Hi Guys, heres the next one, it is longer like I promised!
It was about the fourth week into the school year when as she filed into the choir room, Mr Schue entered, an enthusiastic smile on his face as he announced some news for the Glee Clubbers.
"Now guys, with about 5 weeks until sectionals, we really need to start thinking about our set-list, I was thinking a ballad to start, a strong solo and then a big group number to close?" Mr Schuester began.
Now normally Rachel's hand would have been the first to shoot up, but not today, she simply sat back in her seat and stared at the teacher, an eyebrow raised as a static silence filled the room, no one speaking, and all eyes became transfixed on her immobile figure at the front of the room.
She could practically feel the heat of the glares coming from both Quinn and Santana, the cold confusion of Brittany's as she tried to figure out what was going on around her, the wonder of Artie and Tina's stare, the surprise of Kurt and Mercedes' and the utter sadness and anger that encompassed Finn. Sam was the only one completely oblivious to the normalities of Glee Club and sat in the uncomfortable silence next to the brighter blonde cheerleader in the back of the group.
She and the Quarterback had only been together 8 weeks when bravely, Rachel had decided to call time on her and Finn's volatile relationship. After the trouble with 'Jesus' she had decided to put herself first and not him, and she was quite frankly sick of her feelings coming second to his all the time. She had therefore taken him aside earlier in the week and broken off their fledgling relationship. Finn in usual Fin devastated style, had flown off the handle, kicked a trash can, completely uncalled for in her opinion - what had the poor trash can ever done to him? - and stormed out screaming profanities about how he was 'Done with her', and somewhere in the depths of her mind, in that moment she found the similarities to last years 'Babygate' blow up, hilarious.
Mr Schue continued, looking towards his usually eager student and the depressed looking boy on the other side of the choir room. "Finn, Rachel, you guys can take the ballad"
Finn jumped out of his chair, making the whole group jump in their seats at his outburst, fury written across his face. "I am not singing with that dwarfish harlot!" He yelled, hurrying across the room, and kicking the trash can yet again, adding another dent to its metal work.
Rolling her eyes, she concentrated on the teacher once again as he tried to regain control of the group after Finn's outburst. Deciding the best course of action was to drop the issue and move forward, he began explaining that he'd decided on 'Valerie' for the solo, and was torn between Rachel, Santana and Mercedes for the lead.
He also explained he had made his choice for the group number to be 'Born to Hand Jive' in keeping with the new show choir rules of at least 33% of their numbers having to be Movie themed.
"So guys, I want you all to get into groups and come up with ideas for a movie duet" Mr Schue said, moving to his sheet music and filing through it whilst Rachel absent-mindedly popped her ear buds in drowning out the noise of the choir room and flicking through her playlist.
Teacher's lounge in McKinley High
"I feel like I'm all out of ideas, its hard enough trying to prepare for a competition but trying to keep them all engaged his harder" Will exclaimed to the mousy ginger nut beside him. "Half the club doesn't speak to the other half, Rachel seems uninterested, Finn kicks off if you even mention her name, Quinn and Santana have their own war going on and Sam looks like a deer caught in the headlights most of the time"
The handsome Spanish teacher sighed sitting back in his seat, running his hands through his curly mop as he let out the pent up frustration at his teams blatant lack of enthusiasm for anything at the moment.
"Well" Emma said, leaning forward and catching the attention of the frazzled teacher. "What never fails to get them to work together?" Emma replied, as she plucked a grape from her bunch and began polishing it before placing it in her mouth. Will simply looked at her puzzled, eyebrows knitted together in confusion. "Competition"
Will's face lightened as it clicked in his brain, a smile gracing his features.
"That's a great idea Emma, you're the best" He said, gathering his things and hurrying to the choir room to prepare for the weeks competition.
It was on the following Monday morning when he unleashed his plan. Walking into the choir room, kids still filing through the doors and sitting.
'Right guts, this week, to get into the competitive spirit, we are going to be doing duets!" Mr Schuester said to the 12 glee clubbers who sat before him, some smiles begin to grace their faces.
"I call Quinn" Sam said eagerly, the blonde in question rolling her eyes at him. He, obliviously, smiled at the girl whom he so obviously adored.
Him and the entire male and some of the female population of McKinley evidently. Rachel thought sourly.
"Not how this works Sam, that would be too easy, no instead, we are yet again going to let the hat of fate decide!" Mr Schue spoke, bringing the afore mention hat and placing it on the piano. "And this time, we have an equal number of students so all is fair!" Rachel blushed as the others smirked remembering her embarrassing incident the last time they had sung duets and she had fallen in lust with Mr Schue. "I have put all of your names in the hat, and one by one, you will pick a name until you are all partnered up" He began by reaching in and pulling out a name himself. "Santana you'll start"
The fiery Latina stood up, unlinked her pinkie from Brittany's and headed to the front of the room, a nonchalant look on her face. Reaching in the hat she picked a name, cleared her throat and spoke.
"Kurt" the young fashion conscious man stood, smiling slightly, and moved to sit next to the usually biting brunette.
Mr Schue once again put his hand in the hat, picking a name. "Artie, your next"
The be-speckled young man wheeled himself to the hat, and smiling picked a name, though the smile slowly dissolved to a frown as he read the name.
"Tina" The girls own smile fell and both exes glanced awkwardly at one another, Mike casting a reassuring smile to his girlfriend as she walked to meet Artie and sat next to his chair in a way that was reminisant of the previous year.
Mr Schue moved to the hat once again and picked a name. "Quinn?"
The stony faced blonde stood up, her ridiculously short Cheerio's skirt flouncing around her thighs. She reached into the hat and in a similarly stony fashion read.
"Puck" She glared as the mohawked teen walked to her stoically, and the exes sat together at the back of the room, not even a glance passing between the pair. Rachel rolled her eyes at the two.
Mr Schue picked another name, reading "Sam?"
Finally the floppy fringed teen stood, his bleached blond locks swaying in his face.
"Rachel" He said withdrawing his hand from the hat, her name clutched in it. He walked and sat in the chair beside her, now in the right hand corner of the choir room.
"Finn?" Mr Schue read, and the gangly man child walked up to the front of the room, and clasped a tiny piece of paper in his hand.
"Brittany" He said frowning, whilst the bubbly blonde flounced over to him, sitting with him, him in his sullen state in the middle of the room.
"So finally, that means Mercedes and Mike, you two will duet" The teens smiled at one another, Mercedes moving to sit beside the dancer. "Good luck guys, and the winners will win, both the leads for the duet at sectionals and a dinner at Breadsticks!" He said, and the groups split off to areas around the room to begin working.
Sam and Rachel sat quietly for a moment, neither daring to speak.
"So how do you feel about English bands?" Rachel asked, finally breaking the silence.
"I thought we had to do movie songs"
"We do but I have an idea"
"Ok"
"Well everyone in here would tell you my favourite film is Funny Girl, but I disagree, I happen to love Pretty Woman, Julia Roberts and Richard Gere, you can't go wrong!" She said smiling.
"I don't think I've ever seen it" Sam said.
"You'll love it, there's a song at the start, its a lesser known song from the movie but its one of my favourites." She said taking her iPod from her bag and handing him an earbud, scrolling to her most recently played and playing the song to him.
"Its good, I like it!" Sam said smiling, getting into the beat of the song.
There you go, there will be more to come.
Let me know what you think!
Thanks,
DWMS6