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I'm just going to say it. Yes...yes! I was cheating! I was with another story...no, I was with three other stories. I don't expect you to forgive me. But can I get my stuff back without you setting it on fire?
I tried to write this chapter every day for a month and hate it. So I hope it's not too horrible...
Although no girl wants her parents to see her forced into a life of promiscuous behavior, McKee was excited to have them in the nearly sold out audience. Torri came too but he looked like a tortured soul; eyes hollowed, white knuckles gripping the arms of his chair.
McKenna settled the curtain back. It was just about her turn to go on. This was going to be fun. She got to get in a fight with Santana, ride with Artie on his wheelchair and sing a solo about getting ditched by a guy. Ok maybe the song thing wasn't all that cool...
Funny that the little girl playing Cosette was Sam's little sister and McKenna tried to figure out the relationship now. She's Sam's little sister's mom which makes her Sam's mom which makes her his boss so she thought about ordering him to dump Quinn and date her again. But that'd be weird cause she's his mom which is kinda not ok. Not even in an alternate universe would they work out!?
Still, Rachel was right, this was what she'd wanted to do, be a part of this production. And she'd even become friends with some of the people she had thought would never accept her in a million years. And to be fair, she had kinda been a judgemental snob herself.
Now the other girls were dressed scantily in the redlight district of the stage while Quinn, who had insisted she wouldn't play a prostitute, was the lady who wanted to buy Fantine's locket. After that, it was like every nightmare McKenna had ever had dwarfed by the head cheerleader coming at her with a pair of scissors. Of course she was just dragged off to a dark part of the wing for a super speedy wardrobe change. The wig they had for Mercedes and Tina wouldn't work for McKenna so they just twisted up her hair and stuffed it in a weird 'little miss muffet' hat and she was insta-hooch.
Super excited for her own demise, she gave it everything she could then died on Artie. It was kind of a weird scene where he and Sam got into a fight, running and rolling around her hospital bed. Sam did something different than he had in any of the other performances she had seen. He jumped the bed to get in front of Artie, his hand brushing hers and she almost opened her eyes. Unfortunately it wasn't Les Miserables Zombi-es…
After that she watched the rest of the first act giddily from the wing until the intermission.
Rachel, Kurt, Blaine and she went back into the dressing room chattering.
McKenna didn't have to be onstage until the end now so she sat down at the brightly lit vanity to take off the frumpy hat.
"So I'm thinking I'll add this thing into my outfit pool when we get back from winter break." She took it off and shook her hair out then spun the hat like a pizza on her fists.
Blaine was laughing at first then he squinted at her intensely. Kurt and Rachel both went quiet as well.
Blinking at them McKee forced a nervous laugh, "What? Do I have a booger? What?"
Shaking his head Kurt reached over to the side of her head gingerly and pulled at the hair of her temple.
"McKee…" He started.
Snapping her head toward the mirror, McKenna looked to where he had been touching. A large area of the side of her head was unevenly cut close to her scalp. Like someone had grabbed the hair hastily and snipped it. She stared at it unbelievingly then put her fingers to it, not trusting what her eyes were telling her. Yes, it was gone, from the hairline to just behind her ear.
"What…" Was all she could get out, her face starting to burn.
Puck and Sam were just walking in to hear Rachel say, "Oh McKee...it couldn't have...she…"
Sam saw it right away and stopped short. He knew for any girl it would have been devastating. But for McKee...it would be like the loss the bumble bee's stinger.
He started over to her but that's when the door opened again and Santana and Brittany entered. Behind them Quinn shuffled in, texting on her phone with an unbothered smile.
The sudden quiet brought all three's attention to look around. Everyone was looking at Quinn.
Quinn almost squirmed under the smothering attention. "Why is everyone looking at me like that?"
McKenna had her eyes to the floor now, her chest rising and falling in deep breaths.
Sam looked from her to Quinn, "Quinn...you…?"
"I what?" Quinn was getting irritated.
Santana noticed and her jaw dropped.
"Oh no...does this mean it's lost it magical healing powers McKee?" Brittany gasped. "Will it turn brown?"
No one laughed.
Quinn's face fell when she finally saw the hacked patch. "No...no! I didn't do it! Why would you guys think I'd do that!?"
"Um because you were the one with the clippers Edward Scissorhands remember?" Santana condemned her.
"And you're kind of evil. Hot evil..." said Puck.
Shaking her head Quinn scowled, "Don't be insane! I did not touch her hair!"
Quiet until now McKenna stood up, angry tears brimming in her eyes she glared at Quinn.
"It wasn't enough was it Quinn? Now you're taking everything of mine?" McKenna almost whispered through her clenched jaw and walked towards her.
Quinn's steel confidence cracked and her eyes faltered. "McKenna…"
McKee pounced on her, grabbing her shoulders and taking her to the floor. Quinn put her arms over her face as McKenna grabbed at her clothes and hair furiously.
Suddenly there were arms around her waist lifting her up and pulling her off of Quinn but she struggled to get loose.
"McKee stop it!" Sam said into her ear, he tightened his grip on her.
But McKenna rerouted her anger and bursted, "You think you can do whatever you want?! You want to know why you're so mean? Cause it's easy! Everything is easy for you! You are the queen of easy! You don't care about anyone and you never will!" she ranted, her wiggling and pushing at Sam not doing her any good.
"You're a psychopath Bringhurst! I didn't do it!" Quinn snapped back at her,
The door swung open again, almost hitting Quinn who was getting to her feet. Sue Sylvester came in, surveying the scene with a lift of her eyebrow.
"Is this rehearsal or are you really trying to kill each other? I can never tell with you drama people." she asked evenly.
McKenna had quit squirming but didn't take her burning, grey-blue eyes from Quinn as if readying to strike again.
Still restraining her Sam said, "Someone cut McKenna's hair…"
With obvious disinterest Sylvester folded her arms. "Well, while I think it's about time someone sheared her and the next step would be to dunk her in some sheep dip, it's still a serious assault…"
"Assault!? She attacked me!" Quinn was touching at a scrape on her arm with contempt.
"Well intermission will be over in ten minutes and you sorry lot will have to decide if you're going to continue this train wreck or do the humane thing and cancel the rest of the show." Sue said simply.
Taking pictures of the scratches on her arms Quinn frowned, "I'm not going back out there with her."
A sudden lunge and McKee almost broke from Sam's hold but he grabbed her again quickly and swung her around, "Settle down lightning. Let's take a walk."
He lifted her up and went for the door, brushing by an amused Coach Sylvester.
"Sam!" Quinn called after him but Rachel hurried over to her asking her if she wanted a compress or a tetanus shot, trying to distract her.
Sam was used to dragging McKenna and when she wanted to be dead weight it seemed like she was twice as heavy.
This hallway was blocked off and the lights turned off to keep the backstage dark. But there was some light from the main hall just a ways off.
Leaning against one of the brick walls Sam said, "Ok McKee, I'm going to let you go. What are you going to do?"
She didn't answer him, she just felt at her choppy hair with her shaking fingers.
"I'm not letting go if you can't tell me you won't go berserker mode on Quinn." he shifted his hold, one arm still around her waist the other crossing her stomach and gently gripping her arm.
She mumbled something and he put his head down closer to her face to hear her, "What?"
"I'm done." She repeated quietly.
He eased his arms, letting them slacken. In the little white nightgown she stood in her bare feet head hanging.
"Let me see…" he said taking her distraught face in his hands to turn her head. Surprisingly she let him. The anger seemed to melt away and she just looked hurt, eyes wide and mouth tensed against the emotion.
Nodding conclusively he ran a couple fingers over it, "It's cut."
She squinted at him in sarcastic agreement, "Yeah, I think it is. Please tell me you didn't know she...was going…"
Dropping his hand he looked at her seriously, "Of course I didn't. And McKenna, did you see her do it?"
"Do I look like a lemur? Ok don't answer that. It was dark but she...who else Sam?" her voice broke and she blinked at the refreshed tears.
He frowned, "I don't know. I just...want to be sure. Innocent until proven guilty you know. It'd be pretty bad, even for her."
McKenna gave a ragged scoff and leaned against the wall, "I hate it here Sam."
Sam scoured his brain for what to say to her. For some reason he couldn't think of a single thing that would change her mind. And he wanted so badly to change her mind. Even though he'd had those exact feelings before. He wanted her to know it would get better if she would just give it time. Then he realized, a lot of the feeling better for him was because of her. Her helping him with Quinn? No, her being his friend. Cause she 'got' him. It was ok to do his impressions and wear his flannel shirts with her. He never had to worry about embarrassing her or hiding his family's financial struggles. All these things he was worried about people knowing or judging him for, and maybe he wasn't being fair, giving them a chance. Maybe he was being too self conscious. But he never felt less than himself around McKenna.
So when there's nothing left to say you...what?
Stepping in close he gathered her up and hugged her. He expected her to complain or slap him or stick a cinnamon bear in his nose (she'd done that once and it burned) but she hugged him back. It was probably the first time they'd really hugged when they weren't pretending and he decided he'd be happy to stay that way a couple days to make up for lost time.
"McKee, you told me once, not to let anyone else decide if I was going to be happy or not. You're stronger than this."
She sniffled, "Stop making sense and acting all sagey Sam. It's fizzling my bloodlust."
He couldn't help it and snorted a laugh, "You know I've missed you? I even been listening to 'Cold November rain' on repeat..."
Suddenly let her go and got a grin on his face.
Looking up at him suspiciously she said, "Thanks Sam, but…you've got the crazy eyes going…"
"I can fix it." He said.
"Fix...what…?"
"You're hair. Well not like it was...but...you just might rock it." He gave a half hitched smile.
"Um, maybe...on one condition. You quit calling me lightning." There was a sudden terror in her eyes, "And please don't give me Bieber hair."
The stage door opened and Blaine stuck his head out, looking at them questioningly. "'Do you hear the people sing?'"
There was still the play and Sam tousled her still ample supply of hair, "I gotta go back in."
Rolling her shoulders back McKee nodded, "Me too."
With a grin he put his arm around her shoulders and they hurried back inside.
The curtain fell after multiple curtain calls and the impressed school superintendent heartily endorsed their funding.
Putting her hair in a 'Debb' ponytail to the side, McKenna covered up what she was now going to refer to as 'ground zero'. She just wanted to go home without any questions, Torri rampages or parents demanding disciplinary action.
The next day, Sam came over equipped with to-go hot chocolate and a pair of clippers. Sitting in the bathroom, the door locked, McKenna watched him with tortured eyes.
"It happening...I never thought it would happen." She murmured as he plugged the clippers in.
"What?" Sam asked, putting a towel around her shoulders.
"I'm getting a 'diva-do'." She whimpered, "You know, when a rockstarette has so much styling damage that they have to cut it all off and say it's just because 'short is in'."
Pursing his lips in consideration he nodded, "I bet you're right. But I'm not going to G.I Jane you McKenna. 'Pain is your friend, your ally, it will tell you when you are seriously injured, it will keep you awake and angry, and remind you to finish the job and get the hell home. But you know the best thing about pain? It lets you know you're not dead yet.'" He quoted.
Firing back McKenna grinned, "'I never saw a wild thing sorry for itself. A bird will fall frozen dead from a bough without ever having felt sorry for itself.'* Urgayle's the best."
"Next to Kip and Napoleon…"
"Oh yes how could I forget them…" McKenna pulled the rest of her hair to the side.
Sam turned on the buzzing clippers and said, "You want a blindfold or cigarette or something?"
A startled voice yelled through the door, "What the heck are you guys doing in there?!" Came Torri's panicked demand.
Standing up from the stool she had been perched on, McKenna walked over to the door and yelled about where she thought his ear might be, "Cutting my hair ya snoop!" And she slapped the door sharply.
Sam gave her the undercut. It was unthinkable, it was world shattering, it was kinda cool. She was glad she had all of winter break to learn to compensate for the sudden cranial imbalance.
McKee then fell off the face of the earth.
Well the Bringhurst's went to the canyon lands in the south-west. Camping in the snow and red sand bringing untold emotional therapy to McKee. Torri even said he liked her hair cut, but developed new ways to annoy her like putting a handful of snow to the shaven skin or drawing messages there with a marker when she was sleeping. 'Lobotomy, cut here.'
McKinley looked different when she got back. It looked normal. She wasn't in a cheerleading outfit, she had the same goal as she had at the beginning of the year: get out fast and in one piece.
She saw Rachel peeking from behind a column near the lunch room. Following her eyes she saw Finn standing at a makeshift booth entitled, 'Kiss the Quarterback'.
Walking up behind her McKenna said, "So, is Finn short for Finnigan or Finnelious? Finndango?"
Rachel almost jumped a mile, a sweat dampened dollar bill clutched in her hand.
She looked like she had been caught knocking over a convenience store.
"What? That's...not that funny actually." Rachel looked back over at the line that led up to her ex boyfriend.
McKenna wondered if it felt worse to see a whole bunch of girls kissing the guy you liked vs your replacement.
"You gonna go kiss him? Cause at the next bell Torri's taking over and his sign says something like, 'Slap the Tight End' thanks to yours truly." McKenna barely finished before they both started laughing.
The giggling didn't last long for Rachel who went serious again when she looked back at Finn.
Taking a breath she went to get in line.
Turning to go to class, McKee decided she wouldn't contribute to either football player. Finn was marked as Rachel's forever to be honest and she could slap Torri all she wanted for free at home.
Sam was coming the opposite direction and he gave her a eye-melting smile and put up his hand for a high-five which she went for but he jerked his hand up higher. Missing she scowled and tried to jump up high enough to get at it.
"Too high!" She protested and he lowered it so she could connect.
Friends. That's ok.
During her last class, McKenna went to the bathroom. There was a crowd of the 'bad girls' gathered around a stall and Miranda held a bucketful of snow which she promptly dumped. Whomever was in that stall screamed the scream of a thousand deaths.
"That'll teach ya you bimbo! Come on guys." Sniffed Miranda who hopped down from the toilet next door and called off her dogs.
Seeing McKenna looking shocked, Miranda smiled at her and scratched at her shaved spot. "Just call me Karma baby. Nice hair."
"Thanks Mirandipants." She said confused.
The other girls said hi to her as they left too.
When they'd left, the door to the stall opened and Quinn stepped out, her face cold steel. She had taken off Sam's letterman jacket and now put it on over her wet shoulders regally then looked at McKenna.
"I should have known you'd be the one ordering that." Quinn said stepping up to the mirror and touching at her smeared makeup and damp hair.
Sighing McKenna shook her head, "Had nothing to do with it Quinn."
There was a silence and McKenna decided she'd just hold it and turned to leave.
"You're wrong you know." Came the suddenly quiet, vulnerable voice behind her, "Not everything is easy for me, and I do care. I care about my baby, Beth."
McKee stopped, she had heard something about what had happened through Santana who of course wouldn't be the most unbiased information source. Of course she didn't know what such an experience would feel like. The strength Quinn must have had to carry that baby for nine months and give it away.
Suddenly she felt very dumb about the fuss she made about her hair.
"I'm sorry Quinn." She said over her shoulder and headed back out into the hall.
*'Self Pity' D. H. Lawrence