I now have this story written up to chapter 37, with chapter 38 currently being edited by my completely amazing beta. I'm kind of hoping to have this up to 40 chapters by the time I leave on the 13th. Reviews would be an awesome motivation for me to complete this goal, so talk to me. What do you guys want to see? How do you feel about what you've already seen? How can I improve? I want to hear your opinions! Help me reach 40 chapters in the next two weeks, please!
The song Scott and Mariah perform for their ballad assignment is I Want to Know What Love Is by Foreigner. Also, I have no idea what to name this chapter. If anyone has any ideas, feel free to send them my way.
Chapter 35: Untitled
(Season 1, Episode 10: Ballad)
Glee rehearsal wasn't even in session for five minutes and Rachel was already grinning from ear to ear as Mr. Schue wrote their assignment for the week on the board.
"Ballad. From the Middle English ballade.(A/N: I have no idea how to actually spell that. If anyone knows feel free to correct me.) Does anyone know what this means?" Rachel's hand was in the air in less than a second.
"It's a male duck." Brittany answered with a confident smile. Mr. Schue nodded to acknowledge the answer before moving on.
"Pretty sure you're thinking of a mallard, Britt." Quinn whispered over the taller blonde's shoulder.
"A ballad is a love song." Kurt supplied.
"Sometimes, but they don't always express love." Mr. Schue responded. "Mariah, want to give it a shot?"
"It's a story set to music." Mariah said.
"Exactly, which is why they're the perfect storm of self-expression. Stories and music are the way that we express feelings that we can't get out any other way. Now, we have Sectionals in a few weeks, and there's a new rule this year. We have to perform a ballad." There was a sudden animated murmuring among the kids and Mr. Schue waited for them to quiet down so he could continue. "So this week, I'm going to pair you off, and you each have to pick a ballad to sing to your partner."
"I pick Quinn." Finn said immediately.
"Ah ah, too easy. Your partners will be determined by fate. I've put all of your names in this hat…" Mr. Schue indicated the hat sitting on the piano. "…whoever you choose is your partner. No trades, no redoes. You stick with who you get. Who's up first?"
Five minutes later everyone had selected their partners. Puck had been paired with Mercedes, Artie with Quinn, Finn with Kurt, Tina with 'Other Asian,' a.k.a. Mike, Santana with Brittany, Rachel with Matt, and Scott with Mariah.
"Would you mind clarifying what kinds of songs you want us to sing?" Artie asked once they'd all been paired off.
"How about we have someone demonstrate instead?" Mr. Schue suggested. "Scott? Mariah?" Both nodded and joined Mr. Schue at the center of the room.
"This is something we've been working on in our free time the past few days." Scott said, picking up his guitar.
"I think it will actually work for our assignment as well." Mariah added. She handed a set of sheet music to Brad and signaled for him to begin once she'd rejoined Scott.
Italics: Mariah
Bold: Scott
Both: Scott and Mariah
I gotta take a little time
A little time to think things over
I better read between the lines
In case I need it when I'm older…
Whoa Oh…
Now this mountain I must climb
Feels like the world upon my shoulders
Through the clouds I see love shine
It keeps me warm as life grows colder…
In my life
There's been heartache and pain
I don't know if I can face it again
Can't stop now,
I've travelled so far
To change this lonely life
I wanna know what love is
I want you to show me
I wanna feel what love is
I know you can show me
I'm gonna take a little time
A little time to look around me
I've got nowhere left to hide
It looks like love has finally found me
In my life
There's been heartache and pain
I don't know if I can face it again
Can't stop now
I've travelled so far
To change this lonely life
I wanna know what love is
I want you to show me
I wanna feel what love is
I know you can show me
I wanna know what love is
I want you to show me
I wanna feel what love is
I know you can show me
As the music tapered off the rest of the club began clapping as Mr. Schue rejoined them in the center of the room.
"Okay, something like that will be a good choice for this assignment. Thank you for that demonstration, guys. I'll leave you all to get started on your assignment. See you guys tomorrow."
That Evening- Quinn's House
Quinn stood in the living room, staring at her reflection in the full length mirror leaning against the wall as she examined herself in her chastity ball dress. Judy sat in the chair next to her, staring at her reflection in the mirror with possibly the most pride Quinn had ever seen in her eyes, and Scott lay on the couch looking into the mirror with an unreadable expression of his own.
"Sweetie, I am so proud of you." Judy said as she ran her hand over Quinn's upper arm and shoulder. "The chastity ball means so much to your father." She stood up from the chair and went to zip up the back of Quinn's dress, bust stopped when the zipper caught. "That's strange. We had this custom made a month ago."
"I had a really big lunch today." Quinn said. "Really big tacos." Scott's stare moved up to her face momentarily and he raised his eyebrow.
'That's the best you've got?' The look said. Quinn swallowed audibly.
"Well, that's okay, honey. I'll just take it down to the tailor shop tomorrow and we can let it out a bit." Judy leaned over and grabbed the tape measure from the table to measure Quinn's waist. "I think the problem is that you haven't been getting enough exercise since you quit the Cheerios."
"Yeah, yeah. That's probably it."
"You used to spend hours every day doing backflips and high kicks…now you spend all your time sitting on a stool in the dark singing show tunes. Maybe we should sign you up for Scott's self-defense class. It could get you some exercise, even if it isn't exactly…conventional for a woman to learn how to fight."
"She wouldn't last a day, Aunt Judy." Scott said. He was now fully laying on the couch, staring up at the ceiling. "I push my students to the extreme sometimes. Beginners either have to keep up or drop out. Quinn may be good at gymnastics, but that won't help her in my class. You would be better off getting her a full membership at the gym. That way she could use the ellipticals, run the track, swim in the pool… it'd be much better for her than a self-defense class." Quinn shot the boy a grateful glance in the mirror. She'd much prefer a full gym membership over a few self-defense classes every week. Judy nodded in response.
"I'll go and talk to them tomorrow."
"Judy, Glenn Beck is on!" they heard Russell shout from the den. They heard his footsteps approach and he stopped just outside the door to the living room. "Oh, no, wait, I don't want to see." Russell covered his eyes with his hand as he entered the room.
"Daddy, it's not like we're getting married." Quinn joked. It wasn't very often she found her father in a good mood and she wanted to milk it for all it was worth. Russell laughed and kissed Quinn on the cheek before taking a glass of wine Judy offered him. "Speaking of getting married, how's that boy you've been dating?"
"Yes, he isn't...pressuring you, is he?" Scott and Quinn both picked up on Judy's momentary hesitation. Judy turned to glare almost coldly at Scott, who was still lying on the couch. "You've been taking care of her, right?"
"Of course I have." Scott responded. "I'm not about to let him do anything she isn't ready for." Scott sent a meaningful glance in Quinn's direction before returning his gaze to the ceiling.
"You both have nothing to worry about." Quinn assured them. "Finn's a complete gentleman."
"I'm glad to hear that." Russell said. "That's why I'm inviting him over for dinner on Sunday."
"Oh, wonderful!" Judy exclaimed. "I can try out that new recipe I found for Lemon Peppered Chicken." Judy went into the kitchen to find said recipe while Russell excused himself to watch Glenn Beck. Quinn trudged slowly out of the room and upstairs to her bedroom, followed closely by Scott. Once they were safely in her room, Quinn sighed loudly and let the dress fall off of her, leaving her in a plain white bra and panties. She pulled out a pair of sweats and a tank top to change into.
"Thanks for the save out there." Quinn said once she'd settled on her bed. Scott had taken a seat in her desk chair.
"No problem. I said I was going to help you through this and I meant it. The only thing I'm worried about is this dinner party with Finn on Sunday. We can't trust him not to do something idiotic."
"I like to think he has at least some common sense."
"I don't. Then again, I've always been a realist. We're just going to have to keep an eye on him Sunday night. I may invite Mariah over to join us just so that we have a spare set of eyes and hands."
"You know my parents won't like that, Scott."
"Like I care. Your parents already hate me, and personally, I don't feel like being the fifth wheel. I'll ask her if she's free when we get to school tomorrow. I'm assuming you're driving separately to pick up Rachel?" Quinn nodded. "Then I'll give her a ride to school."
"How are you two doing, by the way?" Scott shrugged.
"Better, I guess. We haven't found time to try to go out on another date. I was hoping once we left drill team we'd be able to find the time, but Mariah rejoined the day after we left after Tyler told us we could rejoin."
"You didn't go back? I thought you loved drill team."
"I loved it at my old school, where the commanders were actually remotely competent. I still hold true to the belief that they won't make it through American Legion, so I decided not to bother. Plus, I'm tired of being under his thumb. I'm not doing it for another two and a half years." Quinn nodded in understanding.
"Do you have any idea why Mariah's never able to find time?"
"She says she has a lot of schoolwork on top of drill team and our assignments for glee club. It seems kind of strange for a freshman. Her workload rivals an AP course from what she's told me."
"Take her out on a weekend, then. You only have classes in the morning, and Mariah has the entire rest of the weekend to do homework. That way you guys at least have time to hang out." Scott nodded thoughtfully.
"Maybe I can get her to put down the rifle for a few hours to go see a movie. She already knows that routine by heart. I think she can afford to get away from it for a while." Quinn shrugged.
"Give it a shot." Scott nodded and stood up.
"I'd better go. I still have to finish up the website before I go to bed tonight."
So to reiterate, let me know what you all think, and give me a ring if you have an idea for a chapter title. Because seriously, my brain is having a writer's block bonanza today.