Find Yourself
Ok so this is another longish note but I don't care. First off congratulations GLEE for winning Peoples Choice for best new comedy. Second I just want to say thanks to Der Woodsen. jayhogartismyangel lalalauren1336 Sara, Gina, and all my other loyal readers over at Soap Fan Fiction. Here is yet another chapter of my insane experiment….
Heading from the bus stop to McKinley on Monday morning Kristina had a spring in her step. After spending the better part of her Saturday on the phone with Ethan and the better part of her Sunday going over the songs that Schuster had given her to learn she now knew what she had to do.
Approaching the school she spotted Noah leaning against the side of his truck waiting her arrival.
"Hey Kristina," he spoke holding up a coffee cup from 7-11, "I didn't know how you took your coffee so I got you a hot chocolate I hope that's ok."
She smiled as she took a sip of the warm yet slightly watered down drink and smiled.
"That was nice of you but highly un-necessary."
Biting his lip he just nodded. Truthfully this sentimental bull crap wasn't his bag and yet ever since finding out about the baby mixed with his brief dalliance with Berry something inside him changed.
"Think of it as an early thank you gift for being my tutor then."
Nodding she followed him inside the school where they walked to her locker together.
He started to stare her down making her feel slightly uncomfortable he observed and so when she shut her locker he decided it was now or never.
"Listen, being my lab partner and tutor and being in glee, well you're going to know about my reputation sooner or later."
She was intrigued by this as he continued.
"You know the blonde that was sitting next to Schuster at the try outs the other day…Quinn."
Kristina nodded thinking about the young pregnant girl.
"Well the baby she's carrying is mine."
He watched Kristina's expression and paused waiting for her to say something. When she didn't he continued.
"It gets better, she was dating my best friend, Finn Hudson you probably met him already he's in glee too."
Kristina nodded thinking about how Finn saved her from the wrath of Sue Sylvester the other day.
He didn't have to say more as they approached the science lab.
"Listen Noah, I'm not going to judge you on events that happened before we met. People mess up all the time like it or not and believe me if you knew some of the baggage that me and my family carries around well let's just say knocking up your best friends girl is just a blip."
Taking a seat at their lab table he gave her a sweet look.
"So, do you want to go out," he asked causing Kristina to laugh.
"How about Saturday afternoon, library you me and flash cards of the periodic table."
"Make it my place and you have a date."
She was a little hesitant to agree to go to a guys house, especially a guy who just openly admitted to getting a girl pregnant and yet Ethan's message to 'keep it casual and just have fun you're heart will know when it's ready' rang in her brain.
"We'll discuss the location of the date later," she spoke as the teacher entered the room and the bell rang.
--
"Just like that," Mercedes said as Kristina told the gang about how Puck just opened up to her in the hallway before homeroom about Quinn and the baby. Not that it was a shock to her that he did that as when Schuster had paired the club up to do ballads he kind of did the same thing to her.
"Just like that," Kristina replied.
"So I guess that was a wake up call and your over your little crush," Tina said rather bluntly surprising the others.
"I never had a crush on him," Kristina half lied before changing the subject, "so Artie have you figured out a song for us to duet to yet?"
He smiled.
He still couldn't believe that Kristina wanted to sing with him.
"I have a short list of prospective numbers to run by Mr. Schuster tomorrow."
Kristina smiled thinking this was great news however her moment of bliss was broken when Kurt gave her a cautious glance.
"Now back to Puck," he said, "so he tells you all about the fact he is Quinn's baby daddy then he asks you out on a date."
Kristina nodded.
"You didn't say yes did you Kristina," Artie asked with a feeling of defeat in his voice.
A guilt ridden half smile crossed Kristina's lips.
"Define what you'd mean by me saying yes."
"Kristina, you know I told Molly that I would keep you safe and dating Puck especially when you know about well everything just doesn't seem like the safest thing to do."
'Kurt relax, the 'date' that I agreed to go on involves me, Noah, and a pack of flash cards, totally innocent."
'So you say now," Mercedes says.
"Guys seriously if I wanted a serious relationship with anyone here at McKinley truth be told I'd go for Artie here hands down."
"You would," Artie spoke with shock in his voice again wondering why Kristina would ever fall for him.
She smiled.
'Yea I would, though I'm not looking for something serious at least not now. Right now I just want to keep it casual."
Artie smiled.
Keep it casual, he could definitely do casual.
'I like casual,' he said as Rachel soon stormed to the fivesome's table.
"Kristina we need to talk," she said, "in private."
Looking from the pissed off brunette to her friends she shrugged her shoulders.
"Tell me about it in Lit," Kurt whispered as Kristina got up and headed out of the cafeteria with Rachel.
-
As the two young girls entered the girls room Rachel flashed Kristina a death glare.
"So we never really got a chance to have girl talk."
'Girl talk?" Kristina asked curiously.
"So you and Puck, I saw you this morning outside, are you two dating.'
"Why should it matter to you, aren't you and Finn."
"Together, well it's not official or anything though he's just being stubborn after the whole Quinn Fabray thing.'
"You mean the thing where Quinn had a one night stand with Puck producing the bastard she's carrying in her stomach."
'You know huh."
Kristina nodded.
"In fact that's why Puck bought me a hot chocolate and wanted to talk this morning. He wanted everything out in the open before my first Glee rehearsal.'
"That's all."
"That's all."
Rachel nodded re-applying a coat of lip-gloss and fixing her hair before turning around to give Kristina one final look.
"Well then we're solid as long as you don't try to steal my spotlight, then we'd have a problem."
Kristina let out a laugh.
"Relax Rachel, your spotlight is safe."
Rachel nodded.
"Good."
And with that she breezed out of the girl's room leaving Kristina alone with her thoughts.
--
TBC
Ok so I hope you liked this chapter. I could have made it longer except I'm not on the same laptop with my story notes. Anyway loving the comments and ideas people have dropped me they definitely help me feed my muse.