A/N
Thank you guys for the reviews! You and Me is up, so check it out. And in case you forgot, I have twitter! Molly334
A week and a half after Rachel moved to New York, she had her first audition for the play Next to Normal.
Kurt dressed her in what he called 'normal clothes', clothes she normally wouldn't wear but he insisted that she needed to. High heeled shoes and an almost revealing black dress. Rachel blushed at all the looks she got as she walked to her her audition. It was in a small auditorium, with three men behind a table staring at her. "I'm Rachel Berry." she said.
A large man with a beard studied her. "Do you have any college experience in theater, Ms. Berry?"
She swallowed, uneasily saying, "No, sir."
He scribbled something down on his paper. "Are you currently in college?"
Again. "No, sir."
"How hold are you?"
Oh God, she thought. This is already going bad. "I'm eighteen."
The men exchanged looks, then he nodded at her. "What are you going to sing?"
"Show me what I'm looking for by Carolina liar." she answered.
"Proceed."
She nodded to the man standing by the stereo and he hit the play button. Rachel thought it would be a good song to showcase her singing abilities.
"Wait, I'm wrong..."
She went on with the rest of the song, giving it all she had. She tried to gauge their reactions as she sang, but they kept up their poker faces all the way until she finished. She smiled breathlessly at them, waiting for their praise and wondering where she had been all this time.
The man took off his glasses. "Can I be honest with you?"
Rachels smile dropped. "Yes, sir."
"He told you to start out smaller?" Ali asked the next day before work, after Rachel told her all about the audition.
"Yup." Rachel said, anger still strong. She had been ranting since she got home yesterday. "He said I was starting out too big for a girl with no education or experience and was taking off more then I could chew. He will be sorely regretting this when he doesn't find someone who matches up to my vocal abilities.
"Maybe you should have picked a different song." Ali suggested, not at all affected by Rachels self centered remark like most people would have been.
"What's wrong with the song I picked?" Rachel asked, tieing her apron.
The two were in the kitchen, Dominick and Colette were cleaning up the kitchen and preparing it for the day. "Maybe you should have showed more leg!" Dominick said unhelpfully from across the room. This went ignored.
"Well, its a cool song, but its not great in the least. I mean, I didn't even remember it until you mentioned it a couple of days ago. You need something with more power in it, I think."
Rachel stood with her hands on her hips. "I do not think that was the problem."
"You never know, maybe the song just didn't make an impact on them." Ali sighed, putting a hand on Rachels shoulder. "I'm just trying to say that there are better songs." Rachel smiled, Ali was probably the wisest person she had ever met, always thinking outside of the box.
"I guess, maybe." all of the sudden their was a loud pop right next to Rachels feet and it caused her and Ali to jump. "What the heck?"
Dominick was grinning. "I found the poppers we lost a couple of months ago!" he said, throwing another one of the small sack like balls on the ground and causing a deafening pop.
Spencer walked in. "Where on earth is our owner? You know, the guy who runs this place and is supposed to be here right now?" Rachel smiled at Spencer, while everyone thought he was the stick in the mud, she liked him. When he wasn't mad at Ron, Rachel found he was a sweetheart. Even though he wasn't sane like she thought originally, due to his gullibility and numerous quirks, she realized he was odd like them, just in a different, less destructive way. She found out he had a slight case of OCD, and whenever he was giving Ron a particularly difficult time, Ron would say something like, "I wonder how many chairs there are in this restraunt..." and apparently Spencer wasn't able to not count all of them. He took medicine for it, and it wasn't all bad in the first place, but he still had many quirks.
"He's napping in his office." Dominick said, throwing one of the poppers at Spencer, which hit his arm and another pop rang through the air. Spencer jumped, startled.
"I thought I hid those!" he said.
"Hid what?" Randall said, walking into the kitchen. His eyes landed on Dominick and he grinned. "The poppers!"
"Yeah!" Dominick said. "Let's go wake up the boss."
The two glanced at Spencer, knowing he would object. But by surprise, he said, "Well, go on." and smirked a little. The two ran into the office, closing the door behind them. "Anyway, how was your audition Rachel?" he asked, smiling.
"Ugh." she responded, leaning against the cabinets and waiting for the inevitable pops.
Spencer grimaced. "That bad, huh? Its your first one though."
"That's what I told her." Blaine said, speaking for the first time. He had on his uniform already, and for the first time didn't have his hair gelled. She remembered how shocked Kurt looked, asking if he was actually leaving the house without his hair hard as concrete.
"You have to sing for us yet." Spencer then said. "Soon, because from what Blaine sa-"
"HOLY SHIT!" they heard someone scream from the office, then a loud uproar of evil laughing. The door to Rons office flew open and the two Tweedles as everyone called them, ran out at top speed, Ron after them. They ran out into the restraunt, the doors to the kitchen swinging close behind them. Rachel was the only one who watched that in fear, never seeing Ron reacting to one of their shenanigans like that, usually he laughed or played along.
"Anyways," Spencer went on. "From what Blaine says, you are terrific. I was just telling Ron the other day that we could have life entertainment, and since you two and Blaine's boyfriend can sing, I thought it would be cool or something."
"Is he going to hurt them?" Rachel asked. Spencer looked confused for a moment, then said oh.
"No, he just gets grumpy when he wakes up. Especially if its a rude awakening. But he will get over it and they will go back to making my hair turn gray as a team." he laughed.
"But Ron worked late last night." Ali said. "So he isn't going to be in a good mood today."
"That's right." Spencer said, remembering that as well. "We had to stay up and balance our budget and expenses, and if we didn't wait over a month to do that, it wouldn't have taken so long."
"God, if Kelsey is late again Ron is going to tear her a new one then, since he is in a bad mood." Ali said, shaking her head. She turned suddenly. "How is it going Colette?"
"It eez going fine." she said shortly, pining up her long red hair.
Ali said that it was easy to ignore Colette, since she took her job so seriously. She was always intent on making her feel included. Rachel tried to as well, but always got the cold shoulder. Ali assured her that would wear off soon.
"Swell." Ali responded, use to the attitude by now. "Blaine, how is the boyfriend?"
"Swell." he grinned, making all of them laugh.
"Douchebags." the kitchen doors opened and Ron walked in, then looked around. "Where the hell is Kelsey?"
"I can call her." Ali suggested, the air tense when he walked in. Rachel hadn't seen Ron in a mood other then happy or amused, so this new angry and annoyed mood was uncomfortable.
"She is an adult, you're not her mom." he snapped coolly.
Spencer was next to him suddenly. "Look Ron, just calm down. We know you are tired-"
"I'm not tired." Ron said, glaring at Spencer with ferocity. Spencer looked like he had been a kicked dog, leaning away from Ron now. Ron immediately softened, rubbing his eyes. "Sorry. Just on edge."
"I'm here!" a voice called, walking into the kitchen. Ron probably would have let it go after Spencer cooled him down, but she was wearing her eye make up again and bright red lipstick, even though Ron constantly told her to take it off.
"Are you kidding me?" he snapped. The smile Kelsey wore dropped immediately. "First you come in late, but after I told you time and time again you keep wearing the hooker make up?" Rachel felt her eyes widen, with the confrontation unfolding before her. It was never fun to watch someone get yelled at. "Do you like looking like a cheap-"
Spencer put his hand on Rons shoulder. "You guys, we have to talk to you all about something." Ron and Spencer shared a look, then Ron sighed and nodded. Rachel didn't know why Spencer was always first and willing to calm Ron down, and she wondered if it was always like that. "We went over the book yesterday, and things are less then... good. They aren't bad, just not..."
"Good?" Randall offered.
"Yeah."
"We lost more money then we got last month." Ron said bluntly. "Now this doesn't affect us yet, we just have to be careful and not do things like..."
"Buy three plasma TV's." Spencer said quietly. Ron shot him a look.
"But Spencer had an idea."
"Which I already sort of told you guys already, about live entertainment." Spencer said excitedly, smiling while clasping his hands together. "If, Rachel or Blaine don't mind, you guys could do a little small performance that is. We'd ask Ali, but-" he closed his mouth at the sharp look she shot him. Rachel wondered what that was about but didn't press it.
"How would that help?" Rachel asked.
"Well, we were hoping it would draw people in." Ron said. "Its not for sure, but you know. Spencer explained it..." he trailed off, looking at Spencer pointedly.
"Oh, yeah. Its proven more people are drawn in if live performance is advertised." he said.
"I'll do it." Blaine said, shrugging.
"That'd be great! If it works, Rachel, you as well...?"
"Yeah." she said, smiling. At least she would be able to perform in front of people.
"Cool, so if you could start tomorrow night are something, Blaine..."
"Tomorrow night?" Blaine asked. "I don't really have anything planned..."
Ron laughed. "Yeah, you and I both know you could come up with something short notice."
"I guess." Blaine said, smiling.
"Well perfect! Spencer, if you could get it some attention..."
"I will put up flyers." Spencer said, looking serious and determined.
"How nice." Kurt said when Blaine told him about the live performance. "You know, maybe me and Ms. Von could stop by for dinner and she could meet my boyfriend like she wants to."
"She wants to meet little ol' me?" Blaine said, grinning and feigning amusement. Kurt pushed him playfully. "Well, it would be a good time for Ron to meet my boyfriend."
"What about you Rachel? I know you never miss a performance."
Rachel swallowed some of her pasta before answering. "If it attracts attention, I will. So, how was Ms. Claire today?" In the short week Kurt spent with Claire Von, he had the best stories about her.
"She flipped over a buffet table today during the photoshoot." he said, sitting down at the table and stabbing at his salad. "Without any warning or emotion, just flipped it and walked out of the room. I'm so used to it now I just followed her out without much of a reaction."
"Gosh." Rachel said. "Did she say why?"
"One of the models was wearing a Vera Wang necklace with her clothes in the pictures. She hates Vera Wang, or rather, she is jealous of her."
"Craaaaazy." Blaine sang from the fridge.
Kurt shrugged, as if to say 'yeah'. Suddenly, the house phone started ringing and Rachel stood up and picked it up. "Hello?"
"Rach?"
"Yes?" she said, not recognizing the voice at first.
"Its Puck."
"Oh! Hey, what's up?"
"Hey there. I would have called earlier but I wanted to let you settle in. Have you explored the city?"
"Not yet, Kurt and I plan on doing that his weekend however." she said, glancing at Kurt who mouthed who is it. She mouthed back Puck. "But we are all settled in."
"How is the job?" he asked.
"Its interesting." she laughed. "Hold on." she said, walking of the kitchen and to her room, out of earshot. "How is..."
"Sam?" he asked. She sighed and flopped onto her bed. "He got smashed the night you left at Damiens. Like, black out smashed." Rachel felt a fist clench around her heart and she closed her eyes. Why?
"God. Did he do anything stupid?"
"Besides act like a drunk and almost sleep with this girl named Kayla? No."
"Who?" she asked, jealousy creeping up on her.
"I don't know, some chick. Apparently he couldn't get his sleigh up if you know what I mean and ran out of there."
"Wow..." she said, at lost for words. She couldn't seem to comprehend what Noah was saying, how could Sam do something like that? It just wasn't him, not the Sam she knew. "How is he now?"
"I don't know. I'm not even sure where he went off to, he said something about clearing his head for the summer, packed his bags and left."
Rachels eyebrows furrowed. "He left? Where on earth could he have gone?"
"He's an adult, he can go where he wants." Noah said shortly. "Sorry, this whole situation with you two sucks. He took a train out of here, that's all Jean knows when I asked her. He apparently had a good chunk of change saved of for something, and he used it to leave."
Rachel didn't know what to say. "Oh." where did he go? But then again, did she have a right to wonder?
"How is the Big Apple?"
"I like it here." she said.
"I knew you would." after a pause, he said, "I got to go. I will talk to you later, okay?"
"Okay Noah."
"Love you. Stay safe, buy pepper spray or something."
She laughed. "Love you too Noah." it wasn't weird for them to say 'I love you' to each other, they said it all the time. It was a strict friend thing. When he hung up, Rachel pulled out her laptop and went onto Facebook, hoping maybe there was any confirmation where Sam was, and for the first time in a month, he updated his status five minutes ago(how convenient?).
Sam Evans California here I come... five minutes ago
Rachel racked her brains for a time he had ever mentioned California, and came up blank. He never mentioned it, or wanting to visit. Why would he go there? Rachel shut her laptop, it was none of her business.
The next day, Blaine and Rachel went in early for two different reasons; Blaine went in earlier then usual to talk to Ron about his performance, and Rachel went in to take her mind off Sam, hoping that finishing the dishes or something would help.
When Blaine went into Ron's office, Spencer walked out, looking tired, but he smiled when he saw Rachel. "Good morning Rachel."
"Morning." she said, going to the sink and running the water. The dishes were Dominick's job, and he was supposed to do them before he left but he always put them off until morning unless someone else did them for him.
"I can help." Spencer said, standing next to her and rolling up his sleeves.
"You don't have to." she said politely.
He waved his hand. "There is nothing else to do. And unlike Ron, I can't stand around and do nothing. I get too antsy." Rachel grinned and for a few moments they washed and dried in silence.
"Can I ask you something?" she asked, glancing at him. She didn't miss him freeze and looked panicked for half a second, but he regained himself.
"Of course." he said, not looking at her.
"Yesterday, when you said you would ask Ali to sing but... What was that about?" she asked curiously. If anything, she just wanted to make conversation.
At first Spencer seemed relieved at her question, but then he looked slightly troubled. "I know we all seem a little..." he trailed off, thinking. "Crazy here, its something to get used to. But soon you are going to find we all have our pasts, and well... I think that, and I'm not religious or anything, some divine power brought all of these people with hurt that had horrible things happen to them into this one restraunt. Ali, Kelsey, Randall, Dominick, all of us have had bad things happen. Eventually you will find out everyone's story..." he went quiet, and Rachel was shocked. It was not the response she thought she would get.
"Ali came her to sing on Broadway, but something happened which I'm sure she will tell you." he went on. "She doesn't sing anymore, and its a shame. When she first got here she sang all the time, and it was lovely."
"Did something bad happen to you?" she asked, frowning.
Spencer smiled sadly, looking at the sink. "Yeah. But I'm alive, right?" he said, finally looking at her and smiling.
Rachel didn't ask Spencer what happened because she wasn't part of the family yet. She still felt like an outsider trying to fit into a close knit family. But she was growing attached to them, and she hoped that they liked her as much as she liked them, but she couldn' fight the feeling of being an outsider all over again. "Everyone likes you here." he suddenly said. "I can tell you are... holding back, trying to seem normal, but I can tell. We love different here." he grinned a wide smile, and Rachel stared at him, wondering if he was a mind reader.
"Thanks." she said, going back to rubbing the dishes. "I just feel... like I'm intruding on a family."
Spencer laughed. "We are a family. Most of us don't have an actual loving family, and with all of our oddities we kind of just... fit in together."
"What's your family?" she asked. "I mean, if you want to tell me..."
He seemed to think a moment. "They are nice, I guess. They have four kids including me, and I'm the least favorite."
"That can't be true-"
"They told me." he said. "They are blunt, and professional, and while I seem like the serious guy sometimes, I was the most... liberal in the family. I am positive I went against every single expectation they had for me, and I'm happy. They love me, they just don't like me. What about you?" he added quickly.
"I have two daddies." Rachel said proudly. "My mom gave me up and I have the two best parents."
"They're gay?" he asked, with no trace of judgment. In fact, he looked oddly happy. "Like on Modern Family?"
"I love that show!" Rachel said, smiling.
"Me too!" Spencer said excitedly. "It's my favorite show." he dried the last dish and set in on the rack.
"I have the first and second season on DVD." Rachel said, grinning.
"Lucky!" he said.
Before Rachel went on, the door opened to Rons office and him and Blaine came out. "Ladies." Ron greeted, causing Spencer to grumble. Rachel smiled at him and he smiled back, the first person to accept her into their little family.
That night, it got packed. Somehow, Spencer got fliers and ads everywhere, and he was right when he said people would come to an advertised live performance. Rachel was hopping table to table as they waited for the act. Even Spencer, who technically wasn't a waiter, helped to serve tables.
She was surprised when Kurt, and a lady wearing jeans and tee, paired with a large hat and large sunglasses came in together. She hadn't thought he would actually come, and she knew Blaine was going to be happy. When he caught her eyes he waved and she seated them right away. "Rachel, this is Claire-"
"Shh!" the women hissed.
Kurt rolled his eyes. "She is in disguise. She doesn't want to be spotted out, or her deep dark secret of her love of greasy food will get out." Rachel suppressed a laugh.
"I would like a hamburger." the women said, pushing back some of her pale blonde hair back into her hat. Rachel was shocked to find she had a thick British accent.
"The accent is a dead give away, Claire." Kurt chided.
"Forgive Mr. Hummel." she said, probably looking at Rachel. She couldn't tell, due to the sunglasses. "He had been in a mood all day."
Kurt looked to be biting back a snarky comment. "Will you please send Blaine our way?"
"No problem." she smiled, turning on her heel and running to the kitchen. "Blaine!" she said. He looked up from the corner of the room. "Kurt is here."
A large smile broke out on his face and they walked back together to Kurt and Claire Von. When Kurt saw them, he smiled and stood up, Claire doing the same.
Kurt grabbed Blaine's hand and turned to his boss. "This is my boyfriend, Blaine. Blaine, this is Claire."
"Hello." Blaine said, giving her a charming smile.
She clasped his hand and shook it. "You are adorable, just like my Kurt said." Kurt blushed.
"His words, not mine." Blaine said. "Do you mind if I borrow him?"
"No, by all means!" she said, sitting back down. The three walked across the restraunt into the kitchen.
"Everybody, this is my boyfriend, Kurt."
Dominick, Colette, Ali, Spencer, and Ron were in the kitchen and they all looked up. "Oh, 'ow cute iz zat!" Collete said, clapping her hands.
Ron walked over shaking Kurts hand. "We have heard tons about you." he said.
"I'm Spencer!" came the shaggy haired boy, a large smile on his face.
"Nice to meet you guys."
"I hate to say it, but we need to get back to work." Ron said apologetically. "By the looks of it, Randall is the only one out there."
"Oh!" Spencer said from behind him.
"Nice to meet you Kurt!" Dominick called.
"Dominick, I need a hamburger!" Rachel said. Spencer, Ali, Ron, Kurt, Blaine, and Rachel left the kitchen simultaneously. They all started to divulge in different directions. Blaine and Kurt were holding hands, and Rachel wasn't far enough to no hear what happened next.
A man, walking back from the bathroom passed Kurt and Blaine, and Rachel heard him say, "Stupid fags."
She stopped and spun around. Kurt and Blaine also stopped, and Rachel was about to run after the guy where out of nowhere, as he was walking away, a tall figure grabbed him and through him against the wall.
"What the fuck did you just say?" it was Randall, who now grabbed the guy by the collar and pinned him. The guy looked tough, but he was nothing compared to the tall and built Randall, but that didn't stop him from struggling.
"None of your business lurch!" the guy said. "Get your hands off me!" Randall was pulled away by Ron, who stepped in between the two men. "I want to speak to the owner!"
"Present." Ron said dully.
"Your waiter just threw me into a wall!"
"Yeah, I saw that."
"Well fire him." the man said, shooting a smug look at Randall.
"Well, I'm not going to do that. So get your ass out of here." the man stared open mouthed at Ron. "Now, and don't come back."
"Are you kidding-"
"No, I'm not kidding you. You don't get to come in here and make my friends feel like shit because you grew up and impotent douchebag. So get the hell out before I let Lurch kick the ever-locking shit out of you."
"Fine!" the guy said. "Wait until I get this place shut down, this can't be allowed!"
As he walked away, Ron called, "Good luck finding a cop who gives a rip in New York, buddy!" he turned to the shocked couple. "You two okay?"
"You didn't have to..." Kurt said, looking at his shoes.
"I don't do anything I don't have to do." Ron said, shaking his head. "Douchebags aren't allowed here."
Blaine looked at Randall. "Thanks."
Randall shrugged. "You guys are family now." and he walked away.
An hour later, Blaine was in a cleared out section in the corner, mike and equipment set up, playing his first song. He opened with Don't you want the way I fell, an original song by him. He kept glancing lovingly at Kurt, who looked to be swooning at his table.
Rachel was doing her rounds, asking people quietly if they needed anything. It wasn't until Blaine was starting the next song when she heard a familiar, "Rachel?"
It took her a moment to make out the face in the dim lights, but soon she found herself stunned. "Jesse?"
Jesse St. James smiled at her, sitting alone at a table. She hadn't remembered seeing him all night. "Looks like you made it."
She smiled lightly. "Yeah, I made it."
"How long have you been here?"
"Almost two weeks."
He grinned. "Ah, that's why I haven't heard anything about Rachel Berry taking over New York yet." she laughed. "You should call me." he said suddenly, fishing through his pocket and taking out a card. She took it in her hands, dance studio instructor. "We can, get together or something." he said, standing up.
Rachel said, without putting thought into it, "Sure."
He leaned forward, into her ear. "I missed you." Rachel didn't respond, and with one last smile he was gone.
She turned the card over in her hand, maybe it was time to move on.
A/N
So, yeah. Jesse is back.
I also wanted to point out that I wanted to make my OCs troubled misfits with their own share of hurts, and as the story goes on we will figure more about their pasts. And I have something planned for Ron I am looking for an opportunity to get out, just waiting for the right time. Feedback?
Next chapter we will learn some things about Ali and Randall, which will explain his lash out on the homophobic guy in the story.
