Modern Family (Luke Dunphy AU)

COAL DIGGER

"Let's go, buddies. Schooltime." Jay announced. "Oh, and Gloria, if you want to get together with the girls later, I could just, you know watch the football game or something."

"That means he wants to watch the football game." I said mouth full of French toaster sticks.

"I'm not talking to you. And don't talk when you're eating." He went next to me and Manny and saw him drinking coffee. "What are you drinking coffee for anyway?"

"It's my culture. I'm Colombian." Manny justified.

"Oh, I hate coffee. I don't know how you stand it." I complained. "Even the smell of it makes me want to puke." I put the 3 remaining French toaster sticks in my mouth and got up, wanting to go as far as possible of the Devil's beverage.

"Oh, yeah? What part of Colombia are those French toaster sticks from?" He said pointing to the food sticking out of my mouth.

"Babe, I'm not sure about the game. The whole family's coming over for the barbecue."

"That's today?"

"Sí." I answered, opening the fridge to drink orange juice.

"It's the Ohio State game."

"It's today? Gloria, can't the family come another time?" I pleaded.

She didn't even look at me. "No. Everybody can watch."

"I don't like watching the game with people who don't known the game. People talk." I agreed silently with him, nodding my head.

"You talk at our football games." Manny complained.

"For one thing, it's called soccer. And Celia is the only good player in your entire team, and she is always on the bench. I'm not taking a big risk."

"Well, if the coach wasn't such a jerk, maybe we could win some games." I mumbled.

"I heard you." Jay said. "How much of this did you drink?" He asked, showing what was left of the coffee.

"Give me a break. I have to climb a rope today."

"Well that explains it." I said leaving the room, and patting his shoulder on the way.

..............................^.^.....................................

Luke and Manny got caught in a fight during recess. They were in the principal's office and I couldn't focus on the English lesson because I was worried for them. I tried to ask if I could go to the bathroom but the teacher didn't let me. So I was waiting impatiently their return.

After five long minutes, they came back. Luke took his usual seat next to me. Without looking up from my textbook, I asked him:

"So?"

"He let it slide."

I looked at him to see he was already looking at me and we smiled at each other before focusing on the class.

...........................^.^..............................

All the Dunphy family arrived and I didn't get up to greet them. I just stayed on the couch to watch the football game. I blocked out all of their voices to focus on the game.

I sensed somebody touching my shoulder so I turned around.

"Do you wanna go play with us in the yard?" Luke asked me.

"No thank you." I said nicely.

Jay sat down next to me, and put his arm around my shoulder, putting me closer to him. We did our favorite activity together, watching TV without talking.