Reese Lavek ⚥ S. Smythe | ✓ (EDITING)

8~ Tin-Man Has a Heart

Rule 8: Your opponent may have a change of heart

"This week, David Karofsky made an attempt to take his own life. Now we ask all of you to please keep this subject as you say...on the down low. We appreciate if you would like to send him condolences through gift baskets and get well soon cards, but please do not add on to the harassment he is receiving on the internet. David still has many friends here, and he is still loved among us..." 

Principal Figgins words kept ringing in my head throughout the entire week. I never liked Karofsky, he was always spilling food or drinks on my clothing sketches, or calling me Queen Uber-Freak, just because during that time I had a very unique sense of style.

But, it made me remember a time when I was really, really low in life, and I felt I had nothing to live for. Yeah, I tried too... but I didn't achieve obviously. I'm glad I didn't though.

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Rachel found me where I usually would be when I'm deep in thought. Under the field bleachers and sketching some random article of clothing.

"Hey," she said. I looked up at her and smiled.

"Hey, you doing alright?" I asked her. She nodded and sat down.

"Yeah, I was thinking about what Finn said and... and I'm not going to sing at Regionals," she replied. I instantly dropped my pen and paper when she said that.

"Are you crazy? Rachel we need you. You're our best singer! Let me worry about Horrid Hairgel!" I exclaimed. She didn't get to sing with us at Sectionals, now Regionals? Is she going to bail on Nationals too?

"I am, but there's someone else I know who has an incredible voice just like me. I want you to take my solo," she said. Hah?

"Come again?" I asked.

"No! Reese listen, you have an incredible voice and I think that the world deserves to hear it. It's not like my incredibly powerful Barbra Streisand-"

Be careful Berry, you want me on your side, no?" I joked. She just giggled.

"But, you have an amazing assimilation of Mariah Carey's depth control and Christina Aguilera's strong vocal chords. And, I picked a song that I thought would fit you best for Regionals," she said, then pulled out a piece of paper from her bag. I smiled at the song title.

"Really?" I asked.

"The theme this year is inspiration, and to me... you're the most inspirational person I ever met. All you've accomplished, and all you're going to acheive! Reese, I know you can do this. If not for me, for yourself, and all those who brought you down," she replied. I couldn't contain my joy, I just threw my arms around her in a hug.

"Thank you so much, Rachel!" I beamed.

"You're welcome. Now rest up, we need our best vocalist to be ready for Saturday," that's right...Regionals is this Saturday...joy.

⚥⚥⚥

We filed into the Lima Bean, me, Rachel, Blaine, and Kurt, and there was the Twink, sitting at the table, doing his homework and drinking his coffee.

"Alright dumbass, let me break it down for you. From one bitch to another," I placed my hand on his head and turned it to face us... now thinking though, that was kind of pointless because I sat down across from him.

"All of this vicious, underhanded crap has got to stop!" I told him. 

"Exactly," did I hear him right? Did he just agree with me?  "That's why I called you all here. First of all... Blaine I am sorry about your eye," he started.

"That means nothing to me," Blaine replied.

"Just give me a chance. I have no excuses... other than a lame prank that got completely out of control. Second, Rachel, the Finn photos have all been destroyed. I want the Warblers to win fair and square," he then turned to Rachel, who didn't seem to be very trusting in him.

"And we're going to take donations for Lady Gaga's Born This Way foundation. Win, lose, or draw, we're going to dedicate our performance to Dave Karofsky. I thought you might want to join us," he said. Something smells rotten, and I don't mean the biscottis...

"Wait for the punch, you know it's coming," Kurt whispered.

"No, not this time," Sebastian protested, "For too long I have treated... everything like a big joke," what did he mean by that? What did he do? Do I even want to know? Probably not.

"It's all fun and games...until...it's not," I didn't say anything, I just continued to stare at him, because something in his words made sense. And then he looked at me, and he saw the worry in my eyes. I had to wonder just what had made him have a change of heart, because when you come from a background like me, people like him don't change without a truly rattling experience.