Confrontation
-x-
Vaughn stepped on the dock, waiting for the draw bridge to come down from the ferry, along with Felicia who was talking with other passengers. He spotted Denny walking up to the edge of the beach, ready to push out his little boat to sea.
"Oh hey, Vaughn!" Denny greeted when he realized he was being watched. Once he was near the dock, he asked, "Aren't you still on vacation?"
Vaughn shook his head. "It's been interrupted a little early."
"Well, that sucks."
"For a completely different reason I'm not looking forward too…"
"Hmm? Why?"
Vaughn simply answered. "Because that stupid farmer of Sunny Island always gets to do things his own way."
-x-
After how many hours of wandering around aimlessly…
Chelsea stood tall in front of those gates… Well, she wasn't really sure if they were the right gates though. She only recalled Melano, the mean ugly haggard, saying that he lived in "my Estate". Well, it should've been obvious in the first place that "my" would not exactly be a name of a place. So, like usual, she was lost. She wasn't even sure anymore if this was the right place. And she also really didn't like it either. All rich and sparkly. Just the type of places she hated.
She turned away from the gate. It seemed like the right place… She even asked where this big headquarters of this business Vaughn was a part of was located, which led her here, but…
"Excuse me." An electronic voice interrupted her thoughts.
Chelsea turned to the gate again, to see no one. She looked around her as well, just to see air.
"Um, I'm seeing you through a camera. Up there…" The electronic voice informed.
She looked up, and lo and behold, a camera. "Ah… I see."
"Do you have any business here?"
"Yeah…" She found it quite odd that she was speaking to a camera. "Does a guy named Melano live here?"
"Are you looking for Master Melano?"
"Err… yeah. With dark hair, tan skin…"
"Do you have a scheduled meeting with him?"
'Scheduled meeting?' She thought with disdain. 'Dang, how big is this guy anyway?'
"Well…" the electronic voice trailed. "Today really isn't a busy day. Perhaps he would be able to squeeze you in."
"As long as I could meet with him, I'm fine."
"Very well, please enter the gates."
The gates instantly unlocked, creaking open slowly. And within was like…
"Oh My Gosh, it's paradise in here…" Chelsea blurted out.
The trees were cleanly cut with blooming flowers, every blade of grass was sharp and crisp, the green bushes lined nicely beside the road edges. It was so neatly perfect within the gates. And up ahead was a large mansion with a big plaza in the front. Three limos were lines up against the mansion's front staircase, which shined like pearls.
She heard her soft footsteps against the marble floor as she walked up the aforementioned stairs, watching people dressed with such classy formal dresses and tuxes walking into the limos, being bid farewell by many servants and maids. She then was greeted by one of the servants.
"You must be the man who was standing outside the gates correct?" He asked.
She replied, modifying her voice. "Y-Yes… I am…"
"You request to meet with Master Melano, yes?"
"Yeah…"
"Please follow me."
He began walking ahead, entering the large doors that were being opened by two tall broad guards. Inside the mansion was brimming with vibrant colors, that accented with each other well. The curtains of the tall large windows flowed above the marble floors, two staircases poured down the main hall room, and between were large doors, marking the entrance deeper within the mansion. There was also large doors to their left and right that led to even larger halls.
He led her up the stairs to their right, which was followed by corridors of corridors. She had to wonder how people DON'T get lost in here as there were so many doors and windows and decorations that looked the same everywhere you looked. Soon, she passed through some glass doors to find herself on a bridge, linking to another mansion.
"You've got to be kidding me." She gawked. "Another mansion?"
"Yes. The one behind us is the main mansion. The one we are about to enter is Master Melano's own mansion which is linked to the main mansion by this bridge, which hovers above a garden to its left, full of Lady Rhodo's well-cared of flowers, and a field for grazing livestock is viewed to the right of this bridge." He informed smoothly.
Chelsea saw that he was right. Out of the windows to the left was a lusciously green garden with a large range of colors splashing throughout it. On the right, there were cows, sheep, goats, and chickens all grazing, their white contrasting greatly from the green. There were also horses of brown and gray running far off. And before she realized it, she couldn't see them anymore as they were now inside Melano's mansion, which didn't look any different from the main.
After passing a few more door (which Chelsea thought would never end) and walking down many stairs, the servant finally stopped at two large doors, turning around to face her.
"This is Master Melano's office…" He said quietly. "We must wait. Master Melano is having a meeting with a client."
Chelsea nodded. "Alright."
"If you would, please sit down on the couches here while waiting. There is also some snack on the table if you'd like." The servant entertained. "This meeting may last for a while. Please make yourself at home."
Chelsea bowed slightly. "Thank you…" She saw fit to sit in the really expensive, embroidered, high quality textile sofa, now staring at the wonderful array of delicacies waiting for her on the table. She took one bit of the cookie and fell into heaven. "Ah, these taste so good!"
"Do they?" The servant smiled. "Why thank you."
"You made them?" She asked, really impressed.
"That is correct." He answered. "Simple butter cookies."
"Haha, you gotta make me some of these." She mused. "They're really goo -"
The large doors the servant was waiting beside flung open, a man in a suit running outside.
"But … But Sir!" The man pleaded helplessly. A suitcase flew toward him, papers flying around.
"YOU'RE USELESS TO THE COMPANY!" The voice made Chelsea frown, as it obviously belonged to Melano, who appeared right at the doors. "Your proposal wouldn't do us any good. You're FIRED!" And with this, he retreated back inside his office. "Densel!" His voice rang from the room.
The servant stood up from picking up the papers. "Yes, sir?"
"I don't want to meet with anyone else today. Tell them to go away." Melano said angrily.
Densel nodded, handing the papers back to the shaking man, who quickly ran away. "Yes, sir." He looked at Chelsea now. "I'm sorry. You cannot meet with Master Mel -"
Chelsea grabbed a cookie and stood up, bag fumbling in her arms. She stuffed the cookie whole in her mouth and said, with crumbs flying out of her mouth. "Forry, Jenshel. I meed ta weet wid dhim."
"What?" Densel watched with amusement as she passed by him. "No, wait."
Once she saw Melano sitting in his seat behind his desk, back facing her, she proclaimed, "MERAWO!"
Melano fumed now. "RRRAAARRGGHHH!" He began turning his chair around. "I THOUGHT I SAID I DIDN'T WANT TO MEET WITH ANYONE ELSE TODAY -" A few crumbs of butter cookie hit his face, making him stop in his rage, to be filled with disgust.
"Err… forry…" Chelsea apologized, reaching over to wipe off the crumbs on his face. "Fwis bwubber cokie bis beary fowery."
He swatted away her hand, looking at her with disgust. Then suddenly his eyes lit up. "It's you… the puny brunette that was with Vaughn in Funny Island."
Chelsea swallowed the last large piece of the cookie and nodded. "That's me. 'Cept I ain't puny. And it's Sunny Island."
"Hah," Melano chuckled with disbelief. "Of all people… What the heck are you doing here?"
"I wanted revenge." She answered simply. "For smacking my butt." Men don't allow such actions to pass, she believed. She wasn't going to let her manly demeanor slip that easily.
He stared at her now. "That's it?"
"Basically." She shrugged. "I'm not your client so I don't have any other business with you."
"All you came for, was just to get back at me…" He repeated. "Because I smacked your butt."
"Yes…" She nodded weirdly. "I just said that."
"Are you stupid?" Melano stood up, raising his hands. "What are you going to do? Beat me up?"
She raised up a finger. "That was Plan A. I was also planning to say with my entrance: " Howdy. The name is Braden. You smacked my butt. Prepare to be beat." (1) But when I realized you were filthy rich, that idea was thrown out the window. Soooo… frankly, I have no idea what I am going to do to get my revenge."
He let out a loud laugh. "Gosh, not only are you small, but your brain is too! Haha!"
"Ah, I'm more than meets the eye good sir." She grinned. "Don't forget what happened a few days ago."
"Oh yeah. You and your inhumane strength." He then placed his hands on the table, leaning forward. "Actually I would think you would be here for another reason…"
It was an instant flip of subjects.
Chelsea frowned, raising a brow. "Another reason?"
"Yeah…" Melano looked at her and stood back, crossing his arms. "I found it weird… seeing a normally antisocial Vaughn suddenly hanging out with a random farmer. He's known the workers here since he was teenager, in the business as long as I have, but he's never even looked at any of his co-workers, even me. He's always doing his own thing, thinking only for himself…"
"I don't think so…" Chelsea interrupted, to just here Melano continue.
"Oh really? The only people I've seen him actually talk to is my pops and his so-called family. Other than that, he doesn't say a word and focuses on his job. He's like a robot doing the same thing over and over again... But this year, everyone noticed the sudden change though it wasn't much. The cold air around him lifted, even though it was just a little. And it's odd, that I see him hanging out with the random little farmer of Sunny Island which he was assigned to just a few months ago…" He then smirked. "What did you do?"
"… I didn't really do anything…" She truly didn't think it was her that was the impact. She knew it wasn't only her, but it was everyone else's efforts as well that probably changed him. "I'm not really that close to him… He's just a friend.."
"A friend…:" Melano repeated. "HAH! That's funny…" He then turned grave. "You would never hear Vaughn and the word 'friend' in the same sentence."
"But he is…" Chelsea defended. "He may be a bit rude and somewhat misunderstood, but he is a friend to everyone…" She didn't really understand though… "But why… is it that different here?"
"Ah-ah." Melano wagged a finger. "Now do you understand what I meant by another reason for you being here?" He smiled. "If you were a friend, then your other reason for being here was to learn more about Vaughn right?"
She clenched her fist. "If there were things that Vaughn isn't willing to tell me, or even his family, then I will trust him with what he knows and do what I can with what he wants me to know. I don't need to know more. It would be nice, but if he doesn't want me to know, then I don't need to."
"Defiant I see…" He said cockily." Well, fine, I'll tell you anyway…"
"Didn't I just say I don't need to know?" She asked blatantly. "Weren't you even listening to a word I just said in the awesome speech above?"
He shook his head innocently. "Then I'll tell you what I know…"
"I hate it when people go around what I say…" She mumbled to herself.
"Isn't it fun?" She stared at him at this statement, and he shrugged.
From there, Melano continued before she could say anything. "Vaughn's mom brought him here. She was a lovely lady, my pops said, very kind too. And Vaughn wasn't so much of an antisocial jerk either. Truthfully, I'd think he'd actually be much different if his mom didn't leave him behind without a trace. But she's never coming back anyway. She's dead after all."
Chelsea's eyes narrowed. "His dad?"
Melano's eyes sparked as he knew the farmer had gotten interested. "No way Vaughn's going back to that filthy rich dad of his. He practically hates his old man, probably waiting for the day he'd die.. If I were him, I'd go back groveling to my pops feet, since he's so stinkin' rich."
The farmer frowned now, anger grabbing her fist. "You'd return for just money?"
"Hell, yeah." Melano answered. "Why else? It's not like you need to love. It's blood related. The money comes to you. Either way, you win." Now, he leaned against his desk, crossing his arms. "I guess that his parents split. Though his mom looked like she was having the time of her life being a peasant. And to believe she used to be a Mistress? She must be insane. But the day she died, it was the end of the world for that brooding cowboy. Even being adopted into Julia's family, he was still the living dead."
"I don't think so…" Chelsea reasoned. "Anybody would feel hurt and abandoned like that… Even I could understand that." She truly meant it.
"What? You lost your family too?"
"Like you'd be interested?"
"True. But whatever…" Melano turned around, heading for his chair behind the desk. "I'm just still wondering what happened to Vaughnie and crap. It kinda pisses me off, since it has caught my old man's attention. Sure, I admit, Vaughn is a hard worker, but there's no way he can take up the challenge. All that guy does is run away."
Chelsea clenched her hands.
He sat down, propping his legs up. "You know what? I think it would be better if Vaughn would explain to you. Perhaps it would be best, instead of me just spouting out stuff…"
"You say that now?" Chelsea asked irritated.
"Yeah, since he could tell a better story. Emotions and all, if he had some." Melano grinned, his eyes passing the farmer… "Anyway, he is here." Vaughn frowned when he found another pair of eyes slowly lay on him. He was leaning against the door post, having been silent for the while.
"Since when did you come by?" Melano asked Vaughn, watching him striding his way to stand beside the farmer.
"Recently…"Vaughn replied simply, surprising Chelsea with a sudden grab on her collar. "Just coming by to pick up a package."
"Don't tell me you forgot about my old man's challenge…?"
"I haven't forgotten." His grip on her collar tightened.
"So are you up for it?"
"I have yet to decide."
"Are you backing down?" Melano laughed. "Haa! I knew you would run away like usual."
Chelsea couldn't bottle it in anymore. She exploded with, "AY! HE AIN'T BACKING DOWN! YOU BETTER QUIT WITH YOUR MAN TALK CUZ -" Vaughn's hand covered her mouth, with her still continuing in rampage. "MURFF MUFFFLE MUFFRRR MUFFRRURUR!"
Melano's laugh began to echo throughout the room with her screaming. "Haha! Vaughn, you have such an interesting friend with you."
Vaughn, still covering her mouth, didn't reply as he dragged the angered farmer out of the room. Once they were actually outside the mansion, Vaughn knew that Chelsea had calmed down enough and let her go, watching her push away from his hands.
"I was on a roll there, Vaughn." She whirled around, glaring at him. "Why don't you EVER let me finish?"
Vaughn walked past her. "If I had let you continue, we'd be behind bars by now…"
Chelsea followed after him. "But still! He has no right to just blabber about anything so freely and just say things senselessly!"
Vaughn raised a brow. "And you're the one saying this?"
Chelsea paused, then raised a finger. "Ay, I'm standing up for you here. Though I do the same thing, I have a might good reason to do so." Then she was hit with an epiphany. "Vaughn… what are you doing here anyway?"
"Hmm… it was quite hard to miss the absence of a certain farmer who's supposed to be working."
"Why would you care?" She asked smugly, the sighed. "Urgh… It's not like I'm happy not doing my work. No work no pay…"
"Actually, I should be asking you… What is your business here, Braden?" Vaughn asked, continuing to walk.
"Well, I just wanted to spout my thoughts about him barging onto the island, freely slapping my butt… but…" She stopped walking.
Vaughn closed his eyes for a second, then turned to face the farmer. "If it has something to do with me, then forget it and go back home. It's none of your business."
"Oh, it's always none of my business." She countered. "But I'm able to do something, Vaughn. Can't you at least rely some of your guts on somebody else for once?"
"I don't need it. I can handle everything." Vaughn turned around. "So don't count yourself in like you usually do. Just go home."
After a moment of silence…
"Do you really think that's enough to let me leave?"
"It was a wishful thought." Vaughn answered honestly.
"Well, keep on wishing, bud." Chelsea smirked, standing by his side. "I ain't going anywhere."
-x-
Back on Sunny Island…
Denny sat quietly on the grass. He was in the meadow, waiting for Marissa… the girl he planned to be his would-be girlfriend…soon. It was kind of nerve-wracking… It's his first time to actually think about getting into a relationship. Also to add ever being close with a girl. He really thought that Marissa was a great ideal girlfriend. She was kind and sweet, very pretty. Anything he knew about what to find in a girl, he found in Marissa…
So why did something feel so out of place… making him feel rather discontent?
There was nothing wrong going on… And he's very happy when he's around Marissa. I mean, she loves fishing just as much as him. That's the kind of girl he'd be happy.
But even so, he still felt a bit squirmy. He cast his eyes toward the open ocean in front of the meadow. The sun was setting soon, which meant that Marissa would be coming soon.
As much as he hated to admit it, the staring at the ocean quickly reminded him of the reason why he thought of such a random subject in the first place. The news about Braden and Vaughn suddenly leaving the island instantly spread in his mind. It was Julia who had told him, as he had passed by her barn to get here. And he clearly remembered Vaughn on the dock early this morning, saying he his vacation ended early… because of Braden…
'What was Braden up to anyway?' Denny thought to himself. He knew that Braden noted his leave to Natalie, but the details why were unclear to everyone.
But probably… not to Vaughn…
Denny couldn't shake off the feeling that Vaughn was somehow closer to Braden in a way… He wondered why though. He had known Braden just as long as Vaughn, and Vaughn always kept his distance. Denny was always talking with Braden. So why is it, he questioned, that his relationship seemed inferior? He, after all, always considered that he was Braden's "older brother"…
'Maybe…' Denny thought darkly as he pulled up his knees. 'He never thought of himself as my younger brother though…'
"Denny?"
Said person looked up, to find Marissa watching him with worried eyes. "Hey. Saved a spot for you." He patted at the empty patch of grass next to him.
She obliged eagerly, a small smile on her face. But her tone was still filled with worry. "Are you alright? You seem a bit pale."
Denny gave her one of his biggest grins. "I'm better than ever, Marissa. It's all good."
"Is it because your friends aren't here?"
"Hmm?"
"The farmer and the animal dealer. You're close with them right?" Marissa pondered. "I heard they left Sunny Island."
"Haha. Yeah. They're always busy so they go around a lot. I'm used to it." He lied. He really wasn't used to people leaving suddenly at all. Also not telling why they left bothers him more. But he really couldn't let her know that.
"I see… The two of them… seem rather close, yeah?"
Denny lifted his head, then slowly nodded. "…Yeah…"
Suddenly, Marissa gasped. "Ah, did I say something wrong?"
"No, not at all. It's really true. They are rather close…" Denny smiled. "I guess… it's always been that way."
"I'm sorry…"
"Nah, it's nothing to be sorry about. They're still my best buds anyway. Along with Kuu."
"You don't feel lonely?"
"Lonely? What's lonely?" Denny laughed. "No, I'm not… After all, I got you here right?"
She blushed at this comment, then looked down at her own fiddling hands. "R-Right… I'm here… always…"
Denny took a breath. He concluded it was time. "Say, Marissa…"
"Hmm?"
"Would you like to be my girl?"
-x-
(1) - Ever watched/read "Princess Bride" ? The real quote from PB would be: "Hello, my name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die."
Omo… Wow, an hour has passed… Better hurry.
- DoJo
