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“That song is perfect for you Rachel, seriously,”
“I know,” Rachel Berry smirked. “It’s going to be perfect for our opening number at regionals next month.” Kurt Hummel nodded in agreement as she perched herself on a stool next to the window. She, Blaine Anderson, Mercedes Jones, Artie Abrams, and Kurt had all met up at Panera for a Saturday lunch.
“I’m not going to lie, I’m particularly nervous,” Blaine said. “Between that and you guys having Kayty now... we’re in trouble!”
“Kayty Cropley?” Mercedes was confused. “You mean that new girl? What do you know about her?”
“Oh, she’s my cousin.” Blaine explained. “I can’t tell you how much I begged her to cut off all her hair and pose as a boy so she could come to Dalton and sing for us!”
“She’d probably still be more masculine than me.” Kurt joked.
“Wait, what do you mean? She sings?” Rachel asked.
“Well, yeah, she’s amazing!” Blaine said. “Has she seriously not gone out for the glee club yet?”
The three McKinley kids shook their heads, utterly confused.
Mercedes spoke up, “I’ve barely heard the girl speak two words. No offense Blaine, but she seems kinda like a freak show.”
“You won’t be saying that after I show you this,” Blaine pulled out his laptop and logged onto YouTube. He searched “Kayty Cropley” and pages upon pages of videos showed up. All from different competitions.
“She had a solo at nationals... as a freshman,” Blaine said.
“That’s incredible!”
Mercedes, who was scrolling down the screen, scrunched her eyebrows together. “There’s no video from last year’s Nationals. Did they not make it?”
Blaine sighed, “they did. But something happened during the performance. I don’t know what, she would never talk about it.”
Mercedes shook her head. “Well, no matter what it was we obviously need to get her on New Directions.”
“Definitely.” Artie piped up, as his eyes were focused on the fascinating, beautiful girl on the screen. “Leave it up to me.”
****
Monday was just another day at McKinley High School, but as soon as the final bell rang Artie was on a mission. Through the grapevine he found out that her last class was Spanish with Mr. Schue. He wheeled himself as quickly as he could against the current of students rushing towards freedom for the afternoon. Soon, he caught sight of her black as night curls bouncing towards her locker. Artie powered forward.
“Kayty! Kayty Cropley!” He called after her as he dodged wayward purses and backpacks. “Wait up!”
She slowed down and turned, confused, but when her eyes landed on Artie in his adorable sweater and glasses she seemed to smile with relief.
“I’m-”
“Artie.” She finished for him and smiled. “I’ve seen you around. You’re on the football team, right?”
“Yeah. And in the Glee Club, actually.” He saw he face twinge a little, like a sharp reminder had invaded her like a thorn pricking her side.
“Oh,” she said carefully. “Does that mean you, like, sing and stuff?”
“You don’t have to fake anything, Kayty.” He said quietly, gently reaching out and touching her wrist. “I know you’re a singer. An incredible one at that.”
The hall had mostly cleared out at this point. The sounds of sneakers squeaking on the tile floor and lockers being shut faded away into the afternoon.
“H- How did you know?” She shifted her weight between her feet nervously.
“I’m friends with your cousin Blaine... I saw some of your stuff on YouTube. You’re mindblowingly good. Listen, I know our Glee program doesn’t have the history of success that your old school did, but we try our hardest and we are good. With you, we’d be completely unstoppable!”
“I can’t.” She shook her head. “I’m sorry, but... I just can’t.”
Artie looked at her with soft eyes. “Look, whatever happened at Nationals last year, it doesn’t matter. We’ll take care of you.”
“Really?” She asked softly.
Artie winked a green eye, “that’s kinda our thing.”
Kayty looked thoughtful for a moment. This sweet boy in a wheelchair came up to her and made her feel at home here at McKinley for the first time. And for once, it felt nice not having to hide a part of herself she missed the most. “You know, for some reason, I trust you.” she said quietly. Artie smiled and shrugged.
“And you know, if you want to talk about what happened last year, I’m always here to listen.”
“Thank you Artie... Really.” She smiled, a little red blush coming to her freckled cheeks. “Maybe I am ready to start my next chapter.”
“I know,” Rachel Berry smirked. “It’s going to be perfect for our opening number at regionals next month.” Kurt Hummel nodded in agreement as she perched herself on a stool next to the window. She, Blaine Anderson, Mercedes Jones, Artie Abrams, and Kurt had all met up at Panera for a Saturday lunch.
“I’m not going to lie, I’m particularly nervous,” Blaine said. “Between that and you guys having Kayty now... we’re in trouble!”
“Kayty Cropley?” Mercedes was confused. “You mean that new girl? What do you know about her?”
“Oh, she’s my cousin.” Blaine explained. “I can’t tell you how much I begged her to cut off all her hair and pose as a boy so she could come to Dalton and sing for us!”
“She’d probably still be more masculine than me.” Kurt joked.
“Wait, what do you mean? She sings?” Rachel asked.
“Well, yeah, she’s amazing!” Blaine said. “Has she seriously not gone out for the glee club yet?”
The three McKinley kids shook their heads, utterly confused.
Mercedes spoke up, “I’ve barely heard the girl speak two words. No offense Blaine, but she seems kinda like a freak show.”
“You won’t be saying that after I show you this,” Blaine pulled out his laptop and logged onto YouTube. He searched “Kayty Cropley” and pages upon pages of videos showed up. All from different competitions.
“She had a solo at nationals... as a freshman,” Blaine said.
“That’s incredible!”
Mercedes, who was scrolling down the screen, scrunched her eyebrows together. “There’s no video from last year’s Nationals. Did they not make it?”
Blaine sighed, “they did. But something happened during the performance. I don’t know what, she would never talk about it.”
Mercedes shook her head. “Well, no matter what it was we obviously need to get her on New Directions.”
“Definitely.” Artie piped up, as his eyes were focused on the fascinating, beautiful girl on the screen. “Leave it up to me.”
****
Monday was just another day at McKinley High School, but as soon as the final bell rang Artie was on a mission. Through the grapevine he found out that her last class was Spanish with Mr. Schue. He wheeled himself as quickly as he could against the current of students rushing towards freedom for the afternoon. Soon, he caught sight of her black as night curls bouncing towards her locker. Artie powered forward.
“Kayty! Kayty Cropley!” He called after her as he dodged wayward purses and backpacks. “Wait up!”
She slowed down and turned, confused, but when her eyes landed on Artie in his adorable sweater and glasses she seemed to smile with relief.
“I’m-”
“Artie.” She finished for him and smiled. “I’ve seen you around. You’re on the football team, right?”
“Yeah. And in the Glee Club, actually.” He saw he face twinge a little, like a sharp reminder had invaded her like a thorn pricking her side.
“Oh,” she said carefully. “Does that mean you, like, sing and stuff?”
“You don’t have to fake anything, Kayty.” He said quietly, gently reaching out and touching her wrist. “I know you’re a singer. An incredible one at that.”
The hall had mostly cleared out at this point. The sounds of sneakers squeaking on the tile floor and lockers being shut faded away into the afternoon.
“H- How did you know?” She shifted her weight between her feet nervously.
“I’m friends with your cousin Blaine... I saw some of your stuff on YouTube. You’re mindblowingly good. Listen, I know our Glee program doesn’t have the history of success that your old school did, but we try our hardest and we are good. With you, we’d be completely unstoppable!”
“I can’t.” She shook her head. “I’m sorry, but... I just can’t.”
Artie looked at her with soft eyes. “Look, whatever happened at Nationals last year, it doesn’t matter. We’ll take care of you.”
“Really?” She asked softly.
Artie winked a green eye, “that’s kinda our thing.”
Kayty looked thoughtful for a moment. This sweet boy in a wheelchair came up to her and made her feel at home here at McKinley for the first time. And for once, it felt nice not having to hide a part of herself she missed the most. “You know, for some reason, I trust you.” she said quietly. Artie smiled and shrugged.
“And you know, if you want to talk about what happened last year, I’m always here to listen.”
“Thank you Artie... Really.” She smiled, a little red blush coming to her freckled cheeks. “Maybe I am ready to start my next chapter.”