Frantic knocking on his bedroom window woke Artie from his dreams with a jolt, instantly sending messages to his brain that something had to be wrong with someone, who was now desperately needing him, waiting for him to let them climb into his room.
Reaching out a hand towards his nightstand, he lit his reading lamp, hurried to find his glasses and locate his chair for a quick, well-practiced transfer.
As he pushed off towards his window, he began to mentally got through the list of people it could be, standing on his backyard at 1 o'clock in the morning, apparently wanting nothing more than to talk to him. If it wasn't for the fact that his gut told him that something definitely had to be wrong for someone to pay a nightly visit to one Artie Abrams, he would have been flattered.
Then again. It could be a serial killer out there, ready to go all Mike Myers on him. Artie loved a good horror movie, but it only made him that more aware of the fact that his room was on ground level, making it accessible not only for him, but also for murderers, and apparently late-night visitors who didn't have the curtsey to use the front door.
Knowing the latter was probably the more likely, one of his friends being in trouble or something, his mind still lingered on the thought of being stabbed to death in his pajamas by some crazy convict, as he snapped his breaks into place and started fumbling to open the window. It wasn't like he didn't know it was pretty irrational of him to think that some raging killer in a Halloween mask would be waiting for him out there, but it wasn't like Artie ever expected someone to want to climb in through his window for a midnight chat either.
He couldn't make out who it was until the person was halfway through his window, drenched in the rain Artie hadn't realized until now was pouring down outside. It was Noah Puckerman, the McKinley high school bad boy who had recently become one of Artie's closest friends. Tutoring him in Geometry every Wednesday afternoon, like he had promised a couple of weeks ago, they had really started to hit it off. Never in a million year would Artie have thought just months ago that he, of all people, would be the one Puck apparently sought out in the middle of the night when something was bothering him.
"Dude. It's...", Artie paused as he looked over at his alarm clock. "1:27 a Tuesday. What are you doing here?" He motioned for Puck to sit down on his bed as he made his way across the room to park his chair directly in front of him. Last year, he'd rather be thrown in a dumpster that sit so close to Puck, comfortably within the range of his fist, a realization that made him all warm on the inside. That, however, quickly went away as Puck opened his mouth. Artie had been right, something was indeed wrong.
"I failed it", Puck started with a defeated tone, his eyes intensely focused on the rain wet piece of paper now clutched in his hands, just having been pulled out of his pocket. "Mom freaked when she found out. She knows I really tried this time, but I guess that just made it worse.", Puck sighed. "I mean, that I really tried, but failed it anyway."
Artie reached out his hand, wordlessly asking Puck for the paper, even though he had a pretty good guess of what it was. As expected, when his eyes quickly scanned the paper given to him, he saw a big red "F" next to the words "Geometry Test".
He'd be lying if he tried to convince himself that he wasn't disappointed by this, but Artie guessed the last thing Puck wanted to hear right now was just that. Not only did he seem uncharacteristically disappointed in himself, but from what he had just explained, his Mom didn't seem too happy with him either right now.
"Hey", Artie began, trying to keep his voice as positive as possible, even though a tiny part of him just felt like giving up, calling Puck a hopeless case and shoving him out the window he came in from. "There's always next time."
"What makes you think I'm not just gonna fail that one too?" Puck snapped. "I'm a Lima loser! Failing school is my freaking mutant power, dude!"
Artie couldn't help but laugh at that, but he quickly realized his mistake and forced himself to stop.
"Sorry", Artie quickly apologized, even though it wasn't like he was laughing at Puck, which he hoped he knew.
"Dude, stop apologizing!", Puck could feel every protective wall inside him crumble as he began rambling about quite personal things. "You're always apologizing! I tell you I failed the test you've been helping me to pass for weeks, and you apologize to me? I waste your time, you apologize! I'm the freaking stupidest kid in school, and you apologize! Just stop it!"
Artie was visually taken aback by his anger and frustration, which actually managed to calm Puck down a bit. He knew it wasn't fair to be taking his anger out on the one person who was actually there for him when he needed someone.
Letting out a long frustrated sigh, he muttered a quick "Sorry" under his breath. Artie just shrugged in return, flashing him a sympathetic smile to let him know that he understood his frustration.
"It's just...", Puck started, his head now cradled in his hands, utterly defeated. "I tried, I really did... but I guess I'm just hopeless", he threw his hands up as he got to his feet and made to leave, ready to just abandon their conversation and be gone.
"Hey", Artie called out, quickly turning around to follow his friend towards the window. "This will be your motivation to keep on trying.", he said. As Puck turned around, he saw the offending piece of paper that made his stomach twist being held out to him.
"I'm not giving up on you, and neither should you." Puck looked confused, not getting why anyone would care about him, especially not one of the smartest guys in school, smart enough to know a hopeless case when he saw one.
"I believe in you, Puck.", Artie stated with a smile, as he once again motioned for Puck to take the paper in his outstretched hand, which to his surprise, he actually did this time, although with a complete look of shock in his eyes.
"... You really believe in me?", Puck questioned, sounding as skeptical as if Artie had just suggested that he actually enjoyed being slushied.
"Yeah, I do.", Artie began to explain. "Just don't give up on yourself, and come to me whenever you need help." Realizing how serious that sounded, he quickly threw in something to lighten the mood. "Just bring a pair of dry clothes with you next time.", he said, nodding his head towards the wet bed his rain soaked friend had just gotten up from, knowing he'd have to change it before going back to sleep.
"Yeah. Sorry 'bout that, and I'm sorry for waking you, and-", Puck began, but was cut off by Artie, as he replied with a smirk on his lips
"You apologize too much, dude."