Chapter Three

Where The Colors Don't Go

Lorelai lay awake in her bed again for the fourth time this week. Lately all she had been doing was worrying. It was like someone had switched her brain with someone else's and now she couldn't think straight. She thought about normal things like the inn and the cobwebs of problems piling on there, but what was worrying her more was if they were going to move, and hey, what about Luke? He was the one who wanted the date, so shouldn't he be trying to make more of an effort to make it happen. But then again, Luke wasn't really the take-charge kind of guy. And Lorelai wasn't doing much better to make this fantasy date actually come true.

Lorelai looked around her bedroom. It was a weird place. It was where she dreamt every night, but it was also the only place where she kept the things that left her wondering every night, her fears.

Lorelai had perfected her mask of fearlessness over the years. No longer does she let herself look vulnerable and scared in front of Rory, or anyone else. But in her room, she was all alone. There was nobody there to make her put on a brave face, so her mind started to wander out of her comfort zone, and that scared Lorelai. That's why she never decorated her room. That's why the walls were painted white and bare, and the sheets were only a shade off the one on the walls. That's why when you looked around, there was barely any color.

LGLGLGLGLGLGLG

"Ahh, there you are. We are missing two bathrobes in Room 8, I think the guests took them while they were checking out, and they didn't even leave a tip! How do they think people are supposed to live when they don't even give a tip?" Michel yammered in Lorelai's ear.

"I don't know Michel. Anything else?" Lorelai asked in a distressed tone while walking around the inn with a note pad in her hand, writing down things that needed to be done today. Michel continued to give her the news on how the inn was doing, but Lorelai was only half listening to what he was saying, just an occasional nod to make it look like she was.

Being manager of the inn was like an endless chase of things to do before a deadline and Lorelai was about to hold up a white flag and leave. With all of the stress and lack of sleep, she needed to get out. She needed a break. Lorelai stopped walking when the reached the front desk and turned to Michel. "Well, it looks like everything's under control and you have a good handle on things. I have to go now, so I'll see you later this afternoon." Lorelai turned and headed for the door.

"But Lorelai! You can't just leave! Wait!" Michel yelled after her in a plea for help.

"Bye Michel!" was all Lorelai said before walking out the door.

MGMGMGMGMG

Lorelai was clutching a shopping bag in her right hand, while looking in the windows of the stores around Stars Hollow. She had been out shopping for two hours and was starting to get hungry. She passed Luke's. Mmm, one of Luke's burgers sound really good right now. But if I go in, I'll have to talk about the date with him. Maybe I'll just grab a Weston's coffee and eat something at home.

Lorelai was just about to pass Luke's when she started second guessing herself. Lorelai Victoria Gilmore! Look at you! Running away from Luke just because you don't want to talk about some silly date. Come on! This is not the person I wanted you to become! Go in there! Who cares if he mentions it! Lorelai was having one of those moments where two mini Lorelai's appear and start arguing on her shoulder on what to do.

After a couple of minutes of walking back and forth in front of Luke's, she finally walked up the familiar step and twisted the doorknob, welcomed by the ringing bells. She suddenly heard Luke's voice yell from the back of the kitchen to sit wherever she wanted and that he would be there in a second. Lorelai sat down and immediately started drumming her fingers on the table. She picked up a menu and started to read it, but only after a few seconds, put it down. A few more minutes of staring into space and she was greeted by Luke.

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"Caesar! What did I tell you to do when talking to Taylor?" Luke yelled at Caesar.

"Umm, avoid talking to him at all, and when that's not possible, never ever agree to anything he says?" Caesar said meekly.

"Right, now I have customers to serve, but by the time I get back, you better have fixed this." With that, Luke stormed out of the kitchen to see that Lorelai was sitting at a table facing the window. "Lorelai" he quietly breathed out her name. He was in shock. She's here to cancel our non-existent date. God I never should have waited so long to find a day for their date. Luke was freaking out. What am I going to say? Ahh, I can't have her seeing me like this. I just have to calmly walk over and pretend like nothing is happening. Alright, I can do this. Luke walked over to Lorelai. "Lorelai, hey, what can I get you?"

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"Oh, hi Luke." Lorelai was somewhat startled when Luke just came up to her. She looked up to realize that he looked completely cool and calm. Look at me! Getting nervous about talking to one of my friends. This is silly.

"I think I'll take a burger." Lorelai said, trying to stay in check.

"Anything else?" Luke asked while writing down her order.

"Nope."

"Alright, I'll be right back with that." Luke turned and started walking back when he heard her voice call back to him.

"And coffee. I forgot the coffee." Lorelai secretly kicked herself for that move. So much for acting cool. I forgot to ask for coffee. Now he definitely will know something's up.

Luke chuckled. "Right, coffee." And went back to the kitchen.

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Luke walked back over to her table to hand her her check. Just ask her out tonight. You already know she wants to go out with you. She already said yes. So, what's your big deal! This was it. Luke was going to ask her out for tonight and he wasn't taking no for an answer. He had been planning for what seemed like forever. Reading books and getting advice on dating, and although he thought all the people writing these books were morons, he wanted to make their first date right.

"So… here's your check." He set it down in front of Lorelai.

"Oh, thanks."

There was a long and very uncomfortable pause between the two.

Am I just supposed to forget that Luke asked me out? Why can't he just say 'hey, I was wondering if you were free tonight'? He knows I would say yes, come on Luke! Ask me!

As if on cue, Luke finally broke the ice. "So, I was just wondering if you were free tonight."

"Oh, umm…" This had been what she was waiting for, yet how come she was so tongue-tied? When she was finally able to put a coherent sentence together she agreed, and they settled on Luke picking her up at seven.

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"Ok that restaurant was bad. I'm sorry but come on! Like the waiters with the funny looking suits."

"Or the butter that was molded into geese." Luke said laughing along with Lorelai at how cheesy the restaurant had been.

"Yeah, I never want any of my food to look like a goose, unless it is goose, but then I wouldn't be eating it." Lorelai giggled some more. They were walking down a street when they saw brightly colored tents and music blaring from speakers that resembled music you would hear at a carnival.

"Oh my god, there's a carnival! Let's go!" Lorelai tugged on Luke's arm and directed him towards the entrance. "Ok I want cotton candy, popcorn, ice cream…" Lorelai said, imitating a child.

"But you just had dinner!" Luke said.

"Ok my beef thing in a cream sauce whatever did not curb my appetite."

"Alright. What do you want first?" Luke asked in a defeated tone.

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After walking around for a while Lorelai spotted a photo booth.

"Ooh! Luke, look!" Lorelai pointed to the booth and started dragging him towards it.

"Oh come on! You don't expect me to get in there!" Luke started to protest but was stopped by Lorelai's strong tug to pull him inside.

"It will be fun. I promise. Now smile pretty!" Lorelai said right before the camera started snapping pictures.

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Luke and Lorelai stumbled out of the booth and Lorelai immediately grabbed the photos. She looked at the first one and started giggling.

Luke walked over to see what she was laughing at and immediately realized what was so funny. "Oh now that's not fair! I wasn't ready."

Lorelai couldn't stop laughing, now she was bent over. Just the sight of Lorelai laughing so hard made Luke start laughing too.

"I…you…it…face…" Lorelai was laughing so hard, she couldn't even form a sentence.

"I told you! I wasn't ready!" Luke tried to defend whatever pride he had left.

"That's for sure. Here," Lorelai ripped the first picture off, "you can keep it. I, however, want the rest."

"Come on, let's get out of here." Luke said and drove Lorelai back home.

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Lorelai was back in her room and in her hand held the pictures taken earlier that evening. She set them on her bedside table and crawled into bed. She took one last look at the pictures and fell asleep immediately. Now, at least her room had some color.