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Hey everyone!!  Sorry this took me so long to get out.  I got behind
schedule with schoolwork and stuff.  Anyway, here's Chapter Two, two
weeks late.  All my chapters will be a little short, so bear with me.
Thank you for reading (Anaconda), and e-mail me at Daloola45@aol.com
Please, tell me what you think!!  Be honest!
All disclaimers apply...  Enjoy!

Can It Be True
by Cooper
Chapter 2
Rating: PG
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<Ring...>

        No answer.

<Ring...>

        Still no answer.

<Ring...>

        "Damn it, Serena!  Where *are* you?!" Mina screamed into the
receiver of the telephone she held to her ear.  After a moment she
heard it ring again and slammed the receiver down onto the cradle with
a huff.  *It *is* Saturday, isn't it?* Mina thought to herself.  She
looked over to the calendar hanging on her wall.  *Yup, Saturday,
April 24. Serena said we were gonna go shopping today.*  Mina was had
an angry look on her face with her arms crossed.  "Ugh, Serena!!" she
yelled to no one.  She stayed like that for a minute when her frown
faded and a smile crept its way to her lips.  "Hey, I know!" she said
to herself, "I can ask Amy if she wants to go shopping.  Yea!  Amy's
probably just doing some boring stuff, it's my duty as her friend to
get her out once in a while."  Mina picked up the phone and quickly
dialed Amy's number, her day was starting to look up.
        "Hello?" Mina heard a quiet voice say over the phone.
        "Hey, Amy!  I know you want to go shopping with me today!" Mina
said.
        "Um... Oh... Hi Mina.  Um... sure, I'll go shopping with you,
but doesn't Serena usual..."
        "Great!" Mina said, cutting Amy off in mid sentence, "Meet me at
the ice-cream shop across from the park in..."  Mina looked at her
watch, "15 minutes?"
        "Um... Okay," Amy said, obviously not too enthused.
        "Wonderful, see you then!" Mina said hanging up the phone.  She
looked at her watch one more time.  She jumped up and picked her
sweater and purse off a chair and ran out the door.

*************

        Serena walked down the sidewalk with a bounce in her step.  She
was wearing a short, green dress with short sleeves and white floral
patterns everywhere.  Her hair was done up in her usual "odangos", and
she had a pair of sunglasses on her head.
        She slowed to a stop when she realized she was standing right
outside the gate to Juuban Park.  She looked up at the fountain, then
around to see if Darien had shown up yet.  She couldn't see him
anywhere.  She looked at her watch.  1:23.  *Well, I guess I'm a
little early.  He did say 1:30 when he called me back,* Serena
thought.  She walked up to an empty bench near the fountain and sat
down.  She put her sunglasses over her eyes because she was facing the
sun.  She just sat there, watching the people go by.  She was not
nervous at all, for some reason.  She was more nervous that Darien
would never call her, but he did.  So now all Serena had to do was
have a good time with a nice guy.
        All of a sudden, a dark object was blocking her view.  She shook
her head a little, but it was still there.  She lifted her sunglasses
to the top of her head and reached her hand out to grab the object,
darkened with the sun behind it.  She took the object and inspected
it.
        It was a rose.  A perfect red rose with velvety pedals and the
thorns neatly taken off.
        Serena looked up to see who had given her the beautiful flower,
and she saw Darien staring down at her with a grin on his face.
        "Hello, Serena," Darien said, "nice to finally see you again."
        "Darien!" Serena squealed as she jumping up.  "I'd almost
forgotten how handsome you are."  That was a lie, and Serena knew it.
The picture of Darien on the night of the dance had been stuck in her
mind ever since.
        Darien smiled even wider.  He opened his arms and she came into
them.  They embraced for a while, then Darien pulled away.
        "So, Serena, what do you want to do today?"
        "Well, I have the biggest craving for an ice-cream cone.  Whadda
'ya say we go to the ice-cream parlor over there."  Serena pointed to
the small shop across the street.  Darien looked over to the shop and
nodded.
        "I could go for some ice-cream right about now, also.  Lets go,
my treat."
        Serena was about to protest when Darien grabbed her hand and led
her across the street.  When they reached to other side, Darien didn't
drop Serena's hand; he gripped it tighter.  She looked down at where
their hands locked, and then up into his eyes.  She smiled.  They
stood like that for a moment, but to Serena it could have been an
eternity.
        "Blurp, blurp, bluuurrrrppp!"  Serena blushed profusely as her
stomach groaned.  She looked down and patted her stomach.
        "I guess I was hungrier than I thought," Serena said.  "Shall we
go in?"
        "Let's go!" Darien said, chuckling a bit.

*************

        Amy came walking down the sidewalk, gripping a book close to her
chest.  *I wonder why Mina asked me to come shopping with her and not
Serena,* she thought.  She looked at her watch.  She was just about at
the ice-cream parlor, and she was a little early.  Amy decided to go
ahead and get some ice cream for herself.
        Amy walked into the store, and noticed that there weren't a lot
of people around.  She first scanned the shop for Mina, but she wasn't
anywhere to be seen.
        "Amy!" she heard a voice calling her.  Amy turned to where the
voice had come from.
        "Huh?  Serena!  Hey!" Amy said, walking up to the blonde.  "What
are you doing here?"
        "I was just about to ask you the same question.  I came to get
some ice-cream with Darien."  Amy just noticed the man standing behind
Serena.  Serena turned to Darien.  "Darien, this is Amy.  We've been
friends since seventh grade."  Serena then turned to Amy.  "Amy, this
is Darien.  He's the guy I told you about.  You know, the one I met at
my father's company party."
        "Oh, yes!  Hi, Darien.  Serena's told me about you.  So, you're
in med. School?"
        "Yes, I am," Darien replied, smiling at the short, blue haired
girl.
        "So am I!  My mother's a doctor, and I've always wanted to
become one also."
        "A-hem!" Serena coughed, getting their attention.  "Can we get
our ice-cream now?"
        "Sure," Darien said.  They walked up to the counter and while
Darien was deciding what to order, Serena turned to Amy.
        "So, Amy.  Why are you here?" Serena asked her friend.
        "Well, Mina called me about 15 minutes ago and asked me to go
shopping with her.  We were meeting here."  Serena was about to
question Amy about why Mina asked *her* to go shopping and not Serena
when she realized what she had done.  "Serena," Amy asked, "are you
and Mina in a fight or something?  'Cause if you are, I really don't
want to get in the middle of it."
        "No, no.  We're not in a fight," Serena assured Amy, then said
under her breath, "yet."
        "What was that, Serena?" Amy asked her.
        "Umm... never mind.  When did you say you were supposed to meet
Mina here?"
        "2:00.  I'm a little early.  Why?"
        Serena walked to the door of the ice-cream parlor.  Poking her
head out, she saw Mina walking on the sidewalk a little ways away.
*Uh oh!* Serena thought, *I don't think Mina's gonna be too happy if
she sees I blew her off for Darien.*  She walked back up to the
counter.
        "Darien, umm... I forgot something at my apartment.  Can we go
back and get it... now?" Serena asked him.
        Darien turned to her, his ice-cream cone in hand.  "Uh, sure
Serena.  But don't you want to order something, first?"
        "No, I'm not hungry anymore."  Serena turned to Amy.  "Sorry I
have to go so soon Amy."
        "It's okay, Serena," Amy said, then turned to Darien.  "Nice
meeting you, Darien."
        "You too, Amy," he replied.  He started heading out the front
door of the ice-cream parlor when Serena held him back.  She knew that
if the went out the front door, Mina would see them for sure.
        "Wait, I know a short cut.  Let's go through the back door."
Serena pointed Darien in the right direction and he started walking, a
little bewildered.
        When he was just out of earshot, Serena turned to Amy.  "Please,
Amy, don't tell Mina you saw me here.  I'll tell you all about it
later."
        "Uhh, sure Serena.  Don't worry."
        "Thanks Amy!" Serena said, giving her friend a quick hug.  "See
ya' later!"  Serena ran to Darien who was just about to the door.  She
grabbed his hand and smiled at him.
        Just as the couple walked out the back door, Mina came hopping
in the front door.
        "Hey Amy!" she said.
        Amy quickly turned around, her attention previously on Serena
and Darien, and she smiled at Mina.  "Hi," Amy replied. "I was just
gonna order some ice cream.  Want some?"
        "Sure!  Thanks Amy!" Mina turned to the man behind the counter.
"Let's see.  I'll have the banana split...wait, no.  I want a vanilla
mile shhhhhh...no.  I know!  I'll have the... no, no, that's not what
I want..."
        Amy sighed.  It was going to be a long day.

*************

        Serena unlocked the door to her apartment and stepped aside to
let Darien in.  "Welcome to my apartment," she said.
        "Thank you," Darien replied, looking around.  Serena stepped in
behind him and looked around the room herself to make sure that
everything was okay and in order.  "It's a nice place you got here,
Serena."
        "I try," Serena replied.  "Do you want anything to drink?"
        "Sure, thanks.  I'll have a soda, if you have one."
        "Yeah.  I'll be right back," Serena said, walking into the
kitchen.  Darien walked around and explored.  He found pictures of
Serena's father, a family picture of her with her father, mother, and
her brother, and a picture of Serena with a bunch of young children.
        *It must be her students,* he thought, turning his attention
from the pictures.  He looked around the room once more.  He found
there was a balcony outside a sliding door.  He went to the door and
looked out onto the city.  Just as he was looking out, Serena walked
in carrying two sodas.
        "Nice view, huh?" Serena said, startling Darien a bit.
        He turned around abruptly at the sound of that pretty voice.
"Yes, it is," he said.
        "If you want, we can go drink the sodas out there," she offered.
        "Sure, that'd be cool."  Serena walked to Darien and handed him
a soda and opened the sliding door.  She walked out with Darien behind
her.  There were two chairs out there, which alone took up pretty much
all the room.  For a moment the two just sat there, looking out over
the city.
        "So, Darien," Serena started, breaking the silence, "tell me
about yourself."
        "What do you want to know?"
        "Well, tell me about your family."  When Serena said the f-word,
Darien's face dropped.  "What, Darien, what's wrong?" Serena asked,
noticing his reaction to her question.  "Did I say something wrong?"
        "No, its not that," Darien said quickly.  "It's just that my
parents were both killed in a car crash when I was very young.  I
never knew them, and I'm an only child."  Serena was in shock.  She
noticed tears welling up in Darien's eyes, but he quickly blinked them
away.  She placed her hand on his and gently squeezed it, showing her
support.  "I was placed in an orphanage," he continued, "and stayed
there until I was 16, when I went out and got a job.  My parents had
left me some money, and with that, I paid for an apartment.  I've
lived alone since then."
        "Oh, Darien!" Serena felt as if she could cry herself.  She
lifted her hand that had been resting on his and touched his face.  At
the touch, he looked up into her eyes.  Serena saw an emptiness in his
eyes.  The wall she couldn't break through the night she met Darien
had now crumbled.  She saw all the pain Darien had been carrying
around for all these years.
        When Darien saw how Serena was reading him through his eyes, he
quickly looked away.  "Darien... I'm sorry." Serena said, not knowing
what else to say.
        "Don't be," Darien said, with new strength, looking back at
Serena.  When Serena looked back into his eyes, the wall had been put
up again, even stronger than before.  Serena looked down at the soda
she held in her hands.  After staring at it for about a minute, she
opened it and took a sip.  She heard Darien do the same.
        Serena thought, *This started out well.*

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Email me, Daloola45@aol.com
Please tell me what you think so far.  Thanks for reading!
        Jane Cooper