5 - The Reporter & the Rock Star
When Rory agreed to do this interview, the last thing she expected was to discover that Marty would be present. To tell the truth, she didn't really know what to expect from the coming interview. Rory hadn't even heard of the Ragged Dolls until six months ago, when the first single from their debut album began receiving tons of airplay. One of the local DJs were infatuated with them, hailing them as Chicago's very own version of No Doubt. It was a comparison that confused Rory, considering that they sounded nothing alike. Ragged Dolls sounded more rock than pop to her, though many of their songs were rather catchy. The only thing that she could see that the bands had in common were the fact that the bands were comprised of three guys with a girl on vocals, and even then Ragged Dolls' singer played an intrument. Keyboards, if Rory remembered correctly.
"You two know each other?" Alexandra 'Lexie' Keaton asked, bring her back from her reverie. She glanced back and forth between Rory and Marty, an amused little smirk on her lips. She had met with Rory three days earlier in her editor's office, where they hit it off. This resulted in the editor assigning her to the interview at Miss Keaton's request, despite the fact that Rory usually ran the political beat.
"We went to Yale together," she answered after an awkward moment, fighting against that familiar urge to run out the door. Fleeing at the first sign of trouble was a habit that Rory had promised to break herself of, and she intended to keep that pledge. But sometimes, it's so very hard not to run.
"Yeah, she's the friend I ran into a couple days ago," Marty added, shifting his gaze to the blonde beside him.
The blonde turned her gaze from him to up at Rory. "Oh, really?"
"Yeah, he bought my coffee and ice cream when I didn't have any money," Rory nodded, then quickly added in a sheepish voice. "I only had my debit card and the machine was out at Park's."
"Oh, hell, where are my manners?" Lexie practically shouted, jumping up from her seat. "Andy, I'd like to introduce you to Rory Gilmore, Chicago Tribune."
"Hey," Andy nodded, politely smiling at her.
"Hey," she parroted, giving the blonde a shy, little wave.
"Rory, this is my best friend and soon-to-be superstar client, Andy Walker," Lexie chirped, then waved lazily towards the fidgetting figure seated in the booth. "You already know Marty, so we'll skip that introduction."
"Alexandra," the blonde girl warned in a slightly menacing tone.
"Yes, Andrea?" Lexie asked, looking back with an innocent expression.
"It's too early for your antics, Lexie, especially when you just sprang this interview on her two seconds ago," Marty explained, placing a hand on the blonde's forearm. It was hard to tell if he did this to reassure or restrain her, because the blonde looked like she wanted to jump up and physically attack her manager. "Easy there, Andy."
"It's okay," she breathed, glaring at Lexie. "I'll just kill her when there's no witnesses around."
"Fine, I'm sorry for ambushing you, you big baby," the brunette apologized, rolling her eyes. She then turned to Rory. "Wanna grab something to eat now?"
"Um, sure," she nodded, sliding into the booth. She smiled uneasily at the young man across from her, wondering if he was going to give Rory the cold shoulder like he did that time with Lucy. "Hey, Marty."
"Hey, Rory," Marty greeted back, smiling warmly at her. "How you doing?"
"I'm fine," she replied, a little taken aback. This was definitely a pleasant surprise. "Thanks."
"Good to hear," he nodded.
"So how do you two know each other anyway?" Lexie asked, curious.
"They went to Yale together," Andy answered for them with a scoff, then glanced at Marty. "Jeez, I though I was supposed to be the dumb blonde at the table."
"The way you guys talk to each other makes me wonder if you really are best friends," Marty deadpanned.
"Sometimes, I wonder that myself," Lexie sighed, then turned her attention back to Rory. "What I meant to ask is, how did you meet our boy here?"
Rory looked at Marty, whose eyes had suddenly become very round. If it were anybody other than Marty, she would've been tempted to regale the humiliating tale of their first meeting. Except that this was Marty, and Rory felt that if she was going to try and repair their shattered friendship, she might as well start now.
"Well?" Lexie pressed.
"That's...a tale for another day, I think," Rory replied evasively, then added with a smirk. "Besides, I'm supposed to be here to interview Andy, remember?"
"Damn, I was hoping she forgot," the blonde half-joked, snapping her fingers.
"No fun," Lexie sighed in disappointment.
"Are you ready to order now?" An annoyed voice asked, interupting their conversation.
"Oh, dear God, yes," Andy stated, shifting her gaze up to the waitress. "I'm freaking starving!"
"Drama queen," Lexie teased her friend.
"Quiet, I'm still annoyed at you!"
"Thank you," Marty mouthed while Andy and Lexie were distracted, making their orders and snipping at each other.
"No problem," Rory mouthed back with a smile.
It was during the waiting of their food that Rory pulled out her digital pocket recorder, placing it on the table before beginning the interview. She asked the usual questions, like who was her biggest influence and such. Although the blonde had seemed reluctant to participate at first, she quickly got in a groove and answered each question asked of her with a grace that Rory usually only seen in politicians and the like. The further along the interview went, Rory found herself admiring this woman. Andy was obviously very driven to succeed in her chosen profession and had worked her ass off to get to where she was today, which turned out to be on the cusp of stardom. She reminded Rory of her best friend Lane when it came to her love for music, viridian eyes shining brightly in that same way Lane's did whenever they spoke about music. They stopped awhile to eat when their food arrived, then started again as the dishes were being cleared.
"So who are you listening to right now?" Rory asked, pressing the record button again.
"Oh, I just discovered this amazing band from Toronto, and their material is some of the most genius music I've ever heard," Andy gushed, not at all looking like the relunctant interview subject she was some thirty odd minutes ago.
"She hasn't stopped listening to them since returning from the last tour," Marty groaned.
"Says the guy who constantly sings 'Collect Call' to himself when he thinks no one's around to hear him," she snorted.
That band must be pretty good if they have that sort affect on him, Rory thought, wondering at the sudden knot forming in her abdomen. She noticed how happy they were as the couple continued to flirt and tease each other, seeming to have forgotten that Rory was recording the conversation.
I don't think it's the band that's affecting him like that, Kid, her mother's voice stated in Rory's head, sounding a tad condescending.
I have to get out of here, Rory decided, not liking where her thoughts were leading. Now!
"You okay, Rory?" Lexie asked, a look of concern on her face.
"I'm fine," she lied, forcing a smile. As Lexie scooted to let her out of the booth, Rory grabbed her recorder and shoved it in her bag. "But I should be leaving to write this up if I want to make my deadline."
"Don't worry about brunch, I'll pay," Lexie shook her head when Rory tried to hand her some cash.
"You sure?" She asked.
"It's fine, just send me a copy of the interview before your editor publishes it and we'll be squared," Lexie assured.
"Okay, I will," Rory promised, then waved to the distracted Marty and his rock star girlfriend. "See you later."
Rory vaguely heard them return the farewell, her face feeling hot as she rushed out. She was a good block away from the diner before stopping to catch her breath, leaning back against a brick wall. Her gaze went skyward, her lungs burning from her impromptu run.
"What the hell is wrong with me?" Rory rasped aloud, completely confused at the turmoil churning around in her stomach.
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