"Didn't you hear a word I said on the phone, Richardson?" Hunter snarled as Joel walked through the front door.
"All I heard was white noise," Joel smirked. "I'm just here for my stuff. I'm going away for a while."
"But Joel, we need you." Cameron stepped out of the crowd.
"Oh, please, you guys don't need me. Hunter said so himself, didn't you, Hunt? Your exact words were: The Warblers don't need you, you worthless little shit. Thanks, I feel so wanted. Come on, Dez." The two went upstairs as many Warblers looked at Hunter in disgust.
"What? We don't need his obnoxious attitude while we're trying to win a competition," Hunter tried to defend himself.
"You're such an asshole, Clarington," Louis snapped before chasing after Joel. "Joel!"
Joel was in his room, gathering his clothes as Dez sat on the bed, watching him admiringly.
"No matter what you do, you're so cute," Dez mused.
"Thanks, man," Joel smiled. A knock came at the door and Joel ran to answer it. "Oh, hi, Louis."
"Dude, don't listen to Hunter," Louis said. "He's just being a douche."
"Louis, he hates me and I know that for a fact." Joel turned back to his bags. "Since the day I came back to Dalton, he just gives me all these dirty looks and never lets me get a solo. By the way, this is Dez. Dez, this is Louis, one of my teammates."
"Where are you going, Joel?"
"Dez's best friend-slash-Jeff's little brother Austin is a musician and they're going on tour," Joel explained. "I'm going with them."
"But Nationals are in two days," Louis protested. "And where's Jeff?"
"Jeff's going with us. Nick's been a total asshat and they broke up, so Jeff and I are going away."
"Nick and Jeff broke up?!"
"Wait, hold up," a new voice said. Sebastian walked into the room. "Niff broke up? As in hyper, crazy, joined-at-the-hip Niff?"
"Yeah, Nick slept with Jeff's ex last Christmas vacation," Joel shrugged.
"And you and Jeff are leaving now?" Sebastian was near hysterics. "Joel, you're not going anywhere. We are not losing to the New Directions again."
"Sebastian, move," Joel said monotonously, carrying his suitcase. Sebastian stood firmly in front of the doorway. "You haven't done anything to me in a long time. I'll feel guilty if I have to hurt you."
"Joel, please, we need you," he begged.
"Remember Regionals last year when you told me that I wasn't needed? I'm finally listening; the Warblers don't want me. Fine. I'll go somewhere I am wanted." Joel pushed past Sebastian and went downstairs, Dez in tow. He stopped briefly at the front door and turned to the Warblers, who were watching him.
"Don't aim all your anger at Hunter. Every single one of you has told me one time or another that I am worthless. Maybe not directly, but I know what you meant. Goodbye, guys." He turned to leave.
"Joel, wait," Kyle spoke up. Joel looked at him. "Are you coming back to Dalton?"
"Maybe, maybe not."
"You ready to go, Jeff?" Ally asked, looking at the blond boy, who was sitting on the beach. Jeff looked up and smiled at her.
"Yeah, let's go." He stood up and followed Ally back to Sonic Boom, where Trish was loading bags into an airport van.
"You know, seeing as how I'm the manager, I don't see why I have to load bags. Where the hell is Dez?"
"We're ready!" Dez came bounding over, Joel being dragged behind him. "Oh, look, Trish is working. It's a miracle." He narrowly ducked a suitcase, which Joel caught without so much as a flinch. "Whoa, Joely, how'd you do that?"
"It's a reflex thing. I was bullied a lot when I was younger. I guess it might be a sixth sense," Joel mused, throwing the suitcase into the van.
"Joel, what did you do now?" Jeff groaned, walking over to them.
"God, Jeff, I didn't even do anything bad yet," Joel scoffed. "Let's just get out of here before someone guilts us into going back."
Nick sat in a taxi across the street from the airport, watching Jeff, Joel, and Team Austin go into the airport. Joel was holding the boy named Dez and the girl named Trish apart. He could hear the two arguing from where he was.
"Shut it, the both of you!" Joel shouted, making surrounding people look over. Dez and Trish blushed and walked into the airport without another word. Joel ran a hand through his hair and picked up the suitcases.
"Joel!" Nick called out, running over to him.
"What do you want, Nick?" Joel looked at him tiredly.
"Don't go, please."
"You weren't there, so you didn't hear it. The Warblers don't want me around. You said it yourself last week. I'm a waste of space. Goodbye, Nick."
"Wait, Joel, tell Jeff I'm sorry," Nick pleaded.
"I know what you did to Jeff," Joel said in a low voice. "And, quite frankly, you suck. Sleeping with your ex's ex while they were together. That's a new low."
"God, Joel, shut up." Nick snapped. "You're such a prick, you know that? Ted's right; all you do is insult us and tell us to go fuck ourselves." Joel stared at him, not moving. "You're not gonna hit me?"
"No, because you're going to be wallowing in regret as soon as I walk away." Joel turned to leave. "By the way, Nick?"
"What?"
"You're not getting anywhere near Jeff. He's too amazing for someone like you."
"You like him," Nick murmured. "Jeff wouldn't like you back, you know that, right? You're a fucking freak."
"Whatever, Nick." Joel smirked and went into the airport.
Nick stood there, watching Jeff go through security and felt a few tears prick his eyes. As Joel had predicted, he did indeed regret saying what he said.
"I'm going to get you back, Jeffrey Silas Sterling," he said to himself. "I love you."
On the plane, Jeff sat, his knees curled against his chest, looking out the window at the disappearing beaches of Florida.
"I miss him," he whispered. Joel put a comforting hand on his shoulder.
"You know, I actually had a great idea for a mash-up," he said, trying to change course.
"What was it?" Jeff looked up, interested.
"Paul McCartney and Duran Duran's James Bond theme songs, Live and Let Die and A View to a Kill."
"That's an awesome idea, Joel," Jeff said, smiling.
"Well, they're not getting it, especially after how they treated me," Joel mumbled. "Actually, Jeff, you're the only Warbler who was nice to me. I mean, like the only one who didn't call me worthless."
"You're not, Joel. You're worth having around, even though you are kind of a pain in the ass. No offense."
"None taken."
"Hey, Jeff?" Austin came over to them. "I was wondering if you maybe wanted to go onstage before me and sing something?"
"Do it." Joel poked Jeff. "Do it, Jeff." Jeff looked a little uneasy but smiled and nodded.
"You pick the song," Austin grinned. Joel leaned over to Dez and whispered something to him. Dez lit up and the two got up. "Joel, Dez, wait, what are you doing?" Joel pulled out his iPod and turned it on.
"All I want to get is a little bit closer
All I want to know is, can you come a little closer?
Here comes the breath before we get a little closer
Here comes the rush before we touch, come a little closer
The doors are open, the wind is really blowing
The night sky is changing overhead"
Joel took Dez's hands and the two strolled down the aisles singing.
"It's not just all physical
I'm the type who won't get oh so critical
So let's make things physical
I won't treat you like you're oh so typical
I won't treat you like you're oh so typical"
Joel spun around and walked back towards Jeff, who was laughing.
"All you think of lately is getting underneath me
All I dream of lately is how to get you underneath me
Here comes the heat before we meet a little bit closer
Here comes the spark before the dark, come a little closer
The lights are off and the sun is finally setting
The night sky is changing overhead"
Dez ran into Joel's arms and Joel twirled him around while singing.
"It's not just all physical
I'm the type who won't get oh so critical
So let's make things physical
I won't treat you like you're oh so typical
I won't treat you like you're oh so typical"
The passengers cheered and applauded. Joel looked backwards to see if a flight attendant was about to stop him, but they were all applauding.
Songs featured:
-Closer (Tegan and Sara) - Joel and Dez