"Competition," said Mr. Schue. "Every one of these people or elements was a champion in their own right, but they used competing with each other to make themselves even better."
"I don't understand how lighting is in competition with an above ground swimming pool," Kurt mumbled confusedly.
"Sharks and bears aren't even in the same habitat," Adalynn added, furrowing her brows.
"Hummels, just go with it," said the curly haired man. "You guys have become complacent. You were great at the invitational, but you gotta up your game if you wanna get through sectionals."
"It hurts that you doubt us," Julian said, placing a hand to his chest in mock offense. He turned to Bailey and winked. "Hey, cutie."
"In your dreams, freak," Santana scoffed, wrapping a protective arm around the younger Pierce sister.
"Okay, split up," said Mr. Schue, trying to get everyone back on track. "Guys on the left side, girls on the right side. Let's go. Come on."
Julian and Kurt exchanged a look, both cousins feeling more in touch with their feminine side, and went to join Adalynn on the girls side.
"Uh, Kurt. Julian." Mr. Schue nodded to the other side of the room. "Boys team."
"Sexist cunt," Julian grumbled as he and Kurt went over to the boys side.
"Here's the deal," the teacher began. "Two teams. Boys versus girls. One week from today, you will each perform a mash-up of your choice."
"What's a mash-up?" asked Puck.
"Fucking idiot," Adalynn coughed into her arm, getting a few weird looks from the people in the room. "Sorry. Allergies."
"Adalynn, language," Mr. Schue warned before turning to the mohawk boy. "A mash-up is when you take two songs and mash them together to make an even richer explosion of musical expression. Boys will perform on Tuesday. Girls the next day. I want you guys to go all out, okay? Costumes, choreography. Whoever wins the competition gets to choose the number that we do for sectionals."
"Wait," said Rachel, holding up her hand. "Who's gonna be the judge? Your gender makes you biased."
"Ah, there is going to be a celebrity judge."
Bailey and Santana exchanged a look, both trying not to laugh as they both knew the judge was going to be Ms. Pillsbury.
"W-who?" asked Tina.
"It's totally the guidance counselor," Adalynn mumbled.
"You're gonna have to show up to find out," said Mr. Schue.
"We got this in the bag," Mercedes said as the group of girls headed to the door.
"Totally," Rachel agreed. "I'm gonna start storyboarding our choreography tonight."
****
Adalynn was sitting crossed-legged on the floor in the dance studio as she french braided Bailey's hair. Tina and Mercedes were sitting in a corner doing each other's nails, Brittany was stretching at the bar, and Santana was standing in front of the mirror plucking her eyebrows.
"Where's the illiterate diva?" Adalynn asked as she tied off the braid in Bailey's hair and looked around the room. "She should totally be bossing us around right now. Wait..." the brunette looked around the room again. "Where's Quinn?"
"Okay, girls," Rachel said as she came into the room. "We need to get started."
"We're getting warmed up," Santana scoffed.
"Where's Quinn?" the diva asked.
"My question exactly," said Adalynn as she accepted a sour gummy bear from Bailey.
"Probably down at the mall looking for elastic-waist pants," said Brittany, getting a chuckle from everyone except Rachel, Bailey, and Adalynn.
"She talks about her best friend like that?" the younger Hummel asked, exchanging an unamused look with the blonde beside her.
"Quinn, Britt, and Santana have a very confusing friendship," Bailey whispered. "I don't understand it. But, hey, at least I get two more big sisters."
"Mr. Schuester's right, you guys," said Rachel. "We can't get complacent."
"Chill out," said Mercedes. "I already picked the songs. We're gonna do a mash-up of Halo and Walking On Sunshine."
"Yeah, that was my idea."
"Not everything's about you, Rachel," Adalynn mumbled. "And besides, we can do this in our sleep. You think those boys, Kurt, and Julian are gonna give us any competition?"
"I say we just wing it," Mercedes shrugged.
"We can't just wing it," said Rachel.
"All those in favor of winging it?"
Bailey gave Adalynn a few more gummy bears. Brittany reached a hand out over the bar and the younger Pierce gave her a few as well.
"All those opposed?"
Rachel raised her hand and gave Mercedes a look.
"Looks like the ayes have it," Mercedes mumbled.
****
****
Adalynn put her books away and headed down the hall. She ran a hand through her brunette locks, still confused as to how the boys managed to have so much energy in their number. She looked up and spotted Quinn at her locker. She took a deep breath and walked over to her.
"I haven't seen you in Glee rehearsals," the younger girl said.
"I'm not Superwoman," Quinn said, turning to Adalynn with annoyance in her voice. "I know Glee is your whole life, but I have the Cheerios. I'm on honor roll. I have friends."
"So?" the brunette scoffed. "I have theatre classes and I still manage to keep an all-A average. And I know it's surprising, but I have friends too. You're just making excuses for yourself and that bastard child you're carrying."
"You have no right to talk to me like that," the older girl said through gritted teeth.
"Whatever." Adalynn sighed and ran a hand through her hair. "Look, you don't have to be embarrassed. No one in Glee Club is going to judge you. More people are gonna start finding out about this, and you're gonna need friends to be there to help you get through it. You're gonna need Glee. You have seven months of your youth left. You should enjoy it. In a couple of months that cheerleading uniform isn't gonna fit and we're gonna be all you have left. Just... come back to practice. Boys versus girls. It's fun. And we could certainly use your voice right now. You're a really good singer."
"I would have tortured you if the roles were reversed, you know," Quinn said, her tone and expression softening.
"I know." Adalynn gave her a small smile before walking away, letting out a breath she didn't realize she was holding.
I just gave Quinn fucking Fabray a pep talk.
****
"I told you guys," Rachel accused.
"We know," said Santana, rolling her eyes. "You've been berating us for the better part of an hour."
"Were they really that good?" asked Quinn.
"They were, Quinn," said Rachel. "Look, I was fine with arranging, choreographing, and directing this number free of charge. But we underestimated the boys. Their number will go to sectionals, and again I will be humiliated."
"How were we supposed to know they'd rock the house?" asked Mercedes. "They've never been good."
"How did they d-d-do it?" asked Tina.
"The real question is, what were they on?" Kurt asked as he and Julian entered the room.
"Though we've been grouped with the boys, our allegiance still remains with you ladies," said Julian.
"They declined my offer to do their hair in cornrows and all my artistic decisions have been derided as too costly because they involve several varieties of exotic bird feathers," said Kurt.
"What's your point?" Bailey asked confusedly.
"We all took something."
"Dad said not to do drugs!" Adalynn scolded, standing up and walking over to her brother. "Are you insane?!"
"They're not drugs," said Julian. "Not exactly. Look, do you want to level the playing field or not?"
Adalynn and Rachel exchanged a look. Fair is fair...
****
****
"I'm really disappointed in you guys," said Mr. Schue, crossing his arms over his chest. "Glee is supposed to be about what's in your heart, not what's coursing through your veins."
"We know," said Rachel. "And I think I speak for everyone when I say that we'd be happy to move forward and put this episode behind us."
"Well, it's not that simple. Because of this debacle, it's been decided that I'm no longer fit to run Glee Club by myself. We've been assigned a co-director."
"Who?" asked Rachel.
"Hey, kids!" Sue smiled as she entered the room. "I gotta tell you, I'm just thrilled to be coming on board to co-captain your little showbiz cruise. I can't wait to start singing and dancing and maybe even putting on the Ritz a little bit."
Adalynn's jaw dropped as she exchanged a look with Bailey, both knowing that this wasn't going to end well.