𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫 || glee

thirty nine; not the boy next door

NYADA auditions were here, and even though she and Kurt were still fighting, she still wanted to be there for support. They were still best friends, no matter what. The backstage was hectic, Mercedes, Brittany, and Tina wearing their first-ever Regionals costumes and running around, presumably to help Kurt perform. But Kurt was supposed to be doing a Phantom of the Opera song. Odd. Especially because of the spare gold pants on a hanger that looked like something Hugh Jackman would wear.

"Vee!" she heard Kurt's frantic voice call out from behind her. Turning around, she shot him a thin-lipped smile and went his way.

"Before you say anything — " he immediately said once seeing her expression. " — I have to say I'm sorry. I overstepped last week and I said some terrible things to you. What you do with your relationship is none of my business and I shouldn't have lashed out on you," he said in one breath.

"It's okay, Kurt. You were mad, I get that. I just wanna help you with your audition, and give you this," she handed him a red scarf, watching as his face lit up with joy. "We've been working on this song for too long for me not to be out there with you."

He hugged her tightly, beaming at the gift she got him. "How'd you know I wanted these?" he asked.

"Your dad said you'd hinted at needing a red scarf for your birthday," she answered.

Rachel appeared shortly after, wearing a Christine Daaé wig and costume. They both shot each other a smile, Rachel holding a bottle of some strange liquid. Vee was not as big of singers as they were, so she had absolutely no clue what it was.

"Want some Throat Coat?" Rachel offered. "Just to avoid last-minute irritation."

Kurt nodded and opened his mouth, Rachel spraying the substance into it. Vee could still safely say that she had no clue what that thing did or was.

"You look great, Rachel," Vee complimented her genuinely. She did look stunning.

Taken aback, Rachel smiled warmly. "Thank you," she said meekly before turning to Kurt. "So, um, Kurt, you know how they say that knowledge is power?"

Kurt nodded, though he looked quite puzzled. Vee was also very confused, but chose not to voice it.

"Okay, well, I got some last-minute intel about our NYADA adjudicator, and, well, I don't want to make you any more nervous than you already are," Rachel said incredibly fast, like she normally did.

"Okay, now you have to tell me," Kurt replied eagerly.

Rachel had a horrified look plastered on her face. "It's Carmen Tibideaux."

"Carmen Tibideaux?" Kurt's face morphed into one of horror. "She's one of NYADA's most famous — and infamous — alums. She's played Broadway. She's performed the most demanding roles in the greatest opera houses in the world. I think I'm going to throw up," he rambled, his nerves piling up.

"Look, my dads have been trolling the NYADA chat rooms, and they said that she's been appointed dean of Vocal Performance and Song Interpretation, and now she's going across the country to pick out her own inaugural class," she informed him, both of them getting increasingly anxious.

"If you don't mind me asking, why's she so scary?" Vee piped up.

They both exchanged a look of nervousness. "Once, La Tibideaux stopped a performance of Medea at the Met because someone glanced at their watch while she was doing one of her 'I'm killing my babies' arias. She destroyed him," Kurt said dramatically.

"Do you think she's going to have any qualms about cutting us off if we displease her?" he asked, but was cut off by a loud, but eerily calm voice speaking through the microphone.