Glee: To the Next Level (the second book in the Glee series)

Chapter 20: Hairspray

Friday came quickly for the New Directions. A few of them, especially Amity, regretted going to New York and wished they'd have more time to rehearse.

"You'll be fine," Marley told Amity, waiting on the sidelines with her as Kitty strutted down the stage singing "Good Morning Baltimore."

"I can't do it," said Amity, her pigtails on and a lollipop in hand. "I can't."

"You have to!" Marley insisted. "Now, go go." On her cue, Amity froze. However Marley, who had been a helpful mentor during the Hairspray training, gave her a gentle push forward and forced her onto the stage to join Kitty at the edge of the stage in front of a television. The rest of the stage was cleared and replaced with the set for the The Corny Collins Show as Dan, who was also extremely nervous, walked out, followed by his dancers. They all fumbled around with hairspray cans, setting up for their mock-television show, as Kitty and Amity began to dance in front of the TV.

Dan took his place in the center of the stage as the others danced.

"Hey there, Teenage Baltimore!" Dan performed perfectly, trying to ignore the quiver of his knees. "Don't change the channel!"

Backstage, Jake watched from a distance as Marley looked out onto the stage nervously. He considered approaching her, starting up a small-talk conversation, but just as he was reaching her, she walked off and went over to talk to Alex. Trying not to make a scene or disrupt the show, Jake controlled his anger and instead watched the show as the music began and Dan began singing.

Dan: Oh every afternoon when the clock strikes four
Julie, John and other dancers: Bop-bee-ba, ba-ba-ba-ba, bee-ba
Dan: A crazy bunch of kids crash through that door yeah
Julie, John and other dancers: Bop-bee-ba, ba-ba-ba-ba, bee-ba

Jake smiled as he saw Kitty shaking her fake butt all over the stage television. He turned back to the dancers and noticed the tension between John and Julie. During rehearsals, they seemed a bit off. Everyone knew they weren't talking anymore, which was bound to cause problems for the on-stage couple. However, the tension worked for them, seeing as they weren't supposed to be a good couple. And now, there they were, smiling at the audience as they performed right next to each other.

He laughed as Julie pushed off one of the extras that was dancing on her spotlight, just as Amber did in Hairspray.

"She's doing great so far," Ryder said from behind him.

"Yeah, they--" Jake said as he turned around. He stopped when he saw Ryder, in John-Travolta-like drag, dressed as Edna.  Jake couldn't help laughing as he heard Julie yelp on stage. The audience laughed.

"I look ridiculous," he said. "I know. I tried all sorts of different costume designs Tina prepared and nothing helped make me look more normal. I look ridiculous."

"It suits you," Jake said jokingly.

"Oh that's got to be awkward..." Ryder mumbled. Jake turned around to find Julie and John in the middle of their partner dance. John dropped Julie and the audience laughed.

"You think he enjoys that?" Jake asked Ryder. "You know, being mean to her character?" Ryder shrugged.

On stage, Julie's face was flushed as Dan helped her up and she continued to dance, lining up for the roll call. Since she was first, she looked out at the audience and called out her name, only to be pushed by the guy behind her, as was scripted.

She returned to the back of the stage, waiting patiently as the extras went on. When John introduced himself as Link and Kitty, along with Amity, began shrieking excitedly, Julie fought hard to not roll her eyes. When she was a freshman and Rachel Berry had played Maria in West Side Stories, she'd done so alongside Blaine, not Finn. Sophomore year, Marley and Ryder had gotten the lead roles in Grease, and although they had crushed on each other, they weren't together. The spring semester, she and Jake played the couple for High School Musical, but there was no romance there. Somehow, John and Kitty being together for this didn't seem right. But Mr. Schue and the mentors loved it.