A Shelby/ Cassie Story "Dance With Me?"
I do not own any of the characters in Glee and this story is a product of my muse. This is my first solo Glee story though I currently am writing two stories with the lovely and talented hayleynymphadora. "Fragile Reunion" and "Love's Silent Song". This was an idea that popped in my head and my muse prompted me to write it. hayleynymphadora suggested I post it and here we are.
This is a Cassie/Shelby story but it is far from love at first sight. Please give it a read and let me know what you think.
For those interested, Chapter 40 of Fragile Reunion is almost complete and hopefully will be posted when hayleynymphadora returns from a couple of weeks out of town.
Chapter One "The Interview"
Cassandra July was in a pissed off mood. Cassandra was not even trying to hide it. Ms. July's graduate assistant had quit yesterday after only a week before the Fall semester. The young man had been raved about by the school's faculty head in the Fine Arts department. Cassandra had spent three weeks prior to the start of fall classes making lesson plans for both her student classes as well as instruction to give the young man experience as he worked on his Masters. Two days in, the incompetent thin skinned man who could neither tap dance or do a decent rumba quit crying to Madame T of Ms. July's harsh treatment. If the blonde could have gotten him expelled she would have.
But the University, eager to keep their star promised to let her hire someone of her choosing. It did not even have to be a student or faculty member. Cassandra could hire someone of her choice immediately. So Ms. July would not leave, she was then promised instant tenure and perks of a car service, use of the private plane of the dean and a salary for any assistant she hired. The assistant she hired could fill what-ever duties in the class and could be used as a personal assistant like any star of her caliber would employ to help in her daily life. Cassandra July had then by the balls and she knew it.
The school had highly publicized her taking this position and had used her coming to the school as a means to woo prospective top notch students. Ms. July had been advertised by the school to tempt students that might have studied elsewhere without her on faculty. Ms. July had them wrapped around her finger because her contract. It explicitly stated she had the option be released from her obligation to the university if a skilled, reliable, assistant was not provided to her. They knew she would walk. So they had bent over backwards the last twenty four hours.
Besides being a two time Tony award winner by the young age of twenty six, the blonde diva was now the youngest woman to reach tenure at the NYADA. She could hire anyone she deemed a good fit to use on campus and to assist in maintaining her household. She hated going to the grocery store and the dry cleaners. Fame had been a double edged sword. The accolades were wonderful. Her privacy was non-existent.
Casandra July had been dancing publicly since the age of six when she began her Broadway Debut. That had also been her first Tony nomination. With stints on various shows on Broadway and a period of time in her teen years doing ballet with the New York Ballet Company, Cassandra July was well traveled and more experienced and with greater success than some performers twice her age ever receive. Cassandra July had taken this position because she was tired of the travelling and strain of seven shows a week on Broadway. She wanted a change and slower pace without losing her ear to opportunities. She would run in the same circles here and could maintain her contacts. Working at NYADA also provided her opportunities to get paid to instruct new talent while keeping her own body in prime shape for dancing. She maintained a vocal coach who she saw weekly on Sunday afternoons. Cassandra's only complaint was that she had little time to find someone to date or even a one night stand.
Classes would begin in a week. So with her personal life non-existent right now, Cassandra July was doing interviews for her personal assistant position. She had nothing better to do but play with the minds of this list of candidates and see if anyone sparked her interest. If they met her very high expectations the night would be worth it. It was a Friday night at nine o'clock and it was her last applicant of the day. Cassandra July knew it was more than obvious to this twentyish brunette standing in the classroom dance studio in front of her that she was in a bitchy mood. Cass had made no attempt to hide it. She instead used it tonight to weed out the weak and useless.
Life is a bitch though. It's not like I have any place to be or someone to go home to, the blonde thought to herself. I might as hell be here so my whole plans for the next year are not shot to hell. I have no jobs lined up because I planned on doing this with only a few concerts during the school calendar breaks. And I don't want to do a bunch of travelling damnit, the blonde thought to herself looking at the woman who felt could actually work a computer and had supposedly done some instruction of some sort in music.
"I don't need an assistant to just sit on their ass, put grades into the system and keep my schedule," Cassandra said in a slipped voice. "Let's see what you can do. Did you bring your tap shoes?"
The blonde thought she may possibly fluster this woman when she told her to start tap dancing. The brunette, who was her last "interview" of the night, had just walked to an old blue duffle bag in the corner by the door. The woman pulled out a scuffed pair of tap shoes out of a blue duffle bag that had seen better days. The woman had then proceeded to do the moves asked of her.
The look the brunette gave her when she finished infuriated her. The reason was simple. This woman with the wide green eyes stared right into her face. Colleagues tended to look off to the side not wanting to catch her eye. People of authority may look in her eye for a second but they would look away or slightly downwards more towards her mouth than eyes. The general public, students, her staff and the like tended to look down and nod a lot. This woman did not fit any of those categories. This brunette with the green eyes met her eye and kept the eye contract. Neither of them wanting to be the first to look away.
The message was clear, "Game On" and "You dish it. I can take it". The famous star was highly competitive and not used to being stood up to; even if it was only with eye contact. Cassandra accepted what she felt by this woman's eyes was a challenge. This woman's eyes had an assured cocky look. It impressed Cass when not much did as of late. It was time to see what this woman had in her.
Yes game on bitch, Cassandra July thought to herself throwing her clipboard with her questions to the floor with a dramatic thud. The blonde had slammed it down to throw to startle the applicant. It had not. The green eyed brunette had not flinched or looked away from her eyes. Ms. July decided she was going to just have to ramp up this challenge up to see this woman's mettle and turn up the heat. The blonde diva quickly rattled dance types one after another which the woman did without comment and with an ease that showed she knew her stuff. Cass sent her to the barre next and crossed her arms and leaned against the wall. The woman was flexible and in shape. She also had nice form. It impressed her but she kept her face neutral and said nothing. Cass said nothing but "green eyes" had some talent. Cass pulled up on her IPAD a file with the entrance exam to let her each of her students stay past the first day.
"I have a routine I am going to go do. I will do it for you once. I will do it with you twice and then you will do it for me," Ms. July told the brunette who was quickly taking off her tap shoes and socks till she was barefoot. The brunette then pulled off her T Shirt leaving her only in a sports bra and black tight leggings. The nod she gave July was hard and steely. The brunette stood on the arch of her foot and bounced up and down. The brunette waited and watched through the wall's mirror.
"Ok, green eyes" Cassandra July told the woman whose eyes did not even twitch at the nickname meant to throw her off her game. Cass started the routine she had planned to test her class on after the mid-term. The blonde watched the brunette threw the mirror. Her candidate had started doing the routine the moment that Cass completed it. The words "together now" had died on her lips as the young woman completed the routine expertly without any prompt.
"How green eyes?" Cassandra spun around not wanting to show once again how impressed she was. So instead she harshly demanded an explanation how she was able to do the complicated three minute routine after only watching her once.
"This is from "Oklahoma" which you played in the revival of on Broadway," the woman stated. "Your performance is on You Tube if you look it up ma'am."
"Really and are you a crazed fan green eyes that will cut a lock of my hair and sell it on eBay?" Ms. July said bitingly. This woman had met her challenge to challenge. She was really impressed but would not admit it. She now wanted to see how this woman could take "July attitude" if she turned the heat on high.
Will she melt like a wall flower or is she just as much of a bitch as I am? Cass asked herself finding herself enjoying this interview very much.
'"Cut the crap," the brunette told her pointedly. "I want this job to support me and my baby girl. I can do this job and you see it. I can dance and the only difference between you and me is you were at the right place at the right time. I was in Lima Ohio and you were in New York City. I performed in Oklahoma, Annie and Peter Pan like you did. Lima Ohio just has a small community theater not the lights of Broadway," the brunette waited a moment before she added a polite "ma'am" to her potential boss.
The brunette stomped over to the piano and sat down on the bench.
"Now that we have determined my dance skills are damn good to keep up with you, let's move onto my vocal prowess," the brunette took over guiding her interview which had turned into an audition.
Cassandra July stood speechless sitting in a seat against the mirrored wall as the brunette started to play and sing without sheet music "Don't Rain on my Parade".
Damn, she is good, Cassandra July thought to herself. I can't let this one get away. She sings better than me, the blonde thought though she would never admit it. Green eyes had mentioned a baby girl but at this point the woman could have triplets. Cass did not give a damn as long as green eyes could do the job and handle her own personal shit at the same time.
Decision made, Cassandra July decided she would have the rest of the week-end free and not be here interviewing further candidates.
This woman will definitely keep me on my toes, Cassandra told herself letting herself enjoy the rest of the song. After she finished she would offer her the job on the spot.
The brunette exited the classroom and sprinted quickly out the door a spring in her step. The interview had run long and she did not have money to pay Ms. Trumble the extra cash beyond what was in her wallet. She may now have this job but the first paycheck was not here yet. Not able to afford a cab, the brunette thanked the fates she did not have to wait for her subway train.
The brunette felt like she was floating and the short ride seemed over before it began.
She should be tired and winded climbing the three flight of stairs but she had energy to burn. She put her key in the lock and opened the door to her apartment. The television was going with the news in the one room apartment. It was on low. Her eighteen month old daughter was asleep in her crib the moonlight shining on her brown thick hair through the large oversized windows.
The brunette paid the sitter and took off her shoes. She opened the fridge and poured herself a glass of wine.
It was appropriate to celebrate. Right? she thought to herself.
Walking away from the kitchen area, the brunette undid her messy bun and leaned over the crib admiring her sleeping toddler.
"I got the job Rachel," the brunette spoke softly to her daughter, "It won't be easy but it is a good thing. Mommy kicked ass and Cassandra July ran out of excuses not to hire me." Shelby tucked the yellow blanket that had fallen to her daughter's waist back around her shoulders. "I love you baby girl."
Shelby stripped out of her clothes and climbed into the tub hidden behind the privacy screen in the one room apartment.
Maybe I can get Rachel and I out of here and somewhere nicer, the tired woman mused crawling into the bubbles in the warm water. The water did the trick and quickly started soothing her tired body.
Throwing on a T Shirt and some shorts, Shelby Corcoran climbed in bed. She felt her luck was finally turning. Maybe she finally had been in the right place at the right time.
Should I continue? Please send me a review.