I arrived at the school with my costume and my massive bag with my makeup. I had already covered my hickie up the best I could.
Rachel and Tina were having a sing song in the auditorium when I arrived and everyone was getting on the bus.
I sat down and watched as the girls sung. I clapped along. This is what it's like. Being in a part of something amazing.
Rachel sat down beside me. Once they had finished Mr Schue shouted, "Let's go to Nationals!"
We all cheered and whooped and clapped and it was an amazing feeling. Nationals, here we come.
••
I was sat with Rachel for our 4-hour drive when she said "So where were you last night?"
I chuckled and said, "At Home, sleeping, why?"
"Oh, just because when I went to yours your mom said that you were out with some of the girls from school and wouldn't be home until late." I flung my head back.
Shit, I had been caught in the act.
"So where were you really?" I chuckled and said "I was with Sebastian. Are you really that surprised?"
"No but you stayed over there. Did anything happen?" I bit my lip and she clapped her hands.
"Oh my god did you go all the way?" She said extremely loud so I covered her mouth with my hand.
"Shhhh! God all of Alaska heard you there."
"And yes." I finished off. Rachel clapped her hands together before I said, "Do you have any like full coverage foundation?"
"Maybe why?" I pulled my hair back to show her the patch of my neck covered in makeup.
"He gave you a hickie?" I nodded.
"Oh my god this is big." I sighed and said, "It's not that big of a deal."
"Heck are you kidding, you just had sex with a Warbler." Rachel said.
"Who I'm in love with." Rachel nodded and said, "If Blaine or Kurt sees that then they may kill you or Sebastian, or the both of you."
"Well I bet they can hear you." I told her pointing at their slightly perked up ears. She laughed and I said, "So about that foundation."
••
We had to stay overnight but honestly, I wish we hadn't. We were at Nationals and after the stress of Mercedes and her food poisoning and then the stress of Puck and his Geography and the practicing I was just ready to get this over.
I had my dress on and was getting on my lipstick when my phone pings. It's my mum. She tells me she's here and can't wait to see me.
I smile and then look around the dressing room. Rachel, Rachel, where is she? I sighed. She's gone looking for the woman for NYADA. I sighed and I had to run outside to find her.
I look around for her and see her talking to a boy, who isn't Finn. I walk beside her and say "Rachel, come on I'm not ready yet and I may be freaking out."
She chuckled and then her friend asked "Rachel, uh who's this."
"Oh, Jessie this is Mia Douglas, my best friend. Mia this is..."
"Jessie St James. Pleased to make you acquaintance." He held out his hand and I shook it.
"Pleasure." I told him. He was part of Glee 3 years or so ago.
"I saw you, around the halls of McKingley. You looked so lonely." I chuckled and said, "Yeah well that's what happens when you're told to go kill yourself." I said and chuckled.
"What? A pretty girl like you shouldn't be told to go and kill themselves." I blushed and smiled at him. This guy was seriously hitting on me.
"Thank you." I said and luckily Finn came over just in Time.
"Hey, everything okay?" He asked Rachel and I.
"Yeah, everything's good." Rachel said.
"Rach, we need to go and finish getting ready." She nodded and Rachel said, "It was really good to see you."
"Bye." Is all I said before turning around and walking away with Rachel.
"That Guy was totally hitting on me." I said and Rachel laughed.
"If that conversation kept going you were going to slide the boyfriend card in, right."
"Totally. Besides we are outside. If he tried to make a move Sebastian's radar would of gone off and he would of found me." I said making Rachel laugh as we entered the building.
••
"Alright gather round everyone." Mr Schue said. I stood up from my seat.
"I just wanna say a few words before we go on out there." He said and then Finn said, "Hold on Mr Schue, hold on."
"Not again Finn, what's the announcement this time. Please don't tell me Rachel is pregnant." I said making people laugh.
"No, I was going to say Mr Schue you said once a teacher's job is done when it's students don't need him anymore." Finn said.
"Okay, Finn. The floor is yours." Mr Schue said in a much calmer voice.
"Last night we all sat around in a circle after you went to bed and we told stories but then we went around the room and everybody sis what they wanted to win this thing for and we all said the same thing. We wanna win this for you." Finn explained the memory of last night as I was slowly falling asleep on Blaine's shoulder.
"Yeah." Sugar added on.
"And I know every year at school, Figgins gives away the teacher of the year award but I don't think any of us have to wait to see how we feel about that."
I nodded along with what Finn was saying.
"You're like, a teacher of a life time." Finn finally said making me do a little whoop.
"Thank you, Finn, all of you. I love you guys so much." As he said this the lights were flashing and a little noise was being made.
"All right that's it guys, show time. Let's put hands in." I put my hand in ready to lift them up and cheer when the door opens and Mercedes walks in dressed and ready to go.
"Now I know y'all aren't planning to do a show circle without me." I just smiled at her.
"Your alive." Tina said making me laugh.
"Yeah thanks to Sue, she is a miracle worker." Then she did a crazy sign on her head making me laugh into Blaine's shoulder.
"Yeah well, it's amazing what a little TLC, some quarterzone and a quick doctor will do." She said as she walked in the room.
"Thank god you're okay but it means I'm not gonna fall in my face during that Troubletones number." Quinn said making me smile.
"Oh, screw that. This is our last performance together so you're doing it and so are you Tina." Mercedes said.
"I'm not taking no for an answer. Plus, I have so many steroids running through my body now I may turn into the Incredible Hulk if you piss me off." I just burst out laughing.
"Okay If we don't get out of this room soon none of us with be performing let's go!" I placed my hand in the center. Instead of saying something I just cheered.
Let's fricking do this.
••
Of course, we had to go first. And it was scary. I was off stage with Rachel and the boys as we watched the Troubletones open the show. I had my arm round Rachel's waist.
She looked so sad when she saw there was an empty seat, probably belonging to the NYADA person.
"Don't worry about it." I whispered, and she nodded.
I watched as the girls came off stage.
"Rachel, I don't want to do it. You know this better than me you go on." She places her hands on my arms.
"Hey look at me. You deserve this big moment. You gave me my Prom Queen title and now here's your chance to show the nation what a shingling Star you are so don't worry about it."
"I'm begging you Rachel, you need to do this. Just please for me." I pushed her on stage slightly and watched from the side as she sang her heart out like the Celine Dion she really is.
When she came off I hugged her and smiled.
"Well done. You were amazing." I told her before running onto the stage for the first time.
••
Finn:
Well, I remember every little thing
As if it happened only yesterday
Parking by the lake
And there was not another car in sight
And I never had a girl
Looking any better than you did
And all the kids at school
They were wishing they were me that night
Puck with New Directions:
And now our bodies are oh-so close and tight
It never felt so good, it never felt so right
I danced on stage in between my two favorite boys.
Kurt, Mia and Blaine with New Directions:
And we're glowing like the metal on the edge of a knife
Glowing like the metal on the edge of a knife
Blaine:
Come on, hold tight
Oh, come on, hold tight
Brittany and Santana with New Directions:
Though it's cold and lonely in the deep dark night
Blaine and Kurt with New Directions:
I can see paradise by the dashboard light
Finn (with New Directions):
Though it's cold and lonely in the (deep dark) (and Mercedes with New Directions: night)
Mercedes with New Directions:
In the deep dark night
Finn (and Mercedes with New Directions):
Paradise by the (dashboard light)
Finn and Puck:
We're gonna go all the way tonight
We're gonna go all the way
And tonight's the night
Blaine, Finn, and Puck:
We're gonna go all the way tonight
We're gonna go all the way
And tonight's the night
Blaine, Brittany, Finn, Puck, Mia and Santana:
We're gonna go all the way tonight
We're gonna go all the way
And tonight's the night
Blaine, Brittany, Finn, Mercedes, Puck, Mia and Santana with New Directions:
We're gonna go all the way tonight
We're gonna go all the way
And tonight's the night
Rachel:
(Mercedes: Night!)
Stop right there
I gotta know right now
Before we go any further
Do you love me?
Will you love me forever?
Do you need me?
Will you never leave me?
Will you make me so happy
For the rest of my life?
Will you take me away
And will you make me your wife?
Finn (New Direction Girls):
Let me sleep on it (Sleep on it)
Baby, baby let me sleep on it (Sleep on it)
Let me sleep on it (Oooooh, oooooh)
And I'll give you an answer in the (with the New Directions Girls: morning)
Rachel (New Directions):
I gotta know right now
Do you love me? (Do you, do you love me?)
Will you love me forever?
Do you need me? (Do you, do you need me?)
Will you never leave me?
Will you make me so happy (Will you never leave me)
For the rest of my life?
Will you take me away (Do you, do you, do you)
And will you make me your wife?
(with New Directions: Uh, do you love me?)
Will you love me forever?
Finn with New Directions Boys:
Let me sleep on it
Rachel with New Directions Girls:
Will you love me forever?
Finn with New Directions Boys:
Let me sleep on it
Rachel with New Directions Girls:
Will you love me forever?
When Blaine and Kurt ran to the box on top I ran in between them since there wasn't enough boys to spin girls around.
So whilst Finn and Rachel sang and danced I just clapped along with the boys who would occasionally spin me.
Finn (with New Directions):
I couldn't take it any longer
Lord, I was crazed
And when the feeling came upon me
Like a tidal wave
I started (swearing to my god)
And on my (mother's) grave
That I would (love you to the end of time)
I swore I would (love you to the end of time)
New Directions:
Ah, ah, ah
Finn with New Directions:
So now I'm praying for the end of time
To hurry up and arrive
'Cause if I gotta spend another minute with you
I don't think that I can really survive
I'll never break my promise or forget my vow
(Finn: But God only knows what I can do right now)
I'm praying for the end of time
It's all that I can do (Mercedes: All that I can do)
Prayin' for the end of time
So I can end my time with you! (Mercedes: You, yeah)
Finn with New Directions (Rachel):
It was long ago and it was far away (It never felt so good, It never felt so right)
And it was so much better than it is today. (Mia: Better than it is today) (And we were glowing like the metal on the edge of a knife)
It was long ago and it was far away (It never felt so good, It never felt so right)
And it was so much better than it is today. (Mercedes: Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah) (And we were glowing like the metal on the edge of a knife)
It was long ago and it was far away (It never felt so good, It never felt so right)
And it was so much better than it is today. (Mercedes: Long ago, oh) (And we were glowing like the metal)
Finn and Rachel with New Directions:
Felt so right
Felt so good
Paradise (Mercedes: Ooh, yeah)
••
The song ended and my hands went down. I didn't want to look up. This money felt so surreal. I came to Nationals last year but we are so much better now.
We aren't going to get 12th place again.
I know we aren't.