Fan Fiction |
by Lovingyouishardtodo
February 14, 2000…Valentine’s Day
Ring…ring…
“Hello?” Qian picked up the receiver.
“Hello, Qian?” a male voice asked.
“Ray? Why are you calling me so early in the morning? It’s Saturday, we don’t have a class.”
“I know, I’m calling because I have a favor to ask. Can you come out right now?” Ray asked.
“Umm…sure. Where are you?...Starbucks?...Alright, give me 30 minutes.”
30 minutes later….
“What’s up? What did you want to ask me?” Qian said after she sat down at a table with Ray.
“Well… this is kind of embarrassing,” Ray hesitated.
“Just spill it dude. We’re friends right?”
“Well…okay. Today is Valentine’s Day. I want to ask Michelle out, but I don’t know how. I was wondering if you could help me out…”
Listening to Ray talk, Qian felt as if there are thousand and thousands of arrows piercing through her delicate heart. ‘So this is why he asked me out today, to ask me to help him woo another girl.’
“You know close Michelle and I are. Do you think me asking her out is going to ruin our friendship?” Ray asked but Qian was too involved with her thought to hear him.
“Qian? Qian?...Did you hear me?” Ray slightly shook her shoulder.
Qian immediately snapped out of her thought and looked at Ray. She forced herself to flash the brightest, yet uncomfortable, smile.
“So this is why you called me out so early,” she teased. “And here I am, thinking that you wanted to see me. I prettied myself up for nothing.”
“HUH?” Ray asked in confusion.
Qian gave him a look then laughed. “I’m just playing, sure, I’ll help you out.”
Ray and Michelle shared an apartment together. That day, Michelle was going to be out the whole day. That gave Ray and Qian the perfect opportunity to get everything together for the date between Ray and Michelle. They first clean the pigpen that Ray called a house. After 5 hours of cleaning, they went to supermarket to buy some grocery for dinner, for two. Which Qian will be the one cooking, but Ray’s going to take credit for it.
“Have you bought her anything for V-day?” Qian asked.
“Yeah, I did.”
“Umm..okay.”
Ray has already planned this night ever since his first encounter with Michelle. He had bought her a ring the week before with the money that he been saving up in the past few years, and he had ordered some roses to be sent to Michelle tonight while they are having dinner. Ray smiled to himself as he pictured him and Michelle slow dancing to his favorite love song.
“Alright, I’m done with everything here. I’m going to leave before Michelle comes home, okay?” Qian’s voice interrupted his thought and Ray snapped back into reality.
“Okay. I owe you big time. Next time I’m going to treat you to some Hot Pot okay?”
“Yeah…you better. Hey, good luck!” Qian gave him a slight punch on the arm.
“Thanks.”
Qian went straight to her room once she got home. Luckily her parents have gone out for dinner. She did not want them to see the tears strolling down her cheeks. Qian slammed the door shut behind her and flopped on her bed. Tears were pouring from her eyes like a waterfall. ‘Stupid Qian. You just pushed the man you love into another woman’s arms. Are you crazy? How could you be so dumb? Do you think you’ll be happy by doing that? You stupid girl!’ Qian thought to herself between her tears…
Pacing back and forth in the tiny living room, Ray kept glancing at his watch. 11:00 PM, his watch read. ‘Where could she be?’ he thought to himself.
The sound of keys jingled interrupted Ray’s thought and he raced to the door and opened it.
“Where have you been?” he asked once he saw the person on the other side was Michelle.
“I went out with David. Why? What’s up?”
“David? I thought you are through with him?” Ray asked.
“He asked me back today. He was so sweet. Look what he bought me, 999 roses, exactly. I don’t know dude, I just can’t let him go. He means a lot to me. I think I love him.”
“You, what?” Ray asked painfully.
Michelle looked beyond Ray and over to the dining room to see a romantic dinner was set up for two. And on the table was a bouquet of red roses. Suddenly, Michelle realized that she have caused Ray’s heart to shatter.
“Ray…”
But before she could continue, Ray walked aimlessly toward the door and out of the apartment. Leaving Michelle lost with guilt…
Ring…ring…
“Hello?” Qian answered her phone
“Qian? You wanna go grab a drink with me?”
“Ray?? It’s almost midnight. Shouldn’t you be with Michelle right now?” Qian asked in total surprise.
“Something happened. Can you come out? I’m at Hypnotized right now.”
“Okay…I’ll be there in 5.” Qian got up and left the house. Her parents are not home yet. ‘Hmm…where could they be?’ she thought.
When Qian got to Hypnotized, she immediately spotted Ray. The guy’s already drunk.
“What the heck are you doing here? Where’s Michelle? Ray!!!” Qian asked, demanding an answer.
Ray gave Qian a painful look and said, “She…said s-she’s in love with some one else.”
For the first time in her life, Qian witnessed a man cried. ‘He cried for her. Will he ever cry for me?’ Qian thought, she couldn’t help but felt a little jealous.
Qian took a step closer and put her hand on Ray’s shoulder. As if Qian was a comfort pillow, Ray collapsed into her tiny body causing her to take a step backward.
“It’s going to be okay” Qian consoled him. “She will one day realize your love for her and return to you.”
‘Is this consolation for him or is it for me?’ Qian thought as she hugs Ray.
“It is so embarrassing for you to see me like this. I’m sorry.” Ray let go of Qian once he ceased his crying.
Wiping away his tears, Ray suggested that they should have a drink together and Qian agreed…
Ray was dead drunk after a few more drinks. Qian knew that her condition was not suitable for driving, so she called a cab and asked the driver to take them to the nearest hotel. It was 3 o’clock in the morning; she didn’t want to bother Michelle and her parents by coming home in the middle of the night. So she decided to go to a hotel instead.
“Hello miss, welcome to the Ramada” the receptionist at the desk greeted her.
“Hello, do you have any vacancy?”
“Yes, will that be one room miss?” the man asked looking at her then Ray.
“No, two rooms please” Qian understood the man’s question and answered.
Dragging Ray’s half dead drunk body into his room, Qian struggled to place him on the bed. After putting the cover over Ray’s body, Qian sat back and looked at Ray’s face. She didn’t know since when did tears started to stroll down her cheeks. Wiping away her tears, Qian smiled and said to herself, “Silly girl, why are you crying?”
She used her right hand to caress Ray’s face. First his forehead, then his brow’s bone, then his cheek down to his chin. She then slowly leaned in and places a kiss on Ray’s forehead.
After leaning away from Ray’s face, Qian began to speak to him a soft tone.
“Do you know how painful it is for me to see you like this? Crying your eyes out for another woman? Will you ever cry like that for me? I doubt it… Ray… did you know that I fell in love with you since the first moment I met you? Pretty much like how you are with Michelle. But I know that you only love Michelle. I don’t mind. That’s the truth. All I want is for you to be happy, and even if the person that could make you happy is not me, I still won’t mind. When all else goes wrong, just know that there’s someone like me. Who loves you very much, and will never abandon you. Good night my love.”
Qian stood up and was about to leave, but she was stopped by Ray’s embrace.
“Qian don’t leave. Stay with me.” Ray’s pleading voice was like a rope that tied her legs together and wouldn’t let her leave.
Outside it has begun to rain…