Thank you all for your lovely reviews! And from now on, I shall make it a habit to always reply to them! I love you all! Here's Chapter Ten! :D

PS: I honestly think that they overreacted a bit in this chapter, and I'm REALLY sorry for that. But it was the only way I can get my point across.

Chapter Ten

Artie heaved a huge breath. "You ready?"

Tina imitated him. "As ready as I'll ever be."

And with a silent count to three, they stepped inside the halls of McKinley High. It was Monday already and after so much drama over the weekend, they finally had to try to go back and resume with their normal lives.

As they arrived at Tina's locker, Kurt and Mercedes immediately bombarded them.

"Oh my gosh! TINA!" And they both tackled her into a vicious hug, causing Tina to drop her books.

"Ouch!" Artie groaned and rubbed his forehead, having been hit by the heavy Chemistry book. Tina broke out from the hug and went to Artie, apologizing furiously.

"Artie, I am really sorry,"

Artie chuckled. "Figures. I hate Chemistry." That got a laugh out of Tina.

"I beg your pardon, but it's a nice subject!" she countered.

"Puh-lease, everyone knows that Physics cannot be beaten!"

"But Chemistry's a lot more interesting! I love the periodic table of elements!"

"In Physics, you get to learn how much force to apply when pushing a 25 ton crate in Jupiter!"

"As if you can really use that!" she retorted.

"Oh, save the flirt-fight-fest for later! Tell us what happened!" Mercedes cut them off.

"Well, um," Tina began, not quite sure how to tell her story, "I'll just spare you all the gory details and get on with the part where my parents disowned me and now I'm living in Artie's house." She began to talk in a rush, noticing full well the faint ache in her heart as she said so. Even though she's not very fond of her parents, it was still very hard to take in that they would go as far as to disown her. That was degrading in so many levels.

Kurt and Mercedes shot her a look of pity. Oh how she repulsed that look.

"I have to go," she said suddenly, grabbing her books, and practically flying away from the three confused faces.

"Did we do something wrong?" Kurt asked.

"No," Artie explained, "but I understand how she feels. I better go talk to her,"

He rolled away and went down the hall where she went, desperately searching for the familiar raven-haired girl.

Having no luck after ten minutes, he began to roll to first period; his body in the room, his mind far, far away from it.

It wasn't until lunchtime that he spotted her again. She was eating her lunch, alone on a table.

"Hi, Tee," Artie greeted as he approached her. She only gave a nod.

When he settled his lunch down next to her, Tina faced him and looked him in the eyes as if she were staring straight to his soul.

"So is this what it feels like?" Tina asked him cautiously. She knew very well that this was a sensitive topic for him. He was confused at first, but then he began to know what she meant.

"It's degrading, isn't it? It doesn't really make you feel any better, them pity looks," he replied truthfully.

"And you've endured them for the past eight years?"

"You get use to it after a while," he shrugged. She smiled.

"I've said it once, and I'll say it again: I really admire you, Artie," she said, causing his cheeks to go light pink. He laughed nervously then bit his apple.

"So it's really hopeless?" she asked him, still cautious, but curious all the same.

He began to feel uneasy, and just gave a curt nod. He didn't really like discussing this topic with anyone. Not even Tina. But to his dismay, she kept pressing.

"What's it like to give up something that's been a big part of your life?" she asked.

Artie tried to avoid her gaze, which was now creeping its way into his internal anatomy. "You mean the ability to walk?"

"Not just that," she said, a bit of a glimmer in her eye, "I know for a fact that you were a dancer before the accident."

Now Artie was very uncomfortable. He now even felt angry. "That was supposed to be private,"

"But I saw it while I was searching for my phone the other night. There, in a piece of paper, inside one of your dressers, were the words: Congratulations to: Arthur Abrams for winning the annual Arizona state dance competition, 2nd place." she eyed him, raising an eyebrow.

"I was aiming for first place. The accident happened while I was on my way to the competition," he felt tears coming to his eyes.

"That must have been really hard—"

"Hell yeah, it was!" he spat angrily at her, "My legs are never gonna work again and you know that!"

"Artie, I didn't mean to—"

"Save it. This is like Stuttergate all over again,"

"I'm really sorry,"

"Me too, I just... You're looking at the boy with the chair again. Not Artie Abrams, just a regular guy."

Tina's eyes started to glisten as Artie looked at her with a horrid expression on his face.

"And I really thought you understood me. But I was wrong. Again." And just like that, he left.

Tina couldn't believe what just happened.

This couldn't be happening. She couldn't be losing her best friend once again. She needed him.

-O-

For the rest of the day, she felt like an empty shell. And after school, the jocks had trapped her again and she didn't even retort to their actions.

Cold, dripping purple slushie was dumped on her head as she was thrown into the dumpster. The lid was too heavy for her to carry, and she didn't even make an attempt to move or anything to get out.

She completely deserved this. She'd done nothing but be a bad person to her parents and to her best friend. She faintly heard the sound of Karovski's victorious yells and they walked away. And then, total silence.

"Tina?" Oh, he just keeps coming back, doesn't he?

"Why are you always there to see me at my worst?" she groaned from inside the dumpster, the smell infuriating her, but she ignored it nonetheless.

"Let me get you out of there. I can lift the lid using my super upper arm strength," he offered.

"You can't even reach it from your chair. Besides, I know that deep inside you, you're jumping for joy that they've done this to me. So just leave me alone,"

"You know I'd never do that,"

"Go away. This way we're even. You're hurt and I'm hurt. Touché?"

"I will not accept the 'touché' excuse here!" he yelled.

"Just go away and at least give me some peace!" she yelled back, sobs starting to come out of her lips.

"Fine," Artie said and rolled away.

Yeah, someone obviously cares, Tina thought sarcastically. You see what angst can do to you? It was making Tina desperate and pathetic. Well, since Artie doesn't care, I won't either!

Even though she knew full well that it would be impossible for her not to care for him, she still tried to convince herself. I do not care for Artie, I do not care for Artie... she repeated in her head, a mantra, hoping that if she kept repeating it, it would come true.

"He doesn't care," Tina muttered quietly and continued with crying. She wished she could be in this dumpster forever, die in there and have her bones buried in the toxic landfill. Ugh! I feel so stupid!

But a few minutes later, she heard a voice.

"Hello? Is someone in this dumpster?" the owner of the voice lifted the lid and Tina could see Finn's tall figure staring at her.

"Oh thank you, Finn!" Okay, so maybe she didn't really want to die in there.

Finn grabbed her by the arms and lifted her out of the offending metal, then set her to the ground.

"Oh my god, the smell!" Tina said in relief, causing Finn to laugh. "What's so funny?"

"Nothing," he said, smiling, "Its just that Artie said the exact same thing when I saved him from being locked in the port-a-potty way back when there was just six of us,"

Upon hearing his name, Tina's positive expression faltered.

"Oh, him. Some friend he is,"

"Yeah," she heard Finn say, "He told me to come get you from the dumpster about fifteen minutes ago. I had to run a little late since there was a little problem in the locker room,"

Tina's confused face grew even more confused. So did that mean that Artie cared? Then that means she owed him a huge apology!

"Oh, thanks, Finn, but I gotta go now. But... I kinda don't have a ride..." Tina contemplated walking, but it would still be too far.

"No worries. I can give you a ride," Finn said.

"Thanks again," she said brightly as they walked to his car.

A few minutes later, they pulled up at the Abrams' household.

"Thanks again, Finn. See ya' around!" Tina waved to him as she got out and closed the door. Finn waved back with a friendly smile before disappearing down the street in his white pick-up truck.

When Tina got inside, she saw Artie in the living room, holding something in between his fingers. He was staring at it with the most solemn expression she'd ever seen him wear. She got a closer look by stepping a few steps forward and almost immediately an unbearable wave of nostalgia hit her.

It was a silver ring.

A girl at the mere age of five sat down under a tree, looking very depressed and on the verge of tears.

"I hate those bullies... I hate them, I hate them, I hate them!" she chanted, plucking vigorously at the green grass below her.

"I hate them, too," a boy about her age appeared at her side and looked at her earnestly. "They called me a nerd, and said that no girl would like me,"

"They called me ugly, and that no guy would want to be my husband," she said to him.

"I'm Artie. You are?"

"Tina. Nice to meet you," she smiled at him and they shook hands.

"By the way, you're not ugly. And I bet lots of guys would want to be your husband someday," he said, a little blush appearing on his cheeks.

"I think nerds are way cuter than them bullies. At least you can prove that you still look good in glasses," she admitted, also a blush creeping to her cheeks.

He laughed. "Thanks. So was that why you're sad?"

"Well, not anymore," she said, smiling up at him.

"Here," the boy shoved his hand in his pocket, "I got this from my mom's jewelry box." He brought out a nice silver ring.

"Won't she notice it's gone?"

"Nah, she has lots of these anyways," she giggled at him.

He bent down on his knee in front of her. "To prove them bullies wrong, I'm doing this," he smiled.

"What are you doing?" she asked, tilting her head to the side.

"I dunno, I just see this stuff in movies that my aunt watches when she's had a bad break up," he said with a shrug. "So, Tina? Will you marry me?" He smiled hopefully at her.

She nodded. "Of course, Artie." She smiled wide and giggled as he took her hand and slipped the ring on her finger. It looked a few inches too big for her, but she loved it anyways. She then looked up at him. "So what happens now?"

"Um... let me see," he looked up as if he were thinking, "Oh! Yeah, now you have to kiss me and say you love me," he smiled.

Of course, as kids, the girl leaned in to plant a sweet kiss on his lips and she giggled some more. "I love you," she said as if she were dictating it as a mantra, causing both of them to laugh.

"I really can't wait to see you tomorrow," he told her.

"Oh, sorry, we'll be moving to a place called Ohio tonight," she sighed sadly.

"Oh." Was all he could say. She was leaving.

"Don't be so sad," she encouraged him, "I'm sure we'll meet again someday!"

The boy nodded vigorously. "Yeah! And when that happens, we'll be the best of friends! And we'll dance together, and I'll take you to the movies..." he began to wander off.

"Aww! No one's ever danced with me before,"

"And I dunno how... But I'll learn to dance just for you!"

"Okay! Don't miss me too much. My mom's here,"

"Okay, just promise me one thing,"

"What?"

"We will get married someday," a smile played on his lips and she kissed him once more.

"Don't worry, Nerd Boy!" she laughed and walked away.

He really thought that was the last time he'd see her, the girl he just supposedly proposed to.

Thank you for reading and please review this chapter! :))