A/N: Alright you guys here we go! In this I introduce the characters I have now- but more may come! It is still open. I hope you enjoy it.
Episode 01x01: Six
First Period, Monday Morning
Dawn clutched her binder confidently as she walked right into her first period class. With a quick scan of the AP English class, she knew that this would be a bird course. From the grungy-looking girl in the back row, wearing a headband and a floor-length skirt, to the rebellious looking one in the front, she assumed that half of these people had no idea what the teacher would be talking about.
She tossed a wavy strand of her blonde hair over her shoulder and sat promptly as the bell rang. Dawn let out the breath she wasn't aware she was holding. After being home schooled for the past year, she was anxious to be starting McKinley. She began tapping her finger self-consciously as the familiar whispers started up.
Yes, she wore knee-length dresses. No need to stare.
"Alright," the young, good-looking teacher said as she came into the class. Dawn felt herself gulp. She was wearing a tight pencil skirt and tucked in blouse. Her smile was perfectly white and she seemed to be extremely friendly. "I'm not going to tell you I'm a cool teacher because I'm not. I'm a nerd. But I am new to the system. My name is Carly Howard, though you can call me Miss Howard," she winked, "Let's be respectful here. I know most of you don't want to be here, and I understand, but let's push through this year. This is a great class to take and I know that you'll all understand the material with enough effort."
Dawn smiled. She might actually like this class. Of course, she always tried her hardest, in every class. But it'd be easier to try in this class if the teacher said the material was easy.
"I'm just going to call roll…" Miss Howard said, shuffling through the many papers on her desk. "Okay…Dawn-Mae Boston?"
"Yes ma'am?" Dawn said quickly, then she caught herself. "Here, I mean…"
"What kind of accent is that?" One girl muttered to her friend. "Hicktown?"
Dawn flushed and Miss Howard looked to the two girls. "No talking during roll call," she reprimanded. She went on down the list, till she got to James Creys.
"James Creys?" She called out. A tall Hispanic boy grinned, winked, and raised his hand.
"Here."
James was planning on doing the same thing he always did- hiding his intelligence. Do you realize how much easier it was to pretend to be dumb in McKinley? Incredibly. Although with this hot teacher…he may actually want to try.
"Alright…um…Hannah Gray?"
The grungy girl, her shoulder-length blonde hair intentionally messy, and her floor-length skirt dragging the ground, said in an uncaring voice, "Here."
No one really knows much about her, James thought. She'd been in his grade for as long as he could remember and she'd always been the same way. Antisocial, different, and just plain weird. She was like a hippie. And not even a cool one because she didn't protest or light her bra on fire or anything cool like that. No, she just remained in a constant state of uncaring.
"Hmm…Cody Howard?"
The dark-headed boy (that looked a lot like Miss Howard…) with tan skin and thick eyebrows said "Here."
Dawn rolled her eyes. She knew the type. From his multi-colored tank top (in Ohio? Really?) to the loose board shorts and the cocky swagger, he knew he was hot and he loved it. He seemed to be incredibly full of himself. She already disliked him without talking to him.
The rest of the roll call continued until Cortney Presley. "Hmm?" she said, groggy.
People giggled. She had already fallen asleep, and class hadn't even started yet! Everyone began talking again as soon as roll was finished.
Dawn took out her pink notebook and began writing a heading, hoping they'd take notes that day. Unfortunately, the only thing on the agenda was to talk. Disappointing. She looked around the class to find someone to converse with. Everyone except that weird girl in the back was talking to someone.
She turned back towards the front. There would be time for friends later maybe.
Third Period, Monday
"Pssst!"
Bailey was doodling absent-mindedly as the boy across from her was trying to get her attention.
"Pssst!"
Bailey turned her green eyes to see Oliver, her best friend, trying desperately to get her attention. She rolled her eyes as he threw her a paper airplane.
"Gym tonight?" it read.
Bailey bit her lip. He knew why that wouldn't work. She shook her head quickly and Oliver looked a little letdown. But he put on his happy face and mouthed, "What about tryouts tomorrow?"
Remembering the pact that the two had made that summer, to audition for the lame Glee club, she inwardly groaned. Her blonde hair was tied back into a ponytail and she began twisting as Oliver tried to convince her to go along with the pact.
She grinned and nodded. "Fine…"
Jordana glared from across the room. What was with best friends acting like couples nowadays? Shouldn't there be a line somewhere? She began chewing on her copper-colored hair as the teacher droned on and on about something pointless like rules.
She began tapping her sneaker-clad foot impatiently, waiting for the bell to ring. Maybe this year wouldn't suck so bad. What was so important about dating anyway? It wasn't that great. Dates couldn't be as much fun as scoring a three-pointer or something. And seriously…dating was overrated.
Way, way overrated.
Monday Afternoon, Dalton Academy
"So, new kid," the big-nosed, Beiber-haired junior asked Michael knowingly. It was Michael's first day at Dalton…and it was nerve-wracking. He was so nervous he almost spilt Caleb's coffee this morning, which was how he met the junior. He had taken him under his wing luckily and Michael was feeling a lot better about the situation. "Can I call you Mike?"
"No," Michael said, "just Michael."
"Oh okay," he grinned. "Do you like to sing?"
Most of the non-boarding students were packing up for the day, but boarding students like Michael and Caleb were lounging in the corridors. Michael's family lived all the way out in Columbus. Caleb's family lived in Lima.
"A little…" Michael said, his shaggy hair falling over his eyebrows. Hazel eyes stared into green ones and Michael felt intimidated by the junior's deep gaze.
"Hmm…" Caleb mused. "You should audition for the Warblers."
"I don't think so…" Michael said, feeling shy.
"You should!" Caleb grinned. "We'll have auditions next week. I hope to see you there." He winked at him and patted him on the shoulder before getting his messenger bag and walking down the corridor.
Michael couldn't believe it. Caleb was baffling. Was everyone gay here?
Tuesday Afternoon, McKinley
Will glanced at his audition sheet. A pretty good response…he thought to himself. He checked his watch and waited on people to show up. He grinned as a tall Hispanic boy took the stage.
"Hello?" He said to the seemingly empty auditorium. He cleared his throat and said, "Well I'm James Creys…I'll be singing the Perfect Scene."
"Well it's on my mind, I'm heading back in tme
And when I used to think of all the songs we used to play
And then I think of you and it's alright
I think of you and it's alright…"
His tenor voice was strong and well suited to the song.
"Well it's this sort of thing that gets me to lose my mind
And it's the flash-flashy eyes that makes it worthwhile
And every time when we'd, we'd get together
We'd just fall in love again…"
He took a deep breath and belted,
"All in all it's the perfect scene
And it's not anywhere I would rather be
And it's now, now or never when we're chasing our dreams
And oh- we're getting close now, don't turn away!"
James finished strong and to his surprise, clapping came from the back of the auditorium. Will Schuester, a history teacher, was clapping and grinning ear to ear.
"That was fantastic," he admitted. "With some work, you have real front man material."
"I just joined to have somewhere to be in the afternoons," James said, scuffing his sneakers on the stage floor.
"Well, I'm glad you did," Will grinned. Suddenly, the back doors of the auditorium slammed and in entered Cody Howard, Bailey Flynn, Oliver Henson, and Jordana Hewitt. Jordana looked fifty shades of pissed and Oliver and Bailey were grinning hysterically and joking with each other. Cody was the only one who seemed genuinely happy to be there.
"Are you guys auditioning?" Will asked.
"Of course," Cody grinned. Did he ever stop smiling? The fifteen year old hopped on stage and said with confidence, "Hi, I'm Cody Howard, and my previous credits include 'Mereb' in Aida and 'Troy' in High School Musical." Insert his award-winning smile here. "I will be singing 'What Do I Need With Love?' from Thoroughly Modern Millie.
Will was taken aback. "Alright…go for it."
James snickered behind his hand as the music started up. Wow…
"Oh, the places I would like to show youAlthough I hardly know youI've a funny feeling we make a perfect pairFamous sites I want to see you seeingThen nights of you and me-ingMe. You. We -"
…he was fantastic. Everyone stared up at the stage with their jaws dropped. As cocky as he was…he did have talent to back it up.
"Wait a minute! Just a minute! No, no, no, no!I'm a Joe with just one aimEvery night to date a different dameCall each one of them the same pet name"Hey, baby!"In a row, I have my ducksLoads of gals to give me loads of yucksLeave the cooing to the other clucksI don't mean maybeGot it good. What do I need with love?"
He grinned and began parading around the stage. "Always practice what I preachKeep temptation out of easy reachStick to dolls who wash their hair in bleachI'm happyCome and go the way I chooseNever gonna sing the tied-down bluesOther guys would kill to fill my shoesNo wing-clipped sappyGot it good. What do I need with love?"
He got quieter and more intense."That was a near miss, talk about a close shaveFlirted with disasterThere must be someone up there watching over meTalk about a four-leaf-clover-mePeter Rabbit's missing footsieMeans I roll without a tootsieGot it good. What do I need with love?I got it good. What do I need with love?"
He laughed and belted out,"Skip the vows and all that rotTell the minister that "I do" notBright and breezy is the -Birds and bees-y is the -Free and easy is the life I got Without I hardly know youWhat do I need with love?I got it goodGot it goodBut now I got it bad!"
With that big finish, the audience was on its feet. Cody grinned and went to go sit down. He looked at Oliver, as if daring him to top that. Will was taken aback, although this time by the sheer talent of that sophmore.
Jordana stood, irritated. "I'm Jordana Hewitt, and I'll be singing The Coolest Girl from A Very Potter Sequel." James grinned appreciatively.
"All my dreams I'm chasing after
They don't need all this laughter
I take a grain of salt, a stiff upper lip
It's not their fault I'm not as hip
Wake up kid, you know you're more than this…"
Her soothing mezzo-soprano voice was pleasing to the ears. She was very talented.
"I'm the smartest person that I've ever met
So how can I allow my self to possibly forget?
There's so much I know how to do
So much more than all of you
The only thing I wish I knew
Was how to make them see
The girl that I can be!"
She grinned and belted,
"I am sick and tired of low not higher
Places where I should belong
It's about time I proved them wrong…"
She picked up tempo and vocal power as she sang out,
"Gimme a shot to show what I've got
I'm a hell of a whole lot more
Than this frizzy hair, these frumpy clothes I wear
Though I rock them like nobody you've seen before!
Cuz I am the coolest girl in the whole wide world
I know it, below it all
I am done with losing, on with choosing!
I'm the coolest girl on the face of the planet
The coolest bitch on earth, goddamnit
The coolest chick you've ever seen or heard
So you may try to bring me down
But sorry guys I'm sticking around
I've thought about it and I've found
That I am the coolest girl! Yeah…"
She finished off strong and everyone clapped manically. Of course, Hannah chose that time to meander her way into the theatre. "Am I late?" She asked in a monotone voice.
"A little, yeah…" Jordana said, glaring at her.
"Oh…" she said simply before sitting alone.
"I'll go next," Bailey smiled. She walked on stage and said semi-confidently, "I'll be singing More Beautiful You by Johnny Diaz."
She cleared her throat and sang,
"Little girl fourteen flipping through a magazineSays she wants to look that wayBut her hair isn't straight, her body isn't fakeAnd she's always felt overweight…"
Previously disinterested Hannah was all ears."Well, little girl fourteen I wish that you could seeThat beauty is within your heartAnd you were made with such care, your skin, your body and your hairAre perfect just the way they are…"
She began to belt,"There could never be a more beautiful youDon't buy the lies, disguises and hoops, they make you jump throughYou were made to fill a purpose that only you could doSo there could never be a more beautiful you!"
Hannah didn't let anyone see her tear up"So turn around you're not too farTo back away be who you areTo change your path go another wayIt's not too late, you can be savedIf you feel depressed with past regretsThe shameful nights hope to forgetCan disappear, they can all be washed away…"
Bailey smiled encouragingly and sang out,"By the one who's strong, can right your wrongsCan rid your fears dry, all your tearsAnd change the way you look at this big worldHe will take your dark distorted viewAnd with His light, He will show you truthAnd again you'll see through the eyes of a little girl…"
She finished out,"That there could never be a more beautiful youDon't buy the lies, disguises and hoops, they make you jump throughYou were made to fill a purpose that only you could doSo there could never be a more beautiful youThere could never be a more beautiful you!"
She grinned and Hannah stood up to clap. Bailey noted it in her mind but decided to not ask.
Oliver figured he might as well be next. He stood and said awkwardly, "Um…hi. I guess I'll be singing Marry Me by Train."
He smiled and sang,
"Forever can never be long enough for meTo feel like I've had long enough with youForget the world now we won't let them seeBut there's one thing left to doNow that the weight has liftedLove has surely shifted my wayMarry MeToday and every dayMarry MeIf I ever get the nerve to say "Hello" in this cafeSay you willMm-hmmSay you willMm-hmmTogether can never be close enough for meFeel like I am close enough to youYou wear white and I'll wear out the words I love youAnd you're beautifulNow that the wait is overAnd love and has finally shown her my wayMarry meToday and every dayMarry meIf I ever get the nerve to say "Hello" in this cafeSay you willMm-hmmSay you willMm-hmmPromise meYou'll always beHappy by my sideSing to youWhen all the music diesAnd marry meToday and everydayMarry meIf I ever get the nerve to say "Hello" in this cafeSay you willMm-hmmSay you willMarry me…"
He grinned as everyone clapped. Hannah sighed and made her way to the stage.
"I have to audition right?" She clarified, staring Will down.
"Uh…yes."
"Right. I guess I'll sing Settle Down by Kimbra…"
The peppy music started up, and Hannah began to sing. Her voice was soft and lilting but with an unexpected edge to it.
"I wanna settle downI wanna settle downWon't you settle down with me?Settle down…"
It was such a weird song, but Hannah, in her John Lennon sunglasses, high waisted shorts and fringe top pulled it off."We can settle at a tableA table for twoWon't you wine and dine with me?Settle downI wanna raise a childI wanna raise a childWon't you raise a child with meRaise a child…"
The song was jazzy and all over the place, but Hannah was singing like it a pro."We'll call her NebraskaNebraska JonesShe'll have your noseJust so you knowI wanna settle downI wanna settle downWon't you settle down with me?Settle down…"
Everyone began clapping their hands to the beat."Run from Angela VickersI saw her with youMonday morning small talking on the avenueShe's got a fancy carShe wants to take you farFrom the city lights and sounds deep into the dark…"
Hannah went into her head voice and belted,"Star so light and star so brightFirst star I see tonightStar so light and star so brightKeep him by sideI wanna settle downI wanna settle downBaby there's no need to runI'll love you well…"
She finished strong, doing subtle riffs."I wanna settle downIt's time to bring you downOn just one knee for nowLets make our vows…"
Silence.
Everyone began clapping and Hannah hopped off of the stage.
"Is that everyone?" Will asked. "Well, I'm looking at the six new members of the New Directions!"
A/N: Don't worry! If your character isn't in ND yet, they will be soon.
Review?