Rachel Berry never questioned who she was. She always knew what she was meant to be. She was meant to be Fanny Brice in Funny Girl, the lead in her high school glee club.

She was always supposed to be a star.

But now here she was, playing second fiddle to a freshmen. Every bone in her body clenched together, the fire and flames inside her becoming a burning inferno. All that rage is what led her to not only slap Marley Rose by accident, but to not feel guilty about it.

She knew that sitting here in Figgins office, waiting for her punishment was going to be her lowest point, but she didn't really feel anything. She still had her Glee Club, her perfect record. She didn't have a boyfriend, but that would be a problem for another day. She still could be a star, she knew she would since Figgins always let her off easy.

"Miss Berry, you will be suspended from the glee club and competing for two months." Figgins said through his thick accent.

Marley Rose, who sat next to Rachel in the office, let her eyes grow wide, not exactly sure how to respond. She thought a two month suspension for an accidental slap was ridiculous, but she always was afraid to speak up to the authority figure.

"Principal Figgins, this is absolutely ridiculous!" Rachel fummed, leaning foward in her chair. "It was an accident. I can give her a nice apology and be on my way."

Figgins held up his pointer finger, turning his attention to the flies next to him. "Not so fast, Miss Berry. You have gotten off too easy in the past. Between using Sue's printer without her permission, slapping Miss Rose, and sending a girl to a CRACK house, your punishment has been long overdue."

Rachel's jaw dropped, her mouth left agape. "But, I thought every year we started with a clean slate!"

Figgins' brows furrowed, his pointer finger pressing hard into the manilla folders. "Not when you have this many accounts against you. And we had an anonymous whistleblower tell us that YOU are the reason the glee club lost Nationals last year. And according to that club, losing is a big deal!"

Rachel stood up, digging her chunky white heels into the carpet. "This is absolutely absurd! The club NEEDS me."

Figgins shrugged. "They might. We will see in two months."

Rachel's face burned hot, her ears blocking out everything that the principal was saying. It became mute noise to the girl. She clenched her fists, pushing open and stomping through the glass doors.

When she walked out, she was met with the stars of students. Some stared at her due to what had happened with Marley, and called her a horrible person, others still stuck on the infamous "kiss that missed '' video.

Rachel always lived by any publicity was good publicity, but right now, she wanted to leave, vanish for one day. This was the first time she wished that she went back to the loser girl who roamed the halls. The girl who only Quinn Fabray oddly knew, and picked on. The one who would post MySpace covers that wouldn't get many views.

The one who wasn't the villain of the school.

Now all eyes were on her.

(Mercedes, Santana and Quinn all stand at their lockers, watching and following Rachel around the school, pretending like with the other students, they don't notice her. Quinn starts the song)

Careful what you do
Someone's on to you
Careful what you do

(Mercedes then sings, hiding her stares behind books)

Careful what you say
Cuz you're on display
Every night and every day

(The girls wash their hands in the bathroom and do their makeup next to Rachel, who is looking down washing her hands. Quinn sings. Rachel looks up and the girls pretend they aren't looking)

Somebody's hiding in the great unknown

And every time you think that you're alone
Somebody's eyes are watching

(Rachel stops at the choir room door, only to look in and walk by it. Mercedes sings)

Somebody's eyes are seeing you come and go

(Santana takes a step up to sing)

Somebody's out there, waiting for the show

(The scene flashes to a class, where Rachel is looking down at her notebook. The whole class looks over at her and leans in. When she looks up everyone goes back to normal. All the girls sing).

You've got no disguise
From somebody's eyes
Somebody, somebody, somebody, somebody's eyes
Whoa-oh
Somebody, somebody, somebody, somebody's eyes
Whoa-oh

(We see Rachel walking down the hallway. Everyone is giving her disapproving looks and shaking their heads, or has the infamous video pulled up, shoving it in her face. All three girls continue to sing)

Never laugh too loud
Never leave a crowd
Never dress risque
There'll be hell to pay
If you've ever had anything to hide
Think twice before you step outside
Somebody's eyes are watching
Somebody's eyes are following every move
Somebody's waiting to show they don't approve
Nothing satisfies
Somebody's eyes

(The attention gets shifted to Marley. Unliike Rachel, the looks are of sympathy except for the girls singing. When Marley looks, they don't look away. They follow Marley down the hall and into the Cafeteria).

You've got no disguise
From somebody's eyes
Somebody, somebody, somebody, somebody's eyes
Whoa-oh
Somebody, somebody, somebody, somebody's eyes
Whoa-oh
Whoa-oh

Marley kneaded the dough infront of her, lost in her own thoughts.

"Honey, are you okay?" Her mother, the lunch lady, asked. She walked over to the teen girl, placing an arm onto her shoulder.

Marley jumped a little bit, snapping back to reality. She plastered on a smile, and continued kneading the dough in front of her. "Oh, yeah, just thinking."

Mrs Rose smiled. "Thinking about how you're the new popular kid in school?" She said, lightly elbowing her daughter.

Marley's blue eyes grew wide. "I'm popular?"

Mrs Rose nodded, a proud motherly smile on her face. "Oh yeah, I hear the kids talking about you all the time. How talented you are, how sweet you are."

Marley didn't say anything. She tried to, but instead she let out a slight breath.

Mrs Rose caught onto her daughter's feelings. "You aren't happy with the attention."

Marley shook her head, her brown hair swaying like a metronome. "Not exactly. It's just a lot to get used to at once."
Mrs Rose put an arm around her daughter, Marley melting into her mother's hug. "You got this. Everyone finally sees you the way I do."

Marley looked up at her mother, her cheek pressed against the woman's shoulder. "That is?"

"A star."

Mercedes thought that in her senior year she would AT LEAST have one solo. She didn't want all of them, not when Rachel was in the picture, but one would be nice. So when she heard that Rachel was officially kicked out of the Glee Club, she was over the moon. She thought finally this was her moment to shine.

Yet here she is, STILL singing back up, this time to a freshman. She was sick of it.

Mercedes grabbed her bag stomping off to the bathroom. If she was truly appreciated, then someone would've ran after her, or asked what was wrong. Yet no one moved a muscle. Nobody even cared.

Mercedes washed off her face, looking in the mirror. She waited one more moment, hoping Sam or someone would come to follow her. No one. Not a peep came from the hallway.

She looked in the mirror, her face becoming scrunched up and sour with anger. She thought about how she spent the last three years singing back up to Rachel, now Marley.

(Mercedes looks in the mirror. She sees a smiling Rachel and then a smiling Marley. She sees her own reflection in the background. She sings)

Are you a man who loves, and cherishes, and cares for me?
(Is that you? Is that you? Is that you?)
Or are you a guard in a prison of maximum security?
(Is that you? Is that you? Is that you?)
Do we stay home all the time, 'cause you want me all to yourself?
(Is that you? Is that you? Is that you?)
Or am I locked away out of fear that I'll find someone else?
(Is that you? Is that you?)

(She begins to imagine herself on stage, under a beaming spotlight. Everyone else is now singing back up to her).

Well I don't like
Living under your spotlight
Just because you think I might
Find somebody worthy
Oh I don't like
Living under your spotlight
Maybe if you treat me right
You won't have to worry

(A light up sign appears behind her. The sign says "Mercedes" and glows brighter as she sings).

Hey, 'cause I don't like
Living under your spotlight
Just because you think I might
Find somebody worthy
No I don't like
Living under your spotlight
Maybe if you treat me right
You won't have to worry
I don't like

Her spotlight filled daydream was interrupted by a high pitched nasally voice. "Mercedes Jones?"

The senior whipped over the right shoulder to follow the voice. Her gaze led over to a girl, significantly younger than her, decked out head to toe in luxury brands. A white fur coat draped her shoulders. Gold glistened on top of her head, causing the top of her head to be blinding in the bathroom light. Mercedes was forced to look into the big round sunglasses, which her reflection stared back at her in.

The girl took off her glasses. She blinked, her smile that of one who had a plan. "Hi, I'm Sugar Motta."

Mercedes looked at the girl up and down. "Wow, you are fluffy." She said,

Sugar smiled and shrugged, showing that there was truly nothing up there. "Yeah, you can dress like this when you're rich. I'm like a diplomat's daughter. Except he doesn't go anywhere. Andhe sells pianos. But like, same thing."

Mercedes nodded, not sure how to answer this girl.

"I've seen you in the New Directions. And personally I think they suck. But you suck less."

Mercedes raised an eyebrow at the girl, but let her continue.

"So I want you to join MY show choir. Troubletones. Because my vocal coach says that she was "in trouble" when she heard me sing." Sugar said, whipping her sunglasses on her fur coat.

Mercedes shook her head. "No way, I ain't going from singing backup for one stage hog to another." The senior turned away, going to grab the handle to the girls bathroom. "Thanks anyways."

Sugar rushed over to the side of her, as though this was her last sales pitch. "But you wouldn't. Everyone would get a chance to shine. And even though I'm A LOT more talented than everyone else, I can see talent. Nobody would be swaying in the background."

Mercedes looked at the girl for a moment. The offer seemed too good to be true. There's no way it was, right?

Sugar slipped a card in between her fingers, gold and pink edges decorating it. "Just think about it. And if you wanna join, give me a call."

Mercedes looked down at the card, lightly taking it from the girl. It looked official, like she truly was a talent agent.

Sugar wiggled her fingers before exiting the bathroom.

Mercedes was enchanted by the card, not because of how it looked, but because she realized an opportunity was staring back at her in the face.

"And that's how you make delicious pasta, Beth!" Puck said, bouncing his daughter up and down, causing her to giggle. He sat her in her height car, placing the mushed up pasta infront of her. "Bon appetit!"

He looked over at the blonde girl who went over cheer moves in the living room. The routine music softly played as she sharply hit every move without missing a beat. "Thanks again for letting me do this, Freshie."

Kitty's eyes were glued in front of her, giving a cheery smile that always won over the judges. "Look, this whole letting you come over thing is already testing my tolerance and patience. So cut it with the 'Freshie' thing or I cut you."

Puck shrugged, sitting on the couch behind her. He poked his head around so he wasn't looking at her butt. "What's your name again."
"Ask me one more time, then this will be the last time you see your daughter." She said, continuing on. The blonde grabbed the remote pausing the soft music. She looked to the side to make sure Beth was secure, then turned around to Puck, her hand firmly on her waist. "Kitty."

Puck nodded. "I know, I just like to mess with you." He got up, going over to the counter. He watched over Beth, his smile growing bigger and bigger. "I can't believe I'm her dad."

"I know, she's smarter than you." Kitty said, turning the tv back on.

Puck leaned his elbows on the counter, giving her a look. "Hey, I'm plenty smart. S-M-A-R-T"

Kitty, without missing a beat of her routine, continued. "Yet you can't S-P-E-L-L."

Puck ignored her comment, mostly because he didn't feel like trying to figure out what she spelled. He watched the girl drill the routine in her head over and over again, causing a smile. "You're really good. You should join Glee Club."

Kitty scoffed. "No way, that's a capital L-lame." She said, still focusing.

"Not really. It's cool I'm in it."

"If you're in it, it's not cool." Kitty stopped for a moment, dropping her stance and place. "Plus I cheer, I don't dance."

"Same thing." Puck said, rolling his eyes.

Kitty shook her eyes. "Is not. Dancing is so much harder. I mean, Cheerleading has specific poses and marks, dancing doesn't."

Puck walked over to her, he held his hand out to the girl, asking her to dance. "It's easy."

Kitty rolled her eyes, turning her music to a smooth jazz-esque air. "That might be the stupidest thing you've ever said."

The blonde girl grabbed his hand, pulling her close to him. She looked up at him with skepticism, jumping back a little when he went to waltz foward.

"Follow my lead." He said, softer than before.

Kitty sighed, forcing herself to relax. "Fine, but if you step on my toes, I'm suing you."

Puck thought for a moment. "Right. Noted. But if you can dance you have to join the glee club."

Kitty's ponytail bounced. "I'm not making any promises I can't keep."

(As Puck laughs, the music starts. The two begin to sing in harmony as they waltz. Kitty is hesitant at first, until proving she is a better dancer than she lets on. Puck even has trouble keeping up with her, but laughs and smiles it off while singing).

I know I stand in line
Until you think you have the time
To spend an evening with me
And if we go someplace to dance
I know that there's a chance
You won't be leaving with me

Then afterwards we drop into a quiet little place
And have a drink or two
And then I go and spoil it all
By saying something stupid
Like I love you

I can see it in your eyes
You still despise the same old lines
You heard the night before
And though it's just a line to you
For me it's true
And never seemed so right before

The time is right
Your perfume fills my head
The stars get red
And oh the night's so blue
And then I go and spoil it all
By saying something stupid
Like I love you

I love you
I love you
I love you

Kitty looked up at Puck, her hand pressed firmly against his chest. She blinked, unsure what to do next. the worst part being that Puck couldn't answer her. He wasn't sure himself. He let his hand linger on her hip. While Puck was never the most rational person, he could figure out that he was only feeling the connection with Kitty because she brought him his daughter.

Plus she was a freshman, starting her life. While he wasn't sure if he was going to graduate this year, he was still planning for the next step, ready to take his pool cleaning business to the next level: The California level.

But this was also Noah Puckerman, who never thought with his head. Instead he thought with his-

"Alright, hands off the merchandise. I gotta go put Beth to bed." She said, swiping his hand off her hip. She walked over to the baby, taking her out of the height chair. "But first, a bath."

Puck watched the girl handle his daughter and head down the hall. "Take a picture, it'll last longer!"

The senior shook his head, grabbing his stuff. He had to leave and clear his mind, since he's beginning to think something he never thought he would: Noah Puckerman likes a freshman.

Rachel didn't know who she was when she looked in the mirror anymore. The person staring back at her wasn't her, instead a shallow and hollow version of some person whom she felt disconnected from.

She splashed water in her face to clear her mind, but nothing seemed to work. Everytime she looked back at herself, she kept seeing the same thing. She wasn't who she used to be.

The girl had also come to the conclusion that she didn't know who she was. She was nothing without performing. She needed it, and frankly she was going to get it. Somehow, some way.

The girl walked the halls, looking for her answer, her calling. That's when she saw it: The answer, or so she thought, to her dilemma.

She knew what she had to do, she just needed to get the outfit for it.

"You came!" Sugar squealed upon seeing Mercedes enter the room,

The senior looked around the room, taking in the makeshift performance space. Old cabinets and sinks remain from the old room. A giant purple piano with the words ``Motta Pianos' ' on the side. Other girls in various clothing and uniforms sat at the tables, studying sheet music for a mashup. It was handwritten, obviously composed by someone in the group.

"You're using the old Home Ec room?" She asked, looking around.

A woman behind the piano stood up, her dark hair falling past her shoulders, contrasting to the purple top that sat on her ever so loosely. "It was the biggest room in the school we were able to rent out."

Mercedes eye's bulged out of her head, her face leaning slightly foward. "Shelby? What are you doing here? I thought you ran off to New York with Quinn and Puck's baby."

Shelby laughed a little, her smile infectious. "I did, but Mr Motta asked me to come back and teach this glee club, and I couldn't say no."

Mercedes looked at the girls' faces. "Are these all the members?"
As though to answer her question, another girl walked in. Her hair was pin straight and black, her blue eyes glowing in the fluorescent lighting. "Oh wow! A new member!" She ran up to Mercedes, taking her hand, shaking it. "Hi, I'm Harmony!"

Mercedes, slightly freaked out by the girl, looked her up and down. "You look familiar."

Harmony smiled, showing off her pearly whites and laughed. "Yeah, you may know me, it's cause I'm the Gerber Baby!"

Mercedes' jaw dropped. She pointed at the girl in disbelief, Harmony smiling just like she did on all the merchandise when she was a child.

Mercedes couldn't help but smile at the baby face she saw on all the products when she was younger. Her eyes then drifted to the sheets in the girls hands, ready to sing.

Harmony followed the girls gaze and piped up. "Oh! We've been working on a little number here, so if you want to join us, actually please! We need more vocals on it, the girls here are too shy to sing out." Harmony stuck a handwritten sheet music in Mercedes hand. "You'll get it in no time-places everyone!"

(Harmony claps twice. Shelby pressed play on the radio that sat upon the piano. All the girls begin to perform a rigorous tap routine around Harmony as she sings the lead).

Times have changed
And we've often rewound the clock,
Since the Puritans got a shock
When they landed on Plymouth Rock

If today
Any shock they should try to stem
'Stead of landing on Plymouth Rock
Plymouth Rock would land on them

In olden days a glimpse of stocking
Was looked on as something shocking
But now, God Knows
Anything goes

Good authors too who once knew better words
Now only use four letter words
Writing prose,
Anything goes

Anything you can be,
I can be greater
Sooner or later,
I'm greater than you

No, you're not. Yes, I am
No, you're not. Yes, I am
No, you're NOT. Yes, I am
Yes, I am

The World has gone mad today
And good's bad today
And black's white today
And day's night today

When most guys today
That women prize today are just silly gigolos

Any note you can hold
I can hold longer
I can hold any note longer than you

No, you can't
Yes, I can
No, you can't
Yes, I can
No, you can't
Yes, I can
Yes, I ...

Yes, I can !

Mercedes looked at the group, beginning to clap at the number performed infront of her. "That was good but-"

"But?" Harmony asked, moving hair out of her face.

Mercedes smiled, letting the girls have insight into her thoughts. "You guys need a little soul-I'm in."

Quinn walked between the girls, practicing their hardest routine yet. She looked at each one intensely and examined them. If she found one weak point, one mistake, they would be done for. She needed to find a replacement for a Cheerio who mysteriously fell down the stairs and injured herself badly.

While Kitty was already on the squad, if she got this position, she would go from fourth flier to third flier, which is huge no matter what. So she kept her performance face up and ran through everything perfectly. Quinn tried to freak her out, and on the inside she was, since she was being examined by her idol, but she kept it cool.

Quinn snapped her fingers in a girl's face, causing her to fall. "Can't even keep still, these girls are getting weaker." Quinn said, crossing her arms and leaning over to Santana. However, Santana wasn't listening, as her focus was on one particular girl, who was bending down to get her water out of her bag.

"Santana? Hello, are you going to be present or not?" Quinn asked, snapping at her friend.

Santana snapped out of her staring state, scowling at Quinn. "No need to snap at me, Fabray. I just don't care if they're ponytails are tightened .I'm putting my efforts into other things." She said, pushing her arms out for intimidation.

"Like Brittany's butt?" Quinn snarked before walking away and over to where Noah Puckerman was going.

Santana didn't answer, instead she gave a heart dropping look to Quinn. She gazed down for a moment, Brittany jogging up to her. "Are you okay?

Santana looked up at the girl for a moment. She knew what she wanted to say. She wanted to say no, and that she loved her. She wanted to say that she wished Brittany gave her a true answer last school year instead of the one she got. But instead all she said was "Yeah, I'm okay."

Quinn always knew when Puck came over there as trouble. She was ready for another confrontation, but instead he passed her and went to the other blonde on the team, Kitty.

"A little busy here, Puckerman." Kitty said in between her teeth, still continuing on with her routine.

Puck held his hands up. "I know, I know, just wondering if we're still on for tonight." He asked, leaning his arm against the bleachers, his helmet swinging from his hand.

"You make it sound like a date. We are just watching your baby." Kitty snarked.

Puck shrugged. "Same thing."

Kitty sighed, her smile becoming less showy, but more genuine. "Yes, we are still on for tonight."

Puck smiled. "Cool. See there fres-"

Kitty raised an eyebrow at him.

"Kitty." He responded with a wink. He turned to go back to practice, only to be swung around by Quinn Fabray. "What the hell was that?" She asked, her voice harsh and low.

Puck leaned into Quinn to intimate her. "I can talk to my friends, Quinn."

Quinn's jaw tightened. "Oh no, that's not how you talk to your friends or your boys. That's how you flirt."

Puck rolled his eyes, unable to hear the ridiculousness from Quinn. Quinn continued. "Need I remind you that you usually date up in age, not down."

Puck shook his head and looked off to the side. "Why do you care so much? Let me remind you. Are. NOT. Together. Zero, Zilch." He said, putting emphasis on every word. "Besides, I'm still 17 so it's not illegal."

"Yeah, but once January hits, you're done. And you're planning your future and she's starting hers. It won't work, so give it up now." Quinn said, giving him a push away.

Puck looked at Kitty one more time, the girl not noticing his gaze. He shook his head, put on his helmet and went on the field.

Quinn walked back near Santana and Brittany, Santana dropping Brittany's hand once she saw the blonde girl come over. "It never ends."

"You're telling me." Santana said gesturing over to the girl walking towards the squad, that girl being Rachel Berry.

Quinn let out a hefty sigh.

"I got this one." Santana said ,walking to the front of the squad. As she was doing so, Quinn gave them the signal to take five. "Hey Big-Nose-The Clown, the circus is the other way. So go take your pasty white make up over there."

"Jokes on you, Santana, I'm not wearing any makeup." Rachel said with confidence, putting her pom poms to her wrist.

Santana let out a breathy laugh. "That's even worse!" Rachel pouted as Santana asked the question of the hour. "What do you want, Berry?"

"I want to join the Cheerios." Rachel declared.

Santana let out a laugh, turning her back to the girl and going to Brittany. "Yeah okay. Add that to your list of hi-larious jokes you've said, along with sending someone to a crackhouse and saying you're actually pretty."

Rachel's arms dropped. If this was a normal day she would've fought. If this was a normal day she wouldn't be doing this. But it wasn't a normal day. She wasn't who she knew.

"Give her a chance, Santana. Plus my parents always told me to be nice to Make-A-Wish kids." Brittany said, gesturing over to Rachel.

Santana turned over her shoulder, giving a heft eye roll. "Fine, only cause Brittany said so. You have thirty seconds. Wow me."

Rachel nodded. She knew what she had to do. Rachel was trained in dance, after taking it since she was two years old, she knew a few tricks and ways to keep balance. She always knew how to keep a crowd entertained and put on a show.

As the girls watched her, they were in shock. The once geeky and loser-ish girl could tumble and do tricks. And while Quinn had some idea that Rachel was the one to knock off their cheerio fiend, she had to admit that Rachel was good.

After Rachel had landed her final pose, all the girls stood in shock. Santana opened her mouth, only to be cut off by Brittany, whose big smile out did her. "Welcome to the squad!"

The tall blonde wrapped an arm around Rachel and smiled, causing Santana to fume. Quinn walked over to the pair.

"Who knew you had talent!" Brittany said with enthusiasm.

Quinn smiled a bit and made a come gesture. "Brittany, come help Rachel get her Cheerios uniform. Sue will be shocked about this one."

(Santana watches as Rachel, Brittany and Quinn walk off together happily. She's mad, not just because Rachel is on the Cheerios, but that Brittany is spending time with her. Santana sings and contemplates)

Even through the darkest phase
Be it thick or thin
Always someone marches brave
Here beneath my skin
And constant craving
Has always been

(Mercedes is seen having fun with her new show choir where she and Harmony are co leads. She sings)

Maybe a great magnet pulls
All souls towards truth
Or maybe it is life itself
Leads wisdom to its youth

(Puck plays on the field and sees Kitty. He gets distracted and gets hit, falling down. Kitty giggles. Puck smiles and sings in his head)

Constant craving
Has always been
Craving

Ah ha, constant craving
Has always been

(Rachel looks at herself in the mirror with her new Cheerios uniform. Brittany and Quinn smile. Rachel smiles then drops her smile, singing)

Constant craving
Has always been
Craving
Ah ha, constant craving

(Everyone sings together as Rachel enters the field in her new uniform)

GUEST STARRING

Trisha Rae Stall as Mrs Rose

Iqbal Theba as Principal Figgins

Idina Menzel as Shelby Cocran

SONGS:

Somebody's Eyes (Originally from Footloose The Musical): Performed by Quinn Fabray, Mercedes Jones and Santana Lopez

Spotlight (Originally by Jennifer Hudson) Performed by Mercedes Jones

Something Stupid (Originally by Frank and Nancy Sinatra): Performed by Noah Puckerman and Kitty Wilde

Anything Goes/Anything You Can Do (Originally from Anything Goes/Annie Get Your Gun): Performed by Harmony and the Troubletones

Constant Craving (Originally by k.d Lang): Performed by Santana Lopez, Mercedes Jones, Noah Puckerman and Rachel Berry