Chapter 27- Miami

AN: Links to Nationals outfits at top of my profile under Finchel's Future- Junior Year- Nationals. You can see the dresses I'm describing,the nails, hair etc. Check out the others if you haven't already. Sorry if I get anything wrong (like the SATs). I'm English so I look all the American stuff up. Also, thanks so much all you reviewers especially those of you who review often (FinchelFan728 and SibunaGleekR5er xx). We got to 50 reviews! Yay! I've also updated the prologue if you want to re-read it because it seemed a bit all over the place.

Enjoy the chapter!

The New Directions (this year)

Cho Chang- 14/15 (freshman)

Theo Matthews- 14/15 (freshman)

Lottie Puckerman- 15/16 (sophomore)

Ethan March- 15/16 (sophomore)

Will James- 15/16 (sophomore)

Violet Craig- 15/16 (sophomore)

Charlie Benson- 15/16 (sophomore)

Leon Edison- 15/16 (sophomore)

Frankie Mendez- 15/16 (sophomore)

Amelia Rae Hudson- 16/17 (junior)

Aaron Joshua Hudson- 16/17 (junior)

Alexandra Jemma Hudson- 16/17 (junior)

Izzy Adams- 16/17 (junior)

Macey Gregory- 16/17 (junior)

Chloe Stevenson- 16/17 (junior)

Dave Phips- 16/17 (junior)

Nate Richards- 17/18 (senior)

Jenna May- 17/18 (senior)

Harry Knick- 17/18 (senior)

Sophia Birch- 17/18 (senior)

(2 freshmen, 7 sophomores, 7 juniors, 4 seniors= 20 members)

Finn Hudson- 35/36 (director)

Rachel Hudson- 35/36 (assistant director)

Last Time: The annual duets competition; the juniors took the SAT, Aaron found out Izzy likes him and they kissed, his sisters tried to help him out, Alex dyed her hair blue and got back into photography and Amelia and Harry were as cute as ever. ;)

Chloe's POV:
Nationals!- for the first time for all of us except the seniors (excluding Nate). Some of the New Directions haven't ever been on a plane before so everyone's really excited. Despite Amelia's protests that we should have started rehearsing as soon as we won Regionals, Finn announced our theme a few weeks before the competition- the different sides of love…

"What does that mean?" Leon asked. "What sides?"

"We can choose," Dad explained. "But each song has to show a different theme, like, passion or hatred or wanting to leave, but feeling like you can't because there's a tether pulling you back to that person." He looked kind of lost in thought but we eventually came up with our set list- I Got You by Sonny and Cher (to show the sweet falling in love side of things), Pictures of You by the Last Goodnight (to show a relationship gone wrong that you're remembering) and Kiss the Stars by Pixie Lott (to show the great part of love where you feel like you can conquer anything). We (A.K.A the costume committee (which I'm on)) decided on the costumes for Nationals. We decided on black prom style tulle dresses with white lace flower patterns on the bodice. We make them in the weeks before Nationals (between practises and Booty Camp to improve our dance moves).

Before we knew it was time for Nationals. So now we're all seeing the sights of Miami together. We all wandered around the Art Deco area together, then split up to get lunch. Finn and Rachel, and our other chaperones (Coach Puckerman and Mr Puckerman), tell us to meet back at the hotel at half past four, stay in groups of at least four, be careful, and make sure we know how to get back. They remind us of how to contact them is there's an emergency and then, reluctantly, let us go. Despite the fact that we only have to stay in groups of four, the whole Glee Club ends up deciding to stick together seeing as graduation for the seniors is only a few weeks away and this year we're particularly close. We grab hot dogs and fries or burgers and fries from a diner and take them away to the beach. The heat is amazing and I try to tan as I chat to the others but my skin always just burns. Macey's so lucky- she's Barbadian so her skin is naturally tan, plus she goes there every summer to visit her grandparents and always comes back darker. My eyes are shut and I'm bathing in the sun when suddenly a cascade of water hits me and and I scream!

"Alexandra Jemma Hudson!" I scream. I kick off my flip-flops and chase the girl that got me wet into the crystal clear water- we're all in bathing suits anyway. We end up having a water fight (which ends in a lot of kissing) with the rest of the New Directions before renting some peddle-boats with slides and journeying out in them, messing around in the Sea- well aware it's one of the last times we'll all be together like this.

Aaron's POV:

As I lie on my back staring up at the ceiling at eleven pm the night before the competition, I whisper, "Are you guys awake?" They got bunk beds into the rooms for our stay and Dave is above me, with Nate and Harry a few metres away.

"Yeah," They all chorus and I sit up and switch the lights on, igniting groans from the others at the sudden bright light.

"I need your help." A moment later we're sat on Dave's top bunk and I'm recounting the whole Izabelle-Elodie situation to them- although Dave already knows the basics about it. "So, I really love Elodie, but I think I might have feelings for Izabelle too."

"Dude," Nate says. "You are in deep." I can't believe that a few months ago I'd never been in a romantic relationship with one girl, let alone stuck between two.

"Look," Harry says. "I've been here before. Take it from me, you don't want to make this mistake. Take a break from both of them for a little bit and see which one you miss more, which one is more important to you, if you can't decide straight away." I nod, that sounds like good advice.

So the next day, after I've gotten changed into my competition outfit I call Elodie and meet her outside her hotel. It's quite dark as it's only six am but Elodie looks as beautiful as always, her perfect blonde hair blowing in the slight wind. She's wearing her competition outfit- a highly sequinned green and yellow dress with yellow dance heels and leggings under it. Her make-up is light but very bright and noticeable. "Hey baby," Elodie waves when she sees me and runs over- as fast as she can in sparkly three inch heels. She kisses me on the cheek but I just stand still. "Are you alright?" Elodie asks.

"Els," I look into her bright eyes and panic, but slowly I say. "I think we should take a break." Elodie lets go of my arms and takes a step away. She turns her face away momentarily and when she's turns back she's crying. "Els," I whisper, taking her hand but she yanks it away.

"Don't touch me!" She yells. "And don't call me that." She puts her hands on her hips and with tears streaming down her face says, "My teammates told me that a guy as amazing as I described you wouldn't like me. They told me to stay away from you. They said you'd be planning against us- they said you'd break my heart. I should have believed them!" She runs back into the hotel sobbing and I yell after her but it's too late. I screwed that up. I head back to the hotel and we immediately get into the mini-bus to head to where Nationals will be held. When we get to the dressing room, the girls get sections of their hair styled into bows at the back and it's all very giggly and happy but my sisters spot me sitting alone with my head in hands and head over after their hair is done. They both cuddle up against me and I explain what happened. Amelia sighs,

"Well, she obviously wasn't listening clearly to you." She says. "She doesn't deserve you anyway, Aar, I always thought there was something a little off about her."

Alex turns to me. "Okay, you need to just forget about her for now and have fun. It's like 'Lia said, she clearly doesn't deserve you if she's not smart enough to hear what you said." I agree to focus on the competition.

"Welcome to the 2029 show choir Nationals championships!" After about an hour of show choirs performing, we head backstage, only to find a huge group of New Directions alumni waiting for us.

"What are you guys doing here?" Sophia asks as we all hug the alumni.

"It wasn't like we could miss New Directions' first time back at Nationals for three years," Clara (last year's female lead and co-captain) before kissing Alfie (her male lead and co-captain- they're together now).

"Yeah," Kieran, the male lead from our freshman year agrees. "We might have graduated. But we're all still part of the New Directions family and we always will be!"

"Okay," Sophie (our freshman year female lead) says. "Show circle everyone!" Dad points to Harry and Amelia and they step forwards.

"Well, um," Harry says. "Amelia and I did have something planned but I think we should just say something off the spot." Amelia nods, taking his hand. Harry grins at the alumni. "It's amazing that so many of you came to support us. We are like a family and I love you guys, no matter what happens."

"This is our last performance where it's going to be this group of people," Amelia adds. "So let's just have fun and enjoy ourselves!"

"You guys are going to nail it," Dad finishes and then over sixty people put their hands in the centre and we all shout, "AMAZING!"

Alex's POV:

Amelia grins as she walks out of an entrance from the back of the room, everyone turning to look at her.

Amelia: They say we're young and we don't know,
We won't find out until we grow.

Harry walks out of the other entrance, his smile radiant, his eyes focussed on my sister, I smile across at Chloe and take her hand.

Harry: Well, I don't know if all that's true,
But you've got me and baby I've got you.

Babe,

Harry+Amelia: I've got you babe, I've got you babe.

I watch from the side of the stage as the two of them run forwards a little on each line, their eyes focussed on each other the whole time.

Amelia: They say our love won't pay the rent,
Before it's earned our money's all been spent.

Amelia puts her hands behind her back as she slowly strolls up the stairs.

Harry: I guess that's so, we don't have a lot,
But at least I'm sure of all the things we've got.

Harry copies what Amelia did and then they run to each other, hold hands and sway.

Babe, I've got you babe, I've got you babe."

And when I'm sad, you're a clown
And if I get scared, you're always around!

The curtain comes up revealing us boys on one side of the stage and the girls on the other side. We ooh and aah along as Harry and Amelia clutch each other's hands, turn to each other and Amelia begins to sing.

Amelia: So let them say your hair's too long,
Cause I don't care, with you I can't go wrong.

Harry: Then put your little hand in mine,
There ain't no hill or mountain we can't climb.

We all sing from the back of the stage and gradually wander to our places, holding another person's hand and get into position to go straight into the next song.

New Directions: I got you babe,
I got you babe,
I got you babe,
I got you babe,
Harry+Amelia: I got you babe.

We all fall to the floor and get up one by one when we start to sing the next song, starting with Nate, then Harry, then the rest of us, one by one.

Nate: This is the clock upon the wall
This is the story of us all
This is the first sound of a newborn child,
Before he starts to crawl
Harry: This is the war that's never won
This is a soldier and his gun
This is the mother waiting by the phone,
Praying for her son

New Directions: Pictures of you, pictures of me
Hung upon your wall for the world to see
Pictures of you, pictures of me
Remind us all of what we used to be

Confess to me, every secret moment
Seniors+Sophomores: Every stolen promise you believed
New Directions: Confess to me, all that lies between us
Juniors+Freshmen: All that lies between you and me

New Directions: Pictures of you, pictures of me
Hung upon your wall for the world to see
Pictures of you, pictures of me
Remind us all of what we used to be

With the sad love song over, we move onto our final song, and I'm pleased to see we're all smiling- I really want to win this and if anyone is not giving it everything they have, I would not hesitate to make them!

New Directions: Uuuh oooh uuuh oooh
We're on the rocket

Jenna: Baby baby, we're on the rocket
Venus and Mars now, can't be apart now
Sophia: Baby baby, put me in your pocket
We're on a mission, get in position

Chloe+Macey: Put the plug in the socket, give me all your power
When you turn it on I can go for hours
Amelia: Hit the switch, push the button, baby, then you'll see
Izzy+Me: We can have it all, baby, you and me

New Directions: Kiss the stars tonight
You and me, oh, we will
Write our name in lights
They will see we're in love tonight

Love tonight, we're in love tonight
Love tonight, love tonight
We're in love tonight

Jenna+Sophia: We're on the rocket!

The last song's choreography is energetic and filled with flips and splits so it's a sort of relief to slide to the ground with grins on our faces as the curtains close and the next group heads onto the stage. The applause is overwhelming- louder than any I've ever heard and when we've gotten off the stage I pull Chloe in for a deep kiss.

"Get a room!" Dave shouts jokingly as he walks past us with Aaron, the two of them looking happy- I'm glad, I don't want Aaron to be upset over that annoying private school chick.

When we sit down with the alumni that are staying to watch, the group after us are just finishing and it's the Piping Pansies- oh no. I'm not watching the performance, I'm watching my brother, and I see Amelia doing the same thing. When I glance at them, they are singing Walking on Sunshine by Katrina and the Waves, their yellow and green sparkling dresses reflecting against every surface and giving the impression of a disco ball- it's too much happiness for me to stand and I have to turn my head away, back to Aaron. The ordeal is finally over, Aaron relaxes and I can turn back to the stage. It's another few rather boring hours before every show choir has performed, the judges have made their decision on the top ten show choirs and we're trying to push our way through to the board but everyone is there, it seems.

"I'll go!" I announce and tell everyone else to stay there, just going with Izzy. "Yes!" We shout a moment later and hurry back over to the others to tell them the great news.

Amelia's POV:

After each of the show choirs have performed again the top three are announced and it's the Piping Pansies, the Crooners, and US! When that announcement comes I jump up to Harry and he spins me around as we giggle and I breathe out in relief. We have a few minutes to get up to the stage and then we're stood between the Piping Pansies and the Crooners, clasping hands tightly.

"In third place…" Sabrina Carpenter, one of my favourite non-Broadway singers, announces. "From Nashville, Tennessee- the Crooners!" I feel myself grip Harry's and Chloe's hands (the people on either side of me) even tighter.

The woman who plays Fanny in the new production of Funny Girl, Carmine Jayna, is passed the envelope by Sabrina and slowly opens it with a huge smile on her face. "And in first place…. From Lima, Ohio the New Directions!" For once, I don't go straight to Harry, all of the New Directions immediately curl in on ourselves and we're hugging, crying, screaming, happy… together! Confetti comes falling down onto us and it's the most happy I've ever felt. Everyone I love is either up on stage with me or elsewhere in the room.

"I love you guys so much!" I shout over the roar before Harry and I accept the trophy together, blowing kisses to the alumni and sticking our tongues out at Elodie and her team-mates, all with their arms crossed looking like sulking toddlers, including the director!

"AMAZING!" We shout as we put our hands in the middle.

Next Time: The Seniors graduate and Harry finally makes his college decision...