Chasing Cars: CHAPTER ONE (Hummel meets Anderson) by tilltheresnothinglefttolose
"I might be not around next time you fall."
Aria Anderson is the preppiest kid in school and this, in fact, made her the most popular too. Unlike those cliché blond bimbo cheerleader crap fictional worlds live in, Aria's life was the complete opposite – she had silvery-blue eyes, a waist length wavy, caramel brown hair, an average height of 5'5, black-rimmed wayfarers, a dapper yet an edgy clothing combination, grades above A+++, and extracurriculars that were over top, making every girl in school to be her, and every guy to do her.
Despite feeling blissful about her school achievements, she felt different today. Well, today was the first day of sophomore year and yes, everyone felt different today (or at least was expected to) but Aria had something…she felt something weird. Walking towards her locker, she could already see her friends, Ara and Whitney, waiting for her.
"Hey, strangers!" she called out to them happily.
Ara and Whitney hugged Aria, squealing on top of their lungs. After their reunion rituals which involved hugs and handshakes, they flattened and smoothed out their outfits and relaxed.
"So, how was your summer?" Ara asked playfully to Aria.
"Well, it was so eventful, maybe because I got to spend it with you guys in the Philippines!" Aria replied, squealing again. "But of course I missed school. You can't help it, you get to miss it once in a while."
"Oh hell to the no, girl!" Whitney replied to her fiercely. "The only thing I miss about school is cheer and glee practices. The rest…oh hell to the nicky no!"
Aria and Ara laughed, never getting used to their best friend's fierce perspective in life, which she got from her mother.
"But hey," Ara winked, nudging her best friends. "I heard there's a new guy kid this school year from New York. Talk about secretly rich and famous!"
"Psh, new kid again. I'm so tired of welcoming all those new kids every single school year. I don't get it; Ohio's a pretty diminutive state when it comes to living outside the box and fulfilling your dreams, even for high-schoolers. So why do people ever bother transferring here, no offense to our alma mater!" Aria ranted, not noticing the front doors opening.
She rolled her eyes when she saw Ara and Whitney not listening peering over somewhere else.
"What the hell? Haven't you heard what I –" she stopped midway and followed their gaze, leading to a handsome boy with dark curly hair and almond-shaped hazel eyes. She tried her best not to look flabbergasted but as the guy passed by them and laughed, she knew that her shock was still evident because of her opened mouth and wide eyes.
"Isn't he…" Ara began.
"Gorgeous," Whitney replied, losing the fierceness of her voice and traded it with sweetness.
"No...he's different," Aria replied, feeling her stomach tying in knots. She wrinkled her eyebrows and turned around, facing her locker. "He seems…you know, different. Weird, most likely."
"Yeah, weird," Whitney scoffed. "Nice try, Aria. But if you mean beautiful when you said weird, then yes, he's really weird, to the highest level."
"Nope," Aria told her best friends, feigning nonchalance. "Weird, 'cause he just looks so awfully familiar."
"It's the first day of class, Ari," Ara said, the three of them walking off to the gymnasium. "You've got a whole year to know why he looks awfully familiar. And we'll gladly help you in welcoming him with open arms!"
Principal Adela, just like the past school years, welcomed the start of a new school year with an introductory welcome from the student council officers. Each new student would stand before someone they would like to help them get through their first few weeks in McKinley. Only one student was allowed for one student council, so it was all based on their luck…and their last names.
"Good morning, students and welcome to the new school year!" she said cheerfully, while the student body clapped their hands in unison.
When the claps had subsided, she began the ceremony. "Our student council officers here in McKinley, because of their kindness and generosity, offers a program for the new students wherein each newbie can choose whom they want to help them in getting to know the school for at least the first quarter. The rules are, number one: the freshmen are not allowed to choose. They will be administered by the guidance counsellor. Second, the sophomores get to choose who they want to but only one per each officer. In case of some exceeding number of students, the officer gets to choose whom from the student body will be responsible enough to welcome the new student. And third, it's not mandatory; it's either you let someone help you, or you get lost in a sea of people here in McKinley," she finishes off her rules, clicking her tongue.
She introduced the officers one by one, starting from the lowest positions (representatives) until it reached the president, where Aria went upstage, overwhelmed with the applauses and cheers everyone offered to her. She simpered in appreciation and smoothed out her outfit, trying to compose herself amidst the noise and commotion around her.
"Okay, let's start with this new boy…Liam Hummel!" Principal Adela called out and Pheromone Guy (that's what the AAW called him!) came out of the blue, stepping on the stage. There was a loud gasp from the room, coming from Whitney.
Meanwhile, from the other side of the stage, Aria tried her best not to do what she did at the hallway. She grimaced and looked at the faces of the student body, trying to ignore the butterflies fluttering in her stomach.
"Liam, you can go now to the student council and choose," the principal said, pointing at the officers. "Don't be scared, they don't bite."
Liam slowly walked towards them, trying his best not to laugh when he saw that girl from the hallway. With her fashion sense and strange look, he knew that she wasn't like the rest and that she stood out from everyone. This time though, this girl didn't take a look at him, or even tried to gasp or look nervous. Instead, she looked normal and just stood there, waiting patiently for someone to stand before her, choosing her.
He would've chosen her there and then, but he knew better. Instead, he walked behind the officers, which made the student body whisper and stood behind the girl from the hallway. He quietly moved in closer to her and whispered in her ear.
"Boo."
Aria perked up and tripped from the edge of the stage, almost falling off the ramp. Luckily, an arm caught him and next thing she knew, she was cradled around the arms of Pheromone Guy, or Liam, on their way to the nurse' office.
"Ugh, stupid loafers!" she mumbled to herself, trying to distract herself from the sweet scent of Liam, mixture of a prickle of sweat and man cologne.
"Well, next time be careful, Miss President. I might be not around the next time you fall," Liam chuckled, holding her more tightly. "You've been doing those…actions for two times now."
"What actions?" Aria asked him.
"You know, getting surprised and all that."
"I can't help but be disgustingly flabbergasted by your presence here in McKinley. I was just surprised that someone like you would come here in McKinley," Aria replied indifferently.
"Someone like me? And oh, you didn't seem so disgusted and flabbergasted by me, Miss President. You, I think, are amused by me," he told her, smirking.
"I am most certainly not!" Aria said, coloring a little once she looked at Liam, smirking. "You are a braggart, new kid. That won't last long here in my school."
Liam shook his head and clicked his tongue, moving in closer to Aria, whose shade turned into tomato red now. "I can't believe you tolerate lame excuses here in your territory, Madame."
Chuckling, he opened the door to the nurse's office, ambivalently glad and sad that he was displacing the weight of Aria off his shoulders now on the hospital bed.
Kurt Hummel glanced at the small clock plastered on their cream-colored wall and checked the time. It was 5:15 and still, his son wasn't home yet. He wasn't strict with curfews just like his father was, but he couldn't help but get worried about his son who just came all the way from New York. Despite all the reminders he had told him early this morning, he might have had forgotten some, which maybe the reason why he still wasn't home.
When he heard a familiar knock on the door, he sighed in relief and opened the door for his son.
"Hi, Daddy," Liam greeted, his voice sounding tired.
Kurt hugged his son and once he broke away, he plopped down on the sofa and sighed.
"Hey, sweetie. Are you all right? How was school? Did someone bully you? How are you feeling? Are you sick?" Kurt asked, worried.
"Dad, stop bombarding be with questions!" Liam replied, chuckling. "I'm just tired because I had to carry a weird girl to the nurse's office."
Kurt raised his eyebrows, now intrigued with the story his son had yet to be told. When they were still in New York, Kurt had expected Liam to grow up having petty love affairs and crushes from the girls living there. But to his surprise, Liam did nothing in the city but study and try all the different kinds of food in every restaurant. So Kurt decided to go back to Ohio, because he thought that maybe, just like him, Liam would find his one and only true love here in Ohio.
"Such a prince charming, son! I'm proud of you," Kurt told Liam, patting his arm. "So, would you mind sharing to me some things about this…girl?"
"Well," he sighed. "She's this moon-eyed little miss perfect who freaked me out at the hallway. She kept looking at me during the hallway but I can see that behind her dapper and neat and smart façade, there was still this girl who everyone didn't know and I sensed it. She looked ambitious and bold with her fashion choices, and according to the things I've heard, she was pretty smart and became popular because of her grades and her GPA. Well, she's just Aria and no one cares, I guess," Liam finished off.
Kurt shivered at the name. "What was her name again, son?" he asked, trying to sound just curious and not longing. "Can you repeat it again?"
"Aria, dad. Aria Anderson," Liam replied, before passing out on the couch.
Kurt lost his strength to go back to the kitchen and instead remained where he was. He tried putting two and two together, with the details Liam provided. He couldn't help but wonder.
Was this Aria...Blaine and I's daughter?