Take Care of Yourself (A Rory Flanagan/Glee fan fiction)

Five

            “Hello?” I answer my phone. “Cassidy, it’s 4:30! Where are you? You’re missing Glee club!” Kurt yells into the microphone. “I, um. I got sick and went home early. Tell Mr. Schue okay bye-“ I quickly end the call.

Rory and I continue walking through the town and all the side streets, looking at different buildings and sights.                                          

“So who was it?” He asks. “Oh, just Kurt. He’s just worrying about me – it doesn’t matter.” Rory slaps his forehead. “Oh, that’s right. I’m sorry; I completely forgot you had Glee club. We shouldn’t have gone out.” I shake my head at him. “No no. It’s fine. All that I’ll be missing is Rachel singing her heart out and then bossing people around.”

Rory laughs. “Ah, give the girl a break. She’s just trying her best to get to the top.” He suggests. “I know. But she could be a little nicer about it all. That’s all I’m saying!” I throw my hands up in exhaustion.

“We should probably head back.” I suggest, looking at the time on my phone. “Um,” he scratches the back on his head, thinking. “If you really want to. Is that what you want? You don’t like me, eh?” he teases. “No, that’s not it, I really like you! I mean- I- I like you. You’re really cool.” I cover up quickly. He just laughs and raises an eyebrow, not replying.

“Alright then. Guess we should get a move on while there’s still a wee bit of light.” He crosses his arms and walks beside me down the subway steps around the corner.

As we ride the train back home, I realize how awkward I had made the situation. We sat in silence and it was because I said he was cool. Who says, ‘you’re really cool’. I think to myself.

I try to think of something else, but it’s pretty difficult to when Rory’s hand lingers close to mine between our seats. It’s difficult to when Rory’s eyes scream this is so uncomfortable. It’s difficult to when all this shame and embarrassment builds up inside my chest.

After what seemed like forever, the train finally pulls in to our stop. We both get up and walk out the doors, so crowded that people push us into each other, our hands briefly touching; making the situation worse.

Finally we’re out in the snow-covered parking lot, where Brittany’s mom is parked outside, and waiting for Rory.

 

Rory turns to look down at me. We stand for a while, it seemed like he was still trying to figure out something to say.

“I, um…” he glances over at Brittany’s mom as she motions for him to get moving, then back to me.

“I guess I’ll see you later then. Do you want a ride?” I shake my head no. “Are you sure? There’s enough space…and it’s pretty cold out here.” I shake my head again. “It’s fine. I can walk from here. Plus I have to pick up a few things from the store on the way back.” He nods in agreement, and turns to walk away.

“Um…wait!” I say after him.

Rory spins around on his heels and looks at me. “Remember… remember when I suggested you join Glee club? Back at my house? Since we sort of missed Glee today, I was thinking… just maybe, maybe you could try out tomorrow?” my eyes now looking to him, full of hope. “… I don’t know about that, Cassidy…” I cocked my head to the side. “Maybe…” I look at him with frustration. I didn’t want a ‘maybe’, I wanted a ‘yes’, or ‘of course!’

“Rory, when you sang along with me in that restaurant, you sounded amazing. Our voices sound perfect together. You’d be an amazing duet partner. Please…please, take the time to think about it tonight.”

He just looks at me, intensity in his eyes, and then walks to the car – not looking back. That’s my cue to leave, and so, that’s what I do – but I feel eyes on me, so I turn around, curiously.

Rory’s standing now next to the car, but smiling at me. He grabs the door handle, and opens it, but doesn’t step in. I continue to watch, my eyes fixed on his.

“You’re really cool, too.” I hear faintly from his lips, and with that he’s gone.

Later that night, I pace back and forth in my bedroom, thinking about tomorrow. I needed something to perform, and it had to be a duet song although I was alone. It had to be good. Good enough to make up for the fact that I was alone.

My thoughts were interrupted when I heard a Facebook notification message, so I picked up my phone to check.

Rory Flanagan (friends with Artie Abrams, Finn Hudson and 4 others) would like to be friends on Facebook.

I look down nervously at my phone, and hesitantly press the “accept” button.

You are now friends. Click here to write on Rory’s wall.

 

I dismiss the notification, turn off my phone, and continue to pace.

Until I’m interrupted once again. A few times. Multiple times.

I walk over to my laptop to open it, typing in my password faster than I ever had before, anxious to see what was going on.

They were messages from Rory over Facebook.

Hey

 

Cassidy, don’t mean to bug ye, but are ye perhaps at home?

 

It’s important

 

I stare at the screen, not knowing why he messaged me. Suddenly my hands begin typing, I wasn’t even sure they knew what they were doing.

Yes, I’m home. But I’m alone, why?

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rFfT4aFCUmE  listen to this. Print out the lyrics. I’ll be over soon.

 

I click on the link he sent me, and a lyric video for the song ‘Falling Slowly’ from the musical ‘Once’ appears on my screen. I already know the song, so I’m happy to hear it, but as it plays, I sit there and wonder what the significance of it was.

Soon enough I hear a knock on the door, so I run down the stairs quickly – sometimes skipping a few steps.

“Hey.” He says, smiling brightly. I open the door completely and offer out my hand as a gesture to enter.

“I tried to rush over as fast as I could, sorry it took a wee bit.” I close the door behind him, and then turn around to lean against it. “Yeah, about that…why?” I ask, locking the door and finally getting off of it.

“Um, well…” he pauses, trying to think of a complete sentence. “I thought about what you said earlier.” He pauses again, looking at me. “I would like to join the Glee club. And I remember you mentioned earlier today that your duet performance is tomorrow. I’ll perform that song with you tomorrow.” He smiles as his speech comes to an end. I can’t help but smile either. “Sooo…” I say awkwardly. “You came here for…what purpose? Just to tell me? Because you know you could have just told me over Facebook.”

“Well, we need to practice to be able to perform, don’t we?” we both smile, and then run up the steps to my room to practice.