Two weeks later, Dee found herself being dolled up by Chu Hua, who had quickly fit in at Jiaoshu's household, and Li Mei to go out. She took the fussing with a minimal of grumbling, insisting that she not be made to wear make up. Chu Hua, on the other hand, insisted upon a little bit of mascara, eye shadow, and lipstick. By the time they were done, Dee had to admit they had done a good job. She never thought much on her looks past looking neat and clean. Now she had to say that she really looked like a young woman.

It turned out to be her luck that Manchu had invited Feng. Dee decided that she was going to make the best of this anyway. She had a couple inches on Feng, as well as a body that had better shape. Dee wore a wine colored ankle length skirt and a light plum colored button up top. Feng wore a tight black miniskirt and a yellow silk blouse. Where Dee's clothes gently accentuated her figure, Feng's accentuated the sharp angles of her hips and shoulder. The girl wore a very padded push up bra that she kept brushing against Manchu's arms. Had Dee not been so annoyed that Feng was going with them, she would have laughed at the girl's choice of outfits.

The club Manchu had picked for dinner was in Upper West Side Gotham. While there was dining and dancing, it was still the type of club where the patrons mingled. They ate their meals, chatting amiably throughout. Chu Hua excused herself to go to the bathroom and asked Dee to come with her. Excusing herself, Dee followed the girl, uneasy about leaving Feng alone with Manchu. The girl looked like a fox left to guard the chicken coop.

"He is so sweet, Dee," Chu Hua said as they headed for the restroom.

"Manchu? I trained him well for whatever woman would come and claim him," she said with a grin. Dee was truly happy for the couple. Chu Hua was easy to talk to and knew how to take a joke.

"Tell me truthfully. What does he say about me?" the girl asked, clutching Dee's arm and pulling her to a stop in the ladies anteroom.

"About you? Certainly you know!"

"He told me he loved me the other day. Do you think he does?" Chu Hua was nervous.

Dee took a hold of her hands and looked into the girl's eyes. "Chu, Ping thinks the world of you. He never stops talking about you. You know why he started buying all those cookies from your bakery? Other than that he's a glutton?"

She shook her head. "I just figured he had a sweet tooth. I know that he shares them with the children in the class he teaches."

"He bought them because he wanted to see you. From what he told me, you're the reason he always volunteers to go to the bakery when something needs to be picked up! I've known Manchu a long time, dear, and I have never seen him so happy."

Chu Hua smiled and hastily wiped at the corner of her eyes. "I'm glad to hear that. He's so quiet sometimes I wonder if I've done something to upset him."

"Nah. If you've done something he'll let you know. And if he starts acting like an idiot, you tell me and I'll give him a good smack for you."

Laughing, the two hugged each other and headed back out to the table. Dee was not at all surprised by what she saw when they made it back out. There was Feng, pressed up close to Manchu, walking her fingers up his arm. At her side, Dee could practically feel the rage coming off Chu Hua.

"Are we interrupting?" the girl asked with a hiss.

As if nothing were out of the ordinary, Feng pulled slowly away, smiling. "We were just having a friendly chat. Isn't that right, Manchu?"

"Yes, friendly," he said in a strange tone. Dee knew that he was annoyed, but being new, neither of the other girls understood that.

Sweeping her skirt under herself as she took her seat, Dee sipped her water calmly. "Manchu, you haven't danced yet. It's a nice slow song," she said, catching his eye.

Feng's eyes lit up expectantly.

"I haven't, have I? Chu? How about a dance?" he said, giving her a patented smile that always made the girls in class sigh.

Chu's eyes softened as she accepted his hand and allowed him to lead her to the dance floor. A hushed grunt of annoyance came from Feng as she watched the two leave.

"That wasn't a very nice thing to do, Feng," Dee said, still remaining calm. Inside she was boiling with anger and wanted nothing more than to grab the girl by the ear and admonish her.

"He came on to me first. I was just responding to him. Any girl would." Feng looked down her nose at Dee. "You certainly have."

"Excuse me? What just are you implying?"

"Simply that everyone knows that you two are 'close' and spend a lot of time in each other's rooms." She demurely sipped the glass of wine in front of her before continuing. "Stories about you run all the way back to Metropolis, Xiaohu." The name was said with an insulting slur.

"Is that so? Do tell, because I'd certainly be interested in hearing them." Dee's anger was building, but she refused to let this childish girl push her into striking out physically.

"Oh, yes. It's said that you get more turns than a subway turnstile," Feng said, matter-of-factly. She swung her arm over the back of the chair as she watched Manchu sway back and forth, holding Chu Hua close. Her eyes narrowed at the couple.

Nodding, impressed at such a reputation, Dee leaned across the table and gave Feng a humoring smile. "Feng, you do know what a lie is, don't you? Anyone who knows me knows that I haven't even had a date yet. Knowing that, they also know that I've never been with a man, nor have I even been kissed."

"So it's the lesbian rumors that are correct. I see."

Dee was about to respond to that when two men came up to the table, beaming at the women. They were nicely dressed and gave polite nods. One spoke up.

"My friend and I have been sitting across the room trying to enjoy our dinner tonight. The only problem is our view is so distracting we decided we needed to come over and do something about it." He flashed a bright smile between them. "Would either of you ladies care to dance?"

Immediately Feng stood up, puffing her chest out and taking the hand of the one who had spoken. "I would love to dance," she said. "But to be truthful, my friend here has no interest in men. I would hate for your friend to waste his time trying to get her attention."

An inward groan was Dee's reaction. Still, she smiled brightly enough at the man who looked her over, somewhat disappointed. "I wouldn't mind a dance, actually," she began, standing and smoothing her skirt as Feng moved off with the first man.

He waved her back. "That's ok, really. I don't want you putting yourself out."

She didn't get a chance to respond as the man turned and left, going to another table with two other women sitting alone. Twisting her lips into a frown, Dee sat back down. Picking up her fork, she pushed the remains of her dinner around on her plate. For the rest of the night she sat alone at the table, save when Manchu and Chu Hua returned for a break. When they asked why she wasn't dancing, she simply said she wasn't up to it. Manchu insisted she dance with him, and getting an approving nod from Chu Hua, he took her out on the floor.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing. I just haven't been asked to dance tonight," she said.

"That's a lie. I saw those two men come up to the table. Feng's on her fourth partner now and you haven't had one. What's going on? And if you say 'nothing' again, I'll put pickle juice in your tea."

"Feng told them I was a lesbian. I'm guessing she's said it to everyone and it's been spread around, so they're avoiding me."

He shook his head. "She was saying the most forward things to me when you left with Chu."

"No doubt. She gonna be ok?"

"She's fine. You, I'm not so certain."

"I'll be fine." She gave a little shrug. "Personal question, and I want an honest answer. Do you think I'm attractive? Because I never feel it and no man has looked at me, other than to stare at my breasts. I know I'm not a monster, but still..."

"You want honest? I think you're beautiful, inside and out. You're smart, funny, honest, loyal as hell, and you have a good heart. Any man would be lucky to have you, but he has to be smart enough to understand that he's getting a special package."

"I think that's my problem. All the guys I've met have done nothing for me. Some are funny. Some are smart. Some are good looking. The one thing they all have in common though is that they're complete jerks. I talk to them for a little bit and their eyes never rise to my face. They seem ok to talk to at first, then they just turn into such lechers."

"Ok, don't hit me for saying this, but I think a lot of guys are going to stare at your breasts. They're hard to miss. But if they think that's all you are, then they aren't worth the time. I love you, but you're not my type though. Personally, I think that Chu has a perfect body. And if you go telling her I said that, I will drag you across all the rooftops in Gotham by the scruff of your neck!"

Dee couldn't help but giggle at that. She had asked for honesty and got it. However, it was still coming from Manchu and it didn't carry the same weight it would coming from someone who was interested in her romantically.
Next / Return of the Phoenix Main / Triad Main /