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

Chapter 38: The Alumni

"Why do you carry so much stuff?" Jesse said as he walked in behind her with large amounts of luggage that obviously belonged to a girl.

"Jesse!" Julie exclaimed, rushing over to hug her cousin. 

"Hey Jules," he said with a smile. "It feels good to be home!"

***

NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK

Quinn sat in Rachel's living room, staring at the phone. Everyone had already left, except for Brody, who was in the kitchen brewing her tea. She continued to turn to the clock. He was supposed to call ten minutes ago...

***

LIMA, OHIO

"You're coming to see my show right?" Sam asked Finn as they went out to his car to get the soda cans from his trunk. "It's Friday and—"

"I'm going to ask Rachel to marry me," Finn stopped him.

"What?" Sam responded, shocked.

Finn looked nervous, looking around as the two stopped. "I know Jesse still cares about her and it's become more and more obvious during our time in New York but..." he began. "We were supposed to get married a long time ago. And every time we're just about to fall back in love, something stops us, something we can't control. But now we're all back and—"

"I get it man," Sam said, giving his bro a pat on the back. "Wow, this is huge. You, Blaine, Puck... All of my best friends are getting married."

"She has to say yes first," Finn shook nervously. "I was actually hoping you and Puck would sing with me. You know, to ask her in song. It's gotta be special, right?"

"Definitely," Sam nodded. "I'm in."

***

"Can we talk?" Santana asked Brittany when she caught her out alone in the hallway.

Brittany crossed her arms. "I wanted to talk a month ago when you left," she said. "But you didn't wait."

"Britt, I'm sorry," Santana said. "I am. But this was my career on the line. I asked you to come with me!"

"And I asked you to stay with me," Brittany responded.

"I love you but I wasn't going to leave my job behind," Santana tried to explain herself.

"And I didn't want to do the same," Brittany said. "What was there to do in L.A.? Live with you and Mercedes while you got famous and wait until there's another tour to go dance behind you? I'm not just a backup dancer. I told myself I was done being in the background after high school and I don't want to be in your background either. I love you Santana, but we're going to have to find a way to both be in the limelight if this is going to work. I don't want to be like Kurt and Blaine or Finn and Rachel. If we're going to shine, we're going to shine equally. I'm not just here to hold your purse."

She walked back into the choir room and Santana stood there, stunned. Brittany had never stood up to her like this before. It was kind of hot. But it was also concerning.

***

"I can't believe we're back in Lima," Kurt said as he unpacked in his old room at his dad's house. "It's been forever this time."

"It really has," Blaine agreed. "It feels good. We missed the Sectionals and it didn't even feel awful like I thought it would. I really am glad we're here for Thanksgiving though."

"Me, too," Kurt agreed.

"Me three," said Burt from the doorway.

"Dad!" Kurt exclaimed, rushing over to hug his father.