Tina bumped his shoulder with her own. “It’s the truth though. It’s one of the better things to come from glee club, even if you did start out as the enemy.” She smirked at her best friend. “Oh yes, if anyone can rival her, it would certainly be you. Though, it wouldn’t be as terrible as it was when she was around.” As far as she and Rachel have come, Tina will never completely forget those first three years they knew each other. “Is that really a surprise though? You look like a cute and harmless puppy while she was like an irritating fly that would never go away.” Tina couldn’t help laughing at the image of Rachel. Seeing the look on Blaine’s face, she squeezed his hand. “You know this whole talking thing goes both ways, right?” She hoped that he would confide in her because she wanted to help him as much as he wanted to help her.
Blaine blinked with his mouth hanging agape at the mere insinuation that he ‘started out as the enemy’, “Tina! I never! Every time I came around you guys–I was totally off the clock. Enemy? I’m offended. He devilishly grinned right after unable to keep up the charade of being completely offended for long. A double take later–he was laughing happily with a slight shake to his head and a drawn out, “You know? I think you should be honest with me on how you really feel about Rachel. Irritating fly?” His nose crinkled with a fresh wave of the giggles before he reached up and cupped both of her cheeks pressing a quick kiss to her forehead before ducking down so they were eye-to-eye. “–I’m keeping the puppy compliment. No take backs on that one.” Back to holding hands and back to settling in beside her–he squeezed her hand back and pursed his lips off to the side. A ghost of his chuckle remained in a gentle smile but he didn’t quite meet her gaze just yet. “Thanks, T. That’s sweet. Soon as I feel like making my problems anyone else’s? I’ll go to you. But I’m okay. I really am. Or I’m getting there,” he stole a peek over at her and his smile grew, “I promise.”
Tina leaned back on her arms and looked up at the rafters and didn’t speak for a few moments. “It’s not that, It’s just…….some habits are hard to break. You know what the club is like, someone has to get talked over and that usually was me.” It was one of the reasons she had gotten upset with Mike because he didn’t listen to her, just talked over her until she backed down. “I do know that Blaine and I’ll do better. If I could thank the glee club for one thing, it would be for meeting you.” She was curious about what the other thing was so she looked at him and waited. The comment about Rachel made her chuckle lightly. “Alright, we can do that and see how it goes.” She wasn’t completely sure that it would go over well but she was willing to take the chance.
“Aww, Tina,” he pouted down at their hands toying with her knuckles by tapping them with the side of his thumb to a beat he made up. “I’m so glad I met you too. You’re amazing. Just remember you have someone who’s listening and we’re good. Thanks for trying. That’s all that matters.” Blaine felt her watching him and looked up grinning until he burst out in a quiet chuckle to echo hers. “Good. Because if there’s anyone who knows how to talk above people to get their attention that runs a close second to Miss Berry? You’re looking at him,” he huffed with a playful roll of his eyes, “I think people sometimes forget how good I am at that. Not that I’ve been trying hard lately.” But that was for his own reasons. Most of which were glaringly obvious since Kurt and he broke up to anyone who knew him. “It’ll work. There’s no other option. Not for my girl. My head’s back in the game and we’re going to do this. Okay?”
Getting up on the stage and singing with Blaine was a rush and Tina was feeling much better now. “Thank you for this, Blaine. I don’t know why I didn’t think about talking to you earlier about how I’m feeling.” Okay, maybe she had an idea but she didn’t want to think about that. She walked over to the edge of the stage and sat down. Then she patted the space next to her to invite him to join her. Tina looked out at the seats and imagined them full of people cheering her on. A satisfied smile blossomed on her face. “So how are we going to convince Mr. Schue to approve the second part of your master plan?” When she said their teacher’s name, a hint of bitterness and resentment showed. Some of her negative feelings about the New Directions was the result of his choices.
Blaine propped both hands on his hips watching Tina walk off while he grinned filled to the brim with adrenaline from singing and dancing with someone who he only wanted to make happy and seeing it worked. One last peek up at the lighting fixture above–he nodded contentedly and stepped out a circle of white to follow. Navy trimmed cream boat shoes and bare ankles came into view beside her before he plopped down and took her hand letting her daydream before he bounced their shoulders together. “Okay! Two things? Number one? You know you can come to me? Don’t you,” he asked softly, “about anything? Even if my head isn’t in the game? I’m here. Number two’s easy.” He shrugged so matter-of-factly that it seemed he didn’t really think of any other possible outcome other than what he was about say. “I’m going to tell him I want to sing with you. That we’ve worked hard, we deserve the chance and you’ve worked on your own song so you deserve it too. Or? We don’t give him a choice. We’ll take over the glee club until we’re done. It’s not the first time,” Blaine grinned, “Rachel Berry ring a bell?”
Returning the hug, Tina was glad to have Blaine in her life. He seemed like the only person in this school who seemed to give a damn about her now. She smiled at him when they separated. There was something comforting about hand holding. “Sounds absolutely perfect to me and no, that is never a bad thing at all.” Laughing lightly, Tina was feeling better now that she and Blaine talked. As they walked into the auditorium, she was glad that no one else was there because she could only imagine what they’d say. Tina took a deep breath and pushed that thought away, not willing to ruin her improved mood.
“No, you’re perfect to me,” Blaine playfully jeered back leaning into her side and skipping a beat or two in his steps to pep them both up on their way to the auditorium. He was all grins by the time they got to the dimly lit, empty stage. As soon as his eyes adjusted to the light he hurried past her to get a few steps ahead and lead them out by slotting their fingers together, walking backward underneath each ray of lights overhead. “We’re winging this without any back up music,” he pursed his lips and swung their hands back and forth, “So I hope you got that tune in your head, Miss Cohen-Chang. You’re starting us off. I dare you not to be dancing in ten seconds or less.” The devilish wink backed up his challenge he was sure he was going to win.
Tina shook her head. “You’ve been a good friend and it wouldn’t be fair for me to get upset with you for having your own thing going on.” Taking a deep breath, she calmed down. “So do you have any idea for songs for our performance today?” She wasn’t sure what he had in mind and there weren’t any that were coming to mind for her. “I do like the idea of leaving them sitting there with their mouths open and having no idea what happened.” Just the image made Tina smile.
“That’s the Tina I know,” Blaine grinned as he stepped close and pulled her into a hug tight enough that he was able to perch his chin on top of her shoulder. Looking past her down the hallway–he glanced from one tile to the other trying to think of something they could sing that’d would keep her on the up and up. “Plus? I love that smile,” warm hands rubbed between her shoulders before he pulled back and held her by them. “Now? Let’s get this party started,” he laced their fingers together and gave her a twirl in the direction of the auditorium. “And if you didn’t figure it out yet? That’s our first song. A little P!nk to kick us off is never a bad thing. I mean,” he rolled his eyes and smirked indignantly at the idea, “How could it ever be?”
“After everything…..how could I not? I’ve tried that, Blaine and it blew up in my face.” Tina sighed. What Blaine was saying sounded really nice, too nice. She had gotten her hopes up before and well, it didn’t turn how she hoped. But this was Blaine and everyone loved him. She couldn’t help tearing up slightly. “Okay Blaine, we can give it a try. I can’t make any promises though.”
Blaine’s gaze widened as he saw Tina’s fill with tears. “Hey–hey. No crying today,” he sighed as he drew nearer and delicately cupped her cheeks. Then lightly ran the edges of his thumbs along the corners of her eyes to catch any would-be streaks of wet before they could become actual, real ones. “I promise I’ll help you get past this. I’m sorry I haven’t noticed how bad you’ve been struggling. Just–been in a weird place, you know? I haven’t been the best kind of friend and I promise to fix that starting now. You and me,” he ducked down and made sure to be looking up at her with an encouraging smile and a sparkle in his eyes, “We’re going to rock that stage today for an audience of none. By the end of the week? We’ll bring the roof down at glee club. Leave them sitting there with their mouths open wondering what just happened.”
“It’s kind of hard to feel like that when I’m stuck in the background of this stupid thing called Life. You’re the greatest, you know that? I don’t deserve a friend like you.”
“Why would you think that? Of course you do. You’re a pretty great friend, yourself, Miss Tina Cohen-Chang. As far as you being stuck in the background? Maybe it’s time we start pushing you to the front where you belong. What do you say start now? Starting with a warm up performance with just you and me after school? And then–next week–you’re taking glee club by storm and who knows where we’ll go from there. Together. I’ll root you on every time you start that doubting yourself thing you do. Which you should stop, by the way. Okay?”
“Yeah, if its not too much trouble. I’m not sure it will even work.”
“It’s no trouble, Tina. I’m just worried that you think you have to pretend you’re taken to get someone’s attention. You are so much better than that. I mean? You’re perfect. Whoever he is should love you for you. The real you. Not the My-Pretend-Girlfriend you.”
pianokeysandbowties 