chapter 1
Rachel berry stared at her hands contemplating her descision. Sure, she didnt want to study for her test, but she needed to, especially if she wanted to get into nyada, and she really wanted to get into nyada. She looked down at the packets of notes, the teachers made it too easy.
The notes were on the plot of her english book. Ms. Corcoran's was a hard class, Rachel decided, and she really did try in english class with her. She let out a breath of air. Detention was never fun, especially the ones for being late, as they were always with Ms. corcoran.
She was only late because she was doing her makeup, which Rachel deemed ten times more important than homeroom. She hid the bags under her eyes, she didnt sleep. But what teenager did? her father died during her 4th grade year so now it was only her and her papa. Her father Hiram didnt necessarily like Rachel alot of the time. He called her dumb and worthless, and she never understood what she did. She wasnt Hiram's child she found out, the entire 'Mixing with a turkey baster' story was a complete lie.
Rachel looked at the clock. 2:50. she had only been in ms. Corcoran's room for 4 minutes. Rachel looked at the young teacher, ms. Corcoran was pretty, she decided looking back down at the notes, humming a tune from her favorite movie, funny girl.
Shelby Corcoran looked up at the young girl. She was the only one who bothered to show up to detention. Shelby wasnt even sure why rachel was always in detention, the young girl was seemingly as sweet as pie. She shrugged it off. It wasnt her buisiness, she decided, going back to grading. When she got to Rachel's test, she was shocked by the grade. the girl had barely gotten 5 out of 50 right. She shook her head and looked up at the small girl who was studying like her life depended on it. Shelby caught the gaze of the small girl and motioned for her to come to the desk that the strategically placed on a side wall of the classroom . As Rachel stood up she saw the girl's posture was rigid, her arms clenched around the notes packet Shelby had given out earlier that day. Her heart ached for the young girl seeing Rachel that distraught. The young girl sat next to her as she reviewed the test with her. The girl was still not getting what she was saying, but once they finished, detention was over, and shelby had to go coach vocal adrenaline sister team, the new directions, in the middle school auditorium.
Rachel sat on a bench outside, waiting for her father to pick her up. An hour passed, and then it turned into five, and she was shivering in the cold, holding out hope that her father was on his way. Rachel heard footsteps as she was slowly falling asleep.
"Rachel?" Shelby said trying to see the young girl's face.
"Yes ms. Corcoran? "rachel whispered sitting up straighter. The woman was okay, but most certainly not the person she wanted to talk to in the moment.
"Where's your dad rachel?" Shelby asked sternly, sitting next to the tiny girl who was slightly shaking from the late November chill.
"I have no idea. " Rachel said, looking down at her hands. she wasnt able to speak to her father all day. Mrs. pierce drove her to school before he woke up, and she didnt have a phone to contact him on.
"Have you been here the entire time?" shelby questioned, and the small girl nodded. Shelby's face fell. "Rachel you should have told me, i wouldve waited with you." Shelby said taking off her jacket and removing the fleece she had underneath, handing it to rachel. The young girl took it and wore it gratefully, whispering a small thankyou.
"I knew he wouldn't have come. i knew." rachel whispered slightly turning away from her teacher.
"come on, ill drive you home." shelby said standing, grabbing her keys out of her bag.
The ride to the young girl's house was a quiet one, with only humming as the noise. Shelby looked at the passenger seat. the girl had fallen asleep, and shelby found her to be really cute while she was sleeping. As shelby pulled in front of the house, she realized that something was oddly familiar. she walked up to the door knocking fiercly. who would leave a 11 year old in the cold like that? and why didn't she have a coat. A familiar face opened the door.
"Hiram? " shelby asked in shock as he opened the door. the same man she had been a surrogate for, 11 years ago , paid no attention to his daughter, and he reaked of alcohol.
"what the fuck?" hiram said slamming the door in her face, ignoring the fact that she was holding rachel in her arms. the young girl was underweight shelby noticed, as she shifted her in her arms. shelby shook her head, why was he being so rude? he should have no reason to hate her. she had the right to hate him. The young teacher looked back down at the young girl. her daughter she realised, smiling fondly. she put the girl back in the car, then testing the door knob. it was still unlocked. she looked around in the living room, it was a complete mess. she then made her way upstairs, where she assumed the young girl's room would be.
she tried every door until she found one that was open. she could see that it once was painted a pale pink, but now there was dirt on the walls, a small pink sleeping bag, and a pile of clothes in the corner, neatly folded, but they looked like they hadnt been washed in weeks. shelby frowned and took out her phone, taking pictures of the living environment of Rachel's. she dialed her sister's number, praying that she would pick up. after a couple seconds of ringing, shelbys older sister clara picked up.
"shelly what's up?"
"i -i found her. " shelby said rushed. "but i need your help ok? i think somethings wrong."
"Pookie talk to me."
"its her dad, and her room is just-ugh. its horrifying. she's 11!"
"Shelby rose, calm down and breathe, we can get her out but you need to understand that there is a proper protocol to be followed.dont do anything rash."
"fine mrs. lawyer." shelby said rolling her eyes,and hanging up. picking out an outfit, and pajamas for the young girl to wear was easy. hiram was drunk and she definitely didnt want to put rachel in danger. she went back down the stairs and into her car, placing rachels clothes in the passenger seat. she looked back to see the young girl still asleep, and she assumed that she wouldn't be waking up anytime soon. shelby drove to her house on the other side of lima. it was a silent drive, and shelby was left with her thoughts.
she finally had her kid back, which she was thrilled about, but she didn't know at what cost.
"Ms. Corcoran?" Rachel asked squirming in her seat rubbing the sleep out of her eyes. it was a friday night, and shelby wanted to watch her weekly movie, but she wasnt sure about it, sspecially seeing that rachel was now awake.
"yeah kiddo?" shelby said turning towards the little girl in the back seat.
"am i home yet?" rachel asked still slumping on the window.
"hopefully." shelby whispered grabbing the clothes from the passenger's seat.
"ms. Corcoran i wanna go home." she murmered slowly sinking out of the car, dragging her feet, shuffling behind shelby, as she opened the door. the shorter of the two women slunked in the door as she realized that she was not going home anytime soon.
"Rachel come eat." shelby yelled 5 minutes later from the kitchen.
rachel stood and slowly walked to where she heard her teachers voice. she saw sandwiches plated at the table where the woman was sitting. "ms. Corcoran why am i here?"
"why dont you tell me?" shelby stated sipping her coffee. rachel looked at her hands and back at her sandwich.
"he's not nice." she whispered almost inaudibly.
"what does that mean rachel?"
"ms. corcoran i wanna go home." rachel said growing frustrated.
"rachel theres nothing to be frustrated about."
"im not frustrated!"rachel quipped pushing her sandwich away from her.
"oh yeah sure."shelby said rolling her eyes.
"theres nothing to be sarcastic for." rachel added sassily.
"sweetie im trying to help."
"hes not nice," the young girl repeated tugging on her left ear, a nervous habit that shelby had observed in her english class.
"Rachel what does that mean?" the concerned teacher asked reaching across the table, holding her hand. rachel burst into tears, solidifying shelbys suspicions. shelby jumped across the table, holding the young girl as she cried. "ms. Corcoran i-i dont wanna go back really, please, dont." rachel sobbed still clinging to shelby.
"i promise you that you're safe now, okay but i need to sort of rip off a bandaid, okay i was your surrogate, rach im your mom." shelby rushed out, feeling the girl start sobbing even more. "rach im so sorry, but you're here now." shelby said with tears threatening to flow out of her eyes. Shelby felt her daughter snuggle into her as she said those words, and this time it was tears of joy that stung at her eyes. "hey- hey, hey can you look at me?" she asked when she felt rachel start hiccuping. "im soooo glad youre here ok? and hopefully its for good. im gonna wash your pajamas and clothes for tommorow and you can take a shower. and please call me shelby? or mom, whatever you want. okay? go shower baby." she said standing the small girl up. she was barely five foot and shelby found her to be like a little doll.
"okay." rachel whispered as shelby showed her to the bathroom. she closed the door and shelby ran off to get the clothes in the wash and grabbed rachel a towel.
she heard the water shut off and she ran up to give her the towel. opening the door and blindly reaching into the steamy room hoping that rachel would grab onto the towel. When rachel didnt grab on she saw that she would have to go in. she closed her eyes as to make rachel comfortable. rachel roled her eyes and took the towel.
"im surprised that youre not giving me the 'ive seen it before' speech," rachel said wrappimg the towle around her petite frame.
"why would i do that?" shelby questioned crossing her arms over her chest.
"they always did." rachel whispered walking out of the bathroom.
"rachel what do you mean?" shelby asked and rachel shrugged her off, allowing herself to be led to a guest room that was now hers for the time being.
"do you have dvds, i sorta watch one every friday." rachel said through the closed door as she changed.
"i usually watch funny girl is that good with you?" shelby responded as she leaned on the door.
"fumny, trhats what i always watch," rachel said peeking through the door, then opening it completely. maybe it wasnt going to be so bad here.