Julie played her guitar, making funny faces at her friends as they bobbed their heads, slapped their laps, or snapped their fingers.
["Now That We Found Love" by Heavy D.]
Harmony: Now that we found love what are we gonna do... with it. Now that we found love what are we gonna do... with it. Now..!
They began tossing around a ball, indicating who would have to rap, and the one who was holding it when they started was Ryder. He made a face at Julie as he got started.
Ryder: One two, tell me what you got. Let me slip my quarters inside your slot to hit the jackpot.
Dan: Rev me up, rev me up my little buttercup. We can tug sheets snuggle up and get stuck.
Alex: Believe it or not here comes the brother with the glow! A strugglin', Bubblin' overweight lover hurt prone.
Unique: So what's it gonna be? Me or the TV? Now let me take time to set your mind and your body free!
Kitty: So why don't you just stretch. Stretch for a sec. Lay by the fire so I can catch a quick rest!
She laughed, tossing the small ball to Bree, who rolled her eyes and rapped dispassionately.
Bree: Shake me, shake me. Baby, baby, bake me. No need to fake here I am. Come on and take me.
She tossed it to Shana, who seemed very excited to participate.
Shana: Wind your body, baby move your body. I see you slip sliding. Come on now do it hottie!
She tossed it at Julie, hitting her arm since she was playing the guitar, so the latter winced and went ahead and participated anyway.
Julie: I'm not quite sure as to what is going down. But I'm feeling Hunky Dory 'bout this thing that I found.
Harmony: Now that we found love what are we gonna do... with it. Now that we found love what are we gonna do... with it. Now..!
Ryder grabbed the ball from Julie's side and tossed it over to Alex, the pace of throwing it around going faster.
Alex: I dig the way you wiggle. You don't jingle but you jiggle. So hand over your love cause it's heavy in the middle.
Dan: Move like a mover, she wanted to groove so I grooved her.
Ryder: Then she wanted to learn. So we'd be schoolin' and I schooled her
Unique: Mary had a little lamb but not like this
Shana: We can waltz and turn wumble tumble and twist
Kitty: Then you think you gonna give in. Phantasies relivin'.
Bree: So lay down and relax, lover my lady.
"Lady love of my baby girl--" Bree said. "Okay, seriously, what are these lyrics? Why did we choose this song? It's awful..."
"That's the point," Alex said. "We don't get to do playful pointless numbers like this very often. It's always what Schuester wants."
"We get plenty of choice," Ryder said. "I mean, we just did a show in which we got to choose whatever song we wanted."
"And you got to choose who sang with who," Unique told him. "That's probably why you don't have a problem."
"Okay, come on guys," Julie stopped them. "Let's not turn this into a 'talk about everything wrong with glee club' meeting."
"So you do think there's plenty wrong?" asked Shana.
"No, no, no," Julie clarified. "I love glee club. And I think we should just be appreciative of everything Mr. Schue has done for us and everyone who's ever been in glee club."
"Preach..." Kitty mumbled dispassionately. The bell rang and Julie shot up from her seat.
"Yay, pizza," she said, happy to have something to get their minds away from the negative.
***
"Ladies, please have a seat," Sue said as Kitty and Bree walked into her old, new office the following morning. They sat down in front of her, both looking around nervously.
"Did you need something Coach Sylvester?" asked Bree.
Sue stared them down for about ten seconds before clearing her throat. "I stopped paying attention to you and every other cheerleader when I became principal," she told them. "But now that I'm back, I started conducting interviews with some of the girls and the same thing kept popping out. What do you think that was?"
The girls looked at each other, then Kitty said, "Jordan still hasn't gotten out of that neck brace. She's been wearing it for over a year."
"She had it removed three weeks ago," Sue said, examining the girls. "Which brings me to the actual problem. You two are co-captains, yet you seem to spend the least time with the other girls."
"Wait, I'm co-captain?" asked Kitty, surprised.
"I'm always with them," Bree said. "I knew about Jordan."
"Kitty," said Sue, "on several occasions you have been reported to miss practices to go hang out in the choir room even though there weren't any official meetings."
"That's--" Kitty began.
"And Bree," Sue continued. "Last year I promoted you to head cheerleader with the understanding that you would be finding new ways to destroy the glee club, but here you are now... And the glee club remains."
"We just--" Bree began.
"Let me be clear," Sue said. "I will be watching you both very carefully starting now. If I don't see your commitment to the Cheerios, and by association to destroying glee club, I will find a new head cheerleader and maybe even fill your positions on the squad. Now get out of my office and show me something I want to see."
***
"Alright guys," said Will at lunchtime, walking into the choir room to find a half-empty room. "Where's everybody at?"
"Joe and Amity had to meet with the new principal about the God Squad," Alex said. "Apparently she's, like, really into religion and wants to offer them her support or something."
"And the cheerleaders are having lunch together," said Harmony. "I saw them on my way here."
"Just lunch?" asked Will. "Like a social thing?" Harmony nodded. "That's strange," Will said. "And Jake?"
"Haven't seen him all day," said Unique. "I'm not sure he was even in school today."
"John?" asked Will, sighing.
"College counseling," said Marley.
"Dan?" he asked, rubbing his forehead.
Harmony sighed, "He has tutorials or something."
"Well..." Will said, "I guess there's no point to meeting with half of the group not here."
"We can do something just us," Harmony insisted.
"No, no," said Will. "Go enjoy your lunch with the rest of the school. Spread the word that we will be having mandatory after school rehearsals. Regionals is next week people." Will walked out of the room and Harmony stopped everyone from leaving.
"Okay, did anybody else notice that?" she asked.
"What?" Sugar said, confused.
"We have more than enough members to do something productive," she explained. "But he doesn't see the point? I think we just found out who his favorites are. Or rather, who they aren't."
"Ok, Mr. Schue doesn't have favorites," said Ryder.
"Oh yeah?" Alex said. "Then why won't he just hold a meeting with us here?"
"Seriously," said Sugar. "Last year I skipped a bunch of meetings and practice still happened."
"This is ridiculous," said Marley, standing up. "I'm not going to sit here and make up things about the club." She walked out of the room.
"Spoken like a real favorite!" Harmony called out. She turned to the remaining kids and said, "Anybody else?"
Ryder stood said, "Sorry but..." He didn't finish, instead walking out as well.
"I knew he'd leave," Alex said as Harmony nodded. "His girlfriend's a cheerleader so he's basically at the top. Or near it."
"Seriously," said Harmony with urgency. "Think about it guys. Look around at us. We're the ones nobody cares about."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Unique asked.
Harmony smiled at her. "You clearly have one, if not the best voice in the club, but when was the last time you had a solo at a competition or a musical?" When Unique didn't answer, she said, "Exactly. And Sugar, you're co-captain, aren't you? But it looks to me, and to everyone else I'm sure, like Mr. Schue only values Joe's opinions and decisions. I mean you were here today, Joe wasn't. And we don't get to hold the meeting."
"I guess I never really noticed that..." Sugar muttered.
"Alex is, well, a burnout," Harmony went on. "No offense."
"None taken," Alex shrugged.
"But he's not given nearly as much leadership opportunities as the other guys," she said. "And Shana... Shana, you can rap and you can sing and you're one sexy girl, but does anyone ever ask you what number you think we should do?"
"Well, I got the--" Shana began.
"Didn't think so," Harmony cut her off. "And Rory, do I even need to say it?"
"Umm..." Rory mumbled, unsure what he was supposed to contribute.
"My own talent is obviously unappreciated," she continued. "It's always Julie did this or Marley made this happen. Heck, Amity's been here for less time than some of you and I'm pretty positive she's gotten more solos."
"Let's not--" Alex started, not wanting to turn anyone against his own girlfriend.
"Oh, it's nothing against her," Harmony said, as though she could read his mind. "It's not any of their faults really. But if we don't do something about it, we're just going to sink down further into the hole of unappreciated talent this room produces. Think about it. This club has produced many people. But they're all either winners or failures. Which side of the outcome do you all want to be in?"
***
"Hey you, Cheerio," said Sue when she saw Julie out in the empty hallway, collecting things from her locker, during lunch. "Name?"
"Umm, Julie," she responded, confused and a bit terrified.
"Didn't I mandate a team lunch?" Sue asked her.
"Yes," she said. "But I only eat a yogurt during lunch and have a bigger meal at around two, when my body is closer to digesting... It keeps me from gaining weight... Why are you looking at me like that?"
"I don't remember your tryout," Sue said. "But I like what I'm hearing about your diet. Some of the other girls are getting a bit pudgy."
"Well, I think--" Julie started.
"Get back in there before I kick you off the squad," she told her, startling her. "And tighten up your ponytail." Julie did as she was told, grabbing a book from her locker and heading back to the cafeteria for a boring lunch conversation about One Direction. She spend most of the time ignoring the other girls' opinions about who was cuter, instead making faces across the room to Ryder, who was having lunch with Marley. Just when she thought the conversation was drowning out, the girls brought up another boring topic.
"If you could invite any female celebrity to lunch right now," a particularly vapid cheerleader, Michelle, said, "who would you invite?"
"Olivia Wilde," said Kitty as some of the girls nodded with approval. "She's so pretty."
"Kim Kardashian," Bree added. "Because I think she'd bring us, like, cute gift bags and invite the press and stuff. Ooh, no, Kendall or Kylie. They seem much cooler anyway."
"Totally!" Michelle agreed. Then all eyes turned to Julie, who was busy crossing her eyes for Ryder's amusement and had to be elbowed by Bree to notice she was being spoken to.
"Female celebrity you'd invite to lunch," Kitty whispered to her.
"Grace Kelly," Julie said without thinking, hearing the word celebrity and not really realizing what question she was answering.
"Who?" asked some of the girls.
"Princess of Monaco..." Julie murmured.
"Isn't that Kate Middleton?" asked Carrie, a close friend of Bree's.
"Umm, no," Julie said. "She's the Princess of Wales."
"What's the difference?" asked Peyton, twirling her thick curls over her face.
"One's from Wales and the other's from Monaco..." Julie said, not sure how she could make herself any clearer.
"Oh, I think I saw her wedding on TV," one of the girls said. A few others agreed.
"Interesting," Julie muttered, "seeing as Grace Kelly was married in 1956..." Kitty glared at Julie, so she said, "O-M-G, but I'd so love to have Katy Perry over for lunch."
This livened up the mood but made Julie really wish she had a broken leg or a spleen infection. Anything to get her out of the pointless lunch.
***
"Hey," Julie said as she approached Ryder before last period. "I'm not going to make it to glee club so I'll call you later, okay?"
"Wait, what?" he said, confused. "But it's mandatory."
"I talked to Schuester," she said. "It's fine. I'm actually going to the hospital. I haven't seen Isabella in a while so--"
"Oh," he said. "Well, in that case, sure... Umm, but just so you know, the other glee kids seemed a little antsy earlier."
"Antsy how?" she asked. She looked around the hallway as everyone moved around. "Listen, I really need to be at Cheerios practice on time so we'll talk about this later, ok?" She reached up to kiss his cheek and then ran off, disappearing around the hallway.
***
"Let's get started," Will told the glee club when they gathered after school.
"Where's Julie?" Sugar asked, looking around.
"She'll be out this afternoon," Will answered. "Now, with Re--"
"But this meeting's supposed to be mandatory," Unique pointed out.
"She was excused," Will said. "Now--"
"And Jake?" Alex asked.
"Unexcused absence for the day," he responded.
"And he'll probably still get a solo for Regionals..." Shana whispered. Harmony's army nodded.
"Ok, so I was thinking of songs we could do next week," said Will. "And I think we have plenty of good Journey material to work with." A few of the kids groaned, throwing their heads back with annoyance.
***
"Julie," said Jake as she reached for the handle to Isabella's door, making her jump.
"Jake," she said, catching her breath. "What are you doing here?"
"I told you we were still going to be friends, didn't I?" he said. She smiled, rolling her eyes and reaching over to hug him.
"I'm really glad to hear that," she said as she let go of him. "I thought you were starting to be a jerk to me and--"
"Oh, I was," he assured her. "It's just that I figured if I acted that way at school, the other guys would give you a break."
"Really doubt that," Julie said with a smile. "Now come on in, Isabella will be glad to see you."
***
"What about Peyton?" asked Bree. "You think she'd put her in charge?"
"Peyton's plain stupid," Kitty responded. "No, she'd want someone smart to take lead."
"But she had Brittany at some point," Bree pointed out. "Although after that disaster, she'd have more reason to want someone more clever."
"Head cheerleader is basically the face of the squad," Kitty nodded. "So if Coach Sylvester does end up replacing you, or us I guess, she'd have to be really selective. Peyton's pretty but she's an idiot. Michelle's not necessarily dumb, she's just really superficial, to the point where she seems dumb sometimes. Weird, considering how much weight she's been putting on lately, which is another reason Coach wouldn't choose her."
"Ooh, what about Carrie?" Bree asked. "I mean, she's not an idiot, she's not ugly, and she's not disloyal."
"Hey, Chocolate and Vanilla!" Shana called out to them from across the choir room. "You have your list of ideas yet?"
"Almost!" Bree shouted back, turning back to Kitty immediately.
"You think she'd dethrone you?" Kitty asked.
"Carrie?" Bree scoffed. "Definitely. She and Jordan may seem like they worship me, but that's only because they want what I have. Given the opportunity, Carrie would most definitely take the spot. I mean, any of them would."
"Except Julie," said Kitty. "And I actually don't know that Jordan would either."
"Wait, what if Coach chooses Julie?" Bree asked.
Kitty considered it for a moment, then shook her head. "Nope," she said. "Coach wouldn't put the glee club's lead singer as head cheerleader. It's just unnatural. Coach Sylvester would see that right away. Even if she did want her for the spot, Julie wouldn't take it. If there's anything Julie is, it's loyal."
***
"You have a lovely voice," Isabella told Jake.
"How would you know that?" Julie asked her, confused.
"Because I..." Isabella stammered. "Umm..."
"Oh, right," said Julie suddenly. "You were at our show, the Hairspray production."
"Right..." Isabella muttered, seeming more tired than usual. "Why don't you two sing me a song?"
"Right now?" Julie asked. "I don't know if--"
"Sure," Jake agreed, smiling at Isabella and then looking up at Julie. "Sing along if you know this one."
He pulled out his phone, clicked a few buttons, and then a track began playing. Julie nodded, smiling and Isabella seemed to know the song, too, because she closed her eyes and nodded.
Julie: I sit and wait... Does an angel contemplate my fate? And do they know the places where we go when we're grey and old..?
Jake: 'Cos I have been told that salvation lets their wings unfold...
Julie: So when I'm lying in my bed... Thoughts running through my head... And I feel that love is dead...
Both: I'm loving angels instead.
Isabella smiled, her eyes still closed, as she listened to her daughters voice. Julie tried not to look at her, her eyes on Jake instead as she tried not to choke up.
Julie: And through it all she offers me protection. A lot of love and affection. Whether I'm right or wrong...
Jake: And down the waterfall. Wherever it may take me. I know that life won't break me. When I come to call.
Both: She won't forsake me... I'm loving angels instead...
Isabella nodded once again, sighing as her mind began to drift into sleep.
Julie: When I'm feeling weak and my pain walks down a one way street.
Jake: I look above and I know I'll always be blessed with love
Julie: And as the feeling grows... She breathes flesh to my bones
Both: And when love is dead, I'm loving angels instead...
They sang the chorus once again and Isabella opened her eyes, not wanting to fall asleep and miss the rest of the song. She absolutely loved their voices and wished she could live longer to hear Julie continue to sing. She made it through the rest of the song, a single tear falling down the side of her face as she focused on Julie. How sad she seemed, yet how full of life she was.
When they were done, she said, "I think I need some rest now, honey."
Julie nodded, getting up as Jake walked to the door. "I'll come by later?" Julie said.
"I'd like that," Isabella nodded. Julie pressed her lips into a weak smile before saying goodbye and leaving. When they were out the door, Jake squeezed her shoulder.
"You doing okay?" he asked.
"I am," she told him, nodding. "She's actually a much better person than I always thought her to be. It kind of makes me mad, you know, that my dad and Cory and everyone kept her away from me for so long. I feel like there's so much I could've been learning about her."
"Well, she's here now," Jake said. "You can have that time now."
"Yeah," Julie smiled. "Yeah I can."