the glee project.
Author's notes: Since I haven't updated in a long while, I now present to you a "one time big time" chapter... It's gonna be long!
Author's outbursts: Lindsay can listen and stare at Damian McGinty all day. (don't we all!) Hannah has a crush on Damian McGinty. (don't we all!) Apparently Ryan Murphy roots for Damian McGinty. (don't we all!) Billboard Unwanted Top 14 is Damian McGinty. YAAAAY JUSTICE HAS BEEN RESTORED TO THE UNIVERSE! I believe!
Chapter 4
Tina Cohen-Chang looked at the country side scenery from the passenger seat in Mike Chang's car. Yellow dandelions grew wildly all over the green pastures, which seemed to stretch on until forever. She rolled the windows down and let the breeze in. Her black hair streaked blue flapped with the wind. The smell of grass was something she had missed.
Mike Chang smiled at her. "I wouldn't do that if I were you. We're almost there," he advised. The car turned left; a brick arch greeted them. Her eyes widened as the dainty patches of nature were slowly being replaced by suburban mansions with cultivated domestic gardens, marble fountains and classic sports cars. "This is where your mom's having the luncheon?" Tina seethed.
He shrugged. "Of course. It's a luncheon. Where did you expect?"
"I don't know… somewhere else. It's your mom. Somewhere more Asian? Or less Stepford, at least," she panicked. Quickly rolling the windows back up, she fixed her hair and dress. The car made a turn and stopped momentarily as the gates were being opened for them. Tina scrambled to make last minute retouches before looking on ahead, only to see the luncheon already in full swing. "Oh my god."
"What?" Mike Chang checked to see what was wrong.
"I can't go out there looking like this!" her eyes darted at everyone else in the party. She bit her lip as she looked down at the clothes she was wearing.
"Looking like what?" Mike Chang asked as he parked the car.
"Those girls are wearing nice frilly flowery swanky girly stuff. I, on the other hand, look like a goth loli living in a haunted house. And it's not even Halloween."
Mike Chang sighed. "You're overreacting. You look fine. " He tapped his girlfriend's chin before adding, "And I happen to like Halloween."
Tina smiled as Mike Chang stepped out of the car, then opened the car door for her.
His cheeks were numbing from smiling too much. Examining the venue, he had not expected that there would be so much people. His grandmother did a great job tying up with Mrs. Chang. At least now there were actual kids his age that he can talk to.
Wes had never understood what these Asian Ivy League luncheons were about, and why they were being held in the first place. Sure, it was a chance to meet other Asians with the same hopes and dreams of studying in Harvard or Princeton or Brown, but he never really had the chance to do so. Since his first year in high school, his grandmother has always forced him to attend such events. That struck him odd, especially when he was almost always the only actual student there. The rest were usually mothers or their butlers, and so he had always left after eating. Now it seems he'd have to stay longer.
His grandmother noticed him constantly touching his stomach, and pulled him aside and whispered, "Go and eat. But remember to stay polite and a gentleman. Maybe then you'll find a potential girlfriend in this party." She smiled at him and squeezed his hand, before walking over to welcome incoming guests.
He then rolled his eyes. Potential girlfriend? What rubbish.
After waiting in line at the buffet table, cordially letting women cut in front of him, Wes finally sat down in one of the empty tables by the corner. He sighed, and smiled a bit. He had to admit, he was getting tired of all of this. Nice peace and rest from all the socializing.
"Excuse me, may I sit here?"
Wes looked up, a chunkful of food in his mouth. A girl in a pink sundress cleared her throat and smiled, then pointed at the chair next to him, a plate in her hands. Wes quickly swallowed the contents of his mouth and stood up. "Yes, of course." He held her plate, which he noticed was just salad, then pulled the chair for her.
She extended a hand and introduced herself. He introduced himself as well.
"Oh, you don't need to. I already know who you are," she smiled.
Wes thought for a moment about what she had said, then sat and went back into eating. He was, however, quickly interrupted by small chitchat she kept on barraging his way. He put down his spoon and looked at her and listened, occasionally nodding in agreement with whatever she was saying.
His mind, however, was elsewhere.
Quinn bit her lip as she stole quick glimpses at the boy sitting on the pew across hers. There was something really captivating about him. She wasn't sure if it were the glasses, or the sweater, or the rolled up skinny jeans… but whatever it was, she was completely drawn.
She had never seen him before. Having said that, she concluded that maybe he was new in town. Quinn shook her head slightly; why would anyone want to move to boring old Lima? She smirked and went back to her business, but slowly stole another glance at him.
He was looking at the altar, playing with his fingers for a bit. Soon he bowed his head and closed his eyes.
Quinn jolted. She had forgotten where she was, and why she was there in the first place. Quickly bowing her head, she tried hard not to get distracted. Which was next to impossible.
A few minutes later, he stood up. She glanced at him from the pew. He gave her a quick smile and a nod out of courtesy, then headed out of the church.
She thought she could finally concentrate with her thoughts. She was wrong.
Who was this guy? And why was he here?
"EMERGENCY!"
Rachel waited. Nobody was paying any attention to her. So maybe Finn glanced a little, but Puck tapped him to listen to Lauren as she told them the latest Pizes adventure.
She drummed her fingers for a few more seconds before turning and calling everyone by name. And yes, even Mr. Schuester.
"What is it now?" Santana asked, rolling her eyes.
"Trouble. Big one," she replied. She explained to them, "I was looking around Jacob's site when he suddenly posted this video by Ms. Sylvester. And well, even though it's quite obvious and apparent in their performance that they lack musical backgrounds…" she paused, then gulped. "They sound pretty good."
Santana's eyes narrowed as she pushed Rachel out of the way and looked at the computer screen. The others circled around her and waited as she clicked 'Play'.
Katy Perry's Firework started blasting from the speakers.
"You must be Michael! My, thank you for coming! You're mother must be around here somewhere, I'll let her know you're here if I see her."
"It's okay, Mrs. Montgomery. Oh, and this is my girlfriend, Tina."
"Nice to meet you, Tina."
Her eyes darted to an arriving car. "Oh, I better go, new guests are arriving. In the meantime, help yourselves with the buffet. Oh, and don't be afraid to mingle! My grandson is over there by the corner." She leaned in and whispered, "He's into show choir, too." And with that she left.
All the while Mike Chang and Tina just nodded and smiled. They looked at each other and laughed. "I wish my grandmother were that perky," Tina commented.
"Nah, you're grandmother's fine."
Mike Chang grabbed Tina's hand, then led her to the buffet table. As they were walking to get in line, Tina felt very conscious with what she was wearing. Mike sensed her uneasiness, and reassured her again. "You look great, Tina. Don't worry."
She looked at the other girls, and shook her head. "I don't know, Mike. Have you seen their stares?"
"They're probably just staring at how handsome I am," Mike chuckled.
"Yes, and thinking 'who's that girl? And what's she doing with him?'."
"Tina, that was a joke. You're over thinking things too much. Lighten up, silly." Mike squeezed her shoulders. "Hmmm, on the plus side, the food looks delicious."
Tina tiptoed to sneak a peek at the food being served. She grinned. "I'm surprised there aren't any chicken feet," she giggled. Mike rested his hands on her shoulders and whispered, "Thank Mrs. Montgomery for being so stubborn. My mom and her debated on the menu for a long time."
Wes was really hungry. He was hoping the girl would start eating her salad so he could continue with his meal. Once he had tried stealing a bite from his plate, but the microscopic disgusted face her flashed made him regret doing so. Did she find him rude? He was afraid she was some secret spy his grandmother hired to check on him to see if he was being the disciplined gentleman she had raised. His grandmother could be weirdly abrasive sometimes.
"Do you mind if we sit here?" a tall boy asked them. Wes spun around to see who it was, and faintly recognized him from somewhere. He then turned to the peculiar-looking girl the guest was with. Peculiar mainly because she was wearing black when it was so hot out.
At last! Normal people! Wes smiled in delight, but quickly remembered he had company.
She was staring at the girl from head to toe. Wes knew that look. His former classmates from preschool had stared at him the same way, when for Career Day he went as a fireman while the rest of the class were doctors and lawyers and presidents. If someone stared at me like that, I would have melted on the spot, he thought. Wes's eyes widened when she suddenly turned to bid him farewell.
The three of them gawked as she brushed her pink sundress and walked away. She had left her untouched salad on the table.
Wes tried not to scoff at her behavior, but four years with "the mad Thad" made it an effort to do so. In the end he was able to let out a snort, which he quickly regretted for it made him quite NOT dapper indeed. Shaking his head, he turned back to the two guests.
The girl in black was crying. Wes stood up in alarm, but quietly watched by the sidelines, not wanting to butt in. Crying girls made him uncomfortable, and a blubbering fool.
"It's okay, Tina. Don't mind her," the tall one said. "B-but did you s-see the way she l-looked at me?" she sobbed. He put down their plates and grabbed her shoulders. Staring directly at her eyes, he assured her, "Forget about that girl. You look beautiful, Tina. You always do."
She shook her head. "We sh-should have left a long t-time ago…"
"No, wait!" Wes screamed.
The two turned to him in surprise. Wes blushed; he was surprised at himself, too. Being in this boring luncheon for too long had left him seeking for any other form of company. He shook his head a little and apologized. "I'm sorry, that was rude of me. I'm Wes Montgomery, by the way."
The tall one gave him a weak smile. "Mike Chang." Gently putting his arm around his girlfriend's shoulder, he added, "And this is Tina."
The girl, on the other hand, whispered through sniffles, "You're from Dalton, right? Like, one of the warblers? Kurt talks about you guys sometimes."
"Oh, so you're from McKinley?" Wes perked up. "You're performance at Regionals was great. That was a bold move, you doing original songs."
"Thanks," Mike said.
Wes nodded. He then asked, "So… Are you leaving already?" He was hoping that they wouldn't, and he looked at them almost begging.
Mike looked at Tina. She bit her lip, then smiled. "I guess we could stay longer," she shrugged.
Artie froze in terror. "They're… just like us."
Mr. Schuester curled his hand to a fist. Sue Sylvester has decided to fight fire with fire. "We shouldn't panic," he called. Rounding everyone up to sit on the couch, he tried consoling them. "You guys shouldn't be threatened by a bunch of anonymous kids. This is YOUR home turf, not theirs."
"But didn't you see them, Mr. Schue?" Rachel pointed out. "They were like a carbon copy of our glee club!"
"They even have a black gay kid. That's like, Kurt and Mercedes rolled into one," Santana scoffed. Mercedes crossed her arms.
"And they won't be anonymous for long. With Ms. Sylvester posting a video on Jacob's website, everyone in McKinley will know who they are by the time school comes in," Artie added. "Speaking of which, I thought the school's closed for the summer? How were they able to make the music video inside McKinley?"
"Ms. Sylvester has her ways," Santana smirked.
Mr. Schuester sighed as silence filled the room. Everyone was left speechless.
"I just can't figure out how they were able to make one of Santa's elves sing so well," Brittany commented. Santana wrapped her arm around the blond and told her, "No, Brit-brit. He isn't an elf. He's just short, like Rachel."
Okay, so I decided to just split this up. I'm gonna upload the next chapter. Like, right now.