Saturday, January 16, 2010 | 6:29 PM |

Chapter 16

Everytime I see you smile

Jiro’s POVI sat on the sofa, flipping through the different channels on the TV. I heard the doorbell ring. Yawning, I got up and opened the door.
My eyes met an elderly couple. The man wore a fine-tailored suit and carried a briefcase. A business man. The woman had a soft smile on her face. She moved with dignity and elegance.
I stood there awkwardly, scruffy and dirty.
“M—mom? …Dad?”
---
No POV
Hebe stood in front of the mirror, smiling to herself. She was dressed in a white dress and a yellow cardigan.
She was meeting Danson tonight. She hasn’t seen him a few days and missed him. She could not wait to see him. She grabbed her bag and walked lightly out of her room.
Aaron noticed Hebe walking out of her room with a silly grin on her face. Seeing the bright smile on her face, he felt like smiling too. But, he thought again. He knew that something was wrong. “Hebe!” He shouted lously down the corridor. Hebe turned around, shocked.
“I don’t remember dismissing you…” He said, grinning evilly.
“… But…” Hebe turned to make a run for it.
“Where do you think you’re going?” Aaron grabbed her arm, spinning her around. He noticed her outfit. In the dress, she looked cheerful and sunshine-y. “ I’m going out with… Danson.” She said the last word really softly, but Aaron still heard her. Danson?!
“Well, you can’t go.” Aaron said angrily.
“Why?” Hebe shouted back, getting annoyed.
“YOU JUST CAN’T, OKAY?!!!” Aaron screamed.
“Okay, who are you… my FATHER?!!” Hebe shot at Aaron before making her way down the stairs.
Aaron chased her down the steps. “Hebe!”
---
Jiro’s POV
“Wait… How did you know where I was living?” I asked, angry.
“We’ve been… keeping tabs on you ever since you left home.” My mom said.
“You’ve been SPYING on me?” I shouted, even angrier now.
“DO NOT blame your mother.” Dad suddenly cut in. “We had to. You couldn’t be trusted. You ran away from the duties that still wait for you.”
“I don’t want to take over the business!” I shouted. Since when had he fulfilled his duties as a father? He’s always been to busy for me. It’s always been this way, as if I didn’t have a father at all. “The only duty I have, is to MYSELF.”
Dad’s face was all red and his fists were clenched so tightly that his knuckles became white. “I’ll talk to him.” My mom calmed my dad down. She turned to me. “Da Dong, you know how much your dad wants you to run the family business. Why not just fulfill his wish?”
“Mom, I’m really busy right now. Can we talk about this another time?” I turned to go.
“Busy? He’s always lazing around.” My dad muttered, just loud enough for me to hear him.
“We were the ones who took the pictures.” My mom said quickly.
I froze. “What?”
“We headed to see how you would react. You have matured. Instead of being impulsive like you would have done before, you calmly thought through the problem. And… We also found a suitable wife for you.” My mom said the last sentence excitedly, as if she had been holding this in.
I stared at them for a few moments. Then it hit me. They wanted me… to marry Hebe?
“I don’t care! I’m going whether you like it or not!”
“No you’re not!”
Hebe rushed in, followed by Aaron. When they saw us, they immediately fell into silence.
Hebe’s POV
“Uhh… Hello Mr and Mrs Wang.” Said Aaron, poising himself.
Jiro’s mom and dad? “Good morning Mr and Mrs Wang.” I said politely.
Mr Wang got up and slowly walked in a circle around me, as id inspecting me carefully. He nodded his head slowly.
Jiro’s eyes widened. Aaron quickly pulled me away, smiling at Mr Wang nervously.
“What does your family do?” Mr Wang asked abruptly.
“M-my parents died when I was young. My brother is currently studying chemical engineering overseas. I am studying literature and law in the local university.” I blurted out, tense.
“Hmm.” He nodded his head. “Do you like Jiro?” Jiro looked like he was choking and Aaron looked like he wanted to kill someone.
“I—yes, he’s a really good fr—“
Mr Wang smiled, trying to be friendly, but scaring me even more. “Hmm. Yes. Good. I propose marriage as soon as possible.”
“WHAT?!” Aaron, Jiro and I screamed.
“Is there a problem?”
“No… I’m busy now. Sorry, Mr Wang.” I quickly rushed off before saying something that will offend him.
“Very well mannered, very sweet.” Mrs Wang smiled.
“Uhmmm.” Mr Wang nodded his head.
Aaron stared daggers at Jiro. Jiro shrugged back at him.
---
Aaron’s POV
Looking once at Jiro and then at his parents, I rushed out of the door and got into my car. I started up the engine. Blasting in maximum volume from the radio was Hero Heroine by Boys Like Girls.
It's too late baby, there's no turning around
I've got my hands in my pocket and my head in a cloud
This is how I do
When I think about you
I never thought that you could break me apart
I keep a sinister smile and a hold of my heart
You want to get inside
Then you can get in line
But not this time
Cause you caught me off guard
Now I'm running and screaming
I feel like a hero and you are my heroine
I won't try to philosophize
I'll just take a deep breath and I'll look in your eyes
This is how I feel
And it's so surreal
I got a closet filled up to the brim
With the ghosts of my past and the skeletons
And I don't know why
You'd even try
But I won't lie
You caught me off guard
Now I'm running and screaming
I feel like a hero and you are my heroine
Do you know that your love is the sweetest sin?
And I feel a weakness coming on
Never felt so good to be so wrong
Had my heart on lockdown
And then you turned me around
I'm feeling like a new born child
Every time I get a chance to see you smile
It's not complicated
I was so jaded
And you caught me off guard
Now I'm running and screaming
I feel like a hero and you are my heroine
Do you know that your love is the sweetest sin?
(I feel like a hero and you are my heroine)
And I feel a weakness coming on
Never felt so good to be so wrong
Had my heart on lockdown
And then you turned me around
(Do you know that your love is the sweetest sin?)
I'm feeling like a new born child
Every time I get a chance to see you smile
It's not complicated
I was so jaded
(I feel like a hero and you are my heroine)
And I feel a weakness coming on
Never felt so good to be so wrong
Had my heart on lockdown
And then you turned me around
(Do you know that your love is the sweetest sin?)
I'm feeling like a new born child
Every time I get a chance to see you smile
It's not complicated
I was so jaded
It never felt so good to be so wrong.
---
Ella’s POV
I was so bored. I had just finished my research work and had absolutely nothing to do for the rest of the day. Hmm… I wonder if Wu Chun’s in? I strolled over to his room and peeked in.
“Angela! I’ve been trying to get through to you!” I heard him say.
A pause.
“I—I understand. You’ve got a lot of things to do. I got it. Well, talk to you another day.” He talked into his phone, then hanging up and throwing it onto his bed.
Who’s Angela?
Wu Chun sat down on his bed and rest his head on his hands. “Always busy…” He muttered to himself. He hit the side of the bed with his fist.
He looked up. Our eyes met.
“Ella?”
---
Hebe’s POV
“Hi!”
“Hey.” Danson said, smiling that velvety smile I loved so much.
“I missed you.” I said, believing with all my heart that I truly did.
“Really?” Danson’s eyes sparkled with surprise happiness.
“Yeah.” I said, smiling.
“Come. Let me bring you somewhere.” Danson said, his eyes glimmering.
“Where?”
“You’ll see.” He took my hand. I held his hand tightly in mine. Feeling his smooth skin, I honestly didn’t care where we were going, just that I could hold his hand for ever and ever.
---
Wu Chun’s POV
Ella smiled brightly at me and skipped into my room. “So, what’s up?”
“Nothing much…” I said nonchalantly.
“Want to do anything?” She continued, her face all scrunched up as she strained to make her smile bigger.
I laughed, unable to stay indifferent to her funny expression. “Stop that!”
“Stop what?”
“Being so funny!”
“Hmm…” Ella put her finger on her chin. “Maybe. If you stop being such a GROUCH.”
“Grouch? Me?” I stared at her.
“Yep! You!” She pulled the sides of her mouth down with her fingers to form a big frown on her face. “Like this.”
I laughed again. Her expressions were so funny and cheerful. If only Angela were like her. Wait, what am I thinking?
I stopped laughing.
“No! This isn’t right!” Ella frowned. “Smile like this.” She leant forward and pulled the sides of my mouth up with my hands, as I stared blankly at her. Our eyes met again. Her eyes caught me in their gaze as her frown slowly disappeared.
Staring into her eyes, I felt the world spinning around me.
Why am I feeling this way?
---
Aaron’s POV
I am not a stalker. I just happen to be at the beach. And Danson and Hebe so happens to be there too.
I’m not a stalker. I chanted slowly to myself, trying to get it in my head.
They were sitting on a mat, gazing up into the cloudless sky, talking about who knows what.
What am I doing here?
It’s not like I want to spy on them, right? I tried to deny it as much as I could. This couldn’t be the ‘jealousy’ Jiro was talking about… could it? I ruffled my hair, frustrated.
Suddenly, I noticed Danson looking at Hebe with a weird look in his eyes. I strained my neck to see what was happening.
Danson leant forward, his eyes fixed on Hebe’s. He was suddenly serious. He leant even closer, their lips almost touching.
I felt something erupt within me. I gripped my hands into a fist, I felt like killing Danson. I struggled to control myself.
Hebe turned away swiftly.
“… Why?” Danson whispered, their faces only inches apart.
“I… I can’t.” Hebe looked up into his eyes.
Danson leant back. “It’s Aaron, right?”
Hebe looked shocked.
I held my breath. Did Hebe like me?
“No!”
I felt her answer stab through me.
“He’s… He’s just a friend.”
“Just a friend? I’ve seen you with him before, Hebe. He doesn’t JUST treat you like a friend.” Danson’s voice was accusing.
“I… I don’t know.” Hebe was choking. “I don’t like him, Danson.”
“So… what are you doing?” Danson paused. “Just playing with him?”
“…Yeah.” Hebe looked down. “I guess.”
I felt pain near my chest. I felt sick. What did she mean by that? I paused, unable to calm the chaos going on within me. I wanted to deny what I had just heard, but I couldn’t. I felt betrayed and used.
Hebe… was just playing with me?
That sentence kept pounding in my mind, unable to ease.
It felt as if my whole world has just come crashing down on me.
I quickly started up the car and drove away before I could get out of the car and confront them.
---
No POV
It was late at night when Hebe came back. She went to her room to find Aaron waiting there.
“Hi.” Hebe said, walking into the room.
Aaron didn’t answer. He gaze was fixed upon the floor.
Hebe turned around, noticing the frozen look on Aaron’s face.
“Umm, I said hello!” Hebe said, advancing towards Aaron.
Aaron ignored her. He raised his head and asked softly, “How was your date with Danson?”
“Good…” Hebe stared at him with a look of confusion on her face. What did he want?
“I…” Hebe started.
“Don’t act like you don’t know.” Aaron’s eyes bore into hers, aflame.
“…What?”
Aaron laughed. But it wasn’t the laugh that Hebe knew. It was as if Aaron had turned into a totally different person. She almost felt scared.
“Aaron I…”
“Did you really think that you could trick me?” Aaron stood up suddenly.
“No, I…” Hebe started to back up.
“I thought you were different than the others but you’re just the same.”
“Listen Aaron…” Hebe pressed herself against the wall, trembling.
“You only want to get close to Aaron Yan, the rich heir, not me.” Aaron said, his tone suddenly lowering.
“Aaron! I don’t know…”
Aaron closed his eyes. He didn’t want to hear anymore of her pathetic lies. He grabbed her hands and pinned them up on the wall.
“You think it’s fun to play with me?!” Aaron screamed, his breath heavy against Hebe’s cheek.
“Aaron…” Hebe said, trying to calm him down. But her pleas only made his fire ignite, brighter than ever.
“I’ll show you how fun it really is.” Aaron said, whispering into her ear.
He forced his lips down on Hebe’s.
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No!!!!!!!!!!!! Aaron is losing control! :(
A bit of Chunella for you guys. Jirlina next chap I promise. Rmb I’m focusing on Bebu. Cos they’re the best (:
Ahh well, wondering what’s gonna happen next? Read on to find out!
Thx for all your kind and nice comments. I shall jia you and write like mad. :D I almost thought you all abandoned me cos I didn’t see much of you comment. :(
But you didn’t! You guys are the BEST.
~colourful-raindrops~

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