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

Chapter 8: Nearly Famous

"Justin Bieber," Dan said, losing major manliness points as soon as he did.

But Sam smiled and said, "I like that answer." He turned and wrote down the last two and then put a cap on the marker as he did a 180 and once again faced the group.

"So..?" said Unique expectantly when Sam froze, not knowing where he was headed with this.

"The artists you just named..." Sam began, making things up on the spot. "Those will be your alter egos this week. You will only be allowed to sing songs by those artists."

"Nice," Marley mumbled, glad to have chosen Adele.

"Oh, come on," Dan complained. "I was just answering your question!"

The kids laughed at him as Sam said, "If your artist has collaborated with someone else's artist, then you can sing together for that song. Otherwise, you are now on your own!"

He dismissed them not too long after so that they could go to class, but the kids were pretty confused about the assignment. "I just don't get it," Shana said as she walked alongside Dan and Amity.

"Who did you say?" Dan asked her.

"Miley," she reminded him.

"Then you can only sing Miley songs this week," he explained. "I can only sing Justin Bieber and Amity can only sing..?"

"Sia," Amity shrugged. "I just didn't know who to choose."

"She had a lot of amazing songs," Shana assured her.

"Nothing you can't handle," Dan added when he saw how nervous that made her. Amity nodded, thankful to have their support, but she was incredibly anxious still. This was the first time she'd be forced to sing by herself in a while and she just wasn't used to it.

Similarly, Stefan wasn't sure how he'd pull of a Jason Derulo number. He wasn't really much of a dancer and R&B wasn't his thing. Was Jason Derulo even R&B? He had no clue. 

What he did know, however, was that he had only joined the glee club for one particular reason. Never in his life had he not gotten what he wanted and since his first week at McKinley he'd seen his next trophy dancing around and decided he had to have her.

He spent the next couple of passing periods watching Julie as she walked around, never alone. She was usually with Jake, although he saw her with Marley, Amity, Dan, or something other students he didn't recognize. But never alone.

As the music began, he finally spotted her at her locker, by herself and prepared himself to talk to her.

["In My Head" by Jason Derulo.]

Stefan: Everybody's looking for love. Oh. Oh. Ain't that the reason you're at this club. Oh. Oh.

Unfortunately, his attempts were short-lived, for as soon as he had reached her, so had Jake. Stefan watched them laugh as they talked, shaking his head.

Stefan: You ain't gonna find a dance with him. No. Oh. Got a better solution for you girl. Oh. Oh.

Jake nodded over to the opposite direction from where Stefan was headed next and she followed him down the hall, much to Stefan's dismay. He had to go to class, but he didn't care enough to stop following them. So just like Shana had done to him, he followed Julie in a daze.

Stefan: Just leave with me now, say the word and we'll go. I'll be your teacher. I'll show you the ropes. You'll see a side of love you've never known. I can see it going down, going down...

He nearly crashed into Unique and Marley, who watched him go and soon realized who he was following. They, in turn, followed him curiously.

Stefan: In my head, I see you all over me. In my head, you fulfill my fantasy. In my head, you'll be screaming 'more'... In my head, it's going down. In my head, it's going down. In my head. Yeah. In my head. Oh yeah...