AN: I'd forgotten just how much fun this story was to write. I know some of you were hoping for updates of some of my other stories before this one and I swear I sat down to write Take a Breath fifteen gazillion times but I'm halfway through it and stuck. It's just so emotionally draining to write whereas this story is oodles of fun to write. And anyway, I figured any update was better than no update and some of you will be excited to see this so at least I can make some of you happy. I'll keep trying to get TaB done and then maybe I'll pull out World's Together if I'm feeling really ambitious. But in the mean time hopefully I can just keep writing something.
"Look what I've got!" Chase beamed, plopping himself down at the table in the cafeteria and holding up two tickets.
"Are you going to see Wicked again?" Rory asked him with a roll of her eyes.
"Steven Shwartz is a genius," Chase replied defensively.
"Is there a twelve step program for people addicted to Broadway shows?" Rory mused as she savored a spoonful of her pudding cup.
"Ohho…so funny I forgot to laugh," Chase snarked back. "But it just so happens that these are not tickets to a Broadway show or any other musical theater performance."
"Really?" Rory raised her eyebrows in disbelief. "So I suppose you're going to the Jets game, then?"
"I hope not," another voice interrupted. Logan sat down, peeling a banana and looking bored. "They really suck this year. Personally, I'm a Patriots fan, but if you're gonna root New York, at least go for the Giants." He lifted his eyes from his fruit to see two sets of eyes staring blankly back at him. "This wasn't actually a football conversation I interrupted, was it?" he asked sheepishly.
"Gee, how'd you guess?" Rory teased. For the last few weeks since their Indian lunch in his office, Logan had been joining Rory and Chase for their midday meal in the cafeteria—at least on the days when he had time to actually eat lunch. Rory found herself enjoying his company. Logan was smart, funny, and talented. It was a shame that Mitchum couldn't appreciate those qualities in him. Of course, if she had any say in the matter it wouldn't be long before Logan stopped hiding those traits behind rebellion and Mitch started realizing his son had grown up into a good man. They both just needed a little guidance.
"How many points is a touch down?"
"Umm, one?" Rory replied.
Chase rolled his eyes. "I may be gay but even I know it's seven."
"Actually it's six—but anyhow, that's how I guessed."
"Six? That's such a random number," Rory commented, sitting back in her seat and crossing her legs. It didn't go unnoticed by Chase that she crossed them towards Logan. "I mean, one score, one point…that makes sense. Six—not so much."
"Hey, I don't make the rules. I just watch the game. What were you two talking about anyway?"
"Chase was just about to tell me what non-musical-theater event he got tickets to."
"That's right." He clapped his hands in excitement. "It just so happens, my friends, that I am going to see…" He banged on the table in an imitation drum roll. "…American Idols Top Ten Tour." Logan let out an involuntary snort. "You got a problem with American Idol, Blondie?" Chase asked.
"No," Logan replied, trying to bite back a laugh. "American Idol is great. That Carrie Underwood chick was hot."
Rory sent him a death glare. Logan shirked back in fear. "I'm just saying…"
"Just saying that you're a pig?" she questioned.
"Has anyone ever told you that angry really works for you," he replied, laying the charm on thick. It was the truth. She was hot when she was mad.
She rolled her eyes, but her smile betrayed her.
"Oh please, will you two give up the shameless flirting and go have sex already. It's disgusting."
"He's got a point, Cherry," Logan agreed with a smirk. She had finally given up her protest at the nickname—probably because it was the only thing he ever called her and she figured it was a lost cause. "What have you got to lose?"
"I think the nunnery she joined frowns upon it," Chase piped in.
"You don't know what you're talking about," she huffed, crossing her arms over her chest defensively.
"Now there's an opening," Logan raised his eyebrows suggestively.
"Pig," she repeated her earlier sentiment.
Logan smirked in reply, not bothering to deny it. "Alright gang, I gotta get back to work." He pushed his chair back and stood up to leave.
Rory looked him up and down. "All you had was a banana."
"Yeah?" he asked.
"A banana isn't lunch, Logan. You have to eat something."
"If it makes you feel better, I'll probably get a bag of pretzels out of the vending machine for a snack later."
"Well there's a nutritionally balanced diet if ever I saw one."
"I'm fine, Cherry."
"Logan," she admonished, fixing him with her best withering stare.
"Alright, alright, I'll grab a sandwich to take with me."
"Thank you." Logan headed back to the food line and Rory and Chase continued their conversation.
"Anyway, I kind of know one of the security guards for the show. He's totally got a thing for me. I am so going to flirt my way back stage so I can meet David Archuletta."
"Jail bait, Chase," she reminded him pointedly.
"Hey, I can see bait and not bite."
"I bet that's not what that security guard will say," Rory teased. "And anyway, David Cook was by far the better David."
"You're delusional. Archie kicked Cookie's butt. He so deserved to win."
"America spoke, and America disagreed with you, my friend."
"Whatever," Chase brushed off her argument and continued his gushing. "I am so excited about this. I was supposed to go to The Met to see their performance of Rocky Horror but this is way better."
"I'm sorry, did you just say that they were doing a performance of Rocky Horror at the Metropolitan Opera?" Rory asked in awe. That was pretty much the coolest thing she'd ever heard of. Talk about a rock opera.
"Totally. Hey! You should go. It'd be right up your alley. Not that you've got anyone to go with seeing as how you're pathetically single and all," Chase goaded.
"I am not pathetically single," Rory pouted. If only Chase knew how not pathetically single she was; but she couldn't tell him. She hated hiding something so big from her friends but it wasn't that simple. It wasn't just her life that would be affected. She had to think about Mitch too. "I just happen to be happy with the way my life is right now. I could easily find someone to go see Rocky Horror with me." She wasn't sure who. She couldn't even imagine Mitchum at a Rocky Horror performance, Chase obviously had other plans, Paris would never give up a night of studying, and most of her other relationships had fallen under the radar since she'd started dating Mitchum. Even her once freakishly close bond with her mother was only a shell of what it used to be. She didn't mean to shut people out of her life but keeping her relationship a secret had put a strain on her. She hated lying so it had been easier just to avoid discussing it which somehow resulted in her avoiding discussions with her friends and family all together.
The truth was, she was lonely. Mitchum worked all the time and traveled a lot, and there weren't many other people left in her life to fill the void when he was gone. But she loved him. Leaving him just wasn't an option. Besides, then she really would be pathetically single and alone.
"Mmmhmm, like who?" Chase asked knowingly.
"I don't know, someone. Lot's of people love Rocky Horror. It doesn't matter though. I bought a pair of Jimmy Choos last week which pretty much exceeded my spending budget for the next three months. I can't afford to go anyhow..."
A saran wrapped sandwich suddenly appeared in front of Rory's face. "Ham and Cheese," Logan announced. "Happy?"
"Yes," Rory admitted. "But I expect you to actually eat it. You better not leave it sitting around on your desk to grow Penicillin."
Logan laughed. "Sure thing, Mom" he teased. He unwrapped the corner and took a bite. "Yum. Nutrition-y goodness," he added, chewing loudly for Rory to hear. "See you later," he laid a hand on her shoulder and squeezed before turning and walking out of the cafeteria.
"Why won't you put that poor boy out of his misery and go out with him? Hey you could even get a free trip to Rocky Horror out of it."
"We're just friends, Chase."
"Sally said about Harry."
"This isn't a movie," Rory sighed in frustration. "If it was I'd fake an orgasm to shut you up."
"Now that'd be something," Chase admitted. "I dare you."
"What?" Rory blushed profusely. "No!"
"Fine, then I dare you to go out with Logan."
"It's not going to happen."
"I don't get it," the boy sighed exasperatedly. "He's hot, he's rich, he seems like a nice guy, and he's totally gaga for you. Add in the fact that you're pathetically single, I'd think you'd be jumping at the chance to go out with him."
"I am not pathetically single."
"Yeah," Chase placated, taking a bite of his salad. "Keep telling yourself that, girlfriend."
The metallic taste of blood caused Rory to stop worrying her lip. She brought her hand up to finger the self-inflicted bite mark, and sighed. She needed to stop fretting and just ask him already. It was ridiculous, really, that she was so nervous. The worst that could happen was that he would say 'no.' She knew it wasn't really his scene and that he wouldn't be interested, but he was her boyfriend and if she really wanted to go, that would be enough for him, right? After all, it wasn't really like she had wanted to go to some fancy, expensive restaurant where they sat in a secluded room eating food even her grandmother would find extravagant, but it made Mitchum happy to take her to places like the one they were currently in and making him happy made her happy.
"So," she started.
Mitchum set his glass of merlot down and smiled at her. "So…" he teased.
"I heard that the New York City Opera was putting on a performance of The Rocky Horror Show. How cool is that?" She glanced down at her plate nervously, drumming her fingers on the table.
"The Rocky who…" he asked in confusion.
Rory's head snapped up in disbelief, her nervousness replaced by incredulity. "The Rocky Horror Show," she repeated slowly. "Tim Curry, Susan Serandon, Sweet Transvestites…" He looked back at her with a completely blank face. "The Time Warp?" she tried again. Still, he made no note of recognition. "Oh you poor uncultured man," she cooed. She figured he wouldn't be into it, but she at least thought he'd have heard of it.
Mitchum chuckled heartily at the look of disbelief she was giving him. "Sorry, Poo," he replied. "I just can't seem to keep up with the cool kids any more."
"The movie came out in 1975," she informed him wryly. "I have it under good authority that you were still a cool kid back then. Just exactly where did you get lost to during that lost year of yours? Transexual Transylvania?"
"Excuse me?" Mitchum asked in shock.
Rory shook her head in bemused exasperation. "It's from the show," she informed him with a laugh.
"Oh." He speared a piece of prime rib with his fork and popped it in his mouth.
"You know, this is just unacceptable. I'm going to have to properly educate you if you want to be able to hang with me. You're just going to have to take me to see it." She tried to sound as light and carefree as possible. She hoped he'd take the bait but she didn't want to get her expectations up.
"When is it?" he smiled genuinely. Her argument wasn't exactly the most compelling—who wanted to watch an opera performance of a movie about transsexual transvestites—but her excitement was. She was too adorable to say 'no' to sometimes.
"Really?" Her eyes lit up in glee.
"Really," he assured her.
"It's next Tuesday."
"Oh…" Mitchum diverted his eyes away from hers for a moment before forcing himself to make eye contact again. Looking away was weak. It would make him seem guilty. He had nothing to be guilty about. "I can't," he told her bluntly.
Her entire demeanor changed. Her shoulders slumped and the excitement was instantly leached from her bright blue eyes. "I understand," she responded dejectedly. Mitchum tried not to feel bad.
"I have a flight to Hong Kong at 5:30 Wednesday morning. There's no way I can go out that night, Pooh."
"Of course." She plastered a smile on her face. "You're an important man," she said teasingly. "I can't hog all of your time." She lifted her wine glass to her mouth to hide the quiver of disappointment in her lips that wanted to betray her happy-go-lucky demeanor. "Mmm. This wine is delicious."
Mitchum tried to ignore his own pang of disappointment. Not that he had any desire to go see some ridiculous show, but he hated letting Rory down. He also hated that he hated letting Rory down. This night seriously needed to get back on a happier track.
"For two hundred and fifty dollars it better be."
"Mitch!" She squealed, nearly spitting several dollars worth of wine all over the table.
"Well you're not exactly a cheap date." He smirked. Rory felt the soft cashmere of his sock brush against the inside of her ankle. Her jaw dropped in shock as she tried to kick his foot free of hers. "See," he chuckled, holding the bottle up. "You're going to need another glass."
Tuesday morning, Rory dejectedly trudged into the office. She had kept making little hints to Mitchum about how much she wanted to go see Rocky Horror, hoping he would change his mind. She knew it was unfair of her to ask him to take her out when he had a business trip the next morning. Besides having to get up insanely early, he had to pack and go over all sorts of information, plan his meetings...he didn't have time for some frivolous show. But still, she had hoped he would figure out a way to make the time—for her sake.
But the day of the show had come and it looked like she wouldn't be getting to see it. She would have to settle for bringing the movie over to Mitch's to watch in the background while she helped him pack.
She absently made her way into her cubicle, dropping her purse to the floor and collapsing into her chair, letting it spin her around a few times before turning to her desk to power up her computer. There, sitting on top of her keyboard was a single yellow rose with a red ribbon attaching a ticket and card.
Her face instantly morphed into a smile. She opened the card to read it.
Rory,
A little birdy told me there was a show you wanted to see. I hope my company isn't enough to keep you away. I'll pick you up at 6:30
You Know Who
She should have known Mitchum wouldn't let her down. Now she just needed to figure out what dress to wear with those new Jimmy Choos.