𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰 | s. lopez

Pilot

Freak. Loser. Trashy. Unlovable.

Juniper had heard them all. The whispers in that echo in the hallway, the giggling, the backstabbing anytime she dared to let people get close to her. That's the price she's had to pay growing up as a foster kid.

She thought high school would be a fresh start. A new city, a new foster home, a new beginning. Nobody knew her here. But as soon as she walked through those doors on her first day, she was hit with a cold, red slushie.

"Welcome to high school, foster freak," teased Karofsky.

"Bite me, shit face," the Latina shot back, shoving the jock out of her way as she headed to the bathroom to get cleaned up before first period. So much for a fresh start, she thought as she turned on the faucet and splashed her face with water.

"You too, huh?" asked a voice, startling Juniper.

She turned and saw a brunette girl who – like her – was also covered in red slushie.

"Let me guess," said the brunette. "Karofsky?"

"Yup," said Juniper, walking over to the paper towels.

"He does that to everyone, don't worry. That was your 'welcome to McKinley' present."

Juniper hummed in response as she gently patted her face dry. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed the brunette washing the slushie off of her. Juniper handed her a clean paper towel and she used it to dry her face.

"I'm Rachel by the way," said the brunette with a small smile. "Rachel Berry."

"Juniper Oakley," replied Juniper.

"Nice to meet you, Juniper," said Rachel, holding out her hand.

Juniper raised an eyebrow and scoffed. "A handshake? Who do I look like? Some great-grandpa you saw two Thanksgivings ago?"

Rachel put her hand down. The bell rang.

"See you around, Berry," said Juniper and she turned on her heels to leave the bathroom.

****

She doesn't even know how it happened, but by the time the second week of school rolled around Juniper had joined a club. Glee Club, to be exact. She doesn't know why she did it – maybe it had something to do with Rachel's constant nagging – or maybe she thought she needed a place where losers like her came together to sing their problems away.

"We suck," said Rachel as they finished the number.

"You okay, wheels?" Juniper asked Artie, who had crashed into the wall.

"Yeah, I'm fine," he said, pushing his glasses up on his nose. "Happens all the time."

"Mr. Schuester, do you have any idea how ridiculous it is to give the lead solo in Sit Down, You're Rockin' the Boat to a boy in a wheelchair?" complained Rachel.

"I think Mr. Schue's using irony to enhance the performance," said Artie.

"Besides, who cares if he's in a wheelchair?" asked Juniper, crossing her arms. "He's human just like the rest of us."

"I care! And there's nothing ironic about show choir!" snapped Rachel, giving them a death stare and storming out of the choir room.

"Rachel. Rachel!" Mr. Schue called after her, but she was already gone.

****

Juniper mindlessly harmonized in the background as she watched Finn Hudson sing You're The One That I Want with Rachel. She rolled her eyes as she watched a love-struck Rachel shove everyone out of the way to get to Finn.

"Oh, hell to the nah!" exclaimed Mercedes, pushing Rachel and Finn apart. "Look, I'm not down with this background-singing nonsense! I'm Beyoncé! I ain't no Kelly Rowland."

Juniper snapped her fingers. "You tell 'em, girl."

"Okay, look, Mercedes. It's just one song," said Mr. Schuester.

"And it's the first time we've been kind of good," added Kurt.

"Okay. You're good, white boy. I'll give you that. But you better bring it," said Mercedes, "Let's run it again," she added in a sing-song voice and a forced smile towards Mr. Schue.

"Alright. Let's do it. From the top."

****

After going on a field trip to Carmel High to watch Vocal Adrenaline perform, Mr. Schue told the Glee Club he was quitting. Then Finn quit too. Rachel decided to become dictator and take over Glee Club herself.

"Look you guys, these steps are not hard. I've been doing them since preschool," bossed Rachel.

"I'm sorry, did I miss the election for queen? 'Cause I didn't vote for you," said Kurt.

"Me either," agreed Juniper.

"I know what I'm talking about. I won my first dance competition when I was three months old!"

Tina and Juniper exchanged a look.

"C-can you even c-compete in a d-dance competition at th-three months?" asked Tina in a whisper.

"I don't think so," replied Juniper, shaking her head a little.

"This is a closed rehearsal," said Kurt.

Juniper brought her attention back to the people on stage and saw Finn coming in with Artie.

"Look I owe you guys an apology," said Finn, "I never should've quit. I don't wanna be the guy that just drives around throwing eggs at people."

"That was you?" Rachel accused.

"You and your friends threw pee balloons at me," said Kurt.

"I know," said Finn, looking guilty.

"You nailed all my lawn furniture to the roof," he added.

"I wasn't actually there for that, but I'm really sorry," said Finn, "Look, that isn't who I am, and I'm tired of it. This is what I want to be doing, with you guys. I used to think that this was the lamest thing on earth, and maybe it is. But we're all here for the same reason. 'Cause we want to be good at something. Artie, you play guitar, right?" Artie nodded. "Do you think you could recruit the jazz band?"

"I do have a pull there," he replied, pushing his glasses up higher on his nose.

"All right," Finn smiled, "Mercedes, we need costumes and they have got to be cool. Can you do that?"

"Damn! Don't you see what I've got on?" she smiled.

"Rachel, you can do choreography. Tina, Juniper, what are you good at?" asked Finn.

"I can dislocate someone's shoulder five different ways," said Juniper, getting weird looks from everyone in the room. "What? Foster system's not a cake walk. You have to have street smarts."

"I- I-" stuttered Tina.

"We'll figure something out for you two," said Finn.

"And what are you bringing to the table, Justin Timberlake?" asked Mercedes.

"I've got the music."

****

Clapping was heard. Everyone looked up to see Mr. Schue watching them, smiling.

"Good, guys. It's a nine. We need a ten," said Mr. Schue, "Rachel, you need to hit the ones and the fives. Finn, I think if we worked on it, you could hit a high B."

"So does this mean you're staying?" asked Finn

"It would kill me to see you win nationals without me," said Mr. Schue and everyone smiled. "From the top."