Chapter 10
AN: This is quite a short, fluffy chapter which basically sets up the events for next chapter. Enjoy!
Bev: Some of the characters (like Quinn) are a bit OOC and Quinn is (while mean for a while) starting to be much kinder to Rachel.
Rachel was back to performing now, although she continued to help tutor Quinn whilst Quinn tutored her, and she also kept babysitting Katy and helping Judy out with the housework. It had actually been nice to discover new hobbies- she'd found out that she really enjoyed cooking while she was helping Judy, so she'd joined the school's cookery club. She'd also discovered that she enjoyed politics, so she'd decided to go for a position in the senior class government, not that she'd get it, it was basically a popularity contest, but she did it anyway.
It turned out that Blaine was running, so Rachel asked to be his vice principal seeing as she had so many other clubs, and he agreed. The two of them were working on posters with Blaine's boyfriend Kurt (their campaign manager) in Puck's old room that was now Rachel's when Quinn burst in.
Covering the posters with her body, Rachel screamed "spy!" And pointed at the blonde girl who they knew was also running for president (Santana was her vice and Brittany was her campaign manager).
Quinn raised her hands in mock surrender and said that she just wanted Kurt's advice for what to wear to Breadstix that afternoon- Sam had asked her to meet her there but she was confused as to whether it was to get back together or just as friends, as they'd broken up- smart or casual.
"I can help with that!" Blaine protested and Rachel agreed that she could as well, but Kurt kissed his boyfriend, whispering something to him, stuck his tongue out at his friend and then followed Quinn to her room.
As they continued with the posters, Blaine suddenly looked over at Rachel's blank one and frowned. "Why were you so upset about Quinn seeing that? There's nothing on it!"
Rachel rolled her eyes but didn't say anything.
~~Life With Rachel~~
Should she do it? Rachel already had a lot on her plate but she needed everything she could get if she and Blaine were to get into NYADA together. She took a deep breath and made a snap decision, scribbling her name down on the sheet.
~~Life With Rachel~~
"Hi, I'm Rachel Berry." Rachel announced as she stood on the stage.
Artie exchanged a look of amusement with Ms Pillsbury and Coach Bieste. "We know your name, thanks, Rachel." He said, stifling his snickers. "So, what role will you be auditioning for?" He asked, although he had a good idea of which part she'd want.
"Maria, of course." Rachel confirmed. "I can connect to her emotional depth, and it's my destiny that I will play her on Broadway in the future so this should be good practise." Artie nodded and told her to go ahead.
Rachel had been planning her audition for the musical for a while now. Originally, she was going to sing 'I Feel Pretty', but when she saw Quinn's name on the signup sheet and heard her singing the song, Rachel decided against it. Later that day, she was sat in her car playing her Broadway shuffle playlist in hope of a song to sing for her audition, but none seemed right. Then a new song began and Rachel had a flashback.
It was of her, Puck and Blaine in the car with their mother and father. It was summer vacation and they were coming home from Walt Disney World in Florida but they were visiting some of Shelby's relatives. Shelby was playing a CD and 'Somewhere' came on. She sang along and smiled at the five year old twins, getting them to sing along too, even Puck was humming although he was seven and 'too cool' for such music. That day had been great- the family of five had driven to a play area and had fun there for a good two hours- then Puck, Blaine and Rachel's parents had gotten them ice-cream and they'd eaten it on the seaside. Finally they'd driven to their grandparents' house and stayed there overnight.
Rachel knew that 'Somewhere' was the song she had to sing and as she finished her audition with tears in her eyes she knew she'd made the right decision. If she closed her eyes she could see Shelby's proud face on her eyelids.
"Are you alright, pumpkin?" Coach Bieste broke Rachel out of her reverie and the brunette nodded.
"Are you sure?" Ms Pillsbury asked enthusiastically. "Because I'd be happy to talk to you."
Rachel looked over to them. "I'm fine. That song is just- attached to some memories I have, but I can control it!" She declared, anxious that they shouldn't give the part to someone else just because she couldn't control her emotions. Rachel wiped her eyes and indeed, if you hadn't known what had happened moments before, you wouldn't know she'd been crying. "And scene!" Rachel smiled with a mock bow.
"Thanks Rachel," Artie said with an unreadable expression. "We'll be posting the cast list at the beginning of next week on the notice board."
"Thanks for your time." Rachel said awkwardly, wandering off the stage, hearing only whispers beneath Artie's "next!"
~~Life With Rachel~~
Quinn had auditioned for the part of Maria singing 'I Feel Pretty' and she'd felt fairly confident that she'd done well, but, along with almost everyone else, she decided to skulk at the back of the hall and check out the competition.
Tina and Mike had gone after her, but by the time Quinn entered the hall, they were finishing their rendition of 'Cool' in which they danced a duet and sang together- it was the first time she'd ever heard Mike sing and he was actually quite good. Tina said that she'd like to be Rosalina and Mike said that he'd love to be Riff so the three directors wrote it down. Moments later Artie called "next" and Rachel practically skipped onto the stage then announced her full name. Quinn looked on, smiling slightly fondly and slightly amused. Rachel said that she wanted to play Maria, and Quinn frowned- they both wanted to play the same part? This couldn't be good.
Rachel sang 'Somewhere', filled with emotion and out of the corner of her eye she could see Kurt crying as he watched. She knew then that Rachel had got the part. Blaine had to stop his boyfriend from applauding at the end of the number so that the directors wouldn't know the other kids were there and kick them out. Rachel was noticeably crying as she then explained that the song held meaning and reminded her of a memory. Quinn turned to Blaine to ask him what Rachel was thinking of but realised he and Kurt were both gone. Up on the stage, Rachel hastened to show the directors that she could control her emotions and then wandered off the stage as Santana and Brittany walk on. Quinn watched her best friends' performance of 'A Boy Like That/I Have A Love'- Santana singing Anita's parts and Brittany singing Maria's. When they were asked which parts they wanted, Santana said Anita and Brittany said she wanted to be the Wizard.
"That's Wicked, Britt." Santana said and Brittany looked disappointed.
~~Life With Rachel~~
Blaine had taken Kurt outside after he'd had to practically strangle his boyfriend to get him from applauding for Rachel! She was great, Blaine admitted, and he was proud of her, but he was worried. He'd auditioned for Tony whilst Rachel had auditioned for Maria and he feared that the directors wouldn't give them both the parts they wanted seeing as they were twins and all, and there was a kissing scene. People who looked in the programme would probably be disgusted to see that the main characters had the same last name.
Blaine knew Rachel was going to get it- she'd been amazing- so he obviously wouldn't- and maybe that wasn't such a bad thing. Blaine had a tonne of things on his résumé already and so did Rachel, but some of the guys who wanted to play Tony didn't have that many things on theirs. Finn, for example. Rachel's boyfriend was talented but he didn't believe in himself. Blaine had finally managed to get the towering giant to try out for the musical and he was really hoping they'd give the part to Finn if he couldn't have it.
A week later, Kurt and Rachel came bounding over.
"I got Maria!" Rachel squealed to her twin, squeezing him tight and then hugging Quinn (who was stood next to Blaine). "Sorry you didn't get it, Quinn."
"Oh, no." Quinn waved it off. "You were amazing, and I got Graziella anyway." Rachel beamed at her and kissed her boyfriend, who'd gotten Tony.
Next Chapter: West Side Story and the student council election!