So this is my first attempt at writing a multi-chapter story for Glee!

These ARE important so please please please read before reading the story:

Rachel is currently 16 and has spent the last 4 years in New York on Broadway.

I have made Jesse the same age!

She was in Spring Awakening (haha) and due to her age we're going to pretend that there was no sex scene it it!

This is AU, obviously, so if the characters are a little OOC you'll have to cut me some slack:)

Alrighty! That's it! Oh wait!

Disclaimer: I don't own Glee! If I did Finn would have a personality....

Rachel Berry sat on her bed in her pastel colored room full of floral prints and childish dolls. She hadn't lived in this room since she was thirteen years old. She was now sixteen and the room felt very out of place. Or maybe, she thought, I'm the one that's out of place. She looked around and found herself missing her apartment in New York where her and her dads had been living for the past four years. Two of those four years had been spent in workshops and rehearsals for Spring Awakening, an eight-time Tony Award winning musical, while the other two had been spent actually on stage performing as the leading girl. Suddenly, she was broken from her memories when her phone began to ring.

I miss you.

She grinned and she read the message and who it was from. She was going to miss her cast so much. She admitted to herself that maybe it wasn't the fact that she had to leave New York that had her down, but rather the fact that she had to leave behind her loving cast and instead move back to the group of people who had never accepted her who would be attending McKinely High.

I miss you too.

With the message sent, Rachel got up from her bed and changed into her regular skirt/sweater combo. She looked into the mirror and gave it the "show face" that she had been taught by one of her co-stars. She could do this. She had a Tony for crying out loud! She could survive high school. She could do this.

Rachel parked her silver convertible in the parking lot of McKinely High and threw her sunglasses into her purse. She glanced around and noticed that everybody was staring at her. Did they always do that? Nobody ever stares in New York. You barely acknowledge the people around you, much less take the time to evaluate them.

She placed her bag over her shoulder and stepped out of the car. When she reached the entrance of the school, she stepped inside and looked around for the administration office. Suddenly, a boy dressed in a sweater vest and plaid pants came up to her.

"Oh my God," the boy said. "You're Rachel freakin' Berry! What are you doing back in Lima? At this school?"

"I go here now, and since you already know my name, why don't you tell me yours?" Rachel asked. She was glad someone had recognized her. Heck, she was glad someone was talking to her.

"Kurt. Kurt Hummel."

"Well, Kurt, it's nice to meet you," Rachel smiled and held out her hand. He shook it and smiled.

"Are you auditioning today?"

"Auditioning?" Rachel asked.

"You know. Auditioning for glee club? We're in desperate need for a girl soloist. While Mercedes is amazing, she's a little too Rhythm and Blues for Finn's Rock and Roll."

"Then I'll definitely be auditioning," Rachel grinned. Finally, she had a chance to shine in this one-horse-town. "What do I need to do?"

"You'll have to go see Mr. Shuester, but he's always open to more people joining the glee club. All you have to do is sing in from of the club and you're in. Just come by the choir room during fifth period." With that said, Kurt turned and walked away. Rachel grinned, forgetting that she didn't ask him where the office was.

"Alright guys, this is Rachel Berry."

"We know who she is Mr. Shue," Mercedes said from the front row.

"Right," Will Shuester smiled. "Well, Rachel has decided to try out for glee, so she's going to audition. Rachel, whenever you're ready."

"Thank you Mr. Shuester," Rachel said confidently. "I will be singing "Defying Gravity" from the brilliant Broadway musical, Wicked." She heard the piano player begin the song and took a deep breath to begin.

After she was done, the glee club and Mr. Shuester were on their feet, with the exception of three girls in cheerleading outfits.

"I suppose this makes this unanimous! Welcome to New Directions, Rachel!"

"We actually have a rehearsal after school today, so why don't you join us?" Mr. Shue asked.

"I'd love too."

"Alright guys, I know I told you that we would be running through some possible numbers for sectionals, but instead I've planned a little field trip."

"Field trip?" Finn asked.

"Yes. Vocal Adrenaline, our main competition when we make it to regionals, is performing today at the civic center downtown. We're going to go and scope out the competition."

"We're going to spy? Are you sure that's the thing we should be doing at this point. I might have just joined the club, but I know show business and the best way to get ahead is focusing on yourself, not on the people around you."

"I agree with Mr. Shue," Finn argued. "I want to see what we're up against. Maybe they'll be really really bad and we'll feel better about ourselves."

"Or maybe," a brunette girl in a Cheerio's outfit said, "they'll be amazing and only serve to remind us of how we suck."

"Enough," Mr. Shue interrupted, "We do not suck. And we're going."

Living easy, living free, a season ticket on a one way ride.

Going down, party town

My friends are gonna be there too.

I'm on a highway to hell.

When New Directions walked into the auditorium just in time for the last number they were shocked. Vocal Adrenaline was amazing. Outstanding. Crazy good. They all stood in complete awe with their mouths open and their confidence dropping. Except for Rachel, she was focused on something else entirely. She knew that voice anywhere. When the song ended the entire audience rose to applaud the group and she watched him smile and take a bow like he had been doing with her for the past two years. She had to go see him and figure out why he was here in Ohio instead of in California with his parents.

The group of McKinely High students was silent when they walked back into the parking lot.

"Okay," Mr. Shuester remarked. "They were good, but we can do just as well with some practice! We could even be better!" Rachel ignored the protests from the group and instead looked around for his car. Finally she spotted a black Porshe that he was always bragging about in the parking lot, and even better he was walking to it. Rachel didn't even think twice about running from the circle of peers and ignoring their calls to her. He was walking with his back facing her, so he was taken by complete surprise when she suddenly latched onto him from behind.

"Jesse!" Rachel exclaimed.

"Rachel?" Jesse asked surprisedly while he turned to meet the brunette girl who was also his best friend.

"What are you doing here? What are you doing here being the lead singer of Vocal Adrenaline?" Rachel asked while keeping her hold on his jacket.

"My parent's are assisting the Peace Corps as doctors this month, so they shipped me off here to live with my uncle while they're in some third world country. As for Vocal Adrenaline, I joined the school last week. And as for being the lead singer, well, isn't it obvious?"

"You, are just as cocky as you were when I saw you three weeks ago in New York."

"You love me for it. Now, what do you say you and me go grab some dinner and I'll tell you why I hadn't told you I was here."

"I'd say let's go!" Rachel got into the passenger seat of the car, completely forgetting her new team who stood on the opposite side of the lot watching her leave.

Have any thoughts? Feel free to use that blue button to tell me!