Title::..Messing with the Status Quo
Spoilers::..Preggers
Rating::..T 13+ for some violence and teen themes
Characters::..Tina, Mike, Coach Sylvester, Artie, Santana and Brittany
Pairing::..Tike
Author's Note::.. I came up with this idea before Special Education when Tina dressed up as a cheerleader to impress Mike, so I have no idea what it was inspired by…
This is my first time writing Sue Sylvester. She's my favourite character from the show, I absolutely adore Jane Lynch and so I've been trying to avoid writing her, because everything she says is brilliant and I was very worried I wouldn't be able to capture that amazing wit. But I gave it a shot and Coach Sylvester pops up quite often, I hope I stayed true to her character.
Apologies to Tartie fans, but I don't like Artie. I'm sorry, but I'm sick of him acting like he's gangsta when he wears sweater vests all the time. I was okay with him in season one, I thought he was funny, but season two I'm really over the character. So that's why I wrote him to be a whingey wanker who Tina would never want to date.
This is based somewhere between the end of Preggers and before the Tartie action in Wheels. So Mike and the other Glocks have joined Glee and Tina is still stuttering away.
Also, teenage readers still in high school heed the warning in this fic: extra-curricular activities are important. I'm being totally serious, go pick up some. I didn't and I regret it 100% now, because employers like people who have a lot on their resumé's and I never participated in any extra-curricular activities, so that's probably why I'm still unemployed. So go, take one on and slap it onto your resumé to impress people with :) But the real message of this fic is to just be yourself and believe in yourself, which is something that they are always pushing in the show
So this is my first time posting on , but it's not my first Glee fic. Any comments will be greatly appreciated
Summary::..Tina decides to join the Cheerios, but she needs Mike's help.
Tina's parents wanted the absolute best for her, their youngest daughter. They had given everything that could be desired to her older sister, Ann and she had repaid this by getting the best grades during school, then she had been accepted into a prestigious law firm immediately after graduating college. She had set the expectations of their parents high and the shoes were a little too big for Tina to fit into. Tina wasn't a lawyer, she saw herself as an artist. Due to this her parents had to push her much harder than her sister had required.
It was difficult to get Tina excited about her education. She got good grades, she had only once fallen as low as a F. Her parents felt she could achieve higher scores if she were more motivated. But the only thing she was motivated to do her best in was Glee Club and that wouldn't be enough to get her into Harvard.
Tina wasn't surprised when her parents started talking to her about college applications. All along she had known it was only a matter of time until they brought it up. Ever since she had started high school she had been waiting for them to start talking to her about college. She was slightly surprised by how long they waited to start pressuring her to impress colleges. When they began the talk she was ready to nod along with everything they said. She didn't plan to listen to what they had to say. They might say something interesting but they probably wouldn't.
"You need more than one extra-curricular activity." Her mom began. "You can't impress any decent colleges with only one extra-curricular activity. You need to be able to put a lot on your applications. If you have more than one it'll make you seem motivated and they will think you are an enthusiastic participant."
"But I love Glee Club." Tina protested. "If I joined another club that would take time away from Glee and my school work would suffer, I'd be stretching myself too thin."
"Don't be so melodramatic." Her mom dismissed.
"Think about this rationally Tina. If I had two applications in front of me and one was yours with only one extra-curricular activity and the other was Quinn Fabray's with three to brag. Who do you think I would give a spot in my college to?" Her dad said.
Tina rolled her eyes. "Dad, stop comparing me to Quinn Fabray."
"When you're at school have a look at the extra-curricular activities being offered." Her mom said. "Please."
With another roll of her eyes Tina got up and left for her bedroom. She was tired of her parents trying to change her. She was happy being a Gleek. She wasn't interested in anything other than singing. She was only now beginning to feel comfortable with the other members of Glee Club; she didn't want to throw herself into the deep end with a group of strangers again. She was merely trying to survive school, caring about activities was never a part of the deal.
The next day Tina was seated behind a trio of Cheerios in Math class. She looked at their identical, taut pony-tails. Underneath their seats lie the exact same bag, repeating itself three times. She wondered how they could stand it, wearing the same thing every single day without a choice. They were Sue Sylvester's drones; they probably didn't even know what free will felt like. In a way she felt sorry for them, the poor thoughtless things. But the rest of Tina deeply disliked them due to their popularity and the way they used this to torture the Glee Club. She wondered if they would know how to function without the red and white uniform protecting them. She enjoyed the idea of seeing the uniforms covered in the glittering crystals of a Slushie as she fingered the skull charm attached to her necklace.
"Uh, Tina." Mike prodded timidly.
She was pulled out of her fantasy of Quinn Fabray's golden hair stained from the green lime flavour. She was still smiling as she turned to the jock beside her. "Yeah?"
"Are you okay?" Mike inquired, clearly concerned. "You've been stuck on question six for like ten minutes; it's not really like you."
She had almost entirely forgotten about her Math work. She looked down at her page, surprised by how much work she had left to complete. "Yeah, I've just got a lot on my mind."
Tina really enjoyed Mike's company. They had been sitting together in Math for almost a year. He had taken the seat beside her because there was nothing available closer to his jock friends. He had always been civil to her and sometimes they would help each other with the work. He had never seemed like the rest of the other mean-spirited jocks to Tina. But it wasn't until recently that (since he had joined Glee Club) she had begun to enjoy his company and feel they were friends. They talked about Glee and helped each other through the work.
"What are you thinking about?" Mike inquired as she trained her eyes back to her page. "It must be important; I've never seen you so distracted before."
"My parents want me to find another extra-curricular activity; they don't think I'll get into a decent college with just Glee Club on my application." Tina explained.
"Bummer." Mike replied. Tina's mind slowly began to compute Math again. "What are you gonna do about it?"
She shrugged. "I don't know. All the extra-curricular activities are so crappy and what if the scheduling conflicts with Glee?"
He fell silent, without a solution to make her feel better. For a few moments they were quiet, their pencils scratching across the page as their minds worked over the problems. A minute later he raised his head and cupped his chin, the position he always assumed when pondering a question. She continued to work, not noticing him at first. He demanded her attention, prodding her arm gently. "There is one extra-curricular activity that we know has the scheduling to fit in with Glee."
"What?" She asked. He pointed his pencil in the direction of the three Cheerios. She scoffed. "No, Mike Chang do not even go there."
"Why not?" Mike responded innocently. "They don't train during Glee rehearsals and you could probably keep up, you've got wicked dancing skills."
"No." She dismissed. "Stop making it sound plausible. I would not be caught dead in one of those hideously short skirts."
He smiled shyly. "I think you'd look cute in the uniform."
She picked her eraser up and threw it at his face, pleased when it collided with his cheek. "Shut up."
A Cheerio glanced back at them and they began to chuckle. Their laughter continued to grow until she had lost track of her work. Two Cheerios looked at them suspiciously, distracted by their laughing. Tina darted her foot out to the kick Mike in the shin. Finally they began to calm down from their laughing spell. In the silence she humoured the idea of joining the cheerleading squad.
She hated the idea of the uniform. But she couldn't deny the pull of popularity. The girls who wore the pleated skirts never got Slushie Facials and they always had boys lusting after them. It was like a siren's call, trying to tempt her into selling-out her ideas. Being a Cheerio would certainly shut her Dad up with comparisons between her and Quinn Fabray. She couldn't think of any extra-curricular activities she actually wanted to participate in.
She made a deal with herself – if none of the other activities suited her she would seriously consider trying out for the Cheerios.
During lunch Tina crossed the hall to where Mike stood. She held her book folder tight to her chest, using it as a shield. "Before I start talking you have to promise you're not gonna call me a hypocrite."
He turned out of his locker to look at her with a furrowed brow. "What's a hypocrite?" Most of the time Mike was coherent and even a little witty. But it was times like this when he fit perfectly into the dumb jock stereotype.
"Nevermind." She dismissed. "I've done a lot of thinking about what you said about me joining the Cheerios. You made a lot of good points."
He looked surprised. "Really? That's awesome. So you're gonna try-out?"
"Yeah, I mean I'll try." She said modestly.
"You'll be great." He told her.
Embarrassed she shifted her weight from one foot to the other. "I dunno, first I gotta face Coach Sylvester."
"That's scary dude, it's like facing off with a dragon…without a weapon." He said.
"Yeah, that's why I need you to come with me." She informed him.
His eyes grew wide with fear. "What? Why would I do that?"
"Because I need a shield." She stated.
"No." He said, collecting his bag and snapping his locker shut, attempting to make a getaway.
"Come on, it was your idea." She told him.
"So?" He shrugged. "It's you that needs the extra-curricular activity, not me."
She had to rush to keep up with him as he strode with his long legs. "But I need you to come with me. I need your mad skills of persuasion to help me out."
He paused, glancing back at her unable to resist flattery. "Mad skills of persuasion?"
"Yeah, I mean they've have to be good, you totally convinced me." She continued.
He considered this, his ego devouring it quickly as if it hadn't been fed in a very long time. "Well, I did make some pretty good points."
"Exactly." She agreed, grabbing his shoulders and turning his body around to face the correct direction. "And now you can make those really great points again to Coach Sylvester." She linked her arm with his, keeping him by her side. A lot of people turned to look at them as they passed; it wasn't a usual combination: a Gleek and a Jock. But she liked how it felt. She was comfortable with Mike; they could share a relaxed conversation and laugh together. Being beside him allowed her to breathe easily, despite the fact that she was moving toward a meeting with the pure-evil being known as Coach Sylvester.
Tina thought she could be a Cheerio. It wasn't an intellectual club so she felt it was well within her reach to gain a spot. It wasn't a club that required pre-existing skills like Young Chefs. She felt she could it, she was good at remembering routines and with the Cheerios practising every day at lunch she didn't think it would be long until she could do all of the tricks as well as Brittany or Santana. She didn't fool herself by thinking she could be the captain and the star like Quinn. But surely she could keep up with the other girls and do quick twirls while waving a pair of pom-poms around.
She just had to prove this to Coach Sylvester. Somehow she and Mike had talked her way into a try-out. Tina was relieved when Coach Sylvester had agreed to let her try-out, then immediately she and Mike had begun to work out a routine they thought would showcase everything a Cheerio needed to be. She had practised and perfected the routine for two days. Now she began toward the middle of the floor, her heart in her throat. She turned to where Coach Sylvester sat, a cynical expression on her face.
Tina looked to where Mike sat, poised with the portable stereo. He showed her a reassuring smile. She drew in a deep breath, pulling together all of her courage before nodding, prompting him to hit the play button. The music started and she began the routine. She danced as hard as she could. She wanted to get back at all of the people who had thrown Slushies in her face, including Coach Sylvester.
The song concluded and she froze in her final pose. Mike began to clap proudly and enthusiastically. It only took one glance from Coach Sylvester to silence him. She had been making notes every time Tina dared to look at her, now she waited for Coach Sylvester to read out what she had felt important enough to write down. She chewed on one of the arms of her glasses while Tina stood in front of her, panting heavily. She wasn't sure what was worse – the anticipation of Coach Sylvester's judgement or actually hearing her thoughts.
"What are your measurements?" Coach Sylvester asked.
Tina was caught off-guard. "P-p-p-pardon?"
"Your size." Coach Sylvester clarified and Tina provided the correct number. "I'm giving you a week-long trial. If I'm still impressed with you at the end of the week you can have your uniform. If you mess-up I'm gonna let the other Cheerios form a dog-pile on you."
"Sure, thank you so much." Tina replied.
"We practise every day at lunch on the field." Coach Sylvester added. "If you fail to show I will see that you and your boyfriend are expelled for the unforgivable offense of wasting my time."
Tina blushed. "Oh, w-w-we're not dating, w-w-we just-…"
"Okay, that's all I wanna hear of your life-story." Coach Sylvester said, rising off her chair and leaving.
Mike and Tina waited until Coach Sylvester was fully out of the room to start celebrating. They heard the door close behind her and then Mike began to cheer, prompting Tina to laugh. Clapping his hands he walked down the steps toward her. "You were awesome."
"It was your idea." She said, deflecting all of the praise away from herself.
"Yeah, but you sold it." He returned. "You looked amazing."
"Thanks." She told him.
They stood together for a few minutes. They didn't say anything further; they just looked at each other, sometimes looking away bashfully. They smiled and laughed. It felt like they were having a moment – a moment taken right out of a romantic movie. Her heart was beating faster than it had while she was dancing. Was he moving in closer?
"Oh here you are." Artie's voice said, shattering the precious moment into a thousand separate pieces. "I have been looking for you everywhere. Have you been here this whole lunchtime?"
"Yeah, I was trying out for the Cheerios." Tina replied.
"And she made it onto the squad." Mike added, unable to contain his excitement.
She didn't want to brag, so she shrugged. "Well, not entirely."
Artie was watching, very confused. "Hold up, Crazy Asians say what?"
Instead of saying 'what' she turned to Mike. "We should go out for ice-cream so I can pay you back for getting me the try-out."
"That sounds awesome." He agreed. "Do you wanna come along Artie?"
Artie showed his awkward smile. "It's nice of you to offer, but I actually just ate. So I'll just see you guys later in Glee."
Mike linked his arm with Tina's as they walked across the car park toward his car. "I couldn't believe it when you started to do all of those twirls, you looked amazing. You're a total natural." She was still sweating like a pig and her hair was messed up, but somehow Mike made her feel pretty.
Tina didn't see much of Artie during her first week of being a Cheerio. She didn't even notice how little time she had been spending with her friend until he brought it up. She had been much too busy to think about Artie. She was working really hard in Cheerios and she had also been hanging out with Mike a lot. She had practically forgotten who Artie Abrams was when he started talking to her via FaceBook.
She considered it to be the busiest week she had ever experienced in her high school career. Cheerios was very difficult. She supposed once she got used to the rigorous exercise it would be smooth sailing for her and she would make it look effortless like the other girls. But at the moment she was pushing herself harder than ever before. She ended every day exhausted and aching.
At the end of every practise she felt like she could collapse in the locker room shower. The other girls were used to it – at the end of practise they just wiped their faces dry, topped-up their deodorant and reapplied their make-up, then they were ready to face the final two lessons of the school day. None of them had made Tina feel welcome (aside from Brittany, who seemed to have no idea how to be mean without the guidance of Santana), they were all standing back and watching her struggle, unwilling to accept her as a part of their team while she wasn't wearing their uniform.
But she never complained to Mike. The Cheerios often ran drills at the same time as the football team and sometimes they caught up after practise. He always asked her how she was fitting in to the squad. She always told him the good things, highlighting the progress she was making. She didn't want him to think he had wasted his time in helping her gain the try-out. He encouraged her and kept her hopeful she would succeed.
They had been spending a lot of time together. They were friends; they talked about school and their lives. They bonded over milkshakes. For the first time in her life there was someone who wanted to get to know her. She thought Artie was a great guy and she liked practising for Glee with him. But she couldn't help feeling he only wanted to be with her because of the category she fit into, rather than who she was beneath the banner of 'a freak'. Mike really wanted to get to know her, the girl who lie beneath the dark clothes and restricting stutter. Mike made her feel different to everyone else. She really liked hanging out with him; they had so much fun together.
She couldn't deny the prick of guilt she had felt when Artie lamented how little he had seen of her outside of Glee Club. Since the beginning of Glee she had spent a lot of time with Artie, but in the past week he had dropped off her radar. She was unsure of her feelings toward Artie. She enjoyed being around him, but sometimes she felt it was over-kill with all of the compliments he paid her. It was much more comfortable when she was with Mike, and so she simply passed up time with Artie for time with Mike. She hardly thought about it, she certainly didn't consider Artie's feelings.
The week ended and she spent the weekend trying to catch up on all the homework she hadn't gotten to during the week. When she arrived at school on Monday morning she was summoned immediately to Coach Sylvester's office. She didn't know what to expect as she walked down the crowded hallway. She prepared herself to not cry when Coach Sylvester told Tina to leave her office forever. Tina also thought of what she might say if Coach Sylvester allowed her on the squad.
Coach Sylvester slid a form across the desk to Tina. It was a pledge she had to sign before she was allowed on the Cheerios. There were a lot of rules and some of them seemed completely ridiculous. But she signed anyway. She hadn't worked her tushy off all week just to turn back. After this Coach Sylvester provided Tina with her own red, white and black uniform. Tina felt very proud; this was something she had earned for herself. She couldn't wait to try the uniform on.
The uniform fit her perfectly. She was grinning to her reflection as she pulled her hair back into the trademark taut ponytail. She still wore her black Converse boots and fishnet stockings as she walked to Glee Club. There were lots of looks sent her way. Some people it seemed were seeing her for the very first time. She held her head high, she felt invincible. The Glee Club were all very proud of her (especially Mike), but she could tell Artie's compliment wasn't authentic.
She approached him after Mr Schuester had dismissed the Club. "Hi Artie. Do you wanna go to History class together?"
"Sure." He agreed with a forgiving smile.
She assumed her somewhat-usual position behind his chair and began to push him out of the room. "So you didn't seem too excited about me joining the Cheerios."
"While I am happy about you trading up from the Goth look because the Cheerio uniform totally shows off your slamming body." He said. "But I don't think I can get excited about you becoming a Cheerio."
"Why not?" Tina inquired.
He put a hand on the wheel, stilling the chair. Then he turned to face her, looking up at her with painfully honest eyes. "Because I'm not sure I like the person it's turning you into." With a shrug he continued down the hall, without her.
"Tina Cohen-Chang I couldn't be more pleased with the person you are becoming." Coach Sylvester said three weeks after Tina had joined the Cheerios. "You're becoming an essential part of this squad, keep up the good work." Coach Sylvester showed Tina something close to a smile. It appeared painful and out of place so Tina was relieved when Coach Sylvester dropped the smile, leaving the room.
Tina was very flattered. She was extremely surprised. She was in such shock she felt she could have been knocked to the ground by nothing more than a feather. Coach Sylvester had been nurturing Tina's skills but this was the first time Coach Sylvester had paid Tina anything close to a compliment. Before now Tina hadn't known Coach Sylvester was physically able to provide compliments. She held the feeling of accomplishment within her for a few moments. She knew the other Cheerios would be jealous so she didn't look around to see their unhappy expressions, they would ruin her moment in the sun.
The other Cheerios still seemed unwilling to accept her as one of their own. She supposed she wasn't making much of an effort to fit in and make them feel like she was one of them. She still wore her rainbow coloured hair extensions, she applied her fluorescent make-up and every morning she rolled on her knee-high, black, striped socks. She wasn't willing to lose her individuality and this displeased the other girls, she felt this was due to them not knowing what individuality was.
She had been sorely mistaken when she had thought being a Cheerio would bring her popularity. The other Cheerios wanted nothing to do with her, they rarely talked to her and they would snicker cruelly when she slipped on a trick. The other members of the student body weren't in awe of her. Instead they were stunned by the fact that a freak like them could rise to the status of a Cheerio. But it had never been about gaining popularity. She had joined to shut her parents up and she had accomplished this.
She didn't intend to give up the Cheerios, not while she was doing so well. She didn't care how much if confused and infuriated the rest of the school. She was proud of herself; she was doing something she had never dreamt to accomplish. She planned to stick with the Cheerios and Coach Sylvester's compliment only made her more determined.
Quinn was booted off the Cheerios after news of her pregnancy spread to every corner of the school. Tina found it difficult to feel bad for Quinn. The way Coach Sylvester treated Quinn was very unfair. But Quinn had always been mean to her and the other Gleeks. Tina couldn't help thinking Quinn was getting what she deserved. It was payback for how bitchy she was. Tina didn't worry about how Quinn was feeling for very long. She was quickly distracted when Coach Sylvester promoted Tina to the position of Captain.
Tina was so flattered. She instantly sent a message to Mike knowing he would be as excited as her. She was proud of herself, she had pushed herself hard and it had paid off. She was elated. She thought things might improve now she was the Captain. She had pulled her way up to the top of the status quo. She thought she could change what people perceived popularity to be. She could change McKinley High for the better. If she could become the Captain of the Cheerios then there was no reason why someone like Kurt couldn't become the football team's Star Quarterback – then the freaks would rule the school.
Santana didn't share Tina's excitement. She gathered up the rest of the Cheerios and they cornered Tina. Tina had just pulled her uniform back on after her usual post-practice shower when the pack approached her. They advanced on her until her back was pressed firmly against the locker room wall. Tina only grew more nervous when she realized every single one of them stood with their hands folded behind their backs, what were they hiding out of sight? Tina could only see Brittany's hands as the blonde sucked happily on a Slushie. As usual Brittany seemed completely oblivious to what was going on around her.
"I've been on this cheer squad for two years, for two whole years I've been clawing my way to the top of that pyramid. Then in two months you come in and steal it from me. To me that just doesn't seem right." Santana said. "Now I have to follow your lead and stand behind you in the yearbook photos? That makes me really angry and you don't want to get me angry Tina."
Tina stared wordlessly as Santana's face twisted into an ugly snarl. All at once the Cheerios pulled their hands out from behind their backs. Each of them was holding a Slushie cup. Tina gaped in a frightened breath as they all drew their arms back then thrust their hands forward. Tina was hit by a wall of brightly coloured crystals. It felt like a million freezing needles piercing into her skin in a never-ending rain. She could hear her heart pounding in her ears as the hot tears built up in her eyes.
"Take that as a warning." Santana said. "You should consider yourself lucky I don't have my period, that could've been way worse." She laughed cruelly, the sound bounced off the tiled walls, hitting Tina repeatedly. "See you at practice."
"Congratulations on getting the Captain position." Brittany told her. Tina stared disbelieving, she thought Brittany was genuine. She smiled to Tina before turning and leaving along with the others. Shocked sobs constricted her chest as she lay down on the wet ground. Her eyes stung, her throat ached and her skin prickled against the ice scraps. The dampness stuck the Cheerio uniform to her skin as she felt too stunned to move.
The next day Tina was still slightly in shock. She felt frightened more than anything. She had dreamt of a green Slushie monsoon last night. Going back to sleep after that nightmare was close to impossible. She didn't tell anyone about the Slushie Full Body Treatment. Her parents would undoubtedly want to press charges and Tina didn't think it was worth it to make Santana even angrier. Tina would handle this on her own. She didn't have a plan yet, but she was sure she would think of something. In the meantime she would avoid the locker room and not say anything to Santana. She still wore her Cheerios uniform but today she wrapped a cardigan around her torso, partly disguising the colours. She didn't make eye-contact with anyone; instead she kept her eyes on her shoes as she walked down the hall.
Tina heard Mike call her name and turned to find him a few metres down the hall. He was jogging to catch up with her, weaving his way through the sea of students. Despite her shaky state she was glad to see him. It didn't matter how long they spent together she always wanted to spend more time with him. Her feelings for him went deeper than anything she had experienced before. It was much stronger than what she usually felt for friends.
"Hey Mike." She thought it would be good for her to be around him because she would be trying to convince him she was okay. The more she acted like she was fine the more she might feel better.
But he didn't allow her to do this. He looked upon her with concern. "Are you okay?"
She tried to act oblivious. "What are you talking about?"
"Brittany told me what happened in the locker room." He elaborated. "Why didn't you tell me?"
She fiddled with the strap of her book-bag as a distraction so she wouldn't have to look at him. "I was embarrassed."
"Are you okay?" He repeated.
"As long as I stay away from Santana I will be." She tried to joke.
He was shaking his head. "I can't believe they did that to you."
"It's okay, it's better than them punching me." She struggled to make light of the situation.
"No, it's not okay, they can't do this." He said. "I quit the football team in protest."
She felt her jaw unhinge in surprise. "W-w-w-what?"
He nodded, a look of determination on his face. "All these people are just so blinded by popularity and I don't wanna be like that anymore." He reached out and timidly stroked one of her hands. "I'd rather be a Gleek with you."
She grinned, her heart soaring. "Really?"
"Yeah." He said. "You're really cool Tina, even without the Cheerios uniform."
"I was actually thinking of changing out of it." She told him.
He looked relieved. "That's cool. I kinda miss waiting to see you every day and wondering what you're gonna wear."
"Me too." She said and they both grinned. They stood there, sharing a smile. If she had not have gotten stuck staring in his eyes and left a few moments earlier she would have missed receiving a Slushie Facial. It was meant for Mike but due to how close they were standing she received a lot of splash-back. She recovered much quicker than him. He stood frozen, gasping as the blue crystals slid down his face. She removed her coat and began to blot at his face. "You're gonna have to get used to this if you're gonna be a Gleek."
He laughed shakily. "Blue is my favourite flavour."
She leant in and pressed her lips simply against his. "Mine too."
The End.