Rachel wakes each morning with a song in her head and that usually dictates what the day is going to be like. Monday morning it wasn't one song; it was a medley of love songs, upbeat songs and completely happy songs. She smiles before jumping out of bed and starting her morning routine, all of which seems to fly by as Rachel thinks of Jesse. Not only had Rachel had an amazing time with him on Friday, she had been able to connect with him on a different level than when she had gone bowling with Finn and he took her somewhere that was an interest to both of them not just one of them. She also didn't have the chance to get all paranoid about Jesse never talking to her again because he had texted her to set up another date. Jesse was up front about what he wanted and even though they only had 'first date' conversations he was more direct and talked about topics other than where pepperoni was imported from, which was something Rachel had been looking for even though she hadn't known it herself.
Rachel's happy feeling from that morning lasts only until lunch when she is cornered by Tina, Artie, Mercedes and Kurt. She had been going off her high from the weekend and from her finally being strong and telling Finn that she moved on. The group tells her she has to ditch St. James and Rachel realizes that Jesse might just be a lost cause, so she tells them that she will break up with Jesse. She doesn't want to ruin her chances at having some kind of group of friends, even if they are less talented and clearly care very little about her feelings. After agreeing with the group, Rachel leaves the choir room and runs straight to the washroom. She bumps into Mr. Schuester and tells him that he won't have to worry about her betraying the team as she is going to be breaking up with Jesse. After run in with the teacher she finally makes it into the washroom. She doesn't cry, she calms herself down so that she won't find Finn and kill him, she knows he was the one who told as no one else knew about Jesse and no one else at the school would care enough to talk about her personal life. On her way out of the bathroom Rachel bumps into Brittany.
"Coach Sylvester wants to see you." She says, before wandering off down the hall humming an incomprehensible tune.
Rachel watches Brittany's retreating form and wonders what Sue Sylvester would want with her. After finding out what Sue had called her in for the sadness that Rachel felt in being told to dump Jesse quickly turns to fear. A fear that she will end up alone and that spurs her into action, an action that the rest of club is going to hate her for, but Rachel knows that she would rather take their anger than their false friendship because she's the club's star. She calls a cab and makes her way over to Carmel
*Glee*Glee*Glee*Glee*Glee*Glee*Glee*Glee
When Will Schuester woke up this morning he never thought his day would lead him getting involved in the love lives of his students. Although he liked the fact that the students were willing to talk to him and that they respected him enough to want to share their lives, he sometimes wished that they would keep their teenage dramas amongst themselves. However he saw how freaked out Finn had been over hearing that Rachel was getting a little too friendly with the lead of Vocal Adrenaline that he figures he should check it out. That's how he finds himself at Carmel during their lunch hour run through.
He watches as the male lead takes command of the stage, he's drawn into the performance. He sees that Jesse St. James has the charm and the talent to captivate an entire audience and in that moment Will wishes that his own Glee club had the same precision. As the number goes on Will walks further down the aisle and watches Jesse, he sees something familiar about the boy, something in his face but he can't place it. He also sees the potential that Jesse has to be a star, it's the same thing he sees in Rachel, raw talent that has been sculpted into the perfection that it should be. The number ends and Will is floored by the fire and the level of performance that he whispers out a wow. He watches as the group gets dismissed from the stage before he approaches Shelby Corcoran.
Shelby looks up at the person addressing her, she thinks for a moment its Jesse with curlier hair, but she quickly realizes its not. The man introduces himself as Will Schuester and tells her that her male lead is dating his female lead and isn't that a little suspicious. She assures Will that Jesse is a good kid and that Vocal Adrenaline does not resort to cheating to win. The group's performance and skills speak for themselves; there is no need to cheat.
"Is that the only reason you came? To see if I sent my lead vocalist to spy on your group?" Shelby asks as she and Will leave the auditorium.
"Yeah, pretty much. A few of the other students in the group were a little suspicious and I guess they made it seem that what was going on was a lot worse than reality." Will answers.
"Well it's bound to happen. High school jealousies and relationships go hand in hand, but as I said before Jesse is a good kid and I'm sure this Rachel is a smart girl. So let them be kids, let them see where this goes and we'll both be vigilant about the cheating." Shelby says to Will as they stand by the doors to the parking lot.
Will agrees and thanks Shelby for meeting with him, as they both walk to their cars. He's reassured that he made the right decision to come to Carmel and he's resolved in his decision to not do anything about Rachel and Jesse, just make sure that there is no cheating going on. That's why when Will runs into Rachel on his way back to his office he is floored when she tells him that he will hear the rumours that she is dating the lead of Vocal Adrenaline, but that is no longer the case as she is going to end it for the team. Before Will can say that he was never worried and that she should be allowed to date whoever she wants Rachel is gone from the hallway.
*Glee*Glee*Glee*Glee*Glee*Glee*Glee*Glee
After grabbing the remote for the stage lights from Shelby's office Jesse walks through the silent halls of Carmel. It's his favourite time of day fourth period spare, everyone's in class and he uses his free class to work on his vocals or performances for Vocal Adrenalin and no one disturbs him in the auditorium. Mondays are even better because VA doesn't have after school rehearsals so Jesse can stay on his own for as long as he wants. He usually stays well into the evening, especially during the winter because sometimes he hates going home to an empty house, there's too much silence. Not the good silence of an auditorium as you imagine an audience on the edge of their seats waiting for your performance, but the lonely silence that mocks you with the fact that there is no one there. That's why from November to March Jesse can be found staying late after school on non-rehearsal days or at his uncle's, where the sounds of his cousins playing Rockband or talking prove he's not really alone.
Jesse can hear the final bell ring through the music blaring from his headphones. He's running through the dance routine of an old invitational performance, it's something he does in between practicing the new numbers, a way to find steps that might fit better or flow with the number better. He's in the middle of a double turn when he hears the squeaking of the auditorium door opening. Not wanting to get caught dancing alone of stage Jesse runs off into the wings to wait for the intruder to leave. It's not that he's shy and he knows he won't be insulted; he just doesn't want to have to deal with younger members of VA asking him for dancing and singing advice. He watches from the wings as Rachel nervously walks across the stage calling out his name. He wants to step out and go to her, but he wants to see what she will do if he shines a light on her.
"I carry a rape whistle." Rachel calls out to the darkened auditorium. It's freaking her out that there is someone in the shadows watching her.
The reaction isn't what Jesse wanted but he laughs at how perfectly Rachel it seems and he knows that it's time to come out from the dark.
"It's just me," he says leaning against the wall, acting all cool. He spouts off some random facts about the spotlight, trying to distract himself from how brilliant Rachel seems under the spot. He's about to ask why she came to visit him when she cuts him off with a rapid fire speech that seems almost rehearsed, but delivered with an unpractised air.
"I have to ask you something, and I need you to tell me the truth, because if you don't, there will be consequences. Life and death consequences, because if i give myself to you and it turns out that you're just playing me, I might die. Not literally, but emotionally. It'll be the kind of heartbreak that girls like me hold for the rest of their lives, like Barbra in The Way We Were."
Rachel's face is so earnest that Jesse can't help but let out a chuckle. Rachel feels her stomach drop out. She's panicking that she said too much and Jesse is going to bolt. Jesse can see the emotions flash across her face and he immediately soothes them by mocking himself and then reintroducing himself and telling her honestly that he likes her and won't hurt her.
Rachel lets out a breath that she didn't know she had been holding and falls into Jesse's embrace. Jesse loves the warm feeling of Rachel in his arms; he tilts her head up and catches her lips in a kiss. He feels that if this were being performed in front of an audience there would be a few 'awws' from the crowd. The thoughts though are banished as he feels Rachel's warm tongue brush into his mouth and trace the back of his teeth, before she pulls it back. He was not expecting that and he slowly breaks the kiss.
"Wow," is all he can say to the kiss and Rachel gives him a coy smile. "Hey you want to grab dinner? You can tell me about your day and what brought on the theatrics."
"Sounds perfect," Rachel responds, slipping her hand into Jesse's as he escorts her out of the auditorium.
*Glee*Glee*Glee*Glee*Glee*Glee*Glee*Glee
Jesse sits on the stage after a tiring Tuesday afternoon rehearsal, where once again he was singled out by Shelby. He's waiting for the change room to mostly empty out so he doesn't have to hear the snide comments about how he must be screwing Shelby and that's why he has the solos and why she is usually praising him. What they don't know is that for all the praise there is just as much criticism, but she usually reserves that for when Jesse is alone. So he sits kicking his heel against the stage front and thinks about Rachel had told him last night about her glee club's ultimatum and why they had to keep their relationship secret.
Jesse wonders how some people could be so cruel. Granted he isn't the kindest person in the world and yeah his fellow VA members may throw insults towards him and he does the same thing back, but they would never be so outright cruel because in the end they all do like each other and are a team. He also doesn't understand how Rachel could be so forgiving after all their cruelty and still want to attempt to be their friend, he hopes that one day she will use that resolve when she has to audition for Broadway musicals. Jesse also wonders how Will Schuester could let this go on, how could a teacher care more for winning and the protecting the team, than for the feelings of a girl. Especially the girl who is their star.
He's contemplating these things and if he really wants to meet a father who let's people get treated in this way when he hears Shelby walk up behind him. Jesse immediately straightens his posture and waits for her to speak.
"What's this I hear about you dating some girl from a rival show choir?" She asks icily.
Jesse turns his head to look at his coach; he sees the glint in her eye that says she has something planned and that it can only end badly for him. Jesse feels his stomach drop at the look.
"Where did you hear that?" He asks.
"Her coach stopped by yesterday during our lunch rehearsal. I thought he was spying." Shelby says, "He wanted to see what kind of kid you were and if you dating this girl was just for nefarious reasons. I told him that you were a good kid and that I don't tolerate spying, but seriously Jesse you are brilliant."
Jesse looks confused, "How so?"
"Well clearly you are going to use this to get information about their set list, costumes and routines so we can crush them at Regional's."
"No!" Jesse says firmly without a second thought.
His quick forceful response stuns Shelby. She raises an eyebrow and gives him a smirk. It's the look people get when they know you've revealed too much and they can use that information to crush you. It's a look that freezes Jesse because he knows that he's revealing too much to Shelby.
"This girl must be something really special."
Jesse pauses with relief before responding to the comment. "What? Oh yeah, she's special."
Jesse's hesitation before his response intrigues Shelby, she knows there is something else and not just this girl that is stopping Jesse from spying. That's when it clicks in her head, the coach. No wonder he looked so familiar. She's going to use this to her advantage.
"No, not the girl. You've known her for what a week? There's more to it than that." Shelby drawls and panic settles in Jesse's eyes. "Their coach, Will Schuester I think? He's your father isn't he?"
The colour drains from Jesse's features and Shelby knows she's won and Jesse will do anything to keep this little secret.
"So if you don't want this news to go public, hurting you and your father, you'll do what I say. And if that isn't enough incentive to spy, I can always take away UCLA as well."
Jesse doesn't respond, doesn't nod or show any emotion on his face. He's thankful in that moment for some his acting lessons kick in, though they had been failing him minutes before. Shelby leaves him standing on the stage. Jesse doesn't know what to do. He's torn because he doesn't want to hurt Rachel, doesn't want to hurt his father and he wants to get the hell out of this state, which at the moment his single option is through UCLA. Jesse knows his life just got harder.