Rachel Berry, Meet Your Sister: Chapter FOUR
Disclaimer: I do not own Glee, or any of the Glee verse. I do, however, own my OC character so ask before you take. (Seriously, just ask. I'll be flattered.) Please enjoy.
Finally, it's time to go home and, after placing a celebratory sticker on Brittany's notebook for her first successful day of tutoring, I race out of the room to meet Rachel at the car. She is standing there (thankfully in the same clothes I saw earlier – she hadn't been slushied!) waiting for me, but didn't have her bag.
"Are you okay? Did someone take your stuff or something?" She smiles and shakes her head no.
"Nothing like that. I was fairly sure that you would forget about this." I frown at her – forget about what? She laughs. "I have Glee this afternoon." She smiles when I slap my head and groan. I slap my head because who could forget that she's a part of Glee? It's just the thing she talks about 24/7. I groan because I remember that she wants to introduce me to her friends. I had successfully avoided them all day today with the excuse that I didn't know my way around school and kept getting lost but now I had no where to run. I vaguely realised that my left hand was frantically tapping against my thigh when Rachel grabbed it gently.
"They'll love you, I promise." She smiles widely. "Plus, I want you to meet my boyfriend." I stand up straighter and narrow my eyes, crossing my arms. She gulps because I let an evil smile grace my lips.
"Mr. Tall Handsome and Athletic?" It was a deviation of the traditional 'tall, dark and handsome' but apparently worked for Rachel because she was visibly swooning at the thought of her man. She nods and I uncross my arms, grab her hand and drag her back the school. "What are you waiting for then? Let's go." She laughs and wraps her arm around my waist, pulling my arm across her shoulders. I freeze for a moment, tensing, but relax and squeeze her shoulders.
She hesitates outside a door and I can hear muffled voices. I raise a brow and wait for her to talk to me as she so painfully wishes to do so. "Please be nice." I feel my jaw drop. Nice? Of course I'll be nice – these are Rachel's friends. I just nod and she smiles tightly before opening the door.
"Rachel!" The teacher immediately turns to my sister (I love that! My sister…) and frowns. "You're late." I tense at his rude tone – what was it with teachers at this place and not being able to at least pretend to be nice? Rachel nudges me with her elbow and I make myself smile, vowing to berate him later for his obvious lack of professionalism and assholeness (and yes, that is now a real word).
"Sorry Mr. Schue." she began, obviously feeling guilty that he was upset with her, but I smoothly interject before she can say anything else.
"My fault sir. I distracted the little star." I smile at him – die, curly-haired man! – and Rachel turns to me gratefully. He beams and I narrowed my eyes. Hopefully I have recently gained the power of death lasers in my eyes…when it becomes apparent that I haven't, I square my shoulders and tense because I really don't like him but force myself to relax. Rachel loves Glee. Do not screw this up for her! Rachel is bounding into the center of the room and I tae the time to send one last death glare at the teacher. Thankfully he doesn't see it because I don't want to have to explain to Rachel that he makes me nervous with his smiles and his happiness. Instead, I slide back to lean against the wall (read: hide in the corner) and watch the rest of the Gleeks.
To my surprise, the Trio from before are sitting up the back. Quinn is reading, Santana is painting her nails, and Brittany seems to be staring at the ceiling. I move on. There's a supremely gay boy sitting next to an equally gay, if slightly more masculine, boy who is talking to a brightly dressed 'Sweet Chocolate' girl (as I hear a mohawked boy call her). An Asian couple are making goo-goo eyes at each other while a boy in a wheelchair is talking to a giant of a boy who is banging on the drum set. I wince – who had the bright idea of teaching him to do that? I shake myself out of my thoughts when Rach stamps her foot to get everyone's attention.
"Everyone! I would like to introduce you to someone very special." She turns to look for me and I let her tug me forward.
"Oh hell no!" I smirk at Santana because this must really suck for her. She must think I'm stalking her now.
"I will assume that you are already acquainted then, Santana? For the rest of you, it is my great pleasure to present to you Jo Corcoran." She pauses for a tiny moment before saying, "my very good friend." I fix a smile on my face and ignore the tightening in my chest, smiling at the others.
Of course she wouldn't introduce you as her sister. You suddenly arrive in her life and think she'll change everything for you? Aren't you Little Miss Ego today? I sigh. I hate my inner bitch. Why on earth would she introduce you to her best friends when, for all she knows, you might be gone next week? It's a good thing that she's at least acknowledging you. You are lucky she even wants to do that! I stop myself from nodding in agreement when I realise that everyone's staring at me. I'd been zoned out for a while, apparently. Santana laughs brashly and I blush, turning to Rachel.
"Mr. Schuester asked you to sing something for us." I dig my hands into the pocket of my jeans and shake my head no.
"I don't sing." Rachel widens her eyes, aghast.
"But you have perfect pitch and such good taste in music and an innate musical talent! What a waste!" She seems to be trying to talk but the words are stopping in her throat and she's just opening and closing her mouth. She holds up a hand and takes a deep breath. "Excuse me while I storm out in outrage. I'll be back in a few minutes." I nod easily. She's done this a couple of times at home. While she's gone I consider informing her that I can sing, but choose not to, but disregard it immediately. She'd have me singing before the end of the week.
"I must inform you that this is a performing club. You can't join if you don't audition." Rachel is returns at that moment and laughs. I smile at her but wipe it from my face before I turn back to the teacher. That smile is not for him. I don't like him.
"I'm not here to join. I've already graduated. I'm here to support Rach and," I look over to her because we haven't discussed this, "maybe join as an advisor?" Before Schuester could speak, Santana groaned.
"Okay, let me just say this. No. Absolutely not. Berry managed to buy herself a pet monkey, go her. But do not let her become an 'advisor' or she'll be crapping Broadway out her arse and lobbing it at us." Brittany chuckles at the image and I frown. I guess being in Glee doesn't make Santana Rachel's friend.
Gay boy speaks up. "It's true Mr. Schue. This new girl will support every little whim of Rachels and every storm out. Were you asleep before? She let Rachel storm out happily! Then she'll give every solo to her as well. We can't trust her and give Rachel all the power here." I watch as almost everyone nods at his words and/or glares at Rachel. I feel my hackles (hypothetical hackles, that is) rise.
"You lied to me Rach." I lean down and whisper in her ear. "These people aren't your friends. They're assholes." Her shoulders slump. "Your boyfriend late or something?" She shakes her head slowly and points towards the monkey boy sitting by the drums. My eyes widen and, surprised, I laugh out loud. "You can't be serious."
"Something you want to share" My head snaps up and I stare at Sweet Chocolate. I smile easily and flick the ON switch for my bitch to come out and play.
"Oh, not really. I was just telling Rachel that she must be honestly deluded if she think I'm going to advise you guys." Everyone smiles triumphantly at Rachel who slumps even more if possible. "I mean, why would I share the knowledge and expertise I've gained from living in New York, having a vocal coach as a mother, and assisting in the musical threatre program for youths since I was seven." I can see the flicker of surprise and excitement flicker over Gay Boy's face. Gay Boy seemed sceptical, until he took a look over my clothes. They were plain jeans and a jacket, but I knew that he could tell that they were expensive and well made. It seemed to convince him because suddenly he couldn't speak fast enough.
"We would absolutely love to have your expertise!" Gay Boy stood and made as if to touch me so I glared him back to his seat. "Obviously, you know all about what it takes to win so Rachel wouldn't get all of the solos and our choreography could be improved which I'm sure you know all about. Wow, I'm thrilled to have you here! You don't have to stand with Rachel" he waved at his friend with a 'move Mercedes!' and smiled up at me. "Come sit with us. Rachel is lacking in some areas of the social network here at McKinley, as well as the clothing area so we'd be delighted to take you shopping and to assist you at school." I gape at him. Did 'good friend of Rachel's' really mean 'you should insult her to my face'? Did that really seem like the best way to go about keeping me here?
"I would give every solo to Rachel because she deserves it and works for it. I'm also seeing a distinct lack of talent in this room." Gay Boys face falls and he shoots a glare at Rachel. "As it stands, an advisor doesn't make those decisions. They advise," I drawl. "I would be here to advise and watch and support." Almost immediately there was a unanimous head nodding and Schuester was watching it dazedly.
"Well!" He claps his hands. I hate him already. "I guess you're the new Glee advisor. Welcome."
"Yes, welcome." Santana sneers from the corner. Brittany waves and I smile at her, even when Santana frowns and takes her hand. Quinn doesn't look up from her book and I realise that she hadn't taken part in the conversation at all. I've no time to think about it however, because Gay Boy – whose name I find out is Kurt – is lounging in his seat and questioning Rachel.
"So how long have you and your friend," he says that with a touch of awe and derision (derision because I'm her friend? I will punch that boy in the nose some time soon) "been hanging out together?" His finger does a little wiggle between us and I frown at him.
"About three weeks." I answer for Rachel. "I'm living with her while I tutor at McKinley." His jaw drops and his eyes bulge.
"Three weeks?" I nod. "I'm impressed. How have you possibly survived that long without trying to strangle her?" He laughs and Sweet Chocolate ( I think I'm going to rename her Chocolate bitch…) joins him. I take a deep breath to calm myself, which obviously doesn't work because Kurt now looks like he's about to wet himself.
"Rachel is a really great person and I am thrilled to know her. I am really enjoying living with her." I'm almost growling the words but I don't care. I wish that I could turn green and smash things but apparently its illegal and I don't want to get arrested on the first day for damaging school property and murder. Maybe on the second day…
"Well I think it's great that Rachel has a friend." Bumbling giant monkey boy stands and hugs Rachel tightly before giving her a chaste kiss. I fight the urge to punch him in the nose because 1) I don't think I could reach and 2) Rachel is positively beaming now.
"Finn, I would like to introduce you to my very good friend Jo. Jo, this is my boyfriend Finn." The tightening in my chest has returned at the reminder that at school I am not her sister, but she's directing her megawatt grin at me and I smile. My eyes, however, are screaming something along the lines of this idiot? What could possibly possess you to date him? He puffs himself up and extends a hand towards me.
"Finn Hudson, quarterback." I nod. Of course, popularity. Doesn't seem to be doing much for her though – slushies, no friends, and he doesn't even stand up for her when the Gleeks are picking on her. I ignore his hand for a moment, much like I'm ignoring the 'be nice' pleading coming from Rachel's eyes, and look him up and down slowly. I get the 'Tall', but handsome and athletic? He looks like the Michelin Man made of marshmallows. I take his hand very, very slowly and smile.
"Jo Corcoran. Rachel's friend." I force the words out and I notice that she does look a little guilty. I give her a little reassuring smile because I'm not angry with her, really! I'm not. I was just disappointed. I retract my hand and wipe it on my jeans and turn away. Mr. Schuester is getting them all to sit down and Rachel is next to Finn and I don't want to sit with Kurt and Chocolate Bitch. Brittany is bouncing in her seat and patting the one next to her, so I take it gratefully. She grabs my hand and squeezes it gently, nudging me with her shoulder. I smile at her and nod, which makes Santana yank Brittany away and hold both of her hands. I smile (ah, young love…) and settle into my seat. I have the feeling that it's going to be a long afternoon and I sigh. Bring it on universe. Do your worst.
So that was Chapter Four. Tell me what you thought, ask questions, say hi, tell me if you want me to include something in the story (I will tell you now that ducks will be making an appearance, just for Brittany fans) and anything else you'd like to say. Hope you enjoyed it, I hope to have the next chapter up soon – it will include a fight. Guess who? Have a great day :)