Picture perfect - Book 1 - Q.F.

Wheels

A/N: A favorite of mine coming your way! Let me know your thoughts and if you've been enjoying the story so far! 

"All right, guys. We're doing a new number for Sectionals." Mr. Schue said, as he started to hand out sheet music. "I know that pop songs have sort of been our signature pieces, but I did a little research on past winners, and it turns out that the judges like songs that are more accessible. Stuff they know. Hum, standards, Broadway.

"Defying Gravity?" Kurt smiled, excitedly, clearly familiar with the song. "I have an iPod shuffle dedicated exclusively to selections from Wicked. This is amazing."

At that, Mr. Schue smiled at him before turning his attention to Rachel instead.

"Think you can handle it, Rachel?" He asked, causing Kurt to grimace and Piper and Mercedes to exchange a glance.

"It's my go-to shower song." Rachel beamed as Kurt sighed. "It's also my ring tone."

"Why do we have to go all vanilla on this song?" Mercedes asked then, causing everyone to turn to her. "See, what we need is my chocolate thunder."

"Oh, yeah!" Piper giggled as Mercedes winked at her.

"Okay, we don't have time to rearrange a song for you, Mercedes. Rachel is singing it." Mr. Schue ignored all the signs of disappointment from the children around him, as usual. "Don't worry, we'll find something for you to dip in chocolate. On to item two. The school won't pay for the special bus we need to take Artie and his wheelchair with us to Sectionals."

"W-w-what?!" Tina asked, as shocked as everyone else seemed to be.

"That's completely unfair." Rachel said as Mr. Schue nodded.

"So we're going to have to raise money to pay for it ourselves." The teacher said. "See, when I was in glee club, and we needed new silk cummerbunds for Regionals, we held a bake sale."

At that, everyone stopped talking for a second, trying to figure out of Mr. Schue was serious or not. Eventually, though, Santana scoffed.

"You're joking, right?" She asked. "I mean, bake sales are kind of bougie."

"So hip people stopped eating delicious sugary treats?" Mr. Schue asked as Brittany shook her head.

"It's not that?" She shrugged. "It's most of us don't know how to bake. I find recipes confusing."

"My family is fully committed to takeout." Rachel nodded in agreement.

"Yeah, Mr. Schue, kids are busier than when you went here." Finn said. "We've got homework and football and teen pregnancy... Lunch."

"Can't Artie's dad just take him?" Mercedes asked.

"I can't believe how insensitive you're all being." Mr. Schue shook his head, disappointed. "Are you a team?"

"Of course." Quinn was quick to intervene. "But Artie understands, don't you, Artie?"

"Oh..." Artie mumbled, clearly upset. Piper frowned a bit then. "Of course. I-It's cool. Anything that takes away our time from rehearsing doesn't serve the team."

Before anyone could say anything else, however, the school bell rang and everyone started to gather their stuff to leave. Waiting for Piper on her way out, Mercedes wrapped her arm around hers when her best friend caught up with her, already starting to babble away about her new outfit as they walked away. Looking back over her shoulder, she saw Artie and Mr. Schue talking lowly at the back of the classroom and frowned. When Mercedes asked her a question, however, she turned back to the girl as the two of them walked away.