A.N. Hey you all! Thank you SO MUCH for all the feedback you give us. It gives me the strenght I need to write long chapters. I'm sorry it took me so long to update. Maddy and I kepthavingschedule problems andsince it'sour story, we wanna update together. But here we are, together (She's probably still half drunk ;) ) and here's your reward for so much comments!I worked really hard on this one so I hope you like it! Thanks and hugs to Maddy!
Oh! And uhm... there might be a few (many) mistakes in the text because we wanted to update tonight so we didn't have time to verify everything. Thanks!
Chapter 3
Spiders Run Fast
"There's one thing I can't figure out," Doug said to Luke before taking a last sip of soda. Luke was clearing the counter. The dinner rush was just about over.
"If it's one of my secret recipe, forget it. I'm not telling," Luke joked, turning around to take the cloth.
"Why is she still single?"
He we are. Luke knew this time would come sooner rather than later. But he still wasn't prepared for it. He stared in front of him, at the kitchen, feeling Doug's eyes on his back. He decided to avoid the topic for a few seconds, to give him time to compose himself. And he replied, "Miss Patty's never really single."
Doug laughed. Luke didn't think it was funny at all.
"You know I'm talking about Lorelai."
And Luke finally turned to Doug. A semi-fake smile hanging on his lips, he let out a noise that sounded halfway between a chuckle and a snort. "Yeah..." He couldn't gain any more time. He had to jump in. But Doug was already talking again.
"I mean, when she enters a room, she lights it up! She's gorgeous, sexy, fun, intelligent, witty... sparkling..."
Luke repressed a sigh. He knew that already. He also knew that this description wasn't even close to being enough. There were so many more things about Lorelai; indescribable things, things you couldn't possibly put in words; things you could only feel deep down inside of your gut; things that made you sound ridiculous when you tried to express them. And even though anyone could see what Doug was talking about, Luke still felt his chest tightened. He didn't want anyone else to say it out loud. Because it meant that he wasn't the only one in the run. Oh, of course he had always known that. He knew he wasn't running fast enough... in fact, he wasn't really running at all. But he had always felt like he still had time to get on his mark. The race was starting without him. And he was so behind he didn't stand a chance. Or so he thought.
"She's amazing. Why would she still be single?" Doug continued, looking directly at Luke, like he was really expecting his friend to come up with The Answer.
"Because no one is good enough for her," Luke let out without thinking. Doug nodded and noted, "You're like a big brother to her, aren't you?"
Jeez, I hope not. "Well..." Luke dragged out. Why couldn't he ever easily talk? Everything was always trapped within him, burning his gut, fighting his insides. "She deserves the best. I don't want her to get hurt by another one of those idiots."
"Am I one of those idiots?"
Aw, man. Was he asking his permission? Doug was a great guy. A really great guy. At least, he was, back in High School. But this great guy was living in New York... and Lorelai wasn't a big city girl. But what if she was? What if she did fall for Doug and decided to move in Sex & the City? What if he gave his blessing to Doug, only to see her pack and go? And what if Doug did break Lorelai's heart? Would it be Luke's fault? Nah. He couldn't risk that. But he couldn't tell Doug not to take his chances with her either. What if Doug was great match for her? Lorelai deserved to be happy. To be the happiest. Why was Luke even thinking about this? Who was he to decide these kinds of things? He was no Judge Judy. Those choices weren't his.
Luke opened his mouth to respond without having any idea of what was going to come out, but he didn't have to take the leap because he was interrupted. She had just came in.
"Hey guys! What's up?" Lorelai smiled at Luke who was curiously looking uneasy and glanced at Doug as she sat on the stool next to him. He was still staring at Luke. "Did I interrupt something important?" she asked, her eyes sweeping back and forth between them.
Luke threw the cloth that was still in his hands and filled a cup of coffee. "Nothing important, we were talking about you..." he teased, sliding the cup towards her.
"Why, thank you! You really know how to talk your way into my heart, doll." Her eyes locked with Luke's as she slowly blew on her coffee to make it colder. Luke's breath got stuck in his throat, unable to break eye contact.
Maybe he was feeling left out, or maybe something in the look Luke and Lorelai were exchanging set him off, but Doug decided it was time for him to make a move.
"Lorelai, I have something to ask you."
The sound of his voice almost made her jump. She broke gaze with Luke, turned to Doug and took another sip of coffee to hide her nervousness. Doug made a move to take the cup away from her face but she backed away, gasping loudly. Luke simply said, "Taking away her coffee before you ask something? Definitely not good way to go." Lorelai pretended to be offended and surprised and added, "Get your own!" She gasped again and turned to Luke, "No foreplay at all... just straight to the cup. This man doesn't know women at all!"
Luke laughed despite himself. There was no way a normal person would still try his luck after that remark. Glad, he continued to clean up. Grinning, Lorelai looked at Doug. He was nodding at the floor, smiling and was clearly embarrassed.
"You wanted to ask me something before you attacked me?"
She was curious after all. Luke held his breath, praying for Doug's pride to be big enough to stop him. And when Doug shook his head and said he had forgotten, Luke was relieved. Lorelai decided it was her turn to speak.
"I had no idea acting was so difficult! All those weird exercises... You should have seen us, Luke. You'd have stuff to mock us with for the rest of your life!"
Oh, he had seen enough. And he definitely didn't have any potential mocking material. She went on.
"I thought all we had to do was to learn our lines and say them, but we didn't even touch the script yet!"
"It always depends on the director we have," Doug explained. "Miss Patty is a warm person. She puts emphasis on the actors over the text. She's a great..."
Luke cut him off.
"I always knew you had a thing for Miss Patty even back in school."
Lorelai's laugh filled the diner and the two men, who couldn't help but smile too, watched her, hypnotized. Luke was sill studying her face, taking in her beauty, when Doug blurted out, "Would you wanna go out for a drink or something this week?"
Lorelai froze, her laugh faded. Luke's head jerked toward Doug, his heart skipping a beat or two. Did he just...?
... asked me out? Lorelai thought she must have heard it wrong. So she asked him to repeat. And she had heard right.
"Would you like to go out for a drink? Say... tomorrow night?" Doug was trying hard to look casual even though he felt like one of those idiots.
Luke's mouth swung open. He had to remember to breathe and forced himself to look somewhere else. His eyes ended up on his shoes. Luke thought that the hardest part in being Lorelai's friend was to hear her talk about the men flirting with her or about her boyfriends... even though she hardly ever did. But he had just learned that the hardest was, in fact, witnessing her being asked out. She looked so vulnerable and shy. Her face was changed by her blushing and by her smile growing into her narrowed eyes. She was slightly tilting her head on the right, closing her eyelids for a second while letting out a small, cute giggle, then opening her eyes again and biting her lips. Luke shouldn't have to see all that. He shouldn't feel so invisible right now. He didn't clear his throat on purpose. He didn't want to bring the attention on his presence, but he did.
Lorelai had rarely found herself in such an awkward position. She didn't even know why she felt so strange. She had always had a problem talking about her love life with Luke. She never knew why. She never wondered either. But right now, being asked out by a really handsome man in front of Luke made her want to disappear. And to add to the weirdness factor, this cute guy was Luke's best friend. She didn't know why, but it was wrong. Just plain wrong. Luke had turned around to clean the coffeemaker. She wished she could see his face. Maybe it would have helped her with her decision. And she had to make it quickly because Doug was still waiting for an answer. She decided to test the water. If Luke reacted badly in any way, she would back out.
"Okay," she said in a pretty confident tone. At the same time, she glanced at Luke. He didn't move a muscle. No weird blinking, no change in the breathing pace, nothing. Maybe he hadn't heard right. She talked louder.
"I would love to go out for a drink."
Luke was fighting so hard to remain calm. She had agreed. Twice. She, Lorelai, was going to go out with his best friend. That sucked. He couldn't find any other words to describe the situation. Sucker. He put all his attention towards what he was doing, trying really hard not to make any louder noise than usual. And considering the fact that he only wanted to throw the coffee machine into the wall, he was actually really good.
Why wasn't he reacting? That wasn't very Luke-like. What was wrong with him? Usually, she'd only mention a date or a potential one and he'd flipped. He'd do the big question game, asking her what her plans were and what bank she'd chose once she'd get married... And right now, she had just agreed to go out with his best friend, in front of him, and he was able to act like nothing had happened? Wow. Was it possible he didn't even care? Was it possible he was actually A-okay with this? Her brain was hurting by so much thinking. She didn't want him to get upset or jealous or anything... She had just expected some reaction. She felt so weirded out she didn't even know if she was disappointed or shocked or if she didn't care either.
On second thought, she felt bad she had agreed to go out with Doug like this. Maybe Luke's reaction would be delayed. And she didn't want to upset him. Yeah, that was why she said, "You want to join us, Luke? It would be fun! We could all hang out..."
She thought she caught a glimpse of Doug shooting a wide-eyed look to Luke. Luke would say no, because there was no way he would agree to be the third wheel. But at least she would have asked him and he would have no reason at all to be mad at her.
"Yeah, sure," Luke said, turning his head to Doug.
What? Caught off guard, Lorelai almost fell off the stool. She steadied herself putting her right hand on the counter. Doug was looking at Luke, clearly dumbfounded. Luke was looking at Doug, confident and relaxed. And Lorelai had never felt more in the middle of something.
Doug got up and said to Lorelai, "I'll pick you up at 8 tomorrow night?"
Lorelai, who was lost in her thoughts, came back to reality.
"Uh..."
She saw Luke re-adjusting his baseball cap and looking around. He was uncomfortable. And that was the reaction she had expected earlier. Why couldn't he have done it a little earlier, just before all this weirdness broke loose?
"Uh..." she repeated, "Why don't we all meet somewhere?"
"No problem. Mike's Tavern sounds good?" Doug asked Lorelai.
"Sounds good," both Luke and Lorelai replied.
They all looked at each other. It was sure going to be fun. Fun meaning awkward.
Later that evening, Lorelai received a call from Miss Patty who reminded her of the rehearsal the next afternoon. She also told her that they were going to practice the scene #24.
"In front of everyone?" Lorelai asked, horrified.
"Of course, doll. You all need a little boost of nervousness. You'll see, it's going to be soooo good. I don't need the scene to be perfect, it's just a little rehearsal. But that scene is so much fun, you'll have no trouble at all, gorgeous."
Oh, she was having troubles alright. When she hung up, Lorelai search her entire house for the script. And when she found it, she went straight to scene #24. And when she realized which one it was...
"Noooo," she pleaded. She looked on the back cover of the script where Miss Patty had written every actors' phone number. And she dialled his.
"Hey, you've almost reached Doug. Keep trying, you might succeed sometime soon. Or leave a message. I'm great at calling back. Beeeeeeeeep."
She tried 4 times. And at 9:41 p.m., Lorelai gave up on him. She really needed to practice this stupid scene and her mirror was no help. Doug might not need as much practice as she did because he was a professional actor, but she sure needed some. She couldn't call Rory because, firstly, it was really short notice, and secondly, Rory didn't know about her mother's new activity yet. And the Sookie-option was out too since she would probably take her job so seriously, she would be a pain. So she had two options left: her parents... or Luke. So it was more like one option, really. She dialled the Hartford number. She hung up before it even rang but she thought she was so funny she laughed at herself for a few minutes.
Making herself comfortable on her couch, she sighed and called Luke. He would never say no. But she would have to argue a little.
"Luke's. I'm closing up in 2 minutes so make it quick," he greeted.
"Wow! That's probably the longest sentence you've ever said on the phone!"
"I'm working on it. What do you need?"
Ouch.
"Why would you say that? You think so low of me?"
"Oh, so you called to chat? That's a first."
"Are you complaining? Are you saying you want me to call you when I feel like talking?"
"Of course not. I'd spend my whole life on the phone. So, what do you need?"
"Do you, by any chance, know where Doug is?"
He didn't know. And right now, he didn't even want to know.
"Sorry. Anything else?"
"I need your help with something," she began.
"Obviously."
She knew she would get pissed soon.
"You know what? Never mind. I'll call someone else."
Of course she had no one else to call. She knew he knew that. She was good.
"Don't be so dramatic. Just tell me. What can I do for you?"
She took a few seconds to imagine the way he was going to refuse.
"You have to come over so you can help me rehearse," she said really fast.
"Rehearse your cooking?"
"Rehearse my acting."
She crossed her fingers. Maybe he will accept right away.
"Then call someone else."
Of course he won't.
"I already did. You're my last resort."
Aren't I always?
"Lorelai, I can't... I'm really not an actor."
"I'm not one either!" she whined. And then she nailed him with the three little words. "Please, please, please..."
She heard him sigh. Before he had officially agreed, she knew she'd won.
"I'll hide all my bras, I promise." And she hung up.
When Luke knocked at the door thirty minutes later, Lorelai pulled the door wide open and said, "What are you doing here?"
Luke raised an eyebrow.
"What?"
She laughed. "It's in the script. The scene starts that way."
Luke nodded and entered.
"It's a short scene, really. You won't be here too long."
"It's okay. So... where do we start?" he asked.
"Well, I made a copy of the scene for you. I hope you can read my handwriting." She gave him the sheets and headed to the kitchen. Luke followed her, silently reading his lines.
"So it starts with Kyle, who's your character, knocking on the front door. So I thought you could go into Rory's room..."
"Sure," he said. Since Lorelai didn't say anything else, Luke stopped reading the scene and looked up at her. "Right now?"
"Unless you wanna spend the night, we should get going."
Spend the night, huh? They both heard how wrong it sounded but neither of them said anything. And Luke went into Rory's room and closed the door. "Tell me when you're ready," he said.
Lorelai had the feeling she was 5 years old, playing a new game.
"I'm ready!" she loudly said.
He knocked and she waited three seconds before opening the door. She had a shocked expression on her face.
"What are you doing in my daughter's bedroom!"
"Aw Jeez!" Luke closed back the door while Lorelai was still laughing.
"Sorry! I'm serious now. Okay. Ready!"
He knocked and she opened the door again. She was curiously nervous.
"What are you doing here?" she said.
"We need to talk." Boy! He had this serious tone of voice. She actually thought, for a split second, that he really was talking to her. But she continued with her lines.
"I don't have anything to say to you, Kyle." She let him in the kitchen because that's what was in the script. It was difficult to read and play at the same time. She should have learned her part. Luke's character approached he and spoke again. In a harsh voice.
"So you're just going to leave without a word? After all we've been through?"
Luke's voice was so angry and loud that Lorelai forgot to look at her lines and just stared at him, blankly, taken aback.
Luke sighed. "What now?"
Lorelai shook her head. "I'm sorry. I... I just didn't expect you to act. I thought you'd just read the lines."
"It's written angry and hurt. Didn't you want to rehearse?"
"Of course. But you said you weren't an actor and all of a sudden you're..."
"I can go home of you want..."
"No, no! Sorry. Okay... uhm... I don't have anything to say to you, Kyle."
"So you're just going to leave without a word? After all we've been through?"
Lorelai had always been emotional. And something in Luke's voice made her want to cry. She took a step back towards the kitchen door and continued.
"What do you want from me?" She stepped back again as Luke walked towards her. Slowly. "All of this was a mistake, you said it yourself. You want me to beg you? Is that it? Huh?"
Luke, or Kyle, continued to approach her. Her back hit the door. Luke was a little too close. She had trouble breathing. It was his turn to speak and she watched him, waiting for his line. She had no idea what was next in the script. She had totally forgotten. Luke looked up from his pages and locked eyes with Lorelai.
"You can't leave."
Ok, I won't leave. Who knew Luke could be so intense acting? It was totally out of character for him. She breathed in and searched for her lines, still stuck between the door and Luke... who was way too close. Or not enough.
"Uhm... here. You should go." Pause. "I mean it. Get away from me."
Lorelai read ahead... it said: Another pause. Kyle lift Sara's chin and lean in to kiss her as she says "Please... go...". Kyle kisses Sara tentatively and...
Lorelai's heart was racing in her chest. She was going to collapse any second, her stress level being way too high.
"And we kiss," she says lightly, getting away from the door, away from Luke. She sat on a chair, going through her script, pretending to be relaxed. "I think I got it down. Thanks Luke. You were a big help."
Luke didn't know what pushed him to act like this. Maybe he was trying to keep up with the other runners after all.
"You don't wanna rehearse the rest?" he asked.
"What rest? The scene's over. I mean except for the kiss part and seriously, who needs to rehearse a kiss?" she blurted out, laughing... kind of.
Luke stayed quiet. He just gave her that look.
"What?" she asked.
"Nothing! I mean... Never mind. You're probably right," he said, walking his way to the front door. She followed him. He didn't seem angry. He had this look like he was mocking her.
"Probably? Ha! I mean... What's the point in rehearsing the kiss? You're not even the actor!"
"Oh, sure. 'Cause you'd rehearse with him..."
"So not the point!" She shook her head. Unbelievable. She let out a pathetic laugh. There was a moment right there. A moment of total discomfort. Lorelai had to add, "Plus, it would be weird, right?"
"What'd be?" Luke looked at her, right in the eye.
She pointed his chest.
"You... me... kissing? Weird."
"I don't kiss weird," Luke stated.
"I'm sure you don't!"
"Then you kiss weird?"
"No!" Lorelai almost screamed. She had to defend herself?
"Uh huh..." Luke reached the doorknob, then turned back to Lorelai.
"I still think you should work on that scene. It's not any kiss, you know. It has to be a certain way; hesitant and sweet and passionate..."
That felt like dirty talk to Lorelai. Luke shouldn't be aloud to speak like this.
"What makes you think I can't do that? It's not like I kiss funny or anything..." she defended herself. Luke didn't say a word. But he did shrug his shoulders. And that and the smirk on his face set Lorelai off.
"Excuse me! You think I kiss funny?"
"I never said that," he argued.
"When did you ever see me kissing anyone, anyway?"
"I saw you with Max..."
"And?"
"And what?"
Were they really talking about this?
"What you saw makes you believe I need kissing practice!"
"Didn't seem that great..." he mumbled. But she him alright.
"Oh! And who are you to judge? I bet you've never kissed anyone."
That last remark didn't get to Luke at all. He just smiled. It made her even angrier.
"Gah!" she let out, throwing her arms in the air, giving up. She walked back to the kitchen.
"Practicing on your hand won't help!" Luke shouted before closing the door behind him.
"I'm a GREAT kisser!" he heard her yell through the walls. He smiled to himself.
When she went to bed that night, Lorelai was already nervous for the next day. Of course, every one would be a little nervous about a first public rehearsal... but she didn't even think about that. She was nervous about that evening. Had she really proposed the three of them getting together for a weird kind of double-date? No. It was going to be a hanging out session. Right?
TBC...
A.N.2. So that's it for now... In next chapter, things start to heat up... Stay tuned and make sure to leave any comments/ideas/suggestions/wishes/complaints/chocolate you want.
