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

Chapter 70: Gleedo

[About 6 more chapters left! Eep! Also 4 more days left to enter characters for the character contest!!]

Monday morning, it was time for a new week and the end of the year had come that much closer. Julie stood at her locker, hesitantly awaiting the moment when Jake arrived at his. When he finally did, she withstood only five seconds of silence before deciding to break it.

"Jake, we can't be like this," she pleaded. "It's just not right. We have to at least try to be friends. We were friends before anything happened between us and that means more than anything in the world."

"I declared for UC Berkley," Jake said suddenly. Julie stared back, confused, as he elaborated, "A few days after I came back to school, I was so hopeful for us that I declared intent of attending UC Berkley, not Julliard. But this weekend I called and said I wasn't going there."

"That's great," Julie said, surprised that he would've given up the great opportunity for her. "You belong at Juilliard."

"I don't," he stopped her, not yet finished. "I'm not going to Juilliard or UC Berkley. I'm not going to a dance school at all because I'm never going to fully recover from the blow to my knee. And I can't be in your life because I'm still in love with you and it hurts." 

Before she could respond, he closed his locker and began to walk away. His leg looked fine to her, so she couldn't believe that he was really not going to pursue dancing. What else could he possibly do and still be happy?

***

"Attention!" Will said immediately after walking into the choir room, where everyone was already gathered. "This week is a special week. We have not one, not two, not three or four... But FIVE special guests joining us this week! As you all know, I have to be in and out for conferences and this week happens to be one of them. It's unfortunate, seeing as Nationals are next week—"

"And Cheerios Nationals are this week," Julie reminded him.

"Correct," Will continued. "But while I'm out to fight for the arts, I will not leave you in bad hands. In fact, I brought in a few people who know a thing or two about winning National show choir competitions. Give it up for our special guests!"

On his cue, Noah Puckerman, Santana Lopez, Mike Chang, Joe Hart and Sam Evans walked in. 

"So basically everyone who didn't go to college and doesn't have anything cool going on right now..." Kitty mumbled. Bree would've said it had Joe not been one of them. 

"I'll have you know," Santana said, "that I just finished recording a second album with Mercedes Jones, ok? Her first album did ok, but this one's going to blow your socks off!" Puck grinned, nodding in agreement.

"And I just submitted my new screenplay to an awesome producer whose bound to want to turn it into a movie," Puck added. "I'm going to be a star."

"I just finished working on a Broadway show so..." Mike said, shrugging smugly.

"What are you doing here?" Jake asked Sam, capturing everyone's attention.

"Hey, how's your leg dude?" Puck asked him nonchalantly.

Jake shrugged. "How's your memory?" he asked him in return.

Puck smiled and said, "Slowly coming back to me. Still don't remember anything from the last three-ish years."

"Ok, you all can finish catching up later," Will said. "I have to head out so go ahead and get them started. Good luck everyone! I'll see you at the end of the week." Will rushed out of the room as the alumni turned back to the students with pleasure in their eyes.