SPIRIT- The House of Hope

Seven

Serena

There was no noise all through the house. My parents had gone on a trip so I didn't even have them telling me to get back to training.
No one was really very happy about all the madness going on. I was pretty sure that Darrien said something about an adventure earlier today...I guess I'm honestly not surprised we ended up with one.

I looked over at Ani, she sat at our table just eating. We were trying to prepare ourselves but first Ani needed to get out of this mood she was in.
"Hey" I smiled "come with me"
"W-why?" she asked
"Cairo and Darrien are waiting at this...well, that's a surprise"
"Surprise?"
"yeah, you've been really quiet and we all need to be able to work together so..."
"Alright" I dragged her away, we came close to an open area of the town it was just getting dark and we could see coloured lanterns.
"Serena?" Ani stopped "there's music"
"yeah"

Cairo smiled and waved.
"hi you two! The shows starting" we all sat down and listened to a band from our town play, they did this once a month but I almost never went. As they came to a final song lots of people got up to start dancing.
"Oh cool!" Cairo cried "I love dancing!" Ani blushed
"I-I don't know how to dance" Cairo smiled and held his hand out
"I'm not the best but I can teach you a few things if you like?"
"thank you" she took his hand and he pulled her away I giggled at their dancing Ani looked so flustered.
"I think they need some more practice" I laughed. Darrien nodded. Then he stood up rubbing the back of his neck.

"yeah, I agree" he looked away and then back to me "so...um..."
"yeah? What's up?" he started to go a little red and did the same thing as Cairo.
"do you...um, want to dance?" he asked, I smiled
"okay, but I warn you...I'm horrible. You will go home with broken toes tonight"
"I don't think so"

We spun a little but I kept tripping.
"I think I should apologise for laughing at Ani and Cairo...I'm way worse"
"no, you just don't really dance often here look" he took my hand "just follow me" and that's what I did, I was surprised to find he was an incredible dancer.
"how come you're so good?" he smiled
"when I was younger mum would play music and start teaching me how to dance, she always said there are many things a young man must learn and the top three are compassion, loyalty and the ability to dance" he laughed "I would ask her why and she always replied with 'how are you going to impress a girl if you can't dance?'"
"really?"
"I know she was joking, she just wanted to teach me" we danced a bit more before Cairo and Ani who had given up keeping time and were just spinning about insanely bumped into us and sent me toppling down...at least...they almost did. Before I made contact with the ground I found myself stopped I looked up to find Darrien with a firm grip on me.
"Or maybe it was so you could fall over without embarrassing yourself" he joked as he pulled me back to my feet and made me twirl.
"Be quiet Hot-Head!"
"oh yeah well...well...damn it! I still can't think of a good nickname..."
"hah!! No comeback"

He let go of my hand and I stumbled.
"Jerk" he laughed and then his eyes brightened.
"I've got it!"
"huh?"
"Bubbles!"
"Bubbles? What are you talking about?"
"your nickname, you're always bright and bouncy like a bubble! I'm gonna start calling you Bubbles!" I glared half-jokingly.
"I am not a fish"
"of course not... you're a bunny rabbit"
"what?!"
"I don't know!" we started laughing we had entirely forgotten where this conversation was going.

Ani walked over.
"Serena, Darrien. I am sorry to interrupt...however, I feel that we should be getting on our way soon..."
"Serena? Do you think we should go?"
"Yeah, Ani's right"
"I'll grab Cameryn and Cairo kay? Rollo and Nike will follow us anyway" Darrien smiled.
"Actually Darrien, I feel as if you would be better off staying here. You're more likely to hinder us than help us"