Fan Fiction |
by Jenny Tran
It was smooth sailing after Ivy decided to forgive Vicki and Ben. She returned to work the following morning and was startled when Ben patted her on the shoulder “Damn! Stop appearing out of nowhere!”
“Is that eight hundred?” he kidded.
She laughed “Maybe, if the jar was still there.” She rushed to the kitchen and came back to serve a customer.
Ben stood by the counter and waited for her to come back “What happened to it?”
“I was mad after that one night. So I knocked it open and took all the cash.” Ivy shrugged casually.
Tyler overheard as he snickered “Then she gave me back the five hundred she stole from my secret stash of cash.”
“If you call hiding it between the mattress a secret hiding place, then the money deserves to be stolen!” Ivy quipped.
Ben smiled at her way with words, she always managed to squeeze herself out of a jam “Okay, I can let you go on that. But what are we going to do about next Sunday? You want me to pick you up?”
She wrinkled her brows “What?”
“You know…I told you about the new talent convention.” Ben explained.
Tyler’s attention was instantly caught when he walked backwards, standing near Ben and Ivy “Did I hear talent convention?” his eyes beaming in the light.
Ivy pointed her thumb to Tyler “Take the girl, she obviously wants to go.”
“Okay.” Ben nodded and Tyler began jumping up and down happily “Wait!” he pointed at Tyler “You can go under one condition.”
“What?” Tyler’s face fell.
“Convince Ivy to go too.” Ben smiled when Ivy raised her brow and Tyler instantly put on his puppy face.
“Please, Ga Jei!! It’s my only chance at fame and fortune. I promise, when I get famous one day, I’ll buy you anything you want.” Tyler was practically groveling.
Ivy’s lips curled up slyly “You don’t have to buy me anything…hmm…but I would like a slave.”
“I’m already your slave!” Tyler pointed out.
“Hmm, you’re right. Well, the deal is off then.” She said nonchalantly and began walking away.
Tyler reached out and pulled back by the arm “Wait!! Okay, I’ll do anything…just tell me and I’ll do it.”
Ivy crossed her arms “Okay…this should be fun. Hmm…I feel like tapioca milk tea from Chung Kei…”
“Done!” Tyler began to peel off his apron.
“In Kowloon.” Ivy finished.
Ben muffled a laugh while Tyler looked appalled “It’s miles away!!” he whined.
“Hmm…okay, deal’s off.” She took one step and he put up his hands.
“Fine. I’ll go.” He rushed out of the tiny restaurant.
Ben shook his head at her “You are unbelievable.”
Ivy turned to him with a wicked smile “I know.”
“How long are you going to torture him?” he felt sorry for the young guy already. Who knew what she had hidden under her sleeves.
“Just until next Sunday. I’ve got to enjoy this moment while it lasts.” Ivy sighed dreamily. He laughed at her with obvious adoration.
****************
That night, Ivy came home being carried on the back by Tyler. It was a few blocks down that she decided her feet were too tired. By the time they walked into the apartment, Tyler was exhausted beyond belief. He crawled over to the couch while Ivy smiled “I’m not that heavy.”
“No…not …at all…” he panted “But right about half a block, you felt like a rhino.”
Ivy narrowed her eyes as she walked over to the couch where he was sitting and crossed her arms “Ahem!” clearing her throat.
“Water?” he asked while wiping off the sweat from his forehead.
“No. You’re in my seat.” Ivy sounded annoyed.
Tyler sighed as he got up and bowed at her “Yes, your majesty.”
“And while you’re up. I’m a little thirsty.” She coughed a couple of times and waved him off into the kitchen when the doorbell rang “Wait, get the door!” she pointed. He spun his feet back and rolled his eyes before getting the door. It was Ben and Vicki “Who is it?!” Tyler was covering the door.
Tyler turned his head to her “Your best friend and my future brother in law.”
“Brad Pitt found me?!!” Ivy jumped up and rushed to the door only to be disappointed “Oh, it’s just you.” She slumped her shoulders and dragged her feet to the couch.
Ben shook his head with a laugh “Who did you think it was? And Brad Pitt is married by the way.”
“Don’t crush my only hope!” Ivy scolded “What do you want?” she noticed Tyler was about to sit down as she wagged her finger at him.
“Coming.” He sighed and went to retrieve her water.
“What’s with him?” Vicki asked.
“Slavery should be brought back.” Ivy commented with a grin and Vicki laughed, knowing what she meant.
Ben frowned “It’s cruel if you ask me. She’s going to take him along anyways so I don’t know why she has to torture him.”
“What’s a brother for?” Ivy chuckled and she stopped when the two were looking at her intently “What are you two doing here anyways?”
“We’re here to give you a few tips on how to act this Sunday.” Vicki said calmly but flinched when Ivy moved closer to her “Don’t hit me!!” she shielded herself.
“I won’t!” Ivy argued “But I should. What do you mean tips on how to act? I act very naturally.” Her hands leaning on her thighs and her eyes bulging out.
Tyler came out to catch her last comment “Yeah, if you were a gorilla, you’d be considered classy.” Vicki laughed as she pointed to him but one glare from Ivy, the two were solemn as can be “Here you go, princess.” He handed her the cup.
Ivy stared at it in disgust “I want ice in my water. Evian would be preferred.”
Ben rolled his eyes when Tyler whimpered a cry “Don’t mind her, Ty. She told me she’s gonna take you anyways. She just wants to torture you.”
She pointed at him with her forefinger “Lesson number one, keep your mouth shut until spoken to.”
“Is it true, Ga Jei?” Tyler asked wide eyed in shock.
She turned away “Yeah…whatever.”
He squealed with delight and reached out to hug his sister while she pushed him away “Thank you, thank you, thank you!! I love you!!”
Ivy managed to push him away “You do that one more time and I’m not going. And if I don’t go, you don’t go.” She warned.
Tyler took a wide step back “Yes, mam!”
Ivy settled in her seat as she pushed her leg up on the couch and acknowledged Ben “So what do you do at this ‘convention’? Is there any food? Or drinks?”
“Open bar.” Ben nodded.
“Hell, I’m going!!” Ivy clapped her hands.
“Okay, you really have to stop the cursing.” Ben clasped his hands together “There will be rich and well educated people there. Not to mention, your challengers will be wishing that you trip and fall. We cannot let them win!”
Ivy sat upright “A contest?”
Ben shook his head vehemently “No, no…nothing like that. This is about picking a talent and changing the person to look and act like a star.”
Vicki nodded “I think you can totally do it, Ivy. You’ve got the look and the style down. But it’s just the attitude…and all the cursing…that won’t earn any points with the judges.”
“Judges?” Ivy frowned “You guys didn’t tell me about that.”
“But they told me!” Tyler chimed in “Vicki explained everything and I think it’s gonna be so fun!” he gushed “Can I take Tara?” he asked eagerly.
“I don’t see why not.” Vicki turned to Ben for agreement.
He nodded “Yes, that’s okay. The more to support Ivy.”
Ivy slumped back in the couch “If you’re thinking that I’m gonna win this freak contest, you’ve guys need to be reported to the insane asylum.” She snickered “I have a hard time hold my tongue when talking to snotty rich people that come into the diner thinking they are gonna have filet mignon or something. But more rich people that are there to judge me?”
“Yeah…can you imagine the massacre when one accidentally calls her the ‘b’ word?” Tyler added.
“It won’t be that bad.” Ben assured her “How about I don’t leave your side?”
She frowned “Then I might as well take my dad along too. Fine then, I’ve got three rules if you want me to go.”
Ben nodded “Done.”
“One, I hate taking pictures, if a photographer gets near me within three feet punch him out.” Ben exchanged glances with Vicki but reluctantly nodded “Two, if one of those stars touch me, chop their hands off and lastly…can I have as many drinks as I want?”
Ben laughed, “That’s what open bar means.”
“I’m there!!” Ivy cried happily.
“But I don’t want you to get drunk.” Ben warned.
Vicki shook her head “Don’t worry. Ivy doesn’t get drunk that easily. Not like Ty who takes a gulp of cognac and wakes up the next morning thinking he just had sex.” The three laughed together while Tyler pouted.
“You tricked me!” he yelled making the other three explode even louder.