Prompt: Voiceover - "When all we really want to do is let go, lose control, fall, see where we land." -'Everwood'
Blaine was right, my place wasn't at McKinley any longer. Walking through the empty corridors, I realized that I was clinging to it because it was safe here. Going off to New York, with no set plan, was scary. But as my boyfriend had pointed out, I didn't need NYADA to go to New York. The city held so much more. There were other opportunities for me there and worse case I could work at a New York coffee shop just as well as the Lima Bean. I still planned to reapply to NYADA but in the mean time, why shouldn't I set out on my own in the city instead of hanging around Lima.
So tonight, I planned on sitting down with my Dad and making plans for heading to the city. Things were going to be rough at the beginning but I could make it, I was sure of that. Which was why I was taking my final tour of the McKinley corridors to say good-bye. Maybe I was a sentimental sap but I knew it was what I needed to do to move on.
"Porcelain, lurking around the corridors again I see."
Turning at the familiar voice, I saw Sue standing in the doorway of her office.
"Just saying my final goodbyes," I replied. "I've decided to forgo community college and head to New York."
"Really?" Sue said. "Good for you."
I was surprised by the response. "What, no predictions about how I'm going to be crawling back within a week totally broke or something?"
"No. If I was talking to Finn, I would but when you come back it's going to be on your own terms," Sue replied. "You always did do things on your own terms and you don't belong here. I'm glad you finally realize that."
"Thank-you," I said slowly, surprised by the first true compliment I ever heard from my former cheerleader coach. Usually you had to extract the compliment from whatever sarcastic jibe she mixed it in with.
"Of course, if you try telling anyone I said that I'll claim the government came along and did something to your mind while experimenting to find out if gays minds really are wired differently."
I had to smile. That was the Sue Sylvester I knew. "I have no doubt you would," I told her. "I want to thank-you, Coach Sylvester. In your own way, you made me a stronger person and probably prepared me for some of what awaits me in New York."
"You're welcome," she told me. "You're mother would have been proud of you," she added.
I smiled at that. It was a nice thought to depart McKinley on and coming from Sue Sylvester, I knew it wasn't just some pleasantry that a teacher was saying. I didn't know what New York held for me but whatever it was, I was ready to face it.