Sweetness
The only thing on Brice's mind was football. It was only a few days until tryouts, and he still didn't feel anywhere close to ready. He sat in the back of the classroom, fidgeting with his pencil rather than paying attention to the teacher calling attendance. He only looked up after Hepburn tapped his desk, warning him that he was about to be marked absent for not replying to his name being called.
Hepburn was almost too calm about tryouts, and Brice hated him for it. Everyone knew Hepburn would have no problem making varsity; underclassmen had a tendency to be overlooked by the coaches in favor of seniors, but Hepburn was too good to ignore. Although he knew he didn't have to practice ahead of tryouts, he couldn't help but worry that he'd disappoint everyone. He hadn't touched a football since the previous season ended. But, unlike Brice, he refused to show anyone just how anxious he was.
The football team weren't the only ones preparing for tryouts; the Cheerios had theirs on the same day. Sloane watched Brice from across the classroom, playing every conversation she could imagine between them in her mind. She needed a football player on her arm at least for the season, and she had decided on him. Although they didn't know each other very well, they at least had some connections through glee club, and out of the football players, he seemed like her best option; Justin was too nerdy, Vincent had no shot at varsity, Lark was taken, and Hepburn was gay. Although Sloane didn't find anything particularly attractive or even interesting about Brice, she couldn't find anything wrong with him, at least.
Sloane was brought back to reality by Sue Sylvester's voice over the intercom. "Hello, McKinley!" her voice boomed. "In preparation for football and Cheerios tryouts, I'm happy to announce the changes to our extracurricular activities. Starting today, every student will only be allowed to join one club or sport to make sure you don't get too distracted. Any violators will be suspended." She backed away from the microphone before returning to add, "I hate you, William Schuester."
~*~
"Sue can't just do that," Sawyer said during that afternoon's glee club rehearsal. He'd put too much work into bringing the club back to let Sue destroy it so easily. Although he hadn't specified, everyone immediately knew what he was referring to.
"It's not like she's enforcing it," Shawn shrugged. The rule seemed too ridiculous; everyone assumed it was only meant to scare them so they'd quit glee in favor of any previous commitments.
"She plans to," Sam corrected him. As soon as he found out about the rule, at the same time as the students, he'd sat down with Will to discuss Sue's intentions. "And now that she's principal, she can punish anyone however she wants."
"There's no way this is allowed," Cassie argued. "Shouldn't the school be encouraging us to join as many clubs as possible? College applications love extracurriculars."
"It's not allowed," Theo agreed. "But there's not much we can do right now. My dad reported it to the school board. They're investigating it, but it'll take time. For now, he's not enforcing it. But he can't stop Sue."
"We need to protest," Cassie decided. "If enough of us not only speak out against why this is a horrible idea, but go out of our way to break the rule, she'll have no choice but to abolish it."
Sawyer nodded. "Definitely. We're like the Rebel Alliance. Strength in numbers, or something"
"Sue's insane," Eleanor warned. "I hate the rule as much as you do, but it's not a good idea to fight her. Theo said our dad's handling it, he won't let her win."
"I'm not letting her shut us down," Sawyer argued.
"You have my support," Sam said. "Protest. If Sue does anything to you, I'll fight it. And so will Mr. Schue."
~*~
Sloane, Lina, Rosie, Morgan, and Mellie, Morgan's younger sister, were in the locker room, getting ready for Cheerios tryouts. "So," Lina said as she tied her shoe, "what are we doing about glee?"
"Yeah, aren't you guys not supposed to be here?" Mellie asked. She'd managed to avoid getting forced into glee club, at least for its first year.
"They're not enforcing the rule," Rosie pointed out. "We're fine."
"Sue is," Morgan replied. "And I know some of you are new here, but Sue always stops by our practices. She'll see us."
"I'm not quitting glee," Lina said, finally standing up.
"Well, I'm not quitting Cheerios," Sloane shrugged. "And neither are you. It's gonna be an endless cycle of Sue trying to shut glee down and us trying to fight it. It's not worth it."
"Well, it was worth it for our parents," Lina pointed out. "That's why we're all here. It's not fair for us to abandon our friends. And our family."
"That's Sue's goal," Rosie pointed out. "She wants to turn us against each other so we'll destroy ourselves. Sticking together is how we fight her, like Sawyer said. Nobody's quitting anything."
~*~
Meanwhile, the boys were also preparing for tryouts. Brice sat on the bleachers, tracing the lines on the bench, too lost in his thoughts to notice anyone around him.
"Hepburn's supposed to be the best on the team," Lark mumbled, "and he's not even here." Brice glanced up at the mention of Hepburn's name.
"He'll be here," Vincent said with a smile. "He's probably just running late."
Lark rolled his eyes, then turned to Brice. "Where is he?"
Brice shrugged. "How would I know?"
Just then, Sam arrived to start tryouts. He looked around at everyone who had shown up. "Brice," he said, "go get Hepburn."
Brice sighed as he stood up, having no idea where to look. He decided to make his way towards the locker rooms first, assuming Vincent was correct that he was just running late. He really hoped Vincent was right; the locker room and football field were on opposite sides of the building. About halfway to the locker room, Brice, who was still lost in his thoughts, felt a hand on his chest. He looked up, seeing Hepburn leaning against the wall in front of him. "Careful."
"Sorry," Brice said quickly. "Um... Coach Evans was looking for you."
"And he sent you to find me?" Hepburn asked with a smile. Despite being captivated by Hepburn's smile, Brice glanced down for a moment, seeing Hepburn putting a cigarette out against the wall. "It's a metaphor," Hepburn joked, remembering a movie Katharine used to watch all the time.
Brice laughed. "Okay, but don't wreck your lungs before tryouts."
"You're being dramatic. It was just one, because Shawn offered it to me and I felt weird saying no."
"I didn't think peer pressure actually worked on anyone," Brice joked. He looked up, making eye contact with Hepburn. "Wait, are you nervous?"
"No," Hepburn replied quickly. Of course all of the pressure on him was making him nervous, but if the idea of that seemed too crazy for Brice to believe, Hepburn wasn't going to admit it. Shawn had offered him the cigarette, only after Hepburn had confessed his nerves to him. Nobody else needed to know; he trusted Shawn enough to keep it a secret, surprisingly.
"Everyone's waiting for us," Brice pointed out. "We should probably go."
~*~
Every year, Lina choreographed a full dance routine for Cheerios auditions, including herself, Sloane, and Morgan. It had become so famous throughout the school that some people snuck in to watch their auditions. This year, in honor of the glee club, Lina had decided they'd sing rather than using a track.
As soon as they stepped onstage, Coach Kitty Wilde knew she was about to witness the best tryout by far. As Morgan started the instrumental track, Sloane waved to the students watching from the doorway.
The girls snapped into performance mode immediately. Sloane slowly and carefully stepped towards the front of the stage as she sang, Lina and Morgan following the beat of the song behind her. "I'm so into you, I can barely breathe. And all I wanna do, is to fall in deep."
Morgan stepped to the front as she took over the song, with Sloane joining Lina in the choreography. "But close ain't close enough, til we cross the line. So name a game to play, and I'll roll the dice."
The three of them did a simple yet mesmerizing routine, perfectly in sync. They'd been practicing together their entire lives; it as clear to anyone watching that their hard work had paid off. While they ran through the routine, Lina led the vocals, "Oh, baby, look what you started, the temperature's rising in here. Is this gonna happen? Been waiting and waiting for you to make a move, before I make a move."
For the chorus, rather than their fluid sways, they transitioned into intense choreography, clearly designed for them to show off rather than displaying what they could do on the field. Despite their intense dancing, they still managed to sing in perfect harmony.
"So, baby, come light me up, and maybe I'll let you on it. A little bit dangerous, but, baby, that's how I want it. A little less conversation and a little more touch my body, 'cause I'm so into you, into you, into you."
In an attempt to keep the cheerleading spirit, Morgan and Sloane tossed Lina, the smallest of the group, into the air, catching her as she landed in a classic cheer pose, one leg bent and her fist held high in the air.
"Got everyone watching us, so, baby, let's keep it secret. A little bit scandalous, but, baby, don't let them see it. A little less conversation and a little more touch my body, 'cause I'm so into you, into you, into you."
Sloane skipped towards the front of the stage once again, the others following close behind. She stopped at the front of the stage, twirling and carefully falling back into Lina and Morgan's arms. Sloane, once again focusing on showing off, sang the next verse.
"Tell me what you came here for, 'cause I can't, I can't wait no more. I'm on the edge with no control, and I need, I need you to know, you to know."
For the final chorus, they once again tried showing off their cheer moves.
"So, baby, come light me up, and maybe I'll let you on it. A little bit dangerous, but, baby, that's how I want it. A little less conversation and a little more touch my body, 'cause I'm so into you, into you, into you.
"Got everyone watching us, so, baby, let's keep it secret. A little bit scandalous, but, baby, don't let them see it. A little less conversation and a little more touch my body, 'cause I'm so into you, into you, into you."
They ended the song with a pose, Morgan and Lina each on one knee, with Sloane standing in the middle, her hands on her hips. "Well," Kitty said, finishing up her notes, "I see you're looking to make captain again." She gave Sloane a quick smile.
Morgan rolled her eyes. To her, it was clear nepotism that Kitty constantly favored Sloane. She was good, but Kitty never acknowledged Morgan and Lina, despite them being just as good, if not better.
~*~
Brice walked in to Rachel and Freddie setting the table for dinner. He looked between them, confused; normally when he came home late, dinner had already ended, and he was left with a container in the fridge. "What's going on?"
"Oh, I must've forgotten to tell you," Rachel said, not looking up from the silverware she was carefully laying beside each plate, "Kurt, Blaine, and Hepburn are coming for dinner. Since we're all together, plus we're celebrating glee club coming back, your football tryouts..."
Brice paused for a moment, unsure how to feel. He didn't like the idea of Hepburn unexpectedly showing up, but knew he should be excited about his best friend coming over. "When?" he finally asked.
"Soon," Rachel shrugged. "Blaine said Hepburn wanted to shower before they came, and Kurt is making a dessert. Maybe an hour?"
Although it should be obvious since they were coming from football tryouts, Brice almost asked out loud why Hepburn needed to shower first. Instead, he said, "I'm gonna go upstairs. To get ready."
Brice still hadn't returned when Kurt and Blaine arrived with Hepburn. Jesse opened the door for them, and before any greetings, Hepburn stepped inside and sat on the couch beside Freddie. "Hey."
Freddie glanced at him. They'd grown up together, but still, Freddie couldn't remember them ever speaking. "Hi."
"Freddie," Jesse said, closing the door, "go get your brother, please."
"I can get him," Hepburn offered.
"I'll do it," Freddie said, going upstairs. He noticed that Hepburn made Brice nervous; he wanted to make the dinner as easy for Brice as possible. Once he reached the top of the stairs, he called out to his brother, not wanting to fully interrupt whatever he was doing. "Brice?"
"What?" Brice responded. Freddie followed his voice to the bathroom, where he was was brushing his hair, which Freddie noticed was recently washed. Brice had also changed his clothes; instead of the t-shirt and flannel he had on earlier, he was wearing a sweater.
"What are you wearing?"
"What's wrong with it?" Brice asked, looking down at his outfit. "I was cold."
"Okay, well, they're here."
Brice set the brush down, staring down into the sink. "Did you hear me?" Freddie asked.
"Obviously," Brice snapped. "I need a minute."
"Okay," Freddie sighed, going back downstairs alone.
When Freddie stepped back into the kitchen, Rachel asked, "Sweetie, where's your brother?"
As much as Freddie wanted to tell his mother to stop treating him like a child, he decided it wasn't the time to fight. "He said he needed a minute." He smiled as he took his usual spot at the table, trying to play into the innocent act his parents projected onto him.
Since Brice was still upstairs, Hepburn moved into his seat so he was next to Freddie. "Do you wanna hang out sometime?"
Freddie looked up at Hepburn, surprised. He'd always assumed Hepburn didn't like him. "Me?"
"Yeah, you," Hepburn laughed. "We've known each other our whole lives, I don't remember ever hanging out with you. At least not without Brice."
"Okay..." Freddie wondered if Hepburn would actually follow through with that plan.
When Brice finally came downstairs, Hepburn moved back to his seat, sitting straight up and giving Brice a smile.
"It's so nice that we're all together," Rachel said as Brice took his seat. "I can't remember the last time we were."
"Our birthday," Freddie replied. Neither of the twins liked parties, but Rachel insisted on doing something for them, so the solution had been a dinner party with Kurt, Blaine, Hepburn, Katharine, and Tracy as the guests.
Rachel glared at him, and before he could ask what he did, Blaine asked, "How's glee?"
"Is Sue still insane?" Kurt added, half-joking.
"Well, actually," Hepburn said, "she has this new rule. We can only join one extracurricular, or something. I think she's hoping we'll all quit glee. Or we'll get suspended for breaking the rule."
Rachel turned to Brice. "Why didn't you mention that?" Brice and Freddie looked at each other, trying to figure out why she singled him out.
Blaine, realizing Brice had no intention of answering, asked, "Well, what are you doing about it?"
"Sawyer's coming up with a plan," Hepburn replied. Brice rolled his eyes; he never understood why Sawyer got all of the credit for everything.
"The New Directions are always so distracted," Jesse complained. "You never focus on practicing. This would never happen in Vocal Adrenaline."
"Why are you still keeping up this high school rivalry?" Kurt asked.
"It's more than that," Jesse replied. "Vocal Adrenaline is actually winning. They have been for years."
"So are the Warblers," Blaine pointed out. "But I'm still cheering for the New Directions for Hepburn."
"Didn't he get rejected by Dalton?" Hepburn looked down, pretending to be embarrassed by the interview he intentionally failed.
"And anyway," Kurt mumbled, "I'm not sure how much of those victories are real, considering who the Warblers' captain is."
"Kurt, I really don't think Monroe is evil," Blaine said.
"His dads are."
"His sister is cool," Freddie said. Everyone turned to him. "...What?"
"How do you know Monroe's sister?" Blaine asked.
"She's in glee with us."
The adults looked at each other, all unsure how to feel. Finally, Hepburn said, "She only joined because she wants to disappoint her dads. Besides, they're so focused on Monroe that they barely acknowledge her, she wanted to prove herself. I can't blame her." Hepburn left out that he could relate; he always felt sidelined in favor of Tracy.
Blaine, deciding once again to change the subject, asked, "How'd football tryouts go?" At the mention of football, Rachel, Jesse, Kurt, and Freddie all began tuning the conversation out.
"Football tryouts?" Hepburn repeated, surprised Blaine brought them up. "Um... good."
"Hepburn's already the best on the team," Brice mumbled. "The roster's not even up yet."
Although he was annoyed by Brice's comment, Hepburn decided not to argue. "You did really good too. You didn't miss a single pass, plus you had that touchdown."
"I never had time to play in school," Blaine admitted. "But if you guys need help practicing, you can always come to me." He gave Hepburn a subtle smile.
Hepburn couldn't remember the last time Blaine had shown interest in something he did, at least something that hadn't been forced on him. His dads were always happy to sit front row at every musical they signed him up for, and even organized an entire photoshoot for him the one time he agreed to help model Kurt's designs, and celebrated the Vogue feature as if Hepburn had anything to do with it. He couldn't remember them ever attending more than one game in a season, and usually at least one of them would leave early or arrive late. He understood that sports weren't their passion, but still wished they'd at least pretend to care about his interests.
After dinner, Brice brought Hepburn up to his room. Freddie, since he wasn't given a clear invitation to follow, stayed downstairs and helped Jesse clean while the other parents caught up.
"You're lucky your dads are so supportive," Brice said as he attempted to organize his room a bit while Hepburn laid on the bed. "Well, Blaine, at least..."
"To Tracy, maybe," Hepburn replied. "He never actually helps me practice. Or acknowledges that I play. I think he's trying to prove something, you saw how everyone else didn't even try to hide how little they cared."
Brice didn't want to argue, so he quietly tossed some old sneakers into the bottom of his closet, finally unpacking them. Once he felt a bit calmer, he asked, "Are you quitting glee?"
"No."
"Good. Me neither."
"Then why'd you ask?"
"Sue's new rule." He wanted to point out how obvious it was that Hepburn cared about football more, but didn't want it to be taken the wrong way.
"Do you actually think we have to worry about that?"
Brice shrugged. "She wants to enforce it."
"Well, Mr. Schue, Sam, and Theo won't let her win. They had enough faith in the club to move half of the alumni here from different states. Including both of us."
"What was it that my dad said about Dalton rejecting you?" Brice wasn't sure if that was something he wasn't supposed to bring up; Hepburn had never mentioned it.
"My dads thought about sending me there for high school. They at least wanted me to apply. So, the summer before freshman year, I was in Ohio anyway, I sent in the application. I didn't really want to go, and they didn't force me, but I knew how important it was." Hepburn paused, unsure of how much of the story he wanted to share. "I didn't get in."
"Private school sucks," Brice assured him. "I went to one in New York and hated it. ...Freddie seemed happy in his. But that was a performing arts school, mine was more like Dalton. Full of preppy rich boys who think they're better than everyone else."
Hepburn nodded. That was exactly what he expected, and part of why he didn't want to go. That, and it'd only increase the pressure from his dads. "Where is Freddie anyway?"
"I don't know," Brice admitted, surprised Hepburn cared. "I think he stayed downstairs."
"Do you think he'd wanna go out for ice cream or something?" Hepburn sat up. "I wanna get out of the house. Away from the parents. You can come too, obviously."
"Um... no?" Brice didn't feel like going out himself; if it was that or Hepburn and Freddie going alone, though, he'd join in. But even though he couldn't see Freddie saying yes, he'd still prefer that Hepburn didn't ask. But, Hepburn was already halfway downstairs. Brice quickly followed him. "Since when are you two friends anyway?"
"I just feel bad leaving him out," Hepburn replied, grabbing a stack of plates and setting them down next to the sink, where Freddie was washing dishes. "Hey. We were gonna get ice cream, do you wanna come?"
Freddie didn't respond at first, still unable to believe Hepburn was actually talking to him. Finally, after Hepburn nudged him, he replied, "I can't. I have to finish the dishes."
"No, you don't. Come on." Hepburn grabbed Freddie's arm, pulling him towards the door.
~*~
Sam and Theo invited Kitty, the Cheerios coach, and Spencer, the JV football coach, to the next rehearsal. They'd finally come up with a plan; they weren't sure how much it would help, but it was worth trying.
Brice came in late; he'd been waiting outside the gym for the football team rosters, which still hadn't been posted. He was about to take his usual seat up front, pausing when he noticed that Freddie and Hepburn were sitting next to each other. Even though Brice's seat was still left open, he decided to sit in the back row. "Brice," Sam called out, "where were you?"
Brice just shrugged. Sam, accepting that he wasn't going to get an answer, sighed and started the rehearsal. "Well, now that everyone's here, we figured a way to protest Sue's rule. In addition to whatever Sawyer and Cassie are doing."
"All of you will have a spot on either Cheerios or JV football," Kitty announced. "It'll just be a temporary thing, unless you decide to try out for a permanent spot. And you don't even have to participate. You can stay on the sidelines. It's just so that everyone will be breaking her rule. Power in numbers, right?"
"Won't that just get us in trouble?" Morgan asked.
"Yes," Spencer admitted. "But we already talked to Mr. Schue. He promised you won't be. And if Sue does anything, he'll overturn it as soon as he can."
"Do we have to join?" Aiden asked, clearly not excited about the plan. He prided himself on being different from his family; joining football would reverse his hard work.
"No," Spencer assured him. "But like Kitty said, you never even have to play."
"And I can quit once the rule's overturned?"
"Yes."
Aiden nodded, then looked down at his lap for a moment before looking up at Kitty. "Could I join the Cheerios?"
"I don't see why not," Kitty replied.
"Why would you want that?" Justin asked. He wasn't judging; he genuinely didn't understand why one of the boys would choose cheerleading over a free spot on the football team.
"I spent my whole life separating myself from my family," Aiden explained. "My dad played football, even my sister plays. And my mom was the one who sued the school, letting girls join boys' sports in the first place. I'm not going back on it now."
"Personally, I love this," Eden said with a smile. "I've always wanted to be a cheerleader. But I'm too busy to try out."
"Don't expect to be any good," Sloane snapped, crossing her arms. "We've been training our whole lives."
"I don't need training," Eden shrugged. "I have pep."
Sloane scoffed, rolling her eyes. She couldn't wait for Sue's rule to be overturned.
~*~
Sawyer went back to Cassie's house after school. They needed to discuss their plan, somewhere Sue couldn't overhear them, and where Bri wouldn't get involved; Sawyer knew she had good intentions, but he couldn't deny that she got annoying sometimes.
"We should do an assembly," Cassie suggested. "I already discussed it with Mr. Schuester, he's on board. Once we decide on a date, he'll book the auditorium and notify the teachers. And he promised it'll be mandatory. So the whole school will be there."
Sawyer nodded. "That's a good idea. It's the perfect way to spread awareness. Plus, if we get enough people on board with the protest, it'll be too many people for Sue to punish."
"It's boring," Cassie admitted. Sawyer tilted his head, confused since it had been Cassie's idea. She continued, "That's where you come in. I want you to make it more exciting."
He thought about it for a moment; the plan was obvious enough to come to him quickly. "Well, it's for glee club. So we should incorporate music."
Cassie nodded, jotting a quick note down. "Is that interesting enough? Nobody really seemed into the interest assembly."
"It's not to recruit members," Sawyer reminded her. "It's just to show how important glee is. Well, any club." He realized she was confused, so he went on, "We need to make sure they're into it. Like... audience participation."
"That's not a bad idea."
"Maybe the Cheerios can do the same thing with one of their routines," he suggested. "Lina always choreographs routines to music for their tryouts. I'll ask Rosie if she's into it."
~*~
The football roster still hadn't been posted the next morning. Brice stood outside the gym, not intending to leave until it was up. Sloane walked up to him, casually leaning against the wall beside him for a moment before asking, "Do you hate everyone getting free spots on football and Cheerios too?"
"Yes," he mumbled. It affected Sloane more than him; Brice was almost guaranteed varsity, and the New Directions were joining JV. The Cheerios, by Sue's request, didn't have a JV team - if they weren't good enough for varsity, they weren't good enough at all.
"How did tryouts go?" Before Brice could answer, Sloane continued, "I'm head Cheerio again."
Brice glanced at the empty spot on the wall where the roster would be posted. "I still don't know if I made varsity. And Hepburn kept passing the ball to me."
Sloane knew that Hepburn had good intentions; he only wanted to give Brice a chance to show off. But Brice was clearly annoyed, and she needed to take his side. "Well, I saw some of it. You did really good."
Brice turned to her, about to point out that it was her job as head Cheerio to encourage him, but once he saw the look in her eyes, he realized what she was trying to do. It should have been obvious; Sloane was never nice for no reason. But if she was trying to get Brice to ask her out, even if it was for selfish reasons, he'd go along with it. "Do you wanna go out sometime?"
"Yes," she replied immediately, clearly expecting him to ask. She didn't even try to seem excited; Brice wondered what her intentions were, but assumed he'd find out soon enough. He couldn't hold it against her; he didn't have any genuine feelings either. All he wanted was a distraction, or some validation.
~*~
As soon as Vincent heard that the roster was up, he ran towards the gym to read it. It was his first time playing football; he didn't expect to make varsity, as much as he wanted to. Vincent's goal was to be the next Hepburn; he knew it was weird, since they never had an actual conversation, but Vincent had always admired him.
Bri happened to be passing by the gym when Vincent suddenly sprinted down the hall, almost crashing into her. She called out to greet him, but he didn't reply; she wasn't sure if he just hadn't heard, or if he intentionally ignored her. At first, she was going to continue on her way, until she saw Eleanor trying to keep up with him. "Hey, Bri!" Eleanor greeted as she ran by.
"Hey," Bri mumbled, trying to seem polite without being fake. Then, she decided to follow them down the hall. She stopped as far down the hall as possible while still being able to hear them. Although she wasn't trying to stalk them - she was curious about the roster - she didn't want to give them the wrong idea. If anyone questioned her, she'd tell them she was waiting to check Hepburn's results - although everyone already knew he was the quarterback and captain of the varsity team, she could tell them she wanted to see for herself since he was like a brother to her.
Finally, Vincent ran over to Eleanor - once again not acknowledging Bri. "I made JV!"
"That's great!" Eleanor exclaimed. "Congratulations!"
Bri rolled her eyes. Eleanor had no idea that JV was barely an achievement - anyone could make the cut.
"I'm excited," he shrugged, as if he was trying to convince himself. "But I really wanted varsity. ...I guess I wasn't being realistic."
"You'll get it next year," she assured him. "And, in the meantime, I'll be cheering you on at every game."
Bri rolled her eyes as she turned to walk away. Eleanor had no idea what to say; she couldn't understand what Vincent saw in her. Yes, she was beautiful, but they had nothing in common. She glanced over her shoulder just in time to see Vincent kiss Eleanor's cheek; even though Bri heard it directly from him, this was the first time their relationship really set in.
"I still remember, third of December, me in your sweater, you said it looked better on me than it did you. Only if you knew how much I liked you, but I watch your eyes as she walks by. What a sight for sore eyes, brighter than the blue sky. She's got you mesmerized while I die."
She took another look at them; they were walking down the hall, Vincent's arm wrapped around Eleanor's shoulder. Bri knew exactly how that felt; he'd held her many times before, whether she was cold while walking home from school or he was trying to keep her close in a crowd. She missed that feeling, unsure if she'd ever feel it again now that he was taken by someone else.
"Why would you ever kiss me? I'm not even half as pretty. You gave her your sweater, it's just polyester, but you like her better. Wish I were Heather."
Bri sighed, leaning against the wall as soon as Vincent and Eleanor were out of sight. She knew she should be happy for them; Vincent was her best friend for as long as she could remember, and although she didn't know Eleanor well, she seemed sweet. She never considered having romantic feelings for Vincent, but still, she couldn't help but feel that it should've been her instead.
"Watch as she stands with her, holding your hand, put your arm 'round her shoulder, now I'm getting colder. But how could I hate her? She's such an angel. But then again, kinda wish she were dead as she walks by. What a sight for sore eyes, brighter than the blue sky. She's got you mesmerized while I die.
Why would you ever kiss me? I'm not even half as pretty. You gave her your sweater, it's just polyester, but you like her better. I wish I were Heather."
Bri knew there was no drama between herself, Bri, and Eleanor. All of the drama could be saved if she put her feelings aside and spoke to them. She always believed that there was some reason for them to avoid her, not wanting to admit to herself that she was creating those reasons in her head, an excuse not to acknowledge them together.
"Why would you ever kiss me? I'm not even half as pretty. You gave her your sweater, it's just polyester, but you like her better. Wish I were..."
~*~
Hepburn marched towards the roster, pulling Freddie along with him. Brice trailed behind; although he'd spent every free period by the gym door since tryouts, he hadn't checked since he heard it had actually gone up.
"I'm sure you both made varsity," Freddie said. Brice rolled his eyes; Freddie somehow managed to find something to talk about the entire time they'd been walking. "I'm kind of nervous about Spencer's plan though. But I guess I can help Brice practice now."
"Football's not that hard, honestly," Hepburn assured him. "Plus, you probably won't have to play."
"I know. ...But what if everyone gets hurt?"
"That's not gonna happen," Brice sighed. Only Freddie would come up with something so ridiculous and actually believe it.
They finally stopped in front of the roster. Hepburn, of course, was the captain and quarterback of the varsity team, as everyone expected. Although Brice made varsity as well, he was a bit disappointed that he wasn't the best on the team. Hepburn noticed, putting an arm around him.
"Congratulations," Freddie said with a small smile. Brice glared at him.
~*~
The New Directions girls, plus Aiden, joined the Cheerios for their first practice. Rosie and Lina had pulled anyone new to cheerleading off to the side, coaching them through some basic routines.
"I want you to do a routine at our first game," Rosie announced. "Don't worry, it'll be an easy one."
Sloane, who was focusing on stretching, glared at Rosie. They hadn't discussed their newest additions actually participating.
"Don't mind her," Rosie told them, noticing Sloane's look. "I promise I'll work it in. Can I have two volunteers to lead?"
"Me!" Eden exclaimed immediately.
"Okay, Eden," Rosie smiled. "Who else?" She looked around; nobody else was as eager. "Hm... Audrey?"
Audrey, who had her head down, glanced up. "Hm?"
"How about you? As the new girl, maybe you should try putting yourself out there. Plus, I want to make sure everyone feels included."
"Um... I guess," Audrey shrugged. She wasn't excited about it, but Rosie had a point; Audrey's whole plan revolved around putting herself out there and being noticed.
Rosie took their hands, pulling them aside while Lina coached the rest of the group. As they passed Sloane, she rolled her eyes. "Remember, you're not real Cheerios," she huffed. "It's temporary."
~*~
Once Kitty was ready to begin the practice, the newcomers joined the remainder of the team. Cherry lingered behind, and, as soon as Lina turned to leave, Cherry grabbed her sister's hand, pulling her back. "What?" Lina asked, spinning around.
"I just wanted to talk, I guess," Cherry shrugged. "I missed you."
"Aw," Lina smiled. Then, she gestured to Cherry's uniform. "Well, I finally got my wish." Ever since Lina started cheering in first grade, she'd begged Cherry to try out with her.
"It won't last," Cherry reminded her. She couldn't wait to finally quit, even though her first practice had barely started.
Lina nodded sadly, but it wasn't long before she perked up again. "We have glee!"
"Until Sue gets rid of it," Cherry added.
"That won't happen," Lina insisted. Then, she thought for a moment. "...Do you actually think Sue's gonna win?"
Cherry shook her head, putting a hand on Lina's shoulder. "No. I was kidding." Lina still seemed upset, so Lina added, "Sue may be tough, but I'm tougher."
Lina laughed. "You're right. So just don't give up on us." She tried to play the last part off as a joke, but made her glare at Sloane obvious.
~*~
Meanwhile, the football teams were also having their first practices. Vincent was the only New Directions member to try out and not make varsity; Hepburn, Brice, Lark, and Justin all had.
Spencer, the JV coach, stood on one of the benches of the bleachers, addressing the team - including the temporary members. "I want to train all of you for varsity. And, as for the New Directions, you can sit out whenever you want."
"Do we have to sit out?" Freddie asked. He had no interest in playing; he was simply tired of being sidelined, and wanted to prove to his family that he wasn't a little kid anymore. Football seemed like the biggest difference between them.
"You can practice," Spencer offered. "I just can't guarantee you'll play in the games. Unless you catch on quick, and, considering you're Brice St. James's little brother, I think you will."
"We're twins," Freddie mumbled. He understood why nobody ever guessed that; they looked nothing alike - Brice took after Jesse, and Freddie, after Rachel. But Freddie could never figure out why everyone assumed he was the younger one.
"Freddie, I could help you practice," Vincent offered. It was a bit selfish; he wanted an opportunity to show off to Spencer. Freddie was happy to take Vincent up on his offer; he would be a better coach than Brice, who got frustrated far too quickly, and Freddie knew he needed the help. Despite the dance training his parents gave him, he was still uncoordinated.
"I'm already a pro," Shawn grinned.
"I can't tell if you're kidding," Sawyer admitted. Shawn just shrugged in response.
Vincent rolled his eyes at his brother. "Shawn, you quit when you were 10."
"So? Doesn't mean I'm not good."
"You were never good!"
Spencer, trying to prevent a fight, said, "Your first game is Friday."
~*~
Meanwhile, the varsity team was in the locker room, preparing for their first practice. They started a half hour after JV, since Sam had work to do for glee and the classes he taught.
Lark glanced up at Brice, who was sitting on the bench next to him. "It's no surprise how things worked out."
"Whatever," Brice mumbled.
Then, Reagan Zizes, the one girl on the team, walked in, with everyone immediately staring at her. "What?" she asked. "It's not like anyone's changing."
"I can't believe you actually made the team," Lark teased.
"She was really good at tryouts," Brice pointed out.
"Maybe," Lark admitted. "But a girl on varsity?"
"She deserves it."
"Yeah, just like Hepburn deserves varsity," Lark said sarcastically.
Brice was quick to defend him. "At least his parents didn't bribe the principal."
Lark elbowed Brice hard enough to nearly knock him off the bench. Then, just before a fight could break out, Sam walked in. "You probably heard that the New Directions joined JV. Even though it doesn't directly impact us, they're still part of our team."
"Are they rebelling against Principal Sylvester's rule or something?" Reagan asked.
"Actually, yes," Sam replied.
"That's awesome! I love rebellion."
"Well, feel free to join us," Sam offered.
"I'm already part of it. I'm on the football and wrestling teams."
"Aren't they different seasons?" Justin asked. "I don't think that counts."
"Of course it does," Reagan snapped.
~*~
To open the next rehearsal, Sam asked Sawyer and Cassie, "How's your plan going?"
"We're just working on our song," Cassie said proudly.
"Great! And Sloane, how's it going with the Cheerios?"
"Fine," she snapped.
"It's going great," Rosie corrected. "We're teaching our newest members a routine for Friday's game."
"It's super fun," Eden added.
Then, Reagan walked in. "Hey, guys."
Aiden, who had been daydreaming, quickly sat up straight. "What are you doing here?"
"I'm auditioning," Reagan shrugged.
"Why? You've never expressed interest before. You laughed at me when I told you I was joining! And didn't you throw a slushie at Ren yesterday?"
"She did," Ren confirmed.
"I want to join the rebellion," Reagan said, smiling at Sam.
"Whenever you're ready," Sam replied, stepping aside to give her the spotlight.
"Sloane, Morgan, a little help?" Reagan asked. "I want cheer inspired choreography. As the only female member who's not a Cheerio, I have to find some way to support my sisters."
As the music started, Aiden rolled his eyes. Reagan was quick to change her outlook on glee.
"I feel like I've been locked up tight, for a century of lonely nights, waiting for someone to release me. You're licking your lips and blowing kisses my way, but that don't mean I'm gonna give it away, baby, baby, baby."
Reagan was quick to catch on to the choreography. Sloane and Morgan kept it simple; they had plenty of routines they rehearsed and never got to perform, so it was easy enough for them to figure something out on the spot. Reagan, despite having no dance background, was able to copy their movements easily.
"If you wanna be with me, baby, there's a price to pay. I'm a genie in a bottle, you gotta rub me the right way. If you wanna be with me, I can make your wish come true. You gotta make a big impression, gotta like what you do."
Everyone quickly got into the performance; Reagan's energy was captivating. Plus, despite the lack of any musical experience, she had a powerful voice and fluid dance moves.
"I'm a genie in a bottle, baby, you gotta rub me the right way, honey. I'm a genie in a bottle, baby, come, come, come on and let me out. I'm a genie in a bottle, baby, gotta rub me the right way, honey. I'm a genie in a bottle, baby, come, come, come on and let me out.
If you wanna be with me, baby, there's a price to pay. I'm a genie in a bottle, you gotta rub me the right way. If you wanna be with me, I can make your wish come true. You gotta make a big impression, gotta like what you do."
By the end of the song, everyone had joined in, singing and dancing along. Reagan finally began to understand the appeal of the club; it wasn't just about singing and dancing. It was about grabbing the attention and holding onto it tightly. She loved the feeling of controlling a crowd; everyone's eyes were on her, and they all danced to her beat.
"If you wanna be with me, baby, there's a price to pay. I'm a genie in a bottle, you gotta rub me the right way. If you wanna be with me, I can make your wish come true. Just come and set me free, baby, and I'll be with you.
I'm a genie in a bottle, baby, come, come, come on and let me out."
~*~
Aiden sat in the passenger seat of Reagan's car as she drove them home from rehearsal. He tried coming up with a way to confront his sister, but could barely hear himself think; she had the top of her convertible down, the wind blowing into their faces as she sped far above the limit, and she was blasting a rock song so loud it shook the car.
"Reagan," he finally called over the music.
"Yeah?" she replied before reaching for the dial to lower the volume. "...Yeah?"
"Did you really have to join glee club?" he asked, relieved at least one of the distractions was gone. He always hated taking rides with her, but didn't have any other options.
"No," she replied. "But I wanted to help."
Aiden raised an eyebrow. "Who exactly are you helping?"
"The glee club," she replied, as if that were obvious.
He sighed, not bothering to question her further. "That was the one place where I was just... me. Nobody compared us."
"There's other siblings in the club, including twins," Reagan pointed out. "I didn't hear any of them complaining. And we're not even similar."
"That's the point! Do you know how many people have asked me if I was adopted or switched at birth? Because I'm nothing like you. Or mom, or dad."
"You have a heart," Reagan pointed out. "That makes you better than us."
"It also makes me a nerd."
Reagan laughed. "Yeah, it does." Then, she paused for a moment before finally asking, "Do you hate me?"
"No," Aiden responded quickly. Once he fully processed her question, he added, "Why would I?"
"Maybe it was a stupid question," she admitted. "I don't think you're capable of hate. I was just wondering."
"Well, I don't. And I'm sorry if it seemed that way."
Reagan shrugged. "I don't care if you do."
~*~
Although Will had promised that the protest assembly would be required for all students, Sawyer and Cassie were surprised by just how many people showed up. They stood onstage, looking between each other, unsure who would speak first. Finally, Cassie began, "Principal Sylvester's rule is incredibly unfair. Limiting extracurriculars, which are meant to be fun, just to shut the glee club down? Not only is she ruining our high school experience, it has potential to impact our futures."
Sawyer continued, "She's not taking glee from us. No matter how hard she tries. We're not quitting until the rule is overturned." Then, he picked up his guitar that he'd set on the side of the stage. "Feel free to sing along."
Sawyer and Cassie sang, "If you're listening, whoa oh-oh-oh-oh, sing it back, whoa oh-oh-oh-oh."
Cassie had fought for a song that everyone would know, but Sawyer insisted on something a bit less popular but not totally obscure, and one of his personal favorites. He thought it would be too easy to encourage people to sing along to their favorite music; something they weren't as familiar with would be more impressive. So far, only the New Directions sang along, proudly showing their support.
Then, Sawyer sang with Cassie echoing, "String from your tether unwinds, whoa oh, whoa oh. Up and outward to bind, whoa oh, whoa oh."
Cassie joined back in for the chorus, "I was spinning free, whoa oh-oh-oh-oh, with a little sweet and simple numbing me. Are you listening? Whoa oh-oh-oh-oh. Sing it back, whoa oh-oh-oh-oh."
Although they tried to hide it, both Sawyer and Cassie were surprised to hear more voices singing along. Still, the majority of the crowd was silent, probably not paying any attention to the assembly. They didn't let that discourage them, though; they were determined to get everyone to join in.
Again, Sawyer led with Cassie as his echo, "So tell me, what do I need? Whoa oh, whoa oh. When words lose their meaning, whoa oh, whoa oh."
As they approached the final chorus, the two shared nervous glances. It was their final chance to make an impression, and weren't sure what more they could do.
It was completely out of the ordinary for her, but Bri knew she needed to help somehow. The glee club meant everything to her family; she didn't want to see it disbanded so soon. She stood up, loudly singing along and encouraging those around her to do the same. It wasn't long before all of the New Directions were on their feet.
"I was spinning free, whoa oh-oh-oh-oh, with a little sweet and simple numbing me. Stumble 'til you crawl, whoa oh-oh-oh-oh, sinking into sweet uncertainty."
By the end of the song, everyone in the auditorium, with the exception of Sue Sylvester, who could only watch in horror, had joined in. Whether they were singing along or dancing in the aisles, or simply standing in support, the entire student body had become part of the rebellion.
"I was spinning free, whoa oh-oh-oh-oh, with a little sweet and simple numbing me. What a dizzy dance, whoa oh-oh-oh-oh. This sweetness will not be concerned with me."
~*~
Sam and Theo were surprised to walk into a silent choir room. Nobody was sure how to feel; they were excited that the assembly was a success, but they knew Sue must have some punishment waiting for them.
"You guys sounded great," Theo assured them.
"And we're really proud of you guys getting everyone involved," Sam added. "I haven't seen that much excitement at an assembly since the Britney Spears sex riot."
"The what?" Eleanor asked.
Before Sam could explain, Sue came in. Nobody spoke; they immediately turned their attention to her, afraid to hear their fates. "I didn't know they were making High School Musical 4," she said, making her way to the center of the room, shoving Sam and Theo aside.
Cassie stood up, wanting to make sure her voice was heard. "It showed our passion for glee club."
"Oh, sit down," Sue scowled. Cassie quickly obeyed, and Sue turned her attention to Hepburn. "Since Miranda Hobbes isn't involved in anything else, does the football team share that passion?" Cassie wanted to point out that she was involved in debate club and student government, but knew better than to argue with Sue.
"Of course we do," Hepburn replied. Although he didn't personally love the glee club, he didn't want to see it destroyed; it was important to everyone else, and he'd started liking it more than he expected.
Sue, taking slow steps towards Hepburn, declared, "If you want to prove that, win Friday's game. Then maybe I'll consider letting you keep your club."
"We can do that!" Vincent exclaimed. "We have Hepburn and Brice, they're awesome."
"I meant JV," Sue corrected. "And I'll be making the roster."
"Well, it's Spencer's team, so-"
"We'll see about that," Sue grinned as she walked out.
~*~
Sloane and Brice's first date was undeniably awkward, but neither of them wanted to admit that they had no chemistry. They went to the Lima Bean, somewhere casual enough that was still a reasonable choice for a first date. Sloane sat at a table by the window, watching the cars and people pass as Brice got their drinks.
Brice took a seat at the opposite side of the table, setting their drinks down without a word. Sloane raised her eyebrow at him. "What?" Brice asked.
"You're not going to talk to me?"
He wasn't sure what he was supposed to say. "Um... here's your latte?"
"Thank you," she snapped. "Anything else?"
"How's Cheerios?" It seemed like a safe option; that was the one thing Sloane seemed to like.
"Horrible," she sighed. "I hate that all the New Directions got a free spot on the team. And they're actually involved in our routines! What happened to them staying on the sidelines?"
Brice knew he should comfort her, but wasn't sure what to say. Instead, he changed the subject. "What do you think Sue's plan is for Friday?"
"Obviously to put the worst players in so we lose." Sloane examined her nail polish, clearly not interested.
Still, Brice didn't drop it. "So, the New Directions?"
Sloane nodded. "Anyone who's never played before. Hopefully Spencer is smart enough to train them beforehand. Or, if Sue stops by a practice, they sideline one of their best players, or have them mess up on purpose."
Finally, Brice asked the one question that had been on his mind since the coaches announced their plan. "Do you think she'll put Freddie in?"
"Duh." Sloane tightened one of her bracelets, still not looking up.
"Why?" Brice knew why; he fit what she already described perfectly.
Sloane laughed. "Because Freddie is probably the clumsiest person I've ever met. Like, he can't even walk without tripping, or walking into something. And I'm sure Sue knows that."
"Yeah," Brice sighed. "Good point."
"Why are you so worried about him?" Sloane asked. "Like, I get he's your brother, but I don't care that Ren's probably gonna get crushed out there. He doesn't know the first thing about football, at least Freddie has that going for him, I'm assuming he learned something from you. And he's not a kid, you know. If you can survive on the field, so can he. Mellie's clumsy too, and she keeps up. Usually."
"Just... trauma, I guess?" Sloane looked at him as if she was expecting more, so Brice continued, "He got hurt a lot when we were kids. Usually because I'd dare him to do something stupid, like jumping off things, or riding a bike down a hill... But one time, it was really bad. It was a long time ago, so maybe it was nothing and I'm just remembering wrong, but he kept passing out on the way to the hospital, he was there for a couple days, then in bed for even longer. I guess that's why I worry so much now. But he'd probably think I was crazy if he knew, I don't think he even remembers it."
"You're not crazy," Sloane assured him. She reached for his hand, the closest they'd come to any sort of affection. "It's really sweet that you care so much. And don't worry about Friday, he'll be fine. I mean, Vincent isn't any good, and he hasn't gotten hurt yet, right?"
"Right," Brice sighed. He knew he was overthinking it; he just couldn't wait for the game to be over.
~*~
Sam stood in the center of the football field, while the team stretched in preparation for their practice. "I want to talk about Friday's game," Sam announced.
"We should help JV," Justin suggested. "It doesn't really matter if we win or lose, it's only one game. They need this."
"That isn't our responsibility," Lark protested.
"It's to save the glee club."
Knowing Lark would happily argue all day, Hepburn interrupted, "As captain, I second this."
"Me too," Sam agreed. "Follow me." He led the team to the opposite side of the field, where the JV team held their practices.
"Hey, guys!" Spencer greeted with a smile. "You wanna scrimmage or something?"
"Sue said she'll only consider keeping glee club if you guys win on Friday," Sam explained.
Spencer smiled at his team. "I think we've got what it takes."
"She's picking the roster," Sam added. "And considering we went behind her back, I don't think she'll be helping us."
Spencer sighed, trying to figure out what exactly Sue might be planning. "She'll probably put the New Directions in. So I'll prioritize them."
"Do you still think you can win this?"
"I don't know," Spencer admitted. "But we have to try."
~*~
By the time Friday came around, the team still wasn't sure of the roster. The team waited in the locker room, unsure of where Spencer was. Finally, Sue walked in. "Sorry, but Spencer couldn't make it." After taping a piece of paper to the wall, she turned to face the team. "But here's your roster."
Vincent was the first to read it, knowing he needed to explain everything to the other New Directions members. "All the New Directions are starting."
Sawyer was the next one to take a look. "She definitely wants us to lose. Shawn, you're the quarterback, even though, no offense, you don't take anything seriously. Vince is on the offensive line even though he always plays defense, plus he's the smallest one here, and Freddie, the clumsiest one here, is the tight end."
"I can take it seriously," Shawn argued. "I want us to win."
Sawyer took a piece of paper out of his bag. "Hepburn gave me this, it has some plays we could use." He handed it to Shawn, since that was supposed to be his responsibility. "If you need help, just ask Vincent. Hopefully he can figure it out."
Despite the varsity team having an away game at the same time, Brice rushed into the locker room. "What are you doing here?" Freddie asked. "I thought you had a game in Lafayette."
"The bus is late," Brice explained. "I wanted to wish you guys good luck." Then, he grabbed onto Sawyer's hand, pulling him aside. "Do you have a roster yet?"
"Over there," Sawyer gestured to where it was hanging up. "We've only had it for about a minute..."
Brice quickly read it over. "Is there any way you could pull Freddie out?"
"Only if we want Sue to kill us. I don't wanna find out what she'll do if we go against her."
"Fine," Brice sighed. "Just make sure he doesn't die, please."
"He'll be fine," Sawyer insisted.
"No. Protect him."
"We will, I promise. Now hurry up, you'll miss the bus."
"Okay, just... don't lose." Brice ran out of the locker room.
Freddie sat on the opposite side of the locker room, but still heard everything Brice said. He understood his concern; every time Freddie tried practicing football with Brice, he was never able to keep up. Still, he was disappointed that Brice's main concern about the game was protecting him rather than figuring out how to win.
~*~
The Cheerios had decided to stay behind, cheering for the JV team rather than following varsity to their game. They stood on the field, warming the crowd up before the game. They decided it was the perfect time to show off the routine Eden and Audrey had been practicing, hoping it would give Sue another reason to consider keeping the club around.
"Five, six, five, six, seven, eight!" the Cheerios counted to begin the routine. Audrey and Eden, who stood in the center of their formation, stepped forward.
Eden was a natural performer, taking after her mother. She immediately captivated the crowd, some of them being familiar with her due to her famous family, and others who were simply drawn to her energy.
"I could be the one, or your new addiction, it's all in my head but I want non-fiction. I don't want the world, but I'll take this city. Who can blame a girl? Call me hot, not pretty."
With both singing and cheer being new to Audrey, she expected it to be difficult to keep up with Eden. She tried not to focus on the crowd; she wasn't afraid to perform in front of people, but didn't want to add to the pressure of having such an experienced partner. Instead, she thought back to when she was still practicing the routine in her bedroom, imagining she was still there.
"Baby, do you like this beat? I made it so you'd dance with me. It's like a hundred 99 degrees, when you're doing it with me, doing it with me."
They sang together as they, along with the rest of the Cheerios, switched to more familiar choreography. They hoped the crowd would join in, but so far, nobody had. Still, they didn't let that discourage them; it was still early.
"H-O-T-T-O-G-O, snap and clap and touch your toes, raise your hands, now body roll, dance it out, you're hot to go. H-O-T-T-O-G-O, snap and clap and touch your toes, raise your hands, now body roll, H-O-T-T-O-G-O."
"Come on, dance with us," Eden shouted, smiling widely. Everything came so naturally to her; anyone who didn't know better would assume she'd been cheering her entire life. Her encouragement worked; for the chorus, almost everyone had joined in the dance, some even singing along with the Cheerios.
"H-O-T-T-O-G-O, you can take me hot to go. H-O-T-T-O-G-O, you can take me hot to go."
Audrey was afraid that the crowd's excitement wouldn't last for her verse, so she made an effort to keep her energy up. She tried encouraging them to stay engaged, and although less people were singing and dancing, nobody had returned to their seat.
"Well, I woke up alone staring at my ceiling. I try not to care but it hurts my feelings. You don't have to stare, come here, get with it, no one's touched me there in a damn hot minute."
Eden tried to match Audrey's energy; she never understood the benefit of trying to upstage your partners. She believed her purpose in any performance was to complement whoever she shared the spotlight with. She began her verse by gesturing for the crowd to cheer for Audrey before continuing with her choreography.
"And baby, don't you like this beat? I made it so you'd sleep with me. It's like a hundred 99 degrees, when you're doing it with me, doing it with me."
For the next pre-chorus, the crowd attempted to follow Audrey and Eden's lead with the choreography.
"H-O-T-T-O-G-O, snap and clap and touch your toes, raise your hands, now body roll, dance it out, you're hot to go. H-O-T-T-O-G-O, snap and clap and touch your toes, raise your hands, now body roll, H-O-T-T-O-G-O."
For the chorus, the entire stadium sang and danced along, "H-O-T-T-O-G-O, you can take me hot to go. H-O-T-T-O-G-O, you can take me hot to go."
All of the newest additions to the Cheerios lined up, showing off the simple routine that Rosie had taught them. They'd all managed to perfect it; after Sue decided the JV team needed to win to prove their passion, nobody wanted to risk slacking.
Eden sang the next verse, "What's it take to get your number? What's it take to bring you home Hurry up, it's time for supper, order up, I'm hot to go."
Then, Audrey took over, "What's it take to get your number? Hurry up, it's getting cold. Hurry up, it's time for supper, order up, I'm hot to go."
For the last chorus, once again, the entire stadium sang and danced along, "H-O-T-T-O-G-O, you can take me hot to go. H-O-T-T-O-G-O, you can take me hot to go. H-O-T-T-O-G-O, you can take me hot to go. H-O-T-T-O-G-O, you can take me hot to go."
~*~
The JV team was down to the final minute of the game, and surprisingly, they'd managed to achieve a tie while sticking to Sue's lineup. They had gotten lucky with an opposing team that didn't seem to know what they were doing, and attempted to pass to whoever seemed to have the best understanding of the game whenever possible.
Shawn called a time out; Spencer never showed up, so the students were forced to coach themselves. "What's the plan, QB?" Ren asked.
"I don't know," Shawn admitted. "Sawyer, what's the plan?"
Sawyer sighed, taking out the plays Hepburn had given him. "Give me a second to figure something out."
As Sawyer tried figuring out a plan, Freddie tried coming up with his own idea. He spent the entire game staying out of the way and immediately passing, which had been an order from Sawyer, but he knew it had actually been Brice's idea. This was his last chance to prove that he didn't need to be protected.
The players returned to the field, hoping that Sawyer's plan - which Freddie had tuned out completely - would actually work. He had a basic understanding of football through Sam and Hepburn, but wasn't confident that he'd be able to lead them to victory.
As discussed, Shawn passed the ball to Freddie. They weren't near the end zone, so Freddie was only supposed to distract the opposing team while Sawyer, the fastest player they had, ran to the other side of the field so Freddie could pass the ball to him, with Ren between them in case the pass didn't make it.
Rather than passing, Freddie started running towards the end zone. Despite his clumsiness, if he focused hard enough, he was decently fast and good at dodging anyone coming towards him; he was always chased and beaten up by Brice and Hepburn as a kid, which proved to be good training.
Eventually, Sawyer realized Freddie wasn't going to pass, so he began running alongside him, preparing to protect him or take the ball if needed, and distracting the other team in the meantime. When they reached Ren, he quickly caught on to the new plan and joined Sawyer, running on Freddie's opposite side.
Everyone was watching anxiously, both the McKinley team and the people watching in the stands. Rachel, despite never seeming to find the time to go to Brice's, was watching as well, nervously biting at her fingernails. Not only was she afraid that the team would lose, like everyone else, she was just as worried about Freddie as Brice had been, if not more.
To everyone's surprise, Freddie ended up making it to the endzone, scoring a touchdown. Sawyer ran over, giving him a high five. "Nice job!"
"I did it?" Freddie asked, looking up at the scoreboard. There were only a couple seconds left in the game, and McKinley was up six points.
"Yeah! And there's no way for the other team to catch us. ...I thought you were crazy when you just kept running, but turns out, it actually worked. You're fast."
"I know."
~*~
As soon as the game ended, all of the New Directions ran to the parking lot, waiting for the varsity team's bus to arrive. When it pulled up, Hepburn was the first one off, closely followed by Brice. "What happened?" Hepburn asked.
"We won!" Vincent exclaimed. "It was a super close game too."
"And we have Freddie to thank," Ren said, putting an arm around him. "He scored a touchdown, it was awesome."
"Wait, what?" Brice asked, grabbing onto Freddie's hand and pulling him away.
"Well, Sawyer wanted him to pass since he was on the other side of the field, but he just ran. So we protected him all the way to the endzone. Honestly, it was hard to keep up with him, he's really fast," Ren explained.
"Why didn't you pass?" Brice asked.
Freddie shrugged, trying to free his wrist from Brice's grip. "I scored, so why does it matter?"
"You know why," Brice whispered.
"No, I don't. I wouldn't have asked if I did."
"Well, the important thing is that we won," Sawyer pointed out. "And, if Sue keeps her word, glee is saved."
As if she'd been summoned, Sue joined them in the lot. "I didn't think you'd pull it off," she admitted.
"But we did," Cassie declared. "So, are you overturning the rule?"
"The school board already did. Apparently it's unfair. So you win this time. But this isn't over."
~*~
Rachel and Jesse were waiting on the couch when Freddie and Brice got home. As soon as they walked in, Rachel ran over to Freddie, giving him a tight hug. "There's my baby!"
"You did good," Jesse admitted. "Even though I never understood the appeal of sports."
"That touchdown was amazing!" Rachel stepped back, keeping her hands on Freddie's shoulders. "He would've been so proud of you." Even though she hadn't said a name, everyone knew she was talking about Finn Hudson.
"Varsity won too," Brice casually pointed out. He knew it wasn't as important, and nobody had seen his game, but still wanted some recognition.
"Congratulations," Rachel said with a smile. Then, she quickly turned back to Freddie. "Go lay down, I'm sure you're tired."
"I'm not," Freddie mumbled. Still, he went up to his room; he wasn't exactly listening to his mother, he was just tired of everyone making such a big deal of his touchdown. At the time, he thought it was what he wanted, but didn't consider that they'd continue treating him like a child.
As soon as Freddie was upstairs, Rachel whispered to Brice, "Make sure he quits."
~*~
The next day, the New Directions celebrated their victory with a song in the auditorium. Cassie sang first, "You are somebody that I don't know, but you're taking shots at me like it's Patrón, and I'm just like, 'Damn, it's 7:00 a.m.'."
Reagan was next; even though the others had quit their temporary activities, she decided to become a permanent member of the New Directions. "Say it in the street, that's a knock-out, but you say it in a tweet, that's a cop-out, and I'm just like, 'Hey, are you okay?'"
Then, Morgan, "And I ain't trying to mess with your self-expression, but I've learned the lesson that stressing, and obsessing 'bout somebody else is no fun. And snakes and stones never broke my bones."
The three of them stepped to the center of the stage, with Reagan in the middle. Cassie and Morgan each gave Reagan a quick hug as they sang the chorus, as a way of welcoming her to the club. "So, you need to calm down, you're being too loud. And I'm just like, you need to just stop. Like, can you just not step on my gown? You need to calm down."
As they returned to the back of the stage, where the rest of the club was dancing together, Eden stepped forward, beginning the next verse, "You are somebody that we don't know, but you're coming at my friends like a missile. Why are you mad when you could be GLAAD?"
Next, Lina skipped over to her, putting an arm around her shoulders. "Sunshine on the street at the parade, but you would rather be in the dark ages. Making that sign, must've taken all night."
Cherry came up behind her sister, hugging her loosely and resting her chin on Lina's shoulder. "You just need to take several seats and then try to restore the peace, and control your urges to scream about all the people you hate. 'Cause shade never made anybody less gay."
As the three of them sang the chorus, they all danced together, Cherry being the most hesitant as she wondered how she kept getting into that situation. "So, you need to calm down, you're being too loud. And I'm just like, you need to just stop. Like, can you just not step on his gown? You need to calm down."
Bri sang next, although she preferred to stay towards the back rather than fully taking the spotlight. "And we see you over there on the internet, comparing all the girls who are killing it."
Eleanor stood beside her, giving a shy wave as she sang the next part, "But we figured you out, we all know now, we all got crowns. You need to calm down."
As much as Bri wanted to hate Eleanor, she knew better than to take her jealousy out on her. Bri gave her an awkward hug as they sang together, "You need to calm down, you're being too loud."
For the final chorus, everyone sang together, dancing around the stage and celebrating their first of many victories against Sue. "And I'm just like, you need to just stop. Like, can you just not step on our gowns? You need to calm down."
Playlist
• Into you by Ariana Grande - Sloane, Morgan, & Lina
• Heather by Conan Gray - Bri
• Genie In A Bottle by Christina Aguilera - Reagan
• Sweetness by Jimmy Eat World - Sawyer & Cassie
• HOT TO GO! by Chappell Roan - Eden, Audrey, & the Cheerios
• You Need To Calm Down by Taylor Swift - The New Directions