Gabe walked around McKinley after practice, examining the building. On the way, he found the auditorium. He walked in, taking a look around. Not a bad place, he thought. He then heard singing coming from the stage, and he looked over to see Ryder, who he had met at the funeral. The boy was singing Dancing Through Life from WICKED while attempting to do the dance. He laughed at the failed attempt, which caused Ryder to stop singing and look at him.
"Why'd you stop?" Gabe asked, walking closer to the stage.
"Why are you in here?" Ryder hesitantly answered.
"Oh, come on! I know you used to be in glee club. Why are you so shy now?"
Ryder stayed silent as Gabe jumped onto the stage.
"Ryder, right?" Gabe asked. Ryder simply nodded. "Well, from what I just heard, your singing is really good. It's the song choice that wasn't exactly great."
"Why? What's wrong with WICKED?"
"There's nothing wrong with it, it's just that I think I know of a musical that would better fit your voice." He pulled out a music score and gave it to Ryder.
"Next to Normal?" Ryder questioned.
"Trust me, it's perfect."
"For some reason, I'm trusting you."
"You should." Gabe walked over to the band and told them the song. Then he walked back over to Ryder. "I have a feeling that you'll be seeing me more often." He then cued the band. "Hit it!"
Walking circles around the boy, he began to sing. "I am what you want me to be, and I'm you're worst fear. You'll find it in me. Come closer..." He stopped when he noticed Ryder struggling to read the music. "I know you know this song," he said, recalling that his dad called him once saying that Ryder had played I'm Alive one too many times in the household.
Ryder looked hesitant at first, but then he sang. "I am more than memory, I am what might be, I am mystery. You know me."
"So show me," Gabe joined in, thus making the solo a duet.
As the song progressed, he noticed Ryder becoming more and more confident in his voice.
"What the hell are those for?" Ryder asked.
"Dude," Gabe responded, swinging on one of the poles. "Have you even seen Next to Normal?" Ryder was about to answer, but Gabe quickly stated, "Don't answer that." He then got on the other pole and sang.
Soon enough, they were both running around the stage and swinging on the poles while singing the song.
Once they both caught their breath, Ryder yelled, "That was awesome!"
"See?" Gabe responded. "Told you that's a better song."
"It is, but how the hell did they perform this in the musical?"
"Ask Aaron Tveit."
"Who?"
"Never mind." Gabe grabbed his bag and the music score and walked off the stage.
"You know," Ryder pointed out as Gabe was leaving, "you look like someone I should know."
"Trust me," Gabe replied, walking backwards so he could face Ryder. "You'll find out who I am soon enough." He turned so he could walk properly and stepped out of the auditorium.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Alright, who's going first today?" Mr. Schue asked at the next practice. Kitty's hand shot straight up. "Kitty," Mr. Schue called.
She got up and walked to the front of the room. "I will be doing a song from the ever so popular musical, Wicked."
"I bet you she's singing Popular," Kurt whispered to Gabe.
"Well," he whispered back as Kitty whispered her song to the band, "she does look like she could play Galinda in the musical."
"Guys," Rachel interrupted, "she looks more like a Nessa than a Galinda. She can't be doing Popular."
The music started, and all three of them recognized the tune. "Told you," Kurt and Gabe said in unison as they high-fived each other.
Rachel simply rolled her eyes and shook her head. She couldn't be mad; they were her friends after all. "She still looks like a Nessa to me," Rachel whispered to the boys.
"Suit yourself," Gabe responded before mouthing to Kurt, Galinda. He nodded as Kitty began to sing.
"Whenever I see someone less fortunate than I - and let's face it, who isn't less fortunate than I?" She had channeled her older "mean girl pretending to be nice" act for the performance, which seemed to work.
"Thank you, Kitty!" Mr. Schue exclaimed as she finished and the rest of the choir cheered.
"Um, Mr. Schue?" Jake asked, raising his hand. "I have a song for the assignment."
"Then come on up."
Jake walked to the front of the room and whispered what song he was gonna sing to the band. He then quickly turned to the club and cued the music.
"This is Santa Fe," he said quickly as the music played. "Folks, we finally got a headline: 'Newsies Crushed as Bulls Attack!'"
"Oh my gosh," Gabe whispered to Rachel. "He's singing Newsies."
She smiled as Gabe watched the performance like a little girl was at a Bieber concert or something. It was adorable to her.
Her attention drew back to Jake when he reached the big climax of the song. "Wow," she whispered. "He's amazing."
Gabe nodded in response. "It's a beautiful tribute."
Somewhere near the end of the song, their hands had unconsciously found their way to each other. They stayed intertwined for the rest of the song, and once he finished, they were the first two to get up and give him a standing O. As the rest of the choir room joined them, they awkwardly released their grip and applauded for the young boy.
"Wow!" Mr. Schue cheered after all the noise died down and everyone sat back down. "That was amazing, Jake!"
"I have to agree," Gabe stated. "I've never heard a better rendition of Santa Fe done. Like, ever."
"Except for Jeremy," Kurt pointed out. "Can't beat the original."
"And Corey," Melissa added.
Gabe laughed and said, "I meant a better rendition that hasn't been sung on Broadway."
"Well, thanks," Jake told Gabe. "I guess."
After Jake sat down, some of the other choir members came up and sang: Tina and Blaine with A Heart Full of Love from Les Miserables, Sam with Greased Lightnin' from Grease, and Wade/Unique with the soul ballad version of One Night Only from Dreamgirls, which received a standing ovation from Mercedes.
"Okay guys, this is going really well so far!" Mr. Schue spoke, stepping to the front of the room. "Can't wait to see what you have planned for tomorrow."
Gabe, who told Rachel that he would meet her outside, walked up to Jake. The younger boy put his hands up immediately, expecting some kind of punishment. "You're not in trouble, don't worry. I just need to ask you something."
"Shoot," Jake replied, lowering his hands and grabbing his bag.
"This is probably a weird question, but...do you know someone by the name of Ryder Lynn?"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"I hope this is the right address," Gabe muttered to himself as he rang the doorbell. His hands were shaking, but he knew he had to do it. It was now or never.
Just as he hoped, Ryder answered the door. "Gabe?" he asked. "What are you doing here?"
"I need to tell you something that I forgot to tell you the other day," Gabe replied, but staying silent afterwards. He wasn't sure how to tell him, and even how Ryder was going to react.
"Well?" Ryder asked, waving his hands in front of his face.
"Oh, sorry. It's just really hard to say this." Gabe took a deep breath. "Ryder, I'm your - "
"Ryder, who's at the door?" someone interrupted, walking up to the door. Gabe held his breath, seeing the man whom he had not made enough communication with. Someone who had left him and Mom in New York. He had a right to be nervous.
"Gabe?" the man asked, unsure. He took a few steps closer, getting a better look at his face. "Gabriel?"
"Hi Dad."
~~***~~
Hehe. "Ask Aaron Tveit." XP
Okay, first things first. I'M CRYING BECAUSE OF THE REFERENCE I MADE AT THE END. (20 points to you people who get it)
Second, you're probably wondering why I split this up into three parts. I was originally going to make it two, but then that second chapter would be WAY too long. Also, I really was stuck with the group number until a few days ago, so that's why I left that hanging.
Third, I would add the other performances, but then you'd probably end up with like, five chapters of the musical theme. Sorry.
Fourth. This is edited, so it's hopefully slightly less crap. :)
Yeah, that's about it.
Song(s) used: I'm Alive from Next to Normal (OBC: Aaron Tveit) (Video on the side)
Popular from Wicked (OBC: Kristin Chenoweth)
Santa Fe from NEWSIES (OBC: Jeremy Johnson)
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