Page 100 of Love Medley
“College. I’m originally from Connecticut, but I went to Blackwell for college with Jake and then stuck around. Are you another Blackwell local or from elsewhere?”
“I’m from Texas,” I say. “A different world.”
“Yeah, I bet,” Luke nods. “So. What embarrassing info can we tell you about Jake before he returns?”
I’m beginning to really like this Luke guy. Even Trix looks interested by this turn in the conversation.
And this is the first time tonight that I feel the knot loosen inside of me.
“I want to know everything,” I say, a true smile spreading across my face.
By the time Jake returns with Ian and our drinks in tow, the three of us are laughing at yet another outrageous drunk Jake story. Apparently, one time, he was so drunk after a party, he puked in the bushes next to the dorm, and it stank to high heaven for the entire week. Another time, he passed out naked in the common area of his dorm, thinking it was his room, and had to hightail it to his room once he realized where he was. The current story is about an intoxicated Jake howling Billy Joel’s “Piano Man” at the top of his lungs until several people yelled out their windows for him to shut up.
“Jesus,” Jake mutters, running a hand through his hair, but shooting me a tentatively hopeful smile at the same time.
I grin as I pat Jake on the back. “I’m loving these stories. Who knew you were such a lush in college?”
“Payback’s a bitch,” Luke says with a wicked smile.
“Just so you know, I signed you all up for karaoke, so who’s gonna have the last laugh?” Jake says, raising one eyebrow, as he settles his arm on the back of my seat.
Luke, Trix, and Ian groan as I tug at Jake’s sleeve frantically.
“Don’t worry, Luce,” he says, touching my cheek gently. “You’ll be singing with me.”
That doesn’t make me feel much better.
Luke, Trix, and Ian are forced to sing “One Way or Another” by Blondie. Jake and I snicker—I have to admit, the choice of song was priceless.
Jake certainly got them.
None of them are singers, and it shows. They mumble along with the lyrics, and finally, make it to the end.
As the trio returns, Luke mutters, “I’m definitely not drunk enough for this.”
“I’ll buy you a drink,” Trix says, “I could use another one myself.”
Ian shakes his head at Jake. “You’re never in charge of our outings from now on,” he says. “That was more embarrassing than double faulting on match point.”
Then, Jake and my name are called through the speakers.
“Good luck,” Ian says stoically as if we are comrades in a war.
Maybe we are.
“I’ll need it,” I sigh as I slowly get up on the stage with Jake.
Once I realize Jake’s selected “Summer Nights” fromGrease, a blush heats up my cheeks. While I hate standing up here, his choice of song is once again perfect. It’s a duet about a boy and girl who meet and fall in love one summer, but who in a twist of fate, end up at the same school. And once they're back in the real world, their love isn’t enough to keep them together. Of course, they find their way back to each other by the end of the musical.
My hands are trembling. What in the world am I doing up here? I don’t sing in public! But the second Jake sings the first note, something inside me goes still.
Although the lyrics are scrolling down the screen in front of us, I know all the words, so my eyes never stray from his. Jake’s singing to me, and I’m singing to him, and the rest of the world falls away. Impossibly, it feels like just the two of us on this stage.
For a moment, I imagine a world where we could be free to be together, with no external forces pulling us apart. If it were just me and him, then everything would be okay.
But is our destiny to be just like Sandy and Danny? Where we’re separated because our feelings aren’t enough to overcome all of the obstacles blocking our way?
Despite myself, a desperate beam of hope pierces through my chest. I clutch to the idea that it's still possible for us to have our own happy ending to look forward to. Even with everything.
