Midnight Romeo
"Artie Abrams, I never want to see you again!"
I was dumbfounded. All I did was suggest that she tone down the cupcake eating a little. I didn't really think it would be a big deal. Apparently it was…
Later That Day…
"Damn, white boy, you really messed up this time," Mercedes growled at me during glee club. "Why would you feel the need to go off on what she eats? It's not your choice, Wheels!"
"I agree with 'Cedes, Artie. You really hurt her feelings. And to be blunt, you were a chauvinistic, inconsiderate, blockhead," Kurt replied.
"I don't really know what a lot of those words meant, but they're right man, that's not cool," Finn added. Even Mike and Matt nodded in agreement.
I looked to where Tina was sitting, on the complete opposite side of the room, might I add. She briefly looked up from her conversation with Quinn, of all people, and glared at me before looking away. Even from across the room I could tell she had been crying.
I looked at the board as I blew out a long breath of air. I had really messed up this time.
The Next Day…
I had spent all night texting and calling Tina, but she ignored me. I was really worried I had driven her away for good this time. I mean, we had just gotten over stuttergate, and now I screw it up again?
She had made it a point to go to avoid me at all costs, from sitting far away from me in the classes we had together and sitting with Kurt, Quinn and Mercedes at lunch. Before I could head to glee club was stopped by Santana and Brittany. I gulped when I saw what was in their hands. Two grape slushies. Which, by the way, were totally the hardest to get out of clothes.
"Listen, Wheels, we need to talk," Santana commanded, glaring at me with her patented Power Bitch Stare™. If I could feel my knees, I am sure they would be trembling.
"I can't believe I am about to say this because I'm not supposed to care about the glee club or its members, but what you did to Tina was not cool. Clear?"
Britney nodded before adding, "Yeah, I mean I would, like, count the reasons that's mean, but I can't count."
Santana looked at her in amazement before continuing, "Look, just make it right or I will make sure you can't feel your arms either, 'kay? Oh, and by the way, you look really thirsty. I thought you might want this," she said before throwing the slushie all over me.
"Brittany!" Santana jerks her head at me before Brittany squeals, "Oh, right." I feel her slushie cover just like Santana's had. They storm off, Santana bitching something about Brittany always ruins dramatic exits.
I moan and head to the bathroom to clean off before glee club.
20 Minutes Later…
I roll into glee club ten minutes late, my hands aching from the strain from pushing my wheels forward as fast as I could. Mr. Shuester was assigning Tina a solo. "Today, we'll be doing songs about heartbreak. First up, Tina, Take Another Piece of My Heart, by Janis Joplin."
Mr. Shue had no idea how ironic this song was.
Tina looked nervous, so Kurt put a hand on her shoulder and Quinn removed her hand from her baby bump to put it over one of Tina's. She slowly rose and went to the front of the room.
Once I had a love and it was a gas, soon turned out
Had a heart of glass.
Seemed like the real thing, only to find
Mucho mistrust.
Love's gone behind…
When she was finished, everyone looked at her in astonishment. Even Rachel was impressed.
Though I was aware I had been an ass, I didn't realize how much I had hurt her. She walked back to her seat with tears in her eyes, stumbling into her chair. Mercedes put an arm around her and sent me a hate-filled glare.
"Very good, Tina! Okay, let's take a different approach to Tina's song. Here's a classic apology love song by Chicago: After All That We've Been Through. Who wants to sing it?"
"I think Artie should," Santana said giving me a look that said "Contradict Me and I Will Kill You". I slowly wheeled to the front of the classroom, feeling like I was headed to the gallows. Tina was looking everywhere but at me, but I focused right on her face as I began to sing.
Hold me now,
It's hard for me to say I'm sorry,
I just want you to stay...
After all that we've been through,
I will make it up to you,
I promise to.
And after all that's been said and done,
You're just the part of me I can't let go…
I really put everything into that song, all my regrets and feelings, but when I looked up Tina was picking at a hole in her skinny jeans.
After Glee Club…
Tina sped out of the choir room like it was on fire, as if knowing that I was going to follow her out. But eight years had given me lots of practice managing my wheels, plus Tina wasn't really athletic, so I caught up to her easily.
"Tina, wait!" She reluctantly turned and stared at me, crossing her arms. "What do you want, Artie?" I flinched at the venom in her face but continued.
"Look, Tina, I know how bad I messed up and I am so incredibly sorry. I had no right to comment on your eating habits and-"
"Artie," she cut me off with a frown, "I hear what you're saying. I really want to believe it but first the Stuttergate thing and you commenting on my clothes, and now this? How can I believe you?"
I opened my mouth to speak, but she interrupted me again. "Look, Artie, I just need some time to think, okay?" She spun on the heel of her combat boot and left before I could say anything.
I am so screwed.
Later That Night…
I was moping last night and decided to go on Facebook. Unable to stop myself, I went onto Tina's page. I breathed a sigh of relief when I saw her status was still in a relationship but her status picture had changed from a picture of her sitting on my lap at the state fair holding the stuffed animal I won for her to a picture of Mercedes, Kurt, and her shopping at the mall. Suddenly, I realized that if I didn't intervene the relationship wouldn't mend itself.
I was a man on a mission.
Even Later That Night…
At 12:30 my family was all asleep and I was dressed in head to toe black, ready to sneak out. Maybe the all black ensemble was a little much, but whatever. Since Tina's house was just a few streets over, I was able to wheel there in fifteen minutes.
Luckily for me her house is one story so I began throwing pebbles at her window. After about three minutes, I gave up and started to wheel myself home.
"Arthur Benjamin Abrams, are you completely out of your mind?" I turned around to see Tina dressed in flannel sweatpants and a blue tank top, her wet hair swinging and her face makeup free. She had never looked more beautiful. She had also never looked so angry.
I quickly wheeled back, probably killing all their grass in my haste. She motioned for me to go to the front door, then went and unlocked it. I slid up the makeshift ramp she had made for me when we first became friends. She didn't say a word, just propped the door open enough that I could get through it. "My room. Now." She was clearly still fuming.
Once I was securely inside, she closed the door and spun around, a crazy glint in her eyes. "What part of 'I need some time to think' is too hard for you to understand? Also, you could have woken up my parents. I would have been grounded forever!" She flopped down on her bed, and I followed her taking her hand hesitantly once I got close enough. She didn't pull away and that gave me the courage to continue.
"I just didn't want to lose you! I was so scared you wouldn't forgive me and I panicked! Tee, you are so much to lose and I am so sorry I hurt your feelings. I take out my own self consciousness on you and it was wrong. And Tina, I-I I love you!"
I hadn't meant to say to it but once it was out there I knew it was true. I was in love with Tina Cohen Chang.
I watched as her eyes widened in shock and her cheeks flushed.
"Well? What do you-" I couldn't finish because she had straddled my waist and attacked my lips with hers. She twisted her fingers in my hair and my hands reached to cup her face. We kissed for a while before we had to come up for air. She leaned her forehead against mine, smiling. My arms looped around her waist and she mimicked my movement.
"I love you too, Artie."
Even Even Later That Night
After kissing in a love induced haze for the better part of an hour, I climbed on her bed with her. She laid her head on my chest and I had my hands around her waist. We just laid there enjoying the sound of each other's breathing.
"You know if we were in glee club, we'd probably be singing a song about our current situation," she quipped making me laugh.
Meet me at my door My lips touch your lips Oh whoa Late night gonna hit the town I'll be your Dr. Jekyll your Mr. Hyde
By the end of the night
You'll be screaming for more more more of me
Tonight's a big night so let's make history
My hands is on your hips
What's it gonna take for you to give me my goodnight kiss
My heart is beating fast but my hands are moving slow
Oh whoa
Feels so right you just can't say no
Gonna take you out
Gonna make you go
Whoa whoa
Midnight Romeo
Show me yours and I'll show you mine
Gonna make you sweat
Gonna feel it head to toe
You know I'm your midnight Romeo
The best of both worlds when you get inside my place place place with me
You be the lock, I'll be the key
Tonight's about to win
Tell me baby are we more than friends
Tonight your dinner's free
What's in it for me
She started singing the last verse with me, our hand joining above our hands.
"I love you, Artie."
"I love you too, Tina."
We started to drift asleep when I suddenly remembered something important.
"Did you know Brittany can't count?"
We laughed until we fell asleep, our bodies intertwined.