Game Set Match

ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ ꜰɪꜰᴛᴇᴇɴ

Today is sectionals and Thanksgiving and I am kind of excited with my first performance on the stage especially since sectionals will be held in our auditorium.

I went out from the closet and saw Marley fixing her hair. "Hey, you look beautiful." I smile at her.

"You are more beautiful and this is the first time I saw you in a formal dress." Marley smiles back at me.

"Thank you." I giggled and fixed my hair a bit then walked out from the girls bathroom with Marley.

"You know that Ryder will kill me if I tell you about this but he can't stop texting me and asking me about you." Marley says to me.

"Oh you want me to tell him to stop texting you because it's bothering you?" I raise my eyebrows at Marley.

"No, it's just I know he has a crush on you." Marley giggles. "Wade! I mean Unique, you are back!" Marley shouts as Unique just shuts her locker.

"You look beautiful." I smile at Unique.

"Yes, in all her glory and as you can see, she is ready for her close up." Unique smiles at us.

"I thought your parents didn't want you wearing..." Marley says.

"They don't, they are trying to protect me. But what they need to understand is if I'm not being true to myself at least when I'm performing, then there won't be anything left inside me to protect. So they can keep talking about sending me to a camp for little boys who like to wear dresses, but I will not and I cannot be ashamed of who I am or how I look." Unique grins at us.

"You look beautiful. I think it's inspiring how brave and proud you are. I wish I was more like that." Marley says as we enter the choir room.

"Hustle up, girls. You are going to miss the show circle and welcome back girl." Mercedes grins at us.

"What's a show circle?" Marley asks.

"Come on." Santana takes my hand and Marley's hand.

"It's tradition before every competition." Tina says to us.

"It's something Mr.Shue made up and today I want to add to it. Joe, how about you lead us in prayer?" Finn says.

"Whoa, dude. Old testament there is Hebrews here." Puck says and points to him, Jake and I.

"Yeah, okay. This is one of my favorite Bible verses from Isaiah. Considering that the Warblers are so good, and that it's the first competition for a lot of you, I think it's appropriate. So do not fear because I am with you. Do not be dismayed. I will strengthen you, I will uphold you with my righteous hand." Joe says as we are holding hands together and praying.

"And our righteous dance moves, amen." Artie says to us.

"All right! Ugh! Man, I-I remember our first sectionals like it was yesterday. We came together as a team because we had to. Because no one outside our circle knew how much we'd been through, and how much it meant to us to win it. This is our house. Look into the faces of these graduates. They've been to the mountaintop. This is just the first step in your climb to meet them there." Finn says to us.

"On three? Santana grins and raises her hand.

"One, two, three! Amazing!"

We smiled at each other then walked out from the choir room and started walking to the auditorium and entered the auditorium.

"A reminder that the American Legion Turkey Shoot begins at 6:00 p.m. So, please, drive carefully. Now, put your hands together for our distinguished panel of judges! Lima News Obituary Editor, Stan Cook! Chief Historian of the Lima Locomotive Museum, Harrison Paolucci! And the 2012 Defiance County Catfish Queen, Allison Metcalf!"

The stage lamp turning on and a guy with a Dalton Blazer standing on the stage. "Break a leg. I'm Hunter Clarington, and we are the Dalton Academy Warblers. Hope you enjoy the show."

♡