Author's Notes: Hi guys, thank you for all coming in and reading this story. Here's another chapter to build on the character development for both Mike and Tina. I'm really excited where the story is going so far, and with all that I have plotted already, I'm really liking it.
On a side note, have you guys seen the Mike/Tina teasers all around the internet? I'm buzzing with excitement trying to guess how those two will hook up. Though I did guess right that they would get close during summer camp. Mike in his, what I am guessing, counselor uniform looks absolutely fine!
So, here's this week's chapter!
Disclaimer: Glee belongs to Fox.
"Are you Tina? Michelle's little sister?"
Tina looked momentarily confused as she listened to the person at the other end of her phone. "Uh, yeah, this is Tina. Who is this?" she said, hopefully drowning out the noisy chatter of the other glee club members.
"This is Emily, one of your sister's friends from New York. We met during a fitting," supplied the other line.
"Oh," Tina vaguely remembered a young woman with bouncy red curls during a dress fitting last month. "Right, right. Yeah, I remember." She paused, wondering what to say next and idly watched Finn fiddle with some sheet music. After another second of silence, she continued. "Is there something I can help you with?"
"Yeah, actually there is. Since Mich is getting married in two months time, some of the girls are thinking of throwing a bridal shower for her,"
"Bridal shower?" Tina echoed, looking confused. This caught Kurt and Mercedes' attention, with them constantly interested in the latest happenings of her sister's wedding. "Isn't that just a little bit too early?"
"Yeah, we know. We just want you to know that some of us girls back here are already mulling over ideas for her shower. Call us excited," she chuckled softly. "The thing is, we'd just want to let you know that there are definitely high chances of a stripper attending,"
"Stripper?"
Whatever everybody was engaged in stopped and all the members of the club where now staring at Tina, with a surprised and intrigued expression on their faces. Tina on the other hand held a bewildered expression on her face, as she listened to her sister's friend.
"Right, stripper."
Tina shot Mercedes a frantic expression, and blushed at the sudden attention from the entire club. "I don't think that's even legal," she said.
"It's not like we're doing prostitution, girl,"
"I'm seventeen," deadpanned Tina, adjusting her cell. "And I don't think my dad will like the whole idea of me attending a party with stripper in the room,"
Snickers filled the room, mostly from the guys, and Tina shot Puck a withering glare. She listened as the woman on the other end laughed softly.
"Don't worry, there will be adult supervision,"
Tina felt like throwing her phone across the room, but she cringed instead. Right, and who's going to watch over the adults? She thought darkly.
"Oh, and don't tell your sister. We just wanted to give you a heads up. So that you won't feel so uncomfortable with the whole thing,"
"Uncomfortable?" repeated Tina, looking exasperated. "Oh, I'm far from uncomfortable,"
"Great," said Emily, not really catching the sarcasm over the phone. "We'll keep in touch with you for the details. And then you can try to invite all of Mich's old girl friends from Lima. It's going to be a blast,"
Rolling her eyes, Tina nodded. "Yey," she breathed into her phone. Bidding goodbye to Emily and ending the call, she turned to her friends who were patiently waiting for an explanation.
"One of the bridesmaids wants to throw a shower for my sister, stripper included. She called if it was okay with me," she explained to Mercedes and the rest, who were watching her with interest.
"Girl, if there's a guy dressed in nothing but a thong dancing in front of you, bearing his package for the entire world to see, it has to be alright with you," Mercedes grinned.
Kurt nodded in agreement, leaning over the back of his chair to look at Tina. "I must agree. Though I do not find a thong very much appealing, but when something is there to appreciate, one must definitely appreciate,"
Tina groaned but laughed still, burying her head into her hands. "You guys!"
"Hey Gothica," Puck grinned crookedly at her. "If you need somebody to swoon all those ladies, just give me a call. I can definitely put on a show," He flexed his muscles, and wiggled his eyebrows suggestively.
"Ew, Puck," Tina scrunched up her nose, but grinned at him knowing he only meant to tease her. After the birth of his daughter, everybody saw a change in Puck. He became more subdued. "I don't know whether to thank you, or be scared,"
Everybody was laughing and coming up with possible candidates for strippers. Rachel shuddered when Jacob was brought into the conversation as a possible stripper. Mr. Shue soon arrived, bringing a stack of new sheet music with him, and practice soon went into full swing.
"So, I'm taking you up on that offer now,"
Tina looked up after closing her bag and hoisting it over her shoulder. She stared at Mike with a confused expression. "Sorry, what?"
"Ice cream!"
Tina blinked trying to make sense of the conversation, before she remembered their earlier agreement that week. "Oh, right!"
Mike looked smug as he followed her down the risers. "See, I told you I wouldn't forget. Your forgot, shame on you,"
Tina laughed and followed him out of the choir room. "Like I told you the last time, you wouldn't forget because you're a jock and it involves food,"
"Hey, isn't that borderline stereotyping?" countered Mike.
Tina shrugged, looking disinterested. "Maybe, but with most of you guys, it's so true,"
"I thought we agreed that I was way nicer than most jocks," He feigned a hurt look.
"Hey," Tina smiled, nudging him softly in the side after catching his fake hurt look. "Okay, okay. We already established that you aren't like most jocks. You're nice,"
Mike grinned in satisfaction and remained quiet as they exited the school building and headed towards the parking lots. A late afternoon breeze ruffled their hair, signaling that the end of the summer was just around the corner and autumn would soon kick in.
Noting the smile that played along Mike's lips, Tina eyed him suspiciously. "Hey,"
Mike looked down at her, still grinning. "Sorry, what?"
Tina eyed him, trying to figure out what he was thinking, but gave up and smiled. "Nothing," she said, as they stopped in front of his car. "Let's just go,"
10 minutes later, they found themselves at the local ice cream parlor, nestled in a booth and devouring their ice cream.
"This is nice," mused Tina, while spooning a mound of green tea ice cream out of her cup.
Mike grinned over his cup. "Yeah, free ice cream is always nice,"
Tina rolled her eyes. "Of course, to you, it definitely is," She watched him reach across the table and steal a spoonful of ice cream out of her cup. "Hey, that's considered stealing,"
"I never really tried green tea ice cream before, mainly because we drink a lot of green tea at home, but, hey, this is pretty good," said Mike, not really listening to her. He made a motion to steal another spoonful but stopped when Tina laughed and pushed her ice cream cup out of reach. "Oi!"
"Hey, hey. Get your own green tea ice cream," Tina teased. But for good measure, she leaned over and took a spoonful of his strawberry ice cream. "Now we're even," she grinned.
"So, stripper, huh?" Mike looked amused as Tina suddenly looked flustered.
"You're having a ball out of this, aren't you?"
"You have no idea," Mike grinned. And for good measure, he shook his shoulders and wiggled his eyebrows at Tina, who burst out laughing. His movements looked funnier than they were supposed to be seductive.
"Mike, stop!" Tina laughed, shaking her head and motioning with her right gloved hand to stop his shimming. He stopped and her giggles soon subsided. Wiping a tear away, she grinned. "You definitely know how to make a girl laugh,"
Mike suddenly smiled at her and leaned back in his seat, watching her return to her ice cream. "That's good,"
Tina looked up, and watched him watching her. There was a moment of silence as they both stared each other down, before she suddenly turned away and looked back down into her empty ice cream cup, a small smile played on her lips. "Thanks, Mike,"
He looked confused as he watched her fiddle with the paper cup. "For what?"
She shrugged and suddenly crushed the cup. Grabbing a napkin and wiping off some ice cream that got on her finger, she looked up and offered him a rueful smile. "You know, for hanging out with me and all. It's nice. With all the stuff going on lately, it's nice to take a break,"
He watched her for a moment, trying to process what she just said. Mike smiled and cocked his head to the side, watching her. "I'm always around to hang out with, Tee," He shrugged nonchalantly, and scratched his neck. "Or to just talk to," He looked pointedly at her.
Tina looked at him, startled, and suddenly blushing and flustered. She smiled at him. "Thanks, Mike," She checked her watch and realized that it was close to dinner time. She started moving out of their booth, "I think I should go home now."
"Here, I'll drive you home," Mike stood up.
Tina shook her head and smiled. "No, it's okay. I still have to run by the store and buy milk," She hoisted her bag over her shoulder and smiled. "Thanks again, Mike," she shifted, and looked awkwardly at the two ice cream cups on their table. "This was nice,"
Mike grinned and they walked out the ice cream parlor. "It's nice hanging out with you too, Asian," He shifted and nudged her softly. "And remember, I'm just around," He winked.
Tina smiled and nodded as they reached the sidewalk. She watched him for a moment, trying to figure out what she should think about him right now. Mike was nice. She smiled again at this. "Bye, Mike,"
A/N: Please review and tell me what you think or might like to see in the story.