Let Go
From walking home and talking loads
To seeing shows in evening clothes with you
From nervous touch and getting drunk
To staying up and waking up with you
Jennie parked her car and headed in onto the set only to be greeted by Luke.
"Hey sweetness." He purred as he wrapped his arm around her
"Hey handsome." She grinned.
"Come here," He whispered as he grabbed her arm and headed around the corner. "I wanna tell you something."
"What?" She said once they were in a narrow hall where a ladder and other equipment were stored.
With one fell swoop, his lips collapsed onto hers, engulfing her in his kiss. His arms wrapped around her waist, inspiring hers to wrap around his neck, dropping her bag on the floor.
As he pressed his body against hers, trapping her between him and the wall, she moaned out as she felt his enthusiasm pressed up against her groin.
Finally, their lips broke apart as he rested the tip of his nose onto hers - they could feel their heavy inhalations filling up the small space between them.
"Had to get that off my chest." He grinned. He then lowered his head to taste her neck, but she cupped his chin to pull him back up to face her.
"No, no neck kissing. If you do that, we'll never leave." She chuckled. He groaned in response as she attempted to pull him back out the hall.
He reluctantly followed her, as she dragged him onto the Peach Pit set.
Once they joined the rest of the gang, Luke remained behind Jennie. Holding her from behind, he kissed her shoulder as Darren announced some last minute changes to the script.
"What's going on?" Luke rushed into Chuck's office. Shannen was already there. "Darren just told me about the complaints from advertisers."
"Yeah... we're gonna have to pull back." Chuck sighed, head in his hands.
"I told you. Our audience is too conservative for this." Shannen insisted. "It was just too much for a 16 year old girl."
"No, no. Darren said they're juniors." Luke interjected
"Sophomores." Shannen corrected. "They changed it. As crazy as it sounds."
"Shan..." Chuck shook his head, "I want you to listen carefully to me... Our job is to represent what teenagers are going through. Whether you agree or not, many young girls like Brenda are falling in love and contemplating a night of passion with their boyfriend. And it is our duty to inform the public of this so that parents can educate their children on love, sex, and any other adolescent issue so that they can guide them. Can we at least agree on that?"
"Yes." Shannen nodded
"So, when they interview you, you are going to defend our decision. I don't want to hear you go against the show."
"Alright!" Shannen groaned, "I said I agree. You're right. I see where you're coming from." Shannen got up and headed out to the press who were screaming her name.
"Wait, where's she going?" Luke asked
"She's got to talk to them. The press want a piece of her. Of course they do. They're dying for this story to skyrocket them to mainstream media."
"So... they only want to talk to Shannen." Luke studied Chuck. Chuck shrugged in response.
"What about me?" Luke scoffed, "It takes two, doesn't it?"
"Jennie." One of the crew members knocked on her dressing room door.
"Yeah?" She encouraged
"Phone call for you."
Jennie got up and headed over to the telephone. "Hello?"
"Hi, Jennie?" A man's voice was on the other end
"Yeah, who is this?" She asked
"I'm Dean. Dean Carlyle. The musician. We met before summer break with Vinny and that friend of yours, Sharon, I think."
"Oh yeah. Shannen. And yes, I remember." She chuckled. "But... how did you get this number?"
"Vinny gave it to me. I thought maybe I could get yours and we could get together sometime?"
"Oh so you just remembered me 3 months later?" She teased
"Nah." He chuckled, "I've been traveling but I'm back now. So what do you say?"
Jennie hesitated as she wondered what to say. Just then her thoughts were interrupted by a knock on the door.
She apologized to Dean and explained that she had to go.
"Analise. That's a pretty name." Luke chimed in as the boys got acquainted with the new extra on set.
"First day, huh?" Jason asked the very pretty brunette
"Yeah. But I've been an extra on a few shows now, so I'm getting the hang of it." She smiled
"Well, if you need someone to show you around..." Ian offered
"Actually, you see-" Jason began, "He doesn't know the place as well as I do." Jason playfully nudged Ian.
"Well, well, Jason can show you where the smoking area is but... that's about it." Ian teased
"I'm actually the designated escort for extras." Luke insisted and Ian laughed
"Well, guess I'm spoiled for choice." She giggled as they boys playfully flirted with her
"One of these bozos can get you lunch though. God, I hate lunch here." Jason shook his head disapprovingly and they all laughed.
"Who is that?" Shannen confronted one of the producers
"Who?" He asked
"The girl they're all salivating over." She scoffed
"She's just an extra."
"No, no. This isn't going to work. She has to go." Shannen shook her head.
"Shannen-" He began but she cut him off.
"Look. There is a very simple formula to this show. I am the brunette. I am supposed to stand out." She insisted
"She'll just be in the background." He sighed
"For how long?" She scoffed. "Look, I know you don't get it. But I need things to be a certain way in order for to perform to the best of my ability."
"Shan, take it up with Chuck." He walked off.
Shannen sat down with her lunch tray opposite Jennie. Neither one said hello as Jennie could see Shannen was having a rough day.
"Wanna talk about it?" Jennie asked reluctantly
"No." Shannen growled as she ate her salad.
"Alright." Jennie huffed
"...What's the point?" Shannen lashed out, "What's the point of being the star of a show if you can't create the work environment you want."
Jennie silently groaned. "Shannen, they've been more than accommodating to your needs." Jennie, unlike Tori, was very outspoken - much like Shannen.
"You only say that because you don't know what they do for Jason and Luke. Hell, even Brian, who's number 7 on the call sheet has far more input on his storylines."
"Well, I guess it depends on what they can do..."
"Well, they sure as hell don't need to be hiring some chick du jour for the boys to flock to like moths to a flame."
"Wait, what?" Jennie laughed
"Trust me, if you saw how Ian, Luke and Jason were all fawning over her, you'd be worried about how this will impact your reputation and position here too." Shannen scoffed, "Hell, Jason was the first one to run over there!"
"Wait," Jennie held up her hand, "Luke was there?" Jennie struggled to be more discreet with her disdain.
"Yep, 'welcoming' her. All of them except for Brian. Flirting away."
Jennie struggled with the news. Her and Luke were extremely close to the point she couldn't hand her number out to Dean. Yet it seemed he wasn't quite where she was mentally. And with that, her fears began to surface.
She then sat there on the couch, waiting for him to finish shooting his scene. When he finally got to her, she couldn't find the words to speak.
"Hey gorgeous." He said as he came to her side and slumped himself on the couch.
He leaned over to kiss the side of her neck but she recoiled
"What's wrong?" He asked. She remained silent.
"Jen..." He uttered "Talk to me."
Jennie exhaled wishing she wasn't about to say what she was going to say but her insecurities got the better of her.
"...Were you flirting with an extra?" She couldn't bring herself to face him.
"What?" Luke chuckled "No..."
"Shannen said you guys were flirting with this girl." She finally turned to face him.
"I wasn't." He shrugged
"It's just a bit much, you see." She started to sound frustrated. "You kissed me. This morning, you kissed me... We're kissing each other and a few days ago we were sleeping together and now you're flirting with someone else."
Luke rubbed his forehead, "I wasn't flirting. And even if I was. It's innocent. It doesn't mean anything."
"That stuff means something to me." She said calmly.
"Okay... " He nodded, apologetically. "I'm sorry." He soothed, not wanting to upset her. He then attempted to pull her in for a hug.
She pulled away from his grasp causing him to lean back confused
"What is it?" He asked
Jennie brushed her fingers through her hair, pushing it out of her face. "I told you before, I'm not a hook up kinda girl."
"Who said you were?" Luke shrugged, feeling a little overwhelmed by what he believed to be out-of-the-blue.
"...What are we?" She groaned. "What are we doing together?"
Luke looked at the floor. "I don't know. We're... enjoying each other, hanging out."
"So... passing time like you did with Shannen?" She snarled
"No..." Luke attempted to tread lightly, given her tone. "I care about you a lot, you know that - we're getting to know each other."
Jennie wasn't too happy with his answer.
"It doesn't exactly sound like you're invested in this."
"Well it's not like I'm ready to commit tomorrow." Luke now grew irritated. "...Can't we just enjoy it and let it evolve organically?"
"I don't know." She got up and began pacing around. "I think... I think for the sake of our friendship, we should just nip it in the bud." She finally stopped pacing and folded her arms.
Luke now stood up and stared at her. "Nip it in the bud?" He repeated. "Our feelings?!" He scowled
"Yeah, I mean that stuff you're saying... it's not enough and I think our relationship is probably best left as is." Jennie said firmly
"Hmm." Luke sneered at her response. "Is that why you're keeping that musician on standby?"
"What?" Jennie crinkled her forehead. "How do you know about that?"
"News travels fast here, you know that." He scoffed
"Well first off," She warned, "I didn't agree to anything."
"Well, guess you've got a plan B then." He hissed as he began to walk off
"That's not fair." She shouted back at him
"Maybe not." He turned back around to face her. "But what part of this conversation is?" He rasped before turning back on his heel.
Now we're slipping near the edge, holding something we don't need
All this delusion in our heads is gonna bring us to our knees
So, come on let it go. Just let it be
Why don't you be you, and I'll be me
Let it go - James Bay