CHAPTER 6

Season 3, age 16*

I had quickly adjusted to having Jesse as a coach. It wasn't my favorite thing in the world, but he did know what he was doing. Still, I wished he wouldn't be so hard on me - it seemed like he was harder on me than everybody else in VA. Despite this, I put on my show face, nodded enthusiastically, and gave a "yes Mr. St James! Good idea Mr. St. James! Anything you say, Mr. St. James" every time he gave me a direction. My frequent "Mr. St. Jamesing" was definitely getting on his nerves - even though he literally asked everyone to call him that. I was just being cooperative.

I amused myself further by mentally adding a sarcastic version each time as well: "jump off a cliff, Mr. St. James, step in front of a bus, Mr. St. James, climb into the lion exhibit at the zoo Mr. St. James."

But one day in rehearsal, Jesse pushed me to my breaking point. I did something I had never done before and, while for the most part didn't regret, would never do again.

We were standing up on the stage, about to begin warmups. Laura, the pianist, was all ready to go - and so were we. Or so I thought.

"ANNIE!" Jesse barked, weaving his way through my fellow choir members.

"What?" I asked. I honestly had no idea what he was so worked up about this time.

"How many times have I told you to stand up straight?" he clapped between stand/up/straight for emphasis. I jumped. How can a person clap so damn loud?

I looked around. I definitely wasn't the only one without perfect posture.

"We're just doing warmups!" I protested. Never had I had a director who was so strict about warmups. Standing up straight during the actual practice was crucial - I knew this, and I made sure to do it every time. But during warmups? And why was he singling me out?

"It doesn't matter. I gave you a direction and now I expect you to obey it," Jesse said, his eyes drilling a hole through mine.

"I'm not the only one standing like this!" I retorted. "Why aren't you telling everybody else to stand up straight?"

"I am talking to you right now. I will worry about everybody else - you need to worry about doing as you're told and getting that smartass of yours into gear before I kick it off my stage." Jesse was now directly in my face.

"Yes, Mr. St. James," I smiled sweetly. "Might I suggest using a breath mint, Mr. St. James? I would certainly appreciate it if you're going to be right in my face, Mr. St. James."

A couple people snickered, but the look Jesse shot them shut them right up.

"Get the hell off my stage," Jesse was whispering now which was infinitely more terrifying than his yelling.

"Fine, Mr. St. James," I replied. "As you wish, Mr. St. James. I will go sit in the audience then, Mr. St. James." I turned around and headed for the seats. I took one, and tried to fight back my tears. Yes, I had acted inappropriately. But I had been putting up with this for sixteen years and I was tired of it. Jesse didn't care how he treated people - he only cared about himself. And I hated him. I had wanted so badly to join Vocal Adrenaline but if he expelled me at this point I wouldn't care.

I quickly got up and headed for the bathroom. I really did have to go - but I also wanted to pull myself together before I went back in there. "I'm never going to cry in front of you again, Mr. St. James. You aren't going to win, Mr. St. James. I'm not that little girl who was terrified of her older brother anymore, Mr. St. James." I thought defiantly.

I made my way to the lobby when I noticed something sitting on one of the little end tables. It was a slushy - a damn slushy. I picked up the cup - it was completely full. Who the hell left that there?

According to Serena's cousin, Grace, who attended McKinley, it wasn't uncommon to see students walking in the halls randomly with slushies sometimes. She had no idea where they got them - she just knew that if you saw someone walking towards you with a slushy - you'd better run far, far away. So far she'd been spared but some of her friends hadn't been so lucky.

This was not a trend at Carmel. "But what's wrong with starting new traditions?" I thought, smirking. I forgot all about my full bladder and my brother's browbeating, and headed for the door that led backstage.

I wound up in the left wing. I slowly crept up to see what was happening on stage. Depending on whether or not Jesse was standing by people, I might have to wait. I didn't want to dowse any innocent bystanders with a hypothermia shower. Oh, good, he was at the front of the stage by himself. He was also facing away from me - he had directed his attention towards a small group of people but was not close enough to them to where they would end up in the line of fire. It was now or never.

I walked quickly onto the stage.

"Hey, Mr. St. James!" I called. Jesse turned to look at me, irritated that I'd defied him and gone back onto the stage, but also confused.

"You need to chill out!" I finished. Then, I pulled the cup back and fired at the enemy. Jesse yelled. Someone else screamed. People gasped. One girl started crying. I turned and started running.

"ANNIE! GET THE HELL BACK HERE!" Jesse hollered. For my own safety, I did not go the hell back there.

I made it outside - I doubted Jesse would abandon the rest of the choir just to chase after me. But now I was stuck - the buses were long gone and Jesse was supposed to be my ride home. I could wait - rehearsal was going to be over in 45 minutes. But I really did not want to be alone in a car with Jesse and no witnesses. I had no choice but to call Uncle Rick.

My bag was in Jesse's car, but fortunately I had my phone in my back pocket and it didn't fall out during all the commotion. I pulled it out and started to call Rick. This was definitely going to be an awkward conversation but it needed to happen. Rick answered immediately.

"Hey Annie Banannie! Is everything alright?" He asked. It was definitely unusual for me to call him during a rehearsal.

"Hi Uncle Rick," I said quietly. "Can you come pick me up?"

"Well, sure, kiddo - but I thought you were at rehearsal right now - and that your brother was going to bring you home after?"

"I don't think he's going to want to do that considering that I just threw a slushy in his face," I replied sheepishly.

"What?" Uncle Rick asked. "Where did the slushy come from?"

I mean, I had been wondering the same thing but it seemed like an odd first question given the circumstances.

"I don't know - I found it in the lobby," I replied. "He humiliated me in front of everybody again and kicked me off the stage. So I went to the bathroom to calm down, found the slushy on the way, threw it in his face and…here we are," I finished.

"I'm on my way," he said. "We can talk more in the car. Where's Jesse?"

"Last I saw him, he was onstage swearing and trying to wipe cherry slushy off of himself," I answered honestly.

"Okay, I'll be there in ten," it sounded like Rick was trying not to laugh.

True to his word, Rick pulled up shortly thereafter. The first thing he said to me was, "are you okay?"

I nodded. "Yeah, I think so," I was definitely shaken up a bit, but still taken aback by Rick's question since I hadn't been the one to have an icy beverage thrown at me. I sat down in the passenger seat and buckled up.

It was quiet for a few moments when I finally spoke.

"Uncle Rick?" I asked meekly.

"Yes?"

"Are you going to punish me?" I asked. Uncle Rick had never punished any of us - and Mom and Dad hadn't been around much to discipline us either. I had vague memories of being sent to the corner once or twice by my parents when I was very young but nothing other than that.

"No, I'm not," Rick replied. I was shocked. I had to admit I was a pretty well-behaved teenager but if there ever was a time for Rick to "lay down the law" it was now.

"Really?" I asked.

"I'm certainly not advocating throwing slushies at people. I mean, you and I both know that was pretty impulsive of you, Annie," I nodded sheepishly.

"And I do think an apology to your brother is in order - when you're ready," he added hastily.

I hated to admit it but I did agree.

"However," Rick continued. "If there ever was someone who deserved a good slushie to the face…it would be Jesse. I mean, I love the kid but…it's the truth."

Did Rick just justify me throwing a slushy at his nephew? He must've read the surprise on my face.

"I know the way he treats you really upsets you. I've never witnessed it myself - but you've told me about it and it isn't right. I know I've tried talking to him about it in the past but I think that ended up making things worse, because he resented you for telling," I nodded.

"Maybe this slushy will help him realize his little sister isn't messing around. And she deserves to be treated with respect," Rick added. "Even though it was a nonconventional way - I am…proud of you for standing up for yourself."

This wasn't at all how I was expecting this conversation to go and I was relieved. Of course, this was the easy part.

I still had to face Jesse's wrath. I decided then and there I should probably sleep with one eye open for a while.