Fan Fiction |
by Jenny Tran
Ivy was working when she received a page from Vicki. She answered the page and it was an urgent voicemail from her friend “Ivy come quick! I’m at the mall, level three by the flower shop!”
Curiosity took over as she hung up the call “I’ll be back, old man.” She said to her father who was scrutinizing her with his glasses.
“Where are you going? It’s noon time, our busiest hour.” He asked calmly.
“I said, I’ll be back.” Ivy widened her eyes and rushed out of the diner.
Tyler overheard as he smiled at his dad “It’s probably an emergency.”
“I sure hope so.” He sighed tiredly.
When Ivy reached the mall, it wasn’t hard to spot Vicki who was leaning over the balcony of the third floor staring at someone. She walked behind her friend and tapped on her shoulder “Need some binoculars?”
Vicki gasped as she clutched her heart “Don’t do that!” she scolded. But when she remembered why she called Ivy out, a smile appeared on her face “Look! It’s Mr. Perfect.”
“Who?” Ivy snapped “Who the hell is that?” her hands on her hips.
“Remember? The guy I told you about the other morning.” Vicki reminded her.
“Oh shit…” Ivy shook her head “You called me out here to look at some freak that probably knows you’re looking at him?”
Vicki looked defensive “He does not! He’s just having coffee and watching the people walk by.” She pointed to the handsome stranger in a suit “Isn’t he handsome?”
Ivy squinted her eyes to have a better look but she didn’t “You want to meet him?” she asked Vicki, who widened her eyes in horror. But before she could decline, Ivy leaned over the metal bars and screamed at the top of her lungs “HEY!!!!!! YOU!!!! In the suit!!! You want to meet my friend??? She’s single!!!!”
The entire floor of people turned up to the voice as they looked annoyed. The stranger set down his newspaper and looked up at the girls, who looked like they were wrestling with each other. Vicki pulled her friend to the side “What are you doing?” she covered her face with her hands; they were burning hot.
Ivy laughed at her reaction “I’m helping you, what does it look like I’m doing? Come on, you want to meet him right?” She reached for her friend’s hand and dragged her towards the escalators. Vicki's feet slid against the smooth floor while people stared at the petite girl trying to drag her friend away.
“NO!!!” Vicki moaned over and over. Suddenly, she looked up “Look, its Tyler and a girl!” she pointed.
The plan worked as Ivy let go of her friend’s hand and turned her back “Where? I just saw him at work…” she didn’t realize she had fallen for the trick until she turned back to Vicki, who was already running towards the parking structure. Ivy crossed her arms with a smile on her face as she jogged after her friend.
**************
That night, Ivy came home early because there was a soccer game she was following. She found Tyler and Tara studying in the dining room table. She didn’t greet them as she rushed into the kitchen, slipping against the wooden floors in her socks. She popped the bag of instant popcorn into the microwave and tapped her foot impatiently.
Tyler walked into the kitchen as he pulled out two drinks from the refrigerator “Home so early?” he asked.
She put up a hand “Don’t talk to me. Game on, no time to concentrate.” She said hastily. When the microwave beeped, she pulled out the bag and ripped it open. It was scalding hot as she poured it into a bowl and tossed the bag carelessly to the floor “Move it, gay boy.” She pushed him aside when they exited the kitchen at the same time.
He rubbed his arm that hit the door “Excuse you.” He mumbled and walked back with the drinks for Tara.
“What’s with her?” she whispered.
“I don’t know. Something about a game.” Tyler replied “Let’s get back to studying.” She nodded in response as the two concentrated on their books.
Ivy looked like a wild goose as she turned on the TV only to find out it was broken “Oh come on!!” she cried with a mouth full of popcorn.
Tyler looked up when he heard his sister yelling “It’s broken.”
“Really, genius? How long did it take you figure that one out?” she snapped. Suddenly, her eyes caught on outside the window of the dining room, she could see Ben’s TV from where she stood. He was watching the game too. Ivy got an idea as she moved the couch so it would face the window. She quickly settled down and grabbed her bowl of popcorn as she stared out the window.
Tyler and Tara looked at each other, from their view, it looked like Ivy was watching them like they were putting on a show. Her popcorn in hand while she giggled every once in a while “Ga Jei…” he began only to be hushed by her.
“Zip! No talking…” she pointed a popcorn at him.
“Just ignore her.” Tyler advised as the two began studying again.
After fifteen minutes, there were popcorn crumbs all over the floor while Ivy looked ready to jump in the air. When her team made a goal, she jumped up screaming “Yeah!!!! Oh my God, that was great!!”
Tyler took in a deep breath while Tara was startled, she was writing notes when her pen fell out of the page. He turned to his sister with a grim expression “We’re trying to study.” He grit his teeth together.
“Well, go inside the room.” Ivy replied smugly “I won’t tell dad…like anything’s gonna happen.” She muttered.
“What?” Tyler asked.
She laughed at the look on his face “I said, nothing aint happening…you squeaky clean virgin.”
Tara hid a smile while Tyler blushed. He stood up to face his sister “Do you want to take this outside?” his voice trembling.
Ivy rolled her eyes “Oh damn, here comes the water works! Boo hooo…just go crying to daddy like you always do.”
“I do not!” he shrieked.
“Do to!!” Ivy stood up on the couch to be taller than him.
“Do not!” Tyler stood on the couch too as he towered over her.
“Do too!” Ivy stood on the arm of the couch, suddenly, her eyes caught on Ben’s who was looking at her strangely “Oh shit…look what you did. The freak saw me!” she spun around and jumped on the ground while racing to the door. She locked it and then turned to Tyler “If he comes over, say I went to sleep! Don’t let him in.” she cautioned.
Tyler narrowed his eyes strangely at the figure that ran into the room “I swear there had to be a mix up at the hospital. She can't be related to me.” He said to Tara. Before he got to sit down, the doorbell rang. He straightened up to answer it, Tyler found a handsome man standing in front of the door “Hi…can I help you?”
“Hey. I’m your new neighbor.” Ben smiled “Is your sister home?”
“Uh…um…” he was never good at lying.
“My name is Ben, by the way.” He reached out a broad hand to shake Tyler’s.
Tara walked over to them “She’s not home.” She answered for Tyler.
“Yeah, you just missed her.” Tyler advised but his head was twitching towards the hallway “She just left.” His eyes widened as he twitched again.
Ben looked at him strangely “Are you okay?”
Tara stifled a laugh while Tyler continued to shake his head. When Ben was about to leave, he pulled him inside. He put a finger to his lips as he waved for Ben to follow him. Tara closed the door as she gently followed the guys to Ivy’s room. She was kneeling on the bed staring out the window at Ben’s apartment “Is he gone?” she asked.
“Yeah.” Tyler replied.
“Good…if that freak finds out I was watching the game from his TV, he’ll never let me hear the end of it.” Ivy replied without turning back.
“Not necessarily.” Ben replied with his arms crossed.
Ivy turned slowly towards the room door to find Tyler laughing hysterically and Tara smiling at Tyler’s reaction. Ben looked sternly at her with raised brows “You little snip!!” she yelled at Tyler as she picked up a pillow and hailed it across the room at him.
She missed completely as it hit Ben straight on the face and it only made Tyler laugh harder. She got up and charged after her brother who was already running out to the living room with Tara behind him. He had tears of laughter in his eyes, he used Tara as a shield “Don’t come near or she’ll beat you up.”
Ivy pulled up her sleeves as she pointed a fist at him “Come here little girl…you need a good beating!!” she bounced towards them while Tyler pushed Tara playfully at his sister. She giggled deliriously while Ivy pushed her onto the couch and ran around to chase Tyler. The two ran in circles around the house while Ben watched with a smile on his face. They were like kids and it only reminded him how much he wanted siblings. Unfortunately, he was the only child.
After about 20 rounds around the couch, Ivy took a short cut as she stepped over the cushion and over the couch as she tackled her brother with ease. She sat on him with her feet pinning his arms down. He was laughing too hard to fight her “No…it tickles! Stop…” he laughed while he struggled to get her off him.
“Good, that’s what you get.” She flicked him on the forehead with her fingers “Brat!!” She cried over and over “Don’t mess with me boy.” She said after a few minutes of torturing her brother.
He was too tired to fight but his giggles had calmed down “Okay…truce…” he said calmly.
Ivy nodded with a smile “Sure… over my dead body!!” she put her feet on his cheeks “Smells good huh?”
He was used to her antics as he sucked in a mouthful of air. Tara looked worried when Tyler began to turn red “Hey Ivy…I think he’s looking a little blue. Maybe you should stop.”
She crossed her arms “No…he likes it. Don’t you, Ty?” she asked while his cheeks got puffier.
Eventually, he could not take it anymore and pushed her off as he coughed out the lung full of air. He gasped for fresh air while his sister rolled on the floor laughing. He climbed to his feet while Tara helped him up “Must…get…to…face…wash.”
“I’ll help you.” She said while supporting him to the bathroom.
Ben walked over as he took a seat on the couch arm and peered over the edge looking at Ivy “Are you done?”
She made herself comfortable on the floor “So? What’s it to you?”
“You know, I could sue you for invading my privacy.” He said casually.
“That’s not true.” She snickered “You had your curtains open, it was almost like…a welcome. You wanted me to watch the game.” She said with much logic.
He smiled “You’ve got an argument for everything don’t you?” he stood up as he walked around the couch and put out a hand to help her up. She hesitantly took the hand as he pulled her up with ease “If you wanted, you could have asked to join in the game with me.”
Ivy arched a brow up “You need to rephrase that sentence.” His brows knit together as he thought about what he just said while she jumped over the back of the couch and landed on the cushion “Anyways, I don’t want to owe anyone anything. It’s just a game that I wanted to watch, I didn’t HAVE to watch it.”
“Yeah and you didn’t HAVE to sneak to watch it from my TV, but you did anyways.” Ben pointed out.
Ivy rolled her eyes “Well, I’ve lost interest, you can go home now.” She motioned her hand towards the door while sitting up “Just lock the door when you leave.” She skipped her way back into her room without seeing him to the door. He titled his head with interest as a smile crossed his face before he left.