Brasserie Ruhlmann: Whine & Dine [James/Open]

[Tiger-Lily]

Fine dining overlooking the ice rink at Rockefeller.

[Guest]

[[James and Luke from The Subway, Evelyn from Dorms]]

James walked into the swanky looking place to Luke, he noticed people seemed to be dressed pretty nice and he felt kind of under dressed in his jeans, hell even the waiters were more dressed up then him!

He looked over at Luke and nudged him, "Um... are you sure we're eating here? I feel like a tool.... shut up."

[Tiger-Lily]

Luke frowned and edged backwards, under the glare of the host who had just returned to his booth.

"I think we should leave," he muttered. The host narrowed his eyes.

"Do you have reservations?" he asked icily.

Luke glanced at James.

[Guest]

James tossed a glance at Luke and was trying to figure out what to do. If they did have to meet here with the girls and James and Luke weren't here then they would think they ditched them plus with James having to talk to Evelyn it probably wouldn't be a good idea if she thought he ditched her.

James straightened himself and stared the host dead in the eye, "Excuse me but do you know who we are?"

[Tiger-Lily]

Luke cringed.

The guy raised an unimpressed eyebrow. "A pair of delinquents in the wrong place, I daresay?"

Luke seriously hoped James had a good story here. What if they did have to meet the girls here? He began looking around discreetly for Carrie's dark blond head.

[Guest]

James scoffed, "How dare you! Lucas." He said firmly, nudging him in the side, "Tell this waiter who we are."

[Tiger-Lily]

Luke gaped and tried not to look too shocked - even though he really wanted to strangle James. He glanced at the host guy, who was clearly seconds from kicking them out.

Luke fumbled and said the first words that came to his mouth - "We were sent as entertainment by uh, Tiffany Chanel's father. He sings, I play guitar."

He wished he had his guitar.

The host frowned at James. "We have a mic," he began slowly, smirking.

Luke elbowed James.

[Guest]

"Right, he's right he plays guitar and I sing..." James said confidently and then stopped speaking his blue eyes nearly rolling out of his head when he heard the host tell him to sing.

"I uh..." James cleared his throat, and glared at Luke and then said, "I right I sing... and the mic is where again?" He asked the waiter smiling sheepishly while stomping on Luke's foot.

[Tiger-Lily]

Luke cringed. James was no lightweight. He yanked his foot away and tried not to show his severe trauma on his face.

The host gestured for them to follow him across the beautiful dining room and to a stage set up near the back, by the mahogany bar. He indicated a silver pole on top of which a mic sat, set up onstage. There was a stereo behind it, in the corner. The hose tilted his head. "Whenever you're ready," he said almost gleefully. He had clearly noted James' pallid face.

[Guest]

James pat the host on the shoulder and nodded, "Thank you sir." He turned to face Luke and grabbed him by the collar so he was now facing him at eye level, and he whispered, "Lucas! What the fuck?! You had to say entertainment!? We're in a fancy restaurant what the hell am I supposed to sing?!" He said glancing back at people who were staring at him since he was near the stage.

[Tiger-Lily]

Luke grinned at James, tugging free. "You had to say you were somebody, didn't you? And I dunno, just sing like, Michael Buble shit? Some slow song?"

[Guest]

"Dude I don't know anything by Michael Buble! I don't even listen to his songs they're for girls!" James paced for a moment and looked at Luke again.

"A slow song huh?" He repeated, and tried to think of something nice and slow to sing to all these lovely people eating their dinner, and possibly keep them in the restaurant long enough so they could get Carrie and Evelyn and high tail it out of there.

He looked down at his phone responding to the notifications he kept getting from Seth who probably just like Luke was finding this situation hilarious, and he realized he needed to think of a song quickly because the waiter dude was already suspicious enough about them.

[Tiger-Lily]

Luke threw up his hand sand then paused. "Um...sing a slow cover of a song you know?"

The host walked over to them and Luke added quietly, "Quickly!"

[Guest]

"I uh... er... uh... okay." James said looking over at the host who approached them.

[Tiger-Lily]

"Problem?" the host asked snidely. Luke shook his head and gave James a light shove towards the stage.

Luke climbed up alongside him and walked over to the stereo/deck in the corner. "What're you singing?" he asked, as the host went back to his podium by the door.

[Guest]

James shrugged at Luke, really not knowing what to sing so he figured he could stall for a couple of minutes and he just looked over at Luke since he was standing by the stereo, "Um I don't know! Pick something I would know though."

James approached the microphone and tapped it lightly with his index finger, "Um testing... testing... one, two, three..." The restaurant fell still and James could feel the eyes of everyone in the whole place on him.

He took a deep breath and put on his best practiced smile, "Good evening ladies and gentlemen, my name is James Darko and I will be here to entertain all of you for the night. You know this is my first time in New York City, and I figured heck why not sing in front of a bunch of strangers?"

The restaurant seemed to find this funny since they laughed, and James laughed nervously, "Yeah I know huh? So sit back, enjoy your dinners and we will get this show on the road."

The people clapped lightly as James looked over at Luke, covering the microphone with his hand and whispered to him, "Um... hit it?"

[Tiger-Lily]

Luke stared at the CD tracks on the albums lying near the stereo. He rifled through them and brushed aside artists he'd never heard of, finally finding Frank Sinatra's Karaoke CD.

"James," he hissed, so only James would hear him. "How about Sinatra? They're all older here, they'd probably like him. How about, uh...Summer Wind or New York, New York? Yeah, I like the latter." He put that CD in and hit Play, sitting down on the edge of the stage again. The instrumental version started to issue from the speakers around the room.

And at that moment, Carrie Schikovsky and a trio of girls walked through the restaurant door, over to the host. Luke gaped as he watched the girls be led to a table about ten meters from James.

Carrie glanced up and stared at James, clearly recognizing him. She caught Luke's eye, mouthing "What the hell?" at him as she sat. He shrugged.

[Guest]

Before James could disagree to Luke's choosing or anything the music had started and filled the speakers of the restaurant, also another positive he saw Carrie and her friends seated about oh two feet away from them. He sent a scared glance back at Luke, and was thankful he at least knew this song since his dad was a Sinatra fan.

James took the mic from the stand and took a deep breath and before he started to sing he smiled, "Here you go just for you New York I hope you like it."

With that he drew another breath and started his song,

Start spreading the news, I'm leaving today
I want to be a part of it - New York, New York
These vagabond shoes, are longing to stray
Right through the very heart of it - New York, New York...

[Tiger-Lily]

Aside from a few snobby old men, most of the crowd was loving it. Luke watched several older ladies fixate their eyes on his friend with more lust than was probably legal - then again, James was eighteen now. No more underage law to protect him.

Luke wanted to laugh but he held it back, biting his lip hard. Carrie and her friends were one of the few youngsters here - aside from a few couples on dates, the rest of the crowd was middle-aged and over. Carrie was wide-eyed as she listened to James, clearly not expecting the jock that James presented himself as to actually have any talent off the court. Her friends were more interested in checking out James' physique.

[Guest]

James looked around at the crowd and was actually surprised to see many people actually enjoying themselves, besides a few Wall Street looking men but people seemed happy.

This wasn't so bad but he still wanted nothing more than to get off the stage, he looked over at the table where Carrie and her friends were sitting, he caught her gaze and she seemed almost surprised that he could sing, then again most people were when they had heard him, he figured he could look at her while he finished the song to avoid really meeting the gazes of several old ladies that had been eying him from across the room.

I want to wake up in a city that never sleeps
And find I'm a number one, top of the list
King of the hill, a number one

These little town blues, are melting away
I'm gonna make a brand new start of it - in old New York
And..... If I can make it there, I'm gonna make it anywhere

It's up to you - New York New York!

James drew out the last note a bit, decided he might as well finish big and when the song ended the restaurant was filled with applause and James smiled, "Thank you all very much, enjoy your meals." He said politely, bowing a couple of times and stepping off the stage beyond relieved, with Lucas right behind him and sighed.

"God damn it.... we did it Farrell." He said finally relaxing.

[Tiger-Lily]

Luke wasn't looking at him. He was staring over James' shoulder, mildly uncomfortable. Then he flashed James a faint grin. "Yeah....told you you should sing in public...even Evelyn didn't make a smart remark." He glanced over James' shoulder again.

Carrie glanced up when Evelyn sat down beside her, a perplexed look on her face. Carrie leaned over and hugged her in greeting. "Hey, what's with the face? Did you hear James? You never told me he could sing!"

Evelyn had reached the restaurant and walked right past the distracted host, who had been staring up at the singer onstage. Evelyn had glanced around for Carrie, found her, headed toward her and halfway there, realized she vaguely recognized this voice, even though she'd only heard it a couple of times before. When she'd looked up, she'd almost run right back out - what the hell was James doing here?!

"What is he doing here?" You said Luke was coming!" she hissed at Carrie accusingly, as Luke glanced over at her. James hadn't seen her, because Evelyn had edged very carefully out of his range of sight to Carrie's table. And he had his back turned so all was good for now.

Carrie's friends were now giggling amongst themselves and Evelyn had a feeling she knew who they were talking about. And she'd really rather not sit here and listen to them sigh over James throughout dinner.

"You..." Carrie looked confused as she glanced at James. "You said you were friends..."

Evelyn bit the inside of her cheek. "I need to go. I'll, uh, I'll catch up sometime later." She straightened up out of her seat just as Carrie grabbed her wrist.

"Why?" the blond demanded. Evelyn didn't have a good answer.

[Guest]

"Yeah even Ev didn't....wait what?!" James asked in disbelief catching Luke's gaze and he turned back and saw Evelyn seated at the table, well more like getting ready to take off where Carrie and the other girls were seated.

He didn't know why he was acting so shocked he knew she was coming to dinner but he was hoping since she hadn't been here or arrived late as he could tell that she had decided maybe to show up afterwards, he looked up at Luke and then away after catching Evelyn's brief glance, it sent shivers throughout his body.

James scanned the restaurant avoiding eye contact for a moment, his eyes landed on the host who just looked flabbergasted and even shocked that James had managed to sing (very well) because he had probably expected him to do something stupid, so that lifted his mood somewhat since his stage high had worn off when his eyes went to Evelyn.

He ran a hand through his hair and decided he would just walk over there, he turned around and walked over to the table and put on a charming smile and greeted the girls, "Hey, did you enjoy the show." His breath caught in his throat when he saw Evelyn in closer view, looking as stunning as always.

[Tiger-Lily]

Carrie grinned up at him. "Yeah, I had no idea you could sing like that! Not that you couldn't," her cheeks reddened when she realized she might have indirectly insulted him, "uh, you just don't look like a uh, singing type."

Luke stifled a grin. Carrie wasn't exactly the suave type. She was often too blunt and tended to get flustered easily. Exactly the opposite of the bronze-haired girl standing beside her.

But Evelyn didn't look so composed. She was firmly looking anywhere but at James as she tugged her hand free of Carrie's grip. Luke thought she looked like she wanted to bolt.

"Hey Ev, you're not leaving are you?" he asked cheerfully, deciding to lighten the situation. "We haven't made fools of ourselves here yet."

Evelyn looked up and flashed him a brief smile. For some reason, she looked half-confused. "Ye-yeah," she said shakily. "But I, um..."

"Let's order, shall we?" Luke suggested, nudging James to take a seat. Evelyn stayed standing until Carrie tugged her down into her seat.

***

If Evelyn thought she'd been confused about James before, the earlier curve-ball Jake had thrown her way just made her downright ill. She lost her appetite, even though she was now starving, again, thanks to that jackass Spaniard.

I should've brought him along and made him entertain me so I wouldn't have to look at James, she fumed. She clasped her hands in her lap and looked down at the menu in front of her and Carrie.

***
Carrie's outfit:

[Guest]

James sat next to Luke and gave Carrie a confused glance and just laughed, "Yeah I usually don't sing in public, actually I never do but um I kind of got me and Luke in this weird situation so hence the song and dance routine, but yeah I'm hungry what's good to eat in this fancy place?" James said taking the menu in his hands.

He looked over the options although he kept glancing at Evelyn who really did look like she was ready to slide under the table and make a run for it.

James figured he should stop staring and looked at the real pricey menu and he looked up at Carrie and said, "So you decided to bring us some place where we weren't dressed appropriately and go broke just ordering water?" He joked.

[Tiger-Lily]

"Oh, you're not paying," one of Carrie's friends, a dark-skinned brunette dressed like she'd come from a GUCCI catwalk, smiled flirtatiously at James. "It's on my dad's tab. Feel free to order whatever you like."

Evelyn shot Luke an amused glance. He scowled at her across the table. Evelyn flashed her first genuine smile and tried to restrain commenting on Luke's diet. She looked down at her menu, oblivious of James' glances because she was still frazzled over having to go back to campus and the dangers of running into Jake. As usual though, she noted, they had somehow ended up in a petty fight after all that awkwardness.

Carrie grinned, amused. "This is Sienna," she said, gesturing to the brunette who had spoken. "She was with me Friday night. And that is Sandra," nodding to the redhead seated on Luke's other side. "And Kate." Kate was a strawberry blond seated on Evelyn's other side.

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