Fan Fiction |
by Hibiscus
“Omg, congratulations Joe!” Ethan and Rainie said at the same time.
“Copycat.” Rainie muttered.
“Annoying.” Ethan said.
Ariel smiled tentatively. “But that means…”
“You’ll be away for a month!!!” Mike exclaimed. Mike sat up looking upset. “How come you didn’t say anything about it before?”
Ariel reached out and pulled Mike’s collar. He turned and looked at her and then moved to lean back against the chair she was sitting on.
Joe smiled at the gesture that Ariel had made, unconsciously revealing herself.
“I didn’t want to jinx myself.” He finally replied.
“Hmph.” Mike crossed his arms and pouted.
“Just a month right?” Ariel said, looking at Joe for confirmation. “30 days and not a single hour more?”
“Yes Yi Chen. How could I bear to be parted from you for longer than that?” Joe said fluttering his eyes at her.
Ariel pinched Mike. “Okay , okay!” Mike said sighing. “You’d better get me some numbers of some hot Greek girls.” He said grinning.
Ethan perked up. “Greek girls?”
Rainie had gone to fetch them some drinks and she had just entered the room when she heard Ethan’s words. She passed him and suddenly Ethan was covered in ice cold juice.
Ethan gasped as the cold hit him. Ariel, Mike and Joe stared wide-eyed.
Rainie blinked innocently and then said, “Oops.”
“OOPS?!” Ethan roared. “You DRENCHED me INTENTIONALLY and all you can say is OOPS?”
“Intentionally?” Rainie said, looking incredulous. “Why would I intentionally spill drinks that I lugged all the way from the kitchen for you? Hmm? Does that make sense to you guys?” And she turned to Ariel and the others.
“I think you guys and I need some bonding time. Don’t you?” Ariel said picking up her purse and nudging Mike with her foot. “Come on Joe.” She slipped her hands in Joe’s and nodded at Mike. “Let’s go.”
“Wait, where are you going?” Rainie said.
“Never mind that. You explain why spilt drinks on me.” Ethan interjected. “You little fuzzball!”
Rainie’s head whipped around. Ariel took one look at her face and fled, Mike and Joe at her heels.
“Greek girls?!” Rainie asked. “Your tongue practically rolled out all the way out the door and to the road at the mere mention of Greek girls!” She spat out.
Ethan looked chagrined. “Rainie…”
“Don’t Rainie me. What was last night all about? ‘Oh Cheng Lin, my heart beats only for you,’ ‘You are the reason I wake up in the morning.’” Rainie imitated him.
“I never said that! I would never be that gross!” Ethan looked sick.
“Ooohhh! Fine! Why don’t YOU go with Joe and find someone you can be gross to.” Rainie folded her arms.
“Cheng Lin, c’mon listen to me. I like you, I do.” Ethan tried to pacify Rainie but Rainie had her mind all made up. She pointed to the door.
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Meanwhile…
“Whew.” Ariel said as she leaned against her car. “That was close.”
“What’s going on with them?” Joe asked Ariel who looked questioningly at Mike.
“I don’t know!” Mike said throwing up his hands.
“Hmm. She was jealous.” Ariel said. “Cheng Lin was actually jealous.” She started laughing.
“You’d better not let her hear that, Yi Chen,” Joe said. “She was looking like a very pissed off tiger in there.”
“Poor Ethan.” Mike said and they all shuddered at what he must be facing.
“Okay, I need to get going.” Ariel said. “Do you guys want me to drop you off at home?”
Joe looked at Mike in askance and Mike shook his head. “I’ll get Sandra to come pick us up.”
“Are you sure?” Ariel said again, scrunching up her face. “It’s no problem for me.”
“Well…” Mike said.
“Oh for the love of coconut cakes!” And Joe got into the car, sitting in the front seat. “I call shotgun,” He said belatedly.
They were just about to leave when Ethan stomped out of the house with a thunderous look on his face.
“Hey, wait for me!” He yelled when he saw them leaving. He got into the car and sat with his arms folded and the thunderous look on place. Ariel, Joe and Mike all turned and looked at him and he stared back obstinately. “What?” He said.
Ariel, Mike and Joe exchanged glances with each other, silently communicating.
“So, it’s hot today, huh.” Joe said.
“Yes, very.” Mike said fanning himself.
“I wonder if it will get hotter.” Ariel said turning on the radio.
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Later that evening, Ariel found herself outside Rainie’s bedroom door.
“I come in peace.” She called. “And I have ice cream.” There was no answer.
“Strawberry Cheesecake ice cream.” She added.
Then the door opened a crack and Rainie peeked out. Ariel grinned at the adorable picture she made in her oversized jammies.
“Come in, ice cream first.” Rainie said.
Ariel slipped into the room and closed the door.
“So how much do you like him?” She said as she rummaged through Rainie’s stack of dvds. She found the one she was looking for put it into the dvd player.
“I don’t know.” Rainie mumbled through her mouthful of ice cream. “I’m scared, Yi Chen.”
Ariel went and curled up on the bed beside Rainie.
“We’ve been friends for so long, all of us. And I don’t want to ruin it like…” And she stopped with a sideways look at Ariel.
“You can say it, Cheng Lin. I know the rift in our group was Mike and my fault.”
“Yeah. I don’t want a repeat of that, now that we are working towards getting back that closeness we had before. But at the same time, I can’t sit back and do nothing. And it all makes me so MAD! And then he said something about those girls and I just lost it.” And Rainie punched her pillow.
“Well, friendships evolve, Rainie. You can’t expect them to be at the same stagnant position forever. And it’s Ethan. We’ve known him forever, even before we all entered this business. So it’s okay for you to like him, and it’s okay to be scared.” Ariel snatched the spoon from Rainie and ate some ice cream.
“You really think so? He said he liked me.” Rainie blushed.
Ariel laughed. “What about Wu Chun?” She teased.
“Well, he’s beautiful but I scare him. Besides, I think he might have a crush on you.” Rainie said.
“Haha. No. He likes me cuz I showed him the greatest places to eat.” Ariel laughed. “I reckon he could be a contender for Joe’s affections if they spent more time together. Considering they both have such voracious appetites.”
“Mike would be so jealous!” Rainie said.
The girls laughed.
“Oh, we have to introduce Tamara to Jiro.” Rainie said speaking of the only friend they had who instead of going into show business had decided to go into medicine.
“You were talking about her?” Ariel said referring to Rainie’s earlier comment to Jiro.
“Yep.” And she smiled, matchmaking hat in place. Suddenly she jumped up on her bed and struck a pose.
“How about now, Yi Chen, am I sexy enough for you now?”
“Rainie, you are wearing Bugs Bunny pjs. I told you, no silk, no seduction!”
Rainie clutched her heart and flopped back onto the bed.
“You wound me!” She exclaimed.
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