Thanks to AmberCahill for favoriting, and reviewing and TheTranqilTornado, and Volcanic Lily for reviewing faithfully, along with Agent Get Amy And Ian Together. Please review. This chapter, I decided to give Dan something to do, since he was barely mentioned in the last two, along with a brand new character with sibling rivalry issues. Warning: to understand this character, you must put up with a lot of boring ranting on her feelings. I do not own the 39 clues, although my dream is to write a book for them after finding world peace.
Amy's instinct proved true: Hamilton flourished as Ian's CEO. He had the optimism and candidness that Ian did not possess and although it would never be said, most of Ian's employees preferred him to standoffish Ian.
Ian, as expected, was immediately accepted into Harvard, and despite everyone's, even Amy's, who thought he would pursue strategy, expectations, began to go to school full time, and take pre-law courses. Looking back, everyone should have seen it coming, with his excellent way with words, intimidating stature, and know-it-all attitude. Everything was going as normal as possible for Cahills, until Dan met Tabitha Chen.
He met Tabitha in his creative writing class at Boston College. The assignment was to write about something he did in his spare time from a different point of view. He wrote about Black Ops 2 as Alex Mason. After reading it out loud, the teacher, Professor Whitman, praised his work greatly and asked if anyone had any questions. A girl in the back, with pale skin, dark eyes and black silky hair, held in a rubber band, who had written about reading classic poems as the author, stood up. "Excuse me, but if you don't mind me asking, what exactly is Black Cops?"
There was a silence. "It's called Black Ops. And it's the best video game to ever be invented in the history of mankind,"
"I just don't understand why you'd chose to write about a video game for a grade. You're lucky that it turned out well, but wouldn't it be easier to play it safe?"
"Playing it safe? I have never 'played it safe' I happen to like being myself, and seeing what happens, than to butt kiss my way to victory."
"Are you saying that I don't like to read classic poems? Are you calling me a liar?"
"Well if I wrote about anything else I would be a liar, now wouldn't I?"
"Not necessarily, the prompt was and I quote, 'to highlight another perspective using figurative language and originality based on one of your favorite things to do outside of school."
"But what if playing Black Ops is the only thing I like to do besides school?"
"Well is it?"
"Yes."
"That's funny, because I happened to have heard you talking to Frank about how the Giants crushed the Forty-niners yesterday. Which proves that you watch football in your leisure time, and that you lied about only liking to play video games."
"You were list-"
"Game over. Never get caught lying in an argument, it invalidates your whole argument, which leads to our next topic: If someone in your favorite TV show got into an argument with…" Professor Whitman continued to speak.
Dan wasn't listening. How dare she criticize him for what he decides to write about! As soon a class was over, he stormed across campus. He was instantly aware someone was following him. He swung around, as quickly as possible, almost giving himself whiplash. There, looking startled and uncomfortable at the same time was Tabitha. "What do you want?," he growled.
"I'm sorry about class. I knew the moment I opened my mouth that I had made a mistake."
That didn't make any sense to Dan. "If you knew it was a mistake, why did you keep arguing?"
"I was in a class with my peers. I couldn't let them think I couldn't win a fight."
Dan knew what that was like. Being the youngest Cahill in his branch, he knew he had to step up, or be kicked to the curb. "Look, I guess I'm sorry I called you a liar. See ya Monday." He turned to walk away.
"Wait," Tabitha called, grabbing his shoulder. "I have proposal to make."
"Marry you? Well we barley know each other and there's the fact that if you got hit by a truck, I may throw a party. Can you leave me alone?"
" Just hear me out. I'll play video games with you, Charlie, my twin, is planning another stupid Call of Duty party tomorrow at our parent's place, if you'll come with me to hear Shakespearean poetry tonight,"
What would Alex Mason do? He would want me to introduce some one new to video games, but poetry! He would rather get run over. He hasn't been to a video game party, though, since high school and Charlie Chen's video game parties were legendary. He heard at least on person goes temporarily blind and two others break their fingers. It's really hard to get an invite… It was like a card flipped in the back of Dan's mind. Shakespeare was a Madrigal, and anything written by a Madrigal can't be too bad… "I'll go. Where are we meeting?"
"Well, I kind of said I'd have a date, so if you'd pick me up…"
This girl was a trip! He glowered at her. "Where do you live?"
She gave him the address, and Dan stormed out.
When he got home, he slammed the door, and Amy, coming from the kitchen said, "What's going on Dan?"
"Well there is this annoying, know-it-all in my creative writing class. You'd probably like her…" Dan gave her the play by play of this afternoon, ending with, "and then she had the nerve to say she needed a date, and asked if I could pick her up!"
" She probably likes you, otherwise, why would she follow you across campus?"
"Cause she's a raging lunatic, born to make me crazy, that's why!"
" You used to say that about the Kabra's, the Holt's and Jonah."
"Well, they have met their match! This one has a screw loose,"
"Holts,"
"Is self-centered,"
"Jonah,"
" And talks to me as if I'm a lower class citizen!"
"Kabra's. You learned that Hamilton, Regan, Madison Ian, Natalie, and Jonah weren't so bad. Why don't you give Tabitha a chance?"
"Because she's all 6 of their former selves rolled into one, that's why!"
"Then why are you going?"
"Charlie Chen's video game parties are legendary and it's super tough to get an invite. His sister just offered me a free pass, what was I supposed to do?"
"So you're using her for her brother?" Amy frowned disapprovingly.
"She made it clear. She needs a date for tonight, and I want to go to the party. Even Steven."
Amy sighed. How did he manage to get into such situations? "Well, if you want, I could bring Ian and go with you tonight, so you won't have to be alone with her."
"Could you? Amy, I would owe you big time!"
"You better. I'll call Ian."
When Dan came to pick up Tabitha, the car he was driving shocked her. She naturally assumed a person whose life is video games would drive a beaten up Ford, but he was driving a fancy sports car. He doesn't act like he has money, how peculiar, but then there's Charlie... She was also surprised to see a nice station wagon behind it.
Dan noticing this said, "That's my sister Amy and her boyfriend. She leaped at the chance to hear poetry, so I had to bring her with us."
Tabitha was relieved. She had been dreading the prospect of being alone with this terrible boy all night long. The only reason she invited him was because she knew she could get him to go. No gamer has ever refused one of Charlie's famous video game parties, she thought begrudgedly. Although she has never admitted it, Tabitha has always been jealous of her twin. Charlie always seemed to get what Tabitha wanted most, without even trying. All throughout high school, Charlie managed to play soccer, basketball, swim team and even football, always the star, be voted most popular, best looking, and most likely to succeed in the yearbook, lead 4 different clubs, be prom royalty, president of the student body, yet still be valedictorian. Tabitha studied her hardest all 4 years of high school, forgetting television, video games, friends, and leisure reading for valedictorian, and seeing it being handed over to Charlie was like a physical blow. After that she was a lonely, bored, failure. It took months for her to get over that and since then, Charlie and Tabitha were barely on speaking terms, but she knew if she didn't talk to her twin at least once a month, she would be the bad guy, hence the video game party she was bringing Dan to.
Ian sat behind the driver's seat of Amy's car. He watched Dan pick Tabitha up from her apartment. He had nothing for her. Guys didn't always have to bring something for the girl, but on the first date, it was imperative. Strike One. He led her from the building, quickly, two feet in front of her. Ian shook his head, condescendingly. Strike Two. Finally he went around the car, opened his door only, and started the engine. He rolled the passenger side window down, apparently telling her to hurry up. A slight smirk appeared on Ian's face as he thought, Strike 3. As the Americans say,"You're Out!" And sure enough the girl folded her arms across her chest, and refused to get in the car. She then proceeded to give him a lecture. Although Ian's lip reading skills where a little fuzzy in the dark, he managed to catch: "treat a girl," "churlish behavior," "didn't open," and "lonely." How predictable.
Amy then looked over at Ian. "What are you thinking?"
"I'm thinking about how Dan just made a royal mistake."
"A mistake! He made at least seven!"
" Well I noticed that he didn't open the door for her, how he rushed her to the car, and that he didn't bring anything for her."
"Did you also catch that he didn't compliment her, avoided touching her like she had the plague, and is now completely ignoring her? Also, his fly is unzipped; I can see it from here."
Ian began to laugh, and Amy joined in. They sat back to watch Tabitha finally climb into the car and Dan pulled out with an angry look on his face. This should be educational, thought Ian, bemused.
When Tabitha finally got in the car, she and Dan drove away in silence. Finally Dan couldn't take it anymore. "Okay, okay, I'm sorry."
"There is no excuse for substandard manners. I would expect more from someone with the means to afford such a fancy sports car."
Dan muttered to himself, "I swear, if Natalie wasn't away, I could swear that was her in costume trying to bug me…"
"Who is Natalie?" He has a girlfriend and he is going out with me when she's away? What a jerk! Tabitha was beginning to regret ever speaking to Dan Cahill.
"Just a friend of mine. She's an annoying know it all too, you'd really get along." After she rips your outfit, self worth and vocabulary to shreds that, is. Dan began to smile, remembering the last time Dan had introduced Natalie to one of his dates.
"What's so special about Natalie that you smile when you think of her?" Tabitha, "Maybe your sister knows… Shall I ask her?"
Tabitha got the desired reaction. You do learn something, by having a twin. "No! Look, it's a lot more complicated then it looks."
"Maybe your sister could it explain it to me better than you can."
This is what Dan gets for mentioning her name in the first place. With Natalie, whether present or otherwise, trouble always seems to follow. "Look, if you swear you won't mention it to Amy or her boyfriend…"
"I swear."
"Okay. Natalie is Ian, Amy boyfriend's sister. They stayed with us up until Natalie was sent away for mental treatment. Now only Ian lives with us. End of story."
"Where did they live before?"
"England."
"Then how does your sister know them?"
"They are our cousins."
"Your sister is dating you cousin?"
" We had one common ancestor 520 years ago. Now shut up, we're here, and if Amy and Ian knew we were talking about Natalie, they might have emotional breakdowns. They seem to miss her or something."
"And you? How do you feel about Natalie?"
Dan didn't know how he felt about Natalie. When she lived there, all they did was bicker. Never did he say anything nice about her. He never got the chance to tell her that she was somewhat intelligent, the chance to tell her that he kind of admired the way she ripped people to shreds without trying, or that he didn't hate the way she always stood up for the people she cared about. (Which was herself and Ian, but still) Of course Dan didn't say that. What he did say was, "She was a pain in the butt."
Tabitha didn't believe that, not for a second. No matter how much she despised Charlie sometimes, if her twin were to be dragged away into a mental facility, she would be pretty heart broken. But she also knew that if Charlie were, she certainly wouldn't want to talk about it. She knew she had made a mistake in asking. I really need to work on my people skills. Charlie never made mistakes like that. Maybe that was why everyone liked Charlie better.
They both exited the car and slammed the doors. When they met up with Ian and Amy, Dan briefly introduced them as, "My geeky sister Amy and her annoying boyfriend Ian." Tabitha looked up. She looked into the eyes of the most gorgeous guy she has ever seen up close.
Ian recognized the slight bugging of the eyes, the hanging of the mouth, and the fixing of the hair. At one time, he may have laughed or made a joke, but now he pretended not to notice. It was embarrassing, actually.
Tabitha recovered quickly and said, "So Dan tells me you're cousins." That didn't come out right. It sounded as if there was something wrong with it. Sure enough, she saw Amy give Dan a "Why did you tell her that?" look. Tabitha flushed red. She quickly slid through the door and found her friends.
The rest of the night went on without a hitch. Dan was a perfect gentleman, and he actually seemed to be listening to the poems. He didn't embarrass her in front of her friends, his sister and her boyfriend weren't a problem and on the way home they debated (friendly) the meanings of the poems.
When they got in front of her apartment, Tabitha was about to say she had a nice time and thank him, for doing this, under the circumstances, when Dan said, "What time should I pick you up tomorrow night? I'm really glad you invited me to go, I've been looking forward to it all night."
Dan knew the only reason he was invited was so Tabitha wouldn't be embarrassed in front of her friends, so he wasn't about to tell her he had had a good time. So he acted as if he only cared about the party tomorrow.
Tabitha was crestfallen. Of course he wasn't interested in her. She should have known. It was always about Charlie. She murmured thanks and goodbye, and then sped out of the car into her apartment building, Dan watching her all the way.