Except for Wednesdays, Jericho Phin found his sixth period dull in a way that just made the day unbearably long. Still, he studied dutifully and buttered up the teacher, pretending to be interested in the subject or what was around the room. He had even once bribed a higher grade out of a teacher by brandishing a book of quotes by a man that was quoted all around her room for "inspiration". That was kind of useful info they simply didn't teach in schools.

So, by hook or by crook, Jericho Phin remained one of the few students not to fail Mrs. Savelli's, or Snorvelli-depending upon which student you talked to, economics class. No, not home economics with the mock pies and bad sewing jobs and whatnot but economics with numbers and hokey product projects and such. Even though Jericho knew he could never stomach chemistry math, he had even entertained switching once. But he'd never be able to take that kind of hit to his nearly stellar GPA. And he be damned if he ever lost sight of his grade point average.

It just so happened, and Jericho had never really noticed this before, but several of the brighter Cheerios girls and a couple of the Glee boys were also in the class. Jericho hadn't really considered who else was in his class before, at least not by name. He knew people by their class rank. Keeping his head low, he'd usually only look up while buried in a book or walking swiftly down the hallway.

Kid in the blue shirt. 63.

Girl in the pink sun dress with leggings. 15.

Rock star with the Miley Cyrus backpack. 84.

But then there was Quinn Fabray. Before last month, Quinn had never noticed him and he'd never given her a reason too. Quinn had always been number 5 in his head. In reality, she was actually number 8, but leadership skills, which she seemed to attain naturally, and her "Queen Cee" level of importance had bumped up her score and made her dangerous collegiate competition when she applied herself.

Quinn held her court in this class in the fifth row back, not close enough to be an egghead and an outcast, like Jericho who sat to the direct right of the teachers desk, which was actually able to save the other kids from the smell of old teriyaki sauce on less than gourmet mushrooms, but far enough to retain her nonchalant aloofness.

Behind her were the people of her court and in front were the people who mattered less or did not matter at all. It had been her ball field for awhile and Jericho had admired that. Jericho had even admired her fall from grace and how she had remained and re birthed herself in the process. She wasn't perfect but Jericho liked her tenacity. Unfortunately, some of those signals can be taken the wrong way. New friendships, different communication patterns, a change in the social structure; these can all lend themselves eagerly to paranoia and its best friend jealousy.

It was March then, a delicious time to be alive. The sun was peeking through the harsh clouds of winter just before everyone went too far round the twist and started doing silly things like worshiping the sun to get it back for another year. The grasses and flowers were beginning to show again and even the bravest of the fire flies were making fluttering appearances, to the delight of schoolchildren everywhere.

But the best part of March was the sound of those ice cream truck engines starting to rev outside the Good Humor factory. Those engine sounds would be followed by food festivals and church barbecues and, what Jericho could only assume, would be a pool party. But Jericho was trying not to get ahead of himself. He just needed to get past this one year and then he could open himself to that world. Just one more year.

"Hey Jericho, did you watch the award show last night? I know you told Mercedes that you saw that movie with Gabrielle something or other in it."

Jericho looked up from his desk. He was hovering over it, squinting, trying to make sense of his own dastardly short hand when Quinn stopped by. While reviewing the tapes later in his head, he realized that Puck had been standing in the doorway watching the whole time. "Yeah, I did. Ummm...Push was the abbreviated title, right? I liked it, but I haven't seen Mercedes today. Our paths don't cross much."

I don't think that I could take another empty moment

"It won a couple of really good awards. You really don't watch the award shows? Seriously, nobody studies as much as you."

Jericho shrugged in response. "Eh, some of us don't have charisma for our transcripts. I just want to move on to bigger and better things. Like out of this class."

I don't think that I could fake another hollow smile

Quinn nodded as she walked to her normal seat. "I know what you mean, I hate this class."

It was all business and no pleasure by the time the bell rang. Mrs. Savelli's mid-quarter surprise pop quiz was the nearest thing to a hard midterm as you could get in an econ class, which for Jericho was excruciating enough without the thought of Quinn in his head. It wasn't that he liked her or coveted her popularity, it had been about something she had said...what was it?

....nobody studies as much as you....

Its not enough just to be lonely

And there it was. The light bulb went off in Jericho's head in his mind went in one direction, trying to see what the possibles were for the scenario. As much as he tried to map out his life, he realized how little good it could truly do. But he hated feeling powerless. And when he twitched his head discreetly so that he saw Quinn out of the corner of his eye, he knew. If he blew the teacher's curve like normal, she was gonna fail.

The good thing about knowing the teacher was that you knew their personal habits. You knew when they needed a break, when to give them room to talk about their kids, what things got them going off on irate tangents, you know, the fun stuff. Mrs. Savelli was not an easy target to get out of the room. She wasn't hawk-like enough that you had to remove shoes to take a test or anything, but she wouldn't leave class nor would anyone leave class during tests.

Her curve grades also came on a basis which only rewarded stellar performance. She had grown up in a sort of Communist, with a big "C" if its to be understood as opposed to the practice of communism with a little "c", satellite and testing was the important indicator for her of how successful her teaching status could be.

Jericho suddenly became very nervous. He wasn't sure if he should be more thrilled by the notion that he could still make a choice to take a dive for someone else, the Plan did not include for selfless acts but was more of a loner-Chosen One type of plan, or that his heart was fluttering. He wasn't sure his heart could still flutter.

I don't think that I could take another talk about it

Still, when time was over and the bell had rung and kids were shuffling out with drained faces, he felt energized and surreal. That might be why, on the way to his lunch spot on the bleachers, he actually stopped when Ms. Pillsbury waved from her office instead of pretending to be too busy to stop in and "just say hi". He was running out of storage room for any pamphlets she might force on him.

But at least she wasn't passive aggressive. Jericho could live without any more of that in his life.

Jericho didn't quite recognize the back of Mr. Schuester sitting in the other chair until he turned as Jericho stood at the doorway. "Sorry if I'm interrupting."

And just like me, you've not needs

"Not interrupting at all," Ms. Pillsbury smiled in her own innocent way, "just saw you in the hallway and thought gee, I don't really see him, even when he schedules an appointment."

And they're only a whisper away

Will stretched out a hand for Jericho to grab in a shake. "Miss Pillsbury and I were just shooting the breeze about some of the stuff we've got in store for Glee this year. I think I've met you, haven't I?"

Jericho nodded. "Yeah, we bumped into each other once or twice. And I actually am free for a moment, well if you don't have any..."

And we softly surrender to these lives that we've tendered away

Ms. Pillsbury shook her head. "No, no, come in. Tell me how you are."

"I...uh...okay." Jericho shrugged and settled into the nearby seat. "I'm busy, truth be told."

"Its a real shame you were so busy," Mr. Schuester whistled low as he spoke, "I had Rachel drop off some of her world famous sugar cookies last week and you missed your appointment."

Lord, I would not sleep in this bed of lies

"Well, I'm sure I can survive missing a cookie or two."

Ms. Pillsbury simply nodded. "I find it to be pretty effective. Its good to know that some things never really change. Like kids and sugar cookies."

Jericho smiled while crossing his arms. "You'll find cookies are a good motivator, but probably not for me. I've been bribed with 'em one too many times. Church runs a stock and trade in 'em."

So toss me out and turn in

Ms. Pillsbury batted her eyelashes. "Church can be a good thing though. Its a chance to organize themes of community around thematic faith and traditions. You get a sense of inclusion alongside times of reflection and peace."

"Yeah, well, we have differing opinions on that then. I still do church for my transcript. I still do the choir thing and the usher thing and occasionally the Sunday school thing, so if I want Ivy League I can have it and with my extracurriculars, I can take a West Coast school if I choose that. Its all a matter of angles. Its all one big game of who's playing who."

And there'll be no rest for these tired eyes

"That's an awfully cynical attitude for somebody so young." Ms. Pillsbury's wide-eyes narrowed just a bit, softening at the edges as she peered into a closing heart.

"And for somebody that likes choir," Mr. Schuester added as though it were a second thought.

Jericho shook his head. "It's not really about what I like Mr. Schuester. Its about whats necessary."

I'm marking it down to learning

Mr. Schuester blinked without missing a beat. "You have all your life to do what other people want. You should be doing what you want right now."

Jericho shrugged. "According to my mom, I do."

Ms. Pillsbury's hands folded underneath her chin as she peered delicately at Jericho. "But what is it you do want?"

I'm marking it down to learning

Jericho suddenly felt a need to stand and rearrange the pack strap on his shoulder. "I don't know. To get out of Lima. I mean, I figure once I'm gone..."

"You don't magically figure out what you want when you move. Take me," Mr. Schue stated, "for example. I took accounting in college out of state, but that didn't make me happy, it just made me money."

Jericho turned to face Mr. Schuester. "Yeah, but its easier for you. You had options."

"Not at many as people might think."

Cause I can

"You know, if you're in the choir at your church, you might like Glee!" Ms. Pillsbury chipped in from her desk.

Jericho shook his head. "So, thats what this is all about? My calendar's pretty full. If all you're looking for is fresh blood, you're looking at someone who's tapped out. I'm only in choir cause it looks good, I'm really not all that talented. But thanks for the offer."

Mr. Schuester watched Jericho Phin leave Ms. Pillsbury's office and hurry in the direction from whence he had come. Jericho walked quickly away from the office, to the furthest point on the bleachers he could find. Bodies on the practice field crunched heartily as Coach Tanaka yelled from one bull horn and Sue Sylvester from another.

Jericho didn't have much time to calm himself when the shadow of Noah Puckerman fell across the bleachers.

Don't wanna be the one to turn the whole thing over

"You, you're that kid in the econ class."

"Yeah?" It's number 63, he thought without missing a beat. "I having tutoring hours if that's what you need. I have a card in my..."

"What I need," Noah continued, his voice stopping Jericho cold while he searched through his bag as he sat, "is for you to stop trying to flirt with Quinn Fabray. She's not interested."

Don't wanna be somewhere where I just don't belong

"Ummm....okay...." Jericho drew out his response, confused.

"No, dude, seriously. Stop flirting."

Jericho nodded, looking up at Noah. "Okay. I didn't know that I was, but okay. I'll let her know I'm not flirting."

Noah blinked in response, leaning in to make sure Jericho understand the emphasis"Dude, you don't tell her you're not gonna talk to her. Just blow her off."

Well, its not enough just to be sorry

"Yeah, I, ummm....I don't really want to do that."

Don't you know, I feel the darkness closing in

Noah flexed his fingers into a light fist. "I'm not giving you the option. I just watched the econ teacher, Snorvelli. Seems like she's worried about something and she's not doin' very well."

"And this correlates to me how?"

"I watched you. You took a dive, didn't you?!"

I try to be more than me

"Should I be flattered or creeped out that you watched me an entire period?"

And I gave til it all went away

Noah approached, grabbing Jericho by the cuff, for which his body unsettlingly relaxed, ready to absorb the punch. "Look, you're a nice kid with a nice future. Don't mess it up by forcing me to mess you up. Got it?"

"Got it," Jericho gulped through his throat. "No more dives."

And we softly surrender to worst parts of the winter that we've made

Noah released Jericho's collar with a snarl. "Good. Now get out of here."

Jericho didn't argue, his heart seeming to find its beat again.

Its not fair, he thought as he found himself walking up a staircase to his next period during lunch, you try to do something nice for someone for the first time in a long time, and some jock threatens to beat you up! What a world we live in....

God help me, I need this

Part of Jericho wanted to tell Quinn that she had someone like Noah looking out for her, but she was a strong girl. She was still walking around with Santana, Brittany, or sometimes even Finn at her heels and she didn't need that. No, Jericho would just try to chalk this up to an experience and keep it to himself as long as he could.

No, I could not sleep in this bed of lies

He watched the busy drones of McKinley High as they passed underneath the staircase and he ate his turkey on wheat with just a dab of mustard. He could see his shadow passing over them, the light of the sun cast behind him. They seemed happy somehow, oblivious in some other ways. Jericho envied that sometimes, but he had a Plan. The Plan was the most important thing.

So toss me out and turn in

And they'll be no rest for these tired eyes

Then he watched Will Schuester and Emma Pillsbury pass on their way to the teacher's lounge. They were talking, walking close together and Will had said something to make Emma laugh. He picked up a book when she dropped it in the midst of a giggle and Jericho just stood there, watching it happen, watching life. And the beginning inklings, the wondering of if he was doing the right think, started to seep into the depths of the stone he had rolled against his heart for protection.

I'm marking it down to learning

I am

Author's Note: Song by Matchbox Twenty "Bed of Lies" from their sophomore Mad Season album.