She said yes. Artie could hardly believe it. Quinn actually said yes. Alright, yeah…it wasn't like he asked her to be his girlfriend or anything (he was working up to that), but she did happily agree to be his date for the winter formal and that was cause for excitement.
Artie felt like the man!
Honestly, if he did think so himself, he was the man! How many dudes could roll around the school saying they were taking the Quinn Fabray to the dance? Exactly one, that's how many.
As he headed for the choir room for yet another early morning meeting, Artie couldn't stop himself from smiling. He couldn't wait to see Quinn. When he left his house, he spotted a bright pink daisy growing in the patch of grass that lined the sidewalk. It reminded him of her, so he picked it and planned on giving it to her. He thought it would highlight her golden locks perfectly.
"There you are. I was waiting for you."
His heart stuttered at the first sight of her. She was wearing her cheerleading uniform, just as she did everyday, but with the early morning light creeping through the halls, she glowed. "You were waiting for me?"
Quinn's shoulders pulled together in a shrug. "Yeah…" Her lips tugged into a lopsided smile. "I like having you with me." Blushing slightly, she nodded towards the choir room. "C'mon, I think everyone is there already."
"Wait…" Artie reached for her hand and laced their fingers together. "I have something for you." Bashfully, he presented the bright pink daisy to her.
Her eyes widened as she covered her mouth with her free hand. "Oh my God."
"If you don't like it…"
"Are you kidding me?" Smiling wider, she took the daisy and brought it to her nose. "I love it, Artie. Thank you." She placed the flower in her ear and held her hands up in presentation. "How do I look?"
"You look beautiful." He didn't hesitate for a moment. Quinn was beautiful and he wanted her to know it.
Biting her lower lip, she smiled. "Wheel me to the choir room?" She winked at him before moving to take a hold of his handle bars.
Yep...Artie was the man!
"Self-expression!" Mr. Schuester exclaimed as he wrote the words on the white board. "Who can tell me what it is?"
Brittany raised her hand. "A check-out line."
"Um…no." Mr. Schue pressed on without giving Brittany's answer a second thought. "Self-expression is defined as 'the assertion of one's individuality, thoughts, or emotions through the use of creative means'…and in our case, a song. I want all of you to dig deep within yourselves and find a song that expresses something you may not be able to express without it."
"If you don't mind Mr. Schue…" Rachel took her spot center stage. "I have the perfect ballad for this assignment that expresses the star I strive to-"
"I appreciate the enthusiasm Rachel, but I need you to dig a little deeper." Mr. Schue guided Rachel back to her seat before addressing the group once again. "There are a wide range of emotions that we all suppress everyday in our lives. I want each of you to find what's beneath the surface. Be it love, passion, anger, struggle, fear, heartache, pride, hope or anything else. I want you to embrace what's there and find a song that expresses it. And remember, just like emotions, there are a wide range of songs beyond ballads." He paused to give Rachel a pointed look. "You guys can sing, rap, get funky…whatever, as long as it expresses something personal about you and who you are."
Artie leaned over to Quinn and whispered, "I really like this assignment."
"Really?" Her expression twisted unpleasantly. Quinn hated the assignment. There was no way she was going to get up in front of everyone and express something personal. What was she supposed to sing about? Her problems at home? No way.
Slipping into a suggestive tone, Artie lowered his voice. "Yeah woman…look at me. I'm drownin' in individuality. I gots to let it out somehow, you know how it is." He flicked his nose with his thumb and let loose a velvety laugh.
Grinning, Quinn shook her head and hid her face in her hand. She didn't know when she started finding all the little quirks that made up Artie Abrams to be cute, but none the less…she did.
"Okay guys…" Mr. Schue's voice cut in. "You have your assignment, now go get your self-expression on!"
In snickers at Mr. Schue's expense, everyone began gathering their things and dispersing.
"I'm gonna head to the computer lab and try and find a song. You want to come?" Artie offered with pleading eyes. "I can help find you something to sing."
"As fun as that sounds…" Quinn tried to sound sincere, but her lack of interest in the assignment poured through her words. "…I think I'll stop by Ms. Pillsbury's office instead."
Artie scrunched his brows together in confusion. "Why?"
"Apparently we need to discuss my parents' divorce and whatnot." Her eyes fluttered as she sighed. "I might as well get it over with."
"Oh…" He seemed worried, but thankfully for her sake, he didn't linger on the matter. "I'll see you in class then?"
Quinn simpered at Artie's continued hesitance around her. It was as though he was having a hard time believing that she actually wanted to hang out with him. She thought it to be silly, considering she said yes to going to the winter formal with him and all. "Of course you will."
They exchanged a series of shy smiles before Artie nodded and headed out of the choir room.
Quinn turned around to grab her bag only to find Santana and Brittany standing there with hips popped and eyes glaring. Brittany wasn't glaring so much, but Santana? The girl had daggers shooting out of her eyes.
"What do you want, boob job?" Quinn spat out as she mimicked Santana's aggressive posture. "I'm busy."
"Yeah, busy going completely mental." Santana scoffed.
Brittany tilted her head. "You mean…like the fresh maker?"
Both Quinn and Santana rolled their eyes. "It's all over the school, you know?" Santana crossed her arms as she approached with a satisfied smirk.
Quinn's expression went blank. She didn't know what Santana was talking about, but the last thing she needed to go through was another scandal. She finally got her position back as Queen-Bee and she didn't want to lose it…not again. "I-I don't know what you're talking about." With nose in the air, Quinn extended her neck and feigned confidence.
"It's cute how naïve you are." Santana spoke sarcastically. "You turn down hot, sexy, oh-so ab-licious Sam, but you say yes to Wheels? Are you trying to commit social suicide?"
Shifting her weight from foot to foot, Quinn clucked her tongue in annoyance. "That's ridiculous."
"Listen, I'm only telling you this cause you're supposed to be my social sister or whatever…" Santana flicked her wrist. "…but everyone knows you're only as high as your lowest low and Wheels? He's the lowest. Brits and I don't even acknowledge his existence outside of this room."
"Artie's cool…and…and he's on the football team. He can't be that low." Quinn didn't know what she was saying or why she was getting caught up in Santana's antics. She was flustered. When she woke up in the morning, she was excited and thrilled to see Artie. Everything else fell to the side, but now that Santana was smacking her in the face with the reality of reputation, Quinn found herself unhinged.
"Yeah, he's on the team as a charity case. He might as well be the mascot." Santana scoffed again and leaned in with a gossipy tone. "He may wear the colors, but underneath it all…he's still a capital G geek and if you show up with him everyone will assume you are too." She pulled back with a smug smirk. "Don't believe me? Look at Finn. His stocks been tanking ever since he hooked up with a loser." With a flip of her pony tail, Santana snapped her fingers and headed out of the room. "C'mon Brits, we're out."
Rolling her eyes, Quinn adjusted her backpack and exited. With head held high and hands on her hips, she was prepared to dismiss everything that Santana said…and then it happened. Someone's bag slammed into her shoulder. Another's made contact with her face. She became squished between two high-fiving jocks that didn't seem to notice her. Quinn drew into herself, her shoulders pulling forwards.
She was invisible…again…
When school was over, Artie headed straight to Quinn's locker, hoping she would be there. She didn't show up for biology and she was nowhere to be found at lunch. Needless to say, Artie was concerned…and more so…he missed her. They had afternoon glee practice and he convinced himself she would be there, but he wanted to be able to talk to her and see her before that.
"Hey Artie." A voice came from behind him.
Smiling, he spun his chair around. When he saw who was standing there, his smile slipped off his face. "Oh, hey Tina." He barely glanced at her. Instead, he continued to scan the halls in search of his blond princess with a pink daisy in her ear. "Have you seen Quinn by any chance?"
"I think she was sitting on the bench by the trophy case." When Artie went to grip his wheels, Tina stopped him. "Mike and I broke up." She said it quickly; like it was a band-aid she had to rip off.
Artie remained silent. He had no idea what she expected him to do with that information. It wasn't as though he still had feeling for her or anything. He liked Quinn. He really liked Quinn.
"It wasn't working out." She shrugged languidly. "Th-the dance is coming up." She brought her eyes to meet his and smiled hopefully. "I was thinking we could...go together. You know, as friends."
Without a shred of uncertainty lining his voice, Artie responded immediately. "As precious as I find you wanting to use me as a rebound to your rebound, I'm going to have to decline." Squaring his shoulders, he straightened in pride. "I'm going with Quinn." With that, Artie gripped his wheels and maneuvered himself around her.
"But…I heard she was going with Sam."
He came to an abrupt halt. It had to be a mistake. There was no way he heard what he thought he heard. When he asked Quinn to the dance, she said yes. She said she was waiting for him to ask her. No, Tina had to have been mistaken. Slowly, he spun around to face Tina again. "Say what?"
After finding out what he could from Tina and after a not so pleasant run-in with Santana (why did that girl like to play the bitch when it came to his relationships with cheerleaders?), Artie sought Quinn out. They needed to talk and he needed some answers. He found Quinn sitting on the bench, hugging her backpack to her chest and staring blankly at the floor. She still had the bright pink daisy in her ear. He wanted nothing more than to go over to her, take her hand and make her feel better over whatever she was thinking about…then he remembered why he was there in the first place.
He came to a stop in front of her and she turned her eyes away. "Is it true?" The corners of his mouth began to pull downwards.
She didn't respond. She didn't even look at him.
"Quinn…" He tried to remain composed, but the anguish lining his voice was betraying. "Is it true? A-are you going with Sam?"
"I don't know." It came out soft and shaky.
Artie swallowed hard. That wasn't what he wanted to hear. "Are you going with me?"
She grimaced and hugged her bag tighter. "I-I don't…I don't know."
"What happened?" His voice strained in effort. "D-did I do something?"
"It's not that."
"I don't understand." Wringing his hands, Artie hung his head low as he struggled to resist the urge to touch her. "I thought you wanted to go with me."
"I do, but…" She turned her head to the side and watched as the halls began to empty. "…you don't know how hard it is in this school. People talking behind my back, making assumptions and criticizing my every decision. It's not easy. It's not fair."
"I don't know how hard it is? How can you think I wouldn't know how hard it is?" Softening his gaze, he reached forward and clasped his hands around one of hers. "I go through that kind of stuff daily. We can help each other-"
"It's not the same, Artie." She threw her bag to the side in frustration as her eyes began to water. "People expect certain things from me. I'm the head cheerlead for God's sake and you're…you're…you're just a…"
"I'm just a geek? Yeah…" Nodding bitterly, he withdrew his hands and started reversing away from her. "I guess Santana was telling the truth…again."
"Artie…" His name sounded strangled as her voice caught in the back of her throat.
"I really liked you, Quinn." He looked up at her with a pain ridden expression as he continued to place more distance between them. "I thought you were different, but I see now…you're just like the rest of them." Frowning, he shook his head, turned his chair…and then his already bad day turned worse.
Out of nowhere, one of the bullies Artie was familiar with (he can still recall the rank stench of the porta potty and the taste of every slushie flavor thrown) called out to him. "Hey Wheels!" One second, Artie was turning to the sound and the next…he was hit with a ice cold pink slushie. It hit him in the middle of his chest, soaking his white dress shirt and catching on his suspenders.
"Artie!" Gasping, Quinn rushed towards him and fell to her knees, her hands hovering over the mess.
"Don't…" He jerked his chair away. Every part of him tensed, shaking from the anger and hurt within. "You're the head cheerleader, remember? And I'm…just a geek." Sitting up straight, Artie ignored the cold liquid as it dripped mockingly down his back and chest and wheeled himself away with what little dignity he had left.
Quinn wandered sluggishly into the choir room in a way she hadn't done since she started hanging out with Artie. Her heart sunk a little at the thought. Once again, she was early…and alone. Looking around the room, her eyes fell to the end of the bottom row. She felt drawn to the seat and the company that would go hand in hand with it, but she denied the urge. Shaking her head woefully, Quinn knew she didn't deserve it.
With a heavy heart, she lumbered her way up to the top row and took a seat as far from where Artie normally sat as possible. Propping her elbows on her knees, Quinn rested her chin on her hand and stared aimlessly at the door.
It wasn't long before the others started filing in. Sam entered with a wide smile and locked eyes with her. Quinn felt her insides twisting as he plopped into the seat next to her and slung his arm around her shoulders.
"Please don't touch me." She shrugged out of Sam's hold. Furrowing his brows, Sam offered a quiet apology and quickly removed his arm. Ignoring Sam completely, Quinn went back to focusing on the door. Kurt, Mercedes, and Tina were already seated. Finn and Rachel held hands as they entered. Puck, Mike, Brittany, and Santana arrived shortly after. Everyone arrived and was settling in their seats; everyone except for Artie. Quinn's insides twisted even more so. She knew his absence was her fault.
"Let's get started!" Mr. Schuester began as he entered. "Self-expression, anybody got something to show me?"
"Mr. Schue?" A soft voice accompanied by the sounds of metal clanking and wheels turning (over the past few weeks, Quinn found herself loving the sounds) entered the room. A combination of gasps and laughter filled the air. She didn't need to look to know who was laughing.
"Artie, what happened to you?" Mr. Schue asked even though it was painfully obvious. Artie's bangs were stuck to his forehead, his chair was a gooey mess, and his dress shirt was completely drenched in slushie turning it bright pink.
"I think it's obvious, Mr. Schue." Artie waved off the assistance Mr. Schue offered and wheeled himself to the center of the stage. "If you don't mind, I would like to do my assignment now." He sent a brief disappointed glance at Quinn and boy did she feel it.
She never meant to hurt him. She didn't know what she meant to do. All she knew was that her head was a giant tangled mess.
Mr. Schue nodded and Artie waved Puck over. "Puck…you mind helping me out with this?" Whispering, Artie let Puck in on what he needed. The two bumped fists and Puck grabbed his guitar before joining the rest of the band.
Artie turned his chair around, his back facing everyone. Raising his hand, he began counting off with his fingers.
One…
Two…
At three, Artie spun his chair back around and dove straight in to a song.
"Well, let the geek in the pink take a stab at it
If you like the way I'm thinkin' baby wink at it
I may be skinny at times but I'm fat fulla rhymes
Pass me the mic and I'm a grab at it
Well, isn't it delicious, crazy way that I'm kissin'
'Cause baby listen to this, don't wanna miss it while it's hittin'
Sometimes you gotta fit in to get in
But don't ever quit cause soon I'm gonna let you in but see"
He started clapping his hands to the beat and getting everyone involved as he rolled himself back and forth along the front row.
"I don't care what you might think about me
You can vibe without me if you want
I could be the one to take you home
Baby we could rock the night alone
If we never get down it wouldn't be a letdown
But sugar don't forget what you already know
I could be the one to turn you out
We could be the talk across the town
Don't judge me by the color, confuse it for another
You might regret what you let slip away
Like the geek in the pink
Like the geek in the pink, yeah haha
The geek in the pink, yeah"
He pulled up to the bottom step below where Quinn was sitting and stared directly into her eyes. He was sending her a message and she knew it.
"Hey baby look at me go
From zero to hero
You better take it from a geek like me
I can save you from unoriginal dum-dums
Who wouldn't care if you com...plete him or not"
At that point, Mike joined Artie and started dancing. Everyone was getting more and more into it. Before long, everyone got up and joined. Everyone except for Quinn. She stayed seated, hating herself more and more with every passing second.
"So what I've got a short attention span
A coke in my hand
Because I'd rather have the afternoon, relax and understand
My hip hop and flip-flops it don't stop with the light rock
A shot to mock you kinda puts me in the tight spot
The hype is nothing more than hoo-ha so I'm
Developing a language and I'm callin' it my own
So take a peek into the speaker and you'll see what I mean
That on the other side the grass is greener
I don't care what she might think about me
You'll get by without me if you want
I could be the one to take you home
Baby we could rock the night alone
If we never get down it wouldn't be the letdown
But sugar don't forget what you already know
I could be the one to turn you out
We could be the talk across the town
Don't judge it by the color, confuse it for another
You might regret what you let slip away
Like the geek in the pink
Well, I'm the geek in the pink, yo
Geek is the color for fall, I'm the geek in the pink yeah
So I'm the geek y'all, in the pink y'all.
Hahah, geek is the color for fall
I'm the geek in the PINK!"
As Quinn watched everyone surround Artie, high-fiving him and bumping fists, her heart twisted wretchedly. She missed him, she liked him, and she blew it. In that moment, she knew…
Losing Artie wasn't worth any of it.
A/N: Sorry for the delay (especially to you hainsy) and doubly sorry for this chapter. I'm expecting some hate for it, but do not fret! All will be made right in the world of Quartie! Song = "Geek in the Pink" by Jason Mraz.
VM is My Religion: I'm working on Leaving Neptune. I swear!