Hey everyone! As always, thanks a lot for your reviews on the last chapter. On the actual show, I was disappointed West Side Story didn't star Finchel as Tony and Maria, so I decided to create a mini arc about the possibility of that for my deleted scenes here. Thanks for the support and review if you want me to keep going!
Chapter 50: Asian F
"Ready to try out?" Rachel asked Finn.
"Yeah," Finn said. He and Rachel had practiced a Tony/Maria song together, and now he was going to try out for Tony. He knew he'd like to play the male lead opposite Rachel's female lead. According to Rachel, no one else had tried out for Tony yet except Kurt, and Finn had a feeling that Kurt's voice wasn't suited for those songs.
Finn and Rachel stood in the stands of the auditorium as they heard Blaine sing his audition song. Finn didn't know that Blaine was trying out for Tony. He'd liked Blaine last year, but ever since Blaine came to McKinley, it felt like he was replacing Finn as the male lead of the glee club, and Finn didn't like that. Being the lead made him feel like the ultimate part of something special. Now Finn was reconsidering whether not he wanted to try out. But he couldn't disappoint Rachel. He knew how much she wanted to do this together.
At the end of Blaine's song, Finn heard Artie, Miss Pillsbury and Coach Beiste applauding. "I so want to give you a standing ovation right now!" Artie said. "Wait, it says on your audition form that you were only interested in the role of Bernardo."
Finn felt a slight sense of relief. Then he heard Blaine name some other minor roles he might want to play. Maybe he would have a shot at Tony.
"Would you mind reading for Tony?" Artie asked.
Finn groaned. His audition was probably doomed before it even started. Blaine said he'd be willing to later, and he walked off the stage and saw Finn. "Good luck, Finn."
"Thanks," Finn managed to say, knowing the part he wanted was already taken.
"Finn Hudson," Artie called.
Finn tried to work through his disappointment as he went on stage with Rachel. "Hi, I'm Finn Hudson, and I'll be trying out for the role of Tony," he said, forcing a smile. "With the obvious choice for Maria, we prepared a song they sing together for you: One Hand, One Heart."
"Fantastic," Miss Pillsbury said. "Let's hear it."
The music began and Finn tried his best to sound as good as he could. He knew that Blaine was going to get the part, but he might as well go through with this.
Finn: Make of our hands one hand
Make of our hearts one heart
Make of our vows one last vow
Only death will part us now
Rachel: Make of our lives one life
Day after day, one life
Finn and Rachel: Now it begins, now we start
One hand, one heart
Even death won't part us now
At the end of their song, the three directors applauded, but Finn noticed it wasn't with the same enthusiasm they had for Blaine. Rachel looked thrilled with their performance, but Finn knew that was probably just because they'd gotten to sing together. "Finn, we sounded perfect!" Rachel said as they walked off the stage.
"He was better than me," Finn sighed.
"Finn, don't say that," Rachel said.
"I know he'll get the part," Finn grumbled. He knew Rachel was trying to make him feel better, but he also knew that there was no way he would get this part.
x
"All right, listen up, ladies!" Coach Beiste said at football practice the next day. "Number one: I kicked a fire hydrant when I found out Ace of Cakes was canceled, hence the crutches. Number two: the entire wrestling team has come down with a flesh-eating staph infection so, fellas, wash yourselves, and that includes your bat caves and your bramble patches. Number three: Tinsley, Puckerman, Azimio, show me your moves."
"What moves?" Puck asked.
"Oh, don't play stupid," Coach Beiste said. "You're all dancing in West Side Story unless I specifically excuse you."
Dancing? If Finn couldn't get the part of Tony, he'd be a complete joke in the musical. There was no way he could dance. He quickly thought of an excuse. "Tire shop every afternoon."
"Coach, no disrespect, but my dad, he didn't raise me to be no damn ballerina. In fact, my dad, he didn't even raise me," Azimio rambled.
Coach Beiste didn't seem impressed. "Ballet improves your coordination, it boosts your IQ, and it gets half of the NFL on Dancing With the Stars! Boo-yah! By Wednesday, everyone is to show up at audition and dance."
"How are we supposed to learn to dance by Wednesday?" one of the guys asked.
"Figure it out," Coach Beiste said. "Go outside and run some warmup laps. Hudson, I need to talk to you."
Great. She was probably going to tell him that Blaine had gotten the role of Tony. Finn went up to Coach Beiste as the rest of the guys went to the field. "What's up, Coach?"
"You just tried out for the musical yesterday," Coach Beiste said. "What's this about the tire shop?"
"Oh, my stepdad said he needs more help at the shop," Finn said. "I don't know if I'll have time."
"Your audition was good, Finn," Coach Beiste said. "There were some other strong candidates trying out for Tony, but there are other parts..."
That confirmed it. They were giving Tony to Blaine. "I didn't know when I tried out yesterday about them needing extra help at the shop."
x
Rachel now knew why Finn had been so insecure about his audition.
She'd seen Mercedes try out for the role of Maria, and she was amazing. One of the best she'd ever heard Mercedes. She went up to Finn at his locker to tell him she understood when Mercedes walked by. "Berry, Miss Pillsbury wants us in her office."
Rachel followed Mercedes into the office, where Miss Pillsbury, Coach Beiste and Artie were waiting. "You both had fantastic auditions for Maria," Miss Pillsbury said. "However, they were both very good and very different, so we'd like to hear you each sing another song."
Rachel knew what this was. It happened all the time. "Let me get this straight," Mercedes snapped. "You can't make up your minds, so we have to try out again?"
" In the biz, it's called a callback," Rachel explained. "With such an iconic role as Maria, it can't appear as if they're just giving me the part."
"We'd like you both to come back on Thursday for the ultimate Maria-off," Artie said.
Rachel didn't have a problem with that. She knew all Maria's songs. "Done. I can't speak for Mercedes, but I'll be singing the timeless Maria classic I Feel Pretty."
"Actually, that's too easy, Rachel," Miss Pillsbury said. "We've picked a song that we think has the potential to show off both of your talents, in unexpected ways."
Artie handed them sheet music. "Out Here On My Own from the seminal behind-the-scenes musical Fame."
Rachel was fine with that song. "I know it."
"I lived it," Mercedes countered, walking out of the office.
Rachel didn't know why Mercedes was acting this way. She followed Mercedes out, trying to be nice. "Mercedes! Look, in the spirit of Broadway camaraderie, I'd like to offer you a hug to congratulate you on your callback."
"You know what, Rachel? Hug me after I get the part," Mercedes snapped, walking away.
Finn came up to Rachel. "What was that about?"
"They gave Mercedes and me a callback for Maria, and Mercedes was just being obnoxious about it," Rachel said.
"She should be honored to have been considered for a second try against you," Finn said.
Rachel smiled. "Thanks. I really hope you and I will get the leads."
Finn looked down. "I think they've already given it to Blaine."
"What do you mean?" Rachel asked.
"The way Coach Beiste was talking at football practice," Finn said. "I need to help out more at the tire shop anyway."
"Finn..." Rachel began.
"Rachel, you'll get the part, I know it," Finn said. "And I'll be in the stands, cheering you on."
x
Finn felt bad that Rachel was disappointed that he wouldn't be in the show, but he rather would withdraw his application than be rejected. He was at Booty Camp now. "Okay, so, before we dive into today's Booty Camp, I just want to say how impressed Mike and I have been with everyone's progress. Uh... Brittany, why are you here?" Mr. Schue asked.
"Cause I intend on dancing my way into the voters' hearts," Brittany said.
Mr. Schue looked surprised. He knew as well as Finn did that Brittany didn't need Booty Camp. "Okay. All right... everyone up! Now, your homework assignment was the Widow Maker, perhaps the hardest show choir dance move ever. Now, when you get it right, one of us is gonna tap you out, then you can have a seat."
Finn had trouble with this, but he had been working on it, so maybe he could get it today. To his surprise, Mr. Schue came up to him when not everyone else was out. "Come on, Finn, you can do it!" Finn looked and saw Mercedes was still trying it, too. Mr. Schue tapped Finn. "Good job, buddy."
Relieved to not be the last one for once, Finn watched Mike try to coach Mercedes through it. "Down... open... Come on, Mercedes, down... open... up..."
"My ankle hurts," Mercedes complained.
"Push through it," Mr. Schue encouraged.
"I don't feel good," Mercedes complained again.
"You're fine," Mr. Schue said.
Mercedes stopped. "No, I'm not!"
"Look, Mercedes, I want you to be the best you can be, okay? Did you even practice this?" Mr. Schue asked.
"Stop picking on me! You're always singling me out, making me look bad!" Mercedes snapped.
Mr. Schue seemed to agree with what Finn was thinking. "That's crazy."
"No, you're crazy for not letting me shine!" Mercedes shouted. "Where's Rachel, huh? I don't see her here, being a part of the team."
Finn knew why Rachel wasn't here. She was a much harder worker than Mercedes. "Rachel practices every night." It was true. Rachel was talented, but she was also hardworking and driven. Mercedes just seemed to expect things to be given to her.
Mercedes turned to Finn. "No one asked you, Finn." She turned back to Mr. Schue. "Everyone knows that Rachel is your favorite."
"That's not true," Mr. Schue said.
"No, it's true," Mercedes shouted. "You give that skinny, Garanimal-wearing ass-kisser everything! And, you know, for two years, you know, I took it. But not anymore! I'm done! You know, I've outgrown you. I've outgrown all of you." She began storming off.
"Mercedes!" Mr. Schue snapped. "You walk out that door, you're out of Glee Club."
Finn thought that the directors of the musical needed to be here to see this. At this moment, his worries about the show were forgotten. Someone like this did not deserve the lead over someone like Rachel.
x
It was the day of the callback. Rachel stood in the wings with Finn, waiting to try out. "Rachel, focus. You've earned this. The part's already yours," Finn encouraged her.
"Rachel Berry? Mercedes Jones?" Artie called.
Rachel and Mercedes took the center stage where Miss Pillsbury was waiting. "Ladies, you're both wonderful." She picked up a coin. "Heads or tails?"
"Heads," Rachel said.
"Tails," Mercedes said.
Miss Pillsbury flipped the coin. "Heads."
"Yes!" Finn cheered
Rachel smiled at Finn. "Mercedes can go first."
The music began as Rachel and Mercedes performed the song.
Mercedes: Sometimes I wonder where I've been
Who I am, do I fit in
Make believin' is hard alone,
Out here on my own
Rachel: We're always provin' who we are
Always reachin' for the risin' star
Mercedes: To guide me far and shine me home
Out here on my own
Rachel: When I'm down and feelin' blue
Mercedes: I close my eyes, so I can be with you
Mercedes and Rachel: Oh, baby, be strong for me
Baby, belong...
Rachel: To me
Mercedes: Help me through
Help me need you
Rachel: Sometimes I wonder where
Mercedes: I've been
Rachel: Who I am, do I fit in
I may not win
But I can't be thrown
Mercedes: Out here, oh
On my own
Out here
Rachel: On my own
At the end of the song, Rachel felt her insecurities coming back. She knew she was talented, but she knew Mercedes was too. And Mercedes had sounded really good on this song.
As Rachel walked off the stage. Finn was waiting for her. "That was excellent. You were amazing."
Rachel said out loud what she feared the judges were thinking. "She was better than me." She walked away, trying to think of what that something extra could be to give her NYADA application a boost. Then it came to her. She could try to change the school climate by running for senior class president. She could make Kurt vice president if she won, so that way they'd both have something extra.
x
The next day, Rachel was at her locker when Kurt came up to her. "I think we should talk, don't you?" Kurt asked.
Rachel had a feeling Kurt didn't like the idea of Rachel entering the race. "About the, um, upcoming deadline for the NYADA applications?"
Kurt could tell Rachel knew what he really meant. "About you telling Coach Beiste that you're running for senior class president. Against me."
"Kurt, you saw Mercedes, okay?" Rachel tried to explain. "I'm not gonna get the part. So I figured, if I win, I'll make you vice president, and then maybe you could just do vice-versa."
"Rachel, if you win, yes, it'll better your chances of getting into NYADA, yes," Kurt said. "But if I win, it could make a huge difference at this school. Not just for me, but kids like me. Things could actually change for them. So, whatever it takes, I'm winning."
"Look, I just... I need something for my senior year that's gonna make me special, that's gonna make me stand out," Rachel said. "I thought Maria was gonna be that. You understand. You're just as ambitious as I am; that's why we're friends."
"Rachel, in ten years, when you look back on this time, you're not gonna be thinking about the clubs you belonged to or the parts you had. You'll be thinking about the friends you had and the ones you just tossed aside," Kurt snapped before walking away.
Rachel thought about what Kurt had said. She had a feeling he was right. But then she got a text from Artie, telling her to meet him in Miss Pillsbury's office. Rachel went to the office, where Mercedes, Artie, Coach Beiste and Miss Pillsbury were already waiting.
"Please don't tell us that we have to try out again," Mercedes demanded.
"No, we've come to a decision," Artie said.
"It was one of the hardest decisions of my life, and that includes when I had to sell one of my two prize donkeys to pay my gas bill," Coach Beiste added. "I sold Kim, but I kept Khloe."
"So, um, in the grand tradition of the Special Olympics... everybody wins," Miss Pillsbury announced. "We're double-casting Maria."
This sounded fine to Rachel. "What the hell is double-casting?" Mercedes asked.
"It means that we'll both get to play Maria," Rachel explained. "You'll get your well-deserved standing ovations on Saturday matinees and Sunday mornings for the Retired Lima War Veterans, and I'll do all the evening performances."
"Actually, Rachel, we're adding a week," Artie said. "You'll both get four nights and two matinees."
"Fair enough," Rachel said. "Mercedes, it'll be a pleasure sharing the spotlight with you."
"Are you double-casting any other roles?" Mercedes asked. Rachel was wondering the same thing. Maybe they could double cast Tony and she and Finn could do some shows together...
"No. Just Maria," Artie said.
Mercedes got up. "Thank you for your time."
"Where are you going?" Coach Beiste demanded.
Mercedes looked at Rachel. "Tell me you were better than me. Tell me." Rachel didn't know what to say. That particular song had probably been better suited for Mercedes's voice, but the Maria songs were overall better suited for hers. "Why is it that no one ever wants to hurt her feelings? You know, it's always been The Rachel Berry Show around here. But it's not gonna be for me. No, not my senior year," Mercedes snapped.
"Mercedes, don't make this a stupid pride thing," Artie said, sounding annoyed.
"Oh, it's a pride thing," Mercedes said. "But it's not stupid. Congratulations. You got the part. I don't want it."
Mercedes walked away before Rachel thanked the judges and went to meet Finn. "I got it," she told him. "I got it, like, by default. They double-cast us, and then Mercedes turned it down."
Finn looked happy. "So... cool. You're gonna be withdrawing from the race, then?"
Rachel hadn't thought about that. "Look, Finn, when Brittany sang that song about girls changing the world, it got me thinking, you know maybe... maybe I can change the world."
"By being Student Class President?" Finn asked.
"Look, make fun of it all you want, but you need to start thinking about your future, too. Oh, did you talk to Kurt about the election?" Rachel asked.
Finn nodded. "Yeah. He asked me who I was voting for."
"What did you say?" Rachel asked.
"I said I didn't know," Finn said before walking away, leaving Rachel to think. Maybe entering the election wasn't such a good idea after all, if it would create tension between her, her boyfriend and her best friend...
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