Glee: Back to the Top (the third book in the Glee series)

Chapter 68: Everybody Loves Prom

[Prom tonight… Doo doo doo doo do…. Hehe Not Another Teen Movie anybody? Don’t say you’re too young because I was in grade school when I watched that one! I think maybe 10 or 11? Hehe, my parents sure were irresponsible with the things they let me watch.]

"Rod Remington here with WOHN News," the charismatic anchorman began, "and with me today is the lovely Peyton Carson and... uh... What'd you say your name was again?"

Rod and Peyton turned to Dan, whose cheeks flushed a soft pink shade before he cleared his throat and said, "Daniel Roberts."

Peyton snorted, covering her mouth as she tried to stop the laughter. Though she found it adorable, it was also quite funny to see Dan so nervous that he'd actually give a different name. Unsure as to why she was laughing, Dan gave her a weird look before turning his attention back to Rod.

"Right," the man nodded, his smile never fading as he turned back to the camera. "These two McKinley High students were among the few who survived the horrifying shooting the school faced just a few weeks ago. Peyton, I have heard amazing stories from some of the other students but we're all dying to hear from you. Is it true that you single-handedly Karate-chopped the shooter and saved everyone?"

Peyton grinned, turning to the camera as she gushed, "Well, I mean, I wouldn't say single-handedly... I just sort of kicked him, using my martial arts skills, of course... You know, I'm also a reporter. For the school paper."

"Fascinating!" Rod exclaimed, turning his gaze to Dan. "And Daniel, I understand that you fainted while all of this was happening..."

"Uh..." Dan muttered, looking at both expectant faces and wondering why Rod didn't have a co-host to ease the tensions. "I didn't faint... I collapsed..."

"Bravado," Rod said in his deep, slow voice. 

"What? No!" Dan quickly added. "I'm diabetic and—"

"Why don't we get down to the real questions?" Peyton interrupted, attempting to save what would obviously turn out to be a terrible interview. "I'm sure the public is dying to know... Chocolate or vanilla?"

Rod raised a dubious eyebrow at Dan, who, defeated, said, "Just answer... Trust me."

***

As Jake turned off the TV, he threw it on the bed and said, "This blows."

"What?" Ryder asked, watching him walk back over to the bars he was using to move around in. They were at the hospital, where he was still going back to for his regularly scheduled therapy sessions. Watching him get right back to it, Ryder asked, "Are you upset that you didn't get interviewed on live television? Because from the looks of it, it isn't exactly fun."

"No, I'm perfectly fine with not getting that attention," Jake agreed, "but I just sort of hoped that there wouldn't be anything said about the shooting. The only ones who should've been asking questions were the deadbeat cops who did absolutely nothing for us that day. It just makes me feel awful, you know? I mean Peyton weighs at most 110 pounds, yet she took down that guy while the rest of us just stood there? And the police didn't intervene? What if something had happened to her? To any of us?"

"Something did happen," Ryder responded, nodding at his knee. "You could've been injured much worse because you chose to save Kitty. And something changed in every single person in that room. In the school, really. I mean, when was the last time you saw someone getting shoved into the lockers? I can't guarantee that it'll be a permanent change, but for those of us who lived through it, at least... The bullying is over. You made a difference."