Disclaimer: Again, I own nothing but the story and Izzy.


Monday finally rolled around, and I still felt the sting from the incident on Friday, though it had lessened a lot. My reserve, however, had not. I'd already gotten out all of the crying I'd needed to for a good house once I got home, effectively worrying my parents and them forcing a "family discussion". After assuring them (falsely) that it was just from a stressful day of too much schoolwork, they finally left me to my homework and my loneliness. That didn't stop them though from from forcing me to go out Saturday AND Sunday for family outings, no doubt attempts to cheer me up, however fruitless.

I walked into school, having decided against going in early to avoid potentially running into Mike, someone I most certainly didn't want to see. I was pretty sure he didn't want to see me either. After finally running into Sue during lunch on Friday and had told her what had happened, she'd been royally pissed. I hadn't been around to witness it, but I'd read on various peoples' Facebook posts that Sue had barged into Friday's Glee club practice and had reamed out the entire Glee club for talking bad about me and causing me such emotional distress. I'd never been named in any of the posts, each one only mentioning "some chick", but it wasn't hard to discern who "some chick" was. I was one of very few students who Sue was nice to. I hadn't been happy with Sue's actions, since they'd most likely only made the Glee kids hate me even more, but I could at least understand the sentiment and why she did it. And for that I was grateful.

The kids I passed by didn't even glance my way as I headed to my locker, hands stuffed in the pockets of my sweat-jacket, the hood up to hide my face. I hoped I was sending out vibes that told everybody to leave me alone. I was in no mood to deal with anyone but Sue today. I did not get my wish, however, as suddenly someone grabbed my arm and dragged me into the janitor's closet. Immediately I started swinging. Whoever my accoster was yelped and quickly restrained my arms, and it took me a moment to realize that I was not swinging at a random monster, but Mike Chang.

"What the hell are you doing?" I exclaimed once I finally wrestled my arms from his grip. He thankfully didn't put up much of a fight, though I kind of wish he had, just so I'd have an excuse to punch him. Can you tell I hold a grudge?

Mike cringed and immediately pulled his hands back against himself. "I'm sorry! I just really wanted to talk to you," he said, and I eyed him suspiciously. What could he want to talk to me about that was so important? In the janitor's closet, no less.

"I'm surprised you want anything to do with me. After all, isn't this cavorting with 'the enemy'?" I spat, mocking the name his friends had called me. To be honest, I didn't hate his friends. I hated that they'd be so judgmental of me when not a single one of them had ever met me or so much as said one word to me before. Had they gotten to know me, they'd know that I actually try to talk Sue out of her plots sometimes, I never help her with them, and I actually respect what they do. But nooo...They're "smarter than the average bear", as my mom and Yogi Bear would say.

Mike shook his head and looked at me rather seriously. "I just wanted to apologize for my friends. What they said was out of line. I don't think any of that at all. I'm willing to give benefit of the doubt. And. . . . I would like to still be your friend," he said with a sheepish shrug. I paused, biting my lip, feeling my anger ebb. He seemed sincere about still wanting to be my friend. I couldn't find the heart to stay mad. "We will have to keep it a secret from the other Glee kids though."

Well so much for that. . . .

I immediately scowled and crossed my arms angrily. "What, are you ashamed of me?" I snapped, my temper swelling all over again. Mike's eyes widened when he realized his error.

"Nonono, I didn't mean it like that!" he said, shaking his head vehemently. "I meant, I'm doing it in your best interest. Honest! If the other Glee kids knew we were friends, they'd treat you worse than they normally would to get you to leave me alone. And I don't want them doing that to you. Especially if you did end up deciding to stop being my friend."

I hesitated, eying him warily. He did seem very genuine, and I couldn't really picture him deceiving me in that way, and. . . . honestly, I just couldn't say no to that face of his. I hated it, but at least I'd finally have a friend. Aside from Sue, that is. "I'd like to be friends," I said honestly with a small smile.

Mike grinned broadly and pulled me into a rib-bruising hug, which I returned, though not as tightly. I didn't want to crush him. He finally pulled away a few moments later, looking pleased as punch. "How about we hang out today, after school? We can do whatever you want to do," he grinned.

"Sure, sounds like fun," I said with a grin and a nod. Mike beamed.

"Awesome. I'll see you in the Art Room after Glee practice," he grinned, giving me a peck on the cheek before—and my God strike me down if I'm lying—dancing out of the room. I laughed at that and shook my head, exiting the room a moment later, skipping off. I hadn't forgiven the other Glee kids for what they did, but I wouldn't let them ruin a perfectly good friendship. I'd have to let Sue know, so she'd lay off Mike, if not the whole club.

I couldn't wait for after school.


I was working intently on my project in the Art room after school—I was proud that the clay Sven was starting to look more like the little chubby Corgi he was being modeled after—when I suddenly felt a presence behind me. I started to turn and heard a sudden whispered "Boo" in my ear, which caused me to jump in surprise and had me toppling out of my chair.

"I think this is the fourth time I've wound up on my back since last Tuesday," I said with a snort as I accepted Mike's offered hand to help me back up. I chuckled and brushed myself off.

"Sorry about that," he said with a grin, not sounding too sorry. I playfully punched his shoulder for the offense. "So are you ready to go?"

I chuckled and nodded. "Yeah, just gotta put this way, and I'll be ready," I grinned, glad I didn't have anything else to do. It was obvious he was excited to get going; he was practically bouncing up and down on his heels. Once my project was stowed away and had my backpack in my head, he practically dragged me out the door. We were the only students left, thankfully, so we walked in the open to his car.

"So where would you like to go?" he asked curiously as he opened the passenger side door for me with a bow. I blinked, feeling incredibly flattered and impressed. Looks like chivalry wasn't completely dead. It still had one lifeline in Mike.

I had to think about it a moment as I climbed in and buckled up. Mike distracted me momentarily as he danced around the car to the other side to get in. I had to laugh at that. Once he was in the car, I had an answer for him.

"Let's go to the playground," I said with a wide, child-like grin. "I feel like being five today after all this stupid teenage drama."

Mike chuckled and nodded. "Sounds good to me," he said with a grin, turning on the car. Immediately old-school R&B began playing from the speakers of his radio. I snorted and looked at him incredulously. "Hey, it was either this or J-Pop," he said with a laugh.

I laughed and grinned. "Just drive, Mikey boy," I teased, playfully shoving his shoulder. He laughed and drove off towards the elementary school not far from our high school. We both hopped out once he'd parked.

"Race ya!" he grinned a moment before taking off in a dead run.

"No fair! You're a football player!" I called after him with a laugh as I took off after him as fast as I could go, which wasn't anywhere near as fast as Mike. He was a physically fit football player, and I was a writer/artist who would often joke that I was allergic to exercise.

Needless to say, he won. By the time I reached the playground equipment, he was already at the top of the slide. I snorted and quickly joined him, slightly winded. "You suck," I chuckled, resisting the urge to push him down the slide. I didn't want to risk hurting him.

"You're just jealous of my amazing athletic skills," he joked with a grin as he sat with his legs on the slide, pulling me onto his lap. I didn't have a chance to ask what he was doing, because he gave a push and suddenly we were plummeting, slipping down the slide, squealing like little kids until we landed in a heap at the bottom. We didn't stay there for long though, as we were quickly back up on our feet and running around the playground like a couple of kids hyped up on sugar. Eventually we both collapsed on the merry-go-round.

"So what do you like to do for fun? Aside from art," he asked curiously with a chuckle, propping himself up on an elbow to look at me. I shrugged, stretched out on my back.

"When I'm not doing art, I'm either, reading, writing, playing with my dog Sven, watching TV or watching horror movies," I said with a chuckle, unsurprised by the shocked look he gave me. I know I still had as of yet to meet another fellow female horror fanatic. "I've got a twisted sense of what's entertaining."

Mike chuckled and waved it off. "I kind of like it. It's. . . . different. In a good way," he said with a grin, poking my nose. I squeaked and scrunched it up in response, rubbing it with a chuckle. "I notice you didn't list 'chillin' with friends' on that list. How come?"

I fidgeted at that, suddenly feeling very embarrassed and ashamed. No one ever understood why I never had any real friends, how I could be so shy to the point that I could never approach anyone my own age. I sighed and shrugged. "I don't have any friends, except for Sue," I said sheepishly. Mike looked at me in shock again, though there was a lot less awe this time.

"None?" he said stunned. "Why don't you have any friends?"

I shrugged again and looked down. "I'm normally really shy," I explained, going on. "Shy to the point I'm too scared to really approach anyone. I've always been this way. I wasn't as bad when I was young though. I was more open to going and making friends myself back then. I went to go make friends with one of the more popular girls in third grade. I wasn't unpopular, but I wasn't popular either, so I figured I had a shot. Turns out I was wrong. She and her friends humiliated me in front of the whole school and tormented me for months afterward. Ever since, I've been too scared to approach anyone. It's really kind of lame and embarrassing."

Mike shook his head, frowning. "It's not lame or embarrassing at all. Who was she? I'll hunt her down and. . . . well I won't beat her up 'cause I don't hit girls, but I will slushie her or something just as bad. Make her pay for what she did to you," he said. I smiled at his attempt to be protective and vengeful on my behalf, but I knew he wouldn't do anything. He knew the girl who had done it personally.

"Thank you, but no you won't," I said, patting him on top of the head like a puppy who attempted to do something nice for you but hadn't gotten it right. "Her name's Quinn Fabray."

Mike's frown faded into a look of shock, his eyebrow shooting up toward his hairline and his jaw dropping slightly. "Seriously?" he said stunned, to which I nodded. He stared at me in shock for a moment before slumping, looking dejected. "Damnit. . . . I wanted to avenge you, but now I can't. Cuz if I do, she'll know we're friends, and she'll tell the others, and they'll all make your life hell. Which has been hell enough from what I heard. This blows chunks."

"It's fine, Mikey. Just be my friend, and I'll be plenty happy," I said with a smile, reaching over and giving his hand a gentle squeeze. He smiled and sat up, tugging me up and bringing me into another hug, which I of course happily returned.

I couldn't even begin to tell you how happy I felt. I hadn't had such a good friend in a long time, and certainly not one who'd accepted me so quickly. It was like he'd decided to skip the whole "let's hang out and get to know each other before I decide whether I really like you and care about you" spiel, and instead went right to "I don't care who you are or what you're like, I will be your friend and will always be your friend. . . . unless you turn out to be a serial killer or a prejudiced douche bag, then we're not cool anymore".

. . . . Wow I babble a lot.

Our hug was interrupted when we heard a familiar tinkling little tune that could only be the ice cream man. After chasing him down for about half a block, we happily returned back to the playground, me with my rainbow ice cream cup and him with his Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle ice-cream-on-a-stick. He'd been thrilled when he was handed the Raphael one. We spent the rest of the afternoon talking and laughing until our ice cream was gone, and then it was time to go home. I had told him I could just bike home since he'd apparently strapped my bike to his car before coming to meet me in the Art room, but he insisted on driving me home. I was in too good of a mood and too lazy to argue.

After some helpful directions and a few missed turns, we eventually made it to my house. I could already see Sven waiting for me in the living room window. My parents cars were gone (thankfully), and fortunately I'd actually remembered my key that morning. Mike climbed out when I did, helping me get my back down from the roof of his car.

"Today was really awesome," he said with a grin, and I could tell he meant it. He also wasn't wrong. Today indeed had been really awesome.

"That it has," I agreed with a nod and a grin of my own, pulling him into a huge hug that lifted him off the ground a good inch for at least a moment or two before I had to set him back down due to my back screaming in protest. A weakling I was, and probably would always be.

"I'll see you tomorrow, fair lady," he said cheesily with a grand, dramatic bow that had me stifling my laughter. I curtsied back at him before heading up the walkway, jogging around to the back to stash my bike in the shed and heading in through the back door.

Would my parents question my sudden bi-polar-like mood shift from the past few days? Oh, most definitely. But then they'd find out why, be happy that their daughter would finally have a social life, and probably even have a little dance party once I was out of the room. I know it couldn't have been easy for them, having a daughter that was always home, impeding on their time to be alone and do. . . .

Ulch. Now I'm too sick to write. . . .