AN: Hey there readers! Welcome to the sixth installment of the Taylor Swift series, inspired by SpecialBookworm-394. I'm sorry I've been away for so long, having a social life makes things tricky and Writer's Block doesn't help either! Anyway, this is the story I wanted to do my best in, as this song has a very special place in my heart.
For four years, I had a Mean person in my life. They knew EXACTLY what to say to make me feel like crap, picking at my insecurities and doing down my intelligence because I would say/do things that were stupid and nothing to do with said intelligence. A year, two months and twenty-five days ago was the last time I spoke to that Mean person. I've seen them, but only briefly, and my life is better off without them. If you have someone who is Mean, your life is better off without them. Remember that one day you will be doing better than they ever will, because a lot of the time, Mean people don't get anywhere. They're too bitter and caught up in themselves and it leaves them alone with no-one to hurt anymore. Even now, my Mean person is *ahem* "self-employed", has very few friends and is lonely a lot of the time because their partner works. Me? I have a part-time job and working on getting a full time one or another part-time job, I have friends who love me and care about me, I live with someone I really get on with and my life is pretty good. So please listen when I say don't let your Mean person stay in your life! Your life is better off without them.
I hope I did this song justice, I really did try my best. If you have the time, I would really appreciate it if you reviewed so I could get feedback. If you are a member on here, I ALWAYS reply. I know there's not much content in it, but I didn't know what else I could add as I felt the ending suited it quite well and didn't want to spoil it with some drabble. Anyway, if you have read all of this thank you for taking the time to do so, stay beautiful and on with the story! L x
Disclaimer: I don't own the characters or music. The plot is the only thing that is mine. Set around Season Two, but no specific time slot otherwise.
She hadn't done anything to provoke them. She had just been walking to her locker, minding her own business when it happened.
"Loser." A football player sneered, shouldering her into a locker.
And that's when she'd had enough.
Her and Finn had broken up again, she had got a C in her Biology test- which is not what Rachel Berry does- and she had already been slushied twice that day.
She whipped round to the football player in question- one she didn't recognize- and shouted "What the hell is your problem with me?" She stalked over to the boy, watching her in shock. "I have done nothing to you, any of you, but you think it's OK to treat me like crap just because I'm not as cool as you. You think you're better than me? Well you're not!"
"Deal with it, Gleek, it's how it goes around here. You're bottom of the heap so everyone tramples you, it's just how it goes." The football player smirked, regaining his composure.
"It may be like that now, but what about when we leave here? I'm going to be a star, and what about you? You're just going to be stuck in this crappy little town washing cars just to make ends meet. You're just mean, and one day you're going to regret it." She snapped back.
When the school tannoys weren't being used for announcements they were open to the AV club to do the school radio and as if on cue the presenter announced they would be playing 'Mean' by Taylor Swift, to which Rachel started to sing.
"You, with your words like knives,
And swords and weapons that you use against me,
You have knocked me off my feet again,
Got me feeling like I'm nothing,
You, with your voice like nails on a chalkboard,
Calling me out when I'm wounded,
You picking on the weaker man,
Well, you can take me down with just one single blow,
But you don't know, what you don't know,
Someday I'll be living in a big ol' city,
And all you're ever gonna be is mean,
Someday I'll be big enough so you can't hit me,
And all you're ever gonna be is mean,
Why you gotta be so mean?"
Meanwhile, not far from where the two were stood, Kurt Hummel was in the boys' bathroom, locked in a cubicle and fuming. Finn, his step-brother, had slushied him in order to stay popular with the rest of his team. What happened to Furt? What happened to the nice Finn he saw at home? He couldn't say anything to his Dad and Carole, it would start an argument he just couldn't be dealing with. He heard the music playing over the radio and started to sing.
"You, with your switching sides,
And your wildfire lies and your humiliation,
You have pointed out my flaws again,
As if I don't already see them,
I walk with my head down,
Trying to block you out 'coz I'll never impress you,
I just wanna feel okay again,
I bet you got pushed around,
Somebody made you cold,
But the cycle ends right now,
'Coz you can't lead me down that road,
And you don't know, what you don't know," He finished changing and walked out of the bathrooms, going to find Rachel to tell her what had happened when he saw her. Stood in front of a jock with her hands balled into her fists, her neck craned upwards to meet the Neanderthal's gaze as she sang her heart out to the song he was already singing. He walked over and stood next to her, joining in.
"Someday I'll be living in a big ol' city,
And all you're ever gonna be is mean,
Someday I'll be big enough so you can't hit me,
And all you're ever gonna be is mean,
Why you gotta be so mean?" As the two sang, Tina, Artie and Mercedes walked over and joined them.
Rachel sang solo. "And I can see you years from now in a bar,
Talking over a football game,
With that same big loud opinion,
But nobody's listening,
Washed up and ranting about the same old bitter things,
Drunk and grumbling on about how I can't sing,
But all you are is mean,
All you are is mean,
And a liar, and pathetic, and alone in life," The others joined in.
"And mean, and mean, and mean, and mean,
But someday I'll be living in a big ol' city,
And all you're ever gonna be is mean, yeah,
Someday I'll be big enough so you can't hit me,
And all you're ever gonna be is mean,
Why you gotta be so," Rachel and Kurt sang the main part whilst the other three sang back up.
"Someday I'll be living in a big ol' city, (Why you gotta be so)
And all you're ever gonna be is mean, (Why you gotta be so)
Someday I'll be big enough so you can't hit me, (Why you gotta be so)
And all you're ever gonna be is mean," All of them apart from Rachel went quiet so she could sing the last line solo.
"Why you gotta be so mean?"
The music finished and the presenter started to talk again over the tannoy, completely unaware of the scene that they had created in the hallway. The football player, knowing his chances were slimmer at getting anywhere with the five of them against him, threw the group a glare before shouldering through them and walking away. Without saying a word, Kurt took Rachel's hand and walked her to her locker, quickly bidding goodbye to their other friends.