Chapter 1

Lima, Ohio year 2014. Rachel woke up when her alarm called. God, she hated that call. It was a tune from Cats. Well, she loved that song. But it was just that she hated the alarm(you know what I mean). She went out of bed and looked through her window. Wow, it was really light and sunny outside. Wait? It shouldn't be that sunny at 6 am. Oh god, no. She looked at the clock with the panic spreading. 10 am. DAMN. She was late for work. REALLY LATE. She took a sandwich with some salad and ran out the door. She hurried into the car and started it. But something was wrong. Very wrong. The car didn't move. It stood still. She went out of the car, and then she saw it. Flat tire. This couldn't be happening. Rachel took her cell and called her work.

"Umm, hi it's me. Rachel! Rachel Berry, yes… I'm so sorry for being late, my alarm didn't wake me up.. Yes, I'm sorry. But I have to fix my tire before work if it's okay. Yeah? Oh, thank you Ms. Porter. Yes I will. Bye!"

Rachel knew what to do next. But it was something that she had been scared to do ever since she broke up with Finn. Yes, SHE broke up with HIM. And why she did that... Well that's a long story so we'll take that later… So Rachel knew that she had to do it. But what would she say? "Hi, it's Rachel. Yes, the one who broke up with your step son and told your other son to go to hell and never talk to her again." Rachel sighed and called the number. Two signals and then a familiar voice answered.

"Hummel Tires & Lube, it's Burt."

Rachel swallowed the fear and said:

"H..H..Hi. Um, it's me… Rachel… Rachel Berry."

Burt was quiet for a second.

"Oh, hi Rachel… Long time ago since I heard from you…"

"Uhm, yeah I know… it's.. I mean, I've got very much to do lately…"

"Really?"

The way he said that word.. It hit Rachel. What could a girl who's stuck in Lima, Ohio forever has to do that is important? Nothing.

"Yeah, you know.. I've been.. uhm.. studying and.. um.. done stuff.."

"Yup, I bet it's very crowdy at "Breadstix" around this season, huh?"

Burt had hit her achilles heel.

"Yeah, pretty much to do there now… So! I have a flat tire and I wonder if you maybe could help me?"

"Sure, I'll get you a tow truck."

"Thanks. B-Bye."

"Bye, Rachel!"

She ended the conversation and then she just stood there in front of her little apartment in Ohio. What happened? God, she was Rachel Barbara Berry with her big dreams. What the hell did she do in Ohio? Well, while we're waiting for the tow truck to arrive, I can tell you the story. Everything was good. She was with Finn, had Kurt as her best friend and they were about to graduate their last year at McKinley. But something went wrong. Kurt got accepted into NYADA. Well, that's great… And Finn got accepted into the acting school in NY. But Rachel… well Ms. Tibideaux never came to see Rachel perform at nationals. And she rejected Rachel every time she tried to get another shot. (Yeah, basically Rachel has been following Ms. Tibideaux everywhere the last year and now Tibideaux sends the police every time she sees Rachel…) So Rachel didn't get into NYADA. But she didn't give up. No, she followed Kurt and Finn to NY and she really tried to get into NYADA or at least get a musician job, but nothing really worked out. After a half year in NYC, Rachel didn't have any money. And everything just made her such a bitch. She was angry all the time, so at the end she just had enough of everything, broke up with Finn, broke up the friendship with Kurt and ran out of the NY apartment. Her money was enough for a flight home to her dads in Ohio, so she did it. She furiously returned to Ohio. And now she was here. She missed Finn and Kurt every single day. But she knew that she never could have lived a life with them in NY if she never succeeded too. So she thought it was for the best. Working at Breadstix and living alone in her apartment. Without friends. Everyone was gone. Well… not everyone. She spended a lot of time with Mr. Schuester and Ms. Pillsbury. Sorry, Mrs. Schuester. And also the little one, Daniel F. Schuester. Yes, Will and Emma finally got their little baby. They really knew how to comfort her. They gave her a mug of hot chocolate, a blanket, a dvd of Funny Girl and some tissues and hugs when she started to cry continuously. And now, 2 years since she graduated, she was here. Alone.