AUTHOR'S NOTE:

Special shoutout to Quartie4Life who sent me an idea for this story that inspired the next few chapters! :)

Chapter 36: Loser Like Me

ARTIE

Ever the early riser, it was no surprise to Artie when his mind naturally woke him up at seven-thirty in the morning, despite the fact that last night's events had kept him up much later than he was expecting.

He looked down at the sleeping girl, who was still in his arms from the night before, and couldn't help the smile that began to spread across his face. She looked so peaceful, a far cry from the normally-uptight girl who roamed the halls of McKinley High. It hurt him to have to get up and risk waking her, but he knew he'd be hurting even more later on if he delayed his morning ritual any longer.

Artie slowly moved her arms off of him, gently shifting her head from the spot it had been occupying on his chest to the pillow beside him. Either he was really good at this sort of thing, or Kitty was a deep sleeper (probably the latter) because she didn't even flinch when he shifted himself towards the edge of the bed and transferred into his wheelchair before heading off in the direction of the bathroom.

When he emerged a little while later, the sun was streaming in through a gap in the curtains and was splashed across the white comforter. He found Kitty still asleep right where he'd left her. Artie moved back onto the mattress, pulling his legs up one by one before tugging the blanket up to cover himself and Kitty once more.

Artie settled on his side, one arm behind his head and the other placed strategically on the sheet, helping to keep him propped up as he watched Kitty sleep. It was decidedly a little creepy, but she looked so cute that he couldn't help himself.

It wasn't long until she began to stir, rubbing her eyes before a lazy grin appeared on her face as her gaze landed on Artie beside her.

"Good morning," Artie said, lifting one hand to brush a few strands of Kitty's bed head out of her face.

"Morning," Kitty groggily replied, moving closer to him so that their bare skin came in contact. He lay onto his back and let her move so that she was laying on top of him, chest to chest. He draped his arms around her as her face lingered just inches above his. She leaned her head down so that she could give him a good morning kiss.

"How'd you sleep?" Artie asked afterward, rubbing his hands up and down her back.

"Better than usual, since you were right next to me," was her response, which made Artie smile. A moment later, she spoke up again. "Did last night really happen?"

"It did," Artie replied hesitantly, unsure if she was asking because she had a good experience or a terrible one. He supposed she probably wouldn't be as cuddly right now if she had had a horrible time. "Any regrets?"

She tilted her head down to kiss him again. If that wasn't sufficient enough, she answered: "None."

"Good. Me either," Artie said, kissing her back.

"Do you really have to leave so early?" she wondered, thinking back to what he'd told her last night.

Artie and Sebastian were heading down to Columbus later that day to spend Spring Break with Griffin and his pals at Ohio State. Both Artie and Sebastian had received their acceptance letters to the school earlier that week, so they were excited to get the chance to spend some time with Griff during the week, and go on a formal tour of the campus tomorrow.

"Unfortunately, I should leave sooner rather than later," Artie told her, stroking her tangled blonde hair. "We're leaving after Seb's baseball practice ends this morning, and I still have to shower and pack. I wish you could come with me, but it's a guy's trip. Plus, I'm not sure hanging out with Griffin's friends the whole time would be so much fun for you."

Kitty fake-pouted at the mention of her boyfriend leaving her behind for their entire Spring Break.

"Well, I guess we'll just have to make the most of the time we have left before you go then," Kitty said, a mischievous smile on her face as she leaned down to continue their makeout session from the night before.

…

"Are you ready?" Artie called up to Sebastian from his spot at the bottom of the stairs. If there was anything that Artie hated more than people waiting on him to hurry up, it was when he had to wait for other people.

"Hey, relax," Sebastian replied, appearing in his bedroom doorway with a duffle bag in hand and his backpack already slung over one shoulder. "It takes a lot of time to look this good. But, yes, I'm ready."

"It's about time," Artie said under his breath as he pivoted his chair and pushed off towards the kitchen. He always liked to be punctual, but that was a nearly impossible goal to achieve whenever Sebastian took an extra long time to coif his hair.

"You look nice," Nancy Abrams complimented her son as he came wheeling into the kitchen wearing tight-fitting khakis and a patterned collared shirt under a light hoodie.

"Are you about ready to leave?" Nancy asked, once Sebastian came sauntering into the kitchen a moment later, wearing black pants and a navy and green striped rugby shirt with the collar popped.

Artie nodded. "We'll text you when we get there."

"Have a good time and don't get in too much trouble, alright?" Nancy replied, enveloping both boys in their own hug. Out of her three boys, Artie was her most responsible one, so he knew that it was Griffin and Sebastian that she had her worries about. "Tell Griff I say hi."

"Will do," Artie answered, setting his bag on his lap before grabbing his keys from the bowl in the mudroom and rolling down the ramp that led into the garage.

Sebastian tasked himself with placing their bags in the trunk as Artie transferred into the driver's seat and began taking apart his chair, placing the pieces in the back. Sebastian slid in the passenger seat beside him, and after a brief squabble about what type of music to listen to (Artie's vote was for The Beatles, and Seb insisted on listening to Justin Timberlake's brand new album, "The 20/20 Experience". They eventually met in the middle, deciding to listen to Michael Jackson, an artist whose work they shared a common love for), they were off to Columbus.

Shortly after they left Lima, Sebastian called up Griffin to let him know that they were on their way. At Artie's request, he'd put the phone on speaker.

"Hey, Griff, we just left," Sebastian said when Griffin picked up. "According to the GPS, it says we'll be there around four-thirty."

"Okay, cool," Griffin replied. "We can get food when you get here. Maybe some of the guys will want to come too. We can figure that out later. Well, I'll see you soon-"

"Wait, Griff," Artie cut in, hoping to get a word in before his brother hung up to go back to whatever it was he was doing. "There's an elevator, right? And a way for me to, like, shower and stuff?"

Griffin had always been pretty aware when it came to the accommodations that Artie needed to be made, but Artie figured that it wouldn't hurt to ask.

"Don't worry about it, we'll figure it out," was Griffin's response before promptly dropping the subject.

Exactly an hour and a half later, they arrived at their destination: the Sigma Alpha Epsilon house at Ohio State University.

It was pleasantly warm outside that day, and a handful of college boys decorated the front lawn of the three-story mansion, playing games of cornhole and cup pong. Sebastian was starry-eyed as he fixated his attention out the window as they drove by. Artie wasn't having quite the same reaction; his stomach was doing backflips as he realized instantly that he was going to be outside of his comfort zone the entire time that they were here.

There was a parking lot around the back, and Artie pulled into the accessible spot before parking and turning off the ignition. Giddy to get his Spring Break started, Sebastian quickly climbed out of the car and opened the trunk to retrieve their bags. Artie took his sweet time as he begrudgingly assembled his wheelchair before moving into it.

Spending the week at a fraternity house was sure going to be interesting, and Artie wasn't sure that he was ready for all that it would entail. This was much more of Sebastian's scene than it was his own.

"Hey! Look who it is!" A familiar voice called, as Artie could make out Griffin crossing the yard to come greet them.

Artie's demeanor switched almost instantly as he remembered why he'd been so excited to make this trip in the first place: to see his brother. They hadn't seen each other in person since Griffin went back to school after the holidays, which was three months too long. There was a certain feeling of comfort that Artie felt when he was in the company of his big brother. Hanging around a frat house may not have been his vibe exactly, but he was determined to make the most of the time he was getting to spend with Griff.

"Glad you made it!" Griffin exclaimed as he stooped down to hug Artie before hugging Sebastian as well.

Griffin was wearing khaki shorts and an oversized polo shirt. His unruly, curly brown hair was being held back by a backward visor, and there seemed to be more freckles sprinkled across his cheeks than usual.

"Thanks for having us," Sebastian replied as he adjusted his backpack that was slung over one shoulder, the stupid grin still plastered on his face, showing just how excited he was to be there.

"Hey, Abrams!" Artie and Griffin both perked up at the mention of their last name. One of the guys who was playing a game of cornhole had called over, seeing his friend talking to the two unfamiliar guys. "Who are your friends?"

It seemed as though Artie and Sebastian's arrival had commanded the attention of the other guys who were hanging around the yard too. Griffin spun around and began walking back to where his friends were waiting, glancing over his shoulder to beckon for Artie and Sebastian to follow him.

Artie mustered up the strength to push himself across the uneven grassy terrain, hoping that his movements didn't look as effortful as they felt.

"These are my brothers, Sebastian and Artie," Griffin introduced them as a crowd began to assemble. "They're seniors in high school and might be coming to OSU in the fall." Turning to the younger boys, Griffin said, "And, Seb and Artie, these are the brothers of SAE."

"Sweet ride," a blonde guy wearing a t-shirt and a red bandana tied around his forehead said to Artie, giving him an approving nod.

"Oh. Um, thanks," Artie replied, caught off guard by the comment directed at him. He nervously shifted in his seat before adding, "Some people call me 'Wheels'."

Artie wasn't sure why he had shared that particular piece of information, as he had never been too fond of that nickname. He supposed joking about his position was an easy way to make other people more comfortable around the chair.

"Right on."

"Let's go inside so you can drop your bags off," Griffin told them. "Then we can go grab some dinner. What are you guys thinking for food?"

Sebastian was answering Griffin's question as he followed him up the half-dozen stairs leading to the front door without even giving it a second thought, leaving Artie behind at the bottom.

"Um, guys?" Artie called, effectively reminding his brothers of what they'd left behind. His hands were resting on his wheels, not really knowing how they expected him to follow them.

"Shit. Sorry, Artie," Griffin said, jogging back down the stairs and asking three of his friends to help him lift Artie up into the house. Sebastian's arms were full, as he was holding both his own bags as well as Artie's, so he was of no help as the college guys each grabbed a push rim or a handle before picking him up.

"Thanks," Artie said quietly, his face flushing a deep shade of red. He hated being the center of attention for any reason, let alone because he needed a bunch of guys he'd just met minutes before to lift him up a set of stairs.

After depositing Artie in the foyer, the boys headed back outside to resume their lawn games. Griffin didn't look too apologetic about the situation as they made their way through the scarcely furnished house. That is, until they reached another set of stairs that led to where Griffin's bedroom was on the second floor. Based on the expression Griffin was wearing, Artie guessed that this house wasn't equipped with an elevator.

Artie shot him a look that said, "What's your plan here, genius?"

Thinking on his feet but not wanting to bother his friends again, Griffin crouched down in front of where Artie was sitting. "I'll give you a piggyback ride, then come down and grab your chair."

Artie pursed his lips together in annoyance as he wrapped his arms around Griffin's neck.

This week is off to a great start, Artie thought to himself as Griff climbed the stairs and carefully lowered his brother down onto the top step before turning around to fetch the red and black wheelchair that had been abandoned at the bottom.

Once Artie had completed the floor-to-chair transfer and unlocked his brakes, the two younger boys followed Griffin down the hallway, which was lined with old composite pictures dating back decades.

"Welcome to my humble abode," Griffin said as he thrust open the door to his messy bedroom. Aside from a twin XL bed, an old futon, and a TV mounted to the wall, there was not much else in the room except for piles of dirty clothes and empty takeout boxes.

"You have your own bedroom?" Sebastian asked in awe as he set down the bags on the floor.

Griffin nodded. "My own bathroom, too," he said, gesturing to a door in the corner. "Anyways, Art, you can take the bed, and Seb, the couch is all yours. I'm gonna go crash down the hall in one of my buddy's rooms while you're here."

Artie wheeled over to Griffin's unmade bed and pressed a firm hand down on the mattress. It was springy and cheap, quite the opposite of what he was used to, with his fancy mattress at home. He knew that his back would be sore after sleeping on it for several nights, but he was just going to have to deal with it.

Artie then went over to inspect the bathroom situation. Just as he expected, the room was tiny, and his wheelchair just barely fit inside. Artie pulled back the shower curtain, revealing a shallow bathtub and a singular bottle of Old Spice 3-in-1.

"Yeah, I was thinking we could bring in one of those plastic chairs for you to use in there," Griffin said, peeking his head in the bathroom when he saw Artie looking at the shower. "One would fit in there, don't you think?"

Artie stared back at him, his eyebrows knitted together in a look of confusion and utter disbelief.

"You want me to put my bare ass on a plastic chair that you keep outside?!" Artie asked, his voice raising in alarm. He didn't consider himself to be too much of a germaphobe, but, at some point, a line needed to be drawn.

"Well, it beats sitting on the floor, right?" Sebastian reminded him, in an attempt to be helpful that was not received well by Artie.

In fact, Artie had nearly reached a breaking point and they'd only been on campus for less than a half hour.

"Is this what you meant on the phone earlier, when I asked about the accessibility of this place and you said that you'd 'figure it out'?" Artie asked, pulling back sharply on his wheels to exit the narrow bathroom.

Artie supposed that he should have been a little bit more persistent on the matter when he called earlier, but this was Griffin they were talking about. He didn't think that he had to incessantly remind him of his needs.

"Did you put in any effort to make accommodations for me?"

"I'm giving you my bed!" Griffin reminded him, causing Artie to roll his eyes. Sebastian looked like he was going to get whiplash at the rate he was moving his head back and forth to follow the conversation.

"You know that's not what I meant," Artie said coolly.

He didn't want to ruin the trip, though, so he decided to put the issue to rest for the time being. He'd revisit it later on, when he'd cooled down and there was less of a chance that he'd say something in the heat of the moment that he'd regret.

"Can we get dinner now?"

…

As it turns out, everybody was a little hangry.

When Artie suggested that it was time for dinner, Griffin had the idea to bring his brothers to his favorite Mexican restaurant on campus. Some of his friends, Rob (a tall brunette who kind of reminded Artie of Finn) and Chase (the blonde guy with the bandana who'd complimented Artie's chair earlier), had tagged along, too.

"So Griffin said that you were both accepted to OSU?" Rob asked, earning a nod from Seb and Artie. "Do you know what you want to study?"

Sebastian shook his head. "I've been pretty busy with baseball, and I haven't really given college much thought, if I'm being honest."

"Oh, you play?" Rob raised an eyebrow. "What position?"

"First," Sebastian replied. "It's my first year playing, though."

"But you'd never even know it," Griffin boasted, proudly clapping Sebastian on the shoulder. "The kid's a natural."

The three older boys and Sebastian began a deep conversation about the sport, and with nobody paying any attention to him, Artie had no choice but to stare off into space and mindlessly sip on his ice water.

"What about you, Wheels?" Chase asked a few minutes later, jarring Artie from his reverie. He hadn't been listening to the conversation until he heard his nickname being used.

"Sorry. What?"

"Do you know what you want to study in college?"

"Film," Artie answered easily. "I want to be a director."

"That's dope," Rob replied. "I'm not so sure Ohio State's the place you want to go for that kind of degree, though."

Before Artie had a chance to explain that OSU was his safety school and that he'd also applied to top-tier film schools on both coasts, Rob, Chase, and Griffin had already returned their focus to Sebastian and his budding baseball career.

Artie couldn't help but feel like a big, fat loser as he placed his elbow on the table, holding his chin in his hands, as he sipped on his ice water some more. Nobody was giving him the time of day, not when there was cool and charismatic Sebastian to joke around and laugh with. Artie observed that even Griffin was acting differently around his friends than he normally does at home.

For a second, Artie thought that maybe he was being too harsh on Griffin. Too judgmental. After all, he had agreed to host them for the week. Or maybe he wasn't. Artie knew that he deserved the same treatment and attention that Sebastian was getting, even- no, especially- from his own brother.

Artie wasn't entirely sure what had gotten into Griffin lately, but he wasn't sure that he liked it all that much.

This was another chapter entirely from Artie's POV, but don't worry! Sebastian's POVs will return with the next chapter. :)

Please leave a review for me if you enjoyed this update! I never imagined this story going on for this long, but with your reviews and PM suggestions, I keep getting reinspired to write! :)