"Artie, hey wa-wait up!" A familiar female called from behind him and that was enough for Artie to slow down.
About half an hour ago, he had taken one look into the practice room, seen all the glee kids standing around laughing and decided to skip practice that day. He hadn't wanted to ditch Tina, so he had spent the time huddled around the corner. Now, as he turned towards Tina, he was surprised to find her in a wheelchair, even though the challenge was as good as over. "What are you doing?" He asked, giving her an awkward smile.
"I wa-wanted to t-talk to you, eye to eye," she said, her stutter nearly gone. "I-I never realized how hard this must before for you."
"It's nothing," Artie shrugged. "Everybody's life is hard sometimes."
"I guess so," Tina said shyly. "Are you feeling any better? We missed you today."
"Yeah, I think my embarrassment will fade eventually." He stated, a crooked smile landing on his face.
"Artie, I really care about you."
"You do?" Artie raised an eyebrow. "What about Puck?"
Much to his surprise, Tina doubled over laughing. "Puck and I are working on a science project together."
"What kind of science project involves going to homecoming together?"
Still, she laughed. "You'll see." She looked down the long, deserted hall. "Want to race?"
Artie looked after her, "You're on!"
Minutes later, she was kissing him, than revealing the terrible truth. He had really thought they had something in common, but it turned out she had been trying to be left alone, while he wanted so badly to fit in. She had lied to him and Artie wasn't sure if he could ever trust her again.
Against his better judgment, Artie found himself sitting outside the school gym on the night of homecoming, trying to convince himself to go in. He was alone, him and his neon green suspenders. A group of kids came up behind him, laughing, pushing each other playfully. Artie barely looked up at them. "Hey Artie!" One of them called, and it turned out to be the cheerleader Brittany. She was with a whole bunch of jocks and cheerleaders that Artie didn't know, but she didn't seem to care. "You need some help?" And before Artie could object, Brittany was wheeling him into the crowded gym.
The jocks laughed, bumping into his chair as they walked away. The whole place was a mess, packed with kids. He hadn't exactly expected to see Puck and Tina in the middle of the dance floor, but where were they?
Artie shook his head and wheeled himself to an inconspicuous corner. Why did he care where they were? She had lied to him... she had trusted him enough to tell the truth after all. Weren't there times when he faked poor health, just to skip school so he wouldn't have to be seen? Sometimes it was just too hard to fake being happy. He knew that struggle was even harder for Tina and probably Puck as well. Artie just didn't understand how she had faked the stutter for years, during countless conversations, but he didn't have to think too far back to understand. When it was just the two of them, with no expectations, she had never stuttered. And he had never noticed.
Maybe he was too forgiving, but now he found himself looking around the dance floor, hoping to catch sight of her. Suddenly, there she was, standing near the stage, laughing with Puck. Artie found himself pulled towards them, his eyes narrowed.
"What's going on?" He was next to them in less than a moment. They looked up at him, like they were surprised he had the guts to be there.
"Look, Artie, I can explain everything." Tina shook her head and suddenly looked down at her empty hands.
Artie looked between them. Puck was smiling concededly and Tina looked like she was on the verge of tears. "There's no need to explain. I understand perfectly."
Puck laughed. "No you don't." Artie raised an eyebrow, running out of patience. "If you understood, you would hear us through."
"I wouldn't have to," Artie shook his head, arguing a moot point. He crossed his arms and looked between the couple. "Well?"
"Look, I think your girlfriend is pretty cool," Puck started, "Especially when she stood up to us jocks on the first day of school."
"How many times do I have to tell you?" Artie asked.
Puck cut him off with a finger to his lips. "Now wait. That doesn't mean it will work out with us. I'll admit, she's quite a catch and that's why I asked her to homecoming, but she spends most of the time talking about you. That's pretty lame."
"Really?" Artie had to ask Tina herself.
"Yeah," she said shyly, blushing. "I guess absence makes the heart grow fonder."
"So I told her she'd better tell you the truth."
"About your stutter." Artie looked start at Tina. "I appreciate that, by the way."
"No problem." Tina hesitated. "I - Oh, Artie, I started stuttering because I liked you."
Tina was bright red by now, but Artie couldn't help wondering if he'd heard right. "What?"
"The first day of sixth grade, remember?" But of course Artie remembered. They had both been lost in their new school, but somehow managed to find each other. "I was lost and embarrassed. You were so nice and I couldn't find the words to say thanks."
Artie smiled softly now. "I remember that."
"Well, I kept the stutter, at first because I was shy and scared, but later it became habit."
"Oh wow."
"Yeah," she finally looked up with a smile. "I guess hanging out with Puck made me realize how much you meant to me."
"Yeah, I thought you guys were working on a science project?"
"We are," Puck laughed. "I needed some extra help and Tina thought it was funny."
Artie studied both of their honest faces. He had to admit that he believed them. "But why..."
Tina just shook her head and smiled. "So we wanted to do a special mash up for you, I know you have Rollin' now, but this is from me personally."
"What?" Artie looked around and all the kids from glee club were gathering towards the stage. "Here? Now?" And suddenly, he was the blushing one.
"Why not?" Puck laughed, jumping onto the low stage, followed by Tina up the stairs. Artie couldn't have gotten on that stage even if he had wanted to. "We're all here and we wanted to have an audience."
"Oh no," Artie muttered, but found himself smiling widely at Tina, who had taken center stage.
"If we could have your attention," Rachel said in her trademark projected voice. "We'd like to do a special performance for a special friend. You might remember us from the assembly a few weeks back, well, due to popular demand, we're back."
The glee club took their places, each dressed in whatever formal clothes they had picked out. Artie could almost see the spot on one side where he should have been sitting. It was too late, they were holding up their microphones, humming a familiar tune.
She started singing all at once, letting her emotions run free.
"It must have been cold there in my shadow,
to never have sunlight on your face.
You were content to let me shine, that's your way.
You always walked a step behind.
So I was the one with all the glory,
while you were the one with all the strength.
A beautiful face without a name for so long.
A beautiful smile to hide the pain.
Did you ever know that you're my hero,
and everything I would like to be?
I can fly higher than an eagle,
'cause you are the wind beneath my wings."
"Break it down," Matt said in a low voice and Artie couldn't help laughing while he started beatboxing.
"If you change your mind, I'm the first in line
Honey I'm still free
Take a chance on me
If you need me, let me know, gonna be around
If you've got no place to go, if you're feeling down
If you're all alone when the pretty birds have flown
Honey I'm still free
Take a chance on me
Gonna do my very best and it ain't no lie
If you put me to the test, if you let me try
Take a chance on me
(that's all I ask of you honey)
Take a chance on me
We can go dancing, we can go walking, as long as we're together
Listen to some music, maybe just talking, get to know you better
'cos you know I've got
So much that I wanna do, when I dream I'm alone with you
It's magic
You want me to leave it there, afraid of a love affair
But I think you know
That I can't let go
If you change your mind, Im the first in line
Honey I'm still free
Take a chance on me
If you need me, let me know, gonna be around
If you've got no place to go, if you're feeling down
If you're all alone when the pretty birds have flown
Honey I'm still free
Take a chance on me
Gonna do my very best and it ain't no lie
If you put me to the test, if you let me try
Take a chance on me
(come on, give me a break will you? )
Take a chance on me"
Tina jumped off the stage and sang a few lines acapella to Artie. Than she asked, "well, do you forgive me?"
Arite could just nod and this time when she leaned into kiss him, it was for real.