A/N: Thank you for all of your wonderful reviews! They honestly make my day. Anyhoo, hope you enjoy this!
Chapter Ten
"What are we doing tonight?" Megan asked, striding into Rachel's room without even a knock. Rachel smirked, glancing up from her book.
"I don't know about you, but I'm staying in."
Megan looked at her book and shot her a disgusted look. "Rach, there are only so many times you can read that Barbra Streisand biography before I officially label you as weird."
"It's research for my future success," Rachel returned easily.
"Yeah, well, how about we go out and make some memories to go into your own biography. No one is going to want to read about the early Rachel Berry years where all she did was sit and read books on Saturday nights. Why? Because it is boring. And sort of depressing."
"Megan-"
"Come on, you have to come out!" Megan said, dramatically dropping onto Rachel's bed, her hands noisily hitting the mattress. "It is my job to make sure you make the most out of your time at NYADA!"
"And how did you get that unfortunate job?"
Megan shot her a look. "I became your friend. I know, I wish someone would have warned me first, too. But, the damage is already done. Let's make the most of it, yeah? Besides, we have something really fun planned for tonight."
Rachel took the bait and asked, "What are these grand plans?"
"Karaoke."
As clichéd as it was for performing arts students to go out and do karaoke, it actually intrigued Rachel. She always loved karaoke. Her parents bought her very first karaoke machine when she was five, and she had been smitten ever since. She used to buy all of those cheesy tapes from infomercials and keep her parents up with her raucous singing.
"Alright, I'll go," Rachel said, closing her book.
Megan looked unconvinced and said, "Really? You are swayed that easily?"
"When karaoke is involved, yes."
Megan nodded appreciatively. "Hm, I'll have to remember that."
"So, what should I wear?"
"Whatever," Megan said dismissively, picking up the Streisand biography and flipping through to look at the pictures. Rachel knew better than to trust her friend's flippant reponse, having been on the receiving end of too many outfit-related-diatribes when she came out of her dorm room in something that Megan did not deem appropriate for whatever activity was on the agenda. She picked out an outfit and showed it to Megan before she put it on. Megan tilted her head to the side and said, "Love the skirt. Hate the shirt."
Rachel shook her head, not at all surprised by the last comment, and grabbed another shirt. She showed it to Megan and the girl's eyes lit up.
"That is it, Berry!" Megan enthused. "Put it on!"
Rachel changed quickly, putting on a touch of make-up before turning toward Megan and telling her she was ready. Megan closed the book, shaking her head as she said, "Babs had some really unfortunate hair styles."
"It was the 70's," Rachel replied. Megan nodded, that utterance enough of a reason. Together they headed out to meet their other friends. Rachel told herself she would not look for Jesse, but her eyes sought him in the crowd regardless. She smiled when she spotted him in the back.
"You got roped into this, too?" a girl, Tracy, beside her asked. Rachel grinned, meeting Jesse's eyes. "No rope is necessary to get me to karaoke."
"So, Rachel, will you save me a duet?" Jesse asked as they made their way out of the dormitory.
"Do you even have to ask?"
He laughed. "I guess the real question is whether or not you'll let me choose the song."
"Let me solve this problem for you right here and do the song choosing for both of you," Megan cut in, joining them. "Because, let's face it, otherwise we'll be stuck listening to some showtune. And as much as I love showtunes, they have no place at karaoke night."
Rachel and Jesse exchanged a look, both of them trying not to laugh. This did not go unnoticed by Megan, and she said, "Exchange all the looks you want, kiddos, song choice is mine!"
"Fine," Rachel relented. "Do we at least hold some veto power?"
"Nope," Megan returned happily.
Rachel sighed. "Fine. But I refuse to sing any Sonny and Cher."
"And I don't rap," Jesse added.
Megan shook her head, looking between the two of them. "You guys are way too picky. But don't you worry. I will find you guys the perfect song."
The group grabbed one of the larger tables at the lounge, ordering pitchers of coke and some French fries for the table. Roger sat next to Rachel and gave her a casual smile, which she returned. He had been really understanding when she told him about Finn and how she wasn't ready for a new relationship. She expected some sort of indignant response, but he instead surprised her by saying that he completely understood, and if she ever needed to talk he was a willing listener. From there they developed a natural friendship.
One of their friends went up to the microphone and the beginning notes of an Alanis Morisette song began to play. Roger winced and said, "Why do I have a feeling this is going to painful?"
"She's not a vocal performance major," Rachel reasoned. "So the odds are fairly high."
"Promise me you won't sing any Alanis tonight. It is much too clichéd."
She grinned. "I promise. That's not really my style, anyway."
"What is your style? A little Broadway? A splash of Big Band?"
She laughed, tucking a strand of hair behind her ears. "That actually does sound a lot like me. For karaoke, though, I like to break out the big 90s hits."
"90s hits, huh?"
She nodded, putting on a serious face as she listed off, "Britney Spears, is a must. And then Christina Aguilera, because you can't have a 90s list without her. Then some boy band action. Weird Al."
Roger laughed. "Weird Al? Please, go sing a Weird Al song up there. No one will be able to top that."
She laughed, shaking her head. "I don't know if this crowd can handle Weird Al."
"Megan is beckoning us," Jesse said, coming up behind her. He offered Roger a tight smile. Despite him knowing that Roger and Rachel were strictly friends, he still wasn't overly fond of the guy.
"Has she chosen her song of doom?" Rachel asked, giving Roger a small wave and following Jesse to the front.
"Song of doom?"
"You know that there was a reason behind her choosing our song," Rachel said. "It's going to be really bad. Or really embarrassing."
"You have a point," Jesse said, rubbing his chin. "Make the best of it?"
"You know me. I roll with the punches."
Jesse snorted. "Sure. That's you. Roll-With-The-Punches-Berry."
"I'm going to ignore that sarcasm and assume that you are being completely genuine there," Rachel said with a grin. "Now, it's time to face the music. Literally."
They came up to Megan who looked far too satisfied with her song choice.
"What'd you choose?" Rachel asked.
"You'll see."
"What do you mean, 'you'll see'?" Rachel asked, planting her hands on her hips. "You don't mean…"
Megan grinned. "That is exactly what I mean! The song will be a surprise!"
"But-"
"Come on, Rachel," Jesse said, putting his hands on her shoulders and guiding her toward the stage. "Two professionals like us can handle a bit of a surprise."
"What if I don't know the song?" Rachel asked, feeling her nerves pulled taut like a violin string. This wasn't right. Karaoke was not supposed to make her nervous.
"You know the song," Megan said, overhearing her comment. "It's actually one of your favorites."
"It is?"
Megan nodded. "Yeah. You've woken us up with it nearly every morning while you've showerd this week. Thanks for that, by the way."
Jesse laughed. "See, you have nothing to worry about."
He was wrong. Rachel had been stuck on one song for the past week, and that was definitely not a song she wanted to sing with Jesse St. James. She only nodded, taking a deep breath as she told herself that everything would be okay. It was only a song. She told herself that over and over. It was only a song.
The song began, and she noticed Jesse's jaw tense when he saw what Megan had chosen. You still think there's nothing to worry about, buddy, she thought. He was visibly uncomfortable when he sang the first verse.
I want to watch you undress
I want watch you glow
Let your hair down
All around and cover us both
You come in waves
We crash and we roll
You surround me
Pull me
Drown me then swallow me whole
Even after all this time, when she started in on the chorus with him, the sound of their voices comingling made her stomach twist. She stared at the monitor, not daring to look at him.
You turn, turn, turn
Turning me on
Like a slow fire burn
I know that it's wrong
Still I run, run, run
Run right into you
Yeah, I run, run, run
Run right into you
Her verse came and she found herself thinking about the kiss as she caressed the words. Without meaning to she glanced over at him, heart slamming against her chest when his eyes met hers.
You pull me in close
Buckle my knees
I shake and I shift just to feel you breathe
You trace my lines
Stir in my soul
Shoot sparks at the heart of the world
And I watch it explode
The entire room seemed to fall away, except for them on that stage, singing aloud what they would never readily admit. Rachel knew exactly why Megan chose this song, and she was powerless to its effect. Jesse stepped closer and she turned toward him, unable to resist placing a hand on his chest as his free hand found the curve of her waist.
You turn, turn, turn
Turning me on
Like a slow fire burn
I know that it's wrong
Still I run, run, run
Run right into you
Yeah, I run, run, run
Run right into you
They were still wrapped up in each other when the song ended, so much so that they didn't move until Megan bound up on stage and tapped Rachel on the shoulder.
"I think you guys put on enough of a show," Megan teased, pulling Rachel off the stage, Jesse following. Rachel ran a hand through her hair, heart beating madly. She felt as if she couldn't breathe, not without his hand on her waist and face inches from hers.
"Meg, I need to get some fresh air," she said quickly. "A little too much excitement for me up there."
Megan grinned wickedly. "I noticed."
"Shut up."
Jesse was already back at the table, pouring himself a glass of coke, when she went outside. She leaned against the brick building, trying to catch her breath. What the hell happened up there? They were doing so well with the only being friends and then the moment they sang together she was overridden with impulses that went even beyond what happened in her bedroom. The door opened and Jesse settled beside her against the wall.
"You okay?"
"I just got a little overheated," she lied.
"Yeah," he said, resting his heel against the wall. "Me too."
He glanced over at her and she gazed at his face, lips parting slightly. "Jesse?"
"Yeah."
"I think one of us should be pulling our earlobe right now."
"You're right," he said, turning away and leaning his head against the wall as she had earlier.
"I'm sorry," she mumbled, kicking a few loose rocks with the toe of her shoe.
"No, you're right," he said. "This is the, uh, mature thing to do. The adult thing."
"Right," she said. "And what are we, if not near-adults?"
"Exactly," he said. He pushed off the wall and offered her his hand. "So, ready to head back in? If we stay out here any longer we won't be able to convince Megan that all we did was talk."
Rachel laughed and took his hand. "You're right. But, I think it's fair to say we are never letting Megan choose a duet again."
Jesse grinned. "Yep. Never again."
A/N: I'd love to hear your thoughts!