Part 24
The next day Wes got a surprise when he started his computer and found that he'd gotten an e-mail from Jerry. He grinned and opened it and saw a file there, a movie clip. He cocked an eyebrow and pressed on it. At first he saw nothing but a green park where some people ran around and then Jerry came from behind the camera and sat down in front of it.
"Hi there kiddo I hope this is helping lifting your spirit a bit", he said and Wes smiled. "Mark told me what happened when he went to visit Dalton. You just can't stay out of trouble can you?" Jerry smiled and Wes couldn't help but do the same. "Now what's this I hear about Wesley coming back? Kiddo I understand that you got scared and that you felt abandoned but you must get into that thick head of yours the Warblers really do care about you. They care a lot about you in fact. Didn't we proof that to you last year? I know, you got scared I understand that but you can never ever doubt that Lucas and the others care about you. I know you know this kiddo but since you seem to not believe them and maybe not me… say hi kiddo."
Wes looked confused and then the picture of Jerry faded away and was replaced by a video of a platinum blonde boy with blue yes, it was Richard Diamond. Wes grinned widely.
"Hi there sport", Richard said and grinned. "Jerry told me what happened and now you listen here. Everyone in the Warblers care about you and I know that if we were legally able to we'd adopt you and make you our brother on paper. You are already our brother in heart. Don't doubt that. Oh and call once in a while or e-mail me will ya? Cheers!"
Wes smiled and waved at the screen as Richard's face faded and a new face came into view. This face belonged to a boy with blue eyes, brown hair and glasses.
"Yo Wes things aren't going so great I heard", Scott Crawford said. "Just ignore whoever is messing with you, I know you can do it and if that doesn't work show them what you can do in the dojo and I doubt they'll dare to mess with ya. If not even that work text me and I'll drive there from Stanford and kick their asses for you okay? Oh and hit Otto up the head for me next time you see him. He drunk called me this summer and embarrassed me in front of my family. Okay? Bye budy!"
Wes chuckled as Scott's face faded away. Next boy to show up made Wes laugh. It was Bastian Nolan with his tan skin, brown eyes and now jade green hair. Bastian Nolan usually had red and I mean red hair or blue hair.
"Greetings from Philadelphia", Bastian said and smiled. "The hair gave it away didn't it? Anyway Jerry called up and went into the biggest mother-hen mode ever! Squirt what did you do to get him to be like that? Wait scratch that this is a recording so you can't answer that. Anyway how are your drawings going?" Wes looked at his pad on the desk. It was full of dark drawings right now, he had been drawing them since the day he was locked in. "Draw something sunny instead of those dark things I bet you've been drawing after your ordeal. Oh shoot now I gave myself away squirt. Yes Jerry told me… and Mark… and Scott… and… and everyone else. Now don't you dare go around thinking that no one cares because we do. I'll drive down there and force that knowledge into you if you don't get it by now. Take care and send me a drawing soon okay?"
Bastian threw him a kiss and Wes laughed. Next face belonged to a long-haired blonde boy with brown eyes. But he wasn't alone in the room he was recording in. There was a brown haired boy there.
"Wessy say hi to my boyfriend Ashton!" Fredric Fitzgerald said happily. Ashton waved over his shoulder before continuing to read. "We're studying for an exam. So I know what happened and all I can say is, power through it because I know you can. I mean I've seen you take down bigger things than this in the dojo. Don't you let this get to you, it was an accident or a mean prank. Just don't sink down to Jesse's level. Fuck with him by ignoring him, people like him hates that. Okay Ashton is glaring at me so I better go. But sweetheart do me a favor, don't doubt the Warblers and give Justine a kiss on the nose from me 'kay? Bye love!"
Fredric's face faded away and the last senior came into view. Wes smiled when he saw the green eyes, pale skin and brown hair of Brad Raymond.
"Dwarf don't doubt the Warblers okay and kick Jesse's ass", was all Brad said. He had never been a person of many words but his eyes spoke for him. They were soft, caring and warm. Wes smiled and nodded, even though Brad would have no idea he did that. "Oh and promise to do something for me. Steal Brad's whistle and hide it better than ever before 'kay?"
Wes smiled as the movie ended. He knew they were right. He shouldn't let it get to him so much and he shouldn't cut off the Warblers when he did feel scared or worried. He knew he had to apologize to them… he just didn't know how.
He turned up a blank page in his drawing pad and started to draw, not thinking, just drawing. He was drawing from memory and just relaxing. After a bit he looked at his pad and realized what he'd drawn. It was the Warblers performing at sectionals last year, he saw their big smiles and smiled too. His life weren't as dark as his drawing told him… or his dreams.
His life was actually very happy and full of light. He knew how to apologize to and thank the Warblers at the same time. He looked at his watch and saw that he was late for a Warbler rehearsal. He cursed and ran out of his room. Only to run back and fetch his camera and a picture before running out again.
Lucas sighed and turned away from the door. Wes still hadn't come back to them. They thought that he would after he thing that went down in the Lima Bean. They'd all see him brighten up a bit since then. But maybe they were mistaken.
"I guess he's not coming is he", Otto said and sighed. "Damn I thought we broke through to him this time."
"We did", Justine said and twirled a blonde lock around her finger. "Maybe he just needed some more time."
"Well we can't wait for him any longer", Brad said and got up from the table. "We better start warming up our voices. Sectionals only gets closer and we have yet to decide on a set list and soloists." The Warblers all nodded and started to do warmups.
The different types of voices grouped together to warm up. So the room right now had five groups. It had the basses in two groups, the tenors in two groups and the baritones. Lucas who was a baritone noticed the Everett twins smile smugly at him from the tenors. He cocked an eyebrow at them and they smirked and stepped towards him, imitating the baritones.
The baritones stopped where they were doing and watched in confusion. The tenors in the twins' group followed the twins. When they were all "mocking" the baritones Charles, from the basses, nudged his friends and stepped up behind the tenors and started mocking them.
The other group of tenors attacked the basses, the baritones attacked the second group of tenors and the other group of basses took up for the first tenors in attacking the baritones and the first tenors completed the circle by attacking the second basses.
It was a full warmup war but everyone was having fun. Then a there was a flash in the room and everyone's faces turned to the doors, just in time to see Wes lower his camera. He looked at them grinning sheepishly. Then he looked at his camera's display, grimaced and snapped a new picture.
"Oi", Jesse objected while rubbing his eyes. "What the heck?!"
"What it was funny", Wes said happily and then marched over to the piano.
"Uh Wes", Brad asked as the kid put up a picture of the Warblers from the year before.
"Yes Brad", Wes asked as he put his camera on the piano, the picture of the Warblers of today visible.
"What are you doing?"
"Multitasking", Wes said happily.
"How?"
"Well I'm talking to you while setting up some pictures, before I say thank you and I'm sorry at the same time."
"What?"
Wes bit his lip and turned to look at the Warblers.
"I want to say sorry", he began. "Sorry for being such a bother and not believing you guys when you tried to help me. I've been a child and need to grow up a bit. Just because something bad happened to me it doesn't mean I have to crawl back into myself and cut off the rest of the world. I must learn to trust people and let others help me if I need it. I can't just rely on myself all the time so I'm sorry for not believing you guys and for acting as if you were the bad guys that let me down."
"But we did let you down", Nathan objected.
"No you didn't", Wes said and smiled at him. "You had no idea I got locked in by mistake. Jesse can't help he forgot that he locked me into a closet. I should have been more clear on not wanting to be locked in and I should have told you guys about my claustrophobia… also I should trust the new guys and tell them the truth."
"What", Isaac asked confused. "Truth about what?"
The other freshmen, except for Kim, looked confused.
"I bet you all wonder why I'm even here since I'm just 13", Wes said and smiled a bit shyly. "It's not because I have some ridiculous high IQ."
"Aw man", Rob said and put ten dollars on the table. "That was my guess!"
Wes snorted, he knew the freshmen was betting on him.
"And it's not because I have a parent working here", Wes continued and Brett groaned putting his ten dollars on the table as well.
"And it's not because my parents own this place so I have nowhere to go Isaac", Wes continued giving the Warbler a pointed look and Isaac groaned and put his ten dollars in the pot. "I'm also not some favored kid from Westerville Jesse." Jesse scoffed but paid up. All eyes turned on Kim and Eric. Eric grinned.
"I bet you're here because the school is trying to find out if they can educate younger kids as well", he said happily.
"Nope", Wes said and smirked. Eric sighed and kissed his ten dollars before putting them on the table. Wes turned his eyes to Kim.
"I guessed you are orphaned and stayed here because you had nowhere to go else", Kim said with a shrug and paid up.
"Why are you paying", Eric asked confused.
"Because he already know the truth", Nathan said and smiled sadly. "And didn't change his old bet it seems."
"That would be fusking", Kim said.
"It would be what", Rob asked confused.
"Cheating", Kim spluttered waiving with his hand. Wes chuckled.
"Well Kim is partly right", he said and the freshmen looked at him. "I have nowhere else to go… and I'm as close to an orphan you can be without really being it."
"How", Brett and Eric asked in unison.
Wes told the freshmen his story, from his time with his grandparents, from his time at different boarding schools and lastly from last year when he came to Dalton. The freshmen were staring at him, Eric and Brett were gaping in shock. Kim felt a bit sad. Isaac had no words, for once, to describe how he felt, Rob felt angry and Jesse… well he just didn't care.
"I would appreciate it", Wes said and swallowed. "If you didn't tell any other freshmen this… I don't want to be stared at like last year…"
"If you tell anyone we'll seriously hurt you", Otto said darkly and the freshmen all nodded when they saw all protective looks the older Warblers were giving their youngest member. Lucas even walked up to stand behind Wes, holding a hand on his shoulder.
"That still doesn't explain why the kid is behind the piano", Jesse said.
"He's in front of it", Kim said confused. "Wait is there another kid in here?"
Everyone else just laughed.
"What", Kim asked. "What did I say?"
He only got pats on the shoulders and back, and his hair ruffled. Everyone jumped when Brad blew in his whistle and Wes glared at him. Brad just smirked.
"You said something about a thank you Wes", Brad said and smirked. Wes stuck his tongue out at him but then sighed.
"I wanted to say thank you to you guys for helping me", he said while looking at his lap. "I don't think I've said it enough."
Lucas was still holding his hands on Wes' shoulders. He gave them a gentle squeeze.
"I just", Wes began but then sighed. "Just shut up and listen okay?" Without waiting for an answer he started to play. He closed his eyes as he did and sang:
You are my sunshine
My only sunshine
You make me happy
When skies are grey
You'll never know dear
How much I love you
So please don't take
My sunshine
Away
The other night dear
As I lay sleeping
I dreamed you held me in your arms
When I awoke dear
I was mistaken
So I hung
My head
And cried
You are my sunshine
My only sunshine
You make me happy
When the skies are grey
You'll never know dear
How much I love you
Please don't take
My sunshine
Away
The other day dear
When I felt lonely
I hoped you'd come to take me in your arms
When I looked up dear
I was within them
So I looked
At you
And smiled
Philip smiled and nodded at Lucas. Both of them joined in on the singing:
You are my sunshine
My only sunshine
You make me happy
When the skies are grey
You'll never know dear - by now all Warblers were singing too.
How much I love you
Please don't take
My sunshine
Away
When Wes finished he squawked as Philip and Lucas pulled him into a tight hug and everyone else laughed. Brad blew his whistle again and everyone was quiet and turned to look at the council.
"Wes", Brad said and smiled. "We feel the same way and we're happy to have you back with us." Wes grinned. "Is there anything more you need to say or take care of?"
"Actually yes", Wes said happily and wiggled his way out of the double-hug. He then walked up to Otto. "Otto."
"Yeah", Otto asked confused.
"This is from Scott", Wes said and slapped Otto up the head.
"Ow!" Otto exclaimed while everyone else laughed.
"He said it was for drunk calling him this summer", Wes said happily and scurried away before Otto could retaliate. Otto though got up and started to chase him. Wes was faster than him but Otto could jump over furniture Wes had to run around. Wes ran past the couch where Justine, Mitch, Peter and Michael were sitting, he pulled into a stop and ran back.
"This is from Fredric", he said and kissed Justine on her nose. "His boyfriend Ashton says hi too." Then he darted off again and Justine blushed while the others, save Otto, laughed. Austin, Joseph and Brad shared a look.
"Meeting adjourned", Joseph asked and Brad nodded. The other Warblers heard them and smiled. Brad took out the whistle again to blow in it so that Otto and Wes would stop. But imagine the size of his eyes when Wes stopped in front of him, said:
"Oh and Brad told me to do this".
And snatch the whistle before running out.
"MONTGOMERY!" Brad yelled and flew up while everyone else laughed. Everything was back to normal, but Joseph noticed something. There was a paper in front of them that hadn't been there before. Wes must have left it when he stole the whistle. Joseph folded up the note and smirked at what he saw. It was a suggestion for their number at sectionals. He pulled on Brad's sleeved and showed him and Austin leaned over to watch too. Both guys smirked and nodded. They had their number for sectionals.
TBC Guess what song they'll sing at sectionals!
Answer to non-members' (or not signed in members') reviews:
Sarah - Well... He will not back in the flesh in a very long time. You'll understand why in the epilogue ;)