Rachel Berry was a star, not on Broadway where she had intended to be, but as a recording artist. It was her powerful ballads that became her signature sound, but after six years in the mainstream she felt burned out. It wasn't just her hectic schedule of recording, touring and promoting, but rather the fact that she was keeping a secret.
Rachel was beautiful. Her slim 5'2" frame seemed to be all tanned legs and her beautiful brown eyes were deep wells of emotion. She did have a tendency to be a diva at time, but with her looks and her talent, people overlooked it. She could have any man o the planet, but that's not what she wanted or needed. Rachel Barbara Berry was gay.
She felt alone even in a crowded room. Very few people in her life knew her secret. In fact, she could count the number of people on one hand. It was a lonely existence, but she felt she had to be quiet while she grew her career. She was taking a break for a while. Instead of touring, she had accepted a judging position on one of the many vocal talent shows popping up on tv.
The door slammed open of her home office causing the young starlet to jump. Rachel's best friend and manager walked in spewing Spanish and lashing her hands around as if they had a mind of their own. Santana was followed quickly by her girlfriend Brittney who was also Rachel's personal assistant.
"He scratched the paint!" yelled Santana at Rachel when she collapsed on the couch next to her.
"What are you talking about?" Rachel asked knowing it was probably something trivial, but the Latina was a hothead to say the least.
"I tooks my Britts to breakfast this morning and the goddamn valet scratched my new car. Seriously, where do they find these punks?" Santana brooded.
"San, it's not a scratch and even if it was, it will buff out really easily. I bet you I could do it," Brittney offered.
Santana and Rachel exchanged a worried look. Brittney wasn't the brightest crayon in the box, but she was the sweetest candy in the box. It wasn't that she was stupid, but rather that she thought on a different wavelength than most people. It's what her friends loved about her, that and she was incredibly insightful when it came to feelings.
It was this thought line that brought her back to her first year of touring after her debut album had dropped at number 1. Rachel was miserable and Brittney had simply plopped down next to her on the tour bus and told her not to worry, that she would find another dolphin to swim with in life like how she had Santana.
Rachel of course had to have Santana translate. "She's saying you're gay. Brittney is convinced that dolphins are gay sharks. So you want to run with our club, huh?"
Santana, the ever blunt, but she did keep it real and kept her grounded and working whenever she wanted to and where ever she wanted to be. This was why she was able to stay in LA and be a judge. For all her rough edges, Santana loved Rachel like a sister and always had her best interests at heart.
"So you ready to crush some dreams today?" Santana said pulling Rachel out of her memories.
"Wow, San, that's a bit harsh. I prefer to think of it as encouraging those who haven't had the grooming and opportunities that I have been afforded," Rachel corrected.
"Yeah, whatever. I just want to see some bitches cry," Santana said.
"You truly are Satan," Rachel teased.
"Hey, the only straight I am straight up bitch," Santana said with a smile.
"It's true because we have sex all the time," Brittney offered.
"Unfortunately, I know since we all live under the same roof," Rachel commented.
They could all afford to live very well separately, but chose to stay together. They were all each other had since they were in high school. After coming out, both Santana and Brittney's parents had thrown them out, and both girls had ended up at the Berry house with her two gay dads. A few years ago a house fire had killed them both leaving the three girls with only each other for support.
"Yeah, whatever, Tiny. Are we taking a car service or are we rolling in the Rover?" Santana asked.
"Let's take ourselves today," Rachel said. "That way we can talk more openly."
"So you can talk about all the hot chicks that throw themselves at your feet you mean?" Santana joked.
"Pretty much" Rachel said with a laugh.
"You know we could have some confidentiality contracts on hand so you could say and do whatever you wanted," Brittney offered.
"Maybe in the future, but not yet," Rachel said.
Rachel waved to the large crowd that was waiting in front of the building as she entered and headed to hair and makeup. Santana and Brittney were dancing and singing along to the radio making Rachel smile in the mirror.
It reminded her of their days in the glee club. Santana had a voice was amazing and Brittney was a superb dancer. Either one of the girls could have struck out on their own and had very successful careers in the industry, but they both stuck by her side instead offering their love and support every step of the way.
Rachel was moved to her place at the judges' table and gladly accepted the water that was handed to her. Cameras were everywhere. For the next even days straight, she and her fellow judges would be critiquing hopeful singers for 9 hours a day. She felt the exhaustion already.
Three days into the auditions, Rachel was beginning to hate her own songs, or at least the hopefuls that kept butchering them. One out of every 15 contestants had a decent voice and only 1 out of every 8 of those made it through to the next round.
"Makes you want to rip off your own ears doesn't it?" Trey Randall said from his seat next to Rachel at the table after a particularly grueling day of horrible singers.
"Today is a very bad day to say the least. I have not seen anyone that is good enough to sustain a career today. Does anyone know how much longer we are going to be here?" Rachel asked no one in particular.
"There is only one person left for the day," a stagehand answered.
"Oh, thank God," Rachel said before remembering that everything they did and said was being recorded.
Rachel looked up from her tea in time to see an athletically fit blonde walked through the door. She felt a flock of butterflies flood her stomach and her cheeks flared red. This stranger was beautiful and confident with hazel eyes that sparkled.
"Hi, my name is Quinn Fabray. I'm a 24 year old photographer from San Diego, California. I have been singing for a while but this is the first time that I am pursuing it professionally," The blonde said in an easy voice.
"Very good, Quinn, now what will you be singing for us today?" Trey asked from his seat.
"Unpretty" Quinn replied.
"We haven't heard that one in a while. Whenever you are ready, Quinn," remarked Trey.
Quinn had a beautiful alto to go along with her perfect features. Santana watched Rachel during the performance with a grin on her face. She was definitely going to bring up this performance on the ride home.
"Be in a position to make me feel so damn unpretty," Quinn finished.
"Very nice, Quinn. You have the look and talent. I think you could go far in this competition if you put everything you have into this. Rachel, what do you think?" Trey asked.
"Beautiful," Rachel said and quickly added, "you have a lot of potential. I say we send her through."
"I agree," the third judge Trista Terrance said who was an older recording artist.
"And I make three. Welcome to the competition, Quinn," Trey offered.
"Thank you all very much," Quinn said.
"Make us proud," Rachel added watching the girl head for the door.
"You can bet on it," Quinn replied over her shoulder.
"Wipe the drool off your face," Santana whispered in Rachel's ear as soon as the cameras had stopped filming.
"There is no drool," hissed Rachel back.
"Keep telling yourself that, Tiny," Santana chuckled under her breath.