AN: So, after a lot of thought I have decided to make my own SYOC. This one is set to 2017 in New York. I hope you'll like it and submit your own original character. The form is on my profile and I look forward to getting to know all your characters. Enjoy!

P.S. This isn't really my best writing, but I'll appreciate any constructive criticism in order to make this story as good as it can be!

"No, Teddy, you have to say zap if you're going to send it to Amanda," Shelby Corcoran explained sharply to the five-year-old for what felt like the billionth time. The African-American boy just looked at her in confusion and stuck his thumb in his mouth. It felt as though the kids were purposely misunderstanding the rules of every game she tried to play with them. It was worse than trying to make those goddamn teenagers in Vocal Adrenaline smile. The middle-aged woman was once again stuck trying to teach the kids at her daycare how to play zip zap zop, but it was apparently too advanced for them. Sometimes she dearly missed having students who understood simple instructions such as say "zip" if you're sending the energy to someone next to you and "zap" if you're sending to someone who is not standing directly beside you.

"Shelby, there's a call for you," Eleanor, Shelby's assistant/receptionist called out to her. Eleanor had begun working at Broadway Babies a year after it opened when Shelby found out that she couldn't do it alone, especially not when it was gaining popularity and more actors brought their kids there. It was a great relief for Shelby and it made it possible to open the daycare before noon so actors doing workshops in the morning could drop their kids of. After Eleanor had begun working at the daycare she had suggested hiring more people, mostly aspiring actors that were struggling to make it. Shelby had thought it was a great idea at first, but most of her employees found work unexpectedly and had to quit on short notice, resulting in a very rotating cast of coworkers and lots of extra hours for Shelby in between old employees leaving and new ones coming. Except for Shelby herself Eleanor had worked there the longest.

"Who is it?" Shelby asked as she walked over to the counter, mentally preparing herself for another employee who had suddenly aced an audition and needed to quit within the week. That would've been typical. Instead she heard the sweet voice of her seven-year-old daughter when she received the phone from Eleanor.

"Hi, mom," Beth said in an extra endearing voice. Shelby could just picture the girl's big brown puppy eyes as if she were standing in front of her. She could always tell when her daughter wanted something.

"Hi, honey," Shelby answered, smiling into the phone and leaning against the counter.

"Can I go home with Lily today? Her mom said it was okay," the little girl said, lisping slightly because of her missing front tooth. "Please, mommy!"

"Sure, honey, but will you be home for dinner?" Shelby asked her daughter, chuckling at the girl's pleading. Though she was happy that her daughter had friends she could hang out with Shelby did miss the days when she had the girl to herself. Whenever Beth spent the afternoon with someone else Shelby felt a pang of fear that the day when Beth didn't want to hang out with her at all was coming closer. And as much as she loved spending time with the kids at the daycare it just wasn't the same as spending it with Beth.

"No, her mom said I could eat with them," the blonde on the other end answered causing her mother to let out a small sigh which in turn earned her a sympathetic half smile from Eleanor. As she said goodbye to her daughter Shelby prepared herself for another night of eating thai food in solitude.

"She's not coming home today?"

"No, she's going over to a friend's house," Shelby replied, sounding more bitter than intended. It wasn't just Beth not coming home that night, Shelby had been feeling on edge all month. She didn't really know why, but it probably had something to do with the splitting headaches she got from kids screaming in her ears all day. Before Eleanor could say anything about Shelby becoming an old spinster she quickly added; "But it's fine, really."

"You sure?"

"Yeah, I need some me-time anyway," Shelby unconvincingly brushed it off with a shrug. The younger woman raised her eyebrows, but didn't say anything. It wasn't a total lie, Shelby did need some time for herself to do what she wanted to do. She just didn't think spending another night on the coach eating takeout and watching "Say yes to the dress" was it.

After finishing her thai food and watching as two women decided what dress to wear to their wedding, Shelby figured she didn't have anything better to do than skim through the channels, looking for something more watchable. Skimming through everything from "Here comes Honey Boo Boo" to season nine of "Vampire diaries" she suddenly saw something that stopped her in her tracks. It was a video of a small group of people, 12 to be exact. They were standing on stage in golden dresses, a small brunette who bore a striking resemblance to Shelby herself lead them in a medley of Journey songs.

"I'm still yours!" The petite girl belted out at the top of her lungs while her "ooh"-ed in the background. The image sent tears to Shelby's eyes. She hadn't seen the New Directions' performance in years and even though they hadn't ever been her team she felt a certain pride when watching them.

"Now, show choirs or Glee clubs were all the rage in the 80's and 90's, then had a slight revival a few years back, but have now been in recline," said a man's voice that Shelby couldn't quite place. She felt her heartbeat pick up, but she didn't really know why. "I have seen the joy that these clubs can bring firsthand and it is a shame that more schools don't see the value of music in teenagers' lives."

As the screen shifted to reveal a man with greying curls and a sweater vest Shelby's breath caught in her throat and she found herself smiling widely. She hadn't seen him in years either.

"I can't ask anyone to start a glee club," Will Schuester continued looking directly at the camera. "But I can encourage anyone who is thinking about it to do so. It is, without a doubt, the most wonderful thing to see the kids discover who they are and what they can be through music."

"Thank you, Will," another familiar voice said as the camera zoomed out to reveal a woman in a red tracksuit sitting next to him. "Like old spongehair squarechin said he can't ask you to do anything, but it would certainly be better for all you fatties to get off your buts and do something productive. And that's how Sue sees it."

Suddenly Shelby knew what she was going to use her creative energy on.

AN: I hope you enjoyed that and want to submit your own OC to this story!