Part 85
Wes was laughing so much he was crying and his stomach hurt. He was laughing so much he couldn't even stand up. And he wasn't the only one. All around Kim's living room where laughing boys and girls. Why were they laughing? Because Justine and Mitch were trying to talk Joseph Hughes into letting them make him a pretty dress. The reason they were laughing? The look on Joseph's face and the mental images they were getting.
"Red would look so handsome on you", Justine said and giggled. "With a deep cleavage in the back!"
"Oh oh or just a red tight and shape flattering one with fringes everywhere", Mitch said happily. "They will move so prettily when you do!"
"Austin", Joseph whined and looked at his best friend, who was laughing so much he was crying. Austin smiled happily at him and refused to acknowledge any call for help. Austin had been getting a bit restless over in the UK and wasn't really into any sport. Joseph suggested the salsa classes that had been advertised all over campus and in town even. Austin went and fell in love with the dance. But there was a problem. He lacked a partner and he needed one. But he knew that Justine would kill any of these girls if she ever saw them dance together and castrate him and he liked to be able to have children in the future, if Justine wanted a surrogate born baby of course.
He finally got the perfect idea when he noticed two girls dancing together, they were a couple and one of them danced as the lead. It had taken quite a lot of begging before Austin got Joseph to agree to be his partner. At first he'd promised to let Joseph lead and Joseph agreed. One problem though… their dancing wasn't good enough because Austin took over the lead at times. Joseph was good at many things but he wasn't good at leading in dancing. Austin took over by reflex and it got complicated. After a while Joseph gave up and let Austin lead and they went from worst couple ever to one of the best. So good that they'd been signed up for a local dancing competition. They came in third and that was only because one of the judges was a homophobic old cow. The other judges had told them so even after the competition.
Wes giggled and watched Joseph try to escape his torment and decided to get in on it… but also help Joseph, slightly.
"But Justine", he called between sniffles, from happy tears. "I-if you help Joseph get a d-dress A-Austin might g-get confusing f-feelings for him."
"EWWWWW!" Joseph and Austin both said and shuddered. Okay so that didn't work. Justine just sent Wes a smug smile so he looked around and his gaze landed on Nathan. He smirked.
"And it would make your competition of Warblerette grow a little", he said and Justine's laughter died away.
"Excuse me", she asked and looked at him, hands on her hips. Wes smiled innocently.
"Well first there's you", he pointed out. "The best candidate. But if you make Joseph look like a girl you have competition. And don't forget that Nate still has that dress from Joseph's Dreamcoat in his closet. Maybe one day Nate will try to be a Warblerette too. Oh and Bastian did mention he was going dressed in drag to that masquerade…"
At the mention of Bastian's name Justine's face turned a little red and she huffed, crossing her arms. Bastian was still teasing her. Truth was that Bastian had had a little crush on Austin, long ago, and Justine knew of it. Which was why she was so aggressive towards him whenever Bastian "flirted" with Austin. Justine also knew that Bastian had some qualities that attracted Austin, so she felt a bit threatened of him. Not even when Malcolm Newland, Bastian's brother, tried to convince her that Bastian was in love with his art and not Austin anymore did Justine believe it. But when she looked down at her hand she smiled and all that doubt left her. She looked at Wes and smirked.
"They don't stand a chance", she said and smiled before turning towards Joseph. "Now sweetie I…" she trailed off. The brunette was gone. "Joseph?" she looked around but there was no sign of him. Everyone looked around but there was no sign of the brunette. Justine and Mitch headed out the door towards another room and Wes stared when Joseph appeared underneath the tiny able beside him, moving aside the table cloth. Everyone stared. No one had seen him get there in the first place.
"Thanks Wessy", he said when he got up and had brushed off his clothes.
"How did you get under there so fast", Wes asked.
"Better question", Kim said. "How the hell did you fit?"
"Oh Joe's very agile", Austin said. "You should see when he bends over. I swear if I didn't know his girlfriend I'd think he was gay judged by how good he is at getting his heals over his head."
With that Austin ran and Joseph followed, armed with a pillow. The rest of them just laughed as they watched them.
Not much happened after that, well at least for a while. There was no drama in the Warblers and no really big drama at Dalton at all. In fact it was…
"Boring", Wes said while he let his face drop into his school book. His sophomore friends all laughed at him. Benjamin, Samuel, Gabriel, Kevin and Cory were spread out all over the room with their books. David had gone to Blaine's room to study with some other freshmen, which left Wes' room the one least crowded of the gang. They were all doing homework for the same classes, mostly but they all thought the work was too easy.
"I hate having substitute teachers", Cory grumbled. "They always give you too easy tasks."
"Agreed", Samuel said. "What do you think Benny?"
Benjamin didn't answer, he was having a goofy grin on his face and was doodling in a not book. The other five boys looked at each other and smirked. Then Gabriel snatched the notebook from him.
"No!" Benjamin said and tried to get it back. The other boys, save Wes, gathered around it. Wes stayed on the bed, watching them with little to no interest.
"Ooooooh Benny is in luuuuuve!" Kevin teased and Benjamin blushed scarlet red. Wes smiled fondly as he friends tried to lure the name of said crush out of Benjamin. But being sober and not high when trying to keep them from finding out was working out much better than when they found out he had a crush on Mitch. Now I'm sure you think Kevin found out about Benjamin's love by finding a name in that notebook. He didn't. He found angels and little hearts and little love poems. No name mentioned. Benjamin wasn't stupid.
"Come ooooon Benny", Samuel said and shoved him lightly. "Tell us who it is so we can get you together!"
Benjamin blushed like crazy and they all joined into the teasing, even Wes. But they all had fond smiles on their faces. Even Benjamin. That's when Wes got the great idea.
"The V-Day prom is coming up soon", he said happily. "Why not invite your crush to be your Valentine?"
Benjamin bit his lip.
"I… I don't even know if he's gay", he whispered.
"Well, find out", Gabriel said and hugged him close. "Ask his friends, ask the guys that know him."
Benjamin blushed and bit his lip.
"What if they laugh at me?" he asked shyly.
"Then we'll set them straight", Cory offered. "You know bullying is illegal at this place."
"It's hardly illegal", Samuel said with a snort.
"Then what would you call it?" Kevin asked. "If you harass or bully someone it will give you a ticket to the principal's office and then a boot out the door. Never allowed to return, not even onto the school grounds."
"Scary thought… Well we're no bullies so we don't have to worry." He grinned and patted Benjamin's shoulder before returning to studying. But now it was hard to focus because the boys had their attention on something else. Benjamin's boyfriend. It didn't take long for the sophomore study group to turn into a laughing and teasing pile of teenage boys. Even Wes got roped into the fray… well Cory and Kevin grabbing his feet and pulling him onto the ground might have something to do with it. Then the door opened and David, Thad, Blaine, Rock and Fred entered. The freshmen stopped dead in their tracks and watched the pile of older boys.
"Uh… Wes?" David asked and their friend sat up with a grin.
"Hello boys", he said. "Had a fun afternoon?"
"Uh yeah", David replied. "Um what are you guys doing?"
Wes looked around at his friends, they were all around him and some of them even across his legs and stomach.
"Oh just having some fun", Wes explained happily. "I'm not all business you know. AH!" Cory had tickled his side.
"He can let loose sometimes", Kevin explained. "With the right motivation…"
"Oh no no no no no!" Wes said before the sophomores, save Benjamin, started tickling him. "NOOOO!"
The freshmen laughed nervously before sitting down around the room. Thad sat beside Benjamin.
"Hi I'm Thad", he said.
"Benjamin", the sophomore replied shyly. "Y-you know Wes of course. Th-then that's Kevin, Cory, G-Gabriel and Samuel."
"I've met a few of them… when Wes was dragging me along."
"He's g-good at that."
"What?"
"Making you feel w-welcomed by dragging you a-along. He did that t-to me in freshman y-year. I was very s-shy and Wes helped me."
"He's good at that", Thad agreed. "So what are you good at?"
Benjamin blushed and laughed nervously. Not knowing that while the tickling war went on… his friends had figured it all out.
And the next day they cornered their little Benny. Gabriel closed his locker, making sure that Benjamin's fingers were clear of course. Wes wrapped an arm around his shoulders, Cory around his waist. Kevin, Samuel and Gabriel walked behind the trio.
"Uh what's going on?" Benjamin asked.
"You have a thing for my little birdy", Wes said with a grin. "Correction, my little brother."
Benjamin managed to fight back his blush, except for one thing that he didn't notice. But his friends did. Benjamin's ears turned pink. The boys smirked at each other.
"So tell us what you like about him", Samuel suggested happily.
"Where to start?" Benjamin said and sighed. He'd already given up. They knew so what use did he have of hiding it? "He's cute… no he's beautiful. He's funny and he seems like a really nice person. I'd love to get to know him more. All of him."
Wes gave him a look, a protective-older-brother-look.
"I meant personality wise!" Benjamin hurriedly back paddled while everyone else just laughed. Wes squeezed Benjamin a little closer to show him that he wasn't mad. But suddenly he felt all eyes on him.
"What?" he asked.
"Well", Samuel asked. "You know the guy. Tell us what he's like."
"Why are you all so curious? I can understand Benny, all Bennies, wanting to know."
They all shared a laugh at the "all Bennies" comment. Nowadays they could laugh about that part of the drunk-and-high experience. The only thing they allowed themselves to laugh about. Oh and the Gargler Net part as well. Wes often used it to mess with Nathan. Now he smiled.
"Well I could explain this in an easy way", he said and smiled at Benjamin. "He's a lot like Mitch."
Benjamin blushed completely this time. His face was completely red. They all laughed, well not Benjamin and headed down the hallway. But Benjamin kept his gaze lingering on Thad until he could no longer so him. Wes noticed and smiled. He had an idea.
Blaine was sitting on his bed and reading a book for his English class when all of a sudden someone plopped down beside him. He squawked and nearly fell of the bed, but the person grabbed him and kept him there. Blaine stared at Wes.
"I have a job for you", Wes said and whispered in Blaine's ear. Blaine listened and soon his confused face lit up in a bright grin. He then did something he couldn't help. He giggled and looked at Wes who was also laughing and Blaine nuzzled their noses together in a friendly way. Wes smiled gently at him. This was going to be great.
"Wesley my boy", Carmichael said a couple of days later. "You know I appreciate everything that you and your Warblers are doing for the school… but this I don't understand."
"Give it a moment sir and you will", Wes explained as he struggled to pull a piano into the cafeteria. Only Blaine helping him. It wasn't going so well. First of all it didn't have any wheels. Second of all it was just the two of them. Third the thing was heavy. And four: They had been carrying it from the third floor. Carmichael watched the two struggling teens. Their blazers were missing, as were their ties, their shirts had the sleeves rolled up and were opened up. Their hair were messy and they were sweaty. Carmichael noticed that they looked tired and then smirked.
"Do you need a hand with that?" he asked. He laughed when Blaine and Wes gave him murderous glares. He patted their backs and whistled. The two gym coaches hurried over along with the shop teacher and a janitor. The four took the piano from the tired boys and moved it to where Blaine tiredly pointed. Wes just glared at Carmichael. The man had been following them since the fourth floor after all.
"Why didn't you do that from the beginning?" Wes asked him.
"Because my dear Wesley", Carmichael said with a grin. "It was fun to see you struggle."
Wes and Blaine sent him murderous glares again. Carmichael just chuckled and patted Wes' shoulder. Then he walked away. But before he was out the door he turned to them and said:
"Why didn't you use the elevator?"
The last thing Carmichael heard was Blaine screaming:
"There was an elevator?!"
And he heard Wes groan in frustration.
At lunch Carmichael returned to the cafeteria to see what Wes and Blaine were doing. He had to smile when he saw the boys and girls. Since Valentine's Day was on a Saturday this year the girls and boys were free to go as they pleased between the both schools. There were some girls from Westerville High there as well or from other schools. But it was a nice change to see some girls as well. They were serving a special Valentine's Day lunch today, a suggestion by the student council president which just happened to be Wes. Carmichael knew the boy was up to something. The question was… what was he up to? Correction. What was he up to now? Wes was always up to something. He noticed though that the boy was nowhere to be found and the room was getting full. But maybe that's what he was waiting for? After waiting for almost twenty minutes Carmichael noticed Wes enter the room and walk up to the piano. He sat down and started playing. Everyone in the room turned to look at him and then Blaine Anderson walked over to Wes and jumped up to sit on top of the piano. Wes started playing a melody everyone recognized.
"Blaine and I had this idea you see", he said as he played. "That maybe someone would want to send a Valentine's greeting to their sweetheart. That's why the piano is here and if you have a wish for a song, just come up to us and tell us or write a note and give us. Tell us to who the song is and which song of course."
Wes continued playing while some happy buzzing started around the room. Carmichael noticed Wes' smirk while no one else did. Then Blaine grinned and called:
"Thaddy!"
Carmichael watched as Thaddeus Harewood looked up from his meal in confusion. Blaine was grinning widely.
"This is to you from Benjamin Calypso, sophomore Dragon student", Blaine continued and all eyes turned to either Thad or Benjamin. Both were blushing madly. Blaine grinned and started singing:
One Song
I have but one song
One song
Only for you
Both Benjamin and Thad were blushing tomato red. The Warblers, except one, all looked ecstatic and Benjamin's friends did as well.
One heart
Tenderly beating
Ever entreating
Constant and true
Rock and Howard got up and pulled Thad to his feet, against the smaller boy's protests. Benjamin was going through similar manhandling, but by Samuel and Gabriel. But the duo was pushing him towards Thad. Blaine was smiling widely and sang:
One love
That has possessed me
One love
Thrilling me through
One song
My heart keeps singing
Of one love
Only for you
By now Thad and Benjamin were face to face, practically mere inches apart since their friends had been pushing them towards each other. Clearly the freshmen knew something Wes hadn't. Thad was blushing cutely and Benjamin looked as if he was about to faint. The room was completely quiet and then Samuel, the impatient one, sighed.
"Ask him out already!" he said and Benjamin jumped. He looked at Thad.
"W-would you l-like to g-go out with me t-tonight?" he asked the freshmen and Thad nodded, too shy to speak in front of so many people. Benjamin grinned.
"Great!" he said. "I'll pick you up at seven!" He gave Thad's cheek a kiss before hurrying away. Thad touched his cheek and then got a dreamy look on his face. Wes chuckled and played a few notes on the piano.
"Who's next?" he asked and quite a few people hurried over with requests.
After a while Wes had to "hire" extra help for Blaine since he couldn't just keep singing. By now Blaine and the Everetts were sitting on the piano while a girl from Crawford was strutting around singing a song for her boyfriend. David and a few Warblers were dancing behind her. Wes grinned and noticed someone sit beside him. He nearly lost track of his piano playing when he realized who it was. It was the girl he'd seen at the ice rink! Her black her was in a ponytail today, her blue eyes sparkling happily and her skin just as pale as before.
"Hi", she said lowly to not disturb anyone.
"Hi", Wes replied a bit shyly. He could feel the Everetts and Blaine grin at him. He discreetly flipped them off while "pushing the hair out of his eyes". The trio stared at him in fake horror. Wes just rolled his eyes.
"I noticed you at the rink", the girl said and Wes shot her an almost panicked look and she got his message. "Why didn't you want to skate?"
"I'd fall on my ass", Wes replied a bit stiffly. He hadn't fancied a girl since Olivia left. But she had moved on… so why couldn't he? He looked at the girl beside him and smiled at her. She smiled back.
"I'm Julia", she said. "I'd offer to shake your hand but your hands seemed occupied."
Wes laughed at that and she smiled happily. Wes looked between her and the smirking trio on the piano.
"So", he said. "Um… would-"
"Would you want to go out with me tonight?" she asked and Wes blinked in confusion.
"Uh…"
"Sorry", she said and blushed. "I didn't mean to be so direct. And I know you're supposed to be this gentleman type… but why can't a girl ask a guy out instead of the other way around?"
"Good question", Wes replied and she smiled brightly and he felt his ears become a little hot. "So… I'll pick you up at six?"
"Great", she said and got up and handed wrote something on a piece of paper. She put it in his pocket before leaning down to kiss his cheek. "See you tonight!"
Wes grinned and nodded. What do you know. This piano thing was working out better than planned.
TBC Sorry for the long wait, again. I have just been having a rough time lately and haven't felt in the mood of writing because of it. I promise to try and work on the oneshots as well. I might need to jump around in the list a little to get inspiration... sorry about that.
Answer to non-members' (or not signed in members') reviews:
wesandwarblers - It just seems to work for him ;)
guest - I hope I didn't make you sad.