I wasn't exactly the president of the Santana Lopez fan club, but she sure did know how to make good points. I had to be smart about how I handled the John situation, if at all. So the day after his birthday, I asked Kitty if she and John were okay.
"It took a lot of apologizing," she informed me as on our way to the choir room, "but after a nice dinner at his place and a movie, he forgave me. So yes, we're okay again."
"Perfect," I said.
"Why?" she asked. "And do you know who called the meeting?"
I nodded. "I did," I said as we walked into the room, where the rest of them were waiting. Ryder wasn't there because he had to retake a quiz he bombed and Bree had detention so she also couldn't make it. Everyone else, however, was present and ready to hear what I had to say. But there weren't any words. So I skipped the introduction we usually gave before singing and signaled the band to start the music.
It was really the perfect song. Besides the lyrics being nearly perfect for the situation, the punk rock beats were angry and awesome.
Julie: If I'm a bad person, you don't like me. Well I guess I'll make my own way.
It was pretty obvious that this song was directed at John, but in case it wasn't, I looked over at Kitty and him.
Julie: It's a circle. A mean cycle. I can't excite you anymore. Where's your gavel? Your jury? What's my offense this time?
John stood up and started walking around but I rushed to the door and blocked the way for him.
Julie: You're not a judge but if you're gonna judge me... Well sentence me to another life.
I gave him a small push indicating for him to go back to his seat, and he did as I carried onto the chorus and became angrier. My voice had never been able to go as low as it did in this song, and I liked the newfound key I was singing in. My range had extended! Thank you Hayley Williams.
When I was tired of jumping around (which was while I sang, Ignorance is your new best friend), I grabbed a chair, placed it in front of John, and sat on it, facing the wrong way so that I could face him.
Julie: This is the best thing that could've happened. Any longer and I wouldn't have made it. It's not a war, no, it's not a rapture. I'm just a person but you can't take it.
He shook his head at me and once again stood. He walked towards the door but it was the same pattern. I beat him to it and stood in the doorway, not caring that there were people in the hallway looking at us.
Julie: The same tricks that, that once fooled me, they won't get you anywhere. I'm not the same kid from your memory. Well now I can fend for myself.
He used his shoulder to push me to the side and move past me so I followed him down the hallway, with the band playing behind us and the glee kids all following.
Julie: Don't wanna hear your sad songs. I don't wanna feel your pain. When you swear it's all my fault, cause you know we're not the same. We're not the same. Oh, we're not the same.
I had to take a few extra steps to get in front of him and he finally stopped, seeing as I was in his way once again.
Julie: Yeah, we used to stick together. We wrote our names in blood. But I guess you can't accept that the change is good. It's good. It's good.
He shook his head at me and walked around me, so I kept going behind him. He had to hear me out.
Julie: Well you treat me just like another stranger. Well it's nice to meet you sir. I guess I'll go. I best be on my way out.
When we passed by the classroom Ryder was in, he was just coming out, and he stood at the doorway confused. But I had to ignore him and keep singing to John.
Julie: Ignorance is your new best friend. Ignorance is your new best friend. Ignorance is your new best friend. Ignorance is your new best friend!
I finished the song there in the hallway, where John had chosen to stop as he realized I wouldn't stop until I was done. Once the music ended and the band dismissed itself, I caught my breath and waited for John to respond.
"Fine," he said. "You win, Julie. We're no longer friends."
And then he walked away. That's not at all what I wanted. But if that's what was going to come out of it, then so be it. Our friendship was evidently over.
***
I avoided all of the glee kids for the rest of the day, especially Ryder and Kitty, who were pretty disappointed in how I'd handled the situation. Bree told me I'd done the right thing and that John was a jerk for the way he treated me, while the rest of them just kept their opinions to themselves for once. And I didn't have to face any of it until the next day after school, when Mr. Schue called us into the auditorium for a quick, final, and pretty inconvenient meeting.
"Sorry for not being with you guys this week," he said. "As you all know, Emma is pregnant and she had a fall at home, so I've been going to check on her at home and taking her to the doctor and it's just been a crazy week. Anyway, I trust you guys made your friendships stronger this week?"
Nobody answered him.
"I have one final task for you," Mr. Schue went on. "I've brought you here so that you can really tell the story of what it means to have a strong friendship. Just, anybody pick a song, share it out, and let us leave the week off strong. So whoever thinks they've got it, please sing a song."
Nobody answered again. But then John cleared his throat and pulled out sheets from his backpack. "This is a song by the Cheetah Girls," he said.
"Seriously?" Jake responded. John glared at him. Those two didn't get along very well. It was like a silent contest to see who cares less.
"Yeah, seriously," he told him. "And you're going to sing it with me." He handed him one of the packets of sheet music. He gave the other two packets to Marley and me.
"What's this for?" asked Marley.
"I'll be Galleria," said John. "Jake, you'll be Dorinda. Marley will be Aqua. And Julie... You'll be Chanel. It's in rounds so try not to get confused as we sing over each other and basically repeat everything." I looked down at what he'd handed me, which read IT'S OVER at the top. I looked up at him as Mr. Schue urged us to go for it.
Marley took a seat on the piano and played what was indicated in front of her as John began singing.
John: Four voices perfectly blending... right from the start. Oh, I'm afraid that's ending and my world is fallin' apart...
He picked up his guitar from the ground and Kitty held the sheet music up for him as he strummed.
John: It's over. And I feel so alone. This is a sadness I've never known. How did I let the sweetest of dreams slip away?
I looked up, unsure, and made eye contact with Ryder, who nodded once, encouraging me to go along with it.
John: And I'm afraid the hurt is here to stay.
I took a deep breath as I looked down at my sheet music and sang.
Julie: Promises made not meant to be broken... From a long time ago... Oooh, so many words still unspoken.
I looked up at John but he was focused on playing the right notes.
Julie: Tell me how was I to know.
I didn't want to keep going but John went on so I figured it was only fair that I did, too.
John: It's over
Julie: It's over... Never thought it would be. Why in the world did this happen to me?
John and Julie: How could I let the sweetest of dreams slip away?
Julie: And I'm afraid the hurt is here to stay.
I looked up at him again and this time he was looking at me. But he looked away after just five seconds.
John and Julie: I go round and round and round in my head, wanting to take back
John: Whatever I said.
Julie: Whatever I said. No one was right.
John: No one was right.
Julie: We all made mistakes.
John: We all made mistakes.
Julie: I'm ready to do--
John, Marley and Jake: Whatever it takes.
All: Please...
Julie: Don't let it be
All: Over
And that's when the confusing part came in. I would sing the line, then John would repeat it as I sang my next line, then Jake and Marley would repeat it and so on. It sounded great. But it was sad and confusing, and not just because of the style, but also because of the lyrics. So when we finished and Mr. Schue applauded it us, we were dismissed and I followed after John.
"Was that, like, an apology?" I asked him as we were leaving campus and I finally caught up to him.
"Not at all," he said. "It was an affirmation that you and I are done. No more of this back and forth crap. We've obviously both changed a lot in the last year and although in the song I said I didn't want it to be over, the truth is that it's best if it is. So we're done."
I stared blankly ahead as he rushed to his car. Then everyone else was picked up or left or whatever. And Joe and I were the last ones left.
"Don't have a ride?" Joe asked.
"My dad's picking me up," I assured him.
"Cool," he said. "Well, I'll leave you then."
"Wait, were you just waiting until we all left?" I asked.
"Yeah," he said. "I always do. I'm team captain and--"
"And really awesome," I said with a laugh. My dad started pulling in so I thanked Joe, who told me to keep my head up, and we went our separate ways.
"Ready to meet Veronica?" my dad said when I got into the car with him.
"Yeah, whatever," I told him, annoyed that he was so late. I guess we wouldn't be stopping by to shower. "So how old is her kid?" I asked. "I'm not going to have to babysit, am I?"
"She said she had a teenager," my dad told me. "That's basically all I know."
"Oh," I said. And then we talked about our days and when Cory would come home and visit and the weather and what not until we got to the Sugar Shack, which still looked nice like Breadstix instead of all pink and girlied up the way Sugar liked to make it on February to celebrate Valentine's Day. It was less than ten minutes away so there really wasn't much time to talk. And when we got to the restaurant, the woman wasn't even there yet.
"She'll be here soon," my dad told me when I had impatiently eaten three breadsticks. The breadsticks historically sucked. "Look, there she is," my dad said with a smile.
"Oh my god," I said when I saw who Veronica's "teenager" was. Of all the teenagers in Lima, this is who I got stuck with?
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Alright guys, you all get to choose who you want this mystery person. WHO SHOULD IT BE? WHO'S MOM IS JULIE'S DAD DATING? I will not update until you all help me choose! Here are the options:
Jake's mom
Bree's mom
Dan's mom
I would have offered up more characters but these were the three with single moms and who I think would be interesting to get to know more of through their family lives. So there it is! Go ahead and let me know below! (or as some of you prefer PM).