My Headband: A Glee Ficclet
The first time she heard the song, she was walking past the choir room trying to find her way to her last class for the day. But the gentle fall of notes on the piano and something about the lyrics, possibly the way they rolled off the girl's tongue; flowed through her lips; and floated through the air, made the blonde stop and pause in wonderment.
"There you rest, with all the rest…"
As she stood in sort of a trance, nodding along in her familiar way, a smile spread wide across her pink glossy lips, Brittany watched as Rachel continued to sing the joyful noise, lyrics much deeper than that stupid "Friday" song by What's Her Face, that she was so in love with the week before.
"You're red or yellow, and like a good fellow…"
With Brittany becoming invested more and more in the lyrics, her bright blue eyes grew as wide as saucers; head cocked slightly to the side like that of a curious puppy watching something hop around in the grass.
"You're the only one I can count on, my headband…"
Now, a slight emotional wreck, tears filled the girl's eyes as Rachel hit the climax of the song. It had obviously spoken to Brittany; every single word full of truth and wisdom for the former-Cheerio and teenage fashionista.
"Wrapped right around my melon, you're a product like Magellan…"
A single tear rolled down her cheek until Finn had spoken and broke the moment. Realizing where she was at with a few blinks and a quick swiping motion to dry her cheek, Brittany didn't want to be caught listening in on the conversation. Pulling her backpack tight around her shoulders, she hurried down the hall.
For the rest of the day, she couldn't get the song out of her head, and every now and then she would catch herself singing it out loud. Even as she lay in bed that night, the song had still stuck with her.
The next day in Glee, just before class was about to start, Brittany slowly and cautiously approached Rachel.
"Hey, um, Rachel…"
Seeing the short and perky brunette spin on her heels to face Brittany, Rachel looked up at the tall blonde with a curious smile.
"Yes, Brittany?"
"Can you like…sing that "Headband" song for me sometime…"
Cheeks slightly red, she waited quietly for Rachel's answer while occasionally glancing to make sure Santana wasn't glaring at her for talking to Rachel Berry.
Taken aback by the request, the future star gave her biggest grin.
"Of course I can Brittany!"
A warm smile coming over Brittany's face, she was just about to say something else to Rachel, but heard Mr. Schuester coming through the door. Quickly finding her seat by Artie, she gave a soft smile over to the wannabe star excited for what was to come.
—-
Three weeks later and Brittany had yet again asked Rachel to sing "My Headband".
"Brittany, for the hundredth time, I will not sing that song again today. I sang it this morning by your locker. I sang it to you in the girl's bathroom, which if you don't mind me saying, will never happen again. I swear that foreign exchange student Hulga from only God knows where continually eyed me for the rest of the day."
Rachel shivered in disgust.
"And I will not sing it for you right now!"
Watching Rachel stomp off with her arms crossed in frustration broke Brittany's heart. Grabbing her books and helmet from her locker and getting the evil eye from Santana, after a week of utter Hell, the sixteen year old blonde left the halls of McKinley with a pout and watery eyes.
As she tossed and turned for most of the night, latched on to Mr. Duckles, a stuffed duck Santana had won for the girl at the Lima County Fair months prior, Brittany, fed up with not being able to sleep, pulled her phone off her night stand and hit number 6 on her speed dial for Rachel. When there was finally a groggy 'hello' on the other end, Britt spoke.
"Rachel…"
Surprised to hear the blonde on the other end, but at the same time annoyed, the sleepy brunette replied.
"Brittany…do you have any idea what time it is…"
"I can't sleep, Rachel. Santana's like still mad at me. And you're like mad at me. I think even Charity's mad at me for hiding my diary…"
Rolling her eyes, the tiny girl on the other end of the phone flipped on a light and sat up.
"Do you want me to sing the song…?"
Brittany nodded quietly sniffling a little with tears in her eyes regardless of the fact that Rachel couldn't see her.
"Fine."
Clearing her throat, Rachel began to softly sing the words to Brittany in hopes of not waking up her dads.
"There you rest, with all the rest…"
By the end of the song, the blonde headed girl had snuggled up to Mr. Duckles again and was snoring softly on the other end of the phone.
—-
The next day, as Brittany sat next to Artie, occasionally glancing over at Santana, she noticed Rachel come in dressed in her usual attire. Her attention now on the girl who happened to be coming her way, Brittany looked up as Rachel held something out.
"Here. I recorded it during my lunch break just for you, Brittany. Now, you can listen to "My Headband" whenever you want!"
While Rachel took her seat, the bright blue-eyed girl looked down at the disc with a smile on her face.
—-
Later that evening, as she sat at home listening to the song on repeat, Brittany heard a light knock at her door.
"Come in."
Turning her head as the person entered, the blonde's eyes grew wide just as they had when she had first heard Rachel's song. Only this time it was Santana who was standing in her room with the tears in her eyes.
Watching the girl walk over and sit down next to her at her computer desk, Britt couldn't speak.
"Look, a little birdie kind of told me you loved that stup-….that "Headband" song, Berry wrote, and I know you like putting your favorite song as your ringtone…So I thought I'd come over and help."
—-
The following morning while standing in the hall at her locker with Santana, Brittany got a call.
"You're the only one I can count on, my headband…"
Glancing down at the screen, she noticed it was a call from Artie, but instead of pressing answer, the only button she could press was ignore.