Chapter seventeen
"Dreams."
Having taken a break from school after her breakup with Jesse, Caroline was finally back as she sat in the choir room with everyone, Mr Schuester stood in front of them with somebody else "okay, guys, listen up. This Mr Ryan. He's a member of the school board and would like to say a few words." Mr Schuester shared, stepping away but then he quickly stepped back "and I just want you guys to listen critically and know that what he's saying is just one of many opinions." he told them turning and walking off sit down.
"Take out a piece of paper." Mr Ryan told them, as everyone leaned down and grabbed one "and on that paper, I want you to write down your biggest dream, a dream that means so much, you're afraid to admit it even to yourself." Mr Ryan told them, as Caroline wrote down being a pop star on her piece of paper especially since when she was at home getting over her breakup with Jesse she had written her own break up song about it.
But then she noticed Mr Ryan rip the paper Artie was writing his dream on and crumple it and throw it into the trash "your dream is never going to happen. Ninety one percent of you will spend your entire lives living in Alan County, Ohio. So unless you wrote down that your dream was to work for a mid market health insurance provider, or find an entry level job in an elderly care facility, you're going to be very disappointed." he told them, and that just reminded Caroline of what Sue always told her "this is really depressing." Mercedes mentioned "I'm going to guess that a lot of your dreams involve showbiz. Well, let me tell you, showbiz dreams are the most unrealistic of them all." Mr Ryan shared.
"But that's what I want to do with my life." Tina told him "oh, look, I'm not trying to hurt your feelings. I'm just trying to spare you disappointment." Mr Ryan told them "I think we get your point." Mr Schuester told him as Mr Ryan looked to him "ah, well, Schuester here's a prime example. He used to have that glimmer of hope in his eyes that I can see right now in all of yours. But..he couldn't make it happen for himself so he now has to try and convince you all that it'll happen for you. Guess what. His dream didn't work out. And neither will yours." he told them as Tina started crying so did Caroline although she really just put it off on her having just gotten over a breakup to where her dreams getting crushed in the span of the same week was a lot.
"Okay. You're done here." Mr Schuester said as he stood up "you would be wise to show me some respect." Mr Ryan told him as Mr Schuester walked towards him "you've said your piece. Now get out." he told him, stopping in front of him "well, Schuester, I should thank you. You've made my decision about which program to cut a lot easier." Mr Ryan told him as he turned walking out, Mr Schuester then turned to them all.
Sitting in the auditorium during lunch, Caroline was at the piano as she pressed the keys, she had her songbook open to the breakup song she had written about her and Jesse, which she was called Traitor, but after the news she heard today she didn't feel like singing it, as she brought her hands up and slammed it shut as she huffed "come on, Caroline." she told herself, putting her hands back on the keys, she started playing a tune and then it seemed to just come to her as she started singing.
"All my life, I've seen myself through your eyes
Wonderin' if I am good enough for your time
You love me but for all the wrong reasons
Am I somethin' to you and not someone?
'Cause I feel trapped on this pedestal you put me on
You tell me that I'm beautiful but I think that's an understatement
'Cause I am more than what I am to you
You say I'm perfect but I've got thorns with my petals, too
And I won't be confined to your point of view
I'm breakin' through the glass you put me in
'Cause my beauty's from within
Oh-oh, oh-oh-oh-oh
My beauty's from within
Oh-oh, oh-oh-oh."
And she was focused on her music, that she didn't see Jesse standing behind her, listening to her sing as she continued her song.
"So, I am done livin' my life just for you
You watched me wither and now you'll watch me bloom
You're hidin' in the dark but I'm reachin' for the Sun, woo-ooh
'Cause I am more than what I am to you
You say I'm pretty but I've got magic that you never knew
And I won't be confined to your point of view
I'm breakin' through the glass you put me in, 'cause
I am more than what I am to you
You say I'm perfect but I've got thorns with my petals, too
And I won't be confined to your point of view
I'm breakin' through the glass you put me in
'Cause my beauty's from within."
Finishing it, she just stared at the piano with a smile on her face, reaching forward to grab her songbook to write it down before it slipped her mind "that song was amazing." Jesse spoke up, making Caroline jump as she dropped her songbook on the floor and quickly turned around "Jesus, what the hell are even doing?" she asked him, voice coming out shaky at the end, as she quickly stood up and grabbed her songbook, grabbing her bag and shoving it into it, turning on her heel to walk away "because I wanted to talk to you." Jesse told her, following after her "well, I never wanna talk to you or see your face ever again. So, how about you go find Rachel and creep on her." Caroline shared, but before she could walk out, Jesse grabbed her arm and turned her towards him, kissing her.
But all Caroline wanted to do was push him away as she brought her hands up to push him off of her, although before she could someone else pulled him off of her "hey, Justin TImberlake, get the hell away from her!" Puck yelled, and Caroline was very surprised to see him there "Puck, it's okay." she told him, as Puck turned to her "no! It's not okay! If anyone knows about cheating it's me!" he voiced, turning around and looking back at Jesse "now get out of here, before I ruin that pretty face of yours." he told him, as Jesse turned around walking off, Caroline scoffed "I had it handled." she told him, turning on her heel and walking off.
Yet Puck scoffed right back, following after her "yeah, right! If I hadn't come to check on you after that guy made you cry in glee club today, you would've fell back in that guys arms! I mean, I would know, cause I have that same effect on girls." he told her, making Caroline chuckle "you know, if this is supposed to be some kind of pep talk, it's sucks." she told him, in which Puck huffed "I'm just saying, I've known you for as long as I can remember and I always told myself if a guy like me ever tried to mess with you that I would beat the crap out of him, knowing that Finn would never be able to do the same being to afraid and everything." he shared, following her out of the auditorium, as the two headed down the hallway.
"Well, thanks but maybe you should've given me the heads up before I decided to give him everything." Caroline told him, feeling like she was gonna cry again just from seeing Jesse again and now talking about it, in which Puck grabbed her arm and pulled her back towards him, where the two were now face to face "I heard the song you sang, so are you gonna take your own advice and believe in yourself again or are you gonna keep feeling sorry for yourself?" he asked her, as he then let go of her arm and turned heading down the hallway, leaving her there to think about what he said.
Then the next time they were sitting in glee club, Mr Ryan was back but he seemed to have a different outlook on there club as he had a smile on his face and brought a box with him, opening it "guys, I've got good news. I siphoned off funds from the cheerios, and I took a little shopping spree through the jazz hands catalog. You know, why? Because the arts matter. And I got custom made new directions jean jackets." he told them, pulling one out of the box as Kurt got up to grab one so did Mercedes and Britney "and some rad tear away dance wear." Mr Ryan added on as Caroline furrowed her brows, wondering what changed his mind.
"Hello..and every piece of sheet music from every broadway show for the last fifty years. Everything a show choir needs to become champions." Mr Ryan shared, holding all the books in his hands as Mr Schuester walked towards him "that's just amazing. Let's all give a hand for Mr Ryan." he told them, as they all clapped, Sue then walked in "congratulations, Will. I am over the moon for you.' she told him, as Mr Schuester and Mr Ryan looked to her "thanks. Sue, I'm glad you have a good attitude about your budget being cut." Mr Schuester told her "oh, no, I'm not talking about that. I came over here to congratulate you on your new role. Local director Herb Duncan, does the dry cleaning for the cheerios, and let slip that you just landed the lead in Les Mis. Congratulations." Sue said as Mr Ryan glared at Mr Schuester.
"Oh, Im ecstatic. And the good news just keeps coming, because you get a part too, Bry. The exciting role of townsperson. And you got a line too." Sue shared, opening the script "way back here in the second act, you get to say, hooray. Congratulations, both of you, really I can't wait for opening night." she shared, turning and walking out, where Ryan then scoffed, ripping the jean jacket out of Kurt's hands "wait, Bryan." Mr Schuester told him "congratulations, Will, you're gonna be great in the show." Mr Ryan told him "can we talk about this?" Mr Schuester asked him "there's nothing to talk about. I'm cutting the program." Mr Ryan told him him as he wheeled his boxes back out as Mr Schuester than sighed.
Then the next day in glee, Mike and Puck were playing football while Finn played the drums, Mr Schuester had walked in as the bell rang, catching the ball before Puck could "all right, guys, listen up. Tina has something to share with all of us." he shared, as everyone who wasn't sitting down went to their seats, in which Puck sat next to Caroline which was the furthest place she could be away from Jesse who sat all the way on the other side "but first I have an announcement to make. You've all been reprieved. Bryan Ryan isn't cutting glee." he told them all as everyone clapped "did he die?" Puck asked "no, he didn't die." Mr Schuester told him, throwing the ball to him as Puck caught it "he's gonna be distracted for a couple months making his star turn in Les Mis. He got the lead role." Mr Schuester shared "but I thought you got the lead." Quinn told him.
"I resigned. It was the price fo keeping the club." Mr Schuester told them "sorry you had to do that, Mr Schue." Finn told him "I'm not. I mean, the way I see it, I'm trading my one dream for the chance that all fourteen of you might find yours. I mean, come on, you can't argue with those numbers. So, let's start with Tina's dream. Come on up, Tina." Mr Schuester told them, as Tina got up and walked to the front of the room as they all clapped for her, she high fived Mr Schuester "I understand that you whipped up a little dance number for us, a break out that e might use at regionals." Mr Schuester shared "yes." Tina told them all "you got a dance partner?" Mr Schuester asked.
"Mike Chang." Tina said as everyone looked to him, Mike stood up and headed down the steps as Mr Schuester walked over and found a seat.
Soon they all were in jeans and light blue shirts as they sat on stools in the background while Artie was in his wheelchair in front of them, he started singing.
"Stars shining bright above you;
Night breezes seem to whisper, "I love you."
Birds singin' in the sycamore trees
Dream a little dream of me
Say nighty-night, and kiss me
Just hold me tight, and tell me you'll miss me."
Although as they sat up there, Caroline felt eyes on her and new Jesse was looking at her, it was really taking all of her composure not to get up and run away or cry.
"While I'm alone and blue as can be
Dream a little dream of me."
And as Artie wheeled out of the way, Mike and Tina came down the middle, doing their tap dance routine, Artie then began singing again.
"Sweet dreams till sunbeams find you
Sweet dreams that leave all worries far behind you
But in your dreams, whatever they b
Dream a little dream of me
Dream a little dream of me."
Where when the song finished, Caroline pushed herself off her stole and began walking off the stage, feeling everyone's eyes on her, as she let out a breath she was holding in and let her tears fall as she disappeared from their view.