You notice it first but you don't say anything. Partially because no one would ever believe you and partially because saying it out loud might make it true. And sister, you do not want this shit to actually be happening. So you brush it aside and ignore it, looking the other way during your rehearsals for the hair number, trying not to notice how much prettier she is with her hair down and how long her legs look in those stupid jean shorts and how she's been choreographed to be all over him.

But ignoring it isn't working because it keeps happening. She stands next to him when everyone is warming up; she turns to him, sometimes, instead of Santana to explain things she doesn't understand; you're pretty sure the last time you walked by his Calc. class she was sitting next to him. You feel like your chance at a second chance with Artie is slipping away.

You're not sure what to do, exactly. Your relationship has changed ever since you dropped the stutter bomb, and you don't know how to fix it. There's a tug on your heart when she skips over to him and high-fives him because they got matching shirts for the Cyndi Lauper number and he smiles that enormous smile at her instead of you. You try to make eye contact while you sing about rainbows, but his gaze isn't directed at you. Not this time.

Sure, you guys are friends still, and he still walks you to classes and laughs at your jokes and calls you during American Idol; but he doesn't look at you the way he used to and it's a little more than heart breaking.

And, let's face it; you're jealous as all hell.

It doesn't feel fair. And it's your fault, you know, but it doesn't feel fair. Because you know what you want, it's sitting there right in front of you, smiling and singing, and Brittany has no idea how amazing he is.

She has no idea how privileged you are when Artie Abrams looks at you that way.

And soon enough, other people are starting to notice, too. Santana cocks her eyebrow and frowns when Brittany says she'll catch up with her in the cafeteria and waits for Artie to navigate himself out of the classroom. Mercedes gives you a pitying look when Artie starts carrying Britt's books to class for her. Kurt pulls you into the girls' room and tells you to take deep breaths the first time they're witnessed kissing in the halls. And you do, you breathe, and your heart breaks because you just realized that you love him, damn it, and it's too late.

You pull away, kicking yourself for breaking down your stuttering wall of defense and getting hurt. You don't answer his calls on Thursday nights. You hang out at Kurt's more and throw yourself into Glee and school. You cry at night when your parents are gone and you can just hate yourself for a little while.

You go to the winter formal with Kurt because Mercedes is bringing one of the guys from the Halverston glee club, and you try not to notice how beautiful Brittany looks on the arm of your best friend. Kurt forces you to dance to every number and you have to admit that when the entire glee club and football team hit the dance floor for 'Single Ladies' you're having a pretty good time.

Then Artie asks you to dance while Brit dances with Mike Chang and all you want to do is stutter 'N-n-n-o thanks,' and hide in the coat room, but you nod your head and take his hand instead.

He looks up at you with that adorable almost-smile and pats his knee. You have a seat in his lap and carefully fold your arms around him, resting your cheek on the curve of his neck. He keeps one hand on your back and the other on his wheel, rotating it so you're swaying back and forth. He's humming along to the song and you feel like you're exactly where you belong until you catch Kurt's eye, and he's looking at you like his heart is breaking for you. It's then that you remember Britt, and that you're not really supposed to be here, with Artie; that this is her place and you're just borrowing it for a song. Suddenly Artie has pulled his head from yours and is looking you straight in the eye, asking if you're okay.

Your tears have moistened the skin on his neck, you realize, and you're crying in front of the whole school. Mortified, you struggle out of his grip and stumble, red-faced, to the washroom.

You feel like a walking cliché, but you can't help the sobs that are coursing through your body. You splash water on your face to no avail and hear the door open behind you. You groan, embarrassed, and wait for Kurt's slightly sarcastic, comforting words. Instead, though, there's a long pause.

"Tina?"

You look up and see Brittany standing there, beautiful in her long, sequined dress, a concerned look on her face.

You suddenly feel like you might throw up and moan, "Oh god."

"Are you okay?" She asks, her tone soft.

You have absolutely no idea what to tell her, so you lean back against the counter and shake your head. She walks over and gives you a hug in true, sweet, stupid, Brittany style, and you feel like crap. You hug her back and force a smile onto your face when she pulls away.

"Is it because your hair keeps doing that thing?" She asks, and you choke out a sob that almost sounds like a laugh. She reaches over and does something to your hair, and the expensive up-do your mother paid for instead of helping you get ready for the dance falls in loose curls around your shoulders. You look in the mirror and you have to admit, you look a lot better.

"Thanks," you say, and she smiles and bounces out of the room.

After that day, you avoid Artie like the plague. You're horrified that you cried in his arms in front of the whole school and you even briefly consider quitting glee before Kurt literally slaps your face and says "don't. you. dare."

If people notice that you barely speak to him anymore, they don't let on.

But toward the end of the year, there's a shift in the energy of the club. Everything has been tense recently due to impending nationals and Quinn's impending due date, but recently, there's been something else. Something feels off.

You try to analyze it, and you scan the room during rehearsal, trying to figure it out. The Rachel-Finn-Quinn-Puck quadrangle is ever present, Mike and Matt are clueless as usual, Mercedes is happily showing Kurt the bling her deaf boyfriend got her, and Santana is stuck to the side of Brittany who just seems… sad. Artie is quietly strumming his guitar over by the piano. By himself.

Something inside you shifts.

After practice, you can tell he's loitering, killing time in the choir room so he doesn't have to go wait in the parking lot for his ride with everyone else. You linger, too. You miss him, for goodness sake, why not?

And you love him, and he looks sad. And that hurts your heart, so you hang back.

"Hey Artie," you walk slowly up behind him as he's putting his guitar in its case.

He twists in his chair to see you standing behind him and he smiles a little, directly at you. "Hey, Tina."

There's no malice in his voice. In fact, he seems happy to see you, if a little tired and worn out. His voice sounds kind of hoarse, actually, which you find interesting because it sounded so clear and beautiful during rehearsal.

"You look a little down," you say to his back as he finishes latching his guitar case. He wheels over to the piano and you sit on the bench, poke at a few keys.

He shrugs wearily, "I'm okay, really. Just, yeah, kind of down."

His eyes watch your hands on the keys. "What's wrong?" you ask, plunking out a clumsy version of 'twinkle, twinkle'.

He takes a breath in and bunches his shoulders up in a prolonged shrug before letting them fall, sighing.

"Britt and I broke up," he says, bringing a hand up to accompany your awkward notes, playing smooth chords on the lower keys. You find yourself thinking that it sounds rather pretty.

"I'm sorry," you say, and you are sorry. You don't want him to be upset, and you really do like Brittany, despite yourself.

"It's okay," he says quietly, still watching your fingers as his own play alongside. "I didn't really think it would last. I just feel bad that she's so upset about it. I hate hurting people's feelings."

You're not sure you believe that he's really as okay as he claims, but you nod your head.

And there's only the sound of the piano, for a while.

"Tina?"

"Yeah?"

He stops playing and places his fingers over yours, stilling them. "Can we be friends again?"

You smile a little and nod again. He looks relieved and his face brightens, if only slightly. "Good, I missed you."

"I missed you too," you say. You can't help but think that maybe this is your second chance. His hand is still covering yours on the piano keys.