Becoming Joan Wilder
By: Rikku Minouke
Disclaimer: I don't own YYH
Chapter 1
Growing up, my mother loved Michael Douglas. When my dad would leave for business trips, we would have sleepovers in our living room. That's where we would watch Romancing the Stone and Jewel of the Nile. That was my childhood right there. I always wanted to be Kathleen Turner's character and mom would drool over Michael Douglas.
And there was one day in middle school when my dad was gone that my mother sat down with me. Both of us were in our sweat pants and comfy shirts. The popcorn bucket in between us and the blankets were wrapped around my body. The film started and I felt myself being lost in the story. Getting so zoned in that I didn't notice the phone ring and my mother leave to talk to whoever in the kitchen.
It was that moment that I made my decision.
I wanted to be Joan Wilder.
I wanted to be an author who wrote romance stories and gets swept away into a whirlwind adventure with a hunk of a man that eventually falls for me. Despite all my flaws, he will love me anyways.
I remember nodding to myself and deciding that this would be my future.
_15 years later_
"Thank you for calling Hollywood Video," I said into the phone with as much of a smile as I could muster. I hadn't slept in a few days and I had no doubt that the bags under my eyes showed that. "How can I help you today?"
The bell above our door rang out and I glanced over to see a couple of teenagers walk in laughing about whatever just happened outside. They were probably in high school. I barely listened to monotone man on the phone as my eyes followed the group of teens that wandered over to the new release wall.
"Yes we are still open for another hour today sir," I said and glanced behind me to where the new guy was leaning against the counter probably wishing he could be anywhere but here. "Alright, we will see you shortly. Thank you, goodbye!"
Hanging up the phone, I looked over to the guy again. His red eyes were watching one of the TV's we had hanging up with some kids movie playing. The features in his face almost held a disgusted expression and part of me wanted to laugh and the other part of me wanted to sigh in exasperation.
"Hiei, right?" I asked slowly, gaining his attention. His arms were crossed over his chest and held an air about him that made me almost nervous. At least if we were being robbed, I wouldn't be worried as long as he was working. This guy would probably scare them off with just one glance.
When he turned to look at me, I swallowed at the unspoken irritation in his eyes. Jeeze, this dude needed a hug. Bad. "I am not following them around the store."
Straightening my shoulders, I tilted my head slightly. "Can you at least run movies and just make sure they don't steal anything while you're out there?" He didn't move an inch; just stared at me like he wanted to squash me like some gross beetle under his black combat boots. "...Or I can run movies and you can wash windows? Your choice."
"Hn," was his response and it left me thoroughly confused until he opened a cupboard and grabbed the windex. As he passed me, I could feel the tension between us thicken.
Shrugging off his hostility, I grabbed the large stack of action movies. Just remember, he passed his background check. He couldn't be that bad then, right? Walking toward our action section, I started to put the movies back in their original, alphabetical spot. My mind was trying to focus on the teenagers on the other side of the shelving unit. Really they were just kids. I was just happy if they picked a movie quickly and left. There was less than an hour left until closing and I couldn't wait to get home.
My deadline was coming up with my publisher and I was so close to finishing my manuscript. Koenma, my boss, would need to see it by Monday. That left me less than five days to write a hundred pages. It was doable, but it was going to be difficult.
I almost wish that someone would have told me when I was a kid that being an author wasn't always what it was cracked up to be. Really, I wasn't quite the Joan Wilder I had always envisioned, but maybe someday I would be. As long as I held out hope.
"Ma'am?" Blinking, there was one of the teenagers next to me. When I turned to him with my lips slightly parted, because let's be honest, I zoned out there, he held up a movie. "Is it okay to check out now?"
Setting the rest of the stack of movies down on the shelf, I shook my head to clear my thoughts. "Yes, yes! Let's do that." I smiled warmly at the boy and we both moved to the front of the store. Glancing around, I saw Hiei outside washing the front door. Every time I asked him to do something, he always acted like this job was so beneath him. Maybe I should bring up his attitude problems with him someday soon.
The next hour ticked by slowly as we did our nightly chores. It was always a great feeling when we got to turn off the lights and lock the doors. Not that I could go home and sleep like normal people. I had a book to finish!
Counting down our registers, Hiei ran the rest of the movies and did the little bit of vacuuming that had to be done. A few cars drove into our parking lot and dropped off movies. It made me chuckle when they would, because Hiei would mumble about them being idiots for being late. There was one car that stuck around though. Well a car isn't the right word. More like a mini limo.
I tried to ignore the weirdness of it as we finished up for the day and punched out. Hiei walked out the door before I set the alarm and I quickly followed with my book bag strapped tightly to my side. We usually parked in the same spots which meant that the two of us went in the same direction to our cars. His teal beat up truck stood out in the darkness. My deep blue four door sat two spaces over.
We were almost there when the mini limo pulled up behind us. Swallowing heavily, I turned to look at the car as one of the back windows rolled down. Hiei scoffed, but turned to look nonetheless. How could he be so flippant right now? This was more than a little creepy.
A puff of grey smoke left the open window of the car in front of us. The man inside had a similar the same dark presence that Hiei held. Their eyes were different colors but… there was something in their eyes that read on the same line. I just couldn't put my finger on what it was exactly.
"Get in the car," he said and I recognized his voice as the man who had called earlier asking for our hours.
My brows furrowed in confusion as I looked between the man in the car and Hiei. My coworker looked calm as could be. Well, for him 'calm' was probably the wrong word to use. Disinterest
would be better for him.
When neither of us moved toward the car, he clicked his cigarette against the window to let the ash fall on the pavement in front of us with a frown. "I suggest that you get in the car. It's in your best interest."
"And why is that?" I asked putting one hand on my hip. This guy was keeping me from writing the rest of the book. Deadline, here.
"I won't ask again," he glanced at me and I noticed the long scar running down his face. I gulped down my gasp. The man sat back against his seat and rolled up the window.
Glancing at Hiei, I wanted to know what he was going to do. What was the chances this guy was going to hurt us? Was it possible he had a gun? Hiei shift slightly like he was weighing his options. One, two, maybe three seconds passed without any movement or sound.
Then Hiei steeled his jaw and moved forward to open the door. Another gulp forced its way down my throat as I followed Hiei into the back seat of the mini limo thing.
And not even two hours ago I was thinking about how I missed out on being Joan Wilder. I guess, I found my adventure…. I just hope I make it out alive. Also, I'm pretty sure that Hiei won't be my Michael Douglas.
