HIRAETH | mike chang

3 | preggers

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After the Push it performance in the Pep Assembly, the Glee club had welcomed three of McKinley High's most infamous cheerleaders: Quinn Fabray, Santana Lopez and Brittany Pearce. While Stella struggled to keep up with the social demands that the girls brought, Stella took a particular liking to Brittany. Stella found her outlook on life refreshing, as an introverted person Brittany brought a sense of fun to her day to day life that she hadn't experienced before. Plus, she really liked hearing of the adventures of the blonde's infamous cat.

However, despite the new additions to the group, the rehearsals still started the same way. Sat between Artie and Tina, Stella took the sheet music from Mr Schuester. Stella zoned out as Rachel began to argue with Mr Schue over the key of the music before he blurted out "Yep. Tina's doing the solo." Stella and Artie embraced Tina in a bone crushing hug, Stella was so proud of her friend and was certain she would sing the part beautifully. The moment was paused by Rachel "I'm sorry, there must be some sort of mix up. I thought I made it very clear that anything from "West Side Story" goes to me. Maria is my part! Natalie Wood was a Jew, you know. I've had a very deep, personal connection to this role since the age of one." Stella glanced over to Artie who rolled his eyes, watching Rachel shout like a toddler trying to get their own way before storming out of the choir room. "The more times she storms out of rehearsal, the less impact it has." Artie said matter of factly, earning him a nod from Stella.

Stella sat in the dining hall for the first time since she had been in McKinley, in the company of Mercedes, Kurt, Artie and Tina. Stella had a million questions for Kurt after his try out for the football team so she sat questioning him. "Where they nice to you Kurt, did they treat you okay?" Stella asked awaiting a reply. However she found herself noticing Artie flirting with Tina over to her right. Stella smiled, she was really happy that they were both falling for each other, but in her head she couldn't help but feel a pang of jealousy that she didn't have someone that liked her in such a way. Stella was eagerly anticipating her teenage dream lover to enter her life but, she accepted today wasn't that day.

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TINA COHEN CHANG STOOD CENTRE STAGE IN THE AUDITORIUM singing her heart out to Tonight from West Side Story. After Rachel left the Glee club for the school musical, the pressure was mounted on Tina to deliver the so-called star power that Rachel brought to the team. Only the night before, Tina had been on the phone to Stella telling her how stressed she was trying to perfect her performance.  Waiting in the wings, Stella watched on as Tina came to the end of the song and blew the last note. Stella ran to hug her after she finished, all in all it was a great performance, Tina just needed encouragement.  "That was great, Tina. Good job!" Mr Schuester said enthusiastically but Tina looked absolutely mortified. "You don't have to say that. I was sh-sh-sharp. I c-c-c-can't do this." Stella felt for Tina, she knew what feeling in superior was like and it pained her to see Tina beat herself up over it.  "Hey, hey, look at me. Have you noticed the more confident you are, the less you stutter? Hey... I need you to be great at Regionals. To do that, you've got to know that you can do this." Mr Schue's words were softly spoken and Stells found herself involuntarily piping up. "Tina, you are talented beyond words and even if you can't see it. I can see it and so can everyone else in the Glee club, especially Artie. You've got to believe that we mean what we say." Stella spoke with a directness yet comfort that she knew her friend needed. Tina still looked deflated by her performance "You have to give this song to Rachel. She's better than me, and you know she'll quit if you don't. I'll have to t-take one for the team,"

Stella strolled towards the bleachers, wrapping her star printed cardigan tighter around her body. Her curls were blowing in the wind to the point of becoming tangled as she quickly spotted Mercedes and Tina in the crowd. "Hey girl, you ready for some serious football?" Mercedes teased, Stella had very little interest in sport except those guys in the books she read and the films she watched that ultimately made her a hopeless romantic. Sandwiched between the two girls, they looked out over the pitch to spot Kurt. However, Mercedes noticed the guy she had picked up on during their pep assembly who was smiling at Stella. "Stells, is that the guy who was smiling at you during the pep assembly?" She questioned. Stella couldn't control the blush that fell over her face. Truth be told, she had caught herself thinking about that guy every so often and she was intrigued to know more about him. As the game wore on, the girls were in suspense waiting for Kurt to kick the ball. "I c-c-can't watch" Tina said quickly. The ball flew to the field goal and the home crowd went crazy. Even the three girls found themselves joining in on the chants, something Stella never ever would have envisioned that she'd do.

Stella quickly rushed to a seat after running late to the choir room, she sat arms folded over her white floral top eagerly awaiting Mr Schuester's 'good news'. After a day of Maths lessons, Stella needed some cheering up. "Hey guys! Let's give a big Glee welcome to our three new members fresh off their big win on Friday night – Noah Puckerman, Matt Rutherford, and Mike Chang. Regionals, here we come." Mr Schuester cheered. Stella however was left spellbound. There was no way that the guy who had smiled at her during the pep assembly was now stood in the choir room. Stella composed herself as two of the boys came towards her. "Excuse me, would you mind at all if we sat here with you?" Stella shook her head and mustered the courage to string a sentence together "Not at all, sorry I missed your names." Stella replied. "I'm Matt!" The first boy said eagerly shaking her hand. The second boy, the boy who Stella kept thinking about opened his mouth to speak, "I'm Mike Chang, it's a pleasure to meet you miss?" "Stella, yeah I'm Stella... Stella Murray" Stella stumbled out of pure anxiety. Mike gingerly put a hand on the girls tense shoulder "Well it's a pleasure to meet you, Stella."

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STELLA MURRAY WAS OVERCOME WITH EMOTION, and what pained her the most was that she didn't understand them. She didn't understand why she wanted to form a connection with Mike so quickly. After her Dad passed away Stella found it hard to form relationships with people as she didn't want her heart to break. She was fragile, there was no doubting it, but she couldn't help but be drawn to Mike Chang, as much as she fought it. Stood in the auditorium alone. Stella plugged in the microphone and did the one thing that she did understand. Sing.

"Too Close for Comfort" sung by Stella Murray

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word count :  1256
authors note : aw stella is so overcome by mike!! hope you enjoyed this chapter <3