Part 60
Wes was sad and the Warblers had no idea why or how to get him out of the funk he was in. They all thought that it had to do with Jesse… at least at first. Jesse had managed to threaten Wes one more time before he left. He had to pack up all his stuff after all and when he left, escorted by the campus security he yelled that he would kill Wes if he ever got his hands on him. Wes had just glared at him. He and all sophomores and freshmen had to go to a meeting where Carmichael explained that they should never feel afraid of coming to him or any older person at the school if someone was bothering them. He had gone through all of the anti-bully policy rules and the boys had listened. Wes had been in a good mood after all this and he walked with a lighter step, as did everyone else but then… he was all of a sudden… sad.
The Warblers had tried to make him smile for days now. Otthan had tried pranking people… Carmichael being one and the Everetts had tried all of their tricks. But other than Wes stealing the whistle and hiding it again he didn't act his normal happy self. Not even Benjamin knew what was wrong and the two stuck together like glue. Right now the Warblers were in the Warbler Hall talking about numbers for sectionals… and trying to cheer Wes up. Kim had been watching them for a bit and then got an idea. When he was little there was a song that would always cheer him up and he had recently translated the lyrics to English. He smiled, took his guitar and started playing while he walked up to Wes. Wes looked at him in confusion and Kim started singing:
Watch the vagabond walking down the road
Watch the vagabond God's little boy
As soon as spring begins – Kim leaned on Wes who's lips started twitching.
He takes his things and leaves
To find adventure
Kim started to walk around the room singing his song.
He will walk as far as the roads reach
He has a worry and longing in his blood
And when the sunlight shines
He goes wild
That's what gives him his courage
He wants to be free like a birdie
Free like a birdie
And then it's like
Something shouts: "Come on!"
In his wild vagabond blood
He wants to be free like a birdie – Kim leaned towards the Everetts and they started to snap their fingers and do the two-step.
Free like a birdie
And then it's like
Something shouts: "Come on!"
In his wild vagabond blood
The rest of the Warblers did backup in do-form and did the two-step as Kim walked around with his guitar.
Watch the vagabond walking down the road
Watch the vagabond God's little boy
Sometimes he get tired
and then he thinks
"Why am I searching adventure?
Why do I have to walk and walk
There are so many wiser things to do
So why do I have to just walk and walk
I might walk straight to hell."
Wes laughed as Kim leaned towards his face and pulled back.
He wants to be free like a birdie
Free like a birdie
And then it's like
Something shouts: "Come on!"
In his wild vagabond blood
He wants to be free like a birdie
Free like a birdie
And then it's like
Something shouts: "Come on!"
In his wild vagabond blood
At the last word Kim plopped down beside Wes and put an arm around his shoulders.
"So", he said. "Tell the Swede what's up."
"And why should I do that", Wes asked and cocked an eyebrow.
"I'm neutral."
"Qué?" Wes asked dryly.
"Sweden is neutral so if this is because of a fight between you and someone I am neutral… the same can't be said for the rest of these lugs."
"Hey!" the rest of the Warblers objected.
"Oh don't you yell at me you know I'm right", Kim said. "You're all Americans and Americans always have to stick their big noses in where they shouldn't be."
"Hey!"
"You know I'm right."
"Name one time", Nathan began.
"Korean war."
"Okay that's one but-"
"Vietnam."
"Okay that's two but-"
"Cold war."
"Three."
"Afghanistan."
"Okay we-"
"Iraq."
"Okay fine we get the point!"
"So what's bothering you", Kim asked and looked at Wes. "And ignore the Americans, they don't have a clue anyway."
"Hey!" the Warblers objected.
"Ljubljana is the capital of what European country?"
The room was silent and the other Warblers started to discuss amongst themselves. Kim smirked and turned to Wes.
"So what's wrong", he asked again. Wes sighed.
"It's nothing Kim", he said.
"Yeah pull that about the Red Riding Hood as well."
"What?"
"Nothing", Kim said and waved with his hand. "Now tell me what's up and don't say the roof, sky, clouds, space, moon, attic, air, stars, sun, moon, meteors and any other high flying object."
Wes smiled softly and looked at his lap.
"It's Olivia", he mumbled.
"Everything okay between you two?"
"Yeah things are fine but…"
"But what? Does she want to break up?"
"No", Wes said and looked up. "But-"
"Slovenia!" Otto called and the Warblers looked at their two members sitting on the couch and Kim rolled his eyes, groaned and then called over, without looking away from Wes:
"What's the capital in Czechoslovakia?"
The Warblers started talking to each other again, trying to figure it out.
"You were saying", Kim said and looked at Wes. Wes was looking in awe at the Warblers and then Kim. He grinned at the Swede.
"You have got to teach me that", he said.
"Later now you were saying about Olivia?"
Wes' smile faded and he leaned his head on Kim's shoulder. Kim put an arm around Wes' shoulders and held him close.
"Her family is moving back to the UK", Wes mumbled and Kim stared at him.
"They're WHAT?!" he yelled.
"Over the summer they realized they missed the rest of their family too much, well her parents and sister did and her parents decided to move them back to the UK… no objections. They've already sold their house and bought one somewhere in England. They'll leave within the weak."
"But… that's not fair!"
"Life's not fair to me in general so…"
"Hey come on don't think like that."
"But it's true!" Wes looked at him. "My biological family despises me and rather see me dead than with them. I have nowhere to go outside of Dalton and I have no chance of ever going to college or university and my first girlfriend turned out to be a bloody bitch and the girlfriend I have now that I actually really love is moving so far away I can't be with her! The universe hates me!"
"I know it feels that way Wes but-"
"Oh what do you know about it", Wes spat at him and got up. "Nothing! You don't know what it feels like to not belong anywhere! You have a family that loves you, you have a girlfriend that loves you and you're going to college or university in the future. You have somewhere to go and somewhere to be. I don't. How can you possibly know how I feel? You've never been forced to leave something behind." When Kim didn't answer, just looked sad Wes felt a pang of guilt in his chest and he stormed out of the room. He was too ashamed to be there.
"Ah ha!" Nathan exclaimed and the Warblers turned to Kim smirking. "Czechoslovakia doesn't exist anymore so there is no capital!"
Kim looked at them and got up.
"Oh yeah", he asked.
"Yeah!"
"Well you're wrong… there is one." Kim walked out of the room and the Warblers were none the wiser to what was going on.
Wes was sitting on the roof to the Dragon. Watching a few birds play in the air. He shivered in the light breeze but wasn't going to get down to get a jacket. Chances were he'd run into someone if he did and right now he wanted to be alone. He hadn't meant to upset Kim. He knew Kim actually knew pretty much how he feels… even though it was easy to forget sometimes. Kim hadn't moved to the US by his own free will, his dad had met a woman and even if that hadn't lasted he had met another one and here they were now. They were in a country that is so unlike their own in so many ways that Kim surely felt alienated a lot. Things that was simple for an American ten year old to understand was really hard for Kim to understand. Also his way of speaking and phrasing sometimes caused people to look at him funny because he spoke like a Swede. Some people also thought he was mocking them because when he spoke he had this kind of dialect that made some sounds in words go up and some down. Justine used to say he spoke very melodic and sometimes people thought he was teasing them because of it. It bugged Kim a bit though and made him stick out even more.
"Ah ha there you are", Wes heard from behind him and looked over his shoulder. There stood a Latino dressed in black boots, black slacks, black shirt and a black trenchcoat. "I've been looking for you."
"Hi Alvaro", Wes said with a sigh.
"Oh don't you sound happy to see me", Alvaro said and walked up to him.
"What do you want", Wes asked. Alvaro sat down beside him and they both looked out at Dalton.
"A little birdie told me you're upset because of Olive going back to England", Alvaro said.
"Was that little birdie a blue and yellow warbler?"
"Maybe", Alvaro said and put his arm around Wes' shoulder. "This same blue and yellow warbler also said something about you being a little… feisty about it."
Wes glared at him.
"Come now this is me", Alvaro said. "I've been a jerk to you."
"Alvaro y-"
"I'm not finished. I was a jerk to you from the first day and you didn't really do anything to me other than giving it to me straight so I'm gonna do that to you know. It is not your fault that Olivia is moving and there's nothing you can do about it to change it. You beating yourself up over it is just stupid. Sure I get it that you are sad about it and I understand but she hasn't left yet so you shouldn't grieve until she does go. You should spend time with her and do all the fun things and just have a good time. Give her a goodbye to remember and not just mope around here. You want to remember your last time with her as a happy one and not a time of anger, sadness and grief. Come on Shrimp stop moping and go do something about all this."
Wes looked at Alvaro.
"When did you get so smart", he asked and Alvaro chuckled and pulled him into a hug.
"Just because I constantly act like a clueless jerk doesn't mean I really am one", he said and Wes smiled. "Besides I think you need a jerk to tell you to get your shit together rather than the people you spend every woken hour with."
"I don't spend every woken hour with the Warblers!"
"Yes you do, it's either them or Benjamin. You keep forgetting about me!" Alvaro faked sob and Wes stuck his tongue out at him.
"As if I could forget a jerk like you Jerk-Face", Wes teased and Alvaro hugged him tightly. "Benjamin asked if he could join our study circle… can he?"
"Sure", Alvaro said. "The more the merrier. Now come, let's get down of this roof before we fall off." Alvaro got up but stepped on the trenchcoat and nearly fell. Wes hurriedly steadied him.
"You okay", he asked.
"Yes just do me a favor."
"What?"
"Suggest to the student council to get rid of this fucking black uniform. Dalton is supposed to be a united school right?"
"Yeah."
"So why are the seniors being singled out?"
"Never thought of it before…"
"Mhm", Alvaro said and they walked off of the roof together.
"I have to thank and apologize to Kim right?"
"That you have."
"I will… straight after meeting up with Olivia… um could you drive me to Lima?"
"Sure why not", Alvaro said. "I was gonna head that way anyway to meet some of my relatives that live in Lima Heights."
The week went by rather fast and the Warblers and Benjamin didn't see Wes as soon as school was over. Kim and Alvaro of course told them what was bugging the youngest Warbler, now nicknamed baby Warbler because he was the only freshman. The boys gave him space but promised to go with him to the airport on Friday to wave Olivia off. After all she was a friend of all of them too. They noticed that the day of her departure was getting close because Wes got more and more low. On the day of her leaving Wes went into town to buy her a gift… and he shouldn't have done that.
"Where is he", Olivia asked as she and her family was getting ready to get on the plane. The Warblers were all there, Justine had come too and even Alvaro was there. But Wes wasn't there.
"Calm down Olive", Justine said. "I'm sure he's on his way. He wouldn't miss saying goodbye to you. He'd rather jump in front of a train."
"But then where is he?"
"It's in moment like this I wish I was a dog so that I could sniff him out", Nathan said and looked at the doors. "Wes is never late."
"Maybe he got caught up in traffic", Justine suggested. "Otto can you give him a call?"
"I have Justine but he doesn't answer", Otto growled and shoved his phone into his pocket. "Where could he be?"
"He went into town right", Alvaro asked. "Maybe he got hold up at the store."
"Then why isn't he answering his damn phone", Nathan yelled. Just as the words left his lips Otto's phone started ringing.
"Otto here", he said. "Oh hi Benjamin. WHAT?!"
Otto flew up from the chair he was sitting on and Isaac and Mitch fell off of the seats they were sitting on, on either side of him.
"What happened", Otto yelled. "Is he okay who did it?!"
The Warblers looked at him in alarm, as did Alvaro. Otto's face was red and not from blush or fatigue… it was pure wrath. His eyes were on fire and Nathan looked really scared. He had only seen Otto like this once and never really wanted to do it again.
"Benjamin!" Otto yelled. "Stop rambling and tell me who the bloody hell did this to our baby!"
Those words caused all the Warblers to look even more alarmed.
"What do you mean you don't know?!" Otto yelled. "Where the bloody hell is he?!" Otto's livid face turned slightly calmer. "Okay, thanks Benny we'll get back to you after we go there okay? Yeah take care buddy."
Otto hung up and turned to the big group that was staring at him. He sighed.
"Wes is at the hospital", he said.
"What?!" Olivia yelled horrified.
"Benny said he seemed to be fine… at least that's what Carmichael got told."
"What happened", Olivia's mother asked. She had met Wes a few times and was very fond of the boy.
"I don't know… but we gotta go to the hospital and check on him. Olivia-"
"Don't", Olivia said. "I understand. Do me a favor though, give Wes my love and Justine give him a kiss from me."
"But-" Nathan began.
"Ignore Nate's comments about it just do it please?"
"Of course", Justine said.
"Here's my new address and a goodbye gift for my best male friend", Olivia said and handed Justine a bag.
"So you are breaking up", Kim asked.
"Wes and I both thought it was for the best because we are going to live so far apart and chances are small we will meet again."
"Olive we gotta go now", her dad said and Olivia hugged all the Warblers and Alvaro and then hurried off. Little did she know that after almost a decade from that day in 2007 would she meet Wes again and little did she know that she one day would marry one Wesley Cohen.
The Warblers stormed into the hospital room that was said to be Wes' and they found him sitting on his bed, knees pulled up, one arm resting on them and a very sad look on his face. He had a few bruises but nothing more and his foot had support bandage on it as well as his wrist. Mitch hurried up to him and put a hand on his shoulder. Wes jumped and then turned to him.
"Hi", he said sadly and Mitch pushed the bangs out of Wes' eyes.
"Hey", Wes mumbled.
"Honey what happened?" Mitch asked.
Wes sighed.
"Jesse was at the mall", he said. "Otto don't you dare walk out of this room!"
Otto froze, as did everyone else. Wes had not been looking in his direction but still knew Otto was leaving. Otto stared at the younger boy.
"But Wes Jesse-" he began.
"I know but I don't want you to get into trouble", Wes said. "I'm fine."
"You don't look fine", Nathan growled. "What happened?"
"Jesse was at the mall and pushed me down the escalators… I got a sprained ankle, sprained wrist and got a knock to my head so they are keeping me for the night… did Olive get on the plane okay?"
"She did", Mitch said.
"Now can we go out and kill Jesse?" Nathan asked.
"No, none of you boys are to do anything to hurt Jesse because he will use it against the Warblers", Wes said. "Are you sure she was okay?"
"She wanted you to have something", Mitch said and smiled. "Close your eyes."
Wes did and Mitch waved at Justine and she hurried over and even though Otthan protested, which was muted by Rob and the Everetts covering their mouths, she kissed Wes on the lips. Wes smiled.
"Hi Justine", he said and opened his eyes and she looked shocked.
"How did you know it was me?!" she asked.
"I heard you come in."
"But... You wicked little thing you recognize my footsteps!"
"That I do… it's nice to see you."
Justine smiled and gave him a hug.
"It's nice to see you too", she said. "I just wish it wasn't in a hospital bed."
"I do too… I don't wanna be here there's nothing wrong with me!"
"Other than a few sprains, bruises cuts and head injuries", Isaac piped up. "And the normal craziness that is you."
Wes huffed. Justine gave him a hug and handed him the bag Olivia gave her.
"What's this", he asked.
"Olive had a gift for you", Justine said and sat down on the bed beside him. "Open it." Wes looked into the plastic bag and saw a thin black box. He got it out and opened it. Inside was a thin silver chain, to wear around his neck. Justine hurriedly put it on him and Wes noticed there was a note in the box as well. He opened it and read.
"I will always love you even though we are ocean's apart", was written on it. Tears welled up in Wes' eyes and he cried.
"Aw baby", Nathan said and hurried up to him and pulled him into a tight hug.
"I didn't get to say goodbye", Wes sobbed and Nathan held him tighter. The rest of the Warblers followed suit, but Justine snuck off to the side.
"Where are you going", Alvaro whispered to her.
"To find Jesse", she answered.
"But Wes said-"
"That none of you boys are to go after him. I'm not a boy and I'm not a Warbleress anymore. Dalton can't get in trouble because of me beating up Jesse. Now excuse me Alvaro." She kissed his cheek. "But I have somewhere else to be." Alvaro smirked before joining in the group hug that was for comforting Wes. Poor kid was in so much emotional pain right now.
Jesse St. James was in heaven. The kids at Carmel High was fearing him and Vocal Adrenaline and the school paid some Asian kids to do his homework for him so he could just laze around all day and practice with VA. They had come to him as soon they heard he was out of Dalton and offered him the spot as lead singer. He took it at once. He got his frustrations on Wes tattling out on the kids around here and he managed to push Wes down the escalator, making it look like an accident. Right now Jesse and the VA were training under Shelby Corcoran and they were on the stage in Carmel's auditorium. Shelby had just left because she got a phone call and Jesse was showing off his amazing skills to his new fans.
"Wow", a girl said with a dreamy look. "You are amazing."
"Amazing at being a jerk", an angry voice said and they all looked up to see a pretty blonde walk down the aisle towards them. Some of the guys started to catcall or wolf whistle but Jesse only smirked.
"Justine", he said. "What a pleasure it is to see you here and without your boy-toys."
"Well at least they have something to toy with", Justine said and walked up to the stage. "You don't."
"Excuse me?"
"You… a hand here?" she held a hand up and to Jesse's annoyance two big guys hurried up and helped Justine get on the stage.
"Thank you", she said sweetly and marched up to Jesse. "Do you know why I'm here Jesse?"
"You want a real man in your life", Jesse said. "Sorry Justine but I want a real woman."
"Oh honey you'll never get anyone realer than me", Justine said. "But do you know what else is real?"
"No."
"What you did to Wes."
"Ah so the little tattle tattled again?"
"He did and it was the right thing to do because you were hurting a lot of people and you know what the Warblers think about that."
"Yeah well you aren't a Warbler anymore are you?"
Justine smirked and Jesse felt a bit confused. Why was she smiling?
"Exactly Jesse", she said and gripped him by the front of his shirt and pulled him close. "So I can do this without it harming them or Dalton."
"Do-" Jesse began but got no further because Justine kneed him in the groin. He gasped in pain and bent forward only to get a knee to the nose. He straightened up and Justine threw an uppercut that knocked Jesse off of the stage and into the aisle below.
"If you ever touch any of my babies again you will regret it St. James!" Justine yelled and jumped off the stage, landing with her stilettos inches from Jesse's hand. Jesse whimpered and looked up at Justine. She looked like the avenging angel.
"Did you hear me St. James", she asked and Jesse nodded. "Good oh and this is from Joseph and Austin." With that she stomped her stiletto down on Jesse's hand before marching out, a big smile on her face. It felt so good finally giving this little creep what he deserved and she knew that Austin would be proud of her because he wanted them to be even crueler to Jesse. If Austin ever got his hands on Jesse… there would be nothing left of him.
Wes was sitting on the roof again alone. But not for long. He sighed.
"Hi Kim", he said and heard a soft chuckle.
"So you knew it was me huh", Kim asked and sat down beside him.
"Yeah…"
Kim put his arm around Wes' shoulders.
"How are you holding up lillen?"
"I guess that last word means squirt or kiddo?"
"Yeah kinda."
"Well I'm not happy… I managed to talk to Olive over the phone but it's not the same thing as to say goodbye in person."
"I know the feeling…"
"I'm sure you do."
There was no sarcasm in it or any venom. Wes knew Kim probably knew how he felt and he leaned his head on his shoulder.
"I'm sorry for yelling at you Kim", he said.
"It's okay Smurf", Kim said and put an arm around Wes. "You were just upset."
"But it's still no excuse. You know better than anyone here how it feels to be alienated."
"More than you think sometimes."
"I know…"
"I know that you know. But you were also right in some way. I don't know what is like to not belong anywhere. Because I belong with my family no matter where I live. You were right with me having a family that loves me and I have somewhere to be. But so do you Smurf. You belong with us here at Dalton and we're your family now and we always love you. I am going to university or whatever in the future and so are you, I know you are because you are just that great. But you were also wrong…"
"I know…"
"Ah but you don't know what you were wrong about."
"What was I wrong about?"
"I don't have a girlfriend."
"What?! You and Daisy broke up?!"
"Yes."
"When?!"
"During summer. We weren't really hitting it off anymore. We just… ran out of love I guess. I can still be civil to her but not she to me… she kind of hates me for breaking up with her. I just… don't love her anymore and she started to get nasty."
"Girls…"
"Yeah… Maybe we should become gay Smurf. We understand other guys at least."
Wes chuckled.
"Well not Nathan and Otto but they don't count because they're not human", Kim said and Wes laughed. "Say where is the whistle?"
"Here", Wes said and took it out of his pocket. "I was gonna hide it in Olivia's gift so that it would get out of the country. But trusting that thing Austin would get it and then send it back to Otto. That thing is wicked and cursed and I hate it."
"You and me both", Kim said. "So where should we hide it?"
"Where wouldn't Otto look?"
"In a school book?"
Both boys snorted. Otto was actually a really good student.
"The cleaning closet", they said at the same time and smiled. They sat in silence for a bit but then Wes sang:
Come along
Will there be sunshine shinin'
Will we find a silver linin'
Come along
Sing a song
When today becomes tomorrow
We'll we find joy or sorrow
Sing a song
Is it wrong
To put all our hopes together
And wish for something better?
Is it wrong?
To belong?
To face the future with another
Who means more than any other
Is to belong
We'll paint the gray clouds
With pretty rainbow hues
And we'll brush the gloom away
And save it for a rainy day
Rainy day, oh today
If troubles cast a shadow
And shadows make the sun afraid to stay
But it's okay
'Cause there'll be sunshine shinin'
And we'll find a silver linin'
Another day
Tomorrow is another day
How I hope you'll always stay
Tomorrow is another day
Kim just smiled and got up, holding his hand out to Wes. Wes smiled and got up, after taking the outstretched hand. They headed downstairs with their arms around each other's shoulders. Wes knew he would still be missing and hurting from the loss of Olivia for quite some time but he had people to help him… and the news about what Justine did to Jesse was spreading all over Westerville since it was the only thing talked about at Carmel High and it spread from there to Lima and Westerville. Wes felt happy that the guy got what was coming to him… and Wes would bring it to him on the mats as well in upcoming matches between Carmel and Dalton. When they came down to the senior floor Nathan appeared in front of them.
"Ah ha!" he said. "It took a while but I finally figured out the capital in Czechoslovakia!"
"Oh", Kim said.
"Yeah it's C!"
"Um no", Kim said.
"What? But it is!"
"No it's not."
"Then what is it?! It can't be Prague because it isn't a country anymore so that isn't the capital and C is the capital letter!"
"If I wanted to know the capital letter I would ask for it."
"It really is pretty easy Nate", Wes said and grinned.
"No it's not!" Nathan objected.
"Yes it is."
"What do you know?"
"Of course I know."
"Then what is it?!"
"I'll let you and the rest figure it out."
With that he winked and walked off with Kim, to hide the whistle. Wes would be okay… in time. But Nathan was going to be thinking of an answer for quite some time. Do you know it?
TBC Okay I change my mind, this is crap. Worst update I've ever written... sooo does anyone know the answer to Kim's little riddle?
RIP Cory Monteith
Answer to non-members' (or not signed in members') reviews:
Guest - I am happy you like it ;)
Tori - Thank you for your very kind words my friend :) I have not changed that much from BBW just added in some things that didn't exist when I wrote BBW.