Fan Fiction |
by Jenny Tran
Ivy returned home with a bag full of fish scales. The guy thought she was crazy when she asked for them and he reluctantly sold it to her for ten bucks. She changed into an old t-shirt and put on plastic gloves. She knew Ben had returned to work and he would not be home until later in the night. She took her time spreading the smelly fish scales along his door trim and doors. On the knob, she left him chopped up fish guts. Wrinkling her nose from the smell as she snickered “Enjoy.”
Later that night, Ivy and Tyler were watching television while their father fixed dinner. Tara also came by with dessert, she was in the kitchen helping out. Ivy nudged him with her feet “Hey… how’d you get her back?”
He stuck his chin in the air “I’ve got plans too.”
“That’s a bunch of bull!” she stuck her big toe on his cheek “Who helped you?”
Tyler wrinkled his nose and his neck arched away from her toe “You don’t want to know.”
Ivy pulled her feet back as she moved closer to him “Ty, don’t tell me you ask the traitor for help.”
“What if I did?” he dared to ask. Her eyes widened and fear quickly took over as he stammered “I…was kidding…he he…” he moved away from her and brought out a hand to separate the two of them “You misunderstood Vicki. She’s not in on it at all, she didn’t want to pressure you. It was all Ben’s fault.”
“She told you that?” she scrutinized him and he nodded with wide eyes “Fine, I can forgive her but don’t think for a second I’m gonna let that freak off the hook.”
Tyler smiled mischievously “Don’t worry…its being taken care as we speak.” Ivy turned her head at him curiously while he called his father in the kitchen “Dad!! Hung Suk just called, they need your help down at the restaurant!”
Mr. Yung shook his head “Why do I have to do everything?” he placed the soup bowl on the dining room table and headed for the door “I’ll be back kids. You can start dinner without me.”
The minute he was gone, Ivy pointed at her brother “You lied!!!” She accused “Oh my God…what happened to you Ty? You wouldn't even say the white lie when dad caught you trying on my clothes when you were ten. What's going on?”
“This is very necessary.” He concluded and turned to Tara for her cue. He nodded at her as she left the apartment.
“You guys are not planning to kill me are you?” Ivy asked secretively.
Tyler threw his head back laughing “No…but if this doesn’t work, we might have to.” The last comment was solemn and it almost gave her chills to see the serious gaze in his eyes.
“What are you…” her words faded when the door opened and appeared Tara along with Vicki as they pulled in Ben, who was gagged and tied up like a kidnapped person “Oooh, you guys brought me a present!” she gushed giddily.
Vicki nodded as she walked over to Ivy “This is my apology to you.” She gave a bow “He is yours to punish, your majesty.”
Ivy climbed onto the top of the couch as she nodded down at Vicki “Good job, kind peasant, I now announce to you be Lady Vicki. Now off with his head!!!” she waved her hand at Tyler.
Ben began to mumble something incoherent through the gag in his mouth “Wait…he wants to say something.” Tara pointed out.
“Let the prisoner speak his last words.” Ivy waved to Vicki.
She pulled the gauze out of his mouth as he frowned at the group “You crazy…” he muttered “Look Ivy—”
“How dare you!!!” Tyler walked over and pushed at Ben’s face “You have to address her as your majesty or highness.”
Ben began chuckling “Okay guys, you’re taking this a little too far…” but his smile faded when he realized the four of them were serious.
“Is that all you have to say?” Ivy asked haughtily “Off with his head!!” she yelled again.
“Wait!!” Ben yelled as he backed away from Tyler and Vicki’s ready hands “Please listen to me. I am very sorry. Seriously, I had no intentions to lie to you, I wanted to tell you that day at the beach but you poured your heart out to me. I couldn’t allow myself to break your heart again. So tell me what I have to do for you to forgive me? I will do anything.” His eyes were earnest and she sensed his genuine apology.
Ivy crossed her legs and straightened her back “Go on, prisoner.”
“I…” he frowned “That’s all.” He ended “Do what you want with me.” He closed his eyes as his chin reached the air.
Tyler clasped his left fist under his right palm and bowed his head at Ivy “What should we do, your majesty?”
“Shall we feed him to the lions?” Tara asked with the same motion.
Vicki on the other hand knelt on one knee and proposed an idea “How about we parade him down the street for the people to ridicule him?”
Ivy’s eyes never left Ben’s as she realized deep down in her heart, he was already forgiven “No…” she said slowly. The three looked up at her strangely “You say you would do anything?” Ben nodded vehemently “Okay. Put on a fashion show for me. Right here, right now.”
“That’s all?” Ben asked.
“But your highness…” Tyler began.
She raised a hand at him “I’ve decided!” She turned to Ben “A fashion show with my clothes and the makeup will be done by yours truly.”
Vicki turned to Ben who had an apparent smile on his face, he didn’t care what he had to do, she forgave him. Vicki used her feet as she pushed Ben from the back of his knees causing him to kneel down unexpectedly “You have not thanked the Princess yet.”
“Thank you…princess.” He added with a crooked smile.
Ivy hopped off the couch and helped him out with the ties “Vicki can you get my make up bag and Tara, get my clothes out here. Ty, you set up the living room into a runway.”
“Yes mam!!” the three saluted her and rushed to their posts.
“Thank you.” Ben said again when the three were gone "I'm still very sorry."
Ivy smiled “I know.”
Within 15 minutes, the small living room was transformed into a stage. Tyler used blue and white tape to make a runway like form from the hallway to the living room. On one side, he used the coffee table as a podium when he set it to stand upright. Inside the room Ben was forced to change into skirts too tight for him as well as shirts that could barely go over his neck. Ivy and Vicki were having too much fun with the makeup while Tara was busy adjusting the lights in order to make them flash.
Tyler looked at her with special envy “How did you learn to do that?”
She shrugged “My father is an electrical engineer.”
“We’re ready!!!” Vicki announced from the hallway. Tara took her seat on the ground since the couches were pushed to one side.
“Wait!” Ivy sprinted out and landed next to Tara “Okay, now go!” she pointed at Tyler.
He cleared his throat while waiting for Ben to walk out into the taped runway “Here is our famous model Benny Lam, sporting a beautiful sky blue skirt with what seems to be white daisies imprinted. I believe the material is silk, what do you think TyTy?” he shifted his stand to the left side “Why yes, I believe it is silk.” He answered his own question with a high pitched voice and then quickly returned to his place. Tara giggled while Ivy cackled and at the same time pointing at Ben when he shifted his hips and posed at the end of their ‘stage’. Tyler cleared his throat to get their attention “The top is from Jean Paul Gaultier, a fabulously darling ensemble of white cotton and lace and don’t you just love the plunging neckline?” again he shifted his place “Yes, I think he needs a little more boobs but it still looks gorgeous.”
Vicki had to cover her laughter while Ben kept his cool and took his role-play to perfection. He returned to the room to put on a black and red dress that he made Ivy buy a few weeks ago. The dress was made from stretchy material so he was able to fit into it with much help from his partner. Ben appeared at the hallway and nodded to Tyler, who then announced “Oh, I absolutely adore this dress. Black with red roses all the way down to the knee. The collar was inspired by the Chinese long dress. Isn’t it gushingly beautiful?” he asked the audience. Ivy was rolling off the floor in giggles while Tara was gripping on her stomach laughing painfully. Vicki was pounding her fists on the hallway wall.
Suddenly, the door opened and appeared Mr. Yung. He was startled by the lights and not to mention his entire living room looked like a freak show. The five of them froze in their place, no one made a single move “What the hell is going on here?!!” Mr. Yung demanded. It was Ivy and Tyler who began laughing and soon Ben, Tara, and Vicki joined in as they gathered together and laughed like children. Mr. Yung stared at them strangely as he glanced up at the ceiling “What’s wrong with the lights?”
“Oh please, like you never played ‘Runway Model’!” Ivy retorted with her hands on her hips while the other four hyenas laughed away. She wiped the tears creeping out of her eyes “We’re just having a little fun.” She explained.
“Mr. Lam!” her father pointed at Ben in the black and red dress “I’m shocked at you. I would expect this from Ivy and Tyler, not to mention they dragged poor Vicki and Tara into their madness... but you? You are the most sophisticated of them all.”
“Sure, cause he’s wearing the cocktail dress.” Tyler pointed out causing another ripple of giggles.
Mr. Yung shook his head at them “You’ve guys have gone mad.”
Ben raised his hand at him “Actually, Ivy found out the truth. This was my way of apologizing.”
“Ever heard of the word ‘sorry’? I’ve found in the past that it works.” Mr. Yung said with sarcasm.
Ben turned to Ivy “You know, I never noticed it but you got your sarcasm from your dad didn’t you?”
Her eyes closed slightly and her lips pressed together “Yeah.” She nodded slowly “I did.”
“Well, if you clowns are done with the freak show, put my living room back to normal.” Mr. Yung scolded as he returned to his room.
“What a party pooper.” Ivy muttered as she motioned for everyone to start cleaning up. She pointed at Ben “You, get out of the dress, you’re stretching the waist.”
“Really?” Ben placed his hands delicately on his waist “I suppose I’m stretching the butt part too then.”
Ivy shook her head casually “No, you have no butt.”
Tyler laughed “You asked for it.” He said to Ben.
Vicki wrinkled her brows curiously "By the way, why does your door smell like fish?"
"Yeah, and what's that weird cakey stuff on your door knob?" Tara chimed in.
Ben crossed his arms and turned to Ivy "Ask Santa."
She covered her smile with her hand "Ooops...You might want to clean your hand, Tara. It's fish guts." Tara's face curled in disgust as she rushed to the bathroom.