Grandissons Together
AnniKay
Sam/Mercedes/Puck
Disclaimer: I own Nothing…Murphy, Falchuk, and Brennen along with Fox and others own this fandom and all the characters there in…Anything you recognize obviously belongs to them
THANKS to everyone who has taken the time to review. Your encouragement helps more than you know. Take a moment and let me know what you enjoyed most about the update. If you are looking for Dream a Little Dream, it has been moved to Illiandyandra's and my Yahoo Group. The link is on my profile. It was removed for being too mature for the M rating. Should any of my other stories disappear, they will also be available in Illy&Anni. Thanks.
AN: This is the third story in the Learning French Universe. The New Directions begin their Senior year.
I'd also like to take a moment to thank all those who've chosen to give kudos to or favorite and follow this series as well. Every bit of praise is encouragement.
Chapter Twenty
One Moment in Time
Sam Point of View
There was only one possible way to describe that weekend…AWESOME! We all got back from the theatre shortly after midnight, and while we were a little sleepy, everyone was totally pumped too. So even though there were eleven hours between our return and check out, most of us still barely made it downstairs in time. All the older couples and the thruples were blearly eyed from lack of sleep and more than one of the girls were sitting pretty. Come to think of it, Kurt was moving kind of gingerly too.
Now, we really should have had way more forethought, since every member of the New Directions had Sunday afternoon rehearsals scheduled. Shelby Cochran was so very different from Mr. Schue. With him, even if he said random; there was a darn good chance that Rachel would wiggle her flat ass into performing first. We all knew that there was a better than good chance that we'd have extra time for practice. But Shelby didn't play that. She'd warned us that she fully expected whoever was called on Monday to be ready to go. She told each of us that if we weren't picked to go on Monday, we should take our extra practice time as a blessing, and not a surety. She did agree to let us know by lunch time which groups were going that day so we could change if we were doing a costume or coordinated outfits or something… which we all were. We're all such ridiculous showmen. I mean I'm fairly sure that everyone hooked up with an AV kid and made their performance as epic as humanly possible.
Thankfully Tessa was kind enough to drive Mercy's Tahoe so that the rest of us could get some sleep. Cassie was going to meet us at Mercy's house and then riding over to Blaine's where we were going to rehearse. Puck's crew was meeting up at Hell's house. She was the only girl and the youngest, so it made a lot of sense that her parents preferred the guys came over there. Jessie's mom had all but demanded that Mercedes and RJC practice at her house. She'd become especially adamant after hearing their lineup. Tessa was joining the rest of Santana's group at the Lopez home. All our parents were thoroughly enjoying a lazy Sunday without having to fight the temptation of sneakily listening to us all practicing.
Monday came, as it was pretty much destined to…and any idiot could tell that we were all nervous as hell. Shelby had pretty much waited until the last possible moment to tell us the victims for the day. Me and Finn were the lucky SoBs. Aw hell.
Sue Sylvester Point of View
How the hell did I get roped into helping judge this BS mini competition for the society for the promotion of caterwauling? Oh that's right…Cochran said that if any of there were truly awful, I had her express, and yes I got it in writing, consent to make them cry. Oh I cannot wait. I hope that I can lite into Hudson. His group is up first and through some Sue Sylvester research and investigation I'd discovered that he had Zizes. It had reached my ears that Big 'Ums McGoo can't sing any better than she can leave an all-you-can eat buffet without making the restaurateur weep. She should be my ticket to breaking at least a few hearts.
Cochran had sent out a text just as the bell rang to send the little cretins to first lunch. Apparently these freaks couldn't just stand there and sing. No, they had to change clothes and finagle some poor AV shmuck into turning this into some grand production. Through more investigation I was able to discover that Evans and Hudson's groups were on today's roster. I've gotta give Cochran credit, if she was gonna force her fellow teachers to have to listen to this drivel, at least she had taken pity on us. We only had to sit through two nightmares a day for two days and one day of three and then we got together and dissected their performances, and I use the word loosely, and come up with the winner on Thursday. So that we can return to our own, much more enjoyable, song free worlds on Friday.
I strolled into the auditorium after the bell rang just in time to see Evans and Hudson square off for the coin toss. Both kids looked bruised and Evans was walking funny…but both were smiling like idiots. Then again in Hudson's case…it really is only a step or two away from his usual look. You know, if I didn't know better, I'd think these kids were in some illegal fight club. But no, they are just a bunch of dumbass kids who have more hormones than sense, as my Uncle Red used to say. I'm still not sure why teenagers feel the need to mark their territory by bruising each other like that. Evans is only sporting one, it looks like one of Puckerman's 'creations'; damn if the stupid thing didn't look like a big ass tree. Whereas Hudson's got a whole damn necklace of them in varying states of healing. As much as it disgusts me to see…that's still less nausea inducing than the way Fabray and the Queen of the Lilliputians used to force him to be wherever they were at every given second. Stupid kid had more tardies than any other ten students combined kowtowing to those two.
I joined the rest of the judges' panel in the center seats of the center row. I see that Cochran hadn't just yanked me into this, the fifth level of hell. She had dragged in that new Spanish teacher Figgins had pulled up from night school hell, Martinez. Bieste and Pillsbury were here too making five judges and at least three truly impartial ones. I was correct in my original impression. Cochran has way more intelligence than her predecessor. Julia Robert's male mouth double won the toss and seemed to take great delight in making Lurch go first. Frankenteen called his group onto the stage.
Hudson's group was him, Zizes and Britts and two miscellaneous underclassmen. Cochran had managed to double her numbers in the auditions. Apparently hearing all about all the sexting and orgies going on in the choir room had these idiots clamoring to join. The four of them stood there dressed as, what looked to me to be, a rather 80s looking construction crew. I noticed that while Cochran kept her face impassive, Bieste looked amused and Peppermint Patty's hetero daughter looked more than a little appalled. I guess the fact that the kids were wearing dirty jeans was messing with her OCD. Just as I was getting ready to be even more bored out of my mind that usual, a large screen descended behind the heathens. Ever the considerate leader; Finn, after being prodded by his bigger half, introduced the miscellaneous singing monkeys with them. Ivy Tounsend was an average girl. She was small, even for a freshman, but there didn't seem to be anything standout about her. I think I will call her Nondescript. Then there was Justin Tuarini. He looked like Sideshow Bob, so that is probably what I'll refer to him as from here forth. As the music started Boring Betty and Mr. Big Hair stepped forward and Hudson and Zizes seemed to kind of fade to the background. As much as they could when they were both over six feet tall and McGoo was almost as wide.
"Tough"
(Ivy & Justin) ALL
Justin: Hey, little girl with your tangled hair
Your tattered clothes.
Your 15,
And you're bound to bloom just like a rose.
Ivy: You're wishing that you had designer jeans.
Like the ones you see in magazines.
I know you'd give anything just to give in,
But you aren't on a price tag, it comes from within.
ALL: Don't you know you're beautiful?
Don't you know you're beautiful?
Don't you know you're beautiful?
Just the way you are
Justin: Hey, there little home coming queen,
In that back seat.
I bet his brown eyes,
are promising you everything.
Ivy: I know you want to be just like your friend,
But he'll still love you if you don't give in
If those girls are being honest that have been where you're at,
I bet they'd tell you that they wish they had their innocence back.
ALL
Don't you know you're beautiful?
Don't you know you're beautiful?
Don't you know you're beautiful?
Just the way you are.Justin: Still he left you for a girl that could be your twin,
If you were twenty-eight again.
Ivy: Let him go
Justin:(Let him go)
Ivy: Let him fly
Justin: (let him fly)
ALL: Keep your head up get on with your life.
Justin: Don't you know you're beautiful?
Don't you know you're beautiful?
Don't you know you're beautiful?
Just the way you are
Ivy: Don't you know you're beautiful?
Don't you know you're beautiful?
Don't you know you're beautiful?
Just the way you are
ALL: (Don't you know you're beautiful?
Don't you know you're...)
Justin: Just the way you are
ALL: (Don't you know you're beautiful?
Don't you know you're beautiful?
Don't you know you're beautiful?)
Ok, gotta give Nondescript and Sideshow Bob credit…they have decent voices. Clear tones, the boy a tenor leaning towards baritone, the girl a clear soprano with the ability to dip into alto. As they sang, on the screen behind them scrolled a bunch of images of articles about everyday heroes. Young and old, black, white, Hispanic, the articles told the stories of ordinary people doing amazing things. One stood out to me; a brown haired little girl who looked about twelve. She looked just like Jean had when we were younger; and she created an anti-bullying initiative in her community that her state is using to create state wide guidelines. I shook off the maudlin thoughts that that brought forth and made notes on the performance. The two newbies moved back as Frankenteen and Big Ums stepped up joining back together in the middle of the stage. More music started, this time it was faster and more than a little bluesy. I quickly recognized it from my youth…they had better do this one right.
"Higher Ground"
Finn Brittany &Lauren IvyJustin ALL
Finn: People keep on learnin'
Soldiers keep on warrin'
World keep on turnin'
Cause it won't be too long
Powers keep on lyin'
While your people keep on dyin'
World keep on turnin'
Cause it won't be too long
Ivy: I'm so darn glad he let me try it again
Cause my last time on earth I lived a whole world of sin
I'm so glad that I know more than I knew then
Gonna keep on tryin'
Till I reach my highest ground
Justin: Teachers keep on teachin'
Preachers keep on preachin'
World keep on turnin'
Cause it won't be too long
Brittany &Lauren: Oh no
Lovers keep on lovin'
Believers keep on believin'
Sleepers just stop sleepin'
Cause it won't be too long
Brittany &Lauren: Oh no
ALL: I'm so glad that he let me try it again
Cause my last time on earth I lived a whole world of sin
I'm so glad that I know more than I knew then
Gonna keep on tryin'
Till I reach my highest ground...Whew!
Finn: Till I reach my highest ground
No one's gonna bring me down
Brittany &Lauren: Oh no
Ivy: Till I reach my highest ground
Don't let nobody bring you down (they'll sho 'nuff try)
God is gonna show you higher ground
ALL: He's the only friend you have around
I made my notes on the performance. The voices were good. I'm still not quite understanding why BrilloHead held Lurch up as the epitome of male vocal perfection. His voice is decent…better than Chyna next to him…but not as good as the other two. I shook my head and forced myself to focus as they started their, hopefully, last song. As they sang, I finally got an answer to the question that had been plaguing me for far too long. Hudson can sing…as long as he stays in his wheel house…soft rock.
"Who Says You Can't Go Home"
Finn Brittany &Lauren IvyJustin ALL
Finn: I spent 20 years trying to get out of this place
I was looking for something I couldn't replace
I was running away from the only thing I've ever known
Ivy: Like a blind dog without a bone
I was a gypsy lost in the twilight zone
I hijacked a rainbow and crashed into a pot of gold
ALL: I been there, done that and I ain't lookin' back on the seeds I've sown,
Ivy: Saving dimes, spending too much time on the telephone
ALL: Who says you can't go home
ALL:Who says you can't go home
There's only one place they call me one of their own
Justin: Just a hometown boy, born a rolling stone, who says you can't go home
ALL: Who says you can't go back, been all around the world and as a matter of fact
There's only one place left I want to go, who says you can't go home
It's alright, it's alright, it's alright, it's alright, it's alright
Ivy: I went as far as I could, I tried to find a new face
There isn't one of these lines that I would erase
I lived a million miles of memories on that road
With every step I take I know that I'm not alone
Justin: You take the home from the boy, but not the boy from his home
Finn: These are my streets, the only life I've ever known,
who says you can't go home
ALL: Who says you can't go home
There's only one place they call me one of their own
Justin: Just a hometown boy, born a rolling stone, who says you can't go home
ALL: Who says you can't go back, been all around the world and as a matter of fact
There's only one place left I want to go, who says you can't go home
It's alright, it's alright, it's alright, it's alright, it's alright
ALL: I been there, done that and I ain't looking back
Brittany &Lauren: It's been a long long road
Ivy: Feels like I never left, that's how the story goes
Ivy: It doesn't matter where you are, it doesn't matter where you go
If it's a million miles aways or just a mile up the road
Take it in, take it with you when you go,
who says you can't go home
ALL: Who says you can't go home
There's only one place they call me one of their own
Justin: Just a hometown boy, born a rolling stone, who says you can't go home
ALL: Who says you can't go back, been all around the world and as a matter of fact
There's only one place left I want to go, who says you can't go home
It's alright, it's alright, it's alright, it's alright, it's alright
It's alright, it's alright, it's alright, it's alright, it's alright
Who says you can't go home
Who says you can't go home
Schuester was a moron. He assumed that all the world loved the same music he did, so he put up the two best examples he had of those two genres. Pathetic selfish asshole. I shook off my anger to focus on Cochran as she asked Gilligan and the Skipper's love child some questions. "Good job Finn, nice work with turning it into a multimedia production. Now, please tell us your topic and how the songs you chose fit it." She said firmly. Not bad…she not only worries about the performance aspect, but as their teacher she's also forcing them to think things through and to be able to explain their thought process. Sometimes I think Schuester got his education degree in a Cracker Jack Box. Pedagogy is more than a fancy Greek word.
"Umm…" he started looking panicked. "Well, our topic was Amazing People. We took that to mean people who had used their fame to do amazing things, or who had to overcome extraordinary things to achieve anything at all. We each brought a list of artists who are humanitarians and everything and we chose Bon Jovi for that. Then we picked Stevie Wonder because, well like my mom said he had to overcome being blind, and being black when the world hated him for either let alone both. Finally Ivy recommended Kelly Pickler, and after hearing her reason why, we knew we had to go for her. I'll let her tell you why Kelly Pickler was so important." He finished in a rush almost dragging the smaller girl forward.
She took a deep breath, the kind that you took just before you bare your soul. "When she was growing up, my mom had a best friend. They stayed friends for years, despite living different lives and going to different colleges in different states. When my mom married my dad Auntie Di was her maid of honor. When Auntie Di married 'the rat bastard whose name shall never again be uttered', my mom was hers. When I was born, Auntie Di became my godmother. When I was seven she was diagnosed with breast cancer. My mom and dad were with her through it all since her husband, 'the rat bastard whose name shall never again be uttered', was too busy chasing girls closer to my age than his to be there. She had the longest, most beautiful hair ever, every five years she cut it to give it to locks of love, never imagining that one day she too would be losing hers to chemo." Ivy took a deep settling breath and continued. "My mom and dad both shaved their heads too, you know, in support. When I saw Kelly Pickler do the same thing for a friend on the Ellen show…I had to find out more about her, and I started to listen to her music. She has really deep lyrics in a lot of them…but this one, it speaks to me. I know I'll never be the homecoming queen in the second verse…but that first verse is almost like she is speaking to me." She finished with a small shrug.
There were tears in lots of eyes, thank fully I had spent my decade's allotment grieving my own loss last May. Finally 'Gave Birth to Crazy Berry' cleared her throat and prodded Hudson's group on off the stage. She gave Evans' group five minutes to get their shit together. They scrambled onto the stage. This set of four were dressed in all black. Evans was joined by Hummel's cabana boy. Kid must have the most negligent parents in this town they let a gay kid, who happened to come from a family who made the Hiltons seem like new money, transfer to this school which had the worst record of bullying in the state. All because he was 'in love'. But I had to give the kid credit…he has balls; showed McKinley that last year at the prom from hell. Those two were accompanied by that exchange student that Brittany insisted was a leprechaun, and a girl that it took me a minute to even vaguely place. It finally came to me that she was a freshman who I'd never seen before without her twin sister, or brother…the kid was extremely androgynous.
They stood together facing away from us at center stage, all in black in a slight semi-circle curved towards the audience. Good staging, I made a note. Suddenly the lights went down. Huh, since the club has both Abrams and Zizes, the AV kids really come through for their performances now. The production qualities have gone through the roof. The lights stayed down, but through the darkness, two voices rang out. "One, you're like a dream come true." Both voices were good, rich full. Hummel's boy took the higher tenor part, while the other, slightly Irish accented voice, took the lower baritone part.
Then a smooth southern baritone came next, not with the next line of that song, instead Evans sang out, deep and low and mournful; "I hurt myself today…to see if I still feel." Yeah I still feel. I still feel like I want to go and shave the head of one William 'A is for Asshole' Schuester. If that kid can give me chills with one line, why the hell was he shuttled to the backseat behind Frankenteen?
Again Irish and Rich Boy voices rang through the room. If those kids weren't miked then they had some serious lungs on them, cause the floor mikes were picking them up damn well for them to be facing away from them. "Two, just wanna be with you." It was weird. It was almost like one was singing country and the other was singing R&B. I made a note of it. If it was supposed to sound like that then they did a good job, if not…
As they finished, the only girl up there sang out. "Freedom's just another word for nothing left to lose." Huh…Joplin sounds good on that kid. She's small…wonder if she has any gymnastics experience.
SamRory Blaine Cassie ALL Blaine & Rory
Blaine & Rory: One, you're like a dream come true
Sam: I hurt myself today to see if I still feel
Blaine & Rory: Two, just wanna be with you
Cassie: Freedom's just another word for nothing left to lose
Blaine & Rory: Three, cause its plain to see, you're the only one for me.
ALL: Four... repeat steps one through three...
Five... make you fall in love with me...
If ever I believe my work is done... then I start Back at One (yeah)
The lights went up on the stage as all four of them harmonized on the last three lines of the chorus of the song. They were evenly distributed two voices singing out R&B the others singing it a little more country. As they finished that portion, they all turned to the audience. They were definitely all decked out in black. Lady Lips looked like Johnny Cash reincarnated. Hummel's boy was looking dapper, except for his stupid bow tie. That looked ridiculous. Irish clearly hadn't dressed himself. He looked like a reject from a nineties boy band. In fact, I'm pretty sure someone, I really hope it wasn't him, had tried to turn him into that gay Backstreet Boy…just in black. The chick was wearing a knee length skirt that looked like she's stolen it from her mother's closet, and a tank top that she would have to change out of or cover up before she left this auditorium unless she wanted to be written up.
The lights didn't go down really, they just diffused on the rest of them and a slightly pink spotlight came up on the girl. She stepped forward and sang,
Cassie: Busted flat in Baton Rouge, waiting for a train
And I's feeling nearly as faded as my jeans.
Bobby thumbed a diesel down just before it rained,
It rode us all the way to New Orleans.
I pulled my harpoon out of my dirty red bandanna,
I was playing soft while Bobby sang the blues.
Windshield wipers slapping time, I was holding Bobby's hand in mine,
We sang every song that driver knew.
The lights shifted again bring the boys back into focus with her as they all harmonized on the chorus.
All: Freedom is just another word for nothing left to lose,
Nothing don't mean nothing honey if it ain't free, now now.
And feeling good was easy, Lord, when he sang the blues,
You know feeling good was good enough for me,
Good enough for me and my Bobby McGee.
It went dim again, this time a pale blue spot lit on Evans. He took the second verse and he did it like I'd never heard it before.
Sam: From the Kentucky coal mines to the California sun,
Hey, Bobby shared the secrets of my soul.
Through all kinds of weather, through everything that we done,
Hey Bobby baby kept me from the cold.
One day up near Salinas, Lord, I let her slip away,
She's looking for that home and I hope she finds it,
But I'd trade all of my tomorrows for one single yesterday
To be holding Bobby's body next to mine.
Gel head came in with the La la la, la la la la, la la la, la la la la, La la la la la Bobby McGee, part. But then even as he was trailing off the lighting changed again. Irish was lit in a colored spot that managed to make the kid look somewhat less pasty. He started to croon,
Rory: It's undeniable... that we should be together...
It's unbelievable how I used to say that I'd fall never
The basis is need to know, if you don't know just how I feel,
Then let me show you now that I'm for real...
If all things in time, time will reveal...
Yeah...
He is so obvious. He is directing everything at the Mob Princess, still can't believe Don Motta was stupid enough to try to bully and bribe her way onto my squad. Still he wasn't bad in bed and he's a good person to have in my pocket now that he's seen the error of his ways. You know…he has to be responsible for the fact that his daughter is both smart and diabolical. God knows her mother had to be an idiot, who tells the world that she's leaving a Don for his bodyguard. I still can't believe this town actually believes that they made it out of town alive. Slipping the thought of good genetic material to the back of my mind, I focused back on the matter at hand. They came together for the chorus and then Gelhead got the spotlight.
ALL: One... you're like a dream come true...
Two... just wanna be with you...
Three... girl it's plain to see... that you're the only one for me...
Four... repeat steps one through three...
Five... make you fall in love with me...
If ever I believe my work is done... then I start Back at One (yeah)
Blaine: So Incredible... the way things work themselves out...
And all emotional, once you know what it's all about babe...
And undesirable... for us to be apart...
Never would of made it very far...
Cause you know that you've got the keys to my heart
Cause...
Decent, the kid not only has testicular fortitude…he actually seemed to know the meaning of the word subtle. As obvious as the leprechaun had been, I'd expected 'he who wears more gel than Brillo Head' to be at least as bad. Instead this kid sang to the entire audience. Don't get me wrong, his eyes strayed to Jazz Hands, but not enough to be obnoxious. The four of them sang the chorus together again and then we all looked to Evans only to be surprised when the girl was hit with the spotlight. She belted out the last verse with a strong clear alto that made me more willing to teach her gymnastics,
Cassie: Say farewell to the dark of night... I see the coming of the sun...
I feel like a little child... whose life has just begun...
You came and breathed new life
Into this lonely heart of mine...
You threw out the life line... just in the Nick of Time...
If Aretha and Ladyface are as successful as I think they will be, I may use singers again this kid's senior year. Yeah, can't do it again next year, but two or three years from now should work. They sang the chorus together yet again then they played with all the 'just in the nick of time's in different vocal combinations. the lights faded back down slowly.
We were treated to some rustling and the sound of something heavy rolling into place on the stage. Then we heard the soft chords of a guitar and the gently tones of a piano. The lights came up into a gentle diffused array of semi spots. Lady lips was seated on a stool near the head of the piano where Hummel's rich boy was seated with his hands on the keys. Irish and the chicky monkey were down near the other end. Evans started to sing, his baritone rich and deep, his tone slow and mournful.
Sam: I hurt myself today
To see if I still feel
I focus on the pain
The only thing that's real
The needle tears a hole
The old familiar sting
Try to kill it all away
But I remember everything
The tone changed, while it was still mournful, it became rouhger, almost angry as the two at the end of the piano took the chorus.
Rory & Cassie: What have I become
My sweetest friend
Everyone I know goes away
In the end
And you could have it all
My empire of dirt
I will let you down
I will make you hurt
Blaine: If I could start again
A million miles away
I would keep myself
I would find a way
Sam: I wear this crown of thorns
Upon my liar's chair
Full of broken thoughts
I cannot repair
Beneath the stains of time
The feelings disappear
You are someone else
I am still right here
I had thought earlier that they were singing the song together, but in two different genres, melding them into one. I'd wondered if that was on purpose. I now knew for sure that it was. And I hand to admit that I kind of liked it. I hope the other four yahoos judging have figured it out too.
As the two youngest took the rockish chorus again, I contemplated my fellow judges. The new Spanish teacher was entirely too attractive, I mean really he's around way too many teenage girls to look like a middle American Rickey Martin. He looked enraptured, whether by the singing or by Cochran sitting next to him I wasn't sure. Muffy the Germ Slayer was happily taking notes on her notepad. Hopefully she didn't feel the need to carry Schuester's stupidity forward despite his absence. Bieste was predicatibly happy. Country was her wheelhouse, and all three of the group's songs had had some twang to them.
The lights dimmed again, four spots illuminated the teens. Girlie walked forward until she was back in her starting position. As she came forward she sang the last chorus of Me and Bobby McGee.
Cassie: Lord, I'm calling my lover, calling my man,
I said I'm calling my lover just the best I can,
C'mon, where is Bobby now, where is Bobby McGee, yeah,
Lordy Lordy Lordy Lordy Lordy Lordy Lordy Lord
Hey, hey, hey, Bobby McGee, Lord!
The three boys came forward to join her as all four harmonized on the last part of Hurt.
ALL: If I could start again
A million miles away
I would keep myself
I would find a way
The lights went back down and from the darkness four voices sang in perfect harmony "I hurt myself today." The lights came back up and the singers took their bows.
Cochran posed the same inquiry to this group and Evans answered with confidence. Either he'd anticipated this, or he'd used the little time he'd had to think about it. "Well, we had just one word, 'Crossovers'. We thought about what that meant to us, and while we could all think of plenty of artists who'd had some really amazing crossover success. We really couldn't figure out which ones to pick. Until Cassie, who had gotten really, really tired of all the arguing, pointed out that it didn't have to be crossover artists, it could be songs that were the best examples of more than one genre. Now I've listened to my parents arguing for years over who had done the better job on 'Back At One', Brian McKnight or Mark Wills. Then Rory said that he hadn't even realized that Johnny Cash hadn't been the first one to record 'Hurt' until he was on the plane on his way here and he heard the Nine Inch Nails version on the in-flight radio." He chuckled. "The final song was actually a suggestion from Mr. Benton. He played us both the Kris Kristofferson version and the Janis Joplin one and it was a no brainer."
Before she released them she asked them one final question, "All the songs crossover either to or from country, was that on purpose?"
Hummel's hair gelled boytoy answered this one. "Yes and no. It didn't start off as something we were trying to do. But once we made the connection, we all decided to embrace it. Especially since Cassie thinks that everything Sam sings sounds kind of country to her anyway."
Cochran released us with her gratitude and told us she would see us back her tomorrow. Then she left the remaining groups start to practice. I left so fast I'm fairly certain that there was a Sue Sylvester shaped cloud of dust in my seat for a few moments. I knew who had won the day for me, so it was just a matter of seeing who would perform tomorrow and Wednesday. Each day would have a mental winner so that by Thursday I'd know exactly I was going to be cramming down the other judges throats until they saw it my way. I looked at my watch. There was still time before Cheerio practice to go and have a little talk with the ADA handling the assault case against that Tinsley boy. My carefully hidden cameras have amassed quite a bit of evidence that that Grimace looking monstrosity is guilty as hell. Its time I put it into the hands it can do the most harm. Nobody but Sue Sylvester gets to emotionally abuse one of my Cheerios. The misogynistic idiot has to pay for even making the attempt.
Aidan Point of View
I loved having an expanded social circle. It was getting kind of lonely before I made some real friends. I mean I wasn't often alone, but I think it can be more lonely to be by yourself in a crowd than to simply be alone. It kind of weirded me out that these guys I'd had some pretty negative preconceived notions about had turned out to be my true friends. People whom I could be myself around without fear of ridicule. I discussed comic books with Sam and Artie. Mile and Finn liked all the same movies I did. And there was Puck for video games and common sense girl advice…nothing specific. I was dating his stepsister after all. Heck, Artie even helped me out school wise when I hit a brick wall learning something. And there was the added benefits of being friends with the diverse assortment of females that made up the women my male friends were dating…oh and Kurt and Blaine. Anderson was a pretty good sparring partner, though I have no idea why he'd asked me not to mention it around Kurt and the other guys.
But as much as I enjoyed getting to spend time with my friends, nothing compared to the time I got to spend alone with Tessa. Three days a week after football and Cheerio practice, Tessa and I would take Triple S and Evan home, where by then; at least one of the adults would usually be ready to take them off our hands. Some days it would be one of Tess' adults, and she had six, on other days it would be one of my parents. There were a few days where the four kiddos were stuck with us, but those days were few and far between. All the parents were being pretty great about making sure that we got time to be you know teenagers.
Not that we were doing that…not yet. We'd pretty much made it to second base and we were slowly rounding to third. After all we'd only been officially together for about six weeks. Besides my feelings for Tessa go so far beyond the physical. There were many times I had to remind myself of the statistical improbability of finding the other half of my soul at sixteen. She was simply so cool. She had enough maturity for like eight or nine of the usual McKinley girl her ages. That isn't to say that she didn't have her issues. She still can't stand the popularity she's pretty much been forced into since she got here. She was used the anonymity she'd left behind at her old school. And she has insecurities, physical ones; she wished her breasts were bigger…don't know why, they are impeccable. She also thinks that her perfect peach of and ass is a little too big. She's totally worried that she's a bad person since a lot of her first impressions of others tended to be negative. But to me those things just made her more real, and her ass is incredibly sexy.
That Monday, we finally made it out to the parking lot at five thirty. There was an unspoken, unwritten rule in the locker room that the underclassmen stayed back and let the seniors who had their SAT prep class at six have the showers first. I think that many of the Cheerios did the same. I couldn't help but smile as Tessa came towards me looking very comfortable in her civvies, in this case one of her oversized flannels and a pair of leggings. We got the four kids out to my CR-V and buckled into the 'three seat' back seat. Tessa was telling all about Sam and Finn's group performances. "Man Aiden, Lauren may not be able to sing all that well, but her AV slide show thing she put together was just as moving as the songs. She had all these articles that showed everyday people who did amazing things. They were from everywhere too. One headline was from Atlanta and another from Columbus, I even saw one from back in New York."
"When did that happen?" I wondered aloud, cutting her off a little.
"When did what happen?" she asked confused.
"Used to be, when you talked about New York it was always 'back home'…when did it become 'back in New York'?" I asked casually though inside my head I was turning cartwheels. As much as I admittedly liked Tessa I'd held myself back from becoming completely infatuated with her. I'd always been a little bit worried that she'd go running back to the city she spoke of with suck love and longing. But to hear her so nonchalant about it…I could feel my heart racing past infatuation and heading straight for the cliff.
Tessa shrugged a little. "I don't know exactly. It was gradual. When dad first told me about the move and everything, I hated to even thing about leaving our apartment. I liked my school well enough. I loved my neighborhood. There was everything I ever needed in walking distance. I could go to the park or the grocery store or the movies and barely have to cross the street. I had friends, sort of. But then when we got here, even from that first visit, I didn't have sort of friends, I had brothers and sisters. And then they introduced me to their friends, and rather than their friends being all like 'who's the new kid…what'd you bring her for?' they were cool and they included me in their world. They made a place for me here. I have a place here that I know will still be here after they graduate. Right now, I'm kind of the kiddle in the middle, which is way more cool than it really sounds…but next year I'll be the big sister. I'll have a responsibility to Triple S and to help with Beth and the new baby. So yeah, this is home now." She blushed. "Besides, you're here."
I couldn't help but smile. As soon as I hit a stop sign I leaned over and gave her a small kiss to show how much I loved that statement. "I'm here." I whispered. Then I looked at her and grabbed her hand. I pressed it to my chest and said honestly, "you're here."
Unfortunately our audience in the back seat found that touching moment to be freaking hilarious. "Man, big bro…that was too lame." Evan grabbed Sarah's hand and pressed it to his own little bird chest before mocking me even further. "You are here." He giggled. "Dude, just tell her you love her already. And drive faster so we don't have to watch you two get all kissy."
"Mercy says in another few years we're gonna want to get kissy with girls too." Stevie said sadly. "I think if I do…I'm gonna try to find me a pretty little chocolate girl like Mercy."
Tessa gave me a sly smile before asking him, "why not a perky blonde…or a semi-angry brunette…or a feisty redhead?"
Stevie made a disgusted face. "Yeah, no…I don't think I'm really into skinny broads." He quipped back. "I mean, you are all beautiful, but…" he trailed off blushing redder than any kid ever. "Mercy has some truly awesome curves, ya know."
I just laughed. "She does. Your big brother managed to fall in love with a truly beautiful girl. Do you know how?" I asked with a little smile. "He left himself open to love. He didn't go looking for any particular physical type of girl; he just found one who was perfect for him and who loved him for himself."
A glance in the mirror revealed Stevie, Stacy and Evan all rolling their eyes, but it was Sarah who spoke up. "Now that is bull hockey, Puck, he has no type…he would literally make out with anything even remotely female. I'm pretty sure that one New Year's Eve he made out with a Times Square Tranny…don't ever tell him that though. The cheese would completely slip off his cracker. But I have heard all about Samantha…Mercedes is so completely his physical type."
Stacey laughed. "She's right back in Tennessee, every girl Sam ever brought home was busty and with a lot of junk in her trunk. Mercy just has more boob and butt than any of those girls, and she is way cooler. She knows about Barbies and Star Trek and comic books…and I don't think anybody anywhere has ever known more about Harry Potter."
Tessa started to laugh and we all quickly followed. We got the kids to my house. On Mondays, my mom only works until four so she helps them with their homework and keeps them busy until the Jones or the Evans or Ms. Puckerman swing by and get them to take them home. Meanwhile Tessa and I would have anywhere from thirty minutes to two hours of time together before she had to be home. Granted we also had homework to get done, but we could always do that when we were alone. I led Tessa up to the bonus room that my parents had turned into an oasis of calm in the insanity that can be our household. The room had the best sofas, and little to no technology. It was a perfect make-out spot. I sat down on the plush 'cranberry' sectional and pulled Tessa down into my lap. I let her tell me all about the performances and she sang a bit of her solo for me.
"Your voice is beautiful." I told her honestly.
"Oh, Aidan, I so wish you could be in glee with us." She sighed as she cuddled into me.
I shrugged lightly, I can carry a tune and I wouldn't mind swaying in the background, especially if it meant I got to dance with Tessa. "I would love to be there too, but sixth period is the only time they have my Physics 2 class." I started to dot kisses down the slender column of her neck. I loved the shirts Tessa likes to wear after practices and on weekends. They were always so soft and almost always they were buttoned up. This one certainly was. I trailed my tongue over the soft, porcelain skin where her neck joined her shoulder. She turned her head and pressed her lips to mine. I slid my tongue out and gently lapped at her bottom lip before nipping at it gently.
She moaned with delight, and deepened our kiss. "Oh, God." she said softly, kissing me back before rising up and turning on my lap. We collapsed back against the arm of the sofa; her slight weight was even more arousing and compelling than I had ever thought. She braced herself on her knees. One hand gently stroked down my side, while the other was fisted around my hair. I slid my own hands under her green and black plaid shirt and she shivered as my calloused fingers brushed against the underside of her breast, tracing the lace of her bra. I moaned, and arched up against the juncture of her thigh as I gently tucked her bra cups down under the bottom swells of her breasts. Her skin was soft over the sweetly swelling mound, and smooth as silk. Tessa let out a low purr of pleasure as I gently dragged a fingernail over her tightened nipple.
Our kisses turned more and more passionate, our hips grinding against each other; driving us further and further from our usual restraint and towards something neither of us had ever experienced before. I broke away from the sweet heat of her kisses to leave a trail of nipping kisses all along her neck…tasting her and leaving tiny love bites in my wake. With trembling fingers, I unbuttoned her shirt. For the first time I laid my eyes on her lovely, petal pink nipples. My hazel eyes locked on her blue as I slowly lowered my mouth to her chest. I trailed one kiss swollen lip across one passion swollen tip.
"Aidan, please." She breathed, her hips grinding against the budge of my erection.
"Don't tease me Tessa," I warned. "I'm really close to rolling you under me and ripping right through those thin ass leggings and pounding away at you until we're both screaming."
The smirk that crossed her pretty little mouth was filled with feminine satisfaction. "You know that neither of us is ready for that." She whispered. "But that doesn't mean that we can't get closer." Our mouths fused again and our hips rocked against each other.
There was no way I was cumming in my shorts, that wasn't anything I ever wanted to have to explain to my mother. I pulled my hands from the warmth they were embracing and undid my jeans button. Tessa must have decided that she liked where I was going because she shooed my hands out of her way and took charge of releasing me from confinement. I leaned forward again taking a hard little nubbin in between my lips, her skin tasted almost as sweet as her lips. As she slowly stroked me, her soft hands gentle, I let my hands go to work on her; one tweaking the nipple I didn't fasten my mouth to, and the other rubbing gently against pantie and legging covered pussy. Despite the coverings I could feel her passion hot and wet and barely shielded from my fingers. As I drove her closer and closer to her climax, her strokes grew rougher and her grip tighter. With increased pleasure, my own mouth and hands became harsher.
Before I knew it I was shouting out to the heavens as my balls emptied all over my hand and her hand and her leggings. Thankfully I was still able to bring her with me into the depths and heights of passion. Her orgasm was still racking her slender frame as I came back to myself. I watched her as she tossed her head back and forth her red curls dancing as she panted and moaned. "God, Aidan…so good."
We collapsed against each other as we tried to slow our breathing and calm the blood pounding in our veins. She murmured something I couldn't hear, but that seemed to go straight to my heart. "I am so damn in love with you." I moaned.
"I have never been so glad that Maria Morelli talked me into holding those damn condoms for her." Tessa chuckled as she regained her voice. I barely managed to get her shirt back together, and my pants closed before my mom poked her head in the room to ask if Tessa and Triple S were going to stay for dinner. We managed not to act all panicky and crazy. "No ma'am. Becah is swinging by to grab us on her way home." She checked the time on her phone. "In fact, she should be here soon. She said she'd be here before seven."
"Okay," Mom said brightly. "I'll go start pulling the young'uns away from their video games."
We cuddled and talked until we heard Ms. Rebecah's voice. I stood, and let Tessa slide down my body. I bent down and pressed a kiss to her lips. As I was walking her down the stairs, her small hand comfortably wrapped in mine, she turned to me and smile. "I'm pretty damned in love with you too." She whispered before joining her family at the door. I smiled all through dinner even after Evan shared his oh so witty impression of the car ride home. Best Monday ever.
Songs Used In This Chapter
Kelly Pickler - Don't You know You're Beautiful
Stevie Wonder - Higher Ground
Bon Jovi, feat. Jennifer Nettles – Who Says You Can't Go Home
Back At One – Mark Wills & Brian McKnight
Me & Bobby McGee – Kris Kristofferson & Janis Joplin
Hurt – Nine Inch Nails & Johnny Cash
I know some of you hate it, some of you love it. Controversy should be my middle name.
There will be Tuesday and Wednesday, put up...hopefully tomorrow. For each chapter, you can leave me which performance description you liked better in your reviews. Whoever gets the most votes wins. So the results will be combined with the trial chapter to give people time to vote.
Hope that everyone is having a great, and enjoyable 2013. Feed the plot bunnies...quickly before they bite you in the butt.
TTFN
Anni