Tuesday morning, the New Directions had met for their first rehearsal, united as a team. As promised, Finn had brought the sheet music to 'Don't Stop Believin'' by Journey, Mercedes entered the choir room with Kurt with shopping bags full of costumes, red shirts in a style that reflected each of the member's personal taste as well as matching jeans and black low top converse.
"I brought the goods y'all," Mercedes grinned as each of the members seemed to chatter excitedly about their new costumes.
Grace found that she had a throwback red peasant top that fit her like a glove, something she loved in that it was completely in her style. The other members of the New Directions also seemed satisfied with their costumes.
They soon began to work on the vocals, something Rachel was quick to coach them on. She designated who sounded better on the harmony and melody of the background vocals of the song as she and Finn started to sing together on the leads. Everything seemed to be clicking into place with choreography naturally happening between the two of them.
"I kind of like where this is headed so far…maybe we should work on the parts where we're all together you know?" Grace offered as she began to teach the New Directions some steps where they would all walk together in time to the music as well as staggering at the end as they bowed their heads.
"This looks amazing you guys," Rachel grinned, seeming to for once be happy to be a part of the team.
"Yeah it's really coming together," Finn agreed, smiling softly before checking his watch "Crap! I have to get to football practice, I'll see you guys after school."
The New Directions said their goodbyes to Finn as they finished up their rehearsal, feeling more confident than ever before about their performance.
Quinn, however, narrowed her eyes watching Finn come out onto the field late. She knew exactly where he had been and she didn't like it one bit. Ever since the night before when nothing happened, Finn had become incredibly distant towards her and that worried Quinn, especially if he had rejoined the New Directions which had been the word on the street. She was not only terrified about their reputation with homecoming only being a few short days away, but she was worried he would leave her for that thing. She knew they had grown close during their time in the New Directions together thanks to Grace telling her everything but with Finn getting further away from her, she knew he had to be getting closer to Rachel.
Quinn said a silent prayer that her instincts were wrong, maybe Finn was just frustrated that their relationship didn't seem to be moving forward and needed to cool off. Maybe he wasn't looking in Rachel's direction for the attention he had once looked to Quinn for. The more she thought about it and the fact that she was pushing him away due to being so scared about what was going to come up at the free clinic, the more she knew she had to figure out a way to make him happy again, but she didn't know how to without compromising him or herself.
The rest of the school day seemed like a blur with both twins anxiously awaiting for school to end, Grace wanting to put the finishing touches on the New Directions rehearsal and Quinn wanting to spy and hoping her instincts were entirely wrong about what was going on in that Glee Club.
"Ready to go Fabray?" Santana smirked while meeting her best friend.
"Ready as I'll ever be," Quinn sighed nervously, hoping the facts were better than the fiction she had in her head.
"Ladies, shall we?" Sue smirked as the two girls nodded, heading up with their coach up in the rafters of the auditorium to secretly watch the performance unfold.
Artie arrived first with Tina and the jazz band, helping them set up for the performance, something Rachel, of course, was supervising and constantly bossing them around about. Mercedes and Kurt arrived next, arms linked as they got into position for the number. Grace then arrived, seeming nervous about the performance but hoping that it would go well. Quinn could see the look of apprehension on her twin's face, she wanted more than anything to give her the support she needed, but she was watching them in secret and couldn't make a sound. Finn arrived last, shattering Quinn's hopes of the rumors being untrue.
"Alright guys, let's take it from the top," Finn grinned to the band as Artie signaled to the jazz band to start playing as Kurt, Grace, Mercedes, Tina, and Rachel began to sing on background vocals.
Finn began to sing on lead vocals as the rest continued on the background vocals but Rachel stopped when it was her solo leading the others to continue singing the background vocals as the two performed together. As they reached for each other in the song Quinn couldn't help but cringe but soon noticed Mr. Schue entering the auditorium, watching the group, who didn't even seem to notice he was there as they were too enthralled in their performance.
Throughout the performance Quinn couldn't help but get more and more upset with how close her boyfriend and that thing seemed to be. She tried her best to contain her emotions, knowing Coach Sylvester would look down on her if she cried, so like most things in her life, she kept it in. As Finn went on drums, she couldn't help but smile watching him, he was truly great at this. If the Glee Club wasn't so lame, she would've encouraged him but she couldn't lose her rep and status, it was everything to her. As the performance intensified, Quinn noticed Mr. Schue moving in closer to the group, emotional. She also noticed Puck watching them from the right exit, walking out almost as soon as he came, shaking his head as he walked away. Seeming to not understand why Finn joined as much as Quinn didn't.
Grace, however, started to gain her confidence more and more throughout the performance. She had truly missed performing and the feeling of being on a stage as part of a group. Unlike her sister, Grace tended to shy away from the spotlight, that is until she started to do theater. At first, she was satisfied with playing background characters to someone else's lead and being a team player, but that all changed over the summer when she for the first time had gotten the lead character of Sandy in Grease.
She had never in her wildest dreams expected to get the lead. Once the shock wore off, she could feel her nerves taking over. Her family expected nothing but the best from their daughters and even though they would never show up to a summer camp production, Grace had felt the pressure of what they expected of her throughout the rehearsals. Something her co-lead seemed to notice.
"Are you doing okay?" he asked, approaching her as she took some deep breaths on the side before their first dress rehearsal. "Yeah...it's just a lot of pressure, being the lead," she said honestly trying to keep her nerves under control. "Don't I know it," he said comfortingly "My brother is a successful actor out in LA and my parents are always expecting me to be perfect." "Wait...your parents expect perfection too?" Grace said surprised, thinking she was the only one whose family was like that, well at least in Lima. The boy nodded. "Yeah...I could kind of tell by the pressure you were putting on yourself that it was something like having a stage parent," he admitted as Grace sighed. "My parents aren't stage parents but they put all this pressure on me and my sister to be perfect. Whether it's getting straight A's or even playing the lead at an event they'll never attend, they expect nothing but high praises for both of us," Grace said honestly as the boy shook his head hearing all of this. "The trick for being the lead is to let go and be natural. If you keep putting all this pressure on yourself, it'll make you more tense. Plus like you said, your parents probably won't even show up, so don't let them get in your head," he advised her, which seemed to relax her nerves quite a bit. "Thanks for your help, I really needed it," she smiled softly. "You're quite welcome. Let's get back to rehearsals shall we?" he chuckled. "We shall!" Grace grinned as they headed back to the group to rehearse.
After her co-lead's helpful advice, Grace had found her confidence and soon loved to perform onstage but still felt most comfortable in a group setting, like now. As she continued to perform with the group, she let go of her inhibitions and performed her heart out like never before.
As the group went into their staggered pose to end the song, bowing their heads down, they heard a completely unexpected round of applause coming from the audience. Rachel quickly lifted her head up beaming as she saw Mr. Schue watching them. The others quickly followed suit, beaming that their performance had worked. "Good, guys. It's a nine. We need a ten. Rachel, you need to hit the ones and the fives," Mr. Schue directed as Rachel nodded. "Finn, I think if we worked on it, you could hit a high B," Mr. Schue said as Finn nodded, still looking shocked. "So does this mean you're staying?" He asked. "It would kill me to see you win nationals without me," Mr. Schue said seriously as the group exchanged excited glances, glad they had gotten their director back "From the top."
The New Directions beamed at each other once again as they went back into position. However, the one performance was more than enough for Sue who snapped her fingers at Santana and Quinn, signaling the two girls to join her in her office which they obliged. Quinn was slightly hesitant, looking back at Finn as she left but she knew she had to do what Sue said because it could make or break her future.
"Ladies, I am at a loss at what we just witnessed today," Sue said seriously, glaring at both Santana and Quinn. "Q, your boyfriend was the start of the de facto to the Glee Club, speak," Sue said, snapping her fingers at Quinn who looked emotional.
"Coach Sylvester, I thought this issue was over when Mr. Schuester was leaving the school. He had originally made Finn join the club instead of doing 6 weeks' detention but Finn had quit once he didn't have to do that stupid club anymore," Quinn said, upset.
"So he chose to go back...oh this will not do," Sue said making a tsk noise. "Q, you need to set him straight. If hazing from his football buddies won't work over this you have to get him to leave," Sue said seriously as Quinn made a face, confused why Sue cared so much.
"You don't think I've been trying to?" Quinn said, upset.
"Not hard enough that he's still there. Make him an offer he can't refuse," Sue smirked as Quinn nodded thinking about it, maybe she would have to find a compromise that she'd be okay with doing but wouldn't go all the way.
"Oh don't worry Coach, she won't let you down, right Q?" Santana smirked at her friend, having a feeling this was a mission Quinn would fail at.
"Right," Quinn agreed confidently.
"Good, because if you fail, I may be looking for a prime new head cheerio," Sue said as Quinn looked nervous, knowing so much more was on the line than just her relationship, her entire status at the school and in her family was at stake and she wasn't going to let any of them down, not in the least.