Gleeboot (Season 2)

8. The Word Love Part 1

Despite certain surprises over the weekend, come Monday morning Sam woke up with a smile on his face. Sure, the glee club was a mess, and they were down a member with Regionals just a few weeks away. But next Sunday was Valentine's Day and he had decided that this would be a week to celebrate it.

It was the first Valentine's Day in a while that he had a serious girlfriend and he had so many surprises planned for Gwen that he couldn't help feeling excited as he arrived at McKinley.

The glee club was called in during homeroom for an important meeting. As the kids walked in, looking tired or straight up bummed out, Sam tapped his foot, eagerly waiting for them all to be seated.

When they were all facing him, he turned his back to them and began to write on the board.

The kids groaned as the word LOVE appeared there in red marker.

"Seriously?" Perla said immediately. "Please tell us that's not your theme for the week."

Sam smiled at her and she rolled her eyes. "What does the word 'love' mean?" he asked them, ignoring their disdain. When nobody answered, he pointed at Mia.

"Uh..." she started, nervously avoiding eye contact with everyone around her. "It's... accepting someone for who they are... Flaws and all."

He looked at Dominic, who answered, "I guess when another person completes you. Like, they are everything you're not and you are everything they're not but together... You are each other's strengths and weaknesses."

"Yuck," muttered Lucas.

Sam nodded and pointed at Alex next. He shifted uncomfortably in his seat and said, "It's when... I think when..."

"Any day now," Perla teased.

Alex let out a heavy sigh, "It's when the happiness of another person is your priority."

"That's beautiful," Sam told him. "Elizabeth?"

He traced her across the room. She blushed, trying not to look at Ricky, who sat in front of her, as she said, "It's when you have a deep connection with someone who makes you feel seen."

Sam noticed her eyes shift towards Ricky, so he pointed at him. "Oh I don't know about that stuff," Ricky admitted. "I guess I always thought it was when you feel at home with another person."

"Yes!" Sam exclaimed. "Yes. Kat?"

"Everything they've all said," she nodded. Sam pressed her with a look and she said, "When you can be yourself around someone and you feel the warmth of their care and trust."

Sam grinned. "Lola," he turned to her. Her eyes widened. "What does love feel like? Ideally speaking."

She shrugged a little, stammering, "I-well... I... I guess it feels... Maybe, intense? I would want it to keep me on my toes. Like adrenaline."

"Oooh," said Sam. "Perla? Same question."

"Love..." she exhaled exasperatedly, the question was exhausting her. "It feels like you... just always have this desire to be a better person. It feels like motivation to change and to grow. And if you don't feel like you should change and grow, you probably don't actually love that person."

A few people looked at Lucas, who rolled his eyes and avoided all eyes on him.

"It feels vulnerable," said Teddy when Sam turned him. "It feels scary."

Floris looked down at his toes, wondering if Teddy was talking about him. When he glanced up, Sam stood in front of him, waiting. "Oh me?" Floris said nervously. "I never... Well... I wouldn't know how to describe it."