A/N: Taylor Swift song fic. Sophomore Faith Preston joins Glee club after quitting color guard. She had surgery her freshman year where it made it hard for her to perform with the guard. The director always put her down and was mean. Original character, partially a true story.
WILLIAM MCKINLEY HIGH SCHOOL
EMMA PILLSBURY'S OFFICE
DECEMBER 10, 2010
EMMA'S POV
Faith Preston sat quietly waiting for me to say something. She was quitting color guard and needed another class to take the place of the one she was dropping. "Well Faith, since you're still a semester shy of your fine art credits, you can audition for the Glee Club since I know you like to play the guitar…" I explain, hoping something will make her happy.
I really hope she says yes, she's turned down theater, cheerios, debate, and orchestra. "Isn't that the club that Mr. Schue does?" she asks.
Will is her Spanish teacher, he told me she wrote a paper about how she loves to play guitar and write her own songs. Glee would be perfect for her, she'd get to express whatever she has built up inside of her. I still can't believe that one of our staff members would treat her the way she did.
"Yeah, Faith, it is. And he's told me about the paper you wrote about how much you like to play guitar and write music…" I reply.
"Can… I…" she mumbles, afraid of my answer.
"Of course. Actually, there's practice this afternoon." I calmly reply, looking down at the calendar on my desk.
"You could talk to Mr. Schue in class today, or I can email him. Whichever is fine with me." I add.
"Could you…" she timidly replies.
"Yes, Faith. I will. Now just so you know, for your audition, you'd have to perform a song in front of the club…" I explain.
She hangs her head. God, that color guard director treated her so terribly while she was trying to recover from scoliosis surgery. "Hey, I know you know Mr. Schue, and aren't you in the class with every body from the club?"
Faith slowly nods. "None of them know anything about me…"
"Well, I think today when you're in Spanish, you should try talking to either Quinn, or Mercedes. And definitely Mr. Schue." I say, knowing Rachel might say something rude to her.
Unfortunately we are cut short by the bell, it's her lunch period, so I let her go to the cafeteria. However, this gives me the perfect opportunity to talk to Will. She really needs somebody that will help her build her self esteem back up. I am broken from my train of thought when he walks into my office.
"Just the person I needed to talk to…" I sigh as he sits down.
"What's up?" he smiles.
"Faith Preston. She quit color guard, wants to try out for Glee, but is completely mortified of auditioning in front of the club." I explain.
"Girl's in my Spanish class with the kids from the club. I always see her paying attention to them when they're talking about Glee. Mercedes has asked her before about it, but she said she was afraid it would interfere with color guard." he replies.
"Yeah, because that director didn't want them involved in anything else. She's basically shot Faith's self esteem out of her. I don't know if you know this, but Faith had surgery last year to repair her scoliosis, and has a metal rod down her back, so color guard is really hard for her." I begin to tell him.
"Oh wow. I didn't know that. But that would explain why she'd come in and put her head down on her desk and struggle to stay awake or struggle to hold back tears. Her grades have slipped a little, I really think Glee would help." he replies.
"Here's the difficult part, getting her to audition. I told her I'd ask you about it and encouraged her to talk to you…" I tell him.
"Well she's more than welcome to try out. I'll ask her about it in class, maybe it'd would help her if I said something first…" he says.
"Thanks Will. And if she wants me to, I'll sit in the room while she auditions…" I smile at him when I see Carl standing in the doorway.
He gets up to leave and glares at Carl, causing Carl to give me a mean look.
gLee!
WILLIAM SCHUESTER'S CLASSROOM
SPANISH
WILL'S POV
After talking to Emma, now I better understand why Faith is so shy and hates giving oral reports. She has no self esteem, I really think Glee would help her, it's just a matter of telling her it's okay to audition. She comes into class early and nervously stands in front of my desk, "Mr. Schue…"
"What's up Faith?" I ask.
"C… can I audition for Glee…" she shyly asks.
"Sure Faith, we'd love to have you audition. There's practice every day this week at 4 in the band hall…" I answer.
Her head lowers when I say band hall. "that's right after color guard…" she sadly says.
"I know. It'll be okay, if you want, I'll make sure she's gone before we start practice…" I offer.
"Nah, I've got the perfect song. I'll be there this afternoon…" she smiles.
"Cool. So band hall, 4PM it is then." I smile and she sits down at her seat.
gLee!
BAND HALL
GLEE CLUB PRACTICE
4PM
WILL'S POV
Everybody was seated like they normally are for practice, and the color guard director was still in the office. I'd distracted her with a printing task so she could hear Faith's song. "Okay guys. We have somebody that Ms. Pillsbury found to audition for the club, her name is Faith Preston. She's in our Spanish class, and has finally found the time to try out." I say to them.
Rachel sighs angrily, "Mr. Schue, do we really need somebody else in the club? We're perfectly okay the way we are. Nationals are this year…"
"Give Faith a chance. She's been through a rough situation and this is something Ms. P has suggested for her to start healing…" I reply.
Just as I finish saying this she walks in carrying a guitar case. "Sorry I'm a little late, I had to run home and grab my guitar…" she timidly says.
"It's fine. We're just getting started." I reply. Out of the corner of my eye, the color guard director has stopped watching the printer and is now glaring at her through the window. She hangs her head and begins to get her guitar out of the case. Wow, it's a pink Fender acoustic, that sparkles.
"What would be the best way for me to do this." she asks, obviously scared.
"Well, you can either stand in the middle of the room, and I'll sit on the bleachers with the rest of the club, or you can sit on a stool." I calmly reply.
"Uhm, I'll stand up…" she shakily says.
"Alright then. Just whenever you're ready." I smile and make my way to the open seat between Rachel and Artie.
She puts the guitar strap on and over her shoulder. "Hi… this song is from Taylor Swift's new CD, it's called Mean. Oh, and Mrs. Jacobs, you might want to listen really good to this one…" she calls into the office.
Oh boy. What is she about to do? I think to myself. I hope I didn't set Ellen up for anything… she starts strumming her guitar to something very catchy and then she starts singing…
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 a nothing,
you with your voice like nails on a chalk board,
calling me out when I'm wounded,
picking on the weaker man,
You can take me down,
with just one single blow,
and you don't know,
What you don't know
Someday I'll be
Living in a big old 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?
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, 'cause I never impress you.
I just want to feel okay again.
I bet you got pushed around,
Somebody made you cold
the cycle ends right now'
Cause you can't lead me down that road
and you don't know,
What you don't know
Someday I'll be
Living in a big old 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?
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 rumbling 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
and mean, and mean, and mean, and mean!
But someday I'll be
Living in a big old city,
And all you're ever gonna be is mean
YEAH EAH!
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?
Someday I'll be
Living in a big old city,
(why you gotta be so mean)
And all you're ever gonna be is mean.
(why you gotta be so mean)
Someday I'll be
Big enough so you can't hit me,
(why you gotta be so mean)
And all you're ever gonna be is mean
why you gotta be so mean?
I watch in awe as the club is clapping along with her beat. Ellen is beet red with anger in the office, what the hell did she do to Faith. I want to know, but then again, I kinda don't. All the kids are smiling and clapping when she finishes her song. Faith's on the brink of tears as Ellen comes storming out of the office into the room.
I stand up ready to defend Faith from Ellen's wrath. "You little nobody, what makes you think you can go and sing about me to the Glee club and Mr. Schuester with me in the office? HUH?"
Faith hangs her head and runs her thumb up and down her guitar strings. "FAITH? I don't know what you think I did to you, but you're the pathetic liar!" Ellen yells.
"ELLEN. What the heck do you think you're doing?" I scream at her, not realizing that the rest of the club is still in the room.
"This little thing thinks she can sing about I supposedly mistreated her… THERE'S NO PROOF FAITH." she screams.
Faith's mind is reeling, I can tell. She really wants to say something but is too scared. I see Mercedes and Quinn exchanging looks, "Ms. P?" Quinn mouths to me.
I nod and she gets up to get the counselor. Faith is crying now, I feel really bad for letting Ellen stay, and telling Faith it'd be okay for her to try out. "MR. SCHUE YOU LIED TO ME! YOU SAID IT WOULD BE OKAY IF I TRIED OUT FOR GLEE. MS. P SAID IT WOULD HELP ME… ALL YOU'VE DONE IS MADE IT WORSE!" she screams and storms out.
But as she's storming out, Emma walks in, surprisingly calm. She sees the teen, not even bothering to get her guitar case, storming out of the room. "She called me a liar Emma…" I say to her.
"I heard her Mr. Schue… and Mrs. Jacobs, I want to meet with you and Figgins in my office. I'm concerned about her.." Emma replies, attempting to keep her cool.
I glance over at the club, sitting in shock, unsure of what to think or do. Quinn has gone out in an attempt to find Faith and keep her here for either Emma or myself to talk to.