�These are really good.� She told him as she ate her eggs.
�Told you I can cook. See, I�ve been working on it. Almost as good as Howie now.�
�Um hu.� She moaned sarcastically as she took another bite.
�What?� He questioned, as he smiled.
�Nothing, nothing at all. They�re really good.� She giggled a little. AJ had cooked eggs while Serenity made french toast.
�I�m full, I�m finished.� She said as she drank her orange juice.
�Full? You can�t be, all you ate were eggs and half a piece of french toast. Come on, you have to eat more.� He urged her.
�No, believe me, I�m fine. I�ve had enough.�
� You on a diet or something? You eat way more then that.�
�What? I can�t watch what I eat? Can�t be on a diet?�
�Yeah, but you hate diets. You�ve always said girls should eat what they want to, and not care what people think. You use to make fun of girls that were on diets.� He joked. �Besides that, you don�t need a diet. Look how small you�ve already gotten, your fine the way you are.�
Serenity wasn�t sure how to reply to that. She had spent so much time worrying over her weight and she had heard so many negative comments about it lately. Hearing that from AJ boosted her self esteem a little. It just felt good to hear someone compliment her that way. She looked down at her food as a slight smile appeared on her face. �Thanks.� She told him shyly.
�You were perfect before you lost any weight. You�ve always been perfect. What�s with this diet thing? Is Randy making you do this?�
She became very defensive to that question and her head shot up to look at AJ. She didn�t want anyone knowing about him. �Every time I change something why do you think Randy has something to do with it? I have a mind of my own, I can think for myself. Randy doesn�t make me do anything I don�t want to do.� She said standing up. She left the table as she put her fork and dish in the sink. �Randy does not control me and I eat what I want to, when I want to. I�m changing because of me AJ. I need all these new changes in my life. Their helping me to grow up. My father wanted me to change so much before his death, and he became so proud of me when I did. And now that he�s gone, I intend to be the person he wanted me to be. I can only be silly and spout meaningless babble about things I don�t know anything about for so long. No one needs someone telling them how wrong they are all the time. I have to learn how to just fit in and be a productive citizen in society like everyone else for once.�
�I didn�t think it was meaningless babble. To me it was a women sticking up for things she believed were right. And not letting anyone tell her different, or make her change her mind.�
�Well to me and the rest of the world, I was a little girl who had a big mouth that didn�t know her place.�
�Where is all of this coming from? This isn�t you? You are not the same women who left here a year ago.�
�That was the whole point.� She told him as she went to get her shoes.
�Serenity you don�t have to go. Really.� He said as he watched her put her shoes on.
�No, I do. Maybe it was a mistake coming here in the first place. AJ, I�m not the same girl you use to know. I�ve done a lot of growing in the last past months and I�ve changed. I�ve grown a lot from when we were together.�
�You know what I think? I think you�re the same person, your head is just clouded. You�ve been doing all the stuff your doing to please your father, not for yourself. You�ve probably been doing stuff to try to please Randy too. The only person you need to please is yourself Serenity. You can�t live your life trying to fit into someone else�s, or trying to be what they think you should be. I�ve tried and it didn�t work. You have to live your life for yourself. You can�t just give up your identity like that.� AJ said as he stood.
�I can�t believe you AJ, how dare you tell me how to run my life. I have to go. I have to go so I can greet by boyfriend when he comes home.� Serenity said as she finished tying her tennis shoes up. She stood from the couch and started towards the front door.
�Serenity, wait.� AJ said beating her to the door, standing between her and it. �I�m not going to let you leave like this. I don�t want us to fight every time we leave each other, it�s crazy.�
�Are you jealous of Randy AJ? Is that it?� She asked bluntly.
�Jealous? What are you talking about, I�m not jealous. There�s nothing to be jealous of. I don�t want you back, if that�s what you mean. I understand your with him now and I�m happy if your happy. Don�t you see that Serenity. I just want you to be happy, that�s all. I�m not trying to hurt you. I just want you to be okay, that�s all.�
She calmed down as she looked toward the floor and then back up at him. �Well you can be happy for me because I am happy. I�m fine, really I am. I just can�t take all the negative stuff you say about me and Randy.�
�I�m sorry. I want us to be friends.�
�Okay, well thanks...for everything. I have to go now though, have to get home.�
�Okay. Sorry for the whole...thing. Take care, bye.� He said as he softly hugged her. He then stood out of the way and once again, watched her go.