Fan Fiction |
by Jenny Tran
“Who?”
“This Mel guy…I heard from Kelly that he is a dangerous guy.” His concern was building up the more he realized Kathy’s life would be in danger.
Kathy smiled “Long story.” she let out a short sigh.
“Tell me, I have all night, since I can’t sleep now.” He patted her hand gently.
They arrived at their apartment with Kathy telling Neil everything about Mel. How they met and how she came to save his life. They sat in the dimmed living room talking and even then Kathy could see the concern written all over his face “I regret telling you now.”
He looked up suddenly “Why?”
“Because you look like a worried grandma right now.” She laughed.
Neil tilted his head as he reached for her hand “I’ve always worried about you. When we were in high school, I use to think during my classes if you were being picked on or not. And who I would have to beat up when I found out. Then when you went to Canada, I was always worried so I tried to keep myself busy. That’s why each time you called, I was tired or sleeping. Even now that you are back and being my roommate, I still worry. I guess I am a worry wart.”
“The situation tonight doesn’t ease it huh?” Kathy smiled as she patted his hand “Don’t worry about me…you have other people to worry about too. How about your crush on Kelly?”
“That’s what I’ve been meaning to tell you…” he began.
She put up a hand to silence him “I know, I understand…I know you like her. And I will help you to try to get her. Okay? I asked Mel to give you a few pointers in how to be tough. She’ll just swoon over you after show her you can be just as tough. Don’t forget to treat me to a lobster dinner after you two get together.” She smiled brightly.
Neil shook his head “No…actually, I wanted to say-”
Again Kathy silenced him “Hey, we’ll talk again tomorrow. I’m really tired right now.” She let out a small yawn “Sleep tight.” She gave him a quick hug and returned to her room to sleep. Inside her room, she sat on her bed and turned on her bedside lamp. Under her pillow was the purple letter. A small smile came on her face as she remembered how they came about with the letter. When he gave it to her at their graduation. Since she returned to Hong Kong, she has not mentioned about the letter and she only guessed he didn’t want to talk about it. Or maybe he already forgot about it. Either way, Kathy was not able to forget it.
**************
The next night after their close encounter, Kathy was convinced by Neil that they should stay away from Midnite for a while. She was boiling some pasta one night while Neil was washing the lettuce “Maybe we can find another club.” Kathy suggested.
“Maybe.” Neil said half heartedly. He wasn’t in the mood to chase after the crush. He had stayed up so many nights just readjusting his mind. He asked himself so many questions that he began to feel suffocated. But he knew one thing, he was beginning to have feelings for Kathy. Never in his life had he worried about anyone like her.
“I didn’t see her that one night, is she still going to Midnite?” Kathy asked with curiosity.
Neil turned up to her with wrinkled brows “I heard there’s this new club that just opened, it’s very cool it’s called ‘Storm’.”
Kathy turned and crossed her arm “I think I heard some of the co-workers talking about that.” The two stopped talking when there was a sudden knock on the door. She frowned and titled her head at Neil “Who do you think that is?”
“I don’t know. I’ll get it.” He didn’t notice he had on an apron around his waist when he swung the door open and there stood the guy that he almost got in a fight with at Midnite. “You…what do you want?”
Mel lifted a brow as he eyed Neil carefully “Cute.” He pointed to the apron and Neil instantly covered himself. Mel turned towards the stairway “Fuck! How long does it take for you two to walk up? I told you to exercise more often.”
Neil looked down and saw Wong along with Roach panting as they held onto the stairwell. “What do you want?” Neil asked again.
Mel chuckled as he pulled his hand in his pocket and Neil mistook it for a weapon and jumped into his fight stance “Don’t try anything. I know kung fu!” he pointed his hand at the guys who gave him a strange look.
“Dude, what the fuck is wrong with him?” Roach mumbled to Mel.
“He’s crazy.” Wong whispered “We should get the hell out of here.”
Mel turned to the two with authority “You chicken shits, come on.” He pulled the two into the house with Neil backing up but still in his ready to fight mode.
“Look…I…I can fight you…don’t step any closer…” his eyes were wide but they were full of fear.
Mel shook his head “I had no idea Katie liked nutty guys.”
“Katie? You got the wrong house…no one is named Katie here.” Neil said stubbornly.
“Shut up.” Mel pushed him aside “Katie!!” he cried into the apartment.
She was tasting her sauce when she heard Mel’s voice. She dropped the spoon and rushed out and found Neil bouncing around like a mad man while Wong and Roach mimicked Neil’s bounce. Mel on the other hand sat coolly on the couch with a cigarette between his fingers. She smiled when she saw him “No smoking.” She wagged her finger at him.
Mel shrugged “Your guard dog scared me so bad, I had to light a smoke to calm myself.” He nodded at Neil who was being harassed by the other two guys.
Kathy frowned as she pushed away at Roach and Wong “Stop playing guys.” She touched Neil on the arm “You okay? They’re just messing with you.”
“Its okay…I wasn’t scared.” Neil tried to remain cool. Kathy smiled. “Who is he?”
Kathy suddenly remembered they were never properly introduced, she took his hand and pulled him in front of Mel “This is Mel.”
Neil widened his eyes, so this was the big tough guy that was causing all the stir. He wouldn’t have ever guessed. “You can call him Mel Gor.” Wong nodded.
“No, he doesn’t have to.” Kathy spoke up in her friend’s defense. “Mel, this is Neil.” The guys only nodded but refused to shake hands “I know you two got off on the wrong foot, it was all a misunderstanding, can’t you just forget about it?”
Neil smiled at Kathy, it was obviously important to her that they got along. He reached down at Mel with a broad hand “Nice to meet you.”
Mel glanced up and looked down at his hand. Instead of shaking it, he gave it a loud pat as he swung his hand to the side “Let’s cut the crap. Katie told me you needed help in your manhood…so let’s start.”
“Actually…I don’t think-” Neil began only to be cut off by Kathy.
“Great! Let’s start.” Kathy clapped her hands happily. “Oh shoot, I forgot my dinner. I’ll go check, you guys start.” She pointed to Mel “Be nice.”
He smiled with his hand to the sides “I’m always nice.” The minute she left, the smile disappeared as he stood up and snapped his finger at the other two “Stand guard.” They laughed as they pushed each other playfully and stood outside the door leaving Mel and Neil alone.
“I don’t need help…actually, I’m not planning to chase after this girl anymore.” Neil said honestly.
Mel laughed “Not according to Katie.”
“She doesn’t know. I tried to tell her, but she always turns the conversations around.” He explained.
Mel let out a sigh “So what do you want me to do about it? She asked for a favor so I have to do it. I don’t like to owe anyone anything.” A daze came over his eyes “But I owe her my life.”
“I know she told me.” Neil glanced towards the kitchen “I actually like Katie.” He whispered.
Mel’s eyes hardened as they raised with curiosity “Have you told her?” Neil shook his head “I don’t think you should.”
Neil frowned “Why not?”
“Because you don’t want to hurt her.” Neil was confused by what Mel was saying “Do I fucking have to spell it out??” he let out an exasperated sigh “Look, Katie put so much effort into helping you get this girl…who ever she is, Katie thinks you two match. She told me herself that she only wants you to be happy. Only then can she move on with her life. I think it’s unfair for her to be stuck in a place that she doesn’t want to be in.”
“Why didn’t she ever tell me this?” Neil asked.
Mel laughed “Because she’s a sweet girl. The last thing she wanted to do was hurt your feelings. You may not know this, but she told me about the letter you wrote to her years ago before she came to Canada.” Neil’s eyes widened wondering if indeed she still remembered it because he never forgot it. “She feels like she owes you something for writing that letter. If you don’t move on, she’ll never move on.”
Neil found himself in an emotional dilemma “But…”
“But what? It’s unfair for you to hold onto her when she’s already let go. You need to move on, Neil.” Mel coaxed. His face hardened when Kathy came back.
“It’s not burned, just a little toasty.” She giggled and took a seat on the single seat sofa “So, how is it going?”
“Pretty good, just running some notes with him.” Mel smiled.
Neil nodded slowly “Yeah.”
Mel laughed “Show her the walk I taught you.” Neil looked up at him blankly and Mel gave him a little wink indicating for him to go on with the skit.
“I want to see.” Kathy said with interest. Neil felt like a dummy as he got up and walked casually along the walkway. Kathy frowned “That sucked.” She turned to Mel “Is that what you taught him?”
He shrugged his shoulders “Not my fault if he’s a slow learner.”
Kathy stood up “Here I’ll show you Neil.” She put a hand in her sweatpants pocket and strode across the room coolly with a little limp of the leg giving it an edge.
Mel clapped his hands “Not bad.”
She gave them a little curtsy “Thank you.” She pulled Neil by the arm “Come on, you try it.”
Neil’s eyes met hers, he wanted to say something but quickly noticed Mel’s shake of the head. He knew what he had to do “Okay.” Copying her to perfection as he did the walk.
Kathy clapped her hands “That was great! Okay what’s next?”
Mel put some thought into it “How about dialogue? Your prissy little man doesn’t even curse, that girl would never believe he’s a tough guy.”
“That’s true.” Kathy turned to Neil “Try saying something…”
Neil smiled sadly “I can’t.”
“Sure you can.” Kathy coaxed “Think of the moment that Kelly is being picked on and you want to protect her. Girls like that kind of stuff. Say if a guy was trying to hit on her but he’s being rude about it? What would you say to shoo him off?”
Mel knew he needed a push “Here let me try.” He took Kathy and placed him close to Neil “Now I’ll play the guy.” He smiled flirtatiously at Kathy “Hey there sweet thing, wanna go make some sparks with me?” he leaned over and brushed her cheek with his lips but she played along well as she turned away and inched herself closer to Neil.
“Hey…leave her alone.” Neil began.
Mel turned to him harshly “Fuck off!!” he pushed Neil away and he stumbled back. He wrapped an arm around Kathy who was fighting him off “Come on, lose him, he’s just chicken shit!” he spat roughly while tempting Neil’s anger.
Neil’s face was boiling red as he charged at Mel and pushed him roughly away with a roar “I said fucking leave her alone!!” he took Kathy in his arms and hugged her dearly, he wasn’t ready to let her go, how could he be so stupid to not how important she was to him? Now he’s going to lose her because she’s moved on.
Kathy looked up at him strangely “That’s a bit dramatic, but good.” She turned to Mel who was nodding and smiling at them. “Am I missing something?”
“No, nothing…he did well.” Mel smiled slyly “I don’t think I will be of anymore use to you two. Looks like your boy is finally a man.” Mel gave Kathy a quick wink “Be safe.” He left the apartment leaving Neil looking extra worried.
Kathy shook her head at the door where Mel just left “Triads…they’re so strange, don’t you agree…Neil?” she frowned when she notice he had dazed off. She reached out and shook him lightly.
“Huh? Oh…yeah…” Neil mumbled.
“What’s wrong? Did he threaten you? Because if he did, I’ll give him a piece of my mind.” Kathy nodded firmly.
Neil laughed at her with his head shaking “No momma, he didn’t.” he teased. “But he did tell me some good stuff.”
Kathy raised her brows “Really? That’s cool. Is it useful in getting Kelly?” Neil nodded blankly. “Great, then you’re ready to tackle this task? Wait til she sees the new Neil. Every girl in the club will be drooling.” He smiled weakly while she babbled on about how he should dress and so forth.