Chapter 2 - Paranoia
Mercedes had caught up with Jesse who had just left the room. She pulled him to one side to speak to him. "Wha-?" Jesse was confused as to who was pulling him to the side until he noticed Mercedes. "Ah, Mercedes. Have you taken my advice to rehearse?" Jesse asked.
"Ugh, yeah" She groaned, not wanting to admit that Jesse may have been right. "but that's not what I'm here to talk to you about. It's about Sugar. I know that she's asked to share he singing tips with you but she...isn't the greatest of singers."
Jesse shrugged.
Mercedes sighed, hoping that Jesse could at least empathise. "Sugar, is pretty bad...really bad actually...almost tone deaf. I just need you to give her actual constructive critisim and beat around the bush a little." Mercedes pleaded.
Jesse shook his head. He'd never change his ways.
"You know that if Rachel asked you'd do this for her. Let's not think of this as something you're doing for me or her, it's for Sugar."
"Of course. I'm not going to give Sugars advice to Rachel, am I?" He laughed under his breath.
"You're not understanding me. Please, just...forget everything they taught you at UCLA. And don't tell me that Miss Corcoran taught you any of that. I know she was your old director but she'd never be mean."
"Actually, Mercedes-"
"No! You said you came here to learn how to teach but obviously you're going to become one of those teachers. The ones who have to put their students down for their own entertainment. You obviously didn't come here to learn anything you just need something on your resume to excuse the fact that you didn't go to your classes." Mercedes walked away in annoyance.
Jesse thought about what Mercedes said but still didn't plan on changing his ways. Why should he? Sugar was one of the few who didn't dislike him. She seemed young, Jesse assumed that she came to him because she couldn't find the guidance anywhere else. Jesse didn't notice that she was having an almost-teacher crush on him. A lot of girls had been more than nice to him before. Unless they were being straight about their feelings, he wouldn't catch on seeing them as just being nice. Sugar also seemed way too young for him, the thought of her having a crush would never have crossed his mind.
Mr Schuster was also concerned about Jesse helping Sugar. This wasn't what he meant by shadowing but Jesse had to learn somehow. He and Shelby went up to him to talk to him about it. "Jesse," Mr Schuster said to get his attention. "I know you're eager to teach but you need to be careful about what you say."
"Mr Schuster. William, I guess we're on first name basis now." Jesse smirked. "This is where you've gone wrong with the club, you doubt people. By doubting people you become impressed by their mediocrity. Shelby, on the other hand, doesn't doubt people, she pushes them. I have to say that I picked up some of what I learnt from her."
Shelby shook her head in disappointment. "I didn't teach you to be mean. Mr Schuster told me about what you said to everyone the last time you were here-"
"You guys are doubting me, don't worry about it." Jesse avoided answering the question straight. He wasn't going to dampen his words for anyone. "I'm all about equality. I'll treat her the same as I do everyone else, it's only fair." Jesse nodded.
Jesse walked to the staffroom with Mr Schuster and Shelby. In the staffroom, the teachers shuffled around slowly holding mugs of coffee, their heads hung down tiredly as they waited for the school day to be over.
"I'm assuming that all the teachers get their life coaching from Bella Swan." Jesse commented as the teachers drearily moved around the room barely communicating with each other. Jesse followed Mr Schu and Shelby to a table where a perky, red-headed teacher sat listening to another strong, dark-haired woman sat beside her with a whole chicken in front of her. Jesse watched cautiously as the woman stuffed the chicken in her mouth and swallowing large amounts before she proceeded to talk again.
"He was, like, that one guy I got to know and the rug was pulled out from under my feet," She complained.
"I know how you feel, but it's never too late-" Said the perky teacher.
"Emma, Beiste," Will said in greeting, as they approached them. "This is Jesse. He'll be shadowing me and Shelby for the next few days," He introduced "and helping some of the students apparently," Will said as he turned to Shelby disappointed at her decision to allow Jesse to mentor Sugar, of all students.
"Nice to meet you," Jesse greeted them.
"Oh, Jesse. Weren't you here last year?" Emma asked wondering why he returned.
"Mr Schu had kindly allowed me to shadow him since I'm planning on being a teacher. No other school would accept me," He shrugged as they all sat down. "I was told to leave by one of the junior dance classes I was at previously working at for making someone cry. Word gets around fast"
"A child?" Emma asked slightly astounded at how far Jesse seemed to go with his criticisms.
"No. A teacher," He replied. Emma relaxed but was still curious to know what happened. "I told her that her pirouettes made her look like en elephant on crack. She told me that she just had an operation and I told her that Bambi's mother's death probably had more grace than her." Jesse shrugged.
Shelby sat in embarrassment about Jesse's rudeness.
"I really need a coffee, you guys want some?" He asked as he got up. Everyone said no and Jesse was on his way to the coffee machine.
Emma leaned forward and spoke quietly "I don't think that bringing him here is a good idea. Your students are so close to sectionals the last thing they need is to be torn down."
"All he's here to do is to shadow us and see how it's done but someone insisted on him helping another student," Mr Schue replied hinting at Shelby.
"He's a genuinely good kid who means well. I'll be sitting there to make sure that he doesn't say anything out of line," Shelby defended him. She looked back at Jesse as he tried to figure out how to use the coffee machine. A teacher walked by and showed him how to use it. Shelby was worried that he'd go too far and Sugar would take him too seriously.
Jesse walked over and sat down at the table with his mug. He took a sip of the coffee and creased in disgust. "Talk about cheap, this is tea with colouring added to it. Your staff room is so dead. Carmel High went all out, they even had a hot tub."
"We didn't have a hot tub," Shelby replied.
"I'm pretty sure you did. You guys always came out looking very relaxed. Every time the door opens we hear someone give a moan or sigh of relief. There are times when we hear someone scream 'yes' or giggle and stuff."
Will, Emma and Beiste leant forward and looked at Shelby in uncertainty, wondering what actually happened in their staff room.
Shelby dropped her head in embarrassment. She knew what all apart from Jesse were thinking. "We had massage chairs and foosball. Some people get really competitive and can be quite loud." She tried to convince them.
They leant back into their original positions, not quite accepting her story but giving her the benefit of the doubt.
"Well, look who we have here. Jesse" Sue smugly walked over to the table, standing behind Beiste and Emma. They all waited for one of her insults but she said nothing. "I know you're all waiting for me to insult him but someone who has helped me shouldn't be insulted this early on in his arrival. Maybe tomorrow." Sue replied.
"Ms Sylvester. I saw you on tv. I see you've been taking my hair tips- Well I can't take all the credit. I was friends with a hair stylist who participated in my course at UCLA," Jesse said as he casually and comfortably leant back in his chair.
Sue nodded "Why yes I have. My hair is now more golden and luscious then when I was born, and I thought that it was impossible. Maybe you could advise the mayor of Jell town and his dapper little minion on how to take care of their hair." She said in reference to Will and Blaine. "It's so touchable...A certain coach thinks so anyway," Sue taunted coach Beiste as she mockingly patted her shoulder before walking off.
Will, Emma and Shelby glared at her as she walked away. Beiste simply stared at her chicken stuffed in turkey, trying not to allow Sue to get to her. Jesse, on the other hand, was too consumed by his bad tasting coffee to notice anything.
The Glee club had stayed in the choir room. They needed to have a meeting with Rachel there and the cafeteria was pretty much out of bounds. The opinion shared by the room of Jesse's return was negative. So far Rory and Blaine were the only one who had no problems with him.
"I guess his criticisms are sort of like...booster shots, but without the candy." Blaine commented. "You get it once and it doesn't feel so bad, after you know what to expect next time. He isn't that bad, just honest."
Kurt shook his head. "You'd think that we'd be over them by now but he's like a fly. He does no harm but every time you think you've killed him he get's up and starts buzzing around again. You open a large window for him to leave but he manages to keep hitting the wall that surrounds it." Kurt said scornfully. "I really hate flies."
"Wait," Puck said "You still get candy after injections?" He leant over the table and asked Blaine.
"Yeah, don't you guys?" Blaine looked at everyone on the table but they all looked at each other and shook their heads in disappointment.
Quinn rolled her eyes "You'd really think that at 16, 17 and 18 you'd be able to buy your own candy."
"Yeah but it's free. Who says no to free food," Puck defended their position. "But anyway, he has to go."
"It's only for a few days, he can't be that bad." Blaine commented.
Finn sat there quietly, lost in his own thought. He wasn't there to be a teacher he was there to get back Rachel. Finn was annoyed that Jesse would go through all this trouble to do it. He was clearly persistent.
Rachel noticed that Finn was out of touch with the group. "Are you ok?"
Finn nodded without saying a word, he remained staring into the distance. "I just can't believe he won't leave us alone."
"Maybe he has moved on," Rachel tried to reassure him. "It's been a while now."
"Can't you see it Rachel? Isn't it weird that out of all the schools in Ohio, he came to this one?"
"He knows Mr Schu and Shelby. As intelligent as he is he probably didn't get into any other schools. He's probably more comfortable with these two anyway." Rachel was certain that Jesse had moved on. He didn't look at her once during Mr Schu's introduction. She noticed that his focus was on Shelby most of the time. "Didn't you see how he was laughing with Shelby?"
Puck sat up when he heard Shelby's name and listened in to their conversation.
"He's obviously moved on from me." She added, hoping that Finn would stop worrying.
"You guys think she's into Jesse?" Puck asked.
"I don't know. I doubt it since she's his old teacher but Jesse might be into her," Rachel said.
"Yeah, his old teacher. Meaning that she doesn't teach him anymore. They're legal now."
"Dude, why does it matter?" Finn asked. Why would Puck, of all people care about the lives of a teacher?
"Well..." Puck scoured his brain for a plausible excuse. He had yet to tell them that they had sex. Puck was known to spill multiple details about his sex life but sex with a teacher isn't something you can just shout out."We need to know as much as we can about Jesse, he has to leave."
"Don't do anything stupid." Tina defended him. "Guys, he may be mean but he's still human. It's only a few days and maybe he'll change. He's here to learn, isn't he? Who are we to say that people can't change?" Tina added.
"Tina's hungers talking," Artie added.
Tina rolled her eyes. Sure she was hungry, considering that it was lunch but no one could deny that the Glee club was made up of people who were once bullies.
Rachel smiled and nodded at Tina's words. Rachel doubted that Jesse was there for her but knew that they'd never really know until it was over. The rest of the table took in what she said. Tina was right, a few days wouldn't be so bad. Especially since he's not going to be saying anything most of the time.
"Tina's right," Finn sighed. "We shouldn't be paranoid about why he's here. Just be prepared for when he pulls a stunt."
"If, he pulls a stunt," Rachel corrected him. Finn looked at Rachel and nodded. He couldn't live with this paranoia forever. He was still watchful of Jesse.
At the end of the lunch period, over in the Troubletones choir room, Jesse and Shelby spoke as they waited for Sugar. "How about you don't say anything and see how I do it. You haven't even observed our practice yet," Shelby said worriedly.
Puck walked over to the choir room to speak to speak to Shelby, he stopped at the door and retreated when he saw Jesse in there with him. Instead of going in, Puck stood outside the door and listened in.
"Sugar probably isn't as mentally weak as you make her out to be and I'll make sure that anything I say is useful." Jesse assured her while sitting on the piano stool. "How are things going with Rachel?" he asked.
Shelby paused at the random question. "I didn't come here to butt into her life if that's what you're thinking."
"I know, you had a job offer. I just thought it would be uncomfortable working in the same place as your...not so...daughter."
"Jesse, I still see you as a student. I'm not going to discuss my private life with you."
"That's not what you said the first time you asked me to talk to her..." He said. Shelby nodded. "Can I come and see Beth?" Jesse asked without hesitation, curious as to who his ex-teachers child was.
"You like Kids?"
"No, they're gross but I'm pretty sure with a mother like you, Beth already knows every dance move in hairspray." He joked.
Shelby laughed and nodded "Sure, it's not like I'm busy today." Shelby looked at the clock "Where's Sugar? She said she'd be here." Students were still making their way to their class but the hallways slowly clearing. The tardy bell had yet to ring. Shelby stepped outside to see if Sugar was arriving soon. She noticed Puck standing next to the door. "Are you ok, Puck?"
Puck jumped when she came out. He looked her up and down in disgust "Sure," he said before walking away. She obviously likes ex-students. She couldn't wait for me to graduate which is why she came so soon. Puck thought in annoyance.
Shelby walked back into the room in confusion. She thought she knew why Puck was still annoyed at her but didn't understand why he didn't come in instead of standing at the door.
The warning bell rang and Sugar arrived just in time. "I'm here," she announced in a loud and fanciful manner as she walked in. "I've been warming up my vocals all lunch period but my friends asked me to stop singing. They clearly don't understand my desire, passion and dedication,"
Jesse nodded. "Well then, I guess we have something in common. I lost friends who thought I was annoying because my passion but then I found even better friends who understood how awesome I was and were pretty great their selves." Jesse looked up at Shelby and nodded.
Sugar smiled at the thought of them having something in common. She too lost friends who didn't understand her passion but had yet to find someone who thought she was as amazing as she did. Sugar knew that she and Jesse would get along.
"But you need to remember to rest your voice once in a while." He said as he prepared to play the scales on the piano. "I'm just going to play a few notes and you're going to follow. I'm sure you've done this before."
Shelby took a seat in the corner of the room and held her breath once Sugar began.
Sugar nodded enthusiastically. Jesse started pressed the key and Sugar followed. She sang each note loudly and out of tune forgetting everything that Shelby taught her but confidently, hoping to impress Jesse. Jesse cringed every time she sang a note and had to stop halfway through.
"How was I? I was great I know," Sugar said smugly.
Jesse looked at her uncomfortably. "You-" He paused. He couldn't do it. He searched his brain for something to say but he was lost for words. "Wait here, Shelby I left my...uh...fridge in the...I need to talk to you outside. You, Sugar keep practising. I want to hear you when I come back." He lied before rushing out.
Jesse and Shelby stood outside the door and whispered so Sugar wouldn't be able to hear them. She wouldn't be able to anyway. She was too busy singing loudly.
"Oh my gosh she's terrible," Jesse said sympathetically.
"She was...worse when she first arrived."
"What am I supposed to say? I can't criticise her," Jesse was taken aback by his own words. "Wow, I can't criticise her. Why? This is so weird."
"It's called empathy. You're putting yourself in her shoes and thinking about how she might feel," Shelby replied.
"I don't understand,"
"It's how the audience connects with a performer." Shelby kept looking back through the door to see how Sugar was doing. Sugar seemed to be lost in her own little world.
"What am I supposed to do? I can only give non-constructive-constructive-criticism to those who are good and I know they can do better. I have never come across someone as tone deaf as Sugar."
Shelby could see that Jesse was genuinely worried about hurting her feelings. She put her hand on his shoulder to calm him down "You don't give up on them. This is why this second club was created. In rehearsal she actually works well with what she has, which is why I wanted you to shadow before can't expect to teach people if you don't have patience."
Jesse took her advice and nodded. He took in a deep breath, stood up straight and strode into the room. "Sugar," he called for her attention so she would stop singing. "You have an interesting voice but I think you can do better?"
Sugar paused for a moment "Funny, that's what Miss Corcoran says all the time. I don't usually accept any negative opinions that have been repeated to me more than once but you're hot. Tell me more." She asked as she leant against the piano.
Jesse turned around and smiled at Shelby. He was capable of giving advice without being mean after all. Of course, this didn't mean he was going to stop. He still loved the sound of his own voice.
During the lesson, all Sugar could do was stare dreamingly as he spoke. Shelby sat in the corner quietly and smiled at the obvious student crush Sugar had on him. For once Sugar didn't dominate the conversation, she listened and nodded at every word he said. Even the sentences which made no sense. While Jesse and Sugar spoke (it was mainly Jesse doing the talking) Shelby quietly walked out of the room and made her way to the staffroom in hopes of finding Mr Schuster.
She found him in the staffroom. When Will noticed her, he stood up attentively and rushed over to her."Has she finished? Please don't tell me you left Jesse in there alone with her," he asked worriedly.
Shelby grew a small smile and shook her head "It's ok," she calmed him. "Jesse had to pull me out at the beginning because he was afraid of saying something mean. He actually thought about someone's feelings before spealing."
Mr Schuster smiled in amazement "You're kidding me,"
Shelby shook her head. Both made their way to the choir room to see Jesse actually being nice. Half-way down the hall they could hear a high pitched squealing, possibly crying coming from the direction of the choir room. Shelby and Will looked at each other before speeding up.
They approached the choir room to see Jesse standing in front of Sugar while she cried.
"Jesse!" Will said angrily as he walked into the room.
"Oh, Hey Mr Schue. Ms C," Sugar snapped out of it and quickly perked up. "How did you like my fake crying. Jesse taught me, he said it would be useful if I ever decided to go into acting."
Will and Shelby sighed in relief. Will tried to find words that wouldn't offend Jesse "Great, I-I thought-"
"That I made her cry. Mr Schu." Jesse folded his arms and stood there waiting for a response from either Will or Shelby.
"Thank you so much Jesse. Can we do this again, sometime?" Sugar asked after hearing the first bell.
"Sure," Jesse looked at her and smiled before looking back at Shelby and Will. "If these two don't mind," he waited for an answer.
Shelby was the first to speak up. "Sure, fine."
"Great," Jesse said with his eyes remaining on both Will and Shelby. "I'll see you tomorrow, Sugar," He said as Sugar walked out happily.
Jesse shrugged as he waited for them to say something.
"We're sorry." Shelby said. "I left you two alone because I trusted you. It's a natural instinct for anyone who hears crying to think the worst."
Will nodded in agreement. He didn't want to think the worst of Jesse but still had doubts about him. "Shelby even brought me here to see how well you were doing."
"Ok," Jesse shrugged as he walked out of the room.
"So, you're ok?" Will asked curious about Jesse's sudden change of heart. 2 seconds ago he was annoyed now he seemed completely indifferent.
"Yeah, I don't hold onto things. I can't hold grudges against most people. I tend treat my friends and enemies the same. Now if you excuse me, I need to go buy some real coffee before my throat devours itself." He said before walking out happily.
Will was happy to hear that Jesse wasn't upset but struggled to figure out whether him treating his friends and enemies the same was a good thing or bad thing. Jesse wasn't exactly John Lennon so it couldn't be a positive thing.
Mercedes, Brittany and Santana were walking down the hall together.
"No, guys. Pixies don't exist and fairies are just shy," Brittany sighed as Santana and Mercedes failed to grasp mythological creatures. Brittany spotted Sugar who was walking out of their choir room. "It looks like Sugar's been talking to puff the magic dragon on a yellow submarine."
As Mercedes rushed forward to stop Sugar, Santana looked Brittany in confusion. Not even Santana understood what she was going on about. "Brittany, I don't understand," said Santana.
"Her eyes are red, its an obvious sign that she's been smoking weed. But I know that you're an exception because your eyes go red when you cry. You'd never smoke weed," Brittany said in certainty as the two of them walked forward. "I've never done it. I'd never put something that wasn't completely edible in my mouth."
"Completely edible?"
"Yeah, like your-"
"Please, Brit. We're in public," Sanata hushed Brittany before someone heard.
Sugar was stopped near the room by Mercedes who was walking along with Brittany and Santana. "Sugar, are you ok? What did he say to you?"
"What's going on?" Asked Santana curiously as she and Brittany caught up.
Sugar smiled in a day dream before snapping herself out. "Oh, Jesse helped me with my vocals. Not that I needed any help but he is just so dreamy," she smiled excitedly.
"Have you been crying?" Santana asked.
"No, he taught me how to fake cry." She smiled reminiscing on the last hour.
"Did he insult you? I can go throw some back. I have so many just waiting to get out." Santana said eagerly. Mercedes raised an eyebrow at Santana. Santana said "What? I spent the past hour laughing at myself because I am so funny. If I don't get them out I'll end up looking like weirdo...again."
"Follow Rory around, if anyone tries to hassle him, throw it on them." Mercedes suggested.
Santana nodded, "That is such a good idea, come on Brit." She said before the two of them walked away.
Mercedes rolled her eyes and shook her head. "Anyway," She turned back to Sugar "So he didn't insult you?"
"Not at all. He was so sweet and he looks hot." She smiled in a daze.
"Oh...kay. You have a crush on him?" Mercedes said uncomfortably.
"How can you not?" She asked before skipping down the hall, thinking about her last session.
Mercedes wondered what Jesse was up to. Jesse isn't nice to anyone apart from his self and Rachel. She wondered whether this time he could actually be a spy for Vocal Adrenaline but she dismissed this thought as they wouldn't be competing together at sectionals and Jesse seemed to be way past that. Mercedes walked up to Jesse as soon as she saw him. "Jesse!" she called. "What are you up to?" She asked as they walked down the hall together.
Jesse was confused as to why Mercedes wanted to know but answered anyway. "Um, I'm going to grab a coffee and then go home. You can come if you want but both of us would get into trouble."
"No, I mean with Sugar. She said you were being nice to her?" Mercedes asked suspiciously.
"What, so now you want me to be mean to her? You want me to tell her to just give up and go find something else to do with her time?" He replied sarcastically.
"You're planning something,"
"And you've been reading too many Agatha Christie books. It's not healthy to be so suspicious, Mercedes,"
"I'm on to you. You're planning something."
"Is there anyone you're not suspicious of?"
"Jesse, I'm serious,"
Jesse stopped in the hallway and guided Mercedes to the side in annoyance. "So am I. I am not planning anything. You were the one who came up to me and told me to be nice and I did. I don't know what else you want from me." Jesse took a couple of steps forward but turned around and said "You know what. Keep being suspicious. It is so much fun messing with you guys." He smirked before walking away.
Mercedes gave him the benefit of the doubt. She still wanted to keep a close eye on him. She found it hard to put the words "Jesse" and "helpful" in the same sentence. From what she's experienced with Jesse and the Glee club, he was anything but.
Jesse wasn't concerned about the Glee clubs paranoia. He knew that they didn't trust him but it was their loss. For now, he had more important things to consider.