A/N: Hello again! First off, everyone who is giving this story a chance, you're amazing. Secondly, I feel that you all should know that this story is, in fact, going to be a crossover. Anyone who can guess where "Amanda" actually comes from, brownie points!
Ryder came running up to Blaine in the hall right after last period on Friday waving a piece of paper in front of him.
"I DID IT!" Blaine had to take a step back so he could actually see the paper Ryder was shoving in his face. Once he had, he could see the red B+ at the top of the paper. "In history too!"
"Yeah!" Blaine gave the sophomore a high five. "That's awesome."
"Now Sue can't throw me out of Glee or football!"
"What's gotten everyone so excited?" Artie asked as he wheeled over.
"The study sessions work," Ryder announced. "I got a B+ on my history test!" Artie held up a hand for a high-five.
"Way to go man." Ryder grinned, then his head jerked as something else caught his attention.
"There's Marley," he observed. "I need to tell her." With that, he began shoving his way through the crowd towards where Marley and Amanda were walking. Artie and Blaine watched in amusement, though the amusement quickly faded as Kitty appeared flanked by two football players walking down the hallway towards the two girls. Fortunately, Amanda must have heard Ryder coming because she, pulling Marley with her, spun to face him just as the red slushies were thrown, preventing the ice from hitting their face.
"Marley!" Ryder called out.
"Not again," Artie voiced as he and Blaine hurried toward the group. Both girls had the shocked expression typical when you get ice thrown onto your head (even the back), but Amanda reacted first. She spun around to face Kitty, her shoulders set in a way that Blaine recognized from fight club. Kitty also seemed to pick up on the danger and she took a step back so she was between the football players.
"Gee, thanks," Amanda snapped, wringing the red liquid from her ponytail. Blaine assumed he was boxing too much because he must have imagined her being ready to attack.
"Freaks," Kitty declared. Ryder was trying to help Marley get the slushy off her back.
"Here, let me help," Amanda offered, taking Marley's hat and flinging the red liquid off- and all over Kitty. "Oh, sorry." Kitty instantly changed from smug to livid. Her football cronies didn't seem to have any idea how to react.
"How dare-"
"Shoo Kitty," Blaine snapped as he and Artie joined the group. Unsurprisingly, the three fled upon meeting actual resistance.
"Are you two okay?" Artie asked. They shrugged.
"I have some towels in my car," Blaine offered. "Ryder, can you tell Finn where we went?" Ryder offered Marley another squeeze on the shoulder before hurrying off. The other four started for the parking lot. Then Amanda paused.
"I need to tell Coach Sue where I am," she realized.
*GLEE*
When Amanda arrived in Sue's office, Kitty was already standing on the other side of the desk complaining. Sue, in her usual track suit (red this time) raised an eyebrow as Amanda came in.
"Well now Mandy-pandy, Young Quinn Fabray here was just telling me that I should throw you off the squad. What do you have to say for yourself?"
"Kitty just dumped a red slushy over me. I'm really not sure I can get the stain out of my uniform."
"Brownie had a point," Sue agreed. "What-"
"And she threw it right back on me!" Kitty screeched. "Look at this!" Amanda rolled her eyes as Kitty gestured to the front of her uniform.
"I was helping my friend clean up," Amanda countered. "Purely accidental." Kitty and Amanda glared and Sue cleared her throat.
"Mandy, I've just decided I like you. Kitty is still my new Head Bitch, but you have a devious streak I find appealing. You are both excused from practice, but if either of you have stains in your uniforms Monday you're off the squad." Sue paused for a minute as the girls started to leave. "Hold on a second Brownie, I'm not done with you yet." Kitty shot Amanda one more glare before leaving.
"First off, I want you to know that I haven't come up with a good nickname for you yet," Sue stated, invading the girl's personal space. "Second, you played me with that grade scheme and don't think I'm not onto you. Now get out, I have more important things to do than watch ice drip down your back." Amanda only withdrew the step necessary for her own breathing room.
"Are you suggesting I somehow knew the rest of the Glee club could help them get their grades up?" Sue's angry look slipped slightly with "is she really that dense?" "Because you'd be dead right. See you on Monday, Coach." With that, Amanda spun and exited the room.
*GLEE*
"Thank you again, Blaine," Marley offered as she and Amanda sat side by side on the couch in Blaine's living room.
"Don't mention it," Blaine called as he came in from the kitchen. "It's nice to have company for once. Come on, the water's ready for hot chocolate in the kitchen." The girls got up and followed. Both had wet hair from getting the slushy out and had changed out of their clothes (which Blaine was running though the wash). Marley now wore some of Blaine's sweats and a Dalton t-shirt while Amanda wore jeans and a blouse she kept in her backpack so she could "look like a normal person" as soon as school ended. Blaine passed them both a spoon and allowed them to put some of the mix from the giant tub into mugs before pouring boiling water into all three.
"Nothing better to bring back the feeling after a slushy," Blaine informed them as they stirred.
"Do you have everyone in Glee over after they get slushied?" Marley asked. Blaine shook his head.
"Mostly personal experience," he muttered. Marley stared at the older boy in confusion, but he quickly changed the subject. "So, what happened with Sue?" Amanda shrugged.
"Kitty and I are both sort of in trouble for getting slushy on our uniforms but she likes us too much to be mad," Amanda summarized.
"She likes people?" Marley asked. "I thought she was too mean to like anything." Amanda and Blaine snorted.
"She likes some of the Cheerios," Amanda offered. "Like Kitty's her Queen Bitch, and evidently I'm devious." Marley laughed.
"There are a few she just likes," Blaine observed quietly, any humor from earlier gone. Marley raised an eyebrow, then glanced across and Amanda when it was clear Blaine wouldn't be explaining his sudden mood drop. Amanda shrugged. They paused for a brief moment.
"So, why haven't you joined the New Directions, Amanda?" Marley asked by way of segue. "You're already hanging out with us and getting harassed with us." Amanda laughed.
"I can't sing."
"Oh, everyone can-"
"No, I really can't," she deflected. "Plus, I have a lot on my plate with Cheerios and adjusting to a new school."
"Glee works with being a Cheerio though," Blaine rejoined the conversation, any evidence of his earlier funk gone. "Come on, you know you want to." Amanda shook her head.
"I really can't-"
"Do you at least listen to music?" Marley cut in. Blaine smiled at Marley behind Amanda's back as he drifted off towards his ipod speakers.
"Yeah, sure I listen to the radio and everything-"
"Some nights I stay up cashing in my bad luck," Blaine began as soon as he cued up the music. Amanda laughed slightly.
"Oh, no-"
"Some nights, I call it a draw. Some nights, I wish that my lips could build a castle. Some nights, I wish they'd just fall off." Amanda attempted to retreat away from Blaine as he danced over towards her but was foiled when Marley started up from behind her.
"But I still wake up, I still see your ghost. Oh Lord, I'm still not sure what I stand for ohh."
"What do I stand for?" Blaine demanded while Marley sang the back up and Amanda continued to attempt to escape around the kitchen. "What do I stand for?"
"Most nights, I don't know anymore," the singers harmonized as they cornered Amanda who finally gave in and joined them for the "Oh whoa, oh whoa, oh whoa oh oh" part. Her voice wasn't really anything special, a pretty standard alto, but Blaine and Marley cheered as soon as she came in anyway.
"This is it, boys, this is war - what are we waiting for? Why don't we break the rules already?" Blaine took the lead as the three danced into the living room (where there was more space).
"I was never one to believe the hype - save that for the black and white. I try twice as hard and I'm half as liked, but here they come again to jack my style," Marley assumed the lead then both gestured to Amanda.
"And that's alright; I found a martyr in my bed tonight," Amanda offered. "She stops my bones from wondering just who I am, who I am, who I am. Oh, who am I? mmm... mmm..."
"Well, some nights, I wish that this all would end, cause I could use some friends for a change," Blaine resumed the lead before passing it back to Marley.
"And some nights, I'm scared you'll forget me again. Some nights, I always win."
"I always win!" Blaine interjected, leaping up onto the couch and causing both the girls to snort. The three fell into unison for the next part.
"But I still wake up, I still see your ghost. Oh Lord, I'm still not sure what I stand for, oh. What do I stand for? What do I stand for? Most nights, I don't know... "
"Come on," Marley sang before continuing the backup with Amanda.
"So this is it? I sold my soul for this? Washed my hands of God for this? I miss my mom and dad for this? No. When I see stars, when I see, when I see stars, that's all they are. When I hear songs, they sound like this one, so come on."
"Oh, come on." Amanda added.
"Oh, come on." Blaine repeated before Marley took the highest one.
"OH COME ON!"
"Well, that is it guys, that is all - five minutes in and I'm bored again. Ten years of this, I'm not sure if anybody understands," Marley took control once more before transferring it to Amanda.
"This one is not for the folks at home; Sorry to leave, mom, I had to go. Who the fuck wants to die alone all dried up in the desert sun?" The three began dancing around the couch as they chorused:
"Oh whoa, oh whoa, oh whoa, oh oh. Oh whoa, oh whoa, oh whoa, oh oh." Blaine then finished off the song.
"The other night, you wouldn't believe the dream I just had about you and me. I called you up, but we'd both agree. It's for the best you didn't listen. It's for the best we get our distance... oh... It's for the best you didn't listen. It's for the best we get our distance... oh..." At the end, both girls collapsed on a fit of giggles so neither caught Blaine's sudden drop at the second repetition or how he stood almost frozen for a second. It's for the best you didn't listen- He's better off without me. But then he pulled himself together.
"Alright, now you have to join," he informed Amanda who shook her head.
"I can't sing in front of people," she protested, still smiling with the giggles she and Marley were recovering from.
"You just did," Marley informed her.
"I really-"
"Come on Amanda, we know you enjoyed that," Blaine pointed out.
"Guys, I'm not joining," Amanda stated firmly. Blaine and Marley nodded, a little surprised with how quickly her demeanor changed. Then Amanda was back as though a switch had been flipped. "I'm thinking the hot chocolate's getting cold." The three rushed to the kitchen to reclaim their treat, back to joking and laughing.