Falling-Prequel

Wheels

S1x9~WHEELS
••••••
Finn and Quinn were chatting in the corner of the choir room about the cost that they'd have to pay with all the doctor bills slowly coming in. Haley sat next to them, glaring at Rachel whenever she'd look their way.

"What about Target?" Haley suggested.

Finn sighed. "Tried. Not hiring." He shrugged.

"Another doctor bill came to my parents' house last night, Finn. We're lucky that I'm clever and intercepted it. But we have to start paying these doctors' bills... or they're gonna go to a collection agency. And then my parents are gonna find out that I'm with a child... your child." Quinn said quietly, but still harsh enough to make Finn understand

At that moment, Mr. Schue entered the choir room. "All right, guys. We're doin' a new number for sectionals. 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. Uh, standards, Broadway."

Kurt smiled. "Defying Gravity"? I have an iPod shuffle... dedicated exclusively to selections from Wicked. This is amazing."

"Think you can handle it, Rachel?" Mr. Schue ignored Kurt, as Haley scoffed.

"It's my go-to shower song. It's also my ringtone." Rachel smiled proudly.

"I can sing too, you know." Brittany commented, unaware that the song was out of her vocal range.

"Oh Britt, honey no." Haley shook her head. "Let me take on the dwarf."

"Why do we have to go all vanilla on this song? See, what we need is my chocolate thunder." Mercedes suggested, as everyone nodded laughing. Mr. Schue shook his head.

"We don't have time to rearrange the song for you, Mercedes. Rachel is singing it. 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."

Tina spoke up. "Wh...Wh...What?"

"That's completely unfair." Rachel commented.

"So, we're gonna have to raise money to pay for it ourselves. See, when I was in Glee Club and we needed new silk cummerbunds for regionals... we held a bake sale." Mr. Schue explained, as the group groaned.

"Wait. You're joking, right? I mean, bake sales are kind of "bougie." Santana said.

"So hip people stopped eating delicious sugary treats?" Mr. Schue said.

"It's not that. It's most of us don't know how to bake. I find recipes confusing." Brittany shook her head.

"My family's fully committed to takeout." Rachel said.

"Yeah, Mr. Schue. Kids are busier than when you went here. We've got homework and football and teen pregnancy, lunch." Finn added.

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

"I can't believe how insensitive you're all being. Are you a team?" Mr. Schue asked, horrified at their insensitive behavior.

  Quinn smiled softly with a nod. "Of course. But Artie understands. Don't you, Artie?" She asked, looking at Artie.

"Of...Of course. It...It's cool. I mean, anything that takes away our time from rehearsing doesn't serve as a team." Artie replied, clearly hurt and upset. Haley sighed. As everyone left, she bent down to his level.

"Hey..." She said quietly, as Artie looked up at her.

"Why are you talking to me?" He asked, a little terrified of her. "I thought you hated me, and everyone else...except Santana, Brittany and Quinn."