Fan Fiction |
by Jenny Tran
Kathy was deep asleep when her cell phone rang. She picked it up annoyingly without looking at the flashing name “What do you want?”
“Nice to hear your voice too.” Mel said coolly.
Her eyes instantly popped open as she sat up “Mel? What are you calling for? Did something happen? Are you hurt?” she asked.
He chuckled “No. But I almost got myself killed. Are you free right now? I need to see you. We’ve got to talk about something.”
She instantly caught on to his serious tone “Sure. Let me change first.”
“You mean put on some clothes?” she could see the crooked smile on his face.
Kathy rolled her eyes “Clean that little dirty mind of yours. I’m wearing pajamas. Where should we meet?”
“Not too far, I’m downstairs.” He was hiding out at a nearby alley across the street from her apartment.
She frowned “How did you find my home so quickly?” she cradled the little cell phone on her shoulder as she put a jacket over herself. She walked over to her window and peaked out. Surely enough he was leaning on the wall of one of the buildings across the way. Kathy gave him a quick wave “Let me guess. Roach?”
“That’s what I like about you. You’re quick and very bright. Hurry down and be careful.” He warned.
She hung up her phone and quietly crept out of the house. But she did not notice that Neil’s room door was open and he was in the kitchen getting some water. He looked up and saw her rushing out, curiosity took over as he tiptoed after Kathy. He found her rushing across the street to talk to someone in the alley. He could not make out the faces because it was too dark. Instead he stood by the apartment gates to make sure she was back safely.
Kathy wrapped the jacket around herself and tied the belt around her waist “So what is it?”
Mel glanced around as he pulled her deeper into the alley “Old Chuck found me.” Kathy let out a short gasp as she covered her mouth “He got a hold of Snow and tried to get my location out of her but she wouldn’t budge. In return he gave her quite a welcome…which is not a good thing.”
Kathy widened her eyes fearfully “Is she okay?”
He nodded “Yes, she’s safe now. But you might not be. If he traces us back to Canada, he will realize you had something to do with me and your life will be in danger. Trust me, Old Chuck is as ruthless as 10 madmen put together. I want you to stay off the streets or any local bars as much as possible until this problem is resolved.”
She nodded blankly, but there was one concern she had “How will it be resolved?”
He smiled shortly “Death. Hopefully his…” he faded away when her brows furrowed and her head tilted to the floor. Mel reached over as he touched the bottom of her chin and pushed it upward “Hey…I’ll be fine. And you’ll be safe, that’s all that matters.” His voice has never been so gentle.
“I hope so.” She sighed. “When will the killing ever stop?” she wondered how he could live the dangerous life for so long.
“It will never stop.” His eyes darkened in the dim moonlight. “But we can hell as try to control it as much as we can. I’ll have Wong and a few guys patrol your place at nights, that’s when Old Chuck normally does his attacks.”
Kathy had nothing else to say about his plans, she learned long ago that Mel does not pull back on any of his plans. She nodded slightly and suddenly remembered what she wanted to ask him “Which reminds me. I need a favor from you.”
“Abso-fucking-lutely.” He nodded firmly.
She laughed at his outrageous choice of words “You always make me laugh.” She shook her head “It’s nothing serious. Remember Neil?”
“The love of your life? The damn bastard I almost killed tonight?” he raised an eyebrow “Yeah, what about him?”
Kathy was hesitant “Well…if you say it that way…I’m not sure if I should ask.”
“If the favor is for you, I’ll do it in a heartbeat.” He said straightforwardly “But if it’s for him, I’ll sleep on it.”
“It’s actually for both of us. I want you to come by…whenever you have time…” she quickly added “To teach him how to be tough. He’s got this crush on a girl since like…high school. He just found out that she likes tough guys, I was wondering if you can-”
She stopped when he shook his head an apparent grin on his face “Katie…sweet innocent little Katie. You shouldn’t be helping him get the girl of his dreams, you should be slashing her face in the middle of the night so he wouldn’t pay attention to her anymore. Haven’t you heard of ‘Alls fair in love and war’?”
Kathy titled her head against the wall “I know it’s stupid of me to do this. But I just want him to be happy.”
“Bullshit!!” he cried. She quickly glanced around as he let out a sigh “Sorry. I have a hard time keeping my temper down lately. It just makes me mad what a great girl you are and this…” she gave him a stern look before he could throw out a cuss word “idiot can’t even see that he’s got an angel next to him.”
“There’s a lot of things you don’t understand…about me and especially Neil.” She started.
He snickered “I don’t care about the guy. I care about you.” He reached up a hand and placed it on her shoulder. She quickly inched away and he nodded “I know you don’t like me. I can take that…but if you want me to help out the guy you love to get the girl he’s lusting over…I guess I have no choice but to help you.”
Kathy looked up with a brightened face “Really? Oh, thank you so much!” she was so excited that she didn’t know whether to hug him, but she didn’t want him to get the wrong impression. So she reached out with both hands and shook his right hand roughly “Thank you so much.” She sighed with a grin on her face.
“Now go back to bed before I change my mind. I’ll give you a call when I’m ready to come up. It could be for a few weeks.” He warned.
She nodded, the grin still on her face “I understand. Thank you, Mel.”
He waved her off as she practically skipped across the street. He had to smile, that was all that took to make her smile. But in the back of his mind, he hoped that Neil would able to court the girl he wanted that way Kathy would eventually accept him.
That night Neil did not confront Kathy because he did not want her to know that he had followed her. When he saw her appear across the street, he quickly rushed up the apartment and went to bed. He made sure she closed the door and returned to her room before his worries were eased and he quickly fell asleep.
******************
Mel was not kidding when he said he would be gone for a few weeks. Kathy only attempted to call him once when she was wondering where he was. He did not pick up but she did not worry about him. She knew he was strong enough and definitely smart enough to get away.
She was working one day when the first phone call of the day interrupted her concentration on a new design “Kathy speaking.”
“Hey Mary.” The girl was snazzy with her greeting.
An instant smile appeared on Kathy’s face “Snow. Long time no hear. How have you been?”
“I’m still alive. I’ve got some crap to clear up with you. How about we meet at Midnite tonight?” she was vague but Kathy was quick enough to catch on what she meant by ‘crap’.
“Sure…oh, actually Mel advised me not to be out in public too much. Old Chuck might be looking for us.” She didn’t want to make it seem that he only cared about her.
Snow laughed “Don’t worry, I aint letting that fucker touch me again. I’ll bring my own goodies this time. Our talk will be short and sweet, I won’t waste your time.”
“You don’t waste my time, Snow. I’ll see you then.” Kathy hung up feeling odd. She knew this talk with Snow should be interested and there was no doubt Mel’s name will pop up.
***********
Later that night Kathy arrived at the bar and found Snow wearing brown leather boots with a tan colored top which only crossed over one shoulder and her skirt was a dark brown. Her leg was propped up on the stool next to her, obviously reserving it for Kathy. When she got closer, she noticed a guy trying to sit next to Snow but she quickly snapped at him “What the fuck do you want?” she widened her eyes and tilted her chin upward menacingly “This seat is taken.”
He seemed embarrassed as he quickly rushed away. Kathy shook her head with a smile as she approached Snow “No need to be so blunt.”
Snow dropped her leg and turned her stool to Kathy with her arms crossed “Well, well, well if it isn’t the Virgin Mary herself. Have a seat.” She pushed the chair closer to Kathy who then took a seat.
“What would you like, Miss?” the bartender asked.
“Beer.” Snow ordered for her as she brushed him away. “You do drink beer right? Or should I order an orange juice?”
“Beer is fine.” Kathy nodded not wanting to upset the girl. When her drink came, she took a short sip and gave the most disgusting face ever. She covered her mouth but swallowed the bitter drink causing Snow to burst up with laughter.
Snow shook her head “I don’t know what he sees in you.” She was snapping away at her gum.
Kathy frowned “You think Mel likes me?”
“Don’t tell me you don’t know.” Snow shrugged her shoulders at Kathy “I know you’re a smart girl, Mel tells me all the time.” She gave her eyes a quick roll.
“I don’t like him.” She said bluntly. “If this talk is about fighting over Mel…I’ll just leave.” She began to step off the stool when Snow stopped her with her booted leg.
“Hold on Missy. I’m not done. I know you don’t like him, if you did you wouldn’t be sitting here with me. You’d be with him. I just want to clear up some things…Mel and I use to date…it was ages ago and unfortunately that dick has this spell on me. I can’t forget him. I know there is nothing I can do to stop him from liking you…but I sure can hell try.” Snow was as straight as anyone could get.
Kathy admired her integrity and such confidence, something she’s always lacked “You are really something, you know that Snow? Trust me, Mel and I don’t mix. We live in two different worlds, there is nothing that can happen which will get us together. Trust me.”
“Never say never.” Snow said shortly with a crooked grin.
“I suppose.” Kathy nodded “I’m curious about something.” Snow raised her eyebrow as she took out her gum and gulped down her beer. “Why did you…uh…start working…”
“As a hooker?” she asked. Kathy blushed slightly but nodded. Snow had a sudden distant look in her eyes “To get back at Mel.”
“Why?” Kathy wondered why any girl would do that to her own body.
Snow smiled grimly “While we were dating, he constantly slept with other women. He was a player…and I thought I would be able to keep an eye shut. But soon it got to me. I finally found it in my heart to leave him and ended up at an escort service. Every man that I went out with wanted to bang me eventhough it was not my job to. In the back of my mind I knew that Mel was watching…that’s just his style. He makes sure his girls, whether old or new are taken care of. So I started selling sex…it’s not for the money. I just wanted to hurt him.” Her eyes narrowed as she recalled her first job.
Kathy felt the sympathy for the girl “How do you do it, Snow? Every night…being with a man you don’t love…doesn’t it hurt?”
“Pain is my medicine for hate. The more pain I felt each night I worked, the more I hated Mel…for pushing me in this direction. He may not have been fully responsible for my choices but he started it...so I ended it. I have to psych myself every time I’m working that I was in a movie and it was all part of a movie…it was not real. I’m just acting.” A single tear dropped from her eyes as she quickly wiped it away.
“I’m sorry…” Kathy didn’t know what else to say.
“What for?” she snorted “Its no one’s fault but myself.”
“Why don’t you stop then?” Kathy asked with earnest eyes.
Snow finally realized how naïve she was “Once you get sucked into this life, you don’t get out easily. Those people that hired you…that rent you for the night will never let it happen. It’s a constant reminder when you see them that it is your life. There’s nothing you can do to change it.”
“That’s where I think you’re wrong. I believe everyone has control of their destiny, of the choices they make and you hold in your hand the power to change your life. It is still your choice in the end. All that BS about being reminded and it’s hard to get out…I don’t take it. That’s just your excuse not to face Mel and yourself.” She was quick to analyze the situation.
Snow rolled her gum around her mouth while her eyes smiled at Kathy “You’re good.” She leaned over the counter with her elbow propped up “I see why Mel can’t let go of you.” Her eyes turned over and suddenly they hardened. “Oh Shit.”
Kathy frowned “What is it?” she followed her gaze and noticed Big Chuck who is actually known as Old Chuck with streaks of white and blue on his black hair. The girls exchanged glances, it was too late to run. He was already approaching them.