Note From The Desktop of Marla: REVIEW, DAMN IT. I see that a load of you read my story, but don't bother to review. Those who DO, thank you, you're not at the top of my "people to yell at while trying not to chuck very pointy objects at them" list. If you don't review, I'll just kill off Vanessa! It takes me WEEKS to write these chapters, it'll take you two minutes!
Disclaimer: I don't own Gilmore Girls, but I do own Vanessa Gilmore, Angie, Ginger, Nadia, and Justin. They are made-up by me, so they're mine. Also, I don't own Chicago.
Break A Leg, Velma
"What do you want now?"
Jess closed the book he was reading and said, "Hey, now, I was just looking at the horses."
"C'mon, Jess, you know Rory and Logan are separating and that you want to move in on what you think is rightfully yours," Vanessa snapped, her death glare starting to mentally bore a hole into Jess's thick skull.
"Hey, look, Rory's an old friend and I want to help her out and she's obviously not here," Jess defended, trying to be civil for once.
"She can get through this herself," Vanessa barked.
Jess angrily responded, "Hey, you're right. She can get through this by herself. You know, you're being a hypocrite about it."
"I'm her sister! I'm part of her support system!"
"Yeah, well I'm her friend, but I guess friends aren't part of the support system, huh?"
Vanessa didn't say anything. Jess knew he had her and replied, "I got you. I can see it, tough guy."
"You are such a jackass."
"And is that why you think Rory won't like me? Because I'm not a Yuppie."
"Thank God you're not a Yuppie, otherwise I would hate you with a terrible passion."
"Even more so than usual?"
Vanessa glared at him and screamed, "You know, the only reason why Rory ever liked you is because you're the moody, brooding type of guy. It may be hot for Hollywood, but in the real world, you ain't going anywhere! So you know what? Go to Hell, Jess!"
"Right back atcha!" Jess snapped.
Vanessa hurried down the driveway, the fiery asphalt burning her feet. She didn't care that she was going to ditch her mom, she needed to talk to Angie. Vanessa knew she was probably the last person Angie wanted to talk to, but Vanessa needed someone who knew Jess like Angie did.
Vanessa arrived in the town square and quickly looked for Angie's pink and white Victorian style house (which was two houses down from Kim's Antiques). She hurried up the front porch and knocked rapidly on the front door. Angie answered it, her dirty blonde hair in a messy ponytail. When she realized who it was, she angrily responded, "Oh."
"Hey. Look, I need to talk to you," Vanessa heaved.
"Where's the redhead?" Angie hissed with a snide.
"She's back at the Dragonfly. Look, Jess was at the Dragonfly-"
At the name, Angie's face softened as she responded, "Say no more. Come in."
- - - -
Two hours past and Vanessa told her best friend of eleven years the whole story: Rory being pregnant, Logan cheating on her, Vanessa almost beating the shit out of Logan, and Jess being at the Dragonfly. And for every second of those two hours, Angie listened, giving feedback, and truly listening. Vanessa felt horrible for leaving Angie out.
After Vanessa told Angie everything, Angie suggested, "Wanna go to Luke's?"
Vanessa nodded and the two headed over.
"So, do you think Jess and Rory are having an affair?" Angie questioned.
"NO!" Vanessa snapped. "God, they're ancient history."
Angie put up her hands in surrender. "Hey, it was just a suggestion."
The two hurried inside and plopped down at the counter. Justin turned to see the two girls. "Hey, lemme guess, two coffees?"
"Oooh... so close!" Vanessa exclaimed.
Angie replied, "And yet so far."
Justin sighed, leaning on the counter, "OK, then. What's the correct usual?"
"A coffee for me and a cappuccino for Angie," Vanessa corrected.
"OK, one coffee and one cappuccino coming right up," Justin responded, turning back, making the two drinks for the two girls.
Angie tapped Vanessa's shoulder and informed her, "Remember when I said I was going to try out for Chicago?"
"Yeah. What about it?"
Angie stood up, hurried to the middle of the restaurant, and belted out, "The name on everybody's lips is gonna be Angie!"
"You got Roxie! Oh my Gosh, Angie, that's awesome!" Vanessa cried.
Angie rushed back to her seat and said, "Not yet, but I will. I know I will. You know who's trying out for Velma?"
Justin handed the two girls their drinks. "Here ya go, Thelma and Louise."
"Roxie and Velma, dumbass!" Vanessa corrected.
Angie dropped the bomb. "Nadia McCourt is trying out for Velma Kelly."
Vanessa choked on her coffee. "Angie!" she exclaimed, "This is not something you tell me when I'm consuming a hot beverage!"
"I'm sorry, but Ness, I want you to be my Velma. Hull some ass over to Miss Patty's now!" Angie commanded.
Vanessa took a huge gulp of coffee and announced, "Let's roll."
The two girls hurried across the street to Miss Patty's Dance Academy. Vanessa pounded the front doors quickly. "Miss Patty!" she hollered.
Taylor threw open the doors and said, "Vanessa! You're interrupting an audition!"
"Don't care! I signed up for this time and I just remembered!" Vanessa lied, stepping inside the dance hall.
Nadia McCourt appeared at Taylor's side. A black top hat sat on top curly brown hair and she wore a black leotard with a black can-can skirt, ripped fishnets, and black stilettos.
"You don't look prepared," she sneered.
"Duh, she forgot until now!" Angie stuck up for her best friend.
Vanessa had always been Miss Patty's favorite, so Miss Patty looked at the sign-up sheet and quickly intervened, "Her name is here, but it's been erased and replaced by Nadia's."
Nadia snapped at Miss Patty, "Are you accusing me of taking this spot from Vanessa?"
"No, I'm just stating," Miss Patty innocently replied.
Taylor threw his hands up in the air and hollered, "You know what? Hold both auditions at the same time! We'll decide! Miss McCourt, take your position on the spot in front of us."
Vanessa put her hair up as Miss Patty scurried over and whispered, "Break a leg, Velma."
Vanessa stood to the left of Angie. Compared to Nadia, Vanessa was totally unprepared; she wore a denim jacket, a black Green Day tank top and a denim skirt with a pair of flip-flops, which she kicked off as Nadia started.
C'mon babe why don't we paint the town?
And all that jazz
I'm gonna rogue my knees and roll my stockings down
And all that jazz
Start the car, I know a whoopee spot
Where the gin is cold but the piano's hot
It's just a noisy hall where there's a nightly brawl
And all that jazz
Nadia tap-danced, shimmied, can-caned and sang her way through the entire song.
Vanessa knew that there was no way that she was going to win. She didn't want to admit it, but Nadia was the kind of girl who was born for acting. Or at least thought she was. Vanessa was just a drama queen. Everyone told her that. Sure, her family and friends believed she was a good actress, but they were probably just being polite.
Nadia finished by getting down on one knee, her arms out. Taylor applauded rapidly. Miss Patty clapped very slowly. She wasn't all too impressed.
Taylor glanced over at Vanessa. "Well?" he asked. "Get it over with."
Vanessa asked the sound boy, "Track eight, por favor."
The sound guy nodded and "I Can't Do It Alone" started playing. Vanessa put her hands together, then started singing.
My sister and I had an act that couldn't fly
My sister and I were headed straight for the top
My sister and I earned a bow a week, at least
But my sister is now unfortunately deceased
I know it's sad, of course, but a fact is still a fact
And now all that remains
is the remains
of a perfect...
double...
act...
Watch this!
Vanessa took off her jacket and threw it to the side. She took a couple steps back and started swinging her hands and hips to the side. "Now you have to imagine it with two people. It's swell with two people. First, I'd..."
Vanessa then tap-danced up to the table, stomping her foot with each percussion beat.
Then she'd...
Vanessa can-caned closer.
Then we'd...
Vanessa shimmied backwards.
But I can't do it alone
Then she'd...
Vanessa tap-danced.
Then I...
Vanessa tap-danced with more experience this time.
Then we'd...
Vanessa did a somersault, springing up, resting her elbows on the table and her chin in her hands.
But I can't do it alone.
Vanessa took a step back, pretending to have a conversation between two people.
She'd say, "What's your sister like?"
I'd say, "Men"
She'd say "You're the cat's meow"
Then we'd wow the crowd again.
When she'd go...
Vanessa tried to do belly-dancing moves. Nadia raised an eyebrow at the fact that Vanessa looked like an idiot.
I'd go...
Vanessa did some funky arm thing which one can not describe. (Marla: Not even me, and I'm the author!) She waited patiently for the bridge, can-caned, shimmied, and tangoed as she sang.
But I simply can not do it alone.
So what do you think? C'mon you can say.
Everyone in perfect unison gave Vanessa a raspberry. Vanessa chuckled.
I know you're right, the first part's shit
But the second part, the second part is really nifty.
She'd go...
Vanessa did two cartwheels and did a handstand as she looked up and chanted:
I'd go...
Vanessa did two more cartwheels the other way and did another handstand, but she brought herself down expertly into the perfect spilt.
We'd go...
Bringing herself up quickly, Vanessa can-caned her legs really high and tap-danced as she finished:
I simply can not do it...
She brought her arms up in the air as she sang out the last note:
alone!
Vanessa quickly snapped her arms down and caught her breath. That was tiring. She took a bow and whispered, "Ta da?"
Angie applauded happily for her best friend. Miss Patty and Taylor joined in soon after. Nadia stood there, glaring at Vanessa. How dare she burst into her audition like that?
Miss Patty flipped through the papers and said, "That's the last of them. We'll post them tomorrow."