AUTHOR'S NOTE:

Hi! I'm alive and well! Sorry that it took me forever to get this update written and uploaded for all of you. I had a super busy and eventful week this past week, and didn't get the chance to start this chapter until yesterday!

I hope you all enjoy it, and that if you do, please leave a review!

Chapter 32: Frenemies, Part Two

ARTIE

"So you have to share the title of class Valedictorian?" Betty asked, a disgusted look appearing on her face as she took a sip of her Frappuccino at The Lima Bean on Wheelie Wednesday. "That doesn't seem fair."

"No, worse. We have to compete for the spot," Artie clarified. "And it doesn't seem fair because it's not."

"What kind of competition is it?" Watson asked.

"We have to each prepare a speech- like one we'd be delivering at the graduation ceremony. And our principal is assembling a panel of other faculty members to decide whose speech is better," Artie told them. "And that's who wins Valedictorian."

"And it is for this reason exactly that Dalton doesn't recognize a Valedictorian," Watson said. "I mean, we have someone who's number one in our class, sure, but there's no fancy title or speech to go along with it, so no drama. Anyways, Artie, I'm sorry that this is happening to you and Tina. You're both deserving of that spot."

Betty couldn't help herself from letting out a snort. "You are both such nerds! How the heck could there even be a tie like that?! Let loose a little, jeez!"

"Thank you for your sympathy," Artie said sarcastically, narrowing his eyes in her direction before shrugging and looking away. He was deep in thought before he spoke again a few moments later. "I don't know. I grew up with the most perfect older brother. Seriously. Top ten in his graduating class, a varsity athlete, popular… and I was the gimpy little brother who was always living in his shadow. Valedictorian is something that even Griff couldn't achieve, and I worked really hard all four years of high school for this. I can't just throw that away. I know that Tina really wants this title, but… I want it too."

"Then you better have the better speech out of the two of you," Betty said simply, as if that wasn't the obvious solution to his problem. "Be confident when you present it, sit up straight… You've got this. Tina's annoying, whiny little voice will be an instant turn-off for the judges." She looked over at Watson, who had his arms crossed over his chest. "No offense," she quickly added.

"Hello to you too, Betty," a voice said from behind Artie, and he saw Watson and Betty's eyes widen in surprise, as they clearly hadn't seen the other girl coming either.

"Tina!" Artie exclaimed out of surprise as he turned around and was met with his raven-haired best friend, who looked a special kind of pissed off at what she'd overheard. "What are you doing here? Especially since it's Wheelie Wednesday, which Watson knows he's not supposed to invite people to." Artie said that last part through gritted teeth, glancing at Watson who turned bright red and wore a look of guilt on his face.

"I just came here to tell you that you don't need to prepare a speech, as I've already written one for you," she said, handing him a small index card with a smug facial expression.

Artie accepted it, more than skeptical as to whatever the sneaky girl could be up to.

"In the hallowed halls of McKinley High, one name rises to the top: Tina Cohen-Chang. There is no other choice for Valedictorian. I humbly drop out," Artie read, before looking up at Tina and handing her back the card while shaking his head. "No me gusta."

"Artie, I need Valedictorian in order to guarantee my acceptance to Brown. If I don't get in, I'm screwed! Please take the fall for me!" Tina cried.

"No," Artie stubbornly shook his head. "It's not my fault that you didn't apply to enough schools."

Sensing that this was about to get ugly, Betty tucked her now-empty beverage container between her knees and left the table in search of a trash can. She was willing to do just about anything to get herself away from the scene that was about to unfold in front of the whole coffeehouse.

"Maybe I was too busy making costumes and building sets and swaying in the background while everyone else was front and center," Tina replied. "You always get everything you want, and I get nothing!"

Artie furrowed his eyebrows together and gave her a look that showed that he couldn't believe what he was hearing. Was she forgetting that they'd both been criminally overlooked for the last four years?! There was a reason why they called her Tina Cohen-Crazy.

"You're applying to film school. They're not going to be looking at your transcript, Artie, they're going to be looking at your portfolio," Tina said, Artie finding the tone of her voice to be somewhat degrading. "I'm applying to an Ivy League. I need to be Valedictorian. Let me have this!"

"That's a little self-centered, don't you think?" Artie's blood was beginning to boil.

"Excuse me? What did you just say?!"

"I worked just as hard as you for that spot!" Artie protested. "It's about time you've heard this. The whole school's been talking about it. Everyone's convinced that sometime between Junior and Senior year, an alien invaded your body and made you shallow and desperate!"

Tina's jaw dropped.

"And what about you?! You've changed this past year, too! You used to be this quirky, nerdy kid, but now you've dated just about every girl who's ever shown the slightest bit of interest in you," Tina retorted. "I know what your speech should be about! How you're making a sad, last-ditch effort to be popular by dating McKinley's biggest bitch!"

A chill ran up Artie's spine. He and Tina had fought in the past, of course, but she'd never uttered such hurtful words as she did now.

"Actually, Tina, you're McKinley's biggest bitch," Artie said, rolling forward a pace so that he could get as close as he could in order to intimidate her. "And I'm gonna win this."

He looked at Betty over his shoulder and nodded for her to follow him out to the parking lot.

"Come on, Betty, I'll drive you home," Artie said, deliberately not extending the invite to Watson, as he assumed he'd be getting his own ride from his girlfriend who he'd invited, even though he knew it was against the rules.

Looking to get out of there as quickly as possible, Betty unlocked her wheels and pushed off to trail behind Artie, who was already halfway to the door.

Whatever sympathetic feelings Artie had harbored for Tina after learning of her waitlist status at Brown were now gone completely. She had crossed a line- first by insulting his film school dreams, then by dragging innocent Kitty into this mess- and she'd hit a nerve in the process. He decided right then that he wouldn't be showing her any mercy.

This is war.

…

"Okay, guys, it's coming down to the wire," Mr. Schue said, as he walked into the choir room from his adjoining office. "Earlier this week, Finn headed off to begin his studies at The University of Lima to study to become a teacher. We're going to miss him dearly in here, but he's promised that he'll come as a chaperone when we head to California for Nationals. That being said, we have a very important decision to make. We have two solos at the competition, and since Blaine was voted The New Rachel, obviously he's got one. So… who is going to step up and take center stage?"

"I nominate myself," Tina said smugly from her seat by the piano.

Artie couldn't help but scoff. "Shocker."

"And you think you're going to carry us to victory?" Tina asked, in that same condescending tone she'd used when they'd spoken at The Lima Bean a few days before.

"Actually, Mr. Schue, I think I'd like to compete with Tina for that second spot," Artie said, wheeling out of his comfort zone to do something that he normally wouldn't do, drawing attention to himself and challenging someone to one of the Glee Club's infamous "diva-offs".

"Well, I think we should have a sing-off right here, right now," Mr. Schue said, always welcoming a little bit of friendly (or, in Tina and Artie's current state, not-so-friendly) competition. He turned to the Glee Club's other members sitting on the risers, saying, "A little help guys?"

In true New Directions fashion, the other kids knew exactly which song would be perfect for this little squabble: "My Lovin' (You're Never Gonna Get It)" by En Vogue. It seemed fitting enough, as they were now fighting over two things: Valedictorian and a solo at Nationals.

As the other members started up the backup vocals, Tina and Artie circled one another like cats that would pounce at any second. Even those who didn't know what the drama between them was about could feel the tension. Except for, of course, Mr. Schue.

Pushing Tina to the side, Artie took on the first verse.

I remember how it used to be. You never was this nice, you can't fool me. Now you're talking like you made a change. The more you talk, the more things sound the same.

He used animated facial expressions and fun dance moves to win the audience over from the beginning, every now and then sending his most menacing glances in Tina's direction.

But Tina didn't come to play either.

What makes you think you can just walk back into her life without a good fight? Tina sang, grasping the handles of Artie's chair and giving him a shove, sending him careening across the classroom and effectively moving him out of the way so that she could take over the limelight. I just sit back and watch you make a fool of yourself, 'cause you're just wasting your time, oh.

As they entered the chorus, Tina and Artie, who were on opposite sides of the room now, both backed up, meeting right in the middle. As Tina leaned up against the back of his chair, Artie moved away with one swift motion, causing her to stumble backward.

If she wasn't angry before, she certainly was now. With a cheap shot at his head, she successfully sent his glasses askew, eliciting a glare from him.

After fixing them, Artie pushed off towards her again, hoping to have some sort of intimidation effect. But before he could get all up in her business, she placed her hands on his knees and began pushing him backward. Feeling incredibly violated, a look of disgust appeared on Artie's face as he swatted her arms away.

Not bothered by this in the slightest, Tina took it upon herself to sit in the empty seat beside Kitty and place an arm around her shoulders, singing: It doesn't matter what you do or what you say. She don't love you, no way. Kitty raised an eyebrow in surprise, wondering when she had gotten dragged into their mess.

"Oh, okay," Artie said while she sang, giving her an incredibly pissed off smile.

Maybe next time you'll give your woman a little respect so you won't be hearing her say, no way! Tina sang. Artie rolled his eyes as she leaned over so that they were eye-to-eye.

Artie had nearly reached his breaking point and was just about to go off on her, when Mr. Schue jumped up from his seat on the risers and pulled the two of them apart, singing: And now it's time for a breakdown!

The rest of the New Directions moved onto their makeshift "stage" to dance around the feuding frenemies while continuing to sing backup for them. Artie was now lost in his own little world, dancing in his seat and shaking his fingers in the air, when, apparently, Tina snapped. She resumed the position she was in just a few moments earlier, her hands placed firmly on his knees as she pushed him backward, an evil gleam present in her eye.

Artie's carefree smile he was just wearing was quickly replaced with a look of sheer panic as his chair picked up speed. All of a sudden, he had an unwanted flashback to pre-Glee Club, when Puck used to shove him down the school's stairwells for sport. Artie glanced behind him and frantically tried to stop his wheels from moving, but Tina didn't get the memo to cut it out.

The centrifugal force Tina was exerting on his chair and his own effort to stop her, mixed with a rogue rubber amp cable belonging to one of the electric guitars, haphazardly strewn across the tile, sent Artie's chair tipping backward, effectively tossing him onto the floor.

It all happened so quickly that Artie didn't even have time to process all that happened, just that he was now on the cold tile floor with the wind knocked out of him, his right elbow and shoulder were throbbing, and that now the music had been cut and his friends were all looking down at him with concerned looks on their faces.

"Jesus, Artie!" Artie heard Sebastian's voice say as he pushed through the crowd to get to his step-brother.

In a flash, Sebastian was by his side, scooping him up in his arms as Mr. Schue and Sam were setting his chair upright. Kitty had edged to the front of the group now, too, to show support to her boyfriend, as Tina had stepped away with her hands covering her mouth, unable to believe what she'd just done.

"Artie, I am so sorry," Tina whimpered apologetically, genuine emotion present in her voice. "I didn't mean to."

As Sebastian set him back in his chair, Artie dusted himself off before finally finding his voice. "It's fine. I'm fine," Artie muttered, avoiding all eye contact as he reached for his wheels and got himself out of the choir room as fast as he could, but not before seeing the glares that Sebastian, Kitty, and Sam had shot Tina's way.

…

SEBASTIAN

After Artie's grand exit from the choir room, Sebastian had followed him all the way out to the parking lot. It wasn't until Artie coasted to a stop beside his car that the boy cradled his right arm with his left, visibly wincing as his fingers brushed over a spot where a gnarly bruise was already starting to form.

"Hop in the passenger seat," Sebastian told him, startling the other boy who hadn't realized that he was being followed. "I'm taking you home."

Artie didn't fight this, grimacing as he put pressure on his sore arm in order to transfer from his chair. Noticing the pained expression, Sebastian took the liberty to dissemble his brother's wheelchair, placing it in the backseat, before removing the car's hand controls and stowing them back there too.

When they got home, Artie immediately retreated to his bedroom, and Sebastian stopped in the kitchen to grab a bag of peas from the freezer. When he reached Artie's room with the makeshift ice pack in hand, he watched as the other boy babied the injured appendage as he transferred onto his bed. Sebastian helped Artie move a few pillows around so that he was comfortable, setting one underneath the elbow in question, before placing the bag of frozen vegetables on top of it.

"Did you hit your head?" Sebastian asked, not having had a good view of the incident when it had unfolded.

Artie shook his head.

"That's good. You should check your hip, though," Sebastian warned. "You fell pretty hard onto your whole right side. I know that your arm took most of the impact, but you should keep an eye on that hip, too. It might be bruised and you'd never even know it, since you can't feel it."

Artie rolled his eyes, clearly not wanting to endure a lecture from his step-brother on where he can and can't feel. Seb caught Artie's drift and ended the conversation there. He'd said his peace.

Sebastian spread a throw blanket over Artie's lower half and handed him the television remote. "Need anything? A glass of water? Lemonade?"

Artie shook his head again before a small smile began playing on his lips.

"What?"

"This feels like déjà vu," Artie smirked. "You know, you taking me home and tucking me into bed when I have some sort of unforeseen emergency."

Sebastian let out an amused laugh. "Yeah, and it's getting kind of old."

It was Artie's turn to laugh now. A moment later, Sebastian's facial expression must have shifted unknowingly, because Artie took notice of it.

"Hey, I'm gonna be fine. It's only a bruise…" Artie reminded him, before sensing that it was something else that was bothering Sebastian. "What's wrong?"

Sebastian shook his head. Artie had literally just been thrown on the floor like a ragdoll by his psycho best friend- the last thing Sebastian wanted to do was burden him with his own problems.

"Hey, you can tell me," Artie said in that sweet, encouraging voice of his, using his good hand to pat the spot beside him on the bed.

Knowing that Artie wasn't going to let it go, Sebastian obliged.

"Just… all of the talk about college and graduation recently- with Finn going off to school, and you and Tina battling for Valedictorian- has got me pretty stressed out," Sebastian admitted, leaning up against Artie's headboard. "I've only applied to OSU, and Ms. Pillsbury called me into her office earlier this week and told me that I missed all of the deadlines for the other schools I was interested in. If I don't get into Ohio State, I'm screwed."

"That's all?" Artie asked, clearly expecting Sebastian's problems to be bigger, in his eyes. "Well, that's okay. You'll get in."

"But what if I don't?!" Sebastian cried, surprised by his sudden outburst of emotion. "I'm not like you, Artie! I'm not smart like you! I'm not organized like you! I haven't been prepping for the college admissions process since Freshman year!" Sebastian kind of felt like Artie was dismissing his worries. "You're going to get into every one of your schools and become the next Steven Spielberg, for Christ's sake! And I haven't even been on a college tour yet!"

"And that's okay," Artie reminded him calmly. "I want to help you, Sebastian. Please, let me help you. You've missed a few deadlines, but that's okay. There's no need to panic just yet. Why don't we plan a weekend sometime soon and go down to stay with Griffin at Ohio State? That way, you can check out the student life on campus and take a tour."

After thinking it over for a moment, Sebastian nodded, a small smile appearing on his face. Even though Artie wasn't feeling his best, he still made an effort to help Sebastian out. That's just who he was.

"Thanks, Artie."

"Anytime," Artie replied, before giving Sebastian a concerned look. "You know you can always come to me when something's bothering you, right?" Artie added, to which Seb nodded.

"Good," Artie said, grinning. "Now that that's settled, I'll take you up on your offer to bring me that lemonade right about now."

I hope you enjoyed this (long-awaited!) update! I think it is also important to note that

I do NOT plan on killing off Finn in this story.

I don't think it would add a lot to this story, and I can't bring myself to write about his death. He will absolutely be there to cheer the New Directions on at Nationals. I hope you are all okay with this change (as well as the others that I've made throughout the story).

Please leave a review if you liked this chapter! I'm looking forward to hearing what you all think!