Glee: Back to the Top (the third book in the Glee series)

Chapter 38: The Alumni

LIMA, OHIO

"How was the slumber party?" asked Sam as he walked with Julie to the choir room the following Monday. They were having a 'welcome back' celebration for the alumni now that everyone was on break and the two, along with Kitty, were help Will, Sue and Emma set up.

"Surprisingly fun," she admitted. "The highlight was probably Harmony being dared to stay quiet the rest of the time. The low point... My dare to flirt with Stefan."

"The model-looking kid in the football team?" Sam asked.

She nodded. "He's a sophomore!" she complained as they walked into the choir room.

"Well, you were a sophomore when we—" he stopped talking when he saw that Will, Emma, Sue and Kitty were in the room.

"Fornicated?" Kitty finished for him. "It's ok, we're all aware."

"We never—" Julie began. She rolled her eyes and gave up. "Never mind. Just help me get the—"

"Already did," Kitty grinned. "We finished up in here. All that's left is for someone to hang the streamers."

Sam and Julie looked at each other. "Logically," Sam told her, "it'd be better for the taller one to do it."

"Well look at you using your brain," Santana said as she and Mercedes walked in, smiling. 

"Santana!" Will exclaimed merrily. Everyone greeted each other. "You're early," he told them.

"We underestimated how great the service would be first class," Mercedes said proudly. "Y'all, I can't wait for my album to drop. You're all going to love it and Santana and I are going to be bigger stars than we already are."

"We're scheduled to appear on Ellen during Winter Break," Santana announced proudly.

"That's amazing!" Emma said.

"Where's Brittany?" Kitty asked dryly, wanting to see her mentor.

Santana sighed. "I don't know," she said. "We haven't talked in a while, not since I moved to L.A. actually." Mercedes rubbed her back but the conversation quickly shifted when Rachel Berry and Finn Hudson walked through the door.

"Guess who's here early!" Rachel exclaimed, freezing in place when she saw Santana and Mercedes.

"First class bitches," Santana said as Mercedes greeted them.

"I told you we shouldn't have gone with Business," Rachel hissed at Finn as she hugged Mercedes. Finn shrugged and greeted everyone.

"Must be nice to be on the highest airfare," Sam muttered.

"It is," Santana, Mercedes, Rachel and Finn answered him in unison.

"So when's Quinn getting here?" Julie asked with excitement as Kitty glared at her.

"She stayed back waiting for Puck," said Rachel happily. "His deployment was stretched out for a few weeks longer than it should be and she's supposed to finally hear from him today, so she's going to wait."

"But isn't he coming here from, like, Texas or something?" Mercedes asked.

"Brody's waiting with her," Finn explained. "She just wants a call from him before either of them head over here. And Klaine should already be on their way."

"Wait, donkey face is coming here?" Santana asked. "Seriously?"

"We invited him," Rachel shrugged. "It was Brittany's idea."

"Where is Brittany?" asked Mercedes, knowing Santana wanted to ask but couldn't.

"Right here," Brittany said, walking through the door. "Hey everyone!" She greeted those she hadn't seen and Santana hung back awkwardly.