| Fan Fiction |
by Hibiscus
“Shut up.” Ariel replied automatically.
“No, you shut up, otherwise you’ll end up with a clown face.” Rosalinda warned and Ariel became quiet with a hmph.
Ten minutes later, Ceci had finished Ariel’s hair, Rosalinda the makeup and Patience had got together a list of the people to target.
Ariel got up from in front of the vanity desk with a sigh of relief and strode to the wardrobe. Watching her walk, the girls looked at each other and tried not to laugh. After some discussion among each other, Patience ventured, “Um Ariel?”
“What?” Ariel was frowning as she rummaged through the wardrobe.
“You wanna walk like you are wearing a dress and not pants? Small steps.” Ariel paused and turned suspiciously to the girls.
They all had straight faces. Then she turned back to the wardrobe and heard a barely suppressed snort of laughter. She whipped around but couldn’t figure out which one was the culprit.
“Remember to act like a lady however difficult it is.” Ceci said grinning and Ariel cast her a dark glance.
“I’m going to the bathroom.” Ariel stomped over to the bathroom and slammed the door shut.
The doorbell rang and Patience wandered off to open the door. Three minutes later, Arron bounded into the room holding a bunch of daisies. He was dressed in a dark suit, tailored to fit his lean frame like a glove and his hair was styled perfectly. He smelt nice and beamed as the girls cooed over him.
“Are the flowers for Ariel?” Patience asked.
“Of course not. They are for you ladies.” And he handed the flowers to Rosa who smiled her thanks.
“What, no flowers for Ariel? Are you okay?” Ceci touched Arron’s forehead.
He laughed. “Yeah, I couldn’t find orchids, well the kind she likes and I knew she’d kick my ass if I bought her anything else.”
“Orchids?” Patience raised an eyebrow.
“Mm, the spider orchid. Her favourite flower.” Arron explained.
“How do you know?” Rosa questioned.
“I made her fill out a questionnaire and she did so I’d stop bugging her.” Arron grinned impishly and the girls burst into laughter.
“What’s so funny?” Ariel replied walking back into the room and standing with her hands on her hips.
Arron’s eyes widened until they were almost the size of saucers. Ariel looked utterly different from the scandalous hell raiser he was used to. Dressed in a full length dress of shimmery, silver material, Grecian style and a halter neck. Buckled at the waist. And a chain with a round pendant nestled between her breasts. Her make up was lightly done, eyes lined heavily with black, lashes sweeping the sky. Soft pink blush had been brushed lightly on her cheeks while her lips had been touched with a hint of rose pink colour. Her hair was put up in an elaborate coiffure with a few tendrils left to caress her neck. She looked as utterly unlike the Ariel he knew as the night differed from the day. In fact she was moonlight.
“Wow…” Arron breathed.
Ariel shot him an even darker look. “Think with your head Arron, not with your…pants.”
“You look beautiful.” Arron was lost in the clouds, grinning happily.
“Are you insinuating that I have never ever looked pretty except for today?” Ariel scowled.
The girls retreated safely to the side and watched.
“No. You look even prettier today.” Arron sighed.
“Ugh. Let’s go.” Ariel picked up her clutch and stomped out causing Patience to yell out, “Remember Ariel, SMALL steps.”
“Whatever.” Ariel called out as they left the house.
After they had gone, Ceci looked at Rosa and Patience. “Do you think she can pull it off? Pretend to be a lady?”
Patience replied, “You’d be surprised.”
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The party was at a hotel called Neoma. When Ariel had found out about the location, a strange smile had flirted with her mouth for a second before disappearing.
“It has a foreign owner.” Patience who knew everything had told her about the ostentatious place.
“Of course…” Ariel had murmured.
Now as they handed the keys to the valet and got on the red carpet, Ariel slipped her hand in the crook of Arron’s arm and glided down the red carpet as if she was born for it. The change was amazing. Her mannerisms had changed from the brash Ariel to one who was born to and reared in wealth. When she whispered nothings to Arron, her voice was modulated and she walked with the dainty steps apparent in ladies of high class. Her head was held high and she glowed. Arron stared at her wide-eyed and a bit alarmed.
“What’s the matter?” Ariel smiled her amused smile and Arron breathed a sigh of relief. It was just an act. She was still there underneath the glamour.
“Nothing.” He whispered back. They ignored the cameras and questions from the paparazzi about the relationship between them and her identity. Ariel was pretty sure that they’d have all information they could lay their hands on about her before the morning. Good. Just as she wanted.
They entered the palatial hotel and Arron looked around appreciatively. “It’s a wonderful place, this. Superbly constructed. Strange name though, don’t you think? Neoma…”
“My grandmother’s name was Neoma.” Ariel replied with a far away look in her eyes.
“Really? What a coincidence.” Arron handed their coats over to the doorman and they entered the vast ballroom where the party was.
“Yeah. Coincidence.” Ariel came alert and smiled brightly. “Look, there’s Jiro and Calvin. Let’s go say hi.”
Arron looked reluctant. “What if they try to steal you?”
“After what I put them through? I don’t think so.” Ariel smirked.
They walked over to where Calvin and Jiro stood with a group of two other men. “Hello gentlemen.” Ariel greeted them.
Calvin turned around first, saw Arron then turned to Ariel. He did a double take. “Well, well, well. The kiddo’s getting lucky tonight.” He nudged Jiro and everyone else turned to look at Ariel. Jiro and Calvin had no idea that the beguiling woman in front of them was the same torturer they had been telling the other two men about.
“What, you don’t recognize your teacher?” Ariel raised an eyebrow and had the satisfaction of seeing the colour drain from both their faces.
“A-A-Ariel?” Calvin stuttered.
“The very one.” Ariel replied.
“She’s taken.” Arron stated and was ignored as the men converged on Ariel as though hungry tigers on a tasty morsel.
“Hellooo nurse.” One of the unknown men said.
“I don’t believe I’ve had the pleasure.” Ariel said with a lift of an eyebrow. The man looked startled. He wasn’t used to not being recognized.
“Danson at your service, my lady.” The more slender of the two said. He looked delicate with a face that must make him millions.
“And I’m Rui Ja.” The other one said. He wasn’t as handsome as the other men present but when he smiled he endeared himself to you. He’d be the one you’d take home after all was said and done. Beauty fades, smiles don’t.
“Ariel Lin.” Ariel replied extending a hand. Danson made to kiss it and Ariel raised an eyebrow so looking chagrined, he shook it instead.
Rui Ja smirked at Jiro who was looking at Ariel as though she had two heads. “SHE’s the horrible woman who made your life hell? HER?” He sounded disbelieving.
“Yes. Be careful of her. She’s dangerous.” Jiro replied, folding his arms and looking stubborn.
“This pretty flower who looks like she couldn’t harm a fly is your teacher from hell?” Danson smirked.
Rui Ja and Danson looked at each other and then burst into laughter. Jiro and Calvin looked embarrassed. “She looked more dangerous back then.” Calvin muttered.
“Ariel, we need to go meet some other people.” Arron said huffily, tugging on her arm.
“Excuse us.” Ariel inclined her head and they started to walk away. As she passed Jiro, Ariel paused and leaned nearer to Jiro’s ear. “Moo.” She whispered and Jiro blanched and moved away, white faced.
“Arron, come here!” An older man called from the other side of the room. Arron looked to see who it was. “Oh, I gotta go talk to him. Come with?” He said to Ariel.
“Nah, go ahead. I see some people I know.” Ariel replied.
“I’ll find you later.” And he was gone.
Ariel looked around the ball room. One side of the room had glass windows which opened up to a patio outside. The other two walls had buffet tables and a band setting up in one corner. A bar was in the other corner. She looked around at the sparkling men and women, stars soaked in luxuriant lifestyles. Ariel wasn’t impressed. “Overstuffed turkeys.” She muttered to herself.
“Ariel.” Mike called out.
Ariel smiled and walked over to where he was standing with some people.
“Hi.” She smiled at the group in general and added a bit extra warmth for Mike.
“People, this is Ariel Lin. The next superstar waiting to happen. Happening.” Mike introduced Ariel and she smiled wider at his words.
“He exaggerates.” Ariel replied.
“I do not. Let me introduce you to Taiwan’s Entertainment Industry’s finest.” Mike replied.
“According to who?” Ariel asked with a straight face and Mike looked startled. Then she stuck her tongue out at him and he laughed. Everyone laughed.
“This is Joe Cheng, Ethan Ruan Tian and Alan Luo.” Mike introduced the three men. Alan Luo looked at Ariel piercingly and Ariel looked back at him.
“I’ve seen you act,” Joe said to Ariel. “At the auditions.” He added when Ariel looked at him in askance.
“Ah.” Ariel nodded.
“I haven’t had the pleasure yet.” Alan Luo replied. Ethan was looking around for someone.
“You soon will.” Mike said cheerfully. “So what do you think?” He asked Alan.
“Hmm. Ariel?” Alan asked Ariel who was looking at Ethan curiously.
“Yes?” She turned to him.
“Would you like to shoot a music video with me?” He asked baldly.
Ariel blinked at him, a bit startled. “A music video?” She repeated. “You mean wear a really tiny dress and grind against you along with a few other women?”
It was Alan’s turn to look startled. Actually, all the men looked startled.
“What?” Alan asked.
“Isn’t that what women usually do in music videos?” Ariel asked grinning.
“You’re from America?” Joe raised an eyebrow.
“Canada.”
“Oh,” Ethan looked interested. “I want to go there.”
“Everyone does.” Ariel smiled sweetly.
“No actually, it’s a mini drama kind of music video. We’d shoot it like it’s a drama, a very short drama actually. A five minute one.”
“Hmm. Can you sing?” Ariel cocked her head and Mike grinned. He was used to her impertinent questions but the other guys weren’t.
“What?” Alan looked a bit dazed.
“Yeah he can.” Joe replied.
“How come Rainie’s not here yet?” Ethan asked.
“Mike recommended you for the video. But if you don’t wanna do it…” Alan said looking a bit offended.
“I’m sorry. It’s just that I have had a bad experience with, well, Arron can sing.” Ariel amended mid sentence.
“Ah.” Alan breathed then smiled brightly. When he smiled, he like Rui Ja, transformed into someone beautiful.
“I’ll do it. That is, if you still want me to, and tell me what you want me to do. But be warned, I’m not grinding against you.” Ariel laughed.
“Don’t worry. I’ll make sure they aren’t filming for that part.” Alan winked.
Ethan and Joe had been whispering to each other while Mike had been talking on his cell phone while Alan and Ariel were conversing. “Give me your cell phone number and I’ll call you to set up the details.” Alan said and Ariel complied.
“Hmm. I’m hungry.” Ariel said looking towards the buffet tables.
“Want me to get you something?” Ethan, always the gentleman offered.
“Oh goodness no. I’ll get it myself.” Ariel replied surprised he had offered.
“Oh, are you sure?” Joe said looking concerned.
Ariel looked amused at their concern. “Positive.” She replied. “I’ll hopefully see you around?” She said to Joe and Ethan. And nodded at Alan.
“Save me a dance, Zee.” Mike said.
“Of course, J.J.” Ariel winked at Mike and nodded at Alan and left the group. Mike stared after her and sighed. Then he noticed that the others were staring at him. “What?” He mumbled fiddling with his phone.
“Someone’s got a crush.” Ethan smirked.
“Rainie won’t be pleased.” Alan looked at Joe and he said nothing.
“It’s not a crush. It’s an appreciation for a woman who’s totally unlike every other woman I have met.” Mike insisted.
“Yeah. Uh huh. I believe you.” Ethan said sounding completely insincere.
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Ariel piled her plate with food. She had a voracious appetite and she wasn’t at all afraid to eat what she wanted. Sushi, fried rice, noodles, honey garlic chicken. Okay so maybe she skirted the edges of gluttony but not always and only when she was hungry. And she was hungry. As she popped a tasty morsel into her mouth, she heard a bovine voice say behind her, “Did someone let out the pigs, Rainie? Cuz we seem to have run into one at the buffet table.”
Ariel didn’t turn around. Instead she took a bite of a sushi roll and mmmed her delight.
“It’s a pity, the kind of people they invite to these parties now. The caliber of these parties is slipping, don’t you think, Selena?” Rainie moved to Ariel’s side on the pretext of filling up her plate.
“And the way they are dressed. Like ragamuffins. Really Rainie, people should know better than to wear rags to parties, high class parties at that.”
Ariel swallowed her latest bite and took another bite of the sushi. Dessert down the buffet table caught her eye and humming she started to move down.
“You. We are talking to you. Don’t you have any justification to make?” Selena and Rainie stood together frowning at the lack of reaction. They were called Venom for a reason. They had cut down many other starlets at the knees with their poisonous words before and from Ariel, the very least they expected was tears.
Ariel paused. Then she turned back and smiled genially. “I didn’t think you said anything worth replying to.”
“You should be careful whom you tangle with, slut.” Selena said smiling sweetly.
Ariel yawned. Then she said. “Did you say something?”
“I’m saying if you don’t respect your elders, you will have cause to be sorry.” Selena continued, being the voice for Rainie who stood with downcast eyes.
Ariel straightened and it was as if a mask had fallen away from her. Ever since she had set foot in the hotel, she had been acting. Genial, sweet, glamorous. Acting. But now Ariel straightened up, the façade fell away and her true self peeked out from her eyes. There was a reason Ariel never let anyone see the true her. She took one step closer to Selena. And another. Then leaned in close like a lover and whispered, “You will want to be careful who you threaten, little girl. There are more wolves around than you give credit. And you might get hurt. Really, really hurt.”
And just as suddenly she back to the glamorous Ariel, sparkling. “I hope you enjoy the party.”
Selena didn’t know why but her heart was suddenly beating faster and there was a sick feeling of danger clamming up her stomach. And looking at Rainie’s face, she could see that Rainie felt the same way. “What the fuck was that?” Selena whispered to Rainie who did nothing but stare back at her mutely.
Ariel smiled her delight at the dessert. She loved dessert. Sweet, soft and entirely decadent.
“Wow, you were super amazing!” An awed voice breathed beside her. Ariel sighed. Not again. She looked to see who the latest disturber of her peace was. A girl with short hair and a blindingly bright smile, which was at this moment directed toward her. She wasn’t pretty, not in the conventional way anyway, her face was too unsymmetrical to call her beautiful but she was vibrant.
“Excuse me?” Ariel raised an eyebrow. She just wanted to find a corner and eat. Was that too much to ask?
“Hi, I’m Cai Yi Zhen. I was just…I mean, I just saw you with Venom and you were absolutely amazing. You made Selena shut up. Oooh, I wish I had a camera! I would have recorded everything.” She rambled.
“Venom?” Ariel asked.
“Yeah, cuz they are horrible bitches. They call themselves Venom.” Yi Zhen explained.
“This is like high school. All over again.” Ariel smirked to herself.
“Weren’t you scared?” Yi Zhen asked her owlish eyes wide.
“Scared? Oh what? Them?” Ariel turned to the women in question who were having an earnest discussion.
“Yeah.” Yi Zhen nodded rapidly.
Ariel laughed. A full throated laughter that turned many appreciating gazes on her. “No.” She said after she had spent most of her mirth.
“Are you new to the industry?” Yi Zhen was full of curiosity.
“Yeah. Very.” Ariel on the other hand was about as talkative as a tomb.
“I just got this interview with this director who says that I am perfect for the part. It could be my big break!” Cai Yi Zhen confided. “And it’s with Joe Cheng.” This last sentence was said with the sort of reverence that people usually just saved for God. Ariel glanced at her amused.
“But Winnie said that I was perfect!” Yi Zhen brought her fisted hands to her bosom and sighed deeply.
“I’m sorry, Winnie?” Ariel had no idea who Yi Zhen was talking about.
“Omg, you don’t know Winnie? His full name is Qu You Ning. He’s only the most brilliant director ever!” Yi Zhen was gushing.
Ariel checked the list that Mina had given her; the list that named the people to be targeted. Qu You Ning’s name was the first one.
She glanced over at Cai Yi Zhen who was looking at her with a definite case of hero worship shining in her eyes.
“So you are on a first name basis with Qu You Ning, eh?” Ariel asked again, as innocuously as she could.
“Yep!” Yi Zhen affirmed with a bounce of her short curls.
“Let’s be friends.” Ariel smiled like a shark.
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Author's note: I will reply to your comments after I get back from work. Promise. * the title of this chapter, "Dil Se Re..." is the title track of a music album I like very much. Urdu. It means "From the Heart.." Less corny. Sighs aside, I don't think I'll be able to finish this before school starts. For some reason, this story is way more difficult to write than Tuesday and THAT was painful. If you were wondering about the length of Fire Light, I haven't even begun to poke at the things and the person who Ariel and Chun are. And to everyone who is afraid that I'll only have them get together at the very end, don't be. I hate it when that happens so rest assured, they'll get together if I have to tie them up and throw them into the basement till they agree to makeup. lol. I've been reading Perfect Girl Evolution. It's funny! Bishies! And Coffee Prince. Hana Kimi. *sigh* I haven't even finished The Devil. So many things to do before school starts. Oh, don't glare at me, I've been writing too. Ahem. Thank you for your continued support.