Fan Fiction |
by manggang_hilaw
“Shut up Mei Zhou.” Ximen’s normally placid tones had turned hard. “Well?” he asked Lei.
“Anything you have to say, can be said in front of Mei Zhou.” Lei calmly responded.
Part of Mei Zhou was glad of Lei’s support but another part of him wanted to be as far away as possible from the two. He was afraid he wouldn’t be able to control them if they get it into their heads to fight physically. He could still remember the last time the two of them fought when they were kids. Ah Si had tried to referee and had ended up with a broken nose. Where was Ah Si when you needed him?
“So who was she?” Ximen went direct to the point.
“What are you talking about?” Lei was genuinely confused. He’d thought Ximen had finally come to his senses and was going to call him out over Xiao You’s affections. His question seemed out of context.
“Who called you?” Ximen couldn’t prevent anger from creeping into his voice as he recalled Xiao You’s worried tone when she was talking to Shan Cai.
Lei froze. How the hell had Ximen known about the call? “I don’t see how it’s any of your business who called.”
“What about Xiao You?” Ximen asked.
“Xiao You has nothing to do with it.” It was the truth after all.
“You bastard! Don’t you care if you hurt her?” Ximen surprised himself at the amount of anger he heard in his own voice as well as at the sudden urge to do Lei bodily harm for his callous treatment of Xiao You.
“Don’t confuse my actions with yours.” Lei couldn’t help but hit back at Ximen in anger. The arrogant fool!
Mei Zhou held his breath, waiting for Ximen’s response. He had no idea what the two were talking about. but the tension between the two was so thick, one could almost cut it with a knife. He wondered idly how much rhinoplasty would cost.
Ximen couldn’t say anything. Lei’s retort had stung him.
“Don’t interfere in something you don’t understand.” Lei’s anger had subsided as quickly as it came.
“She loves you!” Ximen wanted to shout it at Lei but his voice came out in a croak. He felt deflated. Why did it hurt to say that?
“And I love her.” Lei responded gently. He knew Ximen was hurting. A part of him felt sorry for his friend. But another part of him was glad because it meant Ximen really cared for Xiao You.
Ximen sat down slowly, his face a picture of confusion. Lei loved Xiao You. The truth of the statement was evident in Lei’s voice. Lei loved Xiao You. Why did it matter so much to him? Lei loved Xiao You. He should be happy for Xiao You shouldn’t he? Lei loved her. Lei loved Xiao You. Why did that phrase keep repeating over and over in his mind?
“Ximen?” it was Mei Zhou’s voice that broke through Ximen’s inner ramblings.
Ximen looked at Mei Zhou as if coming out of a trance. “What?”
“Are you okay?” It was Lei who asked in concern, not liking the color on Ximen’s face, or should he say the lack of it.
“I think I’m going to be sick.” Ximen’s bile seemed to have suddenly risen to his throat.
“No! Don’t!” Mei Zhou couldn’t help his reaction.
Lei threw him a quelling glance.
“What? You know I get sick too at the smell of vomit.” Mei Zhou defended himself, feeling his bile rising too at the very thought.
“Ximen do you need to go to the washroom?” Lei asked, ignoring Mei Zhou’s explanation, trying to recall what it was he said that could have affected Ximen that way.
Ximen swallowed convulsively. What the hell’s wrong with him? Why had he ended up feeling sick all of a sudden? “It must be because I missed breakfast.” He offered in explanation.
Lei and Mei Zhou looked at each other. They weren’t entirely sure who it was Ximen was trying to convince. Them or himself.
***
She was still in bed when the phone rang. She groaned in annoyance. It had taken her forever to fall asleep and she wasn’t up to talking to someone on the phone. Another ring. She covered her ears to drown out the sound. Two more rings.
“Ignore it.” She told herself. Whoever it was will eventually give up.
Another ring. Drats! How could anyone sleep through that?
“This had better be good…” she muttered to herself as she picked up the phone. “Wei?” she snapped in annoyance.
“Ah Mei?”
She froze at hearing the voice on the other end. Why was he calling her?
***