This story was inspired by the book Emma by Jane Austen. I must admit, it's different than most of the Artina fanfics here and this is the longest one shot I've ever written in my life (including the one shots I wrote from my other account).
If you can't handle too much weirdness, I suggest you step out of your computer/laptop screen now. This is crazy and a bit childish (a bit fairytale-like, maybe?), but it's just the way I like it.
Tina Cohen-Chang often wondered what life would be like if she had a boyfriend. Would it have been more beautiful or difficult? Because, let's face it, among all high school relationships, only very few really last long. Most teenagers are fools of love. So why put up with so much pressure of that?
So Tina confidently restricted herself from the confines of any romantic affairs. She mostly keeps to herself, rarely opening up to anyone except when she's in Glee club, or with her wheelchair-bound best friend Artie Abrams. Those two were attached to the hip. They both didn't have lots of friends, and they love each other's company. So Tina found comfort in being around him, in spite of her semi-phobia of being around other people. Her parents were always busy with work to keep her company anyway.
In all honesty, of course she was in love with him!
And of course, in those rare times that fate is kind to you (perhaps too kind), he asked her out on a wheelchair date. They raced down the halls of the school, just the two of them, and she couldn't have been any happier. Her face glowed and he noticed it. She suddenly felt bold and confident. Then, after much debating and hesitation deep in her, she got out of the wheelchair, bent down to level Artie's face with her own, and pressed her longing lips to his quite shocked once. It wasn't long, but it was sweet and filled with emotion. He had on the most sheepish smile she'd ever seen him wear. He mumbled thanks to her and she sat back down on her own wheelchair. Then, she began to confide in him her biggest secret, which then turned out to be the biggest mistake of her life. She remembered that time all too well. And it pains her everytime that nostalgia creeps up to her. She remembered his pained words…
"Artie, I'm sorry—"
"I'm sorry too." Tears seemed to struggle in his blue eyes, "I'm sorry that you get to be normal, and I'm still stuck in this chair. And that's not something I can fake."
And with that, he rolled away from her in utter disgust.
The next few weeks have been awkward, to say the least. But they did their best at pretending to be friends—not doing a good job at it though. It did not pass by all the other glee-clubbers' eyes that they were now sitting at the very far end of the room, sitting as far away from each other as possible. They didn't talk much like they used to, just the occasional pleasantries at the most. Eye contact was out of the picture.
They did a bad job of pretending to be friends, but at least they did a good job at pretending not to hate each other's guts.
Except Tina, she could never hate him. How could she? He did nothing wrong, after all. She fucked up their relationship and she knew it.
So one day, she decided to confront Artie. She just couldn't stand the feeling she gets when it suddenly dawns on her that she just lost her best friend ('suddenly' meaning everytime in her life that she breathes). And boy oh boy, did she remember that too.
She stomped down the halls, determined to finally meet her goal—Artie. Her fists clenched, face twisted in fury, and hair flying wildly to the way she bounces in every step she made. Confidence radiated from her. She was sure nothing could stop her now.
There he is, she thought. She could see him just ten feet away from her, him staring at her with wide eyes. This is it, she mentally chanted to herself over and over, You're gonna get your best friend back. He better accept this apology or I might not be able to live with myself ever again…
…When four football jocks stopped her in her tracks.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa! Slow down there, Stutterfly! What's the big rush?" One of them taunted.
"Leave me alone," she said, still determined to reach the goal.
"Ow, dude, let's not forget she's not a Stutterfly no more." Another guy said. They were now backing her into a corner.
"So what is she now? It ain't no fun picking on someone without a nickname."
"Let's see, other than the obvious fact that she dresses like a lesbian and a hooker at the same time… She seems to be the only girl in school—heck, maybe even the entire world! —to actually be in the charms of cripple boy." The final jock smirked.
Tina felt outraged at that.
"I'll have you know that Artie Abrams is the most charming and eloquent guy ever, and is a centillion times a man than you—" She didn't get to finish her sentence as she felt cold blue slushie thrown at her head from the top. When a slushie was thrown that way, it was hard to wash it out. Tina had never been so embarrassed in her life as the jocks laughed and high-fived each other. One of them leaned in to Tina, and whispered, "You better watch your words, you naughty girl" and smacked Tina's butt before they walked away.
Tina felt like she could curl into a corner and bawl her eyes out of tears and some cold dripping slushie. Sobs came through her lips and her knees gave way. Everyone had gone to class. She was all alone.
"Here," a male voice said. He handed her a fluffy white towel. She took it and there was no mistaking who it was just by the smelling the towel when she rubbed it on her face.
"A-artie," she said breathlessly.
"You can drop the stutter now, Stutterfly."
Tina nodded meekly, bowing her head in shame. More tears pooled in her eyes. She carefully handed back the towel, not looking up at him, and muttered a silent thanks. She stood up, turned around and was about to walk away when Artie grabbed her wrist, forcing her to spin around and slushie drops hit Artie's face, but he couldn't care less. He had a mission he had to complete. Tina tried to pull her hand away but he kept a firm grip on it.
"Tee, can we talk?"
"What?! Can't you see I'm already broken down as it is?!! Why won't people just leave me alone?!!" She screamed down the halls and Artie tugged her hand down, somehow managed to spin her around so her back was to him, and used his free hand to cover her mouth as she might trigger unwanted attention from nearby classrooms. Tina had no choice but to sit down on Artie's lap. She felt like a hostage.
"Tina will you shut up and listen to me?" She nodded reluctantly.
"I'm really sorry—" Tina was about to cut him off but he wouldn't have that. She bit his finger so she would be free to speak.
"What the hell are you apologizing for? It's quite clear that all this was my fault. I shouldn't have lied."
"But I acted like a total jerk, in fact, I acted worse than a total jerk—I acted like a total Puck!"
A few more minutes of hopeless banter, Tina finally held out her hand.
"Agree to disagree?" She offered.
"Sounds good to me," he shook her hand.
However, it was a surprise to her when, one lunch day in McKinley High, she went to the bathroom after having yet another slushie facial from the jocks and finding Rachel Berry in there, crying her eyes out. Rachel was in the Glee club with her, but not everyone really liked her because, even though she's one with such incredible talent, she's a star and she knows it. She's vain and very acquainted to self-appointed leadership. But Tina couldn't help but crumble at the sight of her gripping the sink's edge with her eyes like a waterfall. When she saw Tina, she quickly turned her back and asked, "What are you doing here?" with a weary voice that's obvious she'd been crying for a long time.
"Um, I'm sorry, last time I heard this was a public restroom." Tina answered sarcastically. Rachel rolled her eyes while Tina was unaware of it.
"I'm really sorry to have to say this to you, but can you please just leave me alone? I don't want anyone seeing me in this state in all reality. Will you promise to keep it between the two of us?" Rachel said, grabbing some tissues and dabbing them under her eyes.
Tina sighed. She doesn't want anyone to be miserable. "Is there something wrong?"
Rachel stared at her blankly, like a deer caught in headlights.
"I want to help. I know we may not be the best of friends, but I really don't want anyone suffering."
"I wish you could," Rachel said, glancing at her shoes. Tina had never seen her more vulnerable, "But it's kind of personal."
"Rachel, it just feels like I have to get into this somehow," she said, which was true. Though she wasn't sure what feeling that was, she had full confidence in it.
"Okay, but please don't tell anyone?"
"I promise," she said, raising her hand.
"I really like Finn—"
"Oh trust me, you didn't need to say that," Tina said with a scoff. Rachel frowned but chose to ignore.
"—but I'm not sure how to approach him. With all the baby drama and finding out he's not the dad… I don't know, I just don't feel things working out with him. I sort of…maybe…wanted to help? I'm not really sure right now."
"Rach—"
"I know he needs time, but he deserves a better life. He's a good guy, you know?"
"Okay, so what exactly do you want me to do?"
"Can you please set me up on a date with Finn? I promise I'll owe you BIG TIME if you do it! Please? Please? Pleeeeaaassse?"
Tina was quite shocked, but she doesn't want to see her in tears ever again so she decided to oblige.
"Okay, fine. But if anything goes wrong or if he starts to take the hint, I'm gonna drop the bomb on him!"
"YAY!! I knew you'd be a nice person, Tina!" Rachel squeezed the air out of her with a hug. Tina, not being a hugging type of person (except when it's with a certain someone), weakly put her arms on Rachel's back until she decided to let go.
Tina wasn't sure how to do her job as a wingman (or was it wing-woman?) but she just decided to act upon instinct. She didn't really know what motivated her into this situation either. But there's this feeling in her gut telling her that she should.
At Glee club, while Mr. Schuester still hasn't arrived, Tina shyly walked up to the place opposite Finn and flashed him a friendly smile.
"Hi, Tina!" He said cheerily. Wow, someone's in a good mood, she thought.
"Hi, Finn! How's it going?"
"Pretty good, actually. Time's on my side, it seems."
"I'm glad to hear that," she said, smiling wide.
On the other side of the choir room, sitting on his trusty wheelchair, was Artie Abrams, staring intently at the goth girl talking cheerily to the school's superstar quarterback—and he seemed to mirror her reactions. Now normally, he'd have been happy for her (he'd been wanting for her to get a guy for AGES!) but this just seemed to upset him. He didn't know why. Maybe it's because Tina was hitting on the wrong guy? Finn has had a lot of drama before. Not to mention she'd surey face the terminating wrath of Rachel (he shivered at the thought)! But it just occurred to him that he never did think of who the right guy for Tina would be. Cause if it isn't Finn, who is? Puck? Nah, he's a man-whore. Kurt? You have got to be kidding me. Other Asian? Seemed fitting, but they never really did have that good connection with each other. Artie himself? Wait, he thought, no! I can't date my best friend! And I really shouldn't be having thoughts about all these boys either, they're starting to become unhealthy!
And yet, as he continued to watch the scene of Tina coming on to Finn right in front of him, he couldn't help the feeling as if a raging monster was trying to claw out of his stomach. Was it... jealousy? Could he really be jealous of losing Tina to Finn? After all, a cripple kid has nothing on a football quarterback. And he always did find Tina attractive.... Wait, what?! He just felt so confused. But there was just no mistaking the raging clawing monster in his stomach.
Sure they kissed, but ever since they decided to make up, it was as if the dreadful first date never happened. So Artie was beginning to have second thoughts about his feelings.
Artie spent the rest of Glee practice "accidentally" rolling over Finn's foot maybe once or twice.
"Hey, Tina! Wait up!" Finn said to Tina before she got up to leave. Tina turned around and nodded.
"What's up, Finn?"
"So you're telling me that... I should give Rachel a chance? Won't that seem kind of twisted since I just called things off with Quinn?"
"No, it won't be. All of us expected you guys to come together somehow." She said with a shrug.
"But that's..." Finn paused for a few moments, trying to find the right word, "wrong, right?"
"I mean, you and Rachel have great chemistry together. You should at least hang out."
Finn thought over it for a few minutes. "Sounds good."
Tina flashed him a big smile before heading out, running to catch up with her best bud Artie.
"Didn't see you much at practice today," Artie said glumly as they walked/rolled on their way home.
"Sorry, I was talking with Finn." Tina said, not wanting to throw out any other details as she swore to Rachel she wouldn't tell anyone.
The raging clawing monster in Artie's stomach thrashed and growled, it was as if Artie could feel it.
"Yeah, he's a nice guy," Artie said quietly and that was the last phrase from both of them. Tina felt she'd upset Artie, but she knew better than to intervene. The weather was really nice and she just hoped it would cheer Artie up at least.
The next day, Tina went to her locker, grabbing her books as usual. She was disappointed to see that Artie wasn't there at the bus stop that morning. And he didn't send her a text or anything that said he'd be absent. She didn't see him at her locker too, and that's their usual first stop when arriving to school. She was beginning to get a little worried that she'd upset him too much or something happened to him.
"TINA!"
"AHHHH!" She screamed, turned around to the voice, and sighed in relief to see it was only Rachel.
"Thank you, thank you, thank you so much! I could KISS you right now!"
"I couldn't."
"Finn asked me out to grab some smoothies later. I can't believe it!"
"Wow, that easy?"
"He said he'd be delighted. Aren't you excited?"
"Yeah, very excited. Congratulations, Rach." She said, not really enthusiastic, but Rachel couldn't really care less.
Then Rachel frowned.
"Where's Artie?" She asked, eyebrow rose in complete confusion.
"I don't know," Tina answered, surprised at the amount of melancholy in her voice, "He didn't show up at the bus stop today. I figured he'd be absent."
"No, I saw some wheelchair around the halls today. I was just wondering why he's not with you."
"You did? Oh my, where is he??" Tina said, grabbing Rachel's shoulders. Rachel shrugged. She looked furious.
"Sorry," she muttered, flashing another smile at Tina, and then her face went back to utter fury and stormed off.
Tina scratched her head.
"Guys, quick! Emergency meeting in five minutes!" Rachel shouted into the phone as she marched the halls and headed into their "headquarters" which was really just an old tree a few feet away from the school grounds. She didn't even care that she was cutting class.
"Right!" Kurt and Mercedes both answered to the phone and marched off to the same place.
At the headquarters....
"Listen guys, I don't think it's working well. He was nowhere to be found!" Rachel frowned.
"I saw him today by the gym," Kurt commented, "But he didn't really stop to say hello like he usually did."
"Guys, something's up. And unless we find out what that 'something' is, our plan would NEVER work!" Mercedes said, throwing her hands up in the air.
"Right, so anyone got any ideas?" Rachel looked at both of them. Kurt raised his hand.
"I suggest the janitor's closet!" Rachel and Mercedes both looked at him as if he were swallowing gun bullets.
"Never mind!" Mercedes said, "I got a better idea." She smiled devilishly as the three people gathered around and talked of their plans.
Back at the school....
"Hi, Artie!" Rachel said to Artie as he clutched his heart at the surprise.
"Rachel! Fancy meeting you here..." he trailed off awkwardly. They were at his locker.
"I saw you earlier by the halls. Why didn't you say hello?"
"Look, Rachel, it's not that I'm being rude and all, but I really must get to cla—"
"It's just...not you to be like that..." She said, putting her hand on Artie's arm. He wanted to flinch away, but didn't want to be impolite.
"Yeah, well, I'm not really in the mood right now. I sorta... have this... thing, okay?" And then he wheeled off to his next class.
Rachel smiled. Everything's going according to plan.
At Glee practice, it was announced that they weren't going to be performing anything today, just Mr. Schue discussing some music fundamentals. Rachel was delighted at that since she would do anything to get her plan into action.
She set her eyes on Artie, walking towards him and choosing the seat next to him. Artie found it strange but decided to shrug it off. Although, as the minutes ticked by and Mr. Schue droned on and on, he noticed Rachel slowly edging closer and closer to him. On his other side was Tina, who was hardly even paying attention to him. She was too engrossed with what Mr. Schue had to say. Artie wished he was, too, but the extreme awkwardness of Rachel sitting beside him kept him from doing just that.
Rachel then put her arm casually on Artie's armrest. This time, Artie was REALLY awkward. The room felt so hot all of a sudden. The only girl who dared to be that close to him was Tina. And yet, here he was, sitting there, and finding the last person on earth he thought would do it now doing it.
Then, Rachel "accidentally" dropped her handkerchief on Artie's lap. By chivalrous instinct, he grabbed the hankie and handed it to her. Rachel smiled flirtatiously and said a semi-seductive 'thank you' to him. This really caught Tina's attention.
That day, Tina stormed off quite early before Artie could ever catch up with her and walked home alone.
The next day, Rachel made sure that Artie and Tina wouldn't meet at her locker. She told Artie that a jazz club meeting was taking place and was wondering why he wasn't there. Artie bought it and immediately strolled off to the jazz clubroom and by the time he realizes he'd been tricked, it would've already been too late to go back to Tina's locker.
Rachel found Tina at her locker. She was sad again because Artie didn't meet up with her for the second time in a row. She was beginning to wonder if she was offending.
"Hi, Tina," Rachel greeted her warmly.
"Hey," she said simply, grabbing the last of her books from her locker. "See ya' later."
"Wait!" Rachel said, stopping Tina by grabbing her arm, "I came by to tell you something."
Somehow, Tina felt nervous about this. "W-what?"
Rachel acted glum. "I really appreciated all your effort in setting me up with Finn and all, but... I think it's time for you to stop."
"You giving up on him?!" Tina asked, shocked at the revelation of RACHEL giving up on FINN!
"Well, now that I've come to my senses, I thought about it and realized that Finn's just not ready to elope just yet. He's still suffering from the trauma of Babygate. I think it's best to leave him alone for a while."
"Well, I must say, Rachel Berry, I am shocked."
"Me too," she sighed. "But don't worry, I found myself another man!"
"What?! Already? Wait, I thought you don't like Puck?"
Rachel looked around for eavesdroppers and motioned for Tina to lean in. And Tina did.
"Tina," she sighed heavily, "I think Artie likes me."
Tina was stunned. She felt like Rachel slapped her face, punched her nose, and kicked her stomach all at the same time.
"You do?!"
"Yeah. Didn't you see the two of us yesterday at Glee? He was such a gentleman!" She trailed off dreamily.
"Rachel, are you sure about this? I mean... he's in a wheelchair and he probably won't be able to... you know.." She reasoned, though she knew full well that he still has full use of his man part.
"I don't care, Tina. I think I really like him too." And Rachel pranced down the halls, once again satisfied that all those years of acting really came through for her.
Tina, still stunned, couldn't move. Until the bell rang, signaling for her to march off to her class or face the consequences.
At Glee practice, everyone was present--except for two significant beings that 'mysteriously' vanished. Rachel, Kurt, and Mercedes told the whole club of their situation, and they all decided to go along with it (Mr. Schue wasn't really in on the plan, but he was outnumbered).
Artie and Tina were now stuck in the Janitor's closet. The jocks found their way to throw them in there. And they were desperately trying to get out because the door could only be opened from the outside.
"Don't worry, Tee," Artie said optimistically, "We've been stuck in worse places before!"
"Artie, will you please shut up? I really don't want to miss a day of Glee." She kicked the door hard, but to no avail.
Artie sat back on his wheelchair, shocked and rigid. He had never been told by Tina to 'shut up' before. She must be very upset.
"Then will you at least stop kicking the door and making annoying noises and just accept the fact that we're stuck in here until someone willingly opens it?!" His temper mixed with hormonal feelings at being around Tina mixed together to form one ugly mood.
"What's your problem, Artie?! I thought you'd be in a good mood right now! Getting into Rachel Berry's pants and all." She rolled her eyes. Sure she was overreacting, but she was way past caring.
"What? My problem? And who said I'm getting into anybody's pants?! Just look at you, coming on to Finn Hudson, for freakin Peter's sake—Finn Hudson!" He threw his hands wildly in the air.
"I did no such thing!"
"Did too!"
"Did not!"
"Did too!"
"Rachel made me set her and Finn up on a date so I talked some sense into him, okay!"
"Why the hell would you do that?"
"Because I'm a good citizen! Why should you care?!"
"Because I happen to be your bestest best friend and know you better than you know yourself and I know for a fact that you're never very fond of Rachel!"
"So are you! And yet you come on to her really strong!"
"Where did you get that idea?!"
"She told me this morning that you like her, Artie! There's no escaping it!"
"What?! I did no such thing!"
"Did too!"
"Did not!"
"Did too!"
"You know what, Artie Abrams? You are a big rotten mess!"
"Well you're an even bigger rotten mess than I could ever be!"
"I can't believe it would ever come to this, Artie!"
"I believe it have!"
Tina narrowed her already narrow eyes at him and bent down to level herself face-to-face with him.
"I can't believe you'd be so impartial on your best friend, thinking she's acting like a hooker just by chatting up a casual conversation with the school quarterback!"
"I can't believe you'd be so prejudiced upon seeing me as an infinite scum just because some Glee club superstar decided to flirt with me! Wait! Are you jealous, miss Cohen-Chang?" He challenged, smiling now. Their noses were millimeters apart.
"No!" She lied quickly, "Maybe you're the one who's jealous!"
Artie felt sweatier, but shook his head and managed to keep a stern face.
The next words spoken flowed out of their mouths without thinking.
"You're so unfair, Artie, I don't know what I actually see in you!"
"Oh yeah? Well I don't know why, even after all the pain you've cost me, I still love you so much!"
"You think that's painful? Try being rejected by the love of your life for five years, Artie—five stinkin years!"
"Then too bad! Cause you know what? I have already been rejected by the love of my life for five stinking years—and I still don't care!"
"I know you don't! You don't even care enough to kiss me right now as we're having this ridiculous battle!"
"But I do care!"
"Oh yeah?"
"Yeah!"
"Then I dare you, Arthur Abrams, I double dare you!"
And with that, he didn't hesitate further as she grabbed her face tight and closed the distance between their lips. This one was a bit more forceful than the first, but with the same amount of meaning. When they part, Artie smirked.
"I told you I care."
"Then I'll dare you another one."
"What?"
"Kiss me again." She straddled his lap and his arms instinctively went around her waist.
And he did. And let's just say there were lots more dares from both of them for the rest of the hour.
At the end of their hour, Rachel opened the Janitor's closet and Artie and Tina were both surprised to see the whole of Glee club right behind her, all smiling knowing smiles that managed to bring the heat up their faces.
"Congratulations, guys!" Rachel cheered, but not to the new couple, but to the lot behind her. "Our mission was a success!" Then they all cheered. Artie and Tina could only look at them in confusion.
"Wait," Tina spoke, "So…all this was a set up?"
"You bet it is!" Finn spoke up and made his way to Tina. Artie eyed him warily and tightened his grip on Tina. She couldn't help but giggle at his protective impulse.
"It was nice of you to help and all," Finn finally said, "But Rachel and I are kinda already dating now."
"You are??!" They both said.
"Yeah, and so all of us decided to conduct a little experiment together," Mercedes said, smiling wide, "The effects of jealousy on a couple that was always meant to be."
"Um…this is too much, guys," Tina said softly, "I think I'm ready to head home now."
She climbed off of Artie's lap (she had forgotten to untangle herself due to surprise) and started to walk away. Artie followed her.
"And there goes a legendary couple." Kurt sighed dramatically, "Don't you just love happy endings?" He said when they were well out of earshot.
All the others nodded.
Thanks so much for wasting your time to read this! PLEASE review, please? I will love you every single moment of your breathing life if you do.
And who doesn't want to be loved?