--------------------------------------------------------------------- TRUST ME By Aeris -> lucky.violet@mailcity.com Hiya, people! I think I owe some people something. Everyone, you better read these people's work, or else they'll kill me: Joanne Alexandra, Ibuki, and Silver Storm. They're great authors, as far as I know it. They like what I like, and they like me. That's why I just love them. I think that's about all. Just check them out. *********************************************************************** THREE *********************************************************************** "Come on, Andrew," Serena urged. "Tell me how you did it." "I, uh..." Darien stammered. "Oh," Serena said flatly. Darien almost gasped. She recognized my voice, he thought. "So, Andrew Furuhata, huh? Great. Just great. I have to congratulate you on that one. I know you must think I'm the greatest fool now, huh, for thinking that you were Andrew Furuhata without even considering hearing you voice first. Well, tell you what. Maybe I AM a fool. Or rather WAS. 'Coz now, you can't call. And neither can ANY of YOUR friends. You know why? 'Coz the people BUNNY THOMPSON knows care for her. Love her. And most of all, they are honest. And we both know that you and your friends aren't. Goodbye." And the line went dead. Darien stared at the phone, then slammed it down. "Damn it!" "Goodbye," she said, then hung up. She stared hard at the phone, tears threatening to flow any second. Kirsten Daio, her secretary, has just entered with a stack of folders in her hands. "Good - " Serena's head snapped in her direction. Kirsten saw the look on her face, confirming her suspicions a while ago from snatches of overheard speeches. She looked horrified, not knowing whether she should leave, or not. Realizing her situation, she quickly wiped her tears and said in a stern voice, "Leave those here." Kirsten was unable to speak. She just nodded. "Now." She scrambled to Serena's desk and back at her place beside the door. "Cancel all meetings for the day. Make up some excuse. Y'know, some sort of emergency. No calls, no visits. Is that clear?" She nodded. Serena began to look through the folders that Kirsten brought. Kirsten began to leave when her employer spoke up. "Oh, and one more thing." Kirsten waited patiently for the continuation. 'Oh God, please let me leave.' "No word of this goes out of this room, okay?" She nodded almost TOO vigorously. "That's all, Kirsten. You may now leave." As soon as the petite redhead was gone of the room, Serena began to cry. Three days later, a rumor about the superstar Bunny Thompson was spread all over the world. "And whatever it is," Andrew grumbled, "it's killing me." People flooded to Crown Arcade. That may seem an advantage, but not when people whispered wherever he went, and no one dared tell him about it. The suspense is killing him. But not as much as the truth will. The mystery was solved in an hour. Andrew came home with the telephone ringing. He snatched it up at once. It was Darien. "Yo, Andrew." "Hey, it's Darien!" Andrew squealed. He grabbed the remote control and turned on the television. A gossip show was on. "Man, where are you? The last time I heard from you, it was in a letter, telling me you were leaving. Where are you now, by the way?" "Me? I'm in LA." "LA? What the heck are you doing?" "I'm looking for somebody." He cleared his throat. "Anyway, enough about me. How are YOU doing?" Andrew laughed. "Me? The great ANDREW FURUHATA - " He stopped talking and listened hard to the big-mouthed woman on the television. "Did I just hear my name?" "Andrew?" Darien asked, quite confused. "Shh. Just listen..." Andrew sweared under his breath. < - who has evidently broken the young star's heart. Bunny Thompson has denied the issue of course, but who wouldn't? I mean, this is SO embarrassing, especially for a famous teen star as she. > Uh-oh, Darien thought. I'm dead. Heaven or hell? "DARIEN... Do you know ANYthing about this?" "Uh, I... uh..." "I'm waiting..." "I -Iwasjusttryingtogettotalktoserenabutshewoulnttalktomesoisaid yournameandthenislippedreallyandrewiamreallyreallyREALLYsorry..." Darien waited desperately for a response. There was only a muttered curse. The next day, a man went to a flower shop in the city. A young lady eyed him slyly. "What can I do for you, handsome mister?" His back went stiff. "A bouquet of red roses, please." "Would you like to have a card attached to it?" she asked, smoothly arranging the flowers while staring at him still. He has tantalizing, blue eyes, she thought. He thought for a moment. "Yes, that would be nice." She grabbed a card and a pen. "How do you want it to read?" "I love you." She eyed him with a knowing smile on her face. "That's all?" He nodded. "Do you want it to be delivered, or do you want to give it to her instead?" "Deliver it please. Anonymously." The girl giggled. "Sure. What's the address?" He gave it to her. Wait, she thought, this address sounds familiar... "Who's the lucky girl?" she said carefully. He told her. She gasped. "Y-You're..." "An old friend," the man finished for the girl. "Thank you for your help. Please see to it that she receives it at once." The very next day, a bouquet of roses appeared at Bunny Thompson's desk. Serena eyed it suspiciously. She leaned and smelled it. It has a familiar scent to it... The door swung open. "Oh," Kirsten squealed with delight. "You saw it." She sighed. "Isn't he romantic? Who's the guy?" Serena straightened her back. "Please dispose of it." Her secretary stared at her. "B-but..." "I SAID..." "O-okay, I'll take it out when I finish on my - " "NOW!" Later that night, the flowers found themselves on top of Kirsten's night table. Darien sat thoughtfully in his room. He was in a REAL mess now. Andrew would kill him if he doesn't fix this up. His future would also die if he doesn't make up with Serena soon. But how could he when she doesn't want to have anything to do with him anymore? Serena has absolutely denied the existence of ANY Darien Chiba in her life. She rejected the flowers he sent, the calls he made, and anything at all that had ANY connection at all to him. Could it be that this is the end of romance, that there was absolutely no hope whatsoever? No, he decided firmly. A child has come from the future that clearly states she is fruit of his and Serena's love. Their love. Suddenly, Darien knew what he has to do. *Ding-dong* "TORI!!!" Serena screamed, furiously beating three eggs in a bowl. "Get it!" *Ding-dong* "Tori!" "I'm in the bathroom!" Teresa's muffled voice yelled back. "Doing number two, so beat it." "Ugh!" Serena cried out, then wiped her hands on her apron. Then, she took it off and ran towards the front door. *Ding-dong* "Coming!" Serena opened the door, and gasped. "It's..." ----------------------------------------------------------------------- So, like it? I'm really, really sorry that it was THAT short. The story's going for a big turn in the nest chapter. Just watch out for it. I gotta give credit to JA for her idea, I'm not gonna tell you which. She got me out of my UNinspired situation. Man, isn't she just great help?