Maybe giving her parents the silent treatment was going a bit far but to Sofia, picking up and moving to Middle of Nowhere, Ohio was going a bit far. In fact it was so far it was all the way in New Zealand. The only positive thing about the move that been the chance she'd been given to reinvent herself, something she wouldn't have been able to do back home.
Sofia Harvey came from an upper middle class suburb and had attended the same high school her parents had back in their day. She had known everyone since pre-school and to be honest it did get boring.
Her father's concept of what she was in high school could not have been more wrong. She hadn't been the theater star but in fact a robotics nerd. Where this skewed view of his daughter's high school role came from could only be attributed to the one time she had summoned up the courage to audition for a part in the fall musical and succeeded in getting it. To this day her father thinks that her one time role in her old school's production of Bye Bye Birdie made her a huge star. The poor man. Her mother knew better but didn't bother correcting her father. She always said it didn't really matter "as long as he knew you were involved in something".
To be honest, Sofia didn't mind either. In fact it was her father's constant chatter about her daughter, "the voice" of the family, that encouraged her to audition for glee in the first place. So at the end of the day maybe she was too hard on them. After all they had given her this chance to leave her safe place of 3D animations and AutoCAD designs behind for a more socially liberated self. Unfortunately for Sofia no one told her that glee was the equivalent of her robotics team in the McKinley social ladder.
The day went by fast and before Sofia knew it she was walking to the choir room which had been pointed out to her by Mr. Schuester earlier that day. She could heard several voices from from inside as she drew closer to the door, her nerves were starting to get the better of her. Just before reaching the door she stopped, taking a moment to relieve the nerves that had worked their way into her stomach. Finally she took a deep breath and before she could psych herself out she walked in.
Inside, Mr. Schuester stood next to the piano organizing what looked like sheet music as he spoke with a man sitting at the keys. It seemed like everyone stopped talking the moment she set foot into the room, drawing Mr. Schuester out of his conversation and bringing his attention to Sofia. "Sofia, I'm glad you decided to come!" He said as he walked towards her. "Please come in, don't be shy."
Sofia smiled and stepped further into the choir room, there was no turning back now.
"Everyone," Mr. Schuester started, "This is Sofia Harvey she's a transfer student from Philadelphia who has decided to audition for us! Come on guys let's make her feel welcome!"
It was a girl with a rather... interesting pony sweater, that promptly stood up with a huge smile and seemingly never ending amounts of pep. "I'm Rachel Berry and I would just like to say on behalf of everyone here at glee, welcome! I'm sure you'll make a wonderful addition to our already talented group!"
"Thank you Rachel," Started Will, "but she will have to audition for glee like everyone one else." He turned to Sofia and asked " Do you have a song ready?"
Sofia nodded, "Yes I do." as she reached into her bag and pulled out a folder, handing it over to Mr. Schuester.
Smiling, Will took the folder and pulled out the sheet music inside, handing it over to the pianist.
"Okay, let's see what you've got!"
The music started softly as she closed her eyes and took a breath, preparing to sing those first words.
On my own
Pretending he's beside me
All alone
I walk with him till morning
Without him
I feel his arms around me
And when I lose my way I close my eyes
And he has found me
Unlike most successful singers Sofia was an alto and had to push to hit higher notes. It was this that set her apart from other female vocalists but also hurt her as most songs were written for sopranos. On My Own had been the first song she'd perfected. It suited her vocal range and allowed her some wiggle room for improvement. She wasn't classically trained and her best was what she had learned on her own.
In the rain the pavement shines like silver
All the lights are misty in the river
In the darkness, the trees are full of starlight
And all I see is him and me forever and forever
This song was, her baby. She felt it's words allowing her to let the feelings she held within, out through the words. Words that she'd known and felt through experience after being put int he friend zone one too many times.
And I know it's only in my mind
That I'm talking to myself and not to him
And although I know that he is blind
Still I say, there's a way for us
What Sofia had was raw talent that could go either way. Her vocal range could either assist or hinder her current and future performances, it was all a matter of how she used it. Glee was her opportunity to see what she could do with it.
I love him
But when the night is over
He is gone
The river's just a river
Without him
The world around me changes
The trees are bare and everywhere
The streets are full of strangers
I love him
But every day I'm learning
All my life
I've only been pretending
Without me
His world would go on turning
A world that's full of happiness
That I have never known
I love him
I love him
I love him
But only on my own
The music stopped and Sofia opened her eyes, her nerves had prevented her from doing so sooner, dreading to see the looks on their faces, expecting the worst. Luckily for her, this was far from her worst performance. Everyone clapped, some sent our whistles, everyone was in accordance.
"Great job! We could definitely use your voice to widen our vocal range. Congratulations, you're in!" Mr. Schuester shook Sofia's hand and patted her on the back. "Just take a-"
"Sorry I'm late!" came a winded voice from the door. In stumbled a tall boy with light brown hair, large black rimmed glasses and a pale complexion.
"Nice of you to join us Cameron." Said Mr. Schuester. "We got a new member while you were gone, Cameron meet Sofia."
Cameron smiled as he caught his breath and waved at her as he walked in. "Oh awesome hey! Nice to meet you."
Sofia looked at him shyly and smiled as as she waved back. He was, "absolutely adorable". It didn't matter how many conventionally attractive guys there were around her, she would always be drawn to the nerds especially if they were tall. Cameron fit the bill.
"All right guys take a seat. Today we're going to start off with something new. TV!"
Everyone looked at Mr. Schuester with confusion written on their foreheads. "Cone on guys! What does everyone do when they get home?"
Rachel raised her hand vigorously. "I personally like to look in the mirror and think of what Barbara Streisand may have been like at my age. Then I think, What Would Barbara Do? and apply it to any artistic dilemmas I may be facing."
"Okay... That's not what I was getting at..." Mr. Schuester replied.
"Watch TV." Sofia let out softly from the seat she had taken next to a flamboyant yet tastefully dressed boy who very much resembled a china doll.
"Yes! You watch TV! Maybe not directly after school but everyone has a show they can't miss!" Mr. Schuester wrote ' TV ' in big letters and underlined it twice. He turned to face everyone once more and pointed to Tastefully Flamboyant Boy, as Sofia had come to think of him. "Kurt, What's your favorite TV show?"
"I don't. They're a waste of time." Said Kurt.
"Okay, Puck, what about you?"
Sofia looked over to where Mr. Schuester drew his attention and saw one of the most attractive guys she'd ever seen before. He oozed sex, there was no better way to describe him. He was the type of guy she would have fun with during the summers she and her best friend would spend at frat parties in University City.
"True Blood." Puck responded. "That show is full of hot babes, the theme song is my theme song!"
Mr. Schuester laughed and nodded, "Fair enough, but that's what I'm talking about, the themes! Music! They pull you in and everyone knows that if you pick the wrong soundtrack to anything it will throw the movie, documentary, or tv show off! You assignment for the week is to find a song from any soundtrack to any show you've seen before that you think sings to you. It can be a song you may consider the theme to your life," he motioned to Puck. "or a song that may portray something you want to be or do. Have fun with it, let it take over!"
