Road To Nationals // Hunter Clarington

{Chapter 20} 5 : 12

Rose's POV

I walk into the choir room. "Rachel!" I exclaim. "Rose!" She yells back and I rush over to hug her. "How are you?" I ask smiling. "I'm great, how about you? I heard you got a record deal." She smirks at me. "Yeah, I did." I chuckle quietly. "So, are you excited for your Broadway debut?" I question, nudging her slightly. "Of course." We talk for a few minutes, until I notice Mercedes looking my way. We've had a sort of- how do you put it- rivalry since we got back from Nationals. I'm usually a modest person, but seriously, Kanye, Kim, and Ryan Seacrest doesn't beat actually being signed to Syco Records. 

She and Rachel look at each other, then at Rachel's old seat. Rachel beats her to it, obviously, then she looks at me. I scoff. "Oh, diablos no. No vas a conseguir me asiento. (Oh, hell no. You are not getting my seat.) I do a graceful leap up to my seat behind Rachel, high-fiving Rachel as I was in mid-air. After sitting down and smiling innocently at Mercedes, she and Rachel lock eyes again. "Greet each other." Kurt commands from next to me. 

"Hello, Rachel. I am so happy to hear about all of your success." Mercedes spits out. "Oh, thank you so much, Mercedes. And you are looking well." Rachel mentions. "Thank you." Mercedes tugs on her blazer. Hunter walks in looking confused and he sits next to me. "What happened?" He whispers in my ear. I kiss his cheek lightly before replying, "I'll explain later." Mercedes glares at me. If I've learned one thing about the new 'successful Mercedes' is that she is totally jealous of everything I do, or get. "No, if you'll excuse me, I'll make my way to the back of the bus." Mercedes continues to scowl at me, and throws a quick one at Rachel before walking to the top row of chairs.

Mr. Shue walks in. "100 lessons." He tells us. "Hey, can I get Finn's plaque when we clear this place out?" Puck asks rudely. "No, the plaque stays here. Lillian and Finn belong here at McKinley." Mr. Shue announces. "It means so much to me that so many of you came back on such short notice to celebrate the past few years. To sit in this room one last time and sing." Mr. Shue smiles sadly. "Your assignment is to sing one of the songs we sang in here, but reinvented in some way. Way back in the old days when I started the Glee Club, I would give an assignment, and then I would... I would give a little demonstration of what I was looking for." Mr. Shue explains. 

"See, you all cheer now, but just wait till he starts rapping." Santana smirks. "Okay, no hip-hop today, Santana. However, I have asked a very special person to come join me. You know it seemed appropriate since her contributions helped save the Glee Club, or at least the auditorium way back when. Please welcome, all the way from Broadway, Miss April Rhodes!" Mr. Shue gestures to the doorway where April excitedly walks in exclaiming, "Hey, y'all!" We all stand up cheering. It's good to have her back.

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"So, Mr. Moneybags says to me, he says, 'April Rhodes, you sing like an angel and make love like a tiger. But the old ball and chain's got your number. So I'm afraid I gots to set you loose. So, you know what he did?" I furrow my eyebrows at April, silently telling her to go on. "He bought me an island! That's right. I own my own island int he Caribbean called Santa Abrilrodeo. It's not war-torn or filled with landslides or got destitute locals on it. Just me and my manservant Kadeem. With long, sensuous nights full of home-brewed poi and intimate massage-" April begins to imitate the massage.

"Okay, thank you, April, for that... wonderful lesson in female empowerment." Mr. Shue shakes his head, starting to laugh. April responds with an, "Amen!" "Amen, but... why are we all holding these plastic champagne flutes?" Artie inquires. "'Cause we are about to pop the cork with some bubbly. But don't worry, this Spumante is virgin. Probably like you will be for a long time." April points at Unique and her smile drops. "Anyways... Will and I want you raise your glass to celebrate the glee club by singing hands down the best song New Directions ever did." April grabs the bottle. 

"Wait a second, the New Directions never sang 'Raise Your Glass', the Warblers did that." Blaine reminds her. "I was wondering why it didn't annoy me every time I heard it in my head. I always had a soft spot in my heart for you prep school boys." April winks at Hunter and he wraps his arms around my waist and we sing 'Raise Your Glass' by Pink. The next day, Santana, Quinn, Brittany and I are singing Britney Spears' 'Toxic'.

[All]

Ah, ah
Oh, oh, oh, oh

[Quinn]

Baby, can't you see

I'm calling
A guys like you
Should wear a warning

It's dangerous
I'm falling

[Brittany]

There's no escape
I can't wait

I need a hit
Baby, give me it

You're dangerous
I'm loving it

[Rose and Santana with Quinn and Brittany]

Too high, can't come down
It's in the air and it's all around

Can you feel me now

[Rose with Santana, Quinn, and Brittany]

With a taste of your lips, I'm on a ride
You're toxic, I'm slipping under
With a taste of a poison paradise
I'm addicted to you
Don't you know that you're toxic

[All]

Oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh
Ho, oh
Oh, oh, oh

[Rose with Santana, Quinn, and Brittany]

With a taste of your lips, I'm on a ride

You're toxic, I'm slipping under
With a taste of a poison paradise
(Rose: Oh, oh, oh, oh)
I'd addicted to you
Don't you know that you're toxic

[Santana, Quinn, and Brittany (Rose)]

Intoxicate me now
(Oh, oh)
With your loving now
(Oh, oh)
I think I'm ready now
(I think I'm ready now)
Intoxicate me now
(Oh, oh)
With your loving now
(Oh, oh)
I think I'm ready now
(With Rose: Oh, oh, oh, oh)

"That's what I'm talking about, kiddos. What did you think, Mr. Preppy McDimplebutt?" April asks Quinn's boyfriend, who I think is a total ass. I mean, he was on his phone for the whole performance. "Oh, I thought it was, um, very energetic." He answers, unsure of himself. "Dude, you were texting the whole time." Mike joins the conversation. "You know, he's very busy. He's, um, president of a... of a secret society and also captain of the water polo team." Quinn insists.

I still think he's an asshole.