The next day, Rachel had already made her morning run, still smiling the whole way. Last night had been a dream. She had spent most of the evening discussing music and Broadway with Kurt. Except her dads and a few members of the local LGBT community, she had never had someone to talk to about anything she had enjoyed.
Not to mention things had gotten a little heated on the couch.
Maybe her grandmother was right. While she did love the idea of just having Kurt as a friend, she really, really wanted a boyfriend.
Kurt could be that boy.
They had made plans to go to the mall the next day before Kurt left, which included a trip to Between the Sheets for music for the Glee club. Kurt had ideas, some really great ones at that, for things the group could do. So they were going to corner Mr. Schue one day and see if they could do something besides 80's pop and the random modern songs.
Stretching after her run to cool down, she decided she really needed a shower before she headed out.
"Okay, there had better be a damn good reason you've woken me up before ten o'clock on a Saturday Artie," said Tina grumpily as she walked up to him at the food court in the mall. He was eating on a slice of pizza.
"There is," said Artie, pushing up his glasses. "I've been monitoring social media traffic and we may have a small issue."
"What?" said Tina, crossing her arms.
"Everyone's coming to the mall," said Artie. "And I do mean everyone."
"So?" shrugged Tina. "It's not like... oh." She frowned. "They're going to owe us big for this."
"Mercedes has an event with her church choir," said Artie. "So we're down one."
"We'll just have to get creative," said Tina.
"And that is what I wanted to talk to you about," said Artie. Tina nodded and sat down at the table across from him. He slid a couple of pieces of pizza to her.
"Got you breakfast. Ham and pineapple, your favorite."
She smiled and picked up a piece out of the box.
Rachel gasped out loud. "I can't believe you think that Battery Park would be a better place to live than the Upper East Side."
"It's right there on the river," said Kurt, gesturing. "You can't have better views than that. And you're right there next to everything. Harlem's like three streets away. You could get the best fried chicken and access to some great music. Wait, I forget who I'm talking to."
A smile appeared on Rachel's lips. "Yes, my dietary regiment doesn't match yours, but I can understand the appeal of fried chicken. It does smell delicious when it's being cooked. Just maybe... not mall chicken."
Kurt's nose wrinkled at that. "I can agree with that assessment. I'll stick to pretzels and the occasional Jamba Juice smoothie myself."
"You want to get some refreshment before the movie?" asked Rachel.
"Are we permitted to eat before Fame?" said Kurt, smirking a little. "We might be doing that show sometime."
"We could do that," said Rachel, her eyes widening. "Kurt, we could totally get the glee club to do that!"
Kurt looked skeptical. "You have met Mr. Schue right? I don't think he seems like the type..."
"He loves theatre," said Rachel. "We just... have to strike a chord with him."
"I wouldn't have believed it," said Kurt with a shrug.
"He's like us," said Rachel. "Or he used to be." She frowned. "I think he may have had a Broadway dream at one time."
"What happened?" asked Kurt as they walked past a shoe store.
"He got married I think," said Rachel. "Became a teacher."
"Hmm," said Kurt, frowning.
"We've got time to think about it," said Rachel. "And plan. We don't have a theatre group at McKinley, do we?"
"I don't know..." frowned Kurt, thinking. "I would like to think so?"
"I don't remember seeing one when I signed up for all the clubs."
"You signed up for all of them?" said Kurt, turning to stare at Rachel. The brunette glared back at him.
"Yes. And what of it? I need them so it'll look good on my resume. I can't get the Lima Theatre group to recognize my talents and put me in productions."
"Yeah, me either," said Kurt with a sigh.
"You've auditioned?" Rachel said, surprised.
"Multiple times," he said. "I would have thought I would have been a shoe-in for The Sound of Music."
"We're obviously just too talented for them," sniffed Rachel, holding her head high.
"Of course," said Kurt. "We'll always be better than them."
Rachel giggled and leaned into his shoulder and took his hand.
"Movie you think?" asked Tina. Artie was reading the Breadstix signboard that had a 50% off flyer on their three cheese lasagna.
"They're headed that way," said Artie, turning his chair around. "Seen any of the others?"
Tina shrugged. "I thought I saw Santana and Brittany going towards Claire's. But I haven't seen any of the guys yet."
"Movie would be good, then they wouldn't be seen as much," said Artie.
"Do you think we're doing the right thing?" asked Tina.
"Is there a wrong thing?"
"No," said Tina. She sighed and crossed her arms. "This just seems I don't know... outrageously silly."
"Well, it kind of is," said Artie as they started walking. "Everyone should be happy with who they want to be happy with. But Kurt and Rachel have things sort of set against them. Mostly just the people who want to bully them."
"Yeah," said Tina, frowning. "If you and I started dating, would anyone really care?"
"Besides Santana heckling you for dating handicapped boy?"
"She does that already," said Tina, rolling her eyes.
"Reeaaaalllly?" said Artie. He bumped Tina with his chair.
"Stop it," said the Asian girl. She laughed when he did it again.
"Artie," she chided. He laughed and moved to beside her.
"Sorry," he said. "It's just that I never thought I could possibly have a girl. I mean, all the ladies should be begging to get up on this, but..."
"You'd be a good catch Artie," said Tina. "You're sweet."
Artie smiled at that as he straightened his glove.
"So shall we go see if we can spot trouble before it brews?" Tina sighed.
"Only if I can make a quick run by Starbucks. I need coffee."
"Do you feel like we're being watched?" frowned Brittany. She looked all around, but didn't see anything.
Santana rolled her eyes. "You're just being paranoid Britt. It's a mall in Ohio. There are no spies or aliens here."
"Lord Tubbington said that's what they want you to think," she mumbled under her breath. She pushed her ponytail to the side as they both watched Quinn as she came out of the dressing room.
"Looks great Q."
"Thanks," said Quinn as she spun in front of the mirror. "Since Daddy has to go on a business trip, and mom's going to my sister's, I think I may just have to invite Finn over with this."
"Doing the deed?" smirked Santana. "After all this time? Don't you think you strung him along enough in junior high?"
"No, I was 15. I barely could get Mom let me have the car." She sighed and straightened the dress at the hips. "I am however going to break into Daddy's liquor cabinet and make him think we did."
"Even better," smiled the Latina. "You got a plan?"
"Think I'm going to ask Puck on what can get him drunk the fastest," shrugged Quinn. "Use him for something."
"Other than being your baby daddy?"
"Santana," hissed Quinn. She looked pensive. "No one knows that... yet. Which is why I want to get Finn drunk and passed out."
"Better hurry up and do it soon," she drawled out, smirking. "That belly ain't going to lie flat forever."
Quinn frowned at that, looking back at the mirror.
"So what did Lame Boy want yesterday anyways?" asked Santana, crossing. "You never said, and you came back all annoyed before we got on the bus."
"Did Finn upset you?" asked Brittany.
"Oh," said Quinn. She turned away from the mirror. "That." She looked out the window and thought she saw Tina passing by. She craned her neck a little to look, but didn't see anything.
"Finn told me to lay off Kurt. Apparently since they're parents are trying to date, they want their kids to become friends. Since Kurt's always been bu- er, I mean, been picked on by the football team, he wants nothing to do with Finn."
"Well, Fairy Boy has some sense," said Santana. Brittany frowned at that.
"So Finn thinks this could be a good ice breaker," said Quinn, rolling her eyes.
"Lame," said Brittany. "All he really has to do is be nice."
"That doesn't work for everyone Britt," said Santana. "I try to be nice and everyone lashes out at me like I'm doing something wrong by telling them the truth that's plain as the nose on their faces."
"How does he kiss her with that nose?" said Quinn, shuddering.
"So are you giving up on the whole Rachel is after Finn thing?" asked Brittany.
"Oh no," said Quinn. "Coach Sylvester said we had to break up the Glee club. And this is as good a start as anything she's come up with." She paused and looked in the mirror again, adjusting the shoulder straps on the dress.
"We're just going to have to pit them against each other."
Rachel sat down beside Kurt in the movie theater. Here they were, in the dark again. She smiled at the thought as Kurt was texting someone as the seats were starting to fill.
"Tina or Mercedes looking for you?" she asked. He shook his head.
"Texting my dad," he said. "Telling him not to call while we're in the movie."
"You got your dad to use texts?" asked Rachel, surprised. "I can barely get dad and daddy to use the internet on their phones to look up things when they get into heated discussions. They say it's too complicated."
"He'll read them," said Kurt with a sigh. "But he won't respond. He says that he types slower 'than an old hen scratches.'"
"For some reason, that does sound like him from what you've told me," laughed Rachel.
Kurt nodded and closed his phone.
"Do you think this film is as bad as the reviews make it out to be?"
Rachel shrugged. "The critics never loved The Princess Bride, but it's now a cult classic and a must watch for any film aficionado who wants to know how the videotape changed the film industry in the 80's and 90's."
"You've seen The Princess Bride?" said Kurt, surprised.
"Dad and Daddy made sure I had a large collection of any and all princess related movies."
"Of course they did," said Kurt sarcastically.
"Not like you don't have some," Rachel said in return. "I saw your DVD collection."
Kurt went quiet for a moment.
"Not that I'm dignifying your snippety comment, but... I like strong women. We need more of them in the world."
"So you're feminist then?"
"I think women and men should have equal footing when it comes to everything in life, yes."
Rachel wrapped her arms around Kurt's waist.
"I think you're going to be the best boyfriend." She squealed and held on tighter as the rest of the lights went down. She didn't even noticed that Kurt was giving her a look of surprise at her choice of words. Instead he handed her the popcorn they had gotten with no butter and salt substitute. The worker had rolled her eyes at them as she had to go pop a new batch.
"So what was your favorite as a child?" asked Kurt as a trailer started to play.
"It... it isn't a princess movie."
"Oh?" said Kurt, sipping on his soda. "What is it?"
"The Secret Garden."
"You're right. Nowhere near princess movies."
Rachel nodded. "I always wanted a friend of my own, someone just for me. My own little Colin in a secret garden."
"... Me too."
They both shared a quick look, trying to gauge if the other one was lying or not. Rachel moved the arm of her seat and leaned into Kurt. His arm went around her shoulders. She kind of wished his hand was around her waist, but she'd take this for now. The movie hadn't even started yet, they had plenty of time to snuggle closer.
"Are they actually cuddling?" said Santana, disgusted. The three cheerleaders had snuck in the back of the movie after spotting Tina and Artie lurking about. Curiosity got the better of them and they found Rachel and Kurt sitting together in the middle of all the stadium seating.
"I've seen enough," said Quinn, looking appalled herself. "Guess what Mike and Matt said was true." They sneaked back out of the theater and once upon the entrance, soon found their path blocked by Tina and Artie, arms crossed.
"You won't hurt them."
"Oh look, the lowlife dweebs think they have grown a backbone," said Santana. She glanced over to Quinn bemusedly.
"What makes you think we would want to hurt them?" said Quinn sweetly. "You grossly overestimate how much we actually put thought into the lives of the low lives of the Glee club."
"We know you Quinn," said Tina. "We know Sue's got you three watching us all like a hawk. She tried to persuade Rachel away with Cabaret and it didn't work."
"All Sue was doing was trying to offer some sort of musical experience that didn't involve the Glee Club," said Quinn. "It was that Sandy Ryerson who helped ultimately end that performance."
"I'm sure," said Tina, rolling her eyes. "Not when her star walked out on her."
"Rachel is easily replaced," said Quinn. "Mr. Schue proved that himself."
Artie sighed. "Look, we like our friends. We don't want to see them hurt by whatever scheme you're planning."
"Quinn doesn't have a scheme," blurted out Brittany. "She just wants the gossip."
"Of course," said Artie. "Because McKinley runs on it."
"And it's not like we all don't know that Rachel's up to something. Please. Like she'd really show interest in Hummel without something up her sleeve."
Artie and Tina shared a hesitant look at that. Quinn and Santana shared a knowing smirk.
"See you losers later," said Santana with a wave as they headed off, away from the pair.
"Do you think...?" said Tina with a frown.
"Well, Rachel does have her fair share of schemes," said Artie. "But look where the information came from."
"Point," said Tina. She said and adjusted a shoestring on her boot.
"Do you think we should say something to Kurt and Rachel?" asked Artie.
Tina bit her lip as she stood back up.
"And let them know that we know that they're seeing each other?"
Artie nodded. "Because I think they need to know that we know and that Quinn & her posse know and that they know that we know."
"That's too many in the know," said Tina, thinking.
"I couldn't agree with you more," said Artie.