The Green Room: The Dinner that Refused to End - #06 (hours)
Title: The Green Room: The Dinner that Refused to End
Fandom: Freshman Dorm
Characters: Jared/Chris (pre-slash)
Prompt: # 006 Hours
Word Count: 2174
Rating: PG-13
Author's Notes: Written for slash_100. This story will be told in many parts. This is the fifth. I know it’s been forever and few years since I’ve updated this at all, but I am bound and determined to finish it. Even if I’m the only one left reading it.
Part one: The Green Room: Coffee Encounters
Part two: The Green Room: Shooting Hoops
Part three: The Green Room: An Evening at Roscoe’s
Part four: The Green Room: Green Means Go (For It)
The Green Room: The Dinner that Refused to End
“Oh good, you’re home,” Elise said as she entered our apartment. “I just got off the phone with my mother and she and dad are hosting an engagement dinner for us next week. Isn’t that great?”
“Yeah, great,” I muttered, wondering exactly what planet I’d have to be from to actually believe that that was great.
“It’s at six o’clock on Friday, so you should take your suit to the dry cleaner tomorrow to make sure you’re not running around at the last minute trying to find something decent to wear.”
“Friday?” I said in disbelief.
“Yes, Friday,” she replied and then rolled her eyes. “I know what you’re thinking and you don’t have to worry. We’ll be out of there by nine so you’ll have plenty of time to get to the apartment to change and then get to the show.”
“You think I’m going to be able to get back here, change, and get to the Green Room in an hour?”
“My parents live five minutes away, Jared. The bar is ten minutes from here. How much time do you need to change your clothes?”
“Can’t you ask them to have it Saturday instead?”
“No, I can’t ask them to have it Saturday instead. They’ve already invited people for Friday. They can’t just ask people to change their schedules.”
“And they couldn’t have taken our schedules into account before they made their plans? I mean, they could’ve at least asked us.”
“They did. I told them it was fine. And it is. I already told you, you’ll have plenty of time to get ready for your little show.”
“My little…” I couldn’t even finish the statement. I just sat there, staring at her with my mouth hanging open I shock. I couldn’t believe she actually just said that.
“You know what I mean, Jared,” she finally said in exasperation.
“No, I’m not sure that I do know. Why don’t you explain it to me?”
She didn’t though. She merely rolled her eyes and said, “I don’t have time for this. I’m going to take a shower and then call mother back.”
“Whatever,” I said in annoyance. “I’m going out.”
“Oh, good. Take the garbage out on your way, won’t you?”
And with that she was gone, moving around the bedroom, probably looking for her robe and slippers. I grabbed the bag of trash and headed out the door, stopping just long enough to toss the bag down the chute before walking to the elevator.
I wasn’t even sure where I was headed until I found myself sitting on a barstool with Chris placing a bottle of beer in front of me. “Thanks, man,” I said, barely looking up at him.
“No problem. You look like you could use it.”
I laughed. “That obvious, huh?”
“I’m waiting for the storm cloud you brought in with you to open up and soak us all.”
“Take cover while you still can.”
He laughed, and I tried to ignore the way that that laugh made my heart skip a beat. Chances are it was just my imagination anyway.
“So, seriously, what’s up? Because you really do look like you’re ready to hit something. Or someone. And I’d really like it to not be me, if that’s okay with you.”
“Elise’s parents are hosting an engagement dinner for us.”
Chris didn’t respond, just watched me for a moment to see if I was going to continue. When I didn’t, he raised his eyebrows at me, silently asking if there was more to my glumness than that. When I still didn’t continue, he cracked an amused smile and said, “Yeah, I can see how that would make you hate the world. I’d hate it if my fiancée’s parents wanted to throw me a party, too.”
“First of all, you don’t know Elise’s parents…especially her father. He loved me when we were in high school, but ever since we started college…I’m just not good enough for his little princess anymore.” Chris opened his mouth to say something and I held up my hand to quiet him. “I gave up basketball,” I explained. “There was never any guarantee that I’d play pro ball, but there was always a chance. That chance disappeared when I gave up playing. Without that…how was I going to make enough money to keep his daughter living the lifestyle she’s accustomed to?” I couldn’t help but chuckle as I added, “I thought her mother was actually going to pass out when I suggested that Elise might have to change her lifestyle.”
Chris just smiled and shook his head. “Okay, so what’s problem number two?”
“What?”
“You said ‘first of all’. That usually means that there’s a ‘second of all’ to follow.”
“Oh, yeah…they planned it for Friday night.”
“Oh.”
“Yeah, ‘oh’.”
“That sucks, man. But couldn’t you ask Elise to…”
I cut him off with a shake of my head. “Elise agreed to it before they started planning. Said I’d have plenty of time to go to dinner and still get here for the show.”
“You think it’s possible?”
“With a normal family...yes. But Elise’s family is not normal. Trust me.”
“So what are you gonna do?”
“I dunno. I’ll think of something, I guess.”
“Well, good luck.”
“Yeah, thanks,” I said before lifting my bottle to my lips again and draining it.
“You want another?”
“Nah,” I tell him with a shake of my head. “I should probably get back to the apartment. Thanks for listening.”
“All part of the job,” he tells me with a grin.
“So I’ve heard. Still…thanks.”
“Anytime, man.”
Standing up, I placed the money for my beer on the bar and turned to head back to the door. I gave a quick wave to Chris and Tyner when I reached it and then headed back out into the night, so I could go home and try to talk to Elise one more time about changing the night of this dinner.
~~~
Elise and I arrived at her parent’s house for our engagement party at 6:00 on the dot. Elise’s mother had told her that dinner would be served at 6:30, which had led to multiple promises from Elise that I would have no problems getting out of the house and to the bar in plenty of time for our gig. I wasn’t at all surprised, though, when I looked at my watch and saw that it was already 7:30 and we were no closer to eating than we’d been when we walked through the door.
“Stop checking your watch,” Elise whispered to me, “You’re being rude to our guests.”
“Our guests?” I asked incredulously. “I don’t know any of these people. My friends aren’t here. My family isn’t here. None of these people are my guests.”
“Jared, all of these people are here to celebrate your engagement to my daughter,” came Elise’s father’s voice from behind me. “An engagement that you brought about without consulting her mother and me first, I might add.”
“I…I know, sir. I apologize. I…” I honestly didn’t know what I was trying to say. Or why I felt the need to apologize. I mean, seriously…who asked for permission to marry their girlfriend these days?
“Stop it, daddy,” I heard Elise say. “Jared didn’t have to talk to you. The only person he needed to ask was me.”
“That’s what you keep saying, sweetheart, but…”
“But nothing, daddy.”
“Okay, okay,” he said with a sigh. “Dinner will be served in about thirty minutes. We’ll start seating in fifteen.”
“Thanks, daddy.”
“Well,” I said as her father walked away. “I guess an hour and a half late isn’t so bad. It’s not like I have anything important to do tonight…”
“Don’t start, Jared. Just put a smile on your face and get ready to eat dinner.”
For a while after that things seemed to be going okay. We all sat down to eat, with dinner being served and eaten quickly. I even managed to have a halfway entertaining conversation with Elise’s Uncle Alexander. It wasn’t until the dinner plates were being cleared away and Elise’s father stood up and cleared his throat that I began to have a sinking feeling.
“I want to thank all of you for coming tonight to celebrate the engagement of our daughter Elise to her boyfriend Jared. As you all know, the two of them have been dating for quite a while. A few of you even joined Mary and me at the high school to watch some of Jared’s basketball games. Of course, we’d all hoped to continue to watch him play when he moved on to college; however Jared seemed to have other plans. I believe he’s in a band now, if any of you would care to take in the local bar scene.” He paused while a few people chuckled. “While probably not nearly as promising as his skill on the court, I’m sure that playing the drums is a nice little hobby for him. Of course, once the kids finish school next year and get married, it’ll be time for Jared to settle down into a real job that will be better suited to financially supporting the two of them. Isn’t that right, Jared?”
I felt myself start to fume as all eyes at the table turned to look at me. “Well, of course I’ll have a day job, but…”
“Of course,” her father cut me off. “That’s why I’d like to take this opportunity to announce that after you finish school, you’ll be coming to work as an editorial assistant at my publishing company.”
I looked up quickly as everyone around the table gave a series of “oohs” and “ahhs”, some even going so far as to give applause to the announcement. “Sir,” I said, in what I hoped was a controlled tone, “I…”
“No need to thank me, Jared. I’m simply looking out for my baby’s best interests.”
“I wasn’t going to thank you,” I mumbled, earning me a dirty look from Elise. I just shrugged and looked at my watch again. It was already after 9:00. If I didn’t get out of here soon, I was going to be late getting to the bar. I was about to say something to Elise about leaving when the wait staff began serving cake.
“You have to stay for dessert, Jared. Don’t be rude.”
It was on the tip of my tongue to tell her that I didn’t care about being rude when her four-year-old niece screamed my name.
“JARE-ED! Hold me, Jare-ed!” she yelled as she ran across the room and threw herself in my arms. Unfortunately, along with the toddler came her dessert and I shivered as the mint chocolate chip ice cream cone she’d been carrying smashed into my chest.
“My ceam! My ceam!” she started crying as I sat watching the melting ice cream begin to dribble off of my shirt and onto the chair and floor.
“I’ll get her more ice cream,” said one of the waitresses at the same time that Elise said, “We should get you cleaned up.”
We excused ourselves and headed into the closest bathroom. Elise wet a towel and began dabbing at the green spot on my shirt. “Don’t worry about it,” I said as I tried to take the towel from her hand. “I’m leaving anyway.”
“What do you mean you’re leaving? You can’t leave yet.”
“The hell I can’t. If I leave now, I might still be able to make it to the bar on time.”
“Jared you can’t be that…”
“Rude? Fuck it. I’m tired of not being rude. I’m leaving. I’ll see you at home later.”
I dropped the towel in the sink and started walking toward the door. Elise’s voice stopped me when my hand touched the doorknob. “Jared… I’ll thank the guests for you. Have a good show.”
“Thank you.”
Half an hour later I was pulling into the parking lot at the Green Room. I was a few minutes late and I knew that Brent was going to be pissed, but he’d get over it. Reaching into the back seat, I pulled my backpack out from under the suit jacket I’d thrown over it when I got in the car and my tied slipped to the floor as the jacket shifted. I pulled a t-shirt out of the bag, then pulled a strap over my shoulder and headed into the bar.
Brent was standing on the stage and I could tell that he’d been stalling, waiting for my arrival. He tossed me a relieved smile as I made my way to where Chris was standing behind the bar. I quickly stripped out of the ice cream stained shirt and handed it and my bag to Chris before pulling the fresh shirt over my head and turning towards the stage.
“You want me to soak this?” Chris asked, holding up the shirt.
“Burn it for all I care,” I said, and made my way back behind my drums to start the show.
Fandom: Freshman Dorm
Characters: Jared/Chris (pre-slash)
Prompt: # 006 Hours
Word Count: 2174
Rating: PG-13
Author's Notes: Written for slash_100. This story will be told in many parts. This is the fifth. I know it’s been forever and few years since I’ve updated this at all, but I am bound and determined to finish it. Even if I’m the only one left reading it.
Part one: The Green Room: Coffee Encounters
Part two: The Green Room: Shooting Hoops
Part three: The Green Room: An Evening at Roscoe’s
Part four: The Green Room: Green Means Go (For It)
The Green Room: The Dinner that Refused to End
“Oh good, you’re home,” Elise said as she entered our apartment. “I just got off the phone with my mother and she and dad are hosting an engagement dinner for us next week. Isn’t that great?”
“Yeah, great,” I muttered, wondering exactly what planet I’d have to be from to actually believe that that was great.
“It’s at six o’clock on Friday, so you should take your suit to the dry cleaner tomorrow to make sure you’re not running around at the last minute trying to find something decent to wear.”
“Friday?” I said in disbelief.
“Yes, Friday,” she replied and then rolled her eyes. “I know what you’re thinking and you don’t have to worry. We’ll be out of there by nine so you’ll have plenty of time to get to the apartment to change and then get to the show.”
“You think I’m going to be able to get back here, change, and get to the Green Room in an hour?”
“My parents live five minutes away, Jared. The bar is ten minutes from here. How much time do you need to change your clothes?”
“Can’t you ask them to have it Saturday instead?”
“No, I can’t ask them to have it Saturday instead. They’ve already invited people for Friday. They can’t just ask people to change their schedules.”
“And they couldn’t have taken our schedules into account before they made their plans? I mean, they could’ve at least asked us.”
“They did. I told them it was fine. And it is. I already told you, you’ll have plenty of time to get ready for your little show.”
“My little…” I couldn’t even finish the statement. I just sat there, staring at her with my mouth hanging open I shock. I couldn’t believe she actually just said that.
“You know what I mean, Jared,” she finally said in exasperation.
“No, I’m not sure that I do know. Why don’t you explain it to me?”
She didn’t though. She merely rolled her eyes and said, “I don’t have time for this. I’m going to take a shower and then call mother back.”
“Whatever,” I said in annoyance. “I’m going out.”
“Oh, good. Take the garbage out on your way, won’t you?”
And with that she was gone, moving around the bedroom, probably looking for her robe and slippers. I grabbed the bag of trash and headed out the door, stopping just long enough to toss the bag down the chute before walking to the elevator.
I wasn’t even sure where I was headed until I found myself sitting on a barstool with Chris placing a bottle of beer in front of me. “Thanks, man,” I said, barely looking up at him.
“No problem. You look like you could use it.”
I laughed. “That obvious, huh?”
“I’m waiting for the storm cloud you brought in with you to open up and soak us all.”
“Take cover while you still can.”
He laughed, and I tried to ignore the way that that laugh made my heart skip a beat. Chances are it was just my imagination anyway.
“So, seriously, what’s up? Because you really do look like you’re ready to hit something. Or someone. And I’d really like it to not be me, if that’s okay with you.”
“Elise’s parents are hosting an engagement dinner for us.”
Chris didn’t respond, just watched me for a moment to see if I was going to continue. When I didn’t, he raised his eyebrows at me, silently asking if there was more to my glumness than that. When I still didn’t continue, he cracked an amused smile and said, “Yeah, I can see how that would make you hate the world. I’d hate it if my fiancée’s parents wanted to throw me a party, too.”
“First of all, you don’t know Elise’s parents…especially her father. He loved me when we were in high school, but ever since we started college…I’m just not good enough for his little princess anymore.” Chris opened his mouth to say something and I held up my hand to quiet him. “I gave up basketball,” I explained. “There was never any guarantee that I’d play pro ball, but there was always a chance. That chance disappeared when I gave up playing. Without that…how was I going to make enough money to keep his daughter living the lifestyle she’s accustomed to?” I couldn’t help but chuckle as I added, “I thought her mother was actually going to pass out when I suggested that Elise might have to change her lifestyle.”
Chris just smiled and shook his head. “Okay, so what’s problem number two?”
“What?”
“You said ‘first of all’. That usually means that there’s a ‘second of all’ to follow.”
“Oh, yeah…they planned it for Friday night.”
“Oh.”
“Yeah, ‘oh’.”
“That sucks, man. But couldn’t you ask Elise to…”
I cut him off with a shake of my head. “Elise agreed to it before they started planning. Said I’d have plenty of time to go to dinner and still get here for the show.”
“You think it’s possible?”
“With a normal family...yes. But Elise’s family is not normal. Trust me.”
“So what are you gonna do?”
“I dunno. I’ll think of something, I guess.”
“Well, good luck.”
“Yeah, thanks,” I said before lifting my bottle to my lips again and draining it.
“You want another?”
“Nah,” I tell him with a shake of my head. “I should probably get back to the apartment. Thanks for listening.”
“All part of the job,” he tells me with a grin.
“So I’ve heard. Still…thanks.”
“Anytime, man.”
Standing up, I placed the money for my beer on the bar and turned to head back to the door. I gave a quick wave to Chris and Tyner when I reached it and then headed back out into the night, so I could go home and try to talk to Elise one more time about changing the night of this dinner.
~~~
Elise and I arrived at her parent’s house for our engagement party at 6:00 on the dot. Elise’s mother had told her that dinner would be served at 6:30, which had led to multiple promises from Elise that I would have no problems getting out of the house and to the bar in plenty of time for our gig. I wasn’t at all surprised, though, when I looked at my watch and saw that it was already 7:30 and we were no closer to eating than we’d been when we walked through the door.
“Stop checking your watch,” Elise whispered to me, “You’re being rude to our guests.”
“Our guests?” I asked incredulously. “I don’t know any of these people. My friends aren’t here. My family isn’t here. None of these people are my guests.”
“Jared, all of these people are here to celebrate your engagement to my daughter,” came Elise’s father’s voice from behind me. “An engagement that you brought about without consulting her mother and me first, I might add.”
“I…I know, sir. I apologize. I…” I honestly didn’t know what I was trying to say. Or why I felt the need to apologize. I mean, seriously…who asked for permission to marry their girlfriend these days?
“Stop it, daddy,” I heard Elise say. “Jared didn’t have to talk to you. The only person he needed to ask was me.”
“That’s what you keep saying, sweetheart, but…”
“But nothing, daddy.”
“Okay, okay,” he said with a sigh. “Dinner will be served in about thirty minutes. We’ll start seating in fifteen.”
“Thanks, daddy.”
“Well,” I said as her father walked away. “I guess an hour and a half late isn’t so bad. It’s not like I have anything important to do tonight…”
“Don’t start, Jared. Just put a smile on your face and get ready to eat dinner.”
For a while after that things seemed to be going okay. We all sat down to eat, with dinner being served and eaten quickly. I even managed to have a halfway entertaining conversation with Elise’s Uncle Alexander. It wasn’t until the dinner plates were being cleared away and Elise’s father stood up and cleared his throat that I began to have a sinking feeling.
“I want to thank all of you for coming tonight to celebrate the engagement of our daughter Elise to her boyfriend Jared. As you all know, the two of them have been dating for quite a while. A few of you even joined Mary and me at the high school to watch some of Jared’s basketball games. Of course, we’d all hoped to continue to watch him play when he moved on to college; however Jared seemed to have other plans. I believe he’s in a band now, if any of you would care to take in the local bar scene.” He paused while a few people chuckled. “While probably not nearly as promising as his skill on the court, I’m sure that playing the drums is a nice little hobby for him. Of course, once the kids finish school next year and get married, it’ll be time for Jared to settle down into a real job that will be better suited to financially supporting the two of them. Isn’t that right, Jared?”
I felt myself start to fume as all eyes at the table turned to look at me. “Well, of course I’ll have a day job, but…”
“Of course,” her father cut me off. “That’s why I’d like to take this opportunity to announce that after you finish school, you’ll be coming to work as an editorial assistant at my publishing company.”
I looked up quickly as everyone around the table gave a series of “oohs” and “ahhs”, some even going so far as to give applause to the announcement. “Sir,” I said, in what I hoped was a controlled tone, “I…”
“No need to thank me, Jared. I’m simply looking out for my baby’s best interests.”
“I wasn’t going to thank you,” I mumbled, earning me a dirty look from Elise. I just shrugged and looked at my watch again. It was already after 9:00. If I didn’t get out of here soon, I was going to be late getting to the bar. I was about to say something to Elise about leaving when the wait staff began serving cake.
“You have to stay for dessert, Jared. Don’t be rude.”
It was on the tip of my tongue to tell her that I didn’t care about being rude when her four-year-old niece screamed my name.
“JARE-ED! Hold me, Jare-ed!” she yelled as she ran across the room and threw herself in my arms. Unfortunately, along with the toddler came her dessert and I shivered as the mint chocolate chip ice cream cone she’d been carrying smashed into my chest.
“My ceam! My ceam!” she started crying as I sat watching the melting ice cream begin to dribble off of my shirt and onto the chair and floor.
“I’ll get her more ice cream,” said one of the waitresses at the same time that Elise said, “We should get you cleaned up.”
We excused ourselves and headed into the closest bathroom. Elise wet a towel and began dabbing at the green spot on my shirt. “Don’t worry about it,” I said as I tried to take the towel from her hand. “I’m leaving anyway.”
“What do you mean you’re leaving? You can’t leave yet.”
“The hell I can’t. If I leave now, I might still be able to make it to the bar on time.”
“Jared you can’t be that…”
“Rude? Fuck it. I’m tired of not being rude. I’m leaving. I’ll see you at home later.”
I dropped the towel in the sink and started walking toward the door. Elise’s voice stopped me when my hand touched the doorknob. “Jared… I’ll thank the guests for you. Have a good show.”
“Thank you.”
Half an hour later I was pulling into the parking lot at the Green Room. I was a few minutes late and I knew that Brent was going to be pissed, but he’d get over it. Reaching into the back seat, I pulled my backpack out from under the suit jacket I’d thrown over it when I got in the car and my tied slipped to the floor as the jacket shifted. I pulled a t-shirt out of the bag, then pulled a strap over my shoulder and headed into the bar.
Brent was standing on the stage and I could tell that he’d been stalling, waiting for my arrival. He tossed me a relieved smile as I made my way to where Chris was standing behind the bar. I quickly stripped out of the ice cream stained shirt and handed it and my bag to Chris before pulling the fresh shirt over my head and turning towards the stage.
“You want me to soak this?” Chris asked, holding up the shirt.
“Burn it for all I care,” I said, and made my way back behind my drums to start the show.