A Valentine's to Remember
Part 1
"Shalom blogosphere and love birds!" With the halls of McKinley lined with red hearts and streamers as his backdrop, a certain frizzy haired teenager facing a camera, spoke in his squeaky voice. "Jacob Ben Israel reporting on McKinley's plans for the day of love."
"Since Artie couldn't deal with my need for constant attention, I'll be watching Dirty Dancing and eating ice-cream", said Becky Jackson, wearing her crisp, clean Cheerios uniform.
"Tina and I will be going to a contemporary dance competition". Replied Mike, following Jacob's question about Valentines.
"Will you be competing?"
"I was going to, but my Dad isn't willing to pay for the entry fee, and I can't afford it. He's supporting me, but he still isn't 100% okay with the idea of me not being a doctor. Plus, if I didn't win…" He looked around nervously, as if making sure he was out of earshot of Tina, "…I don't think it'd make me look too good."
"And what is the so named 'Klaine' doing for their first Valentines as a couple?"
"Since Blaine will still be in recovery on Valentine's Day, thanks to one meerkat faced warbler…" Kurt paused, grimacing at the thought of said face, "…We will be watching When Harry Met Sally in his hospital room, my idea of course." Kurt continued, his face now stamped with a wide grin.
"I thought maybe, Breadstix, because I know how much you love it there, and I have a surprise, too." Brittany smiled lovingly at Santana next to her.
"Awwww, Brit!" Santana placed her head on her girlfriend's shoulder.
"And do you have anything planned, Santana?" Jacob asked.
"Yes I do, but I'm not telling you yet, you have to wait." Her head still rested on Brittany's shoulder.
" … did you get me a unicorn too?"
"Shane and Mercedes, have plans for the big day?"
Shane replied quickly. "Baby, we don't need no day, ain't that right?
"Ah…" mumbled Mercedes, sounding slightly confused and shocked. "Yeah… I guess, yeah…"
" So I'm going to be going to the game with my buddies." At this, Jacob noticed her reaction, which must have been more obvious that Mercedes had hoped because Jacob asked, with a devilish grin "Anything wrong Mercedes? Trouble in paradise, perhaps?"
"No, no of course not…" Mercedes hastily lied, smiling politely, but still looking uneasy. It was at this moment that Sam walked past and he caught her eye. They smiled at each other, and Mercedes, realising the confused faces of both Shane and Jacob, started to panic slightly.
"I..I have to…" She stuttered. "I have to go, I'm sorry…"
"Well, I think that we'll just have dinner and watch a movie, nothing too fancy…" Finn said casually.
"Yes," Started Rachel, her trademark Rachel Berry smile, shinning at the camera, "A very romantic dinner, and a very romantic movie, of course."
"Yeah, yeah!" Finn's voice was slightly goofy, as it usually was when he was worried. "Besides, I'll be busy with my applications this week, so…"
"App… applications?" She cut off her boyfriend's words, simultaneously cutting off her starry grin towards the lens.
" Yeah, well I thought because you didn't get into NYADA I'd, try and get into somewhere…"
" … Oh, yeah of course"
" Are… are you okay?"
" Yeah… I've…" Rachel stammered. "…I've got … I'll… I've got to go…" And with that, Rachel rushed off through the oncoming hoard of students in the corridor. Jacob and Finn were left very confused, but the silence between them was broken by the school bell ringing loudly for first period, leaving Finn blinking mindlessly as the possible reasons for Rachel Berry's dramatic and abrupt departure.
Later that day in the choir room, love was certainly in the air. Couples were cuddling left, right, and centre, leaving a few singles sitting awkwardly amongst the public displays of affection. Rachel and Finn, although sitting next to each other, were not being as close as they usually were, presumably due to Rachel's confusing reaction to Finn applying for collages. The room was decorated with an array of pink and red hearts, with words including 'love' and 'One and Only' lining the walls, creating a sea of gold, pink and red. Quinn and Kurt, who were sitting together, were both feeling dizzy from the large patterns and becoming slightly ill. They exchanged a knowing glance as Mike continued kissing Tina even after she literally fell off his lap.
Mr Shuester walked in at this moment, and was quite obviously taken aback by the decorations. He had to take a step back and blink several times in order to allow his eyes to adjust.
"Whoa! Guys, who did the decorations?!" He asked, half grinning, half squinting and grimacing.
"Tina." Quinn and Kurt said at the same time, both of them with the same bitterness in their voice.
"Well, you can't blame me for wanting to make this place a bit nicer."
"Then why didn't you?" Quinn asked defensively.
Mike just shrugged. "I don't know what your problem is, I like it." This was followed by more kissing between Tina and him, to which Kurt groaned with annoyance.
"Okay guys, that will do. First of all, thank you Tina for the, ah…" Will paused, searching for a word that expressed his feelings but didn't hurt Tina's feelings. "… the… lovely, lovely decorations." He started clapping and many of the glee club members joined in, although some were sarcastic slow claps.
Mr Shue went to the white board and drew a large love heart.
"LO-URVEEEE! You all know what time it is, and if you didn't then you do now, thank you Tina. But last Valentine's, was a bit of a mess. People were fighting, and sick, and serenading people… but we all have to admit that didn't really work."
"You mean when Puck decided Fat Bottom Girls was a good song to sing to a girl?" Mercedes called out.
"Or when I broke down crying during Funny Valentine?" Added Tina.
"Exactly." Replied Mr Shue. "This year, I want us to focus on the love that we do have, or the love that we don't really need. Being single isn't a bad thing, and I want us to celebrate those aspects of love, and not how it can be hard without it."
"I completely agree, Mr Shue." Said Quinn, standing up. "And I have the perfect song, if you don't mind."
He motioned for her to come forward. "Not at all." Quinn made her way to the band and whispered the song name in one of the member's ears who, after nodding excitedly, passed the name of the song on to the rest of the band while Quinn moved back to the centre of the room.
"Everyone is so obsessed with being in a relationship, and so was I, but I've come to realise that you don't need someone to be happy. Just because someone doesn't want to be with you, doesn't mean there's anything wrong with you." She glanced quickly at Puck. "And in the end," she continued with a smile, "they're the only one missing out."
She nodded towards the band, and they started playing, a single classical guitar, met with a quiet piano, complementing the gentle strums on the strings.
One fine day,
You'll look at me,
And you will know,
Our love was meant to be.
One fine day,
You're gonna want me for your girl.
Those arms I long for,
Will open wide,
And you'll be proud
To have me by your side.
One fine day,
You're gonna want me for your girl.
The piano increased in intensity, but the song continued its gentle pace.
And I know,
You're the kind of boy, who,
Who only wants to mess around.
Well, I'll be waiting,
Someday daring,
You'll come to me,
When you want to settle down…
The last line continued into the next flawlessly, her voice perfect for the smooth transition.
… Oh one fine day,
We'll meet once more,
And then you'll want,
The love you threw away, before.
One fine day,
You're gonna want me for your girl.
Ooooh, ooo-ooo-ooohhhh…
And I know,
You're the kind of boy, who,
Who only wants to mess around.
Well, I'll be waiting
Cause, someday baby,
You'll come to me,
When you feel like chilling out…
One fine day!
We'll meet once more,
And then you'll want
The love you threw away before!
Oh, one fine day,
You're gonna want me for,
One fine day,
You're gonna want me for,
Her voice reached a complete high point of emotion as the song neared its end.
One fine day,
You're gonna want me for your,
For your…
Girl…
The music stopped as she finished singing and the room erupted in applause. Mr Shue was beside himself.
"Quinn!" he exclaimed with a cheesy grin on his face. "I've never heard you sing like that! We might just use that at regionals!"
Everyone was applauding and had smiles on their faces, even Kurt, who had been completely opposed to celebrating Valentines in Blaine's absence. And for a moment, even Rachel and Finn forgot their troubles and embraced each other. Quinn's song had done what Tina's decorations had aimed -but failed- to do; make the choir room a happier place, even if it was likely going to be short lived.