Author: Hikari
E-mail: Machi_NO_Tenshi@Excite.Com
Story: Tenderly
Part: Prologue
Rating: PG


@TENDERLY@
by Hikari.


Prologue:

	Sitting silently in a booth, a blond haired girl drank 
diligently her milkshake, unaware of the fact that she was being 
watched.  Her dark observer made his way towards her.  'Is it she?' 
He thought.  Once beside the booth, he cleared his throat.  
"Serena?"

	The fragile figure in front of him looked up.  "Darien?"  
She cracked a weak smile as she stood up and hugged him.  "It's 
been a long time!"

	"Yes, it has." Ever since their graduation Darien and 
Serena hadn't seen much of each other, if any at all.  He had 
always wondered how things had gone for her after college, 
wondering if she had changed.  

	"Well," she asked. "How are you?"

	He placed his hands inside his pockets. "Good.  How 'bout 
you?"

	She was silent for a moment, looking down she answered. 
"I'm fine." Raising her head with a smile. "Couldn't be better."

	Now there was a story he wasn't going to buy.  Serena had 
changed a lot since the last time he had seen her.  She used to be 
a joyful girl whose eyes radiated life and hope, but not anymore.  
Those eyes which he had admired so much for their brilliant light 
where now nothing more than a crystalline emptiness which 
reflected how her personality was now... close to nothing.  Her 
face was pale white with various dark circles around her eyes.  
The sadness in her gaze...  No.  She was nowhere near "fine".

	It had been a task to recognize her when he walked inside 
the crown arcade.  Serena used to wear clothes with pastel colors 
and young cuts, long blond hair in her traditional style 'dumplings'.  
Now, she hid her body behind long skirts of dark colors with long-
sleeved shirts, and to top things off, her beautiful hair had been 
cut to shoulder length and was tied into a simple ponytail at the 
nape of her neck.  'I wonder what could have changed her so much?' 
Darien thought.  And as if he had been talking of the devil 
himself, a man of tall stature with a built body directed himself 
towards them.

	"Serena!" His stride was sure and emitted power, a power 
that could not be explained from where it came from. "What do you 
think you're doing?!" He demanded of her.

	Darien could see a hint of fear cross Serena's gaze before 
she turned to look at him.  "Nothing." Her voice was soft. "I was 
only saying 'Hi' to an old friend."

	The man looked at Darien with hate and disgust.  "Well," 
he began while taking her strongly by the wrist. "I don't care."  
And pulling her towards him, "Come on!  We're leaving."

	Quickly, Darien saw her disappear into the street, raising 
one delicate hand with the mere purpose of saying goodbye to him.



To be continued...
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So?  Whatcha think?