A/N: WOOHOO THIS STORY IS ONE YEAR OLD! 24 June 2012.

Punny title, eh? But seriously, the next couple chapters introduce a load of TGP2 characters and how they're associated with TGP1. Heh heh...


Rachel's life is falling apart.

Finn's taken another step away from Rachel by actively running from her. He walks straight in the opposite direction when she approaches him; he pulls away when she tries to touch him. He doesn't talk to her, doesn't make eye contact with her, doesn't even look at her. His gaze just sort of floats over her without even registering her existence.

It's like they never even met. Like they never made out on the stage the first week he joined New Directions. Like they've never been together (on and off) for the past semester.

Even though Rachel tells herself over and over again that she doesn't care, that she can find love in other people—even girls like Quinn—she can't pretend that Finn suddenly pretending that she doesn't exist doesn't sting.

And yet another blow to her dignity: Mr. Schuester has repeatedly refused her pleas for a solo during their first competition of the year! The Glee club is her life; she's always the one to suggest possible songs for competition setlists, to remind Mike and Brittany to work on choreography, to encourage everybody else to show up for extra practices, to lead their team to victory. It's only right that she get most of the solos.

Yet for all the effort she's put into the New Directions, nobody appreciates her, and everybody takes advantage of her effort. Santana and Mercedes and Kurt sit indifferently in the background until Mr. Schuester brings up the opportunity for solos and then everybody's suddenly alive and wanting the position Rachel had worked hard to set up for herself. And now even Mr. Schuester has turned around and given the duet to Quinn and Damian, who won it in a competition/popularity contest amongst the Glee club members.

Marissa. Sunshine. And, as of this afternoon, Kurt. They've all left New Directions. Finn ignores her, people take advantage of her hard work, even Mr. Schuester has turned his back on her. The Glee club is slowly falling apart five days before Sectionals, and Rachel feels like her life is going down with it.


By the end of the grueling Vocal Adrenaline practice, Sunshine is absolutely exhausted—physically and mentally. Dakota Stanley might be a genius when it comes to choreography, but he's a match for Sue Sylvester when it comes down to brutal dialogue. After four straight hours of nonstop, demeaning criticism accompanied by terrible nicknames such as "Asian Speck" and "Chinkprick", Sunshine's ready to collapse into bed and sleep. Forever.

Except they haven't quite moved all the way in yet. She'll have to sleep on the floor until she can help her mother carry in and unpack everything. And that's currently impossible, with Sectionals coming up soon and Sunshine's requirement to attend all practices.

Ugh. She'll deal with that problem later. Right now her mind is too befuddled and all she wants to do is rest and regain that mental awareness. She's not used to not getting an appropriate amount of sleep and it's putting a lot of stress on her.

But there's no break for her, even as a new arrival. Sunshine had seen it coming the minute she stepped in the auditorium. These people weren't the New Directions, who were a somewhat loose family and cared for each other yet couldn't stop bickering. No, Vocal Adrenaline was ALL flat out competition. All about the victorious ends without regrets concerning the means. So when Coach Goolsby announced right then and there that Sunshine was their secret weapon and that she would take the lead for Regionals, Sunshine knew that she'd made a few enemies.

She just wasn't expecting this many enemies.

It feels like over half the club stands between her and the auditorium exit. She cautiously inches forward, and they part for her… but only slightly. Accusing eyes bore into her as she passes through their ranks in order to get to the door. Sunshine's drained and weak and she just wants to go home, and their obvious hate just whittles her down even more.

They're closing up behind her. They're caging her in. She's trapped in a circle of about twenty teenagers, all glaring at her in jealous anger. And directly in front of Sunshine stands the former female lead, her arms folded across her chest and an aggressive smirk on her face. It looks more like the hostile stance of a boy, even though the lead's wearing a dress.

"Sunshine Corazon," the girl growls. "You've just been transferred from the New Directions, I hear. You think you can just waltz in here and slip into Vocal Adrenaline without an effort?"

Sunshine stops. The circle of resentful Vocal Adrenaline members closes in on her, isolating her completely. She can feel the hate oozing off every one of them and it almost makes Sunshine want to cry. She almost misses the crazed self-obsession of a certain Ms. Rachel Berry, who hated her enough to send her to a crack house yet was kind enough to apologize profusely afterwards and encourage her to audition again.

"Please, I want to go home," she mumbles softly. She tries to push her way past the lead, but a surprisingly strong hand plants itself on her shoulder and shoves her back into the center of the circle.

"What makes you think you're so much better than all of us?" the girl demands. "What makes you think you can just step in and sing lead, huh?" She takes a step forward.

Sunshine timidly takes a step back. "I… Coach Goolsby said…"

"Hell with what Goolsby said. The point is, we've been slaving away in the background of Vocal Adrenaline for three years—every day, six to nine hours a day, barely eating, barely sleeping, working our asses off, just so we can climb to the top." The female lead takes a step forward, and Sunshine takes a step back. In the back of her mind, she suddenly feels shame for intimidating Rachel this way a couple days ago.

The tanned female lead continues advancing on Sunshine, pushing her back and up against the wall of teenagers. They roughly shove her towards the lead, and Sunshine withers in the heated wrath rolling off the girl. "We have three years of experience," the lead spits. "You had a one shining moment that turned Goolsby on and made him want you. That's all. You don't deserve the position you have right now, she you might as well—"

Something deep within Sunshine's tired mind stirs. She didn't transfer schools just to be shot down directly after the first practice. And sure, she might not have experience working in the background of Vocal Adrenaline, but that doesn't disqualify her from leading the show choir during Regionals. "You haven't even heard me sing," she argues. "And that's the point of a show choir, right? You guys are called Vocal Adrenaline, after all—dancing is good, but the vocals come first. That's why I'm here. I swear, Coach Goolsby didn't bring me here all the way from Lima just to put a huge dent in your pride."

The lead's pupils dilate in fury, and she suddenly brings her hand up in preparation for a vicious bitch-slap—

"Giselle, what the hell are you doing?"

An arm grabs the female lead's wrist and pulls it down. The next second, an Asian boy has shoved his way through the solid barrier of people, and he quickly slides right between Giselle and Sunshine. His stance is firm and strong, but what draws Sunshine's attention the most is the shock of red flame in the midst of his jet black hair.

"Making sure the newcomer knows her place," Giselle replies snarkily. "I have a feeling she already knows, but it doesn't hurt to have somebody remind her."

"She's the Coach's recruit," her guard snaps, and Sunshine feels her heart well in gratitude to the Asian stranger who popped up out of nowhere to defend her. "That's not something you have the right to contest on your own, especially as the temporary female lead."

"And I haven't challenged Coach's decision, Abraham," Giselle bristles. "I haven't even talked to him, and I'm not planning to."

Abraham actually laughs. "So what do you call this?"

Giselle grits her teeth. "I'm simply telling her that she may not be as qualified for the position as much as she thinks herself to be, and that she should really consider her options before she jumps into the deep end." She shoots a strained, fake smile Sunshine's way. "Really, we wouldn't want our newest member collapsing of exhaustion within three practices, would we? Or failing to hit those perfect high notes—"

"I challenge you to a duel!" Sunshine shouts, stepping from behind Abraham's body. Realizing how nerdy that sounds, she clarifies, "A singing competition. No fancy tricks or dancing or flying—just vocals. We'll just have to see who's really the superior vocalist; who's really more qualified for the lead position."

A collective gasp and a couple jeers echo around. Giselle narrows her eyes. "Are you sure you want to do this?" she snarls.

"Are you scared?" Sunshine shoots back, unable to think of a witty answer.

Giselle's eyes snap furiously. "Tomorrow. Lunch. Better not be late, bitch." And with that, the entire circle breaks apart, following Giselle's steaming figure out the auditorium.

Sunshine's boost of adrenaline leaves with them, and she promptly collapses into the nearest chair. "Oh god," she moans.

Her defender plops down next to her. "Not bad," he compliments. He sticks out a hand. "Abraham, by the way."

Sunshine doesn't see him; she's too busy staring blankly at the ceiling. "Tina told me Vocal Adrenaline was terrible, but I didn't think…"

"Hey, we're not all evil bitches," Abraham chuckles. "What'd you say your name was?"

Sunshine finally notices his offered hand and shakes it. "Sunshine Corazon. I just moved from—"

"Abraham!" a soft voice yells from above them. Sunshine's head jerks up; the girl's voice appears to be coming from the balcony.

Abraham's eyes light up. "Nellie!"

A girl's head pops up from behind the barrier. "So, uh, I know you told me not to bring my camera, but I did anyways. I recorded the argument…"

"Yes, incriminating evidence!" Abraham cheers. "I love you so much, Nellie."

Even in the dim lighting of the auditorium, Sunshine catches the girl's blush. "Uh, so I'll send documentation around later, yeah?"

"Sure thing, girl," Abraham grins. "How's the boy doing?"

Nellie doesn't answer; a couple seconds later, she pops out of a stairwell. Sunshine's first impression is that she looks just a little Asian, and she takes an instant liking to the somewhat shy, reserved girl. "You know as much as I do," Nellie mumbles quietly, looking down at her camera.

"And by that, you mean nothing?" Abraham asks, slinging an arm around the girl's shoulder.

Nellie lays her head on Abraham's shoulder, and Abraham kisses the top of her head. He pauses, then takes a tentative sniff. "Your hair still smells like coffee," he giggles, pushing her away teasingly.

"No!" Nellie exclaims, pulling her hair out of its ponytail and running her fingers through the black strands. "I swear, I tried…"

Sunshine feels awfully like a third wheel, and she takes their open display of affection as her cue to leave. "Thanks for the help, Abraham," she says quietly, stepping back. "See you tomorrow; I've got to go—"

Abraham darts forward and grabs her wrist. "Wait a hot damn minute," he cries. "You can't just waltz off like that without some proper practice. What about your competition tomorrow? Giselle's got it out for you, girl. You can't just—"

"I usually practice at home," Sunshine says, hot blood rising in her face as she feels his soft hand around hers. "Our whole family, we sing together. And that's why I have to go home anyways; we just moved into Carmel this morning."

"Then we'll help you," Abraham says with a sense of finality. "Both with moving in and helping you practice. You'll definitely need some harmony." He sidles up right next to her and hisses conspiratorially, "Pst, we need your car."

Nellie shrugs helplessly. "Um, sure, I can come along. But I have Running Start in the mornings and work in the afternoons. And my mom expects me home for dinner. I can't stay long."

"Yeah, yeah." Abraham waves her off while flipping his phone open. "Yo! Aylin, we need help here!"


"What do you feel about the new girl?" McKynleigh asks the girl sprawled out on the roof of her car.

"Mhm," Lindsay grunts noncommittally. Nothing more.

Sensing she won't be able to wrangle more out of her friend, McKynleigh switches topics. "Get off the car—I need to get back home to organize photos for the school newspaper."

"I'm sunbathing," Lindsay murmurs, stretching like a cat.

McKynleigh glances up at the cloudy autumn sunset and shivers. "It's too cold."

"Well, I'm really hot," Lindsay grins, closing her eyes. Practice was especially rough today. She figures Dakota Stanley amped it up to speed up Sunshine's learning.

"Get off," McKynleigh mutters, poking the shorter girl in the hip. "And adjust yourself. You're showing."

Impishly, Lindsay pulls her yoga top lower. She can't keep a teasing smirk from playing onto her lips. "That better?"

"If you don't get off, I'm just going to hop in the car and drive. You're going to have to hang on really tight if you want your ride home…" McKynleigh's voice trails off, and after a moment of awkward silence, Lindsay opens her eyes.

McKynleigh's staring off into the empty parking lot; Lindsay follows her gaze. She spots the boy next the school: a straw cowboy hat over blonde hair reaching to his chin, huge biceps in a plaid shirt, and an easygoing smile as he begins to walk towards them.

Lindsay yelps, yanks up her top to cover herself, and topples off the car. "Oh my gosh, Miki, why didn't you warn me?" Lindsay blubbers, swinging in McKynleigh's car. Her friend follows suit hurriedly, starting the car and immediately zooming off; she seems just as panicky as Lindsay is.

"I can't believe it," McKynleigh gasps.

"I know!" Lindsay exclaims, before turning around to catch a second glimpse. She squeaks, almost screaming, "God, Miki, he's chasing us! You! You made me bare myself in plain sight, right in front of him!"

"ME?" McKynleigh roars, squealing around a corner. "You're joking, right?"

Lindsay slumps down in her seat, her face absolutely red. "Geez, that was embarrassing," she mumbles. "I can't believe it… what a creeper!"

McKynleigh seems to pause. "Yeah," she says finally.

Lindsay detects something deeper going on; it's the same pregnant pause that Aylin had done with Blake earlier. McKynleigh's covering something up. But this time, as one of McKynleigh's closer friends, Lindsay has the right to be nosey. "Hmm?" she says shrewdly. "You aren't driving away from that creeper with the muscles for my sake, were you?"

McKynleigh is silent, which is just as good as any confession.

"Let me guess," Lindsay says slyly. "You moved from Kentucky two years ago, right? I'll bet the hot cowboy creeper's—OUCH!"

McKynleigh has just socked Lindsay in the shoulder. "Have you been stalking me all your life?" the girl asks, her jaw on the floor. "How the hell did you know?"

Lindsay's jaw mirrors McKynleigh's. "What? Are you serious? I was only joking…"

McKynleigh pulls onto Lindsay's street. "I can't believe it," she mutters. "I am going to drop you off at your house and we will never speak of this again."

"Yes we will!" Lindsay argues. "Your Kentucky cowboy is here to stay. Whether he's a student or stalker is still unknown, but we are going to see him again."

McKynleigh nails her with an uncharacteristically vicious glare. "Not if I can help it," she growls.

Lindsay's stunned into silence. Alright, Lindsay will not dig into that pile of crap. Still… "Lemme know his name," she pleads. "Just something to put a name to the gnawing curiosity in my gut, Miki. You know I can't help it."

McKynleigh just stares darkly at her; finally, she sighs and leans her head against her steering wheel. "Maxfield," she says stiffly. "My first."

The question pops out of Lindsay's mouth before she can hold it back. "First what?"

McKynleigh revs her car and drives away quickly.

Ooookay.


Author's Rant

I've been listening to Harry Potter audiobooks. Hence, "I challenge you to a duel!"

I committed the final act of stalkerhood by following TGP contestants on Twitter. Within twelve hours my inbox was full with a million text messages a day from Nellie and Charlie and people from last year that I forgot about like Damian and McKynleigh. Because none of the tweets actually said anything worthwhile, I un-signed-up (signed down?) from Twitter yesterday. Well, in those two days of massive text message, I gained some useful information: like how, a couple days ago, the real life McKynleigh met the real life Maxfield. And Aylin's moved to LA and Nellie's following soon. I've gotten tons of pictures of Aylin, Charlie, Blake, and Abraham just hanging out. Saw a gorgeous shot of Alex in drag. Hoo boy. Was constantly updated about Sam Donovan's update posts.

Oh Twitter…

Thanks to all you reviewers! Especially those who reviewed twice!

CartoonistGirl6

cowboy-mcginty – Whoops, sort of skipped out on the Damsay date. I'm trying to get a move on—this story has to finish at some point, yet I still haven't hit Sectionals!
I sort of love Sunshine. Hence, lots of Sunshine the next couple chapters. That, and she's the one who opens up a whole new world within Carmel High School, where several TGP2 characters are going to pop up.

TealCrystalCAT – I had so much fun writing the Damsay unexpected date prep scene! Once I got to the actual date part, though… yeah. I just didn't write it. Too lazy, no inspiration, crazy hour of the night and I just wanted to go to bed. Excuses, excuses.

littlehoneypot – Bryrissa? Marribryce? Ugh shipping names. Thanks for the constant reviews though!

aleja1 – WOW. That would be incredible. Absolutely. DO IT.
Actually, during high school, I wrote a 100,000 word story about all of my high school buddies in a clash of superpowers, split into teams of people trying to take over the world and others trying to defend it. It took maybe three years. I killed off a lot of people in the end :) But no, nothing good enough to be a money-making novel. Thanks for the compliment though!

Mary in the Stars – WOOHOO. Awesome multiple chapter review. Thanks!
Bahaha Michael as a DQ stripper… I thought DQ was an ice cream store!
Whew, I actually forgot about Marissa and Brittany. I may have to bring that back. Brittany POVs are generally a blast to write anyways.
Ohhoho, thanks for the Bryce-Lindsay-Damian-Marissa plot idea! I've got a lot planned already so it probably won't show up for another 10 chapters or so, but your idea's in the works now.
Drama before a major competition is what the New Directions does best! And I've already got people shuffled nicely into Westerville, Carmel, and Lima… so the drama's just going to get just a little more intense!

TheGleekFromDeathlyHallows – NO I LIKE YOUR LONG REVIEWS. AUGH NELLIE.
Sorry, I don't speak grunt… what does "unf"
mean? And is Glenn Coco a reference?

AshtrayTragedyM.D – It's all going to be a part of Abraham's story! Spoiler for you, though: don't worry, I won't.

polarpi

Lovely Chaster

gleekster2915

Charlotte Pecot and tharuka – Androgynous doesn't mean gay and that's something I want to emphasize in Dani. So eventual Danellie friendship, yes! Gah though even that's going to take a while... I still haven't gotten Dameron together!