Chapter Four: Dakota Stanley
Episode: Accafellas
Alicia Moffet as Liv Fabaray
Voice claim: Emma Heesters & Christina Grimmie
Ben Bledsoe as Hank Saunders
Voice claim: Ben Bledsoe
Chapter Songs
Love Drunk by Little Mix
Maps by Maroon 5 (Kurt Hugo Schneider ft. MAX & Alyson Stoner Cover)
"So, Liv." Emma started as she straightened the pencils on her desk before looking to the blonde in front of her. "You've skipped the last couple of meetings. Do you want to tell me why?"
Liv shook her head. "It's kinda personal." She said. "You know me, I'll tell you when I'm ready." Emma nodded.
"Okay, well why don't we continue from we left off a couple of weeks ago?" She suggested and folder her hands. "You said that you were feeling a bit unsure about Glee club now that your sister's joined."
Liv sighed. "Yeah. I mean, I know she's doing it because she wants us to be close, but she already had Cheerios, Celibacy Club, Homecoming Committee, Welcoming Committee...you get the idea. Glee club was supposed to be mine and I know she would never purposefully try and faze me out, but that's what I feel like is happening."
Emma frowned. "Can you explain?"
"Last week." Liv recounted. "I asked Tina if she wanted to go to the movies with me and she said yes. I waited at the theater for two hours before she called and cancelled because Quinn was going to teach her how to put on eyeliner without stabbing herself in the eye and two days before that, Mercedes and I were supposed to go shopping and she blew me off because Quinn was going to teach her how to up-cycle her old clothes."
"I don't think that Quinn is trying to faze you out." Emma told her. "I think she's trying to become friends with your friends to get a better understanding of you. Did you ever think of it that way?"
Liv shrugged. "I guess not." She groaned and let her head fall into her hands. "I'm such a self-adsorbed bitch!"
"You're not a bitch." Emma disagreed, but Liv nodded her head.
"Yes, I am." She said picking her head back up. "I just assumed that I was being pushed out. I never stopped to think that Quinn was doing this to try and pull me closer, but I would've noticed if I wasn't a self-adsorbed bitch."
"Well, maybe you should talk to Quinn." Emma suggested. "While I am glad that you are speaking to me about this, I think it'd be a good idea to talk to your sister. Perhaps that would make you feel better."
Liv nodded and picked up her bag. "Thanks, Ms. P." She said standing up. "I feel a lot better. I'll talk to Quinn about it, but I think all I needed was to vent."
With a wave goodbye, Liv left Emma's office before heading to Glee club meeting. She wasn't sure if they were rehearsing something or if everyone just needed an excuse to blow off class, but either way, Liv wasn't complaining.
When she got inside, Santana, Quinn and Brittany were talking amongst themselves, Tina was sitting on the floor talking to Artie while Mercedes braided her hair while getting her own hair braided by a standing Kurt, Hank was tuning an electric guitar and Finn was trying to better his piano skills. It was a strange sight, but not the strangest thing the fourteen year old had seen.
"Where's Rachel?" Liv asked walking in before dropping her bag on the floor and kicking it to Quinn's feet.
"Who cares?" Santana asked immediately and Liv rolled her eyes at the cheerleaders bitchiness.
"Where's Mr. Schue?" She asked, but it seemed like nobody could answer her. "He's been missing a lot of meetings."
"That's because Rachel killed his spirit." Mercedes told her and Liv raised an eyebrow. "You don't know?"
"Know what?"
Santana smirked. "Hobbit basically ripped off his junk. She told him that he couldn't dance and that we needed to hire some choreographer who's teaching Vocal Adrenalin.
Liv groaned. "Serious, Rachel?" Liv should've known that her friend would do something like that. Rachel was a very opinionated person, but Liv didn't miss the looks Santana and Quinn were giving each other and immediately suspected they put the brunette up to it. "I'm gonna go find her."
"Why don't we sing a song instead?" Quinn asked loudly, stopping Liv in her tracks. "Rachel's a big girl; I'm sure she can find the choir room on her own." Turning back to her sister, Liv narrowed her eyes.
"You're up to something." She accused and Quinn rolled her eyes.
"Don't be so suspicious of everything I do." She said walking over to Liv. "You'll get wrinkles." Liv flinched when she was tapped on the nose and immediately pushed her sisters hand away.
"I don't want to sing a song." Liv said. "Where's Rachel? What happened?"
"Well, it was about a week or two ago." Hank began and Liv turned to him. "You had skipped another Glee club meeting and Rachel decided that it was the perfect time to tell Mr. Schue that his moves were outdated."
"Okay...?" Liv didn't see that big deal. "What's the problem."
"The problem is that he's not coming back." A voice said and the group turned to see Rachel near the piano with a pink plate of cookies in her hands.
"What are you talking about?" Finn asked and Rachel told them what happened when she had gone to apologized to Mr. Schue about what she said to him a few weeks prior. He had given them permission to hire Vocal Adrenalin's choreographer and said that while was still their coach, he didn't have time to teach them singing and dancing.
"Of course he doesn't want anything to do with us after you kicked him in the 'nads!" Finn exclaimed getting up from the drum kit and Rachel crossed her arms in defense.
"Then why did he thank me?" Rachel asked and Liv smacked herself in the forehead.
"The goal is to win," Santana reminded them. "And now that Mr. Schuester has agreed to let us hire Dakota Stanley, we can."
"But he doesn't want us to." Hank said. "He just doesn't have the confidence to coach us anymore. Guys are real sensitive when it comes tot his kind of stuff." He said giving Rachel a pointed look.
She scoffed and put a hand on her chest. "And that's my fault?"
"You see anyone else in here with a plate of 'I'm Sorry' cookies?" Finn asked. "I don't. Just you."
Rachel looked hurt by Finn's statement and Liv couldn't help but feel like they were being too hard on her. She knew that they were if Quinn or Santana had put her up to saying those things to Mr. Schue. "Okay, that's enough." She said walking over to Rachel. "What happened, happened. We can't change the past. So all those in favor of hiring Dakota Stanley, raise your hand."
Quinn's hand was the first to go up, then it was her cronies, then Tina, Kurt and Mercedes. Rachel put up her hand and Liv looked to Artie who began to raise his hand, but stopped when Finn looked at him. She supposed that Artie figured he still owed the jock for rescuing him from the port-a-potty. Liv, Finn and Hank were the only one's with their hands not raised.
"It's seven to four." Liv announced. "We're hiring Dakota. Rachel, you find out when's the next time he's coaching Vocal Adrenalin and then get back to me. Who here has a car?" Quinn, Hank and Kurt raised their hands. "Okay, I'll text you all when we figure out when Dakota's gonna be at Carmel High. Kurt will be driving Tina, Mercedes, Artie and Brittany, Hank's got Finn and me, and Quinn's got Rachel and Santana. Now everyone get to class or wherever the hell you're supposed to be."
Liv got her bag before leaving, but she didn't get far from the Choir room before Tina caught up with her.
"Liv," The Asian asked. "Can I talk to you?"
Liv looked over at her. "Yeah, what do you need?"
"U-Um, not here." She stuttered when Artie passed with Mercedes pushing him. "During l-lunch, maybe?"
"Sure." Liv nodded before putting her hand on Tina's shoulder. "Is everything okay?"
Tina nodded." Yeah, I-I just...I'll talk to you at lunch" Then she walked off.
Wondering what was going on with her friend, Liv went to her locker to put the books in her bag away before heading to her AP English class. She turned in her paper on Macbeth and sat through the rest of the class before heading down to lunch. Tina was already seated when Liv got in line so she grabbed fries and a pudding cup before paying for her lunch and sitting down.
"Okay, what did you want to talk to me about?" Liv asked.
"Mercedes." Tina told her. "I think she's got a crush on Kurt."
Liv shrugged as she opened her pudding cup. "So?" She asked. "Girls have crushes on boys. It a way of life."
Tina shook her head. "I don't want her to get hurt." She said quietly. "I don't think she realizes that Kurt is gay." Liv snorted.
"Sweetie, I think everyone knows that Kurt is gay." Tina shook her head again.
"I heard Santana and Quinn talking to Mercedes." She said and Liv stopped what she was doing. "They were telling her that Kurt's into her that she should ask him out."
"Quinn said that?" Liv asked and Tina nodded. "Quinn, the girl with a gaydar radius of nine point three miles?"
"She might not know that Kurt is gay, but Mercedes is gonna get hurt if she and Santana keep at it." Liv nodded and gave the girl and small smile.
"I'll handle it." She promised. "You talk to Mercedes, remind her that Kurt is gay with a capital G and I'll get on Santana and Quinn." Liv picked up on of her fries and dunked it in her pudding up before popping it in her mouth. "Oh, and I think it's great you stopped pretending to stutter."
Tina looked panic. "W-What?" Liv gave her a 'really?' look and Tina sighed. "How'd you know?"
"How could I not know?" Liv asked. "You have the worse fake stutter I've ever heard." Tina looked down. "Hey," She said and Tina looked back up. "You don't have to pretend to stutter to get people to notice you. Your singing is doing that on it's own." Tina smiled. "I won't tell anyone until you're ready to, but eventually it's gonna come out."
"I know." Tina admitted. "But I'm not ready to stop yet."
Liv nodded. "I promised I wouldn't tell." She reminded the older girl. "Since we can't talk about how you're a horrible fake stutterer, how about you and me go shopping for something to wear at Carmel High. I am not walking into that school wearing the same jeans I've had for two years."
Tina furrow her eyebrows. "You were twelve two years ago." She noted and Liv looked her in the eye.
"I was a very tall twelve year old."
Rachel didn't disappoint. She sent Liv a three part text telling her that Dakota Stanley would be at Carmel High everyday from two thirty to midnight which Liv honestly thought was a bit overkill. Either way, she sent the entire Glee club a text telling them to meet up at Carmel High on Saturday at six in the afternoon and reminded them who would be taking who. It wasn't until she sent her last message that Liv realized she had put Quinn and Rachel in the same car together.
"I am the stupidest person alive." Liv growled to herself as she rushed into her house. Since it was already five and Carmel High was almost an hour and a half away, Liv knew that Quinn had already left to pick up her assigned passengers and Hank would be at the Fabray home any second.
"Stupid idiot." Liv berated herself once again ad she pulled her hair out of the bun she had put it in earlier. She rushed up the stairs and into her room before pulling off her army jacket. She was just about to pull off her pant when her phone yelled 'OMG! LIKE, A TEXT!', alerting her to a text message.
"Why is Kurt texting me now?" She asked herself as she opened up the text. "'Wear something nice and by 'nice', I don't mean ugly.'" She read." Really Kurt?" Liv put her phone away just as the doorbell rang so she went to her window only to see Hank standing at the door with his hands shoved into his pockets. "Crap!"
Going into hyperspeed, Liv shed off the rest of her clothes and pulled a dark green sleeveless turtle neck and a denim miniskirt that was fraying at the hem before shoving her feet into a pair of floral Timberlands her grandmother had sent her for Christmas last year. Realizing there was nothing she could do with her hair, Liv slid on a white headband before shoving her wallet and phone in her small golden satchel purse and speeding down the stairs.
When she got down there, her father had already opened the door and was talking to Hank. "Oh, no." She groaned.
"So you're here for Liv?" Russel asked crossing his arms and Hank nodded.
"That's right, sir."
"How old did you say you were, again?" But Hank didn't get a chance to reply before Liv pushed past her father, grabbed his arm and pulled him away from the house.
"Bye Dad!" She called behind her. "Quinn and I won't be back for dinner, so don't wait up!"
Forty minutes.
That's how long Rachel and Quinn had been riding in complete and awkward silence.
Santana had text Quinn to tell her that she was catching a ride in Kurt's car since Artie had a dentist appointment he couldn't miss and would be unavailable for the rest of the day, so it was just Quinn and Rachel.
Both girls had wanted to say something about riding arrangements with Liv, but she wasn't responding to Rachel's messages after the three part text about Carmel High and she had been gone every morning before Quinn even woke up. But the two had come to a silent agreement that neither one of them would talk.
Well...until Rachel opened her mouth.
"I can't stand the silence anymore." She blurted out and Quinn glanced at her before returning he eyes to the road.
"And that's my problem why?" She asked and Rachel sighed.
"There's something you want to say to me." Rachel realized. "I know there is, so just say it."
"I don't have anything to say to you." Quinn claimed as she stopped at a red light.
"Yes, there is." Rachel persisted. "Say it."
"No."
"Say it."
"Berry-"
"Just tell me!"
"Shut up-"
"Then tell me what it is you're not saying!"
"Fine!" Quinn yelled and Rachel flinched. "I don't like you." She said. "I don't like your face, or your voice, especially not your attitude and your taste in clothes makes me want to gouge my eyes out."
"And..." Rachel prodded and Quinn let out an aggravated sound.
"And," Quinn continued. "I can't figure out what anyone sees in you!" She confessed. "Liv! Finn! It's like they can't stay away from you and I don't know why! All I do know is that I don't want you around." She looked at Rachel. "I don't want you around my boyfriend, I don't want you around my sister- hell! I don't want you around my school!"
Quinn was staring at Rachel, sincerely hoping that the brunette would cry, but she didn't. She just sat there staring right back at Quinn with a pitying look on her face.
"I feel sorry for you." Rachel said, after what seemed like forever. "You want the kind of relationship with Liv that I have and you're afraid that you'll never get it if I'm around. That's why you're worse to me now than you used to be; you think if you push me hard enough, I'll run and stay way from Liv, but that's not why I feel sorry for you. I feel sorry for you because you don't realize how much you're trying and how much Liv is trying. Did you know that she was upset a few weeks ago when we did our first song as a group because you weren't there to watch her?" Quinn said nothing. "Liv loves you and she wants a relationship with you as much as you want a relationship with her, but that isn't going to happen if you keep trying to push me out of her life. You'll just end up destroying the fragile relationship you two already have."
"Why are you telling me this?" Quinn asked. "I've made your life a living hell since middle school."
Rachel shrugged. "Because Liv is my best friend." She said. "And I want her to be happy. You're her sister, you make her happy...whenever you guys aren't fighting."
Quinn honestly didn't know what to say. The last thing she wanted was to thank Rachel Berry for her opinions and facts, but she had been right about everything; what was going on in Liv's head, what was going on in hers, everything. Quinn wondered how someone who had been constantly knocked down could be nice to the person who had bullied her for almost five years.
A loud honk is what pulled Quinn and Rachel away from their staring match and Quinn looked to see that the light was green. Pulling the car out of park, she continued on driving to Carmel High, hoping that Rachel was right about what she had said.
"I'm sorry about my dad." Liv said as Hank drove down the freeway. They weren't far from Carmel High, maybe a half a mile or so. "He doesn't do that often, I swear."
Hank chuckled. "It's fine." He assured her. "I'm pretty sure he thought I was picking you up for a date." Liv let out a loud laugh and Hank looked at her. "What?" He asked as she continued to laugh. "Is that so hard to see?"
"Me and you on a date?" She asked and then laughed again as she shook her head. "Please."
"Why is that so funny?" Hank wondered. "I'm not exactly the Hunchback of Notre Dam."
"Uh, I would go out with the Hunchback in a second." Liv told him. "He might've taken a few hits to the face with the ugly stick, but he would give me piggyback rides."
"And I wouldn't?" Hank asked and Liv shrugged. "You're tiny, I would most definitely give you piggyback rides."
"So what" Liv asked looking at Hank. "You want to date me? Give me piggyback rides?" Hank shrugged
"I guess." He said. "I wouldn't be opposed to the idea of it." Liv looked down at her dark purple fingernails and Hank looked over at her. "Would...you want to?" He asked. "Date me? Accept my piggyback rides?"
Liv bit her lip and shrugged. She couldn't figure out how they had gone to talking about her father to him asking her if she wanted to date him. Liv didn't exactly know what to do; she had never been in this kind of predicament before.
"Maybe." She heard herself saying and cringed at how childish she sounded.
"Okay." Hank said and that was the last thing either of the said during the rest of the ride to Carmel.
Liv and Hank were the last to show up. They had to park on the curb in front of the school since the parking lot was full. Liv saw Quinn's silver Toyota behind a big, black SUV so she knew at least some of them were there. The two quickly found their way into the auditorium where the rest of the Glee club, sans Artie and Finn, were seated.
"Sorry we're late." Liv said as she sat down next to Rachel while Hank slid into the row of seats behind her and sat next to Santana. "Where's Dakota Stanley?"
"We cant talk to him until after their rehearsal is over." Rachel told her as Kurt leaned and looked over at her outfit.
"A turtleneck?" He asked. "Really?"
Liv leaned and looked over at him. "Have you seen your sweater?" She asked. "You look like you just came back from skinning Clifford." But then Liv realized what Rachel said. "Wait, you said they don't get out of rehearsals until midnight." Rachel nodded. "We have to watch them jazz hands for six hours? Did you know this before you texted me?"
"I figured we could all take some pointers by watching their performances."
"Yeah, maybe one performance." Liv hissed. "But watching six hours is going to destroy their confidence."
Rachel put her hand on Liv's arm. "You worry too much."
Rachel didn't think that six hours later. Vocal Adrenalin did over twenty different song and dance routines while Liv and her friends sat and watched; Genie In a Bottle by Christina Aguilera, Dip It Low by Christina Milian and a mashup of SWV's Never Gonna Get It and TLC's Ain't Too Proud To Beg just to name a few. And after their performance of Mercy, Liv and her friends weren't feeling too confident,
"They're going to murder us at Regionals." Kurt said as they were all leaving the auditorium.
"Don't let them psych you out, Kurt." Liv said putting her hand on his shoulder as Rachel rushed past them all to get to Dakota Stanley before he left in his ugly, cheery red, overpriced two seater.
"Mr. Stanley," She said. "We're the McKinley High Glee Club!"
"No interviews!" He said as he ducked into his car and Liv crossed her arms. Mercedes seemed to agree with her silent comment.
"You're a show choir choreographer for teenagers," Mercedes reminded him. "Not Beyonce, so slow your roll." Liv made a sound of agreement next to her.
"We'd l-like you to choreograph for us." Tina stuttered and Liv raised an eyebrow at her.
"Look," Dakota said sitting back, mostly to show off the pretty blonde in his passenger seat. "My fee is eight thousand per number, plus a ten thousand dollar bonus if you place in the top three. And with Dakota Stanley at the wheel, you will place at the top three. " He assured them. "Move it." Then he sped off leaving the teens in the dust.
"You want to pay that prick eight thousand dollars?" Liv asked looking at her friend who looked worried.
"Where are we even going to get eight thousand dollars?" Mercedes asked and Liv sighed. 'I guess we're still hiring him.' She thought.
As it turned out, the Cheerio's were amazing fundraisers. Quinn had gone to Sue and asked to borrow the entire cheerleading squad for a Glee club car wash and she had said yes...or, at least, that's what she told her sister. She had also told Liv that Sue wouldn't give them the Cheerio's unless Liv put on the uniform that Quinn, Santana, Brittany and the rest of the Cheerio's would wear; a red skirt and bikini top, white knee high socks with two black stripes at the top and a pair of heeled navy vans. Liv hadn't questioned it since the Glee club really wanted Dakota, but she would've found that Quinn was lying if she had just gone to Sue.
"Can I get my car cleaned?" A voice asked before a set of keys dropped onto the table in front of Liv. She had been assigned to money collecting duty for the moment since Rachel had to run home and change out of her sweater and skirt.
"Sure." She said not looking up from her book. "Name?"
"Puckasaurus Rex." With a sigh, Liv dogeared the page she was on and set down her book before looking up at the Mohawked jock.
"Thirty bucks." She said holding out her hand and he grinned down at her.
"I'll give you forty if you have Santana and Brittany wash it." He said and Liv gave him a serious look.
"Forty will get you Artie and Tina. Brittany and Santana are gonna cost you double." Puck scoffed.
"You want me to pay eighty dollars to get my car washed?" Liv shook her head.
"No, getting you car washed only costs thirty." She told him. "The other fifty is for you being a pervert." Puck scowled, but forked over the eighty bucks. Liv put it in the lock-box before turning in her seat. "Hey!" She yelled. Brittany and Santana looked up from the car they were washing. "Puckerman bought you for eighty!-oh, Quinn!" Liv stopped a passing Cheerio and put him on money duty before running to catch up with her sister. "I need to talk to you."
Quinn looked worried. "Is something wrong?" She asked. "Are okay?" Liv nodded.
"Yeah." She said. "I just need some advice about..." Quinn looked at her.
"About what?" Liv honestly didn't want to tell her, but nobody else in the Glee club had ever had a boyfriend before so they wouldn't know what to do.
She looked past Quinn to where Hank was washing a small blue convertible with a few male Cheerio's, wearing a white wifebeater and a pair of red swimming trunks. One of them sprayed him with a hose and he ducked down, trying to escape the stream of water until it stopped. Now soaking wet, Hank pulled off his shirt and Liv looked away, hoping he hadn't caught her staring. Quinn turned to what Liv had been staring at and smile when she realized what was happening.
"You need advice about boys." She realized and Liv ran her hand through her blonde, wavy hair. "C'mon, tell me what happened."
"We were driving to Carmel High on Saturday." Liv said. "Before that Hank had been talking to dad, who thought that Hank was coming to pick me up for a date. One thing led to another and we end up talking about how neither of us would mind if we started dating."
Quinn spun her hand in a 'keep going' motion. "And?"
"And nothing!" Liv told her. "It got awkward and now I can't even talk to him. I don't know if he asked me out or if I'm imagining things..." She lifted her hand to her mouth and bit her thumbnail. "Maybe I should ask Finn."
"No." Quinn said immediately. "Boys are clueless when it comes to stuff like this. You were right to come to me. Here." She reached behind Liv and popped the thin rubber band that was holding the younger girls hair into a ponytail."
"What are you doing?" Liv asked as Quinn pulled some of the wavy blonde hair over her shoulders.
"Never mind that." Quinn told her. "What I want you to do is go over there and wash that car with him. He'll strike up a conversation and you'll talk back, then after a few minutes, I want you to ask him if he wants to go to the movies with Finn and me."
Liv raised an eyebrow. "I am not going on a group date with you and your marshmallow boyfriend." Quinn gave her a look.
"We're not going on a group date." She said. "You two will get to the movies and I'll call and make up some excuse as to why Finn and I can't go."
Liv was desperate not to go over there. "Why don't I get Finn to tell him?" She asked looking over at Hank. "He and Hank are on the football team. They're friends."
Quinn crossed her arms. "You want my marshmallow boyfriend to ask a boy out for you?" The look on Liv's face nearly made Quinn burst out laughing.
"When you put it like that..." Liv started towards Hank and the convertible, but jumped when Quinn slapped her on the butt.
"Go get'em tiger." Liv sent the blonde an unappreciative look before continuing her walk. Quinn sighed as Liv walked away. Brittany and Santana walked over to the elder sister, wondering what was going on. "They grow up so fast."
"Uh, uh, uh, uh-huh, uh, ah, uh, uh." Santana vocalized before Brittany took over.
"Uh, uh, uh, uh-huh, uh, ah, uh, uh-"
"Can't breath, can't sleep." Quinn sang as she watched her sister. "Crazy what you do to me. Head is smokin', feeling my heart is open. So hazy, but it's alright to take me to the dark side. Dangerous, but I'm fearless. Oh!"
"My eyes are blue, but I'm seein' red and I just can't get you out of my head." The three Cheerios sang putting their hands on the sides of their heads. "Maybe, maybe, maybe, maybe, maybe, maybe..."
"I'm a little bit love drunk." They continued at the three of them began to clap and more Cheerio's gathered in behind them to follow their lead as they jumped and clapped. "Ever get the feeling when you're miles away? Everybody's looking at me walking, stumbling, hardly talking, mumbling. Going red in the face, promise I've been drinkin' only lemonade, it's all the same. My hearts just on one about someone and I'm a little bit love drunk."
"Uh, uh, uh, uh-huh, uh, ah, uh, uh-"
"Feeling so hot," Santana took over taking Quinn's spot in the middle. "I'm taking your clothes off. Glasses steamed up, I'm dreaming that no one can see us. Lying underneath the stars. Jupiter hits on Mars and it hits me sooo hard..." She trailed off as Quinn stood in front of her and Brittany behind.
"My eyes are blue, but I'm seein' red and I just can't get you out of my head." Brittany gently took Santana's head while Santana took Quinn's and whipped them side to side. "Maybe, maybe, maybe, maybe, maybe, maybe..."
"I'm a little bit love drunk." The male and female Cheerios behind them partnered up and began dance/walking as they rushed after the three girls as they rushed toward where Liv was talking with Hank. It was if the two didn't even notice them. "Ever get the feeling when you're miles away? Everybody's looking at me walking, stumbling, hardly talking, mumbling. Going red in the face, promise I've been drinkin' only lemonade, it's all the same. My hearts just on one about someone and I'm a little bit love drunk."
"Trippin' out on the floor!" Santana, Quinn and Brittany sang as they linked arms and began a kick line and the Cheerios behind did the same. "Freaking out for sure! Still I need you more!"
"I'm a little bit love drunk!" The Cheerios behind sang.
"You knock me down with those eyes!" The three girls sang, still kicking. "And do it every time! Can't shake you out of my mind!"
"Just a little bit love drunk, head in the clouds." Brittany began sing/rapping as she broke apart from her friends. "And that will never be a hater that can bring us down. I've been slurring my words and I don't know what to say, but' it's a feeling that I believe in, never felt this way."
"And I swear, I don't even like Hennessy." Santana took over, putting her hands over her chest and shook her hips. "They call me love drunk, cause I'm far from tipsy."
"They call me love drunk, what are you doing to me?" Brittany sang.
"They call me love drunk, cause I'm far from tipsy!" Quinn took Brittany's hand and Brittany took Santana's before the three of them ran into the middle of the group of dancing Cheerios.
"My eyes are blue, but I'm seein' red and I just can't shake you out of my head." The extra Cheerios kneeled and put their heads down as the three in the middle sang. "I'm getting so hot that I'm getting cold. I'm all feverish and I'm about to blow. Maybe, maybe, maybe, maybe, maybe, maybe, maybe, maybe, maybe..."
"I'm a little bit love drunk." Th Cheerios jumped up and began their jumping and clapping motion. "Ever get the feeling when you're miles away? Everybody's looking at me walking, stumbling, hardly talking, mumbling. Going red in the face, promise I've been drinkin' only lemonade, it's all the same. My hearts just on one about someone and I'm a little bit love drunk."
"I'm a little bit love drunk."
"I'm a little bit love drunk."
"I'm a little bit love drunk."
"I'm a little bit love drunk-"
"My eyes are blue, but I'm seein' red..." Brittany and Santana chorused. "I'm a little bit love drunk."
The music ended and Quinn quickly shooed her friends and the other Cheerios away when she saw Liv heading their way. They all quickly dispersed, leaving Quinn by herself when Liv finally reached her.
"So?" Quinn asked. "What did he say?"
Liv bit the inside of her cheek and held in a grin when she realized how much her silence was killing Quinn. "He said..." She trailed off and Quinn gave a 'go on' motion. "...That he'll pick me up tomorrow night. We're going to see Avatar."
Quinn squealed and Liv's hands clamped over her own ears. "We need to go shopping, like, right now."
"I have plenty of clothes, Quinn." Liv reminded her and Quinn crossed her arms.
"You are not going on your first date wearing a ratty old sweater and a pair of jeans. You are wearing a dress if I have to tie you up and stuff you into one." Liv raised an eyebrow and crossed her own arms.
"You wanna bet?"
"Dad, it's not a date." Liv said as she looked out the front window for Hank's truck. He had said he would be there at eight twenty. The movie started at eight thirty and it was already eight eighteen. Liv honestly doubted the Sophomore would be coming.
"Then why are you wearing a dress?" Russel asked and crossed his arms and Liv looked down at the dress she wore; it was long, going down past her knees and the slightly flared out skirt was covered in vertical black and white stripes while the top of it was just white and a white cardigan that Quinn had lent her. The Cheerio had made good on her threat and called Santana and Brittany to hold Liv down while they pulled the dress over her head and did her hair and makeup.
"I've worn dresses before." Liv lied and Russel scoffed.
"Look at your hair." He said and Liv crossed her arms. Santana was, apparently, an expert in doing hair so Quinn had tasked her with doing Liv's which is why the fourteen year old was sporting a half up- half down hairstyle; a tight bun in the back of her head holding most of her hair while some of it was flowing down her shoulders, pin straight. Liv had nearly gotten a cramp in her thigh while Santana was straightening it.
"What?" Liv demanded. "I can't do my hair now? I can't put more than ten minutes time into making myself look pretty?" At that, Russel began to backtrack. While he did know what it was like, dealing with a teenage girl and her appearance, he didn't know that Liv had known what to say and how to say it to make him rethink his 'you're not going on a date' approach. He had also witnessed her ability to cry on cue, not that he knew her tears were fake. A flash briefly blinded the teenager and Liv blinked her eyes a couple of times. "Judy, would you stop taking pictures?!"
"I can't help it." She confessed lowing her camera. "You're going on your first date!"
"It's not a date!" Liv protested, but it fell on deaf ears.
"I took pictures for both Francine and Quinnie when they went on their first dates." Judy said. "I'm going to do the same for you."
"I thought this wasn't a date?" Russel asked and Liv put her hand on her forehead. Where was Quinn when Liv needed her?
As if sensing she was needed, Quinn came bouncing down the stairs with Santana and Brittany on her heels, all dressed in their Cheerio's uniform like they were most days. Liv dropped her hand from her face and walked over to the three with a 'Help me' look on her face.
"Quinn." She sighed. "Please tell dad that it's not a date." Hearing the pleading tone of her sisters' voice, Quinn turned to their father.
"Dad, Livy is not going on a date." She lied. "Finn and I wanted to see a movie and he invited Hank along, so I invited Liv along." Russel didn't look convinced.
"Then why didn't you invite your friends along?" He asked nodding his head at Brittany and Santana. Liv groaned and Santana stepped forward.
"Brittany and I have a Cheerios practice." She answered. "We're helping out the Cheerios who need a bit more help. It goes on from nine to midnight."
Russel looked surprised and Liv uncrossed her arms. "See?" She asked and sighed when Judy took yet another picture. "Judy!"
"That was the last one." She claimed holding up her hands. "Promise." Liv had a feeling that that was a lie, but never got the chance to open her mouth. Everyone's heads snapped towards the door when the bell sounded, but before Liv could even begin walking, Russel was opening the door.
"Hello, sir." Hank greeted. Quinn grimaced at his choice of outfit; a pair of slacks and a white button down, but it'd have to do for now. She realized that a suit probably wouldn't have gone over well considering he and Liv were going to the movies and Quinn was trying to convince her dad it wasn't a date. "I'm Liv's ride."
"Her ride?" Russel asked, still not believing that it wasn't a date. Liv rushed to the two men before pushing in front of her father.
"Dad, the movie starts in ten minutes." She claimed and pushed up on her toes before giving him a cheek. "Bye, Daddy." With that, Liv quickly grabbed Hank's arm and pulled him down the walkway. Russel turned back to Quinn.
"I thought you were going with them?" He asked and Quinn tried to think of an excuse.
"Finn's picking me up from the school." She lied and glanced at her friends who nodded before she looked back to her father. "I'm giving them a ride. We should go."
Once Quinn and her friends were gone, Russel closed the front door before turning to his wife who was looking at the pictures she took of Liv. "Quinn's not going with Liv, is she?" He asked and Judy shook her head.
"Mm-mm."
"Liv's going on a date, isn't she?"
"Mm-hm." Russel nodded.
"That's what I thought."
"How'd your date go?" Rachel asked as she mixed the cupcake batter in the large bowl.
It was now Wednesday. It had been four days since Liv and Hank's date, but she wouldn't talk about it. Everyone asked about it; Tina, Kurt, Mercedes and Rachel...multiple times, but neither Liv or Hank would talk. Santana and Brittany had asked a few times, but Liv figured they were asking for Quinn.
"It just did." Liv said just the timer on the island dinged and pulled open the door of the wall-oven open before taking out the pan of snicker-doodle cookies.
The two had been at Rachel's house all day baking for the bake sale which would be the last fundraiser for the Glee club. Both Mercedes and Tina had stopped by earlier to help out, but ended up quitting after Mercedes spilled cake batter on her new jacket. Now it was almost midnight and Liv and Rachel still had a lot of baking to do. Sue had once again lent out the services of her Cheerios, who would be manning booths and Rachel figured that popular cheerleaders would sell a lot more than loser Glee kids.
"It just did?" Rachel repeated as she stopped mixing and looked to her friend. "That's all you're gonna give me? Did you guys hold hands? Did you kiss? Are you boyfriend and girlfriend now?"
Liv gave Rachel a look as she used a spatula to pull the cookies off of the pan and onto a plate. "I'm not answering any of those questions. This isn't third grade, you don't become boyfriend and girlfriend after one date."
"So the date went well?"
"No."
"So it went bad?"
"No," Liv said before shaking her head. "Yes- No! Stop asking me these stupid questions. You sound like a Cosmo for twelve year olds."
Rachel continued mixing and looking down at the batter. "If you told me something I wouldn't have to ask." Liv just gave her a look before reaching for the plastic wrap, only to find that it was empty.
"I have to get more plastic wrap." She said as she headed to the pantry. "Let it go."
"Quinn, I need to talk to you." Rachel said, catching the blonde by surprise.
The Glee club members and every single Cheerio the school had were inside of the gym either at booths or walking around the gym with boxes of the desserts Rachel and Liv had spent the entire night making. Somehow, Sue had gotten Figgins to due the scheduled career fair two months earlier than it was supposed to be. She had claimed that it would be weird for people to just being standing around in the gym eating cupcake.
Quinn was manning a cupcake station by the Police Departments career booth when Rachel came up to her. "A bit busy, Berry." She said gesturing to the people waiting for their cupcakes before going back to serving. Casting the blonde an annoyed glance, Rachel took a pair of gloves from the box on the table before going to the other side of Quinn and helping pass out the cupcakes.
"It's about Liv." Rachel said, getting Quinn's attention, but neither stopped what they were doing. "I think something went wrong on her date with Hank."
"And why would you think that?" Quinn asked. "Did she tell you that?"
Rachel shook her head as she passed out another cupcake. "She won't talk to anyone about it and every time I ask, she gets defensive. I might be overreacting or blowing it all out of proportion, but I'm really worried."
"I'm sure it's nothing." Quinn said, but Rachel shook her head.
"If it was nothing, she would've told me- or you, or Tina or Kurt." She replied. "What if Hank hurt her?" Realizing that Rachel wasn't going to give up, Quinn sighed.
"Stay here." She ordered the brunette before pulling off her gloves. Rachel didn't even have time to question it before Quinn started off towards where Hank and Finn were passing out drinks. Finn smiled when he saw her approaching.
"Taking a break?" He asked and she shook her head.
"I have to get the rest of the cupcakes from my car," She lied. "But there's too many for me to carry by myself. Do you mind if I borrow Hank?" Hank raised an eyebrow, but didn't protest when Quinn dragged him away without waiting for an answer.
"The parking lot is the other way." Hank informed Quinn as she dragged him out int the hallway. Quinn ignored his words and pulled him into the janitors closet a few feet away. "We're not going to the parking lot,are we- Ow!" He exclaimed when Quinn pushed him into the wall. "Watch it, man hands."
"What did you do to my sister?" She asked and Hank raised an eyebrow, not knowing what she was talking about.
"Liv...?" He asked and Quinn rolled her eyes.
"No, Christina Aguilera- yes, Liv!" She exclaimed and flicked him on the forehead.
"Stop abusing me!"
"What did you do to Liv?" Quinn questioned again. "She won't talk to anyone about your date and now Berry is in my ear because she's worried that you hurt Liv. So, I'm going to ask again..." She stepped into his space. "What. Did you. Do. To. Liv?" She punctuated each word or two with a poke to his firm chest.
"Stop." He ordered and grabbed her hand. "I didn't do anything to Liv, I swear."
"Then why is she acting so...un-Liv?" Quinn asked. "Tell me everything, right now."
Dakota Stanley grimaced as he looked over the New Directions. This? This is what they gave him to work with? He should've mentioned that it cost double his normal rate to work a miracle.
Handing one of his binders to Tina, he held out another to Artie, only to pull it back before the wheelchair bound kid could take it and instead handed it to Mercedes.
"Okay," He began once all the binders were handed out. "Please examine your personalized menus. This is what you are going to be eating for the next month.
"Uh," Mercedes began. "Mine just says coffee." Dakota simply gave her a nod.
"What's smelt?" Rachel asked as Liv flipped open her own book from where she stood on the other side of Finn and next to Hank.
"A pungent, low-carb, fresh water fish." Rachel grimaced and Liv raised her own hand.
Dakota pointed at her. "Yes?"
"Mine says personality." Dakota nodded in confirmation as he stopped in front of her.
"Yes," He said. "You're gonna need a good one because you have nothing going on...here." He gestured to her chest and Liv immediately crossed her arms- regretting wearing a black tank top.
"Okay," He began. "Let's start with today's business; Artie, you're cut." Everyone looked surprised, but Artie seemed confused. "You're not trying hard enough."
"At what?" He questioned and Dakota gave him a look.
"At walking." Artie looked down and Liv immediately felt bad for him and whoever the hell birthed Dakota Stanley. "We can't be wheeling you around in every number, it throws off the whole dynamic...and it's depressing."
"What the hell?" Liv asked quietly, looking up at Finn who was just as concerned.
"So, you're kicking him out?" Mercedes demanded, stopping Dakota in his walk down of the line.
"Mm-hm." The short man confirmed and put his hands on his hips. "Also, you." He jabbed his thumb toward the door. "Yous gotta go, Effie." Mercedes mouth popped open and she looked ready to hit him.
"You can't kick people out because you don't like the way they look!" Kurt exclaimed and Dakota set his eyes on the Sophomore.
"Uh, why don't you shut your face gash and stay away from aerosol cans because you could burst into flames any second." Liv had enough.
"Okay, that's it!" She yelled as she broke out of line and stalked up to Dakota. "Who the hell do you think you are to insult us?" She demanded poking him in the chest. Hank realized that it must've been a habit both Fabray sisters got from their father. "We're paying you to help and teach us, not judge us and kick us out based on our weight, sexuality- which you have no business assuming- or our ability to walk, you overpriced, egotistical gremlin!"
They were shocked; all of them, especially Quinn. She knew Liv had a tendency to bottle everything up and let it all out at the last second, but she- nor anyone else- had been expecting that to come from her lanky frame. She had shocked everyone...
Except Dakota.
He simply looked bored with his arms crossed. "Are you done?" He asked sounding equally as bored as he looked. "Good, because now you're out. An outburst like that is ridiculously unprofessional and if you can't hide your emotions, how do you expect to be a performer?" He asked condescendingly. "Just by looking at you I can tell that you are a no talent, harpy voiced, little Lima Loser." He spat and Liv flinched. "Oh, are you gonna cry?" Dakota teased. "You have no consistancy; first your this macho big girl who wants to stand up for her no talent friends and now you're crying like a baby."
Rachel looked at Quinn, expecting her to do something, only to see that the blonde simply stood between her friends with an unfeeling mask on her face. 'How could she just stand by and let Dakota say these things to Liv?' Rachel thought.
"That's enough!" Finn yelled, breaking out of line and everyone looked to him. "You honestly think we're just gonna stand here and let you bag on us to make yourself feel good? Go find another Glee club to harass because I quit!"
"Me t-too." Tina stuttered. Mercedes tossed her binder onto the floor.
"Let's roll, Artie." She said taking hold of his wheelchair and pushing him towards Finn and Liv.
"Great!" Dakota exclaimed. "Great! You know; separate the weak from the chaff. That's perfect!" Tina put her arms around Liv and began ushering her towards the door, but Rachel called out to them all when Finn began to follow.
"Wait!" She called and they all, reluctantly, stopped and turned to face them. Looking from one face to another- Finn's pissed off one, Artie's ashamed one and Liv's teary eyes- Rachel knew exactly what she needed to do; She needed to think about something other than herself. "Barbara Streisand."
"...What?" Mercedes asked, not understanding. Not that any of them did.
"When Barbara was a young entrepreneur, everyone told her in order to be a star she'd have to get a nose job." Rachel turned to Dakota. "Thankfully, she refused."
"Where's this going, lentil?"
"Where it's going is that we don't nee you." She informed him before looking back to her friends. "Let's face it; We're never gonna be as good of dancers as Vocal Adrenalin. We're gonna win because...we're different and that's what makes us special."
"They told J-Lo her booty was to big." Mercedes offered as she went to stand with Rachel.
"Curtis Mayfield didn't become successful until he became paralyzed." Artie added in as he wheeled himself over with Tina and Kurt, leaving Liv and Finn alone at the door.
"Kristen Stewart is one of the most socially awkward celebrities and she's been in several critically acclaimed movies." Liv sniffed as she swiped at her eyes. Finn smiled.
"Jim Abbott." Finn added as he and Liv joined their friends.
"I have no idea who that is." Kurt admitted.
"He was a one armed pitcher for the Yankees." Finn informed everyone. "He pitched a no hitter."
"Misfits, socially awkward people with flat chest...what's your point?" Dakota asked and Rachel smiled at him as she walked to him.
"Our point is," She said. "You're fired." Rachel glanced down at Dakota Stanley who stood about three inches below her. "And I'm taller than you." Dakota rolled his eyes.
"Barely." He sighed. "Fine, I'll leave, but not before I get my money."
Liv scoffed. "Oh, that is so not happening." Shrugging, Dakota grabbed his bag from where it sat on the piano before leaving the room. Once he was gone, Rachel turned to her friends.
"We need to celebrate and we have eight thousand dollars to blow." She announced. "Let's go get some pizza!" Her friends whooped and hollered in agreement as they followed her out of the door, the three Cheerios silently going after them. Finn went to follow after, but was stopped by a small hand.
"Finn, wait." Turning back, Finn saw Liv looked up at him.
"What's up?"
"Thank you." She said. "For standing up for me, I mean. The last thing I wanted was for a guy half a foot shorter than me to make me cry in front of all my friends."
Finn gave her a smile and put his arm on her shoulder. "No problem. You might be my girlfriend's little sister, but you're also my friend. I wouldn't let anyone make you cry."
Giving him a grateful smile, Liv took one of Finn's hands and they left the choir room to catch up to their friends.
"So, tell me Finn." Liv began as they walked down the hall. "What do you like on your pizza?"
Finn hadn't mentioned the stage.
They were all at the pizza place; a family owned business that was halfway filled. The only place in Lima with food that was remotely edible was Breadstix and no one really wanted to miss the next week of school because of food poisoning so Finn had the brilliant idea of going to the next town over where he and the football team had eaten after one of their away games.
Finn, however, had forgotten to mention the stage where customers were free to perform if they so wished. Ever since they arrived, some member of the New Directions or another was on the stage singing their hearts out. The customers loved it though, which only encouraged hem all the more.
Liv was the only one who hadn't been on stage.
At the moment, she sat in a booth with Quinn, Finn and Tina while Mercedes and Santana sang Lady Gaga's Just Dance with most of the glee club and customers dancing in the small space provided near the stage. Tina was talking to Liv about her the paper she had due in Word History while they tried not to take notice of the fact that Quinn and Finn were making out right across from them.
Pulling away from her boyfriend, Quinn cleared her throat. "I'm gonna go to the bathroom, Tina come with me."
Tina wasn't good at being put on the spot. "I-I, uh- I don't n-need to go." Since they first time they met, Liv honestly thought that Tina's stutter was real.
"Not a request." Quinn left the booth and Tina looked at Liv who simply shrugged. She had no idea what her sister could want with the goth, but she guess that it wasn't threatening...probably.
It wasn't long after the two girls had gone that Finn cleared his own throat to get Liv's attention. "So," He began, once he had it. "How is everything going with you?" Liv shrugged. "Everything okay with school? Quinn...Hank?"
That's when Liv finally realized what was happening. Quinn hadn't left with Tina because she wanted a bathroom partner, she wanted Liv and Finn to be alone so he could get a few answers out of her.
"Really Finn?" Liv asked. "Quinn put you up to this, didn't she?"
"She's just worried." He defended quickly and Liv scoffed. "She told me what happened between you and Hank." Liv's eyebrows raised up.
"How did she even find out?" She demanded. "I did tell anybody and the only other person she could've found out from was-" Searching the room of the pizzeria with her eyes, they narrowed when they landed on Hank who was talking to Artie. "I'm gonna kill him."
"There's nothing to be embarrassed about." Finn claimed and Liv scoffed again. "I'm serious."
Liv pushed her bottle aside and leaned on the table with her crossed arms. "So, you're telling me that on your first date with Quinn, you tried to kiss her but she got nervous and threw up on you?" If one of his friends had been telling him that story, Finn would be laughing out loud, but he knew that would only drive Liv away and Quinn would kill him. Not to mention, Finn would feel like crap until Liv forgave him.
"No," He answered truthfully. "But I did end up spilling all of my Coke on her at the end of the movie. We were watching Kung Fu Panda..."
Quinn and Finn where both laughing lightly with the rest of the theater as they watch the animated panda, Po, keep the Dragon Scroll away from Shifu's evil kid, Tai Lung, through very humerus means. They laughed once again when both Po and Tai Lung were scrambling to climb a crumbling building, resulting in Tai Lung being hit with all the roofing tiles being sent back by Po's fumbling feet.
The laughs were, however, over when Tai Lung managed to hurt Po, leaving the panda in the center of a shallow crater they had created, as he went to get the Dragon Scroll. Seeing how Finn was reacting, Quinn was glad that they weren't the only teenagers in attendance.
That wasn't when the date hit a little snag. That came when Tai Lung hi Po, causing him to hit the leopard back, sending him flying through a stone wall.
Finn, who had been very interested in the plot, yelled out in glee with the rest of the theater. However, unlike the rest of the theater, Finn threw his hands up in the air and accidentally squeezed his cup a little too hard.
"FINN!" Quinn screeched as all of his soda rained down on her white dress and blue sweater.
Liv laughed out loud. She tried to cover her mouth to stop the laughs from coming out, but it didn't help.
"I'm sorry!" She laughed, clearing her throat as she tried to stop laughing. "I'm sorry! I don't mean to laugh."
"Don't be." Finn told her. "It was kind of funny...or, at least, the kids in front of us thought so. Anyway, at the end of our date, Quinn still gave me a kiss despite the fact that she was covered in sticky soda."
"Really?" Finn opened his mouth so say yes, but it wouldn't come out.
"Well, I'm sure she would have if her thirteen year old sister hadn't opened the door and thrown an empty box of Cheeze-Its at us." Liv scratched the back of her neck.
"Sorry about that." She apologized. "She ate the last of my Cheeze-Its and I was in a very bad place after binge watching two seasons of Supernatural to get ready for the season three premiere."
"What I'm trying to say is," Finn began, bringing them back to their original conversation. "So you did something embarrassing. Who doesn't? You just need to remember that this is your first date of many; so don't be afraid to have fun with it. Who cares if you do something embarrassing now and again? If Hank likes you, he'll put up with it."
Liv looked over at Hank who looked so happy and carefree. Was it possible that she was thinking too much about this? I mean, she did vomit on him, but he didn't seem to care.
Looking back to Finn, Liv grabbed his hand from across the table. "Thank you, Finn. You're a good friend." He smiled at her as she stood up and watched as she made her way over to Hank. Artie had enough sense to roll away when he saw that she wanted to talk to Hank.
"Hey," He greeted. "I thought you were avoiding m-" But he didn't get to finish as Liv had grabbed him by the shirt collar and pulled him down low enough before planting a kiss right on his lips. "...Me." He finished when she pulled away. Luckily, the two were far enough to the side so that no one was paying much attention to them.
"I'm sorry for throwing up on you." She apologized. "I just got nervous and then I spent the entire week overthinking it and..." She shook her head. "Can we restart, please?"
"Of course." Hank nodded before holding out his hand. "Hi," He greeted. "I'm Hank."
Liv decided to humor him and took his hand. "Liv." She reintroduced. "So, Hank. Would you like to sing a song with me?"
"I'd love to."
Liv and Hank made it to the stage just as Mercedes and Santana were walking down and they quickly climbed up the few steps before anyone else had a chance to jump on stage.
"Do you know the words?" Liv asked as Hank saw her choice in song.
"Who doesn't?" Liv grinned before passing him a microphone and pressing play on the karaoke machine.
"I miss the taste of a sweeter life." Hank started. "I miss the conversation. I'm searching for a song tonight. I'm changing all of the stations."
"I like to think that we had it all." Liv took over. "We drew a map to a better place- ooh-ah, but on that road I took a fall. Oh baby why did you run away?"
"I was there for you in your darkest times." The two sang. "I was there for you in your darkest nights."
"But I wonder where were you?" They sang with a little simple, dance when the beat got louder. "When I was at my worst, down on my knees and you said you had my back. So I wonder where were you? When all the roads you took came back to me! So I'm following the map that leads to you! The map that leads to you- Ain't nothing I can do! The map that leads to you- Following, following, following to you. The map that leads to you- Ain't nothing I can do! The map that leads to you- Following, following, following!"
"I hear your voice in my sleep at night." Liv sang as she walked down from the stage, Hank simply jumped straight off. "Hard to resist temptation, 'cause something strange has come over me and I can't get over you."
"No, I just can't get over you!" Hank sang back as Liv made her way over to one of the near by booths occupied by Brittany and Santana and sat on the table.
"I was there for you in your darkest times." The two sang as Hank ran through the dance floor where people were clapping along with the beat. "I was there for you in your darkest nights-"
"But I wonder where were you?" They sang when the beat got louder. "When I was at my worst, down on my knees and you said you had my back. So I wonder where were you? When all the roads you took came back to me! So I'm following the map that leads to you! The map that leads to you- Ain't nothing I can do! The map that leads to you- Following, following, following to you. The map that leads to you- Ain't nothing I can do! The map that leads to you- Following, following, following!"
No one in the restaurant noticed the figure standing near the front doors, watching the teenagers sing.
Will had only made the two hour drive to see his Glee club to tell them that he had reacted badly when Rachel had criticized his dance moves and that he should've stayed with the Glee club and been an adult about the situation, but watching them now dancing and singing inside the little pizzeria, Will realized that they had been just fine without him.
"Oh, I was there for you all in you darkest times." Hank sang as Liv, unabashedly, climbed onto the booth table.
"Oh, I was there for you in your darkest nights." She sang back as Hank made his way over to her table.
"Oh, I was there for you all in your darkest times."
"Oh, I was there for you..." Hank held his hand out and helped Liv jump down from the table as the tempo, once again, got louder.
"But I wonder where were you?" They sang and the rest of the Glee club didn't hesitate to join in. "When I was at my worst, down on my knees and you said you had my back. So I wonder where were you? When all the roads you took came back to me! So I'm following the map that leads to you!"
"The map that leads to you-" They all continued when Liv ran over to Artie and began pushing him in his chair around the restaurant. Neither the New Directions or the other customers hesitated before jumping into the improv dance line. "Ain't nothing I can do! The map that leads to you- Following, following, following to you. The map that leads to you- Ain't nothing I can do! The map that leads to you- Following, following, following!"
Everybody, including the staff, clapped after the song was over and Liv gave a very over dramatic bow in appreciation before she spotted Will at the door. Passing her microphone to Tina, Liv rushed over to her Spanish teacher.
"What are you doing here?" She asked, but she had a smile on her face so Will figured she wasn't mad.
"I came to apologize." He told her honestly and she raised an eyebrow. "I shouldn't have abandoned you guys like I did. I was wrong for that."
Liv shifted in her spot. "Well, I haven't exactly been around either." She reminded him. "So, how about we make a deal; I will show up more if you promise not to leave us again. I mean, if you hadn't noticed, we kinda need you."
Will smiled. "It's a deal."
"Now, c'mon." Liv took his hands. "We ordered, like, three hundred dollars worth of pizza and we're gonna need help getting rid of it."
It wasn't until two hours later that Will informed everyone that it was time to get home before their parents got worried. Liv and Quinn dropped Rachel, Brittany and Finn off at their respective homes before going to their own where Judy gave them a very long talk about responsibility and calling when they knew they wouldn't be hope until very late before letting them go upstairs.
Liv was in her room, once again trying to find the right combination of words for her song when she heard a small knock.
"Come in." She called and Quinn entered with two mugs in her hands. "Is that coffee?" Liv asked setting aside her guitar as Quinn used her foot to shut the door.
"Decaf." She confirmed before going over to the corner of the room and handing a mug to Liv. Quinn then sat down in the pod chair that sat facing the blue and purple bean bag chair Liv sat on. Quinn had always secretly loved Liv's pod chair; the blue inside was comfy and the white outside was covered in stickers, and magazine clippings.
Liv sipped at her coffee- it was sweet just how she liked it- before looking to her sister. "I saw you." She blurted out and Quinn looked confused. "With Puck."
Quinn got a panicked look on her face as she sat up. "Liv-"
"Don't worry." She interrupted. "I didn't tell Finn and I'm not going to. What you do is your business and I-" But Liv stopped when she saw Quinn's face. Her eyes were teary and downcast as her chest hitched. "Quinn? Quinn, what's wrong?" Quinn suddenly began sobbing softly and Liv immediately put her mug down before getting up. "Quinn?" Taking her cup, Liv put it on the small table next to the chair before taking her sisters hands. "Quinn, what's wrong." But she just shook her head. "Quinn, you're scaring me! What's wrong?!" Quinn said something, but Liv couldn't make it out over her sobs. "What? I can't understand you."
"I'm pregnant." She confessed and Liv froze. Had Quinn really say that she was...?
"It's Puck's?" Quinn nodded.
I didn't tell him, though." She said. "I'm going to tell Finn that it's his." Liv's eyes widened.
"Quinn!" She exclaimed lowly. "You can't tell him that! You have to tell Puck the truth!" Quinn shook her head. "I'm serious! This could change his entire life! You can't just let him believe that Puck's baby is his! You have to tell the truth!"
"No!" Quinn sobbed. "You can't tell him! You can't tell him that I cheated on him! He'd hate me! Please, Liv!"
"Okay, okay! I won't!" Liv said as she pulled her sister into a hug. "I won't tell him. I promise."
The two stayed like that for who knows how long with Quinn just crying and Liv trying to comfort her. What was she going to do? She had promised that she wouldn't tell Finn, but a baby was life changing. So, Liv had two options; The first was to keep her promise to Quinn and let Finn believe the baby was his and the second was to break Quinn's trust and tell Finn and Puck the truth.
What the hell were they going to do?