Don't Laugh At Me
"Watch out guys!" a tall black football player sheered, alerting half the hallway in McKinley. "It's the fairy boy!"
The aforementioned boy was a mere junior. He was tall, but frail looking. His stark white skin already littered with bruises that had yet to heal from the day before. A constant reminder that he was different. Swallowing the lump in his throat, Kurt Hummel walked past the crowd of jocks trying to hold his head high. But his heavy heart was weighing it down. The group of jocks that had accompanied that black boy joined in on his laughter and ridicule. It was no secret that Kurt was gay. So the football team made it there job to make his life miserable. No one bothered to stand up for him, in fear of being bullied themselves. Many looked on in sympathy, but it did nothing to aid the poor boy.
A pair of honey eyes watched the scene unfold from behind a set of lockers. The girl whom the eyes belonged to wore a frown. One so deeply etched it looked like she was incapable of a smile. She sighed and turned, walking in the other direction.
!
!
!
Artie had been paraplegic since he was eight years old. That accursed car crash took away his mobility in a matter of seconds. He never felt helpless though. Artie could do most anything a normal teenage boy could, but with a few modifications. His upper body was stronger than most athletes, due to having to lift his own weight on a daily basis. His disability wasn't the only thing that drew in the bullies. He wore thick glasses to aid his sight. He loved rap music, comic books and online video games. He had a real talent with his voice, but chose not to ignore it. Knowing how much more ammo that would give his tormentors. Ice cold slushies would be thrown at him every other day as a reminder that he would never fit in because he was a cripple and a geek. And today was no different. The hockey team loved to pick on Artie, knowing he couldn't wheel away fast enough to avoid them. So instead of trying to run, Artie would take the slushies in stride. He only sat still as wave after wave of ice and flavoring was poured over his head. When the damage was done, the older boys would leave him alone.
The hazel eyed girl saw everything and her frown grew in size with every insult or thrown drink. Her heart broke seeing the defeated look on Artie's red stained face as he wheeled away to his locker to get his spare clothes.
!
!
!
A very pretty blonde smiled warmly at the picture stuck to the inside of her locker door. A small baby around six months old stared back at her with a toothless grin. Beth was written in pink curly letters above the baby's picture. Quinn blew her child's picture a kiss before she grabbed her books needed for class. However, her high spirits dropped when she heard the familiar calls of 'slut', 'whore' and 'disgusting' thrown at her from the group of cheerleaders passing by her. Her greenish brown eyes watered with tears but she refused to let them fall. She needed to be strong for her daughter. The same pair of eyes that had watched Kurt and Artie caught every moment of the blonde's pain. Quinn wiped her eyes gently with a tissue and inhaled deeply, preparing herself for another day being ridiculed for a past mistake.
!
!
!
Another blonde, with an unusually large smile walked into the boy's locker room wearing the same outfit he'd adorned the day before. No one spoke to him, only looks of hatred or disdain was thrown his way. Everyone knew. Sam Evans was basically homeless. His parents had died a few years ago from a hit and run. Sam did everything he could to help his family, namely his younger brother and sister, but it wasn't enough. The small odd jobs he'd come across would only suffice for a few days before he'd be completely broke again. He lived in a one bedroom motel room with his entire family. Needless to say it was uncomfortable, but Sam did what he had to do to get by. The promise of needing weekly garden care from the elderly lady down the street gave Sam a sense of security. The widow could only pay the blonde ten dollars a week to help keep her roses in bloom, but to Sam, ten dollars was a small fortune. Most of his wages went to persuading the owner of the motel to let the Evans family stay put. The hazel eyed girl with blonde and pink streaked hair looked on from the open door. Sam turned in time to catch her stare and offered a lopsided grin. The girl's expression never changed, she did however offer him a small wave.
!
!
!
When the last bell rang that afternoon, Kurt, Artie, Sam and Quinn along with a few others made a B line for the choir room. The sight that met them was anything but ordinary. Mr. Shuester, the director for Glee club stood beside the baby grand piano with his hand resting on the strange girl's shoulders. No one knew her, aside from Sam who'd caught a small glimpse of her earlier that day.
"Everyone, this is Avery Trescott." Shuester spoke, gesturing to the girl. Everyone sized her up, seeing nothing more than a sophomore drowning in a large black hoodie and blue jeans. Her eyes held every emotion possible, which was what had the club in rapture. "She's our newest member, and therefore, has to audition for us." Shuester handed the girl an acoustic guitar, which she took gratefully.
Avery slung the shoulder strap over her head and strummed the guitar gently, making sure four people in particular was paying attention before continuing.
"I'm a little boy with glasses, the one they call a geek.
A little girl who never smiles cause I've got braces on my teeth.
And I know how it feels to cry myself to sleep."
Avery's voice was soft but strong. Her eyes were downcast as she sang, trying to hide the tears pouring down her cheeks.
"I'm that kid on every play ground who's always chosen last
A single teenage mother trying to over come my past.
You don't have to be my friend, but is it too much to ask...
don't laugh at me
don't call me names, don't get your pleasure from my pain.
In God's eyes, we're all the same
And some day we'll all have perfect wings
Don't laugh at me.
Avery raised her head to show the group the tears she'd been trying to hide. To her surprise, some mirrored her. But those four she was singing for seemed to have a stony expression.
"I'm the cripple on the corner, you pass me on the street.
I wouldn't be out here beggin' if I had enough to eat
And don't think I don't notice our eyes never meet.
I lost my wife and little boy to someone who crossed that yellow line
The day we laid them in the ground is the day I lost my mind
Right now I'm down to holding that little cardboard sign.
So don't laugh at me, don't call me names.
Don't get your pleasure from my pain.
In God's eyes, we're all the same
And some day we'll all have perfect wings.
Don't Laugh at me
I'm fat, I'm thin, I'm short, I'm tall, I'm deaf, I'm blind.
Hey aren't we all?
Don't laugh at me.
The strums of her guitar drowned out the soft sobs coming from random teens. A pretty Asian girl with blue highlights, a beautiful ebony with gentle waves in her hair, a blonde cheerleader and Latina. The four who'd she'd been singing to wore smiles with tears in their eyes. Silently thanking the girl. The ones who weren't crying seemed to mull over the meaning of Avery's song. Feeling horrible for participating in such horrid crimes. Finally, Avery smiled.
!
!
!
A week had past since Avery's inaugural song. Kurt's bullying had been all but stopped. Puck and Finn, two of the guys who'd previously tortured the countertenor now acted as body guards. No one dared slushie Artie anymore due to Mike and Rory always by his side. Ready to intervene if needed. Quinn had found friends in Brittany and Santana. Two of the cheerleaders responsible for her ruined reputation. The two Cheerios even offered to baby sit for Quinn on nights she wanted to go out. Brittany had fallen head over heels in love with Beth the first time she'd seen the child. And Sam no longer feared the negative looks or whispers. Mercedes and Sugar ready and willing to tell off anyone who dared look at the blonde the wrong way. Avery watched each scene unfold before her like a movie. Each kind word or good deed made her heart soar and smile widen.
Maiden- I made this in honor of Mark Wills' song 'Don't Laugh At Me'. A song that's very close to my heart. I know what it's like to be picked on or exiled because you're different. I didn't have friends till I was 16 because of it. I finally found a good few friends to stand up for me when everyone else wanted to push me down. But I owe the most gratitude to my 'adopted' sister Emma. This is sort of a Thank You to her and all who've helped me become the person I am now. Bullying is wrong, no matter what the circumstance. You have no clue what goes on behind closed doors, or closed hearts for that matter. Just because someone is different from you, doesn't make it okay to ridicule or torture them for it.
Avery is my Glee OC, but just for this fic, I merged her together with Em's OC, DJ. I took Avery's appearance and mixed it with DJ's personality. You can check out both of them in their natural state in our joint fic 'Finding Your Own Glee' on our '3OfAKind' profile.