you are cuter than a newborn lab puppy.
Chapter 7: Suits
A soft rain drizzled down on us. Piles of dead leaves from the fall were mixed in with the unmelted slush from the winter. Rain dripped on the slush, leaving small holes. Wheel trails followed me as Finn pushed. Silence hung thick in the air. Behind me, Finn snorted, breaking the silence.
"Drizzle," he said, amused, and snorted again. Mercedes arched her eyebrow at him.
"Nothing," Finn added. People were scattered around the parking lot, socializing with friends, kissing their lovers and leaning against their cars, showing off. Puck was reclining on the hood of his car. He chuckled.
"Hangin' around cripple boy now, huh?" Puck questioned Finn. Mercedes scowled and walked over to him. The word deflated me like a unwanted balloon. My heart started to pound in my head. My breath quickened. Sitting nervously, I twiddled my thumbs. I looked at the wet pavement to avoid his judgy, mocking eyes.
"Back off my friends, got it Puckerman?" Mercedes said, snapping in his face.
"Whatcha gonna do? Sit on me?" Puck chortled. Mercedes scoffed and crossed her arms.
"What are you, in preschool? You sound like a little kid," Mercedes replied.
"I can't help that you guys are a band of freaks," Puck said, chewing his gum loudly. Rain was dripping all over us. Kurt had left a while ago, afraid to get his sweater wet. Finn made a deep grunting noise that kind of sounded like a dog growl. I looked up at him. His nostrils were flaring, his big hands gripping the wheelchair handlebars so tightly that his knuckles were white. Finn's feet were glued to the pavement again, afraid to move. Puck's ego suffocated me. He arched his eyebrow further and scooted back on his car hood. His smirk mocked me. I wanted to say something, but the words were trapped in my throat.
"Freaks?" Mercedes laughed, "Are we the ones who rolled a guy down a hill in a Port-O-Potty? Are we the ones who sent Artie skidding down the hallway, making him fly out? Are we the ones who slushied him while he was down? Invest in a mirror. Maybe you will see who the real freak is," Mercedes said. She "hmmphed" and walked away from him. A held-in breath blew out of Finn forcefully. Finn and Mercedes high-fived.
"Fierce," Finn said, chuckling. Mercedes beamed. Puck's eyes burned the back of my head. I could feel his scowl following me to Kurt's car. The rain softly kissed my face as I finally looked up. Finn shook my shoulder softly.
"I'm sorry, man-" He started.
"Not your fault. I am not the grand master of the pity parade," I cut him off. Finn half-smiled at me. Finn's bubbliness filled the air. Pushing my wheelchair happily, we reached Kurt's car. His car was so clean, it looked newer and newer everytime I saw it. Finn's beefy hands fumbled with the wheelchair lock behind me. His tounge hung out the side of his mouth, concentrating on the "complicated" lock. Once he got it, Finn came around to the front of me. He's done this quite a few times before, during glee club. Unbuckling me swiftly, Finn shoved one hand behind the middle of my back and the other under my knees. Picking me up easily, He shifted me into Kurt's sparkling car. I buckled myself into the single leather seat. The inside was scented softly of vanilla. Mercedes was already describing every detail from the encounter a few minutes ago. Kurt's eyes were opened wide and his mouth was hung open. Mercedes used dramatic hand movements in her descriptions. Once Mercedes was done, Kurt shifted his hands to the steering wheel and we escaped the parking lot.
Gentle music caressed my ears as I leaned my head back in the silky seat. The lyrics wrapped around me.
And all of the angels, they'd sell off your soul
For a set of new wings and anything gold
They remember the people they loved, their old friends
And I've seen through them all, seen through them all
And seen through most everything.
My eyes fluttered closed as Finn hummed quietly to himself. I thought about Tina. Her heart-wrenching words. The pain slapped me in the face again and again. "Jeez, Artie. GET OVER IT! Puck is my boyfriend now! He makes me happy! Suprises me, twirls me around, dances with me, makes me feel special!" Tina's words replayed in my head. A few lonely tears broke free from my eyes. The silent drops rolled down my eyes, never to be found again. Just like Tina's beautiful love, never to be felt again. I opened my eyes hesitantly and raised my tired hand to wipe the salty substance away. The tears retreated into my white shirt. I stared out the window, watching the slow rain fall on the strangers I'd never see again.
Pulling into the parking lot, Kurt got extremely excited. Finn helped me out of the car, lips sewed together. Kurt hooked his arm with Mercedes'. Mercedes smiled the smile that only she could. Kurt stopped walking and turned around to me.
"Um, Artie, I know this is probably very touchy for you...but, do you want to go to prom with Mercedes and I? I know it's not our class prom, but we are allowed to go. Please?" Kurt begged, drawing his eyebrows together pleadingly. He tilted his head and shifted his weight to one leg. Kurt clasped his hands together, begging. Well, it wouldn't be how I wanted it, but there is no use being a hermit.
"Sure, I'll go. No use sitting at home, right?" I said, acting cheerily. I was actually pretty happy that they asked, it'll be fun. Kurt made a throaty noise that sounded kind of like a "squee". Mercedes clapped her hands rapidly. Finn smirked.
"Am I invited to this party?" Finn asked, crossing his arms. Kurt half-smiled.
"Of course, Finn. I didn't think you would want to go with us when you could be going with...nevermind," Kurt said, stopping himself. It took him a minute to recall that Rachel was dating Jesse now. Finn's smile twisted into a pained expression. Finn still loved Rachel, I could tell. This time, I reached up and patted him on his back. Finn was too tall to reach his shoulder. He shaped his lips into a small smile. Walking back behind me, we escaped the cold rain.
Deciding to split up, Mercedes went with Finn to pick out a tuxedo and Kurt went with me. Kurt told me that Finn and I are both "fashionably challenged". Finn waved happily to us as Mercedes dragged him away. Kurt pushed me my wheelchair against the cold tile of the mall. We were on the second floor, surrounded by stores of all different kinds. People scattered around us, skinny girls with swooping bangs and tight jeans, an old couple holding hands, smiling in unison, mothers with children attempting to break free of their steel grips. I watched the people interact around me. Kurt found a suit shop on the opposite side of the mall. "Snazzman's Suits" was written in large, glowing letters above the shop. Kurt pushed me into the shop and started to swoon over the different suits. Looking around for a long while, I picked out a suit, finally. It was a simple gray one, which I matched with a bright yellow tie. As I tried one on, Kurt sat outside of the dressing room stall I was in.
"You know Artie, I really admire you," Kurt said, "You are a really cool guy."
"What do you mean?" I replied, confused as to what he was talking about.
"Things are hard for you, and you just keep moving on. I wish I had the strength you have," Kurt added. I smiled quietly to myself.
"I think you are pretty cool yourself, Kurt," I stated, "I really appreciate the help you and Mercedes have been giving me." With that, I emerged from the ugly stall. Kurt beamed.
"I think it suits you well, no pun intended. It goes well with your skin tone," Kurt said. I stretched my lips into a smile.
The suit fit pretty well, so I didn't need to get it fitted. Kurt decided on a midnight black suit with a matching vest under. We set up to rent the suits and met up with Mercedes and Finn. Finn got a dark grey suit with a matching tie. Mercedes pre-ordered her dress, so didn't buy one. After wandering around the mall for a while,Kurt and Mercedes locked arms again and we made our way back to Kurt's beautiful car. Kurt hummed as he walked in unison with Mercedes. At that very moment, I thought life could be okay for a while with friends like these, at least until prom.
song is "Bankrupt on Selling" by Modest Mouse. it's very very good.
p.s. this isn't the end!