Colleen sighed as she sat in her homeroom, listening as Mrs. Wilson rambled off the morning announcements. She tapped her pen against her desk, dreading what would come next. Her walk to English class. Colleen didn't exactly know how she'd be able to force herself to walk past her father's office, but she had to try to keep up with her end of the bargain. She glanced over at Bailey, who looked like he was actually paying attention.
"How many announcements could there possibly be?" She whispered to Bailey. "Like, does she ever stop talking?"
"I'm afraid not," Bailey whispered back.
"You'd think she'd run out of air." Colleen joked as she glanced at the clock, there was only five minutes left of home room and she wasn't ready for it to come to an end. She bit her lip nervously.
"Are you okay?" Bailey asked, noticing that she seemed a little on edge.
"Yeah, I'm fine." Colleen lied. "Just so over these announcements, they aren't even that important."
"There, there," Bailey teased, as he patted her on the back. "You'll survive."
Colleen smiled at him, then jumped slightly when the bell rang. Crap, Colleen thought. She collected her things slowly trying to delay the inevitable.
"Look at that, we survived," Bailey said. "Wanna sit together at lunch?"
"Yeah, I'll find you." Colleen agreed with a smile. Bailey nodded and took off, not wanting to be late to his next class. Colleen slowly stood from her desk and made her way out of the room. It's just an office, it doesn't mean anything, she thought to herself as she made her way to her English classroom. But then she stumbled upon said office and froze. She took a deep breath and tried to force her feet to cooperate but found that they wouldn't. I can't do this, dad's gonna kill me, she thought as she turned around. She booked it to the closest girls' bathroom, unaware that one Coach Sue Sylvester was hot on her heels.
Hiding in a stall, Colleen sank to her knees again.
A sharp knock prevented her from crying. "Young Rachel Scott, open up." Coach Sylvester demanded. "Now is not the time to confess your sins to a toilet."
Colleen reluctantly opened the stall door to the cheer coach. "What do you want?" She demanded, a little more harshly than she intended.
"Don't get snarky with me, Princess of Lima," Coach Sylvester shot as she leant against the sink. "Noticed you went past Wavy Gravy's office and wanted to puke. I also want to puke whenever I am forced to look at his horribly mutated face, so I thought I'd come commiserate."
Colleen crossed her arms and looked down; she didn't actually go past her father's office, but that wasn't the point. She stared at the cheer coach blankly, unsure of what to say. She imagined she must look pretty stupid, pale and teary eyed in front of the coach.
"You know what, Little Emma," Coach Sylvester's voice softened. "Coming here to McKinley after all that's happened, is very brave. And I'm proud of you for making it this far. Even if the jellified 90s art bro you call a father continues to make it worse with every step."
Colleen just nodded. "Uhm, thanks?" She said, tucking her hair behind her ear. When is she going to leave? She thought, unsure how much longer she could hold it together. "But I uhm need to use the bathroom, so if you could go…"
"Now that's hardly the reason you came in here, Munchkin Schuester." Coach Sylvester drawled in her usual bored tone. "Besides, I was under the assumption that you had a meeting with the psychic Teenage Mutant Doctor Platypus."
"Who?" Colleen asked, confused. "Look, Coach Sylvester, I just…can you just go?"
"Afraid not Munchkin." The cheer coach leaned in a little closer. "Because I know exactly why you're here. And since I have neither the time nor the tolerance to deal with emotionally prepubescent teenagers, I'm taking you to see Dr. Cheung." Coach Sylvester shook her head. "She was a fine cheerleader back in the day, stronger than any other base and her tumbles, well she could actually tumble unlike some other losers I've met." She rambled as she stood up. "It's a pity it took her so long to realise she looked better in the Cheerios skirt than in the pants."
"Look, no offence, but I don't know what you're talking about, and I'm fine." Colleen insisted as she went to close the stall door.
Coach Sylvester snorted. "If you were actually fine, Little Emma, then you would be in class." She looked around in disgust as she continued. "And not making me stand in this disgusting monument to teenagers' obsession with their bodies."
"I don't need to see a guidance counsellor," Colleen insisted, as she crossed her arms. Just leave me alone, I'll just flunk English and lose my door, who cares? She thought.
"Come now, Munchkin. There are better solutions out there than crying in a bathroom." Coach Sylvester told her. "Besides, it makes you look like a young Lindsay Lohan, and she was horrific. Just look at what she did to Hayley Mills." She wrinkled her nose. "Now get up, my sinuses can only handle so much rose-scented body spray."
Colleen groaned as she stepped out of the stall. She wrapped her arms around her waist as she followed the cheer coach out of the bathroom. She kept her eyes down as she followed Coach Sylvester through the halls of McKinley, and eventually they wound up in the cheer coach's office. Colleen looked around confused. I thought I was seeing a guidance counsellor, she thought.
Inside, Dr. Cheung was waiting nervously. She immediately stood up as they entered. "Coach Sylvester, I…"
Coach Sylvester held up a hand. "Save it, Professor Utonium. I'm not going to slap you with a chicken cutlet." She nodded to Colleen behind her. "Rather, I'm going to actually make you do your job instead of goofing off with upperclassmen while you tell them they'll actually make it in life." She snorted again. "Remember Phoebe, I'm the only one who can tell you who you are."
"Yes, Coach Sylvester," Dr. Cheung stammered, glancing at Colleen curiously. "Would you give us a minute please?"
"You can have the whole period. I have someone very awful to annoy." Coach Sylvester turned to Colleen. "Now don't make me regret my sudden outburst of kindness, Little Emma." The cheer coach spun on her heel, stomping down the hallway towards the gymnasium.
Colleen glanced at Dr. Cheung and bit her lip nervously. Great, another therapist, she thought, annoyed. "I really don't need to be here, sorry for wasting your time." She said quickly.
The guidance counsellor looked at Colleen in confusion. "Umm, why was Coach Sylvester so nice to you? Four years and I don't think she ever said one nice thing to me." Dr. Cheung rambled, tucking a strand of long, black hair behind her ear. "Oh, and please sit, I just want to chat."
Colleen shrugged. That was nice? She thought as she reluctantly took a seat. "Am I in trouble?"
"No, why do you think that?" Dr. Cheung asked, still watching the door as if expecting Coach Sylvester to come back with a chicken cutlet.
"Because I'm supposed to be in class?" Colleen said as she glanced at the clock, she was supposed to be there fifteen minutes ago.
"Oh, I was blaming Coach Sylvester for that." Dr. Cheung admitted with a small laugh. Her gaze softened as she rested her hand on her chin. "Is she not the reason you're away from class?"
Colleen shrugged and looked down as she picked at her nails nervously. "I don't know."
"That was a yes or no answer, but some elaboration would be nice," Dr. Cheung prodded lightly, tilting her head slightly in curiosity.
Colleen shrugged again. "Can I go now? I'm sure you have better things to do."
"This is my whole job…" the guidance counsellor frowned. "Was your name Emma or?"
Colleen quickly shook her head. "No, she was my mom…I wish she wouldn't call me that." She trailed off, hating Coach Sylvester's nickname for her. "I'm Colleen."
Dr. Cheung smiled sadly. "Your mother is the whole reason I'm still alive, Colleen. She helped me sort out this whole mess." She gestured to her chest.
Colleen just nodded as she started to tap her foot anxiously, she hated talking about her mother, and really just wanted to leave the office. It was always so awkward.
"Still can't bring her up?" Dr. Cheung noted sadly, glancing at Colleen's foot.
Colleen let out a sigh. Here we go, she thought. "Does it matter?"
"Yep." Dr. Cheung nodded with a mischievous look in her eyes. "Afraid it does."
"I just don't like talking about her," Colleen said curtly. How long do I have to be here for? She thought miserably.
"Good enough." Dr. Cheung nodded, leaning back in her chair. "So, want to tell me why you're not in class right now? OR why Coach Sylvester called me here because some student was having a breakdown in front of Mr. Schuester's office?"
Colleen shook her head. "Not really." She said, wrapping her arms around her waist.
"Not an answer Colleen." Dr. Cheung shot back. "I can't fix what I don't know about."
"Trust me, you can't fix this." Colleen said, resisting the urge to roll her eyes.
Dr. Cheung grinned devilishly, leaning forward. "Try me."
"Right, so you're going to stop the panic attacks that happen when I pass my dad's office where I overheard his last conversation with my mom?" Colleen snapped.
"You were here for the shooting?" Dr. Cheung mused, more to herself than Colleen. "Well, we can start by making sure none of your classes require you to go past your dad's office for starters." She pulled out a stack of sheets from a clipboard on Coach Sylvester's desk. "Your English class and your gym class make you go past it, so I'll put in the paperwork to have that fixed. God, this school is so insensitive." She grumbled as she began scrawling on the pages.
Colleen simply nodded, she hadn't had gym class yet and hadn't even realised that. "How do you know my class schedule?"
"Oh, it's here." Dr. Cheung replied, holding the piece of paper up as she continued to scrawl.
"Are you going to tell my dad?" Colleen asked, more out of curiosity than anything else.
"Don't need to." Dr. Cheung answered quickly, slipping the paperwork back into the clipboard. "I have the authority to change student's classes without parental permission. There's a life hack for you."
Colleen breathed out a sigh of relief, glad her father wasn't going to find out. She wouldn't hear the end of it if he did. "So…are we done here?"
"Nope." Dr. Cheung cheerfully informed Colleen. "That only fixed one part of the problem. Because you can't spend four years here avoiding one of the main hallways." She pointed out logically, grabbing another sheet of paper and resting it on the clipboard.
Colleen sighed, she wished she had an excuse to get out of the office, but as she was already missing class, she had none. I can sure as hell try to, she thought. "And you think you're gonna fix that in the next thirty minutes?" She questioned.
"But we can make a start." Dr. Cheung replied in the same upbeat tone. "Now, are you seeing a counsellor or another mental health professional?"
"Yeah, my dad makes me see a therapist." Colleen answered.
Her answer caused Dr. Cheung to glance at Colleen suspiciously. "Do you not like your therapist?"
"I mean, she's okay, I guess, but she still treats me like a kid, and it pisses me off." Colleen answered. "And she forced me to see a psychiatrist and tag teamed my dad so now I'm on these stupid pills."
"Do you mind telling me what those pills are for, Colleen?" Dr. Cheung asked curiously. "But you don't have to."
Colleen shrugged. "I don't know, they told me, but I didn't listen, it's not like they were going to listen to the input of a fourteen-year-old."
Dr. Cheung blinked. "But that fourteen-year-old is the one who has to take those medications, why would she not get a say?"
"Because my dad's stupid." Colleen mumbled. "I told him I didn't want pills, but he didn't care."
"Any other reasons why you'd think your dad is stupid?" Dr. Cheung questioned lightly, more curious than anything. "Other than the pills, because you also mentioned that he doesn't listen to you."
Colleen bit her lip, she didn't know how much she wanted to tell a complete stranger about her home life. "No." She lied.
"Your sister mentioned you two fight a lot when I spoke to her this morning." Dr. Cheung added quietly, almost regretfully. "Can I ask why?"
"Why don't you go ask my sister?" Colleen shot back, wondering why in the hell Lillibet was talking to the guidance counsellor about her.
"Well, she didn't tell me directly." Dr. Cheung admitted sheepishly, looking away in shame. "She told Coach Sylvester who told me this morning."
"Sure," Colleen said, completely unconvinced.
"Swear to you as an honest Boy Scout." Dr. Cheung held up her hand in the Boy Scouts salute.
"Right." Colleen said, unconvinced. "Anyway, it doesn't really matter." She added, slouching in her seat.
"Still, as they teach in history class, a primary source is better than a secondary one." The guidance counsellor looked at Colleen knowingly. "So, why are you fighting so much with your dad?"
Because he's a control freak who up until yesterday wouldn't even let me close my bedroom door, Colleen thought then shrugged. "Just stupid stuff, don't worry about it."
"Colleen, it's my job to worry about those sorts of things. Normal children aren't constantly fighting with their parents."
"Well, you know what they say, be yourself and everything." Colleen said nonchalantly.
"That applies to personality and individuality, not interactions with your parents."
"We worked things out last night, it's fine." Colleen said, half-lying. Sure, they had reached a truce, but this morning had been so incredibly awkward, neither knew what to say to each other so the room was filled with an uncomfortable silence until Colleen left for school, opting to walk.
"About your door? I heard your dad was making you leave it open." Dr. Cheung wrinkled her nose in disgust. "Talk about controlling. How do you even breathe?" She ranted.
Colleen stared at Dr. Cheung for a moment. Damnit Lillibet, can't you just keep your mouth shut? She thought annoyed. She didn't like her dirty laundry being aired. "How the hell do you know about that?"
Dr. Cheung sighed, placing her pen down. "I only know because Coach Sylvester told me. How she knows, probably Lillibet." She looked at Colleen earnestly. "I'm on your side here Colleen when I say that is some weird ass shit."
"Well, gee, why don't you, Coach Sylvester and Lillibet all just get together and discuss me then?" Colleen snapped as she pushed herself to her feet. "I think we're done here."
"No, we're not." Dr. Cheung interrupted, preventing Colleen from standing. "Lillibet doesn't know that I know. I'm only assuming that Lillibet told Coach Sylvester but then again, I would be less surprised if it was because she's just bugged Mr. Schue looking for blackmail."
Colleen crossed her arms. "Well, I'm done talking to you." She insisted, she played these games with Donna all the time, why would Dr. Cheung be any different?
"And that's fine. I hit a nerve, and your flight or fight has been activated." Dr. Cheung pointed out calmly, not even off put by Colleen's outburst. This was far from her first rodeo. "Well, I can either put you into Mr. Bell's English class or Mrs. Schmidt's. Make your choice but do so wisely."
Colleen shrugged, then glanced at her nails. She said she was done talking to Dr. Cheung and she meant it. Sure, she may have to stay in Coach Sylvester's office, but Dr. Cheung couldn't make her talk.
"Aah, I see you've chosen Mr. Palmer's. You're very lucky, he normally doesn't take freshmen or sophomores, but he was nice enough to take a class this year." Dr. Cheung noted with a giggle as she made a note. "His class is two doors down from your homeroom. And you'll have Miss. Greene the soccer coach for Gym. I hope you like soccer." She looked up at Colleen teasingly, as if goading her into saying something.
Colleen rolled her eyes, it would take more than that to get her to cave, she couldn't remember how many awkward silences she had with Donna, who eventually caved in their game of therapy chicken.
"Good to know you can keep your word, Colleen." Dr. Cheung teased her again, making another note. "So, you're seeing a therapist, but feel forced…" she mumbled to herself as she read aloud the notes she'd take so far, adding in more here and there.
Ignoring her, Colleen glanced at the clock again, relieved that the period was almost at an end. Finally, she thought.
"All right, and when would you like to see me again, Colleen?" Dr. Cheung asked.
"Who says I want to see you again?" Colleen snapped, crossing her arms. "God, can I just go now?"
"Ha got you to talk," Dr. Cheung stuck her tongue out at Colleen as the bell rang. "And I'm not expecting you to have regular appointments with me but if something like this does happen again, please come see me, some mountains are actually pretty easy to move." And with that, Dr. Cheung left the office.
Colleen sighed as she grabbed her belongings. Yeah, right, she thought as she left Coach Sylvester's office. But at least her English class got changed, and her gym class.
Before she could get around the corner however, Coach Sylvester stopped Colleen again. "Feel better Munchkin?" She asked Colleen."
"I don't know, why don't you go ask my sister? Since apparently all you two do is discuss me," Colleen snapped before she could stop herself, still annoyed by Dr. Cheung's revelation.
"Leave the Queen of England out of this, she said nothing." Coach Sylvester rebuked grumpily. "Besides, I have a proposition for you, Munchkin. Your sister is one of the most talented Cheerios I have ever had and if you possess half of that talent, you'd make a damn fine cheerleader. Plus, it'll give you a way to annoy your butt-chined, cross-eyed father." She looked at Colleen's chin seriously. "Glad you didn't inherit that."
"Yeah, I'm not joining your stupid little cheer squad." Colleen said annoyed. It was annoying enough being Lillibet's sister, she was not going to follow in her footsteps either.
Coach Sylvester's eyes narrowed as she took an intimidating step towards Colleen. "I'll let you get away with that one, because I respect you not wanting to become the smaller, sadder version of the Queen of England." She leaned down to look Colleen in the eyes. "But if you insult my Cheerios one more time, Little Emma. I will make you regret it." And with that, Coach Sylvester disappeared into the throngs of students.
"Stop calling me that!" Colleen exclaimed. She groaned as she ran a hand through her hair. She wondered where the hell her older sister was. Instead of searching the massive school, she pulled out her cell phone and sent Lillibet a text asking her to meet her in the courtyard at lunch.
Her phone buzzed, Lillibet answering that she had a student council meeting to heckle, and that Colleen was more than capable of making her own friends.
Colleen rolled her eyes and sent another text:
Colleen: More like too busy telling Coach Sylvester every little detail about my life.
Lillibet: Wdym
Colleen: Don't act dumb, I know you tell her everything. God, grow up, you don't have to go crying to her every time dad and I get into a fight.
Lillibet: We were talking about tryouts and how to destroy the glee club I never mentioned you.
Lillibet: And please don't tell dad that part :D
Colleen: Maybe I should, since you can't keep your mouth shut. Did you really have to tell her about my door? What is wrong with you?
Lillibet: I didn't tell Coach jackshit Lee Lee
Lillibet: More like what is wrong with you?
Colleen: Don't call me that, I'm not five anymore. And how else would she know? I'm not stupid!
Lillibet: Uh because Dad talks to Coach too. Blame him, my lips are sealed tighter than that Mary Kate and Ashely movie!
Colleen: Bull shit, you know what? Just stay out of my freaking life.
Lillibet: Kinda hard when we live in the same house :p
Colleen: Then pretend I don't exist, you're dead to me.
Lillibet: Ha, you love me too much Lee Lee
Colleen: Blocked.
On the other side of the campus, Lillibet was more confused than a fish in a CT scanner.
Her friend Tamae poked her in the ribs. "Who are you texting?" She asked, trying to read Lillibet's phone.
"My sister." Lillibet sighed as she pocketed her phone. "She's accusing me of something I don't know what, but I swear on my Lord Almighty that I did not do it." With a shrug, Lillibet pulled out her maths textbook and steeled herself for one of Mr. Hine's boring quadratic lectures.
Colleen entered the cafeteria with a sigh, she didn't have much of an appetite given how this morning went, and that her father had forced her to eat most of her too large breakfast. But she knew for appearances sake she had to grab something to pick at, so she got an order of fries and a coke. She scanned the cafeteria for Bailey and found him sitting near the back with a blonde haired girl Colleen wasn't familiar with. But then again, Colleen had bigger things on her mind than getting to know her classmates. She grabbed her tray and made her way to their section of the table.
"You made it." Bailey said with a smile. He was eating from a tray as well, while the blonde had a lunch box that had been laid out in front of her.
"What? Did you think I was gonna ditch you?" Colleen teased as she took her seat across from them. "Thanks for inviting me." Sure, making friends wasn't on the top of Colleen's priority list, but it was better than sitting in the courtyard alone like she had yesterday doom scrolling through her phone. She glanced at the blonde. "I'm Colleen, or Leena if you prefer." She added, introducing herself.
The blonde beside Bailey smiled warmly. "I am Clarissa. Or just Cara. Everyone calls me Cara for some reason." Cara giggled softly as she held out a hand to Colleen. "I heard you have an older sister. I can relate, I too hate my older sisters."
Colleen shook Clarissa's hand. "Ugh, don't even get me started on mine."
"Lillibet? She is friends with my brother, Heath. He is the absolute worst, so I am sure Lillibet is not far off terrible." Cara giggled again, a soft and pretty sound. "So how did you meet Bailey here? He never makes friends, ever." She frowned tightly, an adorable expression. "Wait, we are friends right Bailey?" She looked at him in horror.
This seemed to be a common thing between them as Bailey just laughed at her. "Yes Cara, we're friends. Have been since fourth grade and you cried over not having an even number of fries so I stole one of yours." He leaned over, swiping a carrot stick from her lunchbox. "See, even Steven."
Cara just ignored his antics. "So what clubs are you signing up for Leena?" She asked Colleen curiously, resting her chin in her hands as if engrossed in their conversation.
"Well, I did sign up for the track team, but I'm not sure if I'm gonna go through with it…" Colleen trailed off as she picked at her food, trying to keep up the appearance of eating.
"Why not?" Cara asked worriedly. "My classmate Keegan is on the track team, and he is super super nice."
Colleen shrugged. "I don't know, clubs just kind of seem like a waste of time. Are you joining any?"
Cara nodded enthusiastically. "I have already signed up for the junior concert band, historical society and I have put my name down to buddy up with any French speaking exchange students to give them a friend." She rambled excitedly, counting them off on her fingers as she went. "Then I have still got tryouts for the cheer squad, netball team and debate team. I am also wondering if I should join the choir or the drama club. Oh, and I have already gotten onto the dance team." Cara beamed proudly, pleased with herself and her options.
Bailey just stuck his tongue out at the blonde.
Colleen raised an eyebrow. "Geez, save some clubs for the rest of us." She teased. She couldn't imagine being that involved in her school, hell she only agreed to track tryouts to get out of therapy, and even that backfired.
"Well, I need reasons to avoid being at home," Cara admitted sheepishly, burying her face in her hands. "I have four older siblings and I only just got a bedroom to myself this year! No wonder no one wanted to be my friend. I swear, I am such an embarrassment!"
"Hey!" Bailey poked Cara hard in the shoulder. "I'm your friend, aren't I?" He looked at Colleen, a teasing smile on his face. "And so is Leena now. See, two friends."
"That sucks," Colleen said.
Cara stared Colleen in the eye, a blank expression on her face. "Jude is on fucking Broadway as of this year. Like, I am never, ever going to make it in show business without being called a nepo baby." She slammed her head on the table, letting out several muffled curses in French.
Bailey just laughed at her. "Suffer then princess."
Colleen smiled slightly, tucking her hair behind her ear. Cara seemed nice enough, if a little dramatic. Besides, she supposed she needed some new friends, since all of her friends had ditched her after the shooting, and well given how Colleen had changed she couldn't exactly blame them.
"Oh, we should hang out this weekend!" Cara announced excitedly, over her drama.
Unnoticed by the girls, Bailey turned red, "yeah, but only if you host Cara." He added quickly, before slouching in his seat. Your couches are so comfy."
"Sure, I can host, we can watch a movie or something fun." Cara suggested excitedly, listing all the snacks she could grab.
Colleen sighed; do they seriously just get to make plans without running it past their overprotective parents? She thought. "Uhm, I'll see if I can make it, god forbid I go anywhere without telling my dad first."
The light in Cara's eyes died as she blushed heavily. "Oh, right. Sorry, I am always getting ahead of myself."
Colleen shook her head. "You're fine, even if I can't make it, you two should hang."
Bailey snorted. "Ah, no. She only wants to watch Ghibli movies which are so boring."
"But they're so beautiful," Cara murmured softly.
Suddenly, the warning bell rang. Colleen sighed as she picked up her tray of uneaten food glad that no one had noticed that she hadn't touched her food.
"NO!" Cara cried as she stared at her half-finished lunch box. "They never give me enough time to eat!" She sobbed, carefully placing the contents back in with such precision it looked like she was performing surgery.
"Maybe they'll let you eat in class." Bailey suggested teasingly, picking up his own empty tray.
"No, that's worse. Just think of all the crumbs Bailey, I would die if I left crumbs on my notebook." Cara yelled at Bailey.
Carefully putting on her backpack, Cara held out a hand to Colleen. "Come on Leena!" She turned to Bailey. "Bye loser."
Bailey just stuck his tongue out at her again before heading off towards his class. He had maths, which was far better than gym class anyway.
Colleen found Cara to be a little overwhelming, but she wasn't exactly in a position to turn down friends at the moment. And sure, Cara seemed really excitable but Colleen was sure that the other girl meant well. At least they're not judging me for everything, she thought, but then again they didn't know everything and it was only a matter of time until everything came crashing down.
Josephine Cassel sighed in relief as she wandered the halls in search of her locker. It was her spare period, she had only one class left and her second day of junior year would be done.
And more importantly, no one around in the hallowed halls of McKinley High had the faintest idea as to who their new classmate was. It was perfect, absolutely perfect. Because that meant she had the opportunity for a new start at home in America after two years in France. France had been a magical, wonderful place; but even more importantly it had been the place that gave Josephine her confidence back after that terrible, terrible day two years ago. The day where they stripped her of her pride, her self-worth, her everything. That left Josephine a crumbling shell of a teenager. But now, Josephine was back in America and soon everything was going to get so much better, she just knew it. Her time in France had shaped her, built her up and gifted her this mysterious allure with a bonus French accent. D'état parfait même, she might even say.
Nearing her locker, a piece of paper caught Josephine's eye.
It was a sign-up sheet for a glee club. Ah, magnifique. Josephine had been wondering which extracurriculars she should take. Because obviously she was going to be a cheerleader, and she had already put her name down to be a photographer for the school's newspaper. So a glee club sounded like that other. La Nouvelle Directions, Josephine noted as she bent down to read the names underneath.
But before she could even get to the first one, a teacher nearly took her out with the box he was carrying.
"I'm so sorry," the curly haired teacher apologised. "I didn't see you there, glad I didn't take you out."
Josephine just smiled, waving dismissively. "Ce n'est pas grave, it's fine. Are you a teacher?"
"Yes, I'm Mr. Schue, the glee club director even." He nodded to the sign-up sheet beside them. "You should join, we have a lot of fun."
"Perhaps." Josephine mused, mulling it over. She didn't want to give some random teacher any indication of her interest. It was her choice and no one, least of all a teacher, was going to have any sway. She was her own person and she was not going to repeat the mistakes of her past.
Her pause seemed to unnerve Mr. Schue, who shuffled nervously. "Well, if you are interested we have auditions on Friday." He smiled hopefully.
With a nod, Josephine stepped out of the teacher's way. "Nous verrons. I'll think about it, thank you Mr. Schue."
His head dropped, as nine times out of ten the word "think" was a polite way of saying no. Mr. Schue wanted to kick himself, there was no way this beautiful, mysterious, cheerio-material young girl was going to be interested in his glee club. As hard as they had worked over the years, the New Directions had little success in raising their social status.
Looking at the new girl with a forced smile, Mr. Schue pushed forward. "I hope to see you there."
Josephine eyed him as he left, and a sudden urge came over her. "Mr. Schue!" She heard herself call after the glee club director. She smiled warmly, a smile she had practiced so many times before. "I'm Josephine."
Mr. Schue grinned back. "It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance Josephine."
He turned back, shifting the box and striding away down the hall, leaving Josephine to her thoughts.
Glee club seemed to be calling to Josephine, from somewhere deep deep inside of her yet she couldn't seem to understand why. Of all the clubs, why was this pathetic little choir the one that got to her. It was unbecoming of the new French transfer, particularly of one awaiting acceptance on to the acclaimed cheer squad, to feel this way.
But in her heart of hearts, Josephine knew she had to give it a shot.
Pulling a pen from her bag, she wrote her name on the sign up sheet and prayed that no one else popular saw it as she moved onwards to her locker.
And as the student population disappeared with the final bell, Mr. Schue snuck back to that sign up sheet to see what Josephine had decided. He was over the moon to see her name there, and all but bounced into his office next door with renewed enthusiasm.
Colleen was both terrified and relieved to learn that she shared her final class of the day, history with both Bailey and Cara, the latter of whom had firmly planted herself on the end of a row of three seats. They were very close to the door, but far too close to the front for Colleen's liking. Cara gestured for her friends to join her. "I hate sitting too far from the door, like what if there's a fire?" She told Colleen matter-of-factly as she perfectly arranged her supplies on the desk. Colleen looked over at Bailey, wondering if he was as confused with Cara's antics as she was.
But Bailey was well aware of Cara's beliefs and needs, no matter how weird they were. It was what made Cara, well, Cara. And her constant decisiveness helped because otherwise Bailey would be too awkward to find a seat on his own. Shrugging the girls off, he tried to focus on the lesson Mr. El Naser was teaching. History was his least favourite subject for many reasons, but he didn't want to disappoint on his first day.
As vain as his efforts were, they only lasted Bailey about ten minutes when Mr. El Naser had set them to work through an introductory pop quiz. Because only the most evil of teachers assigned pop quizzes on the first lesson. But he survived and, after enduring the usual syllabus lecture, proceeded to spend the rest of the lesson playing tic tac toe with Colleen.
The sound of the bell ringing caused Bailey to drop his eraser. It bounced onto the floor under the desk of the kid opposite him. The other boy noticed, and gave it back to Bailey with a wide smile that made his eyes disappear. But it was a warm smile that confused Bailey, and he mumbled a thank you before turning back to the girls.
While waiting for Cara to meticulously put her things away in her well organised backpack, Bailey watched as Colleen grew more and more restless. Cara looked up at Colleen curiously. "Where's your locker? Bailey and I are right next to each other."
Colleen looked up as she finished collecting her belongings. "Near the science labs."
"Ooo," Cara breathed a sigh of relief. "That's near where Bailey and I are! Come on, let's roll!" She looked down at her half packed bag. "As soon as I finish this."
Bailey leaned over to poke her shoulder. "Any time this century would be nice. I don't want to have to sleep in the janitor's closet again."
"Just because you look like a mop with all that hair," Cara shot back, finishing putting her notes and textbook away. "But let's grab our stuff and then we can walk home together!"
Bailey noticed that Colleen hesitated for a second before she nodded slowly. "Sure."
Shrugging it off, Bailey added, "sure you're going to survive the walk princess?"
Cara stuck her tongue out at him as she shouldered her bag. "Ignore him," she said to Colleen.
The trio exited the room, the last to do so, and headed off down the hall. Luckily, they weren't too far from their lockers and between Bailey's long legs and Cara's fast pace they made it in no time. They stopped first at Cara and Bailey's lockers, and Colleen expressed shock over Cara having a top locker. Freshman never had top lockers, only bottom lockers. Even the six foot tall Bailey had a bottom locker.
With a shrug, Cara buried herself in her locker, "I got an accommodation. I don't feel right bending down and my therapist managed to help me get a top locker. It's way easier on my OCD this way.." She explained as she carefully stacked her books, taking two or three attempts just to put one down because she didn't like how it felt.
Bailey watched Colleen to see her reaction, and the girl didn't seem phased at all. She instead just nodded and he was relieved when she didn't make a big deal out of it.
Cara smiled at Colleen, "Thanks for not getting weirded out. Most people do, or get impatient since it takes me three times as long to do basic things. I just have to do it until it feels right, it's so exhausting really."
"The OCD isn't exhausting, it's all those apples you insist on carrying," Bailey teased as he stood up from his locker, his bag packed and ready. "The doctors aren't coming for you any time soon."
"Says the one who eats them on me." Cara shot before returning to Colleen. "Come on, where's your locker?" She asked, proud that she only took two attempts to close her locker.
"This way." Colleen said and started in the direction of her locker. Bailey and Cara followed behind her and Bailey shot her a quizzical look when she stopped dead in her tracks.
"What is it?" Bailey asked, watching as a taller, curly haired teacher in an ugly sweater vest over a plaid button up stood waiting beside Collen's locker.
"More like who's that ugly mug standing next to your locker Colleen?" Cara asked, spitting insults worthy of Coach Sylvester. "Bailey I apologise for mistaking you for a mop because that hair is for sure a mop."
Said ugly mug was actually Colleen's father, one William Schuester.
Colleen let out a sigh and approached the man in question. "What do you want, dad?" She asked curtly.
"It's home time Leena. I was going to drive you home since Lillibet has a meeting." Mr. Schue explained, looking between Colleen and her two friends. "Who's this?"
Colleen rolled her eyes. "I already told you I'm walking home, and don't worry about it."
Vibrating violently beside Colleen, Cara stuck out a hand. "Hi, I'm Cara and Bailey. We're Colleen's best friends and she was going to come spend the afternoon with me at my house."
Taking a step back, Mr. Schue blinked at Cara's audacity. "Pardon me?"
"It's not a big deal, dad." Colleen said, growing increasingly annoyed at having to socialize with her father in front of her peers. "I'll see you when I get home. It'll be after dinner so don't save me anything."
"Don't worry, my dad cooks for an army so he won't mind another mouth." Cara beamed, knowing how many times Bailey had stayed with her unannounced.
"That's not the issue here." Mr. Schue said, narrowing his gaze on Colleen. "You know you need to ask before you go out."
Colleen groaned. "Oh my god, dad, I'm not five!" She exclaimed. "You let Lilli go out whenever she wants to, this isn't fair."
Unnoticed by any of them, Bailey had taken a step back, overwhelmed by how involved Mr. Schue was in Colleen's life. It was the exact opposite of his mother's relationship with him.
Mr. Schue put his foot down, ignoring Colleen. "Cara is it alright if I please meet your parents first. You can understand how concerned I am for Colleen's safety, although I'm sure you're not a threat to her.
"Seriously?" Colleen questioned, shooting her father a glare.
"Yes." Mr. Schue shot back. "Otherwise, you are not going."
Cara took a step back, almost hiding behind Bailey. "Umm, I can, can see if my dad is not not in a meeting maybe." She stammered nervously, completely unlike her usual bubbly self.. He said, said that he would, is sorry, working from home today all day." Bailey instinctively stepped between his closest friend and the man who was scaring her.
"Oh, look dad, you're inconveniencing her father, hope you're happy." Colleen said dryly.
"I'm sorry Colleen, but I'm doing what I think is best for you. Cara, could you please check."
With a nod, Cara quickly texted her dad to ask. He must have replied immediately, because Cara nodded again, a continuous bob as she spoke. "Dad is home, he's just walked Kicker so he's happy, happy for you Mr. Schuster to come over for a coffee. Or if you don't drink coffee we have tea or juice or…" she trailed off nervously as Mr Schue held up a hand to stop Cara's rambling.
"I'm a teacher, I'll always welcome a cup of coffee graciously." He turned back to his daughter. "All right Colleen, I'll allow you to walk to Cara's house with your friends but don't go anywhere else, come straight to Cara's house. I'll meet you all there okay?" He looked at all three in the eyes, noticing how Cara seemed more interested in her shoes.
"Whatever, just go away." Colleen said as she finally opened her locker.
Mr. Schue shot her a disappointed look, one that usually meant she was in for a lecture about her behaviour later. But right now Colleen didn't care, because she had just successfully postponed being home with her dad for several hours.
"Finally," Colleen breathed out as her father walked away. She shoved her things in her locker and grabbed her backpack, then turned back to face her friends. "Sorry about that, he's such a pain."
Cara kept quiet, still fixated on her shoes. But Bailey was still in shock. "Your dad seems to really care?" He pointed out curiously. "Seems a bit harsh." He wished his mum would care about him like that, but she never seemed to notice whether he had been gone for ten minutes or ten hours.
Colleen raised an eyebrow. "Seriously? You're taking his side?" She demanded as she slammed her locker shut, causing Cara to jump. "He's so overbearing, I feel like I can barely breathe."
"Okay. I guess he's just trying too hard then." Bailey placated, not wanting to get into another argument while Cara was still worked up. He didn't want to do that to her, but damn was Colleen turning out to be a bundle of surprises. Didn't stop him from grumbling under his breath, "better than not trying at all, hey mum."
It was then that Cara took a deep, shuddering breath. "Let's get going before the sun gets in my eyes." She announced, quieter than normal but back to her usual collected self.
Bailey eyed her with a smile, grateful she was okay. "Fast feet or slow feet?"
"Slow," Cara decided, flashing a grin at Colleen, "the longer we're away from your dad the better."
Colleen just nodded, still clearly annoyed by her interaction with her father and her mini argument with Bailey. Cara held out an arm to Colleen, offering for the other girl to link arms with her. Colleen shook her head slightly, not really in the mood, and decided to just walk beside her. Cara didn't seem to mind, and the trio set off together.
Bailey grinned as Cara started to ramble on as soon as they were out of the school, discussing something sport related. He wanted to join in, he really did. But his mind kept replaying that argument between Colleen and Mr. Schue over and over until it drove him crazy. He hated to admit it, since Colleen seemed so angry with Bailey when he brought it up, but Bailey was totally jealous that his mum was nowhere near involved in his like as Mr. Schue was in Colleen's.
Because Kristen Page was more interested in finding answers at the bottom of a bottle of whatever cheap alcohol she was drinking. It had been like that ever since the school shooting two years ago when his beloved older sister Emily died in the attack. It shook Kristen's world to the core, and she spiralled deeply into depression at the loss and turned to addiction to patch the wound. But all that did was turn Kristen into a shell of herself, leaving her younger son, also broken by his sweet and caring older sister's death, to suddenly look after himself.
And deep down, Bailey longed for what Colleen had. He really did. When Emily was still alive, Kristen was a top notch parent. She picked him up from school every day without fail no matter how busy her nursing job got. Kristen came to every parent-teacher interview, every PTA meeting, every recital, bake sale and fundraiser. Heck, Kristen had even been there for every one of the three little league baseball games he's tried when he was seven. Bailey's time in little league baseball may have not lasted long, but Kristen had always been so encouraging of her son, just like she had been of Emily and all her activities. Emily had been a longtime member of choir, ever since second grade when she signed up and Kristen never ever missed a recital, even when one of them seemingly conflicted with Bailey's little league game. Somehow, like a super mom, she had raced from the game to the recital and didn't miss the final home run or the first song. She had been extraordinary and Bailey adored his mother for her efforts and never ending love and affection towards her children.
Now, however… Now she was a mess who depended on her fourteen year old son to keep the house clean and cook food and take himself to school because there was little that could keep her away from her drink. She worked only to pay for her addiction, and Bailey stayed up late at night every pay day to pay for the bills and groceries before the money could be spent the next day. It was far too much to expect of a young teenager, but Bailey did it in the hopes that Kristen would heal, would move on into acceptance and become the warm and loving mother he had known her as. She just had too.
So of course he would be upset with Colleen for brushing off what he had craved for the last two years. And yes, Kristen had also insisted on meeting Cara's parents, the wonderful Dominic and Cassandra, before letting her son spend time with the bubbly girl. Bailey really just wished she was well again to demand to meet Mr. Schue as well.
The fifteen-minute walk to Cara's was ending as they turned onto her street, Bailey stopping before they got any closer. He realised it was payday tonight, and the week's laundry he had put on before school needed to be put into the dryer, so he had fresh clothes for tomorrow. He had tried once before to re-wear his clothes; but the smell drove Cara completely insane, and it took everything in Bailey to physically stop her from prying the shirt off his back to clean it. He really didn't want anyone, least of all someone as good and kind as the Kennedy's, to know about his situation. He just had to protect his mother until she worked herself out.
He had to.
Cara kept walking, still chatting but quickly noticed Bailey had stopped. "What's up Hay Bales?" She teased with a big grin.
"Not much Car Park." He shot back easily. "Just remembered my mum asked me to do laundry when I got home, plus I have a drama assignment I really want to get started on. So, I'll see you tomorrow okay?"
He braced himself for Cara's sad eyes, and she did try briefly before shrugging. Bailey turned to Colleen next. "Good luck surviving your dad," he joked half-heartedly, not wanting her to stay mad at him.
Colleen rolled her eyes. "I'll need it, I'm so in for it tonight, but he's so annoying."
Bailey grinned. "Sounds like a typical parent. You should meet Cassandra, she's a tyrant."
"My mother is not a tyrant, Bailey!" Cara yelled, squaring up to fight him.
Taking his cue to leave, Bailey quickly dashed to the opposite side of the street not even checking for cars. "See you both tomorrow."
"Bye!" Cara yelled after him as Bailey set off at a brisk walk.
Leaving them behind to deal with Mr. Schue, Bailey braced himself for the mess he would find at home and mentally planned a grocery list, ticking off what they did and didn't need.
Kristen was in the dining room, a plastic cup that reeked of alcohol in her hand.
"Hi mom." Bailey greeted cheerfully.
"Hi."
And that was all he would get out of her for the rest of the evening.