𝗪𝗔𝗧𝗘𝗥 𝗨𝗡𝗗𝗘𝗥 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗕𝗥𝗜𝗗𝗚𝗘 (JESS MARIANO)

32

"table three is waiting for a burger, teagan." luke called to his waitress as he sped passed her.

"i know." teagan sighed, already holding four dirty plates, staring at the tables she had yet to clean up as she walked back to the kitchen. she snapped out of her daze when she bumped into someone behind her. "oh, sorry si-"

"can i sit there." the person, whom she had now recognized as kurt, pointed to a table in complete disarray.

"i still need to clean it, i'll only be a minute." the teen quickly turned away from him to avoid his protests.

luke's was overrun by the Stars Hollow population, waiting for their dinner, and teagan was left to serve everyone without the help of her usual colleague.

"where the hell is your nephew, luke?" the brunette asked as she threw plates in her hands onto the table in front of her boss.

"out." he snapped back.

"oh! so swapping spit with his new girlfriend?" teagan laughed, frustrated and disappointed with jess' behavior.

her usual trustee had avoided her since she had arrived back in Start Hollow, much to teagans disdain, he had replaced her company with shane, although she pretended like she didn't care.

"there's a stain on here." kirk pointed down to a brown patch at his table as teagan walked back over to him, tripping over the plates and mugs he had left on the floor for her.

"i can see that kirk." the teen sighed, looking down at the collection of cutlery by her feet. "you cleaned up as well."

"well, it was in my way." kirk stared down at his table. "could you clean the stain, it's distracting me from my food."

"you haven't been served yet kirk."

"that brings me to my second problem." he looked back up at the brunette, and the glare he was met with made him shut up. "you can just come back when you're ready."

"yup." teagan snapped back, picking up the tray of empty plates and storming back to the kitchen.

luke could see the stress building in teagan as she stood taking deep breaths, possibly trying to fight the urge of turning around and punching kirk, or any other unsuspecting customer in the face.

"buns!" luke blurted out, looking towards the bread bin.

"excuse me?" teagan turned to her boss, exasperated and confused.

"we need more bread buns." he nodded, trying to come up with a reason to give his waitress a five-minute break, knowing she'd insist on staying unless given a sufficient reason to leave. "go to doose's"

luke began guiding the teen to the door as teagan protested the request, knowing the diner was too overrun for her to step away, even for a moment. "aren't there more in the storeroom?"

"nope!" luke shook his head, still pushing teagan out of the diner.

"are you sure? i swear i saw some earlie-"

"no! i just checked."

"can't you call taylor? he can get dean to run some over or something?"

"course not, i hate taylor. you have to go." the pair now stood by the door, teagan still trying to push past him, back towards the kitchen. "jacket." luke shoved teagan's varsity bomber into her hand and opened the door for her. "go"

"we are in the eye of the hurricane, right now luke. if i walk out this door, that hurricane will move and you will be swept away with it." the teen argued, scanning the hungry crowd.