(episode 8)
The last two weeks have been a lot more quite than I thought they'd be, I hang out with Rachel and the other gleek's most of the time and after what happened on my first day, people avoid me, but it's cool because they've stopped shushing Rachel, so it's worth the social sacrifice. Mr Schu and I haven't talked about the hug…thing…we had, but he's still sweet to me and all. I know I have a crush on him, but I'm not like the other girls. Who would puppy dog themselves after him and give him memento's, because for one thing, he's married with a kid on the way, and secondly, I'm not stupid enough to think my feeling could be recuperated, so I'll be me and tuck them away, it's better this way, right?
I walk into glee after lunch with a smile to Mr Schu, who's writing something down. He looks up and smiles brightly "hey Elise, why aren't you in class?" I shake my head and I answer "Free period, nothing to do! What cha doin?" he puts down his pencil as I take a seat on the piano bench "you cant tell anyone this. Ken…I mean Mr Tanaka and Miss Pillsbury are getting married and have asked me to do a mash up for their dance song, but the two songs are so different, I cant seem to find a way to connect them." I smile brightly and say "well, what are the songs?" wincing he says "I could have danced all night and…the thong song" my smile drops and he simply nod "yeah, I know. It cant be done." he takes a defeated seat next to me and I smile warmly "hay don't worry about it. If it can be done, then you'll find a way to do it. If not, then am sure they'll understand and find another song they both like. No need to get yourself stressed." he smiles back at me "yeah your right. Thanks Elise. How'd you get so mature?" he questions and my smile drops slightly as I answer "well a drunk mother, a dead beat dad and having to be the mother figure to your cousin will do that to a girl." he looks to me in sympathy and goes to speak, but I raise my hand "don't worry about it. In a way, I'm grateful for my downfalls, they've made me, me, and I like me." his smile returns as he says "that's a amazing way of looking at it, and for the record, I like you to" I give a fake smile, knowing he doesn't mean what I want him to.
After school I stay behind to finish my art project, having, hesitantly, given Betsy's key's to Rachel, who's picking me up later. As I work on my canvas I hear music coming from the glee room, the thong song. I stand and walk, paint covered and my usually free flowing hair tied into a high back pony, to the glee room. As I get there, I linger at the doorway, watching Mr Schu dance around a white puff ball known as Miss Pillsbury. I laugh lightly, unnoticed, but then Mr Schu trips and their both on the floor in laughter. My smile drops as I turn and walk back the way I can, fighting my tears and thinking 'why dose this hurt so much? God, am acting like a child. Get a grip girl!'. as I enter the class room I take a deep breath and a moment to compose myself, I then take a seat in font of my canvas, put my headphones in and continue painting.
After some time passes, I feel a hand on my shoulder and jump in surprise, but as I turn, removing my headphones, I take a relived sigh, hand on my heart and smile "Mr Schu, you scared the crap outer me!" he smiles apologetically and says "sorry, wasn't my intention." I wave it off as he continues "I saw you a little while ago at the glee door, thought I was hallucinating until I saw the light on in here." I smile up at him as he turns his attention towards my painting, the image of two identical little girls touching a hand each, through a mirror, the left girl was coated in clouds and light whites and blues, while the other was engulfed in back fog and dark greens, finished but for a white corner amongst the black and green. He smiled down at me and said "this is beautiful. You painted this?" I nod happily and he sighs "looks like singing isn't your only talent" I stand and start to put my paints away "well of course, unlike Rachel my life doesn't revolve around Broadway. I take pride in my art, it sooths me. So…how'd the rehearsal go?" he smiles to me and says "it didn't, I kept tripping over her dress" I laugh lightly as I start washing my hands.
Leaning against the sink he asks "how you liking Lima?" I smile and continue to was my hands as I answer "I love it here. The whole small town thing makes me feel safer than I've felt in a long time." I look up at him to catch him staring at me slightly, his eyes meet mine, "you have a little paint" he says gesturing towards the side of my face. I take a tamp cloth off the side and then unsuccessfully wipe at my face. He laughs lightly as he takes the cloth "here, let me" I stand still as he holds my chin gently in one hand, his skin soft with a slight roughness, keeping my face still, and wipes at the paint spot. After a moment he smiles down at me "there we go" but doesn't move his hand, I smile as our eyes meet again "you look better like this, without the make up" I cant help but smile ear to ear, and then his eyes catch my lips and mine his. He leans in ever so much as suddenly our moment is stolen by Lady GaGa's Alejandro. He pulls away from me, quickly snapping back to reality as I pull my phone from my pocket and answer aggressively "what?" Mr Schu catches this and avoids looking at me "hey Elise, am outside. You ready?" I sigh at my cousin's voice "yeah, Rach, sure I'll be out in a minute. Just give me a sec" and hang up quickly.
I look at my teacher and ask "Mr Schu? Will?" his name rolls off my tongue like it's always been there and he pull's himself out of his trance to look at me "Elise" I smile sadly "that was Rachel, she's waiting for me outside." he nods in acknowledgement to my words as I turn and grab my bag and head for the door, but I stop and turn back slowly "goodnight…Will" I give the smallest smile to him and he returns it sheepishly, unsure of what to do, what to think "goodnight Elise" I bite my lip as I leave him to his thoughts, while mine fill with hope and uncertainty.
The next day I get dressed into my normal jeans and t-shirt, but with only mascara as far as make-up goes, taking what Will said in. I smile to myself and decide to act normal, because pushing it could only push him away, and I didn't want that, even if it was just a moment thing.
When Rachel and I get to school everything's the same as always, until I looked down the hall at the slushy shower Finn and Quinn just got. I throw my bag over my shoulder and quickly run over to them. As I get there Quinn looks close to tears "Finn, why don't you go clean up and change into your jersey. Come on Quinn, I've got a extra t-shirt you can wear." Finn nods and leaves as I guide Quinn to the nearest bathroom. She changes quickly into my, slightly to big for her, baby blue Iron Fist t-shirt and asks as I wash her hair "why are you helping me?" I smile down to the blond "I just want to, besides you cant be walking around in soaking wet clothes all day. It's bad for you and the baby." she flinches at the word 'baby' "thanks ,you didn't have to help" I finish washing her hair and hand her a scrunchy, she takes it with a smile "seriously, why'd you help me." I sigh and answer truthfully "I use to know a girl a lot like you. Her name was Kristy, she was the queen bee, cheer caption, everyone's first choice. I hated her, because she seemed to have it all and I wanted that. Then one day I went to school and found out she killed herself, a few days later her suicide note was leaked onto the net, it said 'I cant do this anymore, pretending to be perfect. I don't have friends just followers, I don't have a boyfriend just a puppy. None of you know me, know what I'd give to be one of the people I tease everyday, to have real friends and a loving boyfriend, to not be afraid to be exactly who I am. I hate you all, but mostly, I hate me' … I memorised that so that I'd appreciate that I don't have that burden, the burden of always needing to be perfect." Quinn looks up to me crying and sobs "It's so hard!" I take her in my arms "it's ok, you don't have to be perfect, just be you!" she smiles up at me and that's when I meet the real Quinn Fabray.
As Rachel and I walk into Glee I give a warm smile to Quinn as I pass her and she to me. When Will arrives he turns to us, glancing at me with a small smile and asks for someone to sing, and then Puck chimes in with 'Sweet Caroline' his eyes never leaving Rachel's. as all the attention is on him I turn to Will, but quickly blush and turn away as he catches me staring. After the song ends I lean into to my cousin "there something you wanna tell me Star-shine?" she looks at me and announces to the room "Noah and I are now dating" we all look at her in shock as Puck smiles lightly. At the end of rehearsal Will tells us about Mr Tanaka's ultimatum. The guys are really upset, as am I, but Will seems the most distraught. After everyone leave's I tell Rachel to go wait in the truck, and then knock lightly on Will's office in Glee.
After a moment of silence I open the door to see him with his head against the desk "Mr Schu?" at the sound of my voice he looks up and gives a weak smile "Elise, hey, what's up?" I smile sweetly as I walk in and shut the door "I was going to ask you that same question" I take a seat and continue "why is he doing this?" Will shakes his head "he thinks there's something going on with me and Emma or something like that. This is his way of getting back at me, when I've done nothing!" he slams his hand against the desk and I jump. He take a glance at my startled expression and calms "Elise am sorry. I didn't mean to get angry" I shrug it of as I stand to sit in front of him, on the corner of his desk "it's natural to be angry when your being accused of something your innocent of" he smiles up at me, leaning back on his chair "there you go again, being all wise and supportive." I laugh lightly and say "nice to know am good for something" he frowns and says "don't put yourself down like that, even if it is just a joke." I nod firmly as his smile returns "so I saw you help out Finn and Quinn earlier. She quit the Cheerio's, What did you say to her?" I smile at this information and confess "I just told her that she doesn't need to work all the time on being perfect, that being herself works out better. I mean look at me, I'm exactly who I am and I'm pretty happy." he smiles and leans forward "that's another thing I like about Elise, your honest, you don't manipulate or try to control everything. You take each day as it come, the good with the bad." he stand as he says this and I beam "I find that the bad stuff makes you a tad more grateful for the good" he leans into me more, just like the last night, but this time it's his legs bumping into my knees that shake us.
I stand quickly and end up falling into his chest, he catches my arms as I smile up at him, my hands resting on his chest. I stretch out onto my toe's and gently kiss his soft cheek, I linger longer than appropriate and see that his eyes are closed as I pull away. With a smile on my face, confusion on his as his eyes open "don't worry to much about Glee, everything will work itself out, you'll see." with that I leave once again, a smile on my tingling lips.
Come Friday the world is right again. The ultimatum withdrawn, Puck and Rachel broke up and me and Will share our little glances or long stare's at this moment with him covered in slushy, his shirt see threw. I smile to him mischievously and he takes a sip of his own slushy with a playful smile.
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