Chapter 3

"Honestly, Kurt. I didn't think you'd be having this problem. You made it seem like you could ride off into the sunset with him if given the chance," was the words Rachel overheard upon sliding into the booth with them.

"Good evening, Mercedes!" said Rachel while hugging her friend. "It's so good to see you!" She then turned to a miserable-looking Kurt. "I would greet you with the same sentiments but you do not look like you're having a good evening," teased Rachel.

Mercedes chuckled. "Kurt was just telling me that—"

"Things are moving a bit slower than usual, is all…" Kurt huffed, fingers fiddling with his bangs. Only then did Rachel notice that Kurt's hair did not have the same flair like it usually did.

Rachel furrowed her brows and asked, "Is this about your romantic affair with that boy who kept on taking photographs of people at the party?"

Kurt huffed again. "His name's Blaine, Rachel."

Rachel's eyes widened at his tone. "Right. Of course. I remember. Blaine. I was just—I'm sorry, I mean—"

"Kurt. Stop." warned Mercedes. She then turned to Rachel and assured her, "Girl, don't be too quick to apologize. He's just in a mood, you know."

Kurt stopped fiddling with his bangs. "You're right. I'm just a bit frustrated, is all. All we do is text each other! I never get to see him!" He sighed.

Rachel tilted her head, "Isn't that how it's supposed to be at the beginning?"

Mercedes nodded. "Yes, but they do say that gay couples move faster than straight couples. And Kurt's faster than the average gay guy." Mercedes then gestured for the waitress to come take their order. "Anyway, what are you guys getting?"

"What does being gay have to do with relationship pacing?" asked Rachel incredulously. "And I'll have the salad, please."

"And you, Kurt?"

"I'd like the cheesy bacon burger deluxe," replied Kurt.

Mercedes nodded and then said to the waitress, "Make that two, please."

The waitress nodded and then wrote down their orders. "So that'll be… 1 salad, and 2 cheesy bacon burgers. Would you like anything to drink?"

"We'll just have water, thanks," said Mercedes. The waitress jotted it down and proceeded to head back to the counter.

Rachel then asked Kurt, "Why don't you just tell him that you want to see him?"

Kurt grumbled. "I don't want to seem too needy."

"You're being ridiculous. There's nothing needy about that!"

Mercedes chuckled. "Boy does he really like Blaine if he's acting like this." Rachel hummed her agreement. The waitress then came to serve them glasses of water.

Kurt sipped from his glass before saying, "Enough about me. Rachel, have you considered joining the competition? We really think you'd do well in it."

Rachel looked affronted. "Do well?" Rachel repeated with air quotes. "Kurt, if you must know, if I were to actually enter the competition, I'd be practicing as much as I can so that I may, as they say, bring home the bacon. I can't believe you'd insinuate that I'd only be mediocre."

Kurt stared at Rachel incredulously.

"Fine. Yes, I did think about joining. But who shall join with me? I don't know anyone that plays in a band, save for Finn. And it's not like he lives anywhere near…"

"How do you not know anyone that plays in a band, Rachel? Have you not been making any friends?" asked Kurt.

Rachel sighed. "I have, but I've been very busy, you know."

Mercedes then said, "Don't worry, Rachel. I'm sure I can find some for you to join with."

Rachel smiled and replied, "Thanks, Mercedes."

"You really should join, Rachel. Do you know that a lot of professors plan to give extra credits to the student that wins? I hear that's because the president of the student organization is quite charming," said Kurt.

Rachel's interest piqued. "Yeah? I was not aware of this little fact, Kurt. It's certainly motivating."

Kurt saw the waitress coming with their food and said, "Right? Exactly why Blaine is joining… Anyway, food is here."

Rachel gasped. "Is that why you keep insisting I join? Because Blaine is joining?"

Kurt looked away and replied, "He has nothing to do with this."

"Yes, he does! It's so you can always come to competitions without feeling like you're obsessed with Blaine!" Rachel crossed her arms. "Kurt, you're hurting my feelings a bit."

"Yeah, Kurt, that's a bit mean," said Mercedes after tasting her burger.

Kurt held his hands up and said, "Alright alright. I'm sorry, Rachel. I admit I was being manipulative." He then smiled at her. "You really should join, though. Even though I would have been there mainly so I could be close to Blaine, I still plan on giving you full support. Making banners and all that."

Rachel grinned. "I'm counting on that!"

Rachel was left alone in the lecture hall the following day. She was tasked to make a powerpoint for tomorrow's class by Professor Cassie, and was permitted to stay in the lecture hall until the campus guards decide to close all gates.

She had just sent the file to her professor when she heard the loud clanging of distant drums. Now curious, Rachel closed her laptop and exited the lecture hall. She followed the sounds until she found herself in front of the door to another lecture hall rooms away from where she was just working. Rachel discreetly stood by the door and listened to the lead sing a song she'd heard on the radio a few times.

1, 2, 3 they gonna run back to me

Cause I'm the best baby that they never gotta keep

1, 2, 3 they gonna run back to me

They always wanna come, but they never wanna leave

Ex's and the oh, oh, oh's they haunt me

Like ghosts they want me to make 'em all

They won't let go

Ex's and oh's!

They're quite good, though they seem like they didn't practice much. Rachel thought to herself.

All of a sudden, the loud clanging of the drums stopped. And then Rachel heard a male voice say, "Guys, I'm really not sure about this. This will be the third time we're gonna audition, and we still sound the same! I'm sick of this."

Rachel then overheard the vocalist reply, "Why are you being such an asshole? I'm doing my best, you know."

"Yo, I said nothing about your voice," came from the male voice.

"But that's what you mean. You're blaming me for this."

There was a long silence, and then the door burst open, leaving Rachel stunned when the vocalist saw her.

"Well, what do you know? Maybe I sounded good enough for this one to eavesdrop!" She rolled her eyes at Rachel and then walked out of the building. Rachel bit the inside of her cheek.

"Hey! Wait, I know you!" came from the male voice. Rachel turned to him and saw that he was sitting by the drums. He stood up and came closer. "You're totally that girl who wouldn't shut up about how smoking was bad during my brothers' party!"

Rachel waved her hand at him and replied, "Hey, Puck." She then turned apologetic. "Be assured that I did not mean to overhear your conversation. I was working in one of the rooms down there," Rachel gestured to the other lecture hall, "when I heard the music. I quite like the song you all were playing, so I decided to stay close to this room until you finished with Ex's and Oh's. I promise that's all this is!" She tried for a charming smile to show she was innocent.

"Well, how was it?" asked the girl with the guitar.

Rachel furrowed her brows. "How was what?"

"The performance."

"It was alright."

"Be serious."

"Fine. The drums were too much, it has the potential to drown out the vocals. And the vocalist, she fell flat on the last part."

The girl strummed her guitar and asked, "And the rhythm?"

Rachel smiled while assuring her, "The rhythm was fine."

The girl walked towards Rachel and held out her hand. "My name is Molly! It's real nice to meet you, …?"

Rachel shook Molly's hand and replied, "Rachel. My name's Rachel."

"It's nice to meet you, Rachel." Molly placed her guitar on a chair and continued, "So. You seem to know your way around music."

"I've been singing and dancing since I was three months old!" replied Rachel enthusiastically.

"What!?" exclaimed Puck. "That's insane."

"Insanely good." Rachel looked smug.

"So, say we offered you the position of lead vocals, you'd…?" Molly trailed off.

"I'd tell you that I will have to think about it! I'm actually a TA this semester, and therefore am very busy." replied Rachel.

"Well, maybe you can text me when you've made your decision?" said Molly while she looked for a piece of paper in her bag. When she finally found one, she wrote down her number and handed it to Rachel.

"Yeah Rach, you should join us. If we win we get a lot of extra points from professors. Ya know that?" said Puck.

Tucking the piece of paper into her back pocket, Rachel replied, "Yes, I am aware of that fact. Which is exactly why I'll be giving this a lot of thought. I mean, I'm not just a TA. I also have dance lessons, ballet classes, etcetera."

Molly smiled at Rachel, "Okay, big shot. Just make sure to tell us, even if it's a 'No'. Once you do, we'll start groveling for Gabriel to come back." Molly chuckled while Puck groaned.

Just then, the three of them heard graceful footsteps, and afterward a, "Hey Molly, you ready to go?"

Rachel recognized that voice.

Molly suddenly seemed flustered, red dusting her cheeks and her eyes widening as she hastily grabbed her backpack and her guitar from one of the chairs.

Rachel turned to the door, and confirmed her suspicions. "Good afternoon, Quinn."

"Rachel! Hi!" replied Quinn enthusiastically. "What are you doing here?"

Rachel was about to answer when Molly cut her off with the question, "You two know each other?"

Quinn nodded. "We met at the recent foam party."

"Well, Rachel here might be our new vocalist soon," said Molly. "And yeah, let's head back."

"Yeah? That's really great, you guys." Quinn then turned to Rachel. "Well, we really should get going now. See you soon, Rachel!" She and Molly then walked out of the room.

"I don't get a goodbye?" inquired Puck. Rachel laughed.

Puck smiled at Rachel and said, "Molly's got the biggest crush on Quinn. That's why normally-cool-and-aloof becomes red-as-a-tomato when Quinn is around."

Rachel didn't know what to say. "Oh really? And does Quinn know?"

Puck shrugged, "I have no idea what's going on between them."

Rachel felt irrationally sad at the thought of anything that might be 'between Molly and Quinn'.

"Although by the looks of it I'm thinking Molly hasn't told her yet," added Puck.

Rachel just shrugged and said, "I suppose it's their business though."

Puck agreed. "Well, we should also head home now. Don't wanna be locked in or something."

"Yes, we should," said Rachel. "See you soon, Puck."

"See ya, babe!"

A/N: I know. I'm sorry hahahaha