| Fan Fiction |
by Hibiscus
Ariel, looking grumpy walked out of her room, snatched the phone from Patience and walked back to her room.
“Yeah?” She said into the phone.
“Hello.” A single word and her hackles rose. This wasn’t Arron. Wu Chun. He was the reason Mina wasn’t talking to her properly. Mina felt betrayed and nothing Ariel said would make her listen.
“What?” Ariel said curtly.
“Aren’t you going to teach me?” She could hear the smile in his voice and Ariel wished Patience hadn’t picked up the phone.
“We can do the session tomorrow.” Ariel replied. She really wasn’t in the mood to battle with Chun. Outside storm clouds were gathering while the heat caressed every bare inch of her skin.
“Tonight. I’ll come get you at ten.” He said.
“Tomorrow.” Ariel repeated.
“Be ready.” He hung up.
Ariel pressed redial. It rang. Once. Twice. Then he picked up.
“Where?” Ariel snapped. The sooner she got it over with, the sooner she could go back to her normal life.
“La Estrella. Dress up.” He sounded so smug and in control of himself. Ariel felt an irrational urge to throttle him.
“8 o’clock.” Ariel said.
“10.”
“8. Leave it or take it.”
“Fine. I’ll get you.”
“No. I’ll meet you there.” Ariel hung up and stared at the phone for a long second, annoyed. The anticipation of danger sent shivers down her spine. Tonight something would happen, something big. She had to be ready for it.
Nobody else was home except Patience and when Ariel went to return the phone to the cradle; Patience raised an eyebrow in query.
“Not Arron. Chun.” Ariel replied.
“Oh. I thought he sounded different. Is he why Mina’s talking to you all stilted?” Patience put down the book she was reading.
“Yeah. Shit. She thinks I’m into Chun.”
“Are you?”
“Hell no.”
Patience gave her a piercing look. Ariel stared back. “You are not lying, you are denying. Poor kid.” Patience picked up her book again.
“Whatever. I have to go to La Estrella with him tonight.” Ariel flopped upside down on the couch. Her head hanging off the chair.
“Posh. What are you going to wear?” Patience asked.
“Blue jeans, white t-shirt and a black bra.” Ariel smiled a wicked smile. She had no compunction in flouting traditions and expectations.
---
Eight o’clock found Ariel leaning against the fence in the parking lot of La Estrella. It was still hot and she was cursing Chun in her head for insisting that they have this stupid meeting today. And there were butterflies in her stomach.
“It’s just indigestion.” Ariel muttered to herself.
She straightened as Chun’s car drove into the parking lot. Fixing a pleasant smile on her face, Ariel walked over to where he was getting out of the car.
“Hello.” The picture of civility, that’s what I am, Ariel smirked to herself. Chun turned and took her in. from her sneaker clad foot, up her jean clad legs to the basic white t-shirt, up to her smiling lips and met her eyes.
The storm clouds gathered in his eyes, matching those gathered in the rapidly graying sky.
“I guess I won’t do for this posh place.” Ariel said, triumph lacing through her words.
“Of course you will.” Chun said shortly. “Let’s go. I have reservations.”
Ariel shrugged and walked behind him. He’d just be told she didn’t meet the dress code, then they could go somewhere else and she’d do this and get it over with. And that would be that.
They entered the restaurant and the maitre immediately came to greet them. His smile of welcome died as he took in Ariel’s attire.
“We have reservations.” Chun said to the man. The maitre looked at Chun, recognized him and gulped.
“But she doesn’t…she is…sir, she doesn’t meet the dress code!” The maitre said wringing his hands.
“She’s with me.” Chun said, a ring of finality sounding in his voice.
The maitre, too scared to oppose Chun any further, watched helplessly as Chun led the way to a table. Ariel shrugged at the hapless maitre and followed.
“Wow, you used your clout to get me into the restaurant. How very manly of you. Should I swoon now?” Ariel said sarcastically.
“Sit.” Chun said pointing the chair.
“You forget yourself. I’m the teacher here, not you.” Ariel remained standing.
“And what could you teach me?” Chun looked amused.
“Hmm, you are right. Teaching an old dog new tricks will be difficult.” She sat down pretending to be in deep thought.
Chun followed suit and they both sat opposite each other. A waiter brought over two menus and left.
“I’m not hungry.” Ariel put the menu to the side.
“You will eat.” Chun replied. He was angry, Ariel realized. His words weren’t as laid back and as easy as they previously had been. She felt a small flicker of satisfaction.
“What, are you regretting bringing me here now?” She leaned back in her chair.
“No.” Chun made a small motion with his wrist and the waiter came immediately. Ariel studied his face as he ordered. The candle light arranged shadows on his face, making him appear mysterious and broody. Ariel didn’t know why but she felt a strong urge to run, run as far away as she could from him.
He looked up, met her eyes and smiled, pleased at the attention.
“To look at you, one would think you were some sort of an angel.” Ariel said in a thoughtful tone. “Shows that appearances are misleading.”
“Are you saying I’m not angelic?” He had the gall to appear wounded.
“Why are we here? It’s obvious you don’t need me to teach you anything. You aren’t interested in learning anything I have to teach.”
Chun looked her over and he smiled slowly. “I wouldn’t say that.” He whispered.
Ariel looked away, disgusted. “Aren’t you betrothed?”
Chun’s eyebrows furrowed and then he replied. “Calvin’s got a big mouth.”
“Well?”
“Yeah.”
“I don’t poach on anybody else’s territory. Fact.” Ariel said stiffly. She was uncomfortable and it showed.
“She doesn’t matter.” Chun said swiftly.
“Oh really?” Ariel raised an eyebrow.
The waiter brought the food then and Ariel made use of his presence. “Well then, enjoy your dinner.” And she slipped out of her chair and hurried out of the restaurant (to the relief of the maitre). Chun bit back an epithet and threw some money on the table and walked out after her.
The storm clouds had burst and it was raining wildly. Ariel walked rapidly, not caring that she was getting wet, her t-shirt plastered to her skin and gone transparent. She passed an alley and suddenly an arm shot out and grabbed her. Immediately going into battle stance, Ariel struggled to get free but the person dragged her under the faint light of the next building. She recognized the person as Chun and relaxed. When she relaxed so did he and Ariel wrenched herself out of his grip.
“What the hell are you doing?” Ariel was angry, as angry as the rain, coming down in punishing drops.
Chun’s coat was gone and his shirt, expensive shirt was soaked. And he didn’t seem to be able to take his eyes off her.
“What is it with you?” Ariel said again, a near yell. “I’m tired of you baiting me.”
“You are the first woman to deny me what I want.” Chun said. “A challenge. Yes, I love challenges.”
Ariel brushed her hair back from her eyes. “You look like every girl’s dream. Beautiful, golden and charming. You know how to manipulate feelings, other peoples’ feelings and yet you are stingy with your own. You are like a bee, fluttering from one beautiful flower to another, feeding off them, not just sating your desire but feeding off their adulation, off their love. But in reality you are not just a dream, Chun, you are a bloody nightmare.”
Chun put both arms on either side of her head and pushed Ariel against the wall. Bringing his lips close to hers, so close they shared the same air, he whispered, his lips touching hers while he spoke, “Maybe I am a nightmare, Ariel. I could make you scream all night long too.”
Ariel put her arms on chest and pushed him. He staggered back and she walked fully into the light and again his attention went to her chest, where the blackness of her bra stood out against the wet shirt. Ariel felt her lips curve in a mockery of a smile.
“You like this, don’t you?” She whispered into the night. Some demon possessed her maybe or maybe she gave in to the wildness of the night. Ariel hooked her fingers in her shirt and peeled it off herself. She stood in the weak light, in the rainy night, with him looking at her. Looking at her as though he’d lose himself in her. “Look all you want, Chun, because trust me, looking is the only thing you will be able to do. Ever.”
The electricity between them sparked and crackled, almost tangibly.
A hunger was born, from the way his eyes lingered on her wet skin, the raindrops traveled to places Chun would have sold his soul to traverse. Her damp skin in the cold black rainy night sang an allure that even a siren could not match.
He watched as an errant raindrop slipped down her cheek, followed her neck to her collarbone. Then as though impelled by Chun’s gaze, it traveled down her chest and got lost in the folds of her black bra.
Chun’s breathing got ragged and the hunger demanded action. He felt himself ache with the need to possess her; to bury himself so deep inside her that his was the only name she remembered, his was the only face she recognized. He took a step closer, hand outstretched to cup her waist and bring her nearer to him.
At the same time, Ariel took a step back and another. She said to him clearly and calmly, her eyes betraying none of the fever his looks had summoned in her, “You are not man enough for me, Chun. You never will be.” Her words would echo in his ears for a long time to come. And as he stood frozen, in disbelief, in anger, she gave him a mocking smile and then clutching her t-shirt, walked away.
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Author's note: That's the much anticipated Ariel/Chun interaction. I hope you are more satisfied that Chun was (hahaha, I kill myself, haha). Ahem and if you are wondering where in the hell the story is going, don't worry, it's going pretty well exactly where I want it to go. And Chun's character... ah. I know you are thinking that since he's the 'hero' so to speak, he should be more likeable (aside: firefox doesn't know how to spell) but well.. he's not. And you are probably going to like him even less before the first part out but I'm sure he'll redeem himself somehow before the story ends. Eh? =) Thank you for reading and tell me how you like it so. Oh, Didarling, this one is for youuu!