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

Chapter 48: The Girlfriend

"We're actually doing this," said Kitty when she, Bree and Julie left Cheerios practice and headed for the choir room. "We're putting on a show. Tonight. After just one week."

"I think it'll be better than most of the shows we've done," said Julie, beginning to remove her scrunchy and let her curls loose.

Bree scoffed, "Only because this one features me heavily."

"Hairspray featured you," Kitty pointed out. 

"Ehh..." Bree shrugged. "Not enough." She said she'd catch up with them later, stopping at her locker, so Julie and Kitty continued onto the choir room.

"So what are you wearing for the--" Julie started, only to be pushed back just as they were reaching the choir room door. "What?" she asked Kitty, only to be shushed.

"Sam is in there!" Kitty hissed.

Julie laughed. "Okay?" she said.

Kitty gave her a look, raising her brow, and said, "You're going to deny that you two left things in a very weird place?"

"No," Julie said, crossing her arms. "But unlike you I don't hold grudges forever and I'm over it."

Kitty laughed. "Okay, then," she said. "Prove it. March right in there and talk to him."

Julie raised an eyebrow. "Okay," she said, forcing a smile. "Watch and learn."

She walked straight into the room and, before Sam could look up from his phone, walked right out. Kitty, however, was too persistent and pushed her right back in. She took a deep breath and decided she may as well get it over with.

"Hey, Evans!" she exclaimed, instantly regretting the last name. As he looked up, clearly startled, she said, "You know I've been thinking long and hard about this one and I think I finally found the one song I can't not sing to you."

She cleared her troath and began. Julie: Guppy Face, Trouty Mouth...

She stopped, noticing the absence of a grin on his face and said, "Okay, you didn't laugh at 'long and hard' and the song didn't do it so--"

"So this is the girl, huh?" said a woman's voice. She turned and found a tall, slim figure by the trophy case. Sam opened his mouth to speak, but no words came out.

"Oh," said Julie, embarrassed. "Hi. You must be Mandy." She extended a hand, which Mandy hesitantly shook.

"And you... umm... what was it, Julia?" she asked.

"Juliet," Julie corrected her.

"Oh, that's right," Mandy nodded. "The tragic lover." Julie opened her mouth to speak but Sam's girlfriend turned to him and said, "I didn't know you were that guy in high school." She smiled at him and Sam grinned back, shrugging.

"What do you mean?" Julie asked, unsure of whether she was being insulted.

"Oh, nothing," Mandy answered, shaking her head. "Just the whole cheerleader thing." She looked down at her uniform and faked a smile.

"What do you mean the cheerleader thing?" asked Kitty as she walked in with Bree by her side. Jake, Ryder, and Dan were also coming in through the second door, confused about what was happening.

"Oh and she has a posse, too," said Mandy, smiling. "How very... high school."

"Ok, listen here, you--" Bree began.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa," Sam said. "Cheerleaders... Calm down. She really didn't mean it like that."

"Cheerleaders?" Julie asked him. "Since when is that all we are?"

"I didn't mean--" Sam said.

"This has been..." Mandy interrupted him. "Umm... cute. But I really have to make a few business calls so I'll see you in a bit." She gave Sam a quick peck on the lips before pulling out her phone and heading out.

"Ok, I hate her," Kitty said as soon as she was gone, giving Sam a disapproving look.

"I more than hate her," Bree added.

"She sure is something," Julie said, shaking her head and sitting down.

"Just get to know her," Sam said, more to Julie than to anyone else. "I'm sure you two will... Actually, probably not a good idea for you and her to bond. Julie, can we talk? In private?"

"I don't know that that's a good idea," Ryder said, looking over at them. "We have a show."

"Oh, I have a few--" Julie started.

"Nope," Jake stopped her. "No can do, Sam. Julie has to go through costume and uh..."

"Sound check," Ryder added. "And make-up."

Jake nodded. "Exactly," said Jake. "That'll take a few hours."

"I guess I'll catch you after the show then," Sam told her. She nodded as he left the room and Julie turned to the guys, her hands on her hips.

"We, uh..." Jake started.

"We were trying to protect you," Ryder said, turning to Jake, who nodded with approval.

"Yup, exactly," Jake said. Julie rolled her eyes, shaking her head and pulling out her make up bag.

"What's wrong with you?" Bree asked Kitty as more of the glee kids came into the choir room.

"What do you mean?" Kitty asked, grinning. 

Bree frowned. "You have your 'OMG Teen Wolf is so good right now' face," she told her.

"Oh," said Kitty. "It's nothing. That was just an interesting little interaction."

"Hey man," Ryder said, pulling Jake aside. "Thanks so much for having my back just now. Knowing her history with Sam, every time he comes around it's just--"

"Say no more," Jake said. "Just trying to help out..." With a tincture of guilt, he turned to everyone else and got them started. "Alright," he said. "Do we all have our outfits?"

"Yes," said Shana as everyone put their clothes on a rack. "I see everyone followed with the agreed on dresscode and I think we're ready to go."

"Great," said Ryder. "Let's get everyone into hair and make-up. Some of the alumni are coming in to help with that any time now. So let's get ready and have a good show!"

***

"So you met the girlfriend?" Rachel asked Julie as she sat next to her. "What'd you think? Not quite as great as you, huh?" Quinn, who was applying make-up to her, rolled her eyes.

"Don't listen to Rachel," she muttered as she put blush on her cheekbones. "Sam and Mandy are a lovely couple. You are a lovely girl. And there's no need to compare yourself to her."

"I wasn't..." Julie muttered.

"Good," Rachel and Quinn said in unison. Julie frowned, unsure what they meant by that, and sighed. 

"So, umm..." she began. "Rachel, is it true you and Jesse are dating?"

Rachel frowned. "That's a nasty rumor," she said, her chin up. "I am not dating him."

"And in case you were wondering," Quinn said as she moved on to eye shadow. "I am not dating Brody. Also a rumor."

"Who's Brody?" Julie asked. "What about Puck?"

Quinn shook her head. "Nevermind then," she said. "I thought the rumor about me had also spread."

"Oh my gosh, am I more popular in glee club?" Rachel asked with a proud, wide grin. Julie shrugged, which Rachel took as a yes and used it to mock Quinn for the rest of the time.