A/N: I feel like crap because it's been so long since my last update…I did have most of the chapter written and it took a while for me to figure out how to incorporate the songs I have chosen for the Glee assignment. Hopefully, you all like how it's turned out. We do get to see more of the glee club on a more personal level (not sure how I feel about it) but if after reading the chapter you would like to see more of the club then I will incorporate it in future chapters or even just some of the members.
Ch. 25: The Glee Assignment
After glee ended for the day, Jason and Seth decided that they would get their assignment over with quickly. It wasn't that they didn't like it; it had to do with having other things to do during the weekend.
"I hope you don't mind that we met out here," Jason asks.
He and Seth were currently sitting on one of the benches near the baseball diamond. It was where Jason did his best thinking.
"It's cool. I don't mind," Seth reports back.
The two men sat in silence until Seth decided to start the assignment.
"I lost my mom when I was really little. Her death really shook this town up. She was murdered after getting off of work."
Jason turns to Seth.
"A random person decides to pull a gun on an innocent person for no apparent reason other than the fact that he felt like it. My mother didn't deserve to die."
"I really don't know how to respond to that."
Seth shrugs his shoulders with a small chuckle.
"Nobody really does, but I really would like a favor from you."
"Ask away."
"Tell your dad thank you for me."
Jason sat with a look of confusion on his face. He had no idea what in the world Seth would need to thank his father for. Thankfully, Seth expanded on his suggestion.
"Your dad was the ADA that put my mother's murderer behind bars…hence the thank you for me and for my dad."
Jason just nods his head not really knowing what to say. Seth sits and looks at Jason expectantly.
"I guess it's my turn huh?" Seth nods his head and Jason smiles. "My parents are lawyers so I never really get to see them. They expect me to become part of the Henderson family tradition. The problem is that I don't want to be a lawyer. Every generation in my family was a lawyer at some point and since I'm an only child it's up to me to keep that tradition going and I just don't want. I have no desire to become a freaking lawyer."
Seth fiddles with his hands; a nervous habit.
"Well what do you want to do?"
Jason's eyes wonder around the field. He knew what he wanted to be since he was five, but whenever he would bring it up to people they would just laugh in his face. He didn't want Seth to do that same.
"If I tell you then you have to promise me not to laugh."
"I promise," Seth swears knowing that it was the right thing to do.
Jason takes a breath and reveals his dream.
"I want to be an actor."
Jason looks over at Seth when all he got was silence after his answer. Seth seemed to be thinking really hard about something.
"Maybe you can play the part of a lawyer in a movie," was all Seth says.
Jason can't help, but laugh.
"So what do you want to do when you get outta high school?" Jason asks.
"I want to go to MIT, but my mind could change at any moment. There are times when I want to be like my dad, a cop, or times when I want to be someone famous. I just don't have anything set in stone anymore."
Jason lips curl up in a smile.
"I have an idea for a song. Are you ready?"
Seth nods his head and hopes he knows what song Jason has in mind.
Jason
Both
Seth
Life's like a road that you travel on
There's one day here and the next day gone
Sometimes you bend, sometimes you stand
Sometimes you turn your back to the wind
There's a world outside every darkened door
Where blues won't haunt you anymore
For the brave are free and lovers soar
Come ride with me to the distant shore
We won't hesitate
To break down the garden gate
There's not much time left today, yeah
Life is a highway, I wanna ride it
All night long
If you're going my way, I wanna drive it
All night long
*Friend to a Stranger*
"So, I am super happy that we got picked to sing together," Jack says with a smile. His girlfriend, Hannah smiles back at him.
"I am too. The only pair I am really worried about is Beth and Sara, but it's their problem not ours. Apparently we have to tell each other something we don't already know and then pick a song to sing in front of the rest of the glee members."
Jack shrugs his shoulders and takes a seat in the empty hallway of the high school. Hannah sits down next to him.
"I really don't know what to say. You basically know everything about me. Sara is my half-sister because we have the same mom. I want to play baseball professionally. I'm not the best singer so I tend to stay in the background. There really isn't much to tell."
Hannah rests her chin on her knees.
"It's the same deal with me. My mother is the guidance counselor and my father is the principal of this school. I can never do anything because it would always somehow get back to them. I don't really know if there is anything I haven't said to you that you don't already know."
Jack reaches for Hannah's hand and interlocks their fingers.
"I know there is one thing I haven't told you that I think you should know," Jack says softly.
"What's that?"
"I love you. I've loved you for a while and I just didn't know how to tell you…until now."
Hannah gets teary eyed and sniffles slightly.
"I love you, too. Now I really have to think about something you didn't already know."
"Well then why don't we skip that step and think of a song for our duet," Jack says with a grin.
Hannah grins and nods her head.
"I hope it's a love song."
Jack
Hannah
Both
I remember what you wore on our first day
You came into my life
And I thought hey
You know this could be something
'Cause everything you do and words you say
You know that it all takes my breath away
And now I'm left with nothing
So maybe it's true, that I can't live without you
And maybe two is better than one
But there's so much time, to figure out the rest of my life
And you've already got me coming undone
And I'm thinking two, is better than one
I remember every look upon your face,
The way you roll your eyes, the way you taste
You make it hard for breathing
'Cause when I close my eyes and drift away
I think of you and everything's okay
And finally now, believing
And maybe it's true, that I can't live without you
Well maybe two is better than one
But there's so much time, to figure out the rest of my life
And you've already got me coming undone
And I'm thinking two, is better than one
*Friend to a Stranger*
Kristine entered her brother's room with a sigh. When her name was partnered with her brother she sighed internally. It wasn't that she was against the idea…she was just upset that she had to sing with her brother. It was awkward and really uncomfortable. Besides, their little assignment was attached to it and she hated that she needed to learn something new of her brother.
"Alright Krissy let's do this thing."
"Don't call me that," Kristine says with a glare.
Kasey holds his hand up in defeat.
"Okay, sorry. Look, the faster we do this assignment the faster we can get out of each other's hair."
Kristine leaned against the headboard of her brother's bed while Kasey sat in the desk chair. He rolled it closer to his bed.
"I'll start, okay? Do you remember last year when I was really withdrawn from the entire family for a week?"
Kristine nods her head. It had freaked her out when her brother was acting that way because usually he would make a comment to somebody doing something, but he barely spoke a word to anybody.
"You scared us."
Kasey nods his head.
"Well, the girl I had been with during that month had told me she was late and that she was pregnant."
Kristine's mouth drops open in shock. Kasey nods his head in understanding. That had been his reaction as well.
"I was really worried about it. She went to the doctor to get a second opinion and it turned out that she wasn't, but I was freaking out for the longest time. I thought I was going to be a dad and I realized I wasn't ready to be one yet, maybe even never. I was literally a different person that week. So, that's my secrets. Nobody knows it except for you."
"Kase, you could have told me that before you know?"
Kasey nods his head in understanding.
"I get that, I really do, but it was something I had to deal with on my own. Now tell me your secret."
Kristine nods her head and bites the bottom of her lip slightly.
"Kase, if I tell you this you can't go all big brother on me okay?" Kasey nods his head. "I have a crush on Seth in glee club."
Kasey just starts shaking his head.
"Kasey, you promised," Kristine pleads.
Kasey just shrugs his shoulders.
"I don't care. I told you that I don't want you dating anybody and when have you even had the time to hang out with Seth anyway?"
"In passing," Kristine mutters. "But I'm too scared to ask him anything anyway. Just forget I ever said anything. Now we have to choose a song to sing."
Kasey wasn't ever going to forget this little detail.
"I've got just the song. Do you remember the song that you were obsessed with for so long?"
Kristine grins and nods her head waiting for Kasey to start singing.
Kasey
Kristine
Both
It's a new day
But it all feels old
It's a good life
That's what I'm told
But every day, it all just feels the same
At my high school
It felt more to me
Like a jail cell
A penitentiary
My time spent there it only made me see
That I don't ever wanna be like you
I don't wanna do the things you do
I'm never gonna hear the words you say
And I don't ever wanna
I don't ever wanna be
You, don't wanna be just like you
What I'm sayin' is, this is the anthem
Throw all your hands up
You, don't wanna be you
*Friend to a Stranger*
Amanda and Patrick decided to head to the auditorium to complete their homework assignment. They both hated the fact that they had been paired together. Amanda wished she had been paired with her girlfriend, Beth and Patrick wished he had been paired with anybody other than Amanda or Beth. That wasn't the case and they were stuck with each other.
"I get that you don't like me, but we can't complete this assignment without at least talking to each other."
Patrick takes a seat on the stage and Amanda follows suit.
"I don't like you. Sara is my best friend and you stole her girlfriend away from her."
Amanda nods her head and let's Patrick continue.
"She really liked Beth and she had just come out and then you decide to go gay too and take the first girl that Sara had an interest in and you crushed her. You and Beth crushed her and Sara had been devastated. She literally cried in my arms for the longest time almost every night. And that's your fault. You're supposed to be her friend and you hurt her."
"Don't you think I know that? I know I hurt my friend. I could see it in her eyes every time I looked at her, but I have never been happy in any relationship I had. Those guys that I was always with only wanted one thing and that was sex. I'd flirt and then we do it so I figured Beth was the same way. I flirted with her, but she avoided me. I realized she wasn't like those guys that only wanted sex. So I kept flirting and then I fell hard for her. And she fell hard for me. I lost my friend and I hope that maybe one day our friendship can be repaired, but I know that it's going to take a really long time for that to happen and I understand that. I just wanted a chance to love and be loved. Beth is that chance for me."
Patrick remains silent. He had heard Sara's side of the whole cheating issue, but he had never heard of Beth and Amanda's side. He felt as though he had to stay loyal to his best friend and his mindset hasn't changed, but could it be possible that he could work with Amanda even for a few hours? He was going to find out.
"I can't speak for Sara, but I can work with you on this assignment. I heard your story, but that isn't going to be the thing that I don't know about you. So, what do I get to know that nobody else gets to know?" Patrick asks with a small grin.
Amanda wipes her sweaty hands on her jeans.
"So I have this one punishment for taking off without telling anyone so my Mamí punished me by making me work at her restaurant. I have to help in any way I can, but I don't see it as much as a punishment anymore. I actually enjoy it. I'm learning to cook and I really enjoy being in the kitchen and I think I want to be a chef. I want to go to culinary school and learn even more about the craft. I can't believe I'm saying this, but I want to be like my Mamí."
"I love food," Patrick says with a smile. "I guess it's my turn, huh?"
Amanda nods her head and gives Patrick some time to think about his answer.
"Do you know why I joined the Glee club?" Amanda shakes her head. "I've always wanted to be in some sort of spotlight. It didn't matter what it was. I just wanted to be there. I had come out to my parents a few weeks before the start of high school. My dad didn't want anything to do with me. 'It's wrong in the eyes of the lord,' he would say. He's a reverend, but doesn't understand. My mother was there for me, but it caused problems for my parents and they divorced. I joined the Glee club because I knew I was going to be accepted there. Mrs. Fabray is married to a woman, so I felt like I would easily be accepted and I was. Glee club is like my second family and it helped me deal with everything that was going on at home."
"I'm sorry about your dad, Patrick. I had no clue that he didn't accept you. It's pretty common in my life that people accept those people that aren't straight. I forget that there are people out there that don't accept it. I'm truly sorry about that."
"I've come to terms with it, but I think it helps that I told someone else about it. I only ever talk to my mom."
Amanda smiles a little.
"Moms are pretty cool."
Patrick nods his head.
"Do you have any ideas on what song to sing?"
Amanda shakes her head.
"I'm too lazy to figure something out."
It took all of twenty seconds before Patrick and Amanda locked eyes and began to smile. They knew what song they were going to sing. Patrick takes the lead.
Patrick
Amanda
Both
Today I don't feel like doing anything
I just wanna lay in my bed
Don't feel like picking up my phone, so leave a message at the tone
'Cause today I swear I'm not doing anything
I'm gonna kick my feet up then stare at the fan
Turn the TV on, throw my hand in my pants
Nobody's gon' tell me I can't
I'll be lounging on the couch just chilling in my Snuggie
Click to MTV so they can teach me how to dougie
'Cause in my castle I'm the freaking man
Oh yes, I said it, I said it
I said it 'cause I can
Today I don't feel like doing anything
I just wanna lay in my bed
Don't feel like picking up my phone, so leave a message at the tone
'Cause today I swear I'm not doing anything
Nothing at all, nothing at all
*Friend to a Stranger*
Zeke and Lucy had decided to head to the school's student center to discuss their glee assignment. Lucy was excited that she was going to be singing with someone new. She really didn't know anything about Zeke and she was slightly guilty by that, but decided that this would be a chance to get to know him better.
"So, I know we don't know each other very much and I apologize for that, but I was hoping this may be the chance to get to know each other better. What do you think?"
Zeke smiles gently at Lucy and shakes his head slightly.
"You are peculiar."
Lucy raises an eyebrow.
"I'm peculiar," Zeke nods his head. Lucy shrugs her shoulders. "You can think whatever you would like. I however, would like to start on the assignment."
Zeke pulls out a chair at an empty table and sits down. Lucy does the same.
"Should I reveal something about myself or would you like to go Fabray?"
"I guess I can go," Lucy says with a sigh, but then smiles. "Sometimes it's hard to pick something from my life because usually there is at least someone else that knows. Even though this relationship is fairly knew I will tell you that I am currently in a relationship with Jason from glee club."
Zeke raises an eyebrow at this. Of all the guys Lucy could pick she ended up picking up a guy that had been pinning for her for a while. He just couldn't see them as a couple.
"That's something. I had no idea you were seeing anybody. That's nice."
"Thank you," Lucy asks in a form of a question, not really knowing how to answer.
Zeke takes a breath before speaking his secret.
"Everyone knows that I am adopted. Literally, this whole town thinks that I am adopted. What people don't know is that I've been searching for my birth parents. I want to know where I came from. I finally located them and they want nothing to do with me. I even had the courage to knock on their door, but they slammed it in my face. Surprisingly enough, my birth parents are together and they both agree that they want nothing to do with me."
Lucy places her hand against her chest. Zeke's story was killing her inside.
"Zeke, I'm so sorry. They are missing out on a really great person and it's totally their loss."
"You don't know me very well. How would you know?"
"I know enough," Lucy says with a smile. "Now let's choose a song."
Once their song was chosen, Zeke took the lead.
Zeke
Lucy
Both
Why are you striving these days
Why are you trying to earn grace
Why are you crying
Let me lift up your face
Just don't turn away
Why are you looking for love
Why are you still searching as if I'm not enough
To where will you go child
Tell me where will you run
To where will you run
'Cause I'll be by your side
Wherever you fall
In the dead of night
Whenever you call
And please don't fight
These hands that are holding you
My hands are holding you
*Friend to a Stranger*
"I don't like this assignment," Sara grumbles as she makes her way into Beth's bedroom.
Beth rolls her eyes. "And you think that I do? You hate me Sara and now we are forced to work with each other and I have no idea how we are going to get anything done."
"That's your fault, not mine," Sara whispers.
Beth glares down at the floor.
"How many times do I have to tell you that I already know I screwed up? I've always been known as the screw up so why is it any different now, huh? I'm sorry that I hurt you, but I am done apologizing for it."
Sara wipes her eyes and looks away from Beth. She walks over to Beth's dresser. She picks up some sort of token/chip and holds it up to Beth.
"I've never seen this before. What is it?"
Beth sees what Sara is holding and she internally cringes. She had forgotten to put that away.
"I guess it's time that I share my secret. That is my one year chip. I just received it."
Sara looks down at the chip and then back at Beth.
"My name is Beth and I'm a heroin addict."
Sara's eyes widen in surprise. Beth nods her head.
"Pretty crazy huh?" Sara nods her head. "I've dealt with a lot of stuff in my life. I've been abused for many years and the only thing that would dull the pain was heroin. To make a really long story short all that I will say is that I've been a year sober and no one knows, well except for my grandma, apparently, but AA and NA are anonymous so she can't tell anyone. Now I am asking you the same. Don't tell anybody."
Sara takes a seat on Beth's bed and places her hands on her knees. She looks up at Beth.
"Nobody knows about this, not even Amanda."
"Not even her."
Sara reaches for Beth's arm.
"What are you doing?" Beth asks in alarm.
"Shh," Sara says before running her fingers along the inside of Beth's arm. "I don't see anything."
"The marks are between my toes. They stay hidden that way."
Sara moves her hands away from Beth's arms and frowns.
"Anything I say isn't going to top what you just told me."
Beth raises an eyebrow.
"This isn't a competition."
"I know, but the only thing I seem to be able to want to say, you aren't going to like very much."
Beth nods her head. She had a feeling she knew what Sara wanted to say.
"So, I will just tell you something that nobody knows and that is that I am starting to finally forgive you. I may take a really long time for me to completely forgive you, but I am starting too," Beth nods her head in understanding. She didn't want to push Sara into forgiving her when she doesn't deserve it. "Now, I may have an idea on a song." Beth takes the lead and Sara quickly joins in.
Beth
Sara
Both
Yesterday, when you were young,
everything you needed done was done for you.
Now you do it on your own
But you find you're all alone,
What can you do?
You and me walk on, walk on, walk on
Cause you can't go back now.
The scene changes and Beth and Sara are finishing their song in front of the glee club. They were the last to perform. Just like when they were practicing in Beth's room. They gave it their all in front of the club.
You know there will be days when you're so tired
that you can't take another step,
The night will have no stars and you'll think you've gone
as far as you will ever get
But you and me walk on, walk on, walk on
Cause you can't go back now
And yeah, yeah, go where you want to go
Be what you want to be,
If you ever turn around, you'll see me.
I can't really say why everybody wishes
they were somewhere else
But in the end, the only steps that matter are the
ones you take all by yourself
And you and me walk on
Yeah you and me walk on
Cause you can't go back now
Walk on, walk on, walk on
You can't go back now
After the song is finished, Sara and Beth share a genuine smile before taking their seats. Maybe this assignment wasn't as bad as they had originally thought.
A/N: Now I forgot to give credit to the song I used in the last chapter so I am putting it here along with the others for this chapter.
Last chapter, credit goes to Glee for their mash up of I Feel Pretty/Unpretty sung by Quinn and Rachel.
This chapter, credits go to Rascal Flatts for Life is a Highway, Boys Like Girls & Taylor Swift for Two is Better Than One, Good Charlotte for The Anthem, Bruno Mars for The Lazy Song, Tenth Avenue North for By Your Side and The Weepies for Can't Go Back Now.
All song are now on my playlist:
official dot fm / playlist / tEWc