Forbidden Love of the Ballet Dancer and the Hockey Player

Bae and Jee Phan are looking at their daughters, sixteen-year-old Charlbi and thirteen-year-old Nuala. They can't believe how different the girls are. Charbli knew how much her father wanted a son to teach martial arts. So she made it a point to learn the martial arts and train with him. Charbli loved ballet and talked her parents into letting her take lessons. She never wanted to disappoint her parents, so she studied hard and had a GPA of 5.0. Charlbi and Jee, her mother, are close and have a good relationship, but she isn't as close to her as she is to her father. When she was five, she overheard her parents arguing because her mother didn't have a boy. She also learned that her mother had three miscarriages after she was born. That was the day she decided she would be the son her father wanted, but also the daughter her mother wanted. Whereas Nuala only wanted to spend money and keep up with all her friends. She doesn't participate in any activities in school and has a 2.5 GPA. Nuala couldn't care less about learning anything. She only attends school because she has to. Her mother suggested she train with her father and sister. Nuala laughs, saying the man she marries will protect and pamper her. Jee never brought the subject up again. Guys at school are constantly asking Charlbi out. She has never been interested in dating and has always said that it would distract her from her goals. Charlbi intends to open a ballet studio in New York City. She plans to leave the day after her eighteenth birthday. But she hasn't told her parents her plans yet. She intends to inform them a month before she leaves. Charlbi isn't sure how they're going to accept the fact that she has no intention of going to college as they want her to. One day after ballet practice, Charlbi is sitting on the front porch when a 6'1" black-eyed, short-black-haired, handsome, muscular man steps out of a black Ferrari F8 Spider. "He's gorgeous," she mumbles. Nuala is looking at the car. "Expensive car. Darn, it costs at least three hundred thousand dollars. That means he has money." "Oh yeah, it's nice." Charlbi shakes her head. "When will you learn that expensive things and money aren't everything? I'm scared one day you will get into trouble that you can't escape." Nuala laughs. "Don't be scared for me. As long as I do what it takes to make a man foolish enough to take care of me, I won't have anything to worry about. I don't know what world you live in. Money means power and respect." She notices her sister is still looking at the new neighbor. "It seems my big sister has her first crush." "Just don't get any ideas about him. He's mine." Charlbi looks at him again before she walks into the house. "My sister has fallen for an older man." Nuala snickers, walking behind Charlbi. "Handsome and has money. Just the way I like them." "Help my poor sister. Greed will get the best of her one day." Charlbi thinks. ***** Twenty-three-year-old Gareth Cartier noticed the two young ladies when he drove up. The beautiful young Asian girl with long brown hair and brown eyes caught his eye, dressed in blue jeans, shorts, and a blue tank top. "Damn, that's one beautiful gem. Jail bait. Yep, damn. f*****g jail bait." He mumbles as he walks inside the house. Gareth has just renewed his contract for 2.7 million dollars to play hockey in Western Europe. It's his fourth year playing overseas. He plans to play ice hockey until he's around twenty-nine. He plans to start a business and get married somewhere during that time. The marriage part is up in the air. He isn't rushing to marry the first woman that comes along. Gareth comes from a middle-class family. His parents refused to move out of the house they raised him and his sister Randi in. His sister is a UCLA student and hasn't decided on a major yet. Darius, their father, keeps pressing her to decide since she is in her junior year. His mother, Cassandra, has told Gareth that if she doesn't make a decision soon, he should cut Randi off financially and stop paying the tuition. She was hoping that would push her daughter into setting a goal and standing on her own two feet. Gareth takes a tour of his new home, and he's happy with the decorating outcome. When he walks into the den, he stops at a window, looking out at the house where the Asian beauty went in. "Gareth, man, no, don't do it." The doorbell brings him out of his thoughts. The man introduces himself as Bae Phan and invites him to join him and his family for dinner to welcome him to the neighborhood. At first, Gareth thought about lying, saying he already had dinner plans, until Bae pointed to the house where the young girl had gone inside. After accepting the dinner invitation, Gareth thinks maybe she's older and looks younger. Bae brings him out of his thoughts when he asks if he is married. Gareth almost gets choked thinking about marriage and tells the man no, that he hasn't found the proper young lady yet. His career is the most essential thing in his life right now, and he's not in any hurry to settle down. "Ah, that is good to hear." Bae nods and cuts his eyes at him. "I have two daughters. Charlbi is the oldest and will be seventeen in a few months. You and she think alike. She has her life already planned out. I wish Nuala would think more about important matters. Now she's the opposite," he shakes his head. "That kid doesn't think about anything but shopping. Her mother and I hope she will grow out of it. But by her being thirteen, we might have a long time before that happens." Gareth frowns when he hears the ages of the young ladies and thinks, "Well, at least I'll get a good meal." He stops in his tracks when he walks into the house, looking at the beautiful young lady wearing a long lagoon multi-maxi dress, and her hair is in a messy bun. Bae notices the lustful look in the young man's eyes and clears his throat. He stands between them as he introduces Gareth to Charlbi. Charlbi and Gareth look into each other's eyes, and neither one can speak. She bites her lower lip. He licks his lips, exhales, and runs a finger across his lips. Jee stood back, watching what was happening between her daughter and the young man. She quickly walks over to them and introduces herself to Gareth to get his attention off Charlbi. Nuala giggles. "I'm Nuala, but don't pay me any attention. I'm just her sister." Jee shakes her head at Nuala and motions for her to go to the dining room. Nuala walks away, mumbling, "I'm not the one in love with the neighbor. That would be your other daughter." She looks at her father and points at her sister. Their father shushes Nuala. Gareth looks at Charlbi and grins. "I hope she didn't embarrass you. I have a younger sister, also. She does tend to do and say things to tease me." Charlbi smiles and leans close to him and whispers. "No, I'm not embarrassed at all. Especially when she told the truth." She walks behind her sister. Her father and mother didn't hear her but were wondering what their daughter said that had the young man's mouth open, and then went into a huge smile. Jee served Shen Jian Bao, Chicken Cabbage soup, Shrimp and Mango Rice Paper Rolls, Broccoli and Beef, Rice, and Stir Fry mixed vegetables. During dinner, Bae and Gareth talked mostly about sports. Jee and her daughter didn’t talk much except when Charlbi informed her parents she had the lead in a local musical. Bae was so excited that he hugged Charlbi and invited Gareth to celebrate with them. Jee isn’t happy about Gareth accepting the invite. She knows he is interested in their daughter and is a little too old for her. Jee can also tell that he’s a good person with a good heart. Gareth mentions several times how delicious the food is. Nuala made it a point to let him know Charlbi had prepared the meal. She looks between her sister and him. Charbli shakes her head. Gareth is impressed to learn that Charlbi has many talents. But she's too young for him, and he knows not to cross the line. Gareth enjoys talking with Bae and feels the man wouldn't be happy if he knew of the impure thoughts running through his mind about his little girls. Then he thinks, "I'm beginning to sound like a pervert." After dinner, Jee was about to tell Charlbi to help her clean the kitchen. Nuala interrupts and volunteers. Which her mother found odd since she had never volunteered to clean anything. Gareth and Charlbi walk on the patio, waiting for her father. They are talking about ballet, hockey, and school. He was so taken in by her beauty that he tripped over the table and fell on her. They're on the ground with him on top of her and gazing into each other's eyes. "You're stunning, I have never in my life seen anyone as beautiful as you," he mumbles. She tried to say thank you, but the words wouldn't come out. All she could feel was her heart racing. Charlbi rubs his arm. He leans closer to her lips and hears the door close. "We'd better get up. I'm sure your father wouldn't be thrilled to see us in this position." Gareth stands up and takes her hand, helping her off the ground. Charlbi nods, looking at him, wondering if her heart will ever slow down.