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Pilot
The cheerleaders were practicing out on the field, flipping, summersaulting, catching each other. The routine was tight and to the point. Lomadia Sylvester, the cheerleading coach at McKinley High, stood by, a megaphone in one hand and a stopwatch in the other. It was always hard to tell what she was thinking, all be it usually something cynical and snide. She looked on at the cheerleaders as they stood in their final positions. One of them fell back into the others arms and Lomadia raised the megaphone to her mouth.
"You think this is hard? Try being water boarded, that's hard!" She yelled.

GLEE.

The tailpipe of the old blue car dragged along the ground, small sparks flying off every few seconds as it collided. The man in the driver seat waved to a kid as they walked past and took his usual parking space outside the school where he worked. He kicked the door closed as he got out and walked towards the school. A group of the jocks were stood around a dumpster, in the middle of the group was a scrawny looking kid, looking extremely out of place.
"Making some new friends Sjin?" The teacher asked. The kid just looked at him.
"He sure is Mr Shue." one of the jocks, the leader, stated. He was quite tall, with grey skin and a small Mohawk.
"Hey Xephos, still owe me that report on chaos in superego picador." The teacher said.
"What?" The boy standing next to the guy with the Mohawk asked, confused.
"What you did last summer." The teacher answered and continued walking.
"Almost... half way done with almost all of it, Mr Shue..." Xephos answered. He was taller than the other guys and had striking blue eyes.
A few seconds later they all turned back tot he skinny kid.
"It's hammer time." The guy with the Mohawk said, and walked over to the skinny kid.
"Please! This is Mark Dickens' new collection!" The kid, Sjin, said, pointing down to his top as the guys picked him up ready to throw him into the dumpster. His voice was high and his hair was done in just the perfect way. His jacket was bright blue and obviously new.
"Wait." Xephos said, and the two guys holding him dropped him. Sjin turned around and pushed his bag into the guy with the Mohawk's hands, before taking off his jacket and handing it to Xephos. "Ok." Xephos said and they proceeded to throw the kid into the dumpster. Xephos looked down.
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The teacher, Mr Shue was looking in the trophy cabinet as loads of students walked past. Looking at the 1993 - show choir championships - first place trophy. And then up to the picture of a rather plump lady next to it, his old teacher when he had been to school there. Ohio wasn't a very large place after all. Underneath the picture was a plaque, 'Lillian Adler, 1937 - 1997, 'By it's very definition, Glee is about opening yourself up to joy.'
The teacher looked at the quote, remembering the days of his teenage years. Though he looked a little older, he was still young and quite attractive. His hair was curly and combed back, and his chin had a little dimple in the front. He sighed, looking at the plaque.
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Almost quarter to three. The Spanish room where he taught. And at the moment he was stood at the front, speaking Spanish to his students.
Xephos sat watching, the whole class was supposed to repeat what the teacher was saying, meanwhile he just sat there repeating certain syllables he heard. He was mostly just staring at the clock.
Quarter to three struck. The bell rang. School was over. Finally.
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The choir room, the music teacher Zylus was stood with one of his students, pointing at the sheet music that was positioned on the piano. Zylus wore a pink shirt with a pink jumper wrapped around his neck, and listened to his student (who looked very timid) sang.
"Wheeeeeere, is love?~ Does it fall from skies above?~"
Zylus took his jumper from around his neck and put it to one side.
"Is it underneath, the willow treeee? That I've been dreaming oooooof?~"
Zylus put his hand back and it hit the boys chest, and then he slowly started to move it down. A girl stood in the doorway, seeing this. She was quite small, with blue eyes and long dark brown hair. She seemed annoyed.
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The staff room, Mr Shue walked in. A piece of paper said 'coffee machine' and pointed down to the obvious machine. but there was something missing.
"Where's the coffee pot?" He asked.
"Figgins got rid of it." His friend, Rythian Tanaka answered. He was the coach of the football team. "Due to budget cuts. You know, I know for a fact that they are still getting hot chocolate." He took a bite form his energy bar. "We should strike."
"Howdy boys, who needs a pick-me-up?" Lomadia asked, walking into the room holding three coffees. She smirked and walked over to the first table of the room. After her came a thin teacher, the councillor, with long red hair.
"Wow, latte's..." Rythian said, taking one of the drinks.
"Yeah, im a bit of a coffee snub." Lomadia answered, looking up as she saw the other woman walk over to the table. "And the key to a perfect latte, is in the temperature of the steamed milk."
Rythian watched the other woman, taking a sip of is coffee as she sat down.
"I like mine scolding." Lomadia continued as Mr Shue took one of the cups.
"Hi Xevphera." Rythian greeted the other woman with a smile.
"Hi Rythian..." She answered. She smiled to Mr Shue. "Ridge... Hi." She said, taking a seat.
"Hey." The cheery Spanish teacher answered, again with a smile.
"What's with all the lattes?" She asked.
"Oh Xevphera, I just felt so awful that Figgins cut the coffee budget to pay for a nutritionist for the cheerios." Lomadia said. The cheerios were her cheerleading team, who were the most popular people in the school.
"Yeah, I heard you guys went like... 600 dollars over budget on that." Xevphera answered. She was pulling some plastic gloves form her bag. She had an issue with cleaning. OCD.
"Well my performers didn't get on Fox sports net last year because they ate at 'Bacon junction'." Lomadia answered sarcastically.
"Since when are cheerleaders performers?" Xevphera answered back, a smirk. The two male teachers looked to each other over the little cat fight in the room.
"Your resentment..." Lomadia said. "Is delicious."
There was a silence as Xevphera smirked before pulling on the plastic gloves.
"Well, I have a phoner in a couple of minuets - that's an interview, on the telephone with major media outlets - Hmhm, ill probably do it on my IPhone." Lomadia said, before walking out. "Enjoy."
"Thanks a lot Lom..." Ridge said.
Rythian made his way over to Xevphera. "I missed you at the err... singles mixer last week Xevphera." He said, taking a seat next to her.
"Yeah I know..." She answered, beginning to rub a the table with a wipe as Ridge sat down opposite her. "Big pipe exploded in my building." She explained. Ridge watched curiously as she wiped the table. "It was wild. I hate those mixer things though, don't you? I mean it's like a big meat market its just, ew... I did give my number to a fireman though..." Rythian looked to her. "But he hasn't... called..."
"You know there's someone out there for everyone." Ridge said. "I wouldn't even sweat it."
Xevphera watched him with a smile for a few seconds before taking of her plastic gloves, ignoring the looks she was getting from Rythian.
"Hey did you hear that Zylus Sandy got fired?" Xevphera asked.
"Really?" Ridge asked back.
"Mmmhmm."
For moment Ridge looked down at the table, a spark of hope settling in his mind. "W-who's gonna take over Glee club?" He asked, his eyes sparkling.
"I don't know." Xevphera answered, pulling her lunch form her bag, placing it down neatly.
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"I'd like to take over Glee club." Ridge stated.
"You wanna captain the Titanic too?" Principle Figgins asked as Ridge sat across form him in his office.
"I think I can make it great again. There is no joy in these kids, they feel invisible. That's why every one of them has a my space page!"
"60 Bucks a month. That's what I need to keep this program up."
"A-a-and you expect me to pay it?" Ridge asked, the hope fading quickly.
"Well im certainly not going to pay for it. We're not talking about Cheerios here Ridge. They were on Fox sports net last year. When Glee club starts bringing that kind of presage to the school again, you can have all the money you want. Until then, 60 bucks a month, and you've got to use the costumes and props you already have. But we need the stools for workshop."
The bell rang.
------------
Ridge was lying in bed, his wife, Terry next to him. And as much as he tried to sleep, he simply couldn't.

Hiding 60 bucks a month form my wife Terry was gonna be hard. But I had a bigger problem. How was I gonna get these kids motivated? One thing I knew for sure, we needed a new name. He smirked and sat up. "New directions!" He said to himself, smiling.
------------
A black girl walked up to the notice board, seeing the audition sheet for this year of Glee club. Seen as it was gonna be run by someone new she felt like it was worth a shot.
My name, is Minty Jones. And I'm singing -"R-E-S-P-E-C-T, find out what it means to me. R-E-S-P-E-C-T, take care of T-C-P, Ooooooh! Heyyyy! Babbayy yeah-eh-y-yeah!~" She sang up on the stage.
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The small guy form before walked over to the notice board and wrote his name down.
Hello, I'm Sjin Hummel, and i'll be singing Mr Cellophane.
"Cellophane, Mr Cellophane. Should have been my name, Mr Cellophane. Cuz you can look right through me, walk right by me, and never know im there. Never. Even. Kneeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee-" In the middle of the extremely high note he took the time to fix his hair before placing his hand back on his hip. "eeeeeeeeeeew! I'm there.~"
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A boy in a wheelchair and a girl in 'Goth' clothes were in front of the sign up sheet.
K-k-kim, C. I k-kissed a girl."It's not what, I'm used to, just, wanna try you on. I'm curi-ous for you. Caught, my attention! I kissed a girl-" At this point she slammed her hands down to her crotch. "And I liked it!~"
Ridge raised an eyebrow.
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The girl from before walked up to the notice board, a small smile full of hope plastered across her face as she saw the sign up sheet.

"Hi, my name is Exza Reckless, and I'll be singing 'On my own' from the Seminal Broadway classic, 'Le Mis.' Ridge nodded. "Fantastic, lets hear it." He said with a smile.
"On my own... pretending he's beside me...~"
You might laugh because every time I sign my name I put a gold star after it, but it's a metaphor. And metaphors are important. My gold stars are metaphor for me, being a star. She turned away from the notice board and instantly took a slushy to the face, feeling the cold shards of ice splash against her.
And just so we're clear, I want to clear that hateful rumour that I was the one who turned that classic case Zylus Sandy in because he gave Hank the solo I deserved. That's cockpoopy. She was sat in the principles office, crying. "He was touching Hank, caressing him! It was so wrong!" she said.
The principle put the tissue box on his desk forward and she took one, smiling as she wiped her eyes.
I'm not Homophobic. In fact, I have two gay dads. See, I was born out of love. My two dads screened potential surrogates based on beauty and I.Q. Then they mixed their sperm together and used a turkey baster. To this day we don't know which one is my real dad. Which I think is pretty amazing.She was looking at her locker, at the pictures of her and her dads.
My dads Spoiled me in the arts, I was given dance lessons, vocal lessons, anything to give me a competitive edge. You may think that all the boys in school would totally wanna tap this, but my Youtube channel keeps me way too busy to date. I try to post two Youtube videos everyday, just to keep my talent alive and growing. Although, one of the videos is of me gaming. But the other is singing. She sat in front of a camera, recording herself singing. "Whithout him, the world~"
Nowadays, being anonymous is worse than being poor. Fame is the most important thing in our culture now. And if there's one thing I've learned, It's that no-ones gonna hand it to you.
"I love him~"
UPLOADING.
"But everyday, Im learning!~"
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The cheerleaders all sat on the stands in the gym, laughing at her video. At how emotional she got when she sung.
"All my life, I've only been pretending!~"
The main cheerleader, Chesh Quinn, began commenting.
'If I were your parents, I would sell you back.'
Another added.
'I'm going to scratch out my eyes.'
Then another.
'Please get sterilised.'
"The world will keep turning! A world that's full of happiness!~"
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She looked down at the comments everyone had been putting. Not one nice one anywhere...
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She thought of all of this while singing for her audition. "That I have never knooooooooooooooowwwwwwwwn!~"
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And then the slushy...
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She looked down. "I love him... I love him... Iiiiii, love him... But only on my... oooooooooown...~"
"Very nice Exza." Ridge said with a smile.
"When do we start rehearsals?" The girl asked back with a smile.
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A boy in a wheelchair was smiling, rehearsing with the others.
"And I said, sit down you're rocking the boat!~" He sang. "Said to myself sit down!~"
The others all did echoes and tried to dance with each other, and it was rather dysfunctional. Ridge watched, trying to keep a smile on his face as they forgot what they were doing or did the wrong step.
"And the devil will drag you under With a soul so heavy you'd never float!~" He sang as they did jazz hands.
"Sit down, sit down, sit down, sit down! Sit down you're rocking the boat!~" They all sang, jumping around the kid in the wheelchair. Ridge leant against the piano and pulled a face as they continued. "Sit dooooown! Sit down, sit down, sit down! Sit down you're rocking the boaaaaaaat!~"
At the end of which Ridge smiled, but then noticed that the kid in the wheelchair was slowly rolling away, and hit the piano.
"We suck." Exza immediately said, turning away.
"Uh..." Ridge answered. "It'll get there. We, we just need to keep rehearsing."
"Mr Shuester, do you have any idea how radicalise it is to give a lead solo in sit down you're rocking the boat to a boy in a wheelchair?"
"I think Mr Shue's using irony to enhance the performance." the boy answered.
"There is NOTHING ironic about show choir." Exza answered, before turning and walking out.
"Exza." Ridge said, but she didn't turn. "Exza!" And the door closed. He sighed.
------------
"That's sloppy! You're sloppy babies!" Lomadia yelled through the megaphone at her cheerleaders. "Just disgraceful! And I want the agony out of your eyes!"
Ridge made his way up the bleachers and over to Exza, who seemed to be lost in thought. She heard her teacher step next to her and looked away.
"You changed out of your costume." He said, taking a seat behind her.
"Tired of being laughed at." She answered.
"You're the best kid in there Exza. And it comes with a price-"
"Look I know i'm just a soft more but I can feel the clock ticking away and I don't want to leave high school with nothing to show for it." She interrupted, turning around. Most people thought she was stuck up, always trying to get the better on people but she just wanted to be in the spotlight instead of getting laughed at all the time.
"You get great grades, you're a fantastic singer-"
"Everybody hates me..." She said. Ridge took a moment before replying.
"You think Glee club is gonna change that?"
"Being great at something is going to change it. Being a part of something special makes you special right?" She asked. Ridge looked down. "I need a male lead who can keep up with me vocally."
"Maybe I can coach Trott a little I-" Ridge said, thinking of the boy in the wheelchair.
"Look Mr Shue-" She turned away. "I really appreciate what you're trying to do, but if you cant give me what I need then im sorry. I'm not going to make a fool out of myself. Can't keep wasting my time with Glee... It hurts too much..."
A whistle blew from the bottom of the bleachers. Ridge looked up to see Rythian sat in a golf cart. "Shuester! Figgins wants ya!" He shouted before riding away. Ridge patted Exza on the shoulder and stood up, walking back down the steps and leaving the girl to her thoughts.
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"But we just started rehearsals!" Ridge told the principle.
"My hands are tied Shue. I need the auditorium. Alcoholics anonymous wants to rent it out for their afternoon meetings. Lots of drunks in this town. They're paying me ten bucks a head."
"If we show at regionals Glee stays, if not the bar is open in the auditorium."
"What is it with you and this club? You've only got five kids, and one of them's a cripple!"
"Then I guess you have nothing to worry about." Ridge said, a smirk on his face. They sat in silence for a moment, looking at each other, until finally the principle gave in.
"Fine."
"Yes." Ridge said, smiling.
"But you're running detention for free to make it up to me."
Ridge sat there for a moment, contemplating. "Deal." He said.
------------
"You put your hands in the corners, and fold, like this." A blonde woman explained to an employee where she worked. "Ok?"
"I cant do it." The man, Howard, answered. "I'm dyslexic. Maybe I should just stick to towels and washcloths."
"Howard, if you cannot fold a sheet you cannot work at sheets-n-things. Go, make sure they have a receipt."
The man walked away as Ridge walked over. "Someone looks beautiful today."
"Hey..."
"Hi." He leant over and gave her a kiss.
"You look very handsome."
"Thank you." He held up a brown paper bag. "Roast beef and pumpernickel. Your favourite."
"Oh, does it have mayo?" she asked.
"Y-yeah?"
"Ridge, if my diabetes comes back I cant get pregnant."
"I-"
"What is wrong with you?"
Ridge sighed. "I just wanted to tell you that im gonna have to start working late for the next... couple months. Im ah, monitoring after school detention."
"What?!" His wife asked, an annoyed look on her face.
"I have to make a deal with Figgins so that he wouldn't kill the Glee club." Ridge explained.
"Well, Ridge im on my feet four hours a day three times a week here. Now I have to go home and I have to cook dinner for myself?" She sighed. The man, Howard, walked back over.
"This lady wants to return these sheets." he said. "But, something tells me, you've got another bed wetter..."
She sighed and looked back to Ridge. "Do you see what I have to deal with here?"
Ridge gave a small smile as his wife walked away. "Hasn't she ever heard of a diaper?" She asked Howard.
Ridge was about to leave when he heard a familiar voice. Zylus. "Of course towels have a thread count Mr ... Sheets and things!"
Ridge looked through to the next isle where sure enough Zylus was stood arguing with one of the staff.
"What do you do? I read catalogues, I know these things. Anything under a 400 thread count and I break out in impetigo!"
Ridge sighed and decided to try walking past without being seen.
"Simple to understand! Ridgedog!" Zylus said. Ridge stopped in his tracks. Too late to try and sneak out.
"Zylus?" He smiled. "Hey!"
"Well hello. How are things?" Zylus asked, walking over to him. Before he gave him a chance to answer he continued talking. "I hear you have taken over Glee club."
"Yeah..." Ridge nodded. "I, hope you're not too upset."
"Are you kidding? Getting out of that swirling abyss of despair, best thing that ever happened to me!" He whistled.
Ridge gave a chuckle.
"Don't get me wrong, it wasn't easy at first, being dismissed and for what I was accused of... my long distance girlfriend in Cleveland nearly broke up with me-" He held up a pillow he had been looking at with the picture of a monkey on the front. "Oh god don't you just love a good monkey? Took me weeks to get over my nervous breakdown."
"Did they put you on medication?" Ridge asked. Zylus turned to him.
"Better! Medical marijuana. It's genius! I just tell my doctor feel-good im having trouble sleeping and he gives me all of it I want! I'm finding the whole system quite lucrative."
"You're a drug dealer?"
"Oh yeah, make five times more than when I was a teacher! I keep some for myself and then I take money baths with the rest!"
"Who- who do you sell it to?"
------------
Zylus handed the bag over and Rythian gave him the money, both looking around incase someone saw.
------------
"Want in?" Zylus asked, holding up a small envelope. 'Chronic lady, for medical use only.'
"Uh, no." Ridge laughed. "I mean, I tried it once in college, but Terri and I are trying to get pregnant..."
Zylus leant forward and placed the envelope in Ridge's pocket. "It's my own packaging and the first samples free, come on, you are the one who is couching those tone deaf, acne factories, you're gonna need it." He looked to the right where a man stood. "Wha- This looks like barf!" He told the man. "Ok, I have to do everything myself. Call me." He told Ridge and then walked away. Ridge sighed and walked out.
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Lomadia was in her office when there was a knock on the door. Ridge opened to see her polishing one of her many trophies.
"Hey Lom, c-can I have a sec?"
"Sure buddy." Lomadia answered, turning to face him and putting on a smile. "Come on in."
Ridge smiled and walked in.
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Xevphera was walking when she felt something squidgy under her shoe. Looking down, she saw that she had stood in chewing gum. She thought of how disgusting that was, how dirt, how it had been in someone's mouth, and then attempted not to freak out. "Ew..." she said, lifting her foot up and feeling the pink gloop pull back. She quickly sat down on the bench and began to panic.
Ridge was walking nearby and noticed her. "Hey, Xevphera, you got a second?" He looked down to her shoe. "What is that, gum?"
"Uh-huh..."
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"So you wanna talk to MY cheerios about joining Glee club?" Lomadia asked.
"Well, I need more kids... Uh, performers..." Ridge stated, watching as Lomadia pulled a tub of protein shake powder onto the table. "And, all the best ones are in the cheerios, so... I figured some of them might wanna double up..."
"Ok, so what you're doing right now is called blurring the lines." Lomadia explained, pulling out a cup and scooping some of the powder into it. "High school is a cast system, kids fall into certain slots. Your jocks, and your popular kids, up in the pent house. The invisibles, and the kids playing live-action druids and trolls out in the forest, bottom floor." Lomadia said. Ridge raised an eyebrow.
"And, where do the Glee kids lie?" He asked, a small smile returning to his face.
"Sub-basement."
Ridge frowned.
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Ridge was using a card to scrape the chewing gum from the bottom of Xevphera's shoe.
"Lomadia's not wrong, I mean I don't think anything's set in stone, I mean kids are gonna do what they think is cool, which is not always who they are. You just need to find a way to get them out of their boxes." Xevphera explained.
"Well how do I do that?"
"They follow the leader. You know if you can get a couple of the popular kids to sign up the rest will fall right in."
------------
Ridge was now jogging alongside Rythian, who was sat in the golf cart.
"I just wanna talk to them." Ridge said.
"I don't know dude. I cant see any of my guys wanting to join the Glee club. Last month they held down one of their teammates and shaved off his eyebrows just because he watched Grey's anatomy."
"Look, all im looking for is an introduction." Ridge explained.
"Fine. But you gotta put a good word in for me with Xevphera." and with that he rode away.
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He finally managed to scrape the chewing gum away and smiled to Xevphera, sitting down next to her.
"There you go Cinderella." He said.
"Thank you..."
Ridge looked to his card and then around, and finally just decided to scrape it off on the bottom of the seat.
"I have problems with things like that... you know the... the... messy things..." Xevphera explained.
"Yeah." Ridge smiled.
"It's really nice how much you care about Glee. About the kids."
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"You really care about these kids, you leave them alone. Children like to know where they stand." Lomadia said, drinking her protein shake. "So let your little Glee kids have their little club. But don't pretend that any of them are something they're not."
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Rythian blew his whistle, standing in front of the football team in the locker room.
"Circle up." He yelled, and everyone began to walk to the front. "Now, Mr Shuester is gonna talk to you. You don't listen, you do laps." Rythian looked to the boy with the Mohawk. "You mouth off, you do laps. Got it?" He stepped to one side and Ridge smiled. "They're all yours Ridge."
"Thanks Ryth. Hey guys, how you doing? Uh, I think I recognise some of you from Spanish class, but uh, im here today to talk to you about something... different. Uh, music. Heh..."
Xephos looked up nonchalantly, listening to what the teacher had to say. Ridge looked around at everyone's uninterested expressions.
"Glee club needs guys." He sighed. The kid with the Mohawk stepped forward.
"I can sing." He said smugly. Xephos gave a smirk.
"Really? T-that's fantastic." Ridge said.
"You wanna hear?"
"Yeah." Ridge said, and watched as the kid walked forward, a snide smirk on his grey face as his teammates clapped for him. He stood there for a moment, looking like he was about to sing, and then let out a fart, to which the others laughed at and Ridge rolled his eyes in annoyance.
"Oh yyyyyyyeah!" The kid said. Xephos watched his best friend and looked down, a little unimpressed but not wanting to show it. Rythian tapped the kid on the shoulder and mouthed the word 'laps' to him. The kid frowned and walked back over to Xephos, getting a high five from him.
"I'll put the sign up sheet on the door to the locker room so if anyone wants to sign up, please... thank you." Ridge said and looked away as Rythian blew his whistle again.
"Dismissed! Puck, in my office in five minutes." Rythian said. The grey skinned kid gave an uninterested face. His name was Sips Puckerman, but people called him Puck. He had a bit of a reputation. The rest of the kids walked out and Xephos walked to the showers. Ridge turned to Rythian.
"You been sleeping ok? Your eyes look a little bloodshot..." Ridge asked. Rythian looked around.
"I got allergies." He answered.
"Alright buddy, thanks a lot." Ridge patted him on the shoulder before walking over to the door, leaving Rythian to use a dropper on his eyes.
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He had come back later and looked at the sheet.
'Gaylord Wiener.'
'Butt Lunch.'
And then at the very bottom, 'PENIS.'

I honestly thought that was the end of the very brief fever dream that was New Directions.
But then, he heard someone singing in the shower.
"And even as I wonder, I'm keeping you in sight!~"
He peaked round the side of the lockers. Whoever this kid was, they were good.
"You're a candle in the window, on a cold dark winters night.~"
He walked round, closer to the shower.
"And i'm getting closer than I ever thought I might!~" It was Xephos, the kid from his Spanish class. He was stood in the shower cubicle, holding his hand up like a microphone as he sang. "Bum, bum, bum, bum, bum, cha!" He turned on the spot and continued singing, keeping his eyes closed and not noticing Ridge. Thank god the small wall was in the way of anything. "And I cant fight this feeling anymore!~"

I suddenly realised why I had wanted to do this thing in the first place"I've forgotten what I started fighting for!~"It was seeing the gift in a kid that they didn't even know they had. "And I cant fight this feeling anymore!~"
It was pure talent.
"And even if I have to crawl upon your floor! Come crashing through your door! Baby I cant fight this feeling anymooooooore!~"
What I did then, was the blackest moment of my life...
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He pushed the little envelope across the desk. "You wanna tell me how long you've had a drug problem?"
"I-I-I don't even know who the Chronic lady is!" Xephos answered.
"Look... If it were up to me, we wouldn't have mandatory, bi-weekly locker checks."
"I've never seen that before!" Xephos said, panicking. "Mr Shue, I swear, It's not mine! I'll pee in a cup!" He said. Ridge gave a slightly confused look. "I'll pee..."
"L-look, it wouldn't make any difference." Ridge said, watching as the boy nervously looked down. "Possession is 8/10 of the law, im pretty sure that much pot, is a felony." Ridge lied. "Yeah." He watched as Xephos put his head in his hand, rubbing his temple. "You'll get kicked out of school, you'll lose your football scholarship-"
"Wait, I, I had a football scholarship? T-to where?" Xephos asked, sitting back up and giving s small smile.
"You could land in prison son." Ridge said. The poster tot he right of him said 'Priority 1 -Help the kids.' Ironically.
"Please, d-don't tell my mum!" Xephos pleaded.
Ridge sighed. "Look, I see a lot of myself in you Xeph. I know what its like to struggle to make good life choices. And I don't wanna see you throw away everything you have to offer the world. I just expected more out of you Xeph."
That really got to me... When Mr Shuester said that. Because, every day of my life I expect more out of myself. See, I might look confident and everything, but I really struggle with the same thing other kids do. Peer pressure, acne...He remembered when he was younger, looking at a picture of his dad.
I never knew my dad. He died in Iraq while we were fighting Osama Binladin the first time. He was playing on the drums happily while his mum was talking on the phone.
"Woah, woah, woah. Hold up, XEPH!" She shouted through. "Xeph, Xeph! Please, im on the phone..."she turned away as he stopped playing and began listening to her. "I just wanna swap next Saturdays shift for this Saturday... Because Xephos' got a parents night for Cub scouts..."
My mum and me, we're real close. But being a single parent, can be hard... The only good time for Mum was when we splurged a little bit and ordered Emerald dreams.
She opened the door and a man stood there, smiling at her.
------------
He was in the garden, spraying green across the grass. Xephos was stood next to him, doing the same.

Darren was good to her, and he was cool about letting me hang out. They were listening to music while they worked, Darren sang along and Xephos sang along while his mother watched and nodded along.
That was the first time I'd really... heard music. And it set my soul on fire. "You've got a voice buddy." Darren said. Xephos looked up at him. "Seriously, if I had that voice... my band would still be together." He smiled at the child. "Stick with it!" He said, ruffling his hair.
My mum took it real hard when Darren left her for that girl he met at pick and save. His mum watched as the truck went by, a blonde girl sat next to Darren. She grabbed the milk from the groceries and ran onto the road, throwing the milk at it and crying as Xephos watched.
It was that moment, I decided, I would do whatever it took to make my mum proud of me. Make her feel... all her sacrifices were worth it.
------------
"You have two options here." Ridge stated. "I'm running detention now, so you can do six weeks after school, BUT. that's gonna remain on your permanent record."
"W...whats the other option Mr Shue...?" Xephos asked.
------------
He turned round, he was stood on the stage in Glee club. "I got chills! That are multiplying!~"
Exza looked up form her sheet music and gave a smile, his voice was great! He could probably keep up with her!
"And I'm loosing control!~"
Everyone nodded to each other in agreement. Exza had seen Xephos walking down the halls, he was one of the cool kids, the popular people, so they didn't really expect him to be able to sing. Once she thought that he had looked back at her when she had been looking at him, but she wasn't sure. She did want to get closer to him though, and if he was in Glee then that's something she could make happen...
"For the power, you're supplying... It's electrifying!~"
She threw the sheet music to one side. "You better shape up. Cuz I need a man~" She began to make her way behind the other, walking closer to him. As she went she wanted to make it seem a little more casual so involved the others who were singing in the background. She messed Sjin's hair up, who looked a little annoyed and confused at that, and then went past Kim, putting her hand son her shoulders. Xephos at this point had noticed her moving closer and raised an eyebrow. "You better shape up, you better, understand!~" She pushed Trott in his wheelchair forwards, Ridge caught him. "The my heart I must be true!~" She was suddenly in front of him and he looked down, a little scared.
"Nothing left... Nothing left for me to do!~" He sang, both his eyebrows raised as she danced next to him. Suddenly she grabbed his hand and they were going back and forth like in the film.
"You're the one that I want! You are the one I want, who, who, who honey!~" They both sang, and while Exza had a happy smile on her face Xephos didn't. "The one that I want-"
Suddenly Minty cut inbetween them. "Oh HELL to the NO!" She said, and everyone stopped singing. Xephos looked down at Exza and then to Ridge. "Look, im not down with all this 'background' nonsense!" Minty continued. "I'm Beyoncé I ain't no Kelly Rollin."
"Ok, look Minty..." Ridge said, a smile. "It's just one song."
"And it's the first time we've been... kind of good." Sjin added. Minty sighed.
"Ok, you good white boy-" She turned to Xephos. "I'll give you that." Xephos gave a small side smile. "But you better bring it." She threatened before turning back to Ridge. "Lets run it again..." She said with a smile.
"Alright!" Ridge said happily. "Lets do it, form the top!"
------------
They were doing a puzzle.
"You usually don't let me in your craft room." Ridge told his wife, putting in one of the finishing pieces.
"Isn't this fun?" Terri asked, smiling. "And challenging. Every Wednesday we're going to have puzzle night, cuz I know how important it is for you to have a creative outlet."
Ridge smiled and put a hand on hers. "You know, kids have been working so hard. I was thinking about taking them on a field trip next Saturday. Carmel high's performing a showcase, and Carmel's going to be THE team to beat at regionals." He said, smiling. Terri didn't look too impressed. "And I was wondering if you, might wanna come chaperone with me?"
"On Saturday? Oh, I cant."
"Oh..."
"I had to pick up an extra shift at work Ridge. We're living paycheque to paycheque you know."
"And how much of that paycheque goes to your pottery barn credit card?"
"I don't know what you're talking about..." She looked down. Ridge stood up and walked to one of the side doors. "Don't go in the Christmas closet!" Terri said.
"I was looking for my jacket the other day-" he said, and turned the light on, revealing quite a few boxed. "Come on, we cannot afford this stuff Terri!"
"But we could Ridge! Yes, I am asquint to be promoted at the Christmas week at sheets-n-things, you know I wreak of management potential!" She stood up and walked around the table. And they're hiring at H.W.Menken-"
"My passion is teaching! Terri! For the last time, I don't want to be an accountant!"
"Doctor Row said that people can change. You know it's not a bad thing to want a real life Ridge!" She looked down to her crafts. "AND to have a glue gun that WORKS!" She slammed the gun down on the table. There was a moment of silence. "You know, it's really hard for me... Not having the things that I need."
"OOOOH! And you NEED three mahogany toilet brush holders?!"
"They're Balinese!" She argued, walking over to him. "It is NOT. A bad thing to WANT things, Ridge." She began to walk away but turned back round. "You know I understand your interest in these kids Ridge, I really do. Yeah. It's your way of recapturing your glory days. But im not the high school cheerleader anymore and you're not the golden boy. High school's over. For both of us... It's time that you move on..." And with that she turned and walked out. Leaving Ridge to his thoughts.
------------
'YOU MUST BE TRAINED BY RYTHIAN TENAKA TO USE THIS SHREDDER.' a sign said. And in front of it stood Rythian himself, putting pieces of paper into the shredder as he looked at Xevphera, who was sat a table away with her back to him. She herself was looking at Ridge, who had his back to her, pinning up some paper onto the board. 'New Directions' Sign up sheet. He bit into the apple he was holding and walked away, Xevphera watching him and then looking around before standing up and walking over to the notice board. 'New directions, chaperone sign up'
She smiled, picked up the pencil, wiped it clean and then wrote her name down.
------------
Sips was laughing, picking up balls and throwing them at a little kid. He heard arguing from nearby and turned to see Xephos getting shouted at by Rythian.
"You're the quarterback! You make a decision! Either you're a football player, or you're a singer!"
A few minutes later Sips saw Xephos walking and caught up with him. "Hey." he said. Xephos turned around. "Whats going on." He walked along side him.
"Oh, I just, I have to miss practice Saturday afternoon..." Xephos said. "It's uh... my mum. I gotta help her cook and uh, and do things."
"Why?"
"She just had uh surgery."
"What kind of surgery...?" Sips asked.
"Uh, well she, uh, had to have her... prostate... out."
"Man that's a tough break." Sips said.
"Yeah, its uh... engorged."
------------
Ridge was sat in the teachers lounge, reading a book called 'Jazz hands', when someone swiped it to one side. He looked up to see Rythian, who didn't look best pleased. "You stole my quarterback." He said angrily. Ridge looked up.
"Ok... look. Xeph's got a great voice, h-he just wants to express himself."
"You're screwing up my life." Rythian said threateningly.
"Ok Ryth, you hate football! What's this really about...?"
------------
Rythian walked over to Xevphera, who was spraying and wiping the door handle of her car. "Hey, Xevphinem." He said. She frowned to herself but then turned around and smiled. "So, I got tickets to 'monster trucks' this weekend. Loooost tickets." He held two tickets up.
"No thanks, not my thing." Xevphera answered, getting back to cleaning.
"Truckzilla vs. truckasaurus, and get this, the trucks breathe fire!"
"Rythian..." She turned to him. "Look you know how every time you ask me out I tell you that im on my period?"
"Doesn't bother me."
"Or I tell you I'm suffering from cluster headaches, or im allergic to night-time?" She gave a small sorry smile. "Those things, not really true. I'm just not interested in dating you-" She looked down as he raised his finger to her, making a shushing sound.
"How do I get you?" He asked. "Into my hatchback?"
"Ok, Rythian, fine you know what, you've made me say it, I like somebody else. Alright? Nothing I can do about it because, they're unavailable so I have to deal with that, but..."
Rythian licked his hand and rubbed it over her car, she gasped and then looked at him as he walked away, angry.
------------
"You're right." Rythian told Ridge. "I'm overreacting. The herd will take care of it."
"The HERD?" Ridge asked.
"The student body. The second someone tries to rise above, be different, herd pulls them back in. So..." He turned away but then turned back. "Oh, and by the way, thanks for putting a good word in for me with Xevphera. Buddy. I guess you just want her for yourself huh? Adios amigo." He walked away, leaving Ridge alone.
------------
They were in line for the fieldtrip. Xephos was stood next to Exza. "You're very talented." She said, smiling. He smiled back.
"Really...?"
"Yeah..." There was an awkward silence. "I would know, I'm very talented too..."
Xephos gave a small nod.
"I... think the rest of the team expects us to become an item..." Exza said. "You the... hot male lead and me the stunning young entrepreneur everyone roots for."
Xephos nodded again. "Well, I uh... have a girlfriend." He explained.
"Really...?" Exza looked down, trying not to feel too disappointed. "Who?"
"Chesh Quinn."
"Cheerleader Chesh Quinn? The president of the celibacy club?" Exza asked.
------------
They were in Chesh's house, making out. He slowly moved his hands down to her waist and she pulled them back up. "Wait..." She said, smiling, and he smiled back as she sat up. They looked at each other, a bit of a tension between them as they smiled. "Lets prey." She said and put her hands together, closing her eyes. Xephos rolled his and flopped back onto the couch.
------------
"For almost four months now." Xephos stated. "She's cool." The line moved forward and so did they. "Now I wonder if they have sour patch kids..."
Ridge was stood next to Xevphera in the line. "Those sandwiches look like they've been there a while..." Ridge said.
"Do you wanna go halfsies on a PB and J?" Xevphera asked. Ridge turned to her.
"That sounds perfect!" He said.
"Yeah?"
"Yeah! Lets go." He said and they moved out of line and sat down on one of the sofas. "Wow, I haven't had a peanut butter and jelly sandwich in... a really long time!" Ridge said, smiling.
"Crazy." Xevphera said, smiling as she pulled a box form her bag.
"Yeah, my wife's allergic to nuts." He said.
"Oh, well that's really sweet though. Not eating something because she cant." Xevphera said, pulling the sandwich out of her bag. "That's really nice." She unwrapped it. "Ooo, that's really... noisy. But they're clean." Ridge chuckled and took one half of the sandwich as she held it out to him.
"Oh my gosh." He said and took a bite. "Mmm..."
"How um, how long have you two been married?" She asked and took a little bite of her own.
"Uh, five years last march. Yeah... But we've been together since high school. She was my first girlfriend actually."
"Was it love at first sight?"
"For me it was... I don't know she used to be filled with so much... joy."
"And now...?" Xevphera asked. Before Ridge could answer the light flashed, indicating the start of the show.
"Oh, show time!" he chuckled and they stood up. "You don't wanna hear about my marital problems."
"What? No I do, I, mean, id love to hear, I mean im not happy that you have marital problems but you-" She said, and he put a hand on her back.
"Ok, ok, here's the thing. Terri drives me, hard, and I've always appreciated it, I just figure she just wants me to... be better. You know, but lately I keep asking myself better at what?" he explained as they walked over to the stairs. "Making money? Being upwardly mobile? I don't know I love her, don't get me wrong, but, we just gotta get back on the same page."
"Do you like the sandwich?"
"Oh my god, it's like, the best I've ever had."
-----------
Ridge leant across to his class. "Hey guys." They looked across to him. "So this is supposed to be our 'competition'." He stated, making quotation marks with his hands. "But er, I honestly don't think they've got the talent we've got. But let's be a good audience alright, give some of that old McKinley high respect."
'Please give a warm state welcome to last years regional champions, Vocal Adrenalin!' A voice over sounded, and suddenly the large red curtain to the front of the stage shifter to either side, and everyone clapped at the cluster of kids that stood on the stage, the girls in blue dressed and the boys in shirts and ties with blue braces.
"Ohio, Ohio, ohiiiiiiiiooooooo~" They all sang at once, and then walked apart. "They're tryna make me go to rehab and I said, no, no, no!~" They moved around each other in time to the music, not missing a single note or step. "Yes I've done black, but when I come back, you'll know, know, know!~"
The girls moved in front of the boys, shaking their fingers at the audience as they danced, continuing to move with impeccable timing. "I don't have the time My daddy thinks I'm fine~" The boys moved back in front and the girls jumped into their arms. "They tryna make me go to rehab~" and then they jumped back, flipping over. "and I wont go, go, go!~"
They separated to either side of the stage and a group of five walked through the middle towards the audience. "I'd rather be at home with Ray, I ain't got-" They twisted round. "Seventy days~" And moved around each other again, smiling at the audience.
"Said there's nothing!~"
"Nothing.~"
"Nothing you cant teach me!~" The girls and boys sang back and forth before forming into a group and moving round once again.
"That I can't learn from Mr Hathaway!~" The boys finished, clicking up then down as the girls were now on the left of the stage and they were on the right.
"Oh yeahahahah!~" The girls sang back and made their way behind the boys, intertwining and forming an organised group once again.
"I didn't get a lot in class, but I know it don't come in a shot glass!~" They all sang, doing more flips and tricks. "Tryna make me go to rehab and I say, no, no, no!~" A boy began doing backflips across the stage, flipping and then doing front ones as the audience cheered and stood up, clapping. "Yes, I've been black but when I come back you'll know, know, know!~" The boy smiled and turned back around, flipping to the other side of the stage and getting even more cheers form the audience. I ain't got the time and if my daddy thinks I'm fine, he's tried to make me go to rehab but I won't go, go, go!~" They finished with a final head bow and the audience roared with applause.
"We're d-d-doomed!" Kim stated, her stutter present. The entire class had their jaws dropped as they stared at the stage, even Ridge.
------------
Xephos was walking outside of the school, some of the band members playing the strange instruments you hear in Hawaii that he didn't know the name of. He was still thinking about things, and the performance that they had seen not long before. He turned a corner, looking at the floor and jumping at the sound of Sips voice.
"Chicks, don't have prostates." Sips said, Xephos looked up. Sips was stood with a few other guys from the football team, who all held paintball guns in their hands. They surrounded him as Sips stepped forward and Xephos stepped back. "I looked it up. You broke the rules! And for that, you must be punished."
Xephos backed up against the wall as the others raised the paintball guns to him. "Wait, wait, wait..." He said, sure the others were smaller than him, but there was more of them. "Wa- you've got the power here! Ok? You don't have to do this!" He heard them lock their guns and then tried to shield himself with his arms as they fired the paintballs at him, green paint covering his denim jacket and top.
------------
Ridge unlocked the door to his apartment, walking in he noticed his wife stood holding some wine, a 'CONGRATULATIONS' banner hung up on the wall. She was smiling. "There's my baby." She said as he closed the door. Ridge gave a chuckle.
"Wow, honey..." He said, walking over, he gave a confused expression. "This is amazing wa... what's the congratulation for the... the kids haven't won anything yet."
"I... im pregnant." Terri answered. Ridge gave a chuckle, but then stopped when his wife just smiled at him.
"Really?"
"Yeah!"
He walked closer. "Terri, don't... mess with me..." He took the glasses from her and grinned happily. "My god this is amazing! We're gonna be a family!" He put the glasses down and put his hands around his wife happily. "My god!" He laughed and she laughed back. He gave her a kiss and they hugged. "I cant believe it!" He said, grinning over her shoulder.
------------
"You're leaving us...?" Trott asked his teacher, who stood in front of everyone. "When...?"
"Well I've given my two weeks notice." Ridge answered. "But I promise I'm gonna find you guys a great replacement before I go."
"Is this because those Carmel kids were so good?" Minty asked. "Because we can work harder."
"This isn't fair Mr Shuester... We cant do this without you." Exza added. "
So does that mean that I don't have to be in the club anymore...?" Xephos asked. "Or..." Everyone turned to him and he stopped talking.
"This isn't about you guys." Ridge stated, a sad smile. "Being an adult is about having to make difficult choices. It's not like high school... But sometimes you have to... give up the things that you love." He looked around at them all. "One day you guys are gonna grow up and understand that... I have... loved... being your teacher." He gave a small nod before slowly turning and walking out.
------------
He was clearing up his sheet music from on top of the piano that was on the stage when he looked to the right and saw his guitar. He walked over to it, looking at the spotlight that he had left on to be able to see, and picked his guitar up. He rested his foot on the chair in front of him and looked back up to the spotlight, pulling his guitar up to his stomach. And slowly, he moved his fingers along the strings, before beginning to play 'leaving on a jet plain'.
"All my bags are packed, I'm ready to go, I'm standin' here outside your door. I hate to wake you up to say goodbye. But the dawn is breakin', It's early morn.~"
Xevphera sat in the cafeteria while no one else was there.
"The taxi's waitin', he's blowin' his horn, already I'm so lonesome, I could die~"
She had been looking at the yearbook form the year before and smiled at the picture of Ridge.
"So kiss me and smile for me, tell me that you'll wait for me, hold me like you'll never let me go.~"
She looked up sadly at the thought of him leaving.
"'Cause I'm leavin' on a jet plane, don't know when I'll be back again, oh babe, I hate to go.~"
He was sitting in one of the classrooms, filling out his application files for the accounting job.
"Oh, kiss me and smile for me, tell me that you'll wait for me, hold me like you'll never let me go~"
Xevphera was in the staff room, listening in on a conversation across the room. "I hear he's having a baby, that's why he handed in his notice."
"Really?" Another woman asked. Xevphera just sta where she was, sad.
Ridge finished the song and looked back up sadly before lowering his guitar and walking away from the spotlight.
------------
He signed the letter and closed his folder as the bell rang. Sighing, he went down to his bag, when he heard a familiar voice.
"Need help with those papers...?" Xevphera asked. He looked up to her.
"It's actually an application for... H.W.Menkin..." He said. "They're hiring." Xevphera nodded slightly. He looked up at her, she didn't seem too thrilled. "Come on, accounting is sexy." He said as a joke, putting his folder into his bag. He gave a smile and looked back up to her. "I'll miss you..." He said, giving a small smile.
"Before you leave can you do me a favour...?"
"Yeah." He turned back to her.
"I made an appointment for you tomorrow. In the career centre." She stated. Ridge gave a small confused smile. "You need some guidance."
"I'm having a kid, Xevphera. What I need is better benefits."
"Just come Ridge." Xevphera said calmly. "For me..." and with that she turned and walked out.
------------
Xephos closed his locker and jumped as he saw Exza standing there looking up at him.
"Didn't see you at Glee club today..." She said.
"Is... that still... happening?"
"I've taken over."
"Oh."
"I'm in term director but I expect the position will become permanent..." Exza said, somewhat sadly. Xephos looked up to see two cheerleaders walking over, the one in front was his girlfriend Chesh, the other was one of her best friends Hannah. They were the 'bitches' of the school.
"Hi Xeph." Chesh said before looking to Exza. "What are you doing talking to her?"
"I..." Xephos said, looking between her and Exza.
"Science project... we're partners..." Exza stated, and looked down sadly as Xephos nodded to Chesh.
"Tonight at five, my house." Chesh said, making Xephos smile more.
"Sounds great." He said, and the two cheerleaders walked away. Xephos looked down, and then back to Exza. He sighed. "Look, I-I should go... I cant do Glee anymore... It conflicts with-"
"Your reputation?" Exza asked, gripping onto her bags strap. "You've really got something Xephos and you're throwing it away..."
"I-im going to be late." He said. He looked down to her again, at her blue eyes.
"You cant keep worrying about what people think of it..." She said, a sad smile as she looked up to him. "You're better than all of them..." She turned and walked away, and he looked upwards, sighing heavily.
------------
"What you want me to do, apologise?" Sips asked as they walked across the field, clad in their football uniforms. "That's not me dude." He looked to Xephos, who was looking at the floor. "Look, if I joined the flag team, you'd beat the crap outta me. I just don't understand why you ditched-"
"Shuester told me it'd give me enough extra credit to pass Spanish if I joined the club." Xephos said. "Ok, I- I didn't have a choice. If I failed another class id be off the team." He said. Sips shook his head slightly. "Look it's over, Ok, I quit." Xephos said and they stopped, turning to each other. "Anything else?"
"No that's it." Sips said. "Aaaand as a welcome back to the world of the NORMAL," He tapped his friend on the shoulder. I got you a present." He walked past, and over to the port potties that were round the side of the bleachers.
There was a faint pleading for help. "What's that noise...?" Xephos asked, following his friend.
Trott was in his wheelchair in the potty, trapped and panicking. "Oh god..." He said, looking up and looking for a way to get out. "Help! Help!" He shouted.
The football team were stood outside, watching as Xephos followed Sips round the corner.
"Is someone in there...?" Xephos asked.
"We got that wheelchair kid inside." Sips said, a happy smile on his face. "We're gonna flip it." The rest of the team nodded along.
"Isn't that kinda dangerous?" Xephos asked, obviously not very amused.
"He's already in a wheelchair!" Sips said. "Come on dude, we saved you the first roll."
Xephos looked down for a moment, and gave a small shake of his head before walking over to the potty. He opened the door and looked down at Trott, who looked up to the tall boy. "Thank you, thank you so much!" He said as Xephos rolled him out. Sips frowned in disappointment. "Thank you..." The kid in the wheelchair said. "Oh my god the smell..."
"What the hell dude?!" Sips asked. "I cant believe you're helping out this loser!"
Trott looked from the Mohawk kid to Xephos, who was looking at Sips.
"Don't you get it man...?" The tall boy said. "We're all losers." Sips frowned. "Everyone in this school! Well..." He looked away then looked back to Sips. "Everyone in this town." His voice had raised. "Out of all the kids that graduate maybe HALF will go to college and TWO will leave the state to do it." He looked down then back up. "Im not afraid of being called a loser cuz I can accept that that's what I am." He stared Sips down. "But I am afraid of turning my back on something that actually made me happy for the first time in my sorry life."
"So what?" Sips asked. "Are you quitting to join 'Homo explosion'?" The other football players laughed.
"No." Xephos simply said, looking back to them, and the smile that was fading from Sips' face once again. "I'm doing both. Cuz you cant win without me and neither can they." He took the handles of Trott's chair, who licked his finger and made a hissing sound as Xephos rolled him away, smirking as he did so. Xephos was looking down, then, heard a song he knew all too well. He stopped, and upon looking up he noticed Darren the Emerald guy spraying the grass, the blonde woman sitting atop his truck and bopping her head along to the music that was playing. A Journey song. Don't stop believing.
Xephos smiled widely.
------------
"Look you guys, these steps are not hard..." Exza said. "I've been doing them since pre-school..."
"Im sorry." Sjin said. "Did I miss the election for queen because I didn't vote for you."
"I know what I'm talking about." Exza said.
Xephos rolled Trott across the stage behind her and over to the group.
"I won my first dance competition hen I was three months old."
"This is a closed rehearsal." Sjin told Xephos as he noticed him. The tall boy let go of the wheelchair and stepped to one side.
"Look, I owe you guys an apology." He said. Exza turned and stood with the others. "I never should have quit."
Exza turned to look at him.
"I don't wanna be the guy that just drives around throwing eggs at people."
"That was you?" Exza asked.
"You and your friends threw peel ends at me." Sjin stated.
"I know..." Xephos said.
"You nailed all my lawn furniture to my roof."
"I wasn't actually there for that... but im... really sorry." Xephos admitted. "Look. That isn't who I am. And im tired of it. This is what I wanna be doing. With you guys. I used to think that this was like the lamest thing on earth and... maybe it is, but... we're all here for the same reason." He looked around at them all. "Because me wanna be good at something..."
The others looked to each other and Xephos gave a small side smile.
"Trott, you play guitar right? Think you could recruit the jazz band?"
"I do have pull there." Trott answered, adjusting his glasses.
"Alright!" He looked back up. "Minty? We need new costumes, and they have got to be cool! Can you do that?"
"DAMN! Don't you see what I got on?" She asked, motioning to her outfit and then smiling.
"Exza..."
The girl looked up, with a small smile.
"You can do choreography."
Exza smiled slightly.
"Kim. What are you good at?"
"I-I-" She stuttered.
"We'll figure something out for you." He smiled.
"And what are you bringing to the table Justin Timberlake?" Minty asked. Xephos smiled.
"I've got the music."
------------
Ridge and Xevphera were sat in the teachers lounge. Ridge looked up at her.
"I wanna show you something." Xevphera said. She opened her laptop. "I did a little research. And this is a tape I found in the library of a 93 team at nationals." She said, and saw from the corner of her eye that Ridge had smiled. She turned the laptop to him and he watched. "Do you know who that is?" She asked. Ridge looked down at the screen, remembering it. "That's you Ridge." Ridge continued to look down at the screen. "That's you happier than I've ever seen you."
"That was the greatest moment of my life..."
"Why?" Xevphera asked calmly with a small smile.
"Because I loved what I was doing... I knew when we were half way through with it that we were gonna win..." He looked down at the screen, and scoffed out a few little laughs. "And being a part of that... in that moment... I knew who I was in the world..." He looked up to her. She smiled slightly. He smiled back, almost choking up as he thought about how happy he had been. "And t-the only time I've felt that way since than was... when Terri told me I was gonna be a father..."
Xevphera nodded and looked down. Ridge took a moment before shaking his head and closing the laptop again. "No, no I need to provide for my family." He slid it back to her.
"But provide what exactly...? The understanding that money is the most important thing?" Ridge looked to her as she spoke. "Or the idea that... the only life worth living is one that you're really passionate about...?" She leant forward on the table, looking into his eyes as he looked to her. "Ridge..."
------------
Ridge walked down the empty corridor, past the auditorium. And that's when he heard it... A small chorus of people doing beats. He turned around.
------------
They were stood on stage, all wearing red tops and blue jeans and singing beats to the start of don't stop believing.
Xephos stepped forward. "Just a small town girl, living in a lonely world. She took the midnight train going anywhere~" He sang as the others all tapped their leg along to the music. Exza stepped forward as well.
"Just a city boy, born and raised in South Detroit. He took the midnight train going anywhere.~" She snag, and they turned to each other, raising their hands to one another as Trott on the guitar began to play. They moved back to the line and they all raised their hands. "JUMP!~" they sang.
"Seen her in a smoking room.~" Xephos sang, stepping forward.
"Smell of wine and cheap perfume~" Exza followed, stepping from the other side of the line. They turned to each other once again, looking at each other across the stage with a smile. And they began walking towards each other.
"For a smile they can share the night it goes on and on and on and ooooon!~! They both sang as they spun around together. They all stood in a group and happily shimmied from side to side to the music.
"Strangers, waiting! Up and down the boulevard, and shadows, searching in the night!~"
The other three went over to the microphones and Exza and Xephos turned to each other again.
"Street light! People! Living just to find emotion!~" Exza walked a circle round Xephos then he took her hand and they both raised their other hand up. "Hiding, somewhere in the Niiiiiiiight!~"
Ridge walked in and looked up at the stage from the door. Xephos went to the drums, banging on them with the sticks as Exza walked across the stage.
"Working hard to get my fill!~" She sang. "Everybody wants a thrill!~" She walked back over to Xephos, smiling as he continued to play the drums and then joined in with the singing. "Paying anything to roll the dice, just one more time!~"
"Some will win!~" Exza sang as Xephos stood back up and walked towards her as she stepped away, smiling.
"Some will lose.~" He joined in, walking past her and then smiling back, holding out his hand to the side. She ran over and past him, then turned on the spot to him. "Some will only sing the blues! Another movie never ends it goes on and on and on and on!~" She walked away and he held his hand out to her again and they smiled as Trott began his solo on guitar.
Ridge watched, speechless, they hadn't noticed him. But they were amazing! He walked closer as they continued.
"Don't stop! Believing! Hold on to that feeling!~" They were all in a line again and walked forward on the stage together. "Street light, people! Oooooooh!~" They all raised their hands up to the air.
Lomadia and her cheerleaders were watching from the balcony, she was glaring down at them. Sips was watching from the other door as well, and turned and walked out.
They turned around one by one and walked back, before turning back to face the empty rows of seats. "DONT STOP!~" They bowed their heads.
Then suddenly, there was clapping. They all looked up to see Ridge stood there, clapping a their performance. "Good guys." He said, with a smile. "It's a nine." They all smiled and walked forward. "We need a ten." Ridge continued. "Exza, you need to hit the one sin the fives, Xephos, I think if we worked on it you could hit a high b."
"So does this mean you're staying?" Xephos asked. Ridge looked down for a moment then looked up smiling.
"It would kill me to see you win nationals without me." He smiled at them and they all smiled back. "From the top!"

Description
body div#devskin0 hr { }

Pilot
The cheerleaders were practicing out on the field, flipping, summersaulting, catching each other. The routine was tight and to the point. Lomadia Sylvester, the cheerleading coach at McKinley High, stood by, a megaphone in one hand and a stopwatch in the other. It was always hard to tell what she was thinking, all be it usually something cynical and snide. She looked on at the cheerleaders as they stood in their final positions. One of them fell back into the others arms and Lomadia raised the megaphone to her mouth.
"You think this is hard? Try being water boarded, that's hard!" She yelled.

GLEE.

The tailpipe of the old blue car dragged along the ground, small sparks flying off every few seconds as it collided. The man in the driver seat waved to a kid as they walked past and took his usual parking space outside the school where he worked. He kicked the door closed as he got out and walked towards the school. A group of the jocks were stood around a dumpster, in the middle of the group was a scrawny looking kid, looking extremely out of place.
"Making some new friends Sjin?" The teacher asked. The kid just looked at him.
"He sure is Mr Shue." one of the jocks, the leader, stated. He was quite tall, with grey skin and a small Mohawk.
"Hey Xephos, still owe me that report on chaos in superego picador." The teacher said.
"What?" The boy standing next to the guy with the Mohawk asked, confused.
"What you did last summer." The teacher answered and continued walking.
"Almost... half way done with almost all of it, Mr Shue..." Xephos answered. He was taller than the other guys and had striking blue eyes.
A few seconds later they all turned back tot he skinny kid.
"It's hammer time." The guy with the Mohawk said, and walked over to the skinny kid.
"Please! This is Mark Dickens' new collection!" The kid, Sjin, said, pointing down to his top as the guys picked him up ready to throw him into the dumpster. His voice was high and his hair was done in just the perfect way. His jacket was bright blue and obviously new.
"Wait." Xephos said, and the two guys holding him dropped him. Sjin turned around and pushed his bag into the guy with the Mohawk's hands, before taking off his jacket and handing it to Xephos. "Ok." Xephos said and they proceeded to throw the kid into the dumpster. Xephos looked down.
------------
The teacher, Mr Shue was looking in the trophy cabinet as loads of students walked past. Looking at the 1993 - show choir championships - first place trophy. And then up to the picture of a rather plump lady next to it, his old teacher when he had been to school there. Ohio wasn't a very large place after all. Underneath the picture was a plaque, 'Lillian Adler, 1937 - 1997, 'By it's very definition, Glee is about opening yourself up to joy.'
The teacher looked at the quote, remembering the days of his teenage years. Though he looked a little older, he was still young and quite attractive. His hair was curly and combed back, and his chin had a little dimple in the front. He sighed, looking at the plaque.
------------
Almost quarter to three. The Spanish room where he taught. And at the moment he was stood at the front, speaking Spanish to his students.
Xephos sat watching, the whole class was supposed to repeat what the teacher was saying, meanwhile he just sat there repeating certain syllables he heard. He was mostly just staring at the clock.
Quarter to three struck. The bell rang. School was over. Finally.
------------
The choir room, the music teacher Zylus was stood with one of his students, pointing at the sheet music that was positioned on the piano. Zylus wore a pink shirt with a pink jumper wrapped around his neck, and listened to his student (who looked very timid) sang.
"Wheeeeeere, is love?~ Does it fall from skies above?~"
Zylus took his jumper from around his neck and put it to one side.
"Is it underneath, the willow treeee? That I've been dreaming oooooof?~"
Zylus put his hand back and it hit the boys chest, and then he slowly started to move it down. A girl stood in the doorway, seeing this. She was quite small, with blue eyes and long dark brown hair. She seemed annoyed.
------------
The staff room, Mr Shue walked in. A piece of paper said 'coffee machine' and pointed down to the obvious machine. but there was something missing.
"Where's the coffee pot?" He asked.
"Figgins got rid of it." His friend, Rythian Tanaka answered. He was the coach of the football team. "Due to budget cuts. You know, I know for a fact that they are still getting hot chocolate." He took a bite form his energy bar. "We should strike."
"Howdy boys, who needs a pick-me-up?" Lomadia asked, walking into the room holding three coffees. She smirked and walked over to the first table of the room. After her came a thin teacher, the councillor, with long red hair.
"Wow, latte's..." Rythian said, taking one of the drinks.
"Yeah, im a bit of a coffee snub." Lomadia answered, looking up as she saw the other woman walk over to the table. "And the key to a perfect latte, is in the temperature of the steamed milk."
Rythian watched the other woman, taking a sip of is coffee as she sat down.
"I like mine scolding." Lomadia continued as Mr Shue took one of the cups.
"Hi Xevphera." Rythian greeted the other woman with a smile.
"Hi Rythian..." She answered. She smiled to Mr Shue. "Ridge... Hi." She said, taking a seat.
"Hey." The cheery Spanish teacher answered, again with a smile.
"What's with all the lattes?" She asked.
"Oh Xevphera, I just felt so awful that Figgins cut the coffee budget to pay for a nutritionist for the cheerios." Lomadia said. The cheerios were her cheerleading team, who were the most popular people in the school.
"Yeah, I heard you guys went like... 600 dollars over budget on that." Xevphera answered. She was pulling some plastic gloves form her bag. She had an issue with cleaning. OCD.
"Well my performers didn't get on Fox sports net last year because they ate at 'Bacon junction'." Lomadia answered sarcastically.
"Since when are cheerleaders performers?" Xevphera answered back, a smirk. The two male teachers looked to each other over the little cat fight in the room.
"Your resentment..." Lomadia said. "Is delicious."
There was a silence as Xevphera smirked before pulling on the plastic gloves.
"Well, I have a phoner in a couple of minuets - that's an interview, on the telephone with major media outlets - Hmhm, ill probably do it on my IPhone." Lomadia said, before walking out. "Enjoy."
"Thanks a lot Lom..." Ridge said.
Rythian made his way over to Xevphera. "I missed you at the err... singles mixer last week Xevphera." He said, taking a seat next to her.
"Yeah I know..." She answered, beginning to rub a the table with a wipe as Ridge sat down opposite her. "Big pipe exploded in my building." She explained. Ridge watched curiously as she wiped the table. "It was wild. I hate those mixer things though, don't you? I mean it's like a big meat market its just, ew... I did give my number to a fireman though..." Rythian looked to her. "But he hasn't... called..."
"You know there's someone out there for everyone." Ridge said. "I wouldn't even sweat it."
Xevphera watched him with a smile for a few seconds before taking of her plastic gloves, ignoring the looks she was getting from Rythian.
"Hey did you hear that Zylus Sandy got fired?" Xevphera asked.
"Really?" Ridge asked back.
"Mmmhmm."
For moment Ridge looked down at the table, a spark of hope settling in his mind. "W-who's gonna take over Glee club?" He asked, his eyes sparkling.
"I don't know." Xevphera answered, pulling her lunch form her bag, placing it down neatly.
------------
"I'd like to take over Glee club." Ridge stated.
"You wanna captain the Titanic too?" Principle Figgins asked as Ridge sat across form him in his office.
"I think I can make it great again. There is no joy in these kids, they feel invisible. That's why every one of them has a my space page!"
"60 Bucks a month. That's what I need to keep this program up."
"A-a-and you expect me to pay it?" Ridge asked, the hope fading quickly.
"Well im certainly not going to pay for it. We're not talking about Cheerios here Ridge. They were on Fox sports net last year. When Glee club starts bringing that kind of presage to the school again, you can have all the money you want. Until then, 60 bucks a month, and you've got to use the costumes and props you already have. But we need the stools for workshop."
The bell rang.
------------
Ridge was lying in bed, his wife, Terry next to him. And as much as he tried to sleep, he simply couldn't.

Hiding 60 bucks a month form my wife Terry was gonna be hard. But I had a bigger problem. How was I gonna get these kids motivated? One thing I knew for sure, we needed a new name. He smirked and sat up. "New directions!" He said to himself, smiling.
------------
A black girl walked up to the notice board, seeing the audition sheet for this year of Glee club. Seen as it was gonna be run by someone new she felt like it was worth a shot.
My name, is Minty Jones. And I'm singing -"R-E-S-P-E-C-T, find out what it means to me. R-E-S-P-E-C-T, take care of T-C-P, Ooooooh! Heyyyy! Babbayy yeah-eh-y-yeah!~" She sang up on the stage.
------------
The small guy form before walked over to the notice board and wrote his name down.
Hello, I'm Sjin Hummel, and i'll be singing Mr Cellophane.
"Cellophane, Mr Cellophane. Should have been my name, Mr Cellophane. Cuz you can look right through me, walk right by me, and never know im there. Never. Even. Kneeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee-" In the middle of the extremely high note he took the time to fix his hair before placing his hand back on his hip. "eeeeeeeeeeew! I'm there.~"
------------
A boy in a wheelchair and a girl in 'Goth' clothes were in front of the sign up sheet.
K-k-kim, C. I k-kissed a girl."It's not what, I'm used to, just, wanna try you on. I'm curi-ous for you. Caught, my attention! I kissed a girl-" At this point she slammed her hands down to her crotch. "And I liked it!~"
Ridge raised an eyebrow.
------------
The girl from before walked up to the notice board, a small smile full of hope plastered across her face as she saw the sign up sheet.

"Hi, my name is Exza Reckless, and I'll be singing 'On my own' from the Seminal Broadway classic, 'Le Mis.' Ridge nodded. "Fantastic, lets hear it." He said with a smile.
"On my own... pretending he's beside me...~"
You might laugh because every time I sign my name I put a gold star after it, but it's a metaphor. And metaphors are important. My gold stars are metaphor for me, being a star. She turned away from the notice board and instantly took a slushy to the face, feeling the cold shards of ice splash against her.
And just so we're clear, I want to clear that hateful rumour that I was the one who turned that classic case Zylus Sandy in because he gave Hank the solo I deserved. That's cockpoopy. She was sat in the principles office, crying. "He was touching Hank, caressing him! It was so wrong!" she said.
The principle put the tissue box on his desk forward and she took one, smiling as she wiped her eyes.
I'm not Homophobic. In fact, I have two gay dads. See, I was born out of love. My two dads screened potential surrogates based on beauty and I.Q. Then they mixed their sperm together and used a turkey baster. To this day we don't know which one is my real dad. Which I think is pretty amazing.She was looking at her locker, at the pictures of her and her dads.
My dads Spoiled me in the arts, I was given dance lessons, vocal lessons, anything to give me a competitive edge. You may think that all the boys in school would totally wanna tap this, but my Youtube channel keeps me way too busy to date. I try to post two Youtube videos everyday, just to keep my talent alive and growing. Although, one of the videos is of me gaming. But the other is singing. She sat in front of a camera, recording herself singing. "Whithout him, the world~"
Nowadays, being anonymous is worse than being poor. Fame is the most important thing in our culture now. And if there's one thing I've learned, It's that no-ones gonna hand it to you.
"I love him~"
UPLOADING.
"But everyday, Im learning!~"
------------
The cheerleaders all sat on the stands in the gym, laughing at her video. At how emotional she got when she sung.
"All my life, I've only been pretending!~"
The main cheerleader, Chesh Quinn, began commenting.
'If I were your parents, I would sell you back.'
Another added.
'I'm going to scratch out my eyes.'
Then another.
'Please get sterilised.'
"The world will keep turning! A world that's full of happiness!~"
------------
She looked down at the comments everyone had been putting. Not one nice one anywhere...
------------
She thought of all of this while singing for her audition. "That I have never knooooooooooooooowwwwwwwwn!~"
------------
And then the slushy...
------------
She looked down. "I love him... I love him... Iiiiii, love him... But only on my... oooooooooown...~"
"Very nice Exza." Ridge said with a smile.
"When do we start rehearsals?" The girl asked back with a smile.
------------
A boy in a wheelchair was smiling, rehearsing with the others.
"And I said, sit down you're rocking the boat!~" He sang. "Said to myself sit down!~"
The others all did echoes and tried to dance with each other, and it was rather dysfunctional. Ridge watched, trying to keep a smile on his face as they forgot what they were doing or did the wrong step.
"And the devil will drag you under With a soul so heavy you'd never float!~" He sang as they did jazz hands.
"Sit down, sit down, sit down, sit down! Sit down you're rocking the boat!~" They all sang, jumping around the kid in the wheelchair. Ridge leant against the piano and pulled a face as they continued. "Sit dooooown! Sit down, sit down, sit down! Sit down you're rocking the boaaaaaaat!~"
At the end of which Ridge smiled, but then noticed that the kid in the wheelchair was slowly rolling away, and hit the piano.
"We suck." Exza immediately said, turning away.
"Uh..." Ridge answered. "It'll get there. We, we just need to keep rehearsing."
"Mr Shuester, do you have any idea how radicalise it is to give a lead solo in sit down you're rocking the boat to a boy in a wheelchair?"
"I think Mr Shue's using irony to enhance the performance." the boy answered.
"There is NOTHING ironic about show choir." Exza answered, before turning and walking out.
"Exza." Ridge said, but she didn't turn. "Exza!" And the door closed. He sighed.
------------
"That's sloppy! You're sloppy babies!" Lomadia yelled through the megaphone at her cheerleaders. "Just disgraceful! And I want the agony out of your eyes!"
Ridge made his way up the bleachers and over to Exza, who seemed to be lost in thought. She heard her teacher step next to her and looked away.
"You changed out of your costume." He said, taking a seat behind her.
"Tired of being laughed at." She answered.
"You're the best kid in there Exza. And it comes with a price-"
"Look I know i'm just a soft more but I can feel the clock ticking away and I don't want to leave high school with nothing to show for it." She interrupted, turning around. Most people thought she was stuck up, always trying to get the better on people but she just wanted to be in the spotlight instead of getting laughed at all the time.
"You get great grades, you're a fantastic singer-"
"Everybody hates me..." She said. Ridge took a moment before replying.
"You think Glee club is gonna change that?"
"Being great at something is going to change it. Being a part of something special makes you special right?" She asked. Ridge looked down. "I need a male lead who can keep up with me vocally."
"Maybe I can coach Trott a little I-" Ridge said, thinking of the boy in the wheelchair.
"Look Mr Shue-" She turned away. "I really appreciate what you're trying to do, but if you cant give me what I need then im sorry. I'm not going to make a fool out of myself. Can't keep wasting my time with Glee... It hurts too much..."
A whistle blew from the bottom of the bleachers. Ridge looked up to see Rythian sat in a golf cart. "Shuester! Figgins wants ya!" He shouted before riding away. Ridge patted Exza on the shoulder and stood up, walking back down the steps and leaving the girl to her thoughts.
------------
"But we just started rehearsals!" Ridge told the principle.
"My hands are tied Shue. I need the auditorium. Alcoholics anonymous wants to rent it out for their afternoon meetings. Lots of drunks in this town. They're paying me ten bucks a head."
"If we show at regionals Glee stays, if not the bar is open in the auditorium."
"What is it with you and this club? You've only got five kids, and one of them's a cripple!"
"Then I guess you have nothing to worry about." Ridge said, a smirk on his face. They sat in silence for a moment, looking at each other, until finally the principle gave in.
"Fine."
"Yes." Ridge said, smiling.
"But you're running detention for free to make it up to me."
Ridge sat there for a moment, contemplating. "Deal." He said.
------------
"You put your hands in the corners, and fold, like this." A blonde woman explained to an employee where she worked. "Ok?"
"I cant do it." The man, Howard, answered. "I'm dyslexic. Maybe I should just stick to towels and washcloths."
"Howard, if you cannot fold a sheet you cannot work at sheets-n-things. Go, make sure they have a receipt."
The man walked away as Ridge walked over. "Someone looks beautiful today."
"Hey..."
"Hi." He leant over and gave her a kiss.
"You look very handsome."
"Thank you." He held up a brown paper bag. "Roast beef and pumpernickel. Your favourite."
"Oh, does it have mayo?" she asked.
"Y-yeah?"
"Ridge, if my diabetes comes back I cant get pregnant."
"I-"
"What is wrong with you?"
Ridge sighed. "I just wanted to tell you that im gonna have to start working late for the next... couple months. Im ah, monitoring after school detention."
"What?!" His wife asked, an annoyed look on her face.
"I have to make a deal with Figgins so that he wouldn't kill the Glee club." Ridge explained.
"Well, Ridge im on my feet four hours a day three times a week here. Now I have to go home and I have to cook dinner for myself?" She sighed. The man, Howard, walked back over.
"This lady wants to return these sheets." he said. "But, something tells me, you've got another bed wetter..."
She sighed and looked back to Ridge. "Do you see what I have to deal with here?"
Ridge gave a small smile as his wife walked away. "Hasn't she ever heard of a diaper?" She asked Howard.
Ridge was about to leave when he heard a familiar voice. Zylus. "Of course towels have a thread count Mr ... Sheets and things!"
Ridge looked through to the next isle where sure enough Zylus was stood arguing with one of the staff.
"What do you do? I read catalogues, I know these things. Anything under a 400 thread count and I break out in impetigo!"
Ridge sighed and decided to try walking past without being seen.
"Simple to understand! Ridgedog!" Zylus said. Ridge stopped in his tracks. Too late to try and sneak out.
"Zylus?" He smiled. "Hey!"
"Well hello. How are things?" Zylus asked, walking over to him. Before he gave him a chance to answer he continued talking. "I hear you have taken over Glee club."
"Yeah..." Ridge nodded. "I, hope you're not too upset."
"Are you kidding? Getting out of that swirling abyss of despair, best thing that ever happened to me!" He whistled.
Ridge gave a chuckle.
"Don't get me wrong, it wasn't easy at first, being dismissed and for what I was accused of... my long distance girlfriend in Cleveland nearly broke up with me-" He held up a pillow he had been looking at with the picture of a monkey on the front. "Oh god don't you just love a good monkey? Took me weeks to get over my nervous breakdown."
"Did they put you on medication?" Ridge asked. Zylus turned to him.
"Better! Medical marijuana. It's genius! I just tell my doctor feel-good im having trouble sleeping and he gives me all of it I want! I'm finding the whole system quite lucrative."
"You're a drug dealer?"
"Oh yeah, make five times more than when I was a teacher! I keep some for myself and then I take money baths with the rest!"
"Who- who do you sell it to?"
------------
Zylus handed the bag over and Rythian gave him the money, both looking around incase someone saw.
------------
"Want in?" Zylus asked, holding up a small envelope. 'Chronic lady, for medical use only.'
"Uh, no." Ridge laughed. "I mean, I tried it once in college, but Terri and I are trying to get pregnant..."
Zylus leant forward and placed the envelope in Ridge's pocket. "It's my own packaging and the first samples free, come on, you are the one who is couching those tone deaf, acne factories, you're gonna need it." He looked to the right where a man stood. "Wha- This looks like barf!" He told the man. "Ok, I have to do everything myself. Call me." He told Ridge and then walked away. Ridge sighed and walked out.
-----------
Lomadia was in her office when there was a knock on the door. Ridge opened to see her polishing one of her many trophies.
"Hey Lom, c-can I have a sec?"
"Sure buddy." Lomadia answered, turning to face him and putting on a smile. "Come on in."
Ridge smiled and walked in.
------------
Xevphera was walking when she felt something squidgy under her shoe. Looking down, she saw that she had stood in chewing gum. She thought of how disgusting that was, how dirt, how it had been in someone's mouth, and then attempted not to freak out. "Ew..." she said, lifting her foot up and feeling the pink gloop pull back. She quickly sat down on the bench and began to panic.
Ridge was walking nearby and noticed her. "Hey, Xevphera, you got a second?" He looked down to her shoe. "What is that, gum?"
"Uh-huh..."
------------
"So you wanna talk to MY cheerios about joining Glee club?" Lomadia asked.
"Well, I need more kids... Uh, performers..." Ridge stated, watching as Lomadia pulled a tub of protein shake powder onto the table. "And, all the best ones are in the cheerios, so... I figured some of them might wanna double up..."
"Ok, so what you're doing right now is called blurring the lines." Lomadia explained, pulling out a cup and scooping some of the powder into it. "High school is a cast system, kids fall into certain slots. Your jocks, and your popular kids, up in the pent house. The invisibles, and the kids playing live-action druids and trolls out in the forest, bottom floor." Lomadia said. Ridge raised an eyebrow.
"And, where do the Glee kids lie?" He asked, a small smile returning to his face.
"Sub-basement."
Ridge frowned.
------------
Ridge was using a card to scrape the chewing gum from the bottom of Xevphera's shoe.
"Lomadia's not wrong, I mean I don't think anything's set in stone, I mean kids are gonna do what they think is cool, which is not always who they are. You just need to find a way to get them out of their boxes." Xevphera explained.
"Well how do I do that?"
"They follow the leader. You know if you can get a couple of the popular kids to sign up the rest will fall right in."
------------
Ridge was now jogging alongside Rythian, who was sat in the golf cart.
"I just wanna talk to them." Ridge said.
"I don't know dude. I cant see any of my guys wanting to join the Glee club. Last month they held down one of their teammates and shaved off his eyebrows just because he watched Grey's anatomy."
"Look, all im looking for is an introduction." Ridge explained.
"Fine. But you gotta put a good word in for me with Xevphera." and with that he rode away.
------------
He finally managed to scrape the chewing gum away and smiled to Xevphera, sitting down next to her.
"There you go Cinderella." He said.
"Thank you..."
Ridge looked to his card and then around, and finally just decided to scrape it off on the bottom of the seat.
"I have problems with things like that... you know the... the... messy things..." Xevphera explained.
"Yeah." Ridge smiled.
"It's really nice how much you care about Glee. About the kids."
------------
"You really care about these kids, you leave them alone. Children like to know where they stand." Lomadia said, drinking her protein shake. "So let your little Glee kids have their little club. But don't pretend that any of them are something they're not."
------------
Rythian blew his whistle, standing in front of the football team in the locker room.
"Circle up." He yelled, and everyone began to walk to the front. "Now, Mr Shuester is gonna talk to you. You don't listen, you do laps." Rythian looked to the boy with the Mohawk. "You mouth off, you do laps. Got it?" He stepped to one side and Ridge smiled. "They're all yours Ridge."
"Thanks Ryth. Hey guys, how you doing? Uh, I think I recognise some of you from Spanish class, but uh, im here today to talk to you about something... different. Uh, music. Heh..."
Xephos looked up nonchalantly, listening to what the teacher had to say. Ridge looked around at everyone's uninterested expressions.
"Glee club needs guys." He sighed. The kid with the Mohawk stepped forward.
"I can sing." He said smugly. Xephos gave a smirk.
"Really? T-that's fantastic." Ridge said.
"You wanna hear?"
"Yeah." Ridge said, and watched as the kid walked forward, a snide smirk on his grey face as his teammates clapped for him. He stood there for a moment, looking like he was about to sing, and then let out a fart, to which the others laughed at and Ridge rolled his eyes in annoyance.
"Oh yyyyyyyeah!" The kid said. Xephos watched his best friend and looked down, a little unimpressed but not wanting to show it. Rythian tapped the kid on the shoulder and mouthed the word 'laps' to him. The kid frowned and walked back over to Xephos, getting a high five from him.
"I'll put the sign up sheet on the door to the locker room so if anyone wants to sign up, please... thank you." Ridge said and looked away as Rythian blew his whistle again.
"Dismissed! Puck, in my office in five minutes." Rythian said. The grey skinned kid gave an uninterested face. His name was Sips Puckerman, but people called him Puck. He had a bit of a reputation. The rest of the kids walked out and Xephos walked to the showers. Ridge turned to Rythian.
"You been sleeping ok? Your eyes look a little bloodshot..." Ridge asked. Rythian looked around.
"I got allergies." He answered.
"Alright buddy, thanks a lot." Ridge patted him on the shoulder before walking over to the door, leaving Rythian to use a dropper on his eyes.
------------
He had come back later and looked at the sheet.
'Gaylord Wiener.'
'Butt Lunch.'
And then at the very bottom, 'PENIS.'

I honestly thought that was the end of the very brief fever dream that was New Directions.
But then, he heard someone singing in the shower.
"And even as I wonder, I'm keeping you in sight!~"
He peaked round the side of the lockers. Whoever this kid was, they were good.
"You're a candle in the window, on a cold dark winters night.~"
He walked round, closer to the shower.
"And i'm getting closer than I ever thought I might!~" It was Xephos, the kid from his Spanish class. He was stood in the shower cubicle, holding his hand up like a microphone as he sang. "Bum, bum, bum, bum, bum, cha!" He turned on the spot and continued singing, keeping his eyes closed and not noticing Ridge. Thank god the small wall was in the way of anything. "And I cant fight this feeling anymore!~"

I suddenly realised why I had wanted to do this thing in the first place"I've forgotten what I started fighting for!~"It was seeing the gift in a kid that they didn't even know they had. "And I cant fight this feeling anymore!~"
It was pure talent.
"And even if I have to crawl upon your floor! Come crashing through your door! Baby I cant fight this feeling anymooooooore!~"
What I did then, was the blackest moment of my life...
------------
He pushed the little envelope across the desk. "You wanna tell me how long you've had a drug problem?"
"I-I-I don't even know who the Chronic lady is!" Xephos answered.
"Look... If it were up to me, we wouldn't have mandatory, bi-weekly locker checks."
"I've never seen that before!" Xephos said, panicking. "Mr Shue, I swear, It's not mine! I'll pee in a cup!" He said. Ridge gave a slightly confused look. "I'll pee..."
"L-look, it wouldn't make any difference." Ridge said, watching as the boy nervously looked down. "Possession is 8/10 of the law, im pretty sure that much pot, is a felony." Ridge lied. "Yeah." He watched as Xephos put his head in his hand, rubbing his temple. "You'll get kicked out of school, you'll lose your football scholarship-"
"Wait, I, I had a football scholarship? T-to where?" Xephos asked, sitting back up and giving s small smile.
"You could land in prison son." Ridge said. The poster tot he right of him said 'Priority 1 -Help the kids.' Ironically.
"Please, d-don't tell my mum!" Xephos pleaded.
Ridge sighed. "Look, I see a lot of myself in you Xeph. I know what its like to struggle to make good life choices. And I don't wanna see you throw away everything you have to offer the world. I just expected more out of you Xeph."
That really got to me... When Mr Shuester said that. Because, every day of my life I expect more out of myself. See, I might look confident and everything, but I really struggle with the same thing other kids do. Peer pressure, acne...He remembered when he was younger, looking at a picture of his dad.
I never knew my dad. He died in Iraq while we were fighting Osama Binladin the first time. He was playing on the drums happily while his mum was talking on the phone.
"Woah, woah, woah. Hold up, XEPH!" She shouted through. "Xeph, Xeph! Please, im on the phone..."she turned away as he stopped playing and began listening to her. "I just wanna swap next Saturdays shift for this Saturday... Because Xephos' got a parents night for Cub scouts..."
My mum and me, we're real close. But being a single parent, can be hard... The only good time for Mum was when we splurged a little bit and ordered Emerald dreams.
She opened the door and a man stood there, smiling at her.
------------
He was in the garden, spraying green across the grass. Xephos was stood next to him, doing the same.

Darren was good to her, and he was cool about letting me hang out. They were listening to music while they worked, Darren sang along and Xephos sang along while his mother watched and nodded along.
That was the first time I'd really... heard music. And it set my soul on fire. "You've got a voice buddy." Darren said. Xephos looked up at him. "Seriously, if I had that voice... my band would still be together." He smiled at the child. "Stick with it!" He said, ruffling his hair.
My mum took it real hard when Darren left her for that girl he met at pick and save. His mum watched as the truck went by, a blonde girl sat next to Darren. She grabbed the milk from the groceries and ran onto the road, throwing the milk at it and crying as Xephos watched.
It was that moment, I decided, I would do whatever it took to make my mum proud of me. Make her feel... all her sacrifices were worth it.
------------
"You have two options here." Ridge stated. "I'm running detention now, so you can do six weeks after school, BUT. that's gonna remain on your permanent record."
"W...whats the other option Mr Shue...?" Xephos asked.
------------
He turned round, he was stood on the stage in Glee club. "I got chills! That are multiplying!~"
Exza looked up form her sheet music and gave a smile, his voice was great! He could probably keep up with her!
"And I'm loosing control!~"
Everyone nodded to each other in agreement. Exza had seen Xephos walking down the halls, he was one of the cool kids, the popular people, so they didn't really expect him to be able to sing. Once she thought that he had looked back at her when she had been looking at him, but she wasn't sure. She did want to get closer to him though, and if he was in Glee then that's something she could make happen...
"For the power, you're supplying... It's electrifying!~"
She threw the sheet music to one side. "You better shape up. Cuz I need a man~" She began to make her way behind the other, walking closer to him. As she went she wanted to make it seem a little more casual so involved the others who were singing in the background. She messed Sjin's hair up, who looked a little annoyed and confused at that, and then went past Kim, putting her hand son her shoulders. Xephos at this point had noticed her moving closer and raised an eyebrow. "You better shape up, you better, understand!~" She pushed Trott in his wheelchair forwards, Ridge caught him. "The my heart I must be true!~" She was suddenly in front of him and he looked down, a little scared.
"Nothing left... Nothing left for me to do!~" He sang, both his eyebrows raised as she danced next to him. Suddenly she grabbed his hand and they were going back and forth like in the film.
"You're the one that I want! You are the one I want, who, who, who honey!~" They both sang, and while Exza had a happy smile on her face Xephos didn't. "The one that I want-"
Suddenly Minty cut inbetween them. "Oh HELL to the NO!" She said, and everyone stopped singing. Xephos looked down at Exza and then to Ridge. "Look, im not down with all this 'background' nonsense!" Minty continued. "I'm Beyoncé I ain't no Kelly Rollin."
"Ok, look Minty..." Ridge said, a smile. "It's just one song."
"And it's the first time we've been... kind of good." Sjin added. Minty sighed.
"Ok, you good white boy-" She turned to Xephos. "I'll give you that." Xephos gave a small side smile. "But you better bring it." She threatened before turning back to Ridge. "Lets run it again..." She said with a smile.
"Alright!" Ridge said happily. "Lets do it, form the top!"
------------
They were doing a puzzle.
"You usually don't let me in your craft room." Ridge told his wife, putting in one of the finishing pieces.
"Isn't this fun?" Terri asked, smiling. "And challenging. Every Wednesday we're going to have puzzle night, cuz I know how important it is for you to have a creative outlet."
Ridge smiled and put a hand on hers. "You know, kids have been working so hard. I was thinking about taking them on a field trip next Saturday. Carmel high's performing a showcase, and Carmel's going to be THE team to beat at regionals." He said, smiling. Terri didn't look too impressed. "And I was wondering if you, might wanna come chaperone with me?"
"On Saturday? Oh, I cant."
"Oh..."
"I had to pick up an extra shift at work Ridge. We're living paycheque to paycheque you know."
"And how much of that paycheque goes to your pottery barn credit card?"
"I don't know what you're talking about..." She looked down. Ridge stood up and walked to one of the side doors. "Don't go in the Christmas closet!" Terri said.
"I was looking for my jacket the other day-" he said, and turned the light on, revealing quite a few boxed. "Come on, we cannot afford this stuff Terri!"
"But we could Ridge! Yes, I am asquint to be promoted at the Christmas week at sheets-n-things, you know I wreak of management potential!" She stood up and walked around the table. And they're hiring at H.W.Menken-"
"My passion is teaching! Terri! For the last time, I don't want to be an accountant!"
"Doctor Row said that people can change. You know it's not a bad thing to want a real life Ridge!" She looked down to her crafts. "AND to have a glue gun that WORKS!" She slammed the gun down on the table. There was a moment of silence. "You know, it's really hard for me... Not having the things that I need."
"OOOOH! And you NEED three mahogany toilet brush holders?!"
"They're Balinese!" She argued, walking over to him. "It is NOT. A bad thing to WANT things, Ridge." She began to walk away but turned back round. "You know I understand your interest in these kids Ridge, I really do. Yeah. It's your way of recapturing your glory days. But im not the high school cheerleader anymore and you're not the golden boy. High school's over. For both of us... It's time that you move on..." And with that she turned and walked out. Leaving Ridge to his thoughts.
------------
'YOU MUST BE TRAINED BY RYTHIAN TENAKA TO USE THIS SHREDDER.' a sign said. And in front of it stood Rythian himself, putting pieces of paper into the shredder as he looked at Xevphera, who was sat a table away with her back to him. She herself was looking at Ridge, who had his back to her, pinning up some paper onto the board. 'New Directions' Sign up sheet. He bit into the apple he was holding and walked away, Xevphera watching him and then looking around before standing up and walking over to the notice board. 'New directions, chaperone sign up'
She smiled, picked up the pencil, wiped it clean and then wrote her name down.
------------
Sips was laughing, picking up balls and throwing them at a little kid. He heard arguing from nearby and turned to see Xephos getting shouted at by Rythian.
"You're the quarterback! You make a decision! Either you're a football player, or you're a singer!"
A few minutes later Sips saw Xephos walking and caught up with him. "Hey." he said. Xephos turned around. "Whats going on." He walked along side him.
"Oh, I just, I have to miss practice Saturday afternoon..." Xephos said. "It's uh... my mum. I gotta help her cook and uh, and do things."
"Why?"
"She just had uh surgery."
"What kind of surgery...?" Sips asked.
"Uh, well she, uh, had to have her... prostate... out."
"Man that's a tough break." Sips said.
"Yeah, its uh... engorged."
------------
Ridge was sat in the teachers lounge, reading a book called 'Jazz hands', when someone swiped it to one side. He looked up to see Rythian, who didn't look best pleased. "You stole my quarterback." He said angrily. Ridge looked up.
"Ok... look. Xeph's got a great voice, h-he just wants to express himself."
"You're screwing up my life." Rythian said threateningly.
"Ok Ryth, you hate football! What's this really about...?"
------------
Rythian walked over to Xevphera, who was spraying and wiping the door handle of her car. "Hey, Xevphinem." He said. She frowned to herself but then turned around and smiled. "So, I got tickets to 'monster trucks' this weekend. Loooost tickets." He held two tickets up.
"No thanks, not my thing." Xevphera answered, getting back to cleaning.
"Truckzilla vs. truckasaurus, and get this, the trucks breathe fire!"
"Rythian..." She turned to him. "Look you know how every time you ask me out I tell you that im on my period?"
"Doesn't bother me."
"Or I tell you I'm suffering from cluster headaches, or im allergic to night-time?" She gave a small sorry smile. "Those things, not really true. I'm just not interested in dating you-" She looked down as he raised his finger to her, making a shushing sound.
"How do I get you?" He asked. "Into my hatchback?"
"Ok, Rythian, fine you know what, you've made me say it, I like somebody else. Alright? Nothing I can do about it because, they're unavailable so I have to deal with that, but..."
Rythian licked his hand and rubbed it over her car, she gasped and then looked at him as he walked away, angry.
------------
"You're right." Rythian told Ridge. "I'm overreacting. The herd will take care of it."
"The HERD?" Ridge asked.
"The student body. The second someone tries to rise above, be different, herd pulls them back in. So..." He turned away but then turned back. "Oh, and by the way, thanks for putting a good word in for me with Xevphera. Buddy. I guess you just want her for yourself huh? Adios amigo." He walked away, leaving Ridge alone.
------------
They were in line for the fieldtrip. Xephos was stood next to Exza. "You're very talented." She said, smiling. He smiled back.
"Really...?"
"Yeah..." There was an awkward silence. "I would know, I'm very talented too..."
Xephos gave a small nod.
"I... think the rest of the team expects us to become an item..." Exza said. "You the... hot male lead and me the stunning young entrepreneur everyone roots for."
Xephos nodded again. "Well, I uh... have a girlfriend." He explained.
"Really...?" Exza looked down, trying not to feel too disappointed. "Who?"
"Chesh Quinn."
"Cheerleader Chesh Quinn? The president of the celibacy club?" Exza asked.
------------
They were in Chesh's house, making out. He slowly moved his hands down to her waist and she pulled them back up. "Wait..." She said, smiling, and he smiled back as she sat up. They looked at each other, a bit of a tension between them as they smiled. "Lets prey." She said and put her hands together, closing her eyes. Xephos rolled his and flopped back onto the couch.
------------
"For almost four months now." Xephos stated. "She's cool." The line moved forward and so did they. "Now I wonder if they have sour patch kids..."
Ridge was stood next to Xevphera in the line. "Those sandwiches look like they've been there a while..." Ridge said.
"Do you wanna go halfsies on a PB and J?" Xevphera asked. Ridge turned to her.
"That sounds perfect!" He said.
"Yeah?"
"Yeah! Lets go." He said and they moved out of line and sat down on one of the sofas. "Wow, I haven't had a peanut butter and jelly sandwich in... a really long time!" Ridge said, smiling.
"Crazy." Xevphera said, smiling as she pulled a box form her bag.
"Yeah, my wife's allergic to nuts." He said.
"Oh, well that's really sweet though. Not eating something because she cant." Xevphera said, pulling the sandwich out of her bag. "That's really nice." She unwrapped it. "Ooo, that's really... noisy. But they're clean." Ridge chuckled and took one half of the sandwich as she held it out to him.
"Oh my gosh." He said and took a bite. "Mmm..."
"How um, how long have you two been married?" She asked and took a little bite of her own.
"Uh, five years last march. Yeah... But we've been together since high school. She was my first girlfriend actually."
"Was it love at first sight?"
"For me it was... I don't know she used to be filled with so much... joy."
"And now...?" Xevphera asked. Before Ridge could answer the light flashed, indicating the start of the show.
"Oh, show time!" he chuckled and they stood up. "You don't wanna hear about my marital problems."
"What? No I do, I, mean, id love to hear, I mean im not happy that you have marital problems but you-" She said, and he put a hand on her back.
"Ok, ok, here's the thing. Terri drives me, hard, and I've always appreciated it, I just figure she just wants me to... be better. You know, but lately I keep asking myself better at what?" he explained as they walked over to the stairs. "Making money? Being upwardly mobile? I don't know I love her, don't get me wrong, but, we just gotta get back on the same page."
"Do you like the sandwich?"
"Oh my god, it's like, the best I've ever had."
-----------
Ridge leant across to his class. "Hey guys." They looked across to him. "So this is supposed to be our 'competition'." He stated, making quotation marks with his hands. "But er, I honestly don't think they've got the talent we've got. But let's be a good audience alright, give some of that old McKinley high respect."
'Please give a warm state welcome to last years regional champions, Vocal Adrenalin!' A voice over sounded, and suddenly the large red curtain to the front of the stage shifter to either side, and everyone clapped at the cluster of kids that stood on the stage, the girls in blue dressed and the boys in shirts and ties with blue braces.
"Ohio, Ohio, ohiiiiiiiiooooooo~" They all sang at once, and then walked apart. "They're tryna make me go to rehab and I said, no, no, no!~" They moved around each other in time to the music, not missing a single note or step. "Yes I've done black, but when I come back, you'll know, know, know!~"
The girls moved in front of the boys, shaking their fingers at the audience as they danced, continuing to move with impeccable timing. "I don't have the time My daddy thinks I'm fine~" The boys moved back in front and the girls jumped into their arms. "They tryna make me go to rehab~" and then they jumped back, flipping over. "and I wont go, go, go!~"
They separated to either side of the stage and a group of five walked through the middle towards the audience. "I'd rather be at home with Ray, I ain't got-" They twisted round. "Seventy days~" And moved around each other again, smiling at the audience.
"Said there's nothing!~"
"Nothing.~"
"Nothing you cant teach me!~" The girls and boys sang back and forth before forming into a group and moving round once again.
"That I can't learn from Mr Hathaway!~" The boys finished, clicking up then down as the girls were now on the left of the stage and they were on the right.
"Oh yeahahahah!~" The girls sang back and made their way behind the boys, intertwining and forming an organised group once again.
"I didn't get a lot in class, but I know it don't come in a shot glass!~" They all sang, doing more flips and tricks. "Tryna make me go to rehab and I say, no, no, no!~" A boy began doing backflips across the stage, flipping and then doing front ones as the audience cheered and stood up, clapping. "Yes, I've been black but when I come back you'll know, know, know!~" The boy smiled and turned back around, flipping to the other side of the stage and getting even more cheers form the audience. I ain't got the time and if my daddy thinks I'm fine, he's tried to make me go to rehab but I won't go, go, go!~" They finished with a final head bow and the audience roared with applause.
"We're d-d-doomed!" Kim stated, her stutter present. The entire class had their jaws dropped as they stared at the stage, even Ridge.
------------
Xephos was walking outside of the school, some of the band members playing the strange instruments you hear in Hawaii that he didn't know the name of. He was still thinking about things, and the performance that they had seen not long before. He turned a corner, looking at the floor and jumping at the sound of Sips voice.
"Chicks, don't have prostates." Sips said, Xephos looked up. Sips was stood with a few other guys from the football team, who all held paintball guns in their hands. They surrounded him as Sips stepped forward and Xephos stepped back. "I looked it up. You broke the rules! And for that, you must be punished."
Xephos backed up against the wall as the others raised the paintball guns to him. "Wait, wait, wait..." He said, sure the others were smaller than him, but there was more of them. "Wa- you've got the power here! Ok? You don't have to do this!" He heard them lock their guns and then tried to shield himself with his arms as they fired the paintballs at him, green paint covering his denim jacket and top.
------------
Ridge unlocked the door to his apartment, walking in he noticed his wife stood holding some wine, a 'CONGRATULATIONS' banner hung up on the wall. She was smiling. "There's my baby." She said as he closed the door. Ridge gave a chuckle.
"Wow, honey..." He said, walking over, he gave a confused expression. "This is amazing wa... what's the congratulation for the... the kids haven't won anything yet."
"I... im pregnant." Terri answered. Ridge gave a chuckle, but then stopped when his wife just smiled at him.
"Really?"
"Yeah!"
He walked closer. "Terri, don't... mess with me..." He took the glasses from her and grinned happily. "My god this is amazing! We're gonna be a family!" He put the glasses down and put his hands around his wife happily. "My god!" He laughed and she laughed back. He gave her a kiss and they hugged. "I cant believe it!" He said, grinning over her shoulder.
------------
"You're leaving us...?" Trott asked his teacher, who stood in front of everyone. "When...?"
"Well I've given my two weeks notice." Ridge answered. "But I promise I'm gonna find you guys a great replacement before I go."
"Is this because those Carmel kids were so good?" Minty asked. "Because we can work harder."
"This isn't fair Mr Shuester... We cant do this without you." Exza added. "
So does that mean that I don't have to be in the club anymore...?" Xephos asked. "Or..." Everyone turned to him and he stopped talking.
"This isn't about you guys." Ridge stated, a sad smile. "Being an adult is about having to make difficult choices. It's not like high school... But sometimes you have to... give up the things that you love." He looked around at them all. "One day you guys are gonna grow up and understand that... I have... loved... being your teacher." He gave a small nod before slowly turning and walking out.
------------
He was clearing up his sheet music from on top of the piano that was on the stage when he looked to the right and saw his guitar. He walked over to it, looking at the spotlight that he had left on to be able to see, and picked his guitar up. He rested his foot on the chair in front of him and looked back up to the spotlight, pulling his guitar up to his stomach. And slowly, he moved his fingers along the strings, before beginning to play 'leaving on a jet plain'.
"All my bags are packed, I'm ready to go, I'm standin' here outside your door. I hate to wake you up to say goodbye. But the dawn is breakin', It's early morn.~"
Xevphera sat in the cafeteria while no one else was there.
"The taxi's waitin', he's blowin' his horn, already I'm so lonesome, I could die~"
She had been looking at the yearbook form the year before and smiled at the picture of Ridge.
"So kiss me and smile for me, tell me that you'll wait for me, hold me like you'll never let me go.~"
She looked up sadly at the thought of him leaving.
"'Cause I'm leavin' on a jet plane, don't know when I'll be back again, oh babe, I hate to go.~"
He was sitting in one of the classrooms, filling out his application files for the accounting job.
"Oh, kiss me and smile for me, tell me that you'll wait for me, hold me like you'll never let me go~"
Xevphera was in the staff room, listening in on a conversation across the room. "I hear he's having a baby, that's why he handed in his notice."
"Really?" Another woman asked. Xevphera just sta where she was, sad.
Ridge finished the song and looked back up sadly before lowering his guitar and walking away from the spotlight.
------------
He signed the letter and closed his folder as the bell rang. Sighing, he went down to his bag, when he heard a familiar voice.
"Need help with those papers...?" Xevphera asked. He looked up to her.
"It's actually an application for... H.W.Menkin..." He said. "They're hiring." Xevphera nodded slightly. He looked up at her, she didn't seem too thrilled. "Come on, accounting is sexy." He said as a joke, putting his folder into his bag. He gave a smile and looked back up to her. "I'll miss you..." He said, giving a small smile.
"Before you leave can you do me a favour...?"
"Yeah." He turned back to her.
"I made an appointment for you tomorrow. In the career centre." She stated. Ridge gave a small confused smile. "You need some guidance."
"I'm having a kid, Xevphera. What I need is better benefits."
"Just come Ridge." Xevphera said calmly. "For me..." and with that she turned and walked out.
------------
Xephos closed his locker and jumped as he saw Exza standing there looking up at him.
"Didn't see you at Glee club today..." She said.
"Is... that still... happening?"
"I've taken over."
"Oh."
"I'm in term director but I expect the position will become permanent..." Exza said, somewhat sadly. Xephos looked up to see two cheerleaders walking over, the one in front was his girlfriend Chesh, the other was one of her best friends Hannah. They were the 'bitches' of the school.
"Hi Xeph." Chesh said before looking to Exza. "What are you doing talking to her?"
"I..." Xephos said, looking between her and Exza.
"Science project... we're partners..." Exza stated, and looked down sadly as Xephos nodded to Chesh.
"Tonight at five, my house." Chesh said, making Xephos smile more.
"Sounds great." He said, and the two cheerleaders walked away. Xephos looked down, and then back to Exza. He sighed. "Look, I-I should go... I cant do Glee anymore... It conflicts with-"
"Your reputation?" Exza asked, gripping onto her bags strap. "You've really got something Xephos and you're throwing it away..."
"I-im going to be late." He said. He looked down to her again, at her blue eyes.
"You cant keep worrying about what people think of it..." She said, a sad smile as she looked up to him. "You're better than all of them..." She turned and walked away, and he looked upwards, sighing heavily.
------------
"What you want me to do, apologise?" Sips asked as they walked across the field, clad in their football uniforms. "That's not me dude." He looked to Xephos, who was looking at the floor. "Look, if I joined the flag team, you'd beat the crap outta me. I just don't understand why you ditched-"
"Shuester told me it'd give me enough extra credit to pass Spanish if I joined the club." Xephos said. "Ok, I- I didn't have a choice. If I failed another class id be off the team." He said. Sips shook his head slightly. "Look it's over, Ok, I quit." Xephos said and they stopped, turning to each other. "Anything else?"
"No that's it." Sips said. "Aaaand as a welcome back to the world of the NORMAL," He tapped his friend on the shoulder. I got you a present." He walked past, and over to the port potties that were round the side of the bleachers.
There was a faint pleading for help. "What's that noise...?" Xephos asked, following his friend.
Trott was in his wheelchair in the potty, trapped and panicking. "Oh god..." He said, looking up and looking for a way to get out. "Help! Help!" He shouted.
The football team were stood outside, watching as Xephos followed Sips round the corner.
"Is someone in there...?" Xephos asked.
"We got that wheelchair kid inside." Sips said, a happy smile on his face. "We're gonna flip it." The rest of the team nodded along.
"Isn't that kinda dangerous?" Xephos asked, obviously not very amused.
"He's already in a wheelchair!" Sips said. "Come on dude, we saved you the first roll."
Xephos looked down for a moment, and gave a small shake of his head before walking over to the potty. He opened the door and looked down at Trott, who looked up to the tall boy. "Thank you, thank you so much!" He said as Xephos rolled him out. Sips frowned in disappointment. "Thank you..." The kid in the wheelchair said. "Oh my god the smell..."
"What the hell dude?!" Sips asked. "I cant believe you're helping out this loser!"
Trott looked from the Mohawk kid to Xephos, who was looking at Sips.
"Don't you get it man...?" The tall boy said. "We're all losers." Sips frowned. "Everyone in this school! Well..." He looked away then looked back to Sips. "Everyone in this town." His voice had raised. "Out of all the kids that graduate maybe HALF will go to college and TWO will leave the state to do it." He looked down then back up. "Im not afraid of being called a loser cuz I can accept that that's what I am." He stared Sips down. "But I am afraid of turning my back on something that actually made me happy for the first time in my sorry life."
"So what?" Sips asked. "Are you quitting to join 'Homo explosion'?" The other football players laughed.
"No." Xephos simply said, looking back to them, and the smile that was fading from Sips' face once again. "I'm doing both. Cuz you cant win without me and neither can they." He took the handles of Trott's chair, who licked his finger and made a hissing sound as Xephos rolled him away, smirking as he did so. Xephos was looking down, then, heard a song he knew all too well. He stopped, and upon looking up he noticed Darren the Emerald guy spraying the grass, the blonde woman sitting atop his truck and bopping her head along to the music that was playing. A Journey song. Don't stop believing.
Xephos smiled widely.
------------
"Look you guys, these steps are not hard..." Exza said. "I've been doing them since pre-school..."
"Im sorry." Sjin said. "Did I miss the election for queen because I didn't vote for you."
"I know what I'm talking about." Exza said.
Xephos rolled Trott across the stage behind her and over to the group.
"I won my first dance competition hen I was three months old."
"This is a closed rehearsal." Sjin told Xephos as he noticed him. The tall boy let go of the wheelchair and stepped to one side.
"Look, I owe you guys an apology." He said. Exza turned and stood with the others. "I never should have quit."
Exza turned to look at him.
"I don't wanna be the guy that just drives around throwing eggs at people."
"That was you?" Exza asked.
"You and your friends threw peel ends at me." Sjin stated.
"I know..." Xephos said.
"You nailed all my lawn furniture to my roof."
"I wasn't actually there for that... but im... really sorry." Xephos admitted. "Look. That isn't who I am. And im tired of it. This is what I wanna be doing. With you guys. I used to think that this was like the lamest thing on earth and... maybe it is, but... we're all here for the same reason." He looked around at them all. "Because me wanna be good at something..."
The others looked to each other and Xephos gave a small side smile.
"Trott, you play guitar right? Think you could recruit the jazz band?"
"I do have pull there." Trott answered, adjusting his glasses.
"Alright!" He looked back up. "Minty? We need new costumes, and they have got to be cool! Can you do that?"
"DAMN! Don't you see what I got on?" She asked, motioning to her outfit and then smiling.
"Exza..."
The girl looked up, with a small smile.
"You can do choreography."
Exza smiled slightly.
"Kim. What are you good at?"
"I-I-" She stuttered.
"We'll figure something out for you." He smiled.
"And what are you bringing to the table Justin Timberlake?" Minty asked. Xephos smiled.
"I've got the music."
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Ridge and Xevphera were sat in the teachers lounge. Ridge looked up at her.
"I wanna show you something." Xevphera said. She opened her laptop. "I did a little research. And this is a tape I found in the library of a 93 team at nationals." She said, and saw from the corner of her eye that Ridge had smiled. She turned the laptop to him and he watched. "Do you know who that is?" She asked. Ridge looked down at the screen, remembering it. "That's you Ridge." Ridge continued to look down at the screen. "That's you happier than I've ever seen you."
"That was the greatest moment of my life..."
"Why?" Xevphera asked calmly with a small smile.
"Because I loved what I was doing... I knew when we were half way through with it that we were gonna win..." He looked down at the screen, and scoffed out a few little laughs. "And being a part of that... in that moment... I knew who I was in the world..." He looked up to her. She smiled slightly. He smiled back, almost choking up as he thought about how happy he had been. "And t-the only time I've felt that way since than was... when Terri told me I was gonna be a father..."
Xevphera nodded and looked down. Ridge took a moment before shaking his head and closing the laptop again. "No, no I need to provide for my family." He slid it back to her.
"But provide what exactly...? The understanding that money is the most important thing?" Ridge looked to her as she spoke. "Or the idea that... the only life worth living is one that you're really passionate about...?" She leant forward on the table, looking into his eyes as he looked to her. "Ridge..."
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Ridge walked down the empty corridor, past the auditorium. And that's when he heard it... A small chorus of people doing beats. He turned around.
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They were stood on stage, all wearing red tops and blue jeans and singing beats to the start of don't stop believing.
Xephos stepped forward. "Just a small town girl, living in a lonely world. She took the midnight train going anywhere~" He sang as the others all tapped their leg along to the music. Exza stepped forward as well.
"Just a city boy, born and raised in South Detroit. He took the midnight train going anywhere.~" She snag, and they turned to each other, raising their hands to one another as Trott on the guitar began to play. They moved back to the line and they all raised their hands. "JUMP!~" they sang.
"Seen her in a smoking room.~" Xephos sang, stepping forward.
"Smell of wine and cheap perfume~" Exza followed, stepping from the other side of the line. They turned to each other once again, looking at each other across the stage with a smile. And they began walking towards each other.
"For a smile they can share the night it goes on and on and on and ooooon!~! They both sang as they spun around together. They all stood in a group and happily shimmied from side to side to the music.
"Strangers, waiting! Up and down the boulevard, and shadows, searching in the night!~"
The other three went over to the microphones and Exza and Xephos turned to each other again.
"Street light! People! Living just to find emotion!~" Exza walked a circle round Xephos then he took her hand and they both raised their other hand up. "Hiding, somewhere in the Niiiiiiiight!~"
Ridge walked in and looked up at the stage from the door. Xephos went to the drums, banging on them with the sticks as Exza walked across the stage.
"Working hard to get my fill!~" She sang. "Everybody wants a thrill!~" She walked back over to Xephos, smiling as he continued to play the drums and then joined in with the singing. "Paying anything to roll the dice, just one more time!~"
"Some will win!~" Exza sang as Xephos stood back up and walked towards her as she stepped away, smiling.
"Some will lose.~" He joined in, walking past her and then smiling back, holding out his hand to the side. She ran over and past him, then turned on the spot to him. "Some will only sing the blues! Another movie never ends it goes on and on and on and on!~" She walked away and he held his hand out to her again and they smiled as Trott began his solo on guitar.
Ridge watched, speechless, they hadn't noticed him. But they were amazing! He walked closer as they continued.
"Don't stop! Believing! Hold on to that feeling!~" They were all in a line again and walked forward on the stage together. "Street light, people! Oooooooh!~" They all raised their hands up to the air.
Lomadia and her cheerleaders were watching from the balcony, she was glaring down at them. Sips was watching from the other door as well, and turned and walked out.
They turned around one by one and walked back, before turning back to face the empty rows of seats. "DONT STOP!~" They bowed their heads.
Then suddenly, there was clapping. They all looked up to see Ridge stood there, clapping a their performance. "Good guys." He said, with a smile. "It's a nine." They all smiled and walked forward. "We need a ten." Ridge continued. "Exza, you need to hit the one sin the fives, Xephos, I think if we worked on it you could hit a high b."
"So does this mean you're staying?" Xephos asked. Ridge looked down for a moment then looked up smiling.
"It would kill me to see you win nationals without me." He smiled at them and they all smiled back. "From the top!"