The Center of my World - Part Two
Usagi-chan
minako_usagi@hotmail.com
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I don't own Sailormoon or anything pertaining to
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Serena hoped up the same stairs she had only the night before.
As she reached the door, Serena glanced down at the clothes she had on.
Wearing a black skirt with a fitted white blouse and black heels over
black knee socks, Serena knew she looked more like a school girl than
a school teacher. Shrugging, she reached up and rang the doorbell.
"May I help you?" A deep voice asked, as the door swung open.
Serena smiled at the formally dressed butler whom had answered the door.
"Yes, I'm here to see Mina." Serena told him.
"Mrs. Furuhata is rather busy entertaining at the moment."
He replied. Before Serena could say anything in response, the butler
started to close the door.
"Who is it Jerry?" Serena could hear Mina call from what
sounded like the stairs. "I'm expecting a young lady..."
"Hi Mina." Serena smiled past the butler up at the young woman
who was indeed walking down the main stairs.
"I'm so glad you could make it Serena!" Mina exclaimed, rushing
forward to greet Serena. "I'm terribly sorry about Jerry's behaviour..."
"Don't worry about it, Mina." Serena smiled. "You insisted
that I come, so here I am!"
"Lets go out back then. Rosemary, my cook, has laid out a
wonderful selection of food." Mina led Serena through a series of rooms
out to the back of the house. They sat at a large white table next to
an olympic sized pool.
"You have a very lovely house, Mina." Serena said as she sat down.
"Thank you." Mina sat at the end of the table. "Please, help
yourself. Andrew is going to try to join us later, but he has some
work. A teleconference or something." Mina shrugged her indifference
and began eating some of the green grapes.
"You throw such marvelous parties." Serena commented as she
picked up a croissant.
"Hmm.. They are always interesting. Darien seemed to take a
liking to you last night though." Mina smiled knowingly at Serena.
"What do you mean by that?" Serena asked, genuinely curious.
"Well, Darien has never willingly asked a woman to dance before.
He hates all those gold diggers." Mina explained, then giggled. "And
none of them are any fun! He dated one for a brief time, and took her
sailing. The poor woman fell in and nearly drowned! I couldn't stop
laughing, seeing her flailing in the water."
"You like sailing?" Serena wasn't really surprised by that.
The sport seemed to suit the perky blond.
"Oh yes! The three of us go all the time! You should join
us the next time we go. It'll be so much fun."
"I've never sailed before though." Serena replied. "I would
probably just get in the way."
"Oh no! Not at all. Besides, Darien will teach you." Mina
replied slyly.
"Teach who what?"
Mina and Serena looked up to see Andrew and Darien coming out
of the French doors that led from the house to the patio. Serena took
in a sharp breath as her gaze fell on Darien. Dressed in a pair of
stone coloured khakis, a royal blue shirt and a leather jacket, he was
positively gorgeous.
'Not that he wasn't in the tuxedo last night...' Serena thought.
"Darien, you'll teach Serena to sail, right? So she can come
with us?" Mina asked.
"Of course, if she wants to learn." Darien flashed her a smile
before claiming the chair across from her. Andrew sat down next to his
wife.
"So you finally found someone else to come with us, hmm?" Andrew
asked, taking his wife's hand.
"How did the meeting go?" Mina asked, ignoring his question.
"Fine, fine. Rather boring though." Andrew commented.
"Rather boring?" Darien asked, raising an eyebrow at his
friend. "You nearly fell asleep."
"Not again!" Mina laughed.
"Well, what do you expect with all those old guys talking?"
Andrew asked, blushing slightly. Darien turned his attention to
Serena as Mina continued to tease Andrew.
"Its a pleasure seeing you again so soon Serena."
"You as well." She murmured with a slight smile. She reached
over and sipped one of the glasses of water that had been set out on
the table. Darien continued to study her, and Serena averted her
eyes. She gazed at the rose bushes that lined the house.
"Those are lovely flowers Mina." She commented, looking up at
her blond friend.
"You think so?" Mina asked, pulling her attention from Andrew.
"Darien convinced us to put them there. Oh Serena! The girls and
I are going shopping later today, 'cause Katerina just got back from
Germany. Do you want to come? I know they'd love to meet you!"
Serena laughed at Mina's enthusiasm. She was about to agree
when she remembered that David was planning on meeting her at Crown
Game Center.
"I'm really sorry Mina. I've got plans for this afternoon."
"Oh..." The blond looked crestfallen.
"Maybe she can come to the concert tonight instead?" Andrew
suggested, hoping to make his wife happier.
"Oh yeah! My goddaughter is having a concert at her school
tonight. Can you come to that?" Mina asked.
"Yeah, I'll be able to do that." Serena promised.
"Great! It's at seven tonight. We can swing by and pick
you up, if you want." Mina offered.
"Or I can pick her up on the way and meet you two at the
school." Darien interjected.
"I am here, you realize..." Serena reminded them. "And I do
drive... Which school is it?"
"What's the point in taking three cars for four people?"
Andrew asked. He realized that if Darien was offering to take Serena,
Darien must really like Serena.
"I guess..." Serena relented.
"So I'll pick you up around 6:30?" Darien asked.
"Sure." She dug into her purse for a pen and wrote her address
down on one of the napkins. "Here's my address. You can just buzz up,
okay?"
"Sure, great." Darien took the napkin and folded it carefully.
He stuck it in the breast pocket of his shirt.
Serena sat back in her chair with a bunch of green grapes,
listening to the mindless chatter between Andrew, Mina and Darien.
Your general polite, small talk. Bored with their conversation, she
allowed her mind to wonder.
"You like Lonnie Lanai, Serena?" Mina asked in astonishment,
pulling Serena from her reverie.
"Hmm?" Serena asked, looking at Mina. "Yeah, I do."
"That's Darien's favourite painter, too." Andrew commented,
reaching across the table for a slice of toast.
Serena decided not to comment on Andrew's statement, and
instead, turned her attention back to the food on the table. She
picked up one of the chocolate dipped strawberries and bit into it,
completely unaware of Darien's eyes on her, watching her.
Serena glanced at her watch, and was surprised to see that it
was nearly two o'clock, and she had agreed to meet David at two. She
stood up and stretched.
"I really must get going." She told the three who had remained
seated. "I have an appointment at two."
"No stay." Mina insisted. "I'm sure you can reschedule, and
we're having such a marvelous time!"
"I am too, but I can't get out of this. I'm terribly sorry
Mina."
"I'll walk you to the door." Darien offered standing as well.
"That really isn't necessary." Serena smiled at him and picked
up the small bag that had been at her feet.
"I know." He replied before following her into the house.
"He seems to be quite taken with her." Andrew commented as
soon as Darien and Serena were out of hearing range.
"I know, and I believe she with him. Did you see her face
when he stepped through the door?"
"No.. Hmm.. Serena seems exactly like the type of girl Darien
needs..." Andrew smiled at the thought, hoping that his best friend find
happiness with the pretty blond.
Serena stepped into the arcade after having said good bye to
Darien. She was still shaking from the way he had looked at her, and
said her name. It was almost too much for her. Darien was so unlike
David.
Pausing to scan the arcade booths, Serena found David, and took
the opportunity to study him. David and Darien were complete opposites,
in every way. David had blond hair, Darien's was raven black. David
had light blue eyes, Darien's were midnight blue. David was a gentle,
compassionate man while Darien was a fierce, passionate man...
"Hi David." Serena slipped into the booth across from her fiancé.
"Hi Serena." David smiled at her and for the first time, Serena
noticed that it didn't do anything to her. "How is everything going?"
"Quite well, actually. I've made friends with Mina Furuhata."
Serena replied.
"Darien's best friend's wife?" David asked, and Serena nodded.
"Good work."
"Thanks." Serena kept her bright smile plastered on, for David'
sake.
"Have you found a wedding dress yet?" David asked. Serena shook
her head.
"I haven't had time for any shopping yet." She told him.
"The wedding is getting closer..." He reminded her. For some
reason, this completely infuriated Serena.
"I know that!" She snapped at him. David looked taken aback at
her outburst, and Serena regretted it instantly.
"I'm sorry, David. I'm just really stressed..." Serena sighed.
"I know you are..." David reached across the table and squeezed
her hand affectionately. The gesture caused Serena to remember the way
Darien's lips had brushed hr hand the night before, and the tingling
sensations the kiss had caused.
Serena pulled her hand away, and brushed her hair aside.
"Look David, I can't be long. I have to go out tonight, and I
need to buy something to wear." Serena told him, lying through her
teeth. She had planned the outfit she was going to wear while she had
driven to the arcade.
"Okay, I understand." David smiled at her. "I'll call you
later, okay?"
"Sure." Serena smiled in relief as she got out of the booth.
"I'll talk to you tonight." With that, she turned to leave the arcade.
"Serena! Wait!" David called, but she continued to walk away,
pretending she hadn't heard him.
Serena was ready and waiting when Darien buzzed her apartment
that night. Dressed casually in a pair of khakis and a pink fitted
shirt, Serena knew she looked good. Pink always looked good on her.
She picked up the phone and answered it cheerfully, pretending
she had no clue who it was, though she had seen Darien walking up to
the building from her balcony.
"Hello?"
"Hello Serena." Again, the way he said her name made her knees
tremble.
"I'll be right down." No waiting for him to ask if she was
ready, or even say who it was. She would just be there.
"Alright."
Serena waited for the elevator, tapping her foot impatiently.
Once it finally reached her floor, she stepped through the metal doors
before they even fully opened,and was pushing the door close button.
She pushed the button for the main floor, then froze.
This was Darien Shields she was so anxious to see. Not David,
not her fiancé. Serena sighed as she remembered exactly what her goal
was.
'Its not to fall in love, Serena. You are already in love.' She
told herself, but was she? Serena thought back to her meeting with
David earlier that day. She would have preferred to stay with Mina,
and therefore Darien, but she had already committed to David. Could she
break that kind of commitment?
The elevator doors opened with a ding, and Serena found herself
standing face to face with Darien. She smiled and stepped out of the
elevator.
"Serena..." He caressed her name as he said it and Serena had
to use her iron will not to swoon.
"Hi Darien." She smiled at him.
"We'd better get going, or we'll be late." He told her. Serena
nodded and the two headed out of the apartment complex, and to his
car which was parked in the visitor parking lot. Despite the fact that
she knew he was rich, Serena was still impressed with his car. The
small red sports car was stunning and sleek.
Darien opened the door for Serena and she stepped inside,
feeling the cool leather interior beneath the palm of her hand. She
leaned back in the seat and sighed.
Darien climbed in the other side and reached for his seatbelt.
Serena followed his example, and soon they were headed towards the school.
Neither spoke as Darien drove, but Serena could tell his eyes
kept shifting from the road to her, even in the dark car. She tried to
keep her eyes focused ahead of her, but kept watching Darien out of the
corner of her eye. He was a positively gorgeous man, dressed in a black
suit with a starched white shirt underneath it. His tie was black with
a deep blue strip.
Before long, they had pulled up in a school parking lot. Darien
parked his car near the brightly lit school and the two got out.
Serena and Darien walked towards the school, still not talking.
"Mina and Andrew will be waiting." Darien told her. Serena
nodded.
"Okay." She smiled at all of the little children running around,
and clinging to their parents hands.
"Serena! Darien!" Mina called. Serena smiled at the blond,
who was dressed in a smart, baby blue suit. Andrew was dressed in a
suit similar to Mamoru's, but in gray.
"Hi Mina." Serena smiled at her friend. "Andrew."
"It's great to see you two." Andrew smiled and Mina hugged
Serena.
"Maybe we should take our seats?" Darien suggested. He was
uncomfortable with all the stares he was getting.
"Yes, of course..." Mina agreed, knowing full well why Darien
wanted to leave the crowded foyer. As they headed towards the
gymnasium, someone called out Mina's name, and she and Andrew stopped
to talk to another couple.
Darien glanced around and saw a group of women watching him
quite closely. As soon as one of them broke away from the pack and
headed in his direction, Darien quickly turned away. He wrapped one
arm around Serena, and pulled her close to him.
"Sorry..." He murmured in her ear. Serena blushed slightly and
nodded, implying that it was okay. "Excuse me, Mina, Andrew? We'll
see you inside."
With that said, Darien led Serena towards the entrance of the
gymnasium. They headed to the front and found a section of four
seats. Darien sat down and pulled Serena with him. She sat on the
cold metal seat, Darien's arm still around her.
"Excuse me." Serena looked up to see a tall, dark haired woman
looking at Darien. "I was wondering if you would be available..."
"Sorry," Darien interrupted her. "Despite what the magazines
and newspapers say, I'm happily married. This is my wife, Serena
Shields."
"Wife?" The woman asked.
"Yes." Serena replied. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Miss...?"
"Never mind." The dark haired woman turned and walked away,
obviously upset at the rejection. Serena turned to Darien.
"When was the wedding? I obviously missed it..." She asked
quietly.
"Spectacular event, the loveliest bride anyone ever saw."
Darien grinned at her as he spoke softly. Serena blushed and looked
away.
"There you two are!" Mina exclaimed, plunking down in the seat
next to Serena. "I was talking to... Serena? What's wrong?"
"Nothing." Serena replied, smiling at her friend. "Nothing at
all..."
Author Notes:
Okay, a bit shorter than before, but oh well... Thanks to everyone on
SMRFF or replying to the first part. I love you all!! Thanks a
million to Minako-chan who is a constant source of encouragement and
support. ^_^
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