Chapter 10

Edit: I was missing the first verse of My Own Worst Enemy, so I fixed that with a few little edits here and there. Next chapter should be up soon, thanks for reading.

I sit taking notes as Uncle Will works with the Glee kids on some new dance steps. I would help him show them the steps, I mean I am supposed to be helping him run the club after all, but I suck at dancing. I would probably do more harm than good.

I look up when Rachel interrupts, she throws a worried glance towards Quinn and the other two cheerleaders before talking, "This choreography, it's all wrong. We can't compete against teams like Vocal Adrenaline with these steps. Sure, you're a great vocal coach but we need a professional choreographer. We need Dakota Stanley."

Uncle Will looks back at me and I raise my eyebrows at him. He shrugs before turning back to Rachel, "Just because he understudied doesn't mean he ever performed."

"Did you ever perform, Mr. Schuester? After high school, did you even try?" Quinn asks with a smug smirk playing on her lips.

I stand up, Santana and Quinn had been giving me crap all week, and I was sick of it. Now I had an excuse to wipe the grins off their faces. Now way they're going to insult my Uncle and get away with it. "As if you would know anything about real talent."

"I'm a cheerio, of course I do." Quinn retorts quickly.

"All that means is that you're a bitch, not that you have any skills whatsoever." I finish and she looks at me, mouth agape.

"That's enough," Uncle Will steps in before it can go any further. "Jessie, detention."

Wait, what? Seriously? He continues, "There will be no profanity in this room." I roll my eyes when Quinn gives me a triumphant smirk. I fight the urge to flip her off and sit back down. I stay silent for the rest of the practice.

When it's finally over Mercedes and Kurt come up to me. "Go girl, you told that twig-legged cheerleader what's what." Mercedes praises.

"I can't believe they're allowed to be in our club, they don't even care." I complain.

"I know, it's ridiculous" Kurt agrees.

I sigh as I remember that I have detention after school now. "Well, I guess I have to go to detention now. I'll see you tomorrow."

We say goodbye and I head over to the detention room with Uncle Will. "I can't believe you gave me detention." I mutter. "I was defending you."

"I know and I'm grateful, but the Glee club is barely standing and we can't risk parents keeping their kids from joining thinking that it's a bad environment." He explains and I groan, knowing he's right.

"Whatever, you're just lucky I have homework to do today."

JessJESSJESSJESSJESSJESSJESS

"Uncle Will!" I yell throughout the house. "There's three guys at the door asking for you!" I turn back to them, "Come on in." They walk in and I recognize one of them as the gym teacher at school. "So what are you guys doing here?"

"We're starting a band." One of them says, he has bandages wrapped around his hands.

"Well, more like a singing group," The gym coach adds.

"Hey guys," my Uncle announces.

They all walk into the living room, and the fact that there are snacks on the table makes sense now. "First we have to come up with a name, then I thought we could work on a few songs." My Uncle says.

I watch in amusement as they discuss before getting up when the doorbell rings. "Are you expecting someone else for this meeting?" I ask as I head to the door.

"Wait, no, don't answer it!" They shout but I'm already opening the door. A man stands there, though he recoils at the sight of me.

"Sorry Sandy, the bands too creepy with you in it." The rest of the guys call from the living room. Sandy quickly turns around and leaves, muttering something about not being allowed to be 50 feet near children. I frown as he walks away before I shrug and shut the door.

"Acafellas," Uncle Will announces happily. They must've been brainstorming while I answered the door.

They continue to practice but eventually they take a break, frustrated when they can't get one of the parts of their song right. "Hey," Uncle Will comes over to talk to me privately. "Do you wanna sing a song with me to help them see what I'm looking for? I don't know any other way to explain it to them."

"No, I really don't want to." I tell him.

"But you love to sing." He responds, confused.

"I just don't want to." I try to walk away but he stops me.

"No, tell me why." I just look at him. "Please?"

I sigh before slowly nodding my head. "I just, I don't know. It's probably stupid. I've only ever sung with you and my parents, plus that time when Mercedes and Kurt got me to sing in front of everyone else. It's one of the only things I have left that I did with mom and dad. It makes me feel close to them. I don't know if I want to share it. I guess that's why I didn't want to join Glee."

Uncle Will hugs me before replying. "Jessie, the important thing when you sing is how it can express what you feel and how it helps you connect with people. I know that Katie and your dad loved to hear you sing and they would want you to share it. Just because you sing to and with other people doesn't make the moments you shared with them any less special. Keep singing for them."

"Thanks," I whisper and he hugs me again before kissing the top of my head. I sigh and end up smiling, "Alright, let's go before I change my mind."

Uncle Will grins and runs off to gather up the rest of the guys. "What do you want now Will? I don't think this is going to work out." One of them says.

"And we're here to show you how it's done." I say as I walk up.

"Cocky much?" One of them teases. I smirk.

"Hit it,"

(My own worst enemy: Lit)

Can we forget about the things I said when I was drunk
I didn't mean to call you that
I can't remember what was said or what you threw at me
Please tell me

Please tell me why
My car is in the front yard and I'm
Sleeping with my clothes on
Came in through the window last night
And you're gone
Gone

It's no surprise to me
I am my own worst enemy
Cause every now and then I kick the living shit out of me
The smoke alarm is going off and there's a cigarette
Still burning

Please tell me why
My car is in the front yard
And I'm sleeping with my clothes on
Came in through the window last night
And you're gone
Gone

Please tell me why
My car is in the front yard and I'm
Sleeping with my clothes on
Came in through the window last night
It's no surprise to me I am my own worst enemy
Cause every now and then I kick the living shit out of me
Can we forget about the things I said when I was drunk
I didn't mean to call you that

Uncle Will and I stop together, breathless. I smile when I hear the cheers coming from our mini audience. I forgot how much I liked singing for people, of course when I'm not on a stage. Maybe my uncle was right.

Now that they were in good spirits the guys came together and worked on their moves when they could. I tried to help, though I was the example of what not to do most of the time. I couldn't care less, I was laughing just as much as everyone else at my terrible dance skills.

Before long it was time for their first gig.

I walked in with Aunt Terri, but when I saw Ms. Pillsbury sitting in front of us I invited her to sit with us. Aunt Terri glared at me before shooing me away, so I joined Ms. Pillsbury instead. "Hey," I greeted as I sat down next to her.

"I'm not here to see Will, of course not. I'm here for my boyfriend Ken Tanaka." She rushed. I laughed and cut off her rambling.

"Ok, I believe you." I reassure her and she smiles nervously before looking back to the stage as Uncle Will and his group start to sing Poison. The crowd applauds when they finish, myself included. They head into the crowd to talk with their new fans. I go to the bathroom before coming out and heading back to where my grandparents had set up a little stand to sell CD's.

I walk up to see my grandpa standing at the stand alone. "Hey," I announce as I walk up to him.

He jumps, "Oh, I didn't see you there," He says nervously, glancing to the side. I follow his gaze and I see Uncle Will and Grandma speaking in hushed tones. "Wait," My grandpa pleads as I head towards the two. Something was going on and I was going to find out.

"-to tell her about the trial" My grandma says.

"She's already in a fragile state without having her parent's deaths dragged up again." Uncle Will hisses back.

"What?" I ask, confused, as I walk up.

They both stare at me in shock. "How long were you standing there?" Uncle Will asks.

"Long enough," I answer. "What's going on?"

My grandma gives him a look and then gives me a hug before walking over to join my grandpa. Her hug was meant to reassure me, but it does the opposite. She wouldn't need to comfort me unless there was something that would hurt me.

"You know the police caught the drunk driver who crashed into Katie and your dad." I nod, I hadn't read the article Lily had sent me but I still hadn't opened the e-mail. "Well, he's currently on trial, being charged with 2 counts of vehicular manslaughter."

I stiffen, not sure how I should feel. I stay silent and my Uncle fills the silence. "I'm going to drive down next week to testify, I wasn't going to make you come but your grandma didn't want to keep anything from you." I nod again, still numb. Then anger boils through me. Anger and hatred for the man who killed my parents, who ruined my life. I shut my eyes and clench my fists, breathing deeply and waiting until it passes, but it just fades and I can still feel it burning in the back of my mind.

I open my eyes and look back at Uncle Will, whose concern is conveyed plainly on his face. "I don't want to go to the trial, but I do want to go with you." I tell him, thinking of seeing Lily again. Trying not to think of the graves I would be visiting, standing boldly out of the ground proclaiming their deaths.

Will softly says ok and hugs me. When I finally let go he keeps him arm wrapped around me and leads me over to my grandparents. It's hard to feel happy about their show now, and I know my family feels the same. We quickly head home, eager to end the night, and I'm still thinking of what my uncle said. I open up my laptop and my mouse hovers over the e-mail Lily sent me. I finally force myself to click it, but before it can load entirely I close the window and shut my laptop.

I can't help feeling like a coward. They're just words and whether I read them or not they'll still be true. And yet I can't do it.

I sigh and think of what my Uncle had said earlier this week. That I should sing to remember my parents, and I feel the smallest bit hopeful, that somehow it'll be okay eventually. Someday I'll be able to open the e-mail. I can only wait and hope.