Something - Quinn Fabray

Chapter 75

"All right everyone, let's take a quick break," Artie called out. "Kurt, less of that sashaying move. Ryan, less bossing people around."

Ryan rolled his eyes as the group broke up. They were a week into West Side Story rehearsals, and to be fair, Ryan thought Artie was doing a pretty good job of directing. He had a pretty good sense of the stage. Ryan did think that Artie could do a little less bossing around as well though. Blaine and Tina weren't here today, Artie had decided to pair the two of them together, leaving Mercedes as Ryan's Maria. He supposed he had to make the best of it, since in the future he wouldn't exactly be able to pick and choose his co-stars, but it was still a bit annoying.

Speaking of annoying... "So Ryan, how's life been since your defection from the New Directions?" Kurt asked conversationally, Mercedes coming over beside him.

"It's going brilliantly," Ryan answered, determined not to let their barbs get to him. He'd had plenty of practice after all. "We have a total of nine members now, and I'm sure with a little more effort we'll meet the twelve-member quota soon. How about you? I've heard you're a little short-staffed," he commented, unable to resist the little dig.

"Oh, don't even," Mercedes said irately. "We all know that's only because you somehow got half the club to up and follow you out."

"That's not the only bone we have to pick with you either," Kurt added. "According to Finn, you somehow managed to call off all the attacks on the gleeks, and everyone saw how you prevented the attempted slushies the other day. So why is it that Artie and I got a faceful of lemon-lime just this morning?"

"Are you expecting me to do something about that?"

"Well, you are trying to protect the glee club losers, aren't you?"

Ryan gritted his teeth at the nerve of these two. He didn't let it show though, hiding his true feelings behind a façade. "I'm sorry, but it's hard to get the jocks to back off of the losers," he explained, his voice bordering on patronizing. "I spoke to Rick Nelson and I convinced him to tell the other jocks to lay off. They apparently respect me now, and so my team is now off limits. Sadly, that apparently doesn't extend to you, as much as I would like it to, because I'm no longer affiliated with the New Directions."

"That's completely unfair."

Ryan shrugged. "I don't make the rules; if I did then I would certainly have implemented one to keep myself from taking all those slushies during freshman and sophomore year. Now, however, you have the star quarterback on your team, perhaps he should try getting the football team and the hockey team to back off."

"Okay guys, let's have the Something's Coming scene," Artie directed, and Ryan let out a small sight of relief. Finally, a scene where he didn't have to butt heads with other people. This scene would just be him and Mike, who was far easier to get along with than some people.

..

"What are you doing?"

Quinn looked up at Santana, who had asked her the question. She was in front of the auditorium, waiting for West Side Story rehearsals to finish. "Waiting for my boyfriend."

"You are so whipped," Santana cackled.

"You're one to talk," Quinn snapped back. Ryan came out of the auditorium just then, greeting her with a quick kiss. "How was it?" she asked.

"Exhausting," Ryan grumbled. "Mercedes won't cooperate with me at all. It's like trying to fake chemistry with a block of wood."

She rubbed his arm sympathetically. She had no idea what was wrong with Mercedes, but she'd already suspected Ryan would have a bit or a hard time working with her. She was pretty sure Mercedes had been brainwashed by Kurt or something. "Want to come over?" she asked hopefully. They hadn't spent any time alone together in a couple of weeks. But Ryan shook his head.