| Fan Fiction |
by DTLCT
Like last time, Yoyo proceeds as cautiously and casually as she could. She has to admit that luck is really with her. She was just on her way to get some coffee when she spots Tim sitting at a booth by the door. What’s with him and using cafés for shelter? Doesn’t he rather be reading at home at his own leisure? It doesn’t matter, she thought. This is just another opportunity for her. As she’s waiting by the counter for her coffee, her mind spins rapidly trying to come up with a plan. However, she doesn’t have to come up with one. After all, what’s some harm approaching him and saying hi? She was just on her way to get some coffee, right? It doesn’t mean anything. After she retrieves her coffee from the counter, she walks towards the corner booth where Tim’s sitting at – engrossed in some book like the first time she met him.
“Interesting book?” Yoyo asked.
Tim seems surprised upon seeing her standing in front of him. “Um…”
Yoyo smiles and gestures towards the empty seat opposite from him. He returns her smile and gestures for her to go ahead. After that, he goes back to reading his book like before. It seems like he thought that there are no other spaces around here so she has no choice but to approach him.
She lets him sink back into his fictional land while she observes him carefully, pondering what she should do next. She takes a quick sip of her coffee while stealing a quick glance at the book cover. So they have familiar taste. But that doesn’t stop her from exposing him with what he’s up to recently. She reminds herself that she’s here to help Ray. This time, no one is here to back Tim up. She could fire questions at him all she wants without feeling any ounce of frustration like this past week. If she happens to be wrong, she will apologize later. But right now, she has to do this for Ray.
“I bought that book already but didn’t get to read it yet,” Yoyo said. “Busy schedule.”
Tim nods – finally pulling his attention away from the book. “It’s better than her last book…if you had a chance to read it.”
“I’ll be looking forward to it then.”
Tim smiles and returns to reading again.
“Have any special holiday plans?”
“Not really.”
It’s hard to continue the conversation when he has already been so devoted to the book. She needs to stop beating around the bushes and get to the point. “Should I leave so you can focus on the book?” Like he seems to be the least disturbed, Yoyo thought to herself while waiting for him to answer.
“No. It’s all right.” He looks up at her again. “Any holiday plans then?”
“I have a month so I’ll be doing a bit of this and that, probably showing Nnadia around for a while. She’s so amazed with all the changes around here since she hasn’t been back for quite a long time now.”
“Sounds like fun then.”
“You seem passive of the holiday season.”
Tim shrugs his shoulders. “It’s my break so I’ll just treat it like a normal break. What’s there to be over-hyped about?”
“If you’re not sounding so passive, I swear you’re bitter about it.”
Tim shrugs again. “Do I?”
Yoyo takes a quick glance at her watch. “Nnadia should be here soon so I’ll be gone and you can go back to your book.”
Tim nods.
“Not caring to join Jacky and the other at Jan’s then?”
“No need. I’m on break. Don’t want to see them too much.”
“Oh. It’s been so cold lately. I hope Jan remembers to take good care of herself considering her current condition.”
Tim seems interested or alarmed so he snaps his head up to look at Yoyo again. “I missed something?”
Yoyo takes a sip of her coffee before repeating her words – thinking that Tim had not heard her before. “No, I said I hope Jan would take good care of herself since she can’t afford to get sick around this season. It will be too much of a strain for her immune system.”
Tim wrinkles his face. He has on this look that makes her feel like an idiot for some reason.
“I mean after that surgery she had and all, you know. I’m just a bit worried for her. You don’t have to give me that look like I’m over-reacting.”
“No. I’m not mocking you. I seriously don’t know that things are that serious. You mean to say that bullet did that much damage?”
Yoyo finally understands why Tim has been putting on that look – glad that he’s not treating her like an idiot. He’s just confused after all, Yoyo reassured herself. “She didn’t wear a bullet proof vest and considering where that bullet hit and…she’s just lucky to be alive.” She could see Tim’s expression. “Did I frighten you?”
“No. I’m just still am trying to sink this in. Does anyone else know about this?”
Yoyo shrugs her shoulders. “I thought you guys knew since you’re all her friends.”
“I don’t know for one.”
“That means I accidentally spill her secret then?”
“I don’t know but I’m glad you told me.”
Yoyo glances at her watch briefly. “Anyway, hope that you’ll enjoy the rest of your holiday. I’m leaving now.”
Tim smiles. “You too.”
Yoyo returns his smile and stands up from the booth, making her way to the door where Nnadia’s making her way in.
Tim doesn’t seem to be interested in his book anymore. He looks after the girls for a bit while pondering if Jacky knows.
*****
For the next few days, luck seems to reverse its role on Yoyo. Or maybe ‘luck’ decided to switch sides after all. She couldn’t find anything related to Tim at all. She even resorts to stalk him for a while but couldn’t discover anything out of the ordinary. She reassures herself by reminding herself that he must be trying to make the best of the holidays like most of them – after all. Even if he seems passive about the season, maybe the cheerful atmosphere surrounding them all is affecting him in some way. She almost drops the stalking technique when she finally runs into a break one day.
She is just turning into a side road to head back home through the little passing in the woods so she isn’t paying attention at first. But when she’s about to turn right to exit out towards the clearing and back into the main street, she sees two cars parked next to each other towards the left road. She slows down and parks under a tree to keep a close watch, thinking they might have car trouble and she might be able to help. She recognizes Tim’s car behind a dark sedan. What is he doing here late in the afternoon? Yoyo is about to call it quits since she hasn’t had much luck lately. Besides, she has to pick Nnadia up at the local grocery store. However, the man in the dark sedan finally gets out, causing her to observe more carefully as the scene unfolds. They talk for about 15 minutes before parting way with the man driving away first. Yoyo takes the chance to step out of the car and makes her way towards Tim.
“Nice day for a little get together, Mr. Lo?” Yoyo asked.
Tim seems somewhat startled since his attention was focused on the car in front of him. He regains himself right away when he sees it’s just Yoyo.
Tim turns on his friendly smile. “Hi. How’s it going?”
“Do you have anything that you want to clarify before I tell Ray?”
Tim knows that she must have seen the whole thing so he decides to drop it. “It’s not what you think, Yoyo.”
“Then what is it?”
Tim reaches into his pocket and takes out a card. He hands it to Yoyo before speaking up again. “If you want to verify the information, feel free to ask around.”
Yoyo studies the card Tim – Gallen – just handed her carefully before looking at him again. “What are you and him doing here then?”
“Talking about Ray, of course.”
“So his father asked you to spy on him?”
Gallen sighs out. “I might as well tell you since the others already know.” He leans his back against his car. “Mr. Cho wants me to keep an eye out for Ray and Mandy at times. I’ve been doing that for the most part. And sometimes Jacky helps since Ray doesn’t seem to trust me that much.”
“You’re right about that.”
“Mr. Cho is just worried for him after all. You probably think it’s an excuse. But I think that he’s just a father who’s trying to do the best he can for his children.”
“Is that why you moved in next to them?”
“Partly and maybe because of what happened six months earlier, I just want to make sure they’re safe. Whatever it is, you don’t have to feel trapped in between us because you’re Ray’s friend so…”
“Of course I will tell him. I’m just surprised that everyone around you guys knows, except him.”
“I don’t think everyone knows.”
“Well…”
“I’m sorry if I’m acting like I’m reluctant to cooperate but I have to go now.”
Yoyo could see that Gallen’s not the type of guy to use an excuse so he could get away from her, so she nods.
“See you around, I guess?”
Yoyo nods again.
Gallen gets into his car at that time as Yoyo steps away from his car, giving him space.
Just as he’s turning on his engine, Yoyo knows that she must say it. “And Tim…”
Gallen turns back to look at her through his window.
“You’re his friend too, not just some bodyguard.”
Gallen smiles, knowing that Yoyo wants to reassure him. “Actually, it’s not bad living at the current place either.”
“If you didn’t like it, you wouldn’t be doing it in the first place, right?”
Gallen nods.
“I’ll see you around then.”
She finally steps away from his car for the last time and walks towards her car across the path.
© Saturday, January 24th, 2009
Re-posted: Friday, October 16th, 2009