Fan Fiction |
by Jenny Tran
The guys waited until Virginia left the room. Jeff’s gaze lingered on the door that just shut closed. “You really like her don’t you?” his best friend’s voice broke into his daze.
Jeff turned to his friend with a smile “Im not the only one.”
Jeremy nodded “She seems to like you more.” His comment was blunt but not harsh.
“Its hard to say. She doesn’t exactly express her own feelings a lot. She talks more about the concepts of life in her point of view, but barely talks about love. Im not sure who she likes.” He gave a sigh before sitting on the chair next to Jeremy’s bed.
“I think you’re a much better candidate.” Jeremy commented.
Jeff smiled vaguely “What about you? You’ll be hurt IF Ginny and I do get together. I don’t want to be the cause of your heartache and Im sure she doesn’t either.”
Jeremy shook his head “No, that’s not true. I chose this decision not you nor her. I am willing to back out, for our friendship’s sake.”
Jeff took a hold of his friend’s hand for the first time ever “I know what you’re trying to do and it won’t work. I don’t want to live with the fact that I caused my best friend to possibly lose the love of his life.” His serious tone was taken over by a laugh “You know we keep talking about who should be with her? But in truth, we don’t even know who she really likes. For all we know, she’s probably secretly in love with Freddie.”
The guys joined in together with a good laugh at the thought of the homosexual guy winning the girl of their dreams. “So what are you saying? None of us go after her?” Jeremy asked while Jeff nodded “Im sure she’ll chose the right person for her.”
“Me too.” Jeff couldn’t help but feel a little sad. She was never his to begin with yet he felt like he just lost her. “Well, Im gonna let you rest now. Don’t stay up too late. Call me if you need me.”
Jeremy rolled his eyes “I need a best friend not another mother!” His friend laughed as he got up and prepared to leave. “Hey, take care of Jo for me.”
Jeff nodded “Who’s being a mother now?” he gave his friend a quick wave and closed the door behind him.
**********
Outside the waiting room, the noise level increased from the relaxation of knowing that Jeremy was all right. Ginny saw Jeff walking towards them at the corner of her eyes. She nodded to everyone to get their attention “You guys had a nice talk?” she asked Jeff when he returned to the room.
He smiled and nodded in answer. “I want to stay here.” Joanne spoke up.
“No, its not good for a girl to stay here alone. He’s doing better, just go home and rest.” Jeff replied. She pouted her lips in disagreement, he smiled “How about this? I’ll take you back here tomorrow morning?”
This time Joanne grinned “Thanks!”
“How about we all go out for dinner?” he turned to the crowd.
They all looked at each other as everyone began to nod except for Freddie who was still sitting at the corner. They all turned to him for an answer, but he looked like he was in his own little world. Ginny was concerned as she looked at her friend, he seemed a little down since that phone call he took while Jeff was still in the room with Jeremy. She walked over to him “Hey, you want to go or not? I won’t go if you don’t want to go.”
Like magic, he snapped out of it and looked up at her with the same intensity in his eyes as his wide smile “A free dinner? I won’t miss it for the world!” he popped up from his seat and followed the crowd. Ginny stared after him wondering what was the matter, even if no one sensed his uneasiness, but she did. Six years of Psychology would do that to a person.
They all met up at a local casual restaurant where Jeff and Jeremy use to go to when they needed to talk. The atmosphere in the crowd was much better than before. They were joking with each other as usual. Especially Joanne and Freddie who can’t seem to stop arguing. Yet Ginny sensed a more closer bond then the first time they met “She-boy, you gonna eat all that?” he pointed to Joanne’s dish of sliced beef. She had a few slices left.
She gave him her most evil eye “I have a name you know.”
He laughed “ I know, She-boy.” Her glare turned vicious at his answer, he then rolled his eyes dramatically “Okay, Miss Joanne Hung, can I please have the rest of your beef?”
She smiled “That’s better. But one correction, its Jo not Joanne, that name is just so girly.” She wrinkled her nose as she plopped the beef onto his plate as he prepared to attack it.
“Freddie, you still hungry? Why didn’t you order another dish?” Ginny asked from across his seat.
He was chewing and didn’t want to answer with his mouth full so he covered half of his face with his palm “I won’t finish it.” He answered.
Jeff was too busy talking to Deana to noticed the other conversation taking place “Deana, I want you to take off a few days.”
“Why?” her eyes opened wide, showing her complete innocence.
“Because of your arm. Its casted! Anyways, I don’t want you to get injured again.”
She smiled “Its not the first time Lai Sir.”
“Don’t call me that, we’re not at work. How many times do I have to tell you that? Call me Jeff, please.” He looked at her with a stern face.
“Yes Sir!!” she saluted him jokingly “I mean Jeff.” She whispered.
He laughed as he shook his head. Ginny was looking at them from across the table. Her lips curved up in a slight smile “Do you always study people when they’re not looking at you?” his eyes turned to her abruptly catching her off guard.
She looked down at her plate and smiled “Force of habit. I don’t really study people, I just notice things and conversations around me.”
“Don’t mind her! She’s always like that, Im so use to it. Sometimes I put on this act so she could have something to write about in her little journal.” Freddie announced to the table.
Ginny looked embarrassed but continued to smile “I know you do.” She replied not really believing her own words.
“She even has a name for her journal, its… Ow!!” he rubbed his shin where she kicked him under the table.
“Ow? That’s an odd name for a journal.” Joanne said, her eyebrow arching in question. “I call mine Maureen.” She said dreamily.
Freddie laughed as he pointed to her. “Maureen??” she snapped her teeth together as she tried to bite the finger that was pointing at her teasingly. “You don’t have to get all nasty about it!” he said sarcastically “What’s with girls and journals? Deana do you have one?” he asked as he arched his neck to get her attention.
Deana smiled “I guess it is a girl’s thing. Mine is named Gary.”
“Oh, another ugly name. Well, except for Jeff, I liked that name better.”
Virginia’s face turned a beet red as she gave his shin another kick under the table. This time he jumped back in pain causing the waiter behind him to fall down with a tray full of drinks. Luckily the glass cascaded to the ground instead of on someone else. She covered her mouth at the scene before her, all eyes turned to her as she looked apologetically at everyone.
“Your journal’s name is Jeff?” Joanne asked with curiosity, ignoring the fact that Freddie was stumbling to get up, at one point he used her arm to pull himself up when he was unsuccessful.
“Yes, and it was before she met Jeff over there.” Freddie pointed to Jeff, who looked as embarrassed as his friend. “I guess some things are just meant to be.” He sighed as he looked up into heaven.
Joanne followed his gaze “What are you looking at?”
His dreamy looked changed in a second as he looked at her sarcastically “Im trying to be poetic…romantic…you know?” she shook her head “You’ll never know.” He waved his hand nonchalantly “Now I have to go and ice down my bruise.” Freddie looked at Virginia with a disapproving look but she ignored his gaze and everyone else’s.
Jeff paid for dinner as everyone thanked him for the kind gesture “Anytime. Oh wait, I take that back, anytime that Im free. Wouldn’t want you guys to ask me every week for a free dinner.” He joked.
“Bye.” They said it randomly as everyone separated to their own cars.
When Virginia and Freddie returned to her house, she walked straight into her room and shut the door with a bang. Freddie was close behind her but jumped back at the shutting door. He didn’t expect her to be that angry “Ginny!” he knocked on her door “Ginny!!!” he said louder.
She swung open the door “If you don’t mind, Iam writing to Jeff, not the real one but the one I call my journal!” her voice full of sarcasm, with that she slammed the door again.
He laughed “Is that what you’re so upset about? If you must know, Jeff was just as embarrassed as you were.”
Virginia opened the door again “Im upset because you said it even though I warned you not to say it.” She crossed her arms protectively.
“You didn’t tell me not to say it.”
She dropped her hands, her look of dismay portrayed her anger “Would you like another bruise?” she pulled her feet back threateningly.
He backed away “Oooh, okay, I know what to do now. Sheesh, you sure are moody today. What’s wrong with you?” he asked with a serious tone.
Virginia put her hands on her hips “What’s wrong with me? I should be asking you that! You’ve been the moody one and when I ask you, you tell me that nothing’s wrong when you know damn well that something is bothering you!” he looked away guiltily. Her face softened “Freddie, Im your friend, you can talk to me.” She said almost pleadingly.
He opened his room door “Im fine, Ginny. Its nothing you can solve, even if you are a Shrink.” He slipped inside the room and closed the door leaving her to her own thoughts.
She closed her own room door and pulled out her journal hidden in the last file of her desk. “I guess its you and me again.” She smiled to her book and opened it while she pulled out a pen from her pen container:
‘Hey there Jeff,
Its been a long time hasn’t it? Funny how I only write to you when something’s bothering me. Anyways, a lot of things has happened since the last time I wrote. I met two wonderful guys. Jeff and Remy, yeah, one guy has your name. Freddie was joking about how it was fate that I would end up with Jeff. But well, you know Freddie, he’s another story.
But as I was saying these two guys? They sure know how to treat a lady. Remy was injured on the job and was taken to the hospital. His life was in danger but he’s okay now. I was with Jeff when we saw him after the operation. He looked great. After I left the room, they had a chance to talk. Probably about me. Im not trying to say that they are fighting over me, but I have a hunch that its about me. I really don’t know why, what is it about me that someone would like? I really don’t see it.
Well, I won’t bore you with the details. We’ll move on to Freddie. I know that something is bothering him but why won’t he tell me? Im not sure. Maybe he’s no longer gay? Nah, that couldn’t be it, he still acts like it. I think I worry too much about him. What do you think? He’s just so different you know? When I met him over a year ago, he was really suspicious and very concealed about his feelings. Now, he’ll tell me everything on his mind and I do mean EVERYTHING. Usually I would mind knowing so much information about a person, but in a way he was my only friend at that time. I was going crazy from not seeing other people besides my patients. I guess Im just being worried for nothing, if he’s ready to tell me, Im sure he will.
Thanks Jeff, its always so nice talking to you. See you again soon or should I say not soon cause that would mean I have a problem?’