Title: Living in a Romance Novel
Chapter 2: The Story Begins
Authors Note: I just finished the Fruits Basket Manga series this morning! So I'm a feeling a bit bittersweet that the tale is over. At least now I can write fan fiction based off the manga and not just the anime. Anyone else feel cheated that everyone in the series pairs up except for adorable Momiji? I think so. Momiji is odd one out in the zodiac.
Disclaimer: I do not own Fruits Basket or any of the characters. Evalena White is my own creation however, and belongs solely to me.
We have it in our power to begin the world over again. ~ Thomas Paine
It was worse than being late; the damn infuriating writer didn't intend to even show up. That was obvious after an hour and a half had passed and the clock was beginning to tip on the giant seven that seemed bolded out on the face of the clock. The little minute ticker was slowly making its way around the six. This was not good.
Give an inch, and they take a mile.
Although the proverb was meant for animals (horses, to be direct when a rider gives an inch with the reins) and most people directed the saying for children, Lena had to face the truth. Her writer was one giant child. What had Mii gotten her into?
"Well, I won't be ignored, now will I?" She pointed her question to Prince, who simply rolled on his back and looked adorable while pawing at the air. His long tongue rolled out of his mouth and almost hit the carpet.
"You could look a little more sophisticated for being registered to the American Kennel club of purebred German Shepherds," living in New York had meant that Lena wanted a dog to protect her. German Shepherds had the sharpest, most dangerous set of jaws in the canine world. It made the German shepherd an obvious choice. They were also eager to learn and he had lots of energy for running her three mile jog every morning.
Prince jumped to his feet, his tongue slipped back into his mouth. He pawed at the carpet and ran to the front door, whining.
"No, you stay here, Prince. You can watch the house and pay for your keep," Lena was one of the large majority of people who could easily carry on a conversation with an animal, especially an intelligent one like Prince. She pinned her soft curls of light honey brown hair back and shrugged on long multi-strand coat of threads with green, red, and shades of grey. The popped collar brushed gently against her neck and the strand of mother pearls wrapped around her neck. She was very dressed chic, as if she had just stepped out of a Macy's catalog with her pin-straight skirt and Gucci High heels. If she was lucky, she would appear intimidating together and stylish enough to render Shigure Sohma of his manuscript.
"I'll be back," she promised before locking the door behind her and starting the small energy efficient car that Mii had kept in good condition. She was sure her father had paid for it; the family had probably paid for the entire house. The engine revved under her foot, Lena could count on one hand how many times she had driven a car.
It was three. Jenkins had felt it was a skill worth harnessing.
At that moment, Lena was grateful. She'd have to send him a basket of muffins to his office and stop bringing up the time he took out a McDonalds exit sign from the parking lot. To be fair, it was a vibrant yellow, how he backed into from the parking spot was beyond her comprehension.
Mii must have known she'd have to track down Shigure, his house along with various vacation route's he had tried were all in the enormous guide she had kept together. Lena was not about to allow their work relationship to allow him such leverage of an upper hand. The man had a deadline and he would take responsibility and meet it.
Around the bend and through the woods, she felt a sense of book déjà vu with Little Red Riding Hood – the Grimm Brothers version, of course. Despite the more violent version of the fairy tales, the original was always the best. Walt Disney wouldn't exactly be able to get away with chopping off the evil sisters big toe or heel like in the story – not that they didn't deserve it. Her writer was going to be in quite the state of pain if he didn't have his manuscript, though she probably didn't have the guts to chop off a body part.
"One up for Step-Mother,' she mumbled as she pulled up to the large estate. It was time to collect. Lena clicked the door closed and marched up to the door, her little fist pounded harshly against the wood.
A pretty girl answered the door, she could have modeled in New York, if she had wanted too. Girls with looks could get anywhere in the world. Lena was too soft and feminine looking in a fragile and 'be gentle' sense to ever look fierce or exotic like this teenager could pull off with a bat of her eyelashes.
"Can I help you?" Yuki gave a puzzled face at the stranger. It was late and they were so far out…maybe she had gotten lost.
"Yes, I have an appointment with Shigure that he failed to make," his behavior would not be ignored. She was not Mii, he would not get away with ignoring her and becoming a no show when he agreed to a meeting.
"Oh, I see," he mumbled, "Right this way, then. I'll call him in for you," he didn't smile, his eyes barely crossed over her as he shut the door behind her and left to find Shigure.
It was at that moment, after hearing the voice that Lena realized it was far too masculine for a female. New York, would love him. He could run a male model run way and then change and head over to do the female run way – double the cash and then be completely comfortable with ordering a cart load of fast food to devour unlike the female models today who eat like a fucking rabbit.
As promised, Yuki collected Shigure, who grumbled a bit before walking out. There was a carefree smile on his face.
"Sorry about earlier," he began.
"Save it, Mr. Sohma. I am not my cousin."
"No, you're not," he agreed in a way that made Lena feel quite self conscious.
"Let's keep this on a strictly professional level, Mr. Sohma. I'm sure you'll want to review my resume and past work before your more comfortable trusting your work in my hands…"
"I trust anything in your hands," he interrupted, a broad grin stretched out on his face. Through composure alone was Lena able to not turn bright red. From behind him she could see the two youthful men glowering and muttering curse words, the third seemed to stare off in space.
"Mr…Mr. Sohma, I'll forward it to you in any case. If we can just get business settled and I can have your manuscript than I will be out of your way," she managed to work around her surprise; she had heard worse comments in the big city.
"Ah, I'm afraid I've been under a lack of motivation lately, if you'd like to inspire…"
He might have finished the sentence if two double punches hadn't flown out of nowhere. Silently, Lena was grateful to them, although she despised violence. That was only because she couldn't handle blood though, the red liquid caused her to faint…Jenk's had to hold her hand for a simple injection and blood drives were her worst nightmare.
"The manuscript…please," she managed to keep a professional tone of voice, though it was on the edge of snapping.
"As soon as I finish," he replied, giving, what Lena was sure, to be a very charming smile.
"This will be tonight, because today is the deadline you agreed to! I do have unpacking to finish, so please hurry," now she snapped, her body was tired, at the point of exhausting. She hated connecting flights, it meant she hadn't slept in over forty eight hours and after seventy two hours of sleep it was said a person would have visual or auditory hallucinations.
"Now. Go. Write." She demanded before flipping out a small compact red cell phone. Her fingers whizzed as she dialed the area code and phone number.
A carefree and happy go lucky voice answered on the other line, "Hello!"
"You're officially the worst cousin on the entire surface of the earth. Seriously, the loathing in my heart directed at you cannot be measured."
"…So I see you meet Sensei."
"That immature bastard does not have the right to be called Sensei; Mr. Sohma is perhaps the most infuriating man I've ever crossed on meetings lasted for three minutes. Point blank, this trade is off."
"Whaa?!? No. NO I WON'T. I WON'T!" The shouting was so loud, even the three teenagers in the other room shot their heads up.
"Is….is everything alright, White-San?" the young man with silver hair asked softly.
Lena's lips twitched, her knuckles tightened, "It will be," she retorted before going back to the phone, "Mii, it didn't work out. I'll be on the first plane in the mor-you wouldn't," the shock echoed across her face, her mouth gapped.
"Now…, now Mii don't do anything hasty. Everything will be alright, just relax and think about what you're about to do, THINK ABOUT IT MII. There is no reason to act so impulsively, to cause such an extent of pain and suffering…just, back away, slowly, no quick movements," she tried to be calm, but her voice was threaded with anxiety.
"Okay, I'll stay, I'll do the three months, now…just, please, put the Prada Shoes down, there's no need for it to suffer, back away from the window," she let out a slow reliving sigh, "I still hate you though."
"As long as I don't have to come back for three months," she replied cheerfully from the other end of the phone line.
"Make sure the water the plants," she grumbled before clicking off the phone. It was time to change tactics.
"Where is Mr. Sohma's office?" Lena asked, the orange headed boy with hair that reminded her of the construction cones used on city roads pointed to the side door.
"Thank you," she kept her heels on clicked across the hard wooden surface, throwing open the door. He was working alright, trying to figure out how to get through a maze in a children's activity book.
"Pick up the damn pen," she hissed from behind him, "and write down grammatically correct structured sentences that flow with the plot before I find the kitchen knife and shove it through your inconsiderate black heart."
"Eeeh, let's not get carried away now, you wouldn't want charges on you the first night on the job," his smile managed to infuriate her further and Shigure had to admit – she did look beautiful when furious.
"Just write, I'll be waiting outside,' she snapped the door closed, and went to sit at the table.
The young girl offered her some tea, but by the time she came back with the pot and cup, Lena was had fallen asleep at the table. Her forehead hit the table, her body rested against the table.
"Hmm," Tohru smiled and walked quietly out of the room, "We should really move her in a more comfortable position, it's not good to sleep in that position for long!" With a little encouragement from Tohru, even Kyo agreed to pitch in. By the time Shigure walked out of his office, expecting his new editor to be gone, she was curled up on a mattress by the table. Her faces peaceful in the sleep and seemed quite innocent and breakable.
A curse like theirs would destroy her. Still, Shigure smiled and covered her with a soft and light blanket.
Sweet dreams, Lena White.