Disclaimer: I don't own Glee or it's characters. But I wish I did, then I would so own the sexy JGroff.
So, it's me again. I've recently realized that my summer is practically almost over... And that I haven't got much to show for it. Only writing fanfiction and staying up as late as 4:30 a.m. It's weird because most girls get thinner or curvier and they change their hair styles. But eh, something about how the way I look right now is comfortable. Wellllllll- moving ON. I hope you enjoy this story, and this time, I plan to make it into a full length story. Read and review!
Rachel watched as the rest of the glee club tumbled with their dance moves that Mr. Schue was choreographing for them. It was awful... Down right just terrible. She could see out the corner of her eye that Quinn had given the club a one look span.
Only one thing was readable: What the hell? This sucks.
Rachel couldn't help but interrupt the madness. "Uh- Could we stop please?"
Mr. Schue sighed. "You don't have to ask me every time for permission to go to the bathroom Rachel, you can just go." he said, pointing towards the door.
"It's not my bladder," she stated. Mr. Schue gave her a strange look. "It's the choreography."
"... Okay, what's wrong with the choreography?" he asked. She noticed the offended tone and bit her tongue, remembering the conversation she'd had with the cheerleaders.
"We can't compete with Vocal Adrenaline with these steps," she added. Mr. Schue nodded, even more offended. "You're a great vocal coach Mr. Schue but you're not a trained choreographer. And to be the best we need Dakota Stanley." she repeated exactly what Santana and Quinn had told her in the hall. Regardless of Rachel attempting to be more like them- she also agreed. Mr. Schuester's dance moves were so... 90s. They needed the up to date moves in order to even make a dent in Vocal Adrenaline's performance for Regionals.
And that's how they found themselves walking towards the Carmel High Auditorium.
"Are we sure that they're rehearsing today?" Quinn asked as the small group walked on. Rachel nodded enthusiastically. "Vocal Adrenaline rehearses everyday from 2 to midnight." she stressed the last word and Tina's eyes widened. "I know, it's a lot." she added.
Rachel watched as Mercedes put the moves on Kurt and saw him be completely oblivious. Well, technically speaking she was being oblivious. Everyone but Mercedes thought he was gay... He was gay, wasn't he?
Suddenly she saw two feminine figures by the trash can. Immediately she recognized one of the members.
"Guys, that's Andrea Cohen. She won outstanding soloist last year." she said this brightly regardless of said person puking her guts out. Stepping forward she smiled even brighter. "Are you guys Vocal Adrenaline? We'd like to talk to Dakota Stanley about choreographing for our glee club."
Both performers shook their heads fiercely. "Don't! He's a monster."
They spent 6 hours watching them dance nonstop. Six freaking hours! It was the most insane thing Rachel had ever seen. Heck, all of them watched as Vocal Adrenaline would do their number only for Mr. Stanley to shout about how imperfect it all was. But in Rachel's eyes... The performance was flawless every time. Everything except for the female lead singing.
Rachel thought that the female lead just couldn't keep up with the male lead. Every second or so the blonde would fumble a note or slow the rest of the routine down. But the male... He was flawless. Perfect.
That's how Rachel found herself picking him out throughout the vigorous repetitions. His curly bronze hair kept bouncing every time he spun a dance move. Arrogantly, she imagined herself in place of the blonde. Rachel was positive she'd be able to keep up.
"GET OFF MY STAGE!" Dakota shouted. They watched as the members raced off stage without a hitch. The lights went off and New Directions followed the dwarf.
"Mr. Stanley, we're the McKinley High glee club!" Rachel yelled, stopping in front of his what looked like an extremely expensive car.
He shook his head. "No interviews."
"But we'd like you to choreograph for us!" Tina stuttered.
"Look," he said. "My fee is 8,000 dollars with a bonus if you place in the top three. And with Dakota Stanley, you will place at the top three." he said egotistically.
He sped off and Rachel stood there, blinking. "How are we going to get 8,000 dollars?"
Kurt sighed. "Well, we're so screwed." he checked his watch. "And it's now 12:30 a.m. My dad is going to kill me." he looked at the girls. "Anyone need a ride?"
"My dad will pick me, Brittany, and Santana up." Quinn said.
Tina and Mercedes looked at each other. "I'll drop you guys off," Kurt offered. They nodded and dispersed to his car.
"I'll walk home." Rachel said sadly. Knowing that they couldn't affford brilliance made her slightly depressed.
"Rachel, as much as you annoy me, it's 10 miles from Lima. And it's dark. You'll get raped or worse, mugged." his hands imitated pathetic spirit fingers.
"It's fine Kurt," she said, clutching her tote bag. "I'll probably take the bus or eventually call my dads. Besides, I've got a rape whistle." she said that as if it were a gun. Which it wasn't. Rachel Berry hated weapons so she always settled for a simple whistle.
And honestly, she refused to ride with Kurt, Tina, and Mercedes because she needed time to think. Time to think about how she was going to make 8,000 dollars. Time to figure out whether or not the club was worth all this fighting for. Time to think about that damn kiss with Finn in the auditorium.
So she waved goodbye as Kurt drove off and the Cheerio trio hopped inside Mr. Fabray's convertible. Sighing, she adjusted her bag and began to walk. Her eyes were so focused on the sidewalk that she bumped into a broad chest, causing her to squeal.
"Oh gosh!" she stumbled. "I'm so sorry-" she stopped as her eyes came into contact with a pair of the most beautiful blue eyes she'd ever seen.
Jesse usually wasn't this slow after rehearsals. But today... It had been so exhausting. His parents had announced their one year cruise around the East. Normally he wouldn't care but this... This was his year. He wanted his parents to actually see him accomplish things.
His year... He was sure it would be the best ever. He'd win another National title, get a full ride to UCLA, and finally leave and never come back to Ohio. (Yeah, the state was that bad).
But the day was exhausting nonetheless. Dakota Stanley was just a tiny bit harsher because of the audience they had- not that they were credible audience members to begin with. Come on, they were a ragtag group of misfits who didn't stand a chance at even winning Sectionals. Truthfully, Jesse pitied them.
So as his peers waved goodbye and left the building, Jesse couldn't help but linger on a bit longer. His year.. His last year. After this, he wouldn't sit in that horrid office chair for pranking the Freshman. He wouldn't sit in the auditorium watching Ms. Corcoran school them on more theatricality. He wouldn't fall in love at all. ( A record considering most people in High School fall more than once- he'd fallen none).
No. No moping. If he moped around, it show that he even cared- that he was a softie. And hell, Jesse St. James was a lot of things but softie wasn't one of them. Jumping up from his chair and grabbing his backpack, he marched into the cold night air and walked straight into a petite body. His eyes widened and his mouth opened, ready to say any obscenities towards this idiot.
But then he saw the face of a girl whom he'd never thought possible. And as his eyes met up with her brown ones, something in his chest couldn't help but melt. It was downright scary.
"I'm so sorry." she said abruptly, blinking rapidly and quickly panicking. "I didn't scar you or anything right?"
He chuckled and gave himself a one over. "No, don't think so." she laughed and he felt something flutter inside his stomach.
Indigestion.. he thought pathetically.
"Are you a student here?" he asked,
Rachel mumbled, "Um, no."
He smirked as he saw her cheeks go red. "Are you getting picked up?"
She shook her head. "No... Is there a bus stop nearby?"
Jesse shook his head. " 5 miles away. Most of Akron people have their own cars. I can give you a lift home if you'd like?" he asked. He knew he was being way too generous because if this had been anyone else he would've laughed and driven off. But this girl was different. She had this certain charm...
"Oh. Well, I don't really know you so..." she trailed off, biting her lip nervously. Normally, she wouldn't mind talking to a guy but this was Jesse St. James. Lead and star of Vocal Adrenaline- the boy with three consecutive National titles. He was the best of the best... And her enemy. Her competition.
He rolled his eyes. "I think you're safe with me. Besides, I'm not going to give a rapist a chance to get to you. That wouldn't be very courteous now, would it?"
"I think you talk a good game, but the answer is still no." she answered hastily before continuing on. She walked a whole minute before he yelled after her.
"Hey!"
Rachel turned around. "Yes?"
"What's your name?"
She smiled softly before looking straight into his eyes. "Rachel Berry."
Jesse smiled. "Ms. Berry, would you do me the honor and ride with me?" he stuck out his hand in an old fashion way making her laugh. He knew he was being dorky but she was just so stubborn. Normally he'd ask a girl to climb into his car and they wouldn't hesitate to do so. But Rachel was a strange one.
So as he heard her laughter echo through the night, he couldn't help but reciprocate the smile. "I'd love to. Thank you for asking." she said.
"You're welcome."
Once he got a move on, one hand on the steering wheel because he thought it looked cool, he licked his lips. "So Rachel, what school do you go to?"
She smiled awkwardly. "McKinley." Rachel saw him nod as if he were making this into a huge list. And the more she pondered on it, the more creepy it got. "Oh, take a left here." she instructed.
"A failed president." he joked.
Rachel smiled. 'He was one of the best."
Jesse continued, shooting questions faster than she could answer most. Finally, he got the most personal ones. "Do you sing?"
Rachel beamed. "Yes. I'm going to be on Broadway one day."
He smirked. "Is that so?"
She only nodded. "I'm in my school's show choir... Though most of the club is filled with mediocre people who don't respect my obviously superior talent."
"I'm guessing you're lead?" he saw her nod, her brunette hair bouncing up and down as she did so. "I know what that's like."
She burrowed her brows in confusion.
"About being stuck with a bunch of mediocre people as your backup. It really weighs down talent."
Rachel nodded in confirmation, turning her attention to the car window. She'd never been alone in a car with a boy... Especially if it was the boys car. If her dads ever found out she'd be scolded.
"Hasn't stopped you though," Rachel added. Jesse's blue eyes lit up. "Because Vocal Adrenaline has gone to Nationals three years in a row."
"Yeah, you could say I'm their ticket to success. Which is why I've got a full ride to UCLA."
"Wow,"she said, impressed.
He switched his hands, letting his left steer the wheel. "I can't wait to get out of Ohio. This place is a deathtrap."
"I second that. Oh! Turn right!"
Jesse had to admit, him and this girl saw the world the exact same way, with just as a dramatic and fierce theatricality.
If I didn't have a scholarship waiting and the fact that she belongs to that rag tag team... I could seriously learn to kind of like her.
"So," she huffed, smoothing out her plaid skirt. "This is me. Stop here."
He stepped on the brake, smiling as she opened the door. "It was nice talking to you Rachel. I hope to see you advance from Sectionals."
Rachel smiled and nodded, shutting the door and practically skipping her way up the front porch. She took a deep breath before opening the door, preparing for the yelling she was sure to receive from her dads. Through the side of her eyes she watched the Range Rover drive away swiftly and couldn't help but feel a little breathless. The Jesse St. James, star of Vocal Adrenaline, had just driven her home.
Sorry if there are any typos. I got this story idea one day when I kept thinking "What if?" So I figured, hey, if Rachel went to watch Vocal Adrenaline on the third episode of the first season.. How would their relationship be if they'd met WAY before Finchel even truly began? Thus "At The Beginning" was born. I hope you guys like the idea, and review if you want me to continue with this story!
-Fanatic4Fiction (AKA LovelyLadyBug)