If my theory is wrong about Jesse, I'm SORRY. I wrote this BEFORE the episodes after "Hell-O" came out.
A Threat to Rachel Berry
The final note was hit perfectly. As expected of someone as talented as him, Jesse St. James. Being a senior in high school and the star of Vocal Adrenaline was nice and all, but singing with all the others, didn't even feel right. They were all… beneath his level and to be singing next to him should be considered a great honor, considering that they're dancing wasn't nearly as fluid nor sharp as his and their singing was never quite as on pitch as his own. Was there anyone in his age group worthy of his monumental talent?
He began thinking of the time he watched an amateur group at Sectionals, hoping to get a good laugh and get a boost in ego, not that he needed it. He knew he was the best. Those girls from James Adams Academy were only mediocre and the people surrounding him clearly had never heard of the concept of "hairography," since they had praised their performance so much. Haverbrooks School's students were heart-warming, not all that amazing, but it's not like he was such a jerk that he'd criticize them.
And then, she came onto the stage. She had dashed out in a blue dress and he recognized the song from the first note she sang. "Don't Rain on My Parade." That was a brave song to sing, considering that Barbara was such a difficult person to be compared to. And he could already see that she was nothing in comparison to her. But, she had talent; that was for sure. He decided that because of one girl, that there was no contest between the others at Sectionals. Even if they had faced other schools, she would have crushed them, of course excluding Vocal Adrenaline because he was there, and he would have crushed her.
Unknowingly, he was smiling throughout her wonderful solo and she had walked past him on the aisles, though she paid him no heed. She had reached the stage and even without the spotlight that shined ten times brighter than the average one, she seemed to glow even more. She didn't need a spotlight, as her voice was good enough. He frowned when other voices began to accompany hers, ruining that wonderful aria she had, a flawed one, but it was brimming with excellence all the same. She didn't need those other people by her side. He had almost forgot that this was a choir and other people were supposed to be there to harmonize.
His knuckles turned white as he gripped the seat when he saw that her smile grew brighter as her partner had joined her. He searched through the program and matched the male and female leads with the names: Rachel Berry. Clearly, she was the one who had exuded the brilliance throughout the performance and then the male lead was some amateur by the name of Finn Hudson. Then again, everyone was an amateur when he thought about. No one could ever compare to him, not even this "Rachel Berry." He left once the curtain closed. He didn't need to know the results, he already knew.
The next time he had seen her, he was driving with a few "friends" of his who were also in Vocal Adrenaline. He clenched his teeth as he saw that she was happily sharing a milk shake with the male lead from Sectionals. What was his name again? Phil Harris? Why did he bother pretending? He knew the guys name: Finn Hudson. But, acting like he didn't remember others' names made him feel more superior since he didn't see them as good enough competition to remember their names. He would always remember hers though. Rachel Berry.
He momentarily wondered if it would be appropriate to shove the milk shake down this "Finn Hudson's" throat since he clearly wasn't staring at Rachel Berry even though they were sharing one milk shake with two straws. He followed his eye-sight and found that they lay on a blonde girl who, he noticed, was pregnant. Then his eyes shifted back to Rachel Berry. Her eyes had flitted to this girl as well and she looked down in a melancholy smile. He drove off before his friends could get back in the car with milk shakes, with them screaming after him. He ignored them.
He returned to the auditorium where Vocal Adrenaline was just practicing. He frowned as he noticed that with it being so large and empty, it was also lonely. It was lonely, being the best. He sat down at the grand piano and began training his voice, just as he did only an hour ago.
Finally, he had direct contact with her after a couple weeks. She had nearly escaped from his thoughts, but the sight of her refreshed his memory. She was searching through sheet music and kept pushing the books aside when she found them unsatisfactory. She stopped at a Lionel Richie book and began leafing through the pages. She held it in front of her face when she had reached the one she was looking for. Before she had a chance to really look at the notes and sight-read it in her mind, he had pulled it away from her sight and greeted her.
She was mesmerized already by his presence and his ego received a boost from that. He began thinking of the performance he had watched at Sectionals and remembered that although she was talented, she still wasn't that great to be compared to him. He lead her to the piano and read the music from the book. He sang a few lines and then she entered the song. His fingers nearly played the wrong notes. Her voice at Sectionals was a thing in the past now that he listened to her sing with him. He momentarily wondered if his greatness had rubbed off on her. He smirked as he began to play the piano louder, his voice growing in volume as well, daring her to sing that well while matching the same volume. She took that challenge as she sat with him, adding in a few of her own harmonies that were not written in the book.
He grinned at her as he continued with the melody as she sang, switching between soprano and alto melodies. He wished the song was longer than mere minutes as he wanted to sing with her forever. He had finally found someone where singing together with them felt right. He didn't even want to return to Vocal Adrenaline. He considered leaving his high school to join her at McKinley High and be a part of New Directions. Then, he could rub that "Finn Hudson's" nose in it when he took all the parts for the male lead and sing alongside her. He was pulled back from that thought when the song ended and people surrounding them applauded. They fell on deaf ears for once. All he could hear was the memory of her voice and all he could see was the embarrassed smile she had. His charm came on as he asked her out on a date on Friday. She merely smiled and nodded in response. He grinned and waved goodbye, leaving her with the sheet music.
He felt even more energized as he returned to practice with his fellow Vocal Adrenaline. He didn't even need to force a "show-face," all he had to do was think of the coming Friday, and the overly-excited grin would come to him. The song ended and he left the stage in a hurry, not even bothering to stay for a while to train his already perfect voice.
The next day, he had been pulled aside by his coach after practice. She said that according to one of her "sources," he had been growing closer with a certain Rachel Berry. He went over who might have seen them together and would've told one of the coaches. He felt his chances of singing with Rachel again crumble as he discovered that there would be consequences from his coach. To his surprise, she did not scold him for getting close to the competition; instead she praised him for having such a wonderful idea.
She told him to get closer to that girl, and through her, they would finally break down that Wil—Glee Club. He would never say it out loud, but he didn't want to lie to Rachel. But, he didn't want to upset his coach either. She was the reason why he was getting a full-ride to UCLA. She had pulled a few strings for him, and just as easily, she could cut those strings. Then he noticed that there was someone on the stage. He was off to the side behind the curtain, but he turned around to see Rachel, clearly, she was searching for him. He glanced back at his teacher to see that she was grinning from ear to ear. She signaled him to go and talk to her and he did. He turned the spotlight on and she was visibly startled and blinded. She worriedly asked who was there.
He waited in the shadows, watching her amusedly when she called out that she had a rape whistle. He laughed quietly about that and he revealed himself. She visibly became less tense when she saw him. He turned off the spotlight as he explained the purpose of it. She had been quick to the point and asked about what he had just been talking about with his coach. She wanted reassurance that she wasn't just being played by him and that she truly cared about him and if he really was, then she wanted to end it. He stared at her, then remembered that he had to deceive her now. He laughed at her suspicions and lied to her. He told her he would never hurt her and that he was real. That might've been true ten minutes ago, but after that talk with his coach, it no longer was.
She told him that it had to be kept a secret and he tried not to burst out with the truth. She hugged him and buried her face in his chest as his arms wrapped around her. He pulled her away from him and kissed her, opening his eyes to meet the eyes of his coach. She had a devious look on her face as she nodded. He looked away momentarily as if in shame then returned his attention back to Rachel. Something had happened to her before she came here. He could tell, and he found himself to be a monster when he began plotting ways to wrench her away from her McKinley High Glee Club.
One thought came to him. There was one person who might pose as a threat. And that person was Finn Hudson.
I don't know if I want to continue this. I only ended it that way so if you want me to continue it, then I can, but if not, then that's the end.