Raise Your Voice
Chapter 1
A?N: I DON'T OWN GLEE NOR THE MUSIC USED IN THIS STORY. THIS STORY IS INSPIRED BY THE MOVIE RAISE YOUR VOICE!
Ooh
Ooh
Somewhere over the rainbow, way up high
There's a land that I heard of once in a lullaby
Oh, somewhere over the rainbow skies are blue
Clouds high over the rainbow, makes all your dreams come true, ooh
Someday I'll wish upon a star
Wake up where the clouds are far behind me
Where trouble melts like lemon drops
High above the chimney top
That's where you'll find me, oh
"Ok ladies and gents, that is the final performance of the year! I'm very proud of you guys. The seniors who are moving on, i wish great success to you all! Everyone has a pleasant summer! See some of y'all tomorrow!" WIll Schuseter, the choir teacher, says to the group.
Students say goodbye and start to pack up and leave.
"Mercedes, remember rehearsal tomorrow at 4:00." Will says to Mercedes before she heads out of the choir room.
"Oh, and I did send in that recommendation you requested"
"Thank you,
"Mr. Schue! Of course, see you tomorrow!" Mercedes gives him a smile before making her way out the choir room to meet her bestie, Tina who was waiting for her at the door.
"Cedes are you actually going tomorrow? Today is the last day of school, we should be going out and getting trash at Mike Chang's bonfire! Plus you don't really need to practice, you kill these songs on the daily! , " Tina animatedly says.
"Yay, Ti, call me a dork, but I love choir practice. And I don't want to let anyone down! Plus, it's another opportunity to build up my performance repertoire for when i apply to college next year."
"All right, Cedes, but you promise to at least come to the bonfire tomorrow for a couple of hours?"
"Ok, Ti but for an hour, top"
"Aww come on, live a little Cedes, you need at least 2 hours until the party really starts" Tina counters.
"Ummm"
"Pretty please, and I'll even give you the special edition of the Bodyguard soundtrack, I got for your birthday tonight" Tina gives puppy dog eyes to Mercedes who waits a couple minutes staring at her bestie since diapers.
"Ok, I'll g-"
"YAY!' Tina eagerly interrupts her by throwing her arms around Mercedes for a hug.
"But 2 hours tops! I mean it! "
"Of course, pinky promise" Tina holds her right pinky.
"Pinky promise" Mercedes links her right pinky with Tina's pinky.
They unlink pinky and head down the hallway.
"Hey, Mercedes, hey, Mercedes." A boy's voice from behind the duo.
"Hey, Shane." Mercedes stops to address the boy behind them.
"H-hey...I, uh, I got the concert tickets that you wanted." Shane stutters out as he holds up the concert ticket to his crush.
"Oh, um, I've got the money." Mercedes reaches into her bag for her wallet.
"Awesome. There you go." As Mercedes hands over the cash to Shane for the tickets.
"So, um, I'll see you at rehearsal then." Shane says while nervously looking at Mercedes.
"Okay, cool. See you then." Mercedes gives him a friendly smile.
"O-o-okay." Shane turns around quickly before heading down the opposite e way of the hallway, slightly tripping over his feet.
"Oh my God! That frosh is still obsessed over you!" Tina says as she looks over to Mercedes.
"When will he get the hint. He's going to spend the whole next month jerking off to you with that smile you just gave him! "
"Oh, shut up. He's nice. It's just a crush." Mercedes rolls her eyes and continues towards the entrance of the school.
As soon as they reached the steps of the school they were met with a guy holding a Nikon D850 camera at them.
"As hordes of summer starved teenagers descend on unsuspecting Lima, Ohio, Let's see what these two poised young women have to say about the last day of school!"
"I'm outta here, McKinley! Yeah, school's out, baby!" Tina says into the camera. While winking at the cameraman.
"All right. The camera loves you. So,Tina, what are you doing tonight?" the cameraman asks Tina.
"Matty, stop hitting on my friend!" Mercedes glares at the cameraman, Matt.
"Whatever you're doing tonight" Tina flirts back at Matt.
"Ugh, ewww. Tina, stop hitting on my brother. Ugh! " Mercedes rolls her as her big brother, Matt who can't help but shamelessly with her bestie.
"Mimi, can you tell Ma. I'mma be late?"
"But it's your graduation barbecue."
"Yeah, butI've got places to go, people to see. Just save me a burnt burger!" Matt affectionately taps Mercedes on the tip of her button nose before heading towards the football field to meet with his friends.
Mercedes giggles once Matt taps her on the nose, something that he's been doing to her since he met her for the first time at the hospital. One thing about these two siblings as much as they love to annoy each other, they also genuinely love each other and were not just big brother, little sister they were also best friends.
Mercedes turns to Tina.
"Will you give me a ride home?"
"Of course! You know you don't have to ask!"
Tina pulls up to Mercedes's house. A two-story brick style house.
"Thanks, Ti"
"Anytime."
"Hey, I'll call you tomorrow after rehearsals"
"Okay, have fun at the barbecue!"
Mercedes waves at Tina as she drives off and Mercedes heads inside her house where she sees her dad in the kitchen taking out some of the overnight seasoned meat from the refrigerator to start grilling them.
"Hey, babygirl! Getting ready to start grilling. Some of the fam is already here, out back."
Mercedes heads over to her dad, Dwayne Jones places a soft kiss to his cheek and nods.
"What are your plans for the summer, babygirl?"
"I'm singing in choir."
''Cool."
"Yeah, and, um, I guess helping Ma out at the office if she needs anything or at your practice." Mercedes says unsurely.
"I was wondering if you were going to bring that up. I would love for you to come to work with me at the practice. See your old man at work and it will be a great dentistry internship to prepare you for your future, babygirl!"
"Well… Daddy, that might not happen, if I get into this music summer program in July." She turns and looks away from father who has a puzzled look on his face because he had no idea of this music program.
"Really, which one?"
"A music program in New York"
"Some music thing in New York."
"Daddy! Come on! It's not just some music thing in New York. It's Julliard, the top school for performing arts in the world! "
"Mercedes Amber Jones, don't start this foolishness. You're going to school for dentistry to take over the family practice!" Dwayne says to Mercedes dismissively, shaking her head at his daughter pipe dream. As he continues to take out the meat.
"But Daddy, this is so important to me. Plus, I already sent in my application and I sent a CD"
"Who gave you permission to do that little girl"
"Ma, gave said I could. She signed off on it!"
"That's it! You're not going!"
"Dwayne, don't be so closed minded!" The voice of reason stands at the island in the kitchen.
"Freddie, please." Dwayne huffs at the woman standing in the kitchen before grabbing the pan of meat and heading towards the backyards to end any more conversation about this music program.
Couple hours into the barbecue close to winding down. The guest of honor finally arrives in strolls into the party. Greeting some of the family that were still there before heading towards his baby sister who was sitting by herself near their treehouse looking melancholy.
"Mimi" Matt says to Mercedes in a sing-songy teasing voice.
Before Mercedes can say anything, their father rushes over to them.
"Boy, where've you been?"
"Hanging out with some of the guys. Saying goodbye, that stuff-Hey Aunty Freddie"
"Happy graduation, Sonny. Proud of you!"
"Thanks, Aunty"
"Umm, I'll start to bring the stuff in" Mercedes says getting up from her seat.
"Wait, what wrong Mimi?" Matt questions her, looking at her with concern.
"Our songbird here, wants to go to this great music program in New York but your Dad is being his usual asshole self and crushing our songbird's opportunity" Aunt Freddie, is the definition of having a kickass aunty. She was a freebird, a hippie in many ways who fully immerse in the arts and was the key source in tapping and honing Matt's great photography skills and Mercedes singing skills. She was the younger sister of their mom, Whitley and was never shy in making her opinions heard.
One thing with Freddie is that she let it be known how she didn't like how Dwayne has tried to pressure her nephew and niece in becoming dentists when they had no interest or passion in that field. Thankfully, she managed to help stir kids away from following those expectations with Matt on his way to Chicago to attend film school in the Fall and she'll be damn if her little songbird didn't end up at Julliard this summer and hopefully the year after!
"Freddie, only girls with pipe dreams go to New York City, and you know what happens to most of them?" Dwayne glowers at his sister-in-law.
"Pops, you don't think Mercedes's special?" Matt questions his dad.
"Matt, seriously?!" Dwayne glares over to his son.
"Well, I think she's the most special human being on the planet."
"She's my little songbird" Aunty Freddie chimes in as she lays a hand on Mercedes shoulder and nods towards Matt, proud that he's standing up for his sister.
"And she's my daughter. That's why she's not going to New York! She's 16, for God's sakes. What's wrong with you people?"
"Hundreds of people apply for she gets in, it's proof she belongs there, with the best of the best but you get that, right? She's been singing before she could talk. And Pops you know she does want to be a dentist"
"Look, when I was your age, I thought I knew everything too. But I've seen a lot more of the world than you have, Matthew!"
"Really, What parts of the world have you seen, Dad? The back and front of your daily dentistry's? When's the last time you left Ohio?"
"Okay, okay." Mercedes says trying to stop the brewing argument bound to happen between her dad and brother who were stepping close to each other. Both over six feet all, Matt being two inches taller and broader shoulders.
"Matthew, that's enough."
"Well, just because you're stuck here, you want everyone stuck with you!"
"You better watch your mouth, boy! Or you're gonna get grounded"
"For what, telling the truth!"
"Can we please stop fighting? It's Matty's graduation party. We're supposed to be celebrating right? " Mercedes pleads as she steps between them.
"Ok, but Pops you got to learn that Mimi is going to be a powerhouse singer and I'll make sure of it!"
"You're grounded! Get in the house!" Dwayne angrily shouts out.
Matt rolls his eyes at their father dramatics before putting his arm around Mercedes and walking them back into the house. Freddie gives Dwayne a hard glare before following them back into the house.
"Don't just love our family get-togethers, Mimi" Matt says playfully.
Mercedes couldn't help but let out a soft laugh.
"Of course, always have. Us Jones are quite dramatic, you'll say. Oh, I forgot to say congratulations on film school, so proud of you matty!"
"Thanks, Mimi! At least ,I'm getting outta here."
"I'm gonna miss you soo much!"
"You betta!" Matty turns toward their Aunt.
"Aunty, if Mimi gets into that music program, you gotta make sure she goes. She'll suffocate staying here.
"Yeah, I know, Sonny. I was thinking the same thing." Aunty Freddie nods.
"So you're really on my side?" Mercedes peers over to her Aunty.
"Always and Forever, songbird. "
Thoughts?