Glee: The Next Generation

I'm Only Me When I'm With You

The next day (Tuesday)

Tracy had loved her old school, because her theatre class was at the beginning of the day. But at McKinley High School Of The Arts, it was in the middle of the day. The logic was that students would have something to look forward to while in their boring core classes. Tracy supposed that this was a good idea, but it would take some time to adjust.

"Don't you just hate math?" a familiar voice asked from beside her. She turned to see Corey Lopez-Pierce sitting in the desk next to hers. He wore stylish round glasses over his chocolate-brown eyes, and his black hair was worn in a low-hanging ponytail. The white button-up he wore was in stark contrast with his brown skin.

"Always have," Tracy chuckled. "Hey, at least we have the class together! Now all we need to do is gang up on a smart kid and get the answers from them," she said. Corey nodded in agreement.

When class was over, they left together. "So, what's it like being back in America?" Tracy asked. She'd love to go to the UK again one day. Her dads had taken her to London when she was young, but she wanted to see the countrysides, not just the tourist attractions.

"It's alright, but I really miss him," he said. Tracy knew who he was talking about; his English boyfriend, Alfie. Tracy and Corey were close - not as close as he and Delilah were, but close - and she'd even met Alfie over video chat a couple of times. He was a really sweet guy, and Tracy felt really bad for him. But it wasn't easy for Corey either, she knew.

Tracy held his hand. "I know."

They parted ways to go to their respective classes and thankfully, Tracy's second block was an interesting one: sociology.

Delilah found Corey at lunch and they ate together outside. She and Audrey had compared schedules the day before, and they had the same lunch period, but Delilah hoped that Audrey wasn't able to find them in
the crowd. She felt horrible for thinking that, but things with her had been weird the past week. She loved Audrey, but it was nice just spending time with her bestie.

She closed her now-empty lunch box and stood from where they sat. If they took a walk, maybe the chances of Audrey finding them would decrease.

[Glee is known for randomly breaking out into song, and this fanfic is no exception. However, Glee is also know. for cutting songs short, and I'm gonna do that this time. Again, I recommend you listen to I'm Only Me When I'm With You by Taylor Swift before reading this!]

(They're climbing the stairs of the courtyard)
Corey: Just a small-town boy and girl
living in a crazy world.
Trying to figure out what is and isn't true.
[Now they're walking in the bleachers of the football field, because that makes sense, right?]
Delilah: And I don't try to hide my tears;
my secrets or my deepest fears.
Through it all nobody gets me like you do.
Corey: And you know everything about me.
Delilah: You say that you can't live without me.
(They're dancing down the halls) Both: I'm only up when you're not down.
Don't wanna fly if you're still on the ground.
It's like no matter what I do...
(Now they're in the library)
Well, you drive me crazy half the time.
The other half I'm only trying
to let you know that what I feel is true.
And I'm only me when I'm with you.
(In the auditorium)
Delilah: When I'm with anybody else
it's so hard to be myself.
And only you can tell.
(Back to the halls, because they need to get to class soon) Both: I'm only up when you're not down.
Don't wanna fly if you're still on the ground.
It's like no matter what I do...
Well, you drive me crazy half the time.
The other half I'm only trying
to let you know that what I feel is true.
And I'm only me when I'm with you

They were standing at Corey's locker (which was on the other side of the hall from Delilah's) when they heard a door slam closed. Audrey was standing outside of a classroom, straightening the small bow tied around her neck.

Delilah let out a small sigh. She hadn't been able to avoid her after all. "Hey, love. What were you doing in a Biology classroom during lunch?"

Audrey walked up to Delilah and grabbed her hand. "I was getting some homework help, a senior who takes all AP classes was offering tutoring sessions for underclassmen who needed it," she said with an amused smile. "Do I smell..." she lifted Delilah's hand to her nose and sniffed lightly. "...distrust?"

"Maybe I'd trust you more if you answered my calls."

Audrey looked stricken. Delilah wanted to slap that look off of her face just as much as she wanted to lovingly hold that same face in her hands. No, she thought, things aren't the same.

"Lilah, you know I never ignore your calls. I must've forgotten to turn my ringer back on after school, and I did fall asleep early," Audrey said.

Delilah turned her heard to look at Corey. He didn't seem convinced, and he was an excellent judge of character. She turned back to Audrey and tried to give her nicest smile. "Roof tonight?"

"Of course," Audrey said, then pulled Delilah in for a "not-so-sweet lady kiss," as Corey liked to call them.

That night...

Delilah sat on the roof of her moms' house, waiting. She checked her phone again. She'd texted Audrey ten minutes ago, and there was still no reply. The only thing she saw when she looked at her phone was her lock screen: one of the few pictures she had of Audrey and Corey together. They were her favorite people in the world, but they weren't always so friendly with each other. She could tolerate their petty squabbles, though.

The stars were so pretty tonight. It reminded her of the first time she and Audrey had come up here, back in middle school. They'd been friends then, had just learned that they liked holding each other's hands. Everything was so different now.

Delilah looked back up at the sky and sighed.

Audrey looked up from her science homework to see bright green eyes looking right back at her. She was getting tutoring from one of her classmates from theatre class, Inez. At least, that's what she'd told Delilah. The truth was, Audrey was awesome at science and had never needed tutoring in her life. She was taking an AP science class this year, though, so the excuse was believable.

"We sure had some chemistry in the Biology classroom earlier today," Inez said with a dry laugh. It was a horrible joke, but that's why it was funny.

Audrey walked over to Inez and sat in her lap. "Can we skip the awkward and unnecessary banter?" She kissed Inez and ran her fingers through her hair.

"Aren't you supposed to be stargazing with your girlfriend tonight?" Inez said.

Audrey laughed, louder than she'd meant to. "Oh, she'll get over me missing one night."

Inez chuckled. "Okay, then."