Roots Before Branches

Chapter 12: July 4th

After my morning routine, that I'm starting to get of sick of it, I'm craving some difference in my life. Come to Lima was supposed to reconnect with my roots but I don't feel any different in this town, somehow, I feel worse.

I go sleep crying and I wake up feeling like shit. That's not how it supposed to be, that's not how I supposed to feel. I think I should have gotten a little betted, guess I'm already too much damaged to get any better.

"Happy 4th of July!" I heard Mrs.Gilbert saying and I looked up smiling to her.

"For you too!" I said to her.

"Are you going to the annual party?" She asked and woah, it's been a long time.

"I don't know." I said.

"What are your plans?" She asked.

"Staying home and watching the parade from tv I guess." I said and she laughed.

"No, you're going to the party. And I don't wanna hear any buts." She said and left and I chuckled. I'm scared tho. Probably all the ghosts of my past will be there, my parents and my old friends. And everyone hates me.

I know I'm sounding like a broken record and saying the same stuff all the time, but it's the truth. What else can I say or do?

———Afternoon

I came.

Woah, big step, hun? It's the middle of the afternoon. Earlier the families an friends just reunited to have a barbecue or something, I know for fact that everyone from Glee went to the Hudson-Hummel house because is a tradition, but I stayed watching the parade alone at home.

Always alone.

I see everywhere decorated with red, white and blue stuff and I smiled. I used to loved this Holiday. I like to see the smile on people's faces when they get to show how much they love their country.

Don't judge me, I'm a big weirdo.

"I'm sorry." Someone said and I look to my right side and see, surprisingly, Santana.

"What?" I asked confused. What the crap?

"I'm sorry for being a bitch and saying that to you yesterday." She said and I small smiled. This is the first time, in 10 years that I know Santana Lopez, that she apologized to me.

"It's okay...Sorry for being a bitch for the past 8 years." I said and she laughed.

"Oh please come here!" Santana said and we hugged and I smiled. Feels good.

"What made you change your mind?" I asked.

"Kurt. He gave a full speech for us yesterday how jerks we were being and unfair and I felt really guilty." She said and I smiled.

"Of course he did." I said chuckling. "So Santana, how's married life so far?"

"Amazing." She said smiling and I chuckled. "How's world famous singer life so far?"

"Hard." I said chuckling and she laughed.

I'm not lying tho.

"Mrs.Rachel Berry?" A man wearing a navy blazer, white jeans and red shirt with a america bottom said smiling. He was also with a USA topper hat asked to me.

"Yeah." I said and he smiled.

"Nice to meeto you! I'm George Rooney, I'm the Mayor of Lima." He said proudly. "And you as a proud Lima native, I have to ask. Would you sing some songs to us?"

I was kind of lost of words. How can I sing in front of everyone I used to know? I'm used to sing in front of full stadiums but it's different. I don't even know if my parents are here or not.