𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰 | s. lopez

The Rhodes Not Taken

"Juniper, get your little butt down here right now!" yelled Ms. Stewart from downstairs.

Juniper groaned and rolled out of bed. As she headed downstairs, she made sure to stomp her foot down on each step, the loud noise echoing through the house.

"What do you want?" asked Juniper, crossing her arms as she went into the living room where Ms. Stewart was sitting cross-legged on the couch.

"Hand me the remote," she said, making the Latina scoff.

"That's what you called me down here for? Get the remote yourself, you lazy-"

"Juniper Oakley, don't you dare finish that sentence," said Ms. Stewart, standing up and moving closer to the brunette.

"What if I do?" asked Juniper, a small smirk forming on her face as she challenged the older woman.

"You'll be back on the streets," smirked Ms. Stewart.

Juniper's smug look faded. The last thing she wanted was to be kicked out of another home. That's how it's been since she was seven. She'd be placed into a new foster home and stick around for a couple months until the foster parent got sick of her attitude and threw her out. She's been going from foster home to foster home for almost eight years. She can't go through that again. She's finally made friends and she doesn't want to lose them.

Juniper let out a defeated sigh and went over to get the remote. She handed it to Ms. Stewart and went back upstairs to her room.

****

Rachel officially quit Glee Club to be the lead in the school musical, so her solo in Don't Stop Believin' was given to Quinn. As they ran through the number, Juniper couldn't help but notice that Quinn seemed a bit out of it. All of a sudden, the blonde ran out, holding a hand to her mouth, and the music stopped.

"Quinn, you okay?" Mr. Schue asked.

"I think she just ate a bad breakfast burrito," said Finn.

"Can we please talk about the giant elephant in the room?" asked Kurt.

"Your sexuality?" asked Santana with a smug smile.

"Rachel," said Kurt, slightly irritated. "We can't do it without her."

"That's not true," Mr. Schue said. "We may have to layer Santana or Mercedes over Quinn's solo, but we'll be fine."

"Maybe for the invitationals, not for the sectionals. And certainly not for the regionals." said Artie.

"Wheelchair kid's right," said Puck.

"He has a name, man whore," said Juniper.

"Shut it, orphan Annie," scoffed Puck. "Anyways, that Rachel chick makes me wanna light myself on fire, but she can sing."

"Rachel left, guys. She's gone. Now if we're gonna make this thing work, we can't look back," said Mr. Schue. "Alright, take five guys."

****

"Guys, I'd like to introduce you to someone very special," began Mr. Schue the next day in Glee Club. "This is April Rhodes. She's our newest member."

"Wait, so old people can join Glee Club now?" asked Finn.

"Old, huh?" said April. "You guys look like the world's worst Benetton ad"

"Mr. Schuester, this seems like a terrible idea," said Artie.

"April is a great singer," defended Mr. Schue. "And she never graduated."

"We appreciate what you're trying to do, but she's no Rachel," said Mercedes.