Rachel felt the cold blast of a slushie hitting her face, her eyes burned and she tried not to cry. She ran into the Nearest bathroom and cried in the first open stall. The constant torment was wearing on her. She really couldn't handle it anymore. There was only one class until lunch so she decided to sneak out to her car and leave, and maybe come back after lunch. She sat in her car crying for a bit, once she calmed down enough to drive she headed home. She showered and changed into a tee shirt with cats on it and a plaid skirt, the weather had been unseasonably warm and she had been too warm in her pony sweater anyway. She put her discarded sweater and skirt in the laundry.

She needed to eat lunch and didn't want to go back to school yet, so she decided upon her favorite vegan Chinese restaurant, it was in the mall and took a while to get to, but she needed to do something to cheer herself up.

She got in the car and put in her "Oklahoma" soundtrack and put "Don't Cry for Me Argentina" on repeat and sang along until she reached her destination. She grabbed her favorite faux general tso's chicken and sat at a table by herself feeling more alone then ever. She recognized a familiar face, who asked to come sit down. It was Shelby Corcoran. Rachel was confused but on instinct she said yes. Shelby sat down next to her.

"Hi" Shelby said nervously.

"How are you?" Rachel replied just as nervously.

"I saw you and wanted to see if you still wanted to get dinner like you suggested, even though this is technically lunch"

"That would be nice, I don't really like eating alone."

"How is school?"

"My grades are really good."

"No, I mean how is it for you?"

"Um, it unpleasant, you know typical teenage drama."

"Oh. How is Glee"

"We won our sectionals, and are working on putting a set list together for regional's."

"You seem pretty sad, are you sure everything is ok?"

"I'm doing alright I guess."

"So Rachel, why are you at a mall food court and not in school."

And all at once Rachel started talking about all the things she had no one to talk to about. She was afraid to tell her dad about her guy problems, and talking to grown men about high school drama seemed a bit silly. She didn't really have anyone close to her and her was this woman, who knew the trials of growing up talented and being underappreciated. Telling her that Mr. Shue wouldn't give her solos, that she didn't always feel very pretty, that Finn barely noticed she existed until he decided to use her, and that everyone bullied her seemed normal. She didn't over analyze it like her shrink, she didn't ignore her like her fellow glee clubbers, and she actually seemed to understand unlike her dads. Shelby just listened and was on her side for all of it. They talked about everything that had happened in the past and how Rachel felt about it. Rachel didn't want it to end.

"Maybe after we finish eating, we can do a little retail therapy, I can help you pick out some new outfits, maybe some without animals on them." Shelby laughed

"I was considering going back after lunch." Rachel said hesitantly.

"Rach, we've been talking for about an hour, after we ate by the time you got back to school you might make your last class. Just relax, you need some time away from those people anyway."

"You're right, also today is the day, I don't have any after school activities so I don't have to worry about anything till ballet at 8.

The women spent hours in every store, talking, laughing, trying outlandish outfits and finding perfect outfits. They ended buying Rachel almost a whole new wardrobe.

"Ballet starts in about an hour and I need to eat before it."

"Well I was planning on making pasta for dinner tonight if you're interested. I'm also a vegan so you don't have to worry about that."

"Ok, I'll follow you home."

After dinner with Shelby and Beth, who had been with her nanny all day, Rachel sat on the couch with them and got to know Beth a bit better, well as well as you can get to know an infant. Shelby invited her to come over anytime she needed to talk or wanted to get to know her sister. Sadly Rachel had to get on her pink leotard and head to ballet.

The next day at school Rachel decided to wear on of her new outfits though she was tempted to put on her favorite owl sweater. She decided on her coral floral sun dress and a cream colored cardigan and her new nude pumps, they were definitely her favorite new shoes. She loosely curled her hair and put it half up. She did her make up the way her mom showed her with light eyeliner, a neutral shadow and mascara, she then did a light peach gloss on her lips and applied a small amount of blush.

When she arrived at school she felt pretty, she got nicer glances and no one insulted her. Her first class was uneventful. She was mostly ignored and took a lot of notes. She headed to her locker and on the way she saw Finn and Quinn holding hands. She caught Finn staring and she blushed and smiled at him. Quinn noticed this exchange. She glared at Finn, as a kid walked by with a slushie, Quinn grabbed it and tossed it at Rachel. It missed her face and got all over her new clothes. Everyone started laughing loudly at her, including Finn. She just fled. She ran to her car and drove to Shelby's house.

Rachel walked in sticky, miserable, and in hysterical tears. Shelby looked concerned.

"Why don't you go get in the shower, it will help." Rachel did as she was told and headed towards the bathroom. As she was in there she heard Shelby yelling at someone. She dried her hair and changed into her spare outfit. She wore a short black denim shirt and a pink tee shirt that had some silver designs on it, she fixed her hair the same way and reapplied her makeup but the eyes ended up a bit darker because she had been crying so much.

She exited the bathroom and Shelby handed her a mug of chamomile tea.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"Yeah." All of Rachel's insecurities came pouring out.

"Sweet heart, you are beautiful, talented and kind, people envy that. You won't be slushied again."

"How do you know?"

"I told Figgins that if I found out it happened again your dads and I would be filing a lawsuit against the school district and he would be fired and possibly arrested for not reporting assault."

"Did you talk to my dads?"

"Yeah, they needed to know where you are, they are kind of hurt you didn't talk to them about this sooner."

"I didn't know how." Rachel started crying again, feeling terrible for hurting her dads.

"I know I explained that some things like boy problems and girl drama it's easier to talk to a woman about."

The women talked for a while about Shelby's struggles in high school, and compared them to Rachel's.

"I got made fun of often, I was just like you. I knew how talented I was and wasn't afraid to let people know. My parents weren't as supportive of the arts as yours are and I was ostracized at home and at school for loving music. My vocals were self taught, and I taught myself piano and guitar. I was pretty overweight though and had pretty bad acne. My mom let me take dance classes in middle school, she wanted me to be like her, a pretty, skinny cheerleader. She moved me to gymnastics the next year so I could a cheerleader like her. I wanted to please her, so I tried out for the squad and I got rejected. She was so mad. I tried out every year, I finally made it my senior year. I thought that she'd let me go to New York because that year she liked me. When she refused to support me I moved out and got a job waiting tables, until I saw your dads article. I left for New York right after you were born. I haven't really spoken to them since I moved out."

There was a knock at the door. Shelby got up and answered it. At the door was Jesse St. James

Authors Note: This occurs in season 2. Shelby is a bit OCC and Beth won't be mentioned much. Please let me know what you think, this is my first long story.