Save Me Darlin' - L. Huntzburger

iii

When a person tells you that you hurt them, you don't get to decide that you didn't. 

-Louis C.K

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It is Friday afternoon, the night of the gala. I am putting my dress on when I hear the voices of two people I did not want to see. I add lipstick and slide my heels on before exiting my room. 

"My goodness, you look beautiful Victorie." My grandma states as I step off of the last stair. I am wearing a beautiful sparkly red high-low gown. I have my hair down, with simple curls. 

"Yes, Victorie you look wonderful," Grandpa says. Both Lorelai and Rory are staring at me as I kiss both of my grandparents' cheeks. 

"I will be home Sunday. My homework is already caught up." I tell my grandparents. They are letting me go to this gala because it looks good for them with their circle of friends. 

"Where do you think you are going?" Lorelai asks like she has any say in what I do. 

"To a gala. I'm not needed here. If you haven't already realized, these Friday night dinners are so Grandma and Grandpa can see Rory and be a part of Rory's life." I state simply. Immediately after I finish speaking the doorbell rings. I open the door to see my three favorite people dressed nicely in tuxes. 

"Logan, Collin, Finn. It's nice to see you, boys." Grandma says. 

"It is lovely to see you as well, Mrs. Gilmore. I'm sorry we can't stay, we are running behind and need to leave now to make it on time." Collin replied to her respectfully. He knew if he didn't say we would be late, they'd be stuck talking to Grandma and Grandpa for at least an hour. 

"Well, then I won't keep you. Drive safely, and tell your parents we are sorry we are missing the gala." Grandma tells them. I say my goodbyes and walk outside. 

Before the door is shut I hear Lorelai ask "You just let her go out for a whole weekend with three boys? Not just one boy but three?" 

At that comment, I turn around. "I will say this once. You do not have a say in what I do. You do not have a say in whom I spend my time with. And lastly, you do not have a say in how Grandma and Grandpa parent me. Them raising me should never have been their job. But I wasn't good enough for you, which is why you dumped me on your parents. And just so you know, I am not you. I have plans for my future, and I will not make decisions that will affect my future negatively." By the end of my loud speech, Finn and Collin are on either side of me holding my hands. They both are also holding my arms, basically restraining me. Logan on the other hand holds my waist and rests his head next to my ear whispering to me, trying to calm me down. They have all been on the receiving end of my temper and know how much I loathe her. 

"On that note, we will be leaving. Have a goodnight, Mr. And Mrs. Gilmore." Logan says as he carries me to the car. 

Lorelai looked back at her mother who was hiding a smile. "You aren't going to say anything to her?" Lorelai asked bewildered. 

"Why should I? She wasn't in the wrong, yes she could have been kinder about how she said it, but every word was the truth. Why do you think she feels this way about you?" Grandma asks Lorelai. Emily Gilmore had to hold a young Victorie as she cried because she felt like she wasn't good enough for her mother. And honestly, Emily was waiting for Victorie to snap. She found it amusing to watch Lorelai be put in her place. 

"Why does she act like this is my fault?" Lorelai asked. 

"This is your fault Lorelai because you made her feel like she wasn't good enough for you when she was born. You made her feel like you didn't want her, and you treated her that way. No child should ever feel that way. Yet you made yours feel that way. Let that sink in." Richard Gilmore told his daughter as he looked at the one teenager walking back up to the house. "Logan, is something wrong?" 

"No sir. I just would like to say something if that's okay." Richard nodded his head knowing Logan knew how Victorie felt about Lorelai. "Lorelai. I am Victorie's best friend, and as her best friend I feel like I need to say this. You may have brought Torrie into this world, but you weren't there for her. Emily and Richard have been there for everything, and once I met Torrie, I was the one that was there for her. Did you ever wonder where she went during the holidays when you and your daughter came here? She was with me. Every time. We were either hiding in her room, or she came to my house. Do you know how hard it is to hold your best friend and try to fix what you didn't break while she cried her eyes out on your shoulder? Or tell her every day that she is enough because her mother made her feel unworthy, and made her feel like she was never enough and never will be. I am in no place to tell you what you should or shouldn't do with your life, but don't for one second think you can come into Victorie's life 16 years later and be her mom. She doesn't need you now, because when she needed you, you weren't there." Logan takes a deep breath and looks at Richard, "I apologize if I overstepped, but I am tired of seeing my best friend heartbroken. I would also like to ask if from now on, it is okay if Victorie comes to my house on Fridays. And if not, then I would like to be invited on Fridays she has to be here, so this situation doesn't happen again."

"I believe we can make that work. Every other Friday she is home, and the Fridays she is not home she is with you. Thank you for taking care of her. We appreciate that she has you." Grandma tells Logan. Logan nods his head and kisses Grandma's cheek before getting in the backseat of the car with Torrie. 

"We have a plan Darlin, your grandparents, and I. Every other Friday you will be present at Friday night dinners, but I will be accompanying you." Logan holds me as he tells me this. I initially groan, then realize Logan will be with me. 

"And if something comes up, Collin or I, if I'm in town, will accompany you," Finn tells me as he grabs my hand and kisses it. Collin nods his head as he drives us to the gala. Once we get to the gala, half an hour late, I try to enjoy myself and forget about what happened earlier tonight. 

We leave the gala around midnight, all slightly tipsy except Collin as he is the one driving. We head to a hotel for the weekend and after many movies, slices of pizza, and laughs, I fall asleep in Logan's arms with a smile on my face. 

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My wake-up call Saturday morning is not what I consider a lovely one. I wake up around 9 while all the boys are asleep. I immediately hear Finn throwing up the contents of his stomach in the bathroom. He likes to think he can handle his alcohol, but we all know he can't.

 I try to move, but Logan has his arms wrapped around my waist, our legs entangled. This is no different than normal when I stay with him, but this time feels different. I don't know why. Maybe it's the butterflies I feel as I look at his beautiful face. Or the sparks I feel at the touch of his arms holding me. Or how natural it feels to stay wrapped up like this with him all day. 

I lightly trace Logan's features, slowly as to remember every little detail. I only stop when he grabs my hand and pulls it down to his chest. "That tickled Darlin" Logan groggily tells me with his eyes still closed. He holds my hand against his chest and we lay like this for a while. 

As we lay there, many things are running through my mind. But one thing sticks with me. 

I think I'm in love with my best friend. I am in love with my best friend. I am in Love with Logan Huntzberger. 

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Season 1 Episode 3