Fan Fiction |
by Jenny Tran
On the day of the planned barbeque, Billie and Ellena arrived early at the condo as they cleaned up a few dust bunnies as well as set up the table. They had bags full of desserts and candy for the few with the sweet tooth. “Did you get the M&M’s?” Ellena asked as she dug through the plastic bags.
Billie smiled, she reached for the bag she knew it was in and handed it to her friend “Here. Still can’t break the habit can you?”
Ellena hugged tightly to the bag of mini M&M’s chocolate candy “You know what they say, there’s a child in every person. Except, yours was crushed by the big Billie.”
“My inner child is alive, I just haven’t found the right guy to bring it out yet.” She said in defense “Speaking of child, what’s going on with you and Kyle?”
She was taken aback by the question and wasn’t prepared to answer it as she stammered “Oh…um…nothing.” She said trying to convince her friend with an innocent look.
“You’re not going to get me with the puppy eye look again. I know you better than that. Don’t say I didn’t warn you, but guys like Kyle are not good news. He’ll use you and break your heart after he’s done.” She felt the need to look over her naïve friend. After all she’s never dated before and shouldn’t have to go through a heartache the first time around.
“Well, maybe he’s changed. You have to admit, he wasn’t that same annoying guy at the beginning of your class. I remembered that first day, you came back huffing about some chauvinistic male name Kyle. But he’s become somewhat…bearable, you could say.” Ellena analyzed. When her friend had no response, she pushed it further “Weren’t you the one that taught me when you find a man that has changed for you, it’s worth taking a chance with?”
Wrapping the plastic bags in a ball, she turned to her friend “Guys like Kyle do not change. They only adjust to the girl, once they have gotten her, they will go back to their usual selves. Trust me. I’m a big example, did you forget what that creep did to me?” she reminded her friend.
Ellena knew it was tough arguing with Billie and it was nearly impossible to get her to agree with anyone. She nodded in response “I know. So, how was the wedding?” her heart came out to her friend.
“It was…pleasant.” Billie smiled secretively while collecting the bags and walking to the kitchen.
“Wooh…that was a smile!” Ellena teased as she quickly scurried after her “Did you meet someone?”
Billie laughed, “No, more like ran into someone.”
“I know whom.” Ellena mocked with a pointed chin.
“You do?” she asked in surprise.
Ellena nodded firmly “Travis.” Billie wrinkled her brows strangely “He came bye to see you that morning. You left just minutes before he arrived.” Her brows crunched even further as she wondered how he knew her address, she never mentioned it before “What’s the matter? Thinking about your new love interest?” she teased.
Billie shook her head “No…it’s just, I never gave him my address, how would he know where to find me?”
Her face flushed over as she realized that she couldn’t confess the truth that it was Travis that took her home from the courthouse incident where she had told Billie a reporter had taken her home. It had become a bigger mess than she anticipated “Well…eh…I told him of course.”
“You did?” she asked suspiciously.
“I didn’t tell you?” Ellena was sure her face was burning red, but she had to keep the lie going “I ran into him during a lunch break and we got to talking. I mentioned briefly that we lived in the Dong Lang building. There is only one in Kowloon so obviously, he found it.”
“Why did he come over? He was going to the wedding too.” She said out loud.
“Maybe he likes you and wanted to ask you out.” She offered.
Billie shook her head and the suspicion from her head “No, maybe he had a question about the class. So you told him I was at a wedding?”
“Yeah and he told me he was going to a wedding too and by chance, it was the same one so I mentioned it.” She saw the concern on Billie’s face “Don’t worry, I didn’t mention about him.”
“I know.” She was confident that Ellena would keep her secret “Come on, let’s dust the living room.”
After the girls finished dusting, the other four arrived at the same time with bags of food, drinks and snacks “Right on time.” Ellena waved her dirty duster.
“Wow, this is nice.” Anesa looked around the condo.
Travis tilted his head towards her “Didn’t you have to use the restroom?”
“Oh yeah!” she held onto her bladder and rushed down the hall to find the restroom.
He laughed with a shaking head “So, you gals need help setting up the grill?”
“We’re barbequing in here?” Billie asked.
The guys turned to each other and nodded in unison “Yeah.”
“No way, I can’t have this condo smelling like smoked ribs. We’re cooking on the beach. There are plenty of pits for us to use.” Billie shook her head firmly.
“But it’s hot out there!” Kyle complained.
“Well, take off your shirts.” Billie suggested “Anton, why are you wearing a collar button shirt? It’s a hundred degrees out there.” He shrugged but when the guys looked at him strangely, he decided to take off the first layer. Underneath was a black long sleeve shirt. They continued to stare “Wow, you’re cool now.” She said sarcastically.
“Okay, let’s eat!” Anesa announced from the hallway.
“Darn, I was hoping she fell into the toilet.” Kyle cursed and began laughing hysterically.
She rolled her eyes away “Lame. So, where’s the grill?”
“You mean, you don’t see it?” Travis asked in shock. Anesa shook her head as he took her hand and led her to the balcony “See, it’s a giant grill.” He pointed to the beach and the pits.
“You’re kidding.” She said flatly.
Billie crossed her arms “Are you guys done? We have to go and claim a pit before they’re all taken over.”
“I doubt it, most people prefer air conditioning.” Ellena retorted while gathering the stuff back into the bags. Only Kyle found it amusing, he laughed as if she had said the funniest thing he’s ever heard. The group turned to him oddly and soon he relaxed and began grabbing the bags and cooler.
As Ellena suspected, the beach was deserted and free of people. The only six people that were daring enough to walk outside on the stuffy and hot day. Anesa looked up at the clouds “It looks like rain today. Maybe we should go inside—Oh! Did you feel that? I think I felt a sprinkle.”
“Nice try. The forecast said no rain today.” Billie advised as she motioned for the group to sit down on the ready chairs she brought with her. Travis helped her set up as he patted to a seat next to him “Thanks.” She smiled warmly and began poking the meat onto the long forks.
“Psst!” Anesa hissed at Ellena, who leaned in closer to her “Can I switch seats?” she was sitting next to Anton who was next to Billie.
“Sure.” Ellena agreed willingly as she got up and moved her seat. Kyle wrinkled his nose strangely as he pulled Ellena closer to him and whispered something incoherent. She turned to Anesa with a smile and nodded to Kyle to switch seats.
“Look, musical chairs without the music.” Billie pointed out with a laugh “Is everyone settled now?”
“Yes, teacher.” The four answered simultaneously.
“I have an idea!” Anesa exclaimed.
“No!” Travis snapped “You always have one, let’s give someone else a chance.”
“Fine.” She agreed with widened eyes “Anyone got anything?” the group shrugged casually and she turned to Travis with her tongue stuck out “Anyways, as I was saying. I have an idea to make this more interesting. Since we don’t know much about each other. Let’s all say a short summary about our childhood, you know family, friends, where we grew up what school we went to.” They groaned in response “Come on, it’ll be fun!”
“Okay, I’ll go first—” Kyle began.
“Anton you go first!” Anesa volunteered him.
Kyle gawked at her with annoyance “I said I would go—”
“Shh! You’ll get your turn.” She snapped.
Ellena grinned as she patted him on the shoulder and passed the ready chicken wing to him. He smiled gratefully as he began eating on the scalding hot food. She reached for another chicken wing when she caught Billie’s gaze. Travis noticed the strange tension as he reached out and took the fork from Billie “This one’s ready.” He gave her the ribs.
“Thank you.” Billie replied as she turned to Anton “So are you going to keep us in suspense?”
“You’re serious?” Anton asked. The group nodded “It’s really boring.”
“Not as boring as mine. Now come on. I think everyone will agree that you’re the quietest one of the bunch. It’s time for you to talk.” Anesa spoke for the group.
Kyle quipped with a snort “Yeah, let someone ELSE talk for a change.”
He could sense the stares waiting for him to speak, but his mind was not quick enough to come up with a story “Well…I…eh, grew up in Tong Lau Wan. I have one sister and my parents were divorced when I was really young. I lived with my dad, who’s a police officer. He was rarely home and I learned to fend for myself and watch after my little sister. I never made it to finish college but I took a lot of courses about business management and politics. They were both interests that I always wanted to go into but didn’t get a chance…” he sighed with a small smile “I told you it was boring.”
“Who said? I thought it was very interesting.” Anesa claimed “Right guys…” she faded when she noticed no one was paying attention.
Anton moved closer to her ear “I know what you’re trying to do, but I’m not ready to tell them.” Suddenly, his eyes moved to a group of guys making their own pits not too far from them. Lowering his eyes, he cowered to hide himself and it seemed only Anesa was aware.
“What’s wrong?” she whispered.
“Nothing, I have to go to the bathroom.” He replied and got up. Thinking he could escape the shadows of his past when one of the guys recognized him from the back.
“An Gor!” the call caught everyone’s attention as they turned to the new neighbors and back at Anton, who paused only for a second and continued walking “An Gor!” The guy caught up as he placed a hand on his shoulders.
“I’m sorry, I think you have the wrong person.” He replied politely.
“What the hell are you talking about? It’s me. Hak Chai, we just ran into each other at the bar a few days ago.” He gave Anesa a double take and pointed at her “Yeah, you brought your girl with you.”
“Girl?” Travis wrinkled his brows oddly.
Anton continued to play it off “No, I didn’t go to any bar.”
“What’s the matter with you?” Hak Chai asked as he turned to the group staring at them “Oh, I get it…new life…I see. Sorry, I guess I did have the wrong person.” He backed away understandingly and waved for his guys to leave “Come on, we’ll find another place to hang out.” They grumbled in response but followed him off the beach.
Anton smiled at the group as he returned to his seat “I guess people look like people huh?”
“Didn’t you have to pee, man?” Kyle asked unsurely.
“Oh…yeah.” Getting up again, he smiled weakly at them.
“Bring back some ice too, An Gor.” Travis added making him freeze in his steps.
Anton nodded at them “I guess I couldn’t hide it forever. I do have a secret.” He decided to fess up.