Don't You Want the Way I Feel for You?

I swallowed my coffee and said “Um yeah actually I have met him.”

“Really?” Chris said while spreading strawberry cream cheese on a bagel.

“Yeah I’ve talked to him three times.”

“Stalker?” Chris teased.

I laughed, “Um no! I met him at Coachella and he also goes to the Starbucks I used to work at.”

“Wait, you’re Autumn?”

“I am I said this.” I chuckled

“No no no, I mean, you’re Darren’s Autumn?”

Did he just say what I think he just said…..

“Darren has an Autumn?”

“Yeah he was telling Cory and I about this girl he met at Coachella and how she makes an amazing passion tea”

Oh so I’m just the girl who makes his drinks? Bummer. I tried to hide my disappointment, but apparently I wasn’t doing a very good job.

“Oh my god no okay I made that sound really bad. He’s been talking about you a lot actually.”

“Really?” I said raising my eyebrows in disbelief.

“Yes really! Cory and I have been teasing him about you relentlessly. His face gets all red it’s in a word, adorable.”

“There’s no way, “ I laughed, “I don’t believe you.”

“I’ll prove it to you!” Chris said and pulled out his cell phone.

“What’re you doing?”

“I’m texting Darren telling him there’s egg bagels. The kid will come running.”

Within five seconds of Chris texting him, Darren sent back a reply.

“So?”

“Oh he’ll be here in like thirty seconds. Wait! Hide!” Chris said pushing me behind a nearby clothing rack.

“What?! Why!?” I cried.

“Because! I’m dramatically proving my point! Now get back there and be quiet”

I did as I was told and stood behind the clothes rack. I pushed aside a McKinley letterman jacket so I could see what was going on. I saw Darren practically sprinting up the hall to the breakfast table.

“EGG BAGELS BITCHES!”

I had to bite my tongue to prevent myself from laughing and giving away my hiding place.

“You have issues” Chris chuckled.

“Dude I freakin love egg bagels this is no joke” Darren said while picking up an egg bagel and spreading jelly on it.

“I heard Cory saying something about a rewrite?” Chris questioned.

“Oh yeah. So our number is being moved to next week. They made the cheerio number into my audition for glee club instead. I recorded the solo a few weeks ago but Ryan was still figuring out how to use it and now he’s figured it out”

“Oh okay that makes sense, “ Chris said while sipping some coffee, “what song is it now?”

“It’s not unusual” Darren said smiling.

“Oh that’s awesome!”

Darren enthusiastically took a bite of his bagel in response.

“So you and the cheerios huh?” Chris said while glancing in my direction, “You’ll be in choreography basically all day with the dancers.”

“Yeah I’m really looking forward to it. Ryan said there’s a couple new girls starting today so I’m really excited, you know I like making friends” He said with a goofy grin.

Chris glanced my way again and said, “So speaking of girls….how’s Autumn?”

Darren rolled his eyes and chuckled, “You and Cory are ridiculouss. Remind me to never tell you guys anything ever.”

“That doesn’t answer my question.” Chris pressed on.

“Ugh, okay I saw her yesterday” He said. Darren was biting his lip holding back a smile.

“Finally!” Chris said egging him on.

“I know! I’ve been going back like almost every day and she hasn’t been there. But then I ran into her in the parking lot yesterday. Literally ran into her.” He chuckled.

Chris widened his eyes in surprise, “Oh, well that’s interesting.”

“Yeah but it was nice to see her again. She seems really cool.” Darren said while pouring himself some coffee.

“Is she pretty?”

“What?” he stopped mid pour.

“Autumn…so she’s nice and was fun at Coachella is she pretty?”

“Um…I don’t know” Darren said while taking on the demeanor of a five year old, shy faces, staring at his shoes and all.

“Oh my god you’re blushing.” Chris laughed.

“Shutup! Blushing’s not cool” Darren said playfully glaring at him. He sighed,

“But yes, she is. Extremely.”

Oh my god….he thinks I’m extremely pretty? I can’t even like I don’t think I’m breathing right now. I peeked out from behind the clothes rack to look at Chris while Darren was turned around fixing his coffee.

“Oh my God” I mouthed.

“I told you!” He mouthed back. Darren started to turn around and I quickly hid again.

“What are you looking at?”

“Huh?” Chris said looking confused, “Nothing nothing. So extremely pretty huh? What does she look like?”

“Well she’s tiny but she’s so cute. And she’s got blue eyes and blonde hair. It’s ridiculously long like seriously I think she might be Rapunzel in her spare time.”

I chuckled to myself. My hair really was getting long it was almost to my belly button. I’d been layering it and trimming it for years to get this long and this healthy. I guess someone finally noticed.

“Uh huh, well you should get going. Choreography in TEN MINUTES right?” Chris said practically shouting the last part.

Oh shit I need to get moving.

“Yeah I’m gonna go back to my trailer to get my dance sneakers and then go to choreo in TEN MINUTES.” Darren said mimicking Chris

They both laughed, “I’ll see ya later on set buddy. Thanks for the heads up on the bagels!”

“No problem” Chris said smirking in my direction. Darren started jogging back down the hallway. He got about halfway when he turned around and started jogging backwards.

“DON’T TELL CORY ABOUT YOU KNOW WHO!” Darren called.

“Oh I will!”

Darren rolled his eyes and continued on his way. After checking to make sure he was around the corner and out of site I came out from hiding place.

“I told you so miss crazy long hair.” Chris smirked.

I felt myself blushing but I tried to brush it off, “I seriously need a haircut. But I should get going to choreography. I’ll see you later on set.”

“Oh no I’m coming with you. I need to see his face when you walk in. I might even take a picture.” Chris chuckled.

We both got to go cups of coffee and made our way back to the rehearsal building for choreography. We walked in and I saw Lily sitting on the floor stretching and talking to the some of the other dancers. She waved me over and I walked over with Chris.

“Hey! I see you found a friend while getting something to eat. Hi, I’m Lily”

“Chris, it’s nice to meet you,” he said smiling at Lily, “Hello ladies!” He said to the other regular dancers.

“These are some of the other dancers, Alex, Samantha, Lindsay, Norah, and Bethany. The other girls aren’t here yet.” Lily said gesturing the girls sitting next to her. They all smiled and waved.

“It’s nice to meet you all.” I said smiling back.

“Welcome to the family!” Norah said

“You girls are going to love it here we seriously have so much fun.” Alex added.

Samantha looked up at Chris and said, “Hey they changed things around the number’s just with Darren now. What’re you doing here handsome?”

“Wait it’s with Darren?” Lily cut in looking at me.

I was about to respond when a certain someone walked in the room.

“Chris what’re you doing here?”

At the sound of Darren’s voice Chris took out his phone and I turned around to face the doorway where Darren was standing.

“I walked here with a friend.” Chris said smiling

“With a frie-AUTUMN?!” Darren practically screamed. To say he looked surprised would be an understatement.

I laughed and looked at Chris, “Did ya get it?”

“Oh it’s going on Twitter.

“I can’t believe it, I mean how, are you on? Is this a? Am I dream-what are you?” Darren stuttered

“ Are you planning on finishing any of these statements and or questions?” I said placing my hands on my hips looking over at him.

He laughed and said, “I’m sorry I’m just so surprised you’re here, but happy too! When you said you’d be seeing me I didn’t think it would be so soon.”

“Lily and I are dancers and extras on the show now.”

“For the season!?” Darren exclaimed

“That’s the plan” I smiled.

“Well that’s awesome. I’ll be seeing you all the time then.”

“Um yeah I guess so.” I said while trying not to blush. I can’t believe he’s so excited to see me of all people.

“Okay everyone! Let’s get started!” Our choreographer Zach said, “Oh good Chris you’re still here. We actually need you for blocking in the number.”

***This is a note to any of you that watched the first episode of Season Three. Autumn will be dancing with the other Cheerios but also doing Naya’s part. It’ll just make it more fun and it’ll give Darren and Autumn so more interaction=) on with the story!***

“Well I didn’t know you needed me but I’m still here.”

“Okay the top of the number you and Darren will be up at the top of stairs, Darren you’ll slide down the banister and the first verse is really just you doing your own thing interacting with the extras eating lunch. Embrace your inner Carlton on this number." Zach chuckled.

“So I can do this?” Darren started doing the Carlton from The Fresh Prince of Bellaire. The whole room of dancers started cracking up.

“You’re freakishly good that.” Lily laughed.

“Oh,” Darren stopped, did a little spin , and then continued to dance, “I know.”

Zach laughed and said “Maybe not full on Carlton. But along those lines yes.”

Darren and Chris went up to the top of risers that had been set up in the dance studio to mimic the set.

“Now after you sing ‘But when I see you hanging about with anyone’ you’ll take off your sunglasses and toss them to Chris who at this point has made it down to the tables at the bottom of the stairs with the rest of the glee club. So you guys have that much time to move downstage to those positions.”

“Okay and what if I don’t catch the glasses?” Chris asked.

“That’s why we have editors.” Norah said. Everyone chuckled and Chris playfully stuck his tongue out at her.

“Do you guys wanna try that much just so Darren can get an idea of what he wants to do?”

“Yeah let’s do it.” Darren said.

“Okay! Bethany press play please.”

Bethany skipped over to the stereo and pressed play and the sound of big band horns filled the room. Darren playfully danced with Chris a little bit then slid down the “banister” during the intro and started doing a sort of jivey skip and step touch as the first verse started. He’d even put on his hot pink raybans to use as a prop. Darren started to sing along with his prerecorded voice as he moved around.

“It’s not unusual to be loved by anyone

It’s not unusual to have fun with anyone

But when I see you hanging about with anyone” Darren lightly tossed the sunglasses to Chris who to his own surprise caught them and continued to dance and sway along with Darren.

“It’s not unusual to see me cry

Oh, I wanna die.” Darren was doing really well with coming up with his own stuff and it was so cool to hear him sing live just having fun with it. Zach pressed pause on the music.

“Really good guys, just try to spread the movement out a little more Darren. Okay ladies we’re gonna start our first combination of moves during the second verse.”

Zach taught us the combination of moves for the second verse, involving lots of hip thrusting, ponying, hair spinning and doing the monkey.

“Okay for this next section you ladies will surround Darren and we’re going to have one of you dancing with him to distract from Naya pouring gasoline on the piano. So hmm let’s see.”

Zach stood back to see where we were all standing at this point of the dance. Some girls were a little more talented than others so he was probably going to pick one of the veteran girls who had been there longer.

“I think we’ll have Autumn dance this part. You’re in a really good spot to move center and you’re smaller than Darren so he won’t look short next to you.”

I laughed, I guess Darren is kind of small. I looked over at Darren and he smiled at me.

“Okay you girls will spin in with a three step turn into Darren on ‘Love will never do’ and strike a muscle man pose and punch your arms on the bum ba bum. Then body roll on ‘what you want it to.’ So let’s try that, Darren sing it for us. 5, 6, 7,8,”

“Love will never do” We all span in and I was standing next to Darren.

“Bum ba bum” We chuckled at Darren’s sound effects and struck our poses.

“What you want it to.” We all body rolled but Zach told us to stop.

“Okay Darren I don’t want Autumn to just dance next to you I want her to dance with you so you’re both the focal point, so put your arm around her waist when she spins in and then Autumn you’ll put your arm around his neck.”

“And body roll in that position?” I asked.

“Yes it’ll look so good. Then after the body roll girls you’ll do that fist pumping move we’ve done for the past few bum ba bums. Then monkey for ‘Why can’t this crazy love be’ then hurricane arms on mine. Autumn for that whole part you’ll have one hand on Darren’s shoulder. Then the two of you have a cute little hip shaking spin combo during the dance break after that.”

I looked over at Darren again and saw that he was still smiling. What is he thinking ugh.

“You guys got all that?” Zach asked. We all nodded and said yes.

“Okay let’s try it. Again, Darren sing for us. 5,6,7,8.”

“Love will never do” We all span in.

“Bum ba bum” I did the fist pump move and Darren wrapped his arm around my waist and I put mine around his neck.

“What you want it to.” I bit my lip and did the body roll and Darren looked right at me smirking the whole time and moved his hips a little bit with mine. I could feel myself blush.

We all punched our fists again Darren sang “Why can’t this crazy love be mine.” We did our monkeys and hurricane arms me with one hand on Darren’s shoulder while he shook his hips doing his own thing. His energy inspired me to put my own little spin on the moves and I did a more modest version of a booty drop at the end of the combo.

“Oh Autumn that was so good! I loved the part at the end. I want it just like that every time we do it I’m positive Ryan will love it.”

I smiled and said thank you. Zach taught the rest of the dance to us including my cute little dance break with Darren. The whole thing was really coming together and I couldn’t help but notice Darren was definitely being flirty with all of his parts with me. Zach said he wanted to try it from the top so we all started to move to our beginning positions. As I was passing Darren he lightly grabbed my arm to stop me and whispered in my ear,

“Dance party tonight at Dianna’s, rave themed so wear all the neon you can. Bring Lily but you’re my partner for the night.”

I felt like the wind had been knocked out of me and I looked up at him. He gave my arm a quick squeeze and winked at me before walking to the top of risers.

Holy shit….I need to find my hot pink cutoff ASAP.