| Fan Fiction |
by DTLCT
“Hi,” Achel greeted him casually – but still with a cheerful smile.
“Hey, you,” Chen Yi said back, placing a hand around her shoulder – and making sure that guy could see it. “Sorry I’m late.”
“Don’t worry about it. I was just talking to Brett anyway.”
That was what I was worried about, Chen Yi thought. He suddenly realizes that he’s not any better than Ming Dao. Or was Ming Dao’s insecurity passing over to him? Great, he thought.
“Are we going?” Achel asked, bringing him back to reality.
“Um…yeah,” He said quickly, continuing back to where his car is parked.
“Where are we going today?”
“Um….”
“Are we meeting with Qiao? Is she around?”
“Nah. I just part ways with them before coming here.”
“Oh.” She looks disappointed.
He smiles. “You want to hang out with them then?”
“It’s okay.”
“Sure?”
She nods.
He could almost feel there’s something wrong with her. However, he doesn’t pursue it. He unlocks the car and gestures for her to get in while he circles to the driver side.
“Can we go somewhere to talk?” She asked when he pulled out toward traffic.
“What’s going on?” He asked, knowing that there’s no avoiding the conversation.
“I rather we talk somewhere else than while you’re driving.”
He steals a glance at her when they stop at the red light. “What’s going on?”
“I…”
He could see her almost in tears.
“Xiao Yu…”
“Please…”
“Okay. Where?”
Someone honks behind them. He continues driving, waiting for her to come up with an answer.
“How about Seahorse Café?” She finally said.
“Sure?”
“Yea.”
It only takes 15 minutes but he makes sure to drive carefully. He can’t let his anxiousness get the better of him.
“So…?” He said finally when they’re there.
“Let’s go,” She said firmly.
Why was her mood changing so fast? She was cheerful at first then sad and now determined? He couldn’t stop to ponder. He locks his car and follows her to the back of the café.
“We’ll order in a bit,” She said when a waiter come up to them.
The waiter nods and smiles before heading back inside.
Achel continues to walk to the back area – where the water is. He watches her from a distance, almost too scared to come closer. When they’re finally by the pier, she turns around to face him again. Somehow, he could almost imagine the scenario, except it was him and Qiao Qiao that time.
“So…” He repeated the word he had uttered out when they were out in the parking lot, feeling unsure still.
She turns away from him and drops down to sit on the ground – with her legs dangling into the water. He walks towards her and drops down next to her.
“What do you want to talk about then?” He asked.
“Did you find someone yet?” She asked suddenly, still looking out at the water.
“Huh?” He asked, wrinkling his face.
“I just want to know.”
“Why are you asking?”
She doesn’t answer.
He finally understands. He turns sideways, looking at her. “You’ve found someone! Don’t tell me it’s that Brett!”
“Well…he sort of asked if I had anyone…”
“Oh…no wonder he was getting friendly earlier. So, I guess this is it for us, huh?”
She turns to face him finally, her right leg folding in and her left leg still dangling in the water. “So does that mean you’ve found someone?”
He shakes his head with a smile. “No way.”
“Does that mean you still like Qiao Qiao?”
“It just means that I’m still single.”
“Then why do you want me to accept Brett?”
“I can’t allow you to pass the opportunity of meeting another guy just because you agreed to help me for so long already.”
“But what will you say to the others? We’re attached, remember?”
He shrugs, folding his feet in and turning his full attention to her. “So? We could say that we broke up. It’s not the end of the world.”
“Oh.”
“What do you mean oh? A guy’s interested in you and you’re not the least excited?”
“Maybe…”
“What?”
“Maybe I’m just scared to try it.”
“What have I told you all these times? You’ve got to be brave.”
Achel stares at him silently.
“Come on. Don’t be like that.” He pats her head. “Don’t worry about me. I’ll be fine. I already got past the worst, right? It was all thanks to you for agreeing to help all this time. Now it’s your turn to find happiness, okay?”
“Maybe I’m already used to it.”
He smiles. “You can’t be serious. I’m such a bully. Come on. Let’s call for a celebration.”
“You serious?”
He stands up and pulls her up with him. “Of course I’m serious. I’m happy for you. Let’s go grab something to eat.”
She allows him to pull her towards the side entrance and into the café. It’s one of those rare times they’re actually going inside. She watches in silence as he orders for the both of them and excuses himself to go to the restroom.
She couldn’t help but remember back to last year when he had asked her for a favor. It was for Qiao Qiao’s sake, he had said. Because he knew Qiao Qiao knew he would never pull such a scheme, he did. That was how they’ve become attached since that day when Chen Yi cheerfully declared to the others of their status.
Suddenly, she feels tears forming in her eyes. Is she reluctant to let go of it? Is she taking it too seriously, turning it into reality after all? It is she who wanted to declare her freedom after playing a role for too long. Then why is she feeling so sad about the whole situation? Or maybe she is just feeling the fear of stepping out to the world on her own and trying out a new relationship – a relationship with someone who she knows little of. It is finally her chance to step out to the real world. A world that only belongs to her and leaving behind her friends. Leaving behind Chen Yi.
© Saturday, September 19th, 2009
Posted: Friday, October 2nd, 2009
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A/N: If you're wondering why I'm going this route, it's because I felt it was too fake when I wrote the other part about Chen Yi and Achel being attached just right after Chen Yi overheard the conversation between Jacky and Qiao Qiao in part 1. Although I did imply some hints that led to that point but I couldn't even convince myself - and I'm sure some of you who read the first part was not that convinced either. Chen Yi - in this story - although he is quite crazy and/or weird with his behaviors, but he's ver serious in love. He can't just forget Qiao Qiao after two shakes like just within the time period in the first part, which was only 2 months or so since they all graduated.
I'm done with the rant. Happy reading. It will be the same pattern since I'll be updating once a week until the end of the story, which won't be long now - several more chapters.