Okay guys! First of all, I think I'm pretty horrible at writing fanfiction, but this story has been in my head for a while, and I am a true St. Berry shipper! Nothing beats my OTP Klaine though. I know this first chapter is short, and I don't know how often updates will be since I am a full-time college student and full time employee outside of school, so the time I have to write isn't a lot. Let me know what you think?
After everything she'd done in her life, Rachel Berry never believed bullying would be the one thing that could tear her down. That didn't mean she didn't feel the least bit ashamed every once in a while, when the slushy facial was too cold and dripped down to her underwear, or when her myspace page blown up with notifications, only to be insults rather than flattery on her talented voice. She also didn't believe the daily torture would ever end. Of course, Rachel Berry, the musically talented and beautiful young lady that she was, believed in herself, and knew she'd make it one day.
So when Jesse St. James, Football quarterback, and ruler of the school threw the grape slushy in her face once again for the second time that day, she didn't cry, she didn't whimper, and just walked with pride into the female's bathroom to rinse out her brown locks. She didn't want to let the bullies get to them, didn't want to let her pride falter, because Rachel Berry would become a star, and everyone else would just wish they were her.
Kurt Hummel, best friend and confidant of Miss Rachel Berry ran after her into the bathroom, pulling the hair tie out of her hair, saturated in purple sludge. "One day, we will make it out of here. Less than 2 more years to go." Kurt helped Rachel dunk her head under than tiny water spout as the porcelain wink filled with the food coloring, Rachel's hair was long enough to full up the sink, so Kurt had to rinse the strands little by little. "I'm sorry my step-brother is like this with you. You would think he would be exactly like his mother, but the time-space continuum might collapse if he ever did a kind gesture." It was true, Jesse St. Jerkface and Kurt Hummel were step-brothers, and his mother, Carole St. James, was now married to Burt Hummel.
Under the faucet, Rachel kept her eyes closed tightly to prevent the frozen drink to drip in her eyes. All the Glee kids knew the pain of frozen slush in their eyes, and Rachel was not one to risk the pain of such an abomination. After her hair was as clean as it would get, she reached behind her for the hand towel she kept in her backpack. She learned quickly two years ago as a freshman to keep a towel close-by, after getting slushied by the jocks as soon as she walked in the doors of McKinley for the first time. Eventually she learned to bring extra clothes, and decided to start doing her own laundry, to keep her father's from seeing the disaster her clothes become after only wearing them for a couple of hours.
She didn't want to let them down, because Rachel Berry wasn't a quitter, and knew she would be a star one day, just like Kurt said. "Kurt, I appreciate that, I really do. And you have to know the same is for you. One day we will make it out of here." Both Glee club members walked arm-in-arm out of the bathroom, heading to Glee practice, already thinking of what song to sing today, and what song choices they could suggest for sectionals.
Mr. Shue was standing by the piano, holding several packets of sheet music. Once Rachel let go of Kurt's arm, she hopped over to the young teacher, holding out her hand, curious as to what solo Mr. Shue would be granting her this time. Last Glee club rehearsal it had been "No Air" with her and Noah Puckerman. His voice was amazing, but didn't fit well with her range, and he had a hard time staying in his own range because of it.
Mr. Shuester pursed his lips, and much to his dismay for the star-like teen, he handed her the sheet music with a new song featuring her newest solo idea for sectionals. "You know, Rachel? You could show some modesty." Yes, he believed Rachel would go far in life, but she had a bad habit of putting others down when she was praising herself.
"Mr. Shue," Rachel started, "There is no need for me to be modest. Miss Barbara herself knew her limits were extraordinary, and there is nothing wrong with highly believing in yourself, I.E. me." She snatched the paper and basically bounced to her seat in the front before looking at the paper. After seeing the placement of the lyrics on the paper, and two different sets of notes, she raised her hand ready to inform her teacher of the uncommon mistake. "Mr. Shue, why is 'Hello' by Lionel Richie a duet? I hate to break it to you, but it is clearly a solo and this should be fixed immediately." Rachel looked around the room, waiting for the others to burst in with their comments of her conceitedness, a usual act in the Choir room.
Of course, it was Santana who felt the need to speak up. "Shut it, man hands. Obviously, Mr. Shue has his reasoning for making it a duet."
Instead of fighting with the girl, Rachel crossed her arms and legs, waiting for the explanation from the young teacher.
When the club all settled in their seats, William Shuester grabbed his own copy of the duet from the top of the piano, waving it around the room. "It's great that all of you believe I have a reason, of course I do. I have decided to enlist our newest member to audition with this iconic song in preparation for sectionals. The rule still applies, he gets in either way. But his audition is what will decide if he gets this solo with Rachel." He looked sideways at the clapping teenager.
Kurt's hand rose in the air along with several other members, all suspiciously looking around the room, where every face was as bit as familiar as their own. No new faces had stepped into the room since the beginning of the year when Rachel sent Sunshine to that crack house. Her poor sheet music.
"Yes Kurt?" Clearly these kids aren't going to let me finish. Some words remained unspoken by the teacher. Some things were better left unsaid.
"As happy and welcoming as I would like to be about a new member," Kurt's hand waved in the air as if to dismiss the comment entirely, yet he continued to speak. "I'm sure I can speak for the rest of us, there isn't a single new face we haven't seen since last year."
"I told you, the time machine broke." No one looked at Brittney as she crossed her arms in defiance. They were used to the random comments throughout rehearsal.
Mr. Shue blinked a couple times, and then continued his speech. "Thank you, Kurt, as obvious as that statement is, let me finish. I want to welcome our newest Glee club member, Jesse James."
You could practically hear the crickets.
Especially when no one entered the room.
Mr. Shue stared at the door waiting a few more seconds. "Jesse James?" He asked a little louder. "Are you gonna come in here?"
It was Rachel who raised her hand this time, once again. Instead of waiting on Mr. Shue to give her permission to speak, she started talking.
"Do you mean Jesse St. James? Because they are not the same person, mainly because one is a gang member, and another is a football player in high school."
Several heads nodded in agreement.
"Yeah, I think you shooed him off with that comparison." Sam mumbled.
Weather or not he wasn't a gang member, that didn't make him joining Glee club okay with Rachel Berry. Not on her watch, not while she lived.
"I don't care what you say, he is not joining the club. It's not happening. I'd rather Miss Sylvester herself join us. Anyone else over that…that…" Rachel stood, fuming, getting ready to do her famous walk out. "You can just forget it! I'd rather sing with the real Jesse James, than with him." The last word fell from her lips with disdain and anger, as she blinked away the tears threatening to fall. He was a bully, and bullies didn't deserve her appreciation, let alone get to sing with her.
"Rachel, you walk out that door, you can forget about this solo or any solo for sectionals, regionals, and even nationals." It was the teacher who was fuming this time, as he threw the sheet music on the floor with a light thud. Before he continued, Rachel immediately sat down, looking to her right where the band mates featured in the club were sitting. "I'm sick and tired of your condescending attitude. We are a welcoming club. You either welcome everybody, or we don't have a single chance of winning. After what you did to Sunshine Corazon, I am enlisting you to encourage Jesse St. James to become an official New Directions member. Let him know he has the solo. It's his. I don't care." Standing in front of Rachel now, he leaned down to eye-level with the teenager, ready to give his disappointed eyes. "After what you did, you not only have to get him to join, but congratulations, if he doesn't join, you lose your solo."
As much as Rachel Berry wanted the solo, because she deserves every single solo due to her talent, she wasn't sure she could go through with it.
Of course, instead of listening to the angel on her right shoulder, she listened to the devil. Because she wouldn't give up the spotlight for anybody, even Jesse St. Jackass.
"Game on." She looked Mr. Shue square in the eye, "Don't hand my solo off now. By next rehearsal, he'll be sitting in this chair." She tapped the empty seat next to her on her left.
She wanted to believe in herself, believe she could forgive him, believe this was worth it. But it wasn't until after Glee club practice was over, and she was walking to Daddy H's car in the pick-up line, that she may have completely screwed herself over.
Okay guys! What did you think? I'm not too sure how I feel about this, but I really want to give it ashot, and think it's a good idea for a St. berry fic.