Chapter four… :)
Out of all of them, Tina was, of course, the last to arrive at Rachel's house, more annoyed than anyone.
Tina was bustling around her house, trying to find a phone. She knew that her parents were at work and that they wouldn't allow her to go over to Rachel's housel it was family night.
As she was about to dial Rachel's number, the doorbell rang. Tina sigh, tossed the phone onto the couch and walked to the entry way. After glancing though the peep-hole, she creased her forehead in confusion. "What are you doing here?" she said as she opened the door.
The boy gave her a sly sneer. "That's a great way to open the door," he said, crossing his arms over his chest.
"I could see you through the peep-hole. I knew it was you." He nodded and Tina found it annoying that he was at her house. "What are you doing here? You don't even live near me, Jesse."
He sighed. "I'm here to simply let you know your options."
Tina's mouth fell open slightly and she raised an eyebrow at him. "Huh?"
"I heard from a few people that you and three of your other friends are staying at Rachel's house tonight." Tina's cell phone rang and she held up one newly manicured and partially laced finger to him. He nodded understandingly and she opened the text message.
Quinn, 'Cedes and I were harassed by Puck and Finn about going 2 Rach's house. If approached by them OR Jesse, DO NOT LISTEN! Be the fierce girl you are! –Kurt
Tina texted back a quick O.K. before looking to Jesse angrily. "Were those people you heard from either Puck or Finn?" Jesse stepped into her house. "Yeah, sure, come on in," she said sarcastically, shutting the door. "So… Was it Finn or Puck?"
"Who I heard it from is none of your concern. I just wanted to tell you that I feel very strongly about you going to Rachel's house."
"I bet it was Finn," she said in a concluding voice, planting her hands on her hips.
Jesse rolled his eyes. "Again, none of your concern."
Tina gave him a hard stare, the black make-up around her eyes making the glare more dark and acid as she tried to be as fierce as she could. It is my business if you're saying you 'feel strongly' about me going to have some fun with my friends," she said, bending her fingers in as quotations, her voice as dark as her eyes. "What are you, my father?"
Jesse gave her a small smile. "No, Tina, I'm not your father, I'm just saying that maybe you shouldn't hang out with Rachel."
Tina's forehead creased. "What… What do you mean?"
He shrugged. "I mean that Rachel, she's not someone you wanna hang out with. She's, like, a liar."
At that, Tina discretely reached for her cell phone, typing a 'Danger! St. James alert!' message to Kurt. "Okay, well, Jesse, thank you for the insight, it was fantastic, but I'm not going to Rachel's house anyway." He gave her a confused look. "It's family night."
Jesse nodded, running a hand through his hair. "Good," he sighed, satisfied, before muttering, "cause she's an aggravating know it all."
Tina's phone went off in her pocket but she didn't reach for it. Instead, she stared at Jesse. "That's unfair…" Her words were slow and quiet.
"But it's true," he said, pointing an accusing finger at her.
She gave him a blank faced look. "You're only saying that because of the Run Joey Run video. If you hadn't broken up, you wouldn't even be thinking that. I know you wouldn't have said that otherwise."
He snorted, sliding his hands into his pockets. "Oh, come on, Tina. You know it's true. You've seen her in glee club longer than I have."
"That maybe true, but I wouldn't tell her that." He rolled his eyes again. "And she's not bad at all when she's only with a few people. She's relatively normal," Tina whispered, slowly reaching into her pocket.
"Yeah, well, I'm glad to be rid of her. She was taking over my life, practically destroying it. Do you know what she would do?"
Evacuate! Evacuate! Take immediate action! –Kurt
She nodded. "I'm sure I don't know what she would do, but I don't have time to listen. You need to leave. Right now."
"Why?"
"Because I have to pack. I'm going to Rachel's."
She headed down the hall to her room to get a bag and some clothes. "You said you weren't going over to her house!" he called to her, following down the hall.
This time, Tina rolled her eyes. "Yes, well, you shouldn't even care, Jesse St. James," she said, grabbing a black, white and yellow Vera Bradley bag and tossing a skirt and shirt into it. "You've broken up with her. Don't bother with who hangs out with her."
He leaned against the door frame. "All my friends are hanging out with her."
She snorted. "All your friends are at Carmel High, probably practicing their latest glee number. Why don't you go join them?" she sneered, putting a pair of red and black striped leggings in the bag.
"Because I go to McKinley...?" She shook her head. "And maybe they are practicing their latest number, so all of my available friends are hanging out with her."
Tina turned to face him. She kept her expression blank, trying not to show the annoyance that was bubbling up under her skin. "Jesse, you never talked to us," she said, crossing her arms over her chest. "If you want to be with 'available' friends, go find the boys. They've all been 'betrayed' like you. At least, Puck and Finn have."
He let out of burst of air; an irritated sigh. "Okay, will you stop doing this-" He bent his fingers in the air "- and just listen to me?"
Tina grabbed a piece of paper from her desk and scribbled 'At Rachel Berry's. She's having boyfriend problems. There for support,' before tossing her bag over her shoulder. "Wish I could, but I don't want to. I have to go to Rachel's house and you need to leave." She walked past him, taping the note to the wall in front of the door. "Come on, Jesse, leave."
She grabbed her car keys before shooing him out of the house like an annoying cat. "You're making a mistake," he called to her as she flounced over to her black Mini Cooper on the driveway.
Tina climbed into the car. "No, you're just being difficult."
"She lied to me! Her boyfriend! Using other people in a music video, then not telling anyone? She's such a bit-"
"Don't… Finish that sentence," she warned, climbing back out of the car. "Rachel didn't think she was doing anything wrong. It's not my business to speak for her, but all of you are being unfair, especially you! Trying to persuade her friends to not hang out with her? What an asshole move!"
"You're as much of a friend with her as I am with you!"
Tina's face flushed red. "You have no right to say that. I've known her longer. I'm used to her impossible rants and bossing around-"
"So am I," he interrupted.
"I'm friends with her, Jesse. You can't say that I'm not because you don't know what goes on inside our heads. And maybe I'm not best friends with her, but even if I was, you're also trying to persuade me to not hang out with Kurt and Mercedes and Quinn, who I'm even better friends with, cause they're going too, so take that stick out of your ass and get over yourself. She didn't know she was doing anything wrong. She didn't know that was going to happen." He sighed, digging the heel of his sneaker into the driveway. "Now, get off my property. I have to go."
Tina got into her car and drove off, pulling out her cell phone.
Just got harassed. On my way.
She sighed, placing her phone in the cup holder, not picking it up again until she got to Rachel's.
When the door was opened, all five of them eloped each other in a group hug.
"Thank you," Rachel whispered. "So much."