A/N#1: I don't own glee…. so what else is new?
Well ya think you know it all
But ya don't know a thing at all
Ain't it, ain't it something y'all
When somebody tells you something 'bout you
Think that they know you more than you do
So you take it down another pill to swallow
Cause baby you don't know a thing about me
You don't know a thing about me
You ain't got the right to tell me
When and where to go, no right to tell me
(Mr. Know it all, Kelly Clarkson)
Sunday September 12, 2011
I stood on the porch staring at the door for about a minute before taking in a huge breath and turning the door knob and walking in. immediately Shelby. Will, Holly and another young couple rushed to the front hallway where I was standing. It startled me a bit and I unconsciously took a step back, but I remembered what put them through tonight and they must been even more freaked out after just getting me back after eight years. I was surprised no one was hugging me maybe they were just giving me my space. No one was talking and I couldn't take the silence anymore (did I mention that I can't stand silence? There always needs to be some sort of noise in the room otherwise I start freaking out) so I decided to break it. "Hi ummm can we sit down and talk?" That seemed to snap everyone out of their daze.
"Yea why don't we all go to the living room?" Holly responded.
After getting situated in the living room with me taking one end of the couch Holly on the other end the young couple in one of the love seats across from Holly and Shelby and Will directly in front of me in the other love seat, I started to apologize for what I had put them thorough tonight.
"I'm really sorry for scaring all of you by running a way. I realize how stupid that was of me especially when I don't know my surroundings. And I'm sorry for the hell I probably put you all through tonight I promise not to do something like this again. Ummm but yea ok so am I grounded cause I understand if I am."
"No Jennifer your not grounded, this time at least we understand that you're scared and confused by what's going on. Just please come talk to anyone of us or someone else you're comfortable with instead of running off. Ok?" Will said gently.
"Rachel."
"I'm sorry did you say Rachel?" the young Latina asked me. I should really learn her name it's kind of annoying not knowing.
"Yea. You can all call me Rachel although I prefer Rae. Umm but I'm sorry who are you two?" I asked directing my question to the young couple.
"Huh? Oh right I'm Puck and this is my wife Santana." Puck what kind of a name was Puck? Hmm Santana I think she's the same Tana from the pictures in the tree house and Quinn's story. Which means that Puck (seriously is he five or something?) is Noah, making him my older brother.
"Puck, that's a stupid name" I hear everyone (but Noah) hold back a giggle "so are you two 'Tana and Noah? I saw the pictu- uh I mean Quinn kinda told me her backstory and she mentioned you two." I was about to tell them about the tree house and the pictures that were up there but I decided that the tree house would stay my secret (well Quinn's too). I know they knew about the tree house but I didn't want them to know that it had possibly become my safe haven.
"Oh yea I guess we are." Santana answered. "So Rae? Umm don't mean to be rude but why Rae? I thought you were going by Jennifer?" She asked me everyone else was probably wondering the same thing but not sure how to ask.
" Ummm it's just I feel…. what I mean is…. I don't know why but when Quinn found me and she asked for my name I automatically started to respond with Rachel but stopped myself and was about to say Jennifer. But ever since I got here I've been feeling less and less like Jennifer and yet I don't feel like I'm Rachel either I don't really know who I am. So I decided to go with Rae it kind of sounds like my old nickname my friends would call me in California, which was Kay. But I'm not Kay or Jennifer or the Rachel you guys lost so now I'm Rae a girl with a fresh start. Did any of that make sense?" I ask after giving my little speech on my new name.
"Yes it makes perfect sense." Will tells me everyone else nodding there heads agreeing with him. I can tell they want to keep asking me questions but thankfully Shelby saves me.
"Alright I think that's enough excitement for one night I think we should let Rae get to bed. We should all go to bed it's been a long day and everyone's questions can wait till the morning. Sweetie you'll still be sleeping in the guest room with Holly is that ok?"
"Yea it's fine." I say while yawning, guess I'm more tired than I realized. And before I can even process how I got up the stairs I'm under the covers and out like a light the second my head hits the pillow.
I wake up the next morning to the smell of pancakes and the sound of people trying, but failing to talk quietly. Sounds like they're arguing about someone eating bacon? I guess I'll have to find out for myself. I slowly make my way down the stairs and peek around the corner at the bottom step where I can see part of the kitchen/dining area. I can see Shelby and Holly laughing while Will and Noah (yea I'm never calling him Puck) are glaring at a smug looking Santana. Now I really want to know what happened not to mention the fact that the pancakes smell really good. But I probably can't eat them cause they're not vegan pancakes. Damn these are the times I question my veganism but I have to remember it's for the animals! I finally decide to get up from my hiding spot and make my way towards the kitchen.
"Morning." I say to the group before me who didn't hear me walk in.
"Oh good morning!" Shelby responds before everyone else turns to look at me and starts chiming in with their hellos.
"See I told you guys your cave men growling would wake her up." Santana says turning back to Will and Noah.
"If you hadn't taken the last bacon…" Noah starts to say
"So you guys really are fighting over bacon?" I ask
"Yes as hard as it is to believe that they are two grown men they still act like 10 year olds most of the time." Holly responded.
"Hey!" Both men said simultaneously
"Anyways I made you some pancakes if you want them. They're vegan…" Shelby said. She made me vegan pancakes, wow I don't think anyone has gone out of their way to make me something vegan friendly I usually have to provide my own food.
"Oh! Can I have a couple please?" I finally ask. She nods her head smiling and quickly serves me a plate. After pouring a generous amount of syrup (and by generous I mean my pancake is practically drowning in it) I take my first bite and I am convinced that I am in heaven. Seriously what are these pancakes made out of! After swallowing a few more bites with some orange juice to wash it all down I look up to see that everyone but Shelby has left.
"So I take it you like them?"
"Yes! These are the best pancakes I've ever tasted! Do they have banana in them?"
"Oh I'm glad to hear you approve and yes they do have some mashed banana in them. Banana pancakes were your favorite when you were little." After she makes that last comment there's an awkward silence that envelops the room. At first I wanted to shout at her that she didn't know what she was talking about that she didn't raise me how would he know what I liked. But then I remembered wasn't I the one who just last night said she could call me Rachel? Aren't I the one who came to the conclusion that my life back in California could've all been built on a lie?
"Well, I could see why they'd be my favorites. They're really good." I finally tell her deciding it was best not to call her out on the fact that I have no memory of ever eating banana pancakes before. "So where did everyone else go?"
"Holly and Santana went to the movies and Will and Noah went to watch some basketball game at a sports bar. So it's just you and me for the next few hours. I mean you don't have to hang out with me you could…"
"No uh I don't mind hanging out with you. What did you have in mind?" I tell her thinking it would be good to get to know this woman who's supposedly my mother, should I start calling her mom, it feels weird to think that I actually have a mom I'm so used to it being just me and my dad I really didn't have too much of a female influence in my life well I mean their were my friends moms but it's not like I was super close to them so they don't count. So this hanging out with my 'mom' is all new territory for me. What does hanging out with ones own mother even entail?
"Great! We can do whatever you want. We could stay in and watch a movie or go to the mall or anything else you can think of."
"Can we go to the mall?" I ask her.
"Yea we'll leave as soon as you're dressed. I'll show you where the bathroom is so you can shower and get dressed."
Forty-five minutes later I was sitting in the passenger seat of the car as we drove down the high way. Thankfully she had some music playing in the car so there was something to clam my nerves and keep me distracted. Although now that I am actually listening to the music I have no idea who's singing or what we're listening too.
"Ummm what are we listening to?"
"The Rent soundtrack."
"Rent? What's that?" I ask her totally confused.
"What's Rent? It's one of the most amazing shows to have ever been on Broadway. You know what we do have the movie version at home we can watch it when we get back if you want."
"hmmm that sounds cool. I kind want know why you think it's the one of most amazing musicals ever." I respond truthfully. After that we drove on with only the music breaking the silence. Finally about ten minutes later we arrived at the mall.
Once we were in the mall she let me decide what store we went in first, so I let her lead the way to Forever 21. I had thought that it would be weird and awkward shopping with Shelby but it was actually really cool. She gave me her opinion on some stuff I chose and she actually chose some cute pieces for me as well, shopping with her made me wish that I had her when I was younger and my dad would buy my clothes; yea my dad is definitely no fashion guru. We continued shopping and just walking around the mall until we decided that our feet were dying from all the walking around so we decided to call it quits and head back to the house to watch Rent.
The ride home didn't feel as awkward as the ride to the mall, I actually felt really comfortable around Shelby now, not enough to call her mom just yet.
"We're home!" Shelby shouted as we walked into the house.
"In the dining room!" we hear Will respond.
After putting our bags down on one of the couches in the living room we walk over to the dining room to see everyone sitting around the table with Santana and Noah arguing over which board game they should play.
"Apples to Apples!" Santana was shouting.
"Lame! Monopoly we should play monopoly and I can be banker." Noah responded.
"No you cheated last time you were banker besides Monopoly goes on for like ever!"
"hey you guys are just in time for a little game night, that is if these two children ever stop bickering." Holly said to Shelby and I as we each took a seat at the table.
Alright since you two can't agree and are acting like two stubborn children we'll let Rae decide what we're playing!" Will shouted over Noah and Santana.
"Fine." They both responded sullenly
"So Rae, go ahead take your pick. You can choose whatever you want." Will told me.
"ummm I guess catch phrase?" I say as I pick up the game.
"Perfect we'll do adults vs. kids." Shelby says while helping Will put the other games off too the side. The game started off just for fun but turns out everyone is really competitive not even ten minutes into the game and we were all arguing and accusing each other of cheating. But the game continued on and eventually Santana, Noah and I beat Holly, Will and Shelby. Although Noah almost lost us the game when Santana was trying to have us guess the word retirement plan.
Santana had started off by saying 'Old people need a….'
When Noah shouted out 'bath!' that cracked everyone up we couldn't stop laughing for a good five minutes.
But it was even funnier when Holly was trying to have her team guess the word Oasis.
"it's a place in the dessert it's…" Holly said
"A cactus!" Shelby shouted before Holly could finish her next line. Everyone had started to laugh but one glare from Shelby was all it took to shut us up.
After playing for an hour we decided to order some take out for dinner and go watch a movie in the living room. Shelby and I had voted for Rent but everyone else out voted us and we ended up watching Zombieland, which was hilarious.
When the movie finished I decided that I should talk to Will and Shelby about school.
"Umm Will? Shelby? I was just wondering am I going to be starting school tomorrow?"
"no we figured we'd give you a week to settle in and we still need to finalize some paper work regarding your transfer." Will answered.
"Oh uh I guess I should let Quinn know that I wont need a ride tomorrow."
"But if you really want to start right away you can start Tuesday how does that sound?" Shelby asks after probably noticing my disappointment when Will had first answered me.
"ok yea that sounds good." I was really glad that Shelby had said start Tuesday it already sucked that I was going to be the new kid starting school a few weeks later than every one else but on top of that there might be other kids that know of me as the kidnapped kid or the girl on the milk carton or what ever you wanted to call it. Oh god I really hope nobody knows about the whole 'kidnapping thing' but Lima has that small town feel so probably everyone knows. "So uh what will I be doing tomorrow?" I asked them.
"Well Santana has to go back to work tomorrow, Holly's leaving for the air port in the morning and Shelby and I have work so that means it'll be just you and Puck till about 3:30. Unless you don't feel comfortable with him, one of us could stay home instead if you'd like." Will told me.
"No umm that sounds fine. It'll give me a chance to get to know him." They both smile when I say that "where do you guys work?"
"both Will and I teach at the high school you'll be attending. I teach Biology and English."
"I teach Spanish and I am also the co-coach of our glee club along with Shelby."
Oh great my parents are teachers I can forget school being an escape and now I'll stick out even more. I'll now not only be known as the new girl as well as the kidnapped kid but to top it all off the two teachers kids. I thought school would be an escape guess not. Wait a minute did I just call them my parents? No Rae get it together remember your real family is in California all I have to do is act civil and make them think that I'm adjusting and then I'll find a way to get back to my dad and get him out of jail. Ok so obviously I really need to finish thinking out my plan.
"Glee club what's that?" I ask them
"it's a show choir and we compete against other glee clubs in the state and hopefully we can go Nationals where we compete against other glee clubs from around the U.S." Shelby explained to me. It sounded interesting but no way would I join I can't sing no matter what Mike and Tina had told me. Oh my god Mike and Tina! Oh god I haven't told them what happened and Mike is probably worried cause I missed dance yesterday and I never miss dance. I'll text them tonight.
"You can join if you'd like. Your voice has probably gotten even more amazing since you were little"
"Uh I don't sing never have. I can't sing." They both looked shocked when I said that.
"well I'm sure your still amazing anyways. And I bet you still love to preform and still have dreams of making it to Broadway? Auditions for the school musical are coming up next month you can audition if you want." Will responds the first of the two to recover from his temporary shock.
"like I said I don't sing so but maybe I'll help back stage or be a background character. And I mean I do love to act and dance but I'm not going to make a career out of it. Like my dad has told me singing, acting, dancing they're fine as hobbies but as a career it's a waste of time and money. I'll probably become a lawyer or something."
"You know it's never a bad thing to go after your dream. And who knows maybe you'll make it or maybe you wont you'll never know unless you give your dream a fighting chance. But don't you want to be able to look back on your life and say I had the courage to go after my dream." Shelby tells me.
"Did you go after yours?" I ask her.
"I did. I wanted to be on Broadway and no it wasn't easy but I did get a few lead roles in off-Broadway shows and a couple minor roles in some Broadway shows as well. And then I met Will and my dream changed, I knew that he was the one and that I wanted to marry him and start a family with him. And I did succeed with that last dream you and your brother are the best thing that's ever happened to me and your father. And I just want you to know that you have our full support to chase your dream know matter what it is." Shelby tells me with sincerity. It feels nice to hear someone encourage me to do whatever I want, my dad stopped encouraging my crazy dreams when I entered high school.
"oh umm ok. So umm do you mind if I go call two my friends back in California?"
they said it was fine so I ran up to the guest room and for the next few hours I explained everything that happened up until this moment to them( thankfully they were together when I called so I didn't have to repeat myself). They were both stunned with what I told them and wanted to know when I could come back and visit. I told them hopefully soon but what I didn't tall them was that the next time I was in California I wasn't going to leave ever again. California is my true home along with my dad. I just have to somehow prove that these people have the wrong girl. I just can't be there daughter I'm not a Schuester I'm a Matthews! I think.
A/Z #2: What to look forward to next chapter: Puckleberry sibling moments galore! Maybe the chapter in Puck's POV. Would you guys want that? Or do you still want Rachel's? Or both?
So comments, questions music suggestions? Is there anything you guys want to see happen btwn puck and Rachel? This chapter was kind of a filler and the next couple of chapters might be as well so if there's any character you want Rachel to interact with let me know and I'll see if I can fit it in. :] if i use any of your ideas credit will be given!
Last thing please if you haven't already check out and review my other story called Mama who bore me it's a Shelby/Rachel fic but it deals with what's going on currently in the show.