IV
~ Assembly ~
The day after all their successful auditions, the newly reformed Glee club had entered the choir room at lunch time to discuss the selection of songs that Rachel had all emailed them the previous night. Kurt really had to think that no wonder the girl's iPod had taken so long to sync because the list she'd emailed them all was the size of a monster with around a whole minute of his time being taken up with scrolling down to the bottom. She had sent around two hundred songs for them all to explore, all ranging from the musical genre to the pop classics and modern rock and as a result, a large groan had escaped everyone's mouths. Kurt had taken it upon himself to search for appropriate material having discovered various talented independent artists whose music showed real promise but after receiving Rachel's continuous files, he'd not bothered in the end.
There was no point piling on more onto the already teetering pile, Kurt had thought as he sat at the black grand piano and observed his peers. Artie was wheeled up next to him, repeatedly throwing a soft ball up and down in his hand with so little enthusiasm that it started to really bring the game 'catch' into perspective. Tina was sitting on the piano sprawling through scores of music that had been left behind by either the Jazz band or the orchestra and last but not least Mercedes, who was playing Tetris on her iPhone, her eyes building and her tongue sticking out in avid , here they all were. One happy, happy family. Sometimes sarcasm was the only thing to amuse oneself with but it could only for so long.
They had arrived approximately fifteen minutes ago and Rachel had yet to appear which Kurt found very odd. He didn't know the girl that well but the passion certainly shone through her eyes. He also didn't want to make everyone think he wasn't serious about the club seeing as he had enjoyed hanging out with his new set of friends who unfortunately didn't share that many periods with him with the exception of homeroom. Closing his eyes and bringing his bored gaze to the ticking clock, he sighed to himself. It was totaling seventeen minutes that they had been waiting and with lessons restarting within the next ten or more minutes, the first practice or get together for the Glee club had effectively failed. This was not going well at all.
It was disappointing and disheartening to say the least but then again it did strike hope in Kurt that if by the end, they approached Mr. Schuester only to say they hadn't been able to squeeze in enough time for practice sessions and that there were always chances in the future, then they wouldn't have to perform. This is what he desperately wanted to happen. He didn't know if everyone else thought the same way but they couldn't have been Teletubby happy about it either. Especially considering since news had circled that the Glee club had restarted and that it only pathetically consisted of the loner losers including the new gay kid. It was enough to put anyone off, but that was one thing Kurt didn't know about the club until now, that it was the lowest of the low. Gutter low. Well if it's going to go on like this, it'll be low enough to dig our own graves. Fun!
After joining Glee yesterday since this morning, every single one of them had been subjected to high school torture, and no one had been lucky enough to be spared. Why Kurt had driven himself to school this time and as he was just about to enter the school doors, several pairs of hands had landed roughly on him, wrenched him to a large disgustingly foul smelling dumpster, stripped him of his bag and jacket and mercilessly thrown him into it. The brunet had, like the first time he'd been made fun of being gay at the mall, been shocked. The slushies, the locker shoves and now the dumpster tosses. Seriously, these boys were no doubt going to grow up to become the next round of thugs of the next decade.
Nothing they did was done with a second thought. They all acted on pure animosity ruled judgement with nothing better to do. Why couldn't they all just check on Ebay if they have lives for sale. It would be a far more constructive way to spend their time. At least it would be something Kurt would do if he were them. His sense of smell was mercilessly attacked by the putrid stench of rotting fish, gone off cheese and other vomit inducing trash that fueled itself out of that wretched cafeteria. Of course as he had been assaulted, he'd not properly seen his attackers since it had happened within the space of thirty seconds, but he had managed to catch a glimpse here and there of a jock in a red Letterman jacket and a mohawk. Figures.
After he had tripped and fallen whilst hauling himself out of the dumpster, grazing and finally cutting his palm as he landed heavily on the ground below, he'd picked up all the contents of his bag which had been widely strewn several meters around the lot, though as he desperately tried to find his bag, he had finally found it thrown up into a high branch of a tree, dirt and spit marks littering its black leather sides. It was painful to witness but there was no way he was ever going to climb to recover it and reach his first period on time. It just wasn't feasible. So after he'd made his way towards his locker, having to stuff his arms with all his folders and having to use a plastic bag for all the smaller items, he'd came across Tina, who had just come out of the Nurse's office, rubbing her injured and bruised shoulder from what looked like a very sadistic locker shove.
It was depressing to say the least and as the day wore on, he had later found out that he and Tina had not only been the casualties of Puckerman's vicious army of jocks. Mercedes had apparently received a slushy to the face, yet the one thrown at her had not only been super sized to gigantic proportions but had contained within it thicker and larger chunks of ice that only served to further seriously humiliate the poor girl. Artie on the other hand, although claiming that he couldn't be touched at the already drenched and bloodied hands of the mohawked boy had found himself locked in a porta pottie under the bleachers. He knew that if he hadn't been there screaming and shouting for help, no one would have been able to recover him, even if he had been in there for two solid, smelling hours.
As a result, by the time, they were undergoing the road to slow recovery, they were all wishing for the same thing: revenge. However, in their weak states and less than physically impressive physiques, no payback war of any kind was going to be fought on the high school battlefield. Suicide was not an outcome worth experiencing at the hands of Puckerman, whom they all wished would just slip into something more comfortable, like a coma. Then there was Rachel. Come to think of it Kurt hadn't seen the girl all day and it was puzzling to say the least. She was a primary target as well as all of them so how was it that her screams of protest just like every other glee member had not echoed through the halls?
Maybe she had seen the whole thing coming. It was a plausable idea that came to mind as Kurt traced a finger along the black and white key, the soft, polished wood caressing his skin from underneath. Or perhaps the girl had seen what had happened to all of them and decided to save her own skin and flee like the star sticking, arrogant girl that she was. Kurt sighed again because there really wasn't a reason why he should feel anger towards the girl but just as he was about to announce to everyone that they'd better gather their belongings together and postpone the meeting until after school, Rachel came pelting in, breathless from obviously sprinting. Well it's the least she could have done.
Her face and hair were sopping wet, water cascading down her skin as she came to stand at the foot of the piano but her clothes were very much dry. She had with her several pieces of paper which she dumped onto the top of the piano, some of the scores she'd brought flying off the surface and landing on the ground next to her. She swooped them up and made to organize the mess she had made, completely oblivious to all the other members eying her with confusion and amusement. Tina hopped off the piano to grant the girl more workspace as Artie tucked his ball away and rolled himself closer to a heavily panting Rachel. Kurt straightened up from the piano bench and Mercedes ended her game of Tetris, tucking her phone away into her pocket. Finally, as her breathing became less erratic and more even, Rachel brought her eyes up to see them all.
"You all are going to have to forget about the songs I sent you all last night because we are not doing a single one of them," she announced at all of them as they gaped at her with combined expressions of annoyance and agitation, Kurt rolling his eyes as he went to lean his elbows on the piano and resting his head in his hands in exasperation. "We are going to compile a whole new list of musical possibilities because the ones we have are simply not good enough for us."
"Hello?! You're the one who selected the material, compiled the list of two hundred happy-go-lucky songs and sent them all to us!" Cried out Tina as Rachel brought her serious eyes to look at the fuming Asian. She may have sent over a ton of material to everyone, but it's only because she knew best. They'd all be lost without her. "Some of them weren't even that bad to be honest. Why have you suddenly changing your mind? And why by the way are you twenty five minutes late?!"
"I apologise very much that I couldn't join you all for the start of the session but I was held up alright, I don't want to talk about it," replied Rachel indignantly as she pointlessly shuffled through the stacks of scores on the piano causing Kurt to frown at her sudden guarded behavior. Somehow, the cause of Rachel's wet appereance reeked of jock. Mohawk jock. "Let's just use the five minutes we have and then we'll pick off where we left off here, after school. Can everyone make then?"
"We're not using up any time until you, Little Mermaid, start explaining to us all why you're late and why your hair is leaking a pool of water on the floor," argued Mercedes as she pushed past Tina to point angrily at the water, Kurt rounding the piano to see the small of clear liquid forming around Rachel's feet. "I mean what the hell happened to you Berry? Did someone shoot you with a water gun or something? A water balloon maybe? I mean talk about frizzy; your hair has gone curly as hell."
"It was a pee balloon actually. Thrown by some of the jocks who were hiding around the corner to ambush me before lunch," seethed Rachel as Mercedes continued staring at her sopping wet head, Artie quietly muffling his chuckling as Kurt threw him an amused smile. "So now you know, can we all just drop it? We're here to plan for our performance, not discuss my embarrassing part of the day where I smelled like urine. You're now the ones wasting time."
"Well guess what Rachel, you're not the only one who got attacked today but yet we still managed to get here on time," argued Tina as she gestured to everyone, Rachel looking at every single face situated around the grand piano. It was like she was on trial. "Kurt was dumpstered this morning before school, I was locker shoved after the first period, Artie got locked and trapped in a portable toilet for two hours and Mercedes here got a slushy facial with side helpings of ice. Don't think you're the only victim of being in Glee club alright, because every single one of us is hurting just as much as you are."
"Well I got attacked just now actually. I had to rush to the bathroom and wash my hair and face so many times I think there's only a single layer of skin holding me in. Plus I had to change into another set of clothes because the ones I was wearing are now scathed with human yellow waste," countered Rachel as she grabbed hold of her hair and began squeezing out the excess moisture, leading more water to fall onto the water with a small splash. "I'm sorry but I just couldn't go around the school for the rest of the day let alone this meeting smelling like the bowls of Neanderthal alright so just be grateful."
"Well it doesn't matter anymore we've only got a minute until the bell rings so I guess we'll have to officially start practicing after school," sighed Kurt as he made to collect his folder and plastic bag which he had rested against one of the piano legs. "But quickly before we go, why the change of heart over the songs? I'm kind of annoyed that I had to stay up until one in the morning listening to every single song you emailed us only to learn now that we're not going to use a single one."
"I'm sorry Kurt, but I have to say no to them all. It pains me to think you took a lot of time out for Glee and I'm sure Schue will be pleased about that but we just can't perform any of them," replied Rachel as she threw him a sympathetic look, Tina and Mercedes rolling their eyes in displeasure as the girl pointlessly apologized. "And I say this, not because of vain or narcissistic reasons but because we have to prove to the whole school that we have more than just stage presence and talent."
"Rachel, that's all the judges at these choir competitions ever look for, what are you talking about?" Asked Artie as he wheeled himself closer to the brunette. She looked down at him with determination sparkling in her eyes; a sparkle signalling that a girl's mind was already in the work's for something even if it hadn't come out of her very mouth. See that was the thing with Rachel. She always got it the wrong way round and it only served to annoy others. "I mean at this early stage that's all we need to prove right? We have to prove to everyone that we can do the basic things right like sing and dance."
"No Artie you're missing one important thing and it's crucial to any real performance that's worth watching and paying attention to. Teenagers have no problem keeping their eyes away from this in any circumstance," replied Rachel as she smiled at the confused and awaiting expressions on her peer's faces. "Sex appeal. We need to bring sex appeal to the stage and performance, because if we don't then it'll be that much harder to capture everyone's hormonal induced attention."
"And none of the songs you selected can be made sexy what so ever? I'm sure there must be a few, there were two hundred of them for God's sake," whined Kurt as he leaned against the piano in further infuriation, his foot subtly stomping on the floor in protest as if he were a child who had been forbidden from visiting the playground. "Come on Rachel, we don't have time to switch tunes, we need to chose one now preferably today so that we can start practicing like hell."
"Look the only reason this has just sprung to mind is because after I was attacked in the hall, Puck criticized me for having no sex appeal and that every single one of us in Glee club especially you Kurt had as much sex appeal as a wet carrot or at best, a rotting plank of wood," continued Rachel as she nodded in the wake of the gasping that followed, Kurt straightening up in shock as he narrowed his eyes dangerously. "I know it hurts to be brought to attention so rudely but he's not far from the truth. All of us don't exactly set libidos racing."
"Well excuse us for not wanting to disconnect ourselves by becoming exploitable objects of no value. Not everyone wants to act as the stereotypical vessel waiting to be filled by squatting over a small hand mirror. Some of us actually like to keep our dignities intact. Some of us have brains," replied Artie defiantly as all they turned to look at him in firm accordance, their nodding heads signalling they agreed just as strongly. "Even if it's the cool thing to lose your V card in high school, it doesn't mean you have to do it and it certainly doesn't mean you have to dress as cheaply as Miss Sandbags Lopez."
"Well we're just going to have to prove them wrong won't we? However, in the end, even if we do succeed at proving them otherwise, they're not going to admit they were mistaken. They'll just cover it up," continued Kurt as Rachel threw him a worried look whilst Mercedes and Tina exchanged anxious glances with one another. The jocks would never admit they were wrong. Most men couldn't in general, but if they rubbed the smug removing proof all over their ape like faces, the loss of an argument would soon be dragging down their inflated egos. "But in any case it's something we can all still look forward to doing right? So Rachel what have you got?"
.
Glee
.
"Hi everyone, so you've no doubt by now learned of the Glee club returning to McKinley," announced Mr. Schuester as he stood in front of the microphone in the gym, every single student looking back at him with either extreme boredom or bleak interest. It was Monday morning and people were grumpy, cranky and not in the mood to leave the weekend behind. No one had been in the spirit to properly take in what Mr. Figgins had said about the unprovoked food fight in the cafeteria last week, resulting in several students ending up in the nurse's office to be treated, amongst other injuries, steaming hot custard facials, and lumpy cafeteria custard at that.
It was disgusting but now here Mr. Schuester was, hoping to lighten the mood with entertainment, liven up the atmosphere with a comeback performance of the 'New Directions', a new start, a new beginning to the once defunct club. However as little or no movement was seen in the many stalls in the hall, apart from the odd cough and possibly the occasional cliché like cricket in the background, backstage was another matter. Behind the blue curtain, everyone was on high alert and in full on panic mode, footsteps running, banging, hearts racing with fear-induced adrenaline. "In the past, the club has proven to be successful and I mean to bring that success back here once again."
"Kurt could you tighten my corset up, I feel like it's loosening," asked Rachel as she approached the boy who was as pale and as any white as any bone. Ever since their drastic change in number direction, the Glee club had squeezed as many hours of practice until this day as was humanly possible but even though they had prepared themselves for the club's comeback, all of them were suffering from the muscle inducing nerves.
"Kurt, it's okay, everything's going to be fine. All of our vocals compliment themselves and I'm sure we'll do justice to the song, all right? Just remember not to belt and force your voice, we're going for breathy baby talk, you know? Channel sexual, husky, busty, buxom babe whatever. Whatever you think we'll make them want to descend those bleachers, rip your clothes off, lay you on that floor and enter you. Now can you please tighten me up? "
"Sorry, Rachel… sure," answered Kurt as he snapped out of his daze and proceeded to adjust her corset. Rachel, Tina and much to Mercedes' annoyance were dressed in elaborate costumes inspired by Marie Antoinette and 18th Century French fashions but with a modern twist. All three of them indeed looked breathtaking but at the end of the day, looked more like they were modelling luxury lingerie outfits for an Ann Summers or Bordelle runway show.
Their corsets were beautifully crafted with French Chantilly lace whilst the cream ruche elastic lines on the sides enhanced their hourglass shapes. Not a single one of them until now had ever felt more feminine and as they held within their hands their feather filled fans decorated with shining sequins accompanied with Georgian bouffants, adorned with exquisite garden flowers, plumes and butterflies, they couldn't also help feeling incredibly desirable. "Are you sure you really want to wear these? Won't they be difficult to breathe in?"
"Kurt, the outfits accompany the song and they all go with the whole theme of the performance. Not only do we all look sexy but also you know as well as I do that if we don't dress at least a little provocatively, it'll just make it harder for us. The people out there need some kind of stimulation. We're providing the foreplay, we're turning them on. Why else do you think boys read porn or go to strip joints," reasoned Rachel as she looked over Kurt's tense shoulder to see Tina wheeling Artie into place, Mercedes assuming her position as well, who by the looks of it, was going to faint any minute.
The girl had complained earlier that her breasts were going to pop out of her corset if not loosened and the last thing she wanted was to pull a Britney Spears in her 'If U Seek Amy' music video. It seemed Rachel must have written her measurements down wrong and now here she was with suffocating boobs. "Kurt, be glad you and Artie are not constrained to wearing such stomach constricting clothing. Believe me what you've got on leaves much more to the imagination."
"Rachel, get into your position now, Mr. Schue's nearly finished his intro speech," whispered Tina harshly as she beckoned with her whole arm for the brunette to come away from Kurt. As she did, the pale boy looked down at his own outfit and sighed. He, along with Artie, were wearing bone white skinny jeans, black pressed shirts, white suspenders, pastel blue bow ties and aqua toned 1920s men's shoes that definitely felt more fitting than they looked. In the end, Rachel had been right.
It was very stylish and a far more comfortable outfit than what the girls had on considering they weren't on four inch Christian Louboutin Dillian Pumps and having their organs painfully rearranged inside them, but just because he and Artie weren't in extreme discomfort, it didn't mean they too couldn't feel at least a hint of attractiveness within them. "Alright everyone get ready... Kurt move a little to your left... little further... too much... stop, there you go. Alright."
"Ladies and Gentlemen I give you the New Directions!" Announced Mr. Schuester as he began to clap enthusiastically, the students of McKinley awkwardly following in his wake as they glanced at each other warily. The lights in the gym dimmed and the curtain rose to reveal the Glee club in various sultry positions, fans obscuring half of the girls' faces as their low lidded smoky made up eyes began to seduce everyone in the hall. For Kurt, he'd never felt more awkward.
He had never purposefully acted on a flirtatious level in his life. Not even when he'd lipsyched to songs way too explicit for a boy his age. He'd never even pretended to in the mirror, which he supposed didn't render him completely narcissistic. However, judging by everyone else on the stage, with their suggestive poses and open chests, he guessed they had. He had to channel someone sexy, some with class, but above all sexy. In the end, he chose himself. He could only really channel himself and for this he could be sexy. He was here to be sexy, and he was going to be sexy. The center spotlight flashed on and with it, the instrumental. A few meters away sat Mr. Schuester, praying the club on for a good performance but as soon he saw them all begin to dance to the swinging guitar like intro of the song, his mouth gaped. Oh no...
I wait underneath the covers all night beside you
and who could ever question any crying I do?
My heavy heart is beating out a rhythm all night inside me
and I fall a little harder every time that I do...
Rachel strutted forward with her blue fan in hand and began seductively waving it near her face. As the small amount of wind ruffling the stray hairs around her hairline and ears neared her lip-glossed lips, some of them got stuck, causing her to smile. This was perfect. Knowing this as something that drove boys crazy, she slowly pulled her hair from her lips and pouted invitingly, making sure as much light glistened off her gloss. She was soon accompanied by Mercedes who began walking around her, both of them never straying their eyes from their onlookers. Kurt could only beg this would work as he Tina and Artie swayed erotically in the background, their faces like Rachel and Mercedes' inviting the audience further into the heated performance. Please God, make this work.
Watch me living it up, you totally
Got me stuck in a rut you made for me
How am I going to step up and say to you
I get the feeling boy I want you, I want you...
Rachel and Mercedes backed away as both Artie and Tina brought themselves to the front. The boy wheeled himself to the center of the stage whilst Tina stood behind him, her hand traveling down his chest as her head descended to his ear. Artie exposed his neck to her lips, bare and ready to accept her bite. As she brought her head in and then back up, Tina ruffled his hair whilst singing, bringing up her hand and beckoning him as he neared her. Meanwhile as Rachel and Mercedes joined Kurt in the background, their wrists constantly working as their fans repeatedly waved in the air, the pale boy was slowly starting to become more reassured. This performance was sexy, they were sexy and they were going to prove to everyone that they were nothing but. Hopefully.
That conversation is tough because you're totally,
Walking around all the stuff you want to say to me
Words are never enough, oh baby, baby you turn my dust to gold...
Finally, Artie and Tina snapped themselves out of their little game of cat and mouse and strutted into center stage, every move never feeling more attentive in its life. Little did they know that on the lowest tier of the gym bleachers, Mr. Schuester had his head in his hands, repeatedly shaking it from side to side, as he brought his gaze up. This was not the kind of comeback performance he was looking for. It wasn't doing the kids any favors at all. It wasn't showcasing the real talent they had presented him at the auditions. Long masked away was the beautiful solo of Rachel's, the profound performance from Artie. Everything had been covered up in favor in what he believed to be the victim of peer pressure since the only real thing they were attempting to sell here was mindless, run of the mill, done a million times before, sex.
I can't speak French so I'll let the funky music do the talking, talking now, oh
I can't speak French so I'll let the funky music do the talking, oh, oh, oh
I can't speak French so I'll let the funky music do the talking, talking now, oh
I can't speak French so I'll let the funky music do the talking, oh, oh, oh...
All five of them assumed a straight line in the middle of the stage and began dancing in sync, their moves quick to move to the beat but still carefree and relaxed to reflect the soft smooth jazz like sounds of the guitar in the instrumental. The choreography wasn't all that complicated since all it consisted of was the wagging of fingers, the shaking of their asses and the popping of the hips. Fairly easy. However as the song continued, Kurt's knees subtly quivered. He was next. He was next to sing, his part was rapidly coming in the next few beats and as the thought terrified him further, the more extreme his body shook. Rachel noticing the lapse in posture, shot him a look, but it wasn't one of anger or annoyance but one of reassurance. It was a look that reminded them that they were doing this together. No one was getting left behind. No one, and with that, he confidently stepped forward and sang.
I got to let you know, I want to give in to my temptation
and let my feelings show, I got to let you know
I got to let you know, I want to give in to my temptation
And let my feelings show, I got to let you know...
Kurt descended the small raised platform that barely deserved to be classified as a stage and walked further into the gym, Rachel at his heels. Turning around, the boy began dancing with her, her fan stroking his face as he closed his eyes in pleasure. Meanwhile back on the stage, Artie and Tina were dancing together and all seemed to be going very well. Very well indeed until the Asian, with a sudden lapse in judgement, accidentally pushed the boy's wheelchair with too greater force, leading him to rapidly roll uncontrollably across the stage and fall off. Artie's chair capsized as he was thrown to the ground with a cry of pain.
Thankfully, the volume of the music had concealed the sound but nothing could conceal the sight. Tina yelped in shock as she rushed to his side but as a result, didn't notice Mercedes across the stage, growing gradually weaker and weaker from not being able to breathe properly. The lack of air was preventing her from singing and with each passing minute, with each passing second, the corset tightened. Tighter, tighter, tighter it fastened until finally with a set of stumbled short steps, trying desperately to regain her position, the diva collapsed. She fell hard to the ground as her figure now remained unmoving, laying there unconscious for all to see.
I can't speak French so I'll let the funky music do the talking, talking now, oh
I can't speak French so I'll let the funky music do the talking, oh, oh, oh
I can't speak French so I'll let the funky music do the talking, talking now, oh
I can't speak French so I'll let the funky music do the talking, oh, oh, oh
Kurt and Rachel, suddenly noticing the lack of voices in the chorus looked back toward the stage in horror at Mercedes' unmoving body. The pale boy almost lost his voice as he observed the terrible sight before him but as she was dragged off the stage by the crew, Tina waved frantically back at the lighting managers to shine the spotlight on them, desperate to bring back all the attention to the now remaining performers. Rachel, much to Kurt's surprise became the one to panic. Her legs were wobbling slightly and she was looking back at him with frightened eyes. Both of them were now the only support beams to the crumbling performance, which was toppling all around them.
However as the saying 'the show must go on' suddenly echoed itself around their heads as a flashing reminder of who they were and what they were doing, they were both brought the determination needed to bring it all to the end. Rachel looked at Kurt, the pale boy looking right back encouragingly and so by the time the song had ended, both of them were panting and awaiting some kind of reaction from the ever so silent audience, but nothing came, nothing was heard or noted, except the poisonous round of uncontrollable malicious laughter coming from the jocks and cheerleaders.
Both remaining performers slowly looked in their direction, the house lights switching on to see some of the Letterman boys led by no other jock but Puckerman himself, playfully shoving each other and pointing at Artie and Tina. The handicapped boy had been quickly recovered from the cold floor and helped back into his chair by Tina, who was swiftly exiting them both off the stage with their faces shining bright with humiliation. Meanwhile, grabbing hold of Rachel's hand and squeezing it as he lead them both back towards the stage, Kurt felt everyone stare as their footsteps echoed around the now quietening hall.
They ascended the platform, the brunet looking back towards Mr. Schuester's saddened face, his features fully caved in with dismay and disappointment, and despite the taunting remarks from the jocks and cheerleaders, the look on the teachers face was the greatest hurt out of them all. They had failed. They had not done themselves any favors. Just failed. Failed the club, what remaining respect it had. Everything. Pulling away from the embittered sight, Rachel followed Kurt off stage, the pale boy not for a single second letting himself look back at the now hurriedly whispering school. They were failures.
"Artie I am so sorry, so, so sorry about what I did to you," sobbed Tina as both Kurt and Rachel entered the corridor behind the gym, the sound of the Asian girl's wails not so much as welcoming them but crying out to them as they neared. Kurt supposed that the absence of anyone except for them along the long deserted stretch coul be seen as conforting to some degree, but it just seemed to echo and heighten the failure that had descended on all of them all.
Turth was, it had all been a bad idea. The outfits had been ridiculous for sixteen-year-old teenagers to wear and falling for Puckerman's influential peer pressure was now just ravenously eating them all alive. They had succumbed so easily to the words of a boy, who now only seemed to feel like cancer to the soul, that they couldn't help but blame themselves for having been so easily manipulated. The sense of weakness was so sickening to them that they really were paying for it. Big time.
As Rachel started to blame herself for her being so gullible, they found Tina kneeling in front of Artie, the boy gently patting her shoulder and stroking her silky long black hair in a vain attempt to halt her crying and render her at least a small amount of successful comfort. "If I hadn't done what I did then they wouldn't have laughed at us! I ruined the whole show just because I wasn't careful enough! I hate myself for all the pain I've caused you all!"
"Tina, all is not your fault since Mercedes fainted shortly afterward so not all the blame is on you," soothed Rachel as she pulled the crying Asian from Artie's fully tear stained lap into a hug. Kurt then and there had to prevent himself from bursting out in laughter because right now, the poor boy had a huge wet stain directly above his crotch. Artie, noting the pale boy's inappropriate faces of amusement, followed his line of sight before quickly hiding the patch with his hands.
The poor boy's face could not have flushed more with embarrassment. It certainly was going to be difficult to explain the stain to Rachel's father, Hiram, who had kindly lent them all the extravagant designer outfits from a fashion contact in New York, without replaying Artie's pained reaction. "Try not to beat yourself down alright; it's not going to help you. We blew the performance but that's all right. It was our first so we can try again next time okay."
"Kurt Hummel? Is Kurt Hummel here?" asked a frightening voice behind the brunet as his eyes blew wide in surprise. He forced his body to slowly turn around to see a scary woman in a red tracksuit, blonde hair, fierce blue eyes and one serious face wildly looking around the corridor before her eyes landed on him. He timidly raised his hand to confirm his appearance but quickly retracted it back down again as the woman approached him, looming over him like a sinister monster of the deep.
There was nothing at all good that was going to occur from spending any time with this woman, he could just tell. It wasn't rocket science but as she scanned his smart attire topped with nothing more than the most dishearteningly innocent yet charming face she'd come across in a long time, she came to a conclusion. There was someting about this boy. "Ah, so you're Mr. Hummel. The new boy or 'super homo' as I've heard every other student here refer to you as. Can't say I blame them. I mean could you look any more like the ghost of Christmas gay? Come with me now to my office. We need to talk…"
~ PLEASE REVIEW ~
(But if you wish to criticize, may it be constructive. I'm not going to learn from my mistakes and improve if you vent.)
Author's Note: Canon had the Glee Club sing 'Push It' but I replaced it with 'Can't Speak French' by Girls Aloud since I prefer it. 'Push It' I found was a song that was too explicit to be taken seriously when performed. 'Can't Speak French' however holds within it a certain erotic vibe that can't be shaken off. I suggest you check out the music video because I based the outfits and choreography from it. It will give you a clearer picture about what I envisioned.
Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the characters from Glee since I don't own the show. I'm not earning money from this and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended. I mean only to please whoever stumbles upon my Love Story.
~ STAY TUNED FOR MORE BY FOLLOWING/FAVORITING ~
