new directions | glee

11. HO HEY ☑️

CHAPTER ELEVEN |
ho hey

***

GLEE CLUB WAS over. It still wasn't quite sinking in for Kayla. Even when posters were taken down and all that really remained were the piano and chairs. In a way, she felt lucky. She was a senior, so even though glee club was gone she wouldn't have to miss it. She felt bad for Kitty, Marley, Jake, Unique and Ryder. They fell in love with glee club this year and it was being ripped from them just like that. They weren't losers. They placed second against the sixteen best show choirs in the nation. That had to count for something, but evidently, it didn't.

The only good part about saying goodbye was the fact that Dave was in town. She hadn't really seen him since Regionals and she missed him. She supposed the best part about glee club ending was that everyone who could was coming back, including Ollie (which she wasn't particularly excited about) and her brother. She hadn't seen her brother in what felt like ages, but was more like since Christmas.

Aaron and Dave were the first of the alumni to arrive, immediately pulling her into a group hug that she welcomed with open arms. She still felt a little broken. She was so certain they were going to win nationals. They deserved it. They wanted to win it for Finn and it felt like they'd let him down. She knew wherever he was that he didn't believe that, but it still felt that way.

"I missed you, Lala." Aaron grinned, holding her so tight he was basically suffocating her.

Kayla groaned, barely able to utter out her response. "You're squeezing me, asshole."

He laughed, pulling away to let Dave hug her too and despite the fact that he was much bigger than Aaron, his hugs were a lot more comfortable. She loved how gentle Dave was with her. He always made it a habit to hold her softly and give her space while still showing her that he was here. His hugs made her feel warm, safe. No one else in the world could do that.

The choir room was empty. The first meeting wasn't supposed to be happening for another thirty minutes, but Kayla had been spending a lot of time in this room after hours. It was easier for her to sit in here in the dark and look at the walls that were slowly being peeled of posters and the chairs stacked up in the corner. Now she had someone there and as she sat down on the risers, Dave and Aaron followed her and sat down next to her. She let her head fall onto her brother's shoulder as she felt Dave rub her back soothingly.

"You doing okay?" Aaron asked her, smiling down at his little sister's small frame. He hadn't stepped foot in this room for at least two years and he only got that one year in glee, but it was the best year of his life. It was even hurting him that glee was over, so he knew Kayla was devastated.

Kayla didn't answer verbally. She simply shrugged her shoulders and let the silence engulf them. None of the trio minded the quiet. In fact, it was almost bittersweet sitting in this room that by and large had changed all three of them. This was the place Kayla truly found a home and the place Aaron got to be himself and the place Dave learned to love himself. This place meant a lot to them and now it was gone and none of them were quite ready for the reality of that, so they sat in silence, taking comfort in the warmth of each other. This room might not be theirs anymore, but that love never ceased.

←⧪→

Kayla was in high spirits after a trip down memory lane in the choir room, though she was still a bit confused why April had them sing a Warblers competition number. Her spirits were even higher when she saw Puck at the end of the hallway. She wasted no time in immediately jumping on his back like a small child. She couldn't help it. She missed him like crazy. Ever since he joined the Air Force, they'd hardly had any contact and considering how close they used to be, not seeing each other for almost five months was not cutting it.