I smiled as I got up to the mic and started to sing, "Drops of Jupiter" by Train. I was new to this town and it was a chance to make a small name for myself. It was karaoke night at a local pizza joint. I loved just to sing, I wasn't the best singer, but I really had fun singing. I danced along to the music with the mic in my hand. I sang at the top of my lungs. It was a great feeling just having a spot light on me. I finished the song and heard applause and cheering from the tables.
"Thank you." I said with a small wave. I then stepped off the stage and walked to an open table.
"That was really good." A blonde guy said as he slid into the booth across from me.
"Thank you." I said a small smile forming on my lips.
"So what's your name? You didn't introduce yourself on stage." He said as he poured out some of the dried pepper flakes, onto the table.
"I'm Hope." I said smiling as I watched him start to draw things in the pepper flakes.
"I'm Sam." He said looking up at me smiling. "Have you ever heard of Glee?" He asked focusing on whatever he was drawing on the table.
"No, I don't think I have." I said trying to figure out what he was drawing.
"Well, we set up this karaoke night to hopefully find new members. We need a few more to come to nationals with us. Are you interested?" He said as he stopped playing with the pepper flakes. I smiled.
"Sure, is it a school thing?" I asked trying to see what he had drawn; he just covered it with his hands.
"Yeah, it is." he smiled.
"Sure, my mom is always telling me I need to have more extracurricular activities." I smiled.
"Well, if you want to come to the choir room tomorrow after school and we'd love to have you join us." He smiled. I nodded.
"I'll be there."
"Well Hope, then I'll see you tomorrow." he said smiling and standing up. As soon as he left I walked around the table to see he had written his phone number with a smiley face at the end. I laughed as I put the number into my phone than scooped up the mess into my hand than threw it away.
The next day I walked through the hall way, and I could tell people where staring at me. Maybe it was because I was the new kid or because I was a short red head or maybe it was because of my star wars back pack.
"Gleek." I heard someone say as they tripped me. I became extremely confused, unsure of what a Gleek was.
"Leave her alone." I heard someone say and I looked up to see a pretty black girl offering her hand.
"I'm Mercedes." she said as I took her hand and stood up.
"I'm Hope." I smiled.
"I saw you perform last night and you were pretty good." she smiled back.
"Thanks." I said. "Hey Mercedes, what is a Gleek?" I asked.
"It's what most of the kids around here call everyone in the Glee club." She said than she warned me about getting slushied.
"People really do that, and the teachers don't get mad at them?" I asked; she nodded.
"Most of the teachers, unless violence breaks out won't do anything about it." she said shrugging.
"Well, most of you were at our Karaoke night last night and heard Hope perform 'Drops of Jupiter'." Mr. Schuester said as I stood beside him in front of a group of students called the Glee club. "So let's give her a big round of applause to welcome her to the Glee club." he finished and everyone started clapping.
"Thanks." I shrugged as I headed to the open seat next to Sam only for a girl to take that seat. She smirked as she shrugged. I just sat in the next open seat. I couldn't help but feel eyes on me as I tried to pay attention to what we were supposed to do for a practice assignment this week. I kept looking around, but no one seemed to be looking at me.
"Hey Hope, I'm glad you could make it." Sam said as he approached me after Glee in the hall way.
"Thanks, now I just have to figure out what song best describes me." I said referring to our 'let others see you through song' assignment for Glee.
"I'm sure you'll find one." He said a small smirk forming on his face as he looked at me.
"Why are you looking at me like that?" I asked and he laughed slightly.
"Because," he smirked, and started to walk away.
"Because, why?" I asked, stopping him.
"Just because." he said jokingly.
"Is there something on my face?" I asked touching my face.
"No." he responded, and then smiled.
"Than what is it?" I asked a bit annoyed.
"Nothing, you're just cute when you're confused." he said laughing and I blushed.
"Thanks I guess." I laughed, as I started to walk away from him.
"Hey Hope?" He said.
"Yeah?" I asked turning around.
"I was just wondering if you wanted to hang out sometime." he said and I nodded.
"Sure, just let me know when." I said and continued walking.
"How about tonight?" He yelled.
"Sure, where do you want to meet up?" I said turning back around.
"Uh… I'll get back to you on that." he said.
"Ok just call me." I said.
"But I don't have your number." He said.
"You do now." I said as I sent him a short text.
"Why did we meet here?" I asked as we stood in line at a local coffee shop.
"Because in this town we don't have many places to meet up at, plus I wanted to get to know you." he said.
"Ok, I'm just not into coffee." I said as we approached the counter. "I'll have a white hot chocolate with raspberry"
"Ok, and for you?" she asked Sam.
"I think I'll have the same." he said. We quickly got our drinks, and sat down at a small table near the window.
"So Hope, where are you from?" He asked.
"Mars." I joked making him laugh.
"No seriously, where are you from?" He smiled.
"I'm from Arizona." I smiled.
"Wow, really?" He said, taking a swig of his drink.
"Yeah, where are you from?" I asked and he shrugged.
"Just around here in Ohio." He said and I looked at him odd.
"Oh I heard you were new." I said.
"Yeah, well, I used to go to an all boys boarding school, but I got transferred to McKinley at the beginning of the school year." He smiled.
"I see." I said feeling an awkward moment was about to arrive I took a few swallows of my drink.
"Tell me about yourself." He said looking into my eyes.
"Well, I'm 5'3", my hair is naturally a red, I've danced since I was 4, I love music, and singing. I like to take pictures, I talk before thinking, and I'm a nerd." I said quickly and smiled as a confused look crossed his face.
"Wow, you talk really fast." He said after a minute. I laughed and nodded. We continued to talk, and before I knew it the coffee shop was closing.
"Well Hope, Tse'a nga ttray." He said as he walked me to my car.
"Tse'a nga ttray." I smiled.
"Hope!" I heard someone yell as I walked past the football field. I turned to see a few guys from Glee.
"Don't walk in there!" I heard Puck say as I walked to the school doors.
"Why?" I asked as I reached for the handle.
"Hope, don't." Finn yelled as I began to pull the door open quite confused at the scene. I looked through the door I had just opened to see a wall of red slush coming straight towards my face. I became completely drenched. I could hear laughter. I wiped the slushie from my eyes to see a bunch of jocks laughing empty cups in their hands.
"What you think because you have a stupid letter man jacket that you can do this to somebody." I screamed as I started towards them. They backed up jokingly, 'ooo'-ing as I got closer. "You're all a bunch of pricks!" I yelled as I pushed one up against a locker. Only to hear more ooo's.
"What are you going to do, sing me to death?" the guy laughed and the rest joined in as I stepped closer. I than kneed him in the crotch, punched his jaw, then I took out his footing by kicking his shin. He laid on the floor in pain as the hallway remained silent. I crouched down.
"Don't mess with me." I whispered into his ear as I stood up.
"Miss Matthews." Principal Figgins said looking at me than the guy on the floor. I just smiled innocently.
I sat in the principal's office, the stickiness of the slushies making my clothes cling to me. I felt awkward.
"Miss Matthews, why did you injure Mr. Karofsky?" Principal Figgins asked.
"Because he and a bunch of his friends threw slushy all over me, for no reason." I said bluntly.
"Mr. Karofsky is this true?" He asked and I flipped.
"Are you kidding me? You're asking him when you can obviously see I'm drenched in red slushy?" I yelled as I stood up from my chair.
"Hope calm down." I heard Mr. Schue say from next to me. I just looked at him and took a deep breath.
"See she's nuts!" Karofsky said and I just glared at him.
"Look it's hard enough being new and I stand out because I'm a red head. I've been teased, which I can handle. But I've never had something done to me that has done damage to my clothing and my school work and myself, until this morning when Karofsky, and his buddies, threw slushy on me. I now have to figure out how to explain to my teachers what happened to my school work, and I have to explain to my mom why the new shirt she just bought me is ruined." I said. The room was silent for a moment.
"Mr. Karofsky, did you throw slushy on Miss Matthews?" Principal Figgins asked. I bit my lip and shook my head.
"I didn't mean to and she beat me up. She must have anger issues." Karofsky said, giving Figgins an innocent look.
"Well, Miss Matthews, being as it was your first offense here, I'm just going to have you go to our guidance counselor. Mr. Karofsky, you may go back to class." He said, and we all left the room. I walked out into the hall.
"This is bull!" I yelled. Karofsky, just smirked.
"You'll learn gleek" he said, I stepped towards him only to have Mr. Schue grab my arm to stop me.
"You will learn your lesson." I said to him and he just smirked again and walked away.
"Mr. Schue this is crap!" I said as he walked me towards the guidance counselor's office.
"I know, but Figgins seems to favor the football team."
"We have to do something." I said and he just shook his head.
"We've tried." He said as he opened the door.
"Emma, this is Hope." Mr. Schue said. She just stared at me.
"Hello, Hope." She said.
"Uh, hi." I said feeling awkward.
"Hope, do you have a clean set of clothes somewhere?" she asked and I shook my head.
"Truthfully, I just want to go home, shower and change Ms. Pillsbury." I said stuttering over her last name that I was reading on her desk plate. She looked at Mr. Schue and nodded.
"I think that would be wonderful. When you get back, please, come see me." She smiled.
I quickly drove home and got showered and changed. As I started back to school I wasn't sure if I wanted to go. I was afraid of being slushied again and afraid I might have something worse done to me. I reluctantly pulled my car into the school parking lot. I sat in my car for a while unsure of what to do.
"Hope." I heard Sam say as he knocked on the window of my car. I unlocked the car and he sat down.
"I heard what happened." He said as he shut the door.
"So it's all around the school." I said staring out the windshield.
"Yeah, I heard you kicked Karofsky's butt." He said making me smile softly.
"I did, but he didn't get in trouble at all." I said.
"I heard that too. Mr. Schue had us quickly meet at the beginning of lunch and he told us everything. It's stupid that he got off with nothing." He said as I looked over at him.
"I don't even know if I want to get out of my car." I muttered and he smiled softly.
"I think you should. Karofsky might not have seemed frightened, but I can bet you they won't come near you for a week." He said putting his hand on my knee.
"I guess I'll get out of my car." I said softly.
"How about I'll go into the school with you will that make you feel better." Sam asked; I nodded.
I walked into the school with my head held high. I just glared at Karofsky and his buddies as I passed them. No one, but the other Glee kids, came near me the rest of the day. When school ended I found myself in Ms. Pillsbury's office. We discussed everything that happened and she told me I had nothing to worry about just to try not to hit any more students.
Over the next few days I tried looking for a song that fit 'me', but I just couldn't find one that completely said 'This is Hope Matthews'. I walked through the crowded hallway dancing to the music on my I-pod. As I continued to search for a song and jammed out as I opened my locker.
"Hope." I heard Sam say as one of my ear buds was gently taken out.
"Wazup Sam" I said as I continued to dance and put things in my locker. He just softly laughed.
"You know everyone is staring at you; they have been all day." He said looking past me into the crowded hall. I laughed.
"I know and truthfully I don't care I'm enjoying myself." I smiled.
"How can you be so comfortable with who you are?" he asked.
"Because I decided to just stop caring what others thought and to be me. If you haven't done it I suggest you do, because if you aren't yourself than no one really likes you for you." I said smiling. I didn't mind being a nerd or a dork, in fact I loved it, I loved that I didn't have to remember lies and that I didn't have to push myself into a mold that I clearly couldn't fit. "I just love being me whether anyone accepts me or not is their choice. I'm happy because I'd rather be alone and being myself than be with someone and not be myself." I finished. I smiled and shrugged as I closed my locker and walked away from Sam. And that's when I finally had my song and I couldn't wait 'til tomorrow afternoon to perform it.
"Hope." I heard Finn say from behind me.
"Yeah, Finn?" I said turning around.
"Sam is looking for you." Finn smiled.
"Ok, where is he?" I said looking around.
"He's in the choir room." Finn said as he walked away. I felt somewhat puzzled by Finn's odd demeanor, but I just shook it off and headed towards the choir room.
"Sam you in here?" I asked as I opened the door to the dark choir room. I reached for the light when suddenly there was a hand over my eyes. "Sam what are you doing?" I asked and he didn't answer. He just gently started to lead me forward. "Sam if you're trying to figure out what I'm singing today for our assignment you're out of luck." I said causing him to chuckle softly as he guided me into a chair. "Ok Sam what's-"
"Shhh…" He whispered into my ear. "Just close your eyes, and keep them shut." I could tell he was smiling. I just did as he said and I felt his hand move from in front of my eyes. I heard the first few chords of 'Stay Beautiful' by Taylor Swift. I smiled as he sang, changing all the Corey's to Hope's, and all the he's to hers.
I couldn't stop smiling as he set the guitar down. I stood as he walked towards me. We embraced in a tight hug then he gently pulled away just enough to look at me.
"Sam that was wonderful. Thank you." I said staring into his eyes. He leaned towards me stopping a few centimeters from my face.
"Hope, will you be my girlfriend?" He asked looking deep into my eyes. I could feel his breathe on my lips and smiled.
"Of course" I said and he kissed me. I felt fireworks. I started running my fingers through his hair in hopes of making this amazing kiss last longer. We pulled apart and I giggled. He just smiled.
"You are amazing." He said and I softly laughed.
"Thank you." I blushed. We just stood there in a comfortable silence looking into each other's eyes.
"Sam, glad you're here….. Oh sorry…. I'll just be leaving." Mr. Schue said and we just laughed.
"I better…" Sam said.
"Yeah, go." I smiled as I watched him walk away I felt like I was on cloud nine.