Finding Serena

Friendship Kind Of.

We finish eating and just lay there, talking. Just talking about the usual first date stuff. Siblings, colors, family, food, movies and a lot more.
"What's your favorite color, James?" I ask.
"Blue." he responds.
"Really mine too, but not like dark blue, but baby blue."
"I meant the blue like the color of your eyes."
That was unexpected.
"I'm so sorry Serena."
"Don't be."
"I won't."

He then kissed me. Long and gentle, but firm. I hope this is love.

I got up and brushed off my jeans. I looked at the time. It was almost ten o'clock. By dorm rules I should be in bed by now.
"I have to go!"
I run out of the room and down the hallway. I take a left, then a right and two more lefts. I stop at my door and look at the little good print on it.
197 it reads. Right below it, a little heart with and arrow and two initials.
JD+SP

James Duncan and Serena Porter. Coincidence much.There is another heart with initials, but I don't bother to look at it.

I open the door to see Angela kissing Derek.
"It's ten o'clock lovebirds."
Angela gets off of his lap and brings him to the door.
"Bye baby, I'll miss you!"
"I'll see you in the morning."
Derek steps outside and I follow, shutting the door behind me. He is halfway down the hall.
"Derek!" I yell. He turns around.
"Hi." He says, "you need something?"
He walks down the hall to me.
"No I just, um."
"Serena, you can tell me anything, I mean, we have been friends since we were toddlers." he looks me straight in the eye and puts his hands on my shoulders, "what is it?"
"Well, how'd the date go?"
"Fine, I guess."
"Is something wrong?"
"It's nothing, don't worry about me, S. How'd it go with you and James?"
"I... I don't know."
"Serena, what's wrong?"
"It's just. It's nothing."
"Alright, I gotta go."
"Okay. Bye."
"I'll see ya in the morning."
He walks away and I just stand there. I don't know why I came out in the hall, I just had to.
I turn around and walk back into my room, where Angela stands across the room facing the door.
"What is wrong with you, Serena?" She yells as she marches up to me. I shut the door behind me.
"I don't understand, what's wrong, Angela?"
"What were you doing in the hall with my boyfriend?"
"Nothing, I just needed to ask him something."
"What?"
"Listen I've known him since I was a toddler and you are not going to ruin him and I's friendship."
"I'm not?"
"No. You're not, Angela."
"Wow, you think I'm scared of you."
"No, I don't think that at-"
She punches me hard in the jaw.
"Angela, what the-"
Again in the eye. She kicks me in the shin, causing me to fall to my knees. She scratches me hard in the arm, causing me to bleed.
"How do you like that, Sere-"
I push her over, open the door and run. I take a rights, a left, and two more rights.
I get to James and Derek's room and knock.
"Please let me in! Please!"
I hear Angela coming down the hallway. I turn around and see her. I open the door and run in the boys' room. I lock the door behind me.
Derek looks at me.
"Serena, what happened to you?"
I sit on the floor and breath heavily.
"It was-it was-"
"Stay here, S"
"Derek don't go."
"I'll be right back."
"Okay, okay."
He runs out of the room. He is gone for two minutes and then comes back with the nurse.
"Honey, what happened?" asks the nurse softly.
"My roommate happened." I respond.
"Darling, please tell me the name of your roommate."
Derek sits next to me.
"Her roommate's name is Angela Gonzalez." he says.
"Thank you Derek."the nurse replies.
She puts some medicine on the scrape on my arm and wraps it with some type of bandage.
"Honey, your jaw is not broken, luckily, but your eye is pretty badly wounded. Can you open it?"
At this point I'm holding Derek's arm with both of my hands. I try to open my eye and the pain is so bad that I squeeze his arm so tightly that he lets out a groan.
"I'm sor-"I start.
"Don't be sorry, S"He responds.
"Alright, sweetie. Open your mouth." Says the nurse.
She gives me medicine. My face still hurts though.
"Bye you two."
"Thanks again Ms. Haberson." Derek says.
Derek kneels in front of me. He pushes the hair out of my face. He looks at me in shock.
"What?" I say a little to sharply.
"I've just, never seen you cry before."
"Well I am human ya know!" I wipe tears from my eyes, "I can't go back there Derek, I can't, I can't, I-"
"I wasn't gonna let you go back. Okay?"
"Okay. Wait, where is James?"
"We don't share a room. I don't have a roommate. He is next door though."
"Oh."
He stands up and opens his dresser. He takes out a t-shirt and throws it to me.
"What's this for?"
"Pajamas. Put it on."
"Ok."
"Bathroom is over there."
He points me to his bathroom. I stand up and walk over and look at myself in the mirror.
Pull yourself together Serena! I think, Your best friend is seeing you cry! You're not like this!
I put myself in the t-shirt, which is way to big, well Derek is a foot and three inches taller than me, he is six foot five, I am only five foot two. I leave my bra and underwear on. I leave my clothes, and my hat, on the floor and come out of the bathroom.
"You can sleep on my bed." he says.
"Okay. Where will you go?" I ask.
"Either the floor or with you."
"That decision is up to you."
"Alrighty then, floor it is."

As I lay in his bed, I wonder why he let me sleep on his bed. Its warm, and smells like him. Wait, this is wrong, no I have a boyfriend I gotta get out of here. I get up to leave. I step over Derek's body, making sure to be quiet.
"Serena?" he says as he sits up.
"What?"
"Hey, where ya goin'?"
"Nowhere."
"Serena" he stands up, "you are not going back to your room."
"Why not?"
"'Cause I'm scared."
"You're scared. Of what?"
"You getting hurt again." he puts his hands on the back of my neck and puts his right thumb on my left cheek. I hold his wrists in my hands.
"You know we can't be together."
"Why can't we?"
"I have James, you have-"
"I'm not dating that witch."
"I know."
He kisses me, it was different then how James kissed me though. This was pure, true, wanted, he wanted me, I wanted him. This is love. He pulls away, his hands still on my face.
"C'mon now, lets go to bed."
He lays in the bed and I lay next to him. We both face the window.
"You okay, Serena."
"I'm fine. I'm perfect."