Corresponding episode: N/A

xoxoxo

When Dave entered the choir room, he was the only one not yet seated. He kept forgetting that he had glee after school and would get halfway to the parking lot before he'd turn around and head back to the club. Mr. Schuester was in front of the white board scribbling (crookedly) the week's assignment. As Dave seated himself, far away from the other glee club members, Mr. Schuester moved aside from the board. In big letters were the words "TOP 100."

Clapping his hands together, Mr. Schu smiled at the club members. "Okay, I know we need to be focusing on Nationals and a way to get there, so this week's assignment is a 'gimme.' Your job is to pick your favorite Billboard Top 100 song."

Some of the glee club members were excited about the idea of such an easy assignment, while a few (okay, only Rachel), were upset Mr. Schuester was going easy on them when they should be pushing themselves to do their best.

"The Billboard top 100 songs are published by Billboard Magazine based on radio play and sales. You can select any song from the Billboard's top 100 lists. Not just this week's top 100 lists, but any top 100 list."

Tina tentatively raised her hand. When Mr. Schuester nodded in her direction, she put her hand back down. "So basically there is no limit on this week's selection?"

Mr. Schuester smiled. "I think you all deserve a nice relaxing week."

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David was flicking through his IPOD, looking through his "Top 25 Most Played" playlist. Short of going back and forth through Wikipedia, he wasn't entirely certain how to tell if they fit the assignment. One or two he was pretty sure came out before Billboard started posting their lists. Then he spotted one he knew had made it to the top 100. And not only that, but it was what he considered the theme song for the head-in-the-skies dreamers of glee club.

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Tuesday afternoon, Dave stood in front of the microphone in glee club, only mildly less nervous than the previous week. He had practiced it at home, including a bit of choreography. He was scheduled to be the first performer for the assignment. He had even spoken with the jazz band and Brad before hand.

Na na na na na na

Na na na na na na

Dave went up to Finn, directing the first verse to towards him

Could you be a teenage idol?

Could you be a movie star?

When l turn on my TV,

Will you smile and wave at me,

Telling Oprah who you are?

For the second verse, David climbed up the risers only to bend over and look down his nose at Noah.

So you want to be a rock star

With blue-eyed bunnies in your bed

Well remember when you're rich

That you sold yourself for this,

You'll be famous cause you're dead.

So don't go higher for desire

Put it in your head, Baby

Hollywood is dead you can find it in yourself.

Now in front of Brittney, he held out his hand like he was asking her to dance, but snatched his hand away when she put hers out.

I don't want to take you dancing

When you're dancing with the world

Well you can flash your caviar

And your million-dollar car

I don't need that kind of girl

He went to Kurt next, who was, once again, not quite pleased with Dave's choice of song.

But you could be that next sensation

Or will you set the latest style

You don't need a catchy song

'Cause the kids will sing along

When you sell it with a smile

So don't go higher for desire

Put it in your head, Baby

Hollywood is dead you can find it in yourself.

So don't fly higher for your fire

Put it in your head

Baby Hollywood is dead you can find it in yourself.

Keep it on your head Hollywood is dead.

Sauntering over to Mike, Dave started doing a cha-cha like move.

Well you can do the mighty tango

You can start your little thing

You can swing from vine to vine

While the kiddies wait in line

With the money in their hands

He continued throughout the song in much the same fashion, picking a different glee kid for each verse.

But if you get to California

Save a piece of gold for me

If it's the only thing you save

Then I'll bet you'll never wave when I watch you on TV.

So don't go higher for desire

Put it in your head, Baby

Hollywood is dead you can find it in yourself.

So don't fly higher for your fire

Put it in your head, Baby

Hollywood is dead you can find it in yourself.

Keep on loving what is true and the world will come to you, you can find it in yourself

Love what is true and the world will come to you, you can find it in yourself

No no no no no

Keep it in your head Hollywood is dead

Come come Hollywood is dead babe woo hoo

Oh Hollywood is dead yeah yeah

Keep on loving what is true and the world will come to you, you can find it in yourself

Get it in your head Hollywood is dead

Once again, Mr. Schuester was blind to the contempt David was showing towards the glee kids. Kurt shook his head. It was bad enough he wouldn't let anyone in, but did he actively have to push them away?

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"You know what? I bet he's a spy for Coach Sylvester. He isn't taking glee club seriously, and he's still being his old asshole self. He's just picked a new method of bullying." Kurt really wanted to voice his disagreement with Mercedes, but unless he leaked David's secret… secrets, he couldn't tell Mercedes.

"I bet he's just uncomfortable in glee club. I can tell he's really enjoying singing and dancing…and he's very good, might I say, but at the same time, everyone has made it more than apparent he isn't welcome. So I think he's just finding his own way to cope."

"Well he needs to find a better way to cope, or my foot is gonna cope with his ass."

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David was laying back in his regular chair in the auditorium, not asleep, but not really awake either: just staring at the ceiling. Kurt came up to him and slammed his messenger bag down on the chair next to David's. "Your immaturity is overwhelming to me."

Dave raised his head up just enough to look at Kurt. "What do you mean?"

"Don't play stupid with me. This stupid little passive-aggressive war you're trying to wage in glee club." Kurt had his fists firmly ground into his hips, he was briefly worried that the force of his anger would cause him to bruise himself.

"I thought the whole point of glee club is singing what you're feeling?"

Kurt shook his head, "Yes, but if you want to get along with people, sometimes, you need to just…ignore how you're feeling and play nice. Especially if you want to make friends."

Dave let his head fall back again, so that he was once again staring at the ceiling. "I don't want any friends. I like being by myself."

Kurt moved his bag over another chair so that he could sit next to Dave. "That might be so, but you don't want enemies, either. So provoking New Directions isn't a good idea no matter what your goals in life are…unless your goal is to get a size seven stiletto wedged permanently up your ass." David didn't respond…or even acknowledge him. "And one of these days…you might want to come out. I know not anytime soon, but…eventually. And when that happens, you're going to need support. The best way to form a support system is to make friends. I get that you don't want to go bowling with Puck and Finn or whatever, but friends do have a strategic use."

Dave sighed. "So what should I do?"

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Friday rolled around, painfully fast. When the last glee kid had finished their performance (Mercedes with Toni Braxton's Un-Break My Heart), Dave raised his hand. Mr. Schu nodded at him to go ahead. "Mr. Schu, can I say something?"

Mr. Schu smiled at him, "Of course, Dave, glee club is a place to express yourself."

Dave stood up and headed to the center of the choir room. Facing the rest of the students, he took a deep breath, "I get that glee club is a place to express yourself, but, I think I may have been expressing myself wrong. I have a…less than pleasant history with most of you, and I haven't done anything to make that better since I came here. So, I'd like to apologize, to all of you and, if it's okay, I'd like to redo my assignment." Dave turned towards Mr. Schu, and when Mr. Schu nodded his approval, David turned back to the microphone. "This is kind of like, I dunno, a message to myself. Maybe someday I'll get it through my fat-head." David kept his eyes down as he sang, not wanting to have to look anyone in the eye or see anyone's expression.

I guess I just got lost, being someone else

I tried to kill the pain; nothing ever helped

I left myself behind somewhere along the way

Hoping to come back around to find myself someday

Lately I'm so tired of waiting for you

To say that it's okay

But tell me please, would you one time just let me be myself ?

So I can shine with my own light, let me be myself

Would you let me be myself?

I'll never find my heart behind someone else

I'll never see the light of day living in this cell

It's time to make my way into the world I knew

And then take back all of these times that I gave into you

But lately I'm so tired of waiting for you

To say that it's okay

Tell me please, would you one time let me be myself?

So I can shine with my own light, let me be myself

For a while, if you don't mind, let me be myself

So I can shine with my own light, let me be myself!

That's all I've ever wanted from this world

Is to let me be me

Please would you one time let me be myself?

So I can shine with my own light, let me be myself

Please would you one time, let me be myself

So I can shine with my own light, let me be myself

For a while, if you don't mind, let me be myself

So I can shine with my own light, let me be myself!

Would you one time, ooh, let me be myself and let me be me?

This time, the glee club's applause was sincere.

xoxoxo

Hollywood by Michael Bublé

Let Me Be Myself by 3 Doors Down