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The matriarchs of the Crawfords and the Andersons were the best of friends, so it wasn't a surprise when Aimeé Crawford and Blaine Anderson became best friends as well.
Since they were little, they did everything together, shared each other's secrets, strengths and weaknesses.
They both share their love and talent for singing, and believe that if they couldn't say what they wanted to say to each other, they would convey their feelings through it.
When Blaine finally came out to Aimeé as bisexual, she accepted him for who he was wholeheartedly.
They were inseparable that they even went to the same schools until Aimeé's parents transferred her.
Aimeé's family name was well-known in the business world, but her parents chose to be the directors of the two schools they owned at Westerville, Ohio.
Dalton Academy, a private all-boys boarding school; and its sister school, Crawford Country Day, a private all-girls day school.
She expected to attend Crawford Country Day, but on the first day of school, she was shocked to find another school uniform inside her closet.
A navy blue and red Dalton Academy uniform, which consisted of a sophisticated looking blazer with the school's logo embossed on the breast pocket, a simple white undershirt, a gray pleated short skirt, and a striped necktie.
She complained to her parents, but her dad explained that he was planning to make Dalton a co-ed school, so he wanted to see how it would go if she became a student.
"I love you both, but seriously? You're making your only child, your daughter attend an all-boys school?"
"Don't worry, they're all nice kids, and you get your own dorm for yourself."
"You're dad's right, dear. I've met them, and they're all lovely. Handsome too."
🎶
Aimeé slowly peeked behind a wall and gulped nervously. She tried her best to avoid being seen by the other students she expected would give her an odd look for being there and wearing their uniform.
"Why are we hiding?"
Aimeé turned around when she heard someone whisper beside her and saw a blond boy wearing a Dalton uniform looking at her with amusement.
Her eyes widened in surprise and backed away from him before tripping on her own foot and falling down the tiled floor with a loud thud.
"Oh, sorry! Are you okay? I'll take you to the clinic."
Aimeé softly groaned in pain. "I'm fine, don't worry." she assured him.
"I'm Jeff Sterling, by the way."
Aimeé looked up and saw Jeff's hand in front of her. "Aimeé. Aimeé Crawford." she introduced herself as she took his hand.
Jeff grinned happily when he recognized who she was. "So, it's you! The academy director's daughter." he said and quickly pulled her up to stand.
Aimeé frowned in confusion. "You know me?" she asked.
Jeff nodded eagerly. "Your dad told everyone at orientation about his plan to make Dalton a co-ed school, and his daughter would be the first female student to enroll this year." he explained and gave her a friendly smile. "He also said, if we ever see a girl hiding, we'll know it's you, but he didn't say anything that you're pretty."
"Pretty?" Aimeé asked curiously, making Jeff smile shyly. "So, everyone seems to already know me before actually meeting me?"
Jeff nodded. "Most of us are eager to meet you."
Aimeé quirked an eyebrow. "Really? I expect to be treated differently." she confessed and crossed her arms. "I know how traditional Dalton is before dad's decision."
Jeff laughed in amusement. "Dalton Academy is well known for strictly enforcing a zero-tolerance bullying policy---"
"Protecting the students from any kind of bullying. I know. Dalton students really lived up to it. I see that now." Aimeé said proudly and looked around Dalton with a smile. "We'll see how this goes on from here."
Jeff smiled happily. "You being here is indeed a big change, but that doesn't mean we're going to treat you like a virus." he told her.
Being the only female student at Dalton Academy, Aimeé didn't expect she would be treated fairly. She was glad that she was welcomed without a hint of hesitation and indifference.
However, she wasn't going to let a school policy dictate how everyone would treat her and how they truly felt about her being at Dalton.
She wanted to prove herself to them that she was more than just a girl attending Dalton because her family owned the school. She wanted everyone to know who she really was. She wanted to make her mark at Dalton Academy, and she was going to make it happen, one way or another.
She became close friends with Jeff, and his friends, Nick Duval and Trent Nixon. It warmed her heart to know that they were always there to help her around the school.
She learned early on that they were talented singers, so they would sing along in the hallways and inside their classrooms, which caught the attention of the school's glee club, the Warblers.
The three boys were ecstatic to join, and she was dragged inside the senior commons, where the Warblers were hanging out most of the time.
She loved singing, and by using her voice, she was going to the start proving herself to everyone at Dalton.
She took a deep breath and stood in front of the Warbler Council, which consisted of Thad Harwood, Wes Montgomery, and David Thompson.
She's just a girl, and she's on fire
Hotter than a fantasy,
longer like a highway
She's living in a world, and it's on fire
Feeling the catastrophe, but
she knows she can fly away say
She revealed her powerful voice and the Warblers gawked at her in awe.
Oh!~
She got both feet on the ground
And she's burning it down
Oh!~
She got her head in the clouds
And she's not backing down
She closed her eyes and went all out, not noticing the other students passing by the senior commons heard her singing and stayed behind to watch and listen.
This girl is on fire~
This girl is on fire~
She's walking on fire~
This girl is on fire~
Jeff, Nick and Trent stood behind her and backed her up as the Warblers smiled at each other before joining in.
Listen
Looks like a girl, but she's a flame
So bright, she can burn your eyes
Better look the other way
You can try but you'll
never forget her name (oooh)
She's on top of the world
Hottest of the hottest girls
She glanced around and smiled when she saw the Warblers backing her up.
Say Oh!~
We got our feet on the ground
And we're burning it down
Oh~
Got our head in the clouds
And we're not coming down
As she sang with her powerful voice, the Warblers danced behind her.
This girl is on fire~
(fire, fire)
This girl is on fire~
(fire)
She's walking on fire~
(fire, fire)
This girl is on fire~
(fire) (aaaaaah)
The Warbler Council members looked at each other with happy smiles on their faces.
Everybody stands, as she goes by
you can see the flame
that's in her eyes
Watch her when she's
lighting up the night
Nobody knows that she's a lonely girl
in a lonely world
But she gon' let it
burn, baby, burn, baby
Aimeé closed her eyes and gave everything she got.
This girl is on fire~
Loud cheers and applause echoed throughout the senior commons as Aimeé opened her eyes. She turned around and saw the students gathered outside, clapping and cheering her on.
She looked back at the Warblers and ignored her heart racing inside her chest as they stood around her with happy smiles on their faces.
"Welcome to Dalton Academy, Warblerette."
🎶
As days passed, Aimeé began to fall in love with being a student at Dalton and a part of the Warblers.
What she enjoyed the most as part of the glee club were the impromptu performances at the senior commons. It was the Warblers tradition that temporarily shut the school, so everyone would watch them.
She truly felt happy. She found the place she belonged and wanted to call home.
Performance after performance, the Warbler Council were impressed with her talent and made her the Warblers' lead singer. She didn't disappoint them when they won the first and second round of the Show Choir Competition with her powerful voice, which always awed the judges and everyone in the audience.
Before the National Show Choir Championship in Chicago, she found out that Blaine was constantly being bullied because of his sexuality in his school, and he and his only friend there were beaten mercilessly by their homophobic bullies.
She didn't hesitate to help her childhood best friend, and talked with her parents and Blaine's mom, Pam Anderson, to transfer him immediately to Dalton in the middle of the year.
She never left Blaine's side even after he was finally safe and made sure he was comfortable in school after what he went through. She helped him slowly gain his confidence back.
When she asked her fellow Warblers a favor if he could join them and explained his situation, they didn't hesitate to welcome him with open arms.
They spent most of their free time talking about their love for Vogue, their stance on politics involving the gay community, football, and singing, especially their duets when they were little.
Blaine noticed how special she was treated in school. Everyone was soft and thoughtful of her, making him jealous.
He liked her.
For as long as he can remember, he knew he already had feelings for her way before he knew his sexuality. They grew up together, and catching feelings was inevitable.
Burying his unwanted jealousy, he continued to stay by her side.
🎶
Just before nationals, the Warblers had a meeting about what song Aimeé would sing, and it was obvious to everyone that the council had favoritism towards her as they always gushed over her talent.
There was a huge argument over the choice of song Aimeé would sing and the council had to maintain order and silence everyone inside the senior commons by agreeing that she should pick the song she wanted to sing, not even considering someone else having a solo as an option.
🎶
"All the way from Westerville, Ohio! Let's welcome, Dalton Academy Warblers!"
The Warblers stood center stage inside The Chicago Theatre in Illinois as they started harmonizing with each other, while Aimeé stood behind them.
The Warblers stepped aside as Aimeé started singing and slowly walking forward. Her eyes met Blaine's and they exchanged smiles before she stood in front.
There's a hero
If you look inside your heart
You don't have to be afraid
Of what you are
There's an answer
If you reach into your soul
And the sorrow that you know
Will melt away
The Warblers started dancing behind Aimeé as they continued to harmonize with each other.
And then a hero comes along
With the strength to carry on
And you cast your fears aside
And you know you can survive
So when you feel like hope is gone
Look inside you and be strong
And you'll finally see the truth
That a hero lies in you
As Aimeé sang, she turned to look at Blaine, who was dancing behind her.
It's a long road
When you face the world alone
No one reaches out a hand
For you to hold
You can find love
If you search within yourself
And the emptiness you felt
Will disappear~
Aimeé faced the front and held the high note as the audience stared at her in awe.
And then a hero comes along
With the strength to carry on
And you cast your fears aside
And you know you can survive
So when you feel like hope is gone
Look inside you and be strong
And you'll finally see the truth
That a hero lies in you~
Aimeé continued to reveal her powerful voice and held the high notes easily, earning smiles from the judges.
Lord knows~
There will be tomorrow
But don't let anyone
Tear them away~
But hold on~
There will be tomorrow
But in time
You'll find the way~
Aimeé looked back at Blaine and held her hand out for him to take. Blaine looked at her confused, but tightly grabbed her hand.
And then a hero comes along
With the strength to carry on
And you cast your fears aside
And you know you can survive
Aimeé looked affectionately at Blaine, singing to him what she couldn't say.
So when you feel like hope is gone
Look inside you and be strong
And you'll finally see the truth
That a hero lies in you
That a hero lies in you
That a hero lies in you
Aimeé smiled warmly at Blaine and saw he was trying his best not to tear up after realizing what she wanted to convey through her singing. She chuckled lightly and pulled him into a tight embrace.
Loud applause and cheers echoed throughout the theater as the audience stood up from their seats.
The Warblers rushed over to Aimeé and Blaine, and pulled them for a tight group hug.
🎶
After the Warblers returned to Dalton Academy with the title of national champions and Aimeé receiving the MVP award, the female Warbler was unanimously voted by the Warblers as their new Captain and Head of the Warblers Council.
Aimeé stared at her MVP trophy and the Warblers' nationals trophy inside the trophy cabinet in the senior commons, along with the framed photograph of her and the Warblers at The Chicago Theatre as the national champions.
She looked back when she heard Blaine was singing and saw him confidently dancing with the other Warblers, who backed him up.
She smiled happily seeing her childhood best friend has returned to his old self and finally regained his confidence after he lost it in the past.
Seeing he was now more confident with himself and smiling nonstop, she was relieved and prayed he would stay the same.
She quietly watched as Blaine started singing.
I've been alone
Surrounded by darkness
I've seen how heartless
The world can be
I've seen you crying
You felt like it's hopeless
I'll always do my best
To make you see
The Warblers exchanged smiles and looked at Blaine as they backed him up by doing background vocals.
Baby, you're not alone
Cause you're here with me
And nothing's ever gonna bring us down
Cause nothing can keep me from lovin' you
And you know it's true
It don't matter what'll come to be
Our love is all we need to make it through
Hearing Aimeé sing, Blaine turned around and saw her slowly walking over to him. He smiled affectionately and reached his hand out to her.
Now I know it ain't easy
But it ain't hard trying
Every time I see you smiling
And I feel you so close to me
And you tell me
Aimeé grabbed Blaine's outreached hand as they sang together.
Baby, you're not alone
Cause you're here with me
And nothing's ever gonna bring us down
Cause nothing can keep me from lovin' you
And you know it's true
It don't matter what'll come to be
Our love is all we need to make it through
Aimeé let Blaine's hand go and stepped aside. She joined her fellow Warblers and harmonized with them while Blaine sang his heart out.
I still have trouble
I trip and stumble
Trying to make sense of things sometimes
I look for reasons
But I don't need 'em
All I need is to look in your eyes
And I realize
Aimeé glanced around and felt proud with Blaine when she saw the Warblers were greatly impressed with him as he revealed his amazing talent in singing.
Baby I'm not alone
Cause you're here with me
And nothing's ever gonna take us down
Cause nothing can keep me from lovin' you
And you know it's true
It don't matter what'll come to be
Our love is all we need to make it through
Blaine turned to look at Aimeé and stared affectionately at her.
Cause you're here with me
And nothing's ever gonna bring us down
Cause nothing, nothing, nothing can keep me from lovin' you
And you know it's true
It don't matter what'll come to be
You know our love is all we need
Our love is all we need to make it through
After Blaine's solo performance, the Warblers cheered loudly and rushed over to him to drown him with praises, while Aimeé smiled happily.
By using her voice, she made her mark at Dalton Academy and it was just the beginning.
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SONGS:
• Girl On Fire - Ailee Cover
(https://youtu.be/j_XDEN4mnto)
• Hero - Ailee Cover
(https://youtu.be/IqBi62xq22c)
• Not Alone - Darren Criss