He looked over at Nicole and saw that she had noticed too.His lips formed the words"Too late". Nicole nodded, but they soon stopped their comunication when they were getting angry looks from Leonie.
"You guys! That song were amazing!" Leonie said while Nic and Elisa nodded in agreement. Elisa excused herself and went to the bathroom. She looked at herself in the mirror and tried to fight back the tears. "He wrote me a song? He is just too sweet! He wrote me a song" repeating those words in her head, like a mantra. A little tap on the door. "Enter" she said. It was Darren who came to check if she were ok. "What`s wrong?" he asked as he saw traces of tears. "Have I done something wrong?" "Oh no Darren, you haven`t done anything wrong..."
"Have Dan said something? Cause if he has...."
"Silly, I`m just so happy! You actually wrote a song for me?" Darren blushed and looked at the floor. "Yah, well....just kiss me and save me from my blushing here!" Elisa laughed, but did as he asked. "You are going to spend the night." Darren said as they walked back to the others. She looked at him smiling. "Do I have a choice?"
"Nope" He answered and laughed "There is no escape from me. We egomaniacs tend to get our way....always".
While they were in the bathroom, Leonie had given Nic and Dan a lecture. They were told to be supportive and keep all negative thoughts to themselves. It seemed like Darren wasn`t the only one that got his way, Cause when Darren and Elisa said that Elisa was to spend the night there, Daniel offered to drive Nic home, and Nicole didn`t protest at all.
"Call me if Jack calls about our cd layout!" Elisa said while walking Dan and Nic to the car.
"Sure Lis, but I think we have the day off tomorrow. I`ll call you anyway, ok? Have a great time!"
"Ok" Elisa said and gave Nic a hug "Goodnight Dan. I`ll see you soon!"
She walked back to the house and saw Darren stand in the doorway. She stopped for a while and looked at his silhouette. God was he good looking!
"Miss Jennings! If you don`t come to bed right away, you are missing out on some big opportunities. So tear yourself away from the work of art, that is me, and come before I fall asleep." Darren turned around and walked inside
Elisa shook her head "Work of art...huh..!" And hurried after him.
"Good morning sleepy head!" Elisa sighed. "Is it morning? It certainly doesn`t feel like it!"
It`s 10 am! So get up. When you are finished come down and have some breakfast with me." He tossed a towel at her.
"You made me breakfast?"
"See, I told you I would make it up to you! And I always keep my promises." He left the room, and Elisa headed for the shower.In 15 minutes she came walking down the stairs.
"Wow, you are quick" Darren said
"I bet you spend hours in front of the mirror!" Elisa said smiling. "Well, not all are as naturally adorable as you are!" Darren lent down and kissed her.
"Where`s Leonie?" Elisa asked, cause she hadn`t seen her yet. "Oh, she went shopping with a friend. She said that now I have you to entertain me so she had some time off to herself." "Ahh..yes she mentioned something about you being scared of being alone..."
"She said what?" ".....and that you are a bit feminin." Elisa laughed at Darren while he buffed himself up, and put his chest more out.
Nicole called about two hours later. And they had a photoshoot the next morning. Daniel called Darren, and Darren went over to his place. Before he left he ordered Elisa to stay at his house.He said he wouldn`t be long so she agreed to stay, and curled up in his chair and started to read a book. Leonie came home soon after, so they made some dinner and watched tv. The evening went on, and when Elisa looked at her watch is was almost 11pm. "I better get home, I gotta get up early tomorrow." Leonie looked up at her. "Where is your dog?" "At my moms place." Elisa answered. "We decided that was the best thing since I probably got much to do these days." "Hmm...and...why can`t you spend the night here?" "Ahh...first;I don`t have any clothes with me. Second, he didn`t ask me to stay the night." Elisa answered
"First of all; Your clothes can be put in the washing machine tonight and put in the dryer tomorrow morning. Second; Darren told you to stay until he came back. And he hasn`t come back yet." Leonie said. Elisa hesitated."If you`re sure he wouldn`t mind...." "Elisa, I`ve known Darren a long time. And the only thing he would mind these days is spending time without you." Leonie convinced her, and she decided to spend the night.
When Darren got home it was passed midnight. He was happy to see that Elisa`s car was still there. The house were dark, and he went straight to his bedroom. Elisa was in a deep sleep and didn`t wake up when he entered. Darren smiled as he laid down beside her and put his arms around her.Thinking that this was what he wanted to come home to the rest of his life. Elisa sleeping in his bed.
Elisa woke up at 6.30, she laid completely still for a while and listened to Darren breathing. She felt so relaxed and safe in his arms. She got up and took a shower. Leonie was sitting at the kitchen counter and looked up as Elisa walked in. "Coffee?" "Yes please."Leonie handed her the clothes as well, now clean and dry. "Thanks Leo, you`re the best!"
"By the way. Daniel called and he his on his way as we speak. He went to pick up Nicole for you, so you had more time this morning." Elisa looked at Leonie in amazement. "Huh...?" "Dan is a nice man. He`s just very protective of his friends, and it seems to me that Nic are the same way. But I think they really make an effort to try, at least." Leonie said. "Yeah, well...maybe I should wake up Darren then." Elisa said and headed upstairs.
Darren rolled over and glanced at her with one eye. "Is it already morning?" Elisa sat down at the bed and stroke a hand through his hair. "It looks like we don`t have the time to jog today either. Dan and Nic are on their way over here, so you better get up."
"I`m not getting up!"
"You are not, huh..?" Elisa raised one eyebrow
"No..not before I get my goodmorning kiss!" Darren grabbed her and rolled her over so he was on top of her. He started to kiss her neck and face, while he tickled her. Elisa laughed and managed after a little struggling to roll him off her. She pointed to the shower and snapped her fingers."Shower! Now!" Darren looked at her with a sorry look on his face. "Party pooper" He said and threw a pillow at her.
Elisa got downstairs just as Dan and Nic walked through the door. "Hi Elisa, have you managed to get Darren out of bed yet?" "Yeah, he`s in the shower." Elisa answered. Darren came down and grabbed something to eat. The five of them sat and enjoyed their morning coffee. Talking about today`s plans. Darren and Daniel were still recording their album. And Nic and Elisa would have some pictures taken today. And as Nicole so nicely put it."Hopefully there will be one we can use out of a hundred. Elisa isn`t actually photogenic." Daniel laughed at Elisa`s expression and she threw a cracker on him. "Don`t worry" Darren said "You will always be beautiful to me!" Nicole reached for her shoulder bag and pulled up a picture she gave to Darren. "Oh...my maybe not" he said looking at Elisa. "I`m sorry luv, maybe you should cancel the photoshoot!?" He sent the picture over to Leonie and Dan, which made them laugh hysterical. Elisa had to laugh at Darrens urge to tease her this morning.
They said their goodbyes and drove off to seperate locations. Elisa and Nicole found it very amusing to be in front of the camera. And the photographer said that they were every photographers dream. The pictures would be developed by tomorrow, so they had a meeting with Mr.Logan to decide which one to use. Nic and Elisa went out for a pizza and beers, since they haven`t had a girls night for weeks. Elisa got home and went to bed. Darren had left her a message on the answering machine. Telling her he missed her and that he would call her tomorrow.
Elisa woke up very early next morning and decided to take a jog before picking Nic up. It felt so good to smell the fresh morning air again. Darren wasn`t out this morning. Not that she had thought he would be, but she had hoped.
They met Logan at his office, and they went over a lot of pictures. They finally got down to 2 pictures they could use. But they wanted to see the layout before they decided the one that would be the cd-cover. The release of their single was in a month. Savage Garden released theirs two weeks from now. But as Logan said, he had gotten them some promotion jobs to do. And they would start two weeks before the release. Elisa thought it was weird that Darren and Daniel hadn`t started their promoting yet, and reminded herself to ask Darren when she spoke to him again.
Meanwhile Darren and Daniel were arguing about the exact thing. "Oh come on Darren! We have been waiting too long as it is! It is time we start to show ourselves out there." Daniel stressed. "Yeah I know, but all I am saying is that we can wait to next week!" Darren said. "Next week? You can`t be serious? Then we would have only one week! We would have time to do half of what we are supposed too!" Daniel waived his arms. Darren sighed. He knew Daniel was right. "Alright! So when are we leaving then?" Daniel looked over at Leonie and John who were sitting in the corner of the room. He turned to face Darren again. "Tomorrow" He said.
Darren drove over to Elisa`s apartment, he felt really sad. Elisa rapped her arms around him before he had gotten inside. "I`ve thought about you all day" she whispered into his ear. Darren felt the tears come to his eyes and held her tight while he tried to hold them back.
Elisa noticed that something was wrong, so she pulled back and looked him in the eyes. "What`s wrong Darren?" Darren grabbed her hand and walked to the couch. "Elisa, I don`t know how to say this but...ahh...I am leaving tomorrow. We have been putting it of for so long, and we have to show our face....for promotional reasons." Darren looked worried at her. Waiting for a reaction. Elisa looked at him, trying to absorb the news."Oh, well Darren. If you got to go. You gotta go!" Elisa tried to laugh, but didn`t quite get the right sound. "Elisa...." His voice was so tender she just started to cry. "Elisa, I won`t be gone for long. I`ll be back before our release. We can watch the charts together!"
Darren tried to cheer her up. "Darren, we`re leaving next week." Elisa laid her head in her hands and cried even more. Darren sat down next to her and held her in his arms till she calmed down. "Shh...it`s not the end of the world you know. I`ll call you. You`ll call me! And before you know it we`ll see eachother again. I promise.." Elisa looked at him. "Yeah, I hope you`re right!" Elisa curled up in his arms, and they sat there in silence, knowing it would be their last night together in a long time.
When the morning lights shined through the bedroom window, they had only been sleeping for an hour. They ate breakfast together in an awkward silence. Knowing that it wouldn`t be long before he had to go.
Elisa walked Darren to his car and they held eachother a long time, not saying a word. As Darren drove off, he saw in the mirror that Elisa cried. He managed to drive almost all the way to the airport, but then he had to stop. His eyes filled up with tears, he couldn`t see the road.