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

Chapter 59: Poor Unfortunate Souls

"I thought the week was really more for Julie's sake," she responded in a quiet voice. "So I was thinking of just kind of staying out of the way."

"Oh come on," Bree said, rolling her eyes. "This week is about everyone and us really being a family. And as you're like my little sister--"

"You thought we could do a number together," Amity guessed. Bree smiled and shrugged. "Shouldn't you be one of the main people reaching out to Julie and not me right now?"

"She has enough people harassing her right now," she replied. "I could tell she wasn't into it earlier. Besides, she's really not very keen of me in the moment. You know, the whole turn against her when she needed me thing."

"Julie hardly seems like the type to hold that against you," said Amity.

"Doesn't matter..." Bree shrugged again. "Right now, my focus is on you."

"Why?" asked Amity suspiciously.

"I'm sort of trying to avoid a few things and you're the perfect distraction," she smiled. "Trust me. I can give you anything you want! Popularity? Money? Love? Test answers? You name it. I'll help you get it."

"That sounds a lot like stricking a deal with a devil..." Amity murmured, shivering. "I'm really not comfortable and I'm sure there's some sort of price for that."

"No price," Bree assured her. "I'm just bored and happen to like you so--"

"I'm sorry but I'll pass..." she responded.

"What do you have for last period?" Bree asked her, getting in her way so that she couldn't walk away.

"Study hall," Amity told her.

"Perfect," Bree said. "I'll be pulling you out of class with some made up excuse so that we can discuss this further, got it?"

"Umm..." Amity said. "I'll just see you at glee club..." As she walked away towards her next class, Bree crossed her arms. I guess she doesn't know how persistent I can be, she thought to herself.

***

"Hey man, can I borrow a pen?" Joe asked John as they sat in Environmental Systems. "Mine's out."

"No problem," John mumbled, passing him a spare pen from his backpack. "So, uh, you've been pretty quiet lately..."

"I've always been quiet," Joe responded as he began writing down answers to the problem set they were working on.

John, who didn't care for their assignment, leaned back and said, "Sure. But when we sit through a student council meeting and you stay quiet the entire time that's a problem, considering you're the president and you're supposed to lead the damn thing."

"I've just been busy," Joe shrugged, not glancing over at him for even a second.

"Dude, what's going on?" he asked, putting his hands down on the table and leaning forward. "Is everything alright with you? I mean, you're not in some serious trouble or anything, right?"

Joe looked around nervously, struggling to come up with a response, before finally leaning in and saying, "If I tell you... You can't tell anybody okay?" John nodded, curiously killing him as Joe began to reveal the secret he was keeping.

***

"Hey superstar!" exclaimed Sam as he walked down the McKinley High School corridor and crossed paths with Julie. "Headed to class?"

"Cheerios practice," she told him.

"I'll walk you," he offered, nodding over to the end of the hallway. They began walking towards the gymnasium and multiple people turned to look at them as they passed by, most of them muttering what Julie could only imagine were negative things.