The Transfer: A Glee Fanfiction

Chapter 14

***Please read the A/N at the end! It has some stuff that you should know in it!

Rachel observed the rest of the rehearsal in silence. It was almost painful to watch them dance around the stage like emotionless robots. This wasn’t the Vocal Adrenaline that Rachel knew, the one that poured their sweat, blood and tears into every performance. Rachel could’ve mistaken Jesse’s recounts of their rehearsals as war stories back when they were dating. This, although it didn’t look easy, wasn’t exactly what Rachel had expected.

When it was over, she exchanged a quick goodbye with Mr. C, promising she’d be ready for her audition that afternoon. She left the auditorium and headed for her locker. There were a few students in the hallway, but not many since there was still fifteen minutes before the first bell.

Rachel got her books for first period before heading back to the auditorium. She stood just outside the doors, waiting for Nicky so she could ask her about the duet. It was about ten minutes before the doors even opened and students came out, dressed in their uniforms with wet hair, smelling of soap.

Rachel was starting to get impatient. She didn’t have much time before class started, and she couldn’t be late. She was just about to go in and look for Nicky herself when the doors opened and she emerged, her hair pulled back in a damp ponytail.

“Nicky!” Rachel said, pushing off the wall. The girl jumped. “Oh, sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you.”

“It’s fine,” she said with a smile. “Just surprised me. What’s up?”

“Well, I was hoping you could help me with my audition,” said Rachel as she walked with Nicky her locker. “I have to sing a duet, and I know we just met, but I already picked the song and you’d be perfect for it…” Rachel’s words came out quick, like they always did when she was nervous. “You don’t have to, if you’re not comfortable with it. I know it’s not easy to perform with a complete stranger, especially for something like this, and-”

“Are you kidding?” Nicky was grinning at Rachel, entering her locker combination without even looking. “I’d love to! I mean, I’m a little surprised you asked me, what with Jesse and all, but I’ll totally do it. What song did you choose?”

“That new Demi Lovato song,” she said, her brow furrowed. “What do you mean ‘with Jesse and all’? What does he have to do with anything?”

“Well, um, I just figured, you know, since you guys were together last year, you’d…” Nicky trailed off, looking away and biting her lip. She clearly didn’t want to delve into Rachel’s old relationship, and she knew why. The only way Nicky would know about her and Jesse is if she was there when it happened, which would mean she was there when they humiliated Rachel in the parking lot. She had been one of the eggers. Rachel waited to feel angry, for the hate to build inside her, but nothing happened. She wasn’t mad at Nicky, or at any of the others for that matter, for what they did last year. With the exception of Jesse, they were all forgiven as far as Rachel was concerned.

“Oh, no,” Rachel laughed. “No way. I’d like to avoid any contact with him whenever possible.”

“Oh, well, okay…” Nicky said while she took out her books. “Well, I’m off to French III with Mr. Petrakis, so I’ll see you later?”

“Sure,” said Rachel. “Thanks again, for helping me with my audition.”

“No problem,” she said, closing her locker. “Find me at lunch, so we can work on it.”

“I will,” Rachel said. “Bye!”

Rachel waved as she walked away. She barely made it to Calculus, sitting down just as the bell rang. The last to arrive, she was stuck sitting next to Jesse in the back again. After last night with Finn, Rachel was in absolutely no mood to deal with Jesse today. She was afraid that if he pulled something like the notes again, she might lose it. He had no right to even look at her after what happened. It had been so easy to forgive the others, but she knew that it would be different with him. She wasn’t sure that she would ever forgive him completely.