Another Level Not Okay
Chapter Two
"I'm not sure this is a good idea." Mike glanced over at him nervously.
"I'm not going to let them get away with this," Artie said. He was still seething but he kept it buried, just under the surface. He had to remain calm around his friend.
As the car passed through the city limits of Lima, Mike gave him another confused look. "I still don't understand why I can't go in with you to meet with the headmaster."
Artie pretended to fix his gloves, avoiding his friend's eyes. He hated lying to him, but what else could he do? Mike would never let him go in alone if he knew his true plans.
"I'm going for the sympathy vote here, yo. And while I despise using my disability we already know Sebastian will stop at nothing to win. I have no choice."
Artie was glad for the silence as Mike thought that over. He still didn't know exactly what he was going to do; only that he was going to do it.
He was so angry at Sebastian. Unreasonably so. Analytically, he knew that. Part of it was the years of being treated like he was nothing by so many people, but part of it wasn't. Part of it was because of Sebastian. That's the part that confused him the most.
Maybe it was the unexpected cruelty in the act. He'd thought of the Warbler as an adversary but never really the enemy. Until now.
The few times he'd met Sebastian, the other boy had been a fierce competitor, willing to use whatever necessary to win. He'd used his voice, his wit, his ability as a leader to take over the head Warbler position. And Artie could admit that he admired most of those qualities. He just didn't expect him to result to violence. To actually try to blind someone.
But he'd also seen Sebastian's face after the slushie incident. Artie pushed that look of regret out of his mind. He didn't need to feel any sympathy for Sebastian.
He couldn't show any sign of weakness.
By the time they reached Dalton, Artie's anger had subsided considerably. Enough to know he couldn't go through with his plan. While he still wanted Sebastian's head on a platter, he really wasn't a violent person. And he knew without a doubt that there was no actual reasoning with the Warbler. So asking him to stop wouldn't help at all.
Still, Mike had driven him all this way. He had to do something.
His friend helped him out of the vehicle and into his chair. Artie smiled and gave him a determined look. "Don't worry, I can handle this."
"If you aren't back in an hour, I'm coming in to get you."
"Fair enough."
Artie wheeled himself through the front doors of Dalton Academy. The place was impressive in an old school sort of way. He thought about going to the headmaster after all, but dismissed the idea almost immediately. Maybe he should talk to the other Warblers. Many of them used to be friends with Blaine and Kurt. He was pretty sure Trent, at least, would be sympathetic.
Happy to finally have a working plan, he moved with purpose through the halls.
Until he turned a corner and almost crashed into someone.
"Well, what do we have here? I thought I caught the stench of public school."
And suddenly his anger was boiling back, causing him to throw caution away.
"Smythe. Just the person I'm here to see." Artie raised his chin, glaring at the boy in front of him.
"Really?" For a moment Sebastian seemed genuinely surprised. Then his smirk was back in place. "Hummel sent you to do his dirty work?" he asked. "Afraid he'd break a nail?" He looked around. "Or are the other misfit toys all hiding somewhere?"
"I'm here alone." Artie said. "I don't need anyone else."
"Really. Interesting."
Artie wanted to wipe that smirk off his face. His fists tightened in anticipation.
"We're going to settle this, just you and me."
Sebastian folded his arms across his chest and tilted his head to the side. "Well, as tempting as that sounds, I've got Warbler practice. So, maybe some other time."
He gave Artie one last smirk as he turned to leave.
"You're a coward."
Sebastian stopped and sighed without moving. "You can goad me all you want, but it won't change anything."
"Is it because of the chair?" Artie was even angrier than before, if that was possible. He didn't mind losing, but to never even be considered as an opponent. That stung the most.
The Warbler finally turned to face him. "Are you insane? Seriously. Has the awful food in that place you call a school poisoned your brain?"
Artie held his ground. "You don't seem like the type to back down, Sebastian. So I'm challenging you."
"Listen. It's cute that you want to stick up for your little friends, but I don't have time for this." The smirk on his face didn't reach his eyes. He looked almost worried. But that didn't make any sense.
It didn't matter. Artie was tired of being taken for granted. Of being discounted because of his disability. He was going to make Sebastian Smythe pay.
"Fuck you."
Sebastian looked surprised, but he didn't say anything. They stared at each other for a few minutes, until they were interrupted by a Dalton student walking past them with a questioning look.
"Fine, you win. Follow me," Sebastian said, leading him into an empty room. Once they were both inside, he locked the door.
Artie's bravado seemed to leave him all at once. He was locked in a room with Sebastian Smythe.
What was he going to do now?
