Picture Perfect - Book 3 - Q.F.

Pot o' Gold

"Hey, P!" Mercedes greeted her friend with a smile, as the girl turned to her as well, from having been going through her locker.

"Hey, Cedes." Piper smiled.

"You know, I've been thinking... You told me last week that you agreed with me." She said, as Piper frowned. "About Rachel and the solos."

"Oh." Piper nodded then. "Yeah, yeah. Kinda. I mean, she does always get what she wants so..."

"Yeah, so, I thought, you know... How many solos did you get in Glee Club last year?"

"Hum..."

"None." Mercedes said, as Piper frowned. "Which is totally unfair because your voice is incredible."

At that, Piper breathed out a laugh, turning to look at her best friend with a raised eyebrow knowing full well she was wanting to say more.

"What's your point here, Mercedes?" She asked, causing the girl to shrug.

"Listen, if you and I were in Shelby's group, we'd get all the solos and the duets." Mercedes explained as Piper sighed. "Our voices sound amazing together. Plus, it's an all-girl group."

At that, Piper rolled her eyes, closing her locker, as Mercedes sighed, following her friend down the hallway as they talked.

"I didn't mean it like that!" She was quick to correct herself, as Piper smiled, knowing she really hadn't meant to offend. "I just mean, it's all girl-power all the time and I know you're all for it. Plus, I mean, Shelby's a great teacher. I'm... I'm hitting notes I didn't even know existed. She gets me, what I have to give. It feels good. I know she could work wonders with you. You have so much potential, P. You just have to let someone good help you unleash it."

Piper bit her lip quietly, because, if she was being honest, it did sound like something she'd like to do. I mean... Having someone to really help her and appreciate what she could do, especially considering she had lost the part of Anita to Santana. Still, there was just one thing holding her back.

"You know, honestly, I wish I could, but I can't leave glee club." Piper sighed, lowering her tone of voice to merely a whisper, as Mercedes smiled quietly, already knowing what was coming next. "I can't leave... I can't leave her."

And it was true. After all, her relationship with Quinn had been going wonderfully but they were still mostly hidden. And, sure, in glee club they weren't really officially out and together yet, but it was somewhere the two of them felt safe, being who they were. They didn't hold hands or kissed or any of the stuff they did when they were alone, but, at least, they could sit together and exchange glances and smiles without anyone giving them shit for it.

"Who said anything about leaving her?" Mercedes smirked a bit, nudging Piper on the sides as the girl giggled with a blush. "Bring her with you."

And with that, Mercedes sent Piper a wink, walking away from her, most likely to her own glee club as Piper stood there in the hallway for a second, contemplating her options. She smiled, though, at the thought of being in an all-girl singing group with Mercedes and Quinn, if she wanted to and she couldn't deny it — it did sound amazing.

***

"You know what, girl Chang?" Santana scoffed, clearly annoyed by Tina's cries and sniffles. "If you cry every time someone gets a hangnail, it kind of starts to lose its effect."

"It's not a hangnail." Tina protested, through a sob. "Mercedes was one of Glee's original members. I feel naked in here without her."

"Yeah, well, get used to it, 'cause without her singing for us, we're going to have to perform naked for the judges to vote for us at Sectionals." Puck said.