First TKK 2010 fanfic. It's set after Cheng and Dre's first fight scene at the park.
Disclaimer: I don't own the movie or the characters, though I wish owned Cheng, lol. 3
I Did This For You
"I'm sorry."
"Sorry doesn't make it," Mei Ying turned her face away from the boy in front of her. "You think apologizing would make everything better? You think Dre's injuries would magically disappear? You think-"
"It's just a black eye. What's your problem?" Cheng raised his voice, anger and frustration evident in his tone.
"What's my PROBLEM?" Mei Ying turned to face him again. "You just beat up an innocent newcomer who didn't mean any harm. I told you to stop, but you didn't. You hurt him. It just happens every single time. No matter where we are, whenever I try to make friends, you just butt in. You never let me have a mind of my own."
She kicked a stray book on the floor. "I want to be independent, make my own decisions, choose whoever I want to be with. You try to act like my dad but you're not. Go boss someone else around. Find a little brother or sister to pick on."
Cheng remained silent and deep in thought. For a minute or two, they both stood there facing each other, neither speaking. Mei Ying's heart was racing. She tried to see if there was anything in his expression that might give away his thoughts but could find none. With Cheng, you sometimes never know whether he's calm or angry inside. Not that his dark and emotionless eyes could help in any way.
Finally, he looked up. With a smirk, he lifted her chin with his finger to which she smacked it off.
"Mei…"
"Don't call me that. I don't like nicknames given by you," she scowled.
He sighed. "Whatever. Let me remind you that your father has given me the responsibility to take care of you whether you like it or not. Don't you remember? Five years ago? When you got lost in a shopping mall and I found you and helped you look for your parents? "
Mei Ying didn't say anything.
"It was the first time we met. I didn't have any friends either back then," he continued. "You were the only friend I ever had."
"Well, you have your own gang of jerks to hang out with now. I only have an instrument to keep me company. You know why? Because you scare everyone else away from me and beat them up if they even come close."
"You have to practice if you want to get into the Beijing Academy of Music. Friends are mere distractions. Your dad will be very upset if you throw your dreams away."
"Stop bringing that up. You always use that to justify your actions."
"I was trying to protect you."
"I don't need your protection!" Mei Ying yelled. She stood up from the sofa they had been sitting on and crossed her arms. "I'm sick of you telling me what to do. I can be friends with whoever I want. I like Dre."
"Hah! Typical American kids. He's just flirting with you. You can never trust those people. I was only trying to keep him from breaking your heart. I don't want to see you get hurt." Cheng snorted, still seated with an 'I-don't-give-a-damn' face.
Mei Ying was doing all she could not to grab him by the collar and punch the living daylights out of him. She felt like exploding right then and there. Does this boy even have a heart? His pompous and arrogant manner and how he thinks he could do whatever he wants at times made her wish they had never met, that their parents never knew each other, that she had not had an overprotective father who gave her such an overbearing 'bodyguard'.
She wasn't that sort of person, no. Mei Ying will never be like Cheng. She doesn't use her fist to solve her problems. She thinks before she acts, unlike the jerk in front her.
"You didn't want anyone to hurt me," she neared him. "But you did it yourself." She felt her eyes prickle and start to well up. Cheng seemed surprised, but quickly got over it. He stood up too.
"Mei-"
"Stop calling me that!" This time, tears were running down her face. Cheng tried to wipe off her tears but she shrugged his hand off. "I can wipe it away myself, DAD." This hit a spot in him. He didn't like being called that though he wasn't sure why.
"I'm sorry."
"You know you don't mean it, so don't bother." She turned and went for the door.
"Mei Ying!"
She turned the knob and opened the door. "You know, Cheng. I really thought you would change and at least try to be a better person."
"M-"
"I wished for you to open up your heart and care for others for once instead of yourself. I hoped you would at least care about me. How I feel."
"I do."
"No, you don't. If you did, you wouldn't have hurt him."
"You actually have feelings for that boy?" His anger this time clearly showed on his face.
"What if I do? It's not as if you care." Sadness was evident in her voice. "I'm going home now, Cheng. You don't need to follow me out."
"Mei Ying!" he called out and tried to stop her but she had already gone out and shut the door behind her. Cheng kicked the wall nearby. He slumped down on his knees and punched the carpeted floor. "Argh!"
He felt confused. He didn't know what to do. He wanted to tell her he cared about her and promise her he'd never mess with her personal life anymore. He hated to see her so upset and all because of his selfish acts. But she left. He grabbed his cell phone on the table and tried to call her but she didn't answer. He wanted to go over to her house and try to win her over again but something stopped him.
"No," he said to himself. "I can't let her go." He was afraid. Afraid he might lose her to that boy. That boy that came from another country out of the blue. What was his name again? Ah, Dre, that was it. Cheng had never seen Mei Ying defend someone before. Yes, she had gotten mad him quite a number of times when he intruded in her conversations with any guy but she had never brought their name up and actually admitted she liked them.
This Dre kid. Him and his stupid hair. Mei Ying really seemed interested in him. This was different. Cheng felt threatened. He didn't like Dre at all. "It's his fault," Cheng muttered. "He's trying to take Mei Ying, my Mei Ying away from me."
All thoughts of making up to Mei Ying and trying to become a better person were thrown out. "I can't let him hurt her. No, this is for the best. This is for Mei's future." He tried to convince himself. "She'll thank me later when she finds out this Dre is not as nice as she thinks. Yeah, that's right. This is for her. I'm not being selfish." He shook his head.
"Mei," he whispered. "I just want to protect you."
Read and review, please. I'd like to know what you think, but if you feel to lazy to review, then that's fine. No flames, please. Constructive criticism is allowed. ;)