Fan Fiction |
by Jenny Tran
Darren and Jenna were the first to arrive as they entered the headquarters alone “I guess we’re first.” Darren sighed as he pointed to the conference room “You want anything to drink?” he treated her as a guest.
She shook her head “No, I’ll get my own if I’m thirsty…but it’s sweet of you to ask.” She fluttered her lashes at him. He nodded and turned away, ignoring the obvious. Jenna smiled crookedly as she followed him into the room and there was a slight skip in her step “Do you always ignore girls that flirt with you?”
“Do you like to point out the obvious when someone’s trying to ignore it?” Darren asked just as quickly as her question.
“Ooh, feisty! I love that in a man!” she grunted with a laugh.
He smiled “I’m not your type.”
“Sure you are.” Jenna said a matter-of-factly as she pulled out a piece of folded paper from the wallet in her little backpack. She handed it to him to read.
He looked at her strangely “What is this?”
She smiled “Read it.”
He unfolded the paper and read it out loud “My dream guy. Number one, tall…”
“See!” Jenna said as she snapped the paper out of his hand “It’s accurate isn’t it?”
Darren shook his head with a laugh as he reached out unexpectedly and took the paper back from her hands. She gaped at him in shock as he continued to read “Handsome.” He raised his brows “Very accurate. Dark yet sexy.” He frowned “I’ll pass on that. Ooh, I like this one…funny yet serious.”
Her cheeks grew flaming hot as he continued to read them out loud. When she had had enough, Jenna reached out and took the paper back without warning “Okay that’s enough.”
“What’s wrong? Embarrassed? You sure aren’t shy.” Darren was more interested in making the girl squirm.
“No.” Jenna shook her head with a short answer “I just…well, it’s none of your business.”
“As I recall, someone actually pushed the paper into my hands.” He teased openly. Something about her was absolutely endearing yet he couldn’t put his finger on it.
Jenna turned her bottom lip upward “I didn’t want you to read ALL of it.” He laughed while she continued to scowl at him “Don’t you dare tell anyone or…”
“Or what?” he crossed his arms with a winning smile.
“Or I’ll tell Daddy on you!!” she couldn’t think of a more serious threat.
Darren widened his eyes in fear “Ooh, I’m trembling.” He pretended to shiver. Jenna turned away with an angry face. His smile slowly faded when he thought she was mad “Hey, I’m just kidding…I won’t tell anyone. I promise.”
Jenna turned to him with a wide grin “Pinky swear?” she pulled out her finger and pointed it at him.
“Yes.” He linked his pinky with hers.
“Darren, I thought I told you no flirting with the boss’s daughter!” Chuck’s scolding voice interrupted the two.
Darren laughed as he turned to Chuck “I don’t recall you saying that. But we were not flirting.”
“I’m not Mia, you don’t have to explain.” Chuck put up a hand to stop him from continuing.
“Who’s Mia?” Jenna asked abruptly "Is she that one mean girl in the van?"
The guys exchanged looks but didn’t bother replying to her question “So what’s with the meeting?” Chuck changed the subject.
“I want to wait for everyone. Which reminds me…I didn’t call Ted yet. I think he’s taking Erin home today.” Darren began looking for Ted’s cell on his own phone list.
************
After Ted and Mia dropped Erin off at home, Mia had a call from Ethan. He wanted to talk to her in private, it sounded urgent “Go ahead, I’ll be with Erin.” Ted assured her.
“Thanks.” Mia nodded as she rushed out of the apartment. She took a cab to the mall where Ethan specified her to be at. She stood on the second level as he requested and waited for him. After about 5 minutes, Mia received a tapping on her shoulder. She turned to face her friend wearing a black trench coat and dark sunglasses not to mention the black hat was not very fashionable “What the hell happened to you? You look like a paranoid movie star.”
He lowered his head and looked around to make sure TK wasn’t around “Shh…come on.” He ordered. Ethan led her to a busy café where they sat in the corner, away from most of the people.
“You look like you just came from a funeral.” Mia observed.
Ethan finally took off his sunglasses as his eyes continued to dart around “I have something to tell you.”
“You’re going crazy?” Mia asked flatly. She shook her head at him “What’s wrong with you anyways?”
“I don’t want TK to see us.” He whispered.
Mia’s face turned solemn “Why not? Did he harass you?” Mia sat up as she reached over the table “What did he do??” she asked hurriedly.
Ethan swallowed the nervousness as he took in a deep breath “Promise me you won’t freak out.” She nodded with wide eyes “He came to see me about a week ago.”
“Where?” Mia asked, she could feel the cold chill running up and down her spine.
“At the hospital after I found out about Erin’s condition. He held a gun to me and made me promise to help him.” Ethan was still hesitant to pull her into the ring of fire. What if TK found out and killed Mia? He would never forgive himself yet he felt she needed to know what was going on before it caused their friendship any damage.
“Should I be afraid to ask?” Mia was sure it would be outrageous or too wild beyond the imagination.
“Hypnotize Erin into falling in love with him.” Ethan said after a moment.
“That’s insane.” Mia breathed as she sat back in her chair with a thump “What did you tell him?”
Ethan shook his head as he continued to wring his fingers together “That it was impossible, but he was like a madman. He told me he would kill you if I didn’t do what he asked. I was afraid at that time and I was going to take the secret to my grave. But when I was about to tell Erin, he showed up and made me hypnotize her right then and there. So I did.” He turned to Mia guiltily “I’m sorry. I’m weak…I didn’t know what else to do…I wanted to break her trance but he kept going on and on. I couldn’t stop it.” He shook his head.
Mia sighed sympathetically “Ethan, it’s not your fault. I would have done the same if a gun was held to my head.” She shook her head at the thought of TK “No wonder he showed up this morning! And Erin…that explains everything.”
“What? You followed you guys?” Ethan was almost paranoid as he looked around like a madman.
She shook her head at him “No. I think he knew Erin would come see Brad when she was released from the hospital. He put on a show and apologized for killing Brad. Ted wanted to take him back to the police but Erin stopped us. She told him to run away.”
“Oh my God.” Ethan didn’t believe it had gone that far “What did I do? I released a monster.” If he had the courage to stand up to TK, maybe Erin wouldn’t have fallen under the trance.
“It’s not your fault!” Mia remind him again as she reached over the table and took his hands “Don’t you dare do something stupid, Ethan.” His eyes dodged hers as she tilted her head to follow his gaze “Ethan! Look at me.” He turned to her with empty eyes “Promise me. Don’t do anything hasty. Please…” her eyes were earnest as can be.
He nodded blankly “I promise.” Mia let out a sigh as her eyes followed up to a figure that stood not too far from her. It was Doug. Ethan turned to see who she was looking at “Doug!” He quickly yanked his hands away from her grasp.
“So…nothing going on huh?” Doug asked smugly as he approached their table.
“Nothing.” Ethan shook his head firmly.
Mia on the other hand nodded “Actually, now that you’ve caught us. I should tell you… we’re dating.” She reached out unexpectedly to take his hand.
“No!” Ethan cried as he pulled his hand away “She’s just kidding.”
“Don’t be embarrassed.” Mia said calmly to Ethan “He should be the first to know.”
Doug smiled slowly “This is great news!” The two turned to him with a strange look “I’m so glad you two finally got together. I was thinking this would never happen. But now that it did, I’m so happy.”
“You are?” Mia asked “I thought you were on Darren’s side.”
“There are no sides.” Doug replied with a grin “I just want what’s best for you two. I’ve always saw a connection but I never bothered to tell you two because I thought it would ruin our friendship. Honestly, you couldn’t find a better guy than Ethan.”
Ethan shook his head “That’s not true. How would you explain Mia’s love for Darren for the past three years?”
“Does it matter? She doesn’t even remember the guy.” Doug pointed out.
“That’s true!” Mia nodded in agreement. Her smile was plastered on and Ethan could read her from a mile away. But he felt she was hiding from something and didn’t want to blow her cover in front of Doug “Anyways, what are you doing here?”
“I was eating lunch with Be…a friend and got a call from Darren. He’s calling a meeting.” Doug replied, he secretly hoped that they didn’t catch his slipup.
Ethan turned to Mia “Work is more important. We’ll talk later.”
She nodded while Doug rolled his eyes “I’m gonna be sick. Are you two one of those lovey dovey couples that can’t stand being apart for two minutes? Because if you are, remind me so I can bring along my gag bag.”
Mia smiled as she got up to follow Doug “Sure, I’ll borrow yours when Becca and you are together.”
Doug turned his eyes to her “What’s that suppose to mean?”
“I’m the queen of subtly.” Mia grinned as she gave Ethan one last wink of the eye “I’ll see you later.”
Back at headquarters, everyone had arrived. Even Ted who got Shelly to take over until he got back. Darren turned to the group as he stood up from his seat “Sorry for the short notice guys. But I think this is worth calling your attention to. I have good suspicions that someone was trying to kill Jenna. She said the smoke came from right outside her doorstep.”
Becca turned to the calm girl “What kind of enemies do you have?”
Jenna shrugged “I don’t have any. I barely have any friends.”
“Well how come someone is trying to kill you?” Becca pressed “Did you step on someone’s toes without knowing it?” she glanced her eyes at Mia who didn’t bother making eye contact, she knew where Becca was getting at.
“No one else but you.” Jenna quipped.
Darren laughed shortly before stopping after receiving a glare from Becca “Anyways, I have a feeling it’s TK.”
“Him again.” Mia muttered.
Chuck heard as he turned his attention to her “What do you mean ‘again’. Did you see him?”
Ted and Mia looked at each other. Mia nodded for him to explain “We saw him at the cemetery where Brad was buried.”
“Why didn’t you catch him?” Becca demanded.
“Erin stopped us.” Mia said quietly.
“She what?!” Doug was stunned “How could she let the man that killed Brad get away? Is she crazy?”
“She hasn’t been herself.” Mia explained shortly.
Darren frowned “That’s not like Erin.”
Chuck nodded in agreement “I know what you mean. I’ll have a talk with her tonight.”
“Don’t get her too emotional. She wasn’t willing to talk much after Mia and I took her home.” Ted sighed.
Jenna turned to Mia and then back to Darren “She’s Mia.” She pointed.
Darren didn’t bother answering “So what should we do?” he turned to Chuck for the next step.
“I don’t know.” Chuck sighed “He’s got to make the first move since it seems he knows what we’re up to. In the meantime, you might have to continue to play babysitter for Joe until he gets back.”
“Is my dad paying you?!!” Jenna asked him in shock.
Darren shook his head vehemently “No…of course not!”
“Well he should!” Jenna widened her eyes “I’ll make sure of it.”
Becca snickered “Darren’s got money coming out of his ass, I don’t think he needs Joe’s money to pay the rent.”
Jenna thought about it as she nodded “True.” She looked at Darren with grinning eyes “Could I borrow some money then?”
“Ahem!” Chuck cleared his throat as he prepared to close out the meeting “I think TK’s main targets are still Erin, Shelly and now Jenna. We need to stay around them as much as possible.”
“Yes, sir.” The team nodded in agreement.