Finn ran over to me as soon as I found him. It was the first day of our senior year and I was so excited as was he. I had woken up an hour earlier than I usually did and I had completed my morning routine with an unusual burst of energy. When I arrived at school I found myself walking to the auditorium. As I passed through the doors of the familiar building a sense of melancholy washed over me as I realized that this was my last first day of school here.
Never again would I wake up extra early on the first day and walk into this auditorium, never again would I have to fight the first day of school traffic, and never again would I have to worry about what flavor of slushy would greet me to my school year. As sad as some things were to think about, I had to admit the thought of the end was thrilling. I was now that much closer to completing high school and moving on to bigger and better things that lay in wait for me, all I had to do was sail smoothly through the year.
I took a deep breath and made my way to the stage, I sang a few songs in the bitter sweet moment and then deiced to go and join Finn and the rest of my senior Glee clubbers so we could hang out before the first day of classes started.
Finn wrapped me in a hug and I couldn't help but smile. We had a wonderful time over the summer and I knew that things were only going to get better from here on out. Somehow over the summer things had gotten better between me and the rest of the glee club. Kurt had talked to me about not being such a diva and he talked to the other member about not blaming losing nationals on me. Quinn wasn't thrilled about me dating Finn still but we had decided that we weren't going to fight over it. Quinn and Santana had even helped me buy clothes for school that weren't completely slutty but they also didn't make me look like a toddler.
For the first day of school I was wearing a green tank top with a pair of black shorts and black sandals. Finn had already approved of this outfit so it wasn't like when Kurt had agreed to help my change my image. My bangs had been re-cut for the start of the year and I had my hair down and curly around my face.
"Not too bad man-hands." Santana called as I walked past her locker.
"Thank you." I said as I past her walking down the hall to the choir room.
Kurt was sitting next to Mercedes and Blaine as I walked into the room. For some reason Blaine had decided that he wanted to transfer to McKinley this year which was great being as Sam ended up having to move when his father got a new job over the summer. All I could say was at least we had the number of members we needed for glee although we were going to have to work on recruiting being as glee is going to be losing three members at the end of this year.
"Thank goodness Rachel. You finally look your age." Kurt said as he looked me over.
"Haha." I said taking a seat on Finn's lap. "It's nice to see you too Kurt." Kurt smiled and then turned to Mercedes.
"You know I am really going to miss you guys next year." Mercedes said looking at Kurt, Finn, and I.
"Oh don't say that. We still have an entire year together before we have to leave." Finn said looking over my shoulder.
"I know but I just don't want this to end. I mean we are finally clicking as a team, I think we have a really good shot at winning nationals this year."
"Of course we do." I said beaming.
"So who is your home room teacher Rach?" Mercedes asked.
"Mr. Dunlap the senior english teacher."
"No way me too." Kurt said giving me a high five.
"Who do you have Finn?" I asked turning to look at him.
"Ugh Mrs. Henley the Algebra teacher."
"That sucks." Puck said walking into the room.
"Hey Puck, how was your summer?" Finn asked with a grin.
"Not too bad. Yourself?"
"Never been better." He said squeezing my hand. Just then the warning bell rang and I gave Finn a kiss goodbye as Kurt and I walked to Mr. Dunlap's room. Kurt and I took a seat against the back wall. A few seconds later Puck walked into the room and sat down next to me.
"Puck what are you doing in here?" I asked looking at him.
"My home room got changed and they sent me here."
"Really?"
"Yeah. School huh?"
"Tell me about it." We talked for a while and when the final bell rang we all turned to the front of the classroom waiting for Mr. Dunlap to enter. We were surprised when no one came into our class.
"Well I think I am enacting the ten minute rule." Puck said getting up from the desk and making his way to the front of the room. "Are you coming?" He asked turning to us.
I grabbed my things and started to follow him out of the room with the rest of the kids when someone stopped us.
"Hey! Back in the room!" Hearing that voice froze me in my tracks. All that was running through my head was no it couldn't be.
We all turned and walked back into the classroom and sat down in the desks we had just left. Kurt turned to me while Puck grabbed my hand and we all turned to look at the front of the classroom. Standing in front of the desk was Shelby Corcoran, my ex mother.
"Rachel that's your mother." Puck whispered so no one could hear him.
"No, I don't have a mother." I said sharply making eye contact with her and glaring.
Shelby's POV:
It had been a long morning. Beth was unusually fussy this morning when I left her with the baby sitter and the day just went downhill from there. After getting a late start on getting to new job I ended up behind the unfortunate kid who greeted by his first day with a face full of slushie.
After yelling at the kid who threw the drink and making sure that the student was okay I had to make my way to the office to sign the last of my contract. It took longer than I had anticipated which led me to be late to my homeroom class.
As I opened the door I was greeted by a group of students getting ready to leave.
"Hey! Back in the room!" I commanded in my coaching voice.
I listened to the collective moans as they all turned and walked back into the classroom and sat down. I put my things on the desk and then turned to scan the classroom. It had been a long time since the last time I was in a classroom full of students and it felt good to be back.
After adopting Beth I moved back to New York. I didn't know what I was hoping to find there but I decided to try it anyway. I gave it my best shot and actually got a few roles thrown at me but I just couldn't do it. Beth was my second chance and I needed to be her mother. I accepted a role for an off broadway show that ran a few months just to make ends meet and after that show was over I moved to Lima. I mean Lima was the place one of my daughters was raised and she turned out great, maybe it would work out for Beth and I.
Teaching at McKinley was another story. I loved teaching, there was just something about it that drew me in, I just wanted to be with Beth which was why I avoided Carmel like the plague. It was actually principle Figgins that reached out to me to try teaching here. Mr. Dunlap was fired over the summer and he really needed an english teacher and he thought of me. I thought about it and then accepted his offer, I needed the job. So that bring me here, standing in front of a bunch of students ready to start my teaching career again.
I scanned the classroom and that was when I met her eyes. Rachel was sitting at the back of the classroom glaring at me. When I accepted this job I knew that it meant having to see Rachel a lot but I never thought that she would be this close to me, or better yet in my homeroom class. I didn't let her glare phase me I just carried on with what I was doing.
"Sorry I was late, I had a few things to take care of. Anyway I am going to call your last name and you can grab your schedule and then sit down. If the bell rings before I get to everyone, those of you with your schedules can leave. So Anderson." I called the first name on the list and a boy walked up and grabbed it. "Andrews." I continued down the list. "...Berry." Rachel got up and grabbed her schedule and sat back down not looking at me. I finished the list right before the bell rang and then everyone rushed out of the room including Rachel. I wanted to tell her to stay after so I could talk to her but I didn't know what to say so I let her go with the rest of the group hoping that this was not the last that I would be seeing of her.
The rest of the first part of my day was better. I taught my second and third periods with ease and then made my way to the teacher's lounge for lunch. I walked in and sat down at a table and started eating. A few minutes later I was greeted by a friendly voice.
"Shelby!" I turned to see Will walk in and sit down next to me. "What are you doing here?" He asked unpacking his lunch.
"I work here." I said smiling.
"That is great. Really great. How is Beth?" He asked taking a bite of his sandwich.
"She is wonderful. I can't believe that she is a year now."
"I know time flies right. So does Rachel know you're here?" He asked in a more serious manner.
"She does now." I said eating some of my salad.
"What does that mean?" He asked.
"She was in my homeroom."
"And you never told her you were working here?"
"Well we really haven't been on speaking terms since I left."
"So how did she take seeing you?"
"Well being as we were in class where she couldn't storm out or cause a scene, rather well." I said jokingly.
"You are going to have to talk to her."
"At some point I will."
"Sooner is better than later."
"Maybe. Let's just see how today goes."
"So other than that how do you like it here?"
"It's nice."
"Well if you ever want to stop into a glee rehearsal you are more than welcome to..."
"Maybe. I will have to think about that offer."
"Please do."
Rachel's POV:
As soon as lunch started I found Finn and buried my face in his chest. He wrapped his arms around me.
"Rach what is wrong?" He asked rubbing my back.
"Ms. Corcoran, that is what is wrong."
"Wait isn't that..."
"My mother? Yes." I said as I pulled my body away from him.
"What about her?"
"Well she is my homeroom teacher and she is teaching my fifth period english class. That is what is with her."
"I'm so sorry Rach." He pulled me into a hug and I stayed there for a while.
"It's fine. This was just not how I pictured my senior year to start, you know?"
"Yeah I understand. You wanted a clean start and this is sort of throwing your past back into your face..."
"Exactly!" I exclaimed.
"Rachel we heard about your mother." I turned to see the rest of the glee club standing behind me.
"It's fine."
"Just give me the word Rach and I will unleash hell in her fifth period!" Puck said pounding his fist into his hand.
"You have fifth period with her?"
"Yeah." He groaned.
"Sit by me." I said with pleading eyes.
"Alright."
"So what are we going to do with all of this?" Quinn asked surprisingly.
"Nothing. She wanted nothing to do with me so I am going to have nothing to do with her. After her class today I have my free period and I am going to go to the front office to see if I can switch out of her class and then I don't have to deal with her..."
"Except on homeroom days." Finn quickly added.
"I will just skip homeroom then." I said hold my head up high.
"Wait did I just hear that right?" Santana asked. "Berry just said the word skip and her name in a sentence."
"I wouldn't normally result to something like that but I really want nothing to do with her."
"Go Berry!" Santana said smiling.
Finn took me off campus for lunch and then he walked me to my fourth period class kissing me before I walked into the room. After fourth period I took my time getting to English dreading the hour that I was stuck in this room. As I approached the door I wondered if it was too late to skip, I was sure that my dads would understand but that would leave Puck all alone. I bit my lower lip and opened the door and then made my way to the back of the classroom and sat down trying to avoid my mother's gaze as I did so. Puck sat next to me and whispered in my ear.
"Hey I already cleared something with Finn. Do you want to drive your mother crazy?" I turned and looked at him and smiled.
"What do you have in mind?" I asked with a devilish smile.
"Just laugh at the next thing I whisper in your ear. Not too loudly though, a flirtatious laugh."
"Like this." I whispered in his ear and then silently laughed a little.
"Perfect. Now grab my hands and place them on the desk where she can see them." I did what he said and then I turned my head as he whispered something in my ear so I could get a look at her face.
"Laugh again, it's working." I laughed and watched as her glare hardened on us.
"I wonder if she knows what we are doing." I whispered in his ear and I heard him laugh a little as he ran his hand through my hair.
"Not a chance." He kissed my cheek and then pulled away as Shelby cleared his throat.
"Alright class. Your first assignment is to write a essay based on what you did this summer and I don't want to read an essay about how you stayed home and watched television. I want something interesting, and yes I know that this assignment is going to be hard for some of you but please try to surprise me. No talking and get started, it's due at the beginning of class tomorrow."
I sighed as I pulled out a sheet of paper and stared at the blank page not wanting to waste my time on a paper that I wasn't going to be turning in so instead I looked out the window and let the time escape me. The next thing I knew the bell was ringing and it was time to leave. I gathered my things and started to walk out the door when Shelby stopped me.
"Rachel, can I have a minute?" She asked as I turned to face her.
"I guess." I said walking over to her desk.
"Can I see what you have written?" She asked extending her hand.
"Actually now that I think about it, I have to go to class." I said walking towards the door again.
"Just remember the paper is due tomorrow."
"I know." I said as I walked out the door and towards the office, her paper being the last thing on my mind.
I walked into the front office and smiled as I saw Ms. James behind the desk. Getting my schedule changed was going to be easier than I thought.
"Rachel! What a wonderful surprise." Ms. James said seeing me walk up to her desk. "What brings you here?"
"I need a schedule change." I said smiling.
"Let me see what I can do. What class do you want changed?"
"Fifth period."
"That would be english. What is wrong with that class? I thought you loved english."
"I usually do but I am not getting along with the teacher for that class. Is there any other class I can switch into?" I asked pleading with her.
"There has to be something, let me check." She typed something into her computer and then shook her head. "I'm afraid I have some bad news Rachel. Ms. Corcoran is the only senior english teacher during fifth period." She said.
"Seriously? Can I change periods?" I asked hopeful.
"I'm afraid not with the other classes you registered to take."
"Ugh!" I said in frustration. "Thank you."
"I'm sorry about that."
"It's fine. I will just have to get through it." I turned from her desk and walked down the hall in frustration. So much for having the best year ever!
A/n: Thank you Glen C0C0, this is for you!
-Katie