THE WILL OF LOVE by Ʋis Rating: G - PG Email: aeris_t@edsamail.com.ph Webpage: Nightfall Wishes Hiya all! Well, I'm really sorry if the parts are so short, but I couldn't help it! Maybe the next ones will be longer. Oh, and by the way, should you want to see the previous parts, or see future ones, you may visit our site: nfwishes.20m.com. I usually post there before I send out to anywhere else. Please help us by sending in your fics! Thanks! ---------------------------------------------------------------------- I've been waitin' for so long For something' to arrive For love to come along - "Heaven" by Bryan Adams ---------------------------------------------------------------------- FIVE ---------------------------------------------------------------------- "You're gonna get married!?" "Yep." Serena nodded as she picked a flower and twirled it around the finger. How she loved flowers, nobody could imagine. Sitting in the park, inhaling fresh air and just watching the picturesque scene before her; it all brings her a sort of peace of mind, and her dilemma was, for a while, forgotten. Even her friends' astonishment at her statement had gone unnoticed. "How did it happen?" "How did he propose?" "How did you say yes?" "Details, girl, we need details!!!" Serena didn't know whether she should cry or raise her voice. She chose to laugh. "Well, it wasn't exactly romantic." "I don't care," Raye said, flipping her hair back. "Spill it out." Serena sighed. "I don't know where to start." "How about if you start at the events that led to it?" Amy suggested. "Okay," Serena said slowly. She took a deep breath, and began. As the tale began to come to a close, her friend's faces had undergone a complete change from curiously excited to deep comprehension, realization dawning on them. Uneasiness started gnawing at her. Not knowing what else to say, she ended the story with a quick, "Basically that's it." Silence ensued. Serena looked at her hand to find out that during the span of time that she told what had happened, she unconsciously plucked the petals of the flower she held and gripped it tightly. She immediately opened her palm and blew at it. Raye was the one to break the silence. "Where do you plan to have your wedding dress made?" That broke the spell over them. Amy giggled. "I think the proper question should be, how would you actually wear a wedding dress?" "You're absolutely right, Amy," Raye agreed. She turned to Serena, saying, "With your height and hairstyle, you'd look like a little girl making pretend. I could just imagine it. Little Serena, big, voluptous wedding gown... Wouldn't fit you. Too big. The front part is in need of filling out, if you know what I mean..." "Why you!" Serena tackled Raye, who was laughing her head off. Serena began tickling her, and Amy joined in, and soon, they were all playing around and tickling each other, laughing all the while. They were soon exhausted, and each of them lay on their backs, trying to catch their breaths. Amy heaved a sigh. "This is a great day." "Yeah," Raye agreed. To herself, Serena whispered, "I wish every day was like this..." Darien prayed that this day be cursed for all eternity. "Grr," he growled, as another car got first to cross the intersection before him. With a curse, he pounded on the horn. He gripped the wheel, and chanted to himself, "Keep cool, Dare. Keep calm... You gotta be cool, man. Cool, calm.." Opening the window, he shouted. "Hey you! Yeah, you! Get out of my way!" Turning back to his driving, he resumed his chanting, his expression grim. "Keep cool, calm..." "Keep cool." Serena nodded, pacing around her room, twiddling her fingers. "Yeah, you have to keep cool. Relax! After all, you're just going shopping for furniture for your new home, with your hunk of a fianc鮮. My outfit..." She shook her head. "No, no, no! Why am I saying this? Why am I even doing this? He's just... my future husband. That's all. It's not even the least bit romantic." She looked down at her fingers. "If only..." A knock was heard. Serena immediately hid her hands behind her back, afraid that it might tremble, and show her nervousness at this basically simple activity. A head peeked out from the door. "Hey." Serena released the breath that she didn't realize she was holding. She was relieved. Very relieved. "Hey, too... Sammy." Sam stuck out his tongue at her. "Your boyfriend's been waiting a good while downstairs. You better come down, and quick, if you don't want Mom to chatter him to death." With that, Serena flew out the door and down the stairs. When she came withing hearing range and sight, she stopped for a second to fix her hair. Then she heard her mother talking. "And this was her on her twelfth birthday. Oh, it was so funny," her mom was saying. "It was time for her to blow the candles, and we were counting down for the camera to capture the moment. We were down to one, and Sam, from behind Serena, pushed to see the cake. The camera caught her as it made contact with --- " Her face beet-red, she thought, 'Mom... I could kill you...' She could hear Darien laugh appreciatively. It was a big, hearty laugh. It made her feel warm, but it still doesn't make her less embarrassed. With a sudden determination that filled her, and a big smile on her face, she entered the room. Her mother and her fianc頷ere on the sofa, and her mother was showing him a picture. On their laps were some photo albums, and pictures were everywhere. At the thought of the many humorous photographs that were taken of her, the decisiveness that she felt earlier started to crumble. It was Darien who first noticed her. It was with a vague wariness in his eyes that she didn't almost see. Nevertheless, he stood up and acknowledged her presence with a polite, "Good morning." "Good morning," Serena replied with the same cordiality he granted. It was only then that her mother noticed her. "Oh, Serena. Here you are. I was just showing him your pictures, and --- " "I can tell, mom," Serena said, her eyes still locked with Darien's. "Oh. Anyway, we're wasting time here just by talking to each other," Mrs. Tsukino said, standing up. "You two better go on. I'm sure Darien has many other things to take care of." "I'm sure he does," Serena agreed. "Very well, go now. Scoot!" In response, Darien told her mother, "Thank you very much. I enjoyed my short stay here." "I'm very sure you did," Serena said curtly. At the exchange, Mrs. Tsukino could only laugh. With a brief goodbye, Darien took Serena's hand in his, surprising her, and led her outside to his car. During this short trip, Serena marveled at the size of his hand. It was big, almost double the size of her own hand. It was also warm, and warm, and warm... Darien suddenly released her hand to open the car door for her. He felt a loss, same as she was feeling. Getting inside the car, he struggled to feel indifferent. He turned the ignition key, and the engine roared to life. He sighed. Turning to the lady beside him, "Ready?" Serena nodded. "Ready." And they were off to their first activity as future husband and wife. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- There. I finally got it finished. Emails anyone?