Hello everyone. I will get to the chapter but I Just, as usual have some notes to say. At first I just have to come with some unfortunate news. Do you remember Chasmir? The dog that portrays Ariel? Anyway, irl she was owned by some friends of my family's. And I just found out from them Chasmir unfortunately passed away a few months ago, at the age of 12 (normally for her kind would be 7-9). She was getting old and sick, and in pain everywhere so when it got worse they decided it was time to let her rest.
Now, onto the story. I'm sorry for the long wait for chapters, but like I said last time I'm about to finish several stories, except for this one and how they ended up in care and I keep those my priority. Since last I finished buried deep within and I still love you. I also finished a oneshot called Turbulence and started a new story. When I broke a tooth and wanted to write a fic based on it since my friend really likes them. It's called too much bitten off to chew and with it I have finished five stories and working on seven that are almost finished. I've also been having some trouble with what to put next in this.
The house was just so quiet each and every day I left for school. Actually, the house was quiet at all times of the days at all times of the week…
I and mum had just ended up barely talking to each other at all. I was tired of her critizising anything from Lex to however long it had been since I showered or brushed my teeth. Which I probably hadn't done in the right way anyway. Still, we knew that dad was heartbroken trying to mend in the middle of everything but I was just finished trying to change her… And at last, if it hadn't been for Ariel I would probably have lied on my bed all day, staring into the ceiling and waiting for time to pass by.
"Good morning Ari." I greeted her that Monday morning. "You know…" I grabbed her collar and leash to take her out on her short walk. "I don't know what I would have done without you… We are doing two weeks of friendship at glee club right now. And you are my best friend… next to Lex of course." I sighed with a glance towards Jonah's bedroom door. "I'll have to find a song perfect for you." Ariel barked as if she understood what I was saying. "I knew you would like it." My phone suddenly buzzed with a text message.
You guys come meet me in the auditorium at the same time your first class starts. I'll let your teachers know where you have been. There's just one song I want you all to try. -Mr. Schuester.
"There are so many songs about friendship." I told Lex when we met up on the way to school later, she and everyone else had had the same text as I did so whatever song he had planned Mr. Schuester was planning something. "I wonder which decade this song will be from." Lex laughed. "I like Mr. Schuester's taste and everything but he can be a bit."
"I know what you mean."
Half of the way to school, or from when we walked after school we walked together. Just like I had walked with Jonah all of those times it now made me feel both happy and sad. Happy because Lex was there and after all the fighting I had done with my mum lately she was just so easy to talk to and hang out with. But sad of course, as always when I knew Jonah wasn't here to continue doing this.
"Hey…" Mr. Schue was waiting for us in the auditorium. "You seem excited!"
"I am," Once everyone were in the room and on the stage Mr. Schue took a pile of sheet music that he had lying on the piano and handed them out among us. "This is a song I did once when New Directions were really new. When a member was… going through something and we wanted to show we were there for her… We had a choreography but then we had an even number of members with half girls and half boys… Anyway. I want to go through it with you…. And I've been waiting all weekend so I just couldn't wait any longer…" He took a few steps back. "Lex and Tyler. You have the solos now but I might change my mind about that later… Now, everyone. Just the song- right up and down. Brad?"
Brad started playing, I looked down on the sheet music in my hands and when Lex started singing I realized it was a song I must have listened to a billion times when I was younger…
Of course, by then I had no idea I would be singing it here today. And even though it was just another song that we had been asked to do, with my best friend standing right by my side I could see how she was looking at me…
Teeghan POV
I and Alice had been best friends since ever I could remember. But now we had barely spoken ever since this fall when she was whining at me, for pushing Leah who was then in a wheelchair. Then she had dragged in Josh and Lex in all of it…
I had spent the past week- or more likely, thinking one thing. And one thing only…
I had me, the music, the Jacoby's, Walden…
I didn't need Alice, or anyone else at this school to prove I had someone to sing to. Just like the others did, even though they weren't exactly here while we sang.
Lex wasn't an any better singer now than she usually was. Somehow everyone else- including Tyler, seemed to think she was something else than the rest of us. I couldn't say I ever listened to her much, not this time neither until the song came to the refrain and we all joined in.
I didn't put much concentration into it. I didn't have to. I had heard this song a million times before…
"That's great guys…." Mr. Schue got up and clapped his hands just as the song had ended. "…. That's great…. Now. Off to class everyone. I see you in glee club later…"
While everybody else left the auditorium I pretended to search for something in my bag. Thankfully, no one took any notice of me and soon I was alone in the whole, big room to do and sing what I wanted.
I just knew I needed to do something only to prove that I didn't need any of them. And I plugged my phone into the speakers. I turned the instrumental of one of my favorite songs on and walked to the front of the stage when I started singing, just as if I had been in front of a full auditorium of hundreds of people.
This was all I needed- only me, myself and I and the music.
But as I came towards the end of the song and stomped the rhythm I just couldn't help the thought that passed by of how cool it would sound if there were more people here, stomping it with me…
Leah POV
"There was another best friend I was thinking about earlier…" I told Lex while we were on our way home on Monday afternoon. "And still, it's so strange to think that before the start of this school year I didn't know either of you…"
As on a given signal, suddenly dad's car pulled up right by us.
"Hey girls." He opened the window and talked to us. "Do you want a ride home?" I hesitated slightly, but had quickly decided on what to do.
"You can go home if you want Lex. But I think Ariel wants a walk after being stuck in this car all day.." As if she knew what I was saying I heard Ariel barking in the back. "Can you open it, dad?" Dad opened the back lid from a button in the front and I went to the back and got her out. "Now, with both of my best friends here I could just walk and walk and walk forever."
"I want to come too." Lex protested. "But I have a really heavy backpack, so can we pass my house so I can drop it off?" Ariel came jumping down from her cage and the back door closed again when dad pressed the button and drove away.
"Sure…." Ariel came skipping happily around our feet. "Have you been stuck in the car all day baby? So boring?" She barked. "…I've been wanting a dog as far back as I can remember. Now I have you it feels as if you were the one I've been waiting for all along… I looked from Ariel and up on Lex. "Just like I already said a minute ago. It feels so strange that at the beginning of this school year I didn't even know any of you."
We turned towards the Hudmel's house so that Lex could leave her backpack off. And then, for a long while none of us said anything at all. Even though the more was spinning in my head. Also so when I stood outside the porch of the house and Lex went inside.
"I forgot…" She suddenly came outside again. "We have some plans, we're just waiting for dad to come home so we can go… I'm sorry. I really wish you could come with us."
"It's fine." I interrupted and backed towards the driveway and road. "I hope you have fun. See you tomorrow."
Lex nodded slightly, then we turned in our respective directions. Lex turned back towards the door and disappeared out of my sight. While I turned and went down the driveway I could hear the door close behind me while I sighed as deeply as never before.
I just wished I didn't want Lex or anyone else around me all the time. I didn't want to be so needy. And I didn't want my parents all the time…
Oh I sang to myself as I annoyed wiped tears from my eyes with my hands. Why do you look so sad?
Sometimes, like right now and today. Only because I knew I and Lex wouldn't see each other again until tomorrow (the night just felt so long) and knew how my parents were it made me feel so alone.
I could hear Ariel whine next to me. And was reminded that at least I had her by my side at all times. And nothing could make me luckier than having her there. And I just couldn't help but imagine and know that if Ariel could speak and sing human language she would be singing to me.
But it was exactly in the moment that I, smiling slightly towards her, all of a sudden a guy, someone tall, dressed in black clothes and wearing a hood and a balaclava was right in front of me.
"You know… We can do this the hard way or the easy way…"
I had never been robbed before. But I was pretty sure this wasn't the way it was supposed to happen…
"If you just give me your things- your purse and your phone right now, no one will have to get hu… Shut up mutt!"
I was frozen in fear, but while I tried to hold her back Ariel had stepped in front of me growling as nothing I had ever heard before. She might not be a puppy anymore, but she wasn't fully grown either. And the white- colored fur ball in between us was almost shaking with the sound from her deepest throat.
And I couldn't do anything. I couldn't think even….
"I SAID BE QUIET MUTT!"
I couldn't move.
Not even when Ariel growled and growled and growled. Not even when the guy kicked her, then kicked her again, and again, and again until she was lying whining on the ground- not growling anymore.
In loss of anything, still not being able to move at all the guy stopped kicking, quickly put his hands down my pockets, pulled up what he could find and then ran for all his worth down the street and away from my sight.
And still… I just couldn't move- talk, think, I couldn't even see if Ariel was awake or even alive at all…
Now, what's this? Is Ariel going to die too?
I have been working on this chapter for weeks. But I could just never concentrate enough to finish it. I still haven't writing this. But if you're reading this I must have and I hope you liked it.
Playlist
The song the original glee club did: Keep holding on- Avril Lavigne
Teeghan: Fight song- Rachel Platten
Leah to herself: Stand by you- Carrie Underwood
Random fact
That when Leah is out walking Ariel and is met by a robber is a scene I have had an idea, not knowing if I'd ever use since the beginning of the story. Anyway, I was hesitating some if I'd put it here already. But decided on it when I heard about what happened to her portrayer.
Rest in peace Chasmir. I hope in dogs' heaven there's always someone to scratch her and give her loads of treats.
