Glee: Back to the Top (the third book in the Glee series)

Chapter 10: Date Night

"If I don't show up," Alex said as he talked to Amity on the phone, "what will happen to me again?"

"Suspension from glee club," she responded with a sigh, throwing herself on her bed beside the homework she'd been trying to complete but had failed at time after time. It was Friday afternoon and Alex would soon have to head out to meet Harmony at Breadstix, which was having Karaoke Night. He was hoping she'd choose a movie or something else where she wouldn't be able to speak, but instead she had chosen the most cliche date location in all of Lima. The worst part was that the agreement was that the guy couldn't end the date until midnight, unless the girl chose to end it first.

"Mr. Schue will do something about it, right?" he said. "He'll know this is wrong and will stop this?"

"I'm sorry," Amity responded, her voice cracking and her eyes watering as had happened every time she'd wanted to be with him at school only to be stopped by Harmony and some of the others. "I signed that contract and there's no way out. Sue approved this, for whatever twisted reason and... It's all my fault that we can't be together now."

"Oh, don't say that," he said, wishing he could be at her side soothing her as he heard her sniffle. "There's no way you could've known that bitch was going to do that." He shook his head and quickly apologized, "Sorry, I know you don't like cursing."

"It's fine," she said. "She is what she is, after all."

Alex smiled to himself and then said, "I love you, okay? We'll figure something out. She won't win."

She sighed and said, "Okay... I love you, too." But she wasn't convinced. Amity wasn't conniving or cunning. She wasn't as perceptive or clever as the other girls. She was book smart and proud of it, but she couldn't take down Harmony. If anyone was going to find a way out, it would be Alex, not her. 

"I'll need a copy of the contract," he told her. "I need to head out for the worst night of my life now, but I'll call you when I get back and then I'll stop by tomorrow morning or something, okay?"

"I have to work all day tomorrow," she responded. "Sunday I have church and then I have to do chores with my mom and at school we can't—"

"Hey, hey, hey," he said calmly. "Take a deep breath. We're going to figure something out. I promise. I have to go now. Love you."

"Love you," she repeated before hanging up. She rested her head on her pillow and looked up at the ceiling nervously.

***

"So where are we going?" Stefan asked, speaking to Bree via Bluetooth as he drove to her place in his fancy, sparkling vehicle. For some reason, he was excited about taking out a really hot girl, even if it wasn't the hot girl of his choice. 

"My bedroom," she said nonchalantly. "You almost here?"

"Definitely," he said, smiling jovially as he sped up a bit to make it to her place.

***

Shana sighed as she entered Breadstix, wearing her usual short shorts and a tank top, a hat twisted side ways over her head. She spotted Ryder in the corner, also dressed casually, and took a seat in front of him.

"So, here we are," he said.

"Yup," she responded. "We are definitely not going to make it until midnight by the way. I'd like you to know that I find you boring and and unappealing."

"Well, don't hold back," he remarked, pressing his lips together and wishing he were anywhere else at the moment.

***

Jake repeatedly flipped through his clothes, somehow finding every single shirt he owned to be disappointing. His mother, Irene, walked into the room in the middle of him rearranging the closet.