| The Newbies | |
|---|---|
| Season 5, Episode 1 | |
| |
| Air date | October 14, 2013 |
| Written by | JamesonOTP |
| Episode Guide | |
| Previous Graduation Part II |
Next Jaxon's Biggest Fan |
The Newbies is the first episode of Season 5 of Glee: The Next Generation and the eighty-ninth episode overall. It serves as the first episode of Glee: The Next Generation since most of the original cast graduated. It will introduce the characters of Dexter Iver, Natalia Jensen, Teddy Cruz, Beckii Castor, Etta Amato, Sadie Rosetti, Trey Brooks, Zack Westbrook, and Marcus Von Bleicken.
As New Directions struggles to replace the talent and members they've lost since most of the originals have graduated, Will shocks everyone with an announcement that he will no longer be directing Glee Club as his new job as McKinley's new principal in the wake of Figgins' early retirement will be keeping him too busy. Instead, he announces that Glee Club will now be directed by Holly Holiday and her new co-director Kurt Hummel. Sue becomes Will's vice principal. As Holly and Kurt hold auditions to find new talent, they are overloaded with prospective talent. A new Queen Bee steps up to give Ana a run for her money. Meanwhile, James and Bella adjust to their new leadership roles in New Directions.
Information[]
- Move Over by Spice Girls. Sung by James Holland, Bella James, Kevin Rhodes, Taylor Atkinson, and Ana Watson
- I Will Wait by Mumford & Sons. Sung by Reece Montgomery
- Mad World by Gary Jules. Sung by Natalia Jensen
- Under Pressure by Queen ft. David Bowie. Sung by The Dalton Academy Warblers
- Cannibal by Ke$ha. Sung by Beckii Castor
- Demons by Imagine Dragons. Sung by Dexter Iver
- About A Girl by The Academy Is.... Sung by Davies Dawson
- Yeah Yeah by Willy Moon. Sung by New Directions
Glee: The Next Generation Season 5, Episode #1: "The Newbies"[]
So here’s what you missed on Glee: The Next Generation:
Jaxon, Lana, Miles, Honey, Evan, Nicole, Rose, McKenzie, Monique, Aldy, and Natasha all graduated, leaving McKinley, Glee Club, and their friends behind. Emma is expecting a baby and plans to resign as counselor after the school year ends. Mr. Schue got promoted to principal and will have Sue as his vice principal. Mr. Schue, however, didn’t tell his students that he would be resigning from Glee Club. Now, as the remaining Glee Club members—James, Bella, Adam, Ana, Kevin, and Taylor—return to McKinley for a new year, they have no idea what is in store for them. This is of course, following James’ marriage to Jaxon in New York and New Directions’ win at Internationals, a combination that has the remaining members in good spirits for a new year at McKinley.
And that’s what you missed on Glee!
____________________________________________________________
New high school freshmen Jonathan Pierce, Timmy Summers, and Julie Garrity stepped through the front doors of McKinley High and exhaled, taking a look at their surroundings.
“Finally, we’re in high school,” Julie said, looking excitedly at her best friend Timmy.
“I know,” Natalia Jensen said from behind the others as she walked through the doors. “It’s about time, huh?”
As the four friends stood together, taking in the feeling, a greasy-haired sophomore made his way over to them, his hand behind his back. He stopped directly in front of them, looking down at them and smiling mischievously.
“Well, well, well,” the sophomore said. “What do we have here? Fresh meat?”
“Freshmen,” Natalia corrected.
“Freshmen, fresh meat, what’s the difference?” The sophomore asked. “Now, which one of you wants your first slushie to the face? A McKinley tradition and a little ‘welcome to high school’ present.”
“What are you waiting for, Aleksander?” Beckii Castor said, appearing beside the sophomore. “Go ahead and pick one.”
“Hmm,” Aleksander said, pulling the slushie out from behind his back and brandishing it. “Eeenie, meanie, miney, mo—”
Before anyone of them had the chance to prepare themselves for the onslaught of slushie, Aleksander twisted toward Natalia and flung the red slush right into her face, laughing in delight as she let out a high-pitched shriek.
“Welcome to high school, fresh meat,” Aleksander said, smirking.
“Hey!” Davies Dawson said, her hands on her hips as she watched Aleksander. “Aleks, why don’t you pick on someone your own size?”
Aleksander narrowed his eyes menacingly as he made his way over to Davies. Davies stood her ground, not backing down as she and Aleksander had a stare-off. Finally, Aleksander laughed, breaking the tension.
“Duly noted, sis,” Aleksander said, turning around and walking off.
Sometimes, I can’t believe that d-bag is my brother, Davies narrated. Well, my half-brother and SECRET half-brother at that. Well, if he keeps up with calling me “sis” here at school, then I suspect that the cat will be out of the bag soon enough.
____________________________________________________________
Glee: The Next Generation
____________________________________________________________
As Natalia and Julie exited the bathroom, having just finished getting Natalia cleaned up from her slushie to the face, Julie hugged Natalia goodbye and went her separate way. Natalia started down the hall and stopped as she saw the announcements board. Being the glutton for information and knowledge that she was, she stopped to read each and every one. She dismissed most of them, but once she saw the one about Glee Club, she took notice as she read it aloud.
“Shine bright like the star you are,” Natalia read aloud. “Join Glee Club, fresh off its first-ever International championship. Live, grow, learn, and love through music with others who enjoy music as much as you—now accepting new members. Auditions are every Monday and Tuesday for the first three weeks of school in the April Rhodes Civic Pavilion.”
Natalia pulled out her PDA and made a note of the information before shoving it back into her backpack and jogging down the hall, trying to make it to her first class on time. From his locker, sophomore Dexter Iver, raised up, having heard Natalia reading the notice.
“Glee club?” Dexter asked himself.
____________________________________________________________
Inside the choir room, Bella James, James Holland-Pierce, Ana Watson, Adam Gray, Taylor Atkinson, and Kevin Rhodes sat around, waiting.
“Seriously, what is Mr. Schue’s problem?” Bella asked. “He asked us to make posters and arrange the try-outs and here it is, almost time for the auditions to begin, and he’s yet to show.”
“Haven’t you heard?” Reece asked, walking in, his guitar on his back. “Mr. Schue is the new principal.”
“We know that,” James said. “He announced it during the school announcements this morning.”
“But didn’t you read the school’s announcement board?” Natalia asked as she walked into the choir room. “Mr. Schue resigned as Glee Club director.”
“What?” Ana asked. “How could he do this to us? And how could he not bother to tell us.”
“Maybe he was worried how we’d take it,” Adam replied. “I mean, we were already losing some of our friends.”
“Next question,” Bella said, looking at Reece. “What are you doing here?”
“I transferred,” Reece said. “I didn’t like the direction that Thurston’s principal was taking the school in ever since he got rid of Glee Club. So, I talked my parents into allowing me to transfer to the school with the currently most prestigious Glee Club, and here I am.”
“I thought you were living with Hallie’s mother,” Bella said.
“I was, but I still couldn’t transfer without my parents’ permission,” Reece replied. “Things are pretty lonely without Hallie around.”
“Don’t remind me,” Bella said. “So, another question: who are you?”
Natalia looked down at herself and then at Bella. “Are you talking to me?”
“No, I’m talking to the guy behind you,” Bella said sarcastically.
Natalia looked behind her and when she realized no one was behind her, she turned around to face the others. Taylor stifled a laugh as Natalia looked confused.
“She was being sarcastic,” Ana said.
“Oh,” Natalia said. “Sorry, I guess I’m not good with sarcasm. I saw your flyer and I came here for tryouts. There was no one down in the auditorium, so I asked someone where I might could find you guys and they told me to come here.”
“Well, we would be down in the auditorium but we can’t seem to find our Glee Club director,” Kevin said. “And since you said he resigned, I guess we don’t have one.”
“Guess that the Titanic is going to go down without its captain,” Taylor said.
“Not so fast,” Holly Holliday said, as she walked into the choir room, flanked by Kurt Hummel. “Hola, clase. Say hello to your new director and co-director.”
“Uh, don’t you have to be a teacher here to host an after-school activity?” Bella asked.
“I am,” Holly said. “I’m McKinley’s new Spanish teacher as well, thanks to a glowing recommendation from Mr. Schue himself. As for Kurt, as he’s mainly an assistant for me, he’s exempt from that rule.”
“Hey, guys,” Kurt said, raising his hand to wave.
“Sorry for being late, but it seems that Sue Sylvester still hates me and tried to tow my car,” Holly said. “But, better late than never, so let’s go get these auditions under way.”
____________________________________________________________
As all of the hopeful new Glee Club members sat in the auditorium, awaiting their chance to audition, Bella and James stood onstage.
“Welcome everyone,” Bella said. “We had no idea how many people would be turning out to audition, so it’s a good idea that we decided to break up the audition period for the next three weeks, that way we would still be allowed plenty of time to get ready for Invitationals and McKinley’s Halloween carnival, while allowing you guys time to try-out for other clubs and sports.”
“We’ve broken you all up into six groups, chosen at random,” James said. “Bella and I, as New Directions’ co-captains, will assist Holly and Kurt at moving the auditions along. Each group has a number—one through six—and each day of auditions, one group will perform. The rest of you can stick around to watch the auditions until your group is called if you would like.”
“Until then, we would like to kick-off the school year with a number from the New Directions veterans,” Bella said. “Hit it!”
The curtain dropped behind them dropped, reveling Ana, Adam, Taylor, and Kevin, who all strutted out to join Bella and James.
“Generation next, generation next,” New Directions sang.
“Ah, generation next,” Bella sang.
“Generation next, generation next,” New Directions sang.
“Generation,” James sang.
“Generation next, generation next,” New Directions sang.
“Generation, yeah,” Ana sang.
“Generation next, generation next,” New Directions sang. “Hold it down, feel the noise. Let me know if it's a fight; pick it up, it's alive. Hold it down, feel the noise. Let me know if it's a fight; pick it up, it's alive. Move over, yeah, don't do it over.”
“Yeah, yeah, yeah,” Kevin sang.
“’Cause it's over, yeah, yeah, yeah,” New Directions sang. “Generation next.”
“Yeah, yeah, a generation, yeah,” Taylor sang.
“Next phase,” Adam sang.
“Next stage,” Ana sang.
“Next grade,” Taylor sang.
“Next wave,” Kevin sang.
“Let me tell you ‘bout a thing, gotta put it to the test,” Bella sang. “It's a celebration, motivation, generation next.”
“We’re sowing the seed, every color, every creed,” James sang. “Teach, never preach, listen up, and take heed.”
“Take the heat, feel the flow,” Ana, Adam, Taylor, and Kevin sang. “’Cause you're ready to burn and we're ready to go. Take the heat, feel the flow ‘cause you're ready to burn and we're ready to go.”
“Move over, yeah, don't do it over,” New Directions sang.
“Yeah, yeah, yeah,” Kevin sang.
“’Cause it's over, yeah, yeah, yeah,” New Directions sang. “Move over, don't do it over ‘cause it's over, yeah, yeah, yeah.”
“Don't do it over,” Adam sang.
“Generation next,” New Directions sang.
“Yeah, yeah, a generation, yeah,” Taylor sang.
“Let me tell you ‘bout a thing, gotta put it to the test,” Bella sang. “It's a celebration, motivation, generation next.”
“You gotta know the rules if you wanna play the game,” James sang. “Respect, dedication, never riding on a fame.”
“Dedication,” Ana sang.
“Celebration,” Adam sang.
“Phenomination,” Taylor sang.
“Good vibration,” Kevin sang.
“Motivation,” Ana sang.
“Domination,” Adam sang.
“Baby nation,” Taylor sang.
“Recreation,” Kevin sang.
“Imagination,” Adam sang.
“Crazy nation,” Ana sang.
“Move over, yeah, don't do it over,” New Directions sang.
“Yeah, yeah, yeah,” Kevin sang.
“’Cause it's over, yeah, yeah, yeah,” New Directions sang.
“Don't do it over,” Adam sang.
“Move over, don't do it over ‘cause it's over, yeah, yeah, yeah,” New Directions sang.
“Generation next.”
“Yeah, yeah, a generation, yeah,” Taylor sang.
“Generation next, generation next,” New Directions sang.
“Ah, generation next,” Bella sang.
“Generation next, generation next,” New Directions sang.
“Generation,” James sang.
“Generation next, generation next,” New Directions sang.
“Generation, yeah,” Ana sang.
“Generation next, generation next,” New Directions sang. “Generation next. Generation next.”
The song ended and everyone in the audience jumped to their feet, cheering wildly. New Directions took their bows and made their way to their seats, sitting beside Holly and Kurt.
____________________________________________________________
Back in Emma Pillsbury-Schuester’s former office, Deandra Hallifax smiled to herself as she straightened the picture of her family on the wall.
Here I am, back at McKinley, Deandra narrated. I attended McKinley a while ago and I had to say, it felt like home being back. I was practically begged to take the job by the superintendent, and after I had accepted, Principal Schuester called me up to talk about how my status as an LGBT advocate would be a blessing at McKinley. My title as an LGBT advocate was something I wore proudly ever since gaining it after my series of articles for Out Magazine and The Advocate.
There was a knock at the door and Deandra turned to face it, making her way over and opening the door to reveal a dark haired young girl.
“You’re the new counselor, right?” The girl asked.
Deandra nodded, putting her arm around the girl and leading her inside. “Yes, I am. I’m Miss Hallifax and I am the new guidance counselor and LGBT advocate at McKinley. Now, what can I help you with?”
“My name is Etta,” the girl said. “I think I’m a lesbian.”
Deandra leaned down and put her hands firmly on Etta’s wrists. “It’s going to be okay, honey.”
____________________________________________________________
Back in the auditorium, Reece sat onstage, guitar in hand as he strummed. Bella swooned, swaying to the music as beside her, James gave her a funny look.
“Well, I came home like a stone and I fell heavy into your arms,” Reece sang. “These days of dust which we've known will blow away with this new sun. But I'll kneel down, wait for now. And I'll kneel down, know my ground. And I will wait, I will wait for you. And I will wait, I will wait for you.”
“Hmm, I wonder who this song is about,” Taylor said, looking ahead at Bella.
“Hallie?” Kevin asked. “Since she’s not here anymore.”
Taylor reached over and slapped the back of Kevin’s head with a resounding smack. Kevin winced, grabbing his head and holding it as he looked at Taylor.
“I thought you guys weren’t going to do that anymore,” Kevin said.
“Miles made that promise, not me,” Taylor said. “So you had better get used to it again.”
“So break my step and relent,” Reece sang. “Well, you forgave and I won't forget. Know what we've seen and him with less. Now, in some way shake the excess ‘cause I will wait, I will wait for you. And I will wait, I will wait for you. And I will wait, I will wait for you. And I will wait, I will wait for you. Now I'll be bold as well as strong and use my head alongside my heart. So tame my flesh and fix my eyes, a tethered mind freed from the lies.”
“Well, obviously the kid is talented,” James said to Bella. “But he comes from a country music show choir. Can he break away from the country, bluegrass, and folk to fit in here with New Directions?”
“I have faith in him,” Bella said. “I wish you would, too.”
“I do,” James said. “I’m just worried about his…musical tastes. We need him to be a bit more…I don’t know, diverse?”
“And I'll kneel down, wait for now,” Reece sang. “I'll kneel down, know my ground. Raise my hands, paint my spirit gold. And bow my head, keep my heart slow ‘cause I will wait, I will wait for you. And I will wait, I will wait for you. And I will wait, I will wait for you. And I will wait, I will wait for you.”
“That was good,” James said. “But some of us have concerns that all you know is country, bluegrass, and folk. Do you know any rock songs? Pop songs? R&B or hip-hop? Do you know any show tunes?”
Reece nodded. “Of course I do. I’m not just Mr. Country Music. Maybe it’s a bit more comfortable for me being where I came from, but I’m not pigeon-holed by it. Give me a chance.”
“Moment of truth,” James said. “All of New Directions in favor?”
Everyone but Taylor raised their hand. James looked at Bella and nodded.
“Welcome to New Directions,” Bella said.
“Alright,” James said, scanning over the sheet. “Next up, we have Natalia Jensen.”
Natalia stood up and made her way to the stage. She turned to face the audience and as she saw all the people watching her, she froze.
“Uh, Natalia?” Bella asked.
“S-sorry,” Natalia said. “I guess I zoned out.”
“What are you singing?” James asked.
“I’m going to be singing ‘Mad World’ by Gary Jules,” Natalia said.
“Proceed,” Bella instructed as the music began to play softly behind Natalia.
“All around me are familiar faces, worn out places, worn out faces,” Natalia sang as she took her seat on the stool. “Bright and early for their daily races, going nowhere, going nowhere. Their tears are filling up their glasses, no expression, no expression. Hide my head, I want to drown my sorrow, no tomorrow, no tomorrow.”
“This song is so depressing,” James said.
“I wanna shoot myself in the face,” Bella joked.
“And I find it kind of funny, I find it kind of sad,” Natalia sang. “The dreams in which I'm dying are the best I've ever had. I find it hard to tell you, I find it hard to take. When people run in circles, it's a very, very mad world, mad world. Children waiting for the day they feel good. Happy birthday, happy birthday, and I feel the way that every child should. Sit and listen, sit and listen. Went to school and I was very nervous, no one knew me, no one knew me. Hello teacher tell me what's my lesson, look right through me, look right through me.”
“Sad and majorly depressing song aside, what do you think?” Bella asked, looking at James.
“She’s got pipes,” James said. “I’ll give her that.”
“And I find it kind of funny, I find it kind of sad,” Natalia sang. “The dreams in which I'm dying are the best I've ever had. I find it hard to tell you, I find it hard to take. When people run in circles, it's a very, very mad world, mad world. Enlarging your world, mad world.”
The song ended and Natalia shook off the song’s emotion, instantly becoming happy again. She looked excitedly at Bella and James, who seemed shocked at her ability to just turn off the emotion like a light switch.
“Um, okay, wow,” Bella said. “We’re impressed. You’ve got some pipes, kiddo. Welcome to New Directions.”
Natalia squealed as she jumped and clapped her hands together. “Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you!”
“Okay, a little less peppy,” Bella said.
____________________________________________________________
Dexter walked down the hall, feeling out his way the tip of his cane, which he used to help him get around because he was blind. He managed to do so alright for a blind guy, in his opinion.
Being blind sometimes can be hard, Dexter narrated. I know you all must be feeling pretty sorry for me. Don’t; I do alright. I get by. I’m a survivor; it’s all I know how to be. After about three weeks of feeling sorry for myself after realizing that I was blind and not just temporarily, but for the rest of my life, I decided to stopping throwing a pity party and make the most of my life. Even if that meant I had to do so without the ability to see. It’s not so bad sometimes. I have really good hearing and I feel like I can really hear the emotion of a beautiful song. Life is like, so enriched with beauty, I just have rely on my other senses to interpret it.
As Aleksander made his way back from football tryouts, he saw Dexter and smiled mischievously to himself. He ran forward and pushed Dexter, causing him to be taken by surprise, falling to the floor and hitting his knee hard on impact.
And then sometimes, things like that happen, Dexter narrated.
Dexter’s cane slid to a stop at the feet of Kevin Rhodes, who was making his way back from the April Rhodes Civic Pavilion. Kevin bent down and picked up Dexter’s cane, walked over, and helped Dexter to his feet.
“Who is that?” Dexter asked.
“It’s Kevin,” Kevin said. “Aleksander is a jerk. Twice the jerk Louis was. Even Louis wasn’t pathetic enough to push a blind person.”
“It’s okay,” Dexter said. “Thank you, Kevin.”
“Don’t mention it,” Kevin said. “Are you okay? You look like you hit your knee pretty hard.”
“I’m fine,” Dexter said.
“Look, I’ll walk you to the school nurse and let her look at it,” Kevin said.
“I am capable of getting there myself,” Dexter said. “I don’t need you to walk me there just because I’m blind.”
“It’s not just because you’re blind,” Kevin said. “If I saw anyone take a tumble like that, I would offer to walk them to the nurse’s office. It’s just the kind of person I am. I wanna do the right thing and help people. I wanna make friends.”
“Then maybe we should introduce ourselves officially,” Dexter said. “Can I feel your face? Not to sound creepy, but you know, it’s how I see?”
Kevin smiled. “Yeah, go ahead.”
Dexter reached up and ran his fingers over Kevin’s face. In his mind, the correlation between his fingertips and his brain made an almost perfect image of Kevin in his head. Dexter smiled.
“Now that I can see you, it’s not so awkward,” Dexter said. “I’m Dexter Iver.”
“Kevin Rhodes,” Kevin said, taking Dexter’s hand and shaking it firmly. “And I think you might like your cane back.”
Dexter smiled warmly as he took his hand from Kevin’s hand. “So, does that offer to walk with me to the nurse’s office still stand? I could use a new friend, Kevin.”
Kevin nodded as he laced his arm through Dexter’s. “Of course it does. And for the record, new friends are awesome.”
____________________________________________________________
Davies slammed her locker as she whipped away from Teddy Cruz, her boyfriend whom she had been dating for about four months now. Teddy looked surprised by Davies’ angry reaction.
“I just thought maybe you would like to come with me to my meeting,” Davies said.
“Don’t you understand?” Teddy said. “This is a big chance for me to finally make the football team. If I don’t attend tryouts today then I can kiss my chances goodbye—”
“Fine!” Davies said angrily. “Go to your tryouts and try out for your little football team. See if I care.”
“I don’t understand why you are still going to those meetings,” Teddy said. “You’re much better.”
“I don’t expect you to understand,” Davies said.
“Davies, please—”
“Just go on,” Davies said, defeated. “Don’t keep your little football friends waiting. I’ll be waiting for you when you’re done, like always.”
Teddy sighed as he turned around and walked away, leaving Davies standing alone. Davies slumped against her locker, looking sad.
I thought love was supposed to be a happy thing, Davies narrated. Now I find myself in another argument with Teddy that has left me upset. Some things never change.
Davies turned around and punched her locker, wincing in pain as she grabbed her hand, and held it.
____________________________________________________________
At Dalton Academy, Trey Brooks ran in and took his seat on the sofa as Zack Westbrook and Marcus Von Bleicken took their seats behind the Warbler’s desk. Zack took the gavel and banged it, calling the meeting to order.
“Chuck Salvatore was a great leader, but he has graduated and it’s time for one of us to rise to the occasion and follow in his footsteps, leading the Warblers to greatness,” Zack said.
“That someone will be either Zack or I,” Marcus said, straightening his jacket cuffs. “For far too long, the Warblers have been viewed as a joke. No one will take us seriously because unlike New Directions, we have never won a National or International title.”
“We just received word from the dean that if we do not do so this year, the Warblers will be no more,” Zack said. “None of our boosters want to support a losing team and our dean says that we are wasting this room, time, and money by dragging around a dead horse. This year, following the hard work that Chuck put into the Warblers, we are no longer a dead horse. We are a dark horse.”
“Are you serious?” Trey asked. “They’re going to just do away with the Warblers? Can they do that.”
“They can do whatever they want,” Marcus said. “This is their school, after all.”
“But that’s okay,” Zack said. “We’re not bowing to New Directions, not again. We’re not bowing to any show choir for that matter. Not them, not Vocal Adrenaline, not Aural Intensity, and definitely not the Holy Rollers. We’re going to send out a little message; a message that says the Warblers are cranking up the pressure this year.”
“Pressure, pushing down on me, pressing down on you, no man ask for,” Marcus sang as the rest of the Warblers began to vocalize the main riff of the song. “Under pressure that burns a building down, splits a family in two, puts people on streets.”
“It's the terror of knowing what this world is about,” Trey sang as he jumped up and an over to join Zack and Marcus. “Watching some good friends screaming, ‘get me out!’ Tomorrow gets me higher.”
“Pressure on people, people on streets,” the Warblers sang.
“Chipping around, kick my brains ‘round the floor,” Zack sang. “These are the days; it never rains but it pours.”
“People on streets, people on streets,” the Warblers sang.
“It's the terror of knowing what this world is about,” Trey sang. “Watching some good friends screaming, ‘get me out!’ Tomorrow gets me higher, higher, higher.”
“Pressure on people, people on streets,” the Warblers sang.
“Turned away from it all like a blind man,” Marcus sang. “Sat on a fence but it don't work. Keep coming up with love but it's so slashed and torn. Why, why, why?”
“Love, love, love, love,” the Warblers sang.
“Insanity laughs, under pressure we're cracking,” Zack sang. “Can't we give ourselves one more chance? Why can't we give love that one more chance? Why can't we give love, give love, give love, give love, give love, give love, give love, give love?”
“Cause love's such an old-fashioned word,” the Warblers sang. “And love dares you to care for the people on the edge of the night. And love dares you to change our way of caring about ourselves. This is our last dance, this is our last dance, this is ourselves under pressure. Under pressure, pressure.”
As the song ended and the Warblers chatted amongst themselves, Zack pulled Marcus aside.
“I’m going to be the Warblers’ new leader,” Zack said. “Make no mistake about that.”
“You don’t have their best interests in mind,” Marcus said. “You never have. You know very well what this is all about: you just want the power, Zack. You hate to take orders. You’re not a team player, so why not lead the team alone?”
“You can’t let go of what happened between us,” Zack mocked.
“We agreed to never mention that again,” Marcus said.
“Well, that can be arranged,” Zack replied, smiling wickedly. “That is, if the price is right. Tick tock, dear Marcus. The clock is ticking. If you don’t ease up on your hold on the Warblers, soon everyone will know.”
As Zack walked away, a proud bounce in his step, Marcus glared at him. Trey looked at Marcus, and then back at Zack, wondering what was going on.
“New Directions and those other show choirs won’t know what hit them,” Marcus said angrily. “The days of the Warblers being friends with New Directions are over. This year, it’s a straight-up, full-on war.”
Slowly, Zack turned to face Marcus, glaring at him. Marcus stood his ground, glaring back at Zack, who finally turned back around and walked out the door, slamming it behind him.
____________________________________________________________
Beckii stood back, watching intently as Aleksander stood at his locker, gathering up his books. She smiled devilishly to herself.
Aleksander is hot in a sweaty, greasy, “I probably torture small animals in my basement” kind of way, Beckii narrated. What can I say? I have a thing for dark, mysterious and likely even dangerous boys. Hell, I have a thing or boys, period. I’m a man-eater. I chew boys up and I spit them out. It’s all in a day’s work.
Beckii quickly pulled out her compact and checked herself in the mirror.
So, what? I like to flirt with danger, that doesn’t mean that I can’t check to make sure I look good. I am a girl, after all. It’s like, what we do or something. Step one: look good. Check. Step two: confidence. I got that in spades. Check. Step three: be sexy, be sultry, and be seductive.
Beckii began to slink over to Aleksander, turning her sex appeal all the way up as she seductively leaned up against the locker.
And the last step, step four: I am the predator and he is the pray. It’s time to pounce.
“Hey, Big Boy,” Beckii said.
Oh, god…did I just say that?
Aleksander turned to face Beckii, looking confused at her behavior. Beckii smiled, gently biting her lower lip as Aleksander raised an eyebrow.
“Uh, hey,” Aleksander said.
“So listen,” Beckii said, taking her phone out. “I thought I should maybe serenade you, lover boy.”
“I am not your lover boy,” Aleksander said, looking taken aback.
“You say that now,” Beckii said, scrolling through her songs. “I bet I can change your mind.”
“I wouldn’t hold my breath,” Aleksander responded.
“I have a heart I swear I do, but just not baby when it comes to you,” Beckii sang as she grabbed Aleksander by the collar of his Green Day shirt. “I get so hungry when you say you love me. If you know what's good for you—I think you're hot, I think you're cool. You're the kind of guy I'd stalk in school, but now that I'm famous, you're up my anus. Now I'm gonna eat you fool!”
Aleksander looked bit panicked as Beckii walked his slowly up against his locker and leaned in closely as she sang.
“I eat boys up, breakfast and lunch,” Beckii sang. “Then when I'm thirsty, I drink their blood. Carnivore animal, I am a cannibal. I eat boys up, you better run. I am cannibal, cannibal, cannibal, I am—I am cannibal. Cannibal, I'll eat you up. I am, I am cannibal, cannibal, cannibal, I am—I am cannibal. Cannibal, I'll eat you up.”
Beckii pulled Aleksander forward, her lips mere centimeters from his. As Aleksander gulped, Beckii shoved Aleksander backward, causing him to hit his locker with a resounding thud.
“Whenever you tell me I'm pretty, that's when the hunger really hits me,” Beckii sang as she took out a tube of Femme Fatale red lipstick, twisted the tube, and began to apply it to her lips. “Your little heart goes pitter-patter, I want your liver on a platter. Use your finger to stir my tea and for dessert I'll suck your teeth. Be too sweet and you'll be a goner. Yep, I'll pull a Jeffrey Dahmer.”
Aleksander found himself paralyzed as Beckii strutted forward and grabbed him behind the head, pulling him close to her.
“I eat boys up, breakfast and lunch,” Beckii sang. “Then when I'm thirsty, I drink their blood. Carnivore animal, I am a cannibal. I eat boys up, you better run. I am cannibal, cannibal, cannibal, I am—I am cannibal. Cannibal, I'll eat you up. I am, I am cannibal, cannibal, cannibal, I am—I am cannibal. Cannibal, I'll eat you up.”
At the last second, Beckii turned Aleksander’s face and pressed her lips to his cheeks. As she pushed him away, her lip prints were left perfectly on his cheek. Horrified, Aleksander reached up and touched his cheek. When he looked at his fingers, his fingertips were smudged with red lipstick.
“Really, Beckii?” Aleksander asked. “Not only do you scare me, but the whole singing in the hallway like some kind of freakshow makes it even worse. You should really join Glee Club. I heard it’s the place for freaks like you!”
Beckii watched in shock as Aleksander ran away, never looking back. The overwhelming sense of shame that overcame her began to stir within her as Aleksander’s words echoed in her head. Beckii glared at Aleksander, determination in her eyes.
____________________________________________________________
Back in the auditorium, Beckii stood onstage as the lights shone down on her. She adjusted her headset microphone as she walked toward the end of the stage.
“I am cannibal, cannibal, cannibal, I am—” Beckii sang. “I am cannibal, cannibal, I'll eat you up. I am cannibal, cannibal, cannibal, I am—I am cannibal, cannibal, I'll eat you up. I love you, I warned you. Rah!”
As the song ended, there was scattered applause as New Directions and the other auditioners sat there, looking at Beckii with looks of shock on their faces.
“That song scares the living crap out of me,” Bella said.
“She scares me,” James said.
“I guess that’s a no?” Bella asked.
“No times one hundred,” James replied.
“Alright, Beck-eee-eye,” Bella said, trying her best to pronounce Beckii’s name.
“It’s like Becky, but the two I’s make a long E sound,” Beckii said. “So am I in?”
“Um, yeah, no,” Bella replied. “To be honest, you scare us. So the answer is no, and since we’re afraid for our lives, my friends from the wrestling team will now escort you off the stage. Thank you for your audition, Becky-With-Two-I’s.”
As the two, large wrestlers picked Beckii up and started to carry her off stage, she struggled to break free, but to no avail, kicking in mid-air.
“You haven’t seen the last of me, New Directions, I will destroy you if it’s the last thing I do!” Beckii yelled before turning to each one of the wrestlers respectively. “But you two muscled-up cuties can call me. I’ll write my number on your large, manly pectorals.”
The two wrestlers glared at Beckii as they threw her to the ground outside of the auditorium.
“So are you gonna call me?” Beckii shouted as the auditorium door slammed in her face.
Bella and James stifled their laughs as they turned back to the stage, where Kevin was helping a guy up the stairs. The guy was walking with a cane, leading Bella to believe he might have an injury until he turned away and could see in his eyes that he was blind.
“Oh my,” Bella whispered to James. “He’s blind.”
“Hi, I’m Dexter Iver,” Dexter said, feeling his way out as he took a seat on the stool. “I’m blind, as you can probably see and I’ve been that way since I was born, so I’ve never known what it’s like to see. When I was a kid, it finally came to my realization that not everyone was like me…I was different and it was called being blind. That I lacked a whole sense that almost everyone else got to have and it made me sad. I wanted to know what it was like to see. And I kept telling myself, it’s temporary; they’ll find a cure or there is a surgery to fix it—it might even eventually go away and I can know what it’s like to see things like everyone else. And after a few weeks, my hope faded and I realized that no end was going to come; this was how I was and it was how I was gonna be for the rest of life. So, I learned to live with it and decided that I wasn’t going to let it stop me at any costs. I’m going to follow my dreams and prove to myself, along with the world, that a blind person can follow his dreams as well as any sighted person. So, I overheard Natalia—I recognized her voice during the audition—reading the Glee Club flyer and it lead me here.”
“That was moving,” Bella said, a tear rolling down her cheek. “What will you be singing for us, Dexter?”
“A very personal song for me,” Dexter replied. “I will singing ‘Demons’ by Imagine Dragons.”
“Proceed whenever you’re ready,” James said.
“When the days are cold and the cards all fold and the saints we see are all made of gold,” Dexter sang. “When your dreams all fail and the ones we hail are the worst of all and the blood’s run stale. I wanna hide the truth, I wanna shelter you but with the beast inside, there’s nowhere we can hide. No matter what we breed, we still are made of greed. This is my kingdom come, this is my kingdom come.”
Kevin stood by the steps of the stage, his arms crossed as he watched on, proud.
“When you feel my heat, look into my eyes,” Dexter sang. “It’s where my demons hide, it’s where my demons hide. Don’t get too close, it’s dark inside. It’s where my demons hide, it’s where my demons hide. Curtain’s call is the last of all. When the lights fade out, all the sinners crawl. So they dug your grave and the masquerade will come calling out at the mess you've made. Don't wanna let you down, but I am hell bound. Though this is all for you, don't wanna hide the truth.”
Out in the audience, everyone was amazed at the voice coming out of Dexter. Bella looked at James, her mouth hanging open.
“He’s amazing,” Bella said as James nodded.
“No matter what we breed, we still are made of greed,” Dexter sang. “This is my kingdom come, this is my kingdom come. When you feel my heat, look into my eyes. It’s where my demons hide, it’s where my demons hide. Don’t get too close, it’s dark inside. It’s where my demons hide, it’s where my demons hide.”
Slowly, the auditorium door opened and Davies walked inside, standing just inside the door, watching Dexter sing.
“They say it's what you make, I say it's up to fate,” Dexter sang. “It's woven in my soul. I need to let you go. Your eyes, they shine so bright. I wanna save that light. I can't escape this now unless you show me how. When you feel my heat, look into my eyes. It’s where my demons hide, it’s where my demons hide. Don’t get too close, it’s dark inside. It’s where my demons hide, it’s where my demons hide.”
“Dexter, your voice is so…monumental,” James said. ‘I don’t know how else to describe it. I look at you, and no offense, I expect you to be a bit weak. But when you sing, your voice is so strong that you know it had to come from someone who has had to evolve to be stronger and stronger every day. I was blown away.”
“I’m just worried about the strain that show choir might put on you being blind,” Bella said. “I am afraid that the traveling might be hard on you and you won’t be able to gage the size of the stage and dance right off—and that reminds me about the choreography. I just think it would be a bit much.”
“Give him some credit,” Kevin said, walking forward. “Dexter is far from helpless and you heard him. His pipes are amazing, Bella. We need him!”
“I’m not saying that he isn’t good,” Bella said. “I just don’t know how dangerous show choir might be for him.”
“It’s no more dangerous than walking up flights of stairs every day to get to class,” Dexter said. “I can’t see, but my other senses are really amazing. I can hear a song once and play it back perfectly. Did you know I play piano? And as for traveling, I have a seeing-eye dog and the school will provide me with a student aide if needed. I’m quite capable, Bella.”
“Give him a chance,” Kevin pleaded.
Holly looked at Kurt, who nodded. Holly then looked at James, nodding.
“Three yeses,” James said. “I know you’re apprehensive, Bella, but—”
“Four yeses,” Bella said, looking back at Dexter. “Welcome to New Directions, Dexter.”
As Dexter and the others celebrated, Davies walked forward, toward James and Bella.
“Excuse me, is this Glee Club auditions?” Davies asked.
Bella turned to face Davies and nodded. “It is. Did you get a number yesterday?”
“No, I just now came,” Davies replied. “Lana told me when we were going to Twelve Steps Toward Living meetings that Glee Club really helped her, so that’s why I’m here. I thought, you know, maybe Glee Club could be that place for me. I skipped my meeting last minute to come here.”
“Well, we’ve been doing things in numbered groups, but we were wrapping things up here anyway,” James said. “If you wanna take the stage and show us what you’ve got, you’re welcome to.”
“Can I?” Davies asked. “I don’t wanna impose—”
Bella smiled. “The stage is yours, girl.”
Davies nodded as she walked to the stage and took her place behind the microphone. She reached into her backpack, took out some sheet music, and walked over to the band. She handed it to the band leader and then walked back to her spot behind the microphone.
“One song about a girl,” Davies sang. “I can't breathe when I'm around her. I'll wait here every day in case she'll scratch the surface. She'll never notice. I'm not in love. This is not my heart. I'm not gonna waste these words about a girl. Whoa!”
Davies ripped the microphone from the stand and kicked the stand over, causing Bella to jump a bit. James smiled as he watched.
“Last night, I knew what to say but you weren't there to hear it,” Davies sang. “These lines, so well-rehearsed. Tongue tied and over-loaded, you'll never notice. I'm not in love. This is not my heart. I'm not gonna waste these words about a girl. I'm not in love. This is not your song. I'm not gonna waste these words about a girl.”
Teddy watched Davies performing through the window in the auditorium door. He opened the door and stepped in, wearing his football uniform and clutching the straps of his football helmet as it dangled freely.
“To be loved, to be loved, what more could you ask for?” Davies sang. “To be loved, to be loved. Everyone wants to be loved, to be loved. What more could you ask for? To be loved, to be loved, everyone. I'm not in love. This is not my heart. I'm not gonna waste these words—I'm not in love. This is not my heart. I'm not gonna waste these words about a girl. I'm not in love. This is not your song. I'm not gonna waste these words about a girl.”
The song ended and Teddy turned around and silently walked back out of the auditorium, the door slowly shutting behind him.
“Question,” Bella said. “Why do I feel this song is about Lana?”
“It’s not about Lana, it’s just one of my favorite songs,” Davies said. “Besides Lana and I never had anything going on and I have a boyfriend, anyway.”
“So you’re bisexual?” Bella asked. “Like me?”
“I don’t like labels,” Davies replied. “Let’s just say that I’m not going through life with an arm tied behind my back. It’s about the connection, not the gender.”
“So, is she in?” James asked.
“I say ‘si’,” Holly said with a smile.
“Of course,” Kurt said.
“Yes,” Bella said.
“Congrats and welcome to New Directions, Davies,” James said. “It’s an honor to finally have you with us.”
____________________________________________________________
The next day, as Teddy went to the second round of football try-outs, Davies went her way to Glee Club, under the ruse that she was going to a special meeting of Twelve Steps Toward Living. Neither really said a word to the other, just went their separate ways as if it had become routine.
Okay, so I know that I shouldn’t be lying to my boyfriend, Davies narrated. And I also realize that I can’t use the Twelve Steps Toward Living excuse every day and eventually, I will have to come up with other excuses, but you don’t understand. Teddy has never been supportive of anything I do for me and my state of mental health. He wouldn’t understand, he wouldn’t care, and he wouldn’t do it with me. So, it’s better to just keep it to myself.
Davies walked happily into the choir room, looking at all the happy faces greeting her: Bella, James, Ana, Adam, Taylor, Kevin, Reece, Natalia, and Dexter. She took her seat next to Adam, who was the only person she was familiar with thanks to coming home with Lana a few times.
Holly walked into the room, followed by Kurt, who both wore silver three-piece suits.
“What’s with the tuxedos?” Adam asked.
“Just getting in the mood for our very first group number of the year with some of our new members,” Holly said.
“I bought this amazing record by a guy named Willy Moon, who is like a musical genius,” Kurt said. “Holly loved it so much that we went out and rented these suits.”
“So,” Holly said. “Get up out of your seat, start tapping those feet, and give in to the beat!”
As the music started, Holly and Kurt danced together. Slowly, one-by-one, New Directions got up and started to join in.
“Naa-naa-na-na-na-naa-naa-naa,” Holly and Kurt sang. “Naa-naa-na-na-na-naa, oh. Naa-naa-na-na-na-naa-naa-naa. Naa-naa-na-na-na-naa, oh.”
“Everybody well don't you know it's me now?” James sang as he danced with Ana. “Yeah, who's it, who is it, eh?”
“Well, he’s back with a brand new beat now, uh,” Ana sang. “Yeah, you doing it, doing it, eh.”
“Hey, hey, hey, hey, yeah,” New Directions sang. “Trying to doubt my style? Hey, hey, hey, yeah, how you like me now?”
The scene cut to the auditorium as New Directions stood onstage, surrounded by floor length mirrors. In the center of the stage was a round platform on which Holly and Kurt stood, wearing their suits. New Directions were dressed all in black: black long sleeve shirts, black dance shoes, and black pants.
“I try to have a little fun now,” Davies sang. “I stay with an ear to the drum now, uh.”
“Hey, hey, hey, hey, yeah,” New Directions sang as they danced around the platform. “Turn it up, turn it up now. Hey, hey, hey, yeah, turn me up on the dial. And everybody goes ooh-oo-oo-oo-oo-ooh to the soung of the radio. Ooh-oo-oo-oo-oo-ooh to the sound of the beat. Ooh-oo-oo-oo-oo-ooh to the soung of the radio. Ooh-oo-oo-oo-oo-ooh, yeah, to the sound of the beat. And everybody goes—”
“Naa-naa-na-na-na-naa-naa-naa,” Holly and Kurt sang. “Naa-naa-na-na-na-naa, oh. Naa-naa-na-na-na-naa-naa-naa. Naa-naa-na-na-na-naa, oh.”
“These girls they be acting so sweet now,” Dexter sang. “Yeah, they doing it, doing it.
“They get down with the sound of the beat now,” Reece sang. “Yeah, they on and on it, eh.”
“Hey, hey, hey, hey, yeah,” New Directions sang. “Is it that they like my style? Hey, hey, hey, yeah, they like my style. And everybody goes ooh-oo-oo-oo-oo-ooh to the soung of the radio. Ooh-oo-oo-oo-oo-ooh to the sound of the beat. Ooh-oo-oo-oo-oo-ooh to the soung of the radio. Ooh-oo-oo-oo-oo-ooh, yeah, to the sound of the beat. And everybody goes ooh-oo-oo-oo-oo-ooh to the soung of the radio. Ooh-oo-oo-oo-oo-ooh to the sound of the beat. Ooh-oo-oo-oo-oo-ooh to the soung of the radio. Ooh-oo-oo-oo-oo-ooh, yeah, to the sound of the beat.”
As the song ended, everyone came together, surrounding the platform, smiling. They put their hands together in a pile on top of Holly and Kurt’s hands.
“New Directions!” They shouted as they raised their hands to the sky, breaking apart.
“Only three more members and we qualify for Sectionals,” Holly said. "Let's do it!"
THE END