Note: I thought that I had better write something to keep my creative levels up and also to make sure I'm practising writing fiction so that my writing improves, so I wrote this one-shot. I hope you enjoy it and nearly all the dates in this story are a key component to what is going on at each time and also gives you and idea about how old the characters are. Oh, and you might notice that I don't give the parents first names; I didn't think it was important. Review? :D

February 3rd 1984

"They could be twins!" Mrs Hollow sighed happily, looking at the two babies sleeping one the bed with adoration in her eyes. Her husband had one arm draped around her shoulders and nodded in agreement.

"Do you think we could fob off our one on the Amorettis?" he mock-whispered. Mrs Hollow smacked his arm playfully.

"Hey, we heard that you know! Actually, I was wondering the same thing," Mr Amoretti joked from the opposite side of the bed, and his wife nudged him in the ribs. The four of them were very good friends and next-door-neighbours who had coincidentally given birth on the same day; Serena Hollow at 8:37am and Lorenzo Amoretti at 2:26pm. They stood watching over the babies as they slept side by side, a look of peace on both of their chubby angel faces. Lorenzo had a thick head of curly dark brown hair his parents suspected would turn black as he grew older; Serena's was less thick but almost the same colour. Sleeping, they could look like twins but once awake they were completely different: Serena was quiet and content while Lorenzo was loud and dissatisfied. Although Lorenzo was quite a handful, his parents loved the challenge as he was their only child. To the Hollows, Serena was a gift as their first child, Steven, had been louder than even Lorenzo and at the age of five was still pretty loud.

As if on cue Steven came roaring into the room, flapping his arms wildly and making loud bird noises as he ran around in circles. Annoyed, Mr Hollow carried his son out and hoped that he hadn't woken the two babies.

September 6th 1991

Serena gripped Lorenzo's hand tightly. She was scared. It was her first day in Junior School and Steven had kept her up past her bedtime telling her about the horrible things that went on in Junior School – children being punished by having their heads stuck down the toilet, eating rats for lunch and at the end of the day the head teacher would choose the smallest child to take home and cook for dinner. Serena was the smallest girl in her class so she believed that she would be the head's first dinner of the school year.

Lorenzo looked at her; her small lips were quivering which told him something was wrong. More often than not, that something had something to do with Steven, Lorenzo knew.

"Okay, what did Steven do this time?" he asked her. Serena looked up at her friend, tucking a strand of her long brown hair behind her ear before telling him everything Steven had told her. Lorenzo laughed.

"Lorenzo! It's not funny," Serena growled.

"Sure it is, Seri," he answered easily. He had called her Seri ever since he could remember; his mum told him it was because when he was younger "Serena" was too hard for him to say so "Seri" had stuck after too many failed attempts on his part at saying her proper name. Serena on the other hand had always pronounced Lorenzo's name correctly, starting with "Lor-en-ZO" before she could speak fluently.

"If it was true then our mums and dads would've told us," Lorenzo said, ruffling Serena's hair with affection. Serena considered this as they stood in the playground, waiting for their day to begin. She had just convinced herself that Lorenzo was right when a bell rang out, alerting everyone that the school day was about to begin. Serena gulped quietly. She would soon find out whether Lorenzo was right or not.

April 18th 1992

"Lorenzo?" Serena said, raising her head a little so she could see him. They were in the woods not far from their road, lying top-and-tail on a blanket Serena had smuggled out of her house when she thought no-one was watching. Steven was supposed to be watching the two eight-year olds but had been distracted by a few girls who were in his class at school, giving Lorenzo and Serena the perfect opportunity to sneak off. Lorenzo pushed his thick, curly black hair out of his eyes. His parents had been right about the change in colour.

"Yeah?" he said lazily. He was glad to have given Steven the slip; he felt that Steven was sometimes too mean to his little sister and resented him for that. Lorenzo felt protective over Serena and didn't like to see her upset or scared.

"Do you ever think about forever?"

"Yes," he answered immediately.

"What's it like in forever?" Serena asked inquisitively.

"We're best friends," Lorenzo said simply. Serena seemed satisfied by that, and settled back down on the blanket. After a short period of time, Serena sat blot upright, looking as if she had thought of something incredibly important. Lorenzo sat up too.

"I know what happens when a boy and a girl are best friends for ever." Serena paused and Lorenzo patiently waited for her to continue. "They get married." The two children looked at each other and Lorenzo digested this information. It sounded about right – both of their parents proved that. Lorenzo's forehead creased deeply as he thought about what Serena had just said, and he cupped his chin in his hand. After silently mulling it over, he came to a conclusion.

"Okay; I'll marry you," he nodded; Serena gently karate-chopped the top of his head.

"You have to ask me properly, Lorenzo," Serena smiled before standing up and offering Lorenzo her hand like she had seen women do on TV. Lorenzo bent down on one knee and took her hand in his, looking up at her face. It was then that Lorenzo noticed Serena's eyes – they were blue. Funny how I never realized that until now, he thought to himself.

"Will you, Seri Hollow, do the honour of becoming my bride?"

"Ye–" Steven burst into the clearing and ruined the moment. He grabbed his sister's arm and lifted Lorenzo to his feet.

"Serena! Lorenzo! I've been looking everywhere for you! I'm taking you two home before I get into trouble."

November 23rd 1994

Serena sat on a bench in the playground, alone and crying. Steven was missing. He hadn't come home from school the night before, and Serena had overheard her parents say that he might not be coming back. One of Serena's friends from class – Judy – was walking past and noticed Serena was upset. Judy stopped and sat next to Serena, kindly offering her a packet of pocket-sized tissues. Serena took one gratefully and wiped her eyes as Judy patted her back and tried to soothe her. A brawny boy from the year above the two girls saw them and decided that this was the perfect time to make trouble. He mocked Serena for crying and scared Judy away by threatening to hit her. With Judy out of the way, the boy turned to Serena, grinning evilly. He pushed Serena off the bench and raised a large fist as if to hit her which was when he was struck from behind.

"Lorenzo!" Serena gasped. Lorenzo stood behind the big bully proudly, Judy half-hiding herself behind him. The two boys were quickly drawn into a fight; the older boy having an advantage of being bigger and stronger than Lorenzo. Before a teacher could separate them, Lorenzo was looking worse for wear with a split lip and a black eye. Later, when asked why Lorenzo had decided to hit the boy in the first place, he answered:

"Seri and I are best friends; best friends look out for each other."

July 30th 1997

"Look out – I can't stop!" Lorenzo yelled recklessly, as he sped down a hill on his bike. Serena managed to move to the side in the nick time. Lorenzo slowed to a stop far away from the hill and pedalled slowly back to Serena, who was glaring viciously at him. Lorenzo knew he was in for it by Serena's facial expression and braced himself for the explosion that would come from the small young teenager.

"That was a very stupid thing to do!" she roared angrily. Lorenzo sighed and rolled his eyes.

"Calm down Seri. It was just a bit of fun," he said. Serena didn't accept that.

"It was not "just a bit of fun". I could have been killed!!" she yelled at him.

"But you weren't," Lorenzo pointed out.

"That's not the point!"

"Then what is the point?" Serena began to get frustrated with him and groaned to that effect; she stamped her foot on the floor.

"Sometimes I wonder why we're even friends," she said, using a normal tone of voice. Lorenzo looked at her.

"What?" he asked in surprise. Serena shook her head and seemed to calm down considerably. She tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear.

"Nothing. Race you home?"

November 23rd 1999

It's been five years since he disappeared. He was my age when it happened. I wonder if he's out there, knowing it's been five years. I wonder if he's dead..?

January 1st 2000

"What's your Millennium New Year's resolution?" Serena asked Lorenzo, exaggerating the word "millennium". In Serena's opinion, everyone was making a big deal about nothing; cars weren't exactly going to start flying overnight. She and Lorenzo were sitting on the wall outside her house, watching the fireworks display in the distance the majority of kids in their class had put together themselves and Serena and Lorenzo's parents had forbade them both from going to. Serena had her head resting on Lorenzo's shoulder and was wearing the jacket he had let her borrow as she had complained that she was cold.

"I don't have one. What about you, Seri?" Lorenzo looked down at her sparkling blue eyes, the colourful explosions reflected in them.

"To grow up. We're going to be sixteen next month; it's about time we matured," she murmured. Lorenzo asked her to explain, while discreetly admiring how beautiful Serena was.

"Well...I'm going to stop going to the woods, for one thing. Or, if I do I'll actually tell my parents the truth about where I'm going. I think we've reached the age where we can go places without having to sneak around." There was a lull in the conversation as the two teens watched in awe as the fireworks lit the sky up with thousands of different colours. Serena snuggled closer to Lorenzo.

"Seri? Do you remember the first time we went to the woods?"

"Yeah; how could I forget?" she said softly. It had been the only time Steven had invaded what was now hers and Lorenzo's personal area of the woods – no-one who knew the two ever went in that particular area out of respect.

"You said we were going to get married," Lorenzo reminded her. Serena laughed, the laugh vibrating against Lorenzo's chest and causing him to laugh too.

"I did not! That was you!" Serena said. The bickered about who had said it and after a while Serena had to admit defeat, even though she couldn't imagine saying a thing like that now. When Lorenzo's attention was solely on the display in front of them, Serena looked at him and it was as if she was seeing him for this first time. His eyes; they were watery green. How had I never noticed? They're gorgeous, Serena thought.

February 10th 2000

Lorenzo rang the bell for Serena's house. He hadn't seen her in a week and had a horrible feeling that she was avoiding him. Mr Hollow opened the door and gladly invited Lorenzo in.

"Actually, I'm happy you've come round. I've got to go into town to meet the Mrs and it would be a great help if you could stay here and keep an eye on Serena and her friend. They're upstairs studying." Lorenzo told Mr Hollow that he could count on him and Mr Hollow left feeling relieved that someone responsible would be around to look out for his daughter. She had changed from a quiet, small child to a rambunctious young lady she in what seemed to Mr Hollow a short amount of years. He suspected that the disappearance of Steven had contributed to the change in her character somewhat but decided to not dwell on it – he still missed Steven terribly.

Lorenzo, curious as to why Serena had chosen another friend over him to study with, crept up the stairs to Serena's room. The door was shut but not locked – Lorenzo knew her parents wouldn't give Serena permission to attach a lock to her bedroom door. With extreme caution, Lorenzo twisted the handle and carefully opened the door.

He froze. Serena was sitting on her bed, her arms wrapped around Ryan; a boy from their class. They were kissing – passionately. Lorenzo didn't know what to do. He had never thought Serena liked Ryan, let alone was dating him. Lorenzo couldn't explain how exactly he felt but if he had to, he would have said ill. He ran from Serena's room, her house. He didn't look back.

May 12th 2001

"I'm sleeping with Lorenzo," Judy confessed shamefully. Serena shrugged.

"I'm doing it with Ryan. Why should it matter to me?" she said dismissively.

"Hold on – you broke up with Ryan a few months ago," Judy said accusingly. Again, Serena shrugged.

"So? And why did you think that because you're sleeping with Lorenzo you had to tell me?" Judy didn't meet Serena's eyes as she replied.

"I thought...I thought you had a thing for him." Serena laughed bitterly, making Judy feel silly. Unbeknownst to Judy, however, Serena was hiding her feelings for Lorenzo. She knew that he didn't feel the same way and rather than risk their life-long friendship, Serena was willing to take her secret to the grave. That was why she had gone out with Ryan and pretended that his dating Judy didn't bother her in the slightest. Lorenzo filled Serena's dreams and every spare thought she had she used on Lorenzo. She hated to be apart from him but knew it was for the best. They didn't spend as much time together as they used to because Serena didn't want to put herself in a position where she might do something to suggest to Lorenzo that she might like him more than she was letting on.

February 28th 2004

For the hundredth time, Lorenzo wondered if he was doing the right thing. He looked at the list of pros and cons in front of him and it reassured him that this was for the best. He finished packing and dialled his dad's number. Lorenzo trusted that he would ensure no-one else knew what he was doing, least of all Serena. His dad was also more likely to listen to him instead of his mum, who would probably shout and beg him to stay. His dad would listen to his reasoning and agree that it was the best thing he could do at this time.

March 8th 2004

Serena re-read the letter she had just received in the post with watery eyes. Her hands shook, making it harder to read the words written in fancy handwriting. She never thought that she would ever feel as bad as when her parents told her that Steven probably wasn't coming back alive, but she had been wrong. Before she had even finished reading it for the second time, Serena's tears spilled over and she crumpled the letter in anguish.

Lorenzo had joined the army last week. Serena hadn't even known. The letter was from him, telling her that he missed her already but he didn't think he was going to come back.

He said he loved her and even though he was only staying in the army for a year, he wasn't going to return home. He was going to travel the world and figure things out.

He didn't want her to write back, and hadn't enclosed an address anyway.

Serena's parents found her sleeping on the sofa hours later holding the crumpled letter tightly in her hand, her face a mess of dried tears and crushed dreams.

June 15th 2006

Serena stared long and hard at the picture of Lorenzo propped against the base of the tree. She was on her knees in the woods.

"I'm never going to see you again, am I?" she whispered sadly to the photograph. Lorenzo's face smiled happily back at her and it seemed to Serena that he was mocking her.

"Why did you have to leave?" she said, her voice rising. "How could you not know that I love you? Didn't you care?!" Lorenzo remained happily silent. Serena scrambled around for the knife, her hand shaking as she held it to her wrist. She imagined what would happen if Lorenzo found her then, her jeans muddy and the knife pressed against her wrist. Would he pity her? Pity little Serena Hollow...

Serena dropped the knife; her head snapping to the left. She could have sworn she heard her brother's voice telling her to stop. Abandoning the knife and picture of Lorenzo, Serena walked in a daze towards were she thought Steven's voice had come from.

June 16th 2006

"I don't know what you were thinking! How could you put us through that Serena; we've already been through it once!" Mr Hollow yelled at his daughter. Mere hours ago he had thought that she had endured the same fate as her brother. It was too much for him to bear; his wife had been in tears non-stop until the police had confirmed that Serena had been found well and alive. Serena stared at her mud-covered shoes full of guilt and shame. She hadn't been thinking about her parents at all, only her selfish feelings.

"I...I thought I heard...I'm sorry," she said.

October 31st 2008

Serena was dressed up as a sexy bunny and her house was overflowing with people who were also dressed up for the occasion. The music pulsed through the rooms and bodies were swaying endlessly to the beat. She had thrown a Halloween party in the hope of lifting her spirits for the first time in four years. So far it was having no effect on her at all, although she found it easier to pretend that it was; smiling at her guests and putting on the act that she was having a good time. Many men tried in vain to flirt with her and a few women too. They were oblivious to the fact that Serena's heart already belonged to someone. All night gate-crashers had attempted to force their way inside but it was hopeless – Serena had employed her childhood boyfriend Ryan to be a bouncer. He was good at his job; he'd been working out ever since he was eighteen and now had the most muscles Serena had ever seen in person. It was nearing midnight when Judy – in a vampire costume – said that Ryan wanted to speak to her.

Serena made her way to the front door, weaving in and out of her guests and finally made it to Ryan, who unsurprisingly was in a tux.

"There's a guy out there," Ryan waved a hand to the front door. "who claims you know him. He says he doesn't want any trouble but won't leave until he sees you. Personally, I don't think he's a gatecrasher because he's on his own and they don't tend to come singly." Serena thanked Ryan and told him to take a break; she had serious suspicions about who was at the door and prayed she was correct, even though a voice in the back of her head told her not to set her hopes too high: the odds that it was him weren't significantly high. She hesitated before opening the front door. Serena opened it slowly, holding her breath and wishing with everything she had that this was who she wanted it to be.

November 9th 2009

"Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today in the sign of God to join together this man and this woman in holy matrimony, which is commended to be honourable among all men; and therefore to be entered into unadvisedly or lightly – but reverently, discreetly, advisedly and solemnly. Into this holy estate these two persons present now come to be joined. If any person can show just cause why they may not be joined together; let them speak now or forever hold their peace." Not a sound was heard and so the minister continued.

"Marriage is the union of husband and wife in heart, body and mind. It is intended for their mutual joy – and for the help and comfort given on another in prosperity and adversity. But more importantly it is a means through which a stable and loving environment may be attained.

Through marriage, Lorenzo Luca Amoretti and Serena Emily-Grace Hollow make a commitment together to face their disappointments – embrace their dreams – realize their hopes – and accept each other's failures. Lorenzo Luca Amoretti and Serena Emily-Grace Hollow will promise one another to aspire to these ideals throughout their lives together – through mutual understanding – openness – and sensitivity to each other."

November 10th 2009

If I had known then, what I knew now, would my life have been any different?