This is the next chapter from Ballad episode, i know i should make it all about TiKe practicing Ballad or stuff, but i think we need to know how Artie handle the Stutter-gate things. So here it is, i made it short unlike the previous chapter, but still, i hope you enjoy it,,, I DO NOt OwN GLEE
"Other Asian.." Tina said, took a glance to him who started to frown and stared deep to her. What's a name? Mike thought, when she gets back to her seat next to him. When he stares at her, asking for any explanation, she can only shrug. She'd never stop to make as if they're not related, wouldn't she? Mike rolled his eyes and gave his attention back to Mr. Schue who's right now getting unease that he has to pair up with Rachel. And Mike could say their duet is not right. It seems that Mr. Schue kind of afraid with her and kept avoiding her. Mike can't help to let out a chuckle and when they ended their duet, he stole a glance to Tina who's also getting confused, gave them a light applause.
Tina ended up her stutter. Now she talks like a normal people and he feels so relieve with that because she finally had the courage to face it. But he knew that in her heart she is aching. Well, she still be friend with Artie, but from what she told him, he still a little mad at her and couldn't accept her stutter-gate. So every time they're together, Artie and Tina avoided to talk about the stutter things and played as civil as they could. Mike couldn't ask for more, he is grateful that Artie didn't take it really bad, like stop his friendship with Tina or else. Cause if that happened he couldn't imagine what will be happened to Tina. Artie is her most important friend, it also including the romance context.
After that Thursday night, he hasn't talked with Artie yet. Tina made him promise that he won't talk with Artie about her stutter problem or try middling her business with Artie. So he acted as if he didn't know anything whenever he was next to Artie. But later after the rehearsal, when he pack his things from his locker and headed towards parking lot where Tina's waiting for him to finish their Ballad assignment and eat fro-yo, he got a little surprise when Artie approaching him.
"Mike...can I talk to you for a second?" Artie asked, wheeling himself next to him
"Oh, yeah, sure, what's up Artie?" Mike stopped his track and turn around to face Artie
"Do you remember, last Thursday was our date, um..me and Tina..."
Crap, Mike thought, why it should be at this time and Artie himself who brought this conversation to his face. Mike showed his surprised face and said "Oh...yeah...I forgot it, so...how is it going? That wheelchair date is a good idea, isn't it?"
Artie managed to show a little smile, but his face is really serious "Yeah, it was good, but...I just wanna tell you because she is your best friend and so I am... Um..she fake her stutter..."
Mike's thoughts reeling, he should find the best words to respond him, but he can only show his best confused face and said "Uh...um...what do you mean?"
"Yeah, she fake her stutter, don't you know or notice it that these days she's stop stuttering? She said to me last Thursday and I really mad at her because of it..." He said. Mike can see from his face that he still mad at her.
"Well, yeah... but why did she do that? And from what I can see you two still friend right? How come you're mad at her?" Mike asked, he wanted to know what made Artie mad at her because from what he's been through, he meant she also faked her stutter at couple of months of their friendship, he could understand her and didn't take it as much as Artie did.
"Don't you mad at her too dude, I mean c'mon you've been friend with her for about 4 years and you don't mad at her for faking her stutter? From hiding herself from you..." Artie asked, his eyes full with confusion with Mike reaction
Mike's eyes furrowed and asked him "So what did you imply for telling me this? You want me to mad at her too?"
"Chill out, I just give you information that you didn't know..." Artie said
Mike paused, try to keep his emotion low after see Artie's reaction and try to find the best words "I don't know dude, If I were you I will find the reason why she did that, I mean it would be really hard for her to hide it for so many years right?"
"She said that she was so shy, she started to stutter in her sixth grade because she was afraid to give a speech... But Mike, for me it's not enough, I used to think that we had something in common, that she will understand my feeling for having disabilities and all she did is that she had disabilites just to make her safe, for her own happiness. She didn't think about how we feel, someone who really have it, it's not something that we could choose to have. Somehow I feel like she's just playing around and she never really understand how I'm feeling..." Artie said, his eyes are full with a disappointment
This conversation is really too hard for Mike, he leans against the near locker and said "But do you think she was happy to have that? From my point of view she was really afraid for showing herself, beside isn't she the one who always support you, could understand your feeling and always be in your side whenever things gets hard like last week when the club didn't understand your situation?" Mike keep his voice low, he felt Artie's reason is really ridiculous after what she'd done to him
"Yeah, she is...but for me it isn't enough Mike, I feel betrayed..." He said, his eyes pinned to the ground
"I don't know dude, but I think you should try to accept her just the way she is, including faking her stutter, cause in the end she is the only one who really know you and your feeling for all of this..." Mike said, observed his reaction
Artie's eyes back to him, some realizations seem to hit him, but Mike can say that he's still not down "Yeah, well, I'll try Mike, but I think I need some times, It's too much for me..." He said
"Yeah, I know, so are we good?" Mike offer his hand to him
"Yeah, we're good, thanks Mike for this talk, I couldn't think about it myself.." He said, takes Mike's hand and shake it
"Anytime, Artie, just talk to me, maybe I can help you..." Mike said, wheeling Artie to the door
"Yeah...thanks again Mike..." Artie wave his hand, as they were outside and wheeling himself to his father who's already waiting for him in parking lot.
Mike let out a sigh as he saw Artie's car leaving the parking lot, couldn't ask for another problem come to his mind
The next chapter would be set in Hairography, feel free to write your comment, review, rants or anything,, thanks for reading...^^
