Hey Hey! So yes, it's been like another two weeks or around there somewhere. My bad as usual. It seems to be an ongoing occurrence for me. Sorry... It was my first week of classes. Busy busy.
Chapter 11! Yeah! It's VERY long. Somewhere around 11,000 words... my fingers hurt from typing.
Warning: Language
"So? What do you think?" Cory did a quick spin in the three-angled mirror to check how he looked then he turned to Mark. They had returned to try on their newly fitted suits for the Golden Globes a day and a half away.
"No homo bro but you look great." He answered with a smile and gave Cory a pat on the back when he stepped down from the pedestal. "Am I rockin' the duds or what?" He took a slow spin and gave Cory a cocky grin.
Cory chuckled and smiled at his friend. "Yes, they are being completely rocked."
"That's good to hear. I'm happy that you're both pleased with the fits of the tuxedos. I'm assuming that you'd like to take them today?" the same lady that had fitted them for their tuxes questioned with a light and cheery tone.
"Yeah that'd be fantastic." Cory smiled at the peppy middle-aged woman who quickly ushered them both into separate fitting rooms so they could change back into their clothes and she could put the suits in garment bags.
Once they had gotten out of the tux shop, they dropped the suits off to be steamed so they would be nice and wrinkle-less for the big day.
After, the two friends said their good byes and headed off their own ways.
Cory's foot pressed on the gas and he made many turns down the same streets he had been down a bunch of times before. He had memorized every little detail of the directions since they would bring him to somewhere special.
Ten minutes later, he pulled his car over to the curb, put it in park, cut the engine, stepped out of the car, locked it, and made his way in to the very familiar apartment building.
After walking through the lobby, an elevator ride later, and a few knocks, the door opened revealing the beautiful, magnificent girl he had come to love.
Dianna's face lit up at the sight of the tall man at her door and without warning, she quickly jumped onto him, rapping her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist, and hugged him so tightly that he thought there was a possibility that his eyes would bug out of his head, but he didn't really care about her anaconda like squeeze. He immediately wrapped his long arms around her small frame and held her close to him. Her hair had fallen into his face as they embraced and he took in her scent. He loved that she always smelled like a combination of strawberries and vanilla.
Some seconds later, she pulled her head back from the crook of his neck but still clinged on and looked at him, her eyes still bright and glistening with her million watt smile.
Just looking at her so happy made him feel like the happiest guy in the world at that moment too.
"Hey." She said softly, staring into what she liked to call, his 'beautiful Hershey eyes.'
He stared back into her thinking he could just get lost in her gorgeousness. Then he let his lop sided grin onto his face and raised an eyebrow playfully. "Do you think it'd be okay if I came in now?"
She giggled and hopped down from his grasp. "Sure."
As he stepped inside of her apartment he said, "You know, that's quite a way to greet someone. It wasn't even two seconds before you jumped on me. What if I had been a delivery guy or something?"
Dianna smirked. "Oh that's who I was actually hoping for but I settled for you instead." She teased and received a smile and a playful eye roll from Cory.
"Oh of course, I mean, don't get me wrong, the guy that delivers to this building is quite the guy but, I'd like to think I'm just as good or maybe even better." He played along.
"Eh, I don't know…" she teased again with another playful smirk.
Cory pretended to look hurt as he clutched at the spot on his chest where his heart was. "Just rip my heart out why don't you Di." He said as dramatically as he could before they both busted into a laughing fit.
Once they took a few breaths and controlled themselves Dianna spoke. "No, I'm absolutely glad it was you at my door."
Cory smiled. "Well thank you… Do you think I could have a drink? Like, Fresca or something?"
Dianna nodded and walked over to her fridge to pour him a glass of the soda. "So how was Canada?"
Cory sat down at her kitchen table and folded his hands into each other. "It was really good and I'm glad I went. Seeing my mom was awesome as usual but seeing my brother was even greater. I didn't get the chance to see to him last time I went back home so being able to this time was nice."
"And how was your ever so cute niece?" Dianna wondered, and then took a bite of the apple she had just plucked from the fruit bowl on the counter after giving Cory his glass of soda.
Cory softly smiled as he remembered how Alexis had hounded him about Dianna for the rest of his stay after their first talk about them having to get married. It had slowly progressed into her stressing the exact amount of kids they should have, how many dogs, and even to what color their fence should be around their house.
"She was really something." He responded with a breathy laugh.
Dianna smiled and quirked an eyebrow at him. "I hope you mean that in a good way."
"Of course. She's a sweet heart. I admire how she's only nine and she puts every one else's feelings before hers."
"That's a nice quality to have, especially in someone so young. She sounds like an angel."
Cory nodded while he ran a hand through his short hair and leaned back a little in the chair he was sitting in, and then he folded his arms behind his head. He let his eyes drift around the kitchen and a little into the living room and he noticed something. "So…" he began awkwardly. "Alex isn't back yet?"
Dianna took another small bite of her apple before answering him. "No…" she mumbled in between chews. "He isn't getting back until tomorrow."
"The day before the Globes? He's cutting it pretty close. Isn't he going to be your escort or something?" he asked, his face looking a bit crest fallen at the last part.
Dianna looked upset at his question because her facial expressions fell. "We aren't exactly going together."
His eyebrows rose into his forehead forcing wrinkles into it. He was that surprised. "What do you mean?"
Dianna shrugged and took one last look at her apple before throwing a little more than half of it away, seemingly losing her appetite. "We had a fight on the phone the last time he called. It was around a couple of days ago."
It killed him to hear her sound upset no matter what it was about. "I don't want to pry but, Di, you know you can talk to me about anything. I'm always going to be here for you. You know me." He informed her with a sweet and caring smile.
She bit the side of her bottom lip. She loved it when he said stuff like that. Then she pursed her lips and began to speak softly. "Well, I called him to check up and ask him how he'd been. We hadn't talked for a few days. When I asked him what he had been up to he got all defensive and we started talking about how he thinks I don't trust him. I mean, I only asked how he was occupying his time for Christ's sake! That's just what you do when someone is on vacation!" she started to ramble before stopping to collect herself and thoughts then continued. "Anyway, it became a yelling match and I hung up on him. Haven't talked to him since."
Cory's eyebrows were still arched and forcing creases into his forehead as he took in a deep breath and exhaled. "That's rough. So is he still showing?"
Dianna scowled at the thought. "Yeah. We're just doing our own things at the show." She paused before asking, "What about you?"
"Huh?" he choked out.
"I mean, are you going with someo-" but before Dianna could finish her sentence, Cory subtly pushed the small glass of Fresca in front of him on his lap, trying to make a scene to get out of answering the question. He couldn't say he was bringing Taylor after what he just heard Dianna went through.
"Oh my god!" Dianna said a little loudly half laughing.
Cory smiled awkwardly and let out a couple of nervous chuckles. "Wow I can't believe that happened." He put the glass back on the table with little soda in it and began patting down the bottom of his shirt and pants.
Dianna giggled some more. "You are such a klutz." She handed him some paper towels and he stood up to wipe the wetness from his clothes a little better.
"I- I better get back to my place and change before it starts to get sticky and what not. I'll text you later." He quickly said and pushed in the kitchen chair. He walked out fast after hearing Dianna say an awkward good bye.
'Phew, that was close. Intentionally spilling soda on myself wasn't the most optimal way to get out of that question but you gotta do what you gotta do. I just couldn't mention Taylor.' He thought to himself as he arrived back to his apartment.
For the rest of the day he avoided any interactions with Dianna even though he said he'd talk to her later. He just feared that she would ask him that question and he didn't have the heart to answer.
Around five he heard a knock on his door. He cautiously walked over to it, hoping it wasn't Dianna for the first time in his life. He closed one eye and looked through the peek hole and smiled.
He opened the door to find Lea who looked a little out of breath and was wearing one of her work out outfits.
"Hey, what's up?" he greeted.
She smiled and held up a paper bag in her hand. "Thought I'd come over and ask how your family trip was. I was getting back from the gym when I passed by Bulan Thai and figured I'd get take out. What better way to gain the weight back after a work out than eating with a friend?" They shared a laugh and sat down at Cory's kitchen table together.
They immediately started munching down on the food. Cory loved Thai and was grateful that Lea had brought some. He hadn't had it for a long time.
"So I came over to ask how your vacation was." She told him in between chews.
Cory swallowed the noodles he was eating and answered. "It was really great actually. I had a good time. I saw my mom, brother, sister in law, and my niece. Went to a Canucks game where they owned by the way…" Lea giggled at Cory's enthusiasm with hockey. "But I mostly enjoyed spending time with my niece Alexis."
"Oh? How was she?"
Cory lips formed a smile. "She was awesome. Probably the most awesome and smart nine year old I have ever met. She's pretty wise too."
"A wise nine year old? I don't think I've ever heard of such a thing." Lea joked with a big smile on her face.
"Yeah I know right? She just… just really read me. Like, she saw right into me you know?" Cory said as he stared more into the distance, trying to figure out in his own head how Alexis could sense his feelings for Dianna.
"In what way exactly?" Lea questioned with a raised brow.
"Well, she basically looked at me and straight forwardly came up with how I feel for Di."
"What did she say?"
"Um, well, she had this list of how she observes pretty much every little thing I say and do in interviews and then came out with how I should marry Dianna." He informed her, getting right to the point.
Lea smiled sweetly and stifled a giggle. Even a nine year old could figure Cory's feelings for Dianna out in a second.
"Then I will definitely give her that she is one smart cookie." She said and Cory smiled.
"Yeah, yeah she is." He took another bite of his food.
"So, did you remember to pick up your tux?" Lea wondered and Cory nodded in return.
"So speaking of tuxes, I got my dress!" she continued excitedly and grinned. Her enthusiasm made Cory chuckle and smile.
"And do you love it?" he asked, even though it was a rhetorical question. He already knew the answer. Of course she loved it. She was very picky about her dresses that she wore to formal events.
"Well I'm sure you already know the answer but I absolutely do! It's a beautiful salmon colored Oscar de la Renta. It's one shouldered and it has cascading ruffles and…" Lea stopped when she noticed the fading look on Cory's face. "Sorry, I didn't mean to go all out on the details. I just get a little carried away but I'll save that stuff for the girls."
His head shot up at her words. "No, no it's totally cool. I kind of asked for it." They both laughed and Lea began to speak again.
"So have you seen Di since you've been back?"
Cory's smiley face dimmed a little at her question and she immediately felt bad about the situation.
"Cor?"
He looked up from his plate to answer her. "Uh, yeah, I went over to her place earlier this morning."
He avoided eye contact with her as he spoke and she noticed.
"Did something happen between the two of you?" she wondered worriedly.
Cory rubbed his forehead and answered. "Not really, it's more like what happened between her and someone else."
"Like Alex?" she already could guess it would be him.
"Yeah."
"What's up?"
"Could you not tell Di that I told you this?" he asked before he started.
"Absolutely Cory. I won't say a word to her." She assured him.
He nodded and started to speak again. "Well from what she told me, her and Alex had a fight or something and now they're not going to the Globes together."
Lea entire face lit up. "That's great! Maybe she could go with you instead."
He ran his hand through his hair and rubbed the back of his neck. "I don't think that's going to happen."
Lea furrowed her eyebrows. "Why not? It would be the perfect time to start to open yourself up more to her. Be each other's dates."
"I can't. I'm kind of already going with someone else." He informed her.
She paused to look at him questioningly. "What do you mean you're kind of already going with someone else? Cory?"
He shrugged and tried to brush the situation off. "What? I'm just meeting someone there and we're hanging out. It's nothing don't worry about it."
"You invited someone else as your date?" she hurriedly asked.
Cory leaned back in his chair and rolled his eyes. Why did everyone think it was a date? He was just going with a really good friend. He could see why people would assume it was a date since him and Taylor were very close but in all reality, he didn't necessarily see it that way and-
"Hello? Come back to earth space man!" Lea said, getting his attention back. She noticed he was drifting.
"What?" He was so focused on his thoughts he had completely forgotten what they were talking about.
"Someone else is your date?"
"No, no I don't have a date!" he shot back getting irritated.
"Is it your brother or something? Is that why it's not a date?" She was confused. She had been rubbing her forehead in thought for the last five minutes.
Cory shook his head. "No it's not my brother. It's a girl if you have to know."
"It's a date if you're bringing a girl that isn't a mother or sister or any other kind of family member." She stopped then added, "Wait, is it your mom?"
"Oh my god no! It's Taylor!" At this point he had a fist full of his hair since he was so frustrated.
Lea's eyebrows were raised up in shock at Cory's little outburst. She simply let out a little "okay" before dropping the topic and switching up the conversation, much to Cory's pleasure.
After they finished eating, they hung out for a little while longer before Lea started gathering her things to go.
"So I'll see you tomorrow night… with Taylor." She said grabbing her purse from the table.
"Yeah." He answered back.
She figured she'd just say it one more time since she was leaving anyway and wouldn't get the wrath of Cory for it afterwards.
"It's a date when you invite a girl to such a formal thing like the Golden Globes Cory, especially when she wasn't originally going in the first place."
He stared her down as she walked out.
"Bye Cor!" she shouted before closing his front door.
For a little bit after Lea had left, Cory sat in his living room in silence just thinking about what exactly him inviting Taylor meant.
Was it truly considered a date like Lea had said? Or was it just a friend inviting a friend to some type of cool party that happened to be very public and formal?
It went back and forth in his mind for a while before he thought, 'Maybe considering it a date would be a good thing. It would sure show Di that I'm not moping over the fact that she has a boyfriend.'
He smiled when he came to his decision. If Taylor wanted to consider it a date, then it was a date.
The next day went by pretty quickly for him. He did his morning stuff like running out to Starbucks and going to the gym. He hung around with Mark and Kevin for a little while and went out to lunch with Amber and Jenna. Before he knew it, he was heading off to get his freshly steamed suit at the cleaners.
Once he got back to his apartment he jumped into the shower, making sure to lather, rinse, and repeat for the big night, then shaved, and put on some deodorant. Still wrapped in his towel, he brushed his teeth and gargled with some mouthwash and did his hair with some styling gel. Then he got dressed into his tux.
Cory looked himself up and down in his mirror and smoothed out some of his hair so it looked right. Then he took a deep breath and exhaled. "Here we go."
"Nice tux man." Chord complimented him as he joined Mark and Chord in the car that would take them to the ceremony.
Cory smiled at the blonde. "Thanks dude. You too." He looked to Mark as well. "Rockin." He quoted Mark from the day before.
Mark laughed and grinned in return.
A few minutes into the ride Mark asked, "So we're all going stag tonight right?"
Chord confidently nodded his head. "Hell yeah! Ain't no better way to show up is there?" he fist bumped with Mark and they both laughed.
"Are you going to join this bro moment or what dude?" Mark looked to Cory who had his hands folded in his lap.
Cory scrunched his lips to the side and looked a way for a second before he answered. "I can't."
Mark raised an eyebrow and gave a wholehearted grin. "Oh come on man, I washed my hands before I left."
Cory chuckled at his friend's words. "No that's not it but I'm glad to hear that." He joked.
Mark gave his arm a light punch. "Then why can't you?"
Cory let a small grin on his face. "I'm meeting up with Taylor."
"Taylor Swift?" Chord wondered.
"Is there another Taylor I've been hanging out with?" Cory asked sarcastically in return.
"Wow that's cool bro. So is it a date? Like are you two going as each other's dates?" Mark questioned.
Cory's lips curved into a cocky smile. "Yeah you could say that."
"Hey that totally deserves this." Chord said holding out his fist to Cory, congratulating him.
Cory smiled and bumped his fist and then held it out to Mark who bumped it in return.
"I'm happy for you Cory but I gotta confess here. I thought you would have asked Di to be your plus one or something." Mark looked at Cory seriously after saying this.
Cory just shrugged. "Well she was already invited to the Globes so she couldn't exactly be my plus one. That's someone you bring as your guest that didn't have an invite."
Mark rolled his eyes. "Yeah but you get what I'm saying here. I meant as your date."
"No I get you but I just figured she'd be going with Alex and I already feel rejected enough with her just being with him so I didn't really want to feel even more rejected when she would end up saying no."
Oh come on! I know that's not totally true!" Mark shot back.
Cory was a little taken aback by Mark's small outburst but he decided not to say anything and let Mark explain himself.
"I heard that she wasn't even going with Alex. I also heard that you knew that for fact." He stated sternly.
Lea. That's what he got for not specifying exactly who she wasn't allowed to tell about his and Dianna's conversation.
Cory narrowed his eyes back. "So? It's not like I knew that before I asked Taylor. I asked her the day I was leaving Canada. I didn't find out that Dianna and Alex weren't going together until yesterday."
"But you know you still would have changed your mind and gone with her even after you invited someone else. Even I can see that." Chord added.
Cory shook his head. "Well… I mean… no I-" he stuttered which caused Mark to say something else.
"This is all some kind of plan or something right?" he asked as he started grinning slyly, figuring his friend out.
Cory shot his head back to Mark. "Why would you think that?" he wondered accusingly.
"Are you only bringing Taylor to… make Dianna jealous?" Chord asked.
Cory sighed and looked out the window and answered without looking at the two other guys. "I'm not proud of it okay. It's just… I hate seeing her with Alex and it makes me jealous and upset… I guess I just want her to know how it feels."
"I know what you're saying Cor but… do you really think that's the right thing to do?" Chord reasoned with him.
Cory bit his bottom lip and shrugged. "I just don't really want to talk about this right now."
They two other men nodded and let the topic change. They both hoped he would make the right decision.
As soon as they got to the entrance to the show, they were hounded by paparazzi and many more people that wanted to talk to them on the red carpet.
Cory quickly made his way past a bunch of the people since he knew he had to go to a quick interview on the other end of the carpet. On the way, he posed for a few pictures by himself and one with Naya who he had spotted as he walked.
After a little while, he finally got to the small stage he would be interviewed on.
"Hi." He greeted the woman who enthusiastically greeted him back.
"It's so great to meet you Cory. I'm Giuliana Rancic from E! and I'm so glad you decided to let us do this short interview." She said, holding out her hand and he shook it.
"Oh yeah, no problem. It's my pleasure. Thanks for having me."
"Your welcome. So we'll be on in a few minutes. You'll be able to tell when the camera comes on because of a red light you can see in the corner. I'm going to introduce you and the show, then the camera will pan out to the both of us okay?"
Cory furrowed his brow quickly before nodding yes and before he knew it, the little red light the woman had talked about was on and she began to speak.
"Hey guys I'm Giuliana Rancic and we're back at the 68th annual Golden Globes. Now, I wanted to talk about a show that has just sky rocketed and tonight is nominated for best TV musical or comedy and I'm actually here with one of its stars: Cory Monteith from Glee!"
Cory saw the camera panning and he smiled. "Hey how's it going?" he asked.
"It's going fantastic."
Cory took in her appearance for the first time. "You look gorgeous by the way." He wanted to be nice.
She smiled and he wondered if it was just a camera smile that she had practiced in front of a mirror for years.
"Why thank you and you look very dapper yourself." She returned.
"Thank you."
"Now I just wanted to start with your tux tonight. Tell us all, who are you wearing?"
Cory looked down at his suit for a brief second. If someone were to ask him that two years ago, he would have said that he had no clue, but now, he was trained on knowing.
"I'm actually wearing Giorgio Armani tonight. It's a great tux." He informed her.
"Well you sure pull it off."
"Thank you. I love dressing up in nice suits like this, especially when they're made for me. I feel very special." He joked with a big smile plastered on his face.
"As you should tonight considering Glee is a big runner for one of the top awards in television. Best TV musical or comedy. How do you feel about that?"
"Well it's amazing really. We have such a great and dedicated cast and crew and it's such an honor to be nominated for a Golden Globe among them in the first place but it's just an extra honor to be in a category with other fantastic shows like Modern Family, 30 Rock, Nurse Jackie and just all of those really. I'm still shocked to be here today." He said smiling.
"And why are you shocked?"
Cory stuck his hands in his pants pockets before starting. "Well I mean, two years ago I was just a small time actor getting minor roles, kind of just getting by and before that, doing the odd blue collar job here and there back in Vancouver and I'm still shocked to have climbed up this far since then. It's all been such a uh, a whirlwind experience for myself and I would think for everyone else on the show as well."
"Well Glee is one of the most popular show on television right now. How do you feel about being apart of it? What was your first thought of the show?" she asked him.
"Um, I absolutely 110% love being apart of it. We're all just like a big family. We spend almost every waking minute together, probably more than we should." He joked and they both laughed. Then he continued. "But uh, when I first read through the pilot script I really loved the idea since it was very… unique for a TV show and it was an interesting idea but it was one of those things where I knew it was either going to be a major success or just a major failure and no where in between but I'm extremely glad that it worked out as it has and I still have a job."
She chuckled before saying, "As are we and I'm sure I speak for all of the Gleeks out there."
Cory nodded along. "Yeah you know, we'd be nothing without our fans."
"So tell me Cory before I send you off because I just have to ask." She began in a gossipy kind of tone.
He nodded his head expectantly and waited for her to continue.
"Are you here stag tonight or did you bring someone special?"
Cory rubbed the back of his neck, which he noticed he did a lot when he was uncomfortable or nervous.
"Well actually, I'm here with a good friend of mine tonight. She's my plus one." He simply answered.
"Ooh and may we enquire as to who this lucky lady is?" she questioned.
He gave her a lop sided playful smile and said, "See I'd tell you but it would just ruin the surprise of it. You'll just have to wait and see."
"Okay then Cory, we'll do just that. It was nice speaking with you and good luck tonight."
"Thank you, it was a pleasure. Have fun tonight yourself." He told her as he waved goodbye and walked off the platform and back onto the carpet.
It wasn't long before he spotted the pretty blonde he was looking for.
He walked up behind her and tapped her on the shoulder. She turned around from the other woman she was speaking with and smiled.
"Hey Cory!" She hugged him quickly and he wrapped his arms around her returning the hug.
"You look great Taylor." He observed, looking her up and down. She was wearing a beautiful light blue one shouldered gown.
She giggled and said, "You look pretty good too."
He laughed as well and did a mock turn. "Why thank you."
"So I was just talking to Olivia here." Taylor gestured to the woman standing next to her. "Olivia this is Cory Monteith."
"Olivia Wilde! It's so awesome to meet you. I'm a big fan." Cory said to her as they shook hands.
"I have to say I'm a fan of yours as well." She told him.
Cory raised his eyebrows. "Oh no way! Really?" he asked in disbelief. Sure millions of people watched the show but he never really thought of other celebrities following it.
"Yeah I'm pretty sure I'm around Gleek status." She responded with a chuckle.
"Well it's a complete honor. I love House and all the movies you do so really, thank you."
"Thank you. So when I saw Taylor I immediately wondered, 'what is she doing here?' since she does music and the Globes don't exactly specialize in that. She told me she's here with you?" she questioned Cory.
Cory nodded with a big smile. "Yeah we're pretty cool with each other so I figured, what the hell." He joked and the three of them laugh.
"Well let me hopefully be the first to say you two make a cute couple." Olivia complimented the two.
They both lightly laughed before Cory started, "Oh we're not-"
"Thanks. We are pretty cute." Taylor cut him off as she sweetly smiled at him then to Olivia.
'What? Are we like, a couple now or something?' Cory thought to himself, dumbfounded.
Taylor linked her arm through his and held it while he awkwardly smiled down upon her.
"Well I'm sure you guys must have places to be before the show starts so I'll let you two go. It was nice talking to you Taylor and you too Cory. Have fun tonight guys."
"Yeah same to you. Have a good night." Cory returned before the three parted ways and Taylor walked along side of Cory.
Not far into the walk they stopped for some pictures together where they were immediately met with a barrage of paparazzi shouts.
"Taylor over here!"
"You both look great tonight!"
"Are the two of you here together?"
They didn't answer any questions, just posed for the pictures. Some times, answering questions was trouble and a lot of the time; answers could be misunderstood, especially when the public wanted gossip.
After a few more pictures, they began to walk again and met up with his cast mates.
First he spotted Jane, who he complimented on her dress, and then he found Lea who was wearing her pretty pink dress along side Jenna, Amber, and Naya.
Lea gave him weird looks and sidelong glances when he and Taylor would be talking to people near their group. He knew she obviously did not approve of him bringing Taylor but what could she do now?
The next few moments were like they were out of a movie; like the first time he ever saw a certain someone.
Cory had turned his head from the group of people Taylor and himself had been talking to just to scope out how many people were on the carpet when he saw her.
She looked stunning.
He obviously couldn't help but check her out… duh.
She was wearing a nice flowing strapless crème colored dress that fitted her beautifully with a pretty diamond necklace. Most of all, he loved that she kept her hair down, which fell onto her shoulders in pretty waves.
He swallowed hard and blinked a few times as she approached the Glee group and everything felt like it was in slow motion… well at least her.
He was in such a trance from Dianna that he didn't even hear Taylor trying to talk to him.
"Hey Cor, you okay?" she wondered staring up to the side of his face until he glanced back quickly to her.
"Huh? What?" he asked dazed.
"I asked if you were alright." She repeated.
Cory nodded quickly. "Uh yeah, yeah I'm cool." He paused for a second before saying, "I think I'm going to go back over to the cast and talk for a little bit."
He started to turn when Taylor said, "I'll come with."
He stopped to look back at her. "Really?"
"Absolutely." She insisted. "Isn't that okay?"
He only nodded and shoved his hands into his pockets. He could have refused, 'No I don't think so.' But would that really have gone over well? Most likely not.
He made his way over to Dianna and gave her a smile, one that she returned without hesitation.
Some seconds later he watched as it slowly disappeared from her face. He looked to the side of him and noticed Taylor standing next to him, lightly touching his arm.
"Hey! Dianna… right?" Taylor asked pointing her small index finger to the other blonde in a greeting fashion.
Dianna put on a smile and Cory immediately recognized it as a fake smile; he knew her that well.
"Yeah and you're obviously Taylor Swift. I um… I didn't know you come to the Globes." She said warily.
Taylor's face brightened up a little. "Oh no you're right! This is actually my first time. This is a movie and show award ceremony, no music."
Dianna cocked her head back a little surprised. "Oh and you still got an invite?"
"Well not from the show committee. I'm actually here on an invite from a person." She informed her.
"Ah… like a date?" Dianna asked with a smile, clearly unaware of the situation. "Who?"
Cory's eyes widened at that moment. This wasn't going to be good. He took a step in the opposite direction hoping to step out of the impending doom situation but he was a little too late.
"Oh from Cory." She answered cheerfully.
Dianna furrowed her brow. "Um like a…. like a… you mean together like…." She struggled for words and he felt his heart break a little for her.
He had to speak up. Maybe he could somehow make this conversation a bit better. Salvage it in a way. "It's more like a friend kind of-" but it was too late.
"I'm his date." She stated proudly.
Cory looked down from Dianna's hurt face to the red carpet, not able to look her in the eyes, and cleared his throat.
From the ground, Cory could hear Taylor lightly giggle, probably attempting to diffuse the awkward silence.
It felt like minutes until someone said something. "Oh I didn't think Cory was coming with a date." Dianna said softly.
"Yeah he asked me a few days ago. It was kind of last minute by I thought, what the hell right?" Taylor responded with a smile. "Who are you here with by the way?"
Dianna bit down on her bottom lip before answering. "Well, I'm not officially here with anyone. The person I had planned on coming with is here tonight but we aren't here together."
Cory just chewed on the side of his cheek at hearing Dianna's venomous tone.
"Oh that's a tough break huh? What happened?"
Dianna narrowed her eyes at Taylor. "Sorry but I don't really think that's anyone else's business. I mean, I only usually tell people stuff like that who I'm really close with and can trust; someone I know. But it's like, kind of weird…" She stopped and looked at Cory who made eye contact with her for the first time since she figured out Taylor was his date. "Sometimes you think you know people better, but then you find out you're wrong."
Those were her parting words to the two of them before she turned and made her way off into the crowd.
Taylor turned to Cory. "Is she okay?"
He shut his eyes and sighed. "I don't think so… I'll be back." He walked off into the same crowd that he had last seen Dianna disappear into, leaving Taylor behind confused.
After a short while of pushing through many people, he finally spotted her walking off to the side near the backdrop of the walls that separated certain sections of the carpet. He slowly jogged up behind her, grabbed her arm gently and pulled her behind the wall.
"What do you want Cory?" she bit out angrily while tugging her arm out from his grasp.
He sighed. "Listen I'm sorry."
"Sorry? Sorry for what Cory? For lying to me?"
"I didn't lie to you."
"Oh right, my bad. I meant to say, for not telling me the truth." She spat.
He ran a hand through his hair. "It's not like that either."
"Just- why didn't you just tell me you were going with her the other day when we talked?" she questioned, the anger slipping from her voice.
If she was being honest with herself, she was utterly heart broken. For the last few days, she hadn't talked to Alex because of their fight and the only thing that got her through that type of emotional state was Cory. He always helped her through anything and just like every other time, she thought she could count on him again but she couldn't. Him bringing another girl crushed her because she was finally coming to terms on just how much she wanted to be with him. She was even planning on calling things off with Alex soon.
He shrugged. "I- I just- I couldn't. Hearing about how you weren't going to have a date made me feel bad and it would have made me feel even worse to tell you I had someone to go with when you didn't. Asking her was a spur of the moment thing and I guess I didn't really think it through. I don't know…"
She could feel the tears wanting to come up. She had to end this fast. She took a deep breath to hold back the water works. "Well tell me when you do know… for real."
She walked past him and out from behind the wall.
Cory could have kicked himself right then. 'God I can't believe that just happened! I couldn't say anything else though. What was I supposed to tell her, I actually only asked Taylor in hopes of making you realize how it felt to be the one on the outside; the jealous one. I mean, it didn't officially start like that though. I asked Taylor because I didn't want to be dateless next to Di who I assumed was going with Alex. I couldn't exactly tell her about Taylor after what she told me about her and stupid Alex and I couldn't call it off with Taylor by then. God I'm just so fucking confused!' He rambled in his head.
After, he walked back out and found his group, which included Taylor and soon after, joined them all inside the venue.
The Glee cast took up one big table in the front of the room. He took the spot at the far end of the table that had his name on it and Taylor sat next to him on his left and he had Mark on his right.
He watched as all of his cast mates filed into their designated seats and noticed the chair that had Dianna's name in front of it was still empty. He would have gotten up to look for her but he was stuck when Taylor began to talk to him.
After a few minutes he was going to excuse himself from the conversation to go find her but to his good fortune she finally showed up.
He looked at her as she sat down. She was gripping a tissue in her palm and she tried to hide it, and her eyes had barely noticeable red coloring around them. Normally he wouldn't have noticed it but he had been looking closely at her. He squinted his eyes a little to get a clearer view of her eyes since she was sitting down the table from him. He wasn't sure why they were red, and then it hit him. Shit, she had been crying.
At that moment he felt like the biggest dick in the entire universe. He had made the girl he loved cry because he decided to be a jealous ass and tried to make her taste some of her own medicine.
He was going to get up and walk over to her but then he saw Dianna talking quietly to Lea, then Lea shot daggers at him. At that moment he immediately planted his butt back down.
Great, now Lea was mad at him and she had something to say, 'I told you so' to.
Cory's eyes snapped to the stage when he heard a voice sound through the crowded room.
"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the Beverly Hilton Hotel here in Beverly Hills, California for the 68th annual Golden Globes! Let's introduce our host, Mr. Ricky Gervais!"
He watched on as Ricky Gervais made his way on stage and started speaking to the crowd, which included some jokes he figured many people would find insensitive and rude. Oh well.
Through out the first hour before their category would be announced, Cory sat there awkwardly looking from the presenter on stage to Dianna to Taylor, who kept touching his leg under the table, then back to Dianna who he would sometimes catch looking back at him but she would quickly avert her eyes somewhere else when they made eye contact.
Finally, after what felt like ages of waiting and him moving his leg away from Taylor, their category was up.
He sat patiently in his chair as he watched January Jones and Jimmy Fallon saunter up across the stage and to the podium.
They got the crowd laughing with their back and forth banter before they got serious.
"Any way, we're here to present the award for best television series musical or comedy." January announced.
"That's right January." Jimmy agreed.
"And here are the nominees!" they announced together.
Everyone watched as the lights dimmed and the big screen behind the stage lit up with the nominees.
First it showed a clip from 30 Rock, then The Big Bang Theory, followed by The Big C, Glee, Modern Family, and finally Nurse Jackie.
The screen faded out and the lights returned back to normal.
Everyone at the table waited in anticipation and Cory was even gripping onto the bottom of his seat.
"And the Golden Globe goes to…" January started as she opened the golden envelope in her hands.
Cory took a deep breath. He would either scream it out in joy or let it out in a sigh.
She looked down at the envelope then back up to the crowd and leaned forward to the microphone.
"Glee!" she announced loudly.
Cory shot up from his seat and started to clap with a huge grin on his face. He looked around the table and saw everyone else's matching expressions including Ryan, Ian, Brad, and one of their other directors Dante. He got a hug from Mark and Taylor, the two to his immediate sides.
He listened over the clap filled room to their theme song "Don't Stop Believin."
The whole cast started to make their way to the stage.
Cory followed behind Chord and looked back to Taylor who was waving and giving him a thumbs up from the table.
Like, twenty people later, everyone had gathered up front.
Ryan and Ian spoke for the show. In short, they thanked every person that had made the show possible.
The winning that night didn't stop for them after that either. Chris had taken home the Globe for Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Television Series and Jane took home the award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting role in a Series for Television.
Overall, it was great night for the show and for everyone that made it possible.
Another hour later, the award ceremony ended and everyone started deciding where to make their ways to after parties. Everyone planned to go to all different parties in small groups. Mark, Chord, Kevin, Heather and Jayma decided to hang around the parties that were at the Beverly Hilton and Naya, Lea, Amber, Jenna, and Harry opted to go to the Chateau Marmont a little bit after, and some others planned on going out to a late dinner.
Cory had planned on searching out Dianna after the show and talking with her again. He felt incredibly guilty through out the duration of the ceremony. He had to talk with her and figure everything out.
He had spotted her to one end of the carpet standing alone. He took a deep breath for reassurance and began to go to her. He only made it about four steps when he stopped.
There was Alex, who came up from next to her and planted a kiss on her cheek. He watched on from a distance as she giggled and they were both all smiles, acting like they were in their own little world together.
Cory had to turn around and walk away. He couldn't even watch that. Weren't they not on good terms?
As he walked, he saw Harry with the Glee girls who he quickly went to.
"Hey Harry." Cory greeted as cheerfully as he could after what he had just seen.
"Oh hey man." He started before looking to the group who were beginning to pile into cars to go to the after party, and then looked back to Cory with a smile. "Hey, do you want to come to the Chateau Marmont with us? I heard it's a good party every year."
Cory shook his head. "Nah man I'm good. I think I'm going to make it an early night."
Harry looked surprised but ultimately said it was okay. Then he said, "So I guess I'll see you in a few days for the start of filming." He started walking to the car when Cory shouted, "Wait!"
Harry looked back to Cory.
"So is Dianna not going out with everyone either?" he questioned.
Harry shook his head. "I heard she was planning on going off with Alex."
Cory quirked an eyebrow and had to mentally tell himself not to explode in anger.
"I thought they weren't on speaking terms right now." He coolly said.
"Yeah we all thought that but I over heard her and Lea talking and she said that her and Alex made up a little after the show."
Cory rubbed the side of his face. "Uh okay. Thanks for letting me know."
"Are you sure you don't want to join us?"
"Yeah like I said, I'm good." He assured Harry who only nodded, said bye and hopped into one of the cars.
Cory ended up finding Taylor again in the crowd.
"Are you okay?" she asked worriedly. "You look upset."
He looked over to her and plastered a fake smile on his face. "Yeah I'm fine, just a little tired…. Listen, would it be all right if I didn't go to any of the after parties with you? I'm pretty beat you know and I was just going to head home."
She gave him a soft smile in return. "Sure it's okay. We'll just have to do something soon to make up for it."
"Sure that sounds good. In a couple days?"
"Okay, a couple days it is. Let me know Cory. By the way, I had a really good time."
He smiled his lop sided smile. "That's great to hear." 'At least one of us did.'
He ended up giving her a ride back to her friends house she was staying with since she didn't feel like going to the after parties either.
By the time he got home, it was mid night. It didn't take him long to get ready for bed but it was quite the opposite on sleeping. He had a restless night with barely any sleep due to all of the thoughts in his head that wouldn't let up. All involved Dianna.
~ A Few Days Later ~
Cory showed up to set with Taylor on their first day back for the start of filming the second part of the season. They only got around two weeks off for the hiatus before they had to resume work in order to get the episodes through Fox and aired at the right time.
It was Taylor's last day in California before she would have to travel back to Tennessee to continue with her albums. She asked to join him for a little on set so she could say good bye to everyone who she had grown to be friends with which was mostly the whole cast. Even Brad, Ian, and Ryan were taken with her and were thinking about doing one of her songs in the future.
While Taylor was saying her goodbyes, Cory was leaning against the side of his trailer looking over the script for their super bowl episode, which was called "The Sue Sylvester Shuffle." He chuckled at the name.
He was reading the part where they were going to be able to dress like zombies which he thought was too cool and then he read that he was going to be singing a song by the band The Zombies.
He kept on reading through alone for a few more minutes until he heard someone yelling from a distance.
"No, I want to speak with him now! I don't even care if he's busy or not!" a man's voice shouted.
"Can't you just believe me!" a woman's voice said in return.
Cory looked up from the pages in his hand and around his trailer in the direction the voice was coming from.
In the distance, he could make out a blonde man speed walking closer to the set with a blonde woman quickly following in tow.
It only took him a few more seconds to realize it was Alex.
He walked out from the side of his trailer and started in the blonde's direction. "Hey is everything okay here?" he asked, gesturing to the both of them.
Alex met up with him. "No everything is not okay." He retorted venomously. "You need to stay away from my girlfriend." Alex's eyes were burned through Cory his glare was so intense.
Cory kept calm. "What are you talking about?"
"Alex please, you don't understand." Dianna cried from next to him and grabbed on to his arm.
"Oh don't play dumb with me you imbecile. I saw those photos of you walking out of Dianna's apartment on TMZ last night. Making the walk of shame so to speak. Must have happened while I was away!" He shot back in anger.
Cory began to laugh. "You're joking right? Walk of shame? That would require me sleeping with Di."
"Cory what's happening?" Taylor slowly walked over to the scene and stood a little from Cory.
"Oh I see you've moved on to your next fuck buddy huh?" Alex said, gesturing to Taylor who was utterly confused.
"That's enough Alex." Dianna warned as she attempted to tug on his arm for them to walk away.
"No, no, I don't think so yet." He assured her, pulling his arm from her hands.
Cory looked a little behind him to Taylor and signaled for her to stay back. "Okay man, why don't you take some deep breaths and calm the hell down. You should listen to Dianna. Nothing you're thinking happened."
"Oh no! Why should I calm down huh? I have the right to be outraged when I have photographical evidence that you're a sneaky bastard and my so called girlfriend is a slut!" he shouted at Cory who was now getting angry himself.
He took a step towards Alex. "Hey! Don't call her that! Call me whatever the fuck you want but never call her names!"
"It's okay if it's the truth." He came back with, getting in Cory's face.
"Alex that's enough! Please stop this now!" Dianna begged from next to him.
"Yeah this needs to stop. You need to go home, calm down, and get your facts right before you show up here and get at me." Cory agreed.
"I have my facts you daft ape!" Alex spat before he pushed Cory.
Cory stumbled back a few steps but didn't fall. He would have just held himself back if what happened didn't.
Dianna stepped in front of Alex making sure he wouldn't go for Cory again. "Alex!" she shouted in an attempt to get him to stop but it was in vain. Alex pushed her forcefully to the side, which caused her to tumble to the pavement next to him.
That put Cory over the edge. He charged to Alex who immediately shoved at him. Cory took a step back before bending over and throwing his arms around Alex's waist and tackling him to the ground.
Dianna and Taylor continued to shout at them but the two men just kept on wrestling on the ground. Cory got in the first few punches to Alex's face then Alex flipped them around and got his own licks in.
After what seemed like they were fighting forever to Dianna, Mark, Chord, Kevin, and Harry rushed from a building and at the situation.
The four guys pulled them from each other and off the ground. Chord and Harry pulled up Cory and held him back while Kevin and Mark did the same for Alex.
"You are one lucky person Cory that your friends were here because I-"
"Because you what?" Cory cut him off, both still being held on to. "You would have given me more bruises? Well at least it's better that you are finally giving bruises to someone your own size and gender!"
Alex attempted to wiggle out of Mark and Kevin's grasps but to no avail.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Alex shot back.
"Oh please! You know damn well what I'm talking about!" Cory scoffed. "I know about your abusive nature. I saw the bruise on Dianna's wrist that one day when you came to visit the set. I never said anything for her sake but seeing you now and you shoving her to the ground like that; I'm mad that I didn't say something. You should be thrown in jail!"
"What the hell is going on here?" Ryan shouted at the group of people. Cory assumed he must have heard everything going down and came out. "Get him out of here." He ordered to the security guards with him, pointing at Alex.
The two security men took Alex from Mark and Kevin and led him out and off the lot. Dianna was in tears and was just about to run after him when Ryan told her to stay where she was.
Once everyone was settled, Ryan looked at Cory and at his face that had a slight black eye and a bruised jaw.
"Cory what happened?" Ryan question.
Cory opened his mouth to answer but nothing came out. He couldn't even talk right now. He shook his head, turned around, and walked away in a huff. Taylor quickly followed him.
Ryan turned his gaze over to Mark, Kevin, Chord, and Harry.
"So?"
"Cory wait!" Taylor shouted from behind him. He walked over to his trailer steps and plopped himself down on the first one and put his head in his hands.
"I know you probably don't want to talk about it but, really Cor, what happened back there?" Taylor looked at him very seriously ready to understand.
Cory sighed and scratched his hairline then gently touched his bruised eye. "Everything just got kind of out of hand."
Taylor chuckled a little. "Yeah I saw that."
He smiled at her attempt to keep a sense of humor. He liked that.
"It's just… the stuff he said got me angry I guess."
"About you and Dianna you know…" she trailed off.
"Well it wasn't even that. First off, because I'm sure you're probably curious too, Dianna and I, it never happened. I understand why he would have thought that but it was all strictly friendship there. Dianna was sick that day and I went over to visit her to make sure she was okay. I brought her some stuff to make her feel better too. We ended up watching dvd's all night and we fell asleep so I left in the morning. I never saw any photographers taking pictures. I guess that's what he saw." He finished with a shrug and scrunched lips.
"So even though you too never were together… you still felt the need to fight him?"
"Alex was getting on my nerves with him all in my face and when he shoved her to the ground I… I guess I went into overdrive or something."
She sweetly smiled at him. "You fought for Dianna."
He stood up from the steps a little defensively. "I'd do it for any girl. No girl should ever be harmed by a guy. It's the law and I just feel it should be enforced."
She nodded. "And I agree one hundred and ten percent with that and I know you'd do it for any girl but, Dianna isn't just any girl to you is she Cory? I can see there's something there."
He looks away from her for a moment then opens his mouth to speak. "I… Taylor I-" he struggled for the right words.
She can see he's floundering so she cuts him off.
"Don't worry about Cory. I get it, I really do. It's practically what I sing." She laughs and in turn makes him chuckle as well. "Just, be with the girl you truly want to be with. Go get her Cory."
He smiles his lop-sided grin and pulled her into a hug. "Thank you and… I will."
They pull apart and he looked at her. "So… are you going to write a song about this?" he wondered with a raised brow and a grin.
She laughs and said, "Even though it's truly song writing gold, I don't plan on it."
He takes a step back pretending to be offended. "Am I not good enough to be written a song about?"
"Oh trust me, you're plenty good enough. I'm just letting someone else have the chance to write it." She responded with a sweet smile.
They both smile. "I'm gonna head on back to my friend's house. My flight back to Nashville is tomorrow morning."
"I can give you a ride." He quickly offered but she declined.
"No that's alright. You might want to go to the nurses station and get your bruises checked out now."
He grins and it makes the bruise on his jaw hurt and he winced and touched it. "Right. I should probably do that."
He had spent a good ten minutes at the medic station on set with a nurse looking at his bruises. She gave him some ice but that was all she could do. She also told him that they weren't too bad and would be easily concealable with some cover up while they filmed.
He thanked her and walked out with a small ice pack for his jaw and eye. He held it up to his eye first and he had almost run into someone with only his one eyed vision.
He pulled the ice down from his eye and looked to the person.
"Di." He breathed.
She softly smiled at him. "Hey I was just coming to check up on you."
"Thanks but as you can see, I'm fairly fine." He pointed to his only two bruises and breathed a light laugh.
She put her hand up to his cheek. "Thank you… for standing up for me."
The corner of his lip arched into a half smile. "I told you I'd do anything for you… whether it be kicking some guy's ass or getting my own kicked."
They both softly chuckled and she dropped her hand.
"Really though, I'm sorry you got dragged into that. He has a temper and rarely listens to reason when he get's like that."
"Eh, it wasn't your fault. I never want you taking the blame for him being a tool… No offense."
"Hey trust me, no offense taken." She assured him with a smile.
"I should probably be saying I'm sorry too." He sighed.
She furrowed her brow. "For?"
"For not telling you about Taylor. I said that I didn't know why I brought her in the end but that was kind of a lie. I brought her because…. In the beginning, I didn't want to stand dateless next to you being all happy with Alex but then when you told me you weren't going with him, I panicked and didn't say anything because I still wanted her as my date to make you feel like I always feel when I see you with him… jealous. It was a really big jerk thing to do I know now but I just couldn't help it. You make me crazy some times with lots of… emotion." He finished with what Dianna thought was a very cute smile. She couldn't exactly be mad at him with him looking like that.
"It's okay. I understand now. I was upset then but I managed to stay calm and collected about it."
Cory looked at her confused. "I um… I know you cried."
She bit the side of her cheek before she lightly smiled. "Well sometimes you make me crazy with emotions too."
They both took deep breaths and let them out.
"Are we good?"
"When are we not?" she asked with a smile.
"Well…" he began.
"Oh don't over analyze it and just give me a hug." She ordered.
He smiled back at her. "That I can do."
He pulled her in to a tight embrace and they stayed like that for about a minute before they let go and started to walk back to set.
"Oh by the way, I appreciate you getting your face punched in for me but don't let it happen again. Ryan's words on that last part."
He continued to walk along side of her. "Hey I make no guarantees when it comes to you but I'll do my best."
She playfully punched him in the arm. "Hey, that's assault. You just told me no more fights." He joked and they laughed all the way down the hall.
That's going to be the last of Taylor Swift all you to all you T-Swift fans. She was in it for a bit. So what does every one think is going to happen with the Cory-Dianna-Alex triangle? Let me know! Please review it's not hard and it's very kind too. I love them :D