Sherry looked at herself in the mirror. Overall, she felt satisfied with her appearance. Her motto at the beginning of the evening was 'Dress to Kill' and that was precisely what she was trying to do.
If it meant winning over Leon someday and preventing Rebecca from doing to Leon what she presumably did with every guy she'd been out with, then she would have worn anything.
To this end, she'd chosen a knee length skirt, smart shirt and had even tried to find some appropriate high heels. She wasn't by nature a 'high-heels' person, and getting Leon to help her find a pair that didn't make her look like a complete berk had been quite tricky. Overall, she felt impressed. She'd made her own secretive purchases that day, mostly in the form of make-up, none of which she had in her possession.
She'd even bought some nail varnish.
Sherry had no qualms about dressing like she did. She was a growing girl, and why shouldn't she have the right to dress properly? Hopefully it would work. Sherry, having just finished conditioning herself, was suddenly overcome by that suspicious gut feeling that started in her stomach and filtered up through her body until it permeated her entire being.
What was Rebecca up to?
Her eyes narrowed as she thought of what Rebecca would be wearing. Probably something succinctly 'revealing' that she hoped would catch Leon's attention.
'Not a chance' Sherry thought 'He's mine'
The suspicious feeling that had come over her had grown strong enough to tempt Sherry into sneaking a peek into Rebecca's room, so Sherry left her own room, and tiptoed down the landing. She wasn't wearing her high heels yet, so therefore she didn't make a sound like the largest typewriter in the world, instead making a soft padding on the carpet of the landing. Leon was downstairs, whistling. Rebecca's door was open a fraction, so she peered inside the crack in the door.
She saw Rebecca in front of the mirror. Sherry clenched her fists in rage, almost shaking with fury. Rebecca HAD indeed decided to wear something sexy, and while Sherry hated to admit it, Rebecca was looking quite attractive in her tiny black Gucci number, which made Sherry wonder from where she had got the darned thing.
But this indicated to Sherry everything she had not wanted to know – Rebecca WAS intending on making a move that night, everything pointed towards it.
Sherry heard Rebecca mutter
"Good one, Becky…You'll knock that hunk dead in this number rest assured…Yeah, he's mine…"
'Knock that hunk dead?' Sherry thought 'That's the funniest phrase I've heard in a long time'
Sherry stamped off back to her room, not caring if she made a noise or not. She knew she was jealous, it consumed her like a burning fire, but now she had a mission objective that was absolutely essential to complete:
'Sherry Birkin, your mission, if you choose to accept it is this:' an inner voice said, calmly.
- Don't let Rebecca get anywhere near Leon.
- DON'T LET THEM KISS!!
- Don't make it obvious to Leon that you're madly and electrically in love with him.
Sherry nodded, firmly. This would be over in a matter of hours. It was real war, and Sherry had just positioned her pieces. Rebecca wouldn't know what the hell hit her.
Leon was downstairs, brushing some dust off his jacket. It wasn't a tux and tails affair, but it was still a 'smart but casual' occasion. Well, he was ready…but he had to wait for the girls to ready themselves too.
Leon wasn't stupid. He knew he wasn't, but the friction between both Rebecca and Sherry was obvious even to him. If they thought he hadn't noticed then at least one of them obviously thought that his brain was less functional than the Hubble telescope; Sherry and Rebecca didn't like each other one bit, and Leon was already starting to dread the days of tension that lay ahead…what exactly was it that made them fall out like that?
Some kind of disagreement, perhaps? Maybe a difference of opinion?
He'd got signals that Rebecca had the hots for him, and he was dreading the night that she'd try to make some kind of a move onto him – Tonight's endeavour was to try and patch things up between the two girls, whatever was wrong.
He heard a padding on the stairs, and as he looked, Sherry ran down the stairs. She stopped at the bottom, and did a little spin for him.
"What do you think?" she asked.
He smiled.
"Wonderful" he said "Simply wonderful"
Sherry smiled, coquettishly.
She walked up to him, and gave him a tight hug. Surprised by the sudden hug, he squeezed her back.
He heard another similar sound, which sounded almost the same as before…
It was Rebecca. She looked, Leon admitted, extremely attractive. She was also smiling sweetly, in a manner that Sherry treated with a flicker of distaste.
"Oh, hey Leon…" she said, in a voice that was trying very hard to be innocent, but couldn't have been more coy "…Whaddya think?"
He smiled, appreciatively.
"Uh…Beautiful, what can I say?"
Leon felt uneasy about her, especially when she sauntered up and wrapped an arm around him, which nearly made him squirm.
"So are we…uh…" he felt her hand drift casually across his thigh, he gulped "…going?"
Leon stepped back in a calm, fluid motion that made Rebecca release her grip on him, and made Sherry smirk.
"Yes" he said, forcing a smile back onto his face.
Rebecca smiled too, Leon wasting no time in grabbing the keys to the car and opening the front door, allowing the girls to leave first before closing the door behind him.
Sherry just beat Rebecca to the front passenger seat, and couldn't resist poking her tongue out at her as she sat in her seat. Rebecca scowled at her, and then sat down in the back.
Sherry was nearly grinning like a captive in a lunatic asylum. This would be easier than she thought.
Leon started the car up, and started it off down the road.
He was terrified of her, Sherry realised, he was terrified of her and she couldn't pick it up!
'She doesn't know he's practically terrified of her' she thought, and then smiled dreamily 'That means that he doesn't have the hots for her…'
At least that was sorted out. But Rebecca would still try. Sherry knew this, and felt in her bones that Rebecca would try to come onto Leon.
'Wait and see' Sherry decided 'Wait and see…this'll be fun'
The evening was great. They were all talking, all rivalries almost totally forgotten what with the food and drink, Rebecca even laughed at Sherry's jokes!
Rebecca was either drunk, forgetful…Sherry suddenly felt her same paranoid and jealous feeling fill her up as Rebecca took a sip of champagne…'Or she's buttering me up' she thought.
The realisation hit her.
'She's trying to get me out of the way by giving Leon the impression we're getting on…and then?'
Leon suddenly stood up, stretching like a dog that was just about to go on a walk.
"I'm getting some fresh air, be back in a few minutes" he said, and then walked towards the exit of the restaurant.
Sherry spun around to Rebecca.
"Don't you dare" Sherry warned, voice stony "Don't even think about daring!"
Rebecca smiled, smugly, and stood up.
"Too late" Rebecca called back, walking out.
Sherry wad furious, shoulders practically shaking with rage. GODDAMMIT!!! How could she have the dammed NERVE?!!
Sherry realised that it was left up to Leon now. It was up to Leon to see that Sherry's dream stayed alive.
She stood up slowly, and walked slowly to the exit. She stood by the door, and watched Leon sit on the bench, Rebecca sitting down too.
Nothing left to do but wait…
Leon exhaled in the cold, evening air and stared out across the city. He missed Claire, especially at moments like this. But she was out there somewhere, with her brother…and he might not ever see her again. The thought almost made him cry.
He realised that Rebecca was sitting beside him.
"Oh…hi Rebecca" he said, forcing another smile.
"Hey Leon" she said, casually.
There was the slight sound of material rubbing on something, and Leon realised that Rebecca had edged closer to him.
"Having a good time?" he asked nervously.
"Oh…spectacular" she said, softly.
She looked at him hard, and then gently placed her hand on his thigh, sliding her other arm around his waist…Rebecca raised her left leg, and dropped it over Leon's own legs.
Leon was as rigid as a board, eyes wide and worried.
"…mmm…Spectacular…" she whispered, as she slid over him, kissing his neck. Then, she kissed further up his neck, onto his chin….
"God I love you Leon" she said in the same tone of voice "I think you're the most goddamm sexy guy I've ever met…"
She kissed him on the lips.
Leon's eyes widened, and he gently pushed her aside, panting for breath.
"No…No!" he gasped "Not like that!"
Rebecca looked at him, pouting.
"Have I been bad?" she asked, in a playful tone of voice.
"Rebecca!" Leon got his familiar authoritarian voice back "Listen to me. I think you've got the wrong idea about me"
"Believe me, I haven't" she said again, and tried to kiss him, but he held her back bodily, like an owner trying to prevent a mad dog from biting his throat.
"Rebecca, I don't love you…"
Rebecca leaned back, face confused.
Leon took a deep breath.
"Rebecca, I know you've got a crush on me. I know you have. Believe me, I'm really flattered…but I don't want this"
"I…don't understand" she whispered, voice serious, but timid.
"You see" he said "I just can't reciprocate your feelings for me. I can't and I don't want to love you like a girlfriend, because we're not right together! You are attractive, but you're just not my type! Can't you see that?"
Rebecca looked at him, a little hurt.
He smiled softly, his first genuine, emotional smile of the evening towards her.
"Rebecca, you are a wonderful girl. Nobody can take that away from you. But I'm not your man. There IS a man for you, but he'll be coming along soon…not now. I just want us to be good friends. Nothing more"
Rebecca nodded, understanding.
"But Sherry-"
"Sherry's like…a daughter, maybe even a little sister, and I care for her…but don't worry about her, she doesn't really hate you"
"But!"
Leon put his finger on his lips.
"Sssh. Let's go and pay the bill…and go home. Please, I don't want you to be ashamed of yourself"
Rebecca suddenly broke down in tears, and she fell against him, and he hugged her.
"I feel so stupid…!" she cried through her tears.
"Don't" he said "It could happen to anybody. Even me"
Sherry had watched all of this with interest, and for the first time, gained a little respect for that highly irritating life form called Rebecca Chambers. For the first time since Rebecca arrived, Sherry felt a great deal of sympathy for her. This was an evolution, a change in Rebecca that Sherry regarded as a good one.
Maybe…an apology was in order. She nodded to herself, yes maybe that would be a good idea. But despite her new view on Rebecca, that didn't change her triumphant feeling of having defended her one and only true love from the clutches of another woman. This didn't change how she felt about Leon though…she was still in love with him. Had he figured it? She didn't think so, and Rebecca obviously hadn't blabbed. So her secret was safe. For now.
As she sat with him in the front seat, Rebecca napping in the back, Sherry leaned on Leon's arm, smiling softly.
Rebecca left two days later. Barry had called and said that Rebecca could go back to her apartment, so both Sherry and Leon helped her pack.
Sherry saw Rebecca packing in her room.
She walked up to her, nervously.
"Uh…Rebecca?"
Rebecca turned a little, her face slightly red.
"Yeah?"
"I just…wanted to say I'm sorry for everything…Everything I've done"
Rebecca smiled, softly.
"It's okay…you were right all along…" she bowed her head a little "I guess I'm the one who should apologise"
Sherry nodded.
"Don't worry about it" she then promptly changed the subject "I hope your apartment hasn't been trashed by Umbrella or anything"
"I'm sure it hasn't"
Rebecca left in a taxi. Leon had offered to drive her, but Rebecca told him not to worry about it. As they stood there on the doorstep, waving away the rapidly disappearing car.
Sherry clung to Leon, who held her tight. Sherry smiled to herself. She'd won. She looked up at the only man she would ever love. It'd be several years, she felt, but she could wait.
Oh Leon she thought Someday…we'll be together, and when we are…we'll be together, forever.
AUTHORS NOTE:
Whew! Finished it at last! I hope that ending satisfied you all, but now I'm back to work on my other series. BACK TO WORK! Say if you want an epilogue or alternative ending!
Ciao!
-MARK 'MANIX' ODELL