Bailey knocked gently on the door to Mr. Schue's office. He looked up from his paperwork and motioned for her to come in and take a seat. She took a deep breath and rubbed her hands on her thighs to calm her nerves.
"How can I help you, Bailey?" Mr. Schue asked, offering the blonde a warm smile.
"Uh... I-I... I wrote a song," Bailey said as she unfolded a piece of paper and handed it to her teacher. "This is my last competition, and I was wondering if I could sing it? We've done really well in the past with original songs, and I'm really proud of how this one turned out."
"Bailey, this is really good," Mr. Schue said as he read through the lyrics. "Your songwriting has really improved over the years." He was quiet for a moment, and the senior nervously bit her lip as he folded the paper and handed it back to her.
"I'd really like the opportunity, Mr. Schue," Bailey said as she looked at him with pleading eyes.
"Well, I don't see why not," the teacher shrugged, chuckling.
"Really?" Bailey gasped, smiling when Mr. Schue nodded. "Thank you. You won't regret it!"
She walked out of his office with a huge smile and ran up to Tina and Adalynn, who were waiting at the other end of the hall.
"What did he say?" Tina asked.
"If he said no, I'm killing him," said Adalynn.
"He said yes!" Bailey exclaimed as the three jumped up and down, squealing excitedly as they hugged.
****
LA was even better than Adalynn had thought it would be. She, Bailey, and Tina were all put in a room together at the hotel, and after unpacking they changed into their swimsuits and went down to relax at the pool.
The warm, late-May sun shined down on them as they relaxed on the lounge chairs. Bailey kept a careful eye on Julian, who was in the pool with the twins, who had floaties on their arms to keep their heads above the water.
Adalynn flipped through a magazine, frowning when a dark shadow appeared over her.
"Who the fuck stole the sun?" she asked, annoyed as she looked up, gasping when she saw her brother. "Finny, you made it!" she exclaimed as she tossed the magazine aside and jumped up to throw her arms around his shoulders.
"You didn't think I'd miss your last competition, did you?" Finn asked, chuckling as he lifted Adalynn up and spun her around, a mischievous smile forming on his lips as he carried her over to the pool and tossed her in.
She landed in the water with a splash, and glared up at Finn as she spit water out of her mouth. He smiled innocently, shrugging it off as if it had never happened.
"You're so mean," Adalynn pouted as she swam over to the edge of the pool and pushed herself out.
"Enjoy your swim, Baby Shark?" Finn teased.
"You watch it, or else I'm gonna turn into a parana," Adalynn said as she squeezed the water out of her long hair.
"Hi, Finny!" Maya yelled, waving at him from the other end of the pool.
"Finny, I'ma meemaid," Ava said as she put her legs together and thrashed her arms around as she struggled to make her way over to him. "Daddy!" she whined. "Daddy help!"
"You're okay, Ava," Julian said as he went over to his youngest daughter. "Do you want to go to Uncle Finn?"
"Yeah," Ava nodded.
"Alright," the young father said as he picked the two-year-old up out of the water and placed her on his shoulders. He went over to the side of the pool that Finn was on, glancing over his shoulder to make sure Maya was okay before handing Ava to Adalynn, who wrapped her up in a small towel before handing her to Finn.
Julian went back to Maya, who was peacefully floating in the water.
"Hi, Daddy," she giggled, splashing him with water.
"Have you talked to Kurt at all?" Finn asked as Adalynn wrapped up in a towel and sat down. "Is he coming?"
"He wants to, but he doesn't have enough money to fly out," the younger girl mumbled sadly.
"Brittany can't come either," Bailey sighed as she placed her phone down next to her. "She just texted saying that she wasn't able to get a break."
"No sad, Mommy," Ava pouted as Julian walked up to them with Maya.
"No Bri?" the older twin frowned as she pushed herself up onto the lounge chair and sat down in her mom's lap.
"She couldn't make it, sweetie," Bailey said as she played with her daughter's wet blonde hair.
"Okay, I refuse to let you guys be sad," Tina said as she stood up. "Yes, it sucks that your siblings couldn't be here, but I know for a fact that they're so proud of you both for how far you've come."
"Tina's right," Finn nodded. "You've all worked so hard for this. You shouldn't let these little setbacks get you down. This is your last time competing together. You should enjoy it. Enjoy the sun, enjoy LA. You're only here for a couple days. Don't waste them worrying too much about things you can't change."
"Besides, I can always record a video to send to them," Julian said as he dried his hair with a towel.
"Now, I don't want to see any more tears from you, young ladies," Tina said matter-of-factly, smiling when Bailey and Adalynn did too. "That means you also, Maya."
"Bri," Maya sniffled, leaning her head into Bailey's chest.
"May-May, no sad!" Ava whined, stomping her little foot on the pavement with her arms crossed. "Be happy so Mommy happy."
"I am happy, Ava," Bailey said, smiling softly.
"Are you guys hungry?" Julian asked as he checked the time on his phone. "How about we go inside, change and then sneak out of here and go get some dinner."
"Sounds good to me," Adalynn said as she exchanged a look with her two best friends, who nodded.
"Me and Ava too?" Maya asked as she looked up at her dad with big blue eyes.
"You and Ava too," Julian said, lightly tapping his oldest daughter's nose and smiling when she giggled.
****
It was the day of nationals. To say that Bailey was nervous would be the understatement of the century. To say that Adalynn totally didn't have an anxiety attack in the bathroom moments before meeting the rest of the New Directions backstage would be a lie. There was so much riding on this competition, and the seniors felt so much pressure to win it for the underclassmen.
Adalynn walked in with bloodshot eyes and smudged mascara. Her hands were shaking, and she ran hand after hand through her hair as she sat down in front of a vanity to fix her make-up. She took a deep breath as she removed the mascara that had formed a dark circle under her eyes from her tears, but nothing she did seemed to stop the overwhelming thoughts that filled her mind.
Kurt didn't come. Quinn hadn't texted. Rachel wasn't answering her phone. Brittany was too busy. Santana was probably making out with some chick.
She was all alone.
"Breathe, Little Adalynn," Julian said as he sat down next to his cousin and comfortingly rubbed her back. "Quit overthinking. You know what happens when you do that."
"I'm trying," Adalynn sobbed. "I-I-I-I can't do it."
"Hey, hey, it's okay," Julian said as he pulled the younger girl into a hug and held her head protectively to his chest. "Breathe, Adalynn. It's gonna be okay."
"If we don't win, we're gonna let e-everyone down. You, Finn, Kurt, Quinn, Britt, Tana, the underclassmen, my mom–"
"Adalynn, listen to me," Julian said as he placed his hands on her shoulders and looked into her eyes. "You're not gonna let anyone down. Bailey isn't gonna let anyone down. No one's gonna let anyone down, okay? Aunt Elizabeth won't be disappointed if you lose."
Elizabeth.
She hadn't heard her mom's name spoken aloud in a really long time. No one had said it since she died. For a minute, she almost forgot it.
"I miss my mommy," Adalynn sobbed as she leaned into her cousin again, her tears dampening his shirt.
"She misses you too–"
"She's dead, you fucking idiot!" the brunette snapped, tears streaming down her face. "She's been dead for 11 years! She's never coming back!"
"Adalynn Emilia Hummel," Julian said, his voice firm, yet gentle, as he used his thumb to wipe the tears off of her face. "You need to calm down. Breathe. Drink some water. Your mom might not be here in person, but she's here in spirit. She's proud of you. Uncle Burt is proud of you. Carole is proud of you, and Finn. I'm– hey, look at me– I'm proud of you. Okay? You've gone through so much, and you're stronger now."
Julian handed her the bottle of water that was sitting on the vanity. Adalynn took the cap off and took a sip, sniffling as she set it back down. She took slow, deep breaths like her therapist had said to do whenever she was feeling overwhelmed.
"Everything's gonna be fine, Ada," Julian said, smiling softly. "But you have to quit stressing yourself out. Oh, and before you ask, I already confiscated the shaver I saw you steal from Jori's bag at the airport."
"I needed to shave my legs," Adalynn mumbled as she used a tissue to dry her tears and blow her nose.
"Yeah, like I'm gonna believe that," the older boy scoffed.
"Fuck you."
"You're almost 3 months sober, do you really think I'm gonna let you relapse? I wouldn't be doing my job as your favorite cousin right if I did."
"You're my only cousin, Juli," Adalynn rolled her eyes with a slight chuckle as she fixed her eyeliner and mascara. "But thanks for looking out for me," she said with a small smile as she looked at him in the mirror.
"No need to thank me, dork," Julian chuckled. "That's what family is for."
"Alright, guys, show circle!" Mr. Schue clapped his hands together.
"Break a leg, little cuz," Julian said as they stood up and hugged.
"I love you," Adalynn blurted out as she hugged him tightly. "I know I can be a little shit sometimes and I like to bully you and call you a fucking idiot because you are, but I love you and I'm so glad you set that fire in the cafeteria at Carmel, because if you hadn't then I wouldn't have Ava and Maya, and we wouldn't be as close as we are now."
"I love you too, Little Adalynn," Julian smiled as he kissed the top of her head. "Now, go out there and knock 'em dead."
"I will," the younger girl grinned, high-fiving her cousin before joining her fellow Glee Clubbers in their last show circle.
"Adalynn," Mr. Schue said as he looked to the brunette with a smile. "Why don't you do the honors."
The New Directions smiled and clapped for the senior as she took a deep breath.
"Okay, um... well... for most of us, this is our last competition," Adalynn began. "Some of us have been here since the first Glee Club rehearsal," she said, smiling at Bailey, Tina, and Artie, "and others have come along the way," she added as she looked at Sam, Blaine, and Jori. "We've all had our differences these last four years. We fight, we steal each other's boyfriends and girlfriends, we quit and rejoin, and we cry on each other's shoulders when life gets hard. But most importantly, we're a family. If it weren't for all of you guys...some more than others...I know for a fact that I wouldn't be standing here with you today. I'd probably be buried six feet under. We've all been through a lot these last four years, and we've bonded because of it. This is the time of our lives. This is the last chance we have to prove to everyone back home that we're more than a club of misfits who sing songs together and pretend we're cool. Because the truth is... who gives a fuck what they think? We have each other, and I know for a fact that I will cherish each and every one of you for the rest of my life. Now, with all that being said, let's go out there and kick some show choir ass."
Everyone clapped and cheered before putting their hands in the middle.
"On three," Adalynn said, nudging the blonde beside her. "Bay, you do the honors."
"One," Bailey counted with a smile. "Two... three."
"Aaaamazing!" the New Directions shouted as they through their hands up.
"Alright, places, everybody!" Mr. Schue clapped as everyone scattered off to different sides of the stage.
Adalynn jogged up to where Bailey and Tina were standing and took both of their hands. "Starting together. Ending together," she said with a smile.
"Just the way it should be," Bailey grinned.
"From Lima, Ohio, please give it up for the New Directions!" the announcer said as the crowd cheered.
"Break a leg, Bails," Tina smiled as the three hugged.
Bailey took a deep breath before walking out to the middle of the stage. The bright, blinding spotlight shined down on her. She could feel the eyes of everyone in the audience staring at her. She scanned the darkened faces before she found the only two that mattered.
Maya and Ava smiled as their mom's eyes met theirs, and all of Bailey's fears slowly washed away. The music started, and she began singing.
Hit the ground, hit the ground, hit the ground, oh, oh
Only sound, only sound that you hear is "no"
You never saw it coming
Slipped when you started running
And now you've come undone and I, I, I, I
Seen you fall, seen you crawl on your knees eh, eh
Seen you lost in a crowd, seen your colors fade
Wish I could make it better
Someday you won't remember
This pain you thought would last forever and ever
There you'll stand, ten feet tall
I will say, "I knew it all along"
Your eyes wider than distance
This life is sweeter than fiction
Just a shot, just a shot in the dark, oh, oh
All you got, all you got are your shattered hopes
They never saw it coming
You hit the ground running
And now you're on to something
I, I, I say
What a sight, what a sight when the light came on
Proved me right, proved me right when you proved them wrong
And in this perfect weather
It's like we don't remember
The rain we thought would last forever and ever
There you'll stand, ten feet tall
I will say, "I knew it all along"
Your eyes wider than distance
This life is sweeter than fiction
There you'll stand, next to me
All at once, the rest is history
Your eyes wider than distance
This life is sweeter than fiction, fiction
I'll be one of the many saying
Look at you now, look at you now, now
I'll be one of the many saying
You made us proud, you made us proud, proud
I'll be one of the many saying
Look at you now, look at you now, now
I'll be one of the many saying
You made us proud, you made us proud, proud
And when they call your name
And they put your picture in a frame
You know that I'll be there time and again
Cause I loved you when
When you hit the ground, hit the ground, hit the ground, oh oh
Only sound, only sound that you heard was "no"
Now in this perfect weather
It's like we don't remember
The rain we thought would last forever and ever
There you'll stand, ten feet tall
I will say, "I knew it all along"
Your eyes wider than distance
This life is sweeter than fiction
There you'll stand, next to me
All at once, the rest is history
Your eyes wider than distance
This life is sweeter than fiction, fiction
Sweeter than fiction
It's sweeter, yeah
It's sweeter, it's sweeter
Sweeter than fiction
The audience erupted in applause, a smile spreading across Bailey's lips as she received a standing ovation. She looked backstage to Tina and Adalynn, who were clapping and smiling just as wide. She took a small bow before walking offstage, Adalynn taking her place as the next song started.
"There's a lightnin' in your eyes, I can't deny," Adalynn sang, eyes scanning the crowd until she found her dad and Carole. "Then there's me inside a sinking boat, runnin' out of time. Without you, I'll never make it out alive, but I know, yes, I know we'll be alright."
"There's a devil in your smile, it's chasing me," Jori sang as she walked out on stage. "And every time I turn around, it's only gaining speed. There's a moment when you finally realize there's no way you can change the rolling tide. But I know, yes, I know that I'll be fine."
"This time, I'm ready to run, oh-oh," the two brunettes sang as the crowd began to clap to the beat. "Escape from the city and follow the sun. Cause I wanna be yours, don't you wanna be mine? I don't wanna get lost in the dark of the night. This time I'm ready to run, oh-oh. Wherever you are is the place I belong. Cause I wanna be free and I wanna be young. I will never look back, now I'm ready to run."
"I'm ready to run," Adalynn sang, exchanging a smile with Tina as she came on stage to take her place as she walked off.
"There's a future in my life I can't foresee," Tina sang. "Unless, of course, I stay on course and keep you next to me. There will always be the kind that criticize, but I know, yes, I know we'll be alright."
"This time, I'm ready to run, oh-oh," Sam and Blaine joined in as they walked on stage. "Escape from the city and follow the sun. Cause I wanna be yours, don't you wanna be mine? I don't wanna get lost in the dark of the night."
"This time I'm ready to run, oh-oh," Artie sang as he rolled out. "Wherever you are is the place I belong. Cause I wanna be free and I wanna be young. I will never look back, now I'm ready to run."
"This time, I'm ready to run," Bailey sang as she came out and laced her fingers with Tina's.
"I'd give everything that I've got for your love," Adalynn sang as she rejoined her fellow seniors on stage.
"This time, I'm ready to run," the seniors sang together as they held each other's hands and looked out into the audience. "Escape from the city and follow the sun. Cause I wanna be yours, don't you wanna be mine? I don't wanna get lost in the dark of the night. This time I'm ready to run, oh-oh. Wherever you are is the place I belong. Cause I wanna be free and I wanna be young. I will never look back, now I'm ready to run."
Once again, the audience stood up and clapped for the teenagers on stage. They all smiled at each other before taking their places for the third and final number with the underclassman.
****
The rest of the day went by in a blur, and before anyone knew it, it was time to announce the winner of the 2013 National Show Choir Championship. Jori stood next to Adalynn, who stood next to Tina, who stood next to Bailey, all of them holding hands as they anxiously anticipated the judge's decision.
A win or a loss doesn't define us.
All that matters is that we had fun, right?
The world will not end if we lose.
I think I'm dying.
Just say who won already.
Patience, Adalynn. Patience.
"Thank you to everyone who performed here today," one of the judges said. "I'd like to start of the award ceremony with our MVP award."
Adalynn felt herself holding tighter to Tina's hand. She found her cousin in the audience, and he mouthed, Breathe. She nodded and took a deep breath, but the suspense was still killing her. She just wanted to know who won the championship.
"From William McKinley High School in Lima, Ohio, Miss Bailey Pierce!"
Bailey smiled as she hugged Tina before going to accept her MVP award from the judge. The New Directions clapped for their friend, some of them high-fiving her as she joined them again.
"Now, in fourth place," the judge began, reading from the envelope. "From Lake Tahoe, Vicious Harmony!"
"And third place goes to..." a second judge said as the applause died down. "Our bronze beauties, the Amazonians!"
Adalynn let out a sigh of relief as everyone clapped for the third place team. It was down to them and Throat Explosion. She let go of Jori's hand so that she could reach up and hold her locket.
"And now, the pivotal moment is here," the second judge continued.
"For there can only be one champion show choir per nation," a third judge added.
"Second place goes to..."
This time, it was Tina giving Adalynn's hand a squeeze. The blue-eyed girl looked over at her, and she gave her a small smile. Adalynn let go of her locket and rubbed her sweaty hand on her dress before taking Jori's hand again.
From the audience, Maya and Ava held onto each other's little hands as they sat in the seat they insisted on sharing between Julian and Burt.
"Come on, Mommy," Maya begged quietly. "And Titi, an Ada."
"I neros, May," Ava whined as she leaned her head onto her twin's shoulder.
"It be okay," the older twin whispered as she used her free hand to pat her younger sister's head.
"...Throat Explosion!"
Bailey's attention was suddenly grasped as she exchanged a look with Tina beside her.
"And first place goes to the New Directions!"
"Oh my god!" Bailey screamed as she turned to hug her girlfriend.
Confetti fell to the ground, and the New Directions all smiled and clapped, jumping up and down as they hugged and congratulated each other on a job well done.
The twins screamed as loud as they could as they stood up on the seat and clapped their little hands together. Julian smiled from ear-to-ear, high-fiving his uncle in the moment of celebration. Carole picked up Maya as Burt picked up Ava. They lifted them up so that they could see above the people blocking their view.
Bailey felt happy tears filling her eyes when she spotted them, both of them smiling a toothy smile as they waved at her. She waved back as Adalynn walked up beside her, both friends hugging each other tightly. They felt a second pair of arms wrap around them, and it was no surprise that it was Tina.
They didn't even have to look, they just knew.
For the first time in a long time, Adalynn felt truly happy. And as she looked into the eyes of her two best friends, she knew that they were thinking the exact same thing.