photograph || quinn fabray

9. fanny and maria

My mom placed her hand on my shoulder, making sure I wouldn't get lost in the crowd. We stood alongside the Berry family. It was the summer right before high school began. My parents had always been friends with our neighbors, the Berrys. I wasn't too found of their daughter, but I was forced to hangout with her. Ever since we moved to Lima, I had known Rachel to be selfish and annoying. Maybe it was an only child thing, but I wasn't like that, so my theory had to be wrong.

"One day, I'm gonna play Maria." I stated as I stared at the West Side Story billboard.

"No." Rachel replied, shaking her head. "That'll be me. I'm gonna be a Broadway star, but you can take pictures of me with your camera." I looked down at my camera. I wanted to tell her that she could have Fanny, but Maria was my dream role.

We were finally here again. All the drama... all the hard work got us to Nationals. Rachel stood in the same spot we had stood that summer. So much had changed. For example, not only do I tolerate her, she's now my best friend.

I lifted the camera that hung around my neck from the strap. And I aimed it at my best friend as she admired the city and the billboards. She turned to face me happily. "This is it, Mads. This is what we've been dreaming of!" She squealed.

"I made it." She said while I said "We made it." At the same time.

"Without the help of our parents. Well, scratch that, they signed the permission slip, but you get what I mean." I stated.

...

Rachel and I had made the radical and illegal decision to break into the Gershwin Theatre. However, it was the only way to get Rachel back to her ambitious self. What good would a high-school love do for either of us? We had been through enough this year. We didn't need anyone distracting us.

We were even caught, but I had 15 minutes to reassure her of what we both knew she wanted.

"If you have to make a choice, you have to visualize both of the options." I told her.

"How?" She asked while taking off her coat and placing it on the stage.

"Sing." I said, playfully rolling her eyes. "Picture yourself standing in front of a full audience, belting out the final song of one of the greatest musicals of all time."

"There's no orchestra." Rachel replied.

"You act like you've never pretended to be Fanny, and I've never pretended to be Maria. Since when do we need an orchestra or background music?" I questioned.

Rachel sighed happily, reminiscing. "Fanny and Maria."

Rachel:
I'm limited
Just look at me
I'm limited
And just look at you
You can do all I couldn't do, Glinda

So now it's up to you
For both of us
Now it's up to you

Madison:
I've heard it said that people come into our lives for a reason
Bringing something we must learn
And we are led to those who help us most to grow
If we let them, and we help them in return
Well, I don't know if I believe that's true
But I know I'm who I am today because I knew you