Fan Fiction |
by Hibiscus
They greeted each other and Mike ventured a question at the others. “Do you know why we have been asked to come for this meeting?”
The door opened just as Mike finished asked his question and a somber faced Angela strode into the room carrying a file.
“Good morning.” She said. “Actually it isn’t really a good morning.” She corrected herself, her face grave and her mouth turned down.
“What happened?” Ariel asked, feeling the first fluttering of an impending disaster.
“Have you heard of a Belinda Wu?” Angela asked them.
Sandra and Mary looked at their respective clients who looked at each other and then looked at Angela. They replied collectively, “Yes.”
“She appears to have some sort of grudge against you two.” Angela said addressing Mike and Ariel. “I had a meeting with Stefan yesterday and he told me that she contacted him, attempting to extort money from him. She has pictures.” Here Angela paused and turned to the blank screen behind her. She pressed a button on a remote control and pictures of Mike and Ariel started showing in a slide show.
Colour flooded Ariel’s cheeks and she looked over at Mike. He was staring at the screen, his eyes bright and his mouth pressed in a firm line. There was a pulse ticking away in his forehead and Ariel realized that he was furious.
“It’s an invasion of our privacy.” Mike bit out.
“Yes, I spoke to my lawyer about this and he said that there’s nothing we can do until the pictures have been made public. Not legally anyway.” Angela replied. “I also had a meeting with Belinda. I offered to pay her instead of Stefan and she refused. She told me she doesn’t deal with small fish.”
There was a silence. And then Ariel said, “It was the rustling. We heard rustling in the night. It was her.”
“Assumedly so. I talked to Linda and she’s prepared to say that she was with you guys at the camp all along. And since the pictures are really blurry and you and Linda are the same height, we can deny that it’s you in the pictures and even claim that they were photo shopped.” Angela finished.
“Wu Chun.” Mary said. Ariel turned to her looking confused.
“What?”
“Right.” Sandra nodded.
“You’ve already stirred up rumours with him. We can use this to our advantage. Be seen with him at that party tomorrow night, the one at the gallery. There’ll be a lot of reporters present and they’ll see you interacting with Wu Chun. Be a bit familiar with him. You can always deny it later, saying you are friends but this will work to confuse them.”
“I don’t like the idea.” Mike said.
“I guess this is as good a time to ask as any.” Sandra said to Mike. “The company wants you to squire around Serena.” Serena was the newest entry to the entertainment business. She was being launched by Mike’s company. “If there are rumours, Serena’s popularity will be soar.”
Mike looked unhappy. He hated charades. He glanced over to Ariel who sat quietly, hunched into her herself and Mike’s heart gave a weird little jump. There would be a fiasco. A circus media. All over again. “I’ll do it.”
Angela nodded. “I apologize. I feel responsible because I was the one who sent you on the camping trip.”
“Don’t worry. I was the one who sent Linda away.” Ariel said softly.
“It doesn’t matter who was responsible.” Mary said and Sandra nodded.
“Mike and Serena will go to that party too, tomorrow night. I don’t want you two to exchange more than the common pleasantry with each other. Do not dance together. Don’t look friendly, don’t act friendly.” Sandra said.
“This is stupid.” Ariel frowned. “If we don’t talk, aren’t we adding fuel to the fire?”
Mike nodded. “If we act any differently, they’ll figure there is something wrong.”
“Pay attention to your dates. You won’t have any attention left over for each other. I know I sound really cold but right now, you two will have to act as strangers at the party. And perhaps for some time after that.” Mary said firmly.
Mike and Ariel looked at each other and then they both nodded their assent.