"I love having the guys directing the musical," Bree said as she applied lip gloss. We were getting ready for our first table read-- finally!-- the Thursday after the first boot camp.
"They're pretty awesome," I agreed. "And talented."
"Who cares about that?" said Bree with a laugh. "The three of them are smoking hot. That Puckerman is--"
"Okay, eww," I stopped her. "He's dating Quinn first of all, and also, Kitty dated him already. Like she dated Jake? History repeating itself, no."
"You think Kitty will care if I date another ex of hers?" she asked, to which I nodded. "As if that mattered. What harm's a little bang for your Puck?" She snickered. "Besides, even if he's for whatever reason off limits, there's still Mike and his sexy, dancing abs. Oh, and you can't forget about Finn Hudson, ugh!"
"Please stop!" I groaned. "You're talking about the guys who mentored us last year. I mean, they're old and they're kind of like big brothers so you're really disgusting!"
"Amity is the same age apart from Sam as you are from Finn," Bree pointed out. "Don't you think it grosses her out that you dated him?" Before I could respond she added, "And let's not forget that you have an actual brother, Cory. And how old was he? Oh, that's right. The same age as your precious little Sam!"
"Ok, enough!" I said, feeling like I might throw up my lunch from earlier. "Let's just head to the choir room already okay."
We chuckled as we left the restroom and she smacked my butt with a loud, "Whoo!" Bree had been urging me to have fun, while also pushing me in Sam's direction. Meanwhile, Ryder seemed to be getting chummier and chummier with that Katie girl.
***
"Okay," said Finn. "Where were we?"
"Sugar," sighed Mike. We had to stop almost every five lines because there were all sorts of questions interrupting the script reading.
"Oh, right," said Finn. "Okay, let's take it from there again. Remember guys, you just walked into Maybelle's party. Black kids and white kids are mixing. And we have Julie and Sugar on the other side of the wall. And... Action..."
Sugar: Now don't worry, Mommy will take care of everything...
"And here the music will start for Big, Blonde, and Beautiful," Mike murmured. "Sugar looks through her closet for a dress as Unique gets ready. And then Maybelle enters." We were skipping through the singing because it would take too long to get through the script if we went through the numbers. Besides, not all of the arrangements were finished, not even close, so we'd be focusing on music and choreography later.
Unique: Are you all hungry for some good fun?
"And she sings as Tracy and Link enter," Mike went on. "Okay, she's singing, Link and Tracy are loving it... She sees them and..."
Unique: Well... Looks like y'all took a step out of bounds... Now who do we got here?
Jake: Mom, I want you to meet my new friends. This here is Link. Tracy Turnblad.
Kitty: This is just so Afro-tastic!
We laughed at that line, as Kitty said it perfectly.
Jake: And this young lady right here... Is Penny Pingleton...
Marley: I'm very pleased and scared to be here.
Unique: Oh, now, honey. We got more reason to be scared on your street.
Unique mumbled some stuff about a record as Jake looked up at Marley.
Jake: Shall we dance?
Marley looked uncomfortable.
"And we shift over to the other half of the stage, where Amber is in her bedroom," said Mike. "Talking to Edna Turnblad on the phone."
Julie: My name is Mike.
Ryder: Mike?
I looked up at Mike and he grinned.
Julie: Yes, Mike.
Ryder: Mike who?
Julie: It's Mike! Anyway...
I cleared my throat as it said to do on the script, but Marley spoke before I could read my next line. "I'm sorry," she said. "We need to stop."
"What?" I said.
"She's doing fine," Ryder told her. I blushed and looked at Marley.
"Not you," she explained. "Me. I'm sorry Finn, but I can't play Penny."
"Why not?" asked Finn.
"Marley," said Jake, "if this has anything to do with me, I'm--"
"Not everything is about you!" she burst. Then she creased her forehead and shook her head as she said, "Guys, I'm really sorry. I just have too much going on and I think I should switch to a smaller role on this one."
"Who would play Penny?" asked Mike.
"Umm..." said Marley, looking around at our main cast. "Amity. Amity can do it."
"What?" said Amity, who probably felt as though she'd just been thrown under a bus. "No I can't."
"Yes you can," Marley told her.
"No, I really can't," Amity insisted. "Besides, I'm playing Penny's mom, I can't--"
"You have time to learn my lines," said Marley. "And I'll learn yours. We'll switch."
"I really can't," Amity repeated. But Marley was already looking pleadingly at her. We all watched them intensely as they exchanged glances. Then Amity sighed. "Yeah, okay," she said. "I'll switch roles."
Marley sighed, too, but with relief. "Thank you so much," she told her.
***
"Now, before we get into choreography," said Mike the next Monday. "We need to talk wardrobe. So I've brought an expert." He extended his arms in a voila way as Tina walked onto the stage. We were in the auditorium, hoping to finally act out some of the numbers.
"Queen T!" Unique exclaimed as she and Kitty rushed over to hug her. We greeted her with warmth and she smiled widely.
"Hi!" Tina shrieked with excitement. "I'm here to help you guys prepare your outfits. We're mostly going to be changing up some of the things from Grease last year and making them work, but there are some outfits that I'll need to make specifically for this show."
"The reason we're doing this now and not later," said Mike, "is that we need to make sure you all can dance in your wardrobe. Especially Kitty and Ryder."
"Right," said Kitty with a grin. "The fat suit."
"You guys also need to diet, please," said Tina. "Last year we had wardrobe issues and--"
Marley's face was flushed. I thought smoke might escape from her ears.
"Umm..." Tina mumbled. "Just stay healthy okay?" She looked around for something to move onto. "Umm... So Amity, we're going to have to get some extensions on you to make the Penny pigtails and, uh, Kitty, I'm not sure if the guys want you in a wig or they'll just let you stay blonde but, uh... Oh, Julie!" She turned to me, snapping her fingers and startling me. "That hair has got to go, though. Amber has to be blonde. As does her mom." She turned to Sugar.
"We'll go dye our hair," said Sugar.
Tina laughed. "A wig will be fine," she told her with a laugh.
"It's ready," Puck said as he walked in.
"What is?" asked Joe.
"The surprise I brought you guys," Tina grinned. "Come on, to the choir room!" As we headed back to the choir room, I slowed down and watched as Marley lagged behind.
"Hey girly girl," I told her. "You doing okay?"
"She's so nonchalant about it," she immediately said. I followed her gaze. A few yards ahead of us, Kitty was making her way to the choir room on John's back, laughing as he pretended to almost drop her.
"Ahh..." I murmured.
"I thought I was past it," Marley said. "You know, what she did to me during Grease and after... I thought I had forgiven her but I hear her talking about her role and the fat suit and... You know what she had told me when she saw that I wasn't fitting into my Sandy outfit?" I waited. "She walks in, sees me, and asks, 'Are you playing the lead in Grease or Hairspray?' And now look at her..."
We walked into the choir room and took our usual seats. Then Alex, who hadn't been in school that morning, walked in, too, and took a seat next to Marley. She seemed to like this, as she finally smiled when she saw him.
"Is he the surprise?" Sugar asked Tina.
"I have no clue who he is," Tina said. "Anyway, no. The surprise is this... A performance by me!" The band got ready to play, Tina turned her back on us, and Ryder turned to me.
"Should've known Tina's surprise was going to be her singing," he joked as Tina began. I laughed and looked at him. It was so nice that he was finally talking to me.
Tina: Ladies leave your men at home.
Blaine: The club is full of ballas and they pockets full grown
Sam: And all you fellas leave yo girl with her friends
I turned around at the sound of his voice and nearly jumped up with excitement.
Sam and Tina: 'Cause it's 11:30 and the club is jumpin' jumpin'
From behind me, Bree leaned in and shook my shoulders happily. Not only was Sam back, but he had a sexy new haircut and was looking better than ever.
Blaine, Sam, and Tina: Boys say you got a girl? Yes true you got a man. But the party ain't gonna stop. So let's make it hot hot!
I tried not to get too excited. After all, as Blaine and Sam stood back to back, Sam had made absolutely no eye contact with me.
Tina (with Blaine): Last week and you stayed at home alone and lonely (Couldn't find yo man, he was chillin' with his homies)
Tina grabbed Sam's lower back and he shook her off, looking pretty uncomfortable. He looked serious but I couldn't tell if he was just too into the song to smile.
Tina (with Blaine): This week and your goin' out if he (Try to stop you, your goin' off)
(You got ya) hair done (and ya nails done too) Outfit and (your fendi shoes)
The three went over to the piano and took a seat.
Tina (with Blaine): You and you who parlayin' at the hottest (spot tonight) (You're gonna find the fellas rollin' in the lexus, trucks and hummers)
Then they made their way back to the center of the room.
Blaine and Sam (Tina): Boys say you got a girl? (Ooh) Yes true you got a man (Ooh) But the party ain't gonna stop (Oooh) So let's make it hot hot! (Oooh!)
Then they did the cutest little choreography I'd ever seen as the rest of us cheered.
Blaine and Sam: Ladies leave yo man at home
Tina with Blaine and Sam: The club is full of ballas and they pockets full grown
Blaine and Sam: And all you fellas leave yo girl with her friends
Tina with Blaine and Sam: 'Cause it's 11:30 and the club is jumpin' jumpin'
Blaine and Tina (Tina): Ladies leave yo man at home (Oh woah) The club is full of ballas and they pockets full grown (Whoa oh oh) And all you fellas leave yo girl with her friends (Friends!) (Oh) 'Cause it's 11:30 and the club is jumpin' jumpin'
They made their way into the rows and Sam walked right up to Kitty, doing his famous body roll... All over her. A flustered Kitty laughed and looked over at me, making a face.
Blaine and Sam (Tina): Sexy women do your dance (Oooh) fly ladies work yo man (Oooh)
All them fellas time to clown we can get down now
Then he moved back over to Tina and twerked on her.
Blaine and Sam (Tina): Bounce, baby, bounce, bounce, bounce (Oooh) Twerk it, twerk it. Shake, baby, shake, shake, shake, (Yeaah-yeah) Work it work it. Twist, baby, twist, twist, twist. You better (I'm gonna, I'm gonna) dip that thang (I'm gonna dip that thang)
Sam: One more time, bounce, bounce
He danced over to me. My stomach fluttered with anticipation. But it ended up being Ryder who he was going to as he repeatedly high fived him and practically gave him a lap dance similar to the one he'd given Kitty.
Blaine and Sam (Tina): Bounce, baby, bounce, bounce, bounce (Oh-oh no no!) Twerk it, twerk it. Shake, baby, shake, shake, shake, (Shake it!) Wwork it work it. Twist, (Twist it) baby, twist, twist (Twist it, twist it) Twist you better dip that thang (Dip that thang)
Sam: I said up and down bounce bounce
Flushed, I turned to see what the others were doing. Tina was shaking her thang in front of Unique, Marley and Alex, while Blaine was twerking for Jake and Bree. When I was turning back, I noticed Shana's eyes on Jake.
Blaine and Sam (Tina): Boys say you got a girl? Yes true you got a man (Oh!) But the party ain't gonna stop (Oh!) So let's make it hot hot! (Oooh-Ooo!)
They got back to the center of the floor and danced together one last time before heading to the black piano.
Blaine and Sam (Tina): Ladies leave yo man at home (L-l-ladies-ladies) The club is full of ballas and they pockets full grown (B-b-ballas-ballas) And all you fellas leave yo girl with her friends. 'Cause it's 11:30 and the club is
Blaine, Sam, and Tina: Jumpin' jumpin'
Sam jumped on top of the piano as the song ended and the other two posed on either side of him. We cheered for them extremely loudly. I turned to Ryder, who was watching me and then quickly turned to face our visitors.
"On behalf of New Directions," Joe started. "We are so happy to--" But he stopped because everyone was watching Sam make his way over to me. He nearly fell over as he leaned down to hug me. Ryder scooted his chair when Sam got too close to him, so Sam stood and pulled me up to give me a proper hug. I could feel everyone's eyes on us.
"I missed you so much," Sam said as he pressed me to his chest.
"I missed you, too, dork," I said, hoping he understood my muffled voice. He let me go and I could finally breathe, but as soon as I looked up at him I lost my breath again. It had been too long.
I turned back, remembering the room was full of people, and Bree began a slow clap. Now all eyes were on her. I gave her a look so she stopped but a few people laughed, easing the awkwardness.
***
"I really didn't think everything could resurface so quickly," Sam said as we walked down the hall together.
"What do you mean?" I asked.
"Seeing you," he elaborated. "I mean, I knew I missed you but I was making it through, with our texting and our webchatting and our phone calls and all that. But as soon as I stepped into that room and saw you there I just came so close to losing it. I was trying so hard to keep it together during the entire performance."
I laughed. "Yeah," I said sarcastically. "I could tell as you gave my best friend and my ex-boyfriend lap dances."
"Okay," he said, "so that was more to make you jealous." I laughed. "That and to make you want to have this rockin' bod all over you instead." I laughed even more.
"It's great to have you back," I told him. "Seriously, it's not every day we get to have a model walking among us."
He grinned. "Well, I was always a model," he said. "At least I liked to think so. Remember the calendars?"
I smiled. "How could I forget?" He showed a hint of blush so I asked, "What are you all doing here anyway? You kind of pulled me out of that room before I could hear Tina explain."
"I've been struggling to keep this a secret from you the last few weeks," he said, the excitement in his voice and his eyes growing, "but... Ok, here it comes... We're running our own event!"
"Umm..." I said, unsure what this meant. "A what now?"
"Yeah," he said happily. "Santana's kind of becoming this publicist, event planner person and so she asked Blaine, Tina, and I to help out. She's throwing this big Halloween Bash in Tribeca and it's going to be awesome. I'm in charge of a few things and among them is rallying some cool people to come so..." He reached into his back pocket and pulled out a plane ticket. I gasped. "You're one of them," he said.
"Wow," I said, my eyes wide in surprise. New York was exciting, but I couldn't believe it would be possible to go.
"So what do you say?" he asked.
"Wow," I repeated.
"Other than that," he said, looking as though he was starting to freak out.
"Sorry," I said, shaking out of my shock. "Umm, I'd love to, I just don't know if my dad will let me miss school."
Sam grinned. "Santana's an evil genius," he said. "There's this off-Broadway show and she scored tickets for everyone, including those two new kids who--"
"They haven't joined," I interrupted him. "Shana might so she's been hanging around and I think Alex just wants to score some with Marley."
"Well, we got them tickets, too," he responded. "Rachel's busy with Funny Girl coming up very soon and so we wanted to kind of do something a little different from routine and we thought what better than to take you guys up there. The show you'll have to watch is supposed to be pretty lame but Halloween won't so--"
"Wait, it's on Halloween?" I asked.
"Umm, yeah," he said. "It's a Halloween Bash."
"That's this Thursday," I said, freaking out.
"The show is Friday," he said. "But it's counting as a school field trip because Mr. Schue's taking you guys and there's no money for hotel rooms so you all will be splitting up and staying with us all for the night after the party."
"All fourteen of us and Mr. Schue?" I asked. "Then there's also Tina and Puck and Mike. How is everyone going to fit with you guys and Finn?"
"Oh, right, that's my other news," he said with a smile. He pulled out a set of keys from his front pocket and said, "I moved out."
"Really?" I said, excited for him.
"Yup," he nodded. "Quinn is going to move in with me in a few--"
"Quinn?" I asked. "As in the most gorgeous girl on the planet and your ex girlfriend Quinn?"
He smiled. "Your jealousy today is extremely cute and awesome," he gawked. "And there's nothing going on between us, trust me. She's just moving in because she's tired of Finn's messiness. But honestly, if she couldn't put up with him, she's gonna have a hard time with me. Oh, and Santana and Brittany have also been on the hunt for their own place so hopefully they find something before you guys get there and then there'll be plenty of space to put you all in."
"Great," I said.
"So now..." he said, holding up the plane ticket. "Now what do you say?"
I smiled and took a deep breath before saying, "When do we leave?"