Fiance For Hire - Mark Tuan vs. Jackson

1

Susan walks home to their shabby apartment after her shift at the coffee shop late at night. She hears very faint footsteps behind her and she gets nervous. Her heart starts to pump faster. She takes bigger strides as she feels beads of cold sweat running down the sides of her face. 

"Shit!" She curses under her breath nervously. Lately, there's been kidnapping in the area. Although police have warned them to stay indoors after dark, she couldn't help it since she has to work. 

She quickens her pace as the sound gets nearer.

"Booo!!!" 

"Aaaahhh!!!" She jumps up in fright as she flings her bag blindly at her attacker. 

"Aw....stop it....Ouch!!!" Her attacker bends down to avoid her swings. "Su... it's me.. Jer...!"

She slings her bag back on her shoulder and continues to pummel the boy with her fist. "You little rascal," she yells, hitting his shoulders and back as he bends even lower. "The heck are you thinking scaring me like that?" 

"Stop it, then...." he chuckles. "I'm sorry."

One last kick on his shin and she stands up straight, combing her hair away from her face with her fingers. 

"What the fuck, Jer." She yells again. 

"Sorry!" The boy puts two fingers up in a peace sign and gives her his cutest smile. He throws his arm over her shoulder and leads her towards the house. 

Jer...or Jerry, is Susan's teenage brother. He's currently in his last year in high school. Even though he's insisted many times on helping his sister by quitting school and finding a job, she didn't take it. 'School is more important,' she always said. 

Both of them had been orphans for seven years. Their parents died during a terrorist attack. The building they were both working in as janitors was bombed. Hundreds of employees died at that time and their parents were, unfortunately, one of them. 

Susan was just finishing highschool while her brother was about to enter middle school. She decided not to continue in college because she had to work to put her brother to school, pay for the rent, and put food on the table. 

"Su, I don't think I'm going to enter university," Jerry is saying over the dinner Susan brought home from the cafe she's working in as a part time dishwasher. He picks on his food and puts it on his mouth. 

"Jer...I told you hundreds of times. School is the most important." Jerry mouths the last sentence while her sister says it out loud. He's memorized this line already. 

"But..."

"No, buts, young man." She stands up and starts to fix the table. "Now, scurry off and study." 

He does what she says, going in the room they share and taking out his notes from his bag. 'I just hope our life was any different', he thought. 

She, herself, needs to sleep, too. She has to wake up at four in the morning to go to the market. She also works there part time, helping an old lady with the deliveries of vegetables. 

After doing the dishes and washing up, she snuggles under the covers, leaving her brother still with his nose on his homework.

"Night, Jer," she says before closing her eyes. 

"Night, Su."

_____

In the other side of town, two friends have a different problem. Compared to Su's status, they were born in luxury. 

They're both in University, studying performing arts in the hopes of becoming famous artists one day. 

"Man, what would I do?" Jackson is saying, gulping down the rest of his beer. 

"Just ignore her, Jackson. She'd leave you sooner or later." Mark says, trying to advise a drunk friend. 

"She fuckin' said she's pregnant. What the fuck? What if she goes to my parents?"

"Are you sure it's yours? I mean, not to offend, bro, but, she's known to be sleeping around." 

"I know that, man. That's why I need to find a reason for her to get off my back."

"How about tell her you're engaged. I bet that would make her stop." Mark says, a bit exasperated. He's already tired and a bit tipsy. He just wants to go home and hug his bed. But, he can't just leave his friend, especially that he's having girl problems. 

Jackson thinks for a while, ordering another drink from the bartender. "You think it'd work?"

That makes Mark spit the drink from his mouth and it sprays on Jackson's face. 

"What the hell," Jackson exclaims, wiping his face with the napkin the bartender hands him. 

"I'm sorry," Mark chuckles. He actually just blurted that out. He didn't expect Jackson to take it seriously. "You serious? Cause if you are, I have a friend we can call." He's still joking of course.

"Why not?" Jackson answers, making Mark even more shocked. Is he really going to pretend to be engaged? This Jackson? The 'I hate commitments' Jackson? "What?" Jackson says, tilting his head to the side as Mark continues to laugh. 

"Nah...Man, you're drunk. Let's better get going." Mark stands up and pulls Jackson to his feet. 

_______

"Wazzup, guys," Margarette, one of their best friends and classmate in dance class, greets Jackson and Mark as they make their way to the studio. "You both look like shit," she teases, laughing at their haggard faces. 

"This dumbass over here," Mark points at Jackson, "had me drinking until three in the morning." 

"Why? Problem?" She mouths. 

Mark nods, "Girl problem," he whispers. 

Margarette hits Jackson's head at the back, "I can't believe you'd be drinking because of a girl. What's up? I thought you said they cry because of you," she giggles, earning a glare from Jackson. 

"She said she's pregnant," Jackson says, sprawling his body on the floor. "And she won't stop following me around. She said it's mine." 

"Who? That Samantha bitch?" She chuckles. "I told you she's bad news."

Margarette is one of their closest female friends. Like them, she heralds from a prestigious family. Aside from school, she also manages a cafe her parents gave her as a gift on her birthday. They want her to follow her dreams as a singer, but they still let her learn the ropes of the business in case she doesn't debut. 

"Just give her money," she tells them. "It's obvious she's just after your wealth." 

"I already did that, but she rejected," Jackson sighs. "Should I just take a fiance and pretend I'm getting married?"

"Jackson," Mark chuckles, "I was just joking last night. Did you really consider that?"

"Yes...and I think it's the best idea. When Sam sees I'm getting married she would lay off my back." 

"How sure are you?" Margarette asks. 

"Marj," Jackson turns on his side and props his elbow to support his head, "do you know a girl who could pretend to be my fiance?"

"I know a lot of girls who can do that, Jackson. But," she leans closer to him, "are you serious?"

"YUP! Now...go find me one." 

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Yaaayy...I know it's short, but I hope you find it interesting.