Centrepiece

Chapter
39

Subtitle: Chat

Author: Jedi Princess Clarrisani

This
is one of the chapters I would have had to remove if I wanted to put the fic up
on FanFiction.Net

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Opening the
Internet Ray went to his Favourites list and selected a bookmark, waiting for it
to load before logging in. There was another pause as the applet started up, and
he smiled as he found himself in a familiar chat site dedicated to blading.

He blinked as
almost straight away someone requested that they go to a private discussion, Ray
staring at the screen name of the other. He had spoken with the person before, a
few months back, and they had shown a great deal of knowledge not only in
blading but in life as well. Ray had liked the person back then, so he accepted
the request to enter the private discussion, the new window opening. Typing, Ray
managed to get the first message in.

Driger_Happy:
Hi. I remember you

Wicked_wind_blows:
You do?

Wicked_wind_blows:
You haven’t been around much

Driger_Happy:
Yeah

Driger_Happy:
Sorry about that

Driger_Happy:
A lot has happened

Wicked_wind_blows:
I see

Wicked_wind_blows:
How did that relationship thing go?

Driger_Happy:
I broke up with them

Wicked_wind_blows:
That good

Wicked_wind_blows:
Sounded like losers to me

Driger_Happy:
You’re right, they were

Wicked_wind_blows:
Anyone new?

Wicked_wind_blows:
Another boyfriend?

Driger_Happy:
Not yet

Wicked_wind_blows:
Anyone in mind?

Ray had to smile,
biting his lip before he typed in the answer. Wicked_wind_blows had asked a lot
of questions last time too, and he had discovered it quite fun making a game out
of playing with the others mind.

Driger_Happy:
Maybe I do, maybe I don’t

Wicked_wind_blows:
I take that as a yes

Driger_Happy:
Who said it was a yes?

Wicked_wind_blows:
Answers like that usually are

Ray sighed,
shaking his head and chuckling. Unfortunately, he had also discovered the other
to be rather smart and able to read things into what Ray had typed easily.

Driger_Happy:
Just because they are usually like that doesn’t mean it is

Wicked_wind_blows:
Whatever

Wicked_wind_blows:
So what’s new?

Driger_Happy:
I got a promotion

Wicked_wind_blows:
That good

Wicked_wind_blows:
How is it?

Driger_Happy:
Haven’t officially starting working yet

Wicked_wind_blows:
K

Wicked_wind_blows:
Me either

Wicked_wind_blows:
I got promotion too

Ray raised an
eyebrow at this. Interesting turn of events, both him and the person on the
other end both getting promotions. Ray knew from his previous conversation with
Wicked_wind_blows that they worked in the sporting industry and were second in
charge of their division, meaning they were now the boss.

Driger_Happy:
What happened to your boss?

Wicked_wind_blows:
Something came up

Wicked_wind_blows:
He left town

Driger_Happy:
Where did he go?

Wicked_wind_blows:
Not sure

Wicked_wind_blows:
Haven’t heard from him

Wicked_wind_blows:
Where your boss?

Driger_Happy:
Similar thing

Driger_Happy:
I’m his replacement til they find someone better

Wicked_wind_blows:
What makes you think they’ll find someone better?

Driger_Happy:
I’m not good enough

Wicked_wind_blows:
Someone tell you that?

Driger_Happy:
No

Driger_Happy:
My own view

Wicked_wind_blows:
What others say?

Driger_Happy:
They want me

Wicked_wind_blows:
Then there no one better

Wicked_wind_blows:
They must like you

Ray smiled,
reaching forward to type in another degrading comment when Wicked_wind_blows
beat him too it.

Wicked_wind_blows:
My colleagues voted me in too

Wicked_wind_blows:
They said I best qualified

Wicked_wind_blows:
I do job best

Wicked_wind_blows:
Probably same for you

Ray frowned,
taking this in. The other had a point, Ray cocking his head to the side. The
other had always amazed him with their insight. Though they probably lived on
the other side of the world and Ray was never likely to meet him or her, he
almost felt as if he knew them.

Wicked_wind_blows:
You there?

Driger_Happy:
Just thinking

Wicked_wind_blows:
Bout what?

Driger_Happy:
That maybe you’re right

Wicked_wind_blows:
Maybe I am

Driger_Happy:
And that I feel like I know you

Wicked_wind_blows:
Maybe you do

Ray blinked,
staring at the last. Wicked_wind_blows… knew
him?

Wicked_wind_blows:
Enough with the charade

Wicked_wind_blows:
Come on Ray, surely you’ve figured it out

Ray’s eyes
widened as he saw his own name appear. Holy
crap, they do know me! But how? When? Why? Wh,,, wait.

Ray leant forward,
scrolling back over the previous comments before his eyes fell upon the name
itself. They had a promotion. They were in the sports industry. They were around
Ray’s age. They had always taken an interest in Ray’s love life and trying
to help solve it. They could read between the lines. They were intelligent. Not
to mention the name Wicked Wind Blows
had been the title the media had dubbed the match between Ray and…

Driger_Happy:
Bryan?

Wicked_wind_blows:
^_~

Driger_Happy:
You bastard!

Wicked_wind_blows:
:p

Driger_Happy:
You’ve been leading me on all this time!?

Wicked_wind_blows:
Yeap. ^_^

Driger_Happy:
I hate you!

Wicked_wind_blows:
^_^

Driger_Happy:
Stop with the emoticons already!

Wicked_wind_blows:
:p

Driger_Happy:
*smacks Bryan over the head with frying pan*

Wicked_wind_blows:
Ouch

Wicked_wind_blows:
^_^

Driger_Happy:
*Pulls out bazooka*

Wicked_wind_blows:
O_O

Wicked_wind_blows:
Don’t pull a muscle, Kitten

Wicked_wind_blows:
^_^

Driger_Happy:
Stop it!

Wicked_wind_blows:
*^_^*

Driger_Happy:
*shoots Bryan*

Wicked_wind_blows:
>_<

Wicked_wind_blows:
Missed

Wicked_wind_blows:
^_^

Driger_Happy:
You’re really starting to irritate me!

Wicked_wind_blows:
You think?

Wicked_wind_blows:
^_^

Driger_Happy:
*Pulls out sword*

Wicked_wind_blows:
O_o;;

Driger_Happy:
*Lunges at Bryan*

Wicked_wind_blows:
*Who easily sidesteps and watches Ray fall off cliff*

Wicked_wind_blows:
First steps a doozey, Kitten.

Driger_Happy:
^$^# *@^@*( !)&$@4!

Wicked_wind_blows:-_-

Wicked_wind_blows:
Charming

Ray let out a long
breath, trying to control his laughter and hoping that he hadn’t awoken his
teammates and friends. Shaking his head, Ray let out another long breath,
reaching forward to once again type.

Driger_Happy:
So how are you, Bryan?

Driger_Happy:
Feeling okay?

Wicked_wind_blows:
I’m fine, Ray

Wicked_wind_blows:
Bit tired though

Wicked_wind_blows:
Can’t sleep

Driger_Happy:
Neither can I

Driger_Happy:
Not sure why

Wicked_wind_blows:
Doubt you have two guys making love down the corridor

Ray gaped,
shuddering violently at the mental images that came with that comment and
brushing them aside. He instantly pitied Bryan, knowing that the other had to
listen to that with no means of escape.

Driger_Happy:
Where are your headphones?

Wicked_wind_blows:
Don’t know

Wicked_wind_blows:
Last I saw of them Chung Hu was playing with them

Wicked_wind_blows:
Probably under the bed

Driger_Happy:
K

Driger_Happy:
I may not have two guys making love

Driger_Happy:
But Kev and Mar can be loud when they want to be

Wicked_wind_blows:
K

Wicked_wind_blows:
What Lee think of that?

Driger_Happy:
He tell them to keep it down

Driger_Happy:
Tyson threaten to punch Kev’s face in

Wicked_wind_blows:
Ain’t Lee related to Mariah?

Driger_Happy:
Brother and sister

Driger_Happy:
Not widely known

Driger_Happy:
They have their reasons

Wicked_wind_blows:
They ever been to any Fan Fiction sites?

Wicked_wind_blows:
Some amusing

Ray chuckled,
remembering how he had stumbled across several sites and how he had saved some
of the stories to show Lee, who had gone right off.

Driger_Happy:
Yeah, Lee seen some

Wicked_wind_blows:
What he think?

Driger_Happy:
Threatened to sue

Wicked_wind_blows:
Sounds bout right

Driger_Happy:
What about you?

Driger_Happy:
You gonna sue?

Wicked_wind_blows:
No

Wicked_wind_blows:
Find them amusing

Wicked_wind_blows:
How pathetic some people are

Driger_Happy:
As you do

Driger_Happy:
So how come you never told me it was you?

Wicked_wind_blows:
I have my reasons

Driger_Happy:
Which are…

Wicked_wind_blows:
^_^

Driger_Happy:
Come on, tell me

Wicked_wind_blows:
No

Wicked_wind_blows:
^_^

Driger_Happy:
You’re being a bastard again

Wicked_wind_blows:
I realise that

Wicked_wind_blows:
Still not telling

Driger_Happy:
Why not?

Wicked_wind_blows:
Because I don’t want too

Driger_Happy:
-_-

Wicked_wind_blows:
^_^

Driger_Happy:
So did you hear about the meeting?

Wicked_wind_blows:
Yeah

Wicked_wind_blows:
Goody goody

Driger_Happy:
Will have to ask Lee what happens at them

Wicked_wind_blows:
Tried that

Wicked_wind_blows:
Only he was attached to Spencer’s neck at the time

Driger_Happy:
O_o;;

Driger_Happy:
I feel for you

Driger_Happy:
>_<

Wicked_wind_blows:
Thank you

Wicked_wind_blows:
Looking forward to the meeting?

Driger_Happy:
Not really

Driger_Happy:
Promise not to sit on you this time

Wicked_wind_blows:
Had no problem with the sitting

Wicked_wind_blows:
Was the wriggling I didn’t like

Driger_Happy:
Why?

Driger_Happy:
Was it turning you on?

Wicked_wind_blows:
Was that your intention was it?

Wicked_wind_blows:
Trying to turn me on?

Wicked_wind_blows:
For what reason?

Ray felt his
cheeks warm as he squirmed in his seat. Bryan was always one to be direct, and
sometimes that directness led to the most awkward and uncomfortable situations,
especially at Ray’s end.

Driger_Happy:
I was teasing you

Wicked_wind_blows:
I know that

Wicked_wind_blows:
Don’t think everyone else interpreted it that way

Driger_Happy:
They didn’t

Driger_Happy:
Lee accused me of flirting

Wicked_wind_blows:
Spence said same thing bout me

Wicked_wind_blows:
I ignored him

Wicked_wind_blows:
After all, Lee and Spence trying to set us up

Driger_Happy:
True

Driger_Happy:
They are

Wicked_wind_blows:
We should kill them

Driger_Happy:
I’ll bring the chainsaw

Wicked_wind_blows:
I’ll bring the beer

Ray burst out
laughing, clamping a hand over his mouth and trying to quieten down, glancing at
the clock and seeing how late it was. Gulping at the air, he looked up as a new
message appeared.

Wicked_wind_blows:
How bout the rest of your teammates?

Driger_Happy:
They haven’t said much

Driger_Happy:
Mariah been making some interesting comments

Driger_Happy:
Sometimes I think she’s ‘my’ sister

Wicked_wind_blows:
Gotta love women

Wicked_wind_blows:
Your friend and your enemy at the same time

Wicked_wind_blows:
Can’t trust them with anything

Driger_Happy:
Take it that why you gay

Wicked_wind_blows:
One reason

Wicked_wind_blows:
Some men are no better

Driger_Happy:
You mean Tala?

Wicked_wind_blows:
Yeah

Wicked_wind_blows:
Ian says we should hunt him down

Wicked_wind_blows:
I got dibs on shooting Tal in the groin

Driger_Happy:
>_<

Driger_Happy:
Not that he has much down there

Wicked_wind_blows:
True

Wicked_wind_blows:
But smaller targets are harder to hit

Wicked_wind_blows:
More fun trying to get them

Ray chuckled,
nodding his agreement before typing an answer.

Driger_Happy:
Thought Ian wasn’t speaking to you

Wicked_wind_blows:
Yes and no

Wicked_wind_blows:
Pissed at what I say about geek girl

Wicked_wind_blows:
But sucking up cause I’m captain

Wicked_wind_blows:
Just wish he’d shut up

Driger_Happy:
Maybe you should rip his tongue out

Wicked_wind_blows:
With a tow truck

Ray burst out
laughing again, shaking his head.

Driger_Happy:
You watched ‘Tango and Cash’ last night, didn’t you?

Wicked_wind_blows:
Great movie that

Driger_Happy:
Agreed

Driger_Happy:
Though I felt for the poor mice that were killed in the blast at the end

Wicked_wind_blows:
What?

Wicked_wind_blows:
Don’t like your lunch ‘well done’?

Driger_Happy:
Shut up, you

Stifling a yawn,
Ray glanced at the clock on his computer and noted the time. Stretching, he
rubbed his eyes as a reply flashed up.

Wicked_wind_blows:
Make me

Wicked_wind_blows:
I like tormenting you

Driger_Happy:
I’ve realised that

Driger_Happy:
I’m for bed

Wicked_wind_blows:
Shit. That the time?

Wicked_wind_blows:
Later than I thought

Driger_Happy:
Yeah

Driger_Happy:
Night, Bryan

Wicked_wind_blows:
Sleep well, Ray

As Ray logged off
he found himself fighting the temptation to write ‘love you’. Little did he
know that he wasn’t the only one.

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So,
did you like it? Hate it? Let me know.