Fan Fiction |
by Jenny Tran
After dinner Chuck sent everyone home to wait for his page “Once I get in contact with Ah Bat and find out the meeting destination, I’ll let you guys know and we’ll pounce on that sucker before he finds a hole to crawl in.”
“Wow…” Becca commented.
“What?” he turned to her while trying hard not to sound annoyed.
“For a minute there, you almost sounded like a lieutenant.” Becca said with sarcasm. "Who uses the word sucker anymore? Why don’t you say bastard or dick?”
“Because it’s been reserved for your potty mouth!.” Chuck snapped.
Erin looked at the two with teasing eyes “You two would be so cute together.”
Becca dropped her jaw in shock as her face twisted disgustedly at the thought. She was speechless with her hands flailing around, she was defeated when she turned and walked away without uttering a word. Chuck wasn’t at all offended as he turned to Erin “Nice job.”
She smiled and Mia pointed to her friend accusingly “Oh!! You just said it so Becca would get upset and walk away.” She laughed “That’s pretty good, Erin. You’ve got to teach me some day.”
Doug nodded “Me too.”
“You WOULD like that, wouldn’t you?” Mia joked.
“It’s getting late guys, we should go home and rest. It’s going to be a long day tomorrow.” Chuck predicted, “I’ve got somewhere to go, but we’ll stay in contact. Bye.” He waved before getting in his car.
“Mia, you need a ride home?” Darren offered.
She shook her head “No thanks. I’ll just hitch a ride with Erin.”
“I’m taking Ted home first. Why don’t you let Darren take you home?” she gave Darren a hidden wink and he smiled in return.
“It’s out of your way Darren. I can take Mia home.” Doug offered only to be glared at by Erin and Darren. He wrinkled his eyes at them but quickly shrugged it off. By the time it occurred to him, Mia had taken the offer.
“That’s a great idea!” Mia exclaimed. Before he had a chance to change his mind, she linked her arm through his and led him away.
Erin sighed as she shook her head at Darren “Sorry, I tried.”
“I know. Maybe I’ll leave a bouquet of roses on Becca’s apartment door with the card that reads ‘Love, Doug’ on there.” Darren schemed evilly.
“Wow…” Ted sighed as he nudged Erin to get her attention “Remind me to stay on his good side.”
“Dually noted.” She smiled as the three parted.
Doug walked Mia into the apartment “Okay, no burglars, mass murderers. You’re safe. I’ll see you tomorrow.” He said and prepared to leave.
“Wait!” Mia called after him. She threw her bag on the couch and raced to the kitchen “I have something for you. Have a seat!” she ordered.
“What is it?” he asked with suspicion.
Mia laughed “It’s not Becca, isn’t that enough for you to lower that barrier you have up?”
Doug narrowed his eyes at her “Are you sure Mia isn’t entirely back? Only she can read my words.”
“Positive, now sit!!” she yelled. He let out a sigh and took a seat on the couch. She walked over to him with a plate and a slice of creamy cheesecake, which was topped off with strawberry sauce and sliced berries “Your favorite.” She presented the beautifully decorated plate.
Doug practically jumped back as he squeezed himself into the corner of the couch. He looked fearfully at the slice as if it was the devil reborn “What…why…where…how…” he was at lost for words.
Mia smiled slyly “Now…let’s talk biz.” She held the plate on her lap “I have a few questions.”
“Oh Mia, you know that is just killing me!!” He pointed at the cake. It was his all time favorite desert. The last time she pulled that stunt on him, he ended up telling her all his deep dark secrets. Of course she was not impressed but she knew what to used to get him to spill the beans.
“I know.” She said casually “Now. In exchange for this delicious slice of heaven…I just want one question answered.” She picked up the plate in one hand and took the ready fork as she sliced it at the corner showing him just how smooth the filling was. He was practically drooling with his eyes mesmerized by the dessert.
“I’ll answer ten questions if you give me that bite…” he said almost drunkenly. His body leaning into the plate.
Mia turned her eyes away thoughtfully “Tempting.” She commented “But I just need one.” Doug began nodding like an obedient puppy “What happened to Ethan on Prom night?” she asked quickly.
Doug frowned as he sat back slowly “I can’t tell you that.” He said with a solemn expression.
“Not even for this bite?” Mia asked tempting him with the fork full.
He closed his eyes and turned away “My word to my friend is more important than some cake!” he said with self dignity. Mia smiled as she pushed the fork at his lip. A piece trailed behind on his lip and he stuck out his tongue and licked it. It was even better than the one she bribed him years ago. Doug’s eyes snapped open “Oh who am I kidding?! To hell with willpower!” he opened his lips and took the bite into his mouth. He moaned with satisfaction as his body twisted and curled with every taste bud screaming for more.
“Damn, you’re weak!” Mia muttered. She handed over the plate to his eager hands “Okay, you’re turn.”
“He got beat up by ten football players.” Doug said quickly, his attention was fully on the cake.
Mia reached out and took the plate from his hands unexpectedly “I already know that!” she emphasized “Tell me something else.”
His lips were caked with the cream as he reached out hungrily “Okay, okay…don’t hurt it!”
She wrinkled her nose at him and handed the plate back to him “Don’t make me take it to the garbage disposal.” She threatened.
Doug covered his body over the plate “Okay…I promise…no funny business.” He took a bite before turning his attention back to her “Why do you want to know anyways?”
“Because Ethan won’t tell me.” She narrowed her eyes “And I know you know.”
“How do you know that I know?” Doug asked curiously yet his attention was still diverted at the cake.
“I can tell when you know something that you don’t want to tell me. And I know when you know and you CAN'T tell me because someone doesn’t want me to know.” Mia explained.
He turned to her questioningly “Huh?”
“Does it matter?!” She asked impatiently.
He felt her looking at his cake threateningly “Fine. Okay, if you want to know that bad… those football guys were talking about choosing a ‘lucky’ girl that they could haze. Ethan overheard them saying your name--”
“So? It’s just hazing, you know I wouldn’t do that crap.” Mia interrupted.
“Could I finish?” He widened his eyes at her. Mia raised her hands in defense “Anyways… He also overheard that the hazing wasn’t something embarrassing. It was a group rape. They would take turns to you know…do it…” Mia’s heart began racing at the thought “They were so damn drunk when they talked about it that Ethan thought they would really do it. Maybe they would have, maybe they wouldn’t. But he approached those guys and warned them not to mess with you.” Doug took a second to snicker at the thought “Can you imagine this small guy with dorky glasses threatening a bunch of buffed up football guys? Yeah, the outcome was pretty obvious. They took him outside and beat the crap out of him.”
Mia covered her mouth in shock “Oh my God! Where were you??” she hit him across the shoulder.
“Hey! I was busy looking out for you. The minute Ethan found out, he ran over to me and told me to keep Mia away from the football guys. And then before I could ask him, he ran off. How would I know the dork was about to get beat up?” Doug rubbed his shoulder painfully “And you know, he was so deep in the hole in love with you that he wouldn’t be thinking right anyways. It’s like ‘Mia’s in trouble? Ethan to the rescue!!’. Come on, I thought you knew.” He said with obviousness.
Mia slumped back in the couch “He…he…did that for me? When…how…”
“You forgot why and what.” Doug added with a laugh.
“Oh my…” she shook her head in disbelief. She never thought the real story would be that. Suddenly guilt washed over her “And I yelled at him for picking a fight with the football team when he came back with two back eyes and cuts all over his forehead and face.” She felt the tears stinging her eyes “I lectured him about the importance of not being violent and how disappointed I was at him for letting his anger get in the way.”
Doug was enjoying the last bite when he noticed Mia crying “Hey…” he said gently “It’s not your fault. To be honest, I would have done the same if I was in his place.” Mia looked up at him and he added “But I wouldn’t have been stupid enough to approach the team by myself. I would have gathered like an army of guys and come up to them.”
Mia let out a laugh despite her tear stained face “Thank you…I guess.” She shook her head “I feel so bad.”
“You want my last bite?” he offered.
She widened her eyes “Really?”
“No, but I wanted to show you how much I cared.” Doug quickly devoured the bite before Mia got her fingers on them.
Erin’s keys rattled at the door as she pushed the door and let herself in “Hey, you still here?” she asked Doug.
He nodded with the crumbs still on his lips “Midnight snack.”
She smiled and nodded to Mia “Just make sure you clean him before he’s loose in the streets.” She did a double take on her friend “Are you crying?” she asked with instant concern.
“Yeah. It’s your turn to console her. I’ve done enough damage.” Doug said quickly as he took his cue to leave.
Mia shook her head at Erin “I’m okay…I just found something out that I should have known years ago.”
“Good or bad?” Erin felt her holding something back.
“I’m not sure.” Mia said in confusion.
“Okay, whenever you’re ready.” Erin smiled and patted her on the shoulder “Go to sleep early. We need enough energy to catch that son of a bitch.”
“There you go!! That’s what Becca was waiting for.” Mia pointed out with a laugh. Erin shook her head with a chuckle.
Mia returned to bed while Erin prepared her place on the sofa, still in her jeans and shirt. Her other clothes were still in the room. It was a natural routine for Erin. It was as if the room was sacred and only when Erin had enough powers that she could enter. She twisted and turned on the couch because she couldn’t sleep. Her thoughts wandered to her sister, she knew she was still alive. She could sense her presence still or maybe she wanted to believe it so bad that she had convinced herself.
Eventually, she got up and walked into Shelly’s room. The sweet aroma of lilac continued to linger in the petite room. Shelly loved the smell of lilac. How much she missed the singing laughter of her sister. It has been almost a year since the girls saw each other yet it felt like ages for Erin. It was tough for both to adapt to the changes but the minute they did, they were close like they had been raised siblings in the same house since the beginning of time.
“Please keep Shelly safe, Brad…She can’t die…” Erin whispered into the air. She lied on the bed and took the covers and wrapped it around her shoulders. Her back leaning on the wall. It was the first time she cried for her sister. But it was the second time she felt so alone and lost. She wouldn’t be able to cope with another loss “I’d take her place.” She said before finally falling asleep after the tears tired her out.