joining Glee, getting bitchy

[fabraymazing]

WHO: Everyone in Glee!
WHAT: Glee rehearsal! (the fourth or fifth)
WHERE: Glee room.
WHEN: Friday...some time of day.
RATING: PG?

The hallways were quiet as Quinn hurriedly bustled toward the room in the music wing, her binder held tightly to her chest. It was moments before classes let out, and Quinn had been able to escape early from Cheerios

Comments

[morbidbubbles]

Tina ambled into the choir room, her steel-toed boots thumping loudly against the tile floor as she walked. She slowed a stop, realizing the room was much quieter than normal, almost tense. When she looked up and scanned the arrangement of chairs, a golden-tressed figure clad in the Mckinley school colors of red and white immediately commanded her attention. Queen Bitch Bee, Quinn Fabray, was seated in the top row. In the GLEE choir room.

Tina's eyes narrowed in dislike, and she was amazed she didn't gag at the sight of her. Not normally a hateful person, Tina was currently not very fond of the school's head cheerleader; she had always been annoyed at the girl's refusal to acknowledge Artie's existence, but now with the added disdain after her rude treatment of Kurt? And her audacity to show up in their choir room? Tina balled her hands into fists to conceal her rage and hurried to sit down next to Artie.

"Wh-what's she doing here?" she hissed to him, hoping Quinn wouldn't hear.

[dancnwithmyself]

Artie flashed Tina a quick smile as she entered the room, but took note of her posture. It was unlike Tina to get upset by something, and even more unlike her to allow herself to show how angry she was. The source of her anger was quickly explained when she sat down.

Ah. Artie had never explained the whole history he had with Quinn, and he wasn't sure where to start, not with Quinn. He shrugged at Tina. "Not a clue. Wouldn't have thought the head cheerleader would commit social suicide like this."

[morbidbubbles]

"S-s-suicide?" Tina scoffed through her stutter. "Sh-she'll be lucky if it doesn't turn into m-murder first, with all the enemies she's made here." She gave a frustrated sigh, opening a random notebook and and doodling angrily in the margins to distract herself.

Tina would have tried to catch the eyes of her other friends in the room, but she couldn't bring herself to turn around and risk making eye contact Quinn. For the moment, she had to limit herself to talking to Artie. Not that she minded, of course. "S-so, um, besides today's s-sudden curveball, how's it going?"

[dancnwithmyself]

Artie frowned, concerned. It wasn't like her to act like this. "Hey," he said gently, putting a hand on her arm. "What's wrong? You don't normally get upset like this."

[morbidbubbles]

Tina put down her pen, and sighed in exasperation. "I'm s-ssorry," she said, looking over at Artie, sadly. "I just d-don't...like her. Sh-she's cold-hearted and rude; she's n-n-never been nice to you, and then she lectures K-Kurt on his life and says he's a t-terrible person when he's not and now she has the...the...the balls to show up here, the one p-place I thought we were allowed to be ourselves?"

She reached over and gently wrapped her fingers around Artie's hand that was resting on her other arm, trying to fight the lump that was forming in her throat. "I am not going to let Quinn Fabray make me cry," she thought in determination. Tina gently squeezed Artie's hand in moral support, whispering, "I can d-deal with her picking on me, but I don't like when p-p-people hurt my friends."

[dancnwithmyself]

"It's not she's never been nice, she just never acknowledges I'm even alive," he said, shrugging. He glanced at Quinn. "Mind you, here she's outnumbered, it could be interesting."

He tightened his grip on Tina's hand, trying to help her calm down. "It's okay, Tina. It'll be fine."

[morbidbubbles]

"Th-that's even worse!" Tina exclaimed in a hushed voice. "You're a p-person just like everybody else. And definitely a b-better one than her." She swallowed, fighting the lump of anger in her throat.

She looked at Artie gratefully, rubbing at a watery eye with her forearm as she refused to let go of his hand. "It's just not f-fair, you know? She gets everything, we get nothing. Then w-we get Glee and sh-she wants to take that from us, too."

[dancnwithmyself]

Artie didn't say anything - Quinn's response wasn't an unusual one. Too many people just saw him as the wheelchair, nothing else. Tina was one of the rare ones.

"I know, but I don't think Mr Schue will let her get away with taking over Glee. Not with Rachel and Finn here, at least," he said, trying to calm her down.

[morbidbubbles]

"I know, y-you're probably right." Tina replied, the lump in her throat slowly receding for the moment. "I g-g-guess I'm just afraid....or p-paranoid. Or both, who knows?" She laughed weakly, rubbing her thumb against the fabric of his fingerless gloves. "..Th-thanks for putting up with me," she said with a hint of apology. "D-d-dramatic asian girl probably wasn't wh-what you were expecting either, huh?"

[dancnwithmyself]

"Giving Rachel a run for her money?" Artie said, smiling at her. "It's fine, that's what best friends are for, isn't it?"

[morbidbubbles]

Tina couldn't help but laugh a little. "Oh, g-god, let's h-hope I never get that bad. N-not sure if m-my brain could take it." She squeezed his hand again lightly. "Yeah, I j-just feel lucky that I have y-y-you to keep me sane." She smiled shyly.

[dancnwithmyself]

"I'm not sure any of us could take it," he laughed in return. "That's what I'm here for."

[morbidbubbles]

Tina smiled gratefully at her friend, then leaned over and wrapped one arm around him in a hug. "Have I t-told you lately how awesome you are?" She said with a light squeeze. When she brought her arm back she realized she was still holding Artie's hand with her other one. She blushed, extricating her fingers from his and placing her hand in her lap. "G-g-guess I should give you back your h-hand now, huh?"

[dancnwithmyself]

Artie couldn't help but smile as he returned her hug, idly noting that her hair smelt nice. It wasn't something he was normally close enough to notice.

"No I'm not," he blushed. "I'm just making sure you enjoy Glee." He glanced down at his hand when she let go, thinking how warmit had felt in his, and blushed slightly. "Guess so. You know what gossips Kurt and Mercedes are. You never know what they might say."

[morbidbubbles]

"Y-y-yes," Tina replied, nodding. "And you're awesome for it." She drummed her fingers absent-mindedly on her leg, feeling something inside her stomach jump just now. She'd been having strange thoughts lately when she was by herself, and this feeling usually accompanied them. "What's wrong with me?" she thought, wondering if her hormones were out of balance.

She glanced over a Artie, and she felt the surge in her stomach again. Trying to ignore it, she tried to form a sentence. "Y-yeah, you're right...I m-m-mean, not that it would m-matter what they s-said, but n-n-no sense in adding to their r-rumors.."

[dancnwithmyself]

"You encouraged me to join in the first place, so just doing my bit to help," Artie grinned back at her. He was just watching out for her, like any good friend, right? Never mind how happy it made him feel when he could.

"I'd rather they gossiped about people like Quinn and Rachel than us. More fun to listen to them," he said.