Fan Fiction |
by Jenny Tran
“Oh no, you’re not getting away that easy.” Philip laughed as he reached for her hand and pulled her back “We’re going to dance.” He said firmly. He reached around her waist and placed it firmly at the small of her back. “It’s not hard.” He said casually and took her hand to place it on his shoulder. Holding her other hand firmly he began to sway with her along with the music. Amy wasn’t kidding about not knowing how to dance so she stood there while he practically danced by himself. “If you don’t move, people will think I’m strange cause I’m dancing with a stick person.” He kidded.
Amy looked around and surely there were people staring. She took tiny steps and swayed against the music. When she realized she was off beat, she pulled back from him “I told you I can’t dance.”
Philip frowned as he tilted his head “You were doing fine.” He brought out his hands to her “Come on, follow my lead.” He coaxed gently.
“Fine, but if I step on your feet…” she warned as she reached for his hand.
He nodded and wrapped his arm around her again. This time, he held her hand to his chest to keep her from moving away. But by doing that, they were no more than 1 inch apart making Amy extremely uncomfortable. She looked over his shoulder most of the time while they danced, afraid that if she looked up they would accidentally touch. “Thanks.” Philip said it out of the blue.
Amy snapped her head up forgetting that she told herself not to. Her cheek brushed his chin and she instinctively moved away “Sorry…” he shook his head and she smiled “Thanks for what?”
“I don’t know what you did but that article was very generous. Are you going to tell me your secret?” he had to lean into her ear because the music was blaring away.
“I developed the film and kept the negatives and photos of us in the garden. I gave him the other photos so he had something to report back to his boss. He was very grateful.” Amy nodded with a grin.
Philip shook his head “He should be! I could have sued him for that.”
“I know you would have. But that would have put you in a bad place with the press.” She said logically.
He leaned down and kissed her lightly on the cheek “Thank you.” He smiled when he realized she was blushing. “You are the best!”
Amy couldn’t hide the obvious smile on her face as she looked away shyly. She didn’t expect the kiss and it came too sudden for her to hide from it. She didn’t realize that Liz and Johnny were dancing on the floor next to them until Johnny leaned in and announced “You can stop dancing now the music’s over.” Amy looked up and surely everyone was clapping their hands except for Philip and herself, who was lost in their own little world. Johnny raised his eyebrows teasingly at Amy as she pulled away from Philip.
“My feet is killing me. I’m gonna go sit down.” Amy said to Philip and he nodded in response. Instead of sitting down, she went straight to the bar and ordered a drink “Orange juice please.” She said to the bartender.
“Are you sure you can handle that?” Johnny’s voice spoke up from behind, startling her. He placed a gentle hand on her shoulder “Aren’t we a little jumpy.” He teased.
Amy didn’t answer as she gave him a dirty look, she took her drink and thanked the guy. Ignoring Johnny completely as she headed towards the patio. He followed her close behind “Don’t you have to tend to Liz’s needs or something?” she snapped.
He smiled amusingly at her, never fazed by her annoyed behavior “She’s dancing with Philip. Anyways, I wanted to talk to you myself.”
“If you’re going to make fun of that kiss, you can save it. I am in no mood, okay?” she drank her orange juice. They sat there in silence for a while until she could not hold it in any longer “What?” she turned to him with an exasperated look.
“You said to save it….so I am…” he was being silly and she knew it.
“Just spill it will you?” she was impatient as can be.
Johnny laughed “I think he likes you.” He said with a grin so big that Amy had to smile.
“Do you remember what you promised?” she shook her head with a sigh.
“This time, I’m dead serious. I’ll put it on my own life.” The tone in his voice was serious and his eyes bulged out as it stared at her earnestly.
Amy laughed “You’re life isn’t worth much. Anyways, I recall a certain someone saying that before too…”
He looked around eventhough there was no one around and then leaned in and whispered to Amy “I’ll put it on Liz’s life. And you know I’m serious if I can say that.”
Amy’s smile faded “Okay, now you’re scaring me. Look, I believe what I see. And I see Philip treating me like an employee and he is a boss to me. Yes, I agree that our relationship is more than work related, but it doesn’t go any further than friendship.” She insisted.
Johnny sighed “Someone’s in denial.” He sang.
“Someone’s gonna get a good beating if he doesn’t shut up.” She sang back with a smile plastered on her face. Amy suddenly stood up unexpectedly.
“Where are you going?” Johnny was up right beside her.
“To ask Philip if he likes me. I’ll prove you wrong, boy.” She insisted, wagging her finger at him. “Maybe then, you’ll stop hounding me like a dog.”
Johnny threw his head back with a laugh “This, I’ve got to see.” He practically pushed her back inside. They found Philip and Liz talking at one of the ready tables. He was excited when they joined them at the table. “Amy has something to ask you!” he announced happily.
Amy wrinkled her forehead “Nosy butt. I’m not going to ask him right now.”
“Ask me what?” Philip leaned back on his chair and crossed his arm amusingly.
“Ask him!” Johnny pushed.
“No.” Amy shook her head.
“Why not?” Philip’s curiosity grew by the second.
She shook her head “Nothing.”
“Aww come on, you chicken!” Johnny spoke louder than when he was supposedly drunk that one night.
Amy turned to Liz “Control your man, please.”
Liz laughed as she wrapped an arm around Johnny’s shoulder “What is it?”
Amy noticed Johnny opening his mouth and she quickly pointed to his face “Don’t you dare say it!! If you even breathed the words, I’ll tell Liz about that one night…” her eyes widened threateningly.
Johnny pouted “Aww! Why did you have to remind me. Fine, if you don’t want to do it in front of us, you do it outside.” He stood up and took Amy on one hand and Philip on the other. He practically dragged them to the patio “And stay out here until it’s done.” He closed the large glass door behind them and stood guard with his back to them.
Philip was grinning as he watch his friend scare off a couple that wanted to go outside “What’s he so excited about? And what is it that you wanted to ask but can’t in front of people? I know you are shy, but I don’t recall you having any problems giving me snappy comebacks.”
Amy turned and glanced at Johnny and then Liz who was now joining him in chasing away anyone that comes near the glass doors. “I’m embarrassed to ask.”
“What is more embarrassing than that one night?” he crossed his arms.
She closed her eyes “Trust me, it’s more embarrassing. Can you not look at me when I ask you this?”
Philip was curious but he did as she told, he turned his whole body sideways “Go ahead.”
“Johnny swears on his life and Liz’s life that you like me.” She waved her arms nervously “I know we’ve gone through this…but I feel like he’s so confident about his assumptions and…well, I don’t know…I’m just very confused.”
“You should be. Johnny has that power to make anyone confused. But hey, let me ask you something, do you like me?” he was still standing sideways from her. “Before you answer, is it okay if I face you? That guy over there is smiling cause he thinks I’m talking to him.”
Amy looked over towards his direction and she laughed when she too saw a guy holding a drink and smiling flirtatiously at Philip. “Yeah, I’m sorry.”
He let out a sigh of relief “Thank you.” He shrugged his shoulders “So?”
She looked at him blankly forgetting what their subject was. Then she shook her head and smiled “Right…that thing. Do I like you? You know I’ve pondered that question since the first day I met you.”
“You liked me all the way back then??” he asked with surprise.
“No…no!” Amy shook her head vehemently “I don’t deny that there was an attraction, but to like someone is to know them a great deal. At least it is for me. Do I like you? Yes, of course…but only as a friend. I finally came down to that conclusion.”
“Okay, then I like you as a friend too.” He nodded and then stretched his arms out tiredlessly “I’m glad that’s over with. Let’s go back.”
“Wait, wait a minute.” It was her turn to stop him “What do you mean ‘okay, then I like you as a friend too?’ That doesn’t make any sense.”
Philip laughed “Isn’t that the answer you wanted to hear?”
“Well, yeah….but…no…is that the truth?” she couldn’t be more confused than she was standing out there.
“What do you want the truth to be?” he asked.
“Stop that! It’s not right to answer a question with another question. Don’t play mind games, Philip.” she felt the heat rising to her face.
He crossed his arms again “I’m not playing, Amy. People want to hear what they want to hear. It’s the truth. Do you think that it would make you feel good if I said yes, I have fallen for you…and fallen hard?” she pinched her lips together unsure of how to respond “Or would you rather hear that I only see you as a friend or a sister even. Would that make you feel good?”
Amy scratched the top of her head in confusion, her logical mind was saying one thing but her heart was saying another “I don’t know…” she frowned at herself. “I just want to know the truth.”
Philip stepped closer to her as he placed his hand on both of her shoulders “If the truth will make us both uncomfortable, maybe we shouldn’t discuss this anymore? As long as we both get along and we work well together, does it matter if you like me or I like you? What makes a team is compatibility not romantic feelings. One thing I learned about this business is never to take your heart seriously. There will be so much confusion and stories that everyone makes up, its hard for me to even distinguish what is make believe and what is real. All I know is that I trust myself and only myself.”
Amy let the words sink in and it made so much sense to her finally. It really didn’t matter what their feelings were. Maybe it was mutual? Maybe he didn’t want to hurt her feelings from fear that she would quit? Whatever his reasons, she knew it was no longer important “You’re right.” She agreed. “It shouldn’t matter. I love my job and I wouldn’t want to do anything to jeopardize it.”
Philip smiled as he pulled her in for a big hug “Thanks for understanding.”
She laughed and returned the hug “Thank YOU for not embarrassing me.”
Suddenly the glass doors opened and they could see Johnny grinning at them like a monkey “So, is it agreed? You two are an item?” Amy and Philip broke apart as they shook their heads at him. Both knew what they spoke about was no one’s business. They seemed to read each other’s thoughts at the same time they walked by Johnny without saying a word. “Is that a yes?” he asked impatiently.
Liz patted him on the shoulder “I think that means mind your own business, honey.”
“Oh crap!” he pounded his fist on his left palm “They’re going to keep us in suspense.” Suddenly his face brightened “Maybe they’ll announce it tomorrow? Or maybe, they’ll announce it tonight?”
Liz sighed “You’re obsessed with them, you know that?”
“No.” he pointed a finger at her “Not obsessed, just curious.” He corrected in a serious tone.
“Curious is the first step to obsession.” She shook her head and walked away.