Disclaimer: I don't own Glee or the characters.
Whoa, the text is grey... It's grey! Anyways, thank you SO MUCH for the reviews :) They make me happy and finish the chapters faster. So don't stop reviewing please! They encourage me! So, I really hope you like the second chapter. NOTE: I will go episode by episode in this story. So be patient. St. Berry will happen... I just want to build up their relationship. No worries! Spoiler?- They will have more than just that first encounter. Trust me.- Spoiler over. Be warned, there could be typos or missing words (I'm not sure why, but whenever I edit then save the documents, some words always end up missing).
Read and review! No flames please! Enjoy!
Rachel was angry and fed up. Stretching to touch her toes again, she rolled her eyes. Mr. Schue had practically denied her from showcasing her talents so Tina could feel good. Sure, Tina was a great singer, but for the role of a character from West Side Story? No. Rachel had half a mind that Tina didn't even know the character at all.
She supposed she had been a bit harsh in the morning though. Just because she hadn't got what she rightfully deserved wasn't some excuse to yell at Mr. Schuester in front of the team. But she didn't regret voicing her opinion on her territory.
"How could you give such an iconic role as Maria to anyone else?" Rachel raised her voice, watching as the rest of the club stared offended and Mr. Schue rolling his eyes.
"Everyone needs a chance to shine, Rachel." he pressed. "And you're being unfair to Tina. I'm positive she'd be excited for her first solo."
"But I'm sure Tina understands that this is my role. I am Maria!" she insisted, glancing at Mercedes and Kurt. Huffing, she turned on her heel and swiftly stormed out, infuriated.
Where had she gone to afterwards? Well, first she had gone into the bathroom, attempting to fume silently and being unsuccessful. Second, she tried to get up the courage to call her dads and tell them she wanted to be homeschooled or transferred. Next she'd gone into the nearest stall, sobbing like a little kid who didn't get their toy.
..Then an hour later she found herself in the dance studio. Doing piqués and arabesques angrily and vigorously. And she got to thinking about transferring. What if she joined Vocal Adrenaline? She was sure she'd fit in perfectly because she was majorly talented... But the rehearsals to midnight? They would completely drain her and suck the joy of performing from her. She could possibly end up becoming a robot... A dancing, cold hearted robot. Her tiny body shivered once at the thought.
Or, her conscience whispered, she could stop being such a baby and suck it up. So what if one role had been taken from her? It was one out of a million that she would still receive, right?
Rachel bit her tongue, putting up her things and walking out nonchalantly, only to come face to face with an audition poster for Liza Minnelli.
Smiling, she scribbled down her name, taking a gold star sticker from her bag and pressing it firmly on the paper. Finally, a chance to show the school how talented she really was.
"St. James!" Ms. Corcoran yelled, motioning him over to her desk. He jogged up quickly in an attempt to not get yelled at again.
"Yes Ms. Corcoran?"
Her dark eyes shifted. "Why were you late this morning?"
Jesse squinted his eyes. "I got home late last night."
"Why is that so?" she tapped her pen on her notepad, watching intently as the rest of the teens kept practicing their dance moves.
He rubbed the back of his neck gently. "I drove a girl home."
"And that caused you to be so sleepy today?"
"Well she doesn't live in Akron." His blue eyes avoided hers. Trying to keep his cool, he focused on a puddle near the the stage. It looked like sweat though it could easily be blood. Here, you honestly never knew.
Shelby nodded. "Then enlighten me Jesse because I don't understand. I specifically made the rule that no one is to be late to morning rehearsals. They start at 6:30 and you've never been late. Not once in all your three years that you've been here. So why is it that you, the lead, has to make a fool out of himself by tangling his personal life with his professional one?"
He swallowed. "It-It won't happen again." Shelby put her pen down, standing up.
"Stop! Stop the moves! You clearly need to go over those lifts again, Giselle, Ryan, get back on stage and try to demonstrate the lift. The rest of you, sit down!"
Andrea walked up to him, breathing heavily. "Why so tired?"
He shrugged. "Personal business."
"Oooh." she teased, gulping down water. "Someone's got his eyes set on a girl. Who is it?"
Jesse shook his head. "And who said it was a girl?"
She paused, giving him a sidewards glance. "Well, are you gay?"
He snorted. "Never."
"Then it's a girl." she smiled in satisfaction. "Is she the reason why you were late?"
Jesse said nothing, of which could only be taken as a yes. Andrea giggled. "What's her name macho man?" she watched the male lead sigh, giving in. His blue eyes looked at her meekly.
"You really want to know?" Andrea nodded. "You really, really want to know?"
"Just tell me!" she said, slapping his arm.
So as soon as Will Schuester had heard the news about Rachel being cast as the leading woman in Sandy Ryerson's play, he had the decency to try and talk Rachel out of it. The nerve!
"Sometimes I'm your only fan." he finished, glancing at Rachel.
She blinked. "Look, I know who I am- alright? I know I can be really bossy, abrasive, and conceited. But I work the hardest and I want it the most."
"I know that-"
"I just don't see why you have to hurt me when trying to make the rest of the team feel better."
"Please, just come back to rehearsal." he begged. Rachel almost wanted to go back, almost. But all those times that they made fun of her and her way of seeing things pulled her away from the thought.
"No." she whispered, leaving a disappointed Mr. Schuester in her dust.
"Rachel Berry?" Andrea repeated, thinking about how familiar that name sounded. But she couldn't remember from where she'd heard it. "A girl from Lima? Are you joking?"
He shook his head. "Let's not get carried away. Sure, she's attractive, but girls like that always cling or get too emotional. Trust me, my mission has been to stay away from those."
Andrea nodded unconvinced. "So that's why you went out of your way to give her a ride back home? To Lima? Just because it was the gentlemanly thing to do?" she snorted. "Jesse St. James... A gentleman? Who knew?"
"Shut up Andrea. So I had a moment of judgmental weakness. I'm not going to make a habit out of it. Got it?"
She held up her hands. "Whatever you say. But Jesse," she stopped the teasing tone, looking at him in all seriousness. "You never know. This girl could be the one."
He pondered for a second before smirking. "Me? Falling in love with the one?" he chuckled, jumping off the top of the seat. "That's not how St. James does business."
"Oh, right. I forgot, my bad." she said, grouchy. "You only sleep with girls once and then never call them back. Sorry for thinking you could change."
I still could. he thought. That phrase threw him off but he pushed it aside, walking back on stage. Maybe something was wrong with him.. But whatever. It wasn't like he was going to get sidetracked for a girls attention. This was his time to shine.
The moment Mr. Schue called out Tina to start singing, Rachel's smile melted off her face. She marched up to him, whispering.
"I thought you were going to let me have that song."
He sighed, "I thought about it. But this team, they have to feel like a team. Everyone has to have the spotlight, Rachel."
"Well fine. If your means of making everyone else feel good while leaving me silenced is how you want it to be, then go for it." she licked her lips. "Because I quit." and she marched out for the last time, her mind agreeing with her harsh and rash decision but her heart rivaling it furiously.
She found Sandy Ryerson in the auditorium, and she walked straight up to him.
"What are you doing here? I thought you had Glee practice my little multi-tasking star."
"I-I quit the Glee Club." she swallowed, blinking rapidly. Something she only did when in doubt. "I'm yours exclusively." she watched him smile triumphantly.
"You made the right choice." he handed her the paint brush and Rachel looked as if he'd just offerred her a goose head. "From here on out you'll be set for Broadway and your stardom." he paused, adjusting his glasses. "Now get busy with painting."
Rachel nodded enthusiastically. She was sure she'd made the right choice. Doing this, being in this play, was exactly what would help her become a better known star. Glee's social status was only making it worse. And it wasn't like she could stay there if she wanted to. Everyone, including Mr. Schuester, only wanted her there for her voice. Other than that, they completely took her for granted.
And just when I thought I'd found somewhere to belong. To be special.
... But as she carefully applied the first coat of black paint to the lighting pole, she couldn't help but feel edgy. Her mind battled with her heart. Statistically, she knew she'd made the right choice and that Glee wasn't her priority anymore.
But then why did she suddenly feel like a part of her had just died?
Thanks for reading! I'll probably update tomorrow (or is that today considering it's already midnight?) or the latest would be on Saturday afternoon. Don't forget that your opinions and criteria count!
-Fanatic4Fiction (AKA IknowUnotsingin'THATsong!)
