| Fan Fiction |
by Chandra
Then only a few minutes later Tavia Su had been happy enough to touch the stars. There hadn’t been time to call another model, so Louis asked her to step in to take another model’s place. So excited and nervous, Tavia gladly accepted as she followed Louis Koo into the studio and posed for the shoot. It was her first day at the interview and she already got the job. It was unbelievable. Tavia couldn’t accept it as true. Could it be Ron help her with this?
With that notion on her mind, Tavia continued to stroll along the sidewalk. She couldn’t wait to tell Ron about her good news, but she also wondered if he already knew.
“Hey, how was it?”
Tavia jumped at the sound of a male voice and for an instant, she thought her eyes were deceiving her again, at the tall, incredibly handsome man in the black attire couldn’t be Ron Ng. But his shoulders were so very narrow, his hair exactly the same dark black, and his eyes the brownest she had ever seen. He had looked differently back in the building. She was probably worried and anxious about the interview that she didn’t take a good look at him.
“Ron?” There was a surprise in her voice. She remembered that he had promised to take her out to celebrate her successful acceptance as a model.
“This is for you,” Ron said, drew her near him, and handed her a single beautiful box.
Tavia took it from his hand, casually brushing her little finger over his skin, feeling unexpected thrum in her heart. She opened the box with trembling fingers and her breath caught at the gorgeous, diamond friendship ring.
Tavia looked at Ron and a brilliant smile broke over her lips. It was warm and sweet, and something expanded in his chest. It was a feeling that unnerved him and for a moment, he wished he hadn’t given her that because it would show how much he cared and knew that today was the most important day of her life. The beginning of her career. And the truth was, he wanted her to be happy.
She gazed up at him, tears clinging to her thick brown lashes. Happiness and gratitude overwhelmed her at the same time. She looked at him and the sadness was there in her face. Ron loved her; she saw it in the way he looked at her, in every word he spoke and gesture he made. Ron loved her, and sometimes she felt very powerful emotional responses toward him, but did that mean she loved him too? For a long time she had thought she only loved Bosco. But how could she explain the times when she thought she felt the same way toward Ron? If only she could love him. If only she could let Ron enter her heart. But then what will happen to their friendship?
“Thanks, Ron. You’re always my good friend.” She smiled at him and added, “You’re my only best friend.”
Ron reached over and gently captured her shoulders. Tavia closed her eyes and leaned toward him as he gathered her into his arms. Ron tightened his hold around her and spoke past the lump in his throat.
“You are too.” He forced a smile, as he didn’t want her to see that he was hurt.
___
Raymond Lam continued on up to the second floor; then the third; the fourth. He got out of the elevator and approached the office. In the hospital, things had become chaotic into the morning routine and the corridor was bright with light. At the end of the hall, he saw the brighter glow of the nurses’ station and heard the murmur of voices. .
He entered Bosco Wong’s office. He looked around at the elegant surroundings. The works of art on these walls looked like museum pieces, and the furniture had the exquisite patina of expensive antiques. Even the rug was magnificent, twenty feet long and of faded silk that must have come from the some kind of Empire.
Raymond stood in shock as he stared at the display in front of him. His parents had called and told him that his cousin Bosco Wong will work here starting today. And it would be a good manner if Raymond visited and helped Bosco to make the move. However, it didn’t seem like Bosco needed help to move stuff like his parents had suggested.
Raymond already made up his mind that he disliked Bosco Wong. It was the fact that Bosco had decorated this hospital office into a museum, especially on his first day. Even if Raymond’s parents instructed him to be polite and kind toward his uncle and aunt’s only child, Raymond cannot simply follow their instruction. He didn’t care much since Bosco wasn’t their real kid anyway, he was adopted.
Raymond turned as Bosco strode angrily into the room. Bosco dismissed the nurse with a wave of his hand.
“What are you doing here?” He hissed. “And who are you?”
Bosco turned to look at the man inside the room. He was wondering how the man had entered his office without his permission. Moreover, he definitely did not like this man’s evil smirk.
For a moment no one spoke. Bosco waited for the guy’s response. All of a sudden, he felt a buzzing sensation inside his head and as he tried to ignore the hum of the air conditioning.
___
Disgruntled but hopeful, Rain reluctantly let Kenneth color and snip at her hair. She wanted him to transform her into someone better, or should she say, ‘beautiful’. Someone who would make Bosco gasp in astonishment at her beauty. Someone would remind Bosco that she could be as beautiful and interesting as any girl who was once captured Bosco’s heart.
Finally Kenneth pronounced her, his creation, officially done. “Done!” He said, whipping the chair around to give Rain the full view. Rain didn’t recognize the girl staring back. She wore a jet yellow, layered bob that ended at her chin. It was way severe. In fact, she looked like the wild girl. Rain couldn’t’ tell whether she loved it or hated it.
After paying Kenneth with all the money she had saved, Rain eagerly ran toward the bus station. She wondered what Bosco would say at her new transformation. She did this for him, and worried that he might not like it. Moreover, what about the Mrs. Wu, at the orphanage home? She would yell and hit her if she saw what a mess Rain had made to herself.
___
Ron turned down the volume on his car radio as he drove toward the main hospital on the sizzling day. The traffic on the interstate highway was heavy, probably from people trying to escape the hot, sweaty city for the day. In the rearview mirror Ron could see a gray haze over the H.K. skyline.
He and Tavia were supposed to go on a date to celebrate her first job as a model. Sadly, it didn’t turn out wonderful as it should be. He had seen her happiness radiate on her lovely face. After he had told her that her father had endlessly tried to contact her but her father never got through her, so he had called Ron instead to leave the message.
“I forgot to turn on my cell phone when I was in the building during the interview.” Tavia had said as she’d flipped her cell open and dialed the number. Immediately, her face was replaced with panic and agitation. Her hand was trembled as if she was splashed with cold water.
“What happen?” Ron had run toward her as she shook her body. It’d pained him to see her like this. She quickly got into the convertible as she repeatedly said the word “H.K. hospital.”
___
I’m going to make it anyway, Rain thought. I’ll do whatever it takes. She needed to be there in time for Bosco’s first day at the hospital. With determination, Rain ran all the way from bus and toward the hospital. She only had little amount of money left with her, thus she cannot afford to pay the fee to the bus-driver.
The day began hot and sweaty, but by mid afternoon it had turned into a gorgeous spring day. The sky had been washed sheer blue, and every azalea bush was blooming, every garden blossom seemed to have popped open, like the flowers in movie animation. If only Bosco were here to enjoy the moment with her. Rain suddenly started running again as she realized that she was daydreaming. She can’t believe she stopped in the middle of the street just to enjoy the view of nature in front of her.
Rain darted across the street to the other side of the building. She knew it was pathetic to run this far, but she had no choice. She hadn’t wanted to admit, even to herself, how pitiful she would have looked if she went around asking for a ride.
The gate flew open and a tall, thin woman with dark black hair came bounding in, bumping into Rain.
“Oh, sorry!” she mumbled as she ran past Rain and into the building. Rain realized that the girl’s eyes were the same color as hers and she noticed the resemblance. Rain suddenly felt dizzy. Again, another man came running toward her, nearly hit her as he ran past her and after the disappearing lady.
Rain sighed. Great, just great. She’d finally made a mess with herself.
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Chandra
05/21/07
A Preview for Upcoming Chapter
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“Your life, happiness and welfare will be cherished and placed above my own for all time. You are my wife, bound to me for all eternity and always in my care.”
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“The stars make me feel sort of unimportant. Don’t you ever wonder what it would be like to touch them?”
“You’re more important than all those stars, Rain.” Bosco said softly. “For everything there is a reason.”
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“You have no idea how sick I’ve been, Tavia– how hard it’s been for me to get through these last few days at home waiting for you. And all the time the thing that kept me going was the thought of you, angry and avoiding me.”
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