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

Chapter 66: Healing

"Actually, this isn't about you," Marley said. "It's about Phil."

"Oh, right," Bobby nodded. "I tried to get him to stop harassing people but even getting shot hasn't stopped him from pushing down a kid or two with his good arm."

Marley sighed as she shook her head with disappointment. "Is there any chance that he'll drop the charges on Henry? After all, he harassed him all these years. He played a part in everything."

"Sorry," he shrugged. "I can't help you out, Mina—"

"Marley," she told him, knowing he still wouldn't remember her name.

"Sorry," he repeated before walking away. "Phil won't budge and... I think you're better off giving up on this one." 

***

"Burt!" Sam called out as he walked into the tire shop. "I'm in!"

"Just in time!" Burt chuckled as he emerged from behind an automobile with a small, oldschool radio in his hands.

"What's that?" Sam asked him, not recognizing the strange device. 

"Shh..." Burt hissed, turning up the volume with the dial on the side of it. Sam listened until a song began to play and a voice began to sing, which after a few seconds, he recognized as his own. 

Sam gaped at the radio in amazement. "That's my band!" he exclaimed. "That's our first single! Oh my god!" He pulled out his phone and dialed. As soon as John answered he said, "Dude, our song's on the radio! 'Falling in Love at a Coffee Shop' is playing on the radio right now!" Before his pal could respond, Sam hung up the phone and turned back to the radio blissfully. A few seconds later, his smile faded and he turned it off.

"What's the matter?" Burt asked him. "Isn't this your biggest dream? 'Cause you sort of looked like Kurt when he found out they weren't going to have a revival of Evita."

"It's great..." Sam answered, looking down at the radio. "It's just... I specifically asked for this song to be taken out of the album. This one and all the songs I wrote... About my ex. But they were the best ones. And now I have a feeling this isn't the only one we'll be hearing."

"That's not right, man," Burt shook his head. "What are you going to do about it?"

"I guess I have a producer to go talk to," he sighed, handing the radio back to Burt and walking out.

As he made his way out the door, Burt shook his head and said, "Kid didn't even stick around a whole minute for his shift... Gotta fire him."

***

"Alexis Zimmerman!" Peyton exclaimed as she rushed up to the guy at his locker. "What's wrong with you? I heard you went all Mel Gibson on Rory!"

"What?" Alex responded, confused. "Either you've got the wrong information or that reference just really doesn't make sense."

Peyton shook her head and said, "Forget the reference, I obviously made a mistake. The point is, Dan told me about the things you said and I know why. But they don't. You never told them, did you? About Kara? Not the whole story."

"I can't, ok?" he said. "Amity's too... She's innocent. She doesn't need to find out that I'm not."

"But it wasn't your fault!" Peyton exclaimed. "Alex, you need to get over it and you need to tell her and Dan and probably Rory and everyone else who was there with you."

"Wait, why weren't you there?" he asked.

Peyton grinned all of a sudden and said, "I told the nurse I had a stomachache just before going to class, so I wasn't there to be pulled out. It was Carrie's idea. She had a headache."