Title: Where's the baby?
Author: Henra
Email: HenraM@tuxedomask.com
Rated: G

Chapter two



~~ Darien's POV ~~

		Serena Terri isn't like any other girl. I admit it, she's totally 
different from the others. She actually dares to disagree with me. . 
.and doesn't 
blush every time I look at her. The other girls do. And I hate that. 
It's like they 
are ready to throw themselves at me any minute. 
		But Serena's different. She's a person that has her own 
thoughts. . . . and she's very. . .poised. I think she's a girl that 
I'd like to 
get to know. 
		Only there's one problem. 
		She's hot. 
		Too hot. 



		Serena sighed. She had been waiting around her locker for over 
ten minutes, with Selena in her arms. *Where is that Darien? He said 
that he would 
take the baby home today.* Serena looked at her watch. "Three thirty. 
God, where 
is he?" she murmured to herself. 
		"Missed me?" a voice asked sarcastically behind her. 
		Serena whirled around. She walked toward him, fire in her eyes. 
"Where were you? You said you would be here at three fifteen, and now 
it's three 
thirty! Are you THAT lazy? Or are you just so irresponsible?" 
		Darien put up his hands. "Hey, hey, hey! Don't have to jump down my 
throat. I'm here, aren't I? Here, hand Selena over." He extended his 
hands.
		Serena automatically extended her arms and leaned toward him. 
"Remember to support the head. Otherwise you will get detention. 
Although I 
wouldn't mind that." She smirked as she lifted her eyes to his. 
		"For your information, I never got a detention in my life." Darien 
responded, half-smiling. He swayed Selena back and forth, and kept his 
eyes her. 
"What if I drop her?"
		"What?" Serena asked, while she opened her locker. 
		"What if I drop her and gets her covered with mud or dirt or 
something?" Darien asked again, shifting his eyes back to Serena. 
		Serena put her books in, and slammed the locker door shut. "Let's 
see. . .either I would kill you, or Mrs. Dorea would give you detention 
for 
life. . .and maybe, if you have a conscience, you might even blame 
yourself to death."
		Darien flashed a grin at the baby. "Hear that, Selena? I have 
many consequences to face if I drop you. . .so I won't." 
		Serena smirked. "Yeah."  She turned and leaned against her locker. 
For a moment she just stared at Darien. She watched as he swayed the 
baby, and 
pretending to be talking to her. Serena smiled warmly to herself. *He 
actually does care.*
		Darien realized that Serena was watching him. He eyed her 
suspiciously. "What?" 
		"Oh. . .nothing." Serena yawned, and walked away. "See ya tomorrow." 
		Darien shrugged. "Whatever."



		"How's your partnership with Darien going so far?" Lita asked 
Serena when they walked home together. 
		"It's okay. At least we're not enemies now. . .I think. You know, 
he actually is a good guy." Serena answered carefully. 
		"You just barely got that? Do you actually think that the girls 
like him only because he's gorgeous?" Lita cocked an eyebrow. 
		"Yes. I mean, how could those girls get to know him when he's 
got a mask over his face?" Serena blurted out. She paused. "A mask over 
his 
face. . .yeah, Darien Codon's got a mask over his face. . .to protect 
himself 
or something." Serena murmured to herself. 
		"What are you saying?" 
		Serena whirled around. "Oh. Uh, nothing. I was just saying. . .what 
a jerk he is." 
		Lita eyed her friend skeptically. "O. . .kay."
		Serena shifted uncomfortably under her friend's gaze. She looked 
around, trying to think of something to say to keep her friend's mind 
occupied, 
so she wouldn't try and lure out what Serena was thinking before.
		"Serena, Lita!" an unfamiliar voice called out. Lita and Serena 
turned to their left and saw a blonde-haired girl coming toward them. 
They looked 
at each other then focused their attention to the girl again.
		The girl stopped to catch her breath. When she lifted her head, 
her eyes were sparkling. "My name is Mina. I'm in your homeroom, 
although you might 
not know it." 
		Serena snapped her fingers. "Wait. I know. Mina, Mina Marro, 
right?"
		Mina beamed. "Yeah. I'm surprised you know." 
		Serena smiled and the three of them started to walk. "So. . .
what's up?" she asked, wondering.
		"Well, right now, the sky is up." Mina replied cheerfully. 
		Serena laughed. She liked the girl's cheery spirit. 
		"Actually, I have something on mind. Do you like Darien? I mean, 
how do you feel about him actually?" Mina asked, turning serious. She 
stopped 
walking and focused her eyes on Serena.
		Serena gulped. How was she going to answer this? "Well. . ."
		"Wait. I'd better explain myself before we go any farther. I 
just moved here starting the senior year. And well, Darien and I were 
classmates 
in the same class, in the same school before. He and I were actually 
sort of 
good friends, because we hung out in the same crowd before. But now, we 
don't 
have any class together, and I don't think he even knows that I'm 
here." 
		"You mean, you guys were in the same school before, and now 
you've moved, you are in the same school again?" Lita asked, as she let 
everything travel slowly into her mind.
		Mina grinned. "Pretty weird, huh?" she brushed away a strand 
of hair that was dangling in front of her eyes.
		Lita nodded and flashed a smile at her.
		"Anyway," Mina turned to Serena, "I know enough from my old 
experience that Darien's a pretty difficult person to hang around with. 
And I 
heard that you two are partnered together by your Health teacher on the 
baby 
thing." 
		"How do you know?" Serena asked, looking around.
		Mina laughed. "Since the day Mrs. Dorea paired you up. It's all 
over school. I mean, anything that has to do with Darien is always 
around the 
whole campus in just a day. But now, since you are involved, everyone 
knows 
in just a matter of seconds."
		Serena was getting confused. "Why?"
		"Isn't it obvious? I mean, he's the hottest guy, you are the 
hottest girl--" 
		"Wha-wha-what? I'm not. . . . ." Serena paused, she looked at 
Mina, a question in her eyes. "the hottest girl?" 
		"Oh, Serena. . .like you really don't know! Anyway, it's the 
talk of the school right now, you and Darien as partners. Everyone 
knows that 
you two always bicker before, but they know that it's changed after the 
scene 
in the cafeteria." Mina continued on, as her eyes became brighter. 
		Serena cleared her throat. So Darien and her were the main 
gossip at the moment. The center of attention. She didn't like that. 
"And?" 
		"Well, everyone's saying how you two are the perfect couple, and 
you should definitely get together. And some people are saying that you 
two are 
already an item." Mina told her, and put an arm around Serena. 
		"Couple? No, no, no. You got this wrong. EVERYONE got this wrong. 
We are not a couple now, and we are not ever going to be a couple." 
Serena said, 
a sick feeling creeping into her stomach. Did Darien know this?
		"That's what you think right now. I just want to tell you that 
Darien's never been serious about girls. He just, like, has fun for a 
couple of 
days, and then throws them away. I don't want you to get hurt or 
anything." Mina 
said seriously as they walked toward Serena's house.
		"Whoa, whoa, whoa. Wait a minute. Mina, Darien and I are not 
together, and you don't need to be worrying about me getting hurt, 
because I'm not 
ever going to even going to. . .to date him or anything. And where does 
everyone 
get the information to even think that Darien and I might be together? 
Does 
Darien know this?" Serena asked, her head traveling a hundred miles per 
hour. If 
Darien didn't know this, then maybe not EVERYONE knows, but if he did 
know this, 
and didn't say anything. . . . . .it was a whole new story.
		"I don't know why everyone thinks like that. It's just that. . .
you know, you two are really popular, and it's going to be cool if you 
two are 
dating. I think, personally, that you two can rule the school 
together." Mina 
grinned at Serena. 
		"We are working on a project." Serena said calmly. "And that 
doesn't necessarily mean we are dating or anything! It was assigned!" 
Maybe if 
she explained everything to Mina, then Mina probably can get the words 
around 
that she and Darien were not an item. 
		"And to answer your other question," Mina continued, as if Serena 
hadn't spoken, "Darien does know. I saw him after school today and 
caught his 
friend saying that he was lucky to get you for a girlfriend or 
something like 
that, I don't quite remember." 
		Serena froze. Her heart pounded. "And his reaction?"
		"He smiled and said, 'yeah'." Mina answered. She grinned at Serena. 
"The girls are so jealous of you."
		"He smiled? And said 'yeah'?" Serena shrieked, nearly hysterical. 
"The whole school's saying the completely wrong thing, and he just. . 
.just smiled?" 
		"Is there anything wrong with him maybe liking to have you for 
a girlfriend?" Mina asked mysteriously. 
		That caught Serena off guard. Yeah, what if. . .what if he liked 
the idea of the school thinking that they were together? What if. . 
what if 
Darien actually liked her? Serena shook her head. "Nah, I don't think 
so." Even 
though she wasn't sure. "I don't think Darien cares, that's all." 



		Serena thought she saw someone by her house's front door. She froze
in her tracks. It was getting dark, so she couldn't see the person very 
well. 
Serena slowly, quietly walked up to her front porch, her heart pounding 
in her chest. 
 		“Who’s there?” she asked as she looked around. God, she hoped her 
family could hear her, and would come out any second. 
		“Serena.” A deep, male voice called her by the bushes. 
		Serena almost jumped. She turned her eyes toward the direction of the 
voice. She knew that sound. “Da-Darien?” she hesitantly asked. 
		Darien came into the light. He half-smiled. “Hi.” 
		“What in the world are you doing? You nearly gave me a heart attack!” 
Serena exclaimed, staring at him. THE Darien Codon, at her house, 
during this hour? 
Serena watched him suspiciously, wondering what he could be up to. 
		“I just wanted to talk.” Darien told her, his face expressionless. 
He shoved his two hands into the two front pockets on his jeans. 
		“Talk?” Serena repeated, a creepy feeling crawling up her spine. He 
wanted to talk. . .well, that was new. 
		 “Yeah. Can we go inside or something?” 
		Serena thought about how her Dad would throw a fit if he saw she 
and Darien together, and nervously shook her head. “Let’s just talk 
here.” 
		Darien shrugged and walked toward the darkness by the bushes again. 
		Serena tossed a look at her house, and then followed warily behind. 
They stopped when they reached a small “garden” of Serena’s mom’s. 
“So,” Serena 
began, “what do you want to talk about?” 
		“How do you think of me?” Darien asked straightforwardly. 
		Serena cocked an eyebrow, fighting back a small smile. “What do you 
mean by that?” What was with this guy today? First waited for her in 
the darkness, 
then nearly made her jump three feet into the air, and now, asking her 
what she 
thought of him? 
		“Yeah. I mean, when you first knew me, what thoughts first came to 
your mind?” Darien asked, leaning against a tree. 
		Serena stopped herself from saying ‘gorgeous’. “Ur. . .um, well. . .I 
wondered how you became the heart in all those girls’ eyes.” 
		Darien laughed quietly. “And you know what I wondered after I knew 
you? How YOU became the heart in all those guy’s eyes.” 
		“Is this what you wanted to talk about?” Serena asked, her eyes 
sparkling with curiosity and impatience. She tapped her feet, arms 
crossed 
before her chest. 
		“No.” Darien admitted. He brushed away some bangs on his forehead, 
and looked at the dark blue sky. “I wanted to make sure that you don’t 
hate me.” 
		“Hate. . .you?” 
		Darien focused his eyes on Serena. “Yeah. I mean, every time we run 
into each other, we always fight. We just can’t get pass each other 
without 
throwing some insult.” 
		Serena smiled. “That’s how we are, I guess.”
		Darien paused as he traveled his eyes around Serena’s face. “But I 
don’t want us to fight. This might seem ridiculous to you, but,” he 
cleared his 
throat, “I want us to be friends.” 
		“Friends?” Serena repeated, not believing what she just heard. 
		“Yeah.” Darien cocked an eyebrow at Serena, then slid down until he
sat on the green grass. He looked up at her. “Do you think that’s ever 
possible?” 
		Serena slowly sat down next to him. She looked at the ground, 
thinking. 
“I don’t know, Darien. We can try.” 
		“You know, I always wondered why we fight. What is it about each 
other that make us wanna just. . .do that?” 
		“Well, I know for certain I didn’t like you was because you always 
act 
like you are the king. The king of the school. Like nobody can’t live 
without 
you.” Serena stated matter-of-factly. She was surprised at how straight 
she was 
being. 
		Darien laughed softly. “You think I’m like that? An annoying 
I-can’t-be-full-of-myself guy? Man, you are so wrong.”
		Serena turned toward him, a challenging glint in her eyes. “All 
right, 
then, prove me wrong.” 
		Darien shifted on his spot so they closely faced each other. “First,” 
he pointed a finger to the air, “you never get to know me, so you have 
no idea 
what I am like inside. Second, I act like that because people are 
TREATING me 
like that--”
		“Oh, and you say you’re not full of yourself.” Serena interrupted, 
rolling her eyes. 
		“Like people are treating me like dirt, and I just think that they 
treat me like a king.” Darien said sarcastically. “You see how it is 
around 
those. . .those GIRLS.” 
		“Hey,” Serena pointed her index finger at him, “no one likes a 
showoff.” 
		“I am not showing off!” Darien exclaimed, a grin spreading across his 
face. He stared at Serena in surprise.
		“Yes you are!” Serena told him. She smiled. “I’m not like THOSE 
girls. 
I don’t think you are that great at all.” 
		“Ho, ho, ho. Am I surprised? No. You are soooo unlike any girl I’ve 
ever met.” 
		Serena cocked her head to the left and studied Darien. “And is that 
suppose to be good or bad?” 
		“Good or bad, you decide yourself, Terri.” Darien said. 
		Serena just silently stared at him. 
		They were quiet for a minute. A cool breeze blew by, sending chills 
down Serena’s spine. Darien looked at her. “Are you cold?” 
		“No. I am perfectly warm, and you can tell by just looking at me. You
blind or something?” Serena replied ironically. She hugged herself. 
		Darien only hesitated for a second before puting his arms around 
Serena, 
and holding her. *Hey, she’s cold, I don’t want her to freeze or 
anything.* he 
told himself warily.  
		Every single hair on the back of Serena’s neck stood up. She was so 
shocked, she couldn’t even think of anything to say. But this felt 
warm. Serena 
hugged his waist, and closed her eyes. 
		“Serena?” a voice called out from inside the house. 
		Serena got out of Darien’s arms. She turned around and saw that the 
porch light was lit up. She stood up, stretching her legs. “I think 
I’ve got to go 
inside the house. They know I’m outside.” 
		“Yeah.” Darien looked at his watch. “And I’ve got to go, too.” 
		They walked toward the porch, neither saying anything. 
		“Well, it has been nice talking to you, Serena. Glad that you could
be straight with me.” Darien grinned at Serena as he ran a hand through 
his dark hair.
		Serena smiled. “You, too, Mr. Heartthrob.” 
		“See ya tomorrow, Sere.” Darien said, then turned and walked away. 
		Serena stared after him, not moving an inch. 
		He suddenly turned back. Their eyes locked for about twenty seconds.
		Electricity.  
		Darien smiled, “Selena’s safe in my house right now. I’ll remember to 
bring 
her tomorrow.” 
		Serena laughed and nodded her head. “Bye.” She gave Darien one last 
look, then opened the front door and walked inside. Serena leaned 
against the door 
from inside, her heart beating like crazy. That last moment when their 
eyes 
locked. . . . .
		The phone rang. Serena steadied herself and answered it. “Hello?” 
		“Hey, it’s Mina!” 
		Serena automatically smiled, hearing Mina’s cheerful voice. “Hi.”
		“So, did you get a chance to talk to Darien yet?” Mina asked.
		“Yeah. Why?” 
		“Uh, hello? Remember the oh-so-famous rumor that’s going around the 
school right now, the one I just told you about this afternoon? How can 
you forget?” 
		Serena slapped her hand to her forehead. “Oh, no, I forgot to say 
something about it to him!” 
		“It’s okay. You still have time tomorrow. Talk to him, see if he 
really cares or not.” Mina told her, her voice convincing. 
		“Okay. See ya.” Serena hanged up the phone and sighed. 



		"There she is, Darien's new girlfriend." Serena heard a girl 
whisper as she passed by. She sighed. She had been moping to talk to 
him ever 
since she woke up this morning. And now that she knew, Serena just 
barely noticed 
the envious glances coming her way from girls. "I need to talk to 
Darien." 
She mumbled softly. Serena looked around. "I need to catch him before 
first period." 
Then she caught the black hair, and yelled, "Darien!" and immediately 
wished she 
hadn't. Almost everyone in the hall stopped what they were doing and 
turned to 
look at her. Serena controlled her temper and walked effortlessly 
across the 
hall to meet up with Darien. 
		Darien saw her and smiled. "Up for more talk?" He asked teasingly. 
            "Where's the baby?" Serena asked, looking at his empty 
hands.  
		"I let Andrew baby-sit it." He answered, looking down at her. 
		"She's not an it, Darien, it's a her." Serena told him,  sort of 
annoyed. 
What kind of father would call his daughter an it? A Darien-kind of 
father, apparently. 
		"Anyway. . .what's up?" Darien put one hand on the locker before 
him to support his body.  
		Serena paused for a minute to study what he was wearing. He got on a 
pair of black jeans with a white shirt that showed in all the right 
places. *Why
does he have to be so. . .so gorgeous? Why can't he be dorky or 
something? It 
would make it so much easier to talk to him.* Serena took a deep 
breath. She 
raised her eyes to his. "Yesterday, I forgot to tell you about 
something. It's sort
of important." She took a deep breath. "Do you know what's going on 
around 
the school? Do you know what people are talking about?" 
		Darien cocked an eyebrow. "No. . .am I suppose to know?" 
		Serena took a deep breath. "People are saying that we are a 
couple!" She stared closely at him. 
		His expression didn't change. "So?" 
		Serena couldn't believe it. "So? People are saying the wrong thing! 
They are saying that we are a couple! Don't you even care?" she 
suddenly looked 
around, hoping that no one was actually watching this. 
		Darien kept his eyes on her, and took a step closer, a 
half-smile playing on his lips. Serena stared at him, confused. "Do you 
want 
me to care?" he asked in a low voice. 
		Serena swallowed. "Um. . .well, they are saying the wrong 
thing--" she used her hand to gesture the crowd around her. 
		"But it can become the right thing in just a matter of seconds." 
Darien interrupted softly, as he inched even closer.
		Serena's eyes widened just a little bit. "What?" she asked, her 
voice barely above a whisper. Was Darien trying to ask her out? Or was 
this just 
another soon-to-become-an-insult-joke? Serena's eyes searched his face, 
looking 
for information. All she saw was a sarcastic smile. 
		Darien's smile became challenging. "I'm saying, they can be saying 
the right thing by just one little word from you." He got closer and 
closer, 
just like last time when they were in Health class, and brushed away a 
strand of 
hair by Serena's cheek. 
		Serena sucked in her breath. "Darien---are you saying that you 
want to go out with me or something? Because I am getting really 
confused here. . . 
. . ." she crossed her fingers. *Please let him be serious, please let 
him be 
serious.*
		He smirked. "What do you think?" his eyes never moved 
from hers. Darien's heart did an unexpected heart flip when he saw the 
sparkle 
in Serena's eyes. 
		"I-I. . ." Serena looked away. "I don't know." She said 
truthfully. According to Mina, he had a record, and she might be just 
the next 
name on his long list. Darien was also famous for causing heartbreaks 
around 
the school. But the way he was looking at her now. . . . . .
		Darien was. . .to say the least, surprised. Serena was the first 
girl who didn't immediately say yes when he hinted that he wanted to go 
out 
with her. Girls usually jumped at the chance to be seen with him. But 
then again, 
with Serena, it was always different. Darien was getting a little bit 
impatient. 
"Sere?" he urged, using the nickname he had for her.
		Serena turned to look at him again. But this time, there was 
harshness in her eyes. "Is this another joke, Darien?" 
		"Wha-what?" he asked, completely dumbfounded. A joke? She 
thought it was a joke? Why in the world would she think that? The smile 
died 
on his face.
		"I mean, you and me both know that you don't exactly have a clean 
record, and almost everyone knows that we always fight with each other. 
I know you
want us to be friends, but I don't know what you are doing right now is 
a trustful
or not. And, to be honest, I still really don't know you, Darien. And 
so, 
what I'd like to know right now is, are you just trying to get me 
worked up 
and then shoot an insult at me?" Serena stared hard at him, going 
completely 
against her will. She needed to be the first one to be harsh if he was 
joking 
around. It will hurt way too much if he broke it to her.
		Darien didn't answer for a minute. She didn't say yes, she didn't 
say no, but she said that he was joking. What was wrong with this girl? 
Did he 
look like he was kidding? 
		"I'm waiting for an answer, Darien." Serena said. She continued 
when he didn't say anything. "Look, I know you are the heartthrob of 
the school 
even though you just came here two months ago. I also know that girls 
are just 
dying to have a chance to go out with you, and you think that I'm 
actually 
happy that you are asking ME. You know, I liked the talk we had 
yesterday, 
but I--"
		He was kissing her. It was a little bit hesitant at first, but the 
fire came out almost immediately. Serena felt her knees go weak under 
her, and 
she clung to a locker beside her for support. Her mind was so dizzy, 
she couldn't 
even think. Well, she couldn't think about anything else except for the 
fact that 
Darien Codon was kissing her. Darien put his hands around Serena's 
neck, and 
pulled her closer.
		There was silence in the hall. 
		Darien slowly, slowly ended the kiss. Serena dizzily opened her 
eyes and found his staring right into her. She gradually pulled away. 
Serena 
was hyperaware that people were looking at them, but she didn't care. 
		Their eyes locked. No one moved. 
		Then the bell rang. 
		And the crowd slowly scattered. 



		It was all Serena could do not to look at Darien. She had to grip 
the edge of her desk to keep herself from turning around. She was dying 
to talk 
to him. To ask him what the kiss was about. After the bell rang, Serena 
just 
gathered her stuff, managed a small smile at Darien, and hesitantly 
walked away. She 
didn't dare to talk to him at that moment, she was afraid she would 
just grab 
him. 
		But now, Serena was so anxious to talk to him. Mina was shooting 
her curious glances, and Serena shook her head--she couldn't answer her 
right 
now. Mina understood and paid attention to the teacher.
		Suddenly something hit her at the back of her head. Serena 
immediately turned around and saw a note sitting at the floor. She 
looked at 
the teacher, and quickly grabbed the note before the teacher could turn 
around. 
Serena held the note in her hand, but didn't open it. She paused for a 
moment, then 
turned her head and looked at Darien. He was staring at the board, not 
noticing her. 
		Serena frowned. She opened the note under her desk. 


			Serena-

				Wait for me. We need to talk. 

							-Darien 
		Serena hid a smile. So, Darien was anxious to talk to her, too. 
Wow. That was so unlike his usual style. He never asked a girl to do 
something 
before, he always expected her to just come hop into his arms. 
		Serena looked at the clock. Fifteen more minutes. Well, she just 
had to sit through the boring second period class, and then she could 
ask him 
why he kissed her. 
		Finally, the bell rang. Everyone got up and got their stuff, then 
walked out the door in their own little groups. But Serena noticed that 
people 
were shooting looks in Darien and her direction. 
		Mina grabbed Serena's elbow. "What's up? Something's on your 
mind. Something happened before first period."
		Serena faced Mina. "He kissed me. And now I need to talk to him." 
		Mina quickly let go. She looked behind Serena and whispered, 
"I'll see you at recess time. Tell me then." Then she walked away. 
		Serena smiled slightly. One of the things she liked about Mina 
was that she knew what was going on, and never asked stuff that weren't 
right 
for the moment. Serena took a deep breath, and turned around. 
		Darien looked at her and then pointed outside with his thumb. 
Serena hurriedly got out. 
		"We've only got five minutes. Hurry up, talk." Serena urged. 
She didn't want to be the one who first mentions the kiss. She didn't 
want 
him to think that she liked it so much. 
		Darien looked at Serena. He opened his mouth, then closed it. He 
hesitated for a moment, his eyes searching Serena's. And then he spoke. 
"I lost 
the baby. Well, actually, Andrew lost it. I'm going to start to look 
for 
her as soon as recess starts. Maybe you can keep an eye here and there, 
Selena has to here somewhere." Darien said quickly in one breath. 
		Serena stared at him. "What?" 
		"I said, Andrew lost Selena! I'll tell you the details later." 
Darien said again. He prepared for the worst.
		It took Serena a while before she realized that he wasn't 
talking about the kiss. "You-you lost Selena? How?"
		"I don't know! Andrew lost her. He said that he was just sitting 
by the bench holding her, and then he put her down when he had to get a 
drink of 
water by the fountain, and when he came back, Selena was gone." Darien 
told 
Serena. Outside, it was like he didn't care, but inside, Darien was 
hopping mad 
and panicky. 
		Serena looked at the big clock in the hall. "Darien, we are 
going to be in serious trouble. Third period is just three minutes 
away." 
		"Don't worry. If Mrs. Dorea asks us where's the baby, we'll just 
say that someone is babysitting her." Darien put a hand on Serena's 
shoulder. 
"Don't worry." He said again in that voice of his, sending shivers down 
Serena's 
spine. 
		"Look, Darien, I don't mean to sound so. . .panicky, but it's a 
baby! Who would take someone's fake baby?" Serena breathed in, breathed 
out. 
Selena was gone. And it was Darien's fault. He gave her to his best 
friend, who's 
apparently, just as irresponsible as him. Serena wanted to shout, to 
hit him, 
but she couldn't. Not after what happened before first period. 
		"I don't know. We'll find Selena. Trust me." Darien said 
reassuringly. He stared at the floor. Trust him? He didn't even trust 
himself, 
how could he tell someone else, especially a girl like Serena, to trust 
him? 
		Serena let out a blow of air. "God. I need to get to my locker, 
so, I'll see you in. . .third period, okay?" Serena looked at him. *Say 
something. Say something to make me have a reason to stay.* 
		"Okay, I'll see you. Remember, keep an eye out for Selena." 
Darien told her, as Serena strolled away. He stared after her. 
		Darien knew that Serena wanted him to talk about the kiss. She 
wanted him to tell her why he had done it, and what it meant. But 
Darien couldn't 
talk about the kiss--HE didn't even know why he had done it. 
 		At that moment just before the first period bell rang, he 
was thinking how Serena misunderstood what he meant, and he just had to 
do
something. And since they were so close, he. . .kissed her. 
		When Darien gave Serena the note, he was actually thinking 
about talking to her about the kiss, but when he was face-to-face with 
her, 
the words about Selena just poured out. *Besides, the baby missing is 
much more 
important than the kiss.* Darien sighed. *God, Andrew, you are so 
irresponsible! Even worse than me.*



		"What??? He kissed you in front of everyone in the hall???" Mina 
exclaimed, not believing what she just heard. 
		"Shhhh!" Serena shushed her. She looked around the playground. 
"I don't want everyone to know, even though some already do." She 
looked down.
		"What do you mean, some already do?" Mina asked, making Serena 
to look at her. 
		"Well, after we. . .you know, I noticed that almost everyone in 
the hall was staring at us, their jaws hitting the floor. It was really 
uncomfortable." Serena told her friend. 
		"Serena. . ." Mina couldn't help but smile, "Darien Codon, 
heartthrob of the school kissed you! Aren't you just a little bit 
happy?" 
		"Happy? Mina, I'm nearly hysterical! During second period, Darien 
threw a note at me, saying that he wanted to talk to me after the 
class--" 
		"Whoa, whoa, whoa. Darien threw a note at you? My God, how 
you changed him! He never used to do things like that!" Mina exclaimed. 
"I just 
knew you guys would get together." She winked at Serena.
		Serena grinned a little. "Well. . .anyway," she got serious, 
"when we were face-to-face, he told me that Selena was missing! At 
first I was 
dumbfounded, but then I snapped. Selena is gone, Mina! We are going to 
be in 
major trouble when Mrs. Dorea finds out." Serena sighed, and held her 
stomach 
with one hand. 
		"Wait, wait, wait. You guys were about to talk, which you 
thought was going to be about the kiss, and then he told you that your 
baby, 
Selena, was gone?" Mina summarized. 
		"Not was, Mina, is. She is still missing. I just don't get it," 
Serena walked over to a bench and sat down, "she's a baby! She's not a 
small 
thing that can be under your nose, and you still can't see it; she's 
big! I mean, 
someone's gotta notice her!" 
		Mina sat down beside Serena, thinking. "You are right. So, 
right now, we just have to spread the words around that Selena is 
missing! Since 
Darien is involved, I'm sure anyone would want to help out, if you know 
what 
I mean." 
		"No, no, no!" Serena exclaimed, horrified. "You cannot tell everyone! 
If everyone knows, then Mrs. Dorea sure would know, and I don't even 
want to 
face the consequences right now." Serena put her hand to her forehead. 
"I feel 
sick."
		"It's not your fault that she's gone! Just tell Mrs. Dorea
everything! How Darien was suppose to hold the baby, but he gave her to 
his best 
buddy, Andrew, and then Andrew lost her when he took a drink of water. 
You aren't 
even in this show, Serena, I'm sure Mrs. Dorea wouldn't put the sin on 
you!" 
Mina said quickly. She didn't want her new friend to get into a trouble 
that she 
didn't do.
		Serena paused for a minute. "But. . .but. . .won't Darien be 
in serious trouble then?" 
		Mina flashed her a mysterious smile. "What, so now you are 
starting to care for him?" 
		Serena bit her lip, fighting back a grin. "We are partners, 
we should take equal punishment. After all, it's OUR baby." 
		"You are right." Mina said, nodding. "I was evil to tell you 
to put everything down on Darien. But, now what are you going to do?" 
		"What can I do except to look for Selena? And if you can, 
Mina, please keep an eye out for her, too. I would appreciate it so 
much. 
Amy and Lita are already looking for her, they are on the first floor." 
Serena 
sighed. "But I just don't get it. Where can Selena be? She isn't alive, 
she 
can't walk or go anywhere unless someone takes her. So, who wants to 
take a fake 
baby then?" 
		Mina was silent. "Yeah, who does want to take a fake baby?" 
she muttered softly. 



		"Andrew!" Darien called out to his best friend. He walked 
hurriedly across the crowd, ignoring the girls who were gazing at him. 
		Andrew turned around. His face was very apologetic when he saw 
Darien. "God, I'm so sorry. I bet Serena hates me now, huh?" 
		"I don't know. But I'm sure that she doesn't exactly like you 
right at this moment. So, did you find something? Anything?" Darien 
asked.
		"NO, I asked around, and I paid attention to all the babies that 
are held by people, but none of them looked like Selena. I'm sorry, 
man." 
Andrew looked at the floor.
		Darien sighed. He patted Andrew on the back. "It's all 
right. . .as long as Mrs. Dorea doesn't kill me, and Serena doesn't 
hate me." 
		Andrew cocked an eyebrow and gave Darien a suspicious grin. 
"Well, what's this lip-locking thing I heard about you and Serena 
anyway?"
		Darien couldn't help but grin. "What do you think?" 


_________________________________________________________________
How do ya like it so far? 
Remember to visit my website at:

http://fly.to/Moonieround