Beneath Water

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The concern that Darren showed for her and her ability to make the trek was lost on Serith, who was looking around with bright-eyed curiosity at the surroundings. Serith had scarcely been allowed to do anything and after she could, it had never occurred to her to go out and do anything. Now, she watched the kids playing in lawns of houses and little boys riding bikes.

"You walk every day?" Serith asked idly, glancing at the occasional smatter of broken glass over the bumpy pavement with the wonder of one who hadn't seen such things before. It was true that Serith often didn't get out of her house, going straight from the house to the school and then back home. For this, she felt oddly naive. It struck her that she could be doing much more, driving and that sort of thing. Going to malls with her friends. She couldn't even properly explain why she didn't do these things and mused about why she even had friends. Darren's glance told her that she didn't really need an answer to that question.

"How long have you lived with just your brother?" ​

 

[~Nora.Inu~]

"Uh, since I was 12, actually. But since he doesn't have a good job, not being able to finish college and all, we kinda have to live out here, and yeah, I do walk every day. Um, be careful," Darren said, pulling her to the other side of the road as the started movving into the 'ghetto' and they would have passed some sketchy people.

"Heh, you look like a baby seeing light for the first time!" he commented, laughing half heartedly.

"You'll love my brother, he's really cool."

 

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The comment from Darren made Serith chuckle, her eyes still alight with the excitement of seeing so many different things. "I'm sure I will! And, well, yeah. I don't get out much. I should probably work on that..." They walked for a little longer, Serith glancing around with keen interest even as they got deeper into the low income part of the area. There was a comfortable quiet to the rest of the walk but soon they came up before the buildings, where Darren slowed and began to walk towards them.

"Is this it? Your apartment?" Serith indicated the building, her eyes wide. She swept the hat off of her feathery blond hair, letting the white ribbon billow in the breeze. There was sparse grass on the ground in front of it but it looked depressingly bare to Serith and she tried to smile pleasantly at Darren. The skirts of her summer dress fluttered in the wind the same breeze as her ribbon, its bright green a contrast to the scruffy grass.
​

 

[~Nora.Inu~]

"Yeah... sorry it's uh, not what you're used to," he apologized, leading Serith up the creaky staircase, past broken windows, the glass on the ground. The painting was chipping and the place desperately needed help.

"Home!" he declared, coming to one of the nicest looking doors. He unlocked it and lead Serith inside, re locking the door. The apartment was small, one bedroom, dirty and torn up, but certainly not as bad as the other places.

"Brother! I brought a friend!" he shouted. Then, a tall, raven haired man in sweat pants and no shirts came out of the bedroom.

"Hey, Drake. This is Serith. Serith, Drake."

 

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The reaction from Darren was not what Serith expected and she was halfway to apologizing for giving him the wrong impression when he called for his brother. The place was not so bad as Darren was trying to make it sound but Serith wished briefly that she could help with the place. A can of paint came to mind for her but it was gone as she was introduced to Darren's brother.

Serith put on her best smile and held out her hand to the brother, her straw hat still clutched in her left hand. Darren seemed nearly embarrassed by the place but Serith was oddly fond of it, it seemed warm to her. Perhaps it was just that the place wasn't sterile and spotless, unlike her own home, which seemed as though it wasn't lived in at all. Serith shook hands with Drake and spun around in a little circle, smiling at the walls. The door from which the brother had emerged, what she assumed to be the bedroom, was covered in posters and there were dishes in the sink.

"It's nice."
​

 

[~Nora.Inu~]

"Really? Thanks, I try," Drake said, his voice deeper than Darren's but soft, welcoming. Drake stretched, popping his back and shivering.

"So, uh, where are you from? You're way to pretty to be from this part of town, and even to pretty to be morons girlfriend!" Drake declared, earning an angry shout from Darren.

 

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The comment earned a laugh from Serith, who did feel instantly at ease here. It was more like a home than her own, though she had more space and more... stuff. Drake and Darren were familial, too, in a way that Serith wasn't. She doubted it was just because she didn't have any siblings that there wasn't this sort of warmth in the home.

"I go to the same high school as Darren, I live near there." Serith explained as best she could, glancing around for a chair. "Darren helped me out at the pool today and since my house seemed empty, I asked him if I could meet the big brother he was going on about." This explanation seemed all that she could muster. Looking back, it seemed surreal that she'd just met Darren today. Darren's openness was conducive to her feeling strangely as though she'd known him longer.

"I can make some dinner, if you guys want?"
​

 

[~Nora.Inu~]

Darren blushed slightly, at his brothers comment, and about helping at the pool. Then the cooking came up.

'Woah, woah, woah, you can cook?... My good, Darren, give her the freaking ring already!" Drake declared, earning a deeper blush.

"You don't have to Serith, but you do have to stay and watch some movies with us," Darren 'warned; laughing to help ease his blush.

 

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The discourse between the brothers was comforting to Serith, even if it did make her face turn red. Though they told her that she didn't need to cook, she scavenged enough to make noodles. There was just enough milk in the fridge for her to make alfredo sauce from scratch, which she proudly presented to the brothers before they sat down to watch movies together.

After finishing the food, they watched movies for a while. Without realizing it, Serith fell asleep at the table, her head resting on her crossed arms. It was soothing to be around the pair and she was happier than she'd been in a long time, forgetting even that she meant to read another several chapters in the novel that she was currently working on or that she'd meant to get a head start on her history essay.
​

 

[~Nora.Inu~]

Darren had praised her on the food, and laughed in some movies. When Serith fell asleep, he chuckled.

"Well, it is the weekend, and I don't feel like waking her up," he said, moving around the table and picking up the blonde, setting her on his bed.

"I'll just take the floor," he informed, taking an extra pillow and thin blanket and laying down. Drake came in soon after, after putting the DVDs away, and got onto his bed.

"Night," the muttered.



When morning came, or rather, 10:00 in the afternoon, Darren was sprawled eagle on the floor, a goofy smiling gracing his features. Drake had rolled his eyes several times in the past few hours, watching the teen.

 

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The bright sunlight filtered through the undressed window of the apartment and straight into Serith's sleeping face, causing her to roll over and throw a hand over her face. A sleepy realization caused Serith to sit bolt upright, aware that the rough blankets around her did not belong to her and that she was not on her bed.

Serith rubbed her eyes and looked around sleepily, spotting Drake awake and Darren still fast asleep on the floor. Serith's cheeks flushed pink and her glance met with Drake. Serith moved a finger to her lips, indicating that he keep quiet. Meanwhile, she tiptoed silently around Darren, careful not to wake him. Waving bye to Drake, Serith picked up her hat. Drake opened the door for her and she slipped out, pointing to Darren and then waving cheerily for Drake to see. She hoped that he got the idea, she wanted him to tell his brother goodbye for her.

Serith felt slightly awkward walking away from the apartment door of the two boys, her rumpled dress a clear indication, as well as the early hour, that she had slept there. The walk back to her own house was far less comfortable, Serith quickly realized, without someone walking with her. This time, Serith felt edgy and out of place, looking around with a small pout.
​

 

[~Nora.Inu~]

Drake chuckled, nodding as he got the idea, waving to her as she walked out. He could tell there was something, but he wouldn't say anything.

Minutes later, Darren woke up to, looking around and noticing Serith wasn't there.

"Wh-"
"She told me to say bye and that she'd see you later," Drake said, helping his brother off the floor. Darren looked a little upset, but shrugged, figuring he could call her later. He already had her friend's number, which he had gotten from a friend of his, and she would likely have Serith's number.

"OH, alright." Darren muttered, walking to their shared dresser and getting into his clothes.

 

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When she finally arrived back at home, it felt strangely less like home than the completely new place she'd just left. This fact alone made her feel uneasy. It was strange now, to miss the presence of someone else when she hadn't missed anyone in a long time. To occupy her thoughts, Serith threw herself into her studies more fiercely than before.

It helped her clear her thoughts, so Serith threw herself with gusto into her piano practice, playing Traumerei without any consideration for anything else. The sounds of the piano in the den carried around the neighborhood, a sound that the neighbors welcomed and were accustomed to hearing. For Serith, it was a welcome reprieve from attempting to sort out her thoughts and feelings.

A little beep from the cellphone in her pocket caused her to start with surprise and she pulled it out, a hopeful smile on her face. It turned out to be her father, though, with a short message informing her that they would not be back Wednesday as planned but rather were staying until the following Monday due to circumstances that had arisen. Serith sighed and pocketed the phone once more.
​

 

[~Nora.Inu~]

After numerous calls and a trip to Cold Stones Ice Cream, Darren had finally gotten her number. He held it to his ear, listening at it went straight to voice mail. He got his ice cream and sat at a table, calling her back again minutes later. He had only seen the girl last night, and wanted to see her again, take her out, show her places he loved.

He wanted to see her smile again.

 

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Finishing the song, Serith pulled out her phone once more and was surprised to see that she had missed several calls. Serith had already changed into baggy green pajama pants with an overly large teeshirt, in order to practice more comfortably but now she wondered if it was the best choice since she hadn't even considered hanging out with anyone. Serith didn't recognize the number and hesitated before tapping the button to dial it back.

Holding the phone up to her ear, Serith waited anxiously as the phone rang. She had her hopes of who it was, but it could have just as easily been anyone. Karine had her number, after all, and was not spectacularly scrupulous about things like that. She hoped that Karine hadn't given her number to someone random at a party again.

"Ah, hello?" she said excitedly when she heard the phone being picked up.
​

 

[~Nora.Inu~]

"Hey, you called back! I was beginning to think you didn't love me anymore!" Darren joked, sitting at the roller skating rink. He was happy to hear her voice, even happier she had called back.

"Hey, uh... you know how to roller skate?"

 

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Serith was glad that she wasn't the only one who seemed happy to be talking on the phone with Darren. The question about roller skating, however, took her off guard. Serith bit her lip before replying, waiting until Darren had to ask if she was still there. It was something she'd never been asked before, whether or not she could roller skate.

"Well, I ca- I mean, it can't be that hard, right? I'm sure it'll be fine." Serith was cursing her own pride in regards to the conversation. "Where, then? Which roller skating rink? " Serith was walking up the stairs while she talked, considering what one might wear to roller skate. Darren told her where the roller skating rink was and after careful decision, Serith changed her clothes.

When Serith arrived at the roller skating rink that Darren had indicated, she was tugging down her shirt uncomfortably. She had decided on jeans and a teeshirt but now she felt like she'd chosen clothes that were too small. Standing out front of the rink, she grabbed her phone and dialed again for Darren.
​

 

[~Nora.Inu~]

Darren laughed when she said it shouldn't be to hard.

"Well, you're in for a surprise," he muttered, smiling happily. When the call had ended, he walked inside to rent skates. He got the roller blades for himself, not being fond of the four wheels in a square area type deal. He picked up when his phone went off.

"What size, and roller blades or roller skates?" he asked, knowing who it was.
"I'm already inside, come meet me~! Their doing the chicken dance!"

 

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The phone was quickly answered for Serith with questions and the declaration that Darren was already inside. While Darren sounded thrilled, Serith was not sure that she was fond of the idea of roller skating in conjunction with the chicken dance and she hesitated on the phone. Realizing that she had yet to answer, Serith headed in through the doors as she spoke.

"Uh. Size seven in women and, roller skates, right?" Serith was trying to sound as if she weren't terribly perplexed by the whole ordeal at hand. What could be so hard about this, after all? Not that Serith knew the difference between roller skates or roller blades, anyway. Pushing open the doors, Serith glanced around before deciding that, due to this question, Darren would certainly be at the skate rental area indicated by a large sign.

When Serith approached Darren, she saw the a pair of roller skates in one hand and what she presumed to be roller blades in the other. Serith waved her hand a little when she got close enough to him, her mouth curving into a nervous smile.

"Is this.... a date?" Genuinely curious, Serith had no real idea of what a date was and only had her friends and some television to go off of for her reference.
​

 

[~Nora.Inu~]

"Eh? Well, it could be, if that's what you want it to be. I would consider it like a... friend date? Yeah, that works. It's not really a romantic date. If I wanted it to be a romantic date, I would've taken you to Burger King," Darren laughed, completely joking, but not wanting to reveal his secret romantic side.

He stopped laughing after a few minutes and gave Serith the skates, sitting down and quickly lacing his own "blades". Once they were tight enough, he got up and rolled around the bench, waiting a for Serith.