A/N: So I've recently moved into a new residence to match my new job (yea me), but that means sporadic internet connection. I'm hoping the problem will fix itself shortly, but until then, chapters won't appear as predictably as they did in past weeks. Sorry!
A/A/N: Song featured is "Ridin' Solo" by Jason Derulo.
Hayley inhaled deeply before using her arm to push the sweat from her forehead. She'd been working hard on her canvas for the last hour—a black, silver, and red representation of how much she despised Valentine's Day. Seriously, it was bad enough that there was an entire day celebrating pairs of people acting diabetes-inductively saccharine toward each other, but, to make matters worse, stupid Emma Malley and her stupid Student Council had organized a Valentine Gram fundraiser that was going to last all week. She huffed angrily: it almost made her want to destroy thousands of dollars worth of some other research of the over-achiever's.
The doorknob rattled, and the sophomore turned from her project to investigate who was arriving so early before school on a Monday morning. Her jaw practically dropped when she saw a familiar long, thin frame perfectly outlined by a short-skirted Cheerio uniform step through the door.
Stassi threw the rebel a curious look, but the red-streaked girl was far too familiar with her games to be fooled by the junior's efforts to seem surprised. "What are you doing here?" she asked curtly: she and the junior had barely spoken since their argument after Michelle's party. It made Hayley miserable, realizing that the two of them saw so little of each other outside of Glee and their own arranged trysts, but she wasn't going to be the one to back down this time.
"I'm looking for Mrs. Kunstler," the junior told her, glancing pointedly around the empty room.
Hayley arched an eyebrow. "She's not here," she replied.
Stassi gave her a skeptical look. "But you're here."
The dark-haired girl shrugged casually. "I'm doing work for Art Club," she explained simply, gesturing to her brushes and canvas before turning her back on the Cheerio and back to the piece. She kept her ears tuned for the sound of footsteps, and turned back around quizzically when none sounded. "Did you forget something?"
The junior shook her head. "I just need to talk to Mrs. Kunstler about something," she repeated. "...Or Rhi."
"Rhi?" came an incredulous echo.
"She's in Art Club too, isn't she?" the girl stated, her usual cold demeanor somewhat cracked in her insistent search. "Doesn't she usually hang out here in the morning?"
"Not this one, I guess," Hayley answered, watching as the other girl glanced around indecisively. "Do you want me to take a message?"
Stassi bit her lip nervously before swinging her bag around to her front. "No," she answered. "I'll just talk to them some other time I guess…" she glanced around the room nervously, checking the closed door as her hand disappeared into her backpack. "But since you're here, I just wanted to get rid of this."
Hayley opened her hand without thinking, and gaped as Stassi placed a small cardboard box into it. Inside the container were pink heart-shaped chocolate cookies, with tiny rainbow dots decorating the top.
"I intercepted them from Austin's newest hapless victim," she shrugged and gave a smirk. "Hopefully it'll be worth more trouble than he paid for them. They're vegan, with like beet-chocolate or something, so if you were wondering why they're pink…"
Hayley was stunned. "You got these for me?" she asked; not only had the junior remembered the holiday, but she'd remembered the rebel's tendency toward vegetarianism?
Stassi gave her an incredulous look. "What? No—I told you, I just took them from the messenger delivering them to Austin's new eye-candy. And they're vegan—I'm not going to eat them." She scoffed loudly, avoiding the sophomore's eyes. "It's whatever. Eat them or toss them, I don't really care." Her skirt swished as she shifted awkwardly in place. "Anyways, if Mrs. Kunstler isn't going to be here, I'll just come back some other time."
She quickly flitted toward the door, and Hayley just had enough time to call out her name before she disappeared. Stassi froze for a moment and looked back at the rebel. "Thanks," the sophomore voiced, and she could have sworn she caught a trace of a smile on the older girl's face before she disappeared into the empty hall.
As she turned the tiny box this way and that, Hayley smiled in delight at the idea that maybe this Valentine's Day week wouldn't suck so much after all…
Lindsay chewed on her lip nervously, drumming her acrylic nails against the door frame as she watched the stream of students flow past her. When she caught sight of the one she was looking for, she gave a quick check to the peers on her left and right before reaching out and grabbing the tiny Cheerio's arm and pulling her quickly inside.
Michelle's expression remained puzzled as she processed her new surroundings and the fearful look on her best friend's face. "Linds? Hey, what's—" she greeted, only to be shushed as the other freshman placed a spray-tanned hand over her friend's mouth.
"Shh," she whispered, pulling her farther into the classroom's corner. "I can't talk long, but I had to warn you." Her expression was contrite as she fixed her dark eyes on her friend. "I'm so sorry Chelle, but I've gotten into something big and I don't think I can get out."
The tiny Hepburn considered her friend in concern. "What do you mean Lindsay? Oh my god—you saw someone get murdered, didn't you?"
The Muckraker scoffed. "Seriously Michelle? No. I just—I got into bed with Medusa, and now I think I may be strapped in."
"You got involved with Nikki?" Michelle ran an uneasy hand through her pony as she leaned forward and continued in a whisper, "But I thought you were trying to take her down?"
"Apparently you were right about trying to do that," Lindsay sighed. "But look, that's not what I wanted to talk about. Thanks to some maneuvering on my part, McKinley's HBIC has got her hands on some prime leads that she's planning on exploiting very soon." She pulled out her phone and showed her friend multiple texts. "She's been telling me and Bert to get our camera faces ready for this week. She's going to send us interview questions for some pretty serious gossip and we're supposed to post the stuff ASAP."
"But if you got it, why are you warning me?" Michelle puzzled. "I mean, you're just as capable of getting your hands on dirt as me—if not more so."
"Because a lot of this stuff I got from you," the raven-haired girl revealed with a regretful frown, glancing out the door. "Well, not you, but I managed to dig out a lot of the confessions and happenings at your cast party. But they won't see it that way if this stuff comes out before you start damage control."
The tiny freshman nervously raised herself on her tiptoes as she took in her friend's words. She knew the truth in them: after what happened with Katie and Carter, it wasn't unlikely that her friends would think she was behind the leak. The only way to potentially clear her name would be to try to get ahead of it, but—
"Won't that out you with Nikki?" she asked.
Lindsay bit her lip before meeting her friend's gaze. "I don't know, Chelle. This is going to come out either way, so it might not. Either way though, I don't want this coming back at you. You're my best friend, and I know how much those guys mean to you. I don't want my mess to stain you too." She placed a hand on the Cheerio's shoulder. "If I were you, I'd get someone who knew Medusa's game well enough to try to quietly counter it. Save yourselves if you can."
Michelle nodded absently as she turned toward the door. Her best friend watched miserably as she began to leave, "Michelle?" she called out. The brunette paused and turned back, and Lindsay could only think to add, "I'm sorry," as she searched the girl for some sign of forgiveness. The Cheerio said nothing, slipping back out into the hallway and quickening her pace as she searched the halls.
Caroline made her way toward the Music Room as the hall filled with students trying to escape from the confines of the school. Her expression perked as she spotted Andrew and Liam just in front of her about to open the door and she jogged to join them, greeting them both with a "Hey guys!"
The boys gave a wave and Liam congenially opened the door. "Actually, Drew, can I talk to you a minute?" she asked, watching as the shorter boy's eyes widened in surprise. He glanced at his friend, who shrugged and nodded before slipping past them into the room.
"Um, so…" she started, not certain what to say. "How are you?" she finally asked lamely, trying not to cringe visibly at her loss of confidence.
"I'm—I'm good," he answered with an uneasy nod, glancing around at the students passing them. "And you?"
"I'm doing good," she replied with a nervous smile. "I was hoping we could, maybe, talk about things?" She blinked hard as she found herself amazed at her own awkwardness, but it had been over a week since they had kissed, and she'd waited for him to ask her out the whole time. Instead, the sophomore had all but avoided her except for sidelong looks that she'd caught when he thought she wasn't paying attention. She didn't understand what was wrong.
"Um, yeah," Andrew agreed, glancing between her and the door. "But, you know, maybe later? I mean, we have Glee and stuff, and we should probably get inside."
"Oh, yeah; okay," the freshman voiced as he quickly moved toward the sanctuatary of the Music Room, and she followed him reluctantly, murmuring, "It's not like we've had over a week to think about what we're going to say or anything."
"Hey everybody!" Mr. Schue greeted them, grinning as he turned to the board and scribbled a huge heart around the word Valentine's Day.
"No," Liam spoke up. "Mr. Schue—I'm sorry; usually I'm game for whatever weird assignment you want to play out, but I draw the line at participating in the overuse of commercial sap that's saturating the week as it is."
"I think Valentine's Day is romantic," Annie protested. "And we sing silly love songs all the time—why not now?"
"I could do without it for one week," Nina spoke up. "I mean, if you have someone, then yeah, get yourself a cute chocolate heart or a fuzzy declaration of love. But if not it's just a garish reminder that society hates you and your independence."
"Wow, it looks like we've got a division of opinions here," their teacher spoke up, eyes brightening as he grinned in epiphany. "So maybe instead we should reflect that in our assignment this week instead." He turned to the board and used his sleeve to erase his earlier markings, replacing them with Pairs and Independents. "This week I want you to find a song that defines your position on the holiday. If you're celebrating your singularity or if you're in love, bring it up and sing it wholeheartedly. We are going to celebrate everyone this week, whether you have a special someone or if you're happy on your own."
"Then I think I have a great song to get things started," Walt announced, stepping to the front of the classroom and pointing to the band. "Hit it!"
Yeeeeeyeeeah, the sophomore crowed, spinning in place, yeah, yeah, yeah,
I'm feeling like a star, you can't stop my shine, I'm loving cloud nine, my head's in the sky,
I'm solo, I'm riding solo, I'm riding solo, I'm ridin solo, sooloooo
Walt strolled from one side of the room to the other, Yeah, I'm feeling good tonight, finally doing me and it feels so alright, oh,
Time to do the things I like, going to the club everything's alright, oh
Liam got to his feet and bounced up next to him, No one to answer to, no one that's gonna argue, no,
And since I got the hold off me, I'm living life now that I'm free, yeah
The lanky brunette glanced at Emma before adjusting his glasses, Telling me to get my shit together- now I got my shit together, yeah,
Now I made it through the weather better days are gonna get better
He stepped up to Hayley, taking her hand and spinning her before sitting her back in her chair and kneeling in front of her, I'm so sorry that it didn't work out I'm moving on,
I'm so sorry but it's over now, the pain is goooone
Walt was still up front and touched his thumb and forefingers together as he rocked in place, I'm putting on my Shades to cover up my eyes,
I'm jumpin in my ride, I'm heading out tonight,
I'm solo, I'm riding solo, I'm riding solo, I'm riding solo, sooloooo.
Liam jumped next to him, and the two continued together, I'm feeling like a star, you can't stop my shine, I'm loving cloud nine, my head's in the sky.
I'm solo, I'm riding solo, I'm riding solo, I'm riding solo, sooloooo.
As Walt continued with the verse, Michelle and Nina slid up to the front to dance seductively next to him, Now I'm feeling how I should, never knew single could feel this good, oh,
Stop playing miss understood, back in the game, who knew I would, oh,
So flex how I spread my wings, loving myself makes me wanna sing, oh,
Oh yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah,
Liam adjusted his glasses again as he took over the chorus, I'm putting on my Shades to cover up my eyes,
I'm jumpin in my ride, I'm heading out tonight,
I'm solo, I'm riding solo, I'm riding solo, I'm riding solo, sooloooo.
The two boys harmonized together, and the rest of the group- single or coupled- stood and joined them, dancing happily at the club beat. I'm feeling like a star, you can't stop my shine, I'm loving cloud nine, my head's in the sky.
I'm solo, I'm riding solo, I'm riding solo, I'm riding solo, sooloooo.
Riding solo, soooooloooo, yeah it's like S... O... L... O... S... O... L... O... S... O... L... O...
The rest of the team had left, and Emma was alone in the Music Room as she typed away on her Smart Phone. Her Valentine-Grams campaign was going fairly well, but she had to organize the rest of the week and Thursday especially was going to be insane. She also had to finish the expense report to submit to Principal Figgins, and she was supposed to organize the paper's dedication page for this Friday.
She sighed, and looked up in surprise at the responding chuckle. Ashwin apparently had been watching her quietly from the doorway, and she bit back a smile. "Hey—how long have you been standing there?"
"Long enough to know you look like you could use some help," he replied, taking the seat next to her and holding out his hand, which, after a moment's hesitation, she placed her financial folder. The brown-skinned boy was always better at accounting…
"So, can we talk?" he asked after a few minutes of working silently, and she grimaced. "I know you still have reservations, but I just want us to be honest and open with each other, because I really think we have something special, and even when we aren't together we still are good for each other. I mean, think about the party."
"We were both drunk Ash," she reminded him, staring intently at her phone.
"Come on, Emms," he pushed, taking her hand and forcing her to make eye contact. "Just be honest for a sec and try telling me we don't make sense."
She glanced down, pressing out the folds on her ivory lace skirt. "I know we make sense," she told him. "We're pretty much perfect for each other. And I hate fighting that feeling all of the time." The brunette hesitated as she watched his eyes light up at her words, trying to how to get her best friend and former boyfriend to understand her qualms.
"But you're not sure," he offered, sensing her uncertainty. She nodded apologetically. "That's okay Emms: we're sixteen. If we had this whole thing figured out already, we wouldn't be human. But we both know that we care about each other, and I feel like the rest will take care of itself as long as we stay true to that."
Emma nodded with a small smile. Liam was wrong—she did care about Ashwin, and he was crazy for her. They were perfect for each other. And if that wasn't what a relationship was supposed to be, then she didn't think she knew anything.