Be Free, Be You

I knocked on Artie’s door and stepped back, waiting for someone to open it up and let me in. I nibbled on my lip, trying to fight back the smile that was threatening to take over my face when I thought back to that morning. I had never thought I’d have so much fun just hanging out with Puck, teasing each other like best friends, goofing around without fooling around. It was refreshing.

And, although I hated to admit it, it kind of got my hopes up about having a real, actual relationship with Puck. I knew it was a long shot, considering his past history with girls, but the romantic inside of me insisted that maybe, possibly, I could be the person that changed him.

God, I was sappy.

“Hey, Steph,” Artie greeted as he pulled open the door and propelled himself backward at the same time. “Come on in.”

“Thanks,” I granted, smiling and stepping into his kitchen, blushing slightly from the thoughts Artie had interrupted.

“Val’s waiting in my room for us,” he explained as he ventured down the hallway. “Do you want anything to eat? Something to drink?”

“I’m alright, thanks,” I responded as I followed behind him. “How was your date with Val?”

“Good,” he responded noncommittally.

My eyebrows furrowed as I wondered why, exactly, the story of last night had gone from Val’s enthusiastic texts to Artie’s indifference. Something major must have happened in between, and I was absolutely dying to know.

But I knew asking such questions in mixed company would have been frowned upon.
My suspicions of something major happening that day were confirmed when I walked in to find Val sitting on Artie’s bed. Her leg was curled in front of her, her chin resting on her knee, looking downright pitiful.

I almost burst open and questioned her right there, but Artie made his presence known when he started the Michael Jackson song he’d tried to hammer into my head the week before. “You ready to try this again?” Artie questioned before turning back to Val, not bothering to wait for my answer. “She actually started getting decent toward the end.”

Val smirked at me, which made my stomach soften a bit, some of the worry from earlier dissipating. “Oh, God. I can’t wait to hear this.”

“I’m not good,” I protested. “Artie’s just being nice. Val, you might want to block your ears.”

“Oh, trust me. I’m at the ready.”

I laughed a little as Artie restarted the song, since we’d started over the beginning of the first verse.

“Now concentrate,” Artie murmured right as the introduction started.

I shifted my position a little bit, crossing my arms in front of my chest before letting them drop to my side. God, having people watch me sing was incredibly awkward. At least when I was singing to Artie, he was just trying to give me pointers.

But having my older sister, the person I looked up to more than anyone in the entire world, watching me? I felt my hands get clammy and my heart start to race, and I knew when I opened my mouth, my voice was going to crack.

Taking a deep breath before I knew I was supposed to sing, I started to mumble the beginning words. Artie looked confused, while Val appeared to be highly amused by the whole thing.

“Steph, come on,” Artie whined, rolling over and shutting off the song before turning to face me. “You have to sing out. Mumbling isn’t going to do anything. And if you pull that in Glee Club, Mr. Schue’s going to be all over your ass.”

I nibbled on my lip and glanced at Val for a second. “I dunno,” I muttered, crossing my arms in front of my chest.

“Oh, please, Steph.” Val rolled her eyes. “I’ve heard you singing forever. I hear you sing in the shower, even though you don’t think I do.”

“What?” I gasped, feeling my face flood with embarrassment. “How?! I always make sure to sing softer than the sound of the water.”

Val snickered. “I figured you’d know this, since you’re the brainiac. Water makes sound travel, and the acoustics in the bathroom are killer.”

“Oh my God,” I grumbled, burying my face in my hands. The fact that I really only sang one song over and over and over just made everything worse.

“You’ve actually gotten at least halfway good at Moments,” Val commented. “Kind of.”

“Moments?” Artie questioned. “What’s that?”

“A song by One Direction,” Val sighed. “Steph’s obsessed.”

“I’m not obsessed,” I grumbled, but neither of them was listening to me.

“It doesn’t matter,” Artie sighed as he turned back to me. “Okay, I’m going to start the song again. And you’re going to sing for real, alright? You’re not even that bad anymore.”

I tried to take that as a compliment, but it certainly didn’t settle like one. Plus, I wasn’t really sure he meant it. I was probably just as bad as before, and there was no way I could get any better in such a short time.

We were totally wasting our lives on a lost cause.

“Hey, I have an idea,” Val voiced unexpectedly, sitting up straight as the light came to life behind her eyes. “What if Steph sings Moments instead of The Way You Make Me Feel?”

“But I don’t know the song,” Artie sighed. “How would I teach it?”

“You can hear the notes. Listen to it once all the way through, and then help Steph with it.” Valarie, pleased with herself, sat up against the wall. “I think it’d be better for both of you. She already knows all the words, and she’s confident about how it goes.”

Artie pondered that for a second. I watched his face carefully, looking for any signs of what he might decide. I actually thought Valarie’s idea was perfect; all her points made sense, and if I was passionate about the song, then maybe I’d sing it better?

It was a long shot, but it was possible.

“Okay, let’s try it,” he finally allowed. “Val, you want to bring it up on my computer?”

She obliged without hesitation, pulling the laptop up onto her lap and booting it up, going immediately to YouTube and searching the song.

After Artie listened to the tune, he nodded. “Okay, that seems easy enough. Steph, why don’t you sing it?”

I took a deep breath as the music started, and I barely had to think before the words flowed out of my mouth. And Steph had a point; I wasn’t really that bad. I mean, I was definitely no Whitney Houston or Christina Aguilera…but I was alright.

“Not bad,” Artie approved. “Good idea, Val.”

She grinned widely, quite proud of herself.