Fan Fiction |
by Jenny Tran
Ethan and Sammie walked out together and he was a complete gentleman as he showed her to his car and opened the door for her to get inside. She smiled gently and got inside, he got in the driver seat and began to drive off. She’s never been alone with Ethan before so there was an obvious awkwardness in the air.
He was the one to break the ice “So, how do you like working at the bar?”
Sammie smiled at his weak attempt to start a conversation “I’ve been doing it for almost 5 years…so I’m gonna be safe and say I like it.”
He laughed at the lighthearted reply “Sorry, I’m a little nervous so I’m not thinking straight.”
She shrugged “Not a problem. Why should you be nervous? Haven’t you done this before?”
Ethan shook his head “Not really, I’ve talked to people but never about business. I think this is my biggest chance to expand a chain of lounges.”
“So, what made you start a lounge anyways?” she always wondered about it but never had the chance to ask.
He smiled “You wouldn’t believe it if I told you.”
“Try me.” She smiled openly.
Ethan nodded “I was dating this one girl and she told me that the only way she would marry me is if I would make more money. So I took a loan from my father and opened this bar.”
“What happened to the girl?” she knew he was not married.
“She dumped me for another girl.” He shrugged lightly. Sammie raised her brows with surprise and he instantly knew what she was thinking. “It was not a gay lounge when I first opened it, it just happened to be that the guys I hired to sing were gay. Ironic isn’t it?”
Sammie nodded sadly “Yeah…life has it’s ways of teasing us.” Suddenly, she felt the car halted “This isn’t the harbor.”
Ethan smiled secretly as he got out of the car and opened the door for her “I know. I just wanted to get you something nice to wear.”
“What’s wrong with my outfit?” she looked down at her faded jeans and small baby blue t-shirt with a design of a heart in the center.
“It’s cute for bar but not for a professional meeting. I’m in a collar shirt and a tie…I don’t think we look very convincing.” He said matter of factly. Ethan shook his head towards the clothes shop “Come on. We’ve got 5 minutes to chose a dress.”
Sammie widened her eyes “A dress??! Do you know how long it’s been since I’ve put on a dress?”
Ethan laughed as he practically pushed her into the store “Yes, it was for our annual Christmas party two years ago. Matty said you had chicken legs and you stopped wearing it from then on.”
She shook her head in awe at how he remembered the details “You left off the part where I got mad and fixed him a strong shot making him fall to his knees after the took the shot.”
He nodded “Yeah, I think after that time, no one dared to pick on you. But I personally thought you looked adorable in a dress.” He didn’t noticed her blushing as his eyes caught on a plain purple dress with a wavy collar “This would be great on you.” He gushed.
Sammie smiled “Whatever you say…you’re the boss.”
He quickly asked the girl to get Sammie’s size and made her change into it in one of the dressing stalls. She stepped out looking classy but the minute his eyes landed on her tennis shoes, his smile disappeared. He turned to the sales girl “I don’t know much about fashion, but you think those shoes goes with the dress?”
The girl giggled as she nodded understanding “I’ll get her a pair of black shoes.”
Sammie twirled around in her slender dress that seemed to hug her waist to perfection “I think I look very fashionable.”
Ethan laughed “Yeah, maybe to a businessman on his way to play tennis.”
She quickly changed into the shoes and he paid for the items. The two reached the harbor in time to see his soon to be partner getting ready to be seated at the open restaurant where the seats were outside facing the waters. Sammie noted that he had his girlfriend with him and he was not older than 25. The guy got up to greet Ethan “Well, I was afraid I would be the late one.” The men shook hands. When he let go of Ethan’s hand, he noticed Sammie smiling shyly at him “And who is this beautiful girl?”
Ethan smiled as he wrapped an arm around her waist to push her up “This is my girlfriend I told you about, Samantha Tsang. This is Sean Kheung.”
“Call me Sammie.” She greeted with a friendly smile. Sammie nodded to the girl next to Sean “And you are…”
“Julia.” The girl was sitting and she was not about to get up to greet Sammie. She only glanced at her then turned away looking very bored.
Sammie exchanged glances with Ethan who wasn’t sure what to do either, it was his first time meeting the girl. But from what Sean has told him, she sounded more friendly. The two sat down while Sean looked a bit embarrassed by her reaction “She’s not feeling good. Let’s sit and chat.” He said anxiously “I hear you’re the master at mixing drinks.”
She smiled shyly “Ethan’s just over exaggerating, I’m not that good.”
Ethan placed his hand over Sammie’s hand with a look of adoration “Aww, sweetie, don’t be so humble, you’re the best we ever had.”
“I really want to drop by and take a look at the lounge and see how business is running.” Sean nodded with special interest.
Sammie nodded “Why don’t you come by tonight? We have the best lounge singers in the city.” She said with pride.
Ethan’s face instantly dropped at her proposal “No…tonight is not good. I…I have a dinner date with Sammie.” She turned to him strangely “It was suppose to be a surprise but now I have to tell you. It’s not a good time.” He shook his head at Sean with disappointment.
Sean shrugged “That’s understandable, how about some other day? Too bad I’m busy next weekend. How about two weeks from today?” he offered.
Sammie thought she heard Ethan sigh with relief “That’s perfect.” He breathed. In her mind, she wondered why he was acting so strange and why he refused for Sean to come that very night. But she soon found out when they left after another hour of listening to the guy’s discussion. On the drive home, Ethan finally let it out “He doesn’t know it’s a gay lounge.”
“You have a problem telling people that don’t you?” She pointed out “First it’s Lauren then now it’s Sean. But Lauren took it fine, I’m sure he’ll be okay too.”
Ethan shook his head “I’m afraid he won’t. He comes from a white collar family, they are very respectable when it comes to society. They look down on homosexuals since it is unnatural for a man to be with a man and a woman to be with a woman.”
“So what are we going to do?” she asked.
Ethan smiled “I don’t know, turn our gay guys straight for one night. At least he’ll see it running well and maybe we’ll get the deal rolling. That new lounge won’t be a gay one, then he’ll never have to worry about ‘Opposite’.”
Sammie shook her head “I don’t know about that Ethan. Can you imagine Matty acting straight?”
He nodded “That’s what I’m afraid of. I’m not too worried about Jamie and Stevie. But Matty? Wow…that’s gonna be tough. Can I trust him in your hands?”
She widened her eyes in shock “I have two weeks to make him act like a straight guy?!”
Ethan laughed while he pulled up to the bar “Thanks, I knew you would help me!” he leaned over and kissed her on the cheek making her face burn up. She didn’t bother to say anything as she quickly got out of the car before he could see her face. She let out a sigh to herself while he drove off.
“God, help us all…” she whispered at the thought of telling Matty the news. She walked into the lounge and noticed instantly Matty flirting with some of the new customers. Two guys quickly walked away the minute Matty gave them their drinks. He wrinkled his nose in dismay but turned to pick up a bottle as he began fixing his already perfect hair. Sammie leaned on the counter where he was facing the back to her. She propped her chin on her palm as she stared at him from the back with a smile “You’re so pretty.”
Matty smiled as he turned to her “I know.” He raised his brows as he leaned onto the counter with her, their faces inches apart “How was your date?” he teased slyly.
Sammie laughed as she pulled herself back and ducked her head under the counter opening “It wasn’t a date…it was a pretend meeting.”
“Oh really?” he crossed his arms as he looked at her up and down “I don’t remember you looking like that this morning.” He pointed to her dress and shoes “Oh my gosh, are those Cathy Jeans? Wow, I love their shoes!!” he gushed while bending down and pulling her leg up so he can inspect the shoes.
Sammie had to hold onto the counter to keep from falling “Yes, they are and don’t be spreading rumors. Ethan bought me the dress and shoes so I would match him more.” She had to yank her leg out of his hands.
“You need to shave.” He said with a disgusted face.
“You need to stop talking.” Sammie quipped.
Matty nodded “Okay, I won’t spread the rumors. But you better change out of that dress before Ms. Witch sees you.”
Sammie wrinkled her brows as she looked around the room but didn’t see Lauren anywhere “Where is she by the way?” Matty only shrugged “Oh God…you didn’t gag her and stuff her in the closet like you did to that last manager did you?”
He laughed “Oh, that is so old.” He flapped his wrist at her “I’ve grown up.” He nodded.
“Yeah, I’ll believe it when I see it. Where is she?” she crossed her arms while giving him a stern look.
Matty also crossed his arms as he leaned on one side of his legs and tapped it against the floor “I don’t know.”
“Tell me, Matty.” Sammie said through clenched teeth. He snickered but refused to say anything else. She shook her head with a sigh and reached out as she pulled back on his left pinky making him cry in pain “Why do you make me hurt you?” she asked.
“Ow!!” he yelped again “Help!!” he cried over and over making a few eyes turned to them.
Sammie only laughed “That only works if Ethan is here. Tell me, where is Lauren?”
He was in pain but at the same time began chuckling “Okay…okay…I give up!” he yelled out.
She let go of his pinky and crossed her arms “Well?” her head shook back and forth.
“I locked her in the girl’s bathroom.” Matty said casually.
“Oh my…” Sammie turned and began to leave but she remembered as she turned to Matty and held out her hand. He rolled his eyes and reached into his pocket for the key. He handed it over and she reminded him “You better run, because I’m letting the tiger out of her cage.” He only turned his chin up refusing to leave in fear. She nodded as she began walking towards the bathroom, suddenly she heard running footsteps behind her. She turned to see Matty flying out of the lounge door.
She smiled internally as she went to open the door for Lauren. Surely, the girl was sitting on the floor looking very frustrated. Lauren smiled as she saw Sammie appear “Thank God…now I can kill that she-man!!” she growled.
Sammie laughed “He’s gone.” She followed Lauren outside “What happened?”
Lauren was fuming but she turned to Sammie “It’s that wannabe woman’s fault. He messed up on a drink so I came back and told him to make another one. He refused so I threatened to fire him…and you know I actually don’t have the power to fire anyone.” Sammie nodded in agreement “I guess he took it personally so when I was taking a break he followed me to the bathroom and he pushed me inside then I heard a lock on the door.”
“You two need help.” Sammie concluded as she shook her head.
“Yeah, he’ll need help by the time I’m through with him.” Lauren said with her eyes narrowed secretly.
Sammie looked at her friend with concern “What are you going to do? Oh come on…don’t do this. Can’t I just get him to apologize and we can all forget about it?”
Lauren shook her head darkly “No…it’s beyond war now.” Her voice was deep as she began laughing with her head thrown back. Sammie gave a little shiver.