Anytime, well I gotta go, it was nice meeting you," "Yeah, you too," He kissed her cheek and then left her standing there, looking after him. `Well babe, you should get home and take off all those tags and hit the road!' Serena reminded herself. Serena drove home, cut the tags off, put all her other luggage in the trunk, changed, and started on her trip from home, Albany, New York to Boston, Massachusetts. Serena drove until it was 1 in the morning. She found Motel 6, and stopped by for a night. Luckily for her, a cutie was working there and for a kiss, offered to give her half off since they only excepted cash and she didn't have enough. Right now, she was in Worcester, about 100 miles away from Boston. Serena woke up at 9am, ate "breakfast" and hit the road again. At 2 o'clock, she stopped by a small restaurant to eat lunch, then headed out again. Finally, at 5pm, she arrived at her grandmother's house. It was a large baby blue house. There was a fountain in the middle and a driveway around it, surrounded by grass. Serena gave her keys to the valet and walked up to the big door. She rang the bell and could hear it echo in the halls. About a minute later, a petite woman opened the door and Serena stepped back surprised. Her tiny grandmother had gray curly hair, and sharp brown eyes, supported by glasses. She was your typical grandmother, something Serena had not expected. "Hi Gram," "Hello Serena. What a pleasure to see you," she kissed her granddaughter on both cheeks. "I suppose you are tired, driving for two days straight, let me have Jeeves show you to your room, I'll get someone to call you for dinner," Serena could just nod and wait for someone to show her to her room. "Jeeves!" a man appeared promptly. "Show Serena to her room. It's next to Mr. Shields," Serena rolled her eyes. She should have known her Grandma would try to set them up. Jeeves nodded and started leading the way and Serena ran to catch up with him. "It's been a long time Jeeves," the older man nodded. "It's so good to see you again Serena." Jeeves responded with a smile. He opened the door to her room. "Thanks," she peered inside and gasped. "Wow! This is nice!" the butler laughed. "I thought you might like it," "Thanks a ton, Jeeves," she hugged him and stepped inside. She jumped on the big bed and sighed. "I love this bed!" she sighed blissfully again and the butler laughed before leaving. Serena fell asleep without meaning to and found herself dreaming of the mysterious Darry. If only he was here! <KNOCK! KNOCK!> The door opened and in walked a blue eyed man. His eyes rested on the sleeping woman. "Angel," he whispered. She stirred and yawned. "Mama, I don't wanna go to Grammy's house, that jerk Darien is gonna be there..." Serena muttered in her sleep and the man stifled a laugh. "Time to wake up sleeping beauty," he said as he came over to her. Serena's eyes popped open and she looked at the man. "AHHHHHHH....." |