Perfect Match
Author: PsychoBunny
Rated: PG13
*waves frantically*
Hey all you lovely peoples. I know I'm an evil author. You probably thought that I
was dead since I haven't updated in forever. You know how it is though with school
and homework. :P
But your patience is being rewarded for I have finished chapter 2!
By the way, thank you all for the reviews and feedback. I'm really happy you guys
like my story so much! ^-^
So go now, read the story, and don't forget to review.
Chapter 2
The nothingness that consumed Serena�s mind started to subside as she slowly
regained consciousness. There were familiar voices in the distance that she
couldn�t quite make out in her state of mind. Barely cracking open one eye, Serena
instantly shut it tight again. The luminous florescent lights were blinding, giving
Serena a worse headache then she already had.
That�s when Serena grew painfully aware of the throbbing in her head; feeling like
her head was split in two. She couldn�t feel her limbs yet but she had to do
something to ease the excruciating ache in her head. When the pain became too much
for her, Serena grimaced and groaned out loud in objection.
A large, warm hand settled on the side of her head and began to gently rub,
effectively reducing the pain. The hand had seemed to absorb her pain and she
mumbled her gratitude the person who gave her the heavenly massage. Upon hearing
Lita rushing into the room and talking frantically, Serena turned her head and
squinted against the light in order to see her friend. She could make out to two
blurry figures, one right by her head and one standing behind that person. She
heard Lita addressing her in a voice strained in worry.
"Serena? Serena, can you hear me?"
Serena sighed to relieve her anxiety.
"Oh Lita, it was horrible, like some kind of nightmare. I think I was imagining
things and must have slipped on the wax floor. It couldn�t have been real. I
thought I actually saw Darien and he called me that terrible nickname of his."
Serena had finally managed to fully open her eyes, shock and horror filling her as
soon as the two figures came into focus. The breath caught in her throat at the
sight of the man she knew all to well.
"And to think, I thought you liked seeing me." The dark haired man beside Serena
said jokingly.
A wide-eyed Serena blushed, embarrassed not only from the man�s comment but also
from his nearness. Darien Shields was knelt down beside her, his face eight inches
from her own. She noticed that his hand was on the side of her head, buried in her
hair. His eyes held an impish glint, his mouth set in that annoying smirk of his.
Slumping her shoulders in relief, Lita let out a small chuckle. Serena had given
everybody quite a scare when she had fainted. Darien had been at her side
immediately, taking her to a secluded area of the cafe and laying her down on a
small couch. Lita was about to call an ambulance and Darien had been looking over
Serena to check if she had anything broken when she woke up and groaned.
Lita gave a small smile; at least, Serena was all right. But from the way she was
looking at Darien, Lita knew she�d have a lot of explaining to do later.
After Darien disentangled his hand from Serena�s hair, he took her arm in both his
hands and began to move it back and forth. Serena felt awkward about the way he
examined her arm so closely. She quickly snatched her arm away from his grasp,
holding it to her chest so he�d leave it alone. Lifting his eyes to her face,
Darien was met with an angry glare.
The corner of his mouth turned up in a half smile; she obviously hadn�t changed.
"Well, looks like nothing is broken. Can you sit up, Meatball Head?" He was teasing
her again but his tone held a tiny bit of concern as well.
"Don�t call me that! And of course I can sit up. You think I�m..." Serena yelped in
pain before she could finish her sentence. She had tried to sit up from her
position on the couch only to get half way up when the throbbing in her head came
back full force. She laid her head against the cushions of the couch, her face
contorted with anguish, her eyes shut tightly, whimpering like a wounded animal.
Darien and Lita were immediately at her side to assist her in anyway they could.
Lita leaned over the arm of the couch to reach Serena, comfortingly combing her
fingers through her blonde friend�s loose, knotted hair. Darien stood up from where
he knelt by Serena, moving to sit beside her on the couch. He spoke with authority,
taking control of the situation.
"Lita, find the strongest aspirin you can and bring a glass of water."
Lita nodded in understanding. She patted the younger girl on the shoulder, leaving
her to go to the backroom of the cafe. Darien casually moved his hand to the back
of Serena�s head, lightly patting her hair as if looking for something. Serena
strained to see him through her squinted eyes. It seemed that he was totally at
ease with the whole bizarre situation. She would have questioned him about it but
another sharp pain that attacked her brain stopped her.
Darien let out a low whistle.
"You�re going to be fine but you�ve got one hell of a knot there. You should really
learn to be more careful, Meatball Head." Strangely enough, his voice held relief.
"For the last time," Serena said through clenched teeth, on the brink of anger.
"Stop calling me.."
But before she could finish her sentence, Lita reappeared with aspirin and a glass
of water. Serena all but dove for the white plastic bottle that Lita held. Lita
dumped three pills in her hand and Serena gratefully took them from her.
While waiting for the pills to take effect, Serena eyed Darien warily as he talked
briefly to Lita, giving her more time to adapt to the awkward reunion with the
bothersome man.
It was hard to believe that their whole teasing/hate relationship had begun twelve
years ago when she had wadded up her failed test paper and threw it in the trash.
Well, she thought she threw it in the trash. Fortunately for her, the failed math
test had hit none other than the man before her in the head. He had taken one look
at the grade and made a nasty comment about it. The rest was history.
Serena was having problems thinking straight because of the dull aching in her
head. So she didn�t quite hear it when Darien addressed her.
"Hello, Earth to Meatball Head. Are you in there? Did you hear what I said?"
"Huh? Oh, what�d you say?" Serena asked slightly confused.
Darien gave a quirky grin at her question. He�d only been in her presence for 15
minutes and already he was having fun.
"What, did the blondeness finally get to your brain? I said how do you feel." He
said it while smiling, showing off his pearly white teeth and that cute little
dimple in his left cheek.
"If it weren�t for the fact that I feel like I got run over by a freight train and
I can barely move, I�d gladly throw myself at you and strangle you to death for
that comment," she said deadpanned, annoyance evident in her sky blue eyes.
�Oh I know you want to throw yourself at me but I seriously doubt you�d strangle
me.� Darien had a wicked gleam in his cobalt eyes, that stupid smile still on his
face. His voice dropped a little lower and he leaned closer as he said. �In fact, I
think you would probably try to...�
�Enough children.� Lita intervened before things got worse. If she had let Darien
finish that sentence, Serena probably would have gone into a wailing rampage,
trying to tear the man limb from limb. They were acting like children; of course,
every time they saw each other they acted this way.
Lita huffed a tired breath, turning concerned emerald green eyes on Serena.
�Serena, are you okay?�
Serena slowly sat up from the cushions, wincing a little as she did so,
instinctively putting a hand to her head.
�Besides the concussion, I�m just great but I think I need some fresh air.� Her
reply was half serious, half sarcastic.
�Well why don�t you go take a short walk outside? It�s a beautiful day. Plus, there
aren�t many people in the coffee shop today so you can have the rest of the day
off. I just have one condition; someone has to go with you. If you collapse again,
they could take you to the hospital and have you checked out.� Lita said in a
stern, motherly manner.
�No problem, I�ll call Amy or Rei and get them to come with me. Maybe we could even
have lunch together.� Serena replied excitedly.
�I don�t think so, both Amy and Rei are at work right now and neither of them know
you�re in town yet. Hey Darien, are you doing anything today?� Lita had quickly
changed the subject and was questioning Darien. Serena had a bad feeling about what
she knew what her friend was about to suggest.
Darien surprised both of them by answering.
�Nope, I�m free for today.�
�Great, would you mind walking with Serena around town for a bit? I would do it
myself but I have to run the cafe.� Lita gave a shy smile, feeling guilty about
asking him for a favor. Serena sat there quietly, hoping against all hope that he
would say no.
�Sure, I wouldn�t mind. I�ve got nothing to do anyways and walking with Serena
should be fun.� He had that gleam in his eyes again, a mischievous grin on his face
as he looked at her.
�No! Absolutely not! I�m not some dog that�s going to be �walked around� by him.�
Serena pointed at Darien, turning her head away from his powerful gaze. �No way,
I�d rather spend a week locked in my room than an afternoon with him.�
�Oh come on Serena.� Lita tried to get her to reconsider.
�No and that�s final.� She emphasized her angry words by crossing her arms over her
chest, sticking her stubborn little chin out.
Darien lifted one shoulder in a half shrug, his words addressed towards Lita.
�I was just trying to be helpful. She doesn�t want to go with me because she knows
if we�re alone, she�ll try to jump my bones.� His words were taunting, daring her
to rise to the challenge of spending an afternoon with him.
Like a moth to the flame, Serena dove for the chance to prove the arrogant Darien
Shields wrong.
�I will not! I bet I could spend a whole afternoon and evening with you and not
�jump your bones�.� Serena exclaimed in outrage and purpose. There was no way she
was going to let him win this argument.
Darien raised an eyebrow at her declaration, his tone holding superiority.
�You think so huh? Then how about this, if you can stand my company for the next 12
hours, then I promise to never call you Meatball Head again. But if you can�t, then
I get a kiss.�
�Deal!� It wasn�t so much as the prize that had Serena agreeing to the bet but the
opportunity to bring Darien�s oversized ego down a notch.
He held out his large hand towards her. She put her slender hand in his, grasping
it and shaking it lightly. Darien, however, couldn�t resist the opportunity to
tease her. With a swift yank of his arm, Serena was in his arms, his breath in her
ear and his face right next to hers. His cologne was intoxicating, a woodsy smell
with a small trace of cinnamon to it.
She was too shocked to do anything but sit there in his arms stiffly as his hands
ran up and down her back. She tried to push him away but she couldn�t move her arms
because they were caught in between them. She tried to wriggle out of his embrace
and she started to yell at him. But when she felt his lips pressing gently on her
shoulder, Serena�s breath caught in her throat and she stilled her movements. His
lips moved enticingly along her neck and followed a path to her ear. Speaking in a
breathy voice, he said, �I�ll just warn you now, when I do finally get to kiss you,
you�ll enjoy it immensely and you�ll beg me for more.�
Leaning back, Darien admired her wide eyes and the bright pink hue that made its
way across her cheeks. Serena let out a shaky breath as he put some much needed
space between them. She didn�t know what she would have done if he hadn�t stopped
his assault on her senses.
Serena surveyed Darien�s lowered eyelids, his blue eyes a shade darker than usual.
She knew exactly what she would have done and it was the same thing she wanted to
do right now.
One of his large hands came up of its own accord, cupping Serena�s cheek in his
palm, the other rubbing her back. Her eyelids began to droop as his head lowered to
hers.
Lita had been watching costumers filter in and out of the cafe when she heard
something strange noise come from the couch. When she turned around, she almost
fainted from shock of the scene before her.
Serena and Darien were nearly kissing.
Lita�s cough broke the spell. Suddenly, Serena's clouded mind became clear. The
reality of where was and who she was about to kiss set in. Using all the strength
in her arms, Serena pushed Darien from her and off the couch.
*Humph*
Serena was proud of herself for the image he made. The great, powerful Darien
Shields was spread out on the ground on his hands and butt, sending her a death
glare. She swung her legs off the couch, wobbly standing to her feet. She smirked
as she spoke. �In your dreams! I�d enjoy a kiss from a toad more than you.�
�You didn�t seem to think that a moment ago.�
Darien said matter-of-factly, gracefully standing up and dusting himself off.
�That�s only because you tricked me. You were...�
Serena�s tirade was stopped by Lita�s shrill whistle. She spoke in a no nonsense
attitude while addressing to the feuding couple.
�Alright, you two, take your lover�s quarrel outside. You�re scaring customers
off.�
�Lover�s quarrel?!� Serena was outraged.
�You said you needed fresh air, Serena. Now, both of you, out!�
Lita shoved them both out the door, grabbing Serena�s apron off her in the process.
Outside the cafe, Serena began to walk in no particular direction, fixing her
scraggly hair while she did. Darien followed her, easily keeping up with long
strides. They shared an uncomfortable silence as they walked, both lost in their
own thoughts.
Serena stole glances at him every now and then, appreciative of his striking
features. She didn�t think that he could get any better looking than when she had
last seen him. Evidently, these last few years had done him justice because he was
as devilishly handsome as ever.
His thick, black hair had grown out and gave him that rugged appeal. It was really
sexy how his bangs sometimes fell into his eyes. He had grown taller, towering
above her small 5�5� frame, and he had broader shoulders. His face was now more
defined and chiseled, the softness of boyhood long gone. From what she felt earlier
when he had held her, he had a good deal of muscle hidden beneath that jacket. His
skin was a darker tan than she recalled. His eyes were the only thing that had
stayed the same, the same gorgeous midnight blue she had always remembered.
If it weren�t for his personality, she would have sworn he was a different person.
But she knew it was him as soon as she saw that stupid grin of his. She didn�t know
how he did it, but Darien had always managed to unnerve her. He was always so
arrogant, rude and sure of himself that she�d been determined not to swoon all over
him like all the other girls.
While Serena was telling herself why she didn�t like Darien Shields, he�d asked her
a quiet question.
�Why�d you come back? I haven�t seen you in town in five, no six years.�
�None of your business.� She snapped at him.
�I was just trying to make conversation, the least you can do is be civil.� That
wasn�t the only reason he asked. He wanted to know why she�d come back after so
long. He didn�t realize how much he missed her until she left.
Serena�s eyes softened as she looked back at him. He was right. Though she wouldn�t
admit it to him, he was right. Here he was making an effort to be nice and she was
acting like a jerk. She could at least make an effort to be too.
�Sorry,� she said, ashamed of her own outlandish behavior. She began speaking
casually as if they had done it a thousand times before. �Actually, I guess you
could say I�m here to take a vacation.�
He raised an eyebrow that made a tremor of thrill shoot all the way up her spine.
�A vacation? Here?� He was rather curious as to why she would come here of all
places.
�Yeah, I wanted to get away from my work, boss, and coworkers. I�d rather be
surrounded by familiar things I know and love, like my friends and family. Not that
I don�t like my job, but it can be really stressful sometimes.� She had to catch
her breath after saying all that. Since they were on the subject of why she was
here, she thought she�d question him a bit.
�And why, pray tell, are you still in this town? I thought you probably be off
sipping Pina Coladas on a yacht somewhere in the Mediterranean with $50 million in
the bank.� she appeared as if she were truly shocked.
He chuckled both from her expression and her declaration. �Really?�
�Yep, if you weren�t teasing me, you were always doing some kind of homework. You
were always saying how you needed to go home early and study for a test to get
higher marks. Also, you�re really smart. I remember you helped Amy a couple of
times on her Calculus homework. I figured you�d have an important job.� Serena
talked as if she were explaining something to a small child.
�Well, I do happen to be the president of my own successful computer company, if
that�s what you mean. I don�t live here though; I live near my company�s
headquarters in Los Angeles. Like you said, I�m here every now and then for a
vacation of sorts.� He held a sense of pride while talking about his company.
�So what kind of work do you do?� Darien wished to know more about the things
Serena had done since he had last seen her.
�I work with fashion, keeping up with the latest fashion tends. Stuff like that.�
She didn�t like lying to people but Darien couldn�t find out that she was a fashion
designer. If he did, he would find out about Diamond and Beryl. She would never
live it down.
�I bet you make a lot of money.� He said it in a half serious, half joking manner.
�You could say that.� She giggled at the dumbfounded expression that crossed his
features. What he didn�t know was that her fashion line-up had made over $60
million in profits so far.
He gave her a heart-stopping smile that made something in her stomach flip over.
Darien liked hearing her laugh. It was sultry and sweet all rolled into one. Before
the day was over, he�d see how many times he could make her smile and laugh.
They walked into the park, bantering all the way. They chatted as if they were long
lost friends who had been reunited after years of separation. They talked about
everything from the weather to the cities they both lived in, from funny stories
about work to hobbies they shared. There was no barrier to their conversation.
Sure, there was light teasing and banter but nothing that made the other one mad or
uncomfortable.
Sitting on a bench near the pond, Darien and Serena continued their chatter.
�So do I need to worry about getting killed by a boyfriend if I�m talking to you?�
Darien jested good-naturedly. He sat with his arm spread out on either side of the
bench, one foot propped up on the other knee.
Darien could have sworn that he saw a wave of sadness cross her face but as soon as
he blinked, it was gone. Serena stayed there unmoving. She was turned towards him
with one leg tucked underneath her and one foot resting on the bench, her breathing
the only audible sound. When she did speak, it was in a melancholy tone.
�No, as of right now I�m single.�
�What�s so bad about being single?� Darien imagined she was sad because she was
single.
�Oh, nothing. Nothing at all.� She pulled the jacket around her tighter in a sense
to protect herself. Darien had given her his jacket when she began to shiver from
the cool autumn air and now she used it as a shield.
�It�s getting late so I better head home.� Serena knew it was a lame excuse but she
didn�t want to stay for his questioning. She lifted herself from the bench, waved
goodbye, and dashed out the park, leaving a bewildered Darien behind.
Later that evening, Serena paraded around her rental house in her boxers and white
tank top. She felt bad leaving Darien there confused and even worse about not
returning his jacket. Even now, she could smell his cologne still lingering on her
skin, stirring something deep inside of her. There was a simple solution; she�d
find him tomorrow, return his jacket, and apologize for leaving so abruptly.
Serena was scared to face him again. Before he had said anything that dealt with
boyfriends, she had actually taken pleasure in his company. He listened to what she
had to say and was kind enough to laugh at her corny jokes. Serena shook her head,
her high ponytail swishing from side to side. She must have hit her head harder
than she thought if she was using Darien and kind in the same sentence.
�Time to push all Darien problems aside and watch my movie!� She thought happily.
After calling a pizza in and dimming the lights, Serena plopped down on the couch
and turned the movie on. Her friends had told her this movie was a great suspense
movie so she went out and rented it. The title scrolled up on the screen. �The
Ring� didn�t sound like a scary movie title at all.
Thirty minutes into the movie, Serena was engrossed into the plot. It was so
intriguing and creepy that it kept you watching. It had already made Serena jump
twice and she wasn�t even half way through. In the movie, the main character had
just watched the tape and then her phone rang. She picked it up and heard the voice
on the other say, �Seven days.�
Serena jumped at least three feet in the air when her cell phone rang at that
precise moment. She put the movie on pause. She was hesitant to pick it up at
first, not knowing who or what it might be. She picked it up and looked at the
caller id. The call was blocked.
She gulped back the urge to scream and answered the phone.
�He...hello?� she stuttered horribly.
�Hello, is this Serena?� The voice on the other line was definitely male.
�Yes, it is.� She calmed down a bit. The man sounded familiar but she couldn�t
place him.
�I�m a friend of Diamond�s and I was wondering who that other man was. You know,
the man you were in the park with earlier.�
Breathing suddenly became difficult, panic rose in her voice and body.
�Who are you?� She demanded. Her voice sounded far more confident than she felt but
she did not like to be toyed around with.
�That�s for me to know and for you to find out.� It was a snide remark.
Before Serena could say anything, the person hung up. The phone call left her
shaken and unable to think clearly, a million questions running through her head.
Who was that man? How did he know her number?
A horrifying thought occurred to her. If that man had seen her with Darien, he must
have been spying on them. Who�s to say he wasn�t spying on her right now? The man
on the phone might walk right through that door and...
*Ding Dong*
Serena screeched and dove for the blanket on the couch. She didn�t want to be
victim to some deranged stalker. Then a thought registered in her mind. Deranged
stalkers don�t ring the doorbell. Or at least, she didn�t think they did.
With cautious steps, Serena made her way over to the door to look out the peephole.
It was so dark outside that she could hardly see the silhouette of a man with a
pizza box on the porch. She cursed under her breath. Ever since Lita, Rei, and she
practically jumped that one cute pizza man who delivered late, the pizza man always
delivered at the worst times. It was a rather funny incident; the poor pizza man
almost ran back to the car and drove off. He probably didn�t realize it was a
life-threatening job when he took it.
Fully opening the door, the first words to leave Serena�s mouth were,
�Oh no, not you!�
�I thought you would be glad to see me.� Darien gave a cocky smile and strolled
right past her into the living room.
�Hey, what do you think you�re doing?� The nerve that man had to come into her
house uninvited. Serena was ready to take that pizza box out of his hand and throw
him out on the street.
�Have you forgotten our bet already? That you couldn�t spend an afternoon and
evening in my company.� He feigned offense.
�So I forgot. Can we just call it off? I�m not in the mood to do this.� She said
tiredly.
�Fine, I�ll take my company and dinner elsewhere.� He sighed in defeat.
The growling in her stomach reminded Serena that her own pizza hadn�t shown up yet
and that she had no food in her refrigerator. Also, this could work to her
advantage. If that man on the phone was watching, he wouldn�t dare make a move with
Darien here. She could use him as her temporary guard dog. She smiled at her own
thought.
�Alright, you can stay.�
�Great!� He gave one of his dazzling smiles. Then said playfully, �You know, I
never thought I liked Spongebob Squarepants until now.�
She blushed as he gave a hearty laugh. As he opened a can of coke she hadn�t seen
him bring in, Serena made a mental note; next time she wouldn�t answer the door in
her Spongebob Squarepants boxers.
When the movie ended and the pizza was done with, Darien and Serena stood on her
porch to say goodnight.
�I say we call a truce. I won�t call you meatball head if you give me a kiss.�
Darien said logically.
�So, I suffered in your presence for nothing.�
�It wasn�t that bad. Was it?�
Serena giggled at his hurt expression. �No, I�ll admit it wasn�t bad.�
�So you did enjoy having me around.� He raised his eyebrows.
�I think I�ll have to be the judge of that.� She said truthfully.
�Fair enough. I guess I�ll see you later.� He wanted that kiss more than he would
admit but he wouldn�t push the subject. He turned to walk down the porch steps when
her voice stopped him.
He turned back around, watched her close the distance between the two of them. Her
blue eyes were shining in the moonlight as she put her hands on his broad shoulders
and lifted herself up on tiptoe. Her soft lips put light pressure on his cheek and
then it vanished.
She whispered a thank you in his ear and slowly went back into the house. He left
grinning like a fool.
You want to know what happens next? I dare you to go review and leave your opinions
or suggestions.. mwhahaha....
~PsychoBunny