In what universe is this the fault of those girls?
While John walked to the locker room he was interrupted by someone from his staff who needed him. Fate would have it that Kurt walked past him when he was interrupted: "Mister Hummel?" John called. Kurt turned around surprised. "You called me, sir?"
"Yes, I'm Joh, I take care of the football team. Could you do something for me?"
"I could try." Kurt said a little bit unsure.
"Could you go to the boys locker room and ask Mike to go to Tina? She needs him." John explained. Kurt looked worried and asked: "Did something happen to Tina?" John quickly assured him nothing was wrong: "She's just in pain, because of the tackle. She's feeling her muscles, but it hurts her and she asked for Mike." Kurt released his held breath. "Sure, I'll get Mike." Kurt already turned to the locker room. Kurt hurried to the locker room and without thinking about it, swung the door open. He was met with an exhilarated football team, singing Thriller on top of their voices, in various stages of dress. Several were getting the make-up off, some were getting out of their costumes or getting dressed. They were all very loud and festive. Kurt quickly took everything in, no one noticed him and then scanned the room for Mike, but before he had found him Finn had spotted Kurt. "Hey Kurt." He said, not thinking it through, immediately everyone fell silent. Before anyone could say anything Finn quickly added: "What is it?" Finn had seen the slightly distressed look on Kurt's face. Kurt could feel all their eyes on him, all getting anxious. It was then that Kurt realized he had entered his own lion cage with only a few helpers. He shook himself it didn't matter right now. "What is wrong Kurt?" Finn asked again, walking to him.
"It's Tina." Before he could continue Mike jumped forward worry clearly visible on his face: "What's wrong with her?"
"Nothing, she is in pain from the tackle. John said she want you and he seemed to think that was for the best." Kurt explained. "Where is she?" Mike quickly put his hoody of his football tights.
"Oh come on, she can survive without you for a night. Come on Mike we were getting ready to go to the party. You can cuddle her tomorrow." Someone said. Kurt, who was watching Mike, saw a flash of anger cross his face, before he repeated the question: "Where is she, Kurt?"
"In the girls locker room." Kurt answered as the other person said: "You are so whipped, seriously she only needs to say your name and you come running. How bad can it be? She only got tackled once. Besides you're a star football player, one of the champions. It's time you dumped that Glee girl." Kurt saw the anger building in Mike, he didn't know who had commented. But from the silence coming from the rest of the players and coach Beiste who had come in after Kurt had burst in, Kurt could glean that they all knew the boy had crossed a line. Kurt glanced to Finn, Sam, Artie and Puck and could see the anger radiating from them, but the expression on Mike's face and his eyes scared Kurt the most.
Slowly Mike turned around: "Come and say that to me face to face, Carter." The group split, showing a leering young man sit smugly in his football gear. Mike continues: "You hid behind broader backs, too chicken to stand up an show your face. Tina and the girls from Glee did more for this team in that half then you did in all the time you played."
"Oh come on, that's not true and everybody in here knows it." Carter looked around, clearly expecting someone to confirm this, nobody said anything, so he continued: "She could even get to the goal line and the rest just laid on the field. Well except for Lauren, but then again with her figure no one would be able to get pas her or flip her on her back." Carter laughed…no one joined him. Kurt could practically feel Puck clench his fists and jaw.
"Shut up, Carter." Karofsky said, eyeing Mike and saying to him: "Mike, go and take care of Tina." Everyone waited for Mike to move, he didn't take his eyes of Carter. Everyone knew Mike isn't aggressive, but everyone also knew Mike was strong, very strong and that he wouldn't shy away from a fight if necessary, but he never instigated them.
"No." he said, still looking at Carter: "You don't understand what these girls did, none of you really understand what those girls did for you." Mike looked around the room, everyone just sitting there, waiting. "It's because of those girls we won that trophy." He pointed at the golden football. "because those girls laid down on the field, you all got a second chance at playing the game. It's because of those girls you became champions. They did something you have never done: they went out on that field to help their friends. They wanted to give Finn, Sam, Artie, Puck and me the chance to at least play the game. They did that knowing full well they could become the laughing stock of the school. Don't even think it Carter." Mike shot Carter a murderous look as he opened his mouth. "And" he continued: "and they didn't expect anything in return. Because they wanted to do something for their friends, you all got the chance to become champions." Mike paused for a moment, his team mates had all their attention on him, he, his presence demanded it.
"Tina went after that ball because she was the only one who was paying attention and who was brave enough to take a chance. Of course the odds were against here, she knew that, but she didn't let that deter her from trying. If you don't try you'll never win. She knew it was nearly impossible but she tried and now she has a story she'll tell our children later. Just like you will all tell your children about the one time their father won the championship game." Once more a moment of silence. Kurt could still see the anger on Mike's face. He was gaining a whole lot more respect for Mike. "Do you know what the worst part is? It won't change a thing. Monday nobody will remember what they did. Hell, by Monday they'll get slushied, get called names, made fun of for what they did. You will all be remembered as the great football team who did the impossible and they will be looked at as the ones who made the near impossible win necessary because they played the first half. You all know I'm right, it's the way this school works. Look at Carter, most of us are still in uniform and he's already looking down on the Glee girls." Mike looked around, some of the more decent football players lowered their heads, looking at their hands. "They don't expect anything and they'll probably take the abuse they'll get, standing proud. Nobody will remember that it was their brave move that gave everyone involved a second chance at glory. They'll receive none of it. They deserve so much more respect then you have ever given them. Than any in this school will ever give them and like you non one in this school will really understand what they did. You now have the ability to add to this victory by showing them the respect they deserve an giving them what's due to them. It saddens me that you won't take that opportunity and are already demeaning them, thinking so low of them. If you can't find it I you to tell the entire true tale of this game, including their massive parts, then this game, this victory means nothing." Mike stopped and saw his teammates all looking at him, clearly listening attentively and thinking about what was being said. Just as he started to turn to leave, Carter spoke again: "As far as I can see it was their fault in the fist place that we left." The silence was absolute, you could drop a pin on the roof and everyone would have heard. The most decent football players looked at Carter with dropped jaws, the rest just looked at Mike. Deadly calm he turned and said: "In what universe is this the fault of those girls? How can you even think it's their fault?!"
"Because of them we all quit." Carter got up, getting riled.
"No!" Mike almost shouted: "You all quit because you were cowards too wrapped up in your popularity to actually care about anything else. We welcomed you, the girls welcomed you into Glee despite the foul treatment you gave some of those girls for years. Don't mistake me: those girls welcomed you and treated you normally, if they hadn't wanted to do it they would have left. Mister Shue and Coach Beiste could have jumped high and low, had those girls been against it, it would not have happened. Those girls welcomed you, helped you, listened to your performance the same way they do wit us." Mike pointed to the Glee guys. "The girls had to play the first half, because you all cared more about yourselves then the team. Because you didn't dare to do something that could potentially harm your popularity. Don't even think of putting the blame of this near fiasco on them. They never ever gave you a reason to blame them for anything…anything." Mike fell silent again for a moment, "All they, we want is to be respected for who they are. You don't have to like them, but you can give them the respect they deserve. The respect they deserve for being brave enough to be themselves despite the hostility they face every day. After today it's the very least you can do. But don't, for a moment, dare lay the blame for today at their door. It's beneath all of you. … Now if you'll all excuse me, my girlfriend needs me." Mike turned and walked away, Kurt followed him. After the door fell shut, the boys in the locker room turned to Finn, Sam, Puck, Artie and coach Beiste who stood behind them. The Glee boys were all very much shocked by Mike's impassioned speech. Coach Beiste was the first to speak: "Don't look at me, Mike is completely right and you all know it, whether you admit it to yourself or not. You owe those girls. Think about it. Finish getting dressed and go to your party. I'm going to check on miss Cohen-Chang." Coach Beiste nodded to the Glee boys and left the room.
