Back in January, a hacktastic fan submitted this fan fiction to our email account. At the time, we didn’t publish it for a variety of (rather obvious) reasons. However, after attaining the blessing of those who are the apparent subjects, we’ve decided to publish this…and let you be the judge.
YOU’VE BEEN WARNED: ‘Creepy’ doesn’t even begin to cover it.
It was just after midnight, and another too-long AMS Council meeting had just finished. Elena was packing up her things. Miley Cyrus was playing quietly on her iPod to cheer her up. It had been a long night. The new SUB negotiations were not progressing, and everyone on council knew it. They had grilled her about her ability to meet deadlines and deliver the project. She felt her eyes well up. It was so easy for them to criticize, but they didn’t attend the meetings, they didn’t understand how intimidating bowties could be. How much did they really know about how difficult a project this was? It’s not easy to build a new SUB, or a better AMS. She let her hair down and gently bit her lip, trying to ease some of the tension in her body.
Jared, tired, was in his office cooling off. Things had gotten pretty heated that night, as council had spent two hours deciding how to deal with the tuition policy referendum. He was drained and demoralized, thinking back to the simpler days of just being a councilor, being one of the bosses. Having to take orders from this group of people, these impulsive, short-sighted, wannabe politicians made him disgusted. At Blenz, he had ruled with an iron fist. This is not what he had signed up for. Frustrated, he slammed his fist on his desk and let out a snarl.
Elena was startled back into the present upon hearing Jared’s cry from next door. She hesitated, wondering if anyone else was in the office. She didn’t think so, everyone else had left right away once the meeting ended. It was just the two of them: former lovers, now co-workers. She had moved on quickly after their relationship ended, found someone new to latch onto. So what if some people thought she had moved too quickly? A good Sauder student would never pass up an opportunity that presented itself. She was happy, she thought to herself.
There was still no other noise from the hallway. With just the two of them around, she took a few steps down the hall to Jared’s office. “Is everything alright?” she asked, leaning in the doorway, her piercing brown eyes full of concern. Jared’s head was in his hands on his desk. His brown jacket sat rumpled on the floor. He slowly looked up to see Elena’s radiant face emerging from the darkness of the hallway.
Simply seeing her there sent a jolt up his spine. Even though they saw each other every day, he couldn’t help but notice her Russian beauty. He had been lonely since they separated, missing her more than he thought he would. Or maybe it was just the companionship of another person he missed most, a warm touch, a smile, a loving embrace. He thought of those nights they had spent together, snuggled on the couch together reading committee minutes, happy just being together.
“I’m fine,” he said, trying to hide his frustration. “Sorry about the noise. I was just a bit worked up. It’s been a rough day.”
“Jared,” Elena said, almost in a whisper. “Call me Kommander,” Jared said, “he got more respect than I ever will.” He let out a small sigh and put his head back down.
She took a few steps into his office and gently touched Jared’s back. “Jared, please be serious, those days are over now.” As she said it, she couldn’t help thinking about the past, recalling how when they used to kiss his short beard would tickle her cheek. It was an undeniable sign of his male virility that her new flame could never hope to match. They had tried to go their own separate ways, damn the electorate that insisted on reuniting them with such large mandates!
Jared got up from his chair, and put his arms around her. They held each other tightly, taking their time, desperately craving the comfort of a warm embrace. Jared started to loosen his grip and back away, but Elena continued to hold him close. He looked down and smiled at her. Without knowing it, he started leaning in towards her. She looked up, and closed her eyes expectantly, waiting for the feel of his soft lips.
At that moment, Jared’s AMS-supplied Blackberry sprang to life—someone was tweeting. The moment was broken and the magic lost. Elena started blushing, quickly let go and without a word quietly retreated to her office next door. Jared was left awkwardly standing there, wondering about what had almost happened.
It was going to be a long year…
