A/N: Here it is- chapter 13. I know I haven't really been sticking to my original posting schedule, but I think that the schedule is kind of null and void for now. It sucks, I know, but things have been hectic here in real life.
I had a whole other scene in mind to add to this chapter, one with the other half of the group going out to dinner, but for some reason, I couldn't get it out right. If it comes to me later on, I promise to make it a one-shot related to this chapter much like I did with the other two AVGSB side stories.
Chapter 14 is the last full day in PCB. Can you believe this vacation is nearly over?
DISCLAIMER: I do not own Glee or the Beatles. Sadly...
Walking back to the house with Sebastian, Wes noticed how the younger Warbler kept looking back over his shoulder, shuddering before walking faster. Whatever was going on, Wes thought, it really had the younger boy shook up, and the other boys seemed to have noticed that something wasn't right as well.
Looking behind them, Wes frowned when he noticed the same dark haired man that had been behind them five minutes ago was still following them; his face dark and determined. Placing a hand back on the younger boys' shoulder, Wes picked up the pace, wanting to put as much distance between them and the man as possible.
Five minutes later, Wes unlocked the front door of the yellow house and ushered the guys through the door before hurriedly locking it behind him. "Thad, go make sure the back door and all of the downstairs windows are locked. David, would you go upstairs and do the same? Sebastian, you should probably sit."
Receiving confused nods from Thad and David before they left, Wes led the visibly shaken boy to the couch and sat him down. "Sebastian, you don't have to tell me exactly what happened, but I need to know. That man that was following us, is it you he's after?"
Catching Sebastian's small nod, Wes frowned. "He was in the crowd at the club." It was more of a statement than a question, one he caught the blond nodding to. David and Thad chose that moment to return, Thad carrying a glass of water that he sat on the table before the shaken teen.
The four boys fell into awkward silence, Sebastian sipping at his water before he finally cleared his throat to try and speak. "I… I went to the gay bar the other night and sang. I guess he must have l… liked it… or me. Yesterday I went for a walk and thought I saw someone following me. I… I just shrugged it off.
"He followed me into the mall and grabbed me by the wrist when I was in one of the stores. He… he knows my name, where I go to school, and that I am a Warbler."
Sebastian shuddered but seemed to be a little bit calmer, Wes noticed as his frown deepened. Whoever this man was, he was a real threat to Sebastian.
"I managed to get away and called Kassie. She knows everything, too."
"So that's why you two seemed alright sitting next to each other when we came in yesterday."
"Yeah," the blond nodded at Thad. "I know I've been an ass to everyone, and she was the only person I could think of who might answer their phone."
Feeling a bit of guilt, the three boys nodded knowing full well that they would have ignored his call.
Glancing out of the front window and sighing heavily as if the weight of the world were resting on his shoulders, Sebastian jumped when he saw the face that been haunting him for two days staring in at him.
"Wes?"
He pointed at the window and the other boys turned to see a strange man staring back in at them.
"Is that him, Sebastian?"
David pulled out his cell phone and had 911 already dialed, his thumb on the send button.
"Y… yes."
The rest of the group arrived at the houses twenty minutes later to find three police cruisers, lights on, parked outside of the two houses. Turning to Lauren and Kurt, she pulled the boy over to her before addressing her best friend. "L, get everyone else into Kurt's house and keep them there. I don't care how you do it, just make sure no one leaves until we give the all clear."
As the rest of their friends trooped into the pink house, Kurt and Kassie made their way to Wes, David, and Thad who stood with Sebastian in the middle of the road. The small group watched as an older man, no more than thirty was forced into the back of one of the cruisers. Looking away from the stranger, Kurt turned to the others, questions clearly written on his face.
"It's Sebastian's story to tell you," Kassie told her friend, hoping he would get the hint as she saddled closer to the still shaking Sebastian.
"He followed you guys here, didn't he?"
"Yeah," Wes answered. "When we saw him standing outside, David called 911. We didn't know what else to do."
"You did the right thing," a new voice broke in, causing all six teens to turn to the speaker. A tall police officer stood in front of them, a notebook and pen in his hands. "I'm Sargent Kent. Are there any adults here with you kids? I understand you're on spring break, so I need to speak to whoever is in charge."
"That would be us." Kurt gestured between himself and Kassie.
"You mean you kids are here without adult supervision," the officer asked incredulously, making a note in his book.
"Actually, most of us here are eighteen and Wes is nineteen, so technically, we are adults," Kassie defended. "Our parents trust us implicitly, and we haven't had any problems until that creep came along."
"I see. So I take it that you two," he gestured between Kurt and Kassie, "are in charge of what looked like over twenty other teenagers, with permission from each of their parents?"
"Yes. We even have written proof for each one of us if you need it, and I am sure our parents wouldn't mind talking to you themselves if necessary."
"Just the written permission will be enough, thank you. But I will need to take statements from the six of you since it seems to me that these three boys were the ones to call about the stalker and Mr. Smythe is the victim. Would you like to come down to the station to give your statements or would you prefer to do it here?"
"Why don't we just do it here then," Kassie decided. "Seb doesn't need to be going anywhere else right now and I can make us some tea or lemonade."
As Sargent Kent went to find a couple of other officers to assist with taking their statements, Kassie turned to her friends. "Seb, I'm sorry this has happened to you. Everyone is going to want to know what happened later, though. Do you want them to know the whole story, or should we make something up?"
"I… I guess we tell them the truth. I'm tired of lying. I'm just ready for this to be over."
The clock in the living room of the pink beach house chimed, signaling that is was now six o'clock in the evening as Sebastian, with help from Wes and Kassie, told everyone what had happened over the past couple of days. The blond boy sat his head in his hands as silence fell over the room.
Heaving a heavy sigh, he forced his head back up to look at everyone in the room, his gaze lingering a bit longer on Blaine and then Kurt. "I'm sorry." It was barely more than a whisper, making the others wonder if they had heard correctly. "I'm sorry, and I know that some of you think I deserved all of this after everything I put Blaine and Kurt through, and you would be right. I was horrible to all of you for so long…"
His voice trailed off and Rachel crossed the living room to kneel in front of the boy. "Sebastian, you were terrible, no one doubts that; but no one, not ever you, deserves to go through what you've been through. And I for one accept your apology." She patted the boys' hands, smiling at him when he finally looked up at her.
"Thank you, Rachel."
"Not a problem, Sebastian. Everyone makes mistakes, and everyone deserves to be forgiven. Everyone."
Turning the face the rest of the group, the diva noticed how some were watching her with either curiosity, fury, or pride, while others were trying to avoid the scene altogether. "Now, I don't know about anyone else, but I don't feel like staying in tonight. Bowling anyone?"
By the time everyone had figured out what they wanted to do for the evening, it was past seven-thirty and Thad was getting bored just sitting around the living room. Bowling had actually sounded like a great idea and he was excited to go, so when the large group split in half, he joined Wes, David, Sebastian and several of the others in walking to the bowling alley a mile and half down the beach. It was a nice night out, and it felt nice to get back out in the salty air. Conversation was light as the twelve teens made their way down the beach, locals and other tourists alike seeming to enjoy the perfect weather.
"What's going on in that head of yours, Thaddeus? You've been unusually quiet since we left the house." David elbowed him and Thad groaned, pushing the black boy forward, making him fall into Santana, who turned to glare at the boys.
Chuckling at his friend, Thad shrugged. "If I've been quiet it's because I don't really have much to say. Sometimes it's nice to let others do the talking."
"You just got waaayyyy too deep for me there, Thaddy boy. Forget I even asked."
Sticking his tongue out at his friend, Thad smiled with a laugh as the taller Warbler pushed him off of the sidewalk and onto the sand.
They arrived at the bowling alley ten minutes later and Thad was instantly glad he had worn a white tee shirt: black and neon lights were everywhere, making anything white light up blue, green and purple, and giving the bowling alley a fun vibe. The group of twelve divided into three teams, claiming three lanes for themselves before running off to get shoes and find balls. He sat himself at the score board for his team of David, Wes, Sebastian, and himself, programming in their names while the other three got their things. Sebastian was the first back, his face lit up by a smile for the first time that day. No matter how horrible the younger Warbler had been to everyone, no one deserved to go through the things he had been forced to go through the past couple days.
"You're up first, Sebastian. I'm gonna go get my shoes and ball. Be right back."
A half an hour and one nearly broken toe later, the group of teens were having a blast bowling in friendly competition. Wes, Rachel, and Sugar were up, Wes leading the other two girls by seven pins. Thad watched, amused at his friends' antics as Wes stuck his tongue out at the two girls, causing Rachel to wrinkle her nose is disgust; a face Thad found kind of cute, and Sugar to roll her eyes at the Asian Warbler before the three let their bowling balls go.
Sugar's bright pink ball never made it to the pins, rolling into the gutter each time she bowled. Wes, kissing his ball before letting it go managed to fall another pins during his turn. Rachel had taken up the only ball she could find with stars on it and let it go. Thad watched with everyone else as the brunette rolled a strike, cheering with their friends as the short girl was gathered in a group hug, the surprise and joy on her pretty face tugging at something in the Warblers' chest.
It was as if life had slowed down and Rachel was all he could see. Everything around them had disappeared as he began to sing.
"I've just seen a face
I can't forget the time or place
Where we just met
She's just the girl for me
And I want all the world
To see we've met
Mmm, mmm, mmm, mmm, mmm mmm mmm
Had it been another day
I might have looked the other way
And I'd have never been aware
But as it is I'll dream of her tonight
La, di, di, da di di"
Gaining knowing smirks from Wes and David, Thad just shook his head, wanting nothing more than to pull Rachel to him and swing her around the bowling alley.
"Falling, yes I am falling
And she keeps calling
Me back again
I've never known the like of this
I've been alone and I have missed things
And kept out of sight
For other girls were never quite like this
La, di, di, da di di"
She wasn't like other girls, this Rachel Berry. Sure, the girl had a large ego, but she had the right to. The small girl was talented, beautiful, and so forgiving. When no one else would forgive Sebastian, she did. To be able to forgive someone for all of the horrible things they have done and turn around and make them feel included, it made Thad's heart swell at the girl's kindness.
"Falling, yes I am falling
And she keeps calling
Me back again
Falling, yes I am falling
And she keeps calling
Me back again
I've just seen a face
I can't forget the time or place
Where we just met
She's just the girl for me
And I want all the world to see we've met
Mmm, mmm, mmm, la di di
Falling, yes I am falling
And she keeps calling
Me back again
Falling, yes I am falling
And she keeps calling
Me back again
Oh, falling, yes I am falling
And she keeps calling
Me back again"
"Are you going to tell her?"
Thad turned to see David, Wes, and Sebastian standing side-by-side, arms crossed over their chests. "Tell who what?"
"Berry. That you're gaga for her. Do you really think you could break out in song and no one notice?"
"Thaddus, you're just lucky she had left to get something to drink just as you started singing at her," David shrugged, clapping his friend on the shoulder.
"Tomorrow is our last day here. Take the girl out or something."
Shrugging, Thad sighed as he collapsed into a chair. "I don't know guys. Didn't she just break up with Finn? I don't think she wants to date right now."
"You never know until you try, right?"
"Yeah…"
A/N: I really want to thank those of you who have stuck with this story for so long. You guys are awesome. If you have ideas or suggestions for what you would like to see the group do on their last day in Florida, feel free to send them my way.
Again, you guys rock!
Happy Reading,
-ktattoo